Ben Werdmuller helps leaders at newsrooms, non-profits, and mission-driven organizations to navigate their biggest technology challenges.
General
Steve Jobs sold the idea that the computer, formerly just a business machine, is a tool for artists and dreamers. In doing so, he captured the imagination of the world. He didn't personally invent the computer, or (as ReadWriteWeb points out) anything; but he understood that if computers
latakoo
I'm really excited about this one. Think about how much of a pain it is to upload video. Stop. Now think about dramatically decreasing the upload time. Zoom in. Now think about only having to upload once, but share it with whomever, or wherever, you need. The new
Data control
In some ways, the web industry seems to have lost its way. From empowering users and smashing incumbent gatekeepers, the emphasis is now on how to raise the next round of funding and convert active users into their maximum possible value.. My piece about Facebook, contextual identity and radical transparency
Data control
As an application developer, I have advance access to the Facebook Timeline that Mark Zuckerberg announced yesterday. Here it is: At first glance, it's a rather beautiful replacement for the social media profiles we've been using since forever. Rather than simply listing your latest content, the
Software development
Something to think about for anyone starting any online community: [...] So if you start a project and send email to a bunch of folks and ask them to just jump in and contribute, which group do you think will get going more quickly? The low context culture folks. Interesting comments,
Web
In my spare time, I'm building an independent community for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) researchers, doctors, sufferers and their families. IPF is a degenerative lung disease which builds up scar tissue over time, restricting the patient's ability to breathe. It's generally fatal and has
General
Education, for me, is still the most exciting field that open source is opening up. It's a vital part of any civilized society, and so it seems right that the software that helps participants teach and learn should be open. I have no qualms about charging private institutions
latakoo
latakoo's in TechCrunch today: Jon Orlin, who runs TechCrunch TV, was initially a skeptic. But he did some beta and real world testing and was very impressed. Orlin says “Latakoo solves a real problem for us. We recently had some large HD video files shot for our Keen
Web
Be clear. Know what you're selling. Our backdrop set it out plainly: "Send video fast. Make video easy." More than a few journalists said we had the best poster of the day. Build value. If your company allows other companies to build value more efficiently, you&
General
With all of the inside baseball politics surrounding TechCrunch lately, what I hadn't had time to consider was that Disrupt would turn out to be the most high energy, intensively productive conference I've attended for a really long time. It certainly helps that I'm
latakoo
I'm at TechCrunch Disrupt this week with the latakoo team. And not only that - we've just closed a $1.3 million seed funding round! “The feedback from customers is that latakoo is a transformational tool for anyone wanting to transport and manage video,” said latakoo
General
The events that occurred ten years ago were undeniably horrific, scary and tragic. They were also an opportunity to show how strong democratic values are; to show how powerful reason is when armed with information; to unite behind our belief in freedom of speech and freedom of knowledge. I was