I only have three customers using the latest leveraged OS from Microsoft called Vista, but the problems have come in thick and fast.

My opinion is:

...so derogatory I can't put it here for fear of legal action from Microsoft.

I expected a lot more of this Global giant monopoly and am sadly disappointed.

Before you leap to a conclusion based on the facts take a little time to run through just how many alternatives might be true.  "When you have eliminated the probable the improbable must be true" and that is a marvellous quote to bring you down to Earth.  It reveals that what we find is that a full investigation more often than not reveals the improbable; the things we discounted at the start based on a quick scan of the facts as we saw them.

When you feel a strong emotion in the work-place just remember - very few people actually get a kick out of upsetting others and when they do it is usually as a result of something done to them.  You have to break the spiral by getting and evaluating how to react thinking as if you were an onlooker,  someone independent just looking at the evidence and giving good advice...what would they tell you to do.

'May I' is not often heard now and most used is 'Can I...'

The answer is yes, but the first is what stops new entrepreneurs from getting up and achieving their goals.  Doubting whether you can do something leads to a need to get support from those we trust - our peers and family.  That is the problem.  In most cases those peers are not entrepreneurial in the least and all they see are the risks.  Before embarking on your support trip get the 'Can I' answers in place.

Then before you ask for support take your peers through your 'Can I' answers.

Now you will get objective assessment and a genuine second opinion.  The door is then open to get support.

I find it really funny that the things I do for free are the things most under threat in my business just now.

...and customers that have gone to others are coming back saying the grass was not greener after all.

I know we are not the most glossy not the most fancy nor the cheapest, but you will eventually realise we are the most honest and have the least strings attached and work hardest and with great knowledge to provide the right service for your business.

The one thing holding back many great ideas is they have not been packaged (given a face) to suit the customer.  From the cellophane wrapper to the colour, operating smoothness, sounds, smells and texture you have to design your product to wow the customer.

You take 'Windows' - the concept was not new and many systems used a screen looking view on-screen to display physical controls users were used to.  Many iterations later and 'Vista' is the next step in a long line of adaptations aimed at giving the computer a personality.

The latest OS from Microsoft put a huge emphasis on quality of graphics, curves, smooth movement and 'sexy' lines like sports cars have.  This to appeal to our subconscious yet to the technically minded there may be no improvement and in reality anything other than a seriously upgraded PC will run very slow trying to do the sexy bits.

Dyson is another example where putting the right blend of appeal factors on top of a good technical product made it a WOW product.

If you ever watch Dragons or hear of the Princes Trust you'll observe that success is rarely born out of a good basic idea - it is born out of teamwork. Having a blend of skills to cover all the aspects the customer will judge it by makes for a successful product.

Do you have the right team?

It is easy to be green and technically advanced, but even easier to waste our valuable resources.

1. Do not buy new equipment until either the old is not up to your needs or unable to support you through a new venture

2. Turn off at the mains at all times when the equipment is not in use.  Computers and especially printers use far more than a TV on standby.

3. If you don't need to print it don't.  It is far better to buy a few memory sticks and keep copies of your documents in secure reliable tiny electronic storage than paper in files; it takes far less energy to store data than to print it.

4. Whilst it is sometimes convenient to have several applications open at the same time it is also more demanding on the PC so it will use more power.  If you can work for five minutes without the application on screen then close it and re-open it when you need it.

5. Wireless frenzy!!  Do you really need a wireless thingy - mouse/keyboard/network?  Just bear in mind the cable you used to use needed no power to make it work compared to the power and batteries used to go wireless.  Don't be a victim of the marketing hype.  If you do need batteries then always fit rechargeable ones - they last years and are very efficient to charge.  ...and do you really need a new phone every year?

 

For many people it is faith in their God or Gods that brings peace and salvation and that is wonderful.

The truly sad thing is to worship money instead of wealth.  There are far too many people with loads of money and no real wealth; wealth comes from using your money, skills, knowledge and authority to help those less fortunate than youself.

I do not say you will be happy when you are wealthy, but you will certainly feel wonderful when you see the faces of people you have helped.  Just knowing you did a bit to make someone elses life better is a wonderful tonic and highly addictive!

Today we have to go further and preserving peace and extending the habitable life of our planet are equally wealth building areas in which to apply your self freely.

I highly recommend it.