April 2009 10
The Inmates Have Requested Asylum
Posted By : Adrian Chan

I spent much of yesterday afternoon listening to podcasts from a conference I wish I had attended: the IA Summit. The podcasts are up on Boxes and Arrows (thank you Chris Baum!) and are well

March 2009 03
The Gift, and the Spirit of the Word
Posted By : Adrian Chan

“In the economic and legal systems that have preceded our own, one hardly ever finds a simple exchange of goods, wealth, and products in transactions concluded by individuals. First, it is not individuals but collectivities

March 2009 01
Who’s motivating your users?
Posted By : Adrian Chan

Alfred Hitchcock used to say that he never made a “Whodunnit” movie. His movies were “For whom was it done?” In fact a lot of his movies begin with the crime. In some, the victim

March 2009 01
Contingencies in Social Media
Posted By : Adrian Chan

There’s a concept we don’t use nearly enough in social media, even though it describes what is possibly the single-most important phenomenon of online interaction: contingency. It means, roughly, that one thing is contingent on