Chasing Curiosities

This Ted Talk is a must see.  Roger McNamee gives us “6 ways to Save the Internet.”  He describes his ideas as hypotheses, all subject to revision and possibly to elimination.  Below are the rules and my favorite soundbites describing each:

 
1. Windows is Dying
“I mean no disrespect to Microsoft, because I think, in fact, Microsoft as a company has many things it can do to maintain growth, but desktops would not be one of them.  The key indicator here… smartphones have basically taken Windows from 96% of internet connected devices three or four years ago to less than 50% now (March 2011).” 

2. Index Search has Peaked
“The web is a Digital Detroit, if you look really hard you can find really compelling things there, but if you aren’t really careful you can get mugged.”

3.Apps Beat Web 
“It’s Apple’s world, we are lucky to be part of it.” 

4. HTML5 Changes it All
“The new battle instead of being commoditization versus the app store, it will be between the app store and highly differentiated content.” 

5. Tablets win Big
“If you don’t own an iPad you can’t possibly understand the biggest things going on right now.” 

6. Social Platforms Set
“Facebook has won, it is the new Windows…”

Overall, my understanding of McNamee’s ideas is based in understanding the way in which we use the internet is changing, and doing so for the better.  His closing remarks challenge the audience to “imagine a world where everything is an app.” Instead of living in an internet of elevators, where users go from one level to another in order to accomplish one task, users will soon be able to exit that elevator and approach the internet as a control panel.  Soon, according to McNamee, the internet will “Demand and satisfy in the same place”. Using his 6 ideas we can see exactly how this will take place: mobile, social-based applications, valuable content, reduced emphasis on commoditization, and fluid interactivity.  These are the principles that will “save the internet.”

(Source: ted.com)