New Architecture

New Architecture
The link changes everything
Do what you do best and link to the rest
Join a network
Be a platform
Think distributed

The above intro to the second chapter sums up one of the most important points in the book in my opinion.

The author describes his epiphany when after witnessing 9/11 he wrote a blog the next day thinking it would be only a way to share his
memories of the event. Some bloggers across
the country read his material and linked to him.
He responded and linked to them. The distributed conversation was born in his mind. Different places and different times made possible by the link.

“I saw a new structure of media: two-way and collaborative. I realized that this structure would redefine commerce, marketing, politics, government, education – the world. The link and search provided the means to find anything and connect anyone….” The first of many bold statements by the author. Most of them appear to be making sense of what the Internet is leading us to. He goes on to explain how blogs and networks lead us to social media and a whole new economic business model. He explains how cable, phone, newspaper and retail companies are being challenged by this new way of doing business.

He says networks are built atop platforms and that any of us could be a platform. He says Google, the Internet and Home Depot are all platforms. I am having trouble grasping this concept especially how I may able to build a platform for my own company. Perhaps another reader has a take on this.

Moving away from thinking centralized and toward thinking distributed is another concept where I would like to hear how other people interpret it. The examples are fascinating but I would like to learn more about how I can apply this to my business and my clients’ businesses.

The author throws a lot at us in this chapter. Great stories and examples. Feels like the first day of college all over again.

Jack Paolin