MMeM, Vol. 9 Issue 21 – YAH-ah-ah-CHOOOooo

Ok, so Yahoo’s relatively newer CEO Marissa Mayer just announced that Yahoo employees, all of them, can no longer work from home by “tele-commuting” to put it in her 1991 term or network into work from home anymore. Does anything seem odd about this? I think it should.
I know there is a saying related to this. Something like, “Do as I say, not as I do.” Or, maybe it’s “Buy what I sell, not what I use?” Look I don’t want to get off on another generational-gap rant here, but PULL-eeze! Gee, I can’t figure out for the life of me why Yahoo ended up withering away its once seemingly insurmountable dominance in the Internet and technology industry. It’s just a complete mystery!

Having just read a supposedly very well-balanced story from a tech writer at CNN, who sides not surprisingly with Mayer, I am not swayed in the slightest bit. Zero. Zilch. None. Nada. There, I used some more of my 4 years of Spanish and I still didn’t have to ask where the local library was in so doing. That writer can keep writing about Yahoo with great access all he wants. The central argument of Marissa and this writer was that all the texting, IM’ing, and emailing in the world can’t substitute for the camaraderie that you share with your co-workers in the office. That then translates into better focus and teamwork which develops new ideas and focus to deliver better solutions that improve the corporation. That is the biggest bunch of crap from an obvious sample of people with NO friends OR family.

They go on to expand on their theme by saying that looking into people’s eyes and asking questions like, “All of your numbers and words are impressive, but what does it all really mean?” can’t be substituted. Really? How can the CEO of Yahoo demand this reversal of progress from one of the very corporations that helped bring it about and into the 21st century? Do I even need to offer up my first and really only necessary rebuttal to this sandbox theory from Kindergarten? Check that. I won’t write it. I’ll do it visually for them since reading is OUT OF THE QUESTION. I give you, from YAHOO no less, the telecommuter’s Holy Grail…

My overall theory is this. Per the 2010 US Census, the US Population is roughly comprised of 14% 40-somethings, 27% 20-39 year olds, and…..32% 50+.  We dropped out 0-19’s as not many if any would be working yet and yes we included 50 to infinity since no can retire anymore. So, let’s break that down a bit. I’m sorry but except for the CEO of Facebook, there aren’t many 20-39 year olds shaping policy, the 40 somethings (me) are merely surviving …and waiting, and then there is the 50+, or in this case the majority. But, Mayer is only 37! Yes, that’s true but she’s a ground breaking woman in a field with few if any women CEO’s. She’s going to do things as she sees fit and well, if that gets gray hairs smiling around her because they damn well agree with keeping whipper-snappers in the office like they had to do for years, well then so be it, the more, the merrier!

The following is from Yahoo’s Messenger website, as is the picture above:

Webcam video

Smile — you’re on camera!

A webcam (web camera) allows you to share live video images of yourself (or things near you) while you are instant messaging with a friend. Start your webcam during a conversation, or invite friends to tune in by broadcasting a link to your webcam as your status.

With the video call feature, you can make a high-quality video call to a friend with synched audio, right in the IM window. Features include the ability to swap video windows, position the video windows side-by-side, mute the call or place it on hold. You can even go full-screen with your video call. Video calling is only available in Yahoo! Messenger version 10 or later.

When you set your status to “View My Webcam”, that means you are inviting friends to tune in to your broadcast. Friends can click on your status message to indicate that they want to see your webcam. Your will then receive your friend’s request to view your webcam which you can accept or deny.

Check out webcams on Yahoo! Shopping to choose one for your computer. In addition, most major webcam manufacturers make them compatible with Yahoo! Messenger; just look for the Yahoo! Messenger logo on the package.

Need help setting up your webcam? Visit the Yahoo! Messenger Help Center.