My elusive quest for a useful operating system ended simply and sweetly 2 weeks ago when the Internet stork dropped a newborn baby MacBook on my doorstep. What follows is a list of reasons why I made the big switch. Now, I don’t mean to sound like this was a casual decision. For those of us who work +10 hours on a computer daily, choosing an operating system is akin to a down-payment on a house or getting married. Here’s why it was worth it:
1). My computer just works: No system crashes; no bugs, glitches, or nagging system requirements. Installing a device is, for once, less difficult than solving a Rubix Cube. I find myself blissfully productive.
2). The hardware is sweet: In addition to blazing fast speed and a great battery, I’m in love with the new track pad. Finger swipes makes surfing the Internet and juggling multiple applications relatively efficient. And, I suspect the trip-free power cord will save me the trouble of one-day having a charger that only works at unusual angles.
3). Virus and malware resistant: I was diligent in safeguarding my PC from performance-robbing viruses and malware, and they’d still slip through. Worse, all the real-time monitoring software necessary to keep your machine clean slows down even computers with the fastest hardware. With Mac, I just don't have to worry about either of these digital scourges.
Rebuttal to common objections
1). Switching to a Mac is too difficult: Mac meets my litmus test for user-friendliness – I’d recommend it for my parents. For anyone with at least intermediate computer skills, Mac OS is a no-brainer.
2). Macs are incompatible with many programs: 90% of my needs are met by widely-used software programs, available on both PC on Mac. However, I still need Windows for some programs, like PowerPoint, which isn’t quite the same on Mac. Fortunately, Mac has an impressively simple dual-boot software program called Bootcamp that allows me to switch between both systems seamlessly.
3). Macs are Expensive: I got my Mac for $850, after shipping, tax, and rebate. Many PCs will claim to come in cheaper, but after necessary upgrades, they’ll be as expensive or more. Here’s a great price comparison website. The Macbook Pro is a tad pricey, but the standard Macbook is actually a better deal for most people.
Now, I know my transition to Apple may disappoint those of you who celebrated with me as I triumphantly embraced open-source last summer. Alas, Ubuntu is still too complicated for prime-time. At one point, while trying to unsuccessfully install DVD drivers in Ubuntu, I inadvertently deleted my ability to control volume. Until Linux ups its usability factor, I’ll be an Apple fan boy.
I have come to be at peace with the way anonymous naysayers treat the Internet as some kind of unending playground. So-called Internet "trolls" roam comment boards trashing articles in what I can only assume is a desperate outcry of boredom, something to fill the void between flash games and checking their email for the 1000th time. So, I was shocked when Michael Strong, an author (with a semi-professional profile pic) decided to slander Danielle Sacks' feature on John Mackey. Normally, I would ignore this kind of silliness, but he then used my comment as a soap-box for more half-baked ranting. Thus, I decided to reply.
To bring readers briefly up to speed, Danielle did a piece on John Mackey, CEO of Wholefoods, and his transformation from hippy to libertarian social entrepreneur. Mr. Strong, a co-author of Mackey's, railed against Danielle's article, and then responded to a comment I made as an excuse to further complain about not getting his way (I've excluded them from the post for the sake of brevity--and because they're not particularly insightful). Strong's main issue was that Danielle didn't profile Mackey's nuanced philosophical ideas.
But, there is a good reason: Fast Company is a business magazine, not an academic journal. Had the article been entitled "A 5-part essay on a CEO's social philosophy," I wouldn't have read it. And, to be clear, I'm doing my doctoral research in this area. I'm so interested in democratic capitalism, I've subjected myself to 7-years of voluntary servitude at the hands of sadistic academic overlords.
I read Fast Company for the latest trends in edgy, yet unmistakably practical business models. There's an entire underworld of dewy-eyed social visionaries who never see the light of day. Fast Company is unique in giving a platform to the tip of this iceberg, those that have molded their daydreams into a workable and inspiring profit model. Were I Mr. Strong, I'd be thrilled that my co-author was front page featured. And, had Mr. Strong a humble and open mind, he might have learned a new way to explain his ideas to a different business demographic.
Moreover, I have noticed that the biggest names in social entrepreneurship are relentless in building bridges (not burning them down with catty comments). At conferences, I've seen celebrities hand out person emails to relatively no-name participants, happy to help a grass-roots cause. They know while capitalism isn't inherently opposed charitableness, it certainly requires the collaboration of every available hand. Were Mr. Strong strategic in his comments, he might have said, "Danielle, thanks for giving me and Mackey a platform. We have also articulated a more thorough philosophical stance in a book. Here's a link to a review for more interested readers." and everyone would have still been friends. Unfortunately, as his comments stand, they turn readers off to both Fast Company and his own work.
In the words of the Grateful Dead, "Ain't no time to hate. Barely time to wait." Mr. Strong, tact would have been the better way to go, Gregory Ferenstein
Donna Fenn’s Upstarts is zippy tour through the Generation Y mind, and a must read for students…all of them. It handedly demonstrates that the Internet has created an economic atmosphere where individuals can achieve success with little capital, an Internet connection, and a niche market. The book reads rather quickly; I’m a slow reader and breezed through 100 pages in two sittings. Itty-bitty page-and-a-half case studies illustrate the countless ways children as young as Bar-Mitzvah age have brazenly taken on entrepreneurship through rabid networking. For instance, in high school, Bryan Sims convinced his classmates, everyone from jocks to nerds, to give tiny donations to an investment club. The result was a face-to-face micro-lending stock club that netted $25,000 (that’s a lot of Twilight memorabilia). Sims, now a 25-year CEO, heads Brass magazine, a finance education publication which has 37 employees distributing to 35,000 readers.
Perhaps more importantly, businesses are wising up to the efficiency of Gen Y anarchy, such as Best Buy, whose foray into the “Results Oriented Workplaces” has increase moral as much as profits. Workers in ROW are allowed to come and go as they please, so long as the work gets done. This suits the new generation, as mobile devices have blurred the line between work and play, in what amounts to a 24-workday/weekend hybrid.
For older businessmen, Upstarts is an entertaining crystal ball into the future. It might even help persuade a curmudgeon-y CEO to adopt more flexible management policies. But, I think its greatest contribution is as a textbook in inspiration to every student. I’ll be recommending it to my students immediately,
In an inexplicably poor marketing decision, Apple's new economic Macbook has better specs than it’s ostensibly more powerful companion, the Macbook Pro. The 13" Macbook, retailing at $999, boasts 250 gigs of hard drive space and a 2.26 Gigahertz processor, compared to a 160 gig HD and a 2.26 GHz processor in the $1,199 Macbook Pro.The Macbook pro does look different, with a stylish black keyboard and a metallic body.
Perhaps, it was just my inattention to detail that drove my skepticism for the Macbook Pro's obviously inferior value. So, I dropped by my local Apple store to chat with one their friendly, spiky-haired retail associates. In a low-voice, he confirmed my suspicions and recommended the Macbook. In passing, he did remind me that the Pro came with a Firewire port and an SD slot. But, in no uncertain terms, he made it clear that buying the Macbook Pro would be an exercise in financial silliness. As a former computer salesmen myself, I know that many less tech-savvy consumers will opt for the higher end model just from a shopping heuristic that expects more money to equal more value. So, this holiday season, there's no need to rub your eyes in disbelief when comparing the base models of the Macbook to the Macbook Pro. Apple, I’m curious, what were you thinking?
Those individuals who know me only through emails must think that my parents are Mr. Rogers and a double-espresso. Recently, my correspondences have had more winks, lol’s, and exclamation points than a Twilight chatroom. As unrepresentative as this is of my low-key, Birkenstock-wearing mannerisms, I learned long ago that if my words could misconstrued in an email, they would be misconstrued. Brief, efficient emails were taken as aggressive or pretentious. Or worse, an attempt at sarcasm would go completely unnoticed, and I’d appear downright mean. Unfortunately, the exaggerated facial expressions I normally employ to give context to ambiguous statements don’t conveniently fit into a digital message (as seen below)
Until the Internet invents a better way to express intonation and expression, I will continue to write like an advertisement for manic-depressives ;-)
In the age of the Free Complaint Machine, known to many around the world as the ‘Internet’, is it wise to offer a product to anyone willing to purchase it? After all, a single poor fit between costumer and product can lead to the kind of negative feedback that resonates with thousands of potential good fits. As many businesses beg for ways to indiscriminately sell their wares, it was fascinating to learn that the US Military, of all institutions, has become quite forward thinking in selective selling. Military blogs which showcase the everyday lives and unfiltered emotions of enlisted servicemen have become a major arm of the US Army’s recruitment strategy.
“Its not all flowers and sunshine”, says Major Mary Constantino, project manager of Army Strong Stories, a Soldier blog hosted by the Army’s recruitment branch, Accessions Command. Being a soldier, it should go without saying, is tough, and the army wants recruits entering service to “come in with their eyes wide open.” Now, this doesn’t mean that horror stories grace the front page of Army Strong Stories.
For the most part, Army blogs chronicle the nuanced experiences of soldiers as they, for instance, struggle with a new training regiment or celebrate promotions with family. Bloggers are encouraged to interact with readers in a casual two-way conversation that was once difficult in the more traditional high-pressure recruitment environments.
I developed a virtual soft-spot for Second Lieutenant Kayley Obermier, whose healthy mix of philosophy and advice captures the mood of ArmyStrongStories.com. In a basic-training advice column that she originally composed for her brother, she wrote,
“Your boots will hurt when you first get them. It takes about a week to break them in. I had blisters the size of quarters on my heels. I bled through my boots twice on ruck-marches. Get moleskin at the PX”
And, my favorite:
Do not hook up with some girl. You’ll get caught. It’s just stupid.
A few months later, Lieutenant Obermier gives a shout-out to the first female to become commandant of a Drill Sergeant School, in a post entitled “I Don’t See a Woman, I See a Soldier”. Lieutenant Obermier writes
As a female who lives by the rule of "No BS", I find it inspiring to read of SGM King's accomplishments and strict attention to detail. Hooah and congratulations to SGM King!
Some posts are negative. Second Lieutenant Alex Frank was none-too-pleased with his Basic Officer Leaders Course (BOLC). He posted
“I got carried away with BOLC II and got really busy. On the whole, it ended up being not worth the investment in time.”
It’s heartening to know that the Army didn’t castigate him for speaking his mind. We know this because Lieutenant Frank is currently blogging about his experience in the super-selective Army Ranger camp. The Army sees negative posts as illustrative of the kinds of ups and downs that new recruits should expect.
Ultimately, social media is less like an advertising platform and more like a dating service: selling is about finding a good match, not just a willing buyer,
Las Vegas was host to Blog World '09, the nation's first and largest conference on blogging. While it may seem imprudent to put the shenanigans of Sin City nightlife under the microscope of the most public medium in human history, the city was actually a perfect venue for extracting tips from people who are their best in the AM. There were as many useful nuggets of information at late-night parties as there were during the talks. Below are some practical tips and tricks for using social media like the pros.
1). Anyone can get a more popular blogger to promote their work, but you have to give (a lot) first. It’s the job of social media professionals to be compulsively aware of how their work is being re-broadcast. I actually overheard CNN Anchor Don Lemon talking to a conference participant about something he remembered the man retweeting of his. Viral marketing strategist Mike Stelzner recommends that the first step is to get on a popular blogger's radar with frequent comments on their posts. Afterwards, hop on the reciprocity fast track by offering interviews and dedicated articles to their work. Finally, cash in the good karma by creating easy cut-and-paste twitter comments for your new friend to retweet at pre-planned intervals. Don’t be shy; social media people understand the game is about self-promotion – give, and ye shall receive.
2). Raw honesty is a great social media strategy. Ford Motor company is re-branding their recession-tarnished name through the unfiltered reviews of car beta-testers. So-called “Fiesta Agents” are given a Ford Fiesta to try out for free, and Ford publicizes their reviews, good or bad. As a result, Ford says it has 38% awareness in the US – a towering statistic for a car yet to hit the market. When I asked Ford's social media guru, Scott Monty, how the company handles scathing critiques of the Fiesta, he calmly explained that the positive reviewers immediately swarm over a negative post with their own experiences. Now, this is certainly a gamble for Ford: their product has to be good. But, it doesn't have to be perfect. In fact, PeopleBrowsr's Jodee Rich contends that companies get “a lot of credit” from the online community when they publicly acknowledge product defects with Twitter's @reply feature, and demonstrate a willingness to fix the problem. Indeed, social media consultant Dave Peck shows how Dell sank user complaints by 30% with this simple strategy of raw honesty.
3). Use Linkedin for unsolicited business opportunities. I admit, I was ready to bury Linkedin next to the MySpace tombstone in the graveyard of social media has-beens. I was wrong. Linkedin is still a Google first page result for many individuals and businesses. As such, Linkedin consultant, Lewis Howes, snags thousands in unsolicited deals by placing relevant keywords in 5 places within his profile (the headline, current work experience, past work experience, the summary, and specialties). Indeed, two audience members increased their keyword rank to 1st and 2nd within minutes of Lewis’ recommendation. As well, brand yourself an expert by creating a Linkedin group, which grants you exclusive email-blast opportunities to all members.
4). If you want to network with the social media elite, be prepared to actually be a lot of fun. Every industry has an informal playground where the bonds of trust are coupled. But, on a spectrum of Sunday golfers to rock star partiers, social media power players squarely face the latter. During the day, I would exchange business cards with a forced smile; at night, I received conference invitations over cocktail-drenched loud-mouth bantering with keynote speakers and conference sponsors. I forged endearing relationships jamming out to techno in stretch-Hummer limos and got the skinny on secret projects over 5am snacks in penthouse suits. And, anyone, novice bloggers or Internet celebrity, was invited along for the ride so long as they were fun. These opportunities aren't unique to Blog World. I've written previously how I befriended Digg.com's team at an event where a senior employee convinced their camera man to jump off the roof of a hotel into a pool. So, strap on a silky black dress and don your dancing shoes. Blog World was a superb networking opportunity. I’ll be going next year; hit me up and we’ll have a drink (or six),
The Who's Who of twitter were out in full force at this week's 140 Conference at the Los Angeles Skirball Center. I got to heckle speakers with @adventuregirl (+1 million followers), talk branding strategy with @ijustine (700,000 followers), and speak on a panel with @pistachio (author of Twitter for Dummies).
I gathered a few unique insights from these twitter elite, and wanted to share them with my readers:.
1). Tweeting is a profession: both @adventuregirl and @ijustine spoke of twitter as a full time job, and admitted to being constantly connected to their computer. Unless you're already an A-list celebrity, the twitter elite rose to fame through hundreds of hours of painstaking dedication (and, if you are an A-list celebrity, thank you for reading my blog and I'd like to have my own reality show :) ).
2). Give more than thou receive: Both the traditional celebrities and the Internet celebrities were unanimous on one strategy: promote others more than you promote yourself.
3). Be undeniably genuine: @pistachio and @obamagardens, both of whom raised much of their $100,000+ for charity with under 5,000 followers, used multimedia to display themselves as the passionate givers they actually are. @pistachio quickly raised a crucial $2,000 to meet a deadline by pleading with fans on ustream. @obamagardens snaps candid photos of smiling people holding his gorgeous flower bouquets (notice the blurry one of Tony Robbins’ wife).
4). Thank (nearly) every @reply or retweet: @ijustine stunned the celebrity panel when she admitted to personally thanking the thousands of people who mention her on twitter (a fact which she had to reaffirm after several probing questions of disbelief). How is this possible to do without clogging up one’s twitter stream with those annoying @replys? A couple of ways:
a). Send a direct message “thank you.”
b). Open an alternative account for use with @replys
c). Use a clever bit.ly trick: go to search.twitter.com. In the panel, search your twitter name and copy the URL from the results. Then, shorten the URL at bit.ly and say something like “Thanks to all the great comments: please check these wonderful peeps http://bit.ly/13LMi6”
5). Keep it simple: No fancy software is needed to manage +1 million followers. Some just use twitter.com; I heard some use tweetdeck.
Well, I for one am taking this advice and joining up a charitable cause at Stephen Colbert’s Donor’s Choose “Social Media Challenge.” Feel Free to join the 140 Twitter Conference group, start your own group, or experiment with an entirely different charity. @reply me with your experience, and, of course, I’ll be sure to respond back,
This picture is priceless. A plane crash documentary was showing on my Virgin America flight from SFO to Orange County (on my way back from the Burning Man festival).
From a marketing standpoint, money can't buy a more exquisitely perfect demographic than airline passengers: bored, opinionated, and current users of the company's product. Why are airlines passing up the opportunity to collect data or sell products in exchange for free in-flight wifi?
I was fortunate enough to be on two airlines this week offering wifi, Virgin American and Southwest (in beta testing). Instead of paying an absurdly overpriced access fee, I decided to spend time thinking of ways to write this blog. Here are 4 ways to make free wifi profitable.
1). Advertise your own company and services: I didn't start regularly flying Southwest until years later when I learned why they have a super-high customer satisfaction rating: Their democratic management style makes their employees super efficient, they have a great ticket-cancellation policy, and they're nearly always on time. Only then did I learn that I could expect to have a good experience. Southwest could easily make a promotion video showing off why they're super cool, add in a clip of their youtube viral video and, then, direct customers to southwest.com for special in-flight discounts. Only a fraction of customers need to purchase something during their flight to make this strategy profitable.
2). Collect a percentage of shopping revenue. Virgin America currently has a “shopping section,” where customers can purchase a short-list of items (such as in-flight headphones). Why not think bigger? Partner with Paypal, Google checkout, or Visa to offer customer discounts and share a percentage of the revenue from in-flight purchases.
3). Make customers yourcharity arm: I buy from companies that share my taste in charity. Airlines could replace the wifi access fee with a donation to one of several pre-selected charities. Customers will leave with a positive feeling and a tax-deductible donation, and the airline fills it's charity quota with an exact match of it's customer's desires. To boot, the recipient of the charity could write a thank you letter months later, which essentially amounts to free advertising.
4). Survey customers: its nearly impossible to collect accurate impression after or before customers use a product. Exchanging an in-depth survey during a flight would not only give in-use impressions, a survey could be given at the beginning and end of the flight to see how impressions change.
I'll bet any of my readers that wifi will be free in the near future. And, airline execs will slap their heads in wonderment why they ever consider charging such a valuable demographic,
