iNation website 2001-06-20 and two other brief comments

I'm sure this is of no interest to many of you on this list, so I wanted to
say upfront what this is about.  In summary, I have a few pros and cons on
the iNation website.  I also have some questions concerning the discussions
about the iNation--that is, those that I've seen.  And to finish on an
upbeat note, IMHO there is a clear concise statement that I find, and maybe
some other people might find, very useful as a focal point for discussion.

===========================

Sometime recently, IBM updated the iNation site.  They continue to try to
improve the "privileges of citizenship", among other things.  I thinks it's
interesting to see that they are moving in a direction, albeit very
deliberately.

Of course, in a perfect world, I think IBM would buy the "What If" CDs for
Citizens to give away.  Even better yet, reward Citizens for distributing
the thing to people that they know would benefit from seeing it (i.e. reward
the Citizens for getting it hand-delivered to the right people).  (**Now I
haven't seen it, but if IIRC** it does a great job presenting the power of
the platform.  If it's not great marketing material, forget this paragraph
and 'scuse my ignorance...:)

I have other pet peeves (busted links, etc.) but they are minor.  What's
important, IMHO, is that you can see progress, plain as day.

---------------

I think it's curious, though.  In the two or three lists that I've seen
lately, I recall very little (if any) discussion of what IBM is actually
doing with the website.  I just wonder if many people (maybe some of the
lurkers?) are bothering to look at the facts about what IBM says it will be
doing with the iNation.  (I'll allow that maybe topics, such as the one
above, are showing up on forums I don't see.)

Now, I'm not naive enough to think IBM is going to follow through on
everything they say on the website, or that they'll be doing it tomorrow.
That's not what I'm saying at all.  But it is absolutely impossible to have
a serious discussion about the iNation if the observable facts are not being
considered.  Once the facts are considered, then you can start the
speculation of what IBM might do.

I really don't know if I'm beating a dead horse when I say that problems are
inevitable if the obvious is consistently overlooked.

---------------

Lastly, not to focus on the negative, it's also plain as day that there are
a few people that really do want to take the iNation seriously, if it turns
out IBM does.  People (knowing full well that it's possible very little will
come of the iNation)  STILL  DECIDE  TO  GIVE  IT  A  CHANCE  ANYWAY ! !
That's really something...:-)

I don't normally like to single out one individual, for praise or criticism.
But IMHO, I think John Myers said it best (IGNITe, 6/14).  He said:

"I feel that we have a shared interest with IBM in seeing it happen ...
neither we nor IBM can do it alone."

I don't know how many would agree, but IMHO, I view this one statement as a
simple, profound, and fairly complete explanation of the situation as it
stands today.

You don't necessarily catch its full import in one reading.  At the same
time, I don't think you can say it in a more clear and concise way.

This statement does two things:  It allows people to put a stake in the
ground, and build up discussions around it, if they choose.  And, at the
same time, it may end inspiring some people to take the words, and values,
expressed here and turn it into action.  That's how it has affected me,
anyway.

---------------

Thank you.

jt



(I've attempted, best as I can, to be as clear and succinct as John, as it's
something I have trouble with from time to time...)

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