Instant Messengers

Bonus points for knowing what heuristics means....

I have used nearly every Instant Messenger on the internet at some point. I still have an ICQ account (# 85214459) which for those who remember that is the oldest of the IM programs, by now it is much more esoteric. I began using it back in early 1999 as part of a web dev class that I took in high school. I moved on to many other IM programs ranging from AIM (AOL Instant Messenger), Yahoo IM, Pidgin, Meebo, to Trillian (which conveniently aggregated all other IM accounts in one program) I have since moved on to using Google as my primary IM means. IM flourished at a time when people didn't have smart phones and didn't facebook. I believe the advent of those two pieces of technology negatively impacted the usage of Instant Messenger programs. Now I don't need an additional piece of software to have the same effect, I can instead just use Facebook or Google to do the same thing.

This includes advanced functionality, which I use for business often, such as file sharing. However when collaborating on large projects I prefer to use actual project management software such as Freedcamp (www.freedcamp.com), primarily because it allow for version control.

The basic IM functionality has been co opted within numerous other programs and technologies that it is now fairly ubiquitous. As I am typing this a Google+ message pops up, it's from a client....I guess that is my cue....

Skype

Skype is a Voice over Internet Protocol(VOIP) tool that allows voice and video communications over the internet. It is based on a proprietary technology that combines peer to peer with a client-server mix. It is a standalone program that is available for multiple platforms, with varying UI schemes based on platform. I downloaded it for Android, Linux and PC for the purposes of testing it for this assignment.  I used it for testing for this, but overall I prefer the ease of use with Google's VOIP service. Primarily due to the fact that Google VOIP solution is web based, and doesn't require the installation of additional software and many of the features of Skype that are paid are free on Google, such as Group video chat features.

I used Skype with a business contact in Japan and for the most part the call quality was decent, but the file sharing experience left a lot to be desired. Frequent time-outs were the norm, rather than the exception. Contrast this with Google VOIP and I encountered no such problem. The problem was not my Internet connection as I have a dedicated 200mbps connection in my server room where I was using this.

The overall experience from Skype is just not as polished as others, and with the requirement for paying for features that I get elsewhere (*cough* Google) for free is a nonstarter. I did feel that the interface on Linux Mint was the cleanest and best experience. That could be due to any number of factors with regards to my particular Windows install, but in my experience that was the case.

LinkedIn - Common Sense tips to extract value from the social networking site without damaging your personal brand

LinkedIn is the premier site for professional networking. It allows professionals to network in a way that sets it apart from facebook, friendster, myspace, etc. including elements such as a resume section. Additionally it allows a certain degree of separation from your private life. It also has the feature of connecting professionals that may be several degrees apart from one another through the use of an intermediary. This can be eminently useful if you find yourself needing that key introduction to forge a business relationship.

I use LinkedIn to stay current with certain industry groups, and have built a resume and acquired recommendations from various clients or employers. I now have the ability to point future clients to this resource to ensure my credentials.

In my experience, there are several keys to using LinkedIn effectively.

The first one may be the most obvious, but based on the number of profiles that I see not heeding this advice, it needs to be stated; fill out your entire profile, including a good headshot. This is building your personal brand. It needs to be clear what people are looking at, and clear what you are selling with your page. (You are selling yourself, by the way). Include all relevant positions that you have held, along with good descriptions.

The second thing that I see that needs improvement is that if you are going to extract any use from LinkedIn, then use it. It may be a very trite saying at this point, but you get what you give. This is true of LinkedIn as well. I have had very lucrative job offers due to my involvement with certain groups on LinkedIn. Also if you are using it, then let others know that you are using it; include it on your business cards, resumes, etc.

The third tip that I have for others using LinkedIn is to ensure that you keep a clear divide from your personal persona and your business persona. I see others that don't know what is appropriate for their LinkedIn vs what is appropriate for their Facebook. Maybe that political cartoon is perfect for your Facebook, but is it really a good idea to post it on a message board on a professional networking service? Probably not. Also make your Facebook locked down as possible, you don't need a business contact Google searching you and coming up with something objectionable that forces them to give a contract or job to another person. Too often these days political correctness will determine who gets the bid, not the best person for the job. Like it or not, I have seen it happen multiple times to people in my industry. Keep clear boundaries.


A few common sense tips will go a long way towards keeping you happy and hopefully employed. ;-)

Facebook vs Twitter vs Barteronlinewithlocals.com

	Facebook	Twitter	Local Trade
What is the purpose?	Share your life with friends, family and others as you choose. Allows the sharing of photos, videos and status updates. Also used by businesses to promote their products and services.	A microblogging site that limits posts to 140 characters, this is seen as either a boon, forcing users to be succinct; or a handicap as it limits the more verbose of us. Used by both businesses and individuals.	Trade/sell physical items with local users, creating a networked community of users who can vouch for one another, negating the craigslist effect of anonymity.
Founded	2004	2006	2012
Total Users	1.1 Billion*(1)	500 million*(1)	24 (beta)
Avg Age of User	40.5 *(2)	37 *(2)	N/A
Status	IPO'ed	About to IPO	Closed Beta
Quirks	Privacy policy is constantly moving target	Posts are limited to 140 characters.	Still in construction, software builds change weekly
Monetization Strategy	Ad supported with add'l revenue from selling user's demographic and search information.	Ads in the form of “promoted tweets”	Build something great, then grow, monetize later

podcastalley.com vs podcast.com

Really, this is like asking " would you like a punch in the mouth or a punch in the ear?". Neither are particularly pleasant, but I suppose I'll take the punch in the ear, at least it won't mess my teeth.

Podcast - http://www.podcast.com

VS

Podcast Alley - http://www.podcastalley.com/

Podcast is a parked domain for sale.
Podcast alley doesn't have any content that is newer than several years old.

Podcast alley is at least a valid domain. So I guess there is that...

RSS Feed #1 - GunTalk

On GunTalk you will hear discussion about the future of gun control legislation, advancements in the industry, new products, a little bit of industry advertising, and Tom Gresham (the host) brings on all sort of guests from within the industry to talk about current events as they relate to guns.

I like guns. So I am interested in all things guns. :-)
I shoot competitively, so I like to stay up on industry news. Plus there are often interesting guests on the podcasts.

RSS Feed #2 - Lately in PHP

This is a podcast that surrounds another interest of mine. PHP, prehypertext preprocessing, is a server side scripting language that allows for dynamic interaction with websites. The podcast is conducted about once a month and they cover all things PHP. They talk about language changes, framework progress, debates about various language constructs, etc.

I decided to follow this one because I develop using PHP and this is a convenient way to stay on top of PHP news. They aggregate stories and present them in a convenient podcast format.