Dear Metro:

I need you. I do, you get me to work every day, and without you I would have to drive and the Spur is so horrific that I don’t even want to entertain that thought. I am with you, you are my means of transit. But you know that, and I think you’ve started to take our relationship for granted.

You have asked me to pay your rush-hour rates to get to work, and I gladly complied. I am willing to spend the few extra dollars to enjoy the rush hour service, but you have to deliver the service. Metro, ten minute waits for the Yellow Line train is not rush hour service. Spacing Red Lines trains so far apart that there are no seats left at Rockville, your second stop, is not rush hour service.

We generally get along well, I want to continue that relationship. If you can keep showing me the respect of timely trains and we will have many more mornings and evenings together

Sincerely,
Greg

At the Avalonstar Bowling Tournament at SXSW, the new web development company nClud surprised everyone by picking up the entrance fee. This was a terrific promotional opportunity as they were able to put a smile on the face of each of (on average) the six people on the 43 teams in the tournament. This was exteremely effective, albeit costly (approximately $2500).

Now for a promotion that cost nothing: the wifi in the convention center doesn’t reach the 3rd floor conference rooms (8, 9 and 10). You’d be otherwise out of luck for getting online, except look who saw this deficiency as an opportunity:

I hooked on through their peer-to-peer and make the point to go see their site when I did. A really remarkable and innovative way to get the word out from emurse.com.

March 12, 2007

Two panels into the second day and I have the contrast of the best and worst of SXSW so far.

Best Panel I’ve attended… Why We Should Ignore Users
The panel were in disagreement about the right approach and brought numerous points of view to an edgy topic. Well structured approach, and high-level discussion with the audience. Very insightful

Worst Panel I’ve attended… Designing Workflow that Works
Maybe my expectation was off assuming this would be workflow that works for the masses, not just how these four people work in their world. The gems I could pull from the rambling approach was try waking up at 11am, think in the shower and take video game breaks. So disappointing.

After I finish writing this post, I am closing down the laptop, putting it in carry-on and heading out to the airport to attend the South by Southwest conference. I am particularly excited to get to hear discussion about the latest trends and techniques, and being able to network with like-minded peers who all share the interest of better web design. Four days in 80 degree Austin won’t be bad either. Here’s my Upcoming.org page if you are going to be there, so you can find me and tell me what I can be doing better with this blog.

Best Buy is being scrutinized for allegedly maintaining an Intranet website that completely mirrors bestbuy.com but without the deals and with marked up prices. The use of this site was by store clerks who are confronted with a customer who states that they saw a better price online, and wants to enact Best Buy’s lowest price guarantee. The clerk will walk the customer to a terminal, pull up the Intranet site and show the customer that they are mistaken, the price online is actually the same or higher.

I can’t help but being a bit wowed by the amount of sophistication and care it takes to pull this ongoing ruse on the costumers, but that novelty reaction is quickly dwarfed by the ethical one, that this is horrific, and it is sweet justice to see that the curtain is being pulled back and Best Buy being held accountable for their devious actions.