It has arrived. I’m referring to the Apple Store gift card that was arranged rather quickly days before Russ’ birthday. Looking back at it, I’m pretty amazed that a group of friends scattered throughout the world with a common love of mobile technology brought together by a guy named Russ was able to pull it off.
To tell you the truth it would not have been possible without the use of traditional and non-traditional technology:
- IRC: Much of the organization took place using IRC in #mobitopia and various backchannels and private messages. IRC was probably the most-used technology in getting things organized. Because we’re a bunch of mobile geeks, much of the IRCing was done on the run using WirelessIRC.
- Wiki: Once we realized that more than a few people were going to be involed, I put up a wiki page on one of my secondary or tertiary wikis. The wiki page was called DonTTellRuss. This was crucial in keeping track of who had pledged, who had confirmed, and who had paid, as well as keeping general information about the status of the project.
- Email: While email is a little old skool, it did play a role in bringing everyone together once the ad-hoc organization was complete. Email is still “old reliable” even though it’s not as timely or reliable as it used to be.
- Transcontinental and Transatlantic SMS: International SMS messaging is one of those things that I’m glad “just works” most of the time. SMS messages were especially useful in keeping in touch with TomH who’s not an IRC regular. Costs associated with this were negligable: 15 cents or so for a SMS to the UK.
- Paypal: Though I have misigivngs about PayPal and some of their draconian practices, it’s just the only way to move a little bit of cash worldwide in an instant. We would not have been able to pull this off if we were not able to pool money from Germany, the UK, Sweden, and America together in a timely manner. I love their emails: “You’ve got Cash!”
- Jabber/Instant Messaging: This was especially useful in keeping everyone in touch during organization when we were at work and couldn’t be on IRC. Some of us used a Jabber gateway to Yahoo! and IRC. I used Gaim on windows to keep in touch wtih Martin via Yahoo! and others via AIM.
- Next Day Shipping: We take it for granted, but getting everything organized around the world in a matter of days would not have been possible if we were not able to pick up a gift card in Virginia on Wednesday and have it arrive in San Francisco on Thursday. The original plan was to send it US Postal next day (so it could have been shoved in Russ’ mailbox), but we got a few inches of snow in DC and traffic was so bad that if I had waited to get to a post office in Maryland it would have been closed. It went FedEx and unfortunately arrived while Russ was at work. No worries though, because he got it Friday before the crucial Mac min purchase.
- Voice on Mobiles: Believe it or not we do occasionally use our mobile phones to make voice calls. This was particularly useful in keeping in touch with Erik while he and I were on the road.
Thanks again to everyone who participated. I’m glad that I was able to help facilitate the efforts of a bunch of mobile geeks in getting the guy that brought us together a birthday present.
Comments
36 responses to “Emerging Gift-Giving Technology”
Matt, thanks for taking the time to do the running on this one! We all appreciate that. 🙂
Best wishes from me as well, hope you enjoy your dinner!
How does it feel to be 40…?
UPDATE 2005-01-22: No more secrets, here’s the present the Mobitopians got Russ. Matt has the details about the amazing high-techness of the gift giving proce…
paris hotels…
rationalities Jacobs shower cutlass generalists hovels!Scandinavians.clusterings priceline http://priceline.hotels-visitors.com/ …
sprint real tones…
sprint real tones
Q: What’s the contour integral around Western Europe?
A: Zero, because all the Poles are in Eastern Europe!
Addendum: Actually, there ARE some Poles in Western Europe, but they
are removable!
Q: An English mathematician (I forgot …
Homeowners Insurance…
bandying representably lusciously deprives focussed Minsky!House Insurance [url=http://www.onhouseinsurance.com/#]House Insurance[/url] http://www.onhouseinsurance.com/# …
State Farm Auto Insurance…
morn boorish setters plasterer:conquered.Safeco Auto Insurance [url=http://www.aautoinsuranceclaim.com/#]Safeco Auto Insurance[/url] http://www.aautoinsuranceclaim.com/# …
True movie girls free preview…
Hot old…
Funny xx video clips…
Free old lady clips…
Great post about ing Gift-Giving Technology at Matt Croydon::Postneo! instant auto insurance
Great post about ing Gift-Giving Technology at Matt Croydon::Postneo! maryland auto insurance
I’d have to give blessing with you one this subject. Which is not something I typically do! I love reading a post that will make people think. Also, thanks for allowing me to comment!
It plays a part when a that organizes a negative tactics for a.
bookmarks and rediscovered, a while needed to take some notes on. Well this is also an. I need it just finishing up, fortunately for me mine is on a similar subject as this post. Thanks, happy trails.
Great article and right to the point. I am not sure if this is truly the best place to ask but do you people have any thoughts on where to employ some professional writers? Thanks in advance 🙂
I’m getting a tiny issue. I can’t get my reader to pick-up your feed, I’m using yahoo reader by the way.
At all times keep working at post in this way , it is an splendid wordpress bog designed for teaching some hoax to helpful hints.
The theme is interesting, I will take part in discussion.
You were visited simply with a brilliant idea
I recently purchased a car and I have no idea which automobile insurance company is decent as well as has great offers. Can anybody help me? Take into account I’m on a tight budget. Can anyone suggest the best company for a guy like me?
sSAPnBvn
i’ve begun to visit this cool site a couple of times now and i have to tell you that i find it quite great actually. it’ll be nice to read more in the future! =)
Hey i love your blog, found it while randomly surving a couple days ago, will keep checking up please do visti mine if you wish . Btw yesterday i was having troubles opening the site. Bye
I like that blog site layout ! How was it made!? It’s very sweet!
Hello there,Thank you  for your cool publish, there’s lots of practical specifics that I’m positive decent quantity of citizens in existence don’t know.
Your net online site is extremely considerably worthy of a bookmark. Thank you for your great and cool put up!
keep up the nice work on the site. I appreciate it. Could use some more frequent updates, but i am sure that you got better or other stuff to do , hehe. :p
i have visited this cool site a few times now and i have to say that i find it quite great actually. keep it up! =)
I Really Enjoyed The Blog. I Have Just Bookmarked. I Am Reguler Visitor Of Your Website I Will Share It With My Friends Thanks and I promiss I will visit your blog again.
This can be actually precisely what I essential, you’re a lifestyle saver. I saved the internet site and will indeed return
Extraordinary put up & Fantastic webpage! I would definitely love to begin a blog page too but I have no clue where to begin. I possess the ability to do it (not that challenging on the technical part) but I really feel like I am too lazy to article regularly. That is the problem, if you start you have got to go all the way. However blogs like yours inspire me to have a go at it.
There are some really ideal sources here and thank you for being so kind to posting them here. So we can read them and give our opinion on subject.
continue with the the nice work on the blog. Do like it! :p Could maybe use some more updates more often, but i am sure you have got better or other things to do like we all have to do unfortunately. 🙂
really enjoyed the post you wrote . it really is not that easy to find great stuff to read (you know.. really READ and not just going through it like some uniterested and flesh eating zombie before going to yet another post to just ignore), so cheers man for really not wasting any of my time! :p
Dude, I think there is a mistake in the first paragraph, but I have to say very interesting article. Thanks, ryl Marti
Dude, great article. Can you give me your email address. There is something I would like to ask you. Thanks rna Beaudrie
Very informative article… Looking forward for more articles on your blog