While perusing the "catchall" folder on my PC, I found this photo - it is of me at the Green Festival in Chicago this past spring. At the booth for Co-Op America, they asked people to write down something they do for the environment and have their picture taken with it. I chose the first thing that came to mind, printing on both sides of a sheet of paper.

Seeing this photo caused me to digress a bit from my daily routine and write down other things I consciously do having a positive impact on the environment. As I scrawled them on my white board, categorized and entered them into my content management system, I realized what I had was a draft of the Dunkirk Systems Environmental Statement. As I am working on content for my Web site, this is a logical statement to add.

In the spirit of blogging, I decided to post the draft here and solicit input. Here goes...

Reduce

• Use PDF documents and digital signatures rather than paper for contracts, invoices, etc.
• Power off computers at night
• Use whiteboard instead of paper
• Use eFax.com, which delivers faxes as PDF documents, instead of a fax machine
• Purchased duplexing laser printer to print on 2 sides of paper
• Minimal inkjet printer use
• For printing draft documents, use low ink and toner settings
• Always carry a compact shopping bag or pack
• Decrease burning of CDs and use Flash or portable hard drives and FTP of Zip files
• If an in-person meeting is required, walk or take public transportation over taxi and driving

Reuse

• Reuse paper – print on both sides or use for scrap
• Reuse packaging – boxes, padded envelopes
• Use reusable UPS envelopes for overnight shipping

Recycle

• Shred all confidential or personalized documents and recycle
• Recycle all other paper, cardboard, glass, plastic, etc.
• Give read books to friends and colleagues
• Recycled dead UPS (uninterruptible power supply) to vendor for credit towards a new one
• Return ink cartridges to Staples for recycling (do not refill ink cartridges due to reliability issues)
• Donate unneeded items to Goodwill

Rebuy

• Buy recycled products
• Seek products with minimal packaging
• Seek out stores and vendors that sell environmentally-friendly products and share my passion for the environment

So what do you think? Did I leave out something obvious? Have a question on something there?

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Whenever I search for a particular domain name, I still cross my fingers hoping it is not already registered. If not, then I register it, whether it is for me or for my clients. If it is already registered, then several steps come into play, from monitoring the domain name for when (or more likely if) it becomes available to the search for alternative names. On occasion there is that certain domain name or names someone wants that is worthy of taking yet another step – trying to purchase it from the current registrar.

Salesforce.com, leader in hosted Web-based applications commonly referred to as “software as a service” did just that, and after a 4-year negotiation they acquired the domain name force.com for an undisclosed price. As Salesforce.com’s business has progressed and changed, the “sales” portion of the name is only a part of their overall offering. The name force.com was ideal, yet already owned by someone – Force Technology of California which was founded by Gordon Force. Not only was the company named “force” but so was the owner! Keeping those facts in mine doesn’t make it surprising it took the length of a presidential term to acquire it.

In an industry like the Internet where multiple seconds can be an eternity, such a wait could be considered not worth the effort. Many times, waiting that long is also not feasible, as the naming and branding of the business may not be able to wait. In such a case, business and life must go on and an alternate domain name or names must be selected. Continuing the pursuit of a domain name, however, is not out of the question.

“Everything is negotiable” is a phrase I remember from many of my college business courses. Though the length of those negotiations may go longer than one would hope, a successful outcome, as with Force.com, makes it all the more sweeter.

Business • Domain Names • (2) Comments • Permalink

Earlier this year Chicago was all abuzz when the city was designated the US applicant city for the 2016 Summer Olympics. After a head-to-head battle with Los Angeles, the US Olympic committee voted and selected the Windy City to compete against several cities from around the world to host the international event. The final decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will be made in 2009.

A rally was held in Chicago the Monday after the decision was made, and then the buzz seemed to die. Other than a few stories about venue locations and the need for the Chicago bid logo to change (it had a torch in it, which violated Olympic branding rules, and the new logo is shown here), there was no news or events surrounding the bid until the recent international boxing event. But other than a parade through the city, unless you were a boxing fan, you probably weren’t involved.

There’s about a year and a half between now and when the IOC makes its choice for the host city. I am sure there are many tasks and activities going on in the background that are not public and do not need to be. Posters with the new logo just started appearing on ad space in the downtown Loop area. But the buzz and excitement of getting such an event, even if it is 9 years away, just isn’t here.

So how can I help get the Games to Chicago? I have blogged about the Olympics before. I also created my own custom return address labels with the logo on them, though I have no idea if that is in violation of some trademark usage rules. I have this feeling that there’s more that the common resident could do, especially with the potential economic impact to the city.

For a city that prides itself on being a center for advertising and marketing, more must be done to engage the people of Chicago in the city’s bid to get the 2016 Olympics. Otherwise, when the few messages that hit the public come out, they may not get the reception they require, let alone stir the soul.

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Today, November 2, domain name powerhouse NameMedia Inc. announced it filed for an initial public offering worth up to US$173 Million. Shares of NameMedia will be listed on the NASDAQ market under the ticker ‘NAME.’ This is big news for the domain name industry, as NameMedia is one of the largest players with BuyDomains as well as recent announcements of their launch of Gardens.com and acquisition of Photo.net.

It is also big news for the Boston area technology market, as NameMedia is located in Waltham, Mass., the home of many technology giants over the years, including Polaroid and Lycos. Waltham for centuries has been a center for pioneering advances in industry, including the Waltham watch, Metz automobile and bicycle, the invention of the microwave oven at Raytheon. In recent decades Waltham and the entire Route 128 corridor that cuts through it was called America’s Technology Highway, only second to the Silicon Valley. After the dot-com bust many biotech firms replaced the offices of tech companies.

Good luck to NameMedia on their IPO filing, the next generation of innovators to line the highway immortalized in “Roadrunner” by Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers!

Business • Domain Names • (2) Comments • Permalink

I have about a dozen outstanding invitations for people to join my LinkedIn circle. Each time I invite someone new to join the social networking Web site, I usually get asked what it is and why they should join. Rather than re-forward that information every time, I will present it here. I also welcome your feedback and suggestions for this personal frequently asked questions, or FAQ, for LinkedIn.

What is LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is a Web-based application in the category of a social network. Members can create and maintain a profile as detailed or minimal as they wish, and it can be said the more detailed it is, the more it resembles a resume or CV. You can invite people to be linked into your circle, and as a result you are indirectly linked to people in their circle, similar to the concept of six-degrees of separation (or Kevin Bacon). You can search for these connections and request to contact them, post to and answer questions from the community of members, and write recommendations of members.

What is a social network, and aren’t all networks social?

All networks should be social! Here is a definition of social networking from WikiPedia, and I will leave it to you to read it and make your own conclusion.

How do you use LinkedIn?

I have a rather detailed professional profile on myself, as my LinkedIn profile returns a result high on the list for a search on my name and my business in the search engines. I have reconnected with many people over the years of using it. But primarily I use it to keep people at “arm’s length” to see where they are and what they are doing. When logged in, the home page is a great resource as it shows people in your circle who have changed their profile or added new people to their own circles.

What do you see as the strengths of LinkedIn?

Its strengths are in its home page (as mentioned above), a professional format and layout and the number of people using it.

What do you see as the drawbacks of LinkedIn?

As compared to other social networks, LinkedIn is a little stuffy. Just recently they allowed people to add an 80 pixel square photo of themselves, where photos are the hallmark of all social networks. If you want to connect with someone in someone else’s circle, the request has to be passed along from person-to-person. Why not just let people choose if they want to receive these connections directly, as I myself have always passed along a request. It is also limiting in how you can reference other non-work activities and Web links.

There is a paid version of LinkedIn, do you use it?

No. It only allows you to contact more people, and since I don’t contact many people indirectly it is not worth it to me.

How many people are in your LinkedIn circle?

As of October 23, 2007 I have 236 contacts.

I already belong to enough services and have too many logins, why should I sign up for this?

LinkedIn is currently the primary networking service for business – if you want to network for business, you should create a free account. By doing so you can claim your name, as they allow you to create a custom URL to your profile page, such as my own, http://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemaddaloni. Plus more and more people are joining LinkedIn daily.

Can I join your LinkedIn circle?

Sure, just ask!

Business • Technology • (5) Comments • Permalink