Alec Saunders SquawkBox

Rapid development tools like Ruby on Rails are enabling development teams to crank out code at phenomenal speeds these days.  Case in point: iotum itself.  We had built the iotum Relevance Engine using Python, which had been a tremendous productivity improvement over prior generations of tools.  When it came time to build our Facebook FREE Conference Call application, the team suggested Ruby on Rails.  The entire application was built in record speed, and we are now able to crank out significant improvements on a bi-weekly schedule in response to user requests.

The fevered pace of development in the Facebook community gives one the sense that most of the Facebook development community has adopted these tools.  Of course, rapid development does have pitfalls. You have to pay attention to quality all the time.   Yesterday I received an invitation to try an application on Facebook that had me stymied during the install process when I reached this screen:

News leaked out yesterday that Facebook had added keyword targeting to Facebook Flyers.  This is a welcome step.  Like Lee Aase, I started experimenting with them to see what kind of results could be achieved.  I targeted a couple of flyers to people who said they were interested in Business or Networking, which dramatically narrows the potential audience.

Although many are touting this as a Google Adwords' competitor, one thing is quite different from Google.  Because Google adwords are driven by search, there is more likely to be an intent to buy already.  That may bias advertisers in favour of Google Adwords rather than Facebook flyers. 

You know an event is well loved when it dies, but won't stay dead.  Etel is one such event.  Lee Dryburgh grabbed the bull by the horns after Etel 2008 died, promptly started a movement to launch an EComm 2008 event, and now has significant backing from the (former) Etel community, plus a nicely growing Facebook group to accompany it. 

The EComm Event (humorously dubbed ETel Uncancelled) will take place March 12, somewhere in Silicon Valley.  Location hasn't been announced yet. 

Walt Mossberg weighs in on the cellphone subsidization model in the US, calling it antiquated and stifling.  Absolutely!  What's needed is a model that allows for contract and subsidy free phones for those who wish to have them, here in Canada and in the US.

I tried an experiment last night with my Skype Unlimited plan.  After creating a public hockey chat to discuss the Sens / Panthers game, and the return to the net of Ray Emery, I dialed in to the iotum FREE Conference Calls service from Facebook.  It took a couple of trys to be recognized by the bridge, because Skype's transmission of DTMF tones is a little iffy, but I was able to get on the line and hang out to chat with other Sens fans.

So, here I am stuck indoors again, working on a presentation on an unbelievable October afternoon.  I'm also dialed in (via Skype) to the iotum FREE Conference Call bridge again.  If you'd like to chat, please feel free to join me on the line.  Facebook membership required.