Monday, November 19, 2007

Is the education of our generation better or worse than the education of our parent's generation by Eric Hamilton

In 1440 a goldsmith and businessman by the name of Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press with moveable type letters. The printing press created a revolution in the production of books and the proliferation of science, the arts and religion. As a result, education and literacy flourished through out Europe and beyond.

The Internet has seen tremendous growth in the past 30 years. The Internet was originally designed in part to provide a robust communications network in the event of a nuclear attack. Jupiter Research anticipates that 22 percent of the world’s population will regularly use the Internet by 2011. Currently 1.1 billion people world wide readily access the Internet. In other terms, that is 1.1 billion people with virtually unlimited access to the world’s knowledge.

Never in the history of mankind has access to education been better. We have access to information via the Internet that Johannes Gutenberg could only dream about. Not since Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press has the world seen such a quantum leap in access to information. Is the education of my generation better or worse than my parent’s generation? Not only is it better than my parent’s generation, it’s the best education of any generation ever.

Web Developers of Los Angeles

What responsibility, if any, do countries have in preventing environmental damage by Eric Hamilton

The resolution to environmental damage goes well beyond what policies a given government can create. As we all know, government is controlled by big business and the almighty dollar. We certainly know that big business is more interested in turning a profit, than protecting the future of our species. If protecting our environment is left up to government and business, then we are all doomed. “The World is Flat” by Thomas Friedman speaks about globalization, collaboration and empowering the individual. In no other time, in the history of our global society, have so many people been able to connect, collaborate and make changes that effect other people a half of a world away. In 2007, it is relatively simple to start a blog (web log which is an online publication in the form of a log or journal) to express a given view point and to disseminate information. Web sites can be easily construction to gather support and recruit members for the cause. Email distribution lists can be crated to keep interested members knowledgeable about progress and upcoming events. Instant messengers and web cams can be used to connect distant strangers in real time to further harness the sense of community. Ecommerce payment systems make raising funds a streamlined efficient process. Third party media web sites such as allow the individual a prime time, unbiased, relatively uncensored stage to express strong viewpoints. So, it’s not just the businesses and the governments of countries who have a responsibility in preventing environmental damage. Because the people of the world have been afforded this wonderful gift called technology, as a result the ultimate power of prevention lies with the people.

Web Developers of Los Angeles

The Next “Big Thing” in Technology by Eric Hamilton

The next big thing in technology will be media ad exchange networks that produce rich media (video) content allowing advertisers and online destinations to connect seamlessly. In addition, this new technology will allow the advertiser to acquire unprecedented analytics demographics and geographic data and to track potential in store purchases back to original search query key words and rich media impressions.

Google and Yahoo have done an awesome job at making money selling primarily text based ads on their respective search engines. In general, display ads are 5 times as effective as text ads. Rich media (video) ads are 8 times as effective as display ads. Thus, a rich media (video) ad is 40 times as effective as a text based ad. Google and Yahoo have made billions primarily on the text based ad model.

According to a recent IBM study, Americans are spending less and less time watching television and more time in front of their computer screens. 19% of the study participants stated that they spend 6 or more hours a day on the Internet. 9% of the study participants stated that they spend 6 or more hours watching TV.

Advertisers desire an easy method to get their video ads on the popular media destinations, such as YouTube , TV network sites, search engines and social networking sites.

The company that effectively merges the 2 worlds of advertisers and online destinations with special attention paid to video ads, with the ability to track offline conversions and to track demographic/geographic information, will be the next “Big Thing” in Technology.

Web Developers of Los Angeles