Comments on: Managing the InfoStream http://borderland.northernattitude.org/2007/10/04/managing-the-infostream/ (bôr'dər-lănd') n. Located on or near a frontier. An indeterminate area or condition. Sat, 30 Aug 2008 16:51:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Chris L http://borderland.northernattitude.org/2007/10/04/managing-the-infostream/#comment-52994 Chris L Sat, 13 Oct 2007 18:20:41 +0000 http://borderland.northernattitude.org/2007/10/04/managing-the-infostream/#comment-52994 'But “web2.0″ culture, by its own internal logic, is more inclined towards the former - speed.' That's either a significant (and I think misguided) assumption or an incomplete statement. "Speed" is not intrinsically good or bad-- the question is a) where speed is applied and b) where other processes are engaged that might be mistaken for speed. Web 2.0 is not inclined toward speed unless you specify where that speed is being applied. Web 2.0 applications allow for speed and many people writing about them talk about speed, but those discussions usually have a specific context involving selection: how to find those things to spend our precious time for contemplation. None of us can spend long, slow thinking time on every significant resource that comes to their attention, and the number of those resources grows exponentially. Finding Bill Kerr's blog through a twitter post referring to an article that was aggregated through a shared RSS feed (a lot of web 2.0 tech) is a valuable thing-- but it only leads to even more items on the buffet (in Bill's case *many* more items as he posits a professional lifetime of reading in references from posts made in the past few months alone). The speed aspect comes in figuring out how to harness network effects and social network activity to help identify things that will reward our attention. In addition, there is a lot of cognitive research looking into the way we approach information and how we spend our thinking time, long and slow, short and fast, and in between. Applying methods that take advantage of continuous partial attention, for instance, can result in something that has the effect of speed without *necessarily* invoking the trade-offs in attention, connection, lateral thinking, understanding, synthesis, etc. that we associate with "speed-reading." It's complicated, and I think Bill's generalizations-- while pointing in a valuable direction that I actually agree with-- probably do more harm than good because they are likely to trigger the built-in BS detector among the very audience I think he is trying to address. ‘But “web2.0″ culture, by its own internal logic, is more inclined towards the former - speed.’

That’s either a significant (and I think misguided) assumption or an incomplete statement. “Speed” is not intrinsically good or bad– the question is a) where speed is applied and b) where other processes are engaged that might be mistaken for speed.

Web 2.0 is not inclined toward speed unless you specify where that speed is being applied. Web 2.0 applications allow for speed and many people writing about them talk about speed, but those discussions usually have a specific context involving selection: how to find those things to spend our precious time for contemplation.

None of us can spend long, slow thinking time on every significant resource that comes to their attention, and the number of those resources grows exponentially. Finding Bill Kerr’s blog through a twitter post referring to an article that was aggregated through a shared RSS feed (a lot of web 2.0 tech) is a valuable thing– but it only leads to even more items on the buffet (in Bill’s case *many* more items as he posits a professional lifetime of reading in references from posts made in the past few months alone). The speed aspect comes in figuring out how to harness network effects and social network activity to help identify things that will reward our attention.

In addition, there is a lot of cognitive research looking into the way we approach information and how we spend our thinking time, long and slow, short and fast, and in between. Applying methods that take advantage of continuous partial attention, for instance, can result in something that has the effect of speed without *necessarily* invoking the trade-offs in attention, connection, lateral thinking, understanding, synthesis, etc. that we associate with “speed-reading.”

It’s complicated, and I think Bill’s generalizations– while pointing in a valuable direction that I actually agree with– probably do more harm than good because they are likely to trigger the built-in BS detector among the very audience I think he is trying to address.

]]> By: Borderland » Blog Archive » Setting the Dial on Rationality http://borderland.northernattitude.org/2007/10/04/managing-the-infostream/#comment-52757 Borderland » Blog Archive » Setting the Dial on Rationality Fri, 12 Oct 2007 01:37:51 +0000 http://borderland.northernattitude.org/2007/10/04/managing-the-infostream/#comment-52757 [...] Kerr commented that my earlier post held a contradiction between the “twitch speed management” of RSS feeds, and slow deep [...] [...] Kerr commented that my earlier post held a contradiction between the “twitch speed management” of RSS feeds, and slow deep [...]

]]> By: Ms. Whatsit http://borderland.northernattitude.org/2007/10/04/managing-the-infostream/#comment-52677 Ms. Whatsit Thu, 11 Oct 2007 02:52:51 +0000 http://borderland.northernattitude.org/2007/10/04/managing-the-infostream/#comment-52677 "Pick and choose" is my strategy to help me keep up without over-doing it. Life--I mean the real, physical one--absolutely takes precedence over this wonderful, addictive digital one. I have no more desire to finish a book in an hour any more than I would want to gobble a gourmet meal on the go. Some things are better left at an analog pace. “Pick and choose” is my strategy to help me keep up without over-doing it. Life–I mean the real, physical one–absolutely takes precedence over this wonderful, addictive digital one.

I have no more desire to finish a book in an hour any more than I would want to gobble a gourmet meal on the go. Some things are better left at an analog pace.

]]> By: Doug Noon http://borderland.northernattitude.org/2007/10/04/managing-the-infostream/#comment-52635 Doug Noon Wed, 10 Oct 2007 14:28:47 +0000 http://borderland.northernattitude.org/2007/10/04/managing-the-infostream/#comment-52635 Kinda funny, Wesley, to get your comment this morning - when I've overslept, and am running behind-er than usual. I'd meant to put up a new post today, inspired in part by Bill Kerr's, but that won't happen now. And as I was getting the coffee water ready a few minutes ago I was thinking about the very problem you mention, the emails that you can't ignore. They are tyrannical, aren't they? Blog comments...I like them. But I've begun to pick and choose which ones to spend time on, because they also take time. Thank you for your contribution here. Kinda funny, Wesley, to get your comment this morning - when I’ve overslept, and am running behind-er than usual. I’d meant to put up a new post today, inspired in part by Bill Kerr’s, but that won’t happen now. And as I was getting the coffee water ready a few minutes ago I was thinking about the very problem you mention, the emails that you can’t ignore. They are tyrannical, aren’t they?

Blog comments…I like them. But I’ve begun to pick and choose which ones to spend time on, because they also take time. Thank you for your contribution here.

]]> By: Wesley Fryer http://borderland.northernattitude.org/2007/10/04/managing-the-infostream/#comment-52608 Wesley Fryer Wed, 10 Oct 2007 05:16:59 +0000 http://borderland.northernattitude.org/2007/10/04/managing-the-infostream/#comment-52608 Doug: I certainly resonate with your comments here and those of others. There is no way I can keep up. In fact, when I'm offline for a few days it can be a real struggle to catch back up. This is particularly true with email, letting blog feeds slip through my fingers is pretty easy but it's harder (and generally not a good idea) to let emails do that. I'm finding some ways to cope better and working towards "inbox zero" but that's a dream I've only realized a couple of times. It just requires so much TIME. I think I resent the tyranny of email. With feeds, you can read them or not. I really appreciated your speed tips for Google Reader, btw. I will give those a try. With email, however, I could face real consequences if I don't let each one (at least briefly as I process it) enter my consciousness and own my attention. I sure wish Postman had lived to see our current day. I wonder if he'd have any different opinions given the way media has become interactive? Information is generally not the answer to what we need or want, but information processing skills and critical thinking can point in the right direction. Doug: I certainly resonate with your comments here and those of others. There is no way I can keep up. In fact, when I’m offline for a few days it can be a real struggle to catch back up. This is particularly true with email, letting blog feeds slip through my fingers is pretty easy but it’s harder (and generally not a good idea) to let emails do that. I’m finding some ways to cope better and working towards “inbox zero” but that’s a dream I’ve only realized a couple of times. It just requires so much TIME. I think I resent the tyranny of email. With feeds, you can read them or not. I really appreciated your speed tips for Google Reader, btw. I will give those a try. With email, however, I could face real consequences if I don’t let each one (at least briefly as I process it) enter my consciousness and own my attention. I sure wish Postman had lived to see our current day. I wonder if he’d have any different opinions given the way media has become interactive? Information is generally not the answer to what we need or want, but information processing skills and critical thinking can point in the right direction.

]]>