As a personal update, I want to let my readers know that I am going through a bit of change in my life.  Recently I made a change from a full-time employee to being employed part time while filling the rest of my income by web-working.  In this article I would like to talk about what web-working is, what the pluses and minuses are, why I am only doing it part time, and why I am doing it at all.

What is web-working?

Web-working is exactly what it sounds like: working on the web.  Basically, if you make any of your income working on the Internet, whether from home or otherwise remotely, whether it be for yourself or an employer, you are a web-worker.  In my case, as a blogger, I have been hired on as a staff writer for MakeUseOf.com, a very popular technology blog.  In so doing, I receive part of my income from home writing articles for a website.  That is why I consider myself to be a web-worker.  I guess you can say I am a part-time web-worker.

What are the pluses and minuses of being a web-worker?

I am glad you asked!  The reason being is that the whole idea of working from home, making your own schedule and being your own boss seems very appealing but it may not be all it’s cracked up to be!  It is true, I do LOVE the flexibility of making my own schedule and such, but it is not always easy!  I am learning that there are a few lessons I need to learn.  I am learning to be self-motivated.  I am learning to be more organized.  I am working on being focused (something I have always had a hard time with).  I am even learning how to make my own goals and complete them.  All of these are really awesome things to learn and if I do it will affect other parts of my life positively.  However, you must realize that it is NOT for everyone!  Everyone may not even enjoy it.

Why am I only doing it part-time?

This is a good question!  If I enjoy the flexibility and the learning/growing experience, why not do it full-time?  Well, the main reason is that I need stability.  What would happen if either I was asked to step down as staff writer, or worse, if the site I write for goes under?  I would be on the street!  And nobody wants to hear a grown man weep!  Well, there’s nothing wrong with a man that cries, but you know what I mean!  I like the safety of having more than one stream of income, especially when the economy tanks.  Another reason is that right now I only write for one site, and the income is only a part-time income.  Am I actively looking for more writing gigs?  Well, other than having INTENTIONS on continuing my own blogging, not really.  Would I turn down another gig if I was offered one?  It would depend:)

Why am I a web-worker at all?

One reason has already been leaked earlier in this article: I like the flexibility!  As was also mentioned, I like the growing experience.  There is more though.  I like being able to spend more time home with my wife.  I like working on the Internet because it’s something I know and have enjoyed growing with through the years (I have also grown to respect it as a great power for both good and evil).  Similarly, I enjoy working at a computer (manual labor makes me cry – j/k!).  And I like working in the comfort of my own office in my own house in my own bedroom!  How’s that work for ya!?

Some tips I need to follow!

So, what do you think?  Am I totally off my rocker?  Have you ever thought about taking a similar leap?  Are you currently a web-worker?  Share with us!

contest code: 15963

If you’ve been following me on Twitter, or if you’re a friend of mine on facebook, you’ve probably noticed that I’ve begun to share the links I share by shortening the address using something beginning with ow.ly/.  In this article I would like to share why that is.

If you are asking why I would even want to shorten a URL, the reason for me basically comes down to the 140 character limit of Twitter.  Because I use the same tool (I’ll get more into that soon) to broadcast messages to both Twitter AND Facebook, the links I share on both are shortened.  SO, as you can see, it’s important for me to preserve all of the space I can, and one way I do that is to shorten the URL.

Why have I recently chosen to go with the URL shortening service Ow.Ly?  One reason is because of the tool I use to broadcast my tweets and updates.  Not that long ago I did an article for MakeUseOf.com (I’m a staff writer for them) on HootSuite, a web-based Twitter client.  Without getting too specific (you can read the post if you want to know more about it) I can now easily follow many different people on Twitter without getting lost in all the noise.  I can also post tweets (on Twitter) and updates (on Facebook) through one site.  Ow.Ly comes in because HootSuite allows me to easily shorten a URL with the click of the button (you can also use a bookmarklet to share links even easier) using Ow.Ly.

Another cool think about Ow.Ly and HootSuite is that I can see click statistics about the links I share.  Very cool stuff, for me at least.  Before tools like HootSuite, I would never had gotten into Twitter!  I HAVE noticed that recently Twitter seems to be on a push to bring users back to the main site instead of using third party tools like HootSuite.  They’re doing this be introducing tools such as ReTweeting from the main page and the new +list features.  What do you think about this?  What benefits could they have if they achieve it?

Anyways, do you use URL shorteners?  How about Twitter?  What tools do you use to make Twitter more manageable?  What about Facebook?

contest code: 15963

I ran across this interview and demonstration on TechCrunch’s Twitter stream.  MG Siegler is interviewing Jack Dorsey (who also happens to be the creator of Twitter) and the topic is his new project called “Square.”  It seems Square can turn a hand held device, like the iPhone or iPod Touch into an instand credit card machine.  The possitives are the size, the ease, and the efficiency.  Some features include:

• Easily scan a card
• Accept a signature via a finger on the touch screen
• Multiple reciept options, including emailing and SMS (phone texting)
• Associate a picture of yourself with the card to easily verify that the card holder REALLY IS the card holder

Check out the video and let me know what you think.

contest code: 15963

The other day someone stopped me to ask me for the time.  I did the funniest thing, something I apparently ALWAYS do when someone asks me what the time is but I never really think about it.  I stopped and checked my cell phone!  In the last ten years my cell phone has replaced any form of watch in my life!  How did this happen?  I’m not really sure but it is interesting… to me.

I do remember the days of wearing a watch.  I remember having various types through my childhood.  I remember having that sweaty mark underneath the plastic wrist band.  I remember having that “farmer’s tan” of sorts from having no sun exposure on my wrist.  I remember replacing those tiny batteries that were never easy to get to.  And, the most annoying part, I remember having to set the time… MANUALLY.

Image by alexkerhead via Flickr

My days of wrist watch wearing did finally come to an end.  It was probably with my first cell phone.  Man, the cell phone just makes everything easier, doesn’t it?  Time isn’t just kept, it’s held in the palm of your hand!  No nuisance of strapping something to your wrist.  No changing tiny batteries!  And no manually setting the time!  Cell phones even change with daylight savings time!  Basically, we carry them around anyway so there’s no reason to having a separate time-keeping device taking up space in your life!

This is really not all that new, cell phones have been in the hands of the everyday person for quite some time.  In fact, it dawned on me the other day how pervasive they have actually become in today’s culture.  Today, ANYONE can afford to carry some type of cell phone.  These days, even those who abhor technology, the Internet, and almost anything electronic (you know the type) break down and carry cell phones, whether or not they know how to use them!  The purpose of this post is just to give a proverbial “farewell” to the age of the watch and to give the well belated “welcome” to the age of our beloved digital pocket watch, the cell phone!

Image via Wikipedia

Am I off my rocker?  Let me know!  Do you wear a watch and are offended by my opinion?  Let me know!  I don’t care, I’ll probably just delete the comment anyway (just kidding, of course)!

contest code: 15963

A while back I did a post all about the types of email SPAM out there and how to deal with them.  The funniest thing happened!  Recently I received three separate comments on that particular post that, as it turns out, are SPAM themselves!  Check it out:

How do I know they are SPAM?  You tell me.

contest code: 15963

A while back I wrote an article for MakeUseOf.com titled 5 Sites To Learn How To Repair Your Own Computer.  In it I complain about the repair prices of the “big box stores.”  Well, as it turns out I found an interesting video depicting some investigative reporting done on the topic of PC repair.  Check it out for yourself:

This kind of stuff happens quite a bit.  For instance, in the article I wrote, I also mentioned someone I knew who had a virus removed and anti-virus software installed for several hundred dollars.  Well, something similar happened to a family member this week.  Let me explain.

It started when the family dog chewed and damaged the cord to a laptop.  The computer continued to work properly with the damaged cord so they just continued using it.  Suddenly there was smoke so they stopped using it and brought it in to Best Buy to see what kind of damage there was.  After plugging the laptop in with the damaged cord and attempting to turn it on with no response, they had a suggested diagnosis.  They said they could have it sent away at the cost of $35 but that it would probably be a waste.  They thought the motherboard was fried and that the cost of repair would add up to more than the cost of a new laptop.

As someone who has worked on and at computers for years, there was a few obvious things they didn’t think to do before jumping to the “time to replace” spiel.  One of those steps was to try using a CORD THAT WASN’T DAMAGED!  Forgive me if I sound haughty when I refer to that as obvious.

In this situation I was able to step in and save my family from impending unnecessary spending, but not everyone has someone close who can help.  Here are a few tips to help you find someone or someplace that you can trust to work on your computer in situations when you can’t fix it yourself.

(1) Ask around

If you are trying to find someone you can trust, ask people you trust for referrals.  The key here is obvious, if you are looking for advice you can trust, ask someone you KNOW you can trust!  Do you know other people with a computer?  These days almost everyone does.  One tip would to not ask someone who does NOT even have a computer; odds are they won’t have good advice about them.  Ask other people you know and trust who they go to and their experiences.  At least that is a good place to start.

(2) Look for reviews

After asking around you’ll hopefully have a few options to choose from.  Once you have that list to work from, you can then look up those references and see what kind of reviews they have.  There are several places online you can go to find business reviews.

One place I go to is Google, more specifically Google Maps.

I just search for the city and state, click the arrow, and click “search nearby.”  OR you can run a search such as: “computer repair loc: CITY, STATE.”  In the balloon you’ll find a link for reviews.

Another good site to search is the Better Business Bareau.

The BBB’s website not only lists businesses registered with them, but also other businesses.  It lists pertinent information like owner’s name, addresses, phone numbers, possible complaints, etc.  Its worth a shot.

There are also other good sites to find reviews.  Do some research and find out what people are saying.  Get a consensus of the “crowd.”

(3) Ask good questions

There are a few questions you should ask the computer technician before handing over your computer for repair (from About.com – PC Repair):

1. How much do you charge per hour?
2. Can You Tell Me How Many Billable Hours This Might Take to Fix?
3. Do You Have a Minimum Charge?
4. Should I Expect Any Charges Other Than the Hourly Rate? (I’d be specific and also ask if there is a fee for diagnosis)
5. Do You Charge Extra For In-Home/Business Service?
6. Do You Guarantee Your Service?
7. When Might I Be Able to Pick Up My Computer?

On a similar note, you also should be able to explain the issue thoroughly to the technician.  A good thorough explanation of the issue with give you the best odds of getting the issue resolved.  Check out this About.com article titled: How to Describe Your Problem to a Computer Repair Professional.  I also asked a group of computer techies some questions including what kind of things they like people to do BEFORE seeking help.  Check out the interview series.

What tips do you have for someone looking for a good computer repair service?  I’m sure someone can add something to this list!

contest code: 15963

Physical manifestation of what my email inbox would look like

If you are anything like me, you have tons of email.  If you are a user of one of those web-mail sites like Gmail or Hotmail where you have tons of space, you may not even delete old email messages (with Gmail’s archiving option, why would you need to?).  For instance, in my old Hotmail inbox I currently have 3119 messages and most of them I have no intention of going back to organize them any time soon.

This brings up the question of this post: How do YOU organize your email messages so you can go back to find them when you need them?

Many webmail sites use folders that you can set up in order to organize your messages by topic or importance.  You can either drag and drop your messages into the appropriate folders or you can set up filters to automatically send them there.  Gmail uses a different, but similar, but much more flexible system with what they call tags instead of folders.  This way messages can have several different tags and therefore they can be in several different categories at the same time.  Either way, there is always a way to organize those email messages.

You’ll also notice that most webmail sites also have an email search box.  This way if you are looking for a very specific email in a very disorganized inbox (cough, cough!), all you have to do is type in a few search terms and you’ll hopefully find the message without an issue.  In fact, if a message in Gmail is archived, it is removed from the inbox altogether but it’ll still show up for searches.  When I began to hear that people are beginning to lose patience with organization tools and are beginning to rely on searches to find their long lost email messages, I began to not feel as guilty about my own jumbled up mess of an email inbox!

OK, so come clean!  How do you go about finding those lost emails from 5 years ago that you never thought you’d ever need?  Let me know, I could use the help!

contest code: 15963

Image via Wikipedia

I just read an article about Gmail’s latest outage.  It was the title that caught my eye: “Why you should be glad about Gmail failures.”  As someone who is using Gmail, the title kind of got my proverbial goat.  As it turns out, the article was less about boasting on Gmail’s failures and more about how Google has the opportunity to learn from its high profile mistakes.  Although I still have my reservations about Google’s low profile issues, it does seem as if when problems hit in the public’s eye, lessons do get learned.

While reading this article, it reminded me of my many mistakes in blogging through the years.  Some were fixed with a relative lack of difficulty while others I have yet to have the courage to find a fix.  In this article I would like to be candid and share some of those mistakes and some of the fixes and changes I have enacted since.

(1)  The topic

When I began blogging at the domain timmyjohnboy.com I was using it as a personal blog.  The topic basically changed with my whims.  I wrote about whatever I wanted to.  This ended up being a mistake because I not only didn’t reach any goals for my blog, but the goals in and of themselves were vague.

This did not help Google Adsense serve relevant ads.  It also did not help with SEO.  Without a specific topic for the blog, I wasn’t doing so hot with the search engines.

Since then, I took the time to choose a topic I love enough and one with which I have passion and began to create content on that topic.  Choosing a niche helped me participate in the conversation with others in similar niches.  I was able to find people with similar interests.  Although not perfect yet, my ranks have at least begun to grow.  Google Adsense now comes across a bit less confused.

Is your blog more of a personal one, or does it revolve around a specific topic or niche?

(2) The Goals

When I began to blog, I really didn’t have much of a goal.  It was more getting things off my chest.  I did gain a love for writing and I did meet some interesting people.  But I didn’t have real goals to meet by blogging.

Since then I have been blogging in order to do a few things, one of which is to strengthen my authority in my niche.  This means that I am not only learning more about my niche, but I am also showing my own current aptitude.  I am also working on my writing style.  The more I write, the better I get at communicating.  Although I have not quite arrived in the place where all my goals are met, I do have a reason for blogging and my goals are being achieved.

What are your goals for blogging?

(3) The Domain Name

The name actually came from a nick name my father gave me when I was young.  Basically with a first name Tim and a middle name John and an apparent like for the Waltons as a television show, the name came together as TimJohnBoy or TimmyJohnBoy.  I began using it online when I first started using webmail and I’ve been using it ever since.

I haven’t actually decided if this has been a bad choice for the domain name.  On one hand, it really has nothing to do with technology, computers or the Internet.  On the other hand, using my own name in the domain can aid in strengthening my name’s “brand” or “authority.”  What I mean by this is that it can strengthen the tie between my name and the topic  that I write about.  For instance, although he may see his domain choice as being a mistake, it is difficult to hear John Chow’s name without thinking about the blogging about blogging niche, right?

You tell me, is my choice of domain name a mistake?

We all have made mistakes.  It is only when we see what we can learn from them that we learn how to grow.  Sometimes we CAN be glad about our failures!

contest code: 15963

In its  latest versions, Firefox has begun sporting a new tool called Private Browsing.  It’s really a great tool and it really has more than one use!  Basically when you are in Private Browsing mode, Firefox will not remember the following:

• browser history,
• search history,
• download history,
• web form history,
• cookies, or
• temporary internet files

You’re basically browsing the Internet anonymously.  Its really easy to do, just go to “TOOLS” and then “START PRIVATE BROWSING” (or CTRL-SHIFT-P) and you’re in.

Well, many people on the Internet seem to be highlighting one particular use for such an option and I just wanted to come out and say that there IS more than one use for it!  Basically people are saying that it is a great way to cover your tracks if you have been browsing some less than desirable websites and you don’t want other people to see your browsing habits.  That’s the nice version.

Let’s see if we can list some other uses or reasons we would want to use the Private Browsing feature in Firefox.

1. Gift buying – Christmas is coming soon and it would be nice to shop online on the family computer without ruining the suprise, right?
2. Online banking (and other financial stuff) – If you are using a computer that other people are using, keep your finances to yourself!
3. Other personal sites (email, etc.) – Similarly, Private Browsing does just that, it keeps your personal interactions like email, etc. private
4. Internet caches don’t build up – As you may know, as you browse the Internet, your browser saves files from website to aid in the reloading of the site the next time you visit the site.  Well, these files can build up and eventually bog your computer down if you’re not careful.  Private Browsing mode is another way to help here.

Can you think of some other uses for Private Browsing mode?  Let us know in the comments!

contest code: 15963

If you are not familiar with it, Delicious.com is what is called a social bookmarking site.  This means that users can save bookmarks on the site, organize them according to topics by using tags, and then share them with others.  The interesting thing about Delicious.com is that as people bookmark and share sites they come across, those sites gain in popularity.

This post, however, was written to deal with the searching capabilities of Delicious.com and how they compare to the oh so famous search engine, Google.

It occurred to me the other day, while researching for another post I was working on, that perhaps there are more research options out there than Google.  I then hit up good ol’ Delicious.com to see what I could find.  The results, although not perfect, were surprisingly sufficient!

Basically, Delicious and Google base their search result listings on different things.  If I am correct, Google’s search results are based upon “three distinct phases: spidering the web to find and read web pages, indexing the web pages found and responding to user queries to produce a set of ranked results.” (quoted from article entitled How Google produces relevant search results – Indexing and PageRank explained).  Delicious on the other hand is based more on user bookmarking habits and user tagging.

All of this means that both sites come up with search results.  The results are different and they are based on different things.  The quality of your search experience will depend on the topic of the search and even the terms you choose to use in your search.  I am hearing that Yahoo, using methods that Delicious uses, may be looking to change the way we search online.  Hold onto your seats, we may be into another search engine battle!

What about you?  Have you ever ventured off of the well-beaten Google search path and tried sites like Delicious for your searching needs?  What site do you prefer?  Let me know in the comments!

contest code: 15963