Google Plus has arrived

+Mike at Google Plus

For the last six weeks, I've been developing a +Mike Downes Google Profile. This blog was started in the days when Google offered no such platform.  

If you have not seen what G+ can do, head on over and see what it can do. Google Plus only opened it's doors on 28 June 2011 in a trial stage. The platform now has 25 million users worldwide.

Google + Video Playlist: Eleven to watch that should make learning easy

In my attempt to learn Google +, I came across these videos. So far, it all makes sense. Many people, I have never been a facebook fan.  Many more know, I am a total Google user.

Introducing tmdp by video

What Would Google Do? by Jeff Jarvis

There has been no other single piece of information (apart from all the rest) that has influenced me in the last six months than What Would Google Do? by Jeff Jarvis.

I have to be careful when I talk about the book as it clearly states under copy right that I am not allowed to reverse engineer the book in anyway - I take that to mean using all letters in the alphabet, so I am clearly breaking that rule already.

So why is it so good then? It's a Manual for the Future with it's simple ideas that make perfect digital sense. but that comes at a price with depression, anxiety and loss. If you are on the digital side of the net, it could be a party. Jarvis tells us all to create a something, make it pubic and share it. Then Google will find you and it's all clickable, searchable and linkable fun. See my full notes about WWGD? here I am interested to hear from anyone who has read it.

When Sergey and Larry founded Google on 4 September 1998, I qualified as a teacher and began my first post. Twelve years on I struggle to be heard in any school when it comes to technology. Professor Stephen Heppell at Bett 2010 summed it up when he said there is a gap between the schools that are doing pioneering stuff and those simply doing a shiny version of 19th century teaching.

But this post is not about schools or education, it is about the ideas in this book and how they can be applied in real life. In my case, using my eyes and ears by creating something for Google to see and then adding simple value to the immediate community. Google street view launched in 3D on 1st April 2010 (click the logo on the left - you will need some 3D glasses though).

Googled by Ken Auletta and Here Comes Eveverybody by Clay Shirky

This is far the best book I have read about Google and it's founders. Amazon lists the book as 25 Feb 2010, so it's quite new. Ken Auletta talks at length about the ideas - he comes across as humble and genuine.

Have you read it? Tell me what you think. I don't see Google as a company that chases the $100 billion. Or how Google is in the news for all the wrong reasons i.e. China, News aggregation, rows with Apple. I see it as two guys who had a project to download the whole internet twelve years ago and filled up a house with computers in the process. They were $25 million down before they had a clue how to make the first cent.

Auletta weaves interesting fact with the thoughts and behaviours of Sergey Brin and Larry Page. There was a freaky moment while reading the book where I thought that any web page is just an advertisement for something else - well is it? Go read it and find out for yourself.

I first heard of Clay Shirky from WWGD do? by Jarvis with the idea that people can organise themselves while using the internet to get off the internet (see Meetup and the witches). This book is a harder read, but is worth it, even to understand how Wikipedia was a failure at first (Publish then Filter solved that).

Key ideas like the Birthday Paradox, Power Law and the Long Tail now have meaning - ask the Mermaids from Coney Island, see Flickr.

Shirky claims we now have the tools to change the world - is he right? Read this book and find out. As history states, the medieval scribes were none too happy about the printing press. Shirky has many videos at ted.com - see one on groups here.

I am not a fan of Facebook, but group organisation was in action when an X-factor winner's song failed to reach number one in the music charts.

So how good are you at a Google Search? Here are 20 tips

Did you know that most people find information on websites without ever going via the front page of the site? Here's how it works, Google visits a website, takes a copy and indexes it. Then you go to Google, enter a search (or for those of you speaking your search on mobiles - well done) and see the results (of the copy that Google holds). If you want see to what copy Google has, click the cached link on each result.

Most popular is open search, here are the other 19 ways to search. I know I didn't write them - I do what I do best and link to the rest (and yes I know they are not my words - Google them and find out for yourself, so who said them first?).

Google have produced a Cheat Sheet, it's called the Google Help: Cheat Sheet click the thumbnail on the right or see the link.

How did I do this? Polaroids and Bookshelves

Have a read...the deeper version is coming up - but not tonight. Those of you who know the shops bookshelf from the What's in Kenilworth? site will not see one here. I want to make one, but feel it may look naff as we see loads of Web 2.0 ensembles wherever we go. Let me have a think and see what I come up with. It's no secret that if Google can redo their banner a million times, then I can too (and so can you).

Back to the image, on the left is a Polaroid of the five political parties I made a few moments ago. So how did I do it? If I can - anyone can. Here's how:

Go to any web page or Google images will be fine. Take a screen shot (I use the Snipping Tool in Vista). Open Google Picasa, select images, create a collage. Save as an image, make another collage, use a polaroid border this time. Rotate and save again. It's done.

Here at The Mike Downes Page you can get the deeper version. I can make a web video with the brilliant Cam Studio. But why do that when I get get one already made from YouTube, so click here. I am not a big fan on embedded videos. I always like to watch a larger screen. decide for yourself:



In this instance, the video is fine with a calming voice. Some are not. Still, my aim is to get as many people as possible to know how to do all of this - only if they want to.

I have taught children in primary schools for years. There is no faster moving area than technology. It is the children who can move the fastest - adults try to think too much and feel they will break stuff. They can't. I am lucky and I know it when it comes digital stuff - it makes sense to me. I know that for others it is not, that's why I want to help everyone, to give as much knowledge away for free as possible. I would like to hear from any bloggers in Kenilworth. Email me mike@themikedownespage.com or subscribe to these sites - let's work together and make it happen.

The Sonali Indian Take Away Kenilworth

Sonali Indian Take Away
33 Warwick Road
Kenilworth, CV8 1HN
tel 01926 857 733 or 01926 856300

Here is an example of a business possibly having a niche market. . The Sonali in Kenilworth does not have a website, however it does have an online ordering facilty.

I found this awkward as I could not browse the whole menu in one go, but had to navigate 20 sub menus (there is a search box though). Have you used it? I am told that many online orders come from the University of Warwick.

Compare this with the full menu at whatsinkenilworth.com, click herefor the direct link.

465 Photographs and Pizza Pizzo

Today was spent photographing all the walk in businesses and shop fronts I could find in Kenilworth.  Out of the 465 photos in my Nikon there were not many duplicates.

While they are being processed and Geotagged, I wish to carry on the theme of seeing what Google indexes and how fast. This was posted on the Kenilworth site about six hours ago and is already features in the search results.

Pizza Pizzo Spring Menu Online NowPizzo Delipizzeria - Gourmet Pizzas to your door‎, 25 Warwick Road, CV8 1HN tel 01926 855 544‎ email mail@pizzopizza.co.uk and web www.pizzopizza.co.uk

Pizzo Pizza is the latest concept in the home dining market place. Order a Pizzo Pizza and you will always come back. All of our toppings come from our well stocked deli, and our dough is organic!  See the full menu here For the What's in Kenilworth? Web Album click here

New Today - About this site

I have called this site The Mike Downes Page as you can see, I am interested to see if a similar blog at the University of Warwick with similar content will perform better or worst in Google search results. I have been told that as Google likes Universities and if you have a University blog, then Google loves you and rewards with high search results. Let’s see what happens.

As I know, I am not the only Mike Downes out there – I am the University of Warwick educated teacher, not the Canadian jazz musician or the auto electrician from Grimsby. We will see what what develops – I have read far too many books about Google over the last few months. More on that in my next post.