Greener Pastures

Gee Thanks…

wattersbill72 — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 16:24:41 GMT

Hi wattersbill72,

Congratulations!

You've received the Bronze Artist Power Listener Badge for listening to Miley Cyrus.

The Social uses badges to recognize active participants, and your listening this month shows the depth of your interest in Miley Cyrus.

Your new badge is on your Zune Card. Click below to see it:

http://social.zune.net/profile/home.aspx

The Zune Social

Gee Thanks…but for the record…My Daughter listens to my Zune more than I usually. Especially in the car lately, that is all she wants to listen to…ARGHHH

Remote Working

wattersbill72 — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 16:20:07 GMT

So what does this mean? The other day I was sitting through some web training, and the presenter was extolling the value of their solution for remote workers. While agree with all the stated reasons

Inclement weather, snow, flood, whatever…
Green Day's (no not because you listen to Green Day, but in order to save the earth the fuel consumption of driving to and from work.
Increased productivity; workers are able to work more time because they are not driving to and from work.

We have leveraged this to save on overhead. Less office space, less investment in 'Office Stuff' etc. It has enabled us to be more responsive to our clients. It has given us more time to do what we want, when we want.

So what does remote working look like? Central Office structure for Data, applications and processes… In big businesses these are data centers, for us, it's a wired closet. But we enjoy all the functionality of a full office setup, without the water cooler and gossip. No one stealing the yogurt or drinking the last coke without contributing 4 bits to the coke fund. We have interoffice connectivity, workflows and all the productivity, wherever, and whenever we are. It really is quite nice. So remote working, for us, is a competitive advantage. I recently had an intrepid intern working with us, and it was interesting to see from his perspective what this system of work is like. And oddly enough he indicated that it was a far more productive situation, and a more preferable method to go about the day's business. And I agree. We will soon be looking for new accommodations. Our business, like most is changing a little, but our working concepts are not going to change. We will continue to work from basically a data center in the ether, web enabled, or more to the point web 2.0 enabled…

Look for great things coming soon…

Thank You Eric!!!

wattersbill72 — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:01:09 GMT

http://blogs.msdn.com/mssmallbiz/archive/2008/12/01/9160762.aspx

we see this ALL the time, and hear the question come up almost daily, certainly weekly. Honestly where I see it most, and this just burns me up one side and down the other…at the Apple Store, Mac Geniuses, who know full well that this Mac is going to a business or will be used for business purposes, at least part time, they throw on Office for Mac Home and Student Edition see here: http://www.microsoft.com/mac/products/Office2008/shop-now.mspx and like it's Windows based sibling it is MUCH CHEAPER THAN OTHER VERSIONS, in fact it is almost palatable. I love seeing people walking out of Staples, Office ___, or wherever else, hell even Dell with a shiny new desktop or laptop with Home versions of software on 'em. It is the fallacy of the SOHO/SMB space, that a home product is appropriate for business use. Windows Vista and XP don't specifically preclude Business use the way Office does, but don't for a moment think they should be used there.

So why does Microsoft make, basically the same products available at different rates? The problem with that, is that one assumes Word is Word, Excel is Excel, and PowerPoint is…well, PowerPoint. The fact is that you don't buy compiled code or source code, you buy the rights to use software. The value of the purchase is what the rights, AKA EULA or PUR, say you can do with it. And before we think this is simply a technicality, the fact is that Microsoft and Adobe and Apple and pretty much all of the big name Software Names are part of the BSA (Business Software Alliance) and they are the 'Heavies'. These guys take it VERY SERIOUSLY, after all, that software, and the right to use it, is the manifestation of their Intellectual Property. It is their product, they don't build cars or homes, or roads. Without the ability to enforce their ownership of their intellectual property, they cannot continue to create software for you to put on you machines.

"Oh well Microsoft has more money than sense…" Well that may be true, but what they charge is a function of the marketplace. What we pay for the rights to use the software is a function of the marketplace. Currently there is little competition, and until there is real competition, and they continue to innovate and create new revisions well you can judge it's value. Honestly, most things we do can be done with Notepad or Wordpad or very old versions of the suite, but I like the innovations, and frankly most people do. I hear it all the time, I like the software, but I just don't like paying for it. Well, I like Gas in my car, and I don't like paying for it, but I gotta do it. I like having 300+ channels of TV, and I hate paying for it, but it's what there is…until something comes along and lets me ala carte my channels, I am stuck with it or without it.

So that's a long way around the block, but in the end, thank you Eric, hopefully this will be all it takes to remind people of the software rights they purchase, and if it isn't, then please review http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/ and also http://www.bsa.org/ Is your business worth $149 + the risk of fines and whatnot??? So when you look at the cost of the business tools, think twice…

The Microsoft SA Benefit that ain’t

wattersbill72 — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 02:02:12 GMT

http://blogs.msdn.com/mssmallbiz/archive/2008/11/26/9145211.aspx

you can try to describe it any number of ways…but for a small business, the 'Packaged Services' that are part of the Software Assurance Benefit just plain old ain't a benefit. As with most things Microsoft, the reality is that Small Business is, well, an afterthought. The only exception that I can think of is SBS. I will not bore the reading public with a re-iteration of the SA Benefits that come with Open Value or with Open Business L+SA. The biggest benefit is the upgrade assurance, and for most Small Businesses, a budget able $ figure is worth it… But then Microsoft, in its greatest manner possible sent out a notice to ALL Open Value and Open Business L+SA about some…well I'll show what it was…

From: Microsoft Volume Licensing Services [mailto:msvlop@microsoft.com]
Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 3:22 AM
To: XXXXXXXXXX
Subject: Packaged Service Enhancement Announcement{~19198381:1~}

Dear XXXXXXXXXXX:

This e-mail is from the Microsoft® Worldwide Software Assurance team.

We are pleased to announce that effective November 2008 the Software Assurance Packaged Service benefit will include two new voucher types. These voucher engagements will be available in 3, 5, 10 and 15 day service levels.

Exchange Deployment Planning Services (EDPS)
The EDPS engagement is designed to help guide you through the deployment planning stages of a Microsoft Exchange implementation. Structured engagements are conducted by pre-qualified EDPS partners, who will share best practices, analyze your organizational requirements, and help create comprehensive deployment and implementation plans.

Business Value Planning Services (BVPS)
The BVPS engagement is designed to help you identify, unlock, and capture the business value of Microsoft Office System. Through structured engagements, a pre-qualified BVPS partner will work with you to identify and design improvements to an existing business process using Office System technology. BVPS can assist you with:
- Realizing a greater return on your existing Office System technology investment
- Solving real problems that you and your employees face every day with a familiar technology platform
- Building a convincing business case to drive change and improve your business processes
- Receiving a 3rd-party solution analysis and services through Microsoft Certified Partners that are pre-qualified as BVPS providers

For more information about the Packaged Services benefit and all of the available planning engagement types, please visit:
https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/sa/benefits/packagedservices.mspx

Thank You,

Microsoft Volume Licensing Services Team

On the surface it's seems like a pretty good deal…what they don't mention is that this customer does not actually qualify for any of these benefits…OUCH!!! As Eric points out in the referenced blog post at the top, is that…

How many licenses of Office, Core CAL, or Enterprise CAL does a customer need to buy to qualify for these Packaged Services?

The chart showing how many days they receive for each level of purchase is included in the Microsoft Product List; however, the minimum level of purchase for either the Office pool or the Server pool is 200.

Please do note that he says specifically the minimum level of purchase for either the Office pool or the Server pool is 200. Now, please take a moment to read his post and follow any and all of the links you like, tell me exactly how long it takes you to find that in all the 'stuff' Microsoft has on that link, there…

Further, show me what it takes for a Small Business to qualify for say BVPS…200 licenses of Office. Well we've already determined that Small Business, via the SBS model is cut off at max 75…so HOW ON EARTH IS THIS A BENEFIT FOR SMALL BUSINESS. IT AIN'T. I think it's a great benefit, to those that can get it, but it should start with the buy in of Open Business…5. Now I understand that Microsoft is trying to extend additional benefits, especially in these trying economic times, and they are trying to get enterprises engaged with Partners, I really applaud that. But do you mean to tell me that the great Microsoft Database (SQL 2008 Enterprise Edition I presume) can't filter out those that don't actually qualify for these benefits, and don't bother them with it. Yea, it did give me an opportunity to talk to my client, but without fail, each and every one of them said…

"THANKS FOR NOTHING"

Hey goober have a Home Server

wattersbill72 — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 03:04:37 GMT

So, for those of you familiar with Fry's here in the US, they used to sell Basic PCs and what not with a hacked version of Linux. Wal-Mart may do this too, and for the most part a good hobbyist had a blast with them for a while, but after that while wore out, they'd download some pirated Windows XP from the usenet and go use it for normal PC'ing. I won't get into the pirating and whatnot, but this is not at all uncommon, and around these parts of Texas, I have walked into more than one small business, after "Joe's kid from down the street" had been into a network, only to find multiple of these things pawning around, trying to pass themselves off as Windows Desktops…but I digress.

So I here from a good friend through Twitter that HP is running another Fire Sale on their Windows Home Server line…

http://mswhs.com/2008/11/18/hp-mediasmart-server-ex470-for-31499/

And to look at it that's a great deal, but then read the reviews, and look at the maturity of Windows Home Server, and then dig further, and soon enough you will read about people buying these crapples and turning them into Linux Servers and whatnot. Some because they cannot get the RAM or processor upgraded properly without frying the system…

So now I look at this, and I think to myself, with all the power and resources behind them, HP and Microsoft, with all that market research they have available, what they came up with, for one of the best products in their quill is to try to appeal to the lowest common denominator, Price. Build it cheap, sell it cheap, cause that's what the OS is…cheap.

But wait a minute. Windows Home Server is built based on probably one of the best Products Microsoft has ever put out Small Business Server 2003 R2. Alright so they stripped out AD, and Exchange, and Companyweb, and pretty much all the goop that is SBS, but they replaced that magic goop with different goop. And the WHS goop is actually pretty kool. Image Backups of desktops. Shared/User based access to shares, files and folders…you know the common stuff: Software installers, Personal Directories, Music, Videos, Photos, etc. Plus it gives remote access through a Portal to that stuff. And if your desktop at home is XP Pro, Vista Business or Vista Ultimate, you can go all Ninja Remote Desktop on you, and let you work remotely on your Home PC (can you say GoToMyPC?). There's way more great stuff about WHS, not the least of which is media sharing to the XBOX 360 and Media Center.

So with all this great stuff, and a HUGE HOBBYIST COMMUNITY out there developing add-ons and more great goop, why is HP and, implicitly, Microsoft telling the world this ain't worth anything more than 512MB RAM and 500GB of storage (only about 400) in usable. Is your life worth more? After all, that's what they want you to put on it…all your desktop information, all your photos, home videos, movies, yes Vlad, you can store your Porn there, if you really NEED to, and music on there. Is all that great stuff only worth @$350-$400? It's pretty sad, and pretty indicative of what they (HP) thinks of this product. It's a real shame too, because if they keep putting it on crap, people are gonna think that WHS is CRAP, which it ain't. Given all that look for great stuff coming soon. It starts with WHS, and goes from there…

SharePoint on Home Server

wattersbill72 — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:45:48 GMT

For those that said it couldn't be done…it can.

Then there are those that asked if it should be done…for that you'll have to answer on your own…

For those interested, I was able to do this with relative ease. I would recommend doing so at the console or through LAN connected mstsc rather than through the web service known as remote access.

If you know your way around setting up Windows SharePoint Services then setting it up on Windows Home Server is rather easy, and a great add-in for users looking to get more out of their Home Server experience.

A quick look at some of the features of WSS that could be used in a home/connected family/network.

Shared Calendars…I see this requested a lot, and it is missing otherwise, but this offers a family a shared location for aggregating their lives, events, and calendars…
Blogs…these are really great for family members to keep a journal, and share what they want, when they want and with who they want while in a more secure manner than mySpace or Facebook or any of those…
Wikis…we discuss this feature a with tons of small businesses but it also makes sense for the connected family. A simple repository for unstructured data, wonderful!!!
Contacts…again a great way to share the contact list, and sync with outlook, oh, by the way calendars will do this as well…
Links…hyper links for all the places people will go to after here.
Custom built widgets and stuff like a twitter page, personalized for each person…
RSS aggregation, consumption, and regurgitation, can you say yummy!!!
Obviously shared files and folders, but that's starting to step on WHS…
Custom lists like shopping lists (oh and it's mobile accessable) from basically any WAP phone…
1. So look at that for a moment, create a shopping list that is fed by users, but could you extend that to a bar code scanner? Sure, and at a pretty low cost too.
2. It in turn feeds the budget for the family, comparing actual vs projected…in real time…
Asset tracking, mileage tracking, you name it, we can probably do it…

So I am sure there is way more we can do with WHS and WSS, but to get it started it's pretty darn simple. There are some draw backs. Setting it up, YOU REALLY DO NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING, because by default, you are going to HOSE the default WHS site, so be careful! As a rule, for this, I'd recommend using a custom port number for sharepoint. You'll have to make a rule in your WHS firewall, and if you want it accessable from the intertubes, you'll want to poke a hole in your NAT router/firewall as well. If you're this far though, you should already know how to do that. And you should already know the risks and concerns of opening that hole…

So where else can you go from here? Well integrating with a Phone system might be a good place to start. If you are invested in ResponsePoint, there's plenty of opportunity here. I see this as a GREAT home phone system for the connected family. Simple to use and easy to manage. I have already done some 'integration' with RP and WHS, mostly in exposing the administrator in the advanced console add-in. I even added a script to pull the call logs and place a csv in a share so I can 'examine' the haters and spammers that call the house ALL DAY LONG!!! If you are not into RP, get into it!!! Or you could use a VM image of Trixbox, the open source derivative of Asterisk. I particularly like the nerd-vittles customizations, and therefore will point you to www.nerdvittles.com this guy is GR8, with a capital GR8!!! I have tested this out and may blog about it in the future. But it is a great way to get up and running quickly on a VoIP PBX without paying an arm and a leg. He gives you all the info you need and if you are a hobbyist, then this is right up your alley. They lay it all out, I have had to figure some stuff out, but they do really well at breaking it all down for you, check it out.

So this has gone on too far beyond the SharePoint on Windows Home Server, but hopefully, you got something out of it. Oh by the way, I had downloaded the xbox feeds add-in for WHS and am planning on adding feeds from my newly created WSS site to feed the xbox feeds news about the family and what not.

Future posts may be about Live Mesh integration, this is a core component that we use, and I have found it works perfectly. It is still limited in features, but promises to be great very soon…

Talk amongst Yourselves

wattersbill72 — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:02:38 GMT

Karl, Invites a nice thought topic…Picking you partners…View article...

Review and discuss amongst yourselves.

Me? Well, I face this all the time. Having been exposed as a sys admin to the other side, *nix, I am quite well aware of what's out there. I keep up with Novell, Sun, IBM, Red Hat, etc. Microsoft keeps itself relavant. How and why, I don't care about that. I know my customers are on it. Those that get to the onramp via Apple, or Linux or BSD, good for them, I'll work with them, but when it comes right down to it, Microsoft is the 800 Pound Gorilla. Are they the only game in town? No, are they always the best game in town, your mileage may vary. Level 2 Technology Consulting is a Microsoft Shop. Where another solution fits, OK, we're open, but our Microsoft Partnership could not be stronger. They listen; they work with us, and for us. Likewise we listen; we work with them, and for them. It keeps the lights on and gas in the cars. As long as they continue to be relevant, we'll continue to work with them.

SBS 08 Exam…Here I come!

wattersbill72 — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 02:08:54 GMT

Got registered for the exam 71-653 TS: Windows Small Business Server 2008, Configuring…

I guess I better hit the documentation. I have not loaded up even a beta copy since one of the VERY EARLY releases…we'll see how I do. From here, I think I have a pretty good handle on it, but want to cram the documentation into my brain!!!

The Console interface looks an aweful lot like WHS…imagine that!

It’s about time

wattersbill72 — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 17:58:13 GMT

Feed: MSNBC.com: Top MSNBC Headlines
Posted on: Thursday, August 21, 2008 2:43 PM
Author: MSNBC.com: Top MSNBC Headlines
Subject: Microsoft enlists Seinfeld for ad campaign

Jerry Seinfeld will be one of the key celebrity pitchmen in Microsoft Corp's $300 million advertising campaign aimed at changing its image, the Wall Street Journal said Thursday.

View article...

It's about darn time Microsoft stand up for itself!

WHS + RP Admin

wattersbill72 — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:47:22 GMT

Ever been away but needed to work with ResponsePoint Administrator remotely.

With the Windows Home Server and the Advanced Administration Add-in this is simple to do. I added a shortcut to the advanced admin tab to launch the RP Administrator and viola there it is…

As WHS is built atop SBS 2003 it makes more and more sense. And given it's out-of-the-box functionality, both WHS and RP make big sense for the home of the future… I setup the RP extensions to ring our cells directly. This makes sense, as if someone is actually calling us, they want to speak to us, and if it's an automaton, then well our automaton will screen it for us. In the future we may add desk phones or wall phones or cordless phones. But to get this thing started, it's simple and easy. No extra voice mail extensions, nothing like that…

So here's what I see in the near future for advanced families and homes…In a connected closet…fiber/DSL/Cable, patch panel, firewall, switch and Wireless Access Point, Windows Vista Media Center, Windows Home Server, TV Converter box and distribution panel, Home Automation Control. In each room, xbox and flat panel, telecom.

Zunes/iPods, Windows Mobile Smart Phones / iPhones on each person…

Next is to tackle the Automobile. Currently, Microsoft is partnered up with Ford for some distribution, but I am thinking about tackling this in the near future. Add a simple PC with a Cellular uplink into the trunk, and add displays in the dash, the headrests, and more. Tie the whole thing together with software. You could upload your music/content over the internet to your car or WLAN while in the garage or via USB and away you go. Add-in a GPS/nav link, Live Search add-ins, voice recognition and text to voice for reading inbound email, work content, your kids paper, or whatever.

This is VERY cool stuff. And as I said to a partner, add-in auto-dimming of sound when a siren is approaching and/or a heads up display to PULL OVER. Likewise when change in speed limit or approaching a School Zone or Construction Zone…

This could go in so many directions, and really, actually help us in our daily lives, rather than make it more complicated or difficult.

What's your idea of the future technology?

Bravo Vlad!

wattersbill72 — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 23:49:21 GMT

http://www.vladville.com/2008/08/drm-because-someone-has-to-pay-for-it.html

from the comments…

This is about more than some slick recording industry execs trying to make another buck…

This is about defending Intellectual Property. Some people use their Intellectual property to build widgets. Some people become Doctors. Some people create art or software or music or…whatever. It's pretty simple the person who creates has the right to sell the product of their intellectual property, lawyers do so by the hour, mechanics by the job, the people who run the Doggie Hotel by the night…The person creating the IP also has the right to give away or sell the right to resell or re-give away the fruits of the original labor.

In the case of the musician and the record label. Record label may pay up front large sums of money for the rights to resell said musician's music for a given period or even eternity. And based on a contract they can control the distribution and consumption of the music. When I buy Music, I do not own Music, I buy the right to consume music. When I buy software, I buy the right to use the software. When I by a TV I buy the right to consume a TV feed. When you pay +/- $10 for a movie ticket, you do not buy the movie, you buy the right to consume the fruits of someone else's labors…

As a consumer, it sucks, wanting something, but not being able to have it. So people being who they are, naturally tending toward sin, we have come up with ways around these rules…We RIP the CD onto our iPod or rip a DVD onto our Media Server, and in the best of times, it is for our re-consumption, but…there are people who recognize that if it costs $15 for a DVD, and a couple hundred to get a computer that can functionally copy the DVD and maybe a little more $ to bust the copyright protection, they can turn that $15 investment into cold hard cash, again and again and again. Pretty soon that minor investment for 'personal use' becomes a lucrative endeavor, and now they can redistribute content that they don't own, don't have the right to redistribute and make large piles of dough in the process.

Yes, that's a bit extreme, and the number of people who actually do it are very small compared to the people who follow the rules…BUT the fact is they don't OWN the right to do this, somebody else does. So, back to the Olympics and the right to distribute that content, Vlad addresses that pretty wholly. Does it suck that Microsoft did not 'include' the disenfranchised in their distribution model? Perhaps, but they paid for the right to distribute it. Welcome to the free-market. The Government could act a s a watch dog to protect the rights of the disenfranchised, but..well the American Public has spoken repeatedly, that they want less government oversight…something about a Nanny-state or something? And lest you think it's a function of America…The Olympic Committee made the agreement with Microsoft to distribute the content over the net. I believe the Olympics is run by a Corporate entity, whose purpose is to promote sport. They sold the right to distribute to Microsoft, not to the US Government, or the Government of India or the Government of the Intertubes. They have a contract with Microsoft, for which they got bucket loads of money. If the Olympics wanted to protect the rights of the disenfranchised Net population, they should have gone elsewhere, or written such language into the contract. It would appear that they chose not to do that. They took the wheelbarrows full of coin and said thank you, and have a nice day.

SBS 2008 Migration?

wattersbill72 — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 17:30:32 GMT

Because SBS 2008 standard is 64 bit only, we are getting ramped up on migrations. You see there will be no in-place upgrade of SBS, so get used to it!!! There are many good resources for migrating, planning, and support. We are looking at this, and quite honestly, this may be the point we defer to other experts, specifically in the migration. New, fresh installs, we'll be all over it. But given the complexity, and the importance, we are starting to look at the prospect of teaming up for Migrations. And we'll have plenty to do!

A Semi-Charmed Life

wattersbill72 — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 17:22:39 GMT

http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?srch=105&FORM=IE7RE&q=Semi-Charmed+Life

Maybe, maybe not. We here in Dallas are truly blessed by having a very good Microsoft Team at our disposal. L2TC, read the book…

http://www.amazon.com/Partnering-Microsoft-Partnership-Software-Powerhouse/dp/1578203171/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218388505&sr=1-1

We farm that place as much as we can. TS2 team, tPAM, Area Sales Manager, Partner Technology Specialists, you name 'em, we work 'em. It's been great, but it has come to my attention, that not all areas get the same love from their local Microsoft Team. WOW!!! The great thing about our local team is they are tremendously active, end to end. From Sales and Business generation, to closing and support they are great assets. If you are in other regions, reach out and start farming these people. Not only are they great people, but great assets. We've held events, and invariably, having an event at Microsoft, with a Microsoft Specialist, right there, it adds so much!

As L2TC migrates focus from doing to leading, we are also expanding our reach, into other geographies in the Area. We are looking for partners to bring into projects, so if you fit the bill, ring me up, ping me, or drop me a line.

Summer wind down?

wattersbill72 — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 17:09:24 GMT

How's your summer been? Ours has been rocking! It's really pretty wild. I spoke to Vlad last night, and he has a different view of the world and the IT Business from us. In terms of location, Orlando, in terms of client base, much larger and more diverse, and in terms business focus. We both see a massive thinning of the herd in the SMB IT Consultant landscape, but he seems to be seeing it on a much larger scale. So with the kids starting school in a couple of weeks, I got to thinking about what the summer was supposed to be on our business plan. And it is drastically different. Taylor, our intrepid Aggie intern, did a great Job, but it was not what we had planned for him. I really thought we'd be Marketing, Selling, doing events, calling people, but instead it has been the opposite. We have been doing the work or IT Consulting. Now I am looking at the Business Plan, and looking to bring in Partners to the jobs we have lined up. We are getting out of the doing business and into the leading business. So as the Fall sets in, and the Winter, both days of it in Texas, approaches, L2TC will become a Project Management and Solution Management shop.

A couple of weeks ago, I was talking to a another Partner, and he was telling me about their grand plans. And so I compared that to others, and ourselves, and I have to say…some people have their sh!t together, and some just plain don't. I often feel like we fall into the later category. But after talking to some people, I just can't help but think, what are we doing?!?! Every year, we sit down, and do our budget. Every year we start off with grand plans and goals, but invariably the year goes by and some things go well and others, not so much. So this year, I have changed it up. We did those things, like normal. But I am adjusting, calling an audible at the line of scrimmage if you will. While others are dropping out of the game, or , perhaps unconsciously, walking away from partnerships and consolidating their efforts, we are focusing. Consequently we are growing. Taylor is off to A&M early for Corps duty, good luck dude! And we are filling his part time gig with a couple of people. And rather than hourly across the board, we are going to results based work. After all that's what we do for clients. So employees and partners will be tasked to do things…for money

Pick up the phone…cha ching

Write a Case Study…cha ching

Bring in an Opportunity…cha ching

Follow-up on a trouble ticket…you guessed it…cha ching

Along with process, we are looking for people who are results oriented. We do things our way, yes, because we want it done. I get a haircut, I pay for the haircut. Mr. Balderas cuts my grass; he gets paid for cutting the grass. We are incenting our people to do the work we pay them for, whether as employees or as partners. Is your summer winding down, or is your year ramping up? Going into the summer, I was thinking vacations, swimming pool, xbox 360, schmoozing. Going into Fall, I am thinking year end will be on us before we know it! Time to get cracking!!!

My Tweets…

wattersbill72 — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 16:34:29 GMT

So I have been doing a lot more over at Facebook, and I have even taken the step to integrate Twitter directly, which is pretty nice. Now I can text in updates from the Cell and it'll show up on my Twitter feed…

http://www.twitter.com/bwatters

Now can I get that linked in to my LinkedIn status?

http://www.linkedin.com/in/bwatters

If I can get that done, rock on!!! The next thing I need is a Vulcan Mind Meld between Twitter and my brain. But then again that may be a little TMI for the general public

:-s