This week’s collection of links (making up for the weeks I missed 
):
#1: What exactly does Google know about you? With 23 services and counting, Google is the online destination for a lot of people for e-mail, online document storage, web site analytics, forums, and–oh yeah–online searches. In addition to their 23 services, they now offer Google Dashboard in case you want to check on everything Google knows about you with its services. Haven’t poked around this one, but an interesting addition.
#2: Ah, workplace pettiness–how I miss thee: Disgruntled Toronto Star editor takes revenge on publisher by copy editing his letter. I’m not sure I’d call this “constructive revenge” as The Torontoist does but then definitions differ.
#3: I’m on a discussion list that has a couple members obsessed with what logo Google is showing on their search page on any given day (Google “dresses” up the logo for various holiday). Finally someone posted an index where all of the Google special logos are indexed for quick perusal. Interesting to see how some countries got a Hallowe’en logo with one piece of candy, some with a bit more, and some with the logo inundated with candy–cultural sensibilities? The index appears to go back to the very beginning.
#4: The top 20 most annoying book reviewer cliches and how to use them all in one meaningless review. I think I’ve only used #17–I must not read the right type of books.
#5: What a New York Times bestseller actually makes for an author in terms of cold hard cash. Think they’re rich? Think again.
#6: Jim Carrey has a new website. You’ll need Flash to view it but it’s worth it. I’m normally not a fan of Flash pages since Flash is often used for the web site owner’s benefit and not the visitor’s benefit, but in this case it’s been used right. The site is meant for entertainment, I think, more than for straight information gathering but if you like Easter Eggs (clicking on random things to find surprises) and the oddness that is Carrey you’ll like what he’s done with his site. I’m doubly impressed that he has included plain Jane navigation at the bottom of his page for those people who really do want information and not entertainment–it’s a small touch but it’s huge in terms of serving his audience and not being so arrogant as to force people to play games they don’t want to if they just want information. If you want some clues as to what to look for on his site, there is a Wall Street Journal blog post with their review of the site.
#7: One person’s account of the actual cost of making an e-book versus making a print version. Biggest cost? Editing (but only because they did not hire a professional graphic designer and did the text formatting themselves). Worth every penny, if you ask me (but then, I edit on a freelance basis so of course I would say that).
One Comment
Google Dashboard is anazing. They have things on me that I didn’t know I had!
Great round-up this week.
Debbie Rodgers´s last blog ..Friday Afternoon Nov 6th- the (View) from My Office