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OK as I said a while back my wife has started a blog and she joined a National Blogging Month thing and I thought it a good Idea as my blogging had been so hit and miss and so far so good… But I have been struggling with ideas for topics so when I saw this on Libby’s page, I thought hmmmm. Now the sight seems very woman focused but as I said I’m now a 12 Year old girl so that won’t be too challenging. The bigger challenge will be to put a technology spin on the weekly idea. I’ll see how I go. BTW...
Firstly ArrrrrrrrrrrrrGH having ninemsn.com.au as the default homepage of Internet Exploiter 8 might become very scary. The first few features were from The Australian Women's Weekly and Cosmopolitan I guess that is okay but hopefully not habit forming :) One thing at a time Pamela Allardice Tuesday, November 3, 2009 Multi-tasking is an easy habit to get hooked on, but — ironically — it means you end up doing less, not more. "If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it,"...
I had been asked many times if I had a Facebook account and many times I have said “Do I look like a 12 year old girl?” But then came the SPAM show and for some reason it seemed easier to get it on facebook and not the Community tab of our OWN portal. So I reactivated the face book account I didn’t get just like twitter one, and well then some folk started sending friend requests……. Anyway here is what I have found… Using facebook like LinkedIn can seem counterintuitive and I would have thought that...
A little while ago I was talking about "Community Content" and the fears some community members may have when they create that content, will the content they create cost them consulting engagements? Today on one of the lists there was some discussion about a product to solve a problem I think it was a third party POP Connector for use with SBS 2003, and the guy looking for the solution reported back with… I elected to go with … because, well, they had a nice little presentation on their...
Name: Doug Wilson and Robert Crane Company: Saturn Alliance Pty Limited Location: Sydney NSW Australia Describe your business: Saturn Alliance is a certified Microsoft Partner and Small Business Specialist that provides a wide range of technology solutions to business. What makes your business different: We focus on the business value to the customer. What are you really good at?: Apart from the SBS stuff we have a strong focus on Sharepoint, VoIP and Internet security What is the best possible referral...
A while back I was talking about what brings me along to the SMB IT Professional Sydney Group, meaning for me a 6.5 hour round trip to hang out with SBSers . Wanting to get to know some of the other group members, and build my network I mentioned that I would be doing a NEW Team New Blood. So to get started here is mine. Name: David Mackie Company: Synergistic Network Solutions Pty Limited Location: Canberra ACT Australia Describe your business: Synergistic Consults to Federal Government Departments...
I often get asked about training my competition or letting out the secret sauce formula. I really think this is a BIG fear especially for guys who are coming from Integrators and Consulting firms who service the enterprise. Some of it also comes from the misconception that they have some secret sauce in the first place. I thought big companies had great methodologies, standardisation, project management, risk mitigation you name it they had it, I thought they made money by reducing variation and...
Wow last night I explained separately no less than 5 times why I made the trip to the SMBIT Professionals Sydney group well the Sydney SBS User Group which I find easier to remember, but such is life. So for me it is about 6.5 hours in the Truck for a 3 hour meeting and it seems to surprise folk that I’m happy to do that. So let me explain my motivations for turning up and see if these are motivations for others or if I’m just nerdboi with too much time on my hands. I have been involved with running...
I have been to a few meetings of late where someone has invoked Chatham House Rule and there were blank stares around the table so here is an explaination of the rule. I have essentially said that the [ANZ-SMB-ITS] group could run under the same kind of basis if it helps with openness. Chatham House Rule The Chatham House Rule reads as follows: "When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity...
ANZ SMB Information Technology Specialists (ANZ-SMB-ITS) A community for Information Technology service providers specialising in the (SMB) Small and Medium Business space. The aim of the community is to share information, provide peer support, open discussion and best practices in providing Information Technology infrastructures and services to (SMB) Small and Medium Businesses. The group is NON-vendor specific and aims to discuss best of breed solutions that address the needs of SMBs cost effectively...
Over time I have been a little more than a bit critical of the commitment to events in Canberra that the Softies in Sydney have shown. Well in the last three days I have been invited to the Hero's Launch Event three times!!! and I am not complaining in fact it has made me feel like maybe we have turned the corner and the ACT Partner Community might just need to put up or shut up now. Why? Well one of the issues has been that events are poorly attended so not really economical to run here, but...
So on Partner TV tonight I saw an interview with Wendy Smith conducted by Ryan Spillane from Correct Solutions and Alexandra Day (Giles) from Phrixus about Small Business; Ryan and Alex seem to be doing great things to raise the profile of their companies AND the SBS Community in Sydney. I think they are leading the way for many smallish companies in Sydney and Australia Wide. Video: Partner-TV: Wendy Smith talking about Small Business I thought the Interview was a great little fireside chat and...
Here is a mistake that I hope to avoid next year. I kind of liked the template that was downloadable by Microsoft Partners. We really did want to thank all the people who have helped us or we have helped over the year, and to let people know we really do value the friendships. What could be worse than the 6 people who got to see that I didn't care enough to have the <firstname> field in my outlook contacts populated correctly. Turns out Susan got two so it even stands out more. While mail...
Well as we know Lorna got her Visas sorted and is off to Redmond leaving a gap in the Australian SBSC ranks, well I'm glad to say her relief is on deck and very quickly too. I'd like to welcome Wendy Smith to the flock and offer her any help she needs while she gets up a full head of steam. Wendy says she will be planning to tour the major cities later in the month. Now this doesn't normally include Canberra but if you do make it, I'm sure you will be most welcome. I'm looking...
Well what was cool about this month??? Athena did an informative overview of IT Pro Certification in the Windows 2008 era, this was very popular and run to about 30 Minutes in both sessions. Seems lots of people are like me siting on Windows NT 4.0 MCSE's. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that but for me a goal might be to sit an exam a month between now and March when the Windows 2008 Exams go live. That will give me the option to either upgrade or do the whole Windows 2008 Certification...
As you know I have been keen to drum up some attendance to SMB Focus, because I was keen to see it succeed AND because I believe in a strong SBS Community in AUstralia. Wayne has been talking about this event for the many years I have known him and I guess he is just shattered to have to Postpone. May I just ask that if the Special Edition User Group gets legs that you all support it and Wayne, as in my opinion he deserves it. SMBFocus 2007 Conference Event - Postponed Wednesday 12th September 2007...
News just in since Yesterday Wayne has extended the Early Bird registration for SMB Focus 2007 Until 30th September 2007. So remember 30 Days until you pay Full Price. Don't leave it too long I think Wayne is really saying 30 Days or while stocks last, this event is filling up fast so don't wait for the end of September cause you might miss out. I know I will be forgetful during September because I will be up at stupid O'clock many days watching our beloved Wallabies "bring back...
Looking over at the SMB Focus site I suddenly realized that there is almost no time before the early bird runs out!!!! Now if you are like me and always leave everything until the very last second let me help you with a trick to get every possible opportunity to get the discount. I can't see anything that lets me know what August 31 means so let me define it as Midnight on the 31st August 2007, there is also no time zone information so here are the registration details for you he says VERY Tongue...
Robert is an SBSer, and a long term participant in the Sydney SBS Group , he will go out of his way to help the up and coming, and over the years I have nothing but good things to say. I have been quite impressed by some of the things he has done in the community including the inclusion of charity fundraising in his marketing (he ran seminars for marketing but attendees, made a donation to that months nominated charity). Other great SBS related things he has done can be found on Youtube . Robert...
Some times I feel sorry for Vlad only from the perspective of the amount of pressure he must get from people wanting him to attend, support, whatever... events that others consider his duty as a community leader. Oh the joy of being an SMB Rockstar. Today he blogged further about the SMB Nation Conference and how better spent some peoples resources could be. I am not paid off to tell you to give my friends money after they screwed you, I do not have an alterior motive, I do not have a competing event...
Have you ever wondered how the Microsoft Security Response Center works? I hear all sorts of speculation about how things really work, and must say most of it is based on, well I don’t know what. This month we are Lucky enough to have Scott Deacon, a former MSRC Manager (now returned to Canberra after a couple of years in Redmond) speak on the “MSRC process front to back end”. I’m really looking forward to the session and am sure everyone who looks forward to patch Wednesday...
Last night Jeff Wharton blogged thusly... It's a sad day for the Canberra user group community with David Mackie resigning as the leader of the Canberra Windows (Infrastructure) User Group . Just want to say thanks Dave for all the hard work and effort you've put in over the years and wish you well for the future. Don't be a stranger! http://blog.wharton.com.au/2007/08/canberra-windows-user-group-times-are.html Kind of sounds like I'm leaving doesn't it? Well here is where I was...
During TechEd AU I had a crisis of faith in my ability to continue with the Canberra Windows (Infrastructure) User Group and pulled the plug. I have been talking with Athena and John Pawlowski from dotNET Solutions since I announced and have an update that I did not expect to be making. Let me address what I said and how it is now:- After almost three years I have not grown this to a group, it is still my mouth piece for things I think are cool; While I still will want things I think are cool out...
During TechEd I had a focus changing epiphany, I was challenged to ask myself why I run a user group. I have thought about many aspects of what I do and why here is my summation as to why I would be best to let it go. After almost three years I have not grown this to a group, it is still my mouth piece for things I think are cool; If I'm not around the group does not go on; For the most part all the content is delivered by me; Only sessions I think are interesting get delivered see point 3; I...