In  'What Silicon Valley Could Learn from Columbus, Ohio' ....we are the world.

"Your Customer Lives in Columbus, Ohio - Sure, all of your friends in the Valley think your new Web app is sweet.  But getting a bunch of other nerds to use your app only buys you a small initial audience.  Critical mass comes when you get the everyman to use your app, and the everyman lives in Columbus, Ohio."

Ohio Businessman of the Year (it says so on his website Go Big), Wil Schroter's blog questions if we know what Craiglist is.... do we use Craigslist?

The Google alert I received that mentioned Columbus and lead me to Schroter's blog, MicroISV on a Shoestring says:

"I am strongly tempted to take this article, translate it into Japanese, and pass it around the office, because what works in Columbus, Ohio is also very true for life in Central Japan.  Even Nagoya is more of a Detroit than it is a Silicon Valley.  (Incidentally: nobody here knows what Craigslist is, either.  Most don’t even know Mixi, which is Myspace for Japan.)"

Darn I don't even know what MicroISV  is.

Do you use Craislist.com?  I posted one listing a number of times on Craigslist with no response.  A mention of Craigslist in a presentation by another REALTOR® at the Columbus Board of REALTORS® Tech Users Committee was not a rave review.   

The good, the bad and the ugly of the  "Technology and Online Real Estate" category of Inman's  "The Top 100 Most Influential People in Real Estate"

The other day I promised:

"I will share some of the people in the list in the future on Columbus Best Blog, especially those that have a bearing on Columbus Ohio real estate."   

Inman said of "Technology and Online Real Estate" List:

Technology and the Internet continue to play increasingly important roles in the business of real estate. The people in this category have made contributions and continue to lead in this segment, either with an online business platform or a technology system that’s changed the way industry professionals conduct business.

One of the people on the list I feel like I know... although I have never met him... Saul Klein the President of Internet Crusade.  Internet Crusade is the company that administers the e-PRO Certification for the National Association of REALTORS®.  Internet Crusade also offers RealTownBlogs.   Columbus Best Blog is a RealTown Blog.  Very, very good.

Other "Top 100 Most Influential People in Real Estate" on Inman's list:

Joel MacIntosh - WolfNet Technology

Allan Dalton - Realtor.com  

Mark Lesswing - NAR Center for Realtor Technology

Ian Morris - HouseValues.com

Mike Long - Move.com formerly HomeStore

Craig Newmark - CraigList.org

Good? Realtor.com want to know about real estate elsewhere? Use Realtor.com OR go to the biggest and best real estate company in towns site and search there.  If looking in Central Ohio that would be by searching on HER Real Livings site.  Google for the gournet, don't cheat yourself with McDonalds!  

Good? NAR Center for Realtor Technology indirectly it is info for REALTORS® (members of a trade organization.)

Move.com formerly HomeStore, did they have to change their name? I have always been confused by what HomeStore does. 

? CraigList.org is big in other parts of the country but I never thought it was used much in Central Ohio. 

Good! WolfNet Technology will affect Central Ohio. As of the beginning of 2007 all brokerages in the Columbus Board of Realtors who do not maintain their own IDX are required to use WolfNet Technology for security reasons.  What's IDX?  Internet Data eXchange.  That's the technology to present advertising on properties listed in our MLS (multiple listing service) to the public. Look at a brokers website at houses... you are looking at IDX.  HER Real Living does their own IDX.  There was one other broker doing their own IDX... all others are switching over to WolfNet Technology IDX.   

I left one off... if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all....

The people on Inman's technology list that most recognizable are  Richard Barton and Lloyd Fink of Zillow.... their company uses algorithms and public records to guesstimate the value of real estate.   Richard Barton and Lloyd Fink developed (invented?)  Zillow!  When we first started hearing about Zillow in 2005, it was supposed to replace real estate agents. 

"The Segway of real estate portals is about to roll over the pedestrian real estate agent. Say good-bye to appraisers and possibly real estate agents, blared CNN Money. " taunted Realty Times

What people are saying  about Zillow now? ....  "You've been Zillowed!"

Previously on Columbus Best Blog:

Clintonville is unzillowable

Worthington is unzillowable

You are not a Jedi yet!  

Zillow introduced

c.  2006 Columbus Best Blog and Maureen McCabe

Do you know any 'geeks'  ...?

a free Yahoo e-card (loud music alert!) to send to the 'Geeks' in your life.

Do we have many 'geeks' in Columbus?  I remember first hearing the word 'geek' in about 1980 in relation to Ozzie Osbourne.   Geekiness (not the Circus Geek, Ozzy Osbourne variety) but the smart about computers and technology traits  have become desirable in the past 25 years!

Do we have many 'geeks' in Columbus?

In your company IT department? In every company IT department.  At OSU?  Among the Best Columbus bloggers?

OCLC

"OCLC Online Computer Library Center is a nonprofit, membership, computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purposes of furthering access to the world's information and reducing information costs. More than 55,000 libraries in 110 countries and territories around the world use OCLC services to locate, acquire, catalog, lend and preserve library materials."

Battelle Columbus, Ohio is Battelle Headquarters

"History
Battelle (Memorial Institute), which began operations in 1929, was established in Columbus, Ohio, by Gordon Battelle and serves as a memorial to his family—leaders in America's early steel industry."

Again an e- card to send your favorite geek for National Geek Day.  Music...Loud music will play ...

Geek in Central Ohio?  Join The Columbus Computer Society 

"The Columbus Computer Society was founded for the purpose of formal and informal education, and to provide an opportunity for computer users to exchange ideas and experiences."

The September meeting's speaker is Gail R. Emelko who will speaking about 'Getting Your Inbox to Zero'

CCS General Meeting
Online Computer Library Center
September 20, 2006
OCLC General Meeting
Speaker: Gail R. Emelko
Topic: Getting Your Inbox to Zero

Happy National Geek day to:

Internet Crusade / Real Town Blogs Blogteam

Real Living Help Desk & the programmers

Point2 Agent Staff

Some of the CBR staff members

The Tech Users Forum at CBR (not all ...of us)

Steve

Bob

Barry

Ray

Sean

Phil

Brent

Patty (isn't it funny this is the first female I can think of?)

Bill

Brian

Tim

Amy!

and you if you have a 'geeky' bone in your body.

c. 2006 Columbus Best Blog and Maureen McCabe

My friend Eric (a REALTOR®)  is directionally challenged. I have had clients make fun of me for  going in circles..and I ususally have a pretty good sense of direction (I don't know right from left... which can cause problems... but during the day with the  sun shining I amaze myself.. and some clients....) I wonder what Eric's client's think when he is going in circles and calling me for directions.  When I see his cell number come up on my desk phone I want to answer it  "Eric's GPS."   At a Tech Users Forum presentation for the new Verizon phones with GPS, I thought of Eric immediately.  Every time I see the Verizon commercial of the man looking for a phone with that feature  and the lady says something like "Sir this is a hardware store!"  I think of Eric.
"Palm GPS Navigator Smartphone Edition
featuring TomTom® NAVIGATOR 5
 

An Ad in my mailbox....

Transform your Treo™ smartphone into the ultimate navigation solution. Whether you're driving to a new destination, or strolling through an unfamiliar city, the Palm® GPS Navigator Smartphone Edition helps you relax and enjoy the scenery, knowing you'll reach your destination. The voice-guided, turn-by-turn directions let you keep your eyes where they belong - on the road.

Not only can you easily find your way with easy to navigate maps of the entire US and Canada, 4.5 million included points of interest help you find the nearest gas station, restaurants of almost every imaginable flavor, airports, and much more. The pre-installed memory card simplifies setup to get you navigating in minutes."  

Even if I am relatively good with directions I want GPS. Doesn't everyone?   I want a Smart Phone too... my cell is a couple of years old... I thought wow... what a deal...then I read 'transform your Treo'  and realized the price is just the GPS Navigator for the cell phone.  Maybe I'll just shave my head and tatto maps on it...

c. 2006 Columbus Best Blog and Maureen McCabe