Today, November 12, 2008, is the 18th anniversary of the original proposal for the World Wide Web. Submitted on November 12, 1990 by Tim Berners-Lee, it reads like a very modest proposal for a small project. It goes without saying its impact on the world, let alone CERN.

This makes the Web “legal” in the US. It can vote and enter into a contract. And it’s only 3 years away from its first legal alcoholic drink.

Thinking back to where I was that day, I was most likely working on an IBM mainframe consulting assignment in Providence, Rhode Island. It would be another 6 years until I was developing Web sites commercially.

If the Web means anything to you, especially for those of us who make our living off of it, it is worthy of a quick read. There are a few things in it that will make you smile, and a few things that will make you think, think about the vision back then and how it has played out in less than 2 decades from its original presentation.

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Technology • (2) Comments • Permalink

Today marks the 4th anniversary of my Internet consultancy, Dunkirk Systems, LLC. As I mentioned in my post last year about the 3rd anniversary it’s the day I was in business in the eyes of infamous Cook County, but in reality the business had been in the pupae stage for years.

When I went on my own, I made 2 statements about my business in general. I have never really talked about these much unless they came up in a conversation, so I thought I’d share them today.

Statement 1 – I don’t have to create every Web site

Where technically this is not possible, it is something that guides my business development. It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of a new project, as well as the excitement of a prospective client. In the end a business decision needs to be made, and in some cases it is myself making it, and in many cases it is the prospective client. When one “gets away” I will think back on this statement, and realize there is a whole world of people and businesses that have a need for my services.

Statement 2 – If I have to do cold calling, I am shutting down my business

I don’t look at this as a cocky statement at all, rather one that truly reflects me and how I want to lead my business. Personally, I don’t like cold calling, both from the aspect of the one making the call and especially from the one receiving it. It is probably one of the most user-unfriendly ways of doing business! Sure, in some cases through cold calling people learn about something they didn’t know about before, and there are people who are extremely successful in business – and rich – as a result of it.

Beyond my personal disdain for cold calling, I feel there are plenty of other avenues available to me for business development. As someone who believes business is about relationships, I have been successful thus far through networking, referrals from existing clients and colleagues, as well as repeat business from clients. I also feel there are many other channels for reaching out to people as well, including blogging, Web sites, public speaking, authoring, conference panels, etc. This latter list I have only dipped my toes into, and is a body of water I am planning on diving in head first when I do.

So no big fanfare and no free coffee like last year. Next year will be 5 years, and maybe we’ll blow a few horns then. Now it’s back to work.

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Announcements • Business • (9) Comments • Permalink

Last night I attended Tech Cocktail 9, a long-running and highly successful tech networking event in Chicago, now branching out to other cities around the country. I met some new people as well as reconnected with many others. It was a very worthwhile event and thanks again to Eric Olson and Frank Gruber for organizing it.

As I left a few The Hot Iron cards around the bar as well as exchanged cards with a number of people, if you are visiting this humble journal for the first time – welcome! The Hot Iron talks about business and technology issues and topics, plus other areas which I call “diversions” as well as take-aways I get from books I have read. You are welcome to subscribe by RSS feed or by email, as well join in the conversation and comment.

To all new and long-time readers, I hope to see you again soon at a future Tech Cocktail, likemind, or let’s connect for coffee.

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Business • Technology • (0) Comments • Permalink

If I ask you if you have a guestbook, what do you think about? Do you think about a guestbook function on a Web site? Or do you think of a paper book in your home or business where people write an entry when they visit you in person? In asking this question, I am asking about the latter, but of course thinking about both.

In our home, my lovely wife and I have a guestbook. The cover actually reads “gaestebog” which is Danish for guestbook, as it was given to us by family in Denmark. When we visited them a few years ago, they asked us to sign their guestbook, and we commented that we should have one of our own. A few minutes later, they gave us the one we have, and pictured in this post, as they had an extra one. Now in active use for the last few years, it serves as a great souvenir of friends and family who come by to visit, for dinner or overnight.

It is interesting the reaction we get when we ask people to sign the guestbook. Most are surprised we have one, and usually in a good way. The most interesting reaction is when they turn to a blank page, with pen in hand, and ponder for a moment what they will write. In this day of tweeting and informal writing, it is nice to have something tangible and more formal.

In the early days of the Web, many Web sites had guestbooks. These were a Web page which functioned like the paper, offline guestbook, where people could fill out a form and see their post listed with everybody else who did the same. Over time, these pages went away for reasons that probably include everything from the sophistication of the Web, to people not filling out entries. Today it is not as much about people simply dropping by your Web site as much as the detailed analytics of their visit, and there are other ways to engage visitors by using site membership, eCommerce and blog comments.

Or are guestbooks online still relevant today? I welcome your thoughts on this. I have to admit I am not compelled to add one to The Hot Iron or Dunkirk Systems’ Web site. You are more than welcome to comment to this here, or simply say, “hi.”

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Diversions • Technology • (6) Comments • Permalink

Whenever we talk about usability, computers and their software mostly come to mind. But how about a restaurant menu? Where some may be unorganized or in a different language, to someone who is visually impaired, it may not even appear at all. Rather than having to have someone read it to you, new software for mobile devices can do it for you.

An article appeared in the Boston Sunday Globe featuring such reading software, as well as one of the owners of it, my good friend (and The Hot Iron frequent commenter) Peter Alan Smith. Over the years I have gotten to know Peter as well as his challenges with using technology which most people take its use for granted. I have had the opportunity to help Peter with installing JAWS, a popular screen reading software, onto his Windows notebook, as well as watching him surfing the Web.

Such a device and software break down many barriers. The software was developed by technology futurist Ray Kurzweil and runs on a Nokia N82 mobile device, and can be carried in his pocket as he would carry any phone. Within a minute of taking a picture of text, a computer screen or even currency, he can have the information read to him. Where I have never seen this in action personally, Peter described it in detail that gave me enough to envision it.

I have always said that technology advancements to help those who are given a moniker as “disabled” will have far-reaching uses beyond those people. As I write this post, I am wearing reading glasses that, after 30+ years of looking at computer screens, I now need to have. And at close reach is a wrist strap in the event the mild tingling in my hands that could be early signs of carpel tunnel occurs. Maybe I should pick up a copy of Dragon software to speak future posts, or just podcast them?

Cheers to Peter on this great article for an even greater person!

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Mobile Technology • Technology • (2) Comments • Permalink