I just had to Scrybe this

I just remembered an old adage that if you are writing software, you are best off making it a platform that others can build stuff on. OK, that wasn't even an adage, let alone old, but whatever. So, why did Google buy YouTube? Other than, of course, that they were getting their hindsides whipped in online video sharing? I suspect YouTube is fast becoming a platform: for expression, for exposure, for home-made-porn-makers, for looking-at-home-made-porn, for marketing, sometimes to searchers-for-home-made-porn, for starting new companies, for ... Wait. Yeah.

Check what I just came across. It's a pre-launch video for a new online calendaring+to-do+offline+ well, take a look. I think it's mighty cool.



What I think is cooler is this - their website. Take your startup that wants to get its new product message out, and wants complete attention from its potential customers when it's delivering that message. And, for bonus points, it wants to build in a powerful system of capabilities so that the message has a chance at getting viral. Oh, and it would be great not to have to pay for most of this.

So, what do they do? Shoot a video in their office and upload it to YouTube. Voila. It's in front of millions of people, some of whom are commenting about this, subscribing to this feed, intriguing some of their own subscribers, some of whom decide to leave some comments, and some others with plenty time on their hands embed this video on their own blogs, and this gets the message in front of an entirely new set of people and the cycle may continue. Help add some spice to this concoction by linking to the same YouTube video from their homepage - to help direct all comers to the center of the tornado, helping it build momentum.

Platform? Getting there, methinks.