Obligations
It's funny (odd) how things in life get in the way of goals.
I wrote on several days last month in this blog how for the prior two months, my goal was to write an article or entry, of value, in this blog every day.
I missed a couple of days of blogging in March and April, but was honestly really pleased with what I did write and the near daily frequency.
Not only was I pushing myself, in spite of other obligations, but I chided you, my readers, to set aggressive goals and pursue them.
I started out May with the same goal. Write an article or entry of value in the blog every day.
Wow....have I totally blown that.
For the last two weeks, I've been extremely busy and simply unable to write.
This space is where I write and practice my writing.
It has, by and large, replaced my ezine.
And now I feel guilty. I've let myself down. Hopefully you don't hold it against me!
I have many things going on right now, including several new projects looming and a speaking engagement on a Ziff Davis webinar.
I have also been working on some of my other web sites in the last several weeks. Whew....
I don't have advice or tips for you today. Just that 'confession'.
What I do have is a question for any of you who may know Search Engine Optimization. If you are experienced with SEO work and are willing to help me with a few questions, please Contact me.
If you can help me (realizing that I'm fairly experienced with SEO also), I'll give you some free publicity here and in other website venues.
May Showers....
bring May flowers....
May is a lovely month in many places around the world. When I lived in Japan, it was the marking of the end of spring and the last vestiges of cherry tree blossoms dropped to the ground.
In Washington State, it is a time of lots of flowers and growth of all types native trees, shrubs, flowers and yes, tulip bulbs.
In Alaska, the snow has melted in most of the state, temps warm up and mother nature starts to turn everything green. It is the most beautiful state I've ever lived in.
Here in Arizona, May usually marks our first 100 degree days, which happened last week (April). *sigh*
None of this has anything to do with self-publishing ebooks. I was in a bit of a reflective mood.
And frankly, my tip of the day doesn't have much to do with our main topic either.
However, if you are like most authors, you also do consulting, speaking or writing for fees. So in that vein, I present a topic and resource that is rarely thought about for those of us who do consulting or speaking work for hire.
If and when you bring on a new client, how do you know they will honor your contract, pay you on time and that an authorized officer of the company has signed the contract?
In other words, do you just trust the, be grateful for the work and hope the business details work as planned?
Who Are You Dealing With? Client Background Check Essentials by Dave Hecker is an excellent article that give you reason to pause and approach your new client business dealings with wide open eyes.
I can tell you that generally, I've never done that amount of diligence. But I should have. I've been burned in more than one case.
I came across that article and just felt it was worth sharing with you.
Have a great weekend!
Google IPO
It's off topic and yet on almost everyone's tongue.
Google filed for their US Initial Public Offering.
The Financial Times of the UK has done a very nice piece discussing some of the language/text in the Google SEC Filing docs.
It seems Google is going to do a "Dutch Auction" and try to give us little guys a swing at their IPO stock.
However, as the article says, there are hints that the Google founders want and hope to conduct their public company, post-IPO, differently than other companies.
This is just one humble man's opinion - but I don't think so.
The Securities & Exchange Commission has extensive rules and regulations that, post dot-com bust, are tighter and more stringent than ever. Add in Sarbanes-Oxley regs and once public, your hands are pretty much tied.
Good luck to Google. They are already in the sights of Bill Gates and company and others.
Blatent Promotional Request
Every now and then I ask you, my reader, for a favor.
Since this blog displays no advertising and charges nothing for the free ideas, tips, articles and more, I'd like to ask if you would be so kind as to put a link to this blog on your site.
It would mean a lot to me and cost you only a few moments of your time.
The description in the above left corner would be welcomed, but feel free to use any description and anchor text that you like.
That description is: Blog for eBook Self-Publishers
The URL is: http://www.knowledge-download.com/blog/weblog.php
I would be more than willing to entertain referrals to link my blog to sites you may refer to me. You can Contact us here.
In fact, more than simply linking, if the product, service or website is good, I'll write a piece on it.
Thanks for your support.
More Gmail Issues
Well, it appears that I wasn't the only one who had some concerns over Google's "beta" test of it's new Gmail, their proposed free email service to compete with Hotmail and Yahoo.
You can read the article here dated 4/2/04 or click the April 4th date on the left navigation.
Wired News reports on 28 Privacy and Civil Liberties groups filing a joint letter to Google on the major concerns over Google's proposed scanning of emails to insert relevant text ads.
While I was 5 days ahead of the Wired News story, some things are just too obvious when you read about them. That was the case when I read the Reuters story on Gmail.
The issues I posted on 3 days ago with regards to our "regular" POP3 and other free email privacy still hold. But Google's idea has really caught the nasty hair of the Privacy groups dog.
I don't mind my ISP scanning my email for viruses; in fact, I rather like that.
It does bother me a bit that the sys admins at the ISP may read some of my emails while checking and testing their systems. However, having run these operations in the past, I know for a fact they are short-handed and aren't reading my email for kicks.
And if you use ANY free email service, expect the messages to be read by someone and don't use those accounts for sensitive info.
At any rate, I don't see a Gmail account in my future. I do hope they work out the ideas so they aren't invading a users' privacy, because much of what Google puts out is often very high quality and fast.
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Google's Gmail
Sometimes I just have to comment on issues of the day. And sometimes those issues are off topic from ebooks or self-publishing.
Today is one of those days.
Google has announced it's entry into web based email, Gmail.
The service isn't live yet. However it will launch one day.
Here is a Reuters article on the April 1 announcement.
An interesting fact of this new service, whenever it arrives, is the computer software scanning that Google will use in all Gmail messages. That technology will scan in and outbound messages and insert "relevant" text ads.
The Gmail FAQ, specifically FAQ #8 talks about how their technology "reads" your email content to insert it's advertisements.
Obviously, the goal being to drive up Google ad revenues.
The compelling size of the Gmail box at 1GB is astonishing. That is larger than any web-based email service like Hotmail or Yahoo allows for the FEE services!
Obviously, there is a tradeoff to be made for a large capacity free email service:
your privacy
Now for anyone who has a Hotmail or Yahoo free or fee email account, or for that matter, any webmail based service, prying eyes and electronic sniffers have always been a threat to your privacy. Heck, even regular POP3 emails are subject to the same snooping.
And while Hotmail and Yahoo toss in their own ads in your free email accounts, they are fixed campaign type of advertisements.
With Gmail, you very well may have competitive ads displayed to your partners, suppliers, prospects and clients. This is not a trivial matter.
If you are one of the likely millions to go GoGo over Gmail, just know what and how to use it wisely!
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Convenient Tool
I'm short on time today, but wanted to let our subscribers and readers know that Yahoo has released a toolbar.
I've been using it for 2 days now and find it immensely helpful. But, I am a regular and avid user of Yahoo features, including the free email.
At any rate, if you aren't aware of this and are a regular Yahoo user, you should go check out the new Yahoo Companion toolbar.
You can configure it so your most used features are actually on the toolbar, a single click away. I love that part of it.
They also have built in a web search field and feature, which I've been using a lot too.
In fact, it's almost replaced the use of my Google Toolbar for search. Why?
Three reasons:
1. I'm tired of Google's search results providing unrelevant results.
2. Google needs competition.
3. Yahoo's search has quite different and relevant results (so far).
Anyway, this obviously has nothing directly to do with eBooks or self-publishing, but thought it might be helpful info.
Have a great weekend.
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Welcome
Knowledge Download has been blessed to receive a substantial number of new subscribers in the last month.
Welcome to you all!
I would like to welcome you to our site, our software and our blog.
The KD site and system is a collaboration among several people, although my name is up top.
At any rate, please know that in this blog, which has essentially replaced the ezine, I've written more and given more tips and advice in the 5 months since we installed the blog software than in the 2 years prior in the email ezine.
For what that's worth I shall leave up to you.
However from the feedback I'm getting from our authors and readers, it seems that plenty of people are enjoying the info.
I've been trying to post something worthwhile nearly every day for the last 3 months. At times it can be hard, but I'm trying.
If you have any feedback, go here and send me an email.
I'm always open to new topics and ideas.
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Hardware Driven eBook Features
Most of my readers know that I'm a very staunch believer that proprietary eBook readers will not help us nor reach any type of critical distribution mass.
Toshiba is using a semiconductor chip made by Analog Devices in a Tablet PC. Among other things, this chip along with some software, are supposed to allow the user to turn the ebook pages by tilting the device.
"ADI's iMEMS accelerometer enables users to manually tilt their notebook up and down to view the top and bottom of the web page. In addition, while viewing an eBook or digital magazine, the accelerometer allows users to turn pages by tilting the notebook from left to right--just like the real thing."
Now that's interesting.
Unfortunately, it's contained in a Tablet PC, which has a very narrow market application. Typically those users are mobile and often in my experience, on-site people doing some type of business function. For example, insurance claims adjusters use tablet PC's to assess and prepare payment authorizations for claims.
None the less, this semiconductor technology may yet find its way into ordinary PC's if eBooks continue their sales growth. That might get some traction for "the rest of us".
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Blog Directory
This post is in response to many readers' requests.
There are many directories and search engines on the web to locate blogs of all types.
Here is a list of some of them:
blogwise.com - BlogWise
blogarama.com - Blogarama
daypop.com - DayPop
blogdex.net - BlogDex
There are others that I will post in the near future.
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