Value can emerge from the frivolous thanks to the net

When colleague and chum David Cushman and I compiled The Rock Stars of Web 2.0 list on Ditto.net is was a bit of a tongue-in-cheek way to play with an interesting website from the company for which we both work, and on which  help with some marketing.

We thought it may turn up something interesting, but we really didn’t know what…

Voting is still continuing, but it’s already teaching us a number of things about how people are using the site, how they’re ordering information, and about how the people in question are perceived.

And it’s also starting to become a valuable resource for information. Ditto itself is a social entertainment guide to help find right signal in the increasingly noisy world of entertainment, and it allows you to add relevant videos. Which is just what has happened, started off by David!

So now it starts to be more than a popularity list, and also becomes somewhere to find the best bits of information/entertainment from those on the list. It’ll be interesting to see if it has any bearing on the voting!

Voting open for the rock stars of Web 2.0!

I’ve posted in preparation long enough – you can now vote for the people you rate as the true rock stars of Web 2.0.

How you define a web rock star is entirely up to you – which is the fun bit. This isn’t a list defined by a company, magazine, or website – it’s purely decided by the voters. Which means it’s already had some surprising results – I wouldn’t have tipped the four or five early leaders to be out in front, for example!

As Ditto’s categories are primarily set-up for general entertainment, I’ve volunteered to collate additional entries and suggestions, and missing pictures etc, (daniel dot thornton at bauer consumer . co . uk).

Help to complete the list of Web 2.0 Rock Stars

If you’re on the following (subjective) list of Web 2.0 Rockstars which I’m compiling with my colleague David Cushman for publication on Ditto.net, or you know one of the nominees, then could you email me a portrait photo? If not, you might find yourself represented by a blank space, a hastily-drawn cartoon, or similar!

The list itself will open for voting very shortly, once the images have all been uploaded:

That’s as close to the final list as possible – although if there’s a glaring omission and you can make a case for it and email me a picture asap, there’s still a chance for inclusion. Email the pictures to daniel dot thornton at bauerconsumer.co.uk and please be aware they’ll be appearing as a list on ditto.net.

Could technology lead to micro self government?

A bit of a break from my normal musings on community marketing, digital publishing and journalism, but this idea has been in my head for a while, and I’d welcome other opinions and thoughts…

The idea?

Is there any reason why communities can’t be empowered by a micro-level of self-government, using digital technology?

Or, to put it another way, is there any reason all the people in my street can’t vote on what day the rubbish is collected, for example? Using internet/mobile voting, it could mean that we tailor the services provided by the council to our actual needs, and remove any unnecessary spending. For instance, do we actually all fill our recycling bin, or green waste bin, as often as the ‘normal’ waste bin? Or would we be better served by a collection service for glass?

There would have to be geographic/resource limitations, as I realise at street level, you couldn’t have everyone requesting their rubbish goes at exactly the same time…or everyone choosing a different time and forcing refuse collectors to work 24/7.

But considering the interest when No 10 unveiled its e-petition site, the penetration of internet/mobile connections, and the fact I can invest in everything from shares to bands, sort my banking, pay my bills etc, surely it’s time to update democracy?