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Is Facebook Ephemeral?

I was in Chicago for my cousin's wedding, and I had the occasion to have a pleasant lunch at the Palace (term used loosely) Grill on Chicago's Westside with an old friend. 

Chicago's Westside neighborhood was once the most dangerous area in Chicago--and that's saying something. Today, while not gentrified, it certainly is a more pleasant place. Time changes things. No one questions whether or not neighborhoods are ephemeral. That's their nature. They change--for better or worse. But what about social networking sites like Facebook? Is Facebook ephemeral? Or is it a permanent community that will span generations--surely evolving--but always there, like the Westside of Chicago, through good times and bad? 

While I'm on Facebook, my lunch companion couldn't understand why anyone would waste their time with it. Is Facebook like the CB Radio craze of the 1970s--a fun way to twist technology into a social networking pretzel? Will we look back in twenty years and laugh at how we all had Facebook pages like CB "handles," or will Facebook have grown into something so powerful that we can't imagine life without it?

In 1990, I remember telling my mom that I thought the Internet would be the most revolutionary communications tool to ever exist. That it would be an essential part of our lives from hence forth. In response, she said she couldn't think of one thing she could do online. Even today, she rarely ventures online, but if you asked, she probably would agree that I was on to something in 1990.

But that doesn't mean everything online has permanence.

And so, I wonder, is Facebook ephemera?

Feature on BITUSA Cover Added to Friends of the Bruce Springsteen Collection

A special feature I wrote for the anniversary of Springsteen's Born in the USA album has been added to the Friends of the Bruce Springsteen Collection at the Asbury Park Library. Click here to read the article, "The Summer of Springsteen’s Political Baptism."

Secret to Getting Lowest Price and Best Work from Freelance Writer

The secret to getting the absolute lowest price and best work from a freelance writer is as simple as displaying these four key characteristics:

1. understand the value freelance writers bring to the table;
2. know the importance of good planning and communications;
3. provide ample time for the project to be completed; and,
4. be easy to work with.

Clients who display these characteristics get the lowest price and best work, because the writer can work efficiently and doesn't have to struggle through the process.

You can take this advice to the bank.

Upcoming Cloud Computing Article

I'm currently conducting research on a cloud computing feature for Data Center Management, which will explore the pros and cons of public, private, and hybrid clouds. Using real-world examples, my feature will discuss the deployment of public, private, and hybrid clouds in data centers.

If you run a data center and use cloud computing, please contact me. I might like to arrange an interview with you to hear about your experiences.

What Haven't I Written About

I'm often asked by prospective clients if I've ever written about X, Y, or Z.

Here is a small sample of the subjects I've tackled during the past 20 years as a technology and business journalist and ghostwriter:

supply chain management, enterprise computing, 3D modeling, cloud computing, social networking, food processing, fuel cells, EMI, OEE, drug discovery, aerospace, disaster recovery, industrial safety, Google fiber initiative, advanced scheduling, industrial GHG solutions, virtualization, asset management, k12 funding, workflow mapping, quality management, alarm management, industrial chemicals, renewable energy, machine guarding, videoconferencing, business intelligence, automotive, Cisco networking, Life Sciences, CMS, CRM, robotic welding, oil & gas, data collection, data mining, data translation, data centers, industrial printers, Internet security, HTML5, distance learning, enterprise risk assurance, ERP, MRP, document management, PLCs, gearboxes, antennas, medical devices, process monitoring, simulation, IT, Java, Windows, SixSigma, XML, middleware, PKI security, collaboration, VoIP, broadband, warehouse management, business forecasting, workforce management, human resource management, help desks, IR wireless networks, CAD/CAM, robotics, AGVs, test & measurement equipment, onboarding, data leakage, RFID, k12 curriculum software, and much more.

 So, have I written about X, Y, and Z. Yes. And A, B, C, too.

 

 

Social Networking Onboarding Column in Data Center Management

My column on the use of social networking to help onboard new hires in data centers appears in this month's issue of Data Center Management. This article examines an emerging HR trend that I think has relevance well beyond the data center.

I write a monthly column about HR-related issues for the magazine. My next column will focus on preventing data leakage.