Presdo and invisible processes
I love invisible processes. It makes online life magical.
That’s why I love presdo
So, if you haven’t tried it yet, you should.
Thinking about it as I write this post, I’m actually more in love with the simple registration process than I am with the product. I’m not sure about the core value, how it really adds benefit or even competes with all the other calendar tools out there, but for now, I am enjoying the simplicity.
I’ve been trying to create these invisible processes for a project I’m working on, but I tell you, it’s not as easy as it looks! It’s nice to see one executed so well!
Here’s the simple process that Presdo use:
- Step 1 – From the home page, enter title of event (no registration at this point)
- Step 2 – Customise your event (change the date, time, location, invite people, add a description etc). The location tool is really useful – it recognises obscure places.
- Step 3 – Either save to your calendar (google etc) or send the invite
- Final step – new users will need to click on an activation link… and presdo!! You’ve registered!
Try it out and let me know what you think.
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Tags: invisible processes, presdo, product, review
We’ve all heard about the impending doom regarding rental properties and the serious lack of tenancies… sadly, I am one of those people caught in the middle – looking for a house to rent in an extremely popular suburb – with a dog – is nearly an impossible feat.
I understand that there is a shortage of properties to rent, but what concerns me more is the introspective individuality that has a negative impact on ‘community spirit’.
My partner and I have been given a deadline – move out by mid-April (they want to sell the property – no doubt because they are struggling with their loan repayments!).
So, I’ve been scanning the rental websites every few hours looking for properties, and have contacted most of the real estate agents in the area. Two things in the past 72 hours have made me reconsider staying in the area…
- Firstly, I visited one of the local real estate agents who had just leased a property in the area. I enquired if they had more properties coming up soon, and he replied ‘no – we’ve had nothing new for 8 weeks’. I then asked politely if I could leave my name and number and on the off chance that something should come up, could my name be added to ‘the list’… To which he replied ‘No, I don’t really see the point.’ Now that’s customer service! He could have just taken the number and never called, but no, he (at first) flatly refused. It was only when he saw the disappointment smeared across my face that he reluctantly jotted it down on a piece of scrap paper.
- Secondly, there is the ‘perfect’ property for rent around the corner from our existing premises, but the open house isn’t for a few weeks… so I thought I would do the neighbourly thing and see if there was any way we could have a really quick ’sneaky peak’ before the open house so we could beat the rush. But, I was flatly refused – the existing tennant said that she was under ’strict instructions’ from the real estate agent not to let anyone in. Why? From a security perspective I understand this, but I’m a 5″ tall local girl, with a somewhat honest face. Regardless of what the real-estate agent says, surely the neighbourly thing would be to say ’sure, come on in, but if you put in an application, say that you are a family friend’ or something of the sort…
The community is not sticking together and the rental crisis is making people even more pre-occupied with their own ’stories’. So, where does this leave neighbourly love? I look out for you, you look out for me? You can bet that if I get an opportunity to help someone in my community, I’ll do just that! (unlike the mean girl and real-estate agent who fobbed me off).
Am I being too harsh? Maybe expecting too much?
Anyway, we have two properties on our list to see this weekend, neither of which are in our current suburb, and both of which will most likely refuse tennants with a dog (I haven’t the heart to ask over the phone if pets are permitted as I’ve learnt that the standard response is ‘no’).
As a dog owner, here are my list of ‘gripe’s
- For dog owners it is sooooo hard to find somewhere to rent that when we do find somewhere, we are committed! We don’t like to move because it is hard to find a suitable dog home – so you are guaranteed a long term lease
- Dogs are less destructive than children. Dogs might dig a hole in the garden, or scuff the floor, but at $30/sqm, I’m happy to pay to buff and polish the floor boards before we vacate the premises (we avoid carpet where possible – but would be happy to replace that too!). Kids on the otherhand, attack walls, cupboards, carpet, glass and the like, but you don’t see landlords asking for a ‘kiddie clause’ in the lease agreement?
- As a pet owner, we have to sign an additional agreement stating that we ‘the tennants’ agree to repair any damage caused by our pet. So landlords are completely covered.
- Everyone, even real-estate agents are saying ‘why don’t you just lie and say you don’t have a dog?’. My Answer: “I respect the property owners choice”. I mean, what if they are planning on moving back in in a few years and Sally, their 5 year old girls is deathly allergic to dog hair? I don’t want to be responsible for that. Plus, if the landlord finds out, then we get black-listed.
- Others say ‘why don’t you give your dog away’. My Answer: “Why don’t you cut off your leg and see how you feel?”. That is a big no-no for dog lovers. Giving away a dog is like giving away a part of you. I would rather move interstate.
- Pet owners live longer, so it is likely that we will be around to rent for longer!
Anyway, I know there’s not much that can be done about this, and that there are much bigger issues out there… but hey – this is my issue, so I’m going to blag about it!
A message to home-owners/real-estate agents and the like:
Here’s what we are looking for…
2+ bedroom terrace-house, dog friendly, close to shops and transport, in and around Surry Hills / Paddington NSW (under $650 preferred – we are trying to save so we can eventually get out of the rental market!)
And a message to all the renters… Happy House-hunting 0_o
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Tags: community, dog, love thy neighbour, rental crisis, surry hills, sydney
I logged in to Google Docs this morning (being the 15th in Sydney, Australia) and to my surprise, google had skinned Google Docs for valentines day…
The page is icky pink, the stars have changed to hearts, and there’s a happy valentine message in a banner at the top of the page (see below).
Whilst it is ‘cute’ and a nice sentiment, I’m not sure I’m comfortable with a document reader wishing me a Happy Valentines Day! Plus it would be a bit depressing if this was the only Valentine you received!
Anyway, I’m all for customisation, themed pages and the like, but just not sure how I feel about Google-docs wishing me a happy valentine…
Am I being a party-poop?
m
0_o
ps. Don’t mind me, I have a general rule around these type of days… “If Hallmark has a card for it, then I probably don’t want to celebrate it”.
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What do you expect to receive when you post to Youtube? Reciprocity & exchange web2.0 style…
As a sociology student, I was intrigued by the circles of reciprocity… what type of exchanges exist within the home life when compared to your outer (village) circles? And how do web2.0 technologies impact how we view and understand ‘exchange’.
The reciprocity diagram (above) works for existing social interaction within society, but shifts when you apply it to social media. What we are willing to exchange with our ‘home’ is the same/similar to what we are willing to exchange with our ‘village’ and even the ‘inter-tribal’ sector.
So, how would the circles of reciprocity be redrawn for social media? Would it look something like this….
In traditional village societies, it was easier to decipher… there was generalised, balanced and negative reciprocity.
Generalised = sharing/giving when nothing is expected in return (reciprication here is an emotion – how you feel when you share or do a good deed), maximum trust and minimum social distance (typically within general societies, usually reserved for close friends and family), eg. Making chicken soup for a sick friend.
Negative = barter, where goods of equal value are traded, with minimum trust and maximum social distance, eg. I’ll swap you my cow for 3 sheep.
Balanced = someone gives something to someone else but expects they will be ‘compensated’ at a future date, with moderate trust and moderate social distance, eg. you give your neighbour a cup of sugar but you expect that you can then borrow their lawnmower.
The problem here is that this type of reciprocity does not fit with social networking (online). Think of youtube for instance. What do you expect to receive when you post a video? Is it solely satisfaction or an expectation that you will be ‘repaid’ in future with something of equal value? Reciprocity on all levels can be played out across all social circles, which changes the value of what we exchange.
To use family portraits as an example… in the 1800’s well to do families would have their portrait painted, and they would share it with anyone who entered their home. With the arrival of photography and the printing press, images could be ’snapped’ rather quickly and distributed to those in your community. Enter digital cameras and online social networks and your family snaps are available to everyone, everywhere. The perceived value of your images may (or may not) be of more value to your inner circle than your outer circle… but the exchange occurs simultaneously with your friends, family, your home, community…. and with the global community (should you decide to post your images on a public network).
So, what exactly does reciprocity mean for netizen?
Balanced and Generalised forms of reciprocity are compressed and altered. The exchange offers maximum trust (ie. that unkown users aren’t going to use the information/material in an untoward way), but also allows for maximum social distance through the global network. Youtube is a good example of this. Some users post videos expecting nothing in return, they do it because they know the community will appreciate it. Others share their videos, but expect that one day they will be ‘compensated’ ie. someone will post an equally valuable video at some stage in the future.
Negative is reserved primarily for ecommerce sites, be it Amazon or Ebay, and is largely unchanged.
In sum, web2.0 technologies not only change the way we view exchanges within our community, but change the frequency, type and access to different forms of reciprocity. Through social networking, we can exchange information with those in our outer circles, and in doing so, expand ourselves as we transgress the divisive social circles through online exchange.
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Tags: reciprocity, social media, sociology
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