"What's going on here?"

The Backstory (May 31, 2000)

Why do I have this URL, you ask? Well, basically, I had a great idea for a search engine, that would be customizable for each individual user. (No, not a portal. Don't think 'My Yahoo'. Think more like 'My Google'.)

I'm something of a webhead (check out my resume), so I wanted to get a demo up on the web, so I could show people how it worked. And it worked. It worked great. It worked so well, that I was planning my exit strategy already.

And then it didn't work. It really didn't work. Which is not to say that wheelbarrows full of money couldn't make it work just fine. I just don't have any such wheelbarrows at hand.

But I already had this URL, which I couldn't really pass up. I mean, it's always going to suit me, so I may as well use it. And, on the off-chance that the search engine idea gets resurrected, I can still demo it here.

The Situation (May 31, 2000)

So, I've got this website, with all the technical flexibility I could hope for (provided by RealShell, in case you're curious), but I've lost the motivation that drove me to set up the web site in the first place. It would be tragic, if only it had (a) drama, (b) a compelling plot, and (c) characters you can relate to. And who knows how long it could take to come up with those.

So, now what? (May 31, 2000)

Well, obviously, I've turned this into my own private brainstorming ground. And, lacking any compelling ideas of my own, I'm going to weasel out, and try to tap into that magical, mystical "Interactivity" stuff that the web is made of. So, if you have any ideas about what this site could be used for, send them in to ideas@davidbrandt.com.

Here's a few guidelines:

  • Make sure it has to do with me. Not only is it my url, it's a url of my name. So there should be some connection to me, at least, in the ideas. Me, me, me. Me me me! Me! (Or possibly to other people named David Brandt, too. That wouldn't be too bad.)
  • It can have to do with someone else, as long as I'm involved. Like, projects that I'm working on with somebody else, or something that I'm a fan of. You're welcome to like it too, of course.
  • You can be involved, too. Just don't leave me out. I hate being left out. It makes me pouty and sad. And it's hard to pout in ascii.

    Here's some things I'm good at:

  • Web programming: I can do cgi, I can do scripts-pretending-to-be-clients, I can probably at least help with whatever you're interested in doing. (Except for poking around in apache internals. That's scaaaary.) If it's webbish, I can help-ish.
  • Writing: I can do a decent job of putting words together. Check out this thing here for one example. I've even done a masters' thesis!
  • Geeky, techy, open-source ideas: I've got some decent C programming skills, but not many opportunities to use them. And I'd be much more interested in a group project, than in coding off in a corner by myself.

    Who knows, I may be good at other stuff, too. Send in those ideas today!