Denver DataMan Blog

Tech Predictions for 2012

Steve Kessler — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 22:37:38 +0000

As we enter a new year it’s easy to look back and wonder about what we could have done better or differently, but it is a lot more fun to guess about what is coming in the year to come. The following are some predictions about the computer industry and how it will affect businesses in the next year. Please read this with the same attitude of fun I am using to write it.

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2012 Predications

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A fun look at technology in the new year.

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Becoming Less Reliant on the USPS as a Business Strategy

Steve Kessler — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 22:06:06 +0000

As the United States Postal Service (USPS) goes to Congress and asks for support to survive business owners need to be looking at ways to become less reliant on the USPS. Chances are ,the USPS will not close; however, if we lower our reliance on the USPS we must be ready for slower mail, reductions in service and increased costs.

What does the State of Drupal mean to Consumers?

Steve Kessler — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 22:26:49 +0000

Every 6 months, Dries Buytaert the founder of the Drupal web development platform presents a State of Drupal. This post is written to look at Dries’ presentation from a consumer point of view.

Will We Ever Learn

Andre Takacs — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 06:45:33 +0000

Since the advent of the Internet the ability of fans to share brands and shape brands has never been more open. Many are afraid of what it means when fans, clients, detractors and others can have fun with, share, mock, or otherwise talk about a brand.

The E*Trade Babyis a popular character representing the E*trade Brand. With recent turbulence in the marker a funny (yet somewhat crass) version of an E*trade baby commercial was made. E*Trade got it taken down for copyright infringement.

Denver DataMan 5 Years in Review

Steve Kessler — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 20:17:54 +0000

It is a tradition at Denver DataMan to stop and pause at our anniversary and share what is happening in the firm. Last year when we celebrated 4 years we shared exciting news about the growth of the company and our ability to expand the areas we serve. In this year we have begun to solidify these new areas.

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Andre and Steve Write About Resources for Jobs in ICOSA Magazine

Steve Kessler — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:17:44 +0000

Andre Takacs and Steve Kessler have been honored with the opportunity to write about Resources for Jobs for Colorado's Underemployed and Unemployed Article in ICOSA Magazine. Read the article in this PDF from the magazine.

Google+ For Business

Steve Kessler — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 19:47:12 +0000

Last week I started a general review of Google+ however this week I want to dive into the business aspects of Google+. The first thing to say is that as of right now business is persona non-grata on Google+. Do not attempt to use Google+ for business at this time.

Using Facebook Public Profiles as Yourself

Steve Kessler — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 03:47:34 +0000

By default Facebook has you post on your Public Profile with the name of your Public Profile. In the past this was the only option. You can now post as your personal account rather than your business.

While some may not want to do this others will want to extend their social presence by using their personal accounts. The efficacy of this is a topic for another post.

To switch the setting so that you can post as yourself do the following.

First Impressions of Google+

Steve Kessler — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 16:52:53 +0000

My first impression of Google + is that there are barriers to entry that may make adoption difficult. I say this knowing full well that Google is Google and that they will resolve these problems or that a community will just deal with them. The problem that is most evident right now is that Google Apps Users (like myself) cannot have accounts (so it appears from some articles) at this time and they deleted my Google Profile. I will be blogging more about this next week as Google as made more announcements about this.

Reading QR Codes

Steve Kessler — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 20:55:56 +0000

You may be seeing QR codes in many places from people's cards to ads to the Denver Airport. Each of these QR codes is a link to more information. For example, the one on the right here goes to this article.

In most cases QR codes are read from mobile phones. To do this you need an app. This article looks at several apps various phones that you may want to consider.

Why Do I Care About Mobile Marketing?

Steve Kessler — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 04:13:10 +0000

Everyone we talk to these days is talking about Mobile! Mobile this and mobile that. In this article we are going to lay out some of the popular mobile technologies and lay the groundwork for a generic argument for the inclusion of mobile in a marketingstrategy.

4 Ways For Small Businesses To Check-In To Customers' Engagement

Candies Liu — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 04:51:16 +0000

Location-based check-in services are increasing in popularity. Foursquare who recently hit their 10 million users benchmark, and SCVNGR (created by Google) integrated a gaming element into their service where people earn badges and mayorships.

Candie's First Blog

Candies Liu — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 19:55:55 +0000

Social Media Marketing: What’s the Verdict?

I attended the Social Marketing for Business Meetup at the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce and got to hear local attorney, Elizabeth Lewis speak about copyright laws in relation to Social Media.

The Internet is a fascinating environment of information and legal obligations.

Denver DataMan Nominated for CSIA Apex Award

Steve Kessler — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 03:37:43 +0000

Denver DataMan has been nominated for the CSIA (Colorado Software and Internet Association) Apex Awards. We are very excited to be nominated amongst so many other great tech companies in Denver. The award ceremony will be held July 12, 2011 at the University of Denver Newman Center. Check out all of 2011 nominees.

Tracking Mobile

Steve Kessler — Mon, 23 May 2011 15:35:02 +0000

As marketers we love the Internet because we can track and quantify almost everything. In an article I wrote, Numbers Count, I discussed the importance and value of analytics. But to sum it up, you should be able to tell how many people are using your website and what they are doing with it to better optimize it for your users.

TED Presentation on Building a museum of museums on the web

Steve Kessler — Fri, 20 May 2011 02:41:24 +0000

AS you might imagine I use the Internet a lot. As a developer it sometimes takes a lot to impress me. Once you understand how the technology works and you live it you can become jaded because you get how it works. Here is a technology that amazes me. Though at its core the only new technology is a camera capable of taking a picture with so much detail.

Drupal Development Day Recap

Steve Kessler — Mon, 09 May 2011 20:31:54 +0000

On May 5th Denver DataMan and Teaming 4 Technology hosted the second quarterly Drupal Development Day providing free consulting and training to nonprofits and companies looking for Drupal resources. The event brings together users of all levels creating a community of practice.

Technical Blog: Enabling Projects in SugarCRM 6.1 Community Edition

Steve Kessler — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 21:15:17 +0000

If you look at the manual for SugarCRM Community Edition 6.1 under Projects you may be confused to find out that it says that Projects are hidden, but does not remind you how to unhide the Projects tab. Here is the solution:

Click Admin
Click Display module tabs and subpanels
read more

Denver DataMan Nominated for Emerging Business of the Year by South Metro Chamber of Commerce and SBDC

Steve Kessler — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 19:26:30 +0000

Denver DataMan was nominated for the South Metro Chamber/Small Business Development Center Emerging Business of the Year award. We are very honored to be nominated for this award. The award requires nominees to complete a large packet with detailed information about the company.

Seminar Notes from Connecting Mobile and Internet Marketing with Powerful Analytics

Steve Kessler — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 00:54:03 +0000

Seminar Notes from Connecting Mobile and Internet Marketing with Powerful Analytics on 4/6. Go to the Meetup Site for the Mobile Marketing Masters for more events.

Notes from Hands on Drupal With T4T

Steve Kessler — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 22:07:05 +0000

Resources from the March 30th T4T Drupal class.

New Google In-Page Analytics Makes Usability Testing Easier

Steve Kessler — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 16:57:39 +0000

Google Analytics is a great tool for understanding how people use your website. This tool allows you to track how many people get to a page, what they click on, when they click on it, where they go after they click, and much more. Often times this data can be hard to understand because it is just numbers, like accounting, data and not very visual.

Facebook's Facelift

Andre Takacs — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 22:50:51 +0000

Facebook has recently given itself a facelift and some structural alterations. As with most changes growing pains and users frustrations with change are inevitable. The following are a couple of the major changes.

Tehnical Blog: Backing Up CiviCRM with Backup and Migrate Module

Steve Kessler — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 23:26:05 +0000

There are discussions on the web about how to use the Drupal Backup and Migrate Module with CiviCRM. This post provides simple insturctions for doing this by using just configurations settings of Backup and Migrate and not changing your settings.php file.

A Glass Half Full

Steve Kessler — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 02:04:34 +0000

Talk about the glass half full. This is Cornings vision of the future.

Why You Should Read Getting Organized in the Google Era

Steve Kessler — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 03:57:57 +0000

I wrote a review at Examiner.com where I gave Getting Organized in the Google Era 4/5 of stars. I would have given it 4.5/5 if this was an option, but alas.

Conditional Formatting

Andre Takacs — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 20:54:49 +0000

Conditional formatting helps you answer specific questions about your data in Excel. You can apply conditional formatting to a cell range, an Excel table, or a PivotTable report. Conditional formatting makes it easy to highlight interesting cells or ranges of cells, emphasize unusual values, and visualize data in different ways.

10 Winning Tips Follow-up Answers

Andre Takacs — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 20:05:43 +0000

In Outlook 2007 it is possible to change your default reply color. From the File menu click on Tools and then on Options. Click on the Mail Format tab from the dialog box.

3 Technologies that Denver DataMan Loves this Valentine’s Day

Andre Takacs — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 16:15:33 +0000

Denver DataMan uses different technology for different purposes. With an array of technology to choose from how can clarify we what we really Love? Here are our top 3 technologies that we love and we think you will too.

Google Click-to-Call

Don't Chatter, Have a Conversation

Steve Kessler — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 19:44:24 +0000

You may have seen the Super Bowl Commercial for SalesForce Chatter. Will I Am extols the virtues of the tool in the first commercial and in the second commercial the Democrats and the Republicans come together all because of the new social media tool for business.

A New Line of Communication

Andre Takacs — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 22:48:20 +0000

Denver DataMan provides computer training to people of all walks of life. Through our computer classes with Arapahoe/Douglas Works! we have trained people with little to no computer skills to those who have a strong grasp of it. Recently, I had the opportunity to train a deaf individual with the assistance of an interpreter.

Protect Your Facebook in Less Than 5 Minutes

Andre Takacs — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:47:29 +0000

When we go to websites that use our personal information we expect that they are secure. We also want security on our email so that people cannot send email on our behalf. Facebook has not been secure in the past and using it at Coffee Shops and on the road poses a significant risk.

What is That Internet Thing?

Steve Kessler — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 05:58:17 +0000

It is amazing to look back at where we have come with the Internet. This clip has Katie Couric, Bryant Gumble trying to figure out how to say an email address and discussing what the Internet is off-air in 1994. This clip retains it copyright and all other rights from NBC.

Microsoft Office Quick Tip

Andre Takacs — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 19:34:00 +0000

If you are trying to print a document with the comments in it and you do not want the gray box to be shown behind the comments then you can follow these steps to remove the gray box from the markup area.

Drupal 7? What Does That Mean in English?

Steve Kessler — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 06:16:08 +0000

Yesterday the new version of the Drupal content management system was released in its 7th version. Most of our readers probably say, Drupal? What’s that? 7th version, so what?

Thinking About Accessibility

Steve Kessler — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 22:19:08 +0000

We are familiar with the tools we use for accommodating those with disabilities in our everyday “physical” world such as ramps, signs with brail, crosswalks with beeping noises to signal to blind people that it is safe to cross, signs warning drivers of deaf children, closed captioning, and among many other things. The Internet is becoming a necessary tool in modern society and we are unaware, at least as a general population, of how the design and function of websites impacts users who are blind or have other disabilities which limit their Internet usage.

A Guide to LinkedIn for Job Seekers

Andre Takacs — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 21:11:28 +0000

LinkedIn is an excellent tool to market your portfolio of job experience on the Internet. This social media tool allows you to publicly display your profile that acts in many ways as a resume. Additionally you can have a place to put a profile photo of yourself (professional of course), give and receive recommendations, and have a summary of your work experience.

Cloudy Skies Ahead …and that’s a good thing

Laura Preissman — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 21:01:32 +0000

As companies across the state finish up their 2011 fiscal plans a new project has crept into their technology investment budgets. Along with hardware upgrades, virtualization and web design, and internal collaboration tools, expect to see some companies spending in cloud computing.

On December 2nd the CSIA, Colorado’s technology association, hosted the event “What Keeps IT Executives Up at Night” which discussed the 2011 environment as it relates to four areas within the industry: operations and projects, security, infrastructure, and finance. Bob Clark, President of Technology Staffing Services at Robert Half International opened the event with some positive sounding industry projections, such as continued investing in IT projects. A survey of regional CIO puts cloud computing among the top in their list of investments.

Cloud computing is the new terminology for Internet-based computing. It is most commonly seen in the form of web-based tools or applications accessed through a user’s web browser as if it were a program installed locally on their own computer. Typically providers of these applications store their software and data on a server, and businesses can choose to purchase access to them. Some of the major providers of cloud computing are Amazon, Salesforce, Microsoft, and Google.

Who Will Guard the Guards?

Steve Kessler — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 18:25:38 +0000

When we think about the Internet, and especially the social Internet, we have to think about privacy and security. We place tons of information out on the Internet and trust that the security settings we select will protect us. Recently I wrote about using social network sites to sign on to other sites and many people questioned the security of this and asked me to write about privacy and security.

Denver DataMan Response to FCC Net Neutrality Statement

Steve Kessler — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 15:46:10 +0000

Net Neutrality is the concept that those companies that provide access to the Internet should not be able to prioritize the traffic that goes over the Internet. For example Qwest should not be allowed to slow traffic bound for Skype because Skype is a competitor to Qwest long distance fees. Read further to see why, in a free market economy, these controls are vital.

The Bountiful Harvest of Social Media

Andre Takacs — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 15:56:12 +0000

Social media is a field of crops that the populous is harvesting in order to suit their needs and appetite for personal and professional connections. Businesses are cultivating these crops in advantageous ways to better connect with others and gather followers in order to reap the benefits, creating a cornucopia of knowledge.

Branding Update

Steve Kessler — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 04:26:21 +0000

As Denver DataMan celebrated its 4th anniversary the team started an ambitious re-branding and re-structuring of the way we communicate our offerings. We have found that our clients who know we do computer training and we have helped them with Microsoft Office ™ or custom software do not know that we help people with social media or building dynamic websites and web tools. It’s time to fix this.

No I Do Not Want to Create a User Name and Password

Steve Kessler — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 05:46:27 +0000

Google in the Next 12 Months - A Response to Questions about Google Local

Steve Kessler — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 16:03:00 +0000

This post was a response to a question posted on a forum about the disruption that Google maps is having on the first page of Google. Google is forever evolving. This debate will be mostly irrelevant in 2 months(ish) because Google will have made enough changes to the way they decide what sites are relevant or not. Right now Google is switching (like Microsoft Bing has in more significant ways) to highly valuing social input. Search engines will use the information gathered from sites like Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, Amazon and others to determine the relevance of content.

One year partnership with Arapahoe/Douglas Works!

Andre Takacs — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 21:08:57 +0000

November 10, 2010 will be exactly one year since Denver DataMan has partnered with Arapahoe/Douglas Works! Employment By Design program. Denver DataMan provides computer classes for Arapahoe/Douglas Works! at their Lowry Campus that focus on job skill readiness. We have had a year of great success with providing training to adults returning or entering the workforce and needing skills ranging from computer fundamentals to intermediate Microsoft Access.™

STEMapalooza 2010

Steve Kessler — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 15:33:03 +0000

Friday and Saturday were busy days for the Denver DataMan team as we greeted thousands of eager students wanting to learn about science, technology, engineering and math at this year’s STEMapalooza.

My Day at CSIA Demo Gala

Steve Kessler — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 05:40:09 +0000

I spent today meeting with the IT community and visionaries in the world of IT with Laura. At this event we got to hear from leaders in the technology world on the cutting edge of new technology. The speakers spoke about commerce, the Internet, social media, social search, apps, and every other key word you have heard and ones that you have not heard yet.

During lunch there were 12 speakers who spoke about their next big ideas. The amount of innovation in the IT world is amazing and the innovation is not only in the tech world it is also in what becomes available to the end user.

2010 Who's Your Hero Winners

Steve Kessler — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 01:32:22 +0000

Denver DataMan in partnership with C Squared Computers has teamed up to honor three local businesses with the second annual Who's Your Hero Award.

This year the winners are:

Finding Value in Technology: Google Docs

Andre Takacs — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:29:21 +0000

Google is known for its search engine and ability to rank according to relevancy. Google also has numerous applications (apps) for individuals and businesses to utilize. Google apps help businesses reduce costs and allow employees to easily communicate and exchange data. These apps can be used for email, storing and sharing data and scheduling.

Finding Value in Technology: Media

Andre Takacs — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 22:15:30 +0000

I was on a flight back from Europe. Looking around the cabin almost everyone has a miniature device of some kind and headphones tapped in. This flight does not have any personal entertainment. Does it need it? If you are like me and only travel with a business machine that I forgot to move my iTunes onto before I left you can listen to the music from the airline or better yet, not forget the music in the first place.

You Make The Difference award

Andre Takacs — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:46:08 +0000

Denver DataMan has been honored with receiving the Arapahoe/Douglas Works! Youth Council You Make The Difference award. We received this award for partnering with Youth in the Works! in order to prepare young people to be successful future employees. Denver DataMan brought on board an intern in order to enhance their real-world perspective, training and relevant skills they need to become a productive employee.

Drupalcon Wrap Up

Steve Kessler — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 08:25:26 +0000

I have not written for a couple of days because I needed to think about all that happened before I could write about it. The last day of DrupalCon was filled with learning, making connections for Denver DataMan and making friends in the community.

Climbing Mountains

Steve Kessler — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:10:05 +0000

Yesterday I heard Diana M. Dupuis (@mooncougar on Twitter) of Four Kitchens say in a presentation about training that users “don’t climb mountains they hike paths.” This is the best way to say what Denver DataMan has been trying to say for a long time. We train users to hike the paths that make sense for them so they can get to the tools they need.

What is foursquare and what does it mean for your business?

Andre Takacs — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:19:43 +0000

foursquare allows users to share their location with friends by “checking in” to businesses via a smartphone application or by text message. When you sign up for foursquare and have the application on your mobile device you can physically walk into a brick and mortar store (hotel, restaurant, etc.) and an alert will notify friends that you are there, in real time, via Facebook or Twitter.

Let The Games Begin

Steve Kessler — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 09:16:30 +0000

The first full day of programs has been a lot of fun and a lot of learning. Now if talking about how new web technologies are going to make the world a better place is not fun for you, well, then you would probably feel like you were lost in a different world. I must say that at times I feel that way too as my role at Denver DataMan is to work with people who build all the new cool things and that presents the opportunity to learn and grow which isn’t always easy no matter who you are.

Technology in Copenhagen

Steve Kessler — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 08:44:51 +0000

I have arrived in Copenhagen and started to figure my way around the area. I am very excited about the conference and look forward for the main events tomorrow. The city is great and the Bella Center where the conference is lives up to its name.

The Tube and Websites

Steve Kessler — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 14:54:41 +0000

I am in London right now on my way to web development conference with the tool we use to make websites. In my travel journal Thursday I wrote more about the trip.

Heading to Copenhagen

Steve Kessler — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:57:01 +0000

I am writing from the Chicago O’hare Airport as I head toward Copenhagen for

Drupal Con. First, what is Drupal. Drupal is a tool used by web developers (including Denver DataMan) to make websites and applications for the Internet. Druapl hosts this site, sites like Columbine Design or Alphabet Workout(our clients) and The White House(not our client).

4 Years in Review

Steve Kessler — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 01:11:57 +0000

This past year has been a year of record growth for Denver DataMan and has brought us to new heights since last I wrote.

Denver DataMan Drupal Camp Followup

Steve Kessler — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 00:09:14 +0000

Drupal is a content management system that Denver DataMan uses to implement websites and online tools for our clients. Over the June 26th weekend the Denver DataMan team went to Drupal Camp Colorado to learn more about how to how to make the most of this exciting product. We were also there as Silver level sponsors of the event.

Drilling Deeper

Steve Kessler — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 22:54:01 +0000

While drilling deeper may be a contentious subject in other areas it is a good thing when Google does it. Google is consistently making updates to the way they index content and in the month of May they released the MayDay updates (they also have funny names like MayDay and Caffeine).

Dear Google

Steve Kessler — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 19:57:14 +0000

Did you know you are writing your blog for robots? Yup. Google and other search engines are essentially just robots looking on the Internet for your content. When they find your content they index it and then share it with users as they search for your content. You can read my Creating Yummy Google Food article.

News From the Front

Steve Kessler — Mon, 31 May 2010 00:01:31 +0000

So much is happening in the world of Denver DataMan. I am excited to say that our team is growing rapidly and we are working on exciting projects with organizations that we believe are doing meaningful work. In the coming weeks we will be announcing several exciting new tools for our clients.

The Power of Creating Micro Viral Trends

Steve Kessler — Thu, 06 May 2010 23:37:32 +0000

In the April Denver DataMan eNewsletter (and on this post) we shared the goal with which our friend Angel Tuccy, author of Lists that Saved My Life had challenged herself. Angel wanted to become a number one bestselling author on Amazon.com.

Denver DataMan Receives a 2009 Constant Contact All-Star Award

Steve Kessler — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 06:47:19 +0000

Denver DataMan, today announced that it has received a 2009 All-Star Award from Constant Contact®, Inc., a leading provider of email marketing, event marketing, and online survey tools for small organizations.

The Future of Publishing

Steve Kessler — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 01:20:44 +0000

We live in a world of messages. This world has been evolving greatly with the advent of social media and tools like this blog. When anyone can blog and use blogs to define themselves as experts what does that mean for the future of publishing? Watch this video and remind yourself that the future of how we take in information is a future where each one of shares and we pay attention to the things we care about.

10 Technologies that Denver DataMan Loves this Valentine’s Day

Steve Kessler — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:27:28 +0000

Denver DataMan uses technology all the time but what do we really Love? If you haven't already, check out these, the top 10 technologies that we love - we think you will too!

1. Google Maps
Now not only can you find directions to and from a place; you also know what that place looks like before you get there. Here is the link to Google's new experimental features.

Behind the scenes at Internet Central, chapter one

Leslie Carter — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:52:19 +0000

I consider myself a technology junkie. I would be surprised, for example, to find someone who actually uses the Yellow Pages when twice as much information can be had in half the time online It's just so easy... as the user, that is.

I've been with Denver DataMan for exactly one week and am just beginning to find out what it takes to get the right information to the right people at the right time... and to make the user think it's easy. Thank goodness it's Friday because my brain is full!

Cisco Englewood Customer Briefing Center Experience

Steve Kessler — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:25:18 +0000

This past week I went to the Cisco Englewood Customer Briefing Center with my KidsTek class. KidsTek teaches disadvantaged youth computer skills that they will need to be competitive in their future educational and career paths.

Making Technology Work For You

Steve Kessler — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 23:20:53 +0000

This blog post is an abbreviated version of the presentation I gave at the 2010 Resolution Expo. I am sharing my presentation in this format because I felt that those who attended were able to get empowering information and hope that readers of this blog will do the same.

In the presentation I covered the role of technology, discussed that one size does not fit all and looked at tools to consider.

Service Businesses SEO

Steve Kessler — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 22:10:14 +0000

Service businesses have the perfect opportunity to take advantage of search engine optimization. The creation of a thriving service business is a result of differentiation. Being found on the Internet is about creating content that Google can pick up, index, and share with someone who is looking for that content. Because you are differentiating you can write blog posts like this one that discusses how your company approaches a given problem.

Getting Ready for 2010

Steve Kessler — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 05:38:32 +0000

Remember ten years ago? Were you scared that your computers might all die at January 1st 12:00:00:00:01 2000? Many were and for good reason but the appropriate actions were taken and crisis was adverted. This year there is no crisis to avoid or planes to doge as they fall out of the air but there are certainly things we can do to get ready for the approaching New Year.

Here are five things that Denver DataMan wants to share with you as we enter 2010.

30K Feet

Steve Kessler — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:46:46 +0000

I am writing this blog post on a jet flying from Denver to New York. Not only am I writing it, I am posting it. I think it’s amazing that we have made it possible for us to work anywhere we are. By the same token we must ask if this is a good thing.

I would suggest that it is a very good thing to be able to work from the air. I am working from the air so I don’t have to work on vacation. Better I work on the jet and be productive than I work when I am on vacation.

Drupal Being Used by the White House Website

Steve Kessler — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:58:08 +0000

Denver DataMan uses a system called Drupal for our web development services. We are excited that the new White House website is using Drupal.

Supporting Arapahoe/Douglas Works!

Steve Kessler — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:28:58 +0000

Denver DataMan has been fortunate to begin teaching at Arapahoe/Douglas Works! (ADW!) Workforce Center. During these tough economic times Denver DataMan is teaching basic computer skills classes to unemployed and underemployed adults. ADW! has been offering courses to help individuals in the Employment by Design program to have the skills in order to be gainfully employed. The courses that Denver DataMan is currently teaching include Microsoft Word Fundamentals, Microsoft Office Fundamentals, and Resumes & Cover Letters in Microsoft Word.

Content Management - Maybe it’s like Brussels sprouts?

Steve Kessler — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:16:51 +0000

Recently I was talking to a new potential client and they told me that content management is like eating their vegetables. They know it is good for them and their business but they don’t want to bother with it. This may sound like a tangent but recently I discovered that I love Brussels sprouts which as a kid I at least assumed I hated. Maybe, just maybe content management is like Brussels sprouts?

Facebook Scams

Steve Kessler — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:47:29 +0000

Recently there have been many people reporting SPAM emails that appear to be from Facebook. SPAM and scam emails from social networks, banks and others are not new. However remember to look at emails closely and check that they come from the source they say they are from and that the links go where you think they go.

10 Commandments for Business Technology Users

Steve Kessler — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:34:56 +0000

I was going to write this as though shall but I decided that the first commandment applied to both technology and conventions of language.

Seminar Resources from Creating a Free (well almost free) Web Presence for Your Business With Rocky Mountain MicroFinance Institute (RMMFI)

Steve Kessler — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 06:21:10 +0000

This evening I taught a session at the Rocky Mountain Micro Finance Institute (RMMFI) about creating a free or almost free presence on the Internet for small businesses. We discussed that there are many options for getting started that can help you put your shingle up on the Internet before you need to spend thousands on professional web presence. We also looked at tools that everyone should be using.

Creating Yummy Google Food

Steve Kessler — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 04:35:13 +0000

At first glance it might sound silly to talk about Google food but the thing is that words on a website are nothing less than Google food. When there is text available on the Internet (Google and other search engines) eat up or index the content so it can be searched. Search engines work by finding text on websites that can be indexed and then searched by Internet users.

Pictures from the August 28th Unplugged

Steve Kessler — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 05:53:20 +0000

Our unplugged event with CoreFirst Bank went great. Take a look at the pictures we posted on Facebook.

DDM Mentioned in The Business of Changing Lives

Steve Kessler — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 23:56:02 +0000

I am excited and pleased to announce that Denver DataMan and myself have been mentioned in the book The Business of Changing Lives: How One Company Took the Information Superhighway to the Inner City by Allan Weis.

"With his teammates, Steve Kessler created a website on computer for ThinkQuest 1998, and then took second place for The Art of Speech in the year 2000. After college, he set up his own data management company, Denver Data Man. "My ThinkQuest experience influences everything I do," he says."It taught me me project management, research, and communication skills. For The Art of Speech, I managed the team over three time zones and produced over three hundred pages of content. And I helped develop systems for content control that are still useful today." Steve currently works for KidsTek (www.kidstek.org) teaching at-risk kids how to use computers."

You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know

Steve Kessler — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:25:45 +0000

The other day I was at my friends wedding and the priest gave the new couple a great piece of advice, advice that transcends religion, relationships and business. “You don’t know what you don’t know.” Such a simple statement that somehow covers anything from newlyweds to determining the needs we have for a new website or new software.

How do you learn what you don’t know? You ask an expert. They may not know the answer but they know the questions you don’t know to ask. They know things you don’t know. Your staff knows things about your business you don’t know, your customers know even more you don’t know, and even that guy walking down the street looking at your sign knows something you don’t know. Perception is everything.

Who's Your Hero Covered in Villager

Steve Kessler — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:44:38 +0000

The Village covered us in the new for the Who's Your Hero Awards Scroll down to see the article.

3 Years!

Steve Kessler — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 17:59:35 +0000

This morning I am taking a few minutes to write in my blog and it is hard to believe that DDM has been around for three years. When I started DDM I did it because I saw there was a gap between the computers people had and the skills they needed to have to be effective. There are very few companies that address this gap and I am proud to be the owner of one that is grounded in pedagogy and not just computer know-how.

What Should I Look For in a CRM?

Steve Kessler — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:48:16 +0000

Twice in the last two days I have been asked what someone should look for in a CRM? Well, first what is a CRM?

CRM is Contact Relationship Management, or Customer Relationship Management, or Constituent Relationship Management, but any way you cut it is a way to manage all of the companies and individuals that come in contact with your business or organization. At their simplest form they are digital address books. In their grandest forms CRM systems tie your business together giving the right people access to the right information about the players in any given situation. CRM in some ways is like looking at the players on the field and the play book while figuring out what the next move will be. The role of this article is not to evaluate CRM systems. That is something that needs to be done with the specifics about any given business.

Great Videos From Seth Godin's Blog

Chris Reed — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:30:08 +0000

I found some interesting videos from Seth's Blog about social networking and blogging.

Here is a link.

Finding time to blog

Steve Kessler — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 06:00:00 +0000

This month I have been horrible about blogging. Between client projects, trying to enjoy the summer, some time off and building the new DDM website blogging has not risen to the top of the list. This is not a good thing. Finding time to write even a short blog is important, because we can to keep readers coming back, Google coming back and just to be interesting.

Chris Reed's 1st Post

Chris Reed — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 06:00:00 +0000

I'm Chris Reed. I learned several things at Denver DataMan, I've studied the components of a website and its development such as:Content Management System,Search Engine Optimization, organizing and categorizing data, improving website presentation to the client(s), and other skills. Content Management System that uses a database and allows the person(s) who designed the website to make alterations without changing the code of the page. Search Engine Optimization makes it easier your website to be found on the internet.

Sensitive Sam Wins the 2009 Book of the Year Award

Steve Kessler — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:25:46 +0000

Sensitive Sam a book a about sensory processing disorder and a client of DDM is the Winner of a 2009 Book of the Year Award by Creative Child Magazine. Marla, the author shares that, "This particular award program is very unique as the judges that review products are: parents, early education professionals and music educators, the very people who purchase them." Creative Child Magazine is a national publication that provides parents with the latest information on how to nurture their child's creativity, and is the most complete parenting publication for raising well-balanced children. I am very glad to have a Denver DataMan client gaining success.

ABL

Steve Kessler — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 06:00:00 +0000

In business we often hear the mantra ABC or always be closing. Closing sales is always a good thing in business. The mantra skips any mention of how effective the close will be. That is why I like the manta ABL or Always Be Learning. If you keep learning you will be able to provide more value to your clients, in doing so closing more sales.

Being Dynamic

Steve Kessler — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:00:00 +0000

This morning I went to a forum at the South Metro Chamber of Commerce on a very charged issue. The forum had people with various political leanings on the issue, some who would shout their opinions from the roof tops and others who would not share without some level of privacy. Even when we are not talking about politically charged issues seeking feedback and using that dynamically in presentations and the way we interact with our customers is critical for effective communication.

Where should I blog?

Steve Kessler — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 06:00:00 +0000

I often get the question where should I blog or if I blog on my website should I do it with a different domain name? The best place to blog is on your website. If you don’t have a website that let’s you easily add content without knowing code or needing a computer science degree. If this is not the case for you then Blogger (where this blog is held) is a great free and easy tool.

You Think Tech Is Small

Steve Kessler — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Ever wonder how they make that new tech thing so small? Ever complain that you laptop battery does not make it the whole flight? These are the questions that a business person might ask when they are designing new technology. When Coby Leuscke makes something new he wants to know he can make it smaller, lighter, faster and run with less electricity in the harshest conditions on earth.

Please Keep Advertising - The Video

Steve Kessler — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 06:00:00 +0000

This is a good example of a YouTube video that is being used for commercial benefit.

The New Denver DataMan Website

Steve Kessler — Sun, 17 May 2009 06:00:00 +0000

I am starting to work on the new Denver DataMan website that will be done by the end of the summer if not sooner and it is helping me refine my process that I do with my client in helping them develop their websites.

Welcome to Now

Steve Kessler — Sun, 10 May 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Today I clicked on an ad on from Facebook for Sprint and I got to the new Now Widget which is one of the coolest/strangest things I have ever seen. From this talking widget you can see how many sticky notes are being created, top words being used online, Google searches as they happen and news. This disying aray of content is put together to promote the Sprint Now Network. I wonder if Sprint will see sales from this site? This site just goes to show you that there are many things left to try with social media and the Internet.

Way To Long

Steve Kessler — Tue, 05 May 2009 06:00:00 +0000

It has been way to long since I last posted on my blog. I am breaking my own rule that companies should blog at least once per-week. Blogging is good for establishing yourself as an expert in the community as well as for providing food (information) for Google to eat up (index). Now if I was to just right that first paragraph - that would be a cop out and not a valuable post. So, I will tell a story about a photographer I am helping build their potential blogging strategy.

At What Cost

Steve Kessler — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 06:00:00 +0000

One of the things that I teach people as Denver DataMan is how to be more efficient in the ways they use the computer. This means finding software within one’s means that will help them do a task better than they could do before. This does not mean doing a task quicker, so it does not come out as well or so that you annoy others who will have to interact with the software.

The Experience Pros Radio Show

Steve Kessler — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 06:00:00 +0000

This past Tuesday I had the great opportunity and honor to be on the Experience Pros radio show to talk about Contact Relationship Management and how DDM can help people to leverage it. It was great to be in the studio with Angel and Eric and to learn from them. I hope you will listen to the show and follow along with the CRM Scorecard.

Social Networking - Not a Replacement For Seeing Each Other

Steve Kessler — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 06:00:00 +0000

There is great technology that is getting better every day where you can see others in real time from anywhere in the world but when I hear the idea broached that we might have virtual doctors this just does not sound right. This is a short reminder that social networking is a great tool but only to augment in person communication not eliminate it. What does not scare me is the idea that if doctors have a rare case that they can consult with each other through a network or build connections to share trends and case information. This is how knowledge grows and flows!

Can Everyone Embrace Social Networking?

Steve Kessler — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Today I was asked if every business uses social networking how will we find any businesses and will there still be any value? This got me thinking….oh no! If every business and nonprofit had a blog, a Facebook page, LinkedIn business profile and so many other others things out there would there be even more junk out on the Internet. Please forgive me in advance for my indecisiveness. Since I don’t have an answer I am going to give a few plausible answers and try to come to a conclusion.

Numbers Count

Steve Kessler — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 06:00:00 +0000

I not a numbers guy, I need to see success and numbers are a good indicator but I would rather hear from someone they were forwarded my blog than have a bunch of people simply read my blog. This is all well and good but it does not mean much in the long run. Numbers count when it comes to the Internet and for so many things. There is no reason not to have these numbers and make the most of them.

Leadership in the Internet World

Steve Kessler — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 07:00:00 +0000

In an excellent and extensive article How accurate is Wikipedia's content? out of the Wharton School of Business, a case looks at Wikipedia as a middle ground between academic journals and free-form content.

Twitter – A New Frontier

Steve Kessler — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 07:00:00 +0000

Twitter is a micro-blogging tool designed to share short messages with people who follow another person. Users can share anything that they can say in 140 characters. Twitter can be an effective tool for sending out quick messages to clients, prospects, and friends. In this article I will look at some popular ways to use Twitter and show their value in business, I will also show some areas where Twitter does not work so well in a business environment.

Pay Attention to Blogging

Steve Kessler — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 07:00:00 +0000

In the past two posts I have written about getting people to pay attention I have written about social networking where sort blasts of information are the way you get people’s attention. We will go back to that next week with Twitter but for this week I am writing about Blogs where we share several paragraphs of content and sometimes more with our readers. Blog stand for Web Log and it is good to think of it as a place to log activity and share thoughts.

Developing Relationships With LinkedIn

Steve Kessler — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 07:00:00 +0000

LinkedIn is the shirt and tie venue of social networking. It is relatively formal and designed to be corporate/business like. It is not for everyone. LinkedIn is a place to cultivate relationships and share information on a professional level. To get a more detailed picture of how LinkedIn fits with other networks see Mapping the Networks and you can also look at the Denver DataMan LinkedIn Dictionary.

Library Resources

Steve Kessler — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 07:00:00 +0000

I meet with Donna Keslin at the Kollbel Library to learn about business resources at the library and in the Arapahoe Library District. We looked a two databases that are worth a great deal to businesses that make the most of them. Business Decisions gives you amazing amounts of data about individuals and their demographics and spending habit's.

Developing Relationships With LinkedIn

Steve Kessler — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 07:00:00 +0000

If you are a regular reader of my blog you know that I was supposed to post a LinkedIn article. Regrettably, this article is not yet done and will be posted soon. Please come back soon.

Facebook – Business Tool or Business Toy?

Steve Kessler — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 07:00:00 +0000

In my article Attention – The New Currency I told readers that I would outline technologies that are available for them to try and get the attention of readers, customers, prospects, supporters, the media and others. I am going to paint with a narrower brush than to just cover social networking and focus this week on Facebook.

New Social Network User Demographics

Steve Kessler — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 07:00:00 +0000

There are new statistics out from Pew Internet & American Life Project and reported on eMarketer Daily. These statistics are showing that adults are starting to use social networks. What this means is that even more eyes are there to see businesses online. Social networks provide an opportunity to build relationships with your clients and prospect.

Online Collaberation

Steve Kessler — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 07:00:00 +0000

Many Denver DataMan clients wants to learn how they can collaborate with others in their organizations at all or more effectively. There are lots of tools include Goolge Docs, Base Camp, Go to MyPC/Meeting and others. Microsoft's tools have been seen to miss the mark. In the next version of Microsoft Office (Office 14) your Internet browser will now be your platofrm for online colaberation using Micrsoft Office.

Starbucks and a Mixed Bag of Consumer Feedback

Steve Kessler — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 07:00:00 +0000

For those who know me, you know that I love my Starbucks. I have my coffee almost every morning and hold many meetings there. Today I had a less than satisfying experience so I went to the Starbucks website and told them so. It took me a while to find a place to tell them what I was thinking BUT they wrote back with a personal email that required them to have read my post!

My first 23 Days with Twitter:

Steve Kessler — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 07:00:00 +0000

Twitter is a tool that lets you share sort blasts of information over the Internet. These short blasts are called tweets. Some say that Twitter is social networking, I like to think of it more as blogging, and micro-blogging at that. When someone posts on Twitter it’s called a tweet, tweets can be up 150 characters and are just short updates.

Department of Homeland Security Works to the Secure the Internet in the US

Steve Kessler — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 07:00:00 +0000

As those of you who read my blog regularly know security is something that I find very important. Right now viruses are up, spyware is up, hacking is up and there are many other problems because of malicious computer use. On July 20th the routers for the nation of Georgia. The Department of Home Land Security has announced that they are going to spend 2.9 million dollars per-year on securing the Internet infrastructure rather than $600K that they have been spending during the past years.

Windows 7 Is On Its Way

Steve Kessler — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 07:00:00 +0000

A question that I get all the time is should I get Windows Vista. The answer is usually, only if you are getting a new computer with a lot of power. Upgrading to Windows Vista has been a bad idea in almost every case. Windows Vista needs a ton of power and has had trouble with older hardware and software. Windows Vista made a lot of advances but the product has been marred by bad reviews and problems that have overshadowed the advancements.

Seth Godin on Social Networks

Steve Kessler — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 07:00:00 +0000

Seth Godin is the author of the great book on building online communities Tribes and is also a renowned marketer. These are his words about quality of online network connections VS. quantity of online connections.

Lots of Great Reading

Steve Kessler — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 07:00:00 +0000

Recently I have been doing lots of great reading, well listening to learn more about the way the Internet works and how it is changing our world. You can keep up with my reading list in full using my LinkedIn Profile and the Amazon Application or I tend to blog about books I am reading here.

The Future of Microsoft Office

Steve Kessler — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 07:00:00 +0000

Microsoft Office is the most popular office productivity application in the world. Other vendors have been trying to break into this market by providing tools at less cost or with new features. Collaboration has been a primary feature in the fight for the most feature rich application.

Firefox Targted by Malware

Steve Kessler — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 07:00:00 +0000

Users are often told to feel safer (including by me) if they use Firefox because of its more secure design and because less spy ware and malware is made for it. Today it was released that there is new Malware (malicious software) that "[the malware uses technology to] identify more than 100 financial and money transfer Web sites, including Barclays, Wachovia, Bank of America, and PayPal along with two dozen or so Italian and Spanish banks.

What to Blog On

Steve Kessler — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 07:00:00 +0000

At least 2 or 3 times a day I see things that would be worth blogging on but I cant blog on every technology article I see, the books I read, the new products I see. This is a challenge for me many bloggers. I want this blog to be high quality information and a lot of information but I don't want to post too much. I wish I had a magic formula for myself and other bloggers to say this is what you do but I do not. I think the key is to think would I want to read this if I was on this blog or would the people who read my blog want to read this.

LinkedIn Ads

Steve Kessler — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 07:00:00 +0000

Denver DataMan will be hosting a Email Marketing seminar on 12/2 and I am trying to expand the audience for the session. To do this I started looking at LinkedIn events and I posted the event and then decided to connect this with a LinkedIn events ad.

Whats in a Name?

Steve Kessler — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:00:00 +0000

eMarkerter Daily released a report this morning from a November 2008 study done by MailerMailer, that found that email open rates for commercial email has fallen. Though this may sound like bad news for those of us who use email as a marketing tool however don't fret we just need to return to core principals and we can beat the odds.

Face-to-Face

Steve Kessler — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:00:00 +0000

Last week I read Judith Briles article in the Denver Business Journal called Tech devices are fun - but face-to-face talk is better. I would have to agree with every major point in her article especially her point to "Let technology enhance - not dominate - your personal and professional life."

Denver DataMan Takes Best New Show

Steve Kessler — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Chase ATMs

Chris Reed — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 06:00:00 +0000

I use technology every day, serving my clients, talking on my cell phone, connecting with friend on Facebook and in any number of other ways. I must admit it takes a lot to rely impress me with a new technology. I have recently found a technology that though it has been use in other ways for some time I love its new use.

10-7 Ask the DataMan

Steve Kessler — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 06:00:00 +0000

On Tuesday 10-7 Denver DataMan celebrated joining the South Metro Chamber of Commerce. As part of this event Steve Kessler of Denver DataMan answered questions from the floor. Here are some the of the questions we addressed and the resources that were given to solve problems

Defining Yourself as an Expert Online Part 6 of 6

Steve Kessler — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 06:00:00 +0000

For those who have read all my blog posts for the last 5 weeks about using the Internet to define yourself as an expert I appreciate it. For those of you who have not you might want to look at one or all of these articles to help you get more from this wrap up.

Using Your Website to Define Yourself as an Expert Part 1 of 5

Steve Kessler — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Websites have been popular for some time now. In the past, look wasn’t so polished or or you would be forced to spend millions of dollars to play with big boys. Now the tools of big business are available to everyone and more people know how to access the web and expect me from it.

Part 5 of 6 - Using Local Resources to Define Yourself as an Expert

Steve Kessler — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 06:00:00 +0000

As the Internet grows with more content, finding things in your local sphere of influence can be more challenging. A growing market of local search and information sites are becoming more popular and to use as a place to define yourself as an expert.

Projectors

Steve Kessler — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 06:00:00 +0000

In general we think of projectors as being tools for showing presentations or maybe for watching movies at the theater. If you walk through downtown Denver right now you can see that the sides of building are canvases for projecting all the products that anyone could ever want. Verizon and

Part 4 of 5 (now 6) Using Social Networks

Steve Kessler — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 06:00:00 +0000

One of the biggest buzz words in business and the rest of the world is social networking. Is social networking more than teenagers talking their weekend? It is, much more than this, especially as social networking sites grow. Social networks, as well as specific social networks, are becoming viable parts of a strategy to use the Internet to define yourself as an expert.

Using Email Marketing to Define Yourself as an Expert Part 3 of 5

Steve Kessler — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 +0000

For the past two weeks of the five part series about defining yourself as an expert with the Internet, we have looked at web sites and blogs. Both of these tools are great, and if a reader of these posts wants information from you and he or she is therefore more likely to be in a buying mood The goal of an email is a bit different because email is something that comes when you send it and the reader chooses when to read it not when to receive it.

Using Your Blog to Define Yourself as an Expert Part 2 of 5

Steve Kessler — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Last week, I wrote about using your website to establish yourself as an expert. Blogs are another tool to sharing information with your clients, prospects, and partners, supports that will differentiate you from the crowd.

What is Blogging?

OLPC

Steve Kessler — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:00:00 +0000

I got to use an OLPC! OLPC or One Laptop Per-Child is a plan to put low cost, low energy using, highly durable laptops in the hands of children all over the world. The OLPC machines are made to be incredibly durable and can use a crank rather than outlet power to run.

Qwest Gives 1%

Steve Kessler — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Want to give money to your local schools just for paying your phone bill? Check out Qwest 1% for schools. http://www.qwest.com/onepercent/ If you a Qwest user see if this will work for you.

Comcast Ruling

Steve Kessler — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 06:00:00 +0000

The FCC ruling that Comcast was blocking Internet content to sites that were not favorable to Comcast is a big step forward to clear net neutrality legislation. Net neutrality is the concept that all data on the Internet should be allowed and should not be altered by Internet Service Providers. Comcast was acussed of limiting the connection speed to some sites that were not favorable to it. This is important because what is to stop Comcast from not letting me go to directtv.com to reseach their competitor or giving better access to people who use Comcast services.

SkypeOut

Steve Kessler — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:00:00 +0000

SkypeOut is Skype's VOIP to standard telephone service and today was the first time I had an opportunity to use it. I am happy to report that I paid only 21 cents a minute to call Canada and the call was very clear. In fact I would say the call was clearer than local calls on my cell phone.

Ecommerce and Taxes

Steve Kessler — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 06:00:00 +0000

One of the many things I have learned this week is about the challenges with shippable ecommerce. I live in Denver and if I sell something to someone else online in Denver they pay state, city, county, and RTD taxes. What happens when I sell something to someone in Aurora? This is when it get tricky. What is even trickery is when you have small amounts of cities in diffrent special tax zones like the RTD tax or that just touch the county from which you are selling. Just one more thing to think about when considering the challanges of our Internet world.

Constant Contact University

Steve Kessler — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:00:00 +0000

I am sitting at the Phoenix, Arizona airport waiting to head back to Denver after a fun day of learning more about Constant Contact, my favorite email marketing tool for small businesses. Today was a day to train the trainer and I picked up some ways to teach email markeitng and Internet marketing in general.

Drupal Camp Colorado 2

Steve Kessler — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Wow, 2 days of intense learning and I am ready to hit the ground running and keep building great websites. This morning I got to lead a seminar on an Introduction to Drupal. It was an honor to teach about something that I care about and to give back to the Druapl community.

Drupal Camp Colorado

Steve Kessler — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 06:00:00 +0000

I am excited to be spending the weekend learning and sharing about Drupal, the web development platform that I use for the Denver DataMan site and other sites that I have created . Denver DataMan is a sponsor of the Drupal Camp.

New York Times and LinkedIn Join Together

Steve Kessler — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 06:00:00 +0000

LinkedIn (business social networking site) has joined with the New York Times to provide relevant news to LinkedIn users according to B TO B Online. This is a big deal because it shows LinkedIn trying to become a portal for people to use has their entry point to the Internet. Look for LinkedIn to create more partnerships like this and for social networking to move to connect with all forms of media.

Moving

Steve Kessler — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 06:00:00 +0000

We all dread moving, but its exciting when its done! Denver DataMan is now headquartered in South East Denver to better service the greater Denver Area. The phone number is still 303-587-4428 to but or new mailing address is: Box 281 1685 S. Colorado Blvd. Unit S Denver, CO 80222 Denver DataMan is very excited for this move and we hope to hear from you soon!

Go Giver

Steve Kessler — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 06:00:00 +0000

I just finished reading the Go Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann.

Acquisitions and Mergers Oh My

Steve Kessler — Fri, 30 May 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Acquisitions and Mergers are not new to the business world or to the technology world but today's major acquisition of two nonprofit centric companies brings the topic to the forefront again.

A New Security Feature

Steve Kessler — Fri, 16 May 2008 06:00:00 +0000

The Lenovo IdeaPad Y510 notebook PC even offers an integrated 1.3 megapixel camera that combined with Lenovo’s unique VeriFace face recognition software, can control access to your notebook by recognizing when you are sitting at the keyboard. It can even lock the system if it determines that you’ve stepped away! I am not sure what I think about my computer watching me. Security is important but we will see about this one.

Earth Day

Steve Kessler — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Today is Earth Day and it gives us an opportunity to think about ways we can be more green in the ways we use our computers. Here are five quick tips that will be expanded on in the Denver DataMan eNewsletter on how to be more green with your computer.

Have your monitor turn off (suspend) after less time - don't use the monitors power button
Turn off your computer if you will be gone after several days
Refill your ink and toner cartridges
Avoid unnecessary printing
read more

Dilbert Cartoon

Steve Kessler — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Today's Dilbert Cartoon has great insight into what technology is doing to today's kids.

Buying a Mac

Steve Kessler — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 06:00:00 +0000

I helped a client buy an iMac on Wednesday at the Mac store on Santa Fe and Coal Mine and it was a great experience. I like the fact that they did not try and up-sell my client and helped her find the computer that best meet her needs. I am still a PC guy out of habit but Mac is a classy operation and their machines look great.

Walgreen's Free Ink Refill

Steve Kessler — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Walgreen's is offering FREE ink refills on Tuesday! If you have an ink jet printer that needs ink and can be refilled take advantage of this great deal.

Facebook Becomes More Secure

Steve Kessler — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 06:00:00 +0000

I already like Facebook because of the increased security and simplicity it has over its biggest competitor (MySpace). Facebook is now even better was increased privacy functionality. You can read the Facebook blog for details. Always remember to be mindful of what information you put on your Facebook page. Presume anyone and everyone can see your page even with the new controls.

Increasing Email Opens

Steve Kessler — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 07:00:00 +0000

Increasing Email Opens is important if you do an eMarketing email. This article from Constant Contact has some very good tips. You can sign up for a 60 Day Trial of Constant Contact.

HD TVs

Steve Kessler — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 07:00:00 +0000

When I hear all the new terms related to HD TVs and all the new related technology even I get confused. Amazon has done a great job with High-Def 101 page if you are in the market or just want to understand a little bit more.

Technology on my Trip

Steve Kessler — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 07:00:00 +0000

During my vacation between Christmas and New Years I saw several things in technology that I think are worth sharing on my blog. Many talk about digital immigrants (those not born into the computer age) and digital natives (those who are born into the computer age) but this was made very clear when I saw a child less then a year old with a computer in its car seat on the air plane. The child was not uses the mouse or typing on the key board but it was very intently focusing on the screen. This to me was a great definition of digital native.

Denver Public Library ads WiFi

Steve Kessler — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 07:00:00 +0000

I just found out that the Denver Public Library has added WiFi. This is very helpful for anyone wanting to do research at the library so they don't have to wait for a computer. I have yet to use this new tool long enough to comment on the speed and quality of the network but it was easy enough to get on and register when I tried. For more information go to: http://denverlibrary.org/leisure/computers/wireless.html

Who Needs Your Social a good article

Steve Kessler — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:00:00 +0000

Who Needs Your Social Security Number? Because Social Security numbers (SSN) are unique to each individual, many businesses have made them the method of choice for establishing identity on customer accounts. That’s why having your SSN makes it so easy for an identity thief to set up bogus accounts in your name – and why you should push back on businesses who demand it from you.

Basic Web Design Tips for Your Website

Steve Kessler — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 07:00:00 +0000

This article on basic web design tips was written by Beth Boen of Creative Exchange Marketing. The article is very approachable for anyone with a basic knowledge of Internet use. Beth was one of the great speakers at Emarketing Building Blocks and is an excellent source for marketing support for your small business.

Happy Thanksgiving

Steve Kessler — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 07:00:00 +0000

A very Happy Thanksgiving to all those reading my blog! I hope it is filled with blessings of abundant health, happiness, family, joy, and love. Peace, Steve

Linked In Training

Steve Kessler — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 07:00:00 +0000

Yesterday I got an opportunity to take a computer class myself. I took Mike O'Neil's LinkedIn 101 session. LinkedIn is one of the many social networking websites which are changing the way we communicate with others we know.

Mail Big Files

Steve Kessler — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 07:00:00 +0000

There are many file transfer companies out there helping users send large files between each other with the ease of email. Not all of them meet their stated goal but here is on that looks like it does. Mail Big Files - http://www.mailbigfile.com/pro/ not only allows file downloads as big as 2GB it offers secure file transfer which many of the other services do not. The service is paid through PayPal and is only $19 a year.

A Great World Communuty Grid Article

Steve Kessler — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 06:00:00 +0000

Here is a great article about participating in the World Community Grid. http://www.t4tcolorado.org/article/volunteer-computing-background I think the idea of making your computer a volunteer is a great way to think about it. Also the BONIC client is a better way of participating in the grid than I have shown before.

DoF (Denial of Fans)

Steve Kessler — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 06:00:00 +0000

The Rockies site may have been attacked by too many hits using a technique called a denial of service attack or DoS, but this would not have happened if the Rockies had not first created a DoF attack. The Internet is a great tool, but it is not the solution for every problem and it does not eliminate the need for people to get together to celebrate the victories of their team. That being said, a quick explanation of what happened and why things appear to have gone down the way they did.

Jott Vote

Steve Kessler — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 06:00:00 +0000

The people at Jott (the service that transcribes voice message to email see bellow) are now bringing you the ability to Jott Presidential candidates. This means you can share your opinions with them....no promise on them listening. http://jottthevote.com/

Another Backup Story

Steve Kessler — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 06:00:00 +0000

The other day my computer was having trouble so I decided I should just reformat to clean it up. I made a complete backup of all my files and when I went to use the drive I had made the backup on died. Fortuantly, I use Carbonite, to keep an updated offsite backup of my files and though it is a slow retreival proccess I will get my files back. What would happen if your hard drive died? What would you loose? If these questions scare you - then you need a better backup plan!

Blogger Code of Ethics

Steve Kessler — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 06:00:00 +0000

More and more the world is being shapped and cometted on by bloggers. As blogging grows bloggers are now debating a code of ethics. http://www.cyberjournalist.net/news/000215.php Just something interesting to see.

Intresting Article for Email Marketers

Steve Kessler — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 06:00:00 +0000

If you are interested in eMail Marketing this is a great article.

New York Times To Close TimesSelect Effective Midnight Tuesday; Will Open Last 20 Years Of Archives

Steve Kessler — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 06:00:00 +0000

With the NY Time archives becoming free what else will? http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-new-york-times-to-close-timesselect-effective-wednesday/ We will only see?

New Denver DataMan Site

Steve Kessler — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 06:00:00 +0000

The new Denver DataMan website it is on it way. The new site will look better as well as being easer to use. I am not going to set a launch date other than to say it will be soon! Check out www.denverdataman.com/drupal and post your comments here.

Silly but fun

Steve Kessler — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 06:00:00 +0000

Here is a fun site that lets you compare how many search results you get from different searches on Google. http://www.onfocus.com/googlesmack/down.asp I am not sure of any real use for this but it is kind of fun.

Google Does it Again

Steve Kessler — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 06:00:00 +0000

I may blog like I am the biggest fan of Google but they have just released a great tool for students and people doing research on more than one computer. The new Google Notebook service lets you take notes on any search results that you find in Google or on anything else without any software needing to be installed. This is a great tool for anyone doing research but all the more so for those of us doing research on more than one computer. This would have been a great tool for thesis research!

Free time

Steve Kessler — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 06:00:00 +0000

Here is something fun to do in your free time Peace, Steve

Ask the DataMan Session Follow-up

Steve Kessler — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 06:00:00 +0000

Today's Ask the DataMan session benefiting KidsTek was a great success. Many wonderful questions were asked and answered. Here is the follow-up to some of the questions.

Karis Community Launches new Website

Steve Kessler — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 06:00:00 +0000

Karis Community, a client of Denver DataMan Launches new Website! The new website was built by Denver DataMan and Cuttlefish Arts. With the new website Karis Community will be able to more effectivly communicate with potential clients, partners and supporters by having a nicer site as well as one they can update themselves!

Wikinomics

Steve Kessler — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 06:00:00 +0000

I listen to a lot of books on CD and I can not think of a time before this when I would call something a must read before I had even finished the second CD but Wikinomics is a must read/listen to book. Born out of its own multi-national collaborative project Wikinomics looks at how the world is changing because of what is often called Web 2.0.

First TT4T Donation

Steve Kessler — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 06:00:00 +0000

Tech Toys 4 Kids got its first donation yesterday. 12 monitors were donated by the Mile High United Way to be given to kids who do not have computers. Next week we will be getting the computers to match.

eMail Marketing Tips

Steve Kessler — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 06:00:00 +0000

This is a very good article from Constant Contact about how to build your eNewsletter list.

Words from the Road

Steve Kessler — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 06:00:00 +0000

Readers, As some of you may know I am at a teachers conference at Washington University in St. Louis. Besides for the weather the conference is amazing. When we say Denver is hot but at least it is dry it is so very true. But this is a technology blog so I can take advantage of the air conditioning while I write it.

Think you'r kids are safe online?

Steve Kessler — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 06:00:00 +0000

If you think your kids are safe online, My Space, a popular social networking site shared the frightening news that there are 29,000 sex offenders with profiles on the site. These are just the ones that they have been able to identify! There are safe ways to use the Internet and there are safe ways to share the Internet with your children but My Space is NOT one of them. See this article on the Boston Herald. http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=1013242

First Denver DataMan Open Class Goes Well

Steve Kessler — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 06:00:00 +0000

The first Denver DataMan open class with Link to Share went very well. We covered an introduction to eMail. Denver DataMan classes with Link to Share support the community by giving $2.50 cents of each tuition to KidsTek. Our goal is to raise $250 for KidsTek by the end of the year with these classes. Here is a proposed list for class topics for the rest of the year.

New Google Map Features

Steve Kessler — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 06:00:00 +0000

Google maps has now added a new feature that adds a great deal of worth to this already excellent application. You can now change your route simply by dragging the route to a new highway. For example going from Thornton to DIA Google is sure that I need to take E470 but that is not always true. With this new feature I can drag my route on to 104th or highway 70 and it will recalculate it accordingly. Check out this video for more information.

World Community Grid has reached the 100,000 years of run time mark!

Steve Kessler — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 06:00:00 +0000

Though I have only completed 102 days of computing personally for the world Community Grid the grid completed 100,000 years of work as of July 7th. This milestone is one for the grid, computing, and for the research that the grid is doing! Need proof that the grid works? At the sane time IBM announced this mile stone it also announced the completion of one of the grids genetic comparison project. Find out more about the research being done with the grid at http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/projects_showcase/viewResearch.do

The feature I want

Steve Kessler — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 06:00:00 +0000

So I was driving in the car this morning listening to a Podcast with no safe way to write down a URL or name of something that I want and I realized that my Ipod or another MP3 device needs a way to do bookmarking. I should be able to press a button and put a bookmark on a podcast, audio book or even a song and then go back to those later on the device and on my PC. This would be very easy, now how do I tell Mac?

World Community Grid Update

Steve Kessler — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 06:00:00 +0000

AnvSoft Web Album Maker

Steve Kessler — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 06:00:00 +0000

I just found AnvSoft Web Album Maker and I am very impressed. The application helps even novice users generate very nice look photo albums. The product is 100% free and even has a free upload utility to share you albums from there site. I did not use the free upload utility but I did make an album of pictures for a client and it worked very well. I have made a few examples from pictures I have taken while living in Colorado.

Some Thoughts on Microsoft Office 2007

Steve Kessler — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 06:00:00 +0000

As a software trainer it it is important for me to keep up with new software that my clients will be using. Though, I am not recommending updating to Microsoft Office 2007 yet, for most people, some of my clients have so I have as well. Actually, I have Office 2003 and 2007 on my laptop and they don't get along that well. All that aside here are some of my good and bad feelings about Office 2007.

Denver DataMan Enters The Blogosphere

Steve Kessler — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 15:00:00 +0000

Does everyone have a blog? I am not sure but many have suggested that a Denver DataMan blog will give me an opportunity to share my thoughts on issues facing the tech world. I have lots of thoughts and I hope that you will enjoy reading them. How often will I write on this blog? We will see, I hope to write on the blog often but we will see how this grows. If you have an issue that you think that I should blog on then email me at blog@denverdataman.com and I will see what I can do.