Novari Network Blog http://www.home-ent.com/index.php Copyright 2009, Novari Limited Novari Limited en-US SPHPBLOG 0.4.8 Applauding innovation http://www.home-ent.com/index.php?entry=entry060826-210439
By the time it's written, there's an improvement on the way. Imagine a world where you can see, in real-time, global innovations taking place right before your very eyes. A people's innovation map.

If there's a developer out there, keen to visualise our idea, then drop us a note. In the meantime, we'll have to stick to hard-coded links.

Here's our first: The Ideas House at The Tech Museum in California. It isn't new, but it certainly fills you with optimism. Take a look for yourself and tell us what you think. Have you been there?]]> http://www.home-ent.com/index.php?entry=entry060826-210439 Novari Limited Sat, 26 Aug 2006 19:04:39 GMT http://www.home-ent.com/comments.php?y=06&m=08&entry=entry060826-210439 Should Apple own 'pod'? http://www.home-ent.com/index.php?entry=entry060826-192858
Whilst 'pod' has been revitalised in the public lexicon by a range of products related to Apple's mp3 player (which, incidentally, isn't as great a product as we all think - it hates Windows and if you have to reinstall your hard disk you lose all your music too thanks to paranoid copyright protection on iTunes), it remains nonetheless a generic word in the English language. One might critically observe that any company that feels it now has to use 'pod' in it's product name or description is sooo 2001, so not-current that isn't Apple just wasting it's time?

Has that once creative and, seemingly, liberal outfit from Cupertino, CA gone one step too far in global domination? Is it now exhibiting signs of patent-pursuing monolith IBM in it's so-called protection of it's intellectual property rights.

Cast your minds back to 1984. The Apple Macintosh ad went:

Today, we celebrate the first glorious anniversary of the Information Purification Directives. We have created, for the first time in all history, a garden of pure ideology. Where each worker may bloom secure from the pests of contradictory and confusing truths. Our Unification of Thoughts is more powerful a weapon than any fleet or army on earth. We are one people, with one will, one resolve, one cause. Our enemies shall talk themselves to death and we will bury them with their own confusion. We shall prevail!


The ad endline finished with "...and see why 1984 won't be 1984".

How times change.

Do you think Apple has gone too far?

]]> http://www.home-ent.com/index.php?entry=entry060826-192858 Novari Limited Sat, 26 Aug 2006 17:28:58 GMT http://www.home-ent.com/comments.php?y=06&m=08&entry=entry060826-192858 When work experience means exploitation http://www.home-ent.com/index.php?entry=entry060817-205646
They were offering only a minimal wage (we think it was a nominal £100 per week plus travel expenses - though it can't be confirmed) in return for 3 month's work placement and the 'chance' of a full-time job at the end of it.

This is exploitation

Graduates are more than equipped to start junior positions straight away - if your selection process is good enough. If you're hiring, then you need to look for the right skills from day one. Any notion of graduates not being ready for work immediately ("they never seem to know all the software or business skills we need") is pure nonsense.

Furthermore, paying graduates at a rate under the minimum wage is illegal and immoral. No excuses by using 'work experience' either.

If you know of a similar story - let us know. These kind of companies are devaluing design & creative talent. We at Novari know about hiring - pay people for what they're worth.

What do you think?]]> http://www.home-ent.com/index.php?entry=entry060817-205646 Novari Limited Thu, 17 Aug 2006 18:56:46 GMT http://www.home-ent.com/comments.php?y=06&m=08&entry=entry060817-205646 Life in the world of online publishing http://www.home-ent.com/index.php?entry=entry060817-204802
He/she emailed to say that it was great to be in contact again, but they were feeling unfulfilled in a world dominated by viral marketing and online advertising, describing it all as "very short term". Unfortunately, he/she felt that their colleagues didn't quite have the same view; they were all quite willing to cater to advertising clients and all the facade it represents.

Now he/she loathes advertising and the industry and re-evaluating what being a digital designer is all about. Only two years (or is it three?) he/she is feeling it's time to move on.

Just how many other people feel the same? Or how long did it take you before you were dissatisfied after graduation? 1 year? 2? Maybe more?

How can we create the 'idyll of University' described by this designer in the contemporary workplace? Is it possible to keep the mind active and the bank account flush?

Give your views here ]]> http://www.home-ent.com/index.php?entry=entry060817-204802 Novari Limited Thu, 17 Aug 2006 18:48:02 GMT http://www.home-ent.com/comments.php?y=06&m=08&entry=entry060817-204802