As an technology as art, art as technology movement, Nogression has become increasingly interesting to me, especially the American variety. After all, the movement has its roots here in America, and I think those involved here have the most to say.
From what I can tell, speaking to those closest to the movement, the core principles are an observation about American life:
- Progress = Wastefulness - An extreme statement, but one that many of us intuitively understand. Progress often means adding efficiency at the expense of vastly wasted capability. My car can do lots of things - mostly what it does is move me between two points and sit in my garage.
- Wastefulness Cascades - The waste involved in Windows, for example, requires that hardware be constantly updated - the weight of progress creates a cascade of perceived need that resolves in waste - for example, a PC in a trash heap.
- Life is Art - Thinkers have, for many years, explored the idea of culture as a factor in competition and success. In short, your behaviors define your personal competitiveness and impact on your context. Could it be that living your life beautifully could mean reducing your carbon footprint?
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
Protecting Your PC Life
What is this blog supposed to be about? Web 3.0?
Well, it's always when your head is most completely stuffed in a cloud that reality chooses to kick in the rain.
This week has been an interesting one, because in addition to pursuing life and work, I have been dealing with a monumental and complete PC meltdown.
Losing your PC, even temporarily, is like losing the ability to walk. It is a HUGE pain in the butt, even if you are prepared. If you aren't prepared, forget it.
In the spirit of both the Web 3.0 (which is still very dependent on your PC) and the "news you can use" focus of this blog, I am offering up a few items for you to consider.
You might call this your PC Health Checklist:
1) Back up your data, as painful as it might be. That includes music, documents, bookmarks for your favorite browser, user ids for websites, etc. Don't forget Outlook data - be sure to extract contacts, tasks, mail, calendar, etc.
2) Check your back ups once burned. A defective backup is...well...not a backup.
3) Inventory your applications - and be sure you have physical copies of them. Some providers offer download services, but others allow you to redownload only for 90 days. Then you have to
pay again. File your inventory AND burn it to your disk, just in case. Include product keys. Be sure you have your current operating system and product keys on hand as well...
4) Be sure you've taken the step of creating your system recovery disk. Squirrel it away, and hope you won't ever need it.
5) Every month or so, be sure to check to be sure your back ups and inventories are current and organized. So much easier if you have a problem.
6) Equally critical to PC Health, avoiding problems and downtime:
a. Identify your "back up" computer, in the case that yours is down - or be sure that you have a few loaner computers available.
b. Regularly defragment your hard drive. Look in the Windows Control Panel under Computer Management.
c. Clean your registry regularly. Rose City Software has a solid registry cleaner which does a good, quick job for you, and keeps you from shooting yourself in the foot. Unless you are an expert, be very careful with this step.
d. Update and regularly run your internet security/anti-virus software. Make sure the definitions are up to date.
e. Take all "glitches" in Windows seriously.
f. Whether you use IE, FF, Opera, Netscape, or something else, study the security settings, and be sure that unwanted cookies, etc. are removed. I require FF to explicitly ask me before accepting any cookie. Takes more time, but worth it.
g. Review your "Add/Remove Programs" screen - accessible via your control panel in the Start menu - regularly, and delete what you don't need.
h. Again, repeat these steps each month. You'll be glad that you did.
One last note. Be careful about what you install - while my job requires me to constantly install new software on my PC, but that can be a risky proposition. Be sure that what you install and download comes from a trusted/reputable source.
Well, it's always when your head is most completely stuffed in a cloud that reality chooses to kick in the rain.
This week has been an interesting one, because in addition to pursuing life and work, I have been dealing with a monumental and complete PC meltdown.
Losing your PC, even temporarily, is like losing the ability to walk. It is a HUGE pain in the butt, even if you are prepared. If you aren't prepared, forget it.
In the spirit of both the Web 3.0 (which is still very dependent on your PC) and the "news you can use" focus of this blog, I am offering up a few items for you to consider.
You might call this your PC Health Checklist:
1) Back up your data, as painful as it might be. That includes music, documents, bookmarks for your favorite browser, user ids for websites, etc. Don't forget Outlook data - be sure to extract contacts, tasks, mail, calendar, etc.
2) Check your back ups once burned. A defective backup is...well...not a backup.
3) Inventory your applications - and be sure you have physical copies of them. Some providers offer download services, but others allow you to redownload only for 90 days. Then you have to
pay again. File your inventory AND burn it to your disk, just in case. Include product keys. Be sure you have your current operating system and product keys on hand as well...
4) Be sure you've taken the step of creating your system recovery disk. Squirrel it away, and hope you won't ever need it.
5) Every month or so, be sure to check to be sure your back ups and inventories are current and organized. So much easier if you have a problem.
6) Equally critical to PC Health, avoiding problems and downtime:
a. Identify your "back up" computer, in the case that yours is down - or be sure that you have a few loaner computers available.
b. Regularly defragment your hard drive. Look in the Windows Control Panel under Computer Management.
c. Clean your registry regularly. Rose City Software has a solid registry cleaner which does a good, quick job for you, and keeps you from shooting yourself in the foot. Unless you are an expert, be very careful with this step.
d. Update and regularly run your internet security/anti-virus software. Make sure the definitions are up to date.
e. Take all "glitches" in Windows seriously.
f. Whether you use IE, FF, Opera, Netscape, or something else, study the security settings, and be sure that unwanted cookies, etc. are removed. I require FF to explicitly ask me before accepting any cookie. Takes more time, but worth it.
g. Review your "Add/Remove Programs" screen - accessible via your control panel in the Start menu - regularly, and delete what you don't need.
h. Again, repeat these steps each month. You'll be glad that you did.
One last note. Be careful about what you install - while my job requires me to constantly install new software on my PC, but that can be a risky proposition. Be sure that what you install and download comes from a trusted/reputable source.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
The Free, The Cheap, and The Good - Resources for Starting a Business
Another old school entrepreneurial nugget of wisdom - "Be cheap."
When a big deposit is made in your company's bank account courtesy of an investor, it is easy to loosen your reigns on spending. It is also possible to be too cheap, but for most, purchases aren't scrutinized enough.
There are plenty of things you need to run a business - and it is best to get what you need for little money (or none), saving your gunpowder for really crucial investments (like product development):
- Conference rooms (cheap) - Go to your local Chamber of Commerce - check to see if their meeting rooms can be freely used by members. If so, joining your chamber will no doubt be cheaper than renting office space. Local libraries often provide free access to conference rooms, although they may not be as suitable for business conferences.
- Phone calls using Skype (cheap) - Great product - allows you to call other Skype users free, video conference, and teleconference. Most important, has a "SkypeIn" package which gives you a regular phone number and voice mail for something like $60/year. You can also call landline phones.
- Faxing using eFax (cheap) - Although it is getting more expensive, for about $12.95 a month, you get a fax number that shoots faxes directly to your email account. And you can send faxes direct from your desktop.
- CutePDF (free) - This piece of software is a print driver that converts any document you can print into a pdf. Very nice to have, especially for creating marketing materials.
- Hosting (good) - There are plenty of good, national web hosting companies who run great deals on web site and service packages. Many times they offer 3 months of free service when you purchase a domain name and set up a service contract at the same time. Most also provide a web based email client and other tools, in addition to just hosting your web site and email, which means you can avoid spending money on your favorite mail client.
- Google Documents (good and free) - Although there are a great many CRM and sales automation products out there, and many are inexpensive, Google Documents provides a very simple and cheap way to collaboratively manage information. For example, sales pipeline documents can easily be set up and managed through this service. All you need is a Gmail account, and you're off to the races.
- Frequent Flier Accounts (free) - If you're going to travel for business anyway, make sure you sign up whenever you fly, rent a car, or stay at a hotel. While you may not obtain enough miles in every account to get a free ticket, you may be able to transfer miles to a colleague to top up their account. Since it doesn't cost you a penny to get an account, you might as well.
When a big deposit is made in your company's bank account courtesy of an investor, it is easy to loosen your reigns on spending. It is also possible to be too cheap, but for most, purchases aren't scrutinized enough.
There are plenty of things you need to run a business - and it is best to get what you need for little money (or none), saving your gunpowder for really crucial investments (like product development):
- Conference rooms (cheap) - Go to your local Chamber of Commerce - check to see if their meeting rooms can be freely used by members. If so, joining your chamber will no doubt be cheaper than renting office space. Local libraries often provide free access to conference rooms, although they may not be as suitable for business conferences.
- Phone calls using Skype (cheap) - Great product - allows you to call other Skype users free, video conference, and teleconference. Most important, has a "SkypeIn" package which gives you a regular phone number and voice mail for something like $60/year. You can also call landline phones.
- Faxing using eFax (cheap) - Although it is getting more expensive, for about $12.95 a month, you get a fax number that shoots faxes directly to your email account. And you can send faxes direct from your desktop.
- CutePDF (free) - This piece of software is a print driver that converts any document you can print into a pdf. Very nice to have, especially for creating marketing materials.
- Hosting (good) - There are plenty of good, national web hosting companies who run great deals on web site and service packages. Many times they offer 3 months of free service when you purchase a domain name and set up a service contract at the same time. Most also provide a web based email client and other tools, in addition to just hosting your web site and email, which means you can avoid spending money on your favorite mail client.
- Google Documents (good and free) - Although there are a great many CRM and sales automation products out there, and many are inexpensive, Google Documents provides a very simple and cheap way to collaboratively manage information. For example, sales pipeline documents can easily be set up and managed through this service. All you need is a Gmail account, and you're off to the races.
- Frequent Flier Accounts (free) - If you're going to travel for business anyway, make sure you sign up whenever you fly, rent a car, or stay at a hotel. While you may not obtain enough miles in every account to get a free ticket, you may be able to transfer miles to a colleague to top up their account. Since it doesn't cost you a penny to get an account, you might as well.
Monday, July 2, 2007
iPhone - Seeing is Believing
If you are at all curious or cynical about the iPhone, go to a Cingular store (but check which one in your area has it), and check it out. They have a demo version hooked up at a kiosk. (Note to self regarding product rollout strategies - create long lines by only picking select stores to carry your new product, and rollout right as the evening news is hitting.)
As someone who is aware that a) most of the features, if not all, of the iPhone are present in other phones (the Curve and the Treo, for example), and b) the iPhone is a pretty pricey piece of equipment, I was definitely pleasantly surprised that the iPhone lives up to the hype.
Things I noticed:
- The device feels solid without feeling heavy - I will be interested to see how durable it is, but it would appear Apple got the weight balance right. The weight conveys quality.
- The usability and functionality is truly amazing, and is a big step up from competitors like the Treo - web browsing, for example, is a much more pleasant experience (although in store I was connected to WiFi). This was a feature I rarely used on the Treo because it was too clunky.
- There were more than a few times I had to stop and think about how to get where I wanted to go - I was surprised a bit by that, but the learning curve is extremely trivial, as there was almost nothing I couldn't figure out how to do.
- The only thing I could not figure out when the screen was supposed to go into Portrait mode.
- For those addicted to iTunes, this will be a massive win - for those of us who prefer to buy CDs as a form of data back up, somewhat less so, I think.
All that having been said - I will not be buying one immediately. With Blackberry, Palm (recently new capital brought in through a private equity deal), Microsoft, Dell, and Nokia out there worried about competition, I would expect smartphone prices to come down a great deal (a Curve is about $199 through Cingular with a 2 year commitment...even with memory about half as expensive), and for lots of new alternatives to be available in the next year.
As someone who is aware that a) most of the features, if not all, of the iPhone are present in other phones (the Curve and the Treo, for example), and b) the iPhone is a pretty pricey piece of equipment, I was definitely pleasantly surprised that the iPhone lives up to the hype.
Things I noticed:
- The device feels solid without feeling heavy - I will be interested to see how durable it is, but it would appear Apple got the weight balance right. The weight conveys quality.
- The usability and functionality is truly amazing, and is a big step up from competitors like the Treo - web browsing, for example, is a much more pleasant experience (although in store I was connected to WiFi). This was a feature I rarely used on the Treo because it was too clunky.
- There were more than a few times I had to stop and think about how to get where I wanted to go - I was surprised a bit by that, but the learning curve is extremely trivial, as there was almost nothing I couldn't figure out how to do.
- The only thing I could not figure out when the screen was supposed to go into Portrait mode.
- For those addicted to iTunes, this will be a massive win - for those of us who prefer to buy CDs as a form of data back up, somewhat less so, I think.
All that having been said - I will not be buying one immediately. With Blackberry, Palm (recently new capital brought in through a private equity deal), Microsoft, Dell, and Nokia out there worried about competition, I would expect smartphone prices to come down a great deal (a Curve is about $199 through Cingular with a 2 year commitment...even with memory about half as expensive), and for lots of new alternatives to be available in the next year.
In What Kind of Start Up Am I? (Pre-/Post-Funding)
This might sound like a silly question - but it is a helpful question to ask.
Of course there are lots of ways to describe a business - industry, customers, size, revenues, profitability, etc. Many people naturally focus on the company's product or industry - but some of the more crucial questions are about money.
If you are in a start up business, some of these questions bubble to the top. The question of whether the business is "venture-backed" is important, as is what the source of a company's capital is. A start up is like a session playing blackjack in Las Vegas - as you operate the startup, you need to make a series of bets (or "investments"), using your capital with the objective of increasing it.
So if the founder of the company is providing the capital to operate your startup, asking how much capital the founder has and from where it comes will help you understand how long the business can operate (how long can I sit at the blackjack table, for example), and how you can operate (can I double-down, etc.). Or, if I make a lousy bet, can I stay in the game? What if I make 10 bets? Will I get my free beverage?
Introduction of an angel investor, group of angels, or venture capital firm deepens your pockets - but it also usually makes things a bit more complicated. Decisions which involved only the founder's discretion in the past will now have to be considered and debated by more people.
The company's prospects for revenues and profitability are also very important - if the company is venture-backed, and has $500,000 in revenues each year, that may actually change the dynamics in the business - if the founder/CEO is producing revenues, investors will undoubtedly give that manager more room to act freely.
Of course there are lots of ways to describe a business - industry, customers, size, revenues, profitability, etc. Many people naturally focus on the company's product or industry - but some of the more crucial questions are about money.
If you are in a start up business, some of these questions bubble to the top. The question of whether the business is "venture-backed" is important, as is what the source of a company's capital is. A start up is like a session playing blackjack in Las Vegas - as you operate the startup, you need to make a series of bets (or "investments"), using your capital with the objective of increasing it.
So if the founder of the company is providing the capital to operate your startup, asking how much capital the founder has and from where it comes will help you understand how long the business can operate (how long can I sit at the blackjack table, for example), and how you can operate (can I double-down, etc.). Or, if I make a lousy bet, can I stay in the game? What if I make 10 bets? Will I get my free beverage?
Introduction of an angel investor, group of angels, or venture capital firm deepens your pockets - but it also usually makes things a bit more complicated. Decisions which involved only the founder's discretion in the past will now have to be considered and debated by more people.
The company's prospects for revenues and profitability are also very important - if the company is venture-backed, and has $500,000 in revenues each year, that may actually change the dynamics in the business - if the founder/CEO is producing revenues, investors will undoubtedly give that manager more room to act freely.
How Long Does It Take to Become Profitable?
This topic has come up a couple times in the last month or so, raised by clients and colleagues working on new ventures. It is an interesting topic of discussion, because there is only one answer - "As long as it takes" or "It depends." OK, two answers.
The first, and most important thing to remember is, in the words of Flava Flav, "Don't believe the hype." There are lots of people out there hyping their company - some with good reason.
But in technology start-ups, just like in life, you often only hear the good stories, or the good parts of stories. For example "We just sold the company!" may have a little more meaning when you find out that it was sold for the price of a Grand Slam at Denny's. Not that I have anything against the Grand Slam - but "We just sold the company!" is a big, bold statement. But selling the company for a five spot is not all that interesting
And you almost never hear "Not as planned - my creditors repossessed my car last week!" in a conversation about how someone's business is going.
In the old school, entrepreneurial ventures were told to plan on seven years before profitability. This is sage wisdom - especially if you are the entrepreneur. Starting a company is hard work, and while you may be the lucky stallion who makes $100M in 6 months with $20 invested, you probably won't be. Your business may end up on the scrap heap. And if you expected to have that Aston Martin in the garage after year 1, you're setting yourself up to be disappointed.
So plan on a long hard slog. That having been said, look out for signs which will tell you something about how your pursuit of profitability is going:
1) Having a test version of your product
2) Having a "production" version of your product
3) Having customers
4) Having paying customers
5) Getting media buzz
These are just examples - but you can probably think of lots of things that need to happen for your business that would signal that you are on the right track. You can use these as signposts - if you just acquired your first customer, your prospects are better for getting to profitability faster. If you just signed your last $100 away before getting your alpha product completed, well, that might not be a good sign.
So sit down, think about your business realistically, and steer an even course in your expectations. That way, you'll be even more excited when your yacht is delivered.
The first, and most important thing to remember is, in the words of Flava Flav, "Don't believe the hype." There are lots of people out there hyping their company - some with good reason.
But in technology start-ups, just like in life, you often only hear the good stories, or the good parts of stories. For example "We just sold the company!" may have a little more meaning when you find out that it was sold for the price of a Grand Slam at Denny's. Not that I have anything against the Grand Slam - but "We just sold the company!" is a big, bold statement. But selling the company for a five spot is not all that interesting
And you almost never hear "Not as planned - my creditors repossessed my car last week!" in a conversation about how someone's business is going.
In the old school, entrepreneurial ventures were told to plan on seven years before profitability. This is sage wisdom - especially if you are the entrepreneur. Starting a company is hard work, and while you may be the lucky stallion who makes $100M in 6 months with $20 invested, you probably won't be. Your business may end up on the scrap heap. And if you expected to have that Aston Martin in the garage after year 1, you're setting yourself up to be disappointed.
So plan on a long hard slog. That having been said, look out for signs which will tell you something about how your pursuit of profitability is going:
1) Having a test version of your product
2) Having a "production" version of your product
3) Having customers
4) Having paying customers
5) Getting media buzz
These are just examples - but you can probably think of lots of things that need to happen for your business that would signal that you are on the right track. You can use these as signposts - if you just acquired your first customer, your prospects are better for getting to profitability faster. If you just signed your last $100 away before getting your alpha product completed, well, that might not be a good sign.
So sit down, think about your business realistically, and steer an even course in your expectations. That way, you'll be even more excited when your yacht is delivered.
iPhone as Desktop Replacement
A good question to ask about the iPhone would be - why is its price so high? A $600 cash outlay for a new cell phone, on top of a two year commitment, is pretty big.
Consider some other devices you could purchase for that amount. For example, a desktop computer. And then consider, for a moment, the overall utility of the desktop for the average person, not a business user or programmer. Most people use their desktop for email, and perhaps to do banking online, and others to use one or two one-off applications, like spreadsheets, documents, or an occasional genealogy project.
When you consider moves made by Google, creating versions of Microsoft Office-like program accessible via a web browser, and the move by banks like Citibank to create mobile versions of their online banking products, it isn't hard to imagine a world where, if you are doing fairly straightforward tasks, you could do it all on your iPhone (or competing product, such as a Treo).
And as an added bonus, you get to free up space at home, and fit your computer in your pocket. Definitely some added utility there.
Not to mention a high intuitive, graphically pleasing interface - you may scoff at it, but many, many people (I would guess seniors) are looking for an easy to use device with big type. That the thing reeks of design is also a big plus. A lot sexier than a big desktop PC - and you can show your pictures of your new grandson to people right on the device.
There are drawbacks to the iPhone:
- Battery Life: Lots of cool applications (call Mom, snap a pic of Mom, email Mom pic of self, get map to Mom's house) means more usage than a standard cell phone, which means more demands on battery life. An added problem is that the battery is not removable, which means you can't buy a back up battery and put it in your pocket.
- SIM Card: Your SIM card is stuck inside the device - no pulling it out to swap for your lighter weight phone. And if you later upgrade to a new phone, there's no plug and play capability for your SIM.
- Smudgy Screen: As there is no physical keyboard, you'll be using fingers...glass + fingers = smudging. This happens on Treos, P900s, etc. as well, so no fault of Apple's. But something to think about.
- Sub Par Network: As a Cingular customer, I have been subject to the vagaries of their network using my Treo. The reception and call quality leaves a lot to be desired, even if they are rated highly in reports. With a device that creates huge expectations, the service quality may be a bigger let down than expected.
There are approximately 211 million cell phone users in the US (up from 207M in 2005). This looks like a move to upgrade them to a new desktop, er, phonetop. Given the replacement rate for phones and PCs, it is a good bet that Apple is going to feed off this trend for years to come.
Plan on having more free space in your home - maybe you could use it for a Microsoft Surface system?
Consider some other devices you could purchase for that amount. For example, a desktop computer. And then consider, for a moment, the overall utility of the desktop for the average person, not a business user or programmer. Most people use their desktop for email, and perhaps to do banking online, and others to use one or two one-off applications, like spreadsheets, documents, or an occasional genealogy project.
When you consider moves made by Google, creating versions of Microsoft Office-like program accessible via a web browser, and the move by banks like Citibank to create mobile versions of their online banking products, it isn't hard to imagine a world where, if you are doing fairly straightforward tasks, you could do it all on your iPhone (or competing product, such as a Treo).
And as an added bonus, you get to free up space at home, and fit your computer in your pocket. Definitely some added utility there.
Not to mention a high intuitive, graphically pleasing interface - you may scoff at it, but many, many people (I would guess seniors) are looking for an easy to use device with big type. That the thing reeks of design is also a big plus. A lot sexier than a big desktop PC - and you can show your pictures of your new grandson to people right on the device.
There are drawbacks to the iPhone:
- Battery Life: Lots of cool applications (call Mom, snap a pic of Mom, email Mom pic of self, get map to Mom's house) means more usage than a standard cell phone, which means more demands on battery life. An added problem is that the battery is not removable, which means you can't buy a back up battery and put it in your pocket.
- SIM Card: Your SIM card is stuck inside the device - no pulling it out to swap for your lighter weight phone. And if you later upgrade to a new phone, there's no plug and play capability for your SIM.
- Smudgy Screen: As there is no physical keyboard, you'll be using fingers...glass + fingers = smudging. This happens on Treos, P900s, etc. as well, so no fault of Apple's. But something to think about.
- Sub Par Network: As a Cingular customer, I have been subject to the vagaries of their network using my Treo. The reception and call quality leaves a lot to be desired, even if they are rated highly in reports. With a device that creates huge expectations, the service quality may be a bigger let down than expected.
There are approximately 211 million cell phone users in the US (up from 207M in 2005). This looks like a move to upgrade them to a new desktop, er, phonetop. Given the replacement rate for phones and PCs, it is a good bet that Apple is going to feed off this trend for years to come.
Plan on having more free space in your home - maybe you could use it for a Microsoft Surface system?
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