Connecting the dots ...
So new, I don’t even understand it. Here’s a trackback I received to one of my posts several months ago:
good related article
As you may have noticed, the URL points to www.yahoo.com. There is no other hidden url or any other code – so what’t the point? Who benefits from this?
Tags: spam, trackback spam, spamback, trackspam, blogs, blogging
In my previous post I complained about the lack of interaction at some of the Software 2006 sessions. Well, the last two sessions I attended (actually running back and forth between the two) were definitely more participatory.
The panel discussion on Blogs and Web 2.0 in Marketing Communications was lively, and finally (!!!) they took a lot of customer questions. There we go, participation! 
Greg Gianforte’s presentation on “SaaS – successful go-to-market strategies” was more a traditional one, but there is something in his presence and style that made it very interesting. Of course it’s not just the presentation, but the success story behind it: while his company is not as super-hyped as Salesforce.com, RightNow is definitely a significant player, with Fortune 1000 customers and over $100M in revenue.
Some of Greg’s key points: One-size-fits-all is OK for the typical SMB customer, but large corporations will demand choice in a number of areas:
Summing it up, these two sessions were informative, lively – but I need to stop now, the wine I smuggled out of the reception area is starting …. to … take …… ef….f….e…c….t.
Related posts:
Tags: software2006, RightNow, SaaS, On-Demand, Enterprise Software, CRM, blogs, blogging
The World has turned upside down in an unusual (for a Saturday!) flurry of M&A activity and Executive moves.
.. the list goes on. I’m lost.. who owns who and who works for who? Anybody? Heeeeeeeelp! 
Tags: M&A, mergers, acquisitions, shakeup, management shakeup, executive moves, buyout, Google, Microsoft, China, Yahoo, Oracle, Sprint, ORCL, MSFT, YHOO, GOOG, Web 2.0, Web 3.0, Zoli 3.0, Scoble, Scobleizer, PR, Marketing, VC, Venture Capital, Unions, April Fools, Humor
Apologies for the somewhat crappy appearance of my blog, but I often use embedded photos from Flickr which appears to be flickering now. 
Tags: flickr
The 43 Wiki prank was just that: a joke and social experiment. Everyone could have their 5 (?) minutes of fame.
33 Wikis, on the other hand is a series worth keeping an eye on: it will be a 33–day series featuring best practices in wiki-based collaboration. You can nominate your own wiki-project in the comments area. (hat tip: Ross Mayfield)
Unrelated, but should anyone wonder, 23 is a photo-sharing service, a’la Flickr, and 23half is a new information discovery service for mobile phones. 
I think I’ll leave 13 alone, but perhaps it’s time to register 53 and 53quarter...
Update (3/27): And now, thanks to Robert Scoble, we know what 72 Degrees are. 
Tags: wiki, wikis, 33 wikis, 43 wiki, 23half, humor, collaboration, productivity
Ironically the same day the San Francisco Chronicle celebrates Apple’s 30th anniversary and devotes an article to “The man behind the Mac” Steve Jobs, The Register’ came out with this headline: “Jobs dumps Apple stock”.
Of course a juicy story like this hits Memeorandum , and here’s the first reaction from Forever Geek: “The question is why? Is Steve seeing something we’re not? Will the Intel-based Macintoshes be flukes? Is Apple’s future as a company bleak? I mean when the chief executive of a company seemingly on the rise sells a huge chunk of company shares, that doesn’t forebode anything good.”
It takes a real analyst, Michael Parekh to actually look up the facts rather than just shooting from the hip: “He (Jobs) did not sell any of his stake in the company. In order to meet his tax obligations on the 10M restricted shares, which vested this month, Jobs elected to net-share settle — essentially allowing Apple to withhold and pay to authorities the portion of the 10M shares that would meet his tax payment requirements”
Read the details on Michael’s blog, but here’s the conclusion: “Therefore, the net-share settlement will have the effect of a share repurchase by the company — essentially Apple reinvesting in itself, which will reduce the number of outstanding Apple shares on the market.”
So Jobs was paying his taxes in a manner that’s actually benefitial to Apple. Now, let’s place all this in the context of the ongoing “Responsible Media vs. Rogue Bloggers” debate: Ironically, it’s the professional media (can The Register be called that?) that did not bother to do any fact-checking (after all that may have ruined a juicy story), and it took a blogger to come out with the truth.
Some readers may also remember the Register vs. Scoble spat last year, when Andrew Orlowski ended up fabricating an email that Scoble never wrote and presented it as real. Apparently, this is a trick of sensationalist media: report first, true or not, never bother to follow up and publish the correction.
Isn’t it time we all dump not Apple, but the Register?
Update (3/26): Since I’ve shown an early Steve Jobs photo, here’s another early pic.. back then BillG was also a “popular hero”
. It’s worth clicking on to get to the large image: the computer in the top right is … a Mac! (hat tip: Nick Starr)
Related posts:
Tags: Apple, Jobs, Steve Jobs, Apple Stock, Media, Blogs, Blogging, The Register, Orlowski, Scoble, Gates, Bill Gates, BillG, Mac, Macintosh
Oh, this is bad: the lawyers reached the Blogosphere. I received an invitation to the “The First Comprehensive Conference On Blog Law & Blogging for Lawyers”.
Is it time to look for “malblogging insurance”? 
Update (3/30): Vinnie coined the term of Blawging 
Tags: Blog Law, blogs, blogging, blogosphere, lawyers, blawging
I suppose I can now officially declare my test a failure. My “Zoli 3.0 Launched” post resulted in a spike of traffic, but few responses, and some of those were quite surprising.
Inspired by a Scoble post and a few cases where I’ve seen it work, I wanted to test how effectively I can find a job by posting it on my blog, vs. the traditional route of sending out resumes. (More then just a test, I am actually looking for a job or consulting gig). Trying to stand out, I announced my availability as a mock product launch. I thought it was a humorous approach, that still left my intent clear – especially since the detailed product specs pointed to my professional profile.
Apparently some (many?) of my readers took it literally. Imagine my surprise receiving responses like these:
So, other than it did not really work, I’m not sure what conclusion to draw:
Update (4/20): Tom Raftery tries the same: (good luck, Tom!)
Tags: blogs, blogging, resume, jobsearch, humor, product launch
(GUpdated)
In a comment to Robert’s Scoble’s “resume vs. blog” post I promised to launch a “scientific”
test soon … here we go; except that it’s not a test. It’s real: I’m pleased to announce the limited, invitation-only launch of Zoli 3.0.
Unlike some perpetual Beta products,
(see update below) Zoli 3.0 is not a beta, this is the final, stable release.
The Application is strongly recommended for software companies that have a core technology / product and are about to scale up, conquer their market, specifically needing help in one or any combination of the following areas:
Zoli 3.0 has been field-tested in both the Enterprise Software world (SAP, IBM, Deloitte, KPMG…etc), as well as with several startups. It is available for traditional on-premise implementation, or can be served up as SaaS ZaaS. Either way, there are no upfront costs, just pay-as-you-go.
Please check the detailed product specs (click on Full Profile) and some additional info (scroll down). If you’d like to put the power of Zoli 3.0 to work for you, remember, availability is limited, so please either comment at the end of this post, or email zoli3.5 at gmail. Why 3.5? Because for a very limited time we are running a promotion: for the price of 3.0 you will receive the upgraded 3.5.
For additional information please scroll through the Release Notes.
Release 3.0
Current release, see above
Release 2.0
The original robust enterprise product was completely reworked to support the new entrepreneurial environment. New communication, marketing, PR, collaboration modules were added, incorporating the use of blogs and wikis. It’s AJAX-driven, earlier sharp edges were replaced with rounded corners, and it comes in a variety of pastel, opaque colors.
Release 2.0 has been successfully deployed at several startups, full-time or on a part-time basis, and it also proved useful in a non-profit environment. In true Web 2.0 style it was made available for free, which presented a problem for its creator, when it turned out that the brick-and-mortar world (banks, gas stations, groceries) had not joined the 2.0 revolution yet. The need for a profitable business model resulted in the creation of Release 3.0.
Release 1.0
This is the original enterprise version that got deployed throughout the world, including Europe, Asia, Canada and all over the US. Although it was predominantly used by large corporations, but typically in new, startup-like business units, where its application resulted in growth from 0 to the $8–$13M range, in several cases leading to acquisition.
Releases 0.1 – 0.9
Ahh, the early, experimental, careless years! The (Artificial) Intelligence module was enhanced through application at University, worldwide field-tests, and the product was put to some experimental use like the creation of a free professional Association in a then-communist country, and backstage – offstage personal translation for visiting performers (Peter Gabriel, Sting, Brice Springsteen, the Queen and Cliff Richard).
We’re all exited by the anticipated momentum this new launch will bring to your business and again ask for inquiries either in thee form of comments below, or via email to zoli3.5 at gmail.com.
Update (3/13/2006): In response to several email inquiries: even though I chose a humorous way to post it, I really am looking for an opportunity matching the above criteria.
Update (3/15/2006): OK, you no-evil company, I really don’t like you. As soon as tease you for being perpetual beta, you “come out“. (hat tip: OM Malik and Jeff Nolan). Oh, well, here’s another Forever Beta, from the same folks.
Update (3/5/2007): Apparently I’m not the only one with version numbers. Anne Zelenka has just incremented her version number to 2.1 🙂
Tags: resume, blog, jobsearch, blog as resume, career, listing, humor, startup, startups, enterprise software, web 2.0, sap, erp, SaaS, ZaaS, On-Demand, Sales, Business Development, Product Management, Marketing, Alliances, General Management
The other day I complained that Google was no longer funny, the infamous “cross your fingers” error message was replaced by a “serious” one (probably approved by lawyers…)
Well, WordPress.com is still fun, even when it’s down. Here’s their error message:
“Confessions Of A Server
OH MY! Life is so unfair! What did I do wrong to be born a server in this day and age? I could have been a nice simple bicycle that people happily rode around on all day. But no, I’m stuck inside this metal case serving web pages instead. I never even see the light of day and all I can hear is the rush of the air-conditioning!
Well, no more! I’m relaxing here with a cup of tea and a biscuit until someone shows me some love and attention.
It never takes them long to fix me when I kick up a fuss so check back in a few minutes and I’ll be chugging along merrily again.!
Signed,
The WordPress.com web server
(WordPress.com – where even the machines have life!)”
I love it.. how can one be angry with the outage (as long as it’s not more than 5 minutes), when we get the server’s personal attention?
Tags: Google, WordPress, wordpress.com, outage, google outage, wordpress.com outage, error message, humor
Publisher / Editor of CloudAve and Enterprise Irregulars.
I do most of my business blogging there, with occasional asides here. More...
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