Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

NOVEMBER 30, 2007

My role has been to gather up the use cases (specific examples of translation processes). That’s been a very interesting process, and we have been generating some good examples that will be really helpful in the process of figuring out what tools are present that can do what’s needed, and what gaps exist. Be Helpful.

Bhutan 100

Bhutan Learning Open Source Open 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

FEBRUARY 29, 2008

Someone in an IRC channel last night who was trying to help me as I tore my hair out said “why does xorg suck so bad?&# With all of the amazing examples of really great free and open source software, here is an example of one that just isn’t what it should be. { Be Helpful. at 9:41 pm Linux desktops?

Open Source 111

Open Source Ubuntu Arts RSS 111

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

SEPTEMBER 20, 2007

Minor releases are, for example, when a project goes from 2.2.3 0 release – for example from 2.x Google it – you might find articles and reviews that might be helpful Try it out. Be Helpful. When was the last release? How much time generally passes between major or minor releases? Going to a x.0

Open Source 100

Open Source Software Open Free 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

OCTOBER 21, 2007

They do a good job of using examples for each of these things (like why Southwest Airlines is so successful, and why the Kidney Heist urban legend sticks so well, among other stories. It uses examples and such, but it is not anywhere near as engaging and readable as “Made to Stick.&# Be Helpful. 3 admin 10.23.07

Review 100

Review Open Source Consultant Profit 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

MARCH 23, 2010

I’ve considered myself pretty successful at both helping clients navigate the tough waters of web development projects, as well as accomplishing web projects for them. Until just a few years ago, there was very little sophistication about the user experience in web applications – what mattered most was functionality.

Project 146

Project Database Open Source Application 146

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

OCTOBER 17, 2006

One of the best examples of the use of APIs are Google Map mashups. Other examples include desktop applications that allow uploading photos to flickr. applications, provided their data via open APIs, it would help other nonprofits, and the sector as a whole. Be Helpful. And if nonprofits, in making their own Web 2.0

Web 100

Web API Open Source RSS 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

SEPTEMBER 18, 2006

But first, a great example of Web 1.0 Thank you again for your help. Be Helpful. Home About Me Subscribe Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology Thoughtful and sometimes snarky perspectives on nonprofit technology Google Analytics vs Site Meter September 18, 2006 Yes, I promise, the post on tagging and folksonomies is coming.

Analytics 100

Analytics Google Site Folksonomy 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

JULY 9, 2007

So, here is a real life example of someone with a measly 195 records in her contacts database. Be Helpful. July 9, 2007 So I talk a lot about both open source software, and the preciousness of one’s own data. I rail against vendors who promote lock-in. I tout the benefits of open source software.

Open Source 100

Open Source Ubuntu Chad Open 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

SEPTEMBER 17, 2007

It is an internal assessment tool which helps organizations figure out what parts of their online strategy are working, and what parts might need tweaking. How does giving resources to nonprofits to help them understand how to use web stats to do internal assessment of web strategy inconsistent with choosing not to publish raw web stats?

Stats 100

Stats Web Statistics NTEN 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

SEPTEMBER 4, 2008

Be Helpful. Otherwise, fuggetaboutit. { 2 comments… read them below or add one } 1 Alanna 09.05.08 at 8:48 am That’s a ereally good point. I am going to have to stop using Chrome. 2 film fan 09.16.08 Freelance Switch Gavin’s Digital Diner Idealware Jon Stahl’s Journal Lifehacker LinuxChix – Be Polite.

Google 113

Google Open Source Virtual RSS 113

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

OCTOBER 15, 2007

In any event, Kintera’s API goes a long way to help organizations be freed from yet another data silo, and they are free. Their code on the server-based method examples only include PHP at this point (the client based method code examples are in the expected HTML and Javascript.) Be Helpful.

Open 100

Open Platform Kintera API 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

SEPTEMBER 24, 2008

There are a few examples of SaaS that are based on open source projects, although most SaaS are proprietary – the code is never meant to be released. For example, we (DonorPerfect Online), use Microsoft SQL Server 2005 for the database engine. Be Helpful. But the real story is much more complicated.

Open Source 100

Open Source Open API Software 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

JULY 27, 2008

’&# She gives some great suggestions and examples Joanne Fritz talks about three big mistakes – outdated information, insufficient contact information, and outdated design. Be Helpful. She makes some great points, and gives good tips to make changes.

Consultant 124

Consultant Open Source Nonprofit Websites 124

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

NOVEMBER 19, 2007

Nancy Schwartz of Getting Attention has some great examples (that I’ll be using really soon!) Be Helpful. Beth Kanter digs deep to try and figure out how to pull RSS content into Facebook I review Facebook’s new ad platform. for writing one-page fact sheets.

Consultant 100

Consultant Open Source Nonprofit RSS 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

NOVEMBER 5, 2007

Be Helpful. Katrin over at MobileActive.org weighs in , and I agree: So what does this mean for the ‘mobile for good’ field? We hope that this will spur development for more social applications and mashups as well as better distribution of these applications worldwide.

News 100

News Open Google Open Source 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

JANUARY 29, 2008

This is where the role of nptech peeps like e-riders and so on can help support in an unbiased way to help groups to make the correct and informed choices (which is partly why I personally work with so many different apps). I help them to work out first what they want and why, then help find the right tool to do the job.

Open Source 100

Open Source Open Tools Free 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

NOVEMBER 16, 2006

He talks about three examples which have become classic – free/open source software, SETI@Home , and Wikipedia. Be Helpful. This is what I call “commons-based peer production.&# He spends a fair bit of time talking about the Wikipedia model, and how, basically, amazing it is.

Chapter 100

Chapter Network Open Source Wikipedia 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

OCTOBER 18, 2007

Those shine as industry-standard examples of how open API s need to be distributed. Be Helpful. From both a business point of view and from the point of view of how our sector should work to heighten transparency in society at large, there’s no reason to limit the ability of coders to learn about and discuss the API at hand.

Open 100

Open Platform Kintera API 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

APRIL 10, 2008

Heck, yeah, I could easily argue it will help them in their work. It’s social and can help people stay in touch with the colleagues or peers or old friends or whatever. Be Helpful. Should the communications person use twitter to connect with other nonprofit communications professionals? Sure, why not. 5 Erin 04.30.08

Twitter 100

Twitter Nonprofit Demographics Open Source 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

JULY 19, 2007

There will be detailed case studies in the new primer, but what’s been striking to me is how many examples of this there are out there. Be Helpful. Freelance Switch Gavin’s Digital Diner Idealware Jon Stahl’s Journal Lifehacker LinuxChix – Be Polite.

Gift 100

Gift Open Source Typepad Open 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

AUGUST 13, 2008

BTW, do you know of or have an example from your clients where they have thoughtfully considered a facebook strategy or using these tools and it really wasn’t the right fit? Be Helpful. however, as you all know so well, I’m a realist. { at 10:54 am Recent Links Tagged With "millenials" - JabberTags 12.04.08

Project 100

Project Module Open Source Case Study 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

NOVEMBER 28, 2006

And even if they were, they might not integrate well (For example, I use three different Basecamp accounts – which don’t integrate with each other.) Anyone going to help clean up? I think tagging posts w/ technorati can help w/ this to because it can be a way to submit a post to a certain planet… 5 katrin 12.14.06

Web 100

Web Stumbleupon Ubuntu Open Source 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

JULY 6, 2008

But there are successful counter examples. Be Helpful. The “open source&# ends up just being a buzzword label they can use, but has no meaning, if they don’t foster the community around the software. So we’ll see what happens. 3 Matthew Edmondson 07.10.08

Open 100

Open Open Source Blogger Press 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

APRIL 18, 2007

Can you tell us some examples of how Excel is superior or more supple than Calc? Without getting into Google’s plan for world domination, what would help there is to see more universal adoption of OpenID[2]. [0] Be Helpful. at 7:28 pm I’m a rather modest user of Excel or OpenOffice.org’s Calc.

Open Source 100

Open Source Mediawiki Files Open 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

JANUARY 14, 2009

I’ll have follow up posts on specific examples of this integration using open source tools (on one end or the other, or both.) I’m assembling a panel now and need some good case studies, so if you’ve got examples, please email me. Be Helpful. at 3:50 pm CiviCRM and Drupal (& Joomla) 01.26.09

Integration 100

Integration API Drupal Open Source 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

JANUARY 31, 2008

Here’s an example of some activists using it: [link] And, yes, I’m doing some work for ooVoo. Be Helpful. It can be found at [link] They’re an online video telecom service that’s can have up to six people talking at once. 2 admin 01.31.08 at 12:40 pm I don’t think that oovoo is really in the running, here.

Search 100

Search Skype Web Open Source 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

AUGUST 7, 2007

I’ve always been an advocate of open data and open standards, and Facebook is a great example of a one-way street. Be Helpful. Even though it is true that anyone can join either network, the data in them is limited only to those who join, and join networks and have friends. Wired says : Therein lies the rub.

Linkedin 100

Linkedin Facebook Social Network Open Source 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

JUNE 29, 2007

Not knowing how to use IRC to get support for your OS, for example, is a really big barrier to using Free/Libre software — because you are missing out on the network support system that makes open source work. Be Helpful.

Open Source 100

Open Source Open Software Music 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

SEPTEMBER 27, 2006

Would this help: 1) gain donors? But there are many, many organizations in the middle of these extreme examples. Be Helpful. And the major engine that makes these three types of ephemeral media really work, is RSS, which is the subject of the next post. So, now the question – should a nonprofit organization have a blog?

Vlog 100

Vlog Podcast Web RSS 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

JUNE 24, 2008

The eePC is a great example, as are cell phones, media players, etc. For example: broadcom chipsets. Be Helpful. My theory is that where Linux is going really work is in dedicated devices built from the ground up to run Linux, and used for relatively limited purposes. This is where Linux will shine.

Ubuntu 100

Ubuntu Open Source Software Laptop 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

APRIL 7, 2007

The Public Library of Science is a wonderful example of a reputable, respected peer-reviewed journal where articles are freely available to the public. If you want to help figure it out, I would be very grateful. For example, all of Elsevier’s journals went green in 2004. Going green helps readers, of course.

Journal 100

Journal Change License Model 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

NOVEMBER 5, 2008

There’s for example, no sane way of specifying joins. Example: Author hasMany Comments, Author hasMany Article. Be Helpful. Turns out joins are only performed on hasOne and backwards on belongsTo relationships. You can’t tell it, I need a join here. You have to rely on the ORM’s magic to make that decision.

Open Source 100

Open Source Database Model AJAX 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

APRIL 24, 2007

Empowerment – as you help them with a problem, teach them about the problem, and ways to troubleshoot (or possibly solve) the problem themselves in the future. It has allowed me to be proactive in working with them on technology, and incredibly informative in helping future planning. Be Helpful. It opens additional doors.

Teach 100

Teach Support Technology Empowerment 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

AUGUST 6, 2007

For example, Yahoo bought del.icio.us – it didn’t have social bookmarking. There are certainly some examples where it is true. Be Helpful. And, I’m sure there are more to come. There basically are three types of software acquisitions that companies make. But in terms of the overall issue, my point remains.

Open Source 100

Open Source Blackbaud Time Fundraising 100

Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

JANUARY 26, 2009

You install CiviCRM inside your CMS installation directory, and the CMS and CiviCRM talk to each other through PHP APIs (or “hooks&# ) (there are some examples of database calls across the CMS/CRM). They are both installable on pretty standard shared-hosting accounts (although shell access really helps.) Be Helpful.

Drupal 100

Drupal Open Source API Synchronous 100