Fan To Pro - The Blog of Professional Geekery

News of the day 8/31/2009

It's all over, if you haven't heard it you haven't been watching, and YES, we'll be discussing it this weekend:  Disney bought Marvel entertainment lock stock and barrel for 4 billion.  I'm going to need to process this one for awhile, but this is an epic, seismic change in the geekonomy.  It looks like they'll just let game contracts go on and see what happens when they expire.  We'll be analyzing on this and discussing it as more news comes.  A few speculations are here.  Doesn't seem to be affecting the Paramount deals for the films.

One thing I'd look out for?  Power Pack adapted quickly.

OK, and now onward . . .

Career:
5 Common Mistakes made by first time job searchers.  A few things even experienced job seekers do are here, so give it a read.

Politics:
Japan's dominant political party for decades is OUT big-time.  This is a big shift in a country that, despite troubles, is still big in the global economy - and the center or a major part of many geekonomic industries.  Keep an eye on this one.

Anime and Manga:
Kodansha let's its licenses with Tokyopop lapse.  Considering their Ameircan presence I figure they want to do these themselves.  Let's see.

Mobile:
An analyst thinks the iPhone is fine - but AT&T may not be.  Has some good points.  A good read if you're following mobile issues.  I still wonder what's up with Apple, but this makes me more confident.

Social Media:
Wikipedia to use trust-coded colors to indicate reliability.  Interesting as it's Wiki - but also as trust and reliability/reputation systems seem to be slowly increasing in use in social media.  This could be a big accelerator to the trend - which would affect expectations of other social media, the use of them, etc.

Technology:
Google's Chrome Browser will be on some Vaio's.  So first of all, this is a good deal, and a lot of the Vaio's are sweet systems, good move.  Secondly, now Sony is happily supporting Google - a bit of the Everything wars here.  Let's see who else jumps on the Chrome Browser (and OS) wagon, but I'd say this is a shot across Microsoft's bow, and a further reason for tech types to keep up on Google tech.

- Steven Savage

So get out and contact them!

I meet a lot of interesting people on the job, in my career, at conventions, and of course, reading books.  Some of them are famous, known professionals, and otherwise largely cooler than I am - or at least richer and more famous.  But usually cooler.

Now when you meet these people, you may want to ask them for advice or information.  However you feel scared, concerned, and don't want to mess it up.

Scared aside, meeting and learning from people who have been successful is one of the major ways to learn to be a success.  So if you don't swallow your fear and contact them, you will loose out.

In fact I usually find such people are often glad to help out if approached properly - I've corresponded with two major authors of employment books, several website publishers, and a life coach with a decade plus career in the last few months.  I've learned a lot from them, and they were to a person helpful and glad to give me advice.

There are two major parts of contacting people:

Fandom and business prototyping

So you want to start your own business.  Lots of people do - and let's face it, lot's of people fail.  If you're thinking of starting your own business, you've probably done research and realize the challenges.

Of course being a fan, a geek, and otaku, you've got a great resource right there in your life - fandom gives you a place to practice and prototype your business.

A problem with many would-be businesses is that people need a time to practice it, get it right, and build their business skills.  They also need to try out different business models or ideas.

So why not use your fandom as your testing ground?

Fandom gives you potential customers (even if it's a service you offer for free to try it out), plenty of feedback, and what is likely a safe environment to fail in.  Plus it's a market you probably know better than any else, so gives you a chance to try out those skills and ideas in a more understanding environment.

• Maybe you want your own accounting business.  Offer free services to some conventions - or a discount to a convention guest or friends.
• Perhaps you're trying to be an artist - which probably would be very easy to practice in your fandom.  Even if the model doesn't fit what you do, you can learn business and contact skills.
• You might be an IT consultant - so perhaps your local sports team needs help with their office, or a local band needs help with a website.

Fandom isn't just a place to try out and gain skills for your career - you can practice an entire business model.  I'd advise that you keep in mind that the environments probably different than the overall business environment, but even with that difference, it's a good place to learn.

- Steven Savage

Upcoming Podcast

Just a reminder that our usual podcast is coming up tonight!

Mentor Chains

A great thing about being a fan, a gaming geek, a pro-geek, etc. is that we can find all sorts of role models - from famous programmers to great artists and the like, there are people whom we can model ourselves after and learn from.

Let me make another suggestion for using your friends and fandom to improve: what I call Mentor chains.

News of the Day, August 28, 2009

Economics/Geekonomics

Japan's Record Unemployment Rate: Something people who want to work in Japan-based industries, like anime and video games, need to pay attention to. A lousy economy in Japan may mean less products being exported. (Of course, that may also create an opportunity for game designers on the American side). 

Publishing

Newspaper ad revenue was down 29 percent in the second quarter from the same period last year - a stinging number by any stretch of the imagination. If you're interested in the journalism arena, it's definitely a smart thing to be looking in the direction of electronic publishing, because with these kind of figures, the picture isn't particulary rosy for traditional newspapers.

Social Media

Facebook makes worldwide privacy policy changes to meet Canadian law: This tightens up third-party access to subscriber data, which means joining the service no longer means you're open to being spambombed. The changes will be rolled out over the next 12 months, giving users time to comment - I can't see this not being welcome news anywhere (except to spammers!) and it might ease the fears of those who put off joining the service in order to not have an inbox full of Viagra ads. 

An up-and-coming field is real-time search engines, which gather up information on what's being talked about right now on services such as Twitter and Digg. One such service, OneRiot, just received $7 million in funding, and we're sure we're going to see others spring up in the near future. Keep an eye on this arena.

Video Games

Is a 250 gig Xbox 360 on the way? Apparently, a listing for a new super-deluxe model briefly appeared on German Amazon and was pulled, leading to speculation that one will appear on shelves for Christmas. Can't blame Micosoft for wanting to steal Sony's PS3Slim thunder.

We're going to have no new consoles for awhile, according to Electronic Arts chief creative officer Rich Hilleman, who said that designers exhausted themselves creatively crafting the current generation, since they were such a huge shift from what came before. He noted that Sony may do a PS3.5 (probably a reference to the Slim), but a PS4 is a long way down the road. Good news for game developers if he's accurate, means you won't have to learn a new system for awhile! 

Gamasutra presents its weekly roundup of jobs, which is well worth checking out for job-seekers in the U.S. and Canada. 

Technology

 Some apps don't work on Snow Leopard yet: Now, what did we say about not leaping on it right away? This is why. And the apps experiencing glitches are big ones: Word and Photoshop. Word to the wise, if you create an app for computers: Make sure you have the patches to make your app compatible with a new operating system reaady <i>before</i> the OS launches to the public. (Working betas exist for a reason, folks).

Google backs open format for E-books: The company is making over a million public domain books available for free download in ePub, an open format that devices such as iPods, iPhones and Sony Readers can use. The Kindle pointedly can NOT use ePub, which means it may get increasingly shut out as adoption of ePub gets wider.

Dual-screen laptops on the way: Hey, in the age of the netbook, the traditional laptop has to stay competititve. They're aimed at multitaskers who have a lot of programs open at once, and we can see them having use for tech types working in fields like video editing. Meanwhile, Apple is rumored to be working on a tablet running full Mac OSX, which sounds like it'll be a lot more productive than the current glorified iPhone.  

Media

Targeted ads ready for fall TV season: These utilize data which shows which ads generate the most business in a given area. For instance, a manufacturer of patio furniture could choose to advertise in an area where the most patio furniture is purchased, and pay an extra premium in the process. Interesting exercise in super-targeted marketing, another up-and-coming field that is worth paying attention to.

Anime/Manga

Movie director McG, who helmed the most recent Terminator film, is a Sailor Moon fan and recently filmed Kirsten Dunst - wearing what sounds like Sailor Mercury cosplay - in Akhibara for a music video. (Dunst has geeky cred herself: In addition to her Spiderman role, she voiced the title character in the dub of Miyazaki's Kiki's Delivery Service). Fan to pro types turn up all over the place nowadays! 

- Bonnie

Self-reference for success

You love your Pomeranain, which is why your gamerhandle lets people know they've been P0wned by CerebusPom23.  Your sig file on your favorite message board references your Twitter account.  Your color scheme for your fansite is a subtle variant on your favorite sports teams, each page lovingly coordinated.

If you're a fan/geek, especially if you're heavily online, you've probably got a lot of self-references.  Handles reflect interests, websites reference other sites, your cosplay costume is based off of your love of Japanese history, etc.

Congrats.  You're practicing one of the skills necessary for career success- self-reference.

News of the Day 8/26/2009

Career:
Are 'Best place to work' articles pointless? The author thinks so and makes some good points. I always find the best way to know a company is to listen to everyone and talk toe mployees, though some profiles are useful.

Economics/Freakonomics/Geekonomics:
The FDIC is running out of cash - Which means someone will have to pony up for it - which means more debt (or more taxes, if not right away).

Mobile:
Apple appears to be entering the Chinese phone market - More Everything Wars to follow. Thought for those of you in technology and media - how much of the battleground could shift or expand to China among the various Everything War companies (Microsoft, Google, Apple) and others?

Publishing:
Fan-to-pro crush object Asus is aiming for it's own e-book reader this Christmas. I can't say I'm interested in one from anyone, but Asus does quality product, so I have high hopes for them. Remember as we mentionedin the past that hardware companies have an easier time in a competitive market than software? Keep that in mind for e-book readers as well - though this is also good news for authors as it increases options for people to purchase e-readers.

Social Media:
Ways to leverage Twitter for hiring - For those of you doing hiring. May be useful for those of you doing searching for a job as well.

Technology:
Snow Leopard review - Sounds like modest improvements. It doesn't seem like much of an upgrade, really, but except for the app issues it seems solid. I'm thinking Apple did it to maintain awareness more than anything else.

Video Games:
Zynga's Farmville is the fastest growing social game so far - At 11 million players. Zynga continues it's roll, as does social gaming. Also remember Zynga IS hiring . . .

Uh-oh, more cuts in gaming. Raven software had cuts, possibly due to the lackluster performence of WOlfenstein, and EA had cuts at Maxis.

How games are changing - because of the environment they're made in - He sees a lot of changing,including more people doing changes, broader definition of what games are, and changes for big studios. A good read, gives you something to think of. Most interesting to me is the idea that "game development" is something more and more companies will do even with no previous foundation.

- Steven Savage

Let Me Bore You: Review of Econompicdata

Review of:http://econompicdata.blogspot.com/

PROS:  A site that explains economics with pretty graphs, actual english, and a good sense of humor.
CONS: Can get a bit too "economist-like".  Subjects chosen can be erratic.

SUMMARY: A colorful, effective site on economic issues that makes economics a bit easier to learn and understand.

I do love a good econoblog.  This is not necessarily because they're easy to understand - they often art - I just value the information I get.  The problem of course is communicating this to other people less inclined to analyze these things in depth or without the background to understand what the people at econoblogs are TALKING about.

Econompicdata is a refreshing change.  With the subheader "Darn Nice Economic Eye Candy" this is a blog that mixes good explanations and good graphs to discuss a variety of issues in a bite-sized way.

Econompicdata's blogger, Jake, picks whatever seems to come to mind or be interesting and discusses it with one or more helpful graphs.  YOu can see info on plane crashes, the housing market,oil, liquidity, and more.  The graphs help you understand what's going on - and Jake's explanations usually (but not always) are easy for non-economics to understand or at least get a grip on the issue.

The blog, the graphics, and the writing are refreshingly clear and easy to read.  No clutter, no fuss, no mess, just the subject, the information, and the analysis so you can get an idea of what's going on.

If there's one real flaw it's that you're never sure what's going to get posted here, so unless you're deeply into economics, you can be pretty sure not all of it is going to be of interest to you.  It's a testimony to Jake's depth that he covers so much, but be aware that the blog isn't always going to be up your alley.

I strongly recommend putting this into your blogfeed of business and economic information.  You can be pretty sure at some point something of use to you is going to pop up - and be understandable to you.

- Steven Savage

News of the Day 8/26/2009

Career:
5 Typical Job Search Problems and how to solve them.

Economics/Freakonomics/Geekonomics: The stock market seems 'broken' to one expert - it doesn't seem to be making much sense. A quick but thought-provoking read.

Awesome: an automatic graph to let you see how a lot of famous companies grew. Play with it a bit and see if it gives you any ideas of where to work or what business to start.

Must read: how banks (and others) diversify themselves into incompetence - Full article here. This one strikes home for me as I watch large, lumbering companies survive only by leveraging debt and past success, and as business gurus talk nicheing. I think we can all name companies right now engaged in expensive battles by trying to do everything.

Tips on becoming a freelancing powerhouse, especially in writing.

How to work in the Japanese gaming industry.

Anime and Manga:
Hulu adds 'One Piece' to it's library - Meaning of course they keep up with those big titles. Wonder how these will go over when they work out the UK distribution?

Publishing:
A small press picture book publisher isn't worried about the Kindle - And makes some good points about the psychology and issues and designs of some books. Food for thought - and makes me wonder about digital comics and the like and their viability. Some things are ephemeral - some people want to keep.

Sports:
More sports geek news? You bet - NBC is working on a sports video site in India. With the news of Yahoo's move to the Mideast, I am now wondering if we're going to see an increased trend of companies moving to specialized regions or expanding out of their normal geographic/cultural limits. Brush up on and keep track of your language skills if this trend continues.

Social Media:
A quick overview of the growing Teens don't Tweet meme going around, including comment from a Twitter co-founder and plenty of links. Frankly this isn't worrysome as I think Twitter is doing well enough, though it does suggest they'll want to monitor demographic usage to see if people use Twitter more LATER in life, or if theres a demographic that is not changing.

Resistance to social media is fading - so how can you use this on the job and career? Might be useful to show this to a recalcitrant client, boss, or partner!

Technology:
Amazon moves to it's cloud computing offering - I just can't help but feel they're starting to go way afar from their initial goals.

Further WTFery: Apple's new Snow Leopard OS may not work with all apps - At this rate I am concerned Apple is flailing and not thinking ahead (this pretty much feels like a get-a-jump-on-Windows 7 effort). Is Apple confused in the Everything Wars?

Geek Need alert: Telecos likely to increase spending. This means technology sales and geeky jobs. You know what to do!

Video Games:
Ouch. Turbine is suing Atari over nasty issues involving the D&D franchise. Not pretty. I reccomend no resume-sending to either until resolved, this has the smell of potential ugliness.

-Steven Savage