How To Split An Atom

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“You sell the sizzle not the steak”

Great software is written everyday. That might be a part of my problem. Great software is being produced, but no one ever hears about it.

Why?

Because somewhere along the line, we just stopped respecting the Steak.

Maybe it’s because, as it turns out, it’s much easier to take the sizzle, package it and sell it off at cut rate prices.

Going Meta

Why is it that so many of our breakout applications are simply tools that fuel our ability to talk about other breakout applications? Not every piece of software has to be the Rosetta Stone, but at what point do we just become too meta?

Let’s look at Kiva for a bit of perspective. Kiva is a Social Media product that does something substantial — it helps people in third world countries found businesses. Why is it that for every product like Kiva, there are 15 more that do little more than artfully sling data.

The answer might be simpler than any of us want to admit.

There is a lot of money to be made in slinging data. VC doesn’t necessarily care about technology, VC doesn’t necessarily care about idealism. VC does care about ROI, and we all care about VC.

The problem is that if real innovation, real technological progress is not encouraged — this movement we call Web 2.0 is on the bullet train to stagnation. If you look at any University in the country, you could find a half dozen projects that if commercialized could change the way we view information. Everything from innovative paradigms in UI to applications of Artificial Intelligence. Those who understand the marketing side of things should work to try to pull some of these innovations out of the labs.

We are so strung up with the idea of mashing together pre-existing parts that we forget that Innovation with a capital “I” only comes when people are willing to take the new tools off the shelf and put them to work.

Even if we don’t want to put all of our eggs in technologies basket, what about business models that make a difference?

How can Social Media help those suffering from the Recession? How can collaboration assist the functionally disabled? What can the web do to change the life of a child whose only access to the Internet is a public library?

Obviously it’s not our jobs to save the world, but it might just be our jobs to do more to encourage those who are taking on the task.

From where I stand, I encourage anyone who is doing something innovative — whether it’s using technology in a new way, or creating a business model that pushes the envelope in a different direction — to send an email my way. I’ll do my best to spotlight your efforts.

For everyone else, take a few minutes out of your day to ask yourself how important it is for you to use technology to build something truly unique. You may be surprised by your response.

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