Human Clock

Not sure why you would want a human clock but here you go.

Someone found a set of numbers then decided to put them to good use here. The numbers are made up of people. Kinda weird but curious none the less.

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Numbers, Numbers, Numbers Everywhere

I am everything but a mathematician. I discovered a calculator and didn’t look back. I can’t even do long division! In fact I hate numbers. I remember one maths teacher saying “Numbers are your friends”… All I could think of was “I’ll wait till they turn around and stab them in the back”. Nope maths was and is not my strong point. But I can appreciate and admire maths and the beauty that can be demonstrated with maths. For instance, I love the way that fractals relate to nature and so beautiful yet are a pure mathematical formula. I also love symmetry but that might be the OCD tendencies I seem to have…

What’s Special About This Number? exists for no other reason other than to identify what special properties a specific number has in relation to mathematics. While I do not understand most of the terms (Heck I did “Maths in Society” Okay!) I can see why this site will hold a fascination for some. I immediately thought of my brother who is the total opposite to me in relation to maths. As demonstrated by the fact that he is now a programmer and UNIX expert (read uber geek). He would love this site and it might provide a great lunchtime distraction for him. Funny I think our on-line worlds now reflect our personalities as we were growing up, off topic but interesting because I have never much thought about it.

A lot of work has gone into this page and for those that want to expand their knowledge of maths there are links to all the technical terms. The site that this page links to is WolframMathWorld and claims to be the web’s most extensive mathematics resource. I am no expert but it looks like it is!

A great fun site for all you maths and numbers geeks.

Sorry but you lost me after you told me the number zero has an identity… I thought that zero was not a number?

Tracking Web 2.0

This has done the rounds a bit but I still wanted to have my say about it. Movers 2.0 is a web site that sprang up last week that tracks the movements of Web 2.0 websites and is updated daily.

This is nothing new as Seth Godin’s Web 2.0 Traffic Watch List has been around for a while. However, Seth’s page offers nearly 1000 entries and does take a while to load. Plus I don’t think it is as easy to read data from. Still it is more comprehensive. This simpler format while based on the same data is the top 100… or so; as I see there are 207 today. As well as having some nice additional features.

Movers 2.0 is based on Alexa traffic data so make of that what you will as there is much debate over the accuracy of this data. However the debate over metrics is not one that is resolved easily. But, Movers 2.0 is an indicator if nothing else. Plus there are some features that make it stand out. The inclusion of logos and being more of a visual interface makes it a lot easier to read and maintains interest.

Another nice feature is the links next to each entry to pages that contain more specific data. The “Complete” link includes graphs, news, and a nice trust indicator. This data comes from Complete to which you are redirected. However there are also links included that activate graphs with Java Script and a search for blogs linking in powered by Google. Click the “More” link to view these options.

While the top entries on sites such as this won’t change that much in the short term; the bottom 20 or so will. This is where I would be looking for the fast movers and growing sites that should be watched. This is also where you will see already popular site tussle for traffic.

To make this a more complete Web 2.0 tracker there is also a Weekly Movers List that I think is a lot more useful as far as what I do. This page also offers all the features that the main page does. Nice.

This really is a one stop shop for getting a snapshot of the web on any given day and for tracking the weekly goings on in 2.0. No metrics is ever going to be perfect or the most reliable over another but it takes sites like this one to add to our arsenal of sites that tell us about traffic, numbers and ultimately popularity to be able to maintain a balanced view. Nicely done and the inclusion of some off site data is a nice touch.

3D RSS and Websites: Not as Far Away as You Think

I remember as a kid seeing mock ups of this type of thing in films and TV. If you were to ask me back then if I thought it could ever be true I might have smiled. To my surprise today I have seen the exact thing that I thought would always be science fiction and it was not only fun but made me think of the possibilities.

The page created in 3D is the frontpage of Digg, Technology. Really it is a proof on concept. But in reality it could become mainstream. Sure it is not going to happen tomorrow. Nor is it going to happen with the technology that is the most popular at the moment (think mouse). But I could see it happening if things like eye tracking navigation ever take off. Being able to “explore” an RSS feed in this manner would be totally amazing. Mark an article read with a double blink… maybe. Combined with VR Headsets… Okay I am getting ahead of myself here. But you get the drift.

The thing that I could see happening and sooner, is further uptake and use of 3D controlers. They currently market these devices at the Google Earth hardcore user. But using the device to explore 3D RSS feeds or websites would be ideal and totally within the possibilities of today’s technology. I can see that this is where some of the market will direct their attention. However, it is a niche market in that it does not appeal to everyone, exciting at any rate regardless of the market.

I would imagine that exploring your data and things like RSS feeds in this way would involve a whole new level of thinking. I am not sure if that would be difficult or more intuitive. That would depend on what kind of helps were “built-in” to it. Notice the X and Y axis dots on this site? They are helps for finding your way. But in my mind I can see tags, clusters, sign posts and teleporting for linking content. Wow. Now this concept site takes on a whole new meaning!

So take a look at the page created by Michael Battle that has been expertly crafted and based on flash. A bit of science fiction (no-more) fun. I have had a think about where this might go and it really is exciting. Let your imagination go wild and think about what you would like to see. Because I thought I would never see it happen when I was young. Now I think anything is possible, so you might see something in 20 years that you thought you would never see as well.

The Essence of Life: In One Sentence

It is that time of year when we get all sentimental and think about life and everything thereafter. Do you think you could sum up your life or the essence of who you are and what you have learned in one sentence? Then to have it there forever. Phrazr is a service that invites you to do just that.

“It is our mission to use the Internet in this uncommon way, to keep these sentences for the coming generations and share the values you have created for them, forever.”

Phrazr is a nice looking site, simple all the same. It allows you to read the most recent sentences that have been put up in a scroll like graphic that unfurls when you hover over it. It is well done. They offer the service of having your sentence on the Internet forever. A permanent monument to yourself. You can opt to have your message made private as well.

Personally I think that this is a statement that should be carefully considered, forever is a very long time. What happens if the site fails, the money dries up, server catches fire or blows up or whatever. There is no explanation as to how they will keep it up there for all the world to see under those circumstances.

The service is not free. It will cost you $5 US to have your sentence memorialised  for all time. Payment is via PayPal. But then that is a small price for immortality of sorts. Plus if it helps you wrestle some demon or makes you feel like you have contributed something worthwhile then go ahead. Personally I would rather make a time capsule for my kids.