Business Blogs & XML Feeds

I'm sorry if this has already been blogged the heck out of but this feature way cool: when connecting Windows Vista to a new network behind a personal firewall router (DLink or Linksys) - Vista automatically detects this device!



Double click on that new little network icon and up comes the Network window showing you the Network device which in my case is my personal DLink router.



I hope DLink and other network device companies take advantage of this new feature in Windows. They could write little Control Panel programs that tap directly into this feature and allow you to configure the router (or any other device) within the network properties in Windows. Maybe by adding a new tab or something? Maybe if they wanted to be REALLY cool, they could take advantage of the new UAP features and sync up the administrator's password on the Windows PC with the Router itself permitting ONLY the administrator of the main home PC to make any changes to the Router. Maybe I'm just plain crazy. more...

http://www.sebura.com
Originally Posted on 8/26/2005 9:35:47 AMContent source: http://www.longhornblogs.com/bleblanc/archive/2005/08/01/14333.aspx

In the past two days, I've been able to successfully run Windows Vista very well on my desktop. I am able to run all my normal day-to-day programs, check email, create websites and more. I was able to get all the correct drivers to load and currently have no outstanding hardware issues.

I do have two major problems right now though I am struggling to find answers for.

First off, I copied all my files onto CD and DVD. I then copied them back onto my Windows Vista installation so I can use these files, such as music and photos. Whenever I want to access these files, it tells me I have insufficient rights - yet I am logged in as Administrator and don't have the file protection UAP turned on.



I am currently still trying to figure that one out. I took ownership of the files and everything.

My second outstanding issues right now is for some odd reason my CD/DVD Burner driver does not work. It will read a CD for a split second, enough to tell me what CD or DVD it is, but after that - it just spins and tries to read but does nothing. I get these CDROM errors in the event viewer. I am thinking I need to reload the drivers for CD/DVD Burner but unfortunately it did not come with any.

Other than these two issues, I've been running Vista for two days without any problems or crashes.

UPDATE: I've been told that the file permissions problem has been known to exist in Windows XP as well. I'm waiting to hear back from a nice person who is going to help me figure the file permissions issue out. more...

http://www.sebura.com
Originally Posted on 8/26/2005 8:09:46 AMContent source: http://www.longhornblogs.com/bleblanc/archive/2005/08/01/14325.aspx

While we're still working on the 2nd edition of Unleash the Marketing & Publishing Power of RSS, we just added a new video presentation (PowerPoint video + audio + demos) to the package.

Length: 1 hour and 20 minutes

1. Why RSS?
2. Is the E-mail Problem Really so Bad?
3. What RSS Will Do For You?
4. The Unique Power of RSS
5. But Does it Really Work?
6. What is RSS?
7. How it Works?
8. The Business Case for RSS
9. Content Delivery Opportunities
10. Discover New Content & Business Opportunities
11. Improve Your Existing Content Delivery Efforts
12. RSS For Direct Marketers
13. The 7-Step RSS Marketing Plan
14. Step 1: Start Using RSS as an End-User
15. Step 2: Plan Your RSS Feeds
16. Step 3: Create a List of Your RSS Marketing/Publishing Requirements
17. Step 4: Choose an RSS Publishing Tool and Create Your First Feed
18. Step 5: Promote Your RSS Feeds Through Your Own Channels
19. Step 6: Promote Your RSS Feeds Through External Channels
20. Step 7: Other Key RSS Activities

The video is available to all new and existing Unleash the Marketing & Publishing Power of RSS customers. Get it here!

[existing customers will get the download info ASAP] more...

http://www.sebura.com
Originally Posted on 8/25/2005 1:27:23 PMContent source: http://rssdiary.marketingstudies.net/content/new_rss_marketing_video.php

InformationWeek has an article with some new and interesting enterprise RSS examples, which especially show that RSS will find its place behind the firewall in the corporate world.

a] Disney ABC Cable Networks Group
Disney, using NewsGator software, which integrates with Microsoft Outlook e-mail clients, uses RSS to avoid the overload of "occupational spam" and to provide employees with live information with links to the original internal reports. In simpler terms, they're using RSS to partially deliver internal information instead of using e-mail.

b] ING Group N.V. (insurance and financial-services company)
ING Group N.V. recently implemented Inc.'s Enterprise Syndication Server to deliver work-related information via RSS. They're basically taking information from their company portals and delivering the latest "headlines" to their employees, without the employees having to actually visit the portals to find out what's new. They're also doing some specialized content deliver to individual specialists from their internal business applications. A good example of this is an RSS channel for the finance department called 30-days-past-due receivables.

c] The Integrated Justice Information Systems Institute
The institute is blogging (and also delivering this information via RSS) to keep committee members up to date on recent developments.

d] New College of California
"New College of California, a small liberal-arts college in San Francisco, has been using KnowNow's LiveServer to coordinate and integrate business-critical reports, some generated manually and some by older computer systems. With RSS, the management and distribution of reports is easier. "These legacy systems depended on having applications installed on your computer," says Mark Gould, a developer in information services at New College. It "helps immensely" that reports can now be read using a browser, he says."

Although these RSS implementations are still quite simple, they greatly aid companies in either reducing contraproductive "e-mail time" or getting content delivered to employees without them having to visit certain portals to find out what's new. more...

http://www.sebura.com
Originally Posted on 8/25/2005 12:45:21 PMContent source: http://rssdiary.marketingstudies.net/content/more_enterprise_rss_examples.php

I placed this under the "Viral Marketing" category, but like the "Numa Numa" video, these guys don't really seem to be marketing anything... their homepage even has a "new website coming soon" notice. Are they nuts?!! Found this on Scott... more...

http://www.sebura.com
Originally Posted on 8/25/2005 10:40:19 AMContent source: http://blog.marketingchick.com/guessthegoogle.shtml

Here's a new FREE marketplace to sell ANY product you want... your own stuff, or become an affiliate for any item in the marketplace. You can even start your own affiliate program for FREE! Sorta like ClickBank, only you're able... more...

http://www.sebura.com
Originally Posted on 8/25/2005 9:07:18 AMContent source: http://blog.marketingchick.com/start_your_own_affiliate_program_with_paypal_or_stormpay_free.shtml

I was looking through my archives of old homepages and was amazed at just how much my design has morphed since 1996... it seems like just yesterday when I got online for the first time and designed my very first... more...

http://www.sebura.com
Originally Posted on 8/25/2005 8:24:17 AMContent source: http://blog.marketingchick.com/10_steps_to_successful_website_checklist.shtml

Bill Gates will be opening this year's PDC 2005 in Los Angeles on September 13th. I will be attending PDC this year. This is my first ever PDC and I'm beyond excited for this. I've wanted to go to one of these conventions for the longest time. I can't wait! more...

http://www.sebura.com
Originally Posted on 8/24/2005 9:45:35 PMContent source: http://www.longhornblogs.com/bleblanc/archive/2005/08/01/14323.aspx

Just checked my server logs and noticed a couple of visits from Google via search term "my kid is cutest"... Now that I've got a screenshot of our #1 position on Google, this is no longer just a mother's opinion...... more...

http://www.sebura.com
Originally Posted on 8/24/2005 4:16:51 PMContent source: http://blog.marketingchick.com/the_most_accurate_search_result.shtml

Got a blog? Want more eyeballs on your posts? Here are some FREE blog/RSS directories & traffic exchanges to get you on the road to blogger fame: Targeted blog exchange programs These programs allow you to earn credits (1 credit... more...

http://www.sebura.com
Originally Posted on 8/24/2005 2:12:41 PMContent source: http://blog.marketingchick.com/free_blog_traffic.shtml

I just finished creating my first (test) Google Sitemap. It's interesting that although Google released their sitemaps on June 2nd, I've already found a variety of free scripts and software to generate these files. Wait! What's a Google Sitemap? With... more...

http://www.sebura.com
Originally Posted on 8/24/2005 12:19:39 PMContent source: http://blog.marketingchick.com/free_google_sitemap_generators.shtml

I've noticed I haven't received ANY trackback spam notices in the past week! All thanks to Brad Choate & Tobias Hoellrich's FREE SpamLookup plugin... quick & easy install, and most importantly, this bad boy works!... more...

http://www.sebura.com
Originally Posted on 8/24/2005 10:59:37 AMContent source: http://blog.marketingchick.com/eliminating_trackback_ping_spam.shtml

YAY ME! The "Google AdSense for Feeds" code in the Marketing Chick Diary feed is finally showing up... lookie: I checked it out using FeedDemon, NewsGator, and Bloglines -- all seem a-ok! The ads are not intrusive at all, and... more...

http://www.sebura.com
Originally Posted on 8/22/2005 4:03:13 PMContent source: http://blog.marketingchick.com/google_adsense_in_my_feed.shtml

A-ha! I've visited a few blogs with AdSense appearing after the first post only, and have been meaning to find out how this was done! Thanks to Jason of GoldBlogger.com, I now join the ranks of the way cool AdSense-After-My-First-Post... more...

http://www.sebura.com
Originally Posted on 8/22/2005 2:17:05 PMContent source: http://blog.marketingchick.com/inserting_adsense_after_first_mt_blog_entry.shtml

Marketing Genius, Dan Kennedy, very briefly mentioned in one installment of his "No B.S. Marketing Letter" that one small omission in the headline increased comprehension by 10%! Check out the following headlines and tell me which one you think proved... more...

http://www.sebura.com
Originally Posted on 8/22/2005 12:18:04 PMContent source: http://blog.marketingchick.com/it_aint_all_about_the_words_in_your_headline.shtml

Happy 4th Birthday, Little Munchkin Monster! I remember going ABSOLUTELY NUTS when you first flashed that gorgeous smile at me - and only me... farted and cheered about it... rolled to your side... and off the bed... licked my... more...

http://www.sebura.com
Originally Posted on 8/22/2005 11:44:03 AMContent source: http://blog.marketingchick.com/4th_year_in_the_wild_side.shtml

Corey Nicholas Rudl 1970- 2005 Rest In Peace... We'll Miss You Dearly. Condolences to his new bride, family, and friends. NBC 4 News: Two Killed In Crash At California Speedway... more...

http://www.sebura.com
Originally Posted on 8/22/2005 10:26:02 AMContent source: http://blog.marketingchick.com/goodbye_corey.shtml

Today I was able to successfully finally start trying to load my day-to-day applications in Vista and see how well they run.

So far, nothing stands out as application that is struggling to adapt. Adobe Photoshop CS works fine, as does the Office 2003 suite.

But I did notice something weird when I installed iTunes. Whenever iTunes 4.9 is running, it shuts down the Aero Glass effects. My screen will flicker once the application is started and poof, no glass or transparencies. Now once iTunes has been exited, the Aero glass effects come back.

Weird huh? Not a big problem to me, because the application still works and does what I need it to do - play music. more...

http://www.sebura.com
Originally Posted on 8/21/2005 7:25:18 PMContent source: http://www.longhornblogs.com/bleblanc/archive/2005/07/31/14321.aspx

A year and a half ago, I wrote about how Microsoft should completely abandon the name "Windows" for their OS name. I was completely serious about it, but I knew it would never happen. It seems that maybe the Windows marketing team took some of what I had to say to heart in coming up with the new name for Longhorn. They didn't ditch it, but I think they did the next best thing.
Windows Vista... where do I start? Well, I think it's freakin awesome! How in the world can anyone get excited about "Windows 2006"? Yawn. That's fine, as long as it's still 2006. But when 2007 rolls around, it already sounds dated. Think about when you last heard someone talking about Windows 2000. I bet your first reaction is "that's so 5 years ago." In computer years, that's practically a lifetime. But with "Windows Vista'', you get a very emotional reaction. Personally. The word "vista'' makes me think of standing on the ledge of the Grand Canyon and looking out on the horizon. From a logical standpoint, it makes perfect sense. What are you gonna see when you look out a window? A view. Vista is Spanish for view. Do I need to draw you a freakin picture? Hah. Just kidding.
It's almost uncanny, the response from average users. So far, it has followed almost the exact same pattern, verbatim:
Me: What do you think of "Windows Vista"?Person X: (silence...) That's like a view, right?Me: YeahPerson X: (silence...) Yeah. (tone of voice goes up.) I get it. That's really cool!
It's very interesting to me the tone of voice in the reaction after the name clicks in their head. Regular people get excited about it. Think about it. When was the last time that happened? People lined up by the thousands for the midnight launch of Windows 95. But that was 10 years ago. Maybe a creative new name will help generate enough interest to get people to make the switch.
One other thing I've noticed about the name... most geeks hate it... at least at first. They like the date names and stuff. But most end up feeling the same way Ryan Hoffman felt after a day or two. Also an interesting pattern to watch.
Now lets talk about the tagline...
Clear. Confident. Connected. Bringing clarity to your world.
That's really powerful start. Three words that invoke a very visceral response from people. These are things that people want their computers to be. The world is a really fast-paced place, and the masses hunger for technologies that can make life simpler a easier to understand. But the masses shouldn't have to understand the details of how their computer works to get it to work. It should just work for them, and it should provide clear answers when it doesn't work.
That's not the case today, not even with Windows XP. Except for "Connected", Windows today does not embody these terms. Computes do not bring clarity to most people. Most people cannot stand interacting with their computer. They have to deal with viruses, spyware, or spam. They have to deal with device drivers & network connections. Computers don't made life easier... just more complicated. Hell, I LOVE technology, and most days I still want to chuck my laptop out a window. You shouldn't have to be a geek like me to get through a day with your computer.
Confident. That's such a great word. You almost stick your chest out a little further as you say it. Many if its synonyms are so overused in the industry. Words like "secure", "protected", etc. But "confident" works differently in the mind; its much broader in scope. For example, it makes you think that after 6 iterations, Microsoft is confident they're finally getting it right. And you can be confident that your computer isn't going to become a zombie, handing out your personal information to anyone and everyone it can. Confident is a very strong word, especially in a world where so many people lack basic confidence in themselves and others.
So Windows Vista has a bright future, I think. Microsoft has done a fantastic job trying to make this release about what Windows can do for people, not what it can do for the hardware. Think about it. For 20 years, Microsoft has been focused on how to make your computer do stuff. Where Microsoft has totally sucked for about as long is in finding out how their customers took advantage of all that stuff their computer could do. I was up in Redmond last week, and I found out that this time around, Microsoft did a ton of really innovative testing with average users. The results of that testing will be very apparent when Windows Vista Beta 2 rolls around, although some of it is already apparent in this release.
Now, Microsoft engineers have to deliver on the marketing-speak (typically referred to as B.S.) Seriously, when was the last time you felt like Microsoft's software really delivered on the capabilities that the marketing people said it had? There's definitely a gap there. It's time to close that gap, and overdeliver on what Windows Vista will be capable of. Take note, marketers: you've done a good job so far... now let the OS speak for itself. You are confident in it, aren't you? ;). more...

http://www.sebura.com
Originally Posted on 8/21/2005 4:47:17 PMContent source: http://www.longhornblogs.com/robert/archive/2005/07/31/14319.aspx

So I installed the nVidia Vista Alpha drivers I talked about earlier... and I am extremely disappointed.
First of all, the drivers don't support my GeForce Go 6600 TE graphics card in my Toshiba Tecra M4. I don't know what the deal is, but apparently the card is a custom design specifically for the Tecra M4, and isn't covered in the standard driver package. From the site:
NVIDIA has made available the following alpha drivers for Windows Vista Beta 1. The current ForceWare alpha driver is a preview release that will enable you to test the basic features and capabilities of the new operating system. This alpha driver has no performance optimizations included and has received limited stability testing.
The drivers are absolute ***. As I said, the drivers from my version of the 6600 aren't even there. So I manually picked another flavor of the 6600 instead. Well, it won't recognize the resolution of my screen at all. It doesn't scale the resolution to fit the screen. Instead, as previously reported, the resolution scales down the screen, past the bottom edge so I can't even see the start menu or the taskbar. I get Aero Glass, whoopety doo, but I can't do anything anyways. My only option is to dock my taskbar to the top of the screen, which I can bet is going to be a poor user experience.
What pisses me off more than anything was nVidia's overwhelming presence at WinHEC, where they touted their "commitment" to the platform. They plastered their own stylized Longhorn logo everywhere, and told people like me that their stuff was "ready for Longhorn". So Vista Beta 1 is here, and there is no visible download link for updated drivers on the site. I had to find out about it from whatever source Neowin came up with.

Meanwhile, ATI's drivers are rock solid, and came out the DAY AFTER Windows Vista Beta 1 hit the streets. They showed up as a new item on their website, and the direct link was readily accessible. I understand now why nVidia doesn't have a direct link on their site. If I were them, I'd be embarassed as hell at these drivers.
But forget it if I want to tell someone at nVidia that myself. Cause my graphics card came with my computer, so technically I'm not an nVidia customer, and I can't get support. I can't even get a phone number of someone to talk to. I'm not "worthy" enough for that.
You guys have had a very long time to come up with drivers for your customers. Instead, you put out drivers that feel like they were whipped together in a few days at the very last minute, without testing. What the hell have you guys been doing for the past 2 years? You aren't making enough money that you can't put a team together to have a solid driver model? ATI's gonna kick your ass on Vista if you don't get your act together. And if I don't get some solid drivers that work for my graphics card soon, you better believe my next graphics card will be an ATI. more...

http://www.sebura.com
Originally Posted on 8/21/2005 12:13:31 PMContent source: http://www.longhornblogs.com/robert/archive/2005/07/29/14310.aspx