Friday, March 10, 2000

A day of Open Houses


Wanting to show off their wonderful wares to the world, several companies opened their doors to welcome web-feasting SXSWers. Among the participants Cyberplex, Girlstart, Io Studios, Thought Interactive, Wiescity.com, Milkshake Design and FG Squared. FG Squared's CEO Jason Fellman was also one of the seven profiles the Austin Chronicle did of local new media movers and shakers. Refreshing from the usual tainted view of wanting to start a company to get rich quick, Jason's POV is that more aligned with traditional businessmen with interests in long-term relationships and quality of life.

Chip Lewis, producer of my online show, and I headed over to Human Code's all day band-fest and caught up with CEO Ed Perry. As one of the Human Coder's belted out his best grunge song, Ed and I headed in for a tete-a-tete and learn his company's philosophy. With a strong focus on the people that develop the company's award-winning programs, Human Code is a family-friendly place. Kids were scrambling between our legs and jostling to play the games being demoed. Ed described their theory of combining the best of how people learn, work and play to create solutions for clients that help students learn, shoppers buy and gamers win.