So there was this event called ‘Appy Birthday Android held by Smart and Google Developers Group (GDG) at the telco’s Smart Experience Center in Megamall. I didn’t know about it. I haven’t been in touch as often as I should with the people from GDG since everyone is busy with Startup Weekend Cebu and Davao as well as our day jobs. I’m not on Twitter and Facebook 24/7 so I will definitely be late in receiving news and will definitely miss on news. I don’t follow Smart and SmartDev either. I only found out about the event on the night itself because I was trying to figure out what was causing last night’s unusually heavier-than-usual traffic.
Then I heard the news about Smart thinking of giving the Android developer community a special package for the Nexus 4 and Nexus 7. And it had to come from Miguel Paraz on Twitter. My corresponding out-loud thought was: Why is no one from Smart posting it on the Philippine Android Community?
Which led to this short private discussion with a friend of mine.
Friend: Looks like someone from the Smart side has tagged you as "in league with the enemy" 
Me: Yeah. I think Jim Ayson hates me now. Which is why Philippine Android Community isn’t getting any news for devs except through bloggers.
“In league with the enemy.” That’s because I have more friends in Globe than in Smart. Particularly the people in Kickstart and Globe Labs. Note: FRIENDS. REAL FRIENDS. Not just business contacts, even though almost all of them hold highly influential positions. In Smart, I have REAL FRIENDS as well. But they don’t hold highly influential positions within the company (except for Gio Bacareza). While I don’t think this should be an issue because I consider all of them friends and not business partners, most Filipinos don’t really see the difference. Hence, the speculation that the people from Smart won’t talk to me because of that situation. I don’t have many real friends in Smart. But I consider most of those I know in the company as my acquaintances and potential business colleagues. For some odd reason, saying this pisses off a lot of people.
So, is it true? Do some people in Smart avoid me because of my personal ties with some Globe people? I don’t really know. It’s all speculation. But if that’s true and they’re using that as a reason for not trying to be active in the communities I hold like Mobile Monday Manila and the Philippine Android Community, then I would call bullshit on that. I’m a co-founder, not a full-all-encompassing owner of both communities. Both communities have a set of managers/organizers as well so I don’t have full and final say of the activities. The Mobile Monday Manila team consists of myself, Christian Besler, Manny Nepomuceno, Leigh Reyes, and the newbies Rafael Oca and Anne Olvido. The Philippine Android Community team consists of myself, Anne Olvido, Rafael Oca and Raymond Jay Golo. So if they wanted to, they can talk to the other team members. I have never let personal dislikes get in the way of anyone promoting anyone’s agenda as long as it is within the space covered by either of the communities.
The point is, it’s not me that loses out when I don’t get informed on these activities. It’s the people who are a part of those communities. In some way, the telcos lose as well because it would have been a great way for them to get more traction from like minded people.
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