Comments on: When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do (As in, No Twittering or Much iPhoning) http://kara.allthingsd.com/20090312/when-in-rome-do-as-the-romans-do-as-in-no-twittering-or-much-iphoning/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:01:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Misconceptions and our role in not Promoting them | itsgeekto.me http://kara.allthingsd.com/20090312/when-in-rome-do-as-the-romans-do-as-in-no-twittering-or-much-iphoning/#comment-62599 Misconceptions and our role in not Promoting them | itsgeekto.me Tue, 18 Jan 2011 21:44:36 +0000 http://kara.allthingsd.com/?p=10830#comment-62599 [...] about the things he purported Kara  had said. Maybe you should read both posts and watch the video of her Italian expedition before reading on for the rest of my [...] [...] about the things he purported Kara  had said. Maybe you should read both posts and watch the video of her Italian expedition before reading on for the rest of my [...]

]]> By: kyllyan k http://kara.allthingsd.com/20090312/when-in-rome-do-as-the-romans-do-as-in-no-twittering-or-much-iphoning/#comment-9341 kyllyan k Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:09:59 +0000 http://kara.allthingsd.com/?p=10830#comment-9341 As a foreigner who has been living in Italy for 15 years now i have to take a stand somewhere in the middle. Kara Swisher is right in many ways; sadly Internet and even computers is still an enigma to many people. I find Italians to be ignorant about many things, firstly about language; yes, they will wait for Twitter and Facebook to be translated before they will use it. They learn pretty bad english in school, and all movies are dubbed; small wonder. Luca Sofri is right about Italy being perceived as something it is not, foreigners tend to have a fairy-tale-idea about Italians and italian lifestyle, but there is no "wrong people to meet in the wrong places" Luca, a country is made of people. All the people all the time. There are a lot of very well-informed people in Italy as well, yes, but the gap between the tech-savvy people and the ones that know nothing of internet, is huge. Yes, people have advanced phones. But often they don't know how to use them. The highspeed internet Luca (Sofri) ? Come on, it's no faster than anywhere else in the world. And I divide my time between Italy, Denmark and Sweden. Twitter ? In Italy ? I don't remember the huge-ness; I think you might be wrong. I will defend Italy a long way; I have chosen to live here, and I love it. But I don't look to Italy or Italians to find technological progress and innovation. As a foreigner who has been living in Italy for 15 years now i have to take a stand somewhere in the middle.
Kara Swisher is right in many ways; sadly Internet and even computers is still an enigma to many people. I find Italians to be ignorant about many things, firstly about language; yes, they will wait for Twitter and Facebook to be translated before they will use it. They learn pretty bad english in school, and all movies are dubbed; small wonder. Luca Sofri is right about Italy being perceived as something it is not, foreigners tend to have a fairy-tale-idea about Italians and italian lifestyle, but there is no “wrong people to meet in the wrong places” Luca, a country is made of people. All the people all the time. There are a lot of very well-informed people in Italy as well, yes, but the gap between the tech-savvy people and the ones that know nothing of internet, is huge.

Yes, people have advanced phones. But often they don’t know how to use them.
The highspeed internet Luca (Sofri) ? Come on, it’s no faster than anywhere else in the world. And I divide my time between Italy, Denmark and Sweden. Twitter ? In Italy ? I don’t remember the huge-ness; I think you might be wrong.

I will defend Italy a long way; I have chosen to live here, and I love it.
But I don’t look to Italy or Italians to find technological progress and innovation.

]]> By: Kara Swisher http://kara.allthingsd.com/20090312/when-in-rome-do-as-the-romans-do-as-in-no-twittering-or-much-iphoning/#comment-9240 Kara Swisher Sun, 22 Mar 2009 07:07:42 +0000 http://kara.allthingsd.com/?p=10830#comment-9240 All: Thanks for all these great insights. Obviously, I have to come back and do more reporting in Italy. I know that sounds hard, but someone has to do it! ;) By the way, it might be translation issues, but I was--in fact--complimenting Italians for their wariness about running blindly at trends. All:

Thanks for all these great insights. Obviously, I have to come back and do more reporting in Italy. I know that sounds hard, but someone has to do it!

;)

By the way, it might be translation issues, but I was–in fact–complimenting Italians for their wariness about running blindly at trends.

]]> By: Innovazione: italian zeitgeist - Stalkk.ed http://kara.allthingsd.com/20090312/when-in-rome-do-as-the-romans-do-as-in-no-twittering-or-much-iphoning/#comment-9123 Innovazione: italian zeitgeist - Stalkk.ed Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:01:09 +0000 http://kara.allthingsd.com/?p=10830#comment-9123 [...] un articolo pubblicato da All Things Digital e scritto da Kara Swisher a commento del convegno "Tutto Cambia, Cambiamo tutto?" (promosso dall’UPA) che si [...] [...] un articolo pubblicato da All Things Digital e scritto da Kara Swisher a commento del convegno "Tutto Cambia, Cambiamo tutto?" (promosso dall’UPA) che si [...]

]]> By: Technology news for 2009-03-12 | Technology News http://kara.allthingsd.com/20090312/when-in-rome-do-as-the-romans-do-as-in-no-twittering-or-much-iphoning/#comment-9091 Technology news for 2009-03-12 | Technology News Sat, 14 Mar 2009 21:45:09 +0000 http://kara.allthingsd.com/?p=10830#comment-9091 [...] Posted an item Rob Diana: When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do (As in, No Twittering or Much iPhoning) (via Google Rea... [...] [...] Posted an item Rob Diana: When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do (As in, No Twittering or Much iPhoning) (via Google Rea… [...]

]]> By: Weekend Update, 3.14.09–Special Roman “Ides of March” Edition | Beth Callaghan | Digital Daily | AllThingsD http://kara.allthingsd.com/20090312/when-in-rome-do-as-the-romans-do-as-in-no-twittering-or-much-iphoning/#comment-9087 Weekend Update, 3.14.09–Special Roman “Ides of March” Edition | Beth Callaghan | Digital Daily | AllThingsD Sat, 14 Mar 2009 18:54:29 +0000 http://kara.allthingsd.com/?p=10830#comment-9087 [...] on business, brand and innovation that only happens once every seven years–and one of the biggest takeaways? Hardly any Italians have heard of Twitter, and those who have don’t really use it. Well, [...] [...] on business, brand and innovation that only happens once every seven years–and one of the biggest takeaways? Hardly any Italians have heard of Twitter, and those who have don’t really use it. Well, [...]

]]> By: Open Letter To Kara Swisher, All Things Digital | Telecom Update http://kara.allthingsd.com/20090312/when-in-rome-do-as-the-romans-do-as-in-no-twittering-or-much-iphoning/#comment-9081 Open Letter To Kara Swisher, All Things Digital | Telecom Update Sat, 14 Mar 2009 13:46:24 +0000 http://kara.allthingsd.com/?p=10830#comment-9081 [...] Kara, reading your article makes me think of how much people could be ignorant about [...] [...] Kara, reading your article makes me think of how much people could be ignorant about [...]

]]> By: Stardust Global Ventures » Misconceptions and our role in not Promoting them http://kara.allthingsd.com/20090312/when-in-rome-do-as-the-romans-do-as-in-no-twittering-or-much-iphoning/#comment-9052 Stardust Global Ventures » Misconceptions and our role in not Promoting them Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:53:27 +0000 http://kara.allthingsd.com/?p=10830#comment-9052 [...] about the things he purported Kara  had said. Maybe you should read both posts and watch the video of her Italian expedition before reading on for the rest of my [...] [...] about the things he purported Kara  had said. Maybe you should read both posts and watch the video of her Italian expedition before reading on for the rest of my [...]

]]> By: Giacomo Dotta http://kara.allthingsd.com/20090312/when-in-rome-do-as-the-romans-do-as-in-no-twittering-or-much-iphoning/#comment-9051 Giacomo Dotta Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:34:07 +0000 http://kara.allthingsd.com/?p=10830#comment-9051 "So, what I wanted to say is that Kara met the wrong people in the wrong places to understand well Italy". **Exactly** what i want to say. “So, what I wanted to say is that Kara met the wrong people in the wrong places to understand well Italy”. **Exactly** what i want to say.

]]> By: Luca Sofri http://kara.allthingsd.com/20090312/when-in-rome-do-as-the-romans-do-as-in-no-twittering-or-much-iphoning/#comment-9050 Luca Sofri Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:42:16 +0000 http://kara.allthingsd.com/?p=10830#comment-9050 "than I do", sorry “than I do”, sorry

]]> By: Luca Sofri http://kara.allthingsd.com/20090312/when-in-rome-do-as-the-romans-do-as-in-no-twittering-or-much-iphoning/#comment-9049 Luca Sofri Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:28:47 +0000 http://kara.allthingsd.com/?p=10830#comment-9049 There's been a bit of talking in italian blogs about this post. Kara has many readers in Italy, and they were surprised about some of her findings and accused her of ignorance and inaccuracy about our country. I will try to defend her, since I met her in Rome and I've seen the places and the people she took her views from. Kara was a guest at a big meeting of italian ad agencies. It's people worried about the crisis who wanted to undestrand what's happening and what the future will bring, especially on the web. In Italy they're not the kind of people who can give you hints about the use of internet and new technologies. The guests stayed in wonderful and expensive hotels where usually rich tourists come when they're looking for italian clichés and traces of Dolce Vita. There is a huge gap between Italy as it is perceived in the US - sunny countryside, Fellini, good restaurant, and Berlusconi - and today's real country: that is a mix of many things, obviously, and among these things there is a lot of people very aware of modern times and technology, very active on the web and doing wonderful things with technologies our country should be proud of. And there is also a big mainstream of ignorance. But as I told on Kara's video (I'm the one who looks stupid, with the scarf), Twitter here is been huge more than one year ago, and know we think FriendFeed is more useful and interesting, as an example. So, what I wanted to say is that Kara met the wrong people in the wrong places to understand well Italy. She now knows what ad sellers and mainstream journalist think, in Italy: that's an interesting pointo of view, like many others. But there are many more, and more informed. You have to know that at the same meeting Arianna Huffington was a speaker, and nobody in the hall knew who she were until some minutes before. So I think that Kara, and american journalist, have to keep in mind that the people they meet in foreign countries are just a small bit of the view from here: but I also think that the ones who know better about these matters - like me, like the comment before me - have to keep in mind that those guys are Italy, too, and maybe Kara now knows them better than I am. Pardon my english, Luca Sofri. There’s been a bit of talking in italian blogs about this post. Kara has many readers in Italy, and they were surprised about some of her findings and accused her of ignorance and inaccuracy about our country. I will try to defend her, since I met her in Rome and I’ve seen the places and the people she took her views from.
Kara was a guest at a big meeting of italian ad agencies. It’s people worried about the crisis who wanted to undestrand what’s happening and what the future will bring, especially on the web. In Italy they’re not the kind of people who can give you hints about the use of internet and new technologies. The guests stayed in wonderful and expensive hotels where usually rich tourists come when they’re looking for italian clichés and traces of Dolce Vita. There is a huge gap between Italy as it is perceived in the US – sunny countryside, Fellini, good restaurant, and Berlusconi – and today’s real country: that is a mix of many things, obviously, and among these things there is a lot of people very aware of modern times and technology, very active on the web and doing wonderful things with technologies our country should be proud of. And there is also a big mainstream of ignorance. But as I told on Kara’s video (I’m the one who looks stupid, with the scarf), Twitter here is been huge more than one year ago, and know we think FriendFeed is more useful and interesting, as an example.
So, what I wanted to say is that Kara met the wrong people in the wrong places to understand well Italy. She now knows what ad sellers and mainstream journalist think, in Italy: that’s an interesting pointo of view, like many others. But there are many more, and more informed. You have to know that at the same meeting Arianna Huffington was a speaker, and nobody in the hall knew who she were until some minutes before.
So I think that Kara, and american journalist, have to keep in mind that the people they meet in foreign countries are just a small bit of the view from here: but I also think that the ones who know better about these matters – like me, like the comment before me – have to keep in mind that those guys are Italy, too, and maybe Kara now knows them better than I am.
Pardon my english, Luca Sofri.

]]> By: Open Letter to Kara Swisher, All Things Digital — LucaFiligheddu.com http://kara.allthingsd.com/20090312/when-in-rome-do-as-the-romans-do-as-in-no-twittering-or-much-iphoning/#comment-9043 Open Letter to Kara Swisher, All Things Digital — LucaFiligheddu.com Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:45:57 +0000 http://kara.allthingsd.com/?p=10830#comment-9043 [...] here, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed for updates on this topic. // Dear Kara, reading your article makes me think how much people could be ignorant about [...] [...] here, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed for updates on this topic. // Dear Kara, reading your article makes me think how much people could be ignorant about [...]

]]> By: Ma tutto questo Kara Swisher non lo sa | Webnews Blog http://kara.allthingsd.com/20090312/when-in-rome-do-as-the-romans-do-as-in-no-twittering-or-much-iphoning/#comment-9042 Ma tutto questo Kara Swisher non lo sa | Webnews Blog Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:29:52 +0000 http://kara.allthingsd.com/?p=10830#comment-9042 [...] Dell’articolo al vetriolo di Kara Swisher ne abbiamo parlato. Un pezzo fatto di grandi verità, ma portate in rete con un accento sarcastico che forse gli italiani avrebbero volentieri evitato. Perché noi italiani non siamo cattivi… è che ci disegnano così. [...] [...] Dell’articolo al vetriolo di Kara Swisher ne abbiamo parlato. Un pezzo fatto di grandi verità, ma portate in rete con un accento sarcastico che forse gli italiani avrebbero volentieri evitato. Perché noi italiani non siamo cattivi… è che ci disegnano così. [...]

]]> By: Luca Filigheddu http://kara.allthingsd.com/20090312/when-in-rome-do-as-the-romans-do-as-in-no-twittering-or-much-iphoning/#comment-9041 Luca Filigheddu Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:16:49 +0000 http://kara.allthingsd.com/?p=10830#comment-9041 Dear Kara, reading your article makes me think how much people can be ignorant about Italy. As an italian deeply involved in technology, who spends a lot of time in the US too, I'd like to point out that: - Italy is one of the most important countries when it comes to 3G and mobile phones... many of the mobile phones I can find in the US (I usually stay in California) when I visit BestBuy or something, were available in Italy 3-4 years ago (italian people would laugh at them... ) - in Italy, there was the first Internet Service Provider in Europe - in the US people dream of the high speed internet I can get in my house - most brilliant US geniuses have italian roots - many US people looked at my Nokia N95 as if it came from Mars ("hey, when did you get that phone? wonderful!") - Facebook has been translated into italian (and very badly) just a few months ago... this helped to make it widely known by italians - again, Twitter. Not many people want to deal with english-only services. As soon as an italian version will be available, I bet it will go mainstream in Italy, too - italians use SMS. Do you know what a SMS is? :-) I saw with my eyes americans who couldn't send an SMS from their mobile phone... All that said, I think you should come to italy more often in order to get a better understanding of the relationship between italians and technology/internet. Send me an SMS when you do that ;-) Ciao Luca Filigheddu http://www.lucafiligheddu.com p.s. the right phrase is "Tutto Cambia, Cambiamo Tutto?" p.s. I apologize in advance for my bad english, I'm italian ;-) Dear Kara,
reading your article makes me think how much people can be ignorant about Italy.

As an italian deeply involved in technology, who spends a lot of time in the US too, I’d like to point out that:

- Italy is one of the most important countries when it comes to 3G and mobile phones… many of the mobile phones I can find in the US (I usually stay in California) when I visit BestBuy or something, were available in Italy 3-4 years ago (italian people would laugh at them… )

- in Italy, there was the first Internet Service Provider in Europe

- in the US people dream of the high speed internet I can get in my house

- most brilliant US geniuses have italian roots

- many US people looked at my Nokia N95 as if it came from Mars (“hey, when did you get that phone? wonderful!”)

- Facebook has been translated into italian (and very badly) just a few months ago… this helped to make it widely known by italians

- again, Twitter. Not many people want to deal with english-only services. As soon as an italian version will be available, I bet it will go mainstream in Italy, too

- italians use SMS. Do you know what a SMS is? :-) I saw with my eyes americans who couldn’t send an SMS from their mobile phone…

All that said, I think you should come to italy more often in order to get a better understanding of the relationship between italians and technology/internet. Send me an SMS when you do that ;-)

Ciao

Luca Filigheddu
http://www.lucafiligheddu.com

p.s. the right phrase is “Tutto Cambia, Cambiamo Tutto?”
p.s. I apologize in advance for my bad english, I’m italian ;-)

]]> By: Giacomo Dotta http://kara.allthingsd.com/20090312/when-in-rome-do-as-the-romans-do-as-in-no-twittering-or-much-iphoning/#comment-9040 Giacomo Dotta Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:14:41 +0000 http://kara.allthingsd.com/?p=10830#comment-9040 http://blog.webnews.it/13/03/2009/ma-tutto-questo-kara-swisher-non-lo-sa/ ;) http://blog.webnews.it/13/03/2.....non-lo-sa/

;)

]]>