[Printer Friendly Version]

Nonprofit Online Classifieds to Close (For Now)

Sunday was the last weekly mailing of our Nonprofit Online Classifieds. When we started the classifieds, we were hoping to open up a respectful channel between vendors and our readers and build some financial support for Nonprofit Online News. The results? It's been a bit useful to some people. It's been a bit annoying to others. On balance, we've decided that, in its current form, it's not worth the organizational resources we invest or the time and email bandwidth invested by our wonderful readers. In keeping with the promise we made to our advertisers about the longevity of their listings, both the website and the link to it will remain up for a few months. As we look ahead to the coming year and continue to refine all our programs, we'll be keeping our minds open to ideas that are suited to the unique readership and tone of Nonprofit Online News. Your suggestions are welcome. Posted: 9/16/08; 2:57:06 PM #

Identity Politics in Climate Change Hell

I am not remotely dismissive of what some people call "identity politics", but at the same time I have seen it unravel many a cause in which I had invested my heart. Affinity and personal experience are foundations of movements and yet we have to base our strategies around outcomes, not around whether they reassure us about our identities. As George Monbiot reports, Identity Politics in Climate Change Hell, the grand alliance that has come together to rescue large portions of the planet and human society from climate change may be a fragile one. Climate change may be the greatest opportunity for the practitioners of disaster capitalism that there has ever been. To a large degree, I share Monbiot's perspective that, without ignoring the differences in power that such coalitions reveal, we must be united if we are to avert this disaster. Posted: 9/16/08; 2:48:39 PM #

New Voices at Idealware Blog

Idealware continues to be the place to go when you've done your thinking about communication and you're ready to choose software tools. (And of course, if you're just trying to get some independent views and evaluations of these tools, regardless of what stage of planning you're in. However you frame it, I'm a fan.) I'm excited to see that the Idealware Blog has expanded its range of authors to include Steve Backman, Peter Campbell, Heather Gardner-Madras, Paul Hagen, Eric Leland, Michelle Murrain, and of course, the founder, Laura Quinn. Posted: 9/16/08; 2:42:22 PM #

Excerpts from The Search for Entrepreneurship by Paul Light

Social Edge has published nineteen substantial excepts from Paul Light's new book entitled The Search for Entrepreneurship. We have a fair number of notions associated with the idea of "social entrepreneurship" and some attempts at definition, but the concept is still quite vague. In this research, Light asks questions such these: Do entrepreneurs always work alone? Do they really think differently from other high achievers? Are their ideas always radical? Can social entrepreneurs create opportunities for change where none exist? Do their organizations have to be new? These excerpts are filled with useful material and links to other resources. One of my favorite bits is Light's description of Young's Seven Types of Entrepreneurs. In fact, I think these are seven motivations, each of which can exist to a greater or lesser degree. Here they are: (1) Independents who seek small organizations in corners of the sector where new entry is relatively easy. (2) Searchers who want their freedom from cumbersome organizations and inflexible rules. (3) Power seekers who value the opportunities for advancement provided by large organizations. (4) Conservers who concentrate on large, stable, and mature organizations that provide security and established traditions. (5) Professionals who search for organizations with the resources to pursue their endeavors. (6) Artists who pursue organizations large enough to support their work, yet small enough to give them a chance to be recognized. (7) Income seekers, who have no goals other than to enhance their income potential, be it in a large organization or small. Posted: 9/16/08; 2:29:39 PM #

Top 10 Worst Types of Blog Post (and how to fix them)

Robert Beschizza has written a list of his Top 10 Worst Types of Blog Post (and how to fix them). This list applies more to technology bloggers than to nonprofit bloggers (which is a list I ought to write), but there is plenty we can learn from it nonetheless. He describes each of these in some detail: 1. The Top List, 2. The Spec Bump, 3. Fake News, 4. The Third-Party PR Shot, 5. Look at Me!, 6. The Snark, 7. The Fisk, 8. The Image Macro, 9. The Reblog, and 10. The Blockquote Sandwich. Posted: 9/16/08; 12:36:45 PM #

The Participation Divide: Content Creation and Sharing in the Digital Age

I have frequently expressed my frustration that the "digital divide" and other issues related to the "information society" are so often framed in terms of access rather than in terms of participation. That frame treats people as consumers of information, rather than as communicators. So I was pleased to read the Web Use Project's report on The Participation Divide: Content Creation and Sharing in the Digital Age (cover for 23 page PDF). It's by no means comprehensive, but it does adopt the frame of participation in regard to its study. The report's main finding was of substantial differences in sharing of content between the men and the women in their sample. More importantly however, is the discovery that, once you control for Internet user skill, that difference in participation disappears. Posted: 9/16/08; 12:27:02 PM #

al3x's Rules for Computing Happiness

Alex Payne has published his personal list of 25 Rules for Computing Happiness. I am recommending the list not so much because you should adopt it wholesale, but rather because coming up with your own list would probably be a very good idea. After all, how many hours a day do you spend using a computer in some way? Four of my favorites from his list include: Use software that does one thing well. Buy as large an external display as you can afford. Keep as much as possible in plain text. Do not buy digital media crippled by rights restriction technologies. Posted: 9/16/08; 12:14:27 PM #