Video

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Predictify is not a prediction exchange. We think prediction markets are superior to polls and surveys, don’t we?

With Predictify, the mechanism delivering the collective verdict is simplistic: it’s a poll —with possibility to get down to each individual answer.

Their conversation is very interesting, nevertheless —in great part due to Robert Scoble’s intense curiosity.

Technically, the video is awesome and plays well —even with my old computer and slow DSL line. Kudos to the Fast Company techies.

UPDATE: I don’t like that their video starts off automatically, though. With YouTube, we decide to play the video —it is not imposed on us.

UPDATE: Alas, their embedded video does not go into the blog feed.

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UPDATE: I e-mailed my remarks to Robert Scoble, and he’s asked to his techie to look into the issues.

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UPDATE: I see that the video does not start on its own, now. They managed to correct that. Rest the fact that their videos don’t go into feeds.

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LinkedIn: Rorie Devine

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UPDATE: More info…

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This is exactly what makes Rails a ghetto. A bunch of half-trained former PHP morons who never bother to sit down and really learn the computer science they were too good to study in college.

PDF file

They don’t say whether the CTO only voted, or all the techies.

Maurice Balick, CTO of NewsFutures and Bet2Give

Richard Jackson, area vice-president at Citrix UK, Ireland and South Africa, told silicon.com: “Rorie Devine embodies a new breed of CIO, as in tune with the business as he is the IT. This commercial savvy combined with the confidence to embrace new technologies makes him stand out among his peers.” Paul Tarantino, account manager for Betfair at Sun UK, told silicon.com: “Rorie Devine is a vocal, challenging CTO who understands both business and technology.” Jim Sampins, regional director at Oracle, added: “Rorie Devine constantly pursues an innovative agenda of development within a culture that places technology at the heart of business.” Another of Divine’s strengths, said Oracle’s Sampins, is clear communication of goals and objectives to both his in-house team and his suppliers.

Congrats to Rorie Devine.

Rorie Devine’s LinkedIn profile

David Yu at LinkedIn

I’m not going to link to any offenders, but my consistent observation [*] is that nearly all “citizen journalism” sites fall somewhere between spam blog and crappy community of suckers. If you feel the urge to provide people with a platform to “do” community journalism, don’t. You’re not needed (see below). If you really, really must go ahead, read Evan Prodromou’s seven rules for commercial wikis (which apply to any community site) seven hundred times, then think about it for a long time.

If you feel the need to “do” citizen journalism, stay away from sites that claim they help you “do” citizen journalism. You absolutely do not need them. Instead:
#1. Write on your own blog.
#2. Write on a site of, by, and for some community (check if they are following the seven rules linked above; it should be obvious).
#3. If you want a generic platform, write on Wiki News.
#4. Some reader blogs hosted by established media aren’t that bad, but be careful.

#1. bis. Write on a group blog like Midas Oracle .ORG. – Click here to read all the Mike Linksvayer’s blog posts about prediction markets on Midas Oracle.

[*] Mike Linksvayer is the CTO at a non-profit organization in San Francisco (Creative Commons).

APPENDIX: Here are the famous Evan Prodromou’s seven rules for commercial wikis…

#1. Have a noble purpose — e.g., shared knowledge (use a free license), help a community.
#2. Demonstrate value — most interesting example is “carry the torch”; wiki communities can be transient, an entity that keeps focus helps.
#3. Be Transparent.
#4. Extract value where you provide value — most obviously, advertising for hosting.
#5. Be personally involved.
#6. Run with the right crowd — e.g., open source and open content, or you will be suspect of being a crowdsourcer.

For more on commercial wikis, see Mike Linksvayer’s previous blog post: Wikitravel and World66 both win.

So, I went to the Creative Commons blog, and I will tell you something: This site is very usable and very interesting. I’m so impressed. Mike Linksvayer is a magician. It’s pure beauty.

Share, reuse, and remix — legally.
Creative Commons provides free tools that let authors, scientists, artists, and educators easily mark their creative work with the freedoms they want it to carry. You can use CC to change your copyright terms from “All Rights Reserved” to “Some Rights Reserved.”
We’re a nonprofit organization. Everything we do — including the software we create — is free.