Comments on: John Perry Barlow’s open channel epiphany http://mrblog.org/2004/01/06/john-perry-barlows-open-channel-epiphany/ Mr Blog. Very technical, or silly, sometimes absurd. Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:49:50 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: MrBlog http://mrblog.org/2004/01/06/john-perry-barlows-open-channel-epiphany/comment-page-1/#comment-238 MrBlog Wed, 21 Jan 2004 22:05:45 +0000 http://mrblog.televolution.net/?p=118#comment-238 Cool stuff James.<br /> <br /> There are indeed two sides to the privacy question. On the one hand, one can be a bit self conscious about being on camera, but on the other hand, a remote worker, or work-at-home worker, cannot be accused of slacking off or not putting in the time. People see you on camera and know you're working too. This alone can make a big difference with group dynamics. Cool stuff James.

There are indeed two sides to the privacy question. On the one hand, one can be a bit self conscious about being on camera, but on the other hand, a remote worker, or work-at-home worker, cannot be accused of slacking off or not putting in the time. People see you on camera and know you’re working too. This alone can make a big difference with group dynamics.

]]> By: James Benson http://mrblog.org/2004/01/06/john-perry-barlows-open-channel-epiphany/comment-page-1/#comment-237 James Benson Wed, 21 Jan 2004 21:56:20 +0000 http://mrblog.televolution.net/?p=118#comment-237 My company is small and highly distributed. At any point in time we could be evenly spread across the planet. In order to cope with this, we've used a wide variety of apps to promote a feeling of togetherness.<br /> <br /> What we do is highly collaborative - most recently we put together a real-time traffic site for the Bay Area. Our clients are they, most of us are spread around Seattle, but we travel a lot. <br /> <br /> The combination of chat (we use trillian), VoIP, and web based collaboration tools allow us to not only work like we're all in the same room ... but also allow our clients to have copious oversight. We're achieved near transparency - which greatly reduces client management and undue stress.<br /> <br /> The corporate culture has adopted its own mores about the use of IM and other tools ... what is and is not considered an interruption, when to or not to get annoyed at the lack of a response, etc. My company is small and highly distributed. At any point in time we could be evenly spread across the planet. In order to cope with this, we’ve used a wide variety of apps to promote a feeling of togetherness.

What we do is highly collaborative – most recently we put together a real-time traffic site for the Bay Area. Our clients are they, most of us are spread around Seattle, but we travel a lot.

The combination of chat (we use trillian), VoIP, and web based collaboration tools allow us to not only work like we’re all in the same room … but also allow our clients to have copious oversight. We’re achieved near transparency – which greatly reduces client management and undue stress.

The corporate culture has adopted its own mores about the use of IM and other tools … what is and is not considered an interruption, when to or not to get annoyed at the lack of a response, etc.

]]> By: MrBlog http://mrblog.org/2004/01/06/john-perry-barlows-open-channel-epiphany/comment-page-1/#comment-236 MrBlog Thu, 08 Jan 2004 03:45:51 +0000 http://mrblog.televolution.net/?p=118#comment-236 As for your situation, Dav, the biggest challenge we have seen in this situation, where one worker (or a minority) is separated from a larger group, is that the others, those at the main site, have to be willing to put out the effort to try it. They are being asked to put effort into something which may not benefit them as much as it helps the remote minority. They have to want to help you. They will benefit too, but they will not notice as much, or appreciate as much, and it will take longer for them to appreciate. If the group is resentful that you are remote, or has some other weird dynamic going on, or power struggles, or whatever, then that can sabotage the whole thing.<br /> <br /> Another issue is if the group has a trust thing going on, such as a<br /> boss that people fear is using the system to perform bed checks. That spells disaster. As for your situation, Dav, the biggest challenge we have seen in this situation, where one worker (or a minority) is separated from a larger group, is that the others, those at the main site, have to be willing to put out the effort to try it. They are being asked to put effort into something which may not benefit them as much as it helps the remote minority. They have to want to help you. They will benefit too, but they will not notice as much, or appreciate as much, and it will take longer for them to appreciate. If the group is resentful that you are remote, or has some other weird dynamic going on, or power struggles, or whatever, then that can sabotage the whole thing.

Another issue is if the group has a trust thing going on, such as a
boss that people fear is using the system to perform bed checks. That spells disaster.

]]> By: Mr Blog http://mrblog.org/2004/01/06/john-perry-barlows-open-channel-epiphany/comment-page-1/#comment-235 Mr Blog Wed, 07 Jan 2004 23:40:25 +0000 http://mrblog.televolution.net/?p=118#comment-235 The system is certainly not yet a fully polished application. The features are mostly there and they all work pretty reliably, but we simply have not had the resources to take it to the next level. It is a one man development team essentially, part-time, with no budget. It needs about a year of work by real programmers. In particular, setting it up on the Mac is clunky and a somewhat involved process.<br /> <br /> So if iChat/AV is a fax machine in 1970, this app is a web browser in 1969 :-)<br /> <br /> That said, it has some fundamental characteristics that are diametrically opposed to iChat/AV. First, it is designed to support mult-party video, so a team can have a dedicated session (maybe think of it as a video #joito channel). Second, it is best used with low-bitrate video and wide whole-room camera angles. This is very much in contrast to iChat/AV that prefers megabit streams and the iSight camera that is designed specifically for close-up head shots (with the auto-focus feature). A good alternative Firewire camera is the iBot (and it's cheaper too). Our application is the antithesis of the person-to-person video-phone application implemented by iChat and most chat-based systems. The system is certainly not yet a fully polished application. The features are mostly there and they all work pretty reliably, but we simply have not had the resources to take it to the next level. It is a one man development team essentially, part-time, with no budget. It needs about a year of work by real programmers. In particular, setting it up on the Mac is clunky and a somewhat involved process.

So if iChat/AV is a fax machine in 1970, this app is a web browser in 1969 :-)

That said, it has some fundamental characteristics that are diametrically opposed to iChat/AV. First, it is designed to support mult-party video, so a team can have a dedicated session (maybe think of it as a video #joito channel). Second, it is best used with low-bitrate video and wide whole-room camera angles. This is very much in contrast to iChat/AV that prefers megabit streams and the iSight camera that is designed specifically for close-up head shots (with the auto-focus feature). A good alternative Firewire camera is the iBot (and it’s cheaper too). Our application is the antithesis of the person-to-person video-phone application implemented by iChat and most chat-based systems.

]]> By: Dav http://mrblog.org/2004/01/06/john-perry-barlows-open-channel-epiphany/comment-page-1/#comment-234 Dav Wed, 07 Jan 2004 22:49:17 +0000 http://mrblog.televolution.net/?p=118#comment-234 I just ordered my first mac today, along with the iSight camera. I work from home in San Francisco and everyone else in my company is in Research Triangle Park, NC so I'm looking forward to exploring how a persistent video connection can improve my collaboration abilities. I'll be sure to try out your app, thanks for the pithy article.<br /> <br /> (BTW, the verification thing was hosed on my first attempt to post; it kept claiming it was incorrect when in fact it was correct) I just ordered my first mac today, along with the iSight camera. I work from home in San Francisco and everyone else in my company is in Research Triangle Park, NC so I’m looking forward to exploring how a persistent video connection can improve my collaboration abilities. I’ll be sure to try out your app, thanks for the pithy article.

(BTW, the verification thing was hosed on my first attempt to post; it kept claiming it was incorrect when in fact it was correct)

]]> By: John Perry Barlow http://mrblog.org/2004/01/06/john-perry-barlows-open-channel-epiphany/comment-page-1/#comment-233 John Perry Barlow Wed, 07 Jan 2004 18:05:59 +0000 http://mrblog.televolution.net/?p=118#comment-233 I would be very interested in learning more about the cross-platform AV chat software you're developing. iChat AV is a wonderful thing, but it's a little like having a fax machine in 1970. I would be very interested in learning more about the cross-platform AV chat software you’re developing. iChat AV is a wonderful thing, but it’s a little like having a fax machine in 1970.

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