Win a 8 Core Mac Pro Indiegogo Campaign

Its been a while since my last update; work is a bugger for getting in my way. Now I am trying to get back into things updating blogs, webpages and YouTube channels. Towards that end I wanted to quickly post about an Indiegogo Campaign I have started. I am trying to now raise funds to give me hardware to improve what I can do and at the sametime give to one person my current hardware; an 8 core Mac Pro. If you would like to enter to win then please check out the following link : https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/yourtechguys-technology-channel-and-website/x/8602872
I also talk about it in the following video

When starting out you need multiple business opportunities

Many years ago now I said "I want my own business". Infact; when I was about 21 I applied to the Princes Trust here in the UK and went along for an interview. What came out of that meeting was that I needed to put together a business model, plan, etc and that they helped with that - giving the info an knowledge.

As it was the idea I had, although was good at the time, would have not worked long term - especially with the Internet; but was my first delve into this idea.

What did come out of that through thinking about the idea was my realization that you need to have more than one business. Why so you may ask... Well, not all but many businesses are seasonal - lets take holiday lets for example.. During the winter there would be a considerable reduction in the bookings (although many hotels in UK fine). This can be seen in places such as Ayia Napa in Cyprus where most of the town shuts down (certainly the hotels I tried to book) from around November to February.

So, getting back to at hand.. Many businesses are seasonal. So if we take this as a fact we know that at certain times of the year we would not be making any money... bad bad bad. However, if we had, say, a second seasonal business THAT had its peak season during the slump in the other business season then we have money flow.

Now this could be expanded to do 4 or 5 (I always imagined 5 businesses myself) businesses depending on the seasonality of your ideas but you can get the idea.

Now; when your business is large and having a great cashflow then having multiple businesses is not manageable so we're talking starting out or small businesses in this mail. However, if you have a large business that is self contained and being managed by say .. a manager   then you as an individual may want that challenge of starting a second.

I am following my own advice to this end. Having recently started up TechnologistPR I have now also started up Technologist-Consultancy (although website is currently pending as only just registered - so currently going there won't display anything).

So, as currently waiting for backlinks I have put in for TechnologistPR to become active I get to work on my second idea (and something I can honestly say I have a great experience in). Is this the end? Nope, there are more I have in my head but 2 at a time...

So, I refer you back to the title. If you want to start a business then do so; but at the same time think if there is any seasonality to it and if so start two.

QR Codes, am I late to the party or still in with the flow

So, above you can see a QR code (or Quick Response code) which basically is our new website encoded into the image.So, not sure if I need to explain in detail about QR codes but to be honest if have any questions its better to go to the wiki here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_code as that has the details.

So we can see they have been around for a while and are now being more widely used; pepsi have had them on their cans for a while for example. But do we really need one? I mean, people are still going to see you text, webpage, etc without but to be honest they look kewl AND the inquisitive like myself will scan everyone they come across which may get more of your content viewed -although doesn't mean that your going to sell any service(s) or goods.

But to my title a little; am I late (are you late). Simple answer is no; this is I believe in the early flow as more and more people take up QR Codes. However,  do you need one? Well yes is a short answer as it doesn't hurt generating one (and on the web takes just a few seconds). However, your lively hood is not going to take a hit without one..

If wanting to generate just go type QR Code generate in that google search bar...  Enjoy

Free software, come and get your free software...

Hands up how many of you use Open Source  (I've got my hand up high just for visual reference). OK, how many of you who don't use it... hands up if you don't use it because you think its buggy or not fully featured? Now; I'm betting that 50% of those of you who don't use open source have your hands up.

Now; the thing is that yes there will be bugs in open source software; but I can bet percentage wise is only as many as in commercial software and maybe possibly less. Reason I say that is I have worked as a Software Engineer for some BIG companies and know the number of bugs caught by customers - and these are million pound systems.

So, what I mean to say is that in actual fact you will probably only find as many bugs in a open source software item as in a commercial released.

It is true though that some open source software may not be as feature rich as commercial because they don't have a full time dedicated team working on them.That said though, in most cases those extra's may not be worth the price you pay for them. I mean; take for consideration something like KDENLive as a prime example. This is an excellent open source video editor program that has many more and better features than some of the lower, cheaper end commercial editors. Only the Pro editors really have much better features.

There are also many open source programs out there that do things there are now commercial equivalents for. You want office, you can get it, you want password crackers...

Games.. office suites, video editors.. there is an endless list, far many to keep going on about. Go check a few out - go do a search on sourceforge.net and save yourself some money in this expensive time we live in..

Do you want a Raspberry Pi

So, its the official release and so many people are after their $35 computer that the sites for suppliers have gone down. I've been there and now they are static sites just allowing you to register interest.

I've registered mine as I want to get hold of one of these small systems. OK only running 700Mhz and like 256Mb ram with linux. So what can they be used for? Well, personally I am going to set mine up (when actually get one) as a media system for my TV upstairs. Currently we can't get signal on internal aerials so this will allow me to view media across the net via my wireless network (well with my usb dongle fitted).

So, what about you guys? Anyone else looking to get one and if so leave a comment of what you will be using it for.. One other thought, maybe use inside a cabinet with mame running and lots of roms on a usb stick???

Its February 29th 2012 and its a blog day..

Yes, its a blog day, soon to be a video day I think :-)  just got one in the edit; and I think its a great fun little program to play with - my opinions of course. This is a little different as I am mostly blogging from work but today was so busy (ish) that have resorted to blogging from home; well least I get to do it from my new kewl keyboard unlike the crappy one I have to deal with at work.

So, how has/is everyones day going/been today? Mine was busy with some kewl bits in it. And some less good bits although a meeting I wanted to have today was postponed. On a plus point I have a new venture launched - just hope it goes somewhere ...

So to give you a heads up. For a number of blogs now I have talked about working from home and all that. I was alluding to the fact that I wanted to work from home and have been trying to discover the best solution for that. I came up with one business idea that may or may not work.. I won't go into the details of it but will say TechnologistPR. Simple as that hehe. Now this isn't a full time role for me at the moment; its an attempt at building up something to move into a full time role and to get paid for something I do at the moment... i.e. product reviews.

It is something I enjoy and think I am good at (and co-starter too).But as part of my journey I will take you along for the ride - for those thinking of starting up something. I will say one thing and that is this is not the only WFH I plan to start. Once one if off the ground and running there is a second one I also want to pursue. Both of these are passions of mine and so will be enjoyable - but to make success I believe you need to have more than one business running.

On another note. I have something special in for review at the moment. Its from Autodesk (go look up what they do if don't know already) and is quite expensive to buy. I have a 3 year license review copy and once figured out I will be creating and editing a nice video. It may work out to a series of vids just like want to do with Reason and Studio One. So just watch this space.

O, let me load a quick first attempt animation done with it for you to view - its of my second channel and blog in name :

Well, I think that maybe it for today - well unless I get that video cut..

Introduction to TheGeekFiles channel