To say we're blessed here in the United States is an understatement.  We have an economy and an infrastructure which allows us to accomplish much as individuals.  So seeing things like the Clinton Global Initiative and other projects going on out there to help the rest of the world catch up with us is definitely something we here, who have so much, can be proud of and support.

But coming from rural America, actually knowing people who - in some cases didn't have running water year round, and often common amenities that almost all of us take for granted are not taken for granted in some of those areas I have a different view.  It's a place where jobs are not always easy to come by, and the odds of anyone becoming a member of the Fortune 1000 are pretty rare.  People work long hours, and their children do not have the opportunities you see on TV and in the movies.  It's a lot of hard work for these people just to pay bills regularly. 

I also know people in urban areas, who similarly work long hours at jobs which are at or below the poverty level, and do not have the ability to just ... "Get something better".  Bettering oneself, isn't that easy when you're already working two jobs just to make ends meet.  So I have to ask myself if there shouldn't be more programs in place to see to it the United States does not slip behind as I watch the progression of our 3rd world neighbors who, if the goals of these programs succeed - and I believe they will, progress from 3rd world survival to entrepreneurial success equivalent to many of our own rural communities.

Don't get me wrong - I am not advocating a protectionist attitude at all.  I'm merely asking that as we point out our blessings and programs available here in the USA, and as we enable these 3rd world brethren of business -- which we are told will one day re-enable our own markets and businesses here, just how the average under educated, not a Harvard MBA, American Citizen can do just that.

I keep hearing there are "many programs available to small businesses and Americans to take advantage of the 3rd world markets being generated"... but I'm not seeing them.  Which programs are these?  Who's funding them?  How do our businesses apply to them?  How do they contact them?   What doe it take to get involved in them?  Who qualifies for them?  That's what everyone wants to know - but no one seems to have the answers for.  I tend to look at these programs like bigfoot, or aliens - everyones heard they exist but almost no ones actually seen one for themselves.

What's more most of your local business associations don't know of them or how to get involved with them either.  We're enabling other parts of the globe, but it seems our own backyard - which could benefit from this enablement is just not getting the attention it should to allow both the 3rd world and our own struggling businesses the growth they need and deserve.

And this is a tragedy, because the only reason this isn't happening that I can see is there just isn't the glamour, the fame, for groups who help out in their own back yard.  And there is also the fact that helping people on the other side of the world requires no more involvement for most of us than sending a check.  Heaven forbid we should have to give up a evening or a weekend to share our time or knowledge.  Let's face it, what sounds like it's more cool to support, starving children in Darfur ... or 4H programs in rural America? 

The next time there's a war baby on TV we can soothe our global guilt with a swipe of a credit card, or you spend an hour at your local Chamber of Commerce, after a week or two of spare time studying and research to give a talk on federal programs available for you to do business with the widowed mother of that child in Darfur.  Hmm?  Which sounds more like what will get done? Which one is going to give you more bragging rights for the least investment of your time?  I can see you reaching for the credit card now... you don't have to answer.

And since that's not getting done - since the word isn't getting to our small businesses, our Mom'n Pop shops on the who and the how and the incentives available to them for connecting with these newly forming small businesses overseas ... those overseas businesses will work with each other.  Which is another problem for our businesses, let's face it - many of these small businesses overseas being formed will work with each other because there's no mechanisms for them to work with our small businesses here.  They aren't being told how to work with us, we're not being told how we can work with them.  There's a huge chunk of this globally reciprocating economy cycle that's missing - it's the parts that connect it all together.

I have no doubt the Clintons, and the Gates and the various rock stars and movie stars will kick start the global economy.  My only fear is - there's no one to kick start what's here in America.  There just isn't any cool factor or fame factor involved in helping those in need here because no one really sees a need.  Even at our worst - with homeless numbers jumping every week, and massive numbers of the American population near the poverty level - we are not perceived by our own people as having problems that need to be addressed. 

It's not a question of "who's got it worst" - the family starving to death or the family that can't get out of poverty.  Obviously where there is disease and death - attention and care must be given first.  But not all of our efforts need to be focused there - and there are many solutions to help out the starving that can also help out those in poverty here.  Attention can, and must, be given to both problems.  But getting anyone to do that - is a problem in and of itself.

Maybe, if we're lucky, 30 years from now, we can get a sexy Bollywood starlet to come to Hanna,  Wyoming, and do a TV spot pointing out how, for only 50,000 rupees a week... you can help the families there build a better tomorrow.  You never know... it could happen. 

I enjoy it tremendously when someone tries to use cultural references to make themselves sound worldly.  The other day a recruiter called me up, and they very obviously had a thick east side NYC accent - but were attempting to sound like they were from the U.K. - it came off sort of a ferral Aussie accent with a bit of flem in the back of the throat.  (I kid you not!)

They then proceeded to continue to ask me for my CV, which, for those who are not aware is a European term for a resume.  Now, many may know that's a term for a resume over in EU, Asia and so on - but what many don't know is that it for many years was for a specific type of resume usually reserved for Doctors, Scientists and members of Academia.  It's become a bit bastardized over the years, so it's not uncommon for people to use the term, but it's far more common for them to ask for a Resume.  This particular gentleman did not know that - and realizing the man was a complete poser, and not the sort of gent I wanted to be represented by anyway, I decided to have some fun with him our exchange went something like this:

Mr. Poser:  And as soon as you get me yor CV we can get right on this, right right?
(Yes he actually said "Right, Right", like out of Clockwork Orange.)

Me: My what?

Mr. Poser:  Your CV.  Your work history... oh that's right I'm forgettin me manners totally, over there you call them a Resume.
(The only thing missing from this sentence was the word "Guv'nah" - just try to imagine it with a touch of the Bronx - I was really beginning to think someone was crank calling me at this point.)

Me: Oh - you mean my Curriculum Vitae?

Mr. Poser:  Your what?

Me:  Curriculum Vitae, that's what the CV stands for - it's latin.  It means "Life History"...  it's a loose translation but you get the idea.

Mr. Poser:  (loses accent for a minute) Oh wow, did not know that.

Me:  Yes, usually its something used for Academia.

Mr. Poser: For what?

Me: Academia, Doctors, Scientists ... (decided to start toying back at this point) and of course Bishops, Cardinals, and Members of the Clergy.

Mr. Poser: Go on - your joking.

Me:  No, actually that's why they use the term - is for clergy, well not all of them - just people who speak latin in their jobs ... like, you know, Doctors, Scientists, Priests, sometimes Lawyers but that's not so common anymore.

Mr. Poser:  Well I'll need to be more exclusive in who I use that term with in the future.

Me:  Probably not a bad idea.  You may want to drop the bad accent too.  You're not good at it.

That was about as mean as I got - as I came up with an excuse to get off the phone and made a note to never use the company he represented.  You have to keep in mind ... If you're going to put on an act for me (and a bad act at that) then I have to fear that you're going to try to pull that same nonsense with whoever you're representing me to. 

You're not just embarrassing yourself - you're embarrassing me.  I also have to wonder what all else you're hiding or lying about.  You ruin trust, and cause people to wonder what sort of company they are dealing with.  Just my 2 cents for the day.

Went to my son's 8th grade Open House for his school last night and met his teachers.  Good group of people, and very pleased all in all, but one teacher stood out more than others.  Ms. Dacy. Now, for those of you who have never been to an open house for a school - the basic format is, you go through all your kids classes as if you were attending them.  Each teacher does very quick a 5-10 minute bit in the class of what they're going to cover and asks for questions afterward. The bell rings and you have five minutes to find your childs next class, teacher, etc., get signed in, seated and it starts all over again. 

Idea here is you get to experience your childs day in a compressed format.  Kind of like a cross between a parent teacher 1 on 1 and Speed Dating - only in this case, only the teachers have to worry about Stalkers when it's over. I'm guessing this is not how Socrates started his school years with students back in the day.  But,  hey a lot has changed since I was in the 8th grade, and when it Rome it's usually not a good idea to insult the local authorities with silly questions like, "Where's my luggage??"... but that's another story.

Now, Ms. Dacy teaches what we used to call "Science" .  I know - I know -  they have a wonderfully PC name that I'm sure is more descriptive of it's essence, and it's 6 words in length -- but the fact is - it's Science class. (There - I did it in 1 word, do I get a cookie??  When - when - will we teach concise and clear brevity??) 

Anyway, after waiting for two of her previous years students who were visiting her class and joking around with her to leave ... We got down to the business of things.  She'd put two sheets of paper on the tables for us, one said, "Take this Quiz for Fun!!", and the objective was to read the paragraph - which made no sense to 98% of the people in the room, and the answer questions about it.  The second sheet was the answers to the first sheet.  With both sheets there - most people of course got all the questions right. 

As Ms. Dacy pointed out - yes, we got all the questions right, but what was the Quiz over. Dead silence. Well the reason for this Ms. Dacy explained was that many students out there, most in fact, who are great students - kids with A's can do just that.  They read, they study, they get all the answers right - and if you ask them what the tests were over ... they sit there with blank stares.  They've learned to memorize, but not to actually know the material.

She explained a major portion of her goals in this class would be to remedy that, because at one time she was one of those students.  Got all the good grades - and the went out into the real world and had difficulties applying that knowledge.  She didn't like the experience, and that's in large part why she went into teaching.

She then went on to present the syllabus, which afterwards my wife had some questions about - after all wasn't our son a bit old to learning the phases of the moon, and why it looks as it does?  And why start out the year with that  - then jump right into scientific method - then go back to astronomy later?  She was all over the field with the studies for children.  This of course underlines the differences between my wifes thinking and my own. 

The Importance of keeping your eye on the syllabus...
My wife - was like Ms. Dacy, a straight A student.  Taught by a system to see only what was on the surface.  I on the other hand was taught to question everything.  This has I suspect something to do with the fact that most of the people I hung out with in High School were trying to take your money.  And it was never a good idea to accept what was being offered as a fact.  In fact, actually going into the last stall of the mens room to see the picture of the hot substitute teacher rumored to be there - often lead to having wet hair and missing your shoes and lunch money.  In the words of my high school mentor - Question Everything - and look for a Con!  

Ms. Dacy is running a con game - she isn't teaching science.  She is teaching how to learn science and use it. 

Let's look at what she's up to - we start out with studies that involve personal observation and recording.  Ignore the fact that it's the moon, the sun and the earth... basic science you pick up in 4th grade.  She's not teaching the kids about that, they already (hopefully) know that.  But - in order to complete the assignment, you have to physically observe them the way she's set things up.  Physically SEE them, Record what is seen, and compare the outcome wth the expectation.  So she's using the kids natural desire to do things the easy way, as a way to hide the real purpose which is - to teach the skills for the next phase which is Scientific method. 

How did you observe this, what happened, what was the expected result?  That - is what she's teaching them, over and over again.  And she's doing it by not telling them what they've done until after they've done it.  In part I suspect as a confidence building effort.  Let's face it - it's a bit hard to say, "I can't do this" or "I don't understand"... when you just did it, and when kids say those things you can point this out and they have the empirical knowledge of doing it, as opposed to just simple words of encouragement.

Then, after they've gotten the hang of scientific method she moves back into the deeper aspects of what you just studied - so that this is not only reinforced, but it also gives them a chance to use those skills they now know they have - to go back and dig deeper into the subject and ask real questions.  Sneaky, now if she can just incorporate some tips on how to keep their rooms clean I'll put her down as my new hero.

Over and over again - her seemingly scattered approach was an apophasis designed to get kids to learn not by study but by doing, and applying what had been done - to the study material.  Slower?  Yes it certainly is - it's not going to win any awards with the speed learning people.  But effective?  It's lethally effective as anyone who's ever taken courses on how to use such techniques can tell you, and I was pleasantly surprised to see it used in an 8th grade science class.

Over all - I'm very pleased to see that science is in good hands.  Regardless of what my wife thinks.  She also didn't like the math teacher that still used the old fashioned grade books to keep track of progress.  (YES!! ANOTHER BELIEVER IN THE ANCIENT ART OF WRITING IT DOWN IN PHYSICAL FORM BEFORE COMMITTING IT TO THE ETHER!!!)

If you've been keeping tabs on my side projects - you'll note that I've yet again done some upgrades to the Taxi's website.  (The Kings Row Taxi Service is a Super Hero Group associated with the game City of Heroes - I've been upgrading their site as a side project to keep my skills and my mojo where they should be.)

One of the first things we did - was get rid of the old static intro page and replace it with some hot new technology.  Namely Silverlight as I've mentioned in a previous post.  The page looked good but we got some feedback (Tip: If you're going to do a side project always treat it like a real project.  That means documentation, user focus groups, the whole ball of wax.  Sure - it's just for fun, but if you treat side projects with respect - people will respect you for your professionalism ... just don't take it too far.  :-))

As you can see from the screen shot, we dumped that gaudy glowing screen border for a more relaxed and more TV like interface.  In doing this we added a couple of visual tricks that can't be seen well by the naked eye.  By providing a video that appears real, and combining it with elements from the game and the Taxi's characters that we're familiar with - and even if you have no idea who they are... or what this is about - you can effectively break the 4th Wall web design, and bring the user into the feel of the site, the action, and make them want to watch.  So visual elements which are subtle are often the most important.  Currently they're a little too subtle for my taste - so they may be kicked up a notch (after more user feedback - the PM in me SCREAMS for More Meetings and Emails Maniacally!!). 

As the screen image changes - we slowly increase and decrease the alpha on the faux screen reflections and scan lines.  Eventually we may code up our own scan lines to give it an even more realistic appearance - but for now, this will do... and does a fair job.  One advantage of this technique of visual illusion is, thanks to Silverlight's XAML and JavaScript code I can change the settings easily without having to rebuild my entire project.  I can, actually even change it with a Notepad editor if I want to go old school on it.  

 Another trick I can - and will be doing - but I haven't yet is break apart my various video clips and apply my SPFX to them individually.  By doing this I can substitute clips on the fly based on users cookies - for example, if Solomon Kane (pictured left) comes to the site, I can tailor the story around him.  If Cabbie, Vegas - or even myself come to the site - they'll get a different experience - I could do this in Flash obviously but the XAML and JavaScript make the experience much easier and open up avenues I'd have to do a lot of actionscript and JavaScript combined to accomplish the same thing.

Our next step for this intro will be to introduce more videos that users can select from, and provide VCR functionality - this has been a requested feature.  Other requests from user feedback which I'm considering are making it so when someone sees your character on screen in the video - you can click on them, and bring up an online comic of that character - not something we're likely to see soon since I'm doing this in my spare time - but it's definitely a request we want to keep in the documentation for later.

I've got so many projects and so many irons in the fire this month that all seemingly overlay it's not funny.  Seems like the one taking up the most time and passion is the one for the Kings Row Taxi Service.

Now, anyone who knows me knows I loves the Taxis.  I have never been one to get involved in games and as a general rule consider online gaming to be a form of crack.  So for me to be a part of an online gaming community is just not normal.  But the Taxis are now and have always been the exception to the rule.  Here was a group of people I clicked with and enjoyed hanging with.  So to see my former Supergroup fall into disrepair was particularly rough.  Hence my desire to get some tools out there to help them.

To help them out, I wanted to do some new and unique stuff.  This is including a new silverlight interface for their website, cleaning up the website, an online comic and some other stuff.  Here's a sample from comic I'm working on for them. 

 And... at the same time... I'm also looking at new technology.  One of which is Internet talk radio.

If you've ever had a desire to have your own talkshow, head on over to www.blogtalkradio.com and set up a profile.

I'm quietly trying to set up a blog talk show for Mildthing and I and the experience is very interesting. 

You start as you would with most blogs, creating a profile.

From there you set up your blogtalk space and create segments,  which will provide you with a call-in number to call in to the show and run it from a web interface.

 The blog segments are a format thing - which is nice because if you're serious at all about this just getting on - and blowing off steam isn't going to create a good experience.  It would be the equivalent of walking down Times Square or Hollywood Boulevard and listening to the turrets driven rants of passers by.

Who wants that?  Well I guess for some people ... but frankly I have better ways to waste my time on line than listening to someone discussing the way their dog eats treats from the table.  I'm just not that lonely.

Before you do a radio show... decide what you're going to have for a format - will it be all talk?  Will it be music, videos, what will it really be about.  Then write that down - and you have an agenda.  Put in time slots for people to call-in and have their say on things... and make sure you have something to talk about that stays on topic for when no one calls in.  Let's face it - this isn't radio where there's people just scanning the channels looking for something or someone to listen to. 

If you want listeners - you need to get out there do some promo work for your show - and get people involved.  Get them to call in, and keep them talking.  If you can't get people - then have enough stuff stored up either in topics or in pre-recorded clips (which you can upload before hand), and fill up your time.  

If you don't do that then you just need to accept the fact you're generating white noise.  The world needs more white noise like it needs another hole in it's head.  But those of us who really want to say something or have something we feel needs to be said, should definitely check this out.  One use I can see - is that I'm seriously considering having Supergroup meetings via this cool technology.  At least it's something I'm investigating.

Work continues on Volume 4 of the Mildthing Chronicles and I'm tossing up some shots from the story "Flowers for Mr. Rafferty", the tale of the kindest immortal you'd ever know.   And the last guy you ever want to pull a gun on.  Yeah, I know - classic tale of Boy Meets Centuries Old Undead Immortal Guy... has to help him find lost love... learns the value of life in the process. 

Predictability... yup yup yup... put it all right out there in the open where everyone can see it  - that's my motto  :-)    Anyway, the families been giving me hell about doing most of the visuals for this myself but I'm finding it theraputic.  They see to be under the mistaken impression that I just write - and then the magic book fairy comes down out of the sky and makes the rest of the details just... "happen".   As a result of going back to work on my writing to clear my own head ... I'm apparently a right bastard to everyone around the house prone to making snarling and beasty type noises of all manner.

For anyone else out there who beliieves in the book fairy, sod off your idiots.  When and if I become Warren Ellis, you'll find I will still do a lot of my own storyboarding, and if possible the graphics themselves.  There's a kind of I dunno... like a calming thing that comes along with doing your own graphics.  It's like wood working or any kind of craft. 

And there is the ego of it - the pride you get from doing it all yourself.  So anyone wondering what's taking so long with this project - keep in mind - I'm doing the initial graphics myself.  I'll probably have the finals done by Jenni or a more skilled artist than myself, this takes too long for me to do this on a practical basis, but for advanced storyboarding - its worth it to me.   I get to see the results I want before final publishing so it's pretty exciting for me to. 

Soon as this one is done I'm going to give "Shades of Gray" - the original Mildthing Story the same treatment.  Oddly enough they do seem to play better in a graphic novel format.

Okay... let's just be straight up.  I pegged MySpace as being a massive social experience well before anyone even knew what the hell it was.  The same goes for frakbook, NING, Pipl and a dozen others.  They're social networking sites - and the Internet needed them badly.

So the reason why... I've let by other blog sites, and by myspace and my other six or seven social networking sites fall into disrepair (or better yet deleted them) is because I don't use them.  MySpace - I get between 30 and 35 requests for friends on every ... umm... 10 days.  Most of these people I have no clue who they are.  They seem nice enough, and I'm not talking about the spambot babes that are using the site to sell porn or lord knows what else.  But the fact is is MySpace pages look like a 10 year old crack addict with ADD designed them.

Why they aren't banned for inducing retinal damage I have no idea - but I have yet to see one that doesn't scream loudly at me.  I don't like screaming.  I don't like screaming at other people.  My Live Spaces page here - works more than well enough for me, and I'm not likely to induce brain spasms in anyone visiting.

OfficeLive - many have hammered me on because I do have a very skilled background in Web Design and Development and frankly - the OfficeLive site sucks.  I will address that when I get time, but it's not all that horrible, I can access it via the web to make changes, and it has features 90% of you have no clue exist.

For one thing - I do a lot of my project management via Sharepoint, and a part of my OfficeLive business account, allows me a very rich hosted sharepoint environment to handle projects and team work.  Mind you - I have not built any teams yet, but I'm actually considering it for a couple projects now that I've left Microsoft and I have time for them.

Here's my actual menu for just my Business Applications on OfficeLive.  I've got Contact Management, Time Management, Project Management, Document Management - Company Admin as well as specialized workspaces for teams and projects I'm working on.  So ... if the website sucks, that's my fault for not having the time to do a proper site there.  The rest of it ... is stuff I use and is worth the embarrassment of using their web tool.  Even that's not so shabby as I just pointed out by adding shopping cart capabilities to it.

For those wondering what the "Special Projects" are on the menu ... BSOD - is evolving very rapidly.  Currently about 50% of the population out there - either has or will experience a career altering experience.  Layoffs, outsourcing, shifting business needs causing re-orgs - eventually that career you thought was a solid thing - is gone.  And you're left having to pick up the pieces of your life.  The real Blue Screen of Doom in the IT industry isn't a computer crash, it's a career crash - and as someone who's made a good life over coming more than one career crash, I figured it was time to tell people how they can survive and thrive as well. 

It covers not just getting a job in this industry after a lay off, but dealing with the emotional and psychological trauma of a sudden career change.  How to recognize a career impacting event before they happen - and how to mitigate them or avoid them completely.  The book is meant to be a primer on career survival not just for the IT industry but for any industry and teaches people the survival skills necessary to not just move their lives forward but to move them into a better place.

Spec Monkey is something I've decided to code up a productized version of to help anyone who has a project and needs a good repository and documentation system for it.  I'll probably do most of the design and development work myself - then call in a team after the v1 prototype is completed to do the heavy lifting of making sure all the code is solid and performance minded.   I figure after almost a decade in the trenches with IBM, SUN and Microsoft - I've got a clue or two about what kind of things you need on templates and what kind of docs you'll need for most projects. 

I should stress - this is NOT a Project Planner, or glorified spreadsheet or MS Project file.  This is a document repository, templates for the most common management needs, and even samples to get people started on a number of projects.  It's meant for smaller Mom'nPop shop houses to get you started but many of the templates are based on what I've learned from large projects and corporate environments so they should scale well.

The basic version of course will be around $15-$25, and I'll make an industrial strength version later on for hard cores under the name of "SilverBack" - that will probably set you back about $150 or more when I get it done.  [I'll put up some demos and screen shots soon so you have a clue what you're going to be in for soon enough. Until then - consider me a teasing bastard and you can guess.]

Anyway - my reasoning for using Microsoft Products is that I'm biased to them.  I like them.  I always have.  I did before I worked there.  I did while I worked there.  I still do.  Sue me for it.  There's a reason why Ice Cream does not just come in Vanilla - everyone's allowed a choice and my choice, my preference - is toward MS product.

I will not be bullied bemused bemoaned besmerched or harrassed into some trendy nonsense because it's the flavor of the year. 

Last time I wrote about favorite tools of mine I included MindManager.  After installing MindManager 7, I'm going to have to pull my support for this once incredible tool.

"But... But... Mikey!!  It's a great tool!", yup sure is.  Let me say that again - It is a great tool.  I've used it myself, and can honestly say it's probably the easiest tool I've ever used for doing what it does. 

But after installing MM7 this once great tool has fallen prey to a mind set that I can't support.  Let me say that MindManager is very useful, and has some great features available in very user accessible ways.  I give it total props for that.  As always the MM team does this better than anyone.  My experiences with MM began with MM 6 and earlier.

But a great tool can be destroyed by a bad marketing technique and in the case of MM - this is very definitely the case.  Let me walk you through my frustrations which began with the install process.  If you go out to Mindjet you'll find they make it very easy to download the tool right off the front page.

You can currently see this ad right on the front page.  What's wrong with it?  Well as I noted in trying to review the tool - there are two versions of MM.  There is the pro version for $349 and the Lite version for $99.  And if you're upgrading from Lite 7 to Pro 7 - the cost to upgrade is $250.

Here's the web page for the Lite version I was recommending for people who don't want to drop another $350 for a tool they use only 3-5 times a month and are on a shoe string budget.  You might want to ask yourself "What is missing from this page?", because it's not obvious at first. It's the specs for the lite version... there aren't any.  At least none I could find.  And I looked, honest I did.  But there's no comparison of exactly what I get from the Pro version that I don't get in the Lite version - for $250 more.

Not a big deal right?  I mean - it's the lite version, so probably not a lot of specs to brag on.  I can live with that as well, but it would be nice to see what it is I'm getting other than some PR schpeil that's ambiguous at best and really doesn't tell me what I can do with the product.

But here's the Pro version of the tool.  As you can see - there's more selling schpeil - and once again it's very ambiguous.  It tells me what I can do - but not how it's actually useful.

And what's worse ... the diagram and link for the tool is the same as the Lite version above.  On the surface even I feel that's nit-picky. But they're asking me to pay $350 for this tool - they should at least tell me what the differences between this version and the $99 version are.  I should be able to easily distinguish and locate that information, and it's about here there's a slight jingling-alarm sound I'm hearing in the distance.

Now let's dig into the "schpeil" I keep talking about.  Here's the actual bullet points - and this what really chafes me having done a bit of work in sales over the years.  And yes ... as you all guessed, chafing induces rants with me.  So go grab a rootbeer and a bag of chips.  I'm about to go on one.  My comments are in blue - inline on this copy.

With MindManager 7, you will:

• Align organizational strategy and objectives by visually conveying information in a single, centralized and coherent view.

I can actually live with this statement.  It's weak because all it says is... "We do great org charts", which is what they should have said.

• Empower people to accelerate business processes by enhancing strategic thinking, facilitating quicker project planning and increasing team productivity.

To be honest - my alarms started screaming when I read this sentence.   My bullcrap sense wasn't tingling - it was on full earthquake bullshit mode.   Mikey's rule on software purchasing #221: If someone uses more than 3 buzz words in a sentence - they either don't know what they're selling... or they don't want you to know what they're selling - either way - it's not a good thing. 

"Empower", "accelerate", "enhancing", "strategic", "facilitating", "productivity".  --- OH MY DOG!  A full 1/3 of the words in this sentence ... mean NOTHING.  They are fluff.  And that's a shame because this is a tool that could actually put some real data in here we can use.  Don't tell me the tool will empower me -- SHOW ME.  Your tool has chops - it's got street credit and it's got rabid fans.  You have so many angles to provide me proof you have a great tool - why resort to this?

To make matters worse - from a keywords sense in web strategy, these words "Empower", "accelerate", "enhance", "facilitate" - which are the top four of the six used... are most common to viagra and porn sites.  What exactly are you trying to sell here?

• Engage and excite employees by engaging people in stimulating real-time interactions during process planning.

Once again ... with the porn talk.  "Engage", "Excite", "Stimulate", sheesh people where did your marketing people come from?  I mean did their resumes include the words "Bow-Chicka-Bow" or what?  "Sexying up the copy" is one thing - but this is just overkill.

"Allow users real-time interactive process planning."

How painful was that?  I even kept some of your buzz words - see?  You can do it if you want!  I didn't even have to say "excite" or "stimulate".  Even using "real-time interactive" is a stretch.  If you can't describe what you're doing in terms a 10 year old can understand it - then that tells me that you had to resort to terminology to sell your product.  Which makes people wonder, "Why can't your product sell your product?".  

And as I said, this is a product that has chops - it's a good solid product.  This kind of bafflegab nonsense isn't necessary.   

• Bring better products and services to market faster by enforcing best practices and making existing plans, processes and ideas accessible.

FINALLY!!!  A GOOD SENTENCE!  It actually tells me what the product does and what it can do for me!! YAY!  (What happened??  Were the marketing guys sick?)

• Stay ahead of the competition and foster innovation by increasing team interactions during the early stages of strategic planning.

And again!  Something that's simple and actually tells me how the tool benefits me without meaningless words. (Hope it's not serious - there's been a lot of flu running around.)

• Win new business faster and improve business relationships by quickly capturing relevant information and improving communication with clients.

See?  You don't have to subscribe to meaningless and deceptive dribble to sell me your product. (I'm starting to wonder if we should send a card or flowers or something - let's hope whatever it is they have it keeps them from doing any more damage to your product.)

 Now - if this were the extent of my problems with MindManager's sales practices, I'd say I'm a nitpicking bastard and tell myself to grow up, quit whining and deal with it.  It's bad ad writing and nothing more.  But that's not my real issue.  My real issues started with the trials.

You may recall I suggested people try this product.  And a trial to me - is just that.  If there is one thing that tweaks me its having to try a product on a deadline.  It's like going to buy a car and having the sales man stand next to me and look at his watch every few minutes and say, "Are you interested in actually buying this - or should I find someone with money that isn't wasting my time??".

The MindManager free trial does this very thing but then it goes a step further in annoyance to me, and apparently to other people who emailed me.

Now - they say you can use the 5-Day trial, and not have to register for the product.  Which, I should point out - 10 minutes after I did this, I got called away on real work and real life and could not use the product again until I got a rather interesting email informing me my 5 Day trial expired.  Now, I haven't used the product for 5 days - it's just been 5 days since I downloaded it.  If you're going to time bomb something - don't do it this way.  I guarantee you'll piss people off.

Now the second thing is ... if I'm getting an email from you - then I've registered haven't I?  Even though ... supposedly this 5 day trial version doesn't require registration huh? 

You lied to me.  That's inexcusable.  Supposedly - the 5 day version is for people who wish to anonymously use the product.  We're uncomfortable with giving you our information.  We want to try your product and feel safe, secure.  If we wanted you to have our bloody email - we'd have downloaded the 21 day version now wouldn't we??  And now somehow in the process of loading and installing it - my anonymity has been voided, and I've been violated.

And to be honest - I shouldn't have to register to use the product on trial at all.  You want it time bombed - fine I'm totally in agreement with that and it's fair.  Have it die in X days of USE.  Not x days from when it got downloaded.

But you have just convinced me to install a product on my computer that has accessed other applications I use and installed extensions for them.  You have used what I would call questionable (if not unethical) means to get me to register the product when I didn't want to.  Your web site purports I'm able to install the "Lite" version of the product, but in fact - I'm not.  I mean how many ways can you violate the trust of a user in the name of selling a product?

I'm sorry - maybe it's my own stupidity in not understanding your process, but for a company that sells productivity and process tools ... there's no excuse for taking user stupidity into account and taking advantage of it.

I can't support - or endorse that.  No matter how good your tool is.  Not when there are free tools - some of which are actually endorsed and supported by the man who came up with Mind Mapping.  If MM decides to change I'll give them another look. 

So for those that emailed me and pointed some of these red-flags to me, I apologize and you're correct - this isn't something I should be attaching my name to or endorsing the use of and I thank you for pointing that out.

My experiences - from a PM standpoint of MM have always been good, but then everywhere I've used it I never had to deal with the downloads and trial experience.  Like I said, MM's a great tool ... it's just it's marketing methods that bring it down.