Started with such good intentions about getting house cleared out some more ready for the move. And then all day I ended up doing other stuff. Some house related, some work related and some personal stuff that just ‘needed doing’.

Problem was that by the end of the day I was getting so stressed out that I hadn’t done what I had set out to do first thing. Yet when I looked back on the day it had been productive.

Why did I get myself in such a stressed out state? Why is what I did do not OK? Why did I think myself into such a state?

The professionals will have lots of answers about why you get stressed. The psychologist will tell you it is your upbringing. The psychiatrist will tell you it’s a chemical imbalance. The sociologist will tell you it’s your environment. While some of this may be true it doesn’t really help me with the answer to why.

The anthropologist will tell you it is because we have a large brain cavity. Again, this may be true but again doesn’t really answer the why.

Scientific understanding is ok in explaining the physical reality of our existence but finds it very difficult to explain why, fundementally we think like we do.

The big bang theory (not the TV comedy) may or may not explain how we got here, but it can never explain the why. Where does all this physical stuff come from originally? Why are we here?

The answer is usually a form of the statement ‘I think therefore I am.’

But why do we think so much?

Till tomorrow or whenever.

Previously my blogs were planned and thought through (sort of). Which probably explains why it has been so long since the last one. Now I have the ability to post at any time I expect they will be more random.

Rather than big topics I am going to post more on what is on my mind, what is important to me at any point I time, and try to unload the thoughts and answers I am looking for regarding life’s questions.

I will probably be talking more about my faith than technology, but I imagine both will get a look in.

I may share more about family, but need to think about that a bit more. Sharing family stuff in this arena is a dangerous thing.

Why now? A couple of reasons.

First is the ability. My new android phone has the WordPress app to give me the access I need (it is what I am using now). So it is a further way of expanding the technology experience.

Second is this week is the start of big changes in my circumstance. Having lived in a very nice house for the past 14 and a half years (half years are important I think – though not sure why, probably when it relates to something of value) we are moving on Friday. Not because we want to but because we must.

The house is too big to look after with long running medical conditions in the family affecting, and the realisation last December that we cannot afford to live here. So it is not going to be an easy week.

But the hope is that we are moving our situation to one that is manageable. Where we can exchange the pressures that could not easily be resolved and held us down, to those which are of a size that we can look to tackle.

I will try to post more regularly, nut cannot promise. Thoughts on the vagaries of moving house may be a good start.

So new beginnings. New starts. Fresh horizons.

Till tomorrow or whenever.

In trying to look at this question I realise that we need to be able to distinguish between different types and levels.

As a starting point there are different levels of access:

• General Public, where anyone can access the information – generally provided via websites
• General Company – Which is intended to be kept within the company
• Private Company – Confidential information, possibly restricted by department or group
• Personal – Private information that is for yours eyes only

To go with the level of access is the way the information is stored:

• General information – typically in the form of word processing, spread sheets and presentations. These are likely to relate to multiple discrete document files
• Data – This is where databases control the storage of structured information which is accessed by other programs. I would include email within this grouping

The data access element is relatively straightforward over the web as the program access through web browsing has been under development for many years. The ability to secure the level of access by password makes this doubly useful.

The storage of general information however is more problematic, both in terms of appropriate storage and the issue of access.

Documents are generally stored in a file/folder format on a PC or Server, and require applications on the desktop to access them. In Cloud speak this would require the file/folders to be stored on a virtual server. The question of virtual application access is more of an issue.

The capability is not a great issue – look at the impact of Google Apps, the issue is more one of compatibility and accessibility.

Microsoft, whether you love or hate them, have managed to develop a de-facto standard in document delivery. The level to which Office has permeated the desktop is endemic, even into the Mac world. The rise of the free open source OpenOffice was seen as the death knell, but the take up has at best been muted. The move to more open standards continues, but again, the uptake and speed of development has proven much slower in impacting the marketplace.

So in cloud terms the recent announcement of Office 365 is a huge impact both on the viability of the cloud, and on the viability.

But it is not just related to compatibility, the other major aspect is accessibility. Google Apps only works if you are connected to the web, which is the reality of cloud computing. However it is not the reality of business computing.

Always connected is a concept that is approaching but cannot be seen to be here yet. Wireless access in airports and coffee shops helps, as does the impact of the ‘mobile phone dongle’. What Office 365 does is allow you, as part of your monthly subscription, to download and run a fully licensed and functioning copy of the software directly on your machine, without any need to have internet access. The cloud connection will ensure the software is maintained – no different to software updates now.

So with document application delivery we may have a vision of the future – Cloud computing access, with local desktop functionality. But what of the documents themselves? Virtual servers that mimic the local server are the most easily understood technical solution for this. The virtualisation of local datacentres has been gathering pace over that past couple of years. But is transposing a local solution to the cloud the best solution?

Whether it is talking to clients, prospects, suppliers, prospective suppliers, employees, regulatory authorities – they all need to receive information from you, and you need to be able to receive information from them. The issue is that the lines of communication are now so blurred that it can be difficult to understand how best to carry it out.

I updated my contact details on Outlook yesterday, or at least tried to. After the Office number, DDI number, Fax Number (OK Fax to Email – but I had a request this morning to send something by FAX so the need still exists) and email I had the starting point. I then added my twitter name, Skype ID and found that there was no logical place to put them, let alone adding my MSN Passport (not that I use it for IM anymore) and my LinkedIn address. There was also the company website of course. I didn’t even try to think about adding my Facebook account, this blog, or the personal blog that I had set up, stopped using, and am now thinking of starting up again. I am sure you may well have others that I haven’t got to signing up for yet – answers on a postcard please.

The channels of communication are indeed expanding all of the time. The question I keep asking myself is do we need so many? What is the purpose of them all? Can they all have value or do some just take up time for no real value.

My take on this is two-fold. Firstly as a communication medium we need to understand or be aware of what we are sending and why. Some of these questions may seem basic, and often don’t need any real thought, but if we stop thinking about what we are doing and just run on autopilot we won’t make the best use of the opportunities or worse make mistakes that cost us.

1. Who is the audience for the information? A specific individual, a specific group or just a general ‘here I am talk to me please cause I’m lonely’.
2. Once you are clear on the audience what methods of receiving the information do they have? No point trying to tweet a client who isn’t on Twitter!
3. What is the urgency of the information? If we need to get the information to the recipient quickly how do we make sure they have recieved it.
4. What is the sensitivity of the information? How much care do we need to take to make sure only the correct people get the information you are giving out?
5. Do we need a response? Is the information just that or does it actually require feedback to allow a process to continue?
6. (Any more anyone?)

With all of these questions we need to take account of all the lines of communication available to us.

• Conversation – face to face talking is still difficult to beat. You know who has got the information, you can ask questions to make sure the information is properly understood and you can get feedback straight away. Location is often the issue. Perhaps video conferencing helps but that requires set up and technology which is not always suitable/available, and I don’t yet see mobile video phone calls as a mainstream communication medium.
• Telephone – Lacks the personal touch of being able to look into the other person’s eyes – that can mean so much. Also you cannot guarantee they are available and voicemail isn’t always what you want. Do you use landline or mobile? Of course we should remember that phone numbers, once you dial them can go anywhere in the world. Internet based telephony, whether that is SKYPE or other VOIP solutions do mix up the offering further. And then of course with mobiles we also have the text factor.
• Email – this beats talking as it is a written record. Though by the same nature it is also easily misunderstood. The difficulty is timing as you cannot be certain when the recipient will read it, or if they have received it at all. Setting up delivery reports and read receipts don’t help as delivery reports only state it is delivered not read, and read reports are often at the discretion of the recipient so may not be returned anyway.
• Written – There still has to be a place for the traditional snail mail. The letter is original documentation, which may be important. The perceived value of a letter may be seen as higher than email, which may affect the way it is viewed by the recipient.

You of course also have the additional wider options such as TV, Radio, Newspapers – national and local, leafleting etc.

These make up the ‘traditional’ methods for communicating. So what about the brave new world of Web communication? This is where we do need to put in much more thought as the options are greater and the audience wider.

The main premise of web based communication is that you have a group of people that you are linked together and the value comes in the nature of that group. The number and variety of these is large so probably best to compare just two of the main ones:

Facebook : Seemingly the de-facto social network, if only by volume. But the key here is social. The group is by nature friends, though in reality friends, acquaintances, hangers on, long lost school buddies and people who may just want to be friends. The main factor though is that you can choose who is in the group. What you cannot control is that when you make a comment to a friend, all of their friends see it. This is probably the model that most ‘community’ groups follow.

Twitter : this is in some ways Facebook on its head. In this instance you don’t control who receives your updates – others choose you. And that difference is significant because you have no real control over it.

With both of these, and other ‘network’ style communication you are able to contact direct to provide security. And also we are now able to use programs that allow you to merge several of these communication mediums into one view, and update multiple mediums at one time.

Then we have the website, blog site style offerings. These have no target recipients – they are just put out there. The question is then not how people will find the information, but if. And that often needs them to be pointed to it by some other communication.

So we how do we make sense of it all? I don’t think there can be a single answer; it really has to be down to how you feel comfortable. The options don’t make it any easier or more difficult, but just increase the variety available, which is so true of so many things. What is clear is that the art of communication is something else that is going to remain a learning process for some time to come.

Just remember that whatever information you put out, think about who you want to be able to see it and what are the consequences if that passes outside the intended recipient(s) – bearing in mind that it may not always be a bad thing.

BTW – I did also put my new office address into outlook in case anyone wants to come and have a coffee and chat, just like old times. But call first to make sure I am in!

According to Wikipedia ‘Cloud computing is Internet-based computing, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices on demand, like the electricity grid.’

There is no doubt that the impact of the internet over the past 20 years has had a huge impact on the way business is done. This is particularly true of the SME business where an on-line presence can put a one person business on the same playing field as the large corporations in terms of visibility and awareness. The only difference is the level of investment to make the website model work.

In the UK the impact of Internet was seen with the recent figures (Oct 2010) showing that the internet was responsible for 7.2% of GDP at a value of £100Bn. So there is obviously a move towards the Internet for trade transaction.

The impact of Web 2.0, with the influence of Facebook, Twitter et all has been to bring together many people to allow greater collaboration and ‘joint working’. But this limits the progress to doing business together. The question is how that business is then supported within the cloud.

The cloud computing definition points to more than just filling your virtual baskets, clicking them through to the checkout and entering your card details. The promise of the cloud is that it will provide the full remit of computing needs, relieving us of the need to maintain ‘expensive’ hardware and software ourselves, and producing the cost savings and streamlined business process, that makes business more successful and more profitable.

If this promise is fulfilled, as it has with the visibility factor that has come from the premise that ‘all websites are equal’ then surely the cloud will be THE business transformation opportunity that gives small business the same opportunity as the corporate world.

The questions to be asked therefore are:

• Is the fulfillment of the promise a reality now?

• Can the fulfillment produce the same impact on lifting the abilities of SME’s to the level playing field experienced previously?

More info soon, and hopefully some useful content.

Regards

Craig