A Technical Manager's Perspective

Social Media Adoption by Business - Enterprise 2.0

In a recent post, Chris Brogan does a nice job outlining Social Media and Social Media Tools and identifies strategies for Business on how to introduce and adopt within Business organizations.

There's lots of talk about social media. Tons. The echo is nearly deafening at this point. Freedom. Openness. We have powerful tools to communicate. We are the media. It's all about the conversation. We talk about this all the time. But at the same time more people are just starting to get into this, and so it's all new and exciting and fresh all over again, businesses are starting to ask, "Hey, is there something here, or is this just another billable item like when we used to pay for someone to build us brochureware?" Businesses are asking how this stuff all threads into their world, their terms. They're asking how we're going to change their bottom line, deliver something to their top line, make this all worth it.

Do you have an answer for them? Here are some thoughts that lead down the path of helping businesses understand the value proposition:

Follow this link to read Chris's post on "Social Media- Talk is Cheap for Businesses"

Technorati : Business, Enterprise 2.0, Social Media
Del.icio.us : Business, Enterprise 2.0, Social Media

Dan Farber moves to CNET

I know that this story has been out since mid February, however after seeing this Kara Swisher interview of Dan Farber, I knew that I had to comment. Dan Farber is moving from ZDNet to become the Editor and Chief of CNET's news.com. I think that this is great for Dan and will miss him on the Between the Lines Podcast. I have a lot of respect for Dan and the work that he has done at ZDNet. He has helped to bring legitimacy to both Blogging and Podcasting, and hopefully he can help CNET.

Here is Kara's interview:

Technorati : CNET ZDNET

Manager Tools Resources

Although I have mentioned the Manager-Tools podcast multiple times, I have not referenced them in a while. However, this week, I listened to 3 very timely casts on how to set annual goals. Both Mark and Michael do a great job outlining the area's to focus on when identifying goals, and really concentrate on measurable and time bound goals. They also give us food for thought around soft goals and strategies, and although this is a long series, there are quite a few topics that will help us identify, measure and meet our annual goals.

Here are the links to each annual goal post which include a podcast in each link.

How to set annual goals: Part 1 of 3

How to set annual goals: Part 2 of 3

How to set annual goals: Part 3 of 3

If you are in a managerial role and have not visited Manager-Tools, I encourage you to do so. There is a tremendous amount of rich content here. They cover topics from giving and receiving Feed-Back to Body-Odor. They also give many great examples and strategies that deal with difficult situations, and it is refreshing to listen to others talk about how they have dealt with these situations.

If you are considering investigating Manager-Tools, here is a good place to start .... Manager Tools Basics

Technorati : Management Leadership

Media Entertainment and Technology

Ken Rutkowski and Andy Abramson from the KenRadio.com podcast are always talking about MET (Media, Entertainment and Technology) News, sharing insight into the three industries. One aspect of MET that I see is the convergence of video on the INTERNET. From user generated videos on YouTube and Blip.TV to the major networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX) all moving their content to the INTERNET. This move gives the consumer many more options in terms of what to watch, when to what and what to record. This is great of us.

Ken has been talking about the MET news and a while and thinks that there is a slowdown in adoption. Here is a clip from Ken talking about the slowdown and the need for a disruption in the MET Space.

Click To Play

You can check out Ken's daily podcast at KenRadio.com

Technorati : Media Entertainment Technology MET kenradio

Another Podcamp Boston Video

Another nice little video clip about Podcamp Boston.

If you work in any type of application support role, you should check out this new media space.

Here is a video by David Levesque from Word of Moble .........

Click To Play

Technorati : Blog, Podcamp Boston 2, Podcast, Video

Podcamp Boston Rule Changes

I attended Podcamp Boston 2 over the weekend and what a great show. My congratulations go out to all the organizers and contributors of the show. The show doubled in size and went off without a hitch. There is a controversy bouncing around the blogosphere concerning the need to start charging folks for entrance into Future Podcamps.

Although the number of folks that attended this year was twice as much as last year, there were a lot of no shows this year. 1,357 folks registered and only 650 actually attended. This puts a great strain on the folks organizing the event. As the number of registered attendees rise, so does the need for increased sponsorship.

90% of the folks that attended Podcamp Boston 2 gave up their weekend to attend. The organizers, who made up the other 10% at the event, gave up much more. How many weekends do you think they gave up?

I am in favor of charging an entrance fee for the next Podcamp and I think it should be more than $20.00. I am in favor of charging at least $50.00 for pre-registration and $75.00 for registration at the door. If folks can not afford to pay, then they should donate their time and efforts before, during and after the show. This will reduce the strain of lining up sponsors and could help defer the upfront cost required for future events.

Again, Thank-you to all the Organizers and Contributors, it was a great show.

Weekly Content Consumption

In 2005 when I started listening to Podcasts, my focus was purely technical. Then I discovered Manager-Tools and Management Craft added Management and Leadership podcasts to my weekly rotation. In the last year I have expanded my listening choices to a bunch of non-technical podcast that focus everything from Boston events to Business events. I listen every evening on my way home from work, when I do errands on Saturdays and when I do yardwork and chores around the house. I have also started watching more Video from a variety of sources on the Internet, mostly focusing on business and technical topics.

I find that listening every week helps me to stay current with Technology and exposes me to the new trends in computing. Back in July of 2006 I outlined the Podcasts that I listened to on a regular basis and identified the podcasts that I listen to on a daily and weekly basis. That list has changed a little and I wanted to share with you what I am current listening to and encourage you to check out these podcasts and video-casts.

Daily Feeds:

• KenRadio World Tech Roundup - Ken Rutkowski and Andy Abramson talk about the MET News (Media, Entertainment and Technology)
• Buzz Out Loud - CNET's Molly Wood and Tom Merritt discuss top stories and happening in the Tech World
• Wall Street Journal Tech News Briefing - From the WSJ, a business focused review Tech Companies and Strategies

Weekly Feeds:

• Business Week Cover Stories- Great Show Every week well worth listening to
• Manager Tools - Mark Horstman and Michael Auzenne provide and excellent weekly show that will help both the experienced manager as well as the first time manager. Well worth checking out.
• This Week in Tech TWIT - Leo Laporte and others discuss the week in tech
• Management Craft - Lisa Haneberg interviews authors and others from the Management Space
• Between the Lines - ZDNET - Dan Farber, David Berlind and Larry Dignan discuss Tech news with a nice skeptical twist
• HBR Idea Cast - Harvard Business School show about business problems and solutions
• In the Trenches - George Starcher is carrying on for Kevin Devin and focuses on the System Admin and Network Admin Space
• Windows Weekly - Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte discuss the Microsoft space
• PaulDotCom Security Weekly - Paul Asadoorian, Larry Pesce and Twitchy discuss security issues and vulnerabilities. This is a great show to listen to to get your weekly dose of security info.
• The M Show - John Wall produces a weekly 10 minutes show about business, news and Boston.
• Marketing Over Coffee - This is a new podcast featuring John Wall and Chris Penn from Podcamp fame.
• Hanselminutes - Show featuring Scott Hanselman with great content and delivery. If you like Hanselminutes you will love .NET Rocks ...
• .NET Rocks! - Carl Franklin and Others discuss development tool on the Windows Platform

Weekly Video Feeds:

• Best Damn Tech Show - Flemo, Sir Adam Plante, Rand, Smitty and almost forgot Dr Drew - Check them out
• IT Idiots - Are you a visual learner ? Is so The ITIdiots site is the place to go. You can watch as they configure a server or step thru Virtualization. Great site, with great content.
• Business Week Video - Business Week has made a nice transition to the web delivering great Web, Audio and Video content
• Revision3 - Some Tech but much more
• Scriggity - No Tech, Just Life

Technorati : Management, Podcast, Technology, Video

PodCamp Boston 2 - Boston Area Technology Professionals

Are you a Technology Professional in the Boston Area ?

Have you seen the shift in Technologies toward a Web-Centric Web-Services approach to applications where the Web has become an application delivery mechanism as opposed to a document delivery system. If so, and if you would like to learn more, then you should consider attending:

PodCamp Boston 2, October 26 - 28, 2007, at the Boston Convention and Expo Center

PodCamp Boston 2 is the new media community UnConference that helps connect people interested in blogging, podcasting, social networks, video on the net, and new media together for three days to learn, share, and grow their new media skills. Whether you're just interested in new media or an experienced veteran, PodCamp Boston 2 is for you!

I attended PodCamp Boston last year can tell you from a first hand experience that this conference is not your typical Marketing/Advertising based conference. You don't need credentials to help or speak. Anyone who is so interested may contribute. Commercial pitches are discouraged. All PodCamps obey the Law of Two Feet. If you turn a speaking opportunity into an advertisement, PodCampers will simply walk out.

This year I am hosting a discussion on "Web 2.0, Enterprise 2.0 and Beyond". The discussion is open to everyone and I welcome input from other facilitators and everyone attending PodCamper Boston 2.

Technorati : Enterprise 2.0, Podcamp Boston 2, Web 2.0

Web 2.0 adoption in the Enterprise

Dan Farber from ZDNet hosted a panel at the Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco and posted a Podcast and Video of the panel's discussion. They spoke of the Web 2.0 capabilities that are moving to the Enterprise, and which capabilities will be embraced by the Enterprise.

Most large organizations have a lot of process and control in place around data and applications. The Web 2.0 Expo panel points out that as Blog, Wiki, RSS and collective intelligence tools work their way into the Enterprise, these tools will start to change corporate culture and push adoption. I struggle with this change and that is why I am investigating Enterprise 2.0. I am trying to better understand Enterprise 2.0 and determine how it will be supported and deployed.

I would love to see these tools emerge in the Enterprise, however data and application compliance currently comes from process and control. I feel that we need to understand how to share control and stay compliant before these technologies will be adopted within the Enterprise.

Here is a preview and the link on to Dan Farber's blog post, podcast and Video ......

Podcast: From Web 2.0 to Enterprise 2.0 by ZDNet's Dan Farber -- I posted a video clip of the panel on Web 2.0 in the enterprise (also known as Enterprise 2.0) I moderated the Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco last week. Panelists included Ross Mayfield, CEO of SocialText; Matthew Glotzbach, product management director of Google Enterprise; and Satish Dharmaraj, CEO of Zimbra. We discussed [...]

Technorati : Enterprise 2.0, Web 2.0

Security Now Email Discussion

Leo Laporte and Steve Gibson produce a weekly security show called Security Now which is part of the TWIT (This Week in Tech) group of Podcasts which are all high quality and rich in content.

This past weekend I was listening to Security Now episode 79 and thought it would be of interest to all Technical folks that manage email. Steve Gibson went into great detail discussing "How Email Works" and in particular identified what to look for in the Email Message header if you suspect that the email that you received is Spoofed or from a Spambot.

Steve goes into a lot of detail, but has a great delivery and a knack of explaining complex scenarios in a very subtle and easy to understand manner. If you have an interested in better understanding how to read a email message header, or if you are a Technical Manager looking to brush up on email delivery, then this is a Podcast that is worth listening to.

Check it out ...

Technorati : Podcast, System Administration, This Week in Tech