Promoting Professional Geekery #9: Build a Site

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(I've moved this series to Monday, since it's a way to encourage you for the week to come – and a good lead in before we know the news of the week).

Want to share your legacy and enthusiasm for professional geekery?  Start a web page.

Oh, I'm not talking a blog – though it may be part of it.  I'm talking a page that has and does something for people you want to reach, mentor, encourage, or just kick in the backside until they get their progeek on.

I'm talking a page that is a tool.  A page that does something.  A page that is basically an application or a library or something that lets people get something done.  Say . . .

  • Maybe an archival page filled with useful advice, lessons, diagrams, what have you for a given profession.
  • A blog/archive where people swap and record advice.
  • A useful interactive map of services, locations, clubs, etc.
  • A calculator, destination-finder, or planner of some kind.
  • Snippets of code, useful stuff, etc.
  • A "compiler" that combines several sites (social media, code archives, what have you) in one place for various projects, lessons, etc.
  • A site documenting a continual project – and it's continual educational benefits for progeeks.

Ask yourself what people need – and then build it.  Or team up with someone to build it.  You get the idea.

What do you get from it?

  • You get to create a unique service for people.
  • You get to make that service available.
  • You get to learn a lot from deploying it.
  • It can combine well with other projects – like speaking or writing.
  • It looks good on a  resume.

Making a site is easier than ever, from a repurposed blog to Joomla to template-driven creators.  Teamed up with (or being) a web developer and the sky's the limit.

Set your sights on a site and help share your professionally geeky wisdom and knowledge!

– Steven Savage

Survery Sunday Roundup: Game Machines Next

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So last week you were asked "Game machines seem to be changing, assuming more and more functions. What do you think the future of gaming devices is?"

And our results?

Not exactly what I expected

  • 25.0% – Much the same as it is now, with a few other features like social media.   
  • 50.0% – They'll take on other media tasks but remain distinct. 
  • 50.0% – They'll eventually be replaced with computers, tablets, and media consoles.
  • 0.0% – They'll fragment into various devices.
  • 0.0% – They'll be crushed by "non-gaming" devices that are really good at games.
  • 25.0% – They'll merge into other computing devices.   
  • 0.0% – Other (explain below)
  • 0.0% – I have no idea.

I saw an odd split that overall gaming machines will either be distinct – or pretty much go away, with really no middle ground.  Maybe there is no middle ground, but your responses were interestng.

We did have one comment:

"Gaming devices I don't think will fragment. Gaming itself, though, will. A dedicated gaming device will draw people, at least for the next decade. (My crystal ball takes the colour of a TV tuned to a dead channel past that.) However, gaming will expand to other platforms, including ones that weren't designed with games in mind. However, social interaction will grow; it'll be a rare game that doesn't support cooperative or competitive play."

– Steven Savage