You can publish your books individually at blurb, create/sell magazines at magcloud, and make tons of other stuff at lulu.

I am patiently waiting for the day when my morning newspaper would be personalized. A customized monday morning paper will be printed fresh at the local shop. 5 pages of rich content - of course with targeted ads on the side. Wouldn’t mind that.

From hand-crafted unique to machine-crafted personalized.

Jason from 37 signals notes:

First mover or early advantage is overrated. Google was late to search, Flickr was late to photosharing, Facebook was late to social software. Being late gives you a chance to watch the market develop and spot what’s actually working and what isn’t. Take your time, build something valuable, and then go to market.

I couldn’t agree more. In addition, I feel doing a unique thing no longer holds value. All companies mentioned above (and 37 signals) have taken an age old need and upped it. By quality (google), interface (flickr) or seeding through a niche (facebook) - they hooked their users by providing useful features and pleasant experience. A strong reason to come back.

On leadership, Jason remarks:

Every great company has a great leader who is willing to make decisions, say “no” more often than “yes,” and see a clear vision through to fruition.

Saying no and closing a few doors lets us focus better on essentials. It also reduces the burden of multitasking and encourages a culture of simplicity.

It’s not the daily increase but daily decrease. Hack away at the unessential. - Bruce Lee.

Another way of looking at it is to make a ‘I am no good at list‘ or as I would like to put it ‘I’d rather not get into’ list. Something to ponder upon.

A recent Time article predicts the end of customer service in 2008.

Companies love self-service for the money it saves, and with consumers finally playing along, the need to interact with human beings is quickly disappearing.

The article falls short of reason and sight. It focuses on the airline industry that has already seen a huge shift in their sales mechanism. Of course, most people buy tickets online and local ticketing agent is starting to feel as outdated as a typewriter. But this change was inevitable. The local agent who acted as an operator to check your request has now been replaced by an easy to use browser interface. Backend technology was already there, airlines have merely added universal usability and accessibility by providing a web front.

Design has thus replaced the ticketing agent. Design will keep replacing other mundane repetitive tasks that we depend on other people for.

In Malaysia, IBM has outfitted a chain of sushi restaurants with ordering screens linked to the kitchen; so much for waitresses.

Restaurants and hospitality industry are a different call all together. We expect to be served and hosted by someone. I wouldn’t walk into a restaurant that greets me with a screen. Some interactions are emotional, too complicated and often best handled by people.

However, on the same note, I wouldn’t mind ordering a take-out on a kiosk. I’d much prefer to perform a function via digital interface than talking to a half interested, scripted, ’service’ agent.