Just over 4 years ago I started to upload videos to YouTube. About 2 years later I open a new YouTube account and continued to upload videos there. Since that time I have not uploaded any new videos to the original account. Now over 2 years later that original account has reached over 500,000 views and 582 subscribers! Amazing.
I still continue to get plenty of feedback, comments and subscribers to something that I haven’t basically changed in over 2 years.
The video with the highest views (shown above) has over 63,000 in total.
I would have never imagined that any video I created would ever garner this many views. To me it demonstrates the growing influence of video and the power of sites like YouTube. I continue to develop and release videos and upload them to YouTube (here’s the latest):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4aKSQVPerA
Each video incorporates subtle changes that help me understand what works best for video production on the web. Sometimes I’m looking to understand audio, others its about resolution but each video is a another test in an effort to find the best methods of production.
All of this testing allows me to typically improve what I provide to subscribers of my SharePoint Guide as I have found that people are far more receptive to short video tutorials as an adjunct to the printed material in the Guide. My aim is provide at least one video tutorial to subscribers to allow them to quickly get up to speed on SharePoint.
Many question the value of YouTube but I see it as one of the main marketing methods available to me to reach a potential world wide audience. Creating videos these days is so easy that there should be no excuse why you aren’t doing so if you are in business. In most cases it is not creating the video that is problem but what to create videos on. Smart businesses will learn to understand how they can use video to reach more customers and generate business. Others dismiss it as a waste of time. My response to that is fine, but for me the results speak for themselves.
SQL Database basics video
I’ve just uploaded a new video to YouTube that shows you how to detach and attach SQL databases via the SQL Management Console.
Although only very short and simple in my experience I have found that many people tasked with administrating SharePoint (which relies on SQL) do not know how to perform these simple operations.
The detach and attach process is really handy if you want to manually move the SharePoint content bases to another location on the disk.
Subscribers to my SharePoint Guide will receive an extended video covering additional topics such as how to completely remove SQL databases as well as rename them. The Guide not only provides video tutorials but extensive notes. For more information about becoming a subscriber visit www.wssops.com.
I said that too!
Here’s an article about the move to Cloud computing and the challenges it presents to resellers from SMB Nation Fall 2010 (which I presented at).
http://rcpmag.com/articles/2010/12/01/bracing-for-a-cloudy-future.aspx
I suppose that I’m one of the several (un-named presenters) that concluded:
“Many such companies currently earn much of their income deploying and maintaining hardware. Thanks to the cloud, however, that’s a doomed business model, according to several conference presenters.”
My friend Karl Palachuck lays it out even more plainly:
“Ninety percent of your clients have bought their last server, and they’re moving to the cloud with you or without you,” he warned his audience.
and I totally agree with him, especially in light of the imminent release of Office365. A great example is that when Office365 is released it will give all businesses access to the enterprise version of SharePoint for a few dollars a month. That is a huge amount of power and functionality for no upfront cost and a small ongoing monthly amount per user.
When you combine Office365 with Windows InTune it allows the deployment of the latest version of Windows and Office to a customers desktop for a single monthly cost. It also means that as new versions become available subscribers are eligible for updates automatically. This is effectively giving even the smallest business access to the benefits of volume licensing.
You can access my presentation from SMB Nation here:
http://www.ciaops.com/storage/docs/gs103.pdf (6.3MB)
but honestly if you are not looking to the benefits the cloud can provide then I suggest you take a look at this video which demonstrates how even 10 year olds understand the benefits:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eq3Sj1GGs8
This video certainly makes me feel old and I reckon I understand the benefits of the cloud, but I’d hate to think what it makes you feel if you only starting to come to terms with what the cloud offers.
I’ve got a very bad feeling
Now I could be wrong on this but I get the feeling that things are going to get far worse before they get better. I’ve felt like that for a while now and my gut tells me that we maybe approaching the beginning of a further significant drop.
If you get the chance I’d highly recommend you take a look at the episode called Overdose from the Australian Four Corners program. If you hurry you can view the whole episode online by using iView here. Here’s a preview that’s on YouTube:
Overdose – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGkT_S8Yt5M
What worries me is that we have created a ‘stimulus bubble’ without really changing people’s habits. I also feel that many governments have wasted tax payer dollars bailing out those that have done the wrong thing. Tell me, when is it a good thing cover the losses of someone who is reckless with money? Never I say.
I can’t give you anything definitive but I see many more businesses struggling and going under. I see unemployment rising and when people lose their jobs that is never a good sign. I am concerned that we are approaching a traditionally bad time for the markets (October) and that may spook investors. I’ve just got this feeling.
Now, I certainly hope that I’m wrong but if you look at the numbers and the amount of debt and the further amount of debt that is being thrown ineffectually at the problem, like I said I’m worried.
The Zappos effect
I’ve just finished reading a book called Delivering Happiness which is all about Zappos. Now I’ve know vaguely about Zappos for a while after seeing it in many business magazines that I read. That’s why I went out and bought the book to learn more about why this business is rated so highly.
I have to admit that when I started reading the book I wasn’t all that impressed. It was really just a story monologue about the CEO Tony Hsieh and his life story. In summary, it details how he made his money selling Linkexchange to Microsoft and then almost losing it again trying to get Zappos established. Yeah, yeah I thought, one of lucky few that actually saw a business survive a near death experience. So what?
I think that it was only after finishing the book and doing some further research in Zappos that I really began to understand what is so unique about this company. Here’s a video that gives you some insight.
The Zappos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFyW5s_7ZWc
It is only upon reflection that many of the concepts in the book begin to sink in. Some of the practices that Zappos have in regards to customer service certainly seem overly generous (like paying for shipping both ways and return goods up to 12 months, no questions, after purchase). However, when you consider that they do little other ‘traditional’ marketing it begins to make sense. It is one of those cases where you’d think that any business that would do these sort of things is crazy but Zappos do and they work! Any smart business person knows there is a lesson there somewhere.
Probably the most impressive thing I have learn about Zappos is their focus on creating the best corporate culture. They are creating somewhere that people actually want to work and enjoy what they do in every aspect. That is pretty unique these days and I think many business could take a leaf out of the Zappos handbook. I became intrigued with this concept many years ago when I first read In Search of Excellence and my interest is once again piqued.
I would say the book Delivering Happiness is only a starting point for learning about Zappos. I think that if you spend some time examining and thinking about what this business does differently you’ll see something special and something that is certainly worth emulating. I’m guessing that many business people will disregard Zappos but the more I think about it the more I reckon they’re onto something special.
SharePoint Foundation 2010 pre-migration
I’ve just upload another segment from a recent full SharePoint Foundation 2010 migration video that I have created for subscribers of my Windows SharePoint Operations Guide. This one looks at some suggested steps that you should take prior to any migration to SharePoint Foundation 2010.
Preparing for migration to SharePoint Foundation 2010
YouTube now allows video of up to 15 minutes so this one is the longest one I have posted on YouTube. Those extra 5 minutes should allow me to get more content into these video in future.
Apart from running the SharePoint Foundation 2010 pre-upgrade check the most important thing is to take a number of backups. What this video does not cover is how to recover to these backups in the event of a problem. That is something that you be familiar with before you get too far down the track.
When was the last time you ran a full SharePoint disaster recovery? If you haven’t then you really should spend some time learning how to do because it isn’t a matter of if, it is a matter of when.
IT West Cloud Seminar
Here’s some footage from my recent Cloud Seminar in co operation with IT West.
I gotta say that Peter Vane and the people out at IT West are really switched on and professional in the way they go about marketing and providing their customers with technology information. Peter also tells me that he has had some great prospects generated directly from the presentation would could not make me happier. He deserves all the rewards for the hard work he is doing to grow his business.
If you are an end users or maybe a technology reseller and you want more information about the types of presentations and seminars I can offer please feel free to get in contact with me (director@ciaops.com), I’d be more than happy to help.
PDF icons in SharePoint Foundation 2010
After creating a complete video for Windows SharePoint Operation Guide subscribers on how to not only index PDF documents but also add a PDF icon in SharePoint Foundation 2010 I thought that what I’d do was take the part about creating PDF icons and make it public. So that’s what I’ve just gone and done and posted on YouTube.
Installing Acrobat PDF icon into SharePoint Foundation 2010
The process is pretty similar to what it was in WSS v3 except you need to use \14.0\ instead of \12.0\ in the registry and directory hives. However, this video should at least show you how to make the chance so the PDF icons will now appear next to Acrobat documents in SharePoint 2010 like so:
CIAOPS 
