Google Search – from ongoing subtle changes emerges a Major Cumulative Impact

Posted on June 19, 2013 by GAFYDguy

At age 15 (IPO Sept 1998) Google Inc is barely old enough to qualify for a driver’s permit. But in Spring 2013 is has $50 Billion in revenue , is #55 on the Fortune 500 list and dominates the market it is in. Other great companies (i.e. Coca Cola, Cisco Systems, FedEx) who have been around much longer have yet to reach these levels.

Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin will likely admit “fortunate timing” plays a role, but also it is the company philosophy to large degree. Build complex mathematical model solutions that solve specific problems, integrate those solutions via layering and leveraging the output of one to be the input to another. The end result is a service where “the whole is greater than the sum of the parts” by a large degree and has Google being used for 2 of every 3 Internet search queries (holds a steady 66% market share in recent years).

It’s easy to think of Google search has not changed much over the years, when viewing the Google.com homepage. It still consists of the logo, a single search box and dual buttons. Even the search result list (which now weaves in images, videos, Knowledge Graph summaries etc) is still dominated by straightforward text.

However behind the scenes Google search has changed plenty, in increasingly profound ways. Not to mention “How we interact” with it has evolved, including instant type ahead auto-suggestion, voice input, and mobile device touch screens. If Google’s ambitious evolution goals continue to pay off, in just a few years what we call Google Search could be a new kind of search engine. Below are sample “evolving features” that refine how Google Search works today and will RE-define the impact it has on our future daily life.

Personalization – the more you use Google search, the more able it becomes in providing results that are consistent with your “personal individual” preferences.

“…By watching what you click on in search results, Google can learn that you favor particular sites. For example, if you often search and click on links from Amazon that appear in Google’s results, over time, Google learns that you really like Amazon. In reaction, it gives Amazon a ranking boost. That means you start seeing more Amazon listings, perhaps for searches where Amazon wasn’t showing up before.

The results are custom tailored for each individual. For example, let’s say someone else prefers Barnes & Nobles. Over time, Google learns that person likes Barnes & Noble. They begin to see even more Barnes & Nobles listings, rather than Amazon ones…” Search Engine Land Article of 12/4/2009

Knowledge graph – the search engine itself is learning, or gaining “knowledge” based on all queries made. Based on what people search on and what results they click on common patterns are identified. The search engine better differentiates between a word and the significance of that word in context of cultural norms.

“…Consider the word “lassie”, a standard dictionary will likely provide this definition “a girl or young woman who is unmarried”. However a Google search provide a lot of first level results that contain articles, pictures, video clicks and overall bio information about “the fictional female collie dog character created by Eric Knight in a short story”

Google Now– is where things start to really change because of mobile devices. A process where a “search result (known as a card)” is provided even though no specific query has been entered. Providing answers to questions it anticipates you might ask. The search engine essentially makes “natural deductions” by using the above features plus smartphone “meta data” including.
- Location – the mobile device has built in GPS providing real time location data
- Events – a person’s calendar will provide many specific references of events
- People – telephone calls, email’s, text messages and social site postings via mobile devices provide detailed insight as to who you typically communicate with

“…an excellent example is “Next Appointment”. Your mobile device knows the current time, via your calendar it knows the time and location of your next appointment, the GPS tells the system where you are located right now. By tapping into the available Google map system, it can determine the most likely route, current traffic conditions and automatically concludes when you should leave. It can “automatically” alert you, it is time to leave your current location to make the next appointment on time. You never even needed to check your watch to see what time it is.”

Opinions vary widely about whether these new features are a good thing or not – regardless the public market demands a constant stream of new innovation and capabilities, and technology can deliver. The challenge becomes do we still call it a “Search Engine” or start to call it something else?

Posted in Android, change in IT, cloud computing, Free, IP, iPhone, Maps / Geocoding, mobility, Smartphone | Leave a comment

Privacy discussed by Google’s / Eric Schmidt – a Technology Business leader

Posted on May 30, 2013 by GAFYDguy

Within the media, certain large companies, particularly some web based companies are portrayed as lacking concern or consideration for people’s Privacy. Yet those same companies have staff, employees and executives living in the everyday world we do. If we worry about our privacy, you can be certain they also have concern about their own.

Today our multi-faceted lives include many relationship circles: those we work with, play with and attend church / community events with. There’s also immediate family and extended family members, each “relationship circle” brings with it unique privacy expectations (and tolerance for violation).

CEO’s, company Presidents and organization leaders are also individuals with the same variety of relationship circles. Eric Schmidt, who held the role of CEO at Google during a decade of explosive growth (2001-2011) is someone that has been vocal on this matter and remains concerned about changes in Privacy.

If money was the answer, Mr. Schmidt with a net-worth of $Billions could afford to “buy” his desired level of privacy. If influence was the answer, as a Princeton taught electrical engineer, a past Apple Computer board member and current Google board member – it is fair to believe he’d have the knowledge and “clout” to influence whatever degree of privacy he wanted.

However, Mr. Schmidt is a husband, father to two daughters, community member and world traveler that has found neither money nor influence alone can control all privacy. Like us he goes out in public, his family surfs the web plus world travel has him encounter privacy topics in other cultures and countries. He is candid, even outspoken as a technology company executive on how technology can and does impact boundaries of personal privacy.

Following are media clip excerpts of Eric Schmidt that help reveal both his personal and professional views and concerns about privacy.

Security and privacy – related but not the same, Google as a company must be responsible for the security of data stored within their systems. Yet you remain the owner of the data content and decide what data you will store, and for how long on their devices. Accordingly, you are in primary control of the privacy, by virtue of what you release and must apply discretion on what you share. Youtube An interview with Eric Schmidt (with Daniel Franklin, Exec Editor of The Economist — a 1-2 min segment starting at 24m19s).
Government and people’s willingness to be public – speaking with NYU students Eric Schmidt identifies how people apparently have willingness and tendency to be very public. This is responded to differently in different cultures and governments around the world. Youtube At NYU Stern: Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman, Google, Inc. and Maria Bartiromo, Anchor, CNBC (a 3 min segment starting at 23m24s).
Fighting for your privacy – many cultural forces are at work, that can result in “privacy creep” by taking advantage of a citizens attitude of indifference or in certain environments, an authoritarian regime. If left unmonitored or unchecked, market trends can easily erode personal privacies that we’ve long taken for granted as always being present. Youtube Eric Schmidt: The Future of Identity, Citizenship and Reporting (a 2-3 min segment starting at 15m45s)
Our children, the upcoming generation(s) - simply by virtue of when they were born, will have more of their lives subject to “digital recording”. They must be instructed and made aware of later life consequences resulting from not being responsible and/or diligent about appropriate privacy practices. Forbes Article Nov/2012 Google’s Eric Schmidt Tells Parents To ‘Have Online Talk Before Sex Talk’ With Kids. Survey Suggests Many Do.

Prior to the information age, Privacy was not thought of as often because it came about somewhat automatically. The amount of “digital exchange” and recorded data was far less, plus getting access to that data could be extremely hard. By default, there was more privacy. Today, people must specifically determine what value they place on privacy – and then lean how to dial in the degree of privacy they desire.

When using GAFYD.net, the new Google+ / Circles features create a whole new method for using “social network communication” features while retaining privacy within a company’s registered domain. For more details call Tom at 303-932-8146.

Posted in change in IT, cloud computing, Cloud Storage, Google Apps, mobility, Privacy, Smartphone, Web Presence | Leave a comment

Should removing “Your Privacy” be someone else’s “For Profit” Business?

Posted on May 20, 2013 by GAFYDguy

Isn’t this really crossing the line on Privacy Violation? My recent posts address the reality that we must take personal responsibility and specific action at times to retain the level of privacy we desire. However when it happens without our knowledge, nor our consent and is sold to generate profit for others – new steps must be taken to control the people doing it.

The picture shows a car owned / operated by a private business using the latest in high speed / high definition cameras recording precise images of every license plate on ever car in a local parking lot. That may not be an issue by itself, but the fact the data is “digitally stored and later sold or provided” to other people makes it more of an issue.

Technology is changing our lives at a faster pace than the legal system is keeping up with. So the legal system better speed itself up! This example shows how, simply being out in public can result in your behavior, possessions and movement being recorded and archived by parties you have no relation with at all.

The article Private company hoards license plate data, plans to create database with “billions” of records(from the Blog PrivacySOS Tue 5/14/2013) describes the motives and business factors behind this process in more detail, but it can be summarized as:

Vigilant Video is a private corporation. It maintains a database called the National Vehicle Location Service (NVLS), containing hundreds of millions of data points showing the travel patterns of millions of people in the United States. The data in the system comes from a variety of sources including government agencies, other companies like tow truck and repo firms, and a fleet of company cars that drives around sucking up license plate information on our streets and in our neighborhoods.

Each of us will have our own immediate reaction to this, one that falls in the range of passive indifference to extreme displeasure, and possibly anger born of feeling violated. Yet there is seldom a simple uniform answer to issues of privacy – that is because it isn’t really one simple question, but rather a collection of at least 3 primary questions.

WHO, WHEN, WHY? – When you consider every one of us routinely performs “massive data capture” (our eyes and other 4 senses scan and capture everything around us in a constant fashion) filming things is no different than everyday behavior. But based on intent (i.e. self serving or malicious intent and absent of any reasonable consent) it becomes a civil or criminal action by virtue of violating societal norms, laws and/or cultural traditions.
What is PERMAMENTLY RECORDED? – This is where the issue really starts to raise new topics. Even people with the most magnificent memory, only remember a tiny fraction of everything that passes by their eyes on a given day. With cameras, EVERYTHING in the field of view is captured 100% now and for the future. Recordings can be played back at any time with original detail, or even materially enhanced detail using certain techniques..
Who can ACCESS THE RECORDING? - If we could suck out every sensory image in another person’s memory on demand, then play them back as we desired in the future plus share that person’s mental images with anyone we chose (with or without the original person’s knowledge) – imagine HOW DIFFERNET this world would be.

CLICK image to view the Full News Story Video

If questions 2 and 3 are not getting your attention they should be – that’s where they greatest risk for harm exists, but it is also the best opportunity for effective controls to be established. With no controls, the opportunity for personal violation and potential for privacy abuses that could cause material harm goes totally off the charts.

It is unreasonable to think we can control the capability and manner of use of new technology such as high speed / HD cameras. No more than we can control what another person chooses to look at, smell, hear or touch. But we have the capacity and responsibility to control what gets electronically recorded, the duration the data is retained and who may have access to it.

Posted in Anytime Access, change in IT, Cloud Storage, Independence, Legal, mobility, Privacy | 1 Comment

The Seesaw ride between PRIVACY and TRANSPARENCY

Posted on May 8, 2013 by GAFYDguy

Academic and institutional articles go on at great length discussing theoretical relationships between Privacy and Transparency. In practical terms I see it similar to riding a seesaw, a constant exchange of one for the other. One may be tempted to view the words as simple “opposite ends of a sliding scale”. I see the relation as more complex, integrated and dynamic. Something that constantly readjusts based on perspective and what’s happening at the moment.

From an individual’s perspective it’s not always a simple exchange of one for the other, the relationship may overlap and be integrated at times. Particularly with a third party involved, where Transparency of one party, is required for an affected party to determine how their Privacy is impacted and options available for retaining the level of privacy desired. It makes little sense to have sophisticated “privacy settings” in a system (i.e. Facebook) if the system is not first transparent about what data it makes available (exposes) in both a direct and indirect fashion.

Consider the simple example in this blog post that referenced the article “The Golden Gate Bridge is Watching You.”. If the bridge authority and related news media had not been transparent about the new 100% electronic toll system and the personal data it captures and stores, the public would lose privacy without knowing it. In this case your only option to maintain privacy about your bridge related commuting and travel behavior – might be to walk or ride a bike. But at least you know the options and get to make your own decision about what travel behavior privacy you want to retain.

Our need to make this decision occurs more frequently due to the “risk / reward trade off” decisions presented to us. Being transparent (low privacy) has advantages and certain benefits in the information age. We like to get grocery coupons and savings personalized to our preferences. So we willingly enroll in the local supermarket’s “preferred customer program” —- also giving permission for them to electronically record ever item we buy, the time and location we did so, as well as how much we spent, even if we pay with cash. Long ago many succumbed to the convenience of being able to travel locally or internationally virtually cash free and still purchase on demand (via debit and credit cards). In exchange we allow invisible third parties to record and evaluate everything imaginable about our spending habits.

Today’s question is often — how much of what I do on the internet is recorded? The answer is: a tremendous amount – what I search for, physical places I go to, companies I deal with, subjects I focus on etc etc. We have to make conscious and active decisions to determine what benefits we’ll forego in exchange for retaining a higher level of privacy.

Many begrudge Google for what it records, but those recordings are necessary to provide the high levels of personalized WEB experience we have come to expect. If you are curious about what is known about you on the WEB, Google has built some transparency tools to help you see what other people see. The menu to the right may be found at support.google.com/accounts/ by selecting the “Privacy and Security” option.

Google Blog post titled Giving you more insight into your Google Account activity highlights other ways Google is transparent about information is has regarding your online activity (when using their services). For instance it reports the number of WEB searches you executed, how many searches happened on a given day and what the most common search term it was that you used.

The recorded data is used to help provide more accurate personalized search results to future inquires you make. If this unnerves you, view this Google Support page Turn off your Google Web History which explains how to alter or totally turn off the web history recording for your account (retain Privacy over your searchs).

PRIVACY, TRANSPARENCY and SECURITY are three tightly related topics that have become ever more entwined into everyday decision making. Yet we retain a large degree of control over them if we chose to invest the time to think about what we share and learn about what we can control via various settings. Unfortunately the lure of convenience, simplicity and instant gratification that comes with foregoing privacy and being transparent about our life can be powerful.

UPDATE: Variations among nations, I learned of this article just prior to publishing: India launches monitoring system to track all calls, texts, and online activity (5/8/13).

Posted in Anytime Access, change in IT, cloud computing, Google+, Legal, Privacy, Security | Leave a comment

Privacy is Elusive – but should we be Giving it away?

Posted on April 24, 2013 by GAFYDguy

Privacy – the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves or information about themselves and thereby reveal themselves selectively.

Certainly something that qualifies as “intangible”, but none the less often highly valued. Prior to the information age, Privacy was largely automatic, simply because the amount of recorded information was far more limited and often it was extremely hard to access, so by default it remained Private.

However, technology and particularly the Internet/WEB (first major Browser Mosaic Netscape 0.9, born Apr 1994, released Oct same year) has changed that forever. Merely 2 decades later we have ability to access any information on the internet, at any time of day from virtually any location – using spoken voice commands and a palm size smartphone!

Add in the fact, that most everything that gets recorded on the Internet stays on the Internet (seldom ever removed) and you understand how one’s Privacy can become highly reduced (compromised?) over their lifetime. Many people dismiss this loss of privacy as a non-issue – that’s a personal choice. But businesses and many individuals are NOT nearly so fast to do the same – certain communications and seemingly mundane information obtained by a competitor can mean the difference between the success or failure of a company or reputation.

The seemingly endless capacity to record digital data (due to tremendous reductions in digital storage costs) seems to result in recording all information, even if there is limited or no real value. This creates “privacy creep” that we may be totally unaware of. It is necessary to be vigilant and speak up about it, or find ways to control it when we feel appropriate. The following article jumped out at me as an example of privacy creep – I for one question why the government world need to capture and retain record of my daily work commute habit just to collect a bridge tool.

The Golden Gate Bridge is Watching You. (March 28, 2013 Electronic Frontier Foundation)

March 27, (2013) the Golden Gate Bridge switched to all-electronic tolling. ALL drivers entering San Francisco no longer have the option to pay the $6 cash toll to a human toll collector.

“…Unfortunately, ALL OF THE BRIDGE’S ELECTRONIC PAYMENT OPTIONS TRACK THE IDENTITIES of those paying the tool, and ALL REPRESENT A LOSS OF PRIVACY for visitors or commuters entering San Francisco by car. The current implementation of electronic tolling here (and elsewhere) is unnecessarily privacy-invasive and represents a missed opportunity to collect tolls electronically in more privacy-friendly ways.”

So did the governing public entity TAKE away our Privacy –or– did we simply GIVE our privacy away? Is the simple quest for a convenient and time efficient money transaction now serve as just cause to monitor individual citizens to this level? Technology provides many alternatives to this technique (recording identity of every person going across the bridge). Plus one would want to ask – how long is the data retained?

Not a simple topic, but a very significant one as it is one of those issues where as they say “once you let the Genie out of the bottle – you can’t put it back in”. Once you give away this information about yourself, there is no way to take it back. I will address various issues around the topic of privacy in upcoming blog posts.

Posted in AAA Computing, Anytime Access, change in IT, cloud computing, Cloud Storage, Legal, Maps / Geocoding, mobility, Privacy | 1 Comment

Domain links remain a powerful method for Organic SEO

Posted on April 11, 2013 by GAFYDguy

As an authorized Google Apps reseller for SMB businesses I’m often asked by clients – How can I improve my chances of being found on the Web?

Most business have learned getting and keeping “high rank on search engines” is an ever elusive goal. Often complex and sometimes costly due to the fact the rules change often, they can be complex & confusing, and using skilled paid experts can be expensive. Even the largest of companies struggle with their SEO efforts. Add in all the new “social media” elements to the issue and things become more complicated.

What can Small/Medium businesses do? ANS: use a tried and true method, which can even be FREE (with respect to out of pocket expense). There is a time investment, but the payoff can be worth it. Simply – get your Domain listed as a link on the web in as many places as possible. Later in this post I’ve summarized 10 HOW TO’s from an article and added my own suggestions. For the benefit of all lets first review some basic terminology:

Domain (aka = Company Domain name, Web Address, Web Site Name, the URL, etc.) – no matter what you call it, it is the item that becomes the link to get people to YOUR web site.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization), a common generic term referring to a wide variety of methods, techniques, tricks and alternatives (literally hundreds) to help increase the probability your domain appears near the top of the list of search results.
Organic SEO – in technology terms, it means improved Search Engine rank without paying for it. Achieved as result of doing routine (mundane) everyday activities which do NOT require specific out of pocket expense.

High quality “Paid SEO” is a combination of art and science, high quality Organic SEO is more a result of persistence and discipline with some creative thinking sprinkled in. There are various techniques, but one building block that remains valuable to getting more visitors to you site, plus raises your Search Engine rank is creating “Domain Links”. That means having your Domain recorded in as many clickable locations on the Web as you can think of.

I’ve summarized 10 suggestions from an April 2013 Entrepreneur Magazine article: “10 Easy Ways to Promote Your Site Through Link Building” (Click title to view full article)

1. Create a blog. – Creating content on a consistent basis not only builds links internally (by linking out from your posts)…

2. Internal linking – You have pages and posts on your website, so make the most of them. Internal links are huge for link building…

COMMENT – #1 and #2 are straight forward to people familiar with web site administration, but can feel technical and intimidating to a business owner. They may require hiring someone with the web site expertise.

3. Resources/links pages – Other webmasters have created links, or resource, pages, and these are legitimate opportunities to get links…

4. Ask people you know for a link – Whether it’s friends, relatives, colleagues, business partners, clients, or anyone else, ask them for a link…

5. Make it easy to link to you – Create HTML-ready snippets that people can plug right into their content to link to you…

6. Link out – Linking out is huge. Don’t be a link hoarder; you’re going to create content, so use it to gain favor with other people.

COMMENT – #4 is simple but often overlooked – no need to know how to put the link into a friend’s or business associate’s site. Only provide your correct domain name via an email, to whoever administers the other web site, they will place it in their site.

7. Research your competitors – When it comes to finding new link opportunities, competitor research is one of the first things you should do…

8. Build relationships – This is the No. 1 link-building strategy in the world. Get to know people! … The best part about this is that it’s just like real life.

9. Niche-specific directories - As opposed to general web directories, niche-specific directories only accept sites that meet a certain topic criteria.

COMMENT – #7, #8 and #9 is where Creative thinking comes into play. Remember, just having your domain in a “legitimate directory” that is also working to promote itself is beneficial to your search engine rank position. Be very imaginative, 1,000’s of directories exist on the Web you could be listed in: Chamber of Commerce Sites / Local Newspaper directories / Industry associations / Supplier Company site / Property Manager Tenant list / Insurance Vendor referral lists / HOA web sites / your Golf, Tennis, Soccer, Little League or other sport clubs / your hobby groups etc.

It does NOT have to be a directory specific to your business, just the fact your domain is recorded in a recognized legitimate directory is good.

10. Paid directories – Some directories ask for money before accepting your link(s)… some pass on legitimate value, others aren’t worth your time or money.

Also valuable to Organic SEO is visitor traffic. Anyone, yes even your own staff going to your domain helps contribute to raising search engine rank level. So if your company uses Google Apps For Your Domain (GAFYD.net) cloud computing solutions, the daily routine of just getting email, calendar and docs generates visitor stats for your domain.

Posted in cloud computing, Free, Google Apps, Localized WEB, Web Presence | Leave a comment

CLOUD BORG – will you be assimilated?

Posted on March 26, 2013 by GAFYDguy

Cloud computing is such a great enabler! But enabling new things also means change, and we know change can be uncomfortable if not even frightening for some. A recent ZDNET article titled “Cloud Haters – You Too Will Be Assimilated” (Mar 2013, Jason Perlow, Sr. Technology Editor at ZDNet) I felt provided a humorous yet realistic perspective of the “Cloud Computing / Cloud Storage” issue. Selected excerpts from the article follow – click the article title above to view the full original.

(Image: ZDNet)

“…Well, I got news for you, Cloud Haters. The cloud is coming for you whether you like it or not. The cloud cannot be stopped. Your data and user experience will be assimilated. … But we at The Cloud Continuum are not entirely without compassion. Let’s go down the list of your grievances. I mean, it’s not like we have to, because we’ll just end up owning your infrastructure anyway. But we are, if anything, attentive….”

Grievance 1: I’ll lose my individual computing power if I move to the cloud.

This cannot be any farther from the truth. If anything, you’ll have more individual computing power from moving to the cloud, because your user experience will be backed up by a balls to the wall datacenter with huge amounts of remote compute power as well as even remote GPU compute capability. …

But don’t blame the cloud for losing your localized computing power. Blame the technology industry and the overall desire to move to greener, more power efficient localized processing. Blame tablets and smartphones and low-power SoCs and other inexpensive endpoint devices that will be the crux of the next-generation personal computing experience….

Yes, there will be minimal edge cases that do need workstations, but they will be so few and far between as to amount to a rounding error in a Tier 1 PC manufacturer’s yearly income, and private citizens won’t be able to justify the expense of buying them for the sheer vanity of having a “local” machine when their cloud-enabled devices are a fraction of the cost.

Grievance 2: Subscriber services are going to increase my personal computing and application costs

The move to a subscriber-based sales model … is an entirely new way of doing things, and that having to pay a yearly fee per seat rather than assume an upfront cost for a license that may be used for four or five years sounds more expensive.

The reality is that software as a service and subscriber software services are actually less costly to both the end user and the enterprise in the long run. Much of this has to do with the burden of maintenance and updates. It also has to do with the elimination of software piracy, which has artificially inflated the costs of software for at least two decades….

Plus there’s the added benefit that under the subscriber model, you will always be running the current version of the software, and you will always be at a current level of support as well. For small businesses as well as enterprises that live or die by their line of business applications, this is a very big deal.

Grievance 3: I don’t trust the security or the integrity of the cloud

… folks who run real, business-grade clouds that supply a specific quality of service (read as: they charge for this stuff and have to perform according to Service Level Agreements rather than provide free services in exchange for advertising eyeballs) tend not to be the ones that are susceptible to these problems.

By the way, the folks who I am talking about are not these fly-by-night data storage startups such as Dropbox and “gotta have it for free” cloud-based apps like Twitter that have had all kinds of security incidents. I’m talking about … the ones who employ the highest-trained security professionals to insure the storage of and network connectivity to that data is isolated from other tenants and walled off from the outside world, and to put the most amount of capital investment into their redundant infrastructure to ensure the integrity of your data and the continuity of your business.

Grievance 4: I don’t think I’ll ever have enough connectivity

There’s not a single article in which I mention the cloud that I don’t get some comment that sounds like “I live in a van … down by the river! … in a developing country… The connectivity to the cloud will never be fast enough to where I live!” Yeah, well, sucks to be you.

Look, nobody expects the cloud and broadband initiatives to deploy to every single person in every single country in an equal opportunity fashion. We know that governments drag their feet and infrastructure takes a while to build out. That stinks.

But the bottom line is that for the majority of folks, and for many types of application scenarios, cloud computing does not require a heck of lot of bandwidth…. Once the data lives in the cloud, it doesn’t need to leave or move to the cloud. …

This is a process that will take years. It will not happen overnight. We are still facing fundamental issues for things like what the heck we’re gonna do to deal with increased video traffic …and how to provision virtual and physical infrastructure at the largest scale according to increasing demand, but these problems will eventually be solved.

—————-The bottom line is, you will be assimilated.——————–

Remember the Microwave Oven, Radial Car Tires, Fuel Injected Engines and even the original Mobile Phones – for years, many predicated dire outcomes, yet all those items are utterly pervasive today. It is simply a matter of time.

Posted in AAA Computing, Anytime Access, change in IT, cloud computing, Cloud Storage, Data center, Google Apps, IP, mobility, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Intelligent Attachments Example 4 – a VIRTUAL database via email attachment

Posted on March 11, 2013 by GAFYDguy

Cloud computing is such a great enabler! Many things that have been too complex or costly in the past, are now available to every business. This post is a bit long but will be worth your time – you’ll see how easy it can now be to collect data from a group of people near and far into a small database using just email.

Programming a database is more work and expense than most people want to take on for small efforts. So typically they revert to a spreadsheet file. Then email it as a file attachment to the people involved. Then the wait begins for each person to send a reply email with their data in a modified version of the spreadsheet attachment. The reply email is then opened and the attachment downloaded so the new data can be merged into a master spreadsheet. This last step alone often takes a good more effort and time than is available and presents opportunity for errors to get introduced.

A real life example shows how the power of “cloud based storage” allows you to have a true dynamic shared database vs a static spreadsheet email attachment. Using only standard email, we’ll provide recipients the ability to make direct database entries – thus completely eliminating need for reply attachments and merging process. Consider the simple example of gathering guest information for a “Wedding Rehearsal Dinner”. Simple, but it exhibits elements and challenges often encountered in business situations:

It’s a one-time event, so don’t invest any more effort than possible
Recipients (the Guests) are from distant locations and time zones
Some people may want to or need to response for other people
Some only use a mobile device which has no spreadsheet program.
Computer skills and computer equipment varies greatly, may even lack the required compatible spreadsheet software.
With just 30 guests, in short order you have well over a 100 emails flying back and forth as changes and corrections are made
The time frame to complete the project is often very short! Etc etc.

In our sample, we’ll keep data needs simple. The core objective is to quickly create an accurate and consistent recording of responses that are saved in a spreadsheet style. We’ll ask for the guest’s name, meal choice (from a limited menu), and if they are guest of the groom or bride. (Being a father of two daughters, I know the questions could be far more extensive, but this is just an example!)

1.) Create the “Intelligent Attachment”. Very easy to do when using “Google Apps For Business”. Once you Sign in using your Google Apps private domain user id, go to the DRIVE tab. Click on CREATE and then select FORM. A pop-up help window opens and guides you through creating the questions, answer selections and other requirements. When done, the form is saved and the system automatically creates a spreadsheet file on the drive to capture the email recipient’s response. All responses will be captured automatically in a single spreadsheet that you can later sort, print, search and share as you wish.

From the same screen used to create the form, you then click a SEND button. You may enter any number of people in your contact list plus enter email addresses directly if not in your contact list.

2.) Use the Form to enter data. The sample form we created is shown on the right as it will appear to the email recipient. It is self documenting and extremely easy to use compared to downloading and editing a spreadsheet file. There are hints regarding what to enter into the field and when necessary the choices are limited.

The email recipient finishes by clicking the SUBMIT button. Their responses (even via iPhone, iPad and other mobile devices) are immediately stored in the cloud based spreadsheet on your Google Drive. The form can be used to make multiple entries and the spreadsheet can hold thousands of responses.

3.) Auto Created Spreadsheet. This gives new meaning to what an email attachment can be. As an “Intelligent Attachment” there is a real time connection via the cloud between the form in the email and the stored database (Spreadsheet).

Any number of email recipients can be making entries at once, and the file owner can see the updates as they flow in. Data is more accurate, consistent (selections are pre-built and limited) and already in one single file. This greatly reduces errors and wasted time. Using your imagination you can likely think of many possible situations where it could be used.

Cloud based storage truly enables a whole new category of email attachment – what I call the “Intelligent Attachment”. For further details about “Highly integrated productivity apps” like these that speed business processes and work-flows – call Tom at 303-932-8146

Posted in AAA Computing, Android, Anytime Access, cloud computing, Cloud Storage, eMail, Free, Google Apps, iPhone, mobility | 1 Comment

A peek into the future of Cloud Storage and the impact on apps.

Posted on February 15, 2013 by GAFYDguy

photo: Google Ventures

The transition to and impact of cloud based storage continues to shake things up in the world of software applications. It was 2006, when Sam Schillace, creator of the Writely program which became Google Docs and germinated the beginnings of Google Apps For Business, joined Google along with the sale of his creation to them.

In late 2012, six years later after time at both Google Inc. and Google Ventures (a capital venture funding group) Sam decided to venture back into the depths of technology as the VP of Engineering at BOX (originally known as Box.Net).

He wants to be involved with the considerable technical problems of high growth storage companies as they seek to manage “…crushing data volumes and millions of users….” (i.e. quoted growth rates are: 10% monthly, meaning it doubles roughly every 7 months and grows by a factor of four every year well into the PETAbytes size.)

Throughout 2012 it became evident “cloud storage” and the “always available” attribute would have a large impact on the design of future applications and in particular the mobile/web. Re-visit one or more of the Blog posts below to see why.

“Google DRIVE” – full integrated Cloud Storage for all apps

Posted on September 19, 2012 by GAFYDguy

CLOUD File Storage – Business Model Evolution

Posted on June 19, 2012 by GAFYDguy

Reasons Google CLOUD Storage is becoming Popular

Posted on May 23, 2012 by GAFYDguy

But data is only valuable when processed by an application. Schillace remains very proud of the Google Apps product but predicts the bigger challenge is figuring out how to build a great collaborative apps in the age of very powerful mobile devices. As Schillace puts it

“The interesting challenge is to have one foot in many worlds at once,” (mobile, web and desktop, consumer and enterprise.) ”We’re just at the beginning of this tidal wave of enterprise going from on-premise to the cloud … . I think all the boundaries and functionalities of that stack are still up for grabs.”

Posted in AAA Computing, Anytime Access, change in IT, Cloud Storage, Data center, Google Apps, mobility, Storage | Leave a comment

Intelligent Attachments Example 3 – Signatures & Work Flow Process

Posted on February 6, 2013 by GAFYDguy

When worlds collide! The legal significance of a Signature still applies in our current “digital” world.

Unfortunately a process that originated in a paper based world, can bog down and stymie the speed advantages the digital world gives us. Here is one example along with a way to overcome the problem. Maybe you are personally familiar with this situation which occurs daily in many businesses.

Some business event dictates a “legally binding signature” be on a document.
The document was transported to you via Email (new digital world), however printing the email does not help because…
The document is actually an “attachment” which requires other steps to process.
The attachment has to be downloaded to your computer, accessed via the proper software to be viewed, and printed out to paper, so it can be signed.
The signed paper then has to be scanned back into a digital file, that new file then becomes a new attachment transported via email to the desired recipient(s).
OR the new recipient may even require a Fax be sent for some reason or another.
Each key event should be recorded in some form of log, so there is verifiable proof to prove a deadline or some other such condition was satisfied.
File the hardcopy document Etc.

Seems tedious and exhausting just talking about it, yet that type of “work flow process” for signed documents happens routinely in business today. What if you could just sign the attached document, send it to the next recipient as needed and create a permanent private searchable log that records the events all at the same time — without ever leaving the email program? It’s possible when using our managed services configuration of Google Apps For Business (GAFYD.net).

The two previous “Intelligent Attachment” posts (Example 1, Example 2) described how cloud storage can aid in reducing storage space and enhance immediate collaboration. This time cloud technology helps materially reduce the number of steps to complete a process by handling a standard document attachment with more intelligence. With Google’s Chrome browser software, an enhancement to gmail and your Google Apps For Business private domain email address (i.e. xxxx@mycompany.com) automation comes to life for what is still often a very manual process.

This “intelligent attachment work flow” provides time savings, reduction in resources, less work effort and automated record keeping – features everyone welcomes. The email shown below includes a document attachment that needs to be signed and returned to the sender. This can be done simply by clicking the “Sign” command which appears after the attachment file name.

The attachment will be opened, with all its pages viewable in the proper format even if the original program (WORD, Excel, PDF etc) is not on that computer.

The user clicks and drags the appropriate annotation box (i.e. Signature or Initials) into the document to the desired location, and leaves a “legally compliant” signature. Then immediately can click the “Save and Attach to Email” button to transport the now signed document to one or more email addresses direct from their private email address.

Since the process happens within a private email inbox, a recallable record of all the events (including having copy of the “signed” document) is kept as a by-product. Since date/time stamp is routine for all inbound and outbound emails, a natural by-product of this approach is logging the key steps of the work flow. In addition the attachments can be accessed from a variety of mobile devices at any later time to support verification or confirmation requirements.

Proviso – the author recognizes a variety of “electronic signature” methods already exist in the market. Some are rather complex and can be very tedious, others are costly by virtual of all the setup and infrastructure that needs to be established. I don’t know of any solution as affordable, simple and integrated for the SMB market as the one which has been described above. Contact the author (Tom Smith) at 303-932-8146 for additional details and information on these features.

Posted in AAA Computing, change in IT, cloud computing, Cloud Storage, Google Apps, Legal, mobility, Security | Leave a comment