Comments for Beginner Business http://www.beginnerbusiness.com Starting up, starting over, and staying fresh Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:13:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 Comment on Vista and Ubuntu: Somebody’s Grown Up by Philou http://www.beginnerbusiness.com/vista-and-ubuntu-somebodys-grown-up/#comment-239 Philou Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:25:54 +0000 http://www.beginnerbusiness.com/vista-and-ubuntu-somebodys-grown-up.html#comment-239 I agree at 100%! And I write this reply from an Ubuntu-powered laptop, here at work, where everything we do is open-source based. We installed Ubuntu on all the computers (then again, there's only 3 of us, we are just starting the company), and after some minor tweaking, we had a solid & powerful basis for work. Every now and then, though, we find ourselves needing 1 or 2 Windows softwares : no pb, we can virtualize Windows XP and run it -for free- inside Ubuntu. On my old Macbook, i had to purchase a copy of Parallels to do that (windows alongside Mac Os X), and as soon as I had one, they upgraded from 2.5 to 3.0. I had to pay for something that was obsolete. Not fun at all. Now, every tool we have is free and up-to-date (HUGE difference with other systems), and with a little bit of effort, we can find exactly what we want. That rocks. I agree at 100%!
And I write this reply from an Ubuntu-powered laptop, here at work, where everything we do is open-source based. We installed Ubuntu on all the computers (then again, there’s only 3 of us, we are just starting the company), and after some minor tweaking, we had a solid & powerful basis for work.
Every now and then, though, we find ourselves needing 1 or 2 Windows softwares : no pb, we can virtualize Windows XP and run it -for free- inside Ubuntu. On my old Macbook, i had to purchase a copy of Parallels to do that (windows alongside Mac Os X), and as soon as I had one, they upgraded from 2.5 to 3.0. I had to pay for something that was obsolete. Not fun at all.
Now, every tool we have is free and up-to-date (HUGE difference with other systems), and with a little bit of effort, we can find exactly what we want. That rocks.

]]> Comment on Getting Out Of Bed by Aaron http://www.beginnerbusiness.com/getting-out-of-bed/#comment-238 Aaron Sat, 03 Nov 2007 00:25:30 +0000 http://www.beginnerbusiness.com/getting-out-of-bed.html#comment-238 I'll get out of bed for whatever inspires me. PS: Hey that's my cheeky monkey! :) I’ll get out of bed for whatever inspires me.

PS: Hey that’s my cheeky monkey! :)

]]> Comment on Feedback, Iteration and Just Doing It by Byron Alley http://www.beginnerbusiness.com/feedback-iteration-and-just-doing-it/#comment-217 Byron Alley Fri, 14 Sep 2007 20:53:08 +0000 http://www.beginnerbusiness.com/feedback-iteration-and-just-doing-it.html#comment-217 That's one reason that for large companies, it's so valuable to encourage side-projects. Often the problem is that the people in the front lines can identify new challenges and opportunities long before the ideas filter through to management. When you let your cashiers, programmers, etc. have the freedom to try out new things, they can often create new ideas that eventually get adopted by the whole company--OR become whole new divisions. That’s one reason that for large companies, it’s so valuable to encourage side-projects. Often the problem is that the people in the front lines can identify new challenges and opportunities long before the ideas filter through to management. When you let your cashiers, programmers, etc. have the freedom to try out new things, they can often create new ideas that eventually get adopted by the whole company–OR become whole new divisions.

]]> Comment on Feedback, Iteration and Just Doing It by Aaron Dragushan http://www.beginnerbusiness.com/feedback-iteration-and-just-doing-it/#comment-216 Aaron Dragushan Fri, 14 Sep 2007 20:36:25 +0000 http://www.beginnerbusiness.com/feedback-iteration-and-just-doing-it.html#comment-216 Trying to think of something to add. :) One advantage that large companies have which is often unrealized is that because of their higher volume, they could iterate more quickly if only they could act on the information. A small company with five new users a day takes a long time to see patterns that are statistically significant. A large company might see those patterns in an hour, if they were only looking! Trying to think of something to add. :)

One advantage that large companies have which is often unrealized is that because of their higher volume, they could iterate more quickly if only they could act on the information.

A small company with five new users a day takes a long time to see patterns that are statistically significant. A large company might see those patterns in an hour, if they were only looking!

]]> Comment on Be a Tool by Jakob http://www.beginnerbusiness.com/be-a-tool/#comment-119 Jakob Tue, 24 Jul 2007 18:58:54 +0000 http://blog.beginnerbusiness.com/2007/general/be-a-tool/#comment-119 This is exactly what I expected to find out after reading the title Tool. Thanks for informative article This is exactly what I expected to find out after reading the title Tool. Thanks for informative article

]]> Comment on Productivity For Beginners by Byron Alley http://www.beginnerbusiness.com/productivity-for-beginners/#comment-14 Byron Alley Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:14:18 +0000 http://www.beginnerbusiness.com/productivity-for-beginners.html#comment-14 Ditto. That's why I think #3 is so important. When you work with someone and present each others' todo lists for the day (eg. in a Huddle/Stand-Up), there's more pressure to be able to justify the list and the idea that you'll be able to do everything on it. This is so much harder when you're working alone, or when you're the boss, etc. Ditto.

That’s why I think #3 is so important. When you work with someone and present each others’ todo lists for the day (eg. in a Huddle/Stand-Up), there’s more pressure to be able to justify the list and the idea that you’ll be able to do everything on it.

This is so much harder when you’re working alone, or when you’re the boss, etc.

]]> Comment on Productivity For Beginners by Aaron Dragushan http://www.beginnerbusiness.com/productivity-for-beginners/#comment-13 Aaron Dragushan Fri, 15 Jun 2007 07:21:43 +0000 http://www.beginnerbusiness.com/productivity-for-beginners.html#comment-13 #1 above still kicks my ass. Every day. #1 above still kicks my ass.

Every day.

]]> Comment on Effective Meetings 101 by Aaron Dragushan http://www.beginnerbusiness.com/effective-meetings-101/#comment-12 Aaron Dragushan Fri, 15 Jun 2007 07:20:36 +0000 http://www.beginnerbusiness.com/effective-meetings-101.html#comment-12 Nice. Reframing it with a new word that doesn't any associations yet is a nice idea. Nice. Reframing it with a new word that doesn’t any associations yet is a nice idea.

]]> Comment on Effective Meetings 101 by Byron Alley http://www.beginnerbusiness.com/effective-meetings-101/#comment-11 Byron Alley Thu, 14 Jun 2007 21:31:07 +0000 http://www.beginnerbusiness.com/effective-meetings-101.html#comment-11 Definitely. That sounds a lot like what I'm calling Stand-Ups or Huddles. The idea of Stand-Ups seems to be becoming popular in the business world now, although for those of us who do virtual meetings, the idea of "standing up for the whole meeting" is not really applicable! I also like the term "huddle" because it suggests what you're saying - that you have this urgency. I imagine a football team on the field having a huddle. Everyone knows this is an action-oriented, quick meeting. I like the special term just because I've seen many "quick" meetings that lasted for hours. By having a special term, it conveys what the format is. "Quick" could mean 1 hour instead of 3, but a "huddle" is something that lasts for minutes. Definitely.

That sounds a lot like what I’m calling Stand-Ups or Huddles. The idea of Stand-Ups seems to be becoming popular in the business world now, although for those of us who do virtual meetings, the idea of “standing up for the whole meeting” is not really applicable!

I also like the term “huddle” because it suggests what you’re saying - that you have this urgency. I imagine a football team on the field having a huddle. Everyone knows this is an action-oriented, quick meeting.

I like the special term just because I’ve seen many “quick” meetings that lasted for hours. By having a special term, it conveys what the format is. “Quick” could mean 1 hour instead of 3, but a “huddle” is something that lasts for minutes.

]]> Comment on Effective Meetings 101 by Aaron Dragushan http://www.beginnerbusiness.com/effective-meetings-101/#comment-10 Aaron Dragushan Thu, 14 Jun 2007 20:52:07 +0000 http://www.beginnerbusiness.com/effective-meetings-101.html#comment-10 I like to declare/mention that we're going to have a *quick* meeting about something, so everyone comes into it with that mentality. Fast meetings are all about a sense of urgency. Ok what else? Are we finished? ... Ok what else? Are we finished? I like to declare/mention that we’re going to have a *quick* meeting about something, so everyone comes into it with that mentality. Fast meetings are all about a sense of urgency.

Ok what else? Are we finished?

…

Ok what else? Are we finished?

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