Following on from our recent post about cloud computing, we want to explain how as an every day user of the internet based services, ‘the cloud’ can improve your productivity when working away from the traditional fixed office, which is increasing due to the current offerings of flexible web applications

If you can access the same files remotely (when away from your permanent office) no matter where you are is a relief. Even more so: access to those files and docs regardless of the device you’re using is possible too.

If you get a new computer, and already use cloud services for storing your image, documents, music files, or email, you will be surprised to find out that there are barely any files you’ll have to transfer.

Heres our selection of the best cloud based services:

• Online storage – Dropbox
• Email and documents – Google Apps
• Project Management – Basecamp
• Sharing photos online – Flickr
• Sharing thoughts online - Twitter
• Sharing bookmarks online – Delicious

What we used 6 months ago, are different to what I have recommended here. I’m looking forward to seeing what services we’re going to be using in the next few months!

Magento is an open-source ecommerce web application launched on March 31, 2008 by Varien.

Now this is the ecommerce application that everyone was waiting for, and to be open-sourced, meaning free to install, no licence required, even better!

Magento 1.3 feature list (PDF) is all that customers will need for their online store, and easy for developers and agencies to sell as part of their product family.

MAGENTO COMMUNITY NEEDS LOVE FROM VARIEN
However, I feel that Varien are ignoring important feedback provided by its users, after all there have been over 1 million downloads – so each version is very well tested by the community.

With Varien listening and monitoring what is being said about Magento will lead to a stronger, more powerful and flexible platform for all owners and users to enjoy. This currently isn’t happening.

There are lots of frustrating quirks and ‘Magento-isms’ to the application that are quite easy to debug, being based on the PHP zend framework. However, they still remain on each release, as a developer you just have to be aware of installation or database issues from past experience.

Currently bugs, issues and even ‘how do I’ questions are being left open on the Magento forum, ie: not being answered by moderators. This I feel is rather sad for a product that clearly has huge potential.

For example:
» Reduce heavy load javascript in the headers
» Optimise the code – Magento is very resource intensive
» Less demand on server memory

Many many more at the Community Roadmap

WHY BOTHER?
As the community has to fend for itself (although the forum always says 1000 users online), you will find that a lot of users actually keep fixes and workarounds to themselves, rather than sharing fixes on the forum. Perhaps the feeling ‘why should I bother, if no one is listening?’ attitude?

CUT THE FORUM NOISE
Their are a lot of questions on the forum that are the same, and some threads that go off in a different direction. Moderation and slimming down the unnecessary content is required.

PUSH FOR EXTENSION EXPERIMENTATION!
I would also like to see more experimentation with Magento extensions over at Magento Connect. Currently there are some ‘nice-to-have’ features members or partners have added. However, more CMS integration would be great, like with Wordpress, there is currently a Magebridge extension that allows you to share databases and content, but it’s still early days. I recommend Varien focus on getting the existing features in the next release (1.4?) stable before committing to any new features.

At the moment, anyone can experiment, but again there’s no support or advice when you require it, unless you hire a Magento solution partner to help. Costly.

VARIEN SUPPORT
You can get support from the Magento Enterprise edition which was released this April (2009). This version provides a service agreement with Varien and starts at £5,500 per year. However, the difference between a free model and per annum basis is huge, and one of the main ideas behind the open-source movement is that developers and programmers contribute towards improving the core code of the application.

POSITIVE STEPS
A positive step forward is that Varien have transferred the development of the roadmap to the Community Advisory Board. Through direct involvement with the community the CAB will be able manage and supervise the roadmap more efficiently, more openly and more cordially. Link to Roadmap of Magento.

That’s good news. However, it is very, very sad that Mageno has so far completely ignored interacting wiith the community – there are no team members in the forum any more. Bug reports are ignored and not commented on or just closed without any explanation.

I would really like to see Magento proving that it is listening and working with the community. More Mage-camps and workshops please.

Magento feels like how Wordpress was a few years ago, (good, but could be great!). Magento has some killer features that still prove to be shaky..

Varien will continue to offer an application that will be a few years behind in development if they choose to look away from a community that is sharing very valuable feedback.

We’ve been asked by colleagues and clients alike, ‘what services do you use everyday, and which ones make your life easier?’. Hence the reason for this post.

All these services are ‘cloud based‘ meaning you can log on and access them anywhere in the world, giving the potential to work wherever, whenever you need to.

Why we like them? There are a number of reasons why they have been our favourite online services for a while – Increased productivity, no licence fees for expensive software, always on, access anywhere, powerful community features, and takes the headache of having to write your own code for these services:

1. Basecamp http://basecamphq.com – Basecamp is the leading web-based project collaboration tool. Focusing on communication and collaboration, this takes the hastle away from project management, where you can create to do lists, add milestones, share files, and message entire teams working on a project so everyone is up to speed.

2. Google documents http://docs.google.com/ – Our files and reports would be in a real mess without Gdocs! Think of it as an online Microsoft Office suite, docs, excel, powerpoint, and even surveys. You can create as many documents as you like, send a link to colleagues so they can collaborate on the same report, for example. There is a full revision history, something not available on a desktop publishing software.

3. Twitter http://www.twitter.com/ – Without Twitter the world would be a much bigger place. The site that allows you to update your status, share links to interesting web sites, and even breaking news is an invaluable resource to a small business or freelancer. I have successfully promoted our business using this network to new and existing clients so they are always aware of our new projects and developments. No day on Twitter is the same as the each other, with trending topics and current affairs being discussed by a global community.

4. Flickr http://www.flickr.com/ – This community is all about photos, that you have taken, and also being able to search for tagged photos, and browse photos from your friends. Whether its a conference, party or family holiday you can always find colourful, inspirational photographs that you can download or comment on. Flickr has created quite a few web celebrities, by amateur photogrpahers attracting millions of views and comments to their work. A good resource for finding stock images too, if you need to for a current or future project – like Google image search, but more fun!

5. Upcoming http://www.upcoming.org – Even ubergeeks have to leave their offices now and then, this is why upcoming, an events listing site is so useful. Upcoming is a community for discovering and sharing events. It can help you find things to do, and discover what your friends are doing or going to. Use it for networking at local or even international events, view who is going, and add yourself to an event to let everyone know you are attending too!

One thing in common for all these applications is that they bring people together, sharing ideas, knowledge and information. And they are all have free packages!

All the services are password protected and safe from prying eyes. All accounts include SSL security – the same as online banks. The option to you is whether you wish to offer public information to your friends and the public, it’s always up to you.

All these tools are relatively new still, and we look forward to seeing how they evolve around the people that use these apps on a daily basis. Being owned and managed by large corporations means they can adapt and add features requested from their community relatively quickly.

What are your favourite online services and applications?

In February 2009, 66.61% was the iPhones share of mobile web traffic, according to net applications. That’s a bit more than the second most popular OS Windows Mobile, at 6.91%.

258 million mobile broadband users around the world by 2014, according to a forecast by Ovum. That’s just laptop users; Ovum predicts that phones with 3G technology or better will be in 2 billion pockets.

Believe it or not QR or Quick Repsonse codes have been around for a while now. QR Codes are common in Japan, where they are currently the most popular type of two dimensional codes.

A QR Code is a matrix code (or two-dimensional bar code) created by Japanese corporation Denso-Wave in 1994. The creator intended the code to allow its contents to be decoded at high speed.

QR Codes storing addresses and URLs may appear in magazines, on signs, buses, business cards or just about any object that users might need information about. Users with a camera phone equipped with the correct reader software can scan the image of the QR Code causing the phone’s browser to launch and redirect to the programmed URL.

You can use your phone to read QR codes by installing Kaywa Reader.

And make your own QR code like we have below on the same kaywa site.

QR code containing website link for callendercreates.com

An introduction to barcode scanning on youtube

There is a plethora of online services that allow you to create charts and diagrams online, in the cloud.

Lovely charts is very powerful service, think of a web based OmniGraffle or Visio. Where you can create – flowcharts, sitemaps, wireframes, organisational charts, network diagrams, screenshots

Whether you are a designer, manager or just need a service to record ideas – I’ve suggested to number of clients using a service like this to ‘mind-map’ desired features on a site, or creating a site map for web site.

Lovely Charts is going to be in demand the next few months. They have been in public beta since November by the way, so keep an eye on their site for more updates.

They just work, very clean and intuitive to use. Not all of them have collaboration and exporting (PNG, SVG, PDF) features which makes the ones that do feel like they are going to stick around.

Here are some similar services

www.bubbl.us
www.mindmeister.com
www.mindomo.com
www.spinscape.com
www.mxgraph.com
www.protoshare.com

These type of free collaborative services are already very popular, and the services that can scale with user growth and be correctly funded will surely add new features to make their service more powerful in 2009.

Why do these web services exist?

• Online services reduce the need for smaller agencies to buy expensive licenced desktop based software
• A majority of ‘cloud’ based services are practically free
• Always on, and access the files where ever you are in the world – no need to carry a USB stick, you just need an internet connection
• Great for working remotely with clients and suppliers who may not have the same software

As it is all done through an internet browser like Firefox it makes communicating much more instant and makes your project process a whole lot smoother and enjoyable for all involved.

The files shared through these services can also act as a specification for your work, making your project tighter by having documentation to refer to when ever you need to.

Conclusion: Free services + being able to communicate more effectively with your team and clients = WIN

Notes from Internet World 2008, containing some useful statistics on email newsletter metrics.

This is still a valuable tool for reaching customers, and it is quite difficult to lose money in email marketing. The question is how to we measure the visitor statistics successfully. There are a number of US and UK companies that provide the mailout and reporting using spam filter friendly servers so a higher proportion of emails get delivered.

The mere fact that companies send emails to customers, regardless of the fact if they are opened or not leads to brand impact and awareness of the company and its services.
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