Susan Finch - Web Solutions Provider

Does your computer take FOREVER to start up?

If your computer takes forever to boot up, or run slowly throughout the day, it may suffer from start-up bloat. It's common ailment as we continue to add new hardware, software and tools to our computer.  Suddenly they all want to be first in the morning when you boot up or run "quietly" in the background in case you need them that day.

Hey - just whose website is it, anyway?

Lately I can't attend a workshop, networking event, business meeting without hearing a tale of woe about  "..they've stolen my website and won't give it back!"  The cry for justice varies from: "I don't know where my website is" to "I don't know how to find 'the guy' anymore."

Don't dry victim, don't be helpless, don't give up.  Take control.  Learn to ask the questions that will leave you informed.  This is YOUR marketing tool, YOUR identity, YOUR branding. Shouldn't you take steps to protect it, just like you would a product, logo or trade secrets?  (hint - the answer is YES!)

Have I told you lately, that I love you?

Ahh, Valentine's Day approaches.  Who needs Hallmark when we have the Internet?  We can tell some of those around us how we feel, quickly, for free and then move on with our day.  I'm not talking about your main squeeze, children and best friends; I'm talking about those we encounter each day in our lives.  These include the grocer, dentist, hair salon, gas station, restaurants, coffee houses.  Tell them how you feel the best way you can - REVIEW their businesses for the world to see!

From AdAge: The Official Social Media and Mobile Glossary of 2010

I'm so out of the iPhone arena at this time, since I'm usually tethered to my desktop with a VOIP phone that most of these terms were new to me. I geek-speak pretty well, but this is in another category altogether. Perhaps most of you are familiar -- or guilty of committing these terms below.

Top 20 Labels, Buzzwords to Describe Our Curious Stampede to the Social-Media and Mobile Future

by Pete Blackshaw 
Published: January 12, 2010

How to unfriend a friend, courtesy of KATU News.

This is one professional's advice on how to "unfriend" a friend.  So hard. harder now with so many venues to know friends, make friends and irritate friends. 

Undoing friendships is more complicated with social networking. Life Transitions Coach Diane Dennis had advice for breaking off the relationship.

Google's SideWiki - keeping us on our toes to respond

I have a  client, sad to say, that would prefer to be removed from Google results and especially Yahoo.  This is because they have a lot of bad feedback, comments, rantings.  I did my job and got them high rankings, traffic - exposure.  This has resulted in more venues for unhappy clients of theirs to sound off.  We have tried to combat with positive feedback received. We don't post anything that isn't true.  It isn't enough to fight this battle.  The client didn't like my solution: be better at what you do.

We should be accountable, not to the gadflies, but to our customers and listen to their feedback.  If they are consistently unhappy with the same issues, those issues need to be addressed and responded to.  Be proactive, be responsive. Do something with the valuable feedback now available everywhere on your company.

Google's SideWiki: Don't Say We Didn't Warn You -Feature Brings Commenting to Your Site, Whether You Want It or Not

Posted on AdAge by Josh Bernoff.

Let's be clear. Sidewiki is a land grab. Google has now set up real estate on every single website for commentary from the masses.

Once a person is signed up (and anyone can -- it's part of the Google toolbar), he or she can comment on any page and see comments from others on those pages. Google uses an algorithm to decide which comments go at the top. And Google, not the site owner, decides which content must be taken down because it's inappropriate.

Our reactions and over-reactions can have a big effect, be responsible.

We all acknowledge that we receive way too much unsolicited emails from unknown resources.  I get too many emails from people I sign up to receive their mail.  But if I join an organization as a MEMBER, free or paid, is it really spam if correspondence comes from them?  Really?

Please think with the Golden Rule in mind.  If you have signed up on a site and receive too much mail from them, ask the site source to tone it down or remove you from those lists. Don't fly off the handle and report them as spam.  Do you realize how much that can impact a legitimate and honorable organization?

It's just wrong to knock-off the Girl Scouts!

Mom Accuses Walmart of Going After Girl Scouts
Says Retailer Rolls Out Private-Label 'Fake' Thin Mints, Tagalongs

By Jack Neff

"The exclusivity of Girl Scout cookies is what makes the cookies really sell," Ms. Harquail writes. "But now, Walmart is shoving itself in front of these little girls, and knocking on your door to sell you their almost-as-good fake Thin Mints and fake Tagalongs, whenever you want them."

This is a case of a good story getting passed around. Sure, we aren't very fond of Wal-Mart's practices in so many areas AND Wal-Mart gives back, offers lower priced items of varying qualities to those that are most price-conscious.  

As many people do - we react to headlines - the sound bite, the one photo with caption without taking the time for the full story, both sides or to check the facts.  We are too rushed or not interested in the truth, just the initial sensationalism of the story.  I have to admit, I fall into that category from time-to-time.  I was sucked into reading this story AND all comments following it because of the headline that arrived in my inbox. It made me click.  You are reading this because the my own headline made you click. It worked. 

Measure Twice, Cut Once works in business, too.

My husband has been rebuilding our garage shelving.  You could store dead bodies on them.  He likes to build things one time and not have to back to fix shoddy work.  With the 105 temperatures he was a bit lax on the regular, measure twice - cut once rule.

I'm working with a few clients on new designs and launches of large projects.  I'm finding the same rule applies to creative projects.  I'd rather have my clients sit with a design for a week and really think about what should change and their needs, modifications, etc. rather than jump on their first reactions, and then redo it several times.  Many times we end back to a similar place where we started and sometimes we scrap it and start over. 

Whatever the final outcome, having them take the extra time -- scratch that -- INSISTING they take a few extra days to really sit with it, get feedback from those who should be able to give feedback and then meeting up again saves time for everyone; and frustration. Going over all of the merits of the suggestions, thoroughly may take more meeting time, but saves creative time and produces a much better end product.

Don't forget if the scope or project changes dramatically, don't be put on the spot to come up with a number for the increase in hours and money.  Ask them if you can get back to them the next day so that you measure twice - cut once and give an accurate, and realistic quote for all of those involved.

Cellphone spyware - very real, very scary

My brother sent me a WMV file today from Channel 13 in Indianpolis.  They did a report on cellphone privacy, spyware and security. VERY frightening how easily people can tap into your conversations without your knowledge.  I felt this important to share with clients, friends, etc. Without any contact with your cellphone physically, people are able to download spyware from the Internet and use it to listen and record your conversations just because you have your cellphone on and near you.

Indianapolis - Your cell phone can be secretly hijacked, allowing someone else to hear everything you say and track your every move. 13 Investigates first exposed this problem a few months ago, and now WTHR has found a possible solution to help keep your cell phone and your family safe.

All across the internet, spyware manufacturers advertise products claiming they can help someone else spy on your cell phone.

WTHR tested some of those products in November and, since then, more than 4.3 million people worldwide have watched 13 Investigates' cell phone tapping investigation.

It showed cell phone spying technology is real, allowing someone to listen in on your phone calls, read your text messages, see your downloaded photos and track your location through constant satellite updates. And even when you are not using your cell phone, someone using spy software could tap into the speaker on your phone and secretly listen in to what you are doing. It's illegal to do that to someone without her permission, but because spy software is invisible and very hard to detect, millions of cell phone users are left vulnerable.

Read the full story here >>

View the WMV file with the report >>