Nathan Smith
Playing Midfield
I have just rounded my second month working at Viewzi as a front-end developer, and wanted to share why I enjoy this position. I was trying to decide the best way to describe my job function, for friends and family who might not think in terms of web lingo, and I think the simplest way to say it is: "I am a midfielder." You know those players on a soccer team who run back and forth on the field, in the realm between defense and offense? That would be me. Continue reading...
Press Release: Viewzi Brings Fresh View to Online Search
DALLAS, June 11 (PRNewswire) — Viewzi Inc. (http://www.viewzi.com) this week launched a new type of search engine, providing Internet users a way to visually experience the best results from top search sites and other online content sources making search more fun. Continue reading...
Viewzi Search Is Live!
The first public version of Viewzi search is available today. Starting at around 7:00 am, Viewzi was available via a special link from TechCrunch and then 12 hours later at 7pm tonight, you will be able to come in the front-door via http://www.viewzi.com. Lots of buzz today. A ton of work has gone into making today a reality. From the "napkin" that started it all back in December of 2006 when Chris and I started talking about ways to change the search experience....until last night at 2am when things were officially "done", life has been a roller coaster. Continue reading...
Who Builds a View?
Building a view is a lot like putting on a rock concert. Aside from the performers that you see on stage there is a complex ecosystem of producers, writers, record executives, stage hands, technicians, equipment, and venue operators that make the concert possible. So who are the players behind a view? Continue reading...
The Search For Unsearchable Searches
In developmental psychology, the transactional relationship between a parent and a child refers to the effects of each of their temperaments on each other. It is particularly interesting to see how those effects shape future interactions and the overall development of the child. A child with a negative temperament may evoke negative responses out of the parent, which may further negatively affect the child, negatively affecting the parent, and so on and so forth. Continue reading...
Food, Folks, and Fun
The summer after my freshman year of college (1990, for those keeping score) found me living in a run down motel on the strip in Myrtle Beach, SC and needing a short-term job within walking distance. So I hit the nearby mall and applied at several places in the food court. First, the happy ending: I got the job at Chick-fil-a. If you are going to have to eat the same fast food every day for a couple months, it might as well be Chick-fil-a. Along the way, however, I applied for a job at Burger King. And the application asked me why I wanted to work there. I answered "food, folks, and fun". I did not receive an offer of employment. Continue reading...
What Are You Thinking Of?
It's difficult to find success when it comes to building technology that can read a person’s mind. A search for a single word has so many meanings and possibilities attached to it that machines simply can't match the power of the human brain. Continue reading...
Professionalizing Your SEO Technique
SEO overkill can hurt your site in more ways than one. Many people wonder, “Just how much SEO do they really need in their site?" One report says 15 - 20% keyword density while another report says 1 – 4%. Which is correct? Take the high road and professionalize your SEO technique. Continue reading...
On the Brink
This is the 5th or 6th Internet startup I have either founded or co-founded (depending on whether you count the "almost-startups"). And while there are certainly some parts of the process that I have complete clarity on, there are others that remain elusive. One of them is managing the growth / cash continuum. Continue reading...
View Design Evolution
In January of 2007 things were different than they are now. Kobe didn’t have an MVP, but was still a jerk. The French government allowed smoking in public places. YouTube is blocked in Brazil. View design was in it’s infancy. Now, though, kids in Brazil are free to watch videos of DDR mishaps, smoking isn’t allowed in public places in France, and Kobe has an MVP under his belt. View design has come a long way since Chris, Brandon, and I started work on the first View builds. It’s amazing what a year will do. Continue reading...