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National service companies and their ethics: Where did we go wrong?

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Normally I would post this in one of the private user group forums but I believe this is a topic that everyone should discuss as it is a general ethical question and one that anyone outside a particular platform could encounter either with a national or within their own operation and is something everyone who operates a business with a code of conduct needs to address.

For the protection of all parties and to avoid possible violations of confidentiality agreements the parties involved will remain anonymous.

Recently a national service company posted a job through a service platform for a tech to run a service event to one of their clients. This particular company normally provides the equipment used onsite at such events as part of their service to their customers and this case was no different, however something happened to the shipment and the equipment never made it to the site.

The national requested a tech to go to the site and bring specific equipment for the event to replace that which did not arrive. This was not equipment a service technician would typically have on hand, therefore the following request was made to secure it:

Should the tech not have the necessary equipment to provide onsite for the event, the tech was advised to go to Wal-Mart or Best Buy to purchase it (on the tech’s dime) and then return it to the store the next day.

Now, there are ethical questions about unfairly taking advantage of a big box store, but before making the call there are are three very important things to consider.

1. This equipment was intended to be used by the national as a one day rental to the customer
2. It was not one or two items, but a list consisting of over a dozen items, including several expensive hardware devices, accessories and recordable media.
3. The tech would not be reimbursed for any of it.

So the suggestion was to purchase the items, take them on site for the day and return them all to the place of purchase the next day for a refund.

This is just wrong on so many levels I don’t know where to begin.

First, the national is renting out equipment it doesn’t even own and does not intend to purchase with no compensation to the tech who would own it after purchase. That in itself is just wrong.

Second, the national is suggesting the tech actually use the items for a for-profit event and then return it when finished to the place of purchase. The store will take a serious hit for the merchandise. That could constitute fraud.

Third, returning recordable media after it was used is, at the very least, dumb.

Fourth, should the store ask questions or investigate due to the large amount of merchandise being returned, it will be the tech on the hotseat and on the hook.

Fifth, should something happen to the equipment while on site, the tech assumes all liability. Would the tech’s insurance cover it? Possibly, unless it is used as rental equipment. The national would not assume liability, yet collect the rental fee from the customer. That is simply dishonest.

finally, if a national suggested a tech do something ethically questionable or wrong for their own gain and at the tech’s risk, it is not a company to work for.

The company did clarify the tech who performs the service event could keep the equipment purchased for the event “as long as its on their dime”.

So they will “let” the tech keep something the tech bought and paid for that they wanted the tech to buy for single use as “their” rental, for which the tech would receive no proceeds from, at the tech’s own liability and risk, that the tech wouldn’t have purchased for himself or herself otherwise.

How big of them!

Now, that’s just messed up.

Is this what our industry has come to? What was once considered a somewhat respectable business has become a quagmire of mistrust, disrespect and outright disdain for both the customers/end users and the dedicated, hard working, qualified professionals who service and support them.

Stories abound about nationals who demand immediate service from techs and are slow to pay or actually have clauses in their contracts placed there specifically to avoid payment (and in at least one case even bill the tech) for services rendered,  middlemen on national service platforms who require all manner of detail on service calls for lowball rates, platforms that claim to be neutral parties and assume no liability or risk themselves, yet control the customer/tech relationship and act as judge, jury and executioner of the tech should a dispute arise.

When did we, as IT service professionals, lose control of our own marketplace? At what point was it decided we are no longer contracted professionals, but day laborers with little power to negotiate with our clients and few, if any, rights?

Now we have nationals suggesting we cast away our code of professional ethics as well, telling us to put it all on the line for them at our cost and our risk, as if we are all that stupid and gullible to comply.

The scary part of all this is that, at least to some degree, they may be right.

The reason we got to where we are is because there are some “techs” out there who will comply, and for the lowest amount.

Then again, perhaps its me. Perhaps there are techs who think such a request is perfectly reasonable, who think spending an hour working on a server for $25 is good money and the moral or ethical issues of returning  $1000 worth of merchandise in a potentially fraudulent transaction is just business as usual.

What do you think?

Does Obama really have a Blackberry? Does it really matter?

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For months I’ve noticed headlines about President Obama and his use of a mobile phone. At first I sort of just shrugged it off as it was just somewhat of a novelty, at least to some, that a president would carry around and use one. Millions of Americans have and use cell phones every day and it seems only natural that an American leader would do so as well. Even if past presidents never carried or used one, it was only a matter of time before one of them did. So what’s the big deal?

Apparently the media thinks it is one. In fact, they seem to be somewhat fixated on exactly what device Obama uses and worry over whether or not he plans to keep it.  If it was one article for filler or diversion that would be fine, but they’ve been harping on it for months now and it’s getting a little ridiculous.

Computerworld published an article yesterday over an argument as to whether or not Obama’s phone is actually a Blackberry and, if not, what it possibly could be. It’s not the first one they’ve published, either. There seems to be some real concern at Computerworld as to whether or not the President gets to keep his Blackberry, if it is indeed one.

It’s not just Computerworld. CNN, Wired, Gizmodo and other media outlets, both old and new, are hung up over Obama’s phone. They’re not playing around, either. They are making a serious issue out of it, or at least they are trying to.

Seriously, with all the real and important issues to cover, who cares what mobile device he uses? Apart from the obvious promotional aspects of the this trivia for the manufacturer of the device, whatever it really is, why is this worth anyone’s time or effort to worry about or even discuss?

Yes, I know and understand what the real concern is about. It isn’t all about fashion. It’s about security. There is some real concern about just how safe it is for a U.S. President to be using any old mobile phone to discuss things that could affect our national security. It is a real issue and I certainly understand that. But, let’s be real here. 

First, just how secure can you make any mobile device? If they can be secured they can also be hacked. As far as I know there is no wireless device that is completely secure and unhackable. If the communications are that classified and sensitive, the bottom line is that he really shouldn’t be using a commercially available, personal, consumer grade mobile device for those communications at all.

Then again, he is the President. If he wants to use a Blackberry, the NSA should find a way to make it happen so that he can.

Which brings us back to the celebrity aspect of it all.

This isn’t one article on the President and his phone. This speculative drivel has been going on for quite awhile now. It seems every day Computerworld or some other media outlet has published or recycled one more article attempting to spark some sort of debate over the president and his mobile communications device. That’s fine for a little diversion but to make it into some sort of major story or debacle is utterly ridiculous and a waste of web space on an otherwise informative site.

Are we all that shallow and hung up on the details of a popular figure, whether it be a corporate executive, pop star, sports icon, politician or some other celebrity that we expend our time and energy worrying about what mobile device he or she uses instead of what he or she may do with their status or, in the case of the President, what policies he may enact that could affect our world in the years to come?

Let the man carry a Blackberry, iPhone, Google Android phone, Samsung, Motorola or whatever device he wants to use. As long as they can secure it to NSA standards and make it work, frankly, I don’t care what brand it is and his personal preference of a phone is none of my business anyway. What I want to know is what he is doing while he is in office and how it will affect my family, my business and my life in the next four years. Cover those stories instead. That is what is really important. The rest of it is utter nonsense.

Alert: DNS attack code released

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(TheForceField.Net ) July 24,2008 — DNS attack code that exploits the DNS vulnerability found and patched earlier this month was released yesterday on Metasploit. The code was released by the developers of the Metasploit hacking toolkit.

The bug was discovered by Dan Kaminsky of IOActive, Inc. and announced to the public earlier this month after a patch was created with the rare co-operation of major software vendors.

The code allows hackers to launch undetectable attacks on users of ISPs that have not patched their servers. The code can also be used to redirect Internet users to phony software update servers to download and install malware.

Security experts are warning everyone to patch immediately. To check the vulnerability of your ISP or DNS server go to http://www.doxpara.com .If your ISP has not patched or is vulnerable you can use OpenDNS .

 

 

 

Security Source

 

Toshiba Unveils Company

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New Portégé M700 Series, Toshiba’s 9th Generation Tablet PC, Provides Mobile Professionals a Powerful and Versatile Solution

IRVINE, Calif. (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) December 10, 2007 — Building upon its award-winning legacy of Tablet PCs, Toshiba’s Digital Products Division, a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced the Portégé® M700 Tablet PC series. The Portégé M700 is the company’s first Tablet PC to incorporate a touch screen LED backlit display.

  As the ninth generation of Toshiba’s innovative Tablet PC product line, the Portégé M700 series offers enhanced versatility, performance and productivity to attend to the needs of on-the-go professionals, “corridor warriors,” educators and students.

“Toshiba’s Portégé M700 Tablet PC provides mobile professionals with an exceptionally intuitive Tablet PC to meet their mobile computing needs,” said Jeff Barney, vice president of marketing, Digital Products Division, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. “Building upon many years of successful Toshiba Tablet PC platforms, the Portégé M700 incorporates our customer’s most requested features resulting in Toshiba’s most powerful and versatile Tablet PC to date.”

As Toshiba’s first Tablet PC with a touch screen supporting both fingertip input capabilities and traditional pen-based input, Toshiba’s Portégé M700 empowers users with a more flexible and convenient Tablet PC computing experience. The Portégé M700 detects the presence of a digital pen or a user’s fingertip, automatically switching between the different input methods, with the digital pen given priority when both inputs are simultaneously detected.

The Portégé M700 series incorporates an LED backlit display with anti-glare coating, which allows Toshiba’s new Tablet PC to be viewed in a wide range of environments both indoors and outdoors. The LED backlit display produces superb image quality and rich color saturation indoors. While outdoors the anti-glare display delivers a clear, easy-to-view image.

The resolution offered by the widescreen 12.1-inch WXGA display of Toshiba’s Portégé M700 yields 30 percent more detail than a standard 12.1-inch XGA display. This affords users enhanced clarity for viewing multimedia files and multiple page documents side by side. The Portégé M700 Tablet PC display mirrors the layout of a standard sheet of paper when in portrait mode to give users a familiar writing workspace.

The Portégé M700 series uses high-performance Intel® Centrino Pro processor1 technology, including Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processors2, Intel® 965 Express chipset, Intel® Wireless Wi-Fi Link 4965AGN supporting draft 802.11n3, and Intel® Active Management Technology (AMT 2.6). Intel’s AMT 2.6 delivers the ability to remotely deploy systems and supply proactive security and maintenance measures. This provides the network manager better control of mobile computing assets to minimize user downtime and provide greater efficiency at the office of when traveling.

The Ultra SlimBay® on the Portégé M700 gives users the flexibility to change the configuration of the Tablet PC to adjust to their individual user needs. With support for an internal optical drive, second hard drive or weight saver, the Ultra SlimBay helps eliminate the bulk and inconvenience of carrying additional external components. The Portégé M700 comes with a DVD SuperMulti Drive4 and weight saver as part of the standard configuration.

To simplify the transition from notebook computer to Tablet PC, the Portégé M700 design incorporates an improved hinge and display guide/peg mechanism as well as latch-less design to provide greater ease of use and industry leading stability. This combination of features ensures the display is securely locked into position in both notebook and Tablet PC mode.

The inclusion of the latch-less design enables Toshiba to cleanly integrate a Webcam and microphone on the bezel of the Portégé M700. The 1.3 megapixel Webcam provides mobile professionals the flexibility to communicate face-to-face with colleagues, co-workers and loved ones when out of the office or traveling. The Portégé M700’s Webcam can take still photos, record video clips and record audio notes.

Featuring the full suite of Toshiba’s third-generation EasyGuard™ technology5, the Portégé M700 brings a more reliable and secure mobile computing experience that includes:

  • HDD Protection—Because the hard disk drive (HDD) is one of the most critical Tablet PC components and that a dropped Tablet PC rarely falls in a single linear direction, Toshiba implemented the 3D accelerometer. This mechanism detects the acceleration caused by a sudden fall from multiple directions. The 3D accelerometer helps guard the HDD against awkward accidental drops, including a spinning, falling Tablet PC, by rapidly removing the HDD head from between the HDD platters, better protecting the Portégé M700 in all three rotational dimensions of pitch, roll and yaw.
  • Shock Absorbing Design6—The Portégé M700 Tablet PC features enhanced protection zones that run along all sides of the Tablet PC to help the Portégé M700 better withstand accidental drops. Toshiba also placed reinforced ribs within the rounded edges of the display to better protect critical components including the display and inverter by dissipating energy resulting from accidental bumps or drops. For further durability, Toshiba encased the display with magnesium alloy, a lightweight, rugged material utilized in structural, automotive, industrial and aerospace manufacturing.
  • Spill Resistant Keyboard7—Toshiba improved its spill resistant keyboard to help protect against accidental spills of water and other liquids, including soda and coffee with cream and sugar. This enhanced feature affords users time to save work and shut down the system in the event of an accidental spill — helping to prevent the loss of data.

Additional information about Toshiba’s EasyGuard technology is available at www.EasyGuard.Toshiba.com

In addition to providing a reliable and secure mobile computing experience, Toshiba has incorporated several value-added features, including two “Sleep-and- Charge” USB ports. These ports allow users to charge compatible electronic devices, such as select cell phones or MP3 players whether the system is on or off. The Sleep and Charge USB ports eliminate the bulk and inconvenience of carrying extra chargers to recharge mobile devices. Toshiba’s Portégé M700 is compatible with several Portégé M400 accessories including: Express Port Replicator, digital pen, reserve pen, battery and secondary battery.

The following configurations demonstrate the various specifications and price options available within the Portégé M700 Series:

Portégé M700-S7002 Recommended Configuration (ESUP $1,799)8

— Genuine Windows® Vista™ Business (32-bit version)

— Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T75001

— 2.2GHz, 4MB L2, 800MHz FSB

— 2048 MB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM memory9

— 160GB (5400 RPM) Serial-ATA hard disk drive10

— 12.1-inch diagonal widescreen LED backlit display
— supporting digital pen and touch screen
— Indoor/outdoor display
— Wide viewing angles
— 1280 x 800 (WXGA) native resolution

— Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 with 8MB-251MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory11

— Integrated DVD SuperMulti (+/-R Double Layer) drive4

— Intel® Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN (802.11a/g/n)

— Intel® Pro 82566MM 10/100/1000 Ethernet

— Bluetooth® v.2.0 + EDR

— Integrated 1.3 megapixel Webcam® with built-in microphone

 

Portégé M700-S7001X Recommended Configuration (ESUP $1,699)8

— Genuine Windows® XP Tablet PC Edition 2005

— Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T7500

— 2.2GHz, 4MB L2, 800MHz FSB

— 1024 MB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM memory9

— 160GB (5400 RPM) Serial-ATA hard disk drive10

— 12.1-inch diagonal widescreen LED backlit display
— supporting digital pen and touch screen
— Indoor/outdoor display
— Wide viewing angles
— 1280 x 800 (WXGA) native resolution

— Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3100

— Integrated DVD SuperMulti (+/-R Double Layer) drive4

— Intel® Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN (802.11a/g/n)

— Intel® Pro 82566MM 10/100/1000 Ethernet

— Bluetooth® v.2.0 + EDR

— Integrated 1.3 megapixel Webcam® with built-in microphone

Complete product specifications for all the Portégé M700 models are available at www.sell.toshiba.com or www.toshibadirect.com.

The Portégé M700 series is available with a three year standard, limited warranty12, which includes carry-in support at Authorized Service Providers throughout the country; or customers may utilize any of the 4,460 UPS Stores and Mail Boxes Etc. locations nationwide for packaging and delivery of the product to a centralized depot for prompt turnaround service. Customers can also choose to upgrade the Portégé M700’s service plans, including up to four years of extended warranty coverage.

All new Toshiba notebooks and Tablet PCs are RoHS-compatible13, effectively reducing the environmental impact by restricting the use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances. This coupled with a mercury-free LED backlit display has earned Toshiba’s Portégé M700 the Green Electronics Council’s Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) gold status. To achieve this status, the Portégé M700 had to pass a strict set of criteria created to reduce the impact electronics have on the environment. The Portégé M700 is Toshiba’s sixth mobile computing solutions to earn the EPEAT gold status.

Toshiba also offers a computer trade-in and recycling program to reduce environmental impact and promote efficient utilization of resources. All Toshiba computers qualify for free recycling, while non-Toshiba computers and other consumer electronic products can be recycled for a small fee. For more information please visit: www.reuse.toshiba.com

About Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. (TAIS)

Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., TAIS is comprised of four business units: Digital Products Division, Imaging Systems Division, Storage Device Division, and Telecommunication Systems Division. Together, these divisions provide mobile products and solutions, including industry leading portable computers; projectors; imaging products for the security, medical and manufacturing markets; storage products for automotive, computer and consumer electronics applications; and telephony equipment and associated applications.

TAIS provides sales, marketing and services for its wide range of information products in the United States and Latin America. TAIS is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, which is a global leader in high technology and integrated manufacturing of electrical and electronic components, products and systems, as well as major infrastructure systems. Toshiba has more than 191,000 employees worldwide and annual sales of over US $60 billion (FY2006). For more information on Toshiba’s leading innovations, visit the company’s Web site at www.toshiba.com.

1. Processor. CPU performance may vary. See Processor Legal Footnote at www.info.toshiba.com

2. Intel Core 2 Duo Processor. Intel® Dual Core Technology is a new technology designed to deliver improved performance to the notebook PC. Performance or compatibility may vary. For more information on Intel's Core 2 Duo processors, visit: http://www.intel.com/core2duo/.

3. Draft N Performance Disclaimer. The Intel® Wireless Wi-Fi® Link 4965AGN (802.11a/g/n) adapter is based on a draft release version of the IEEE 802.11n specification, also known as “Draft-N”, which may not be compatible with, or support all features (e.g., security) of, certain Wi-Fi® equipment.

4. Optical Drive. Copy protection technology may prevent or limit recording or viewing of certain optical media (e.g., CD or DVD).

5. EasyGuard. Toshiba EasyGuard™ technology comprises a number of features some of which may or may not be available on a particular Toshiba notebook depending on the model selected. See www.easyguard.toshiba.com for detailed information.

6. Shock Protection. Toshiba’s shock absorption technology provides higher impact protection for your system as compared to Toshiba systems without similar shock protection features based on Toshiba’s drop tests. Toshiba’s standard limited warranty terms and limitations apply. Visit www.warranty.toshiba.com for details.

7. Spill-Resistant Keyboard. Under Toshiba testing conditions, the spill-resistant keyboard delayed the time for a water spill to reach the computer's main board to allow more time to properly close down the machine. Toshiba’s standard limited warranty terms and limitations apply. Visit www.warranty.toshiba.com for details.

8. Price. Reseller prices may vary. ESUP means “Estimated Single Unit Price.”

9. Memory. Memory size may vary. See Memory Legal Footnote at www.info.toshiba.com.

10. Hard Disk Drive Capacity. Hard drive capacity may vary. 1 Gigabyte (GB) means 109 = 1,000,000,000 bytes using powers of 10. See Hard Disk Drive Capacity Legal Footnote at www.info.toshiba.com

11. Graphics. GPU performance may vary. See Graphics Legal Footnote at www.info.toshiba.com

12. Warranty. The terms and conditions of Toshiba’s standard limited warranty, extended warranty and service upgrade terms and conditions are available at www.warranty.toshiba.com.

13. RoHS This product is compatible with European Union Directive 2002/95/EC. See RoHS legal footnote at www.info.toshiba.com

© 2007 Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. All product, service and company names are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of their respective owners. Information including without limitation product prices, specifications, availability, content of services, and contact information is subject to change without notice.

Bots Crash Personal Servers?

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New network site launched by BogDock, LLC creates potential search engine index war. The new site, CustomShowroom.com, is a home decor site and experienced a server issue at the same time Google and Yahoo tried to index the site.

Allen, Texas (PRWEB) November 20, 2007 — The owners of BogDock purchased customShowroom.com and recently un-indexed the site to add a new look and feel focused more on users searching for top-end home decor.

After redesign, the site was submitted to Google and Yahoo in the hopes of joining the natural listings in both of these name brand search engines. While working at adding a new product line to the thousands of designer home decor products featured, they noticed the servers slowed to a crawl. For approximately 15 minutes, the site was inaccessible. Finally, after several tense moments, access to the site was achieved.

In looking at the server logs, it appeared that Google and Yahoo both sent bots (search engine spiders that read the code of a website page) to index the new site at the same time. None of the staff for Bogdock is technical enough to know what happens when two major search engines show up to index a website at the same time, however one theory persists. They fought.

One of the staff at Custom Showroom was quoted as saying, "It had to be some type of new bot warfare. I mean, why would our servers crash at exactly the same time that each search engine tried to index us? While we rely on search to allow our loyal customer base to find us, we certainly aren't big enough to host boxing matches between search engines. They have thousands of servers, let them fight it out on there own turf."

Whether these two search engine giants indeed are taking the advertising war to small business owners' websites, BogDock can't say. One thing is clear: without being added to the search index of major search engines, e-commerce traffic is practically impossible.

BogDock is a family owned business in Allen, Texas that operates CustomShowroom.com, a posh Home Decor site focused on delivering trendy and designer products in a clean and upscale web environment. For more information, visit www.customshowroom.com.

 

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Nolo

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Nolo is one of the oldest repositories of legal information available on the Internet. The site includes articles, forms and tips on various legal topics such as business, patents and copyrights, estate planning, property and money. The site features a National Lawyer Directory.

 

 

Top 10 Most Confusing Yet Widely Used High Tech Buzzwords for 2007

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The Global Language Monitor (www.LanguageMonitor.com) has found the most confusing yet frequently cited high tech buzzwords in 2007 to be iPOD, Flash, Cookie, Nano and Kernel followed by Megahertz, Cell (cell as in cell phone), Plasma, De-duplication, and Blu-Ray. The study was released earlier today, on the 13th anniversary of the 'cookie,' the invention that made the World Wide Web practical for widespread surfing, communication, and e-commerce.

San Diego, CA and Henderson, NV (PRWEB) October 17, 2007 — In a worldwide internet and media analysis, The Global Language Monitor (www.LanguageMonitor.com) has found the most confusing yet frequently cited high tech buzzwords in 2007 to be iPOD, Flash, Cookie, Nano and Kernel followed by Megahertz, Cell (cell as in cell phone), Plasma, De-duplication, and Blu-Ray.

The study was released earlier today, on the 13th anniversary of the 'cookie,' the invention that made the World Wide Web practical for widespread surfing, communication, and e-commerce.

Paul JJ Payack, President of the Global Language Monitor, said "Educational metrics such as the Flesch Test would place a typical paragraph using these words at the Third-grade reading-level. At the same time, most college graduates, even from the most prestigious engineering schools such as MIT, Stanford, and CalTech would be challenged to precisely define all ten. Once again, the High Tech industry has failed its basic language proficiency test."

The analysis was completed using GLM's Predictive Quantities Indicator (PQI), the proprietary algorithm that tracks words and phrases in the media and on the Internet. The words are tracked in relation to frequency, contextual usage and appearance in global media outlets. This analysis was performed in earlier this month.

The Most Confusing Yet Frequently Cited High Tech Words of 2007 with Commentary follow:

1. iPOD: We all know the brand, but what exactly is a 'pod'? A gathering of marine mammals? The encasement for peas? The evacuation module from 2001: A Space Odyssey?    

2. Flash: As in Flash Memory. Given it is easier to say than " I brought the report on my EEPROM chip with a thin oxide layer separating a floating gate and control gate utilizing Fowler-Nordheim electron tunneling".

3. Nano: Widely used to describe any small as in nanotechnology. Like the word 'mini' which originally referred to the red hues in Italian miniature paintings, the word nano- is ultimately derived from the ancient Greek word for dwarf.

4. Cookie: Without cookies with their 'persistent state' management mechanism the web as we know it, would cease to exist.

5. Kernel: The core layer of a computer operating system serving as a connection to the underlying hardware. Ultimately derives from the Old English cyrnel, for corn.

6. Megahertz (MHz): Named after German physicist Heinrich Hertz, signifying a million cycles per second in computer processor (and not clock) speed. Next up: GigaHertz (GHz) and TeraHertz (THz), one billion and one trillion cycles.

7. Cell (as in Cell Phone): Operating on the principle of cells, where communicate through low-power transceiver to cellular 'towers' up to 6 miles away (which is why you can connect to ground stations from airplanes at 35,000 feet). The phone connects to the strongest signal which are then passed from tower to tower.

8. Plasma (as in Plasma Television): A top word in the last survey still confusing large-screen TV buyers.

9. De-duplication: One of the newer buzzwords meaning removing duplicated data from a storage device, as in 'we're in the process of de-duping the silo'. Ouch!

10. Blu-Ray (vs. HD DVD). New technology for high capacity DVDs reminiscent of the VHS/Beta wars of the 1980s.

Most Confusing Acronym: SOA (Service-oriented Architecture); IBM had to write a book to explain it!?

Other terms being tracked included terabyte, memory, core, and head crash. Now you can watch Global Language Monitor on YouTube buy clicking on: http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=LanguageMonitor&p=r

About the Global Language Monitor
Global Language Monitor analyzes and catalogues the latest trends in language the world over, with a particular emphasis on Global English. Currently, GLM is counting the number of words in the Global English Codex. The Million Word March currently stands at 995,116.

A worldwide assemblage of academics, professional wordsmiths and bibliophiles supports the GLM to monitor the latest trends in the evolution of language, word usage and word choices. For more information, call 1.925.367.7557 or go to www.LanguageMonitor.com.

 

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New eWORDofMOUTH Service Makes it Easier for Businesses to Acquire and Retain Customers

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Innovative eWORDofMOUTH system combines the power of word-of-mouth marketing with the Internet to drive continuous traffic to users’ Websites. eWORDofMOUTH gives online companies an easy, cost-effective method for acquiring and retaining customers, as well as increasing sales.

Rancho Mirage, CA (PRWEB) October 2, 2007 — ANTON Publishing Inc. is excited to introduce a unique new marketing tool designed to help companies generate more online traffic, customers and sales — www.eWORDofMOUTH.com. The revolutionary Website merges the benefits of word-of-mouth advertising with Internet technology in a powerful way.

“With eWORDofMOUTH, an online company can simply plug in a complete viral customer acquisition and retention service that works transparently to increase their customer base exponentially—while retaining and rewarding their existing customers,” said ANTON Publishing President, Trevor Shanski.

  eWORDofMOUTH gives online companies a cost-effective alternative for driving a steady stream of qualified traffic to their Website. Not only does eWORDofMOUTH create an ongoing flow of potential customers for users, but it goes a step further. It attracts motivated prospects who are pre-sold on the user’s brand by a referral from a friend or family member—which provides important advantages for users. According to research, referred customers spend more money on each purchase, buy more often, are more loyal and refer others more frequently. They also have greater trust for the referred company and its recommendations, and negotiate on price less. eWORDofMOUTH is ideal for e-tailers, membership Websites, offline retailers and direct marketing companies, and nonprofit organizations.

Here’s how eWORDofMOUTH works: Users simply integrate eWORDofMOUTH into their Website or checkout process and wait for referrals and customers to be added to their database. Users pay only when a new customer is added to the database; referrals are added at no charge.

Users of eWORDofMOUTH can also have existing customer and prospect lists imported to their database as part of the initial setup process. Regardless how listings are added, eWORDofMOUTH helps companies keep in constant contact with customers to enhance their retention efforts. The system offers regular text or graphical broadcast emails that can be targeted specifically to customers, their referrals, or both groups combined. Behind the scenes, eWORDofMOUTH carefully tracks all emails, link clicks, referrals and conversion rates to provide users with quantified results. Additionally, eWORDofMOUTH offers various programs to compensate online and offline partners who refer its service to other businesses.

eWORDofMOUTH leverages the online community’s penchant for social networking. People love to express their opinion online through forums, surveys, voting, and product and Website reviews. eWORDofMOUTH capitalizes on this trend by enabling Web users to recommend products and services that they value to their associates.

Although eWORDofMOUTH is new on the Internet scene, Shanski is no novice to online retailing and Internet marketing. In 1996, he founded ANTON Publishing, a small Canadian publisher of the best-selling trade paperback series Loving Your Long Distance Relationship. Incredibly, the self-published series has sold more than 50,000 copies to date. Soon after publishing the Loving series, ANTON Publishing migrated to the Web with a successful e-commerce book Website. Today, eWORDofMOUTH expands on Trevor and Shelley Shanski’s more than 30 years of online and offline business experience. Shelley, Vice President of ANTON Publishing, is the creative force behind eWORDofMOUTH, and plays a key role in developing marketing initiatives for the company.

To learn more about eWORDofMOUTH, contact Trevor Shanski directly at (760) 200-7013. For a detailed demonstration of eWORDofMOUTH, please visit www.eWORDofMOUTH.com.

About ANTON Publishing Inc.
ANTON Publishing Inc. is a full-service Internet marketing and business consulting company based in Palm Springs, Calif. A privately-held firm, ANTON Publishing is the copyright and trademark holder of the proprietary Web-based eWORDofMOUTH system. Its mission is to become the leading developer of Web-based customer referral, rewards, and retention systems for both Internet and land-based companies.

Contact:
Trevor Shanski, President
ANTON Publishing Inc.
(760) 200-7013
tshanski @ ewordofmouth.com
www.eWORDofMOUTH.com

Small Business Can Use Self-Promotion to Gain Market Share

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October encourages entrepreneurs to use self-promotion to get the word out.

Albany, NY (PRWEB) September 16, 2007 — Many small business owners are trying to get noticed. According to one public relations professional, with a little time and hard work, many entrepreneurs and small business owners can use self-promotion and publicity to reach their target market.

"Self-Promotion month gives business owners a little push to inform others about their business in a different way," says Shannon Cherry, APR, a public relations expert. "Entrepreneurs can work in a wide variety of fields, but they all can use self-promotion to get more customers."

Since October is National Self-Promotion Month, Cherry thinks it's the perfect time to begin creating a publicity campaign for any business.

Cherry is the founder and president of Cherry Communications (www.cherrycommunications.com), and its subsidiary Be Heard Solutions (www.beheardsolutions.com). She uses her expertise to help small business owners become the recognized expert in their field through media relations. A former journalist and TV reporter, Cherry has designed numerous public relations strategies for large and small companies, as well as entrepreneurs.

She offers the following ideas to create buzz through self-promotion:

1)   Public Speaking – "Speaking in front of an audience gives you credibility as an entrepreneur. People will associate a name and face to your business," says Cherry.

2)   Develop Partnerships – "Introduce yourself to other small business owners who have the same target audience. Offer to promote them if they do the same for you," she says. This type of partnership helps create long-term alliances.

3)   Write Articles -"Make the articles informative, but keep them short," Cherry explains. They can be shared as information for potential customers, both online and offline.

Cherry offers additional publicity and self-promotion tactics in her free report, Be The Big Fish. Go to www.beheardsolutions.com/pop.htm to receive a copy.

For more information, contact Shannon Cherry at 518.248.6592 or email info @ cherrycommunications.com.