Archive: January 2009

As a senior RIA developer at SolutionSet I am always on the lookout for tools to increase productivity and interoperability between team members. A recent addition to our arsenal is an MVC (model-view-controller) application framework called PureMVC. In 2008 I used it on more than a dozen (Actionscript 3/Flex) projects. I found that it really allowed me to focus more on the creative and contextual scope of the project and not get hung up on technical implementation of the underlying framework. It also created very reusable code that could be maintained by any developer accustomed to MVC or Façade design patterns.

One of the really powerful things going on right now in the PureMVC world is the constant porting of the code base to other languages. As of this writing PureMVC is available in many flavors: ActionScript 2, ActionScript 3, C #, ColdFusion, Haxe, Java, JavaScript, Objective C, PHP, Python and most recently Ruby! The new C# port will be really nice when building Silverlight applications. Also the new port for Objective C should reduce the amount of scaffolding to write for iPhone applications.

When working with this framework in a given language, the only difference in implementation is dealing with visual elements. This allows the potential for porting applications quickly and efficiently to other platforms. An example would be porting a Flex application to Silverlight.

Another really interesting thing happening in the Microsoft/.NET world is the move to get more developers creating Silverlight applications. To me this is most evident in the announcement of Eclipse4SL. This is a new development plugin for the Eclipse platform aimed at providing Flex and Java(FX) developers with the tools for creating and deploying Silverlight applications from their environment of choice. I really think this is going to help developers gravitate more towards Silverlight and be willing to give it a chance.

To sum it up, these are interesting times indeed for the RIA development community. The combination of tools like PureMVC for cross platform standards, along with development tools for one coding environment promise to make multi-platform RIAs much more commonplace.

Cash4Gold (which is essentially the nation’s largest pawn shop) made a mass media play of epic proportions with the purchase of a Super Bowl slot. According to AdAge, the company best known for their DRTV ads will air a 60-second commercial before the game and 30-second commercial in the 3rd quarter. From the source:

Cash4Gold’s appearance in the Super Bowl offers proof of the burgeoning power of an often-overlooked breed of marketer. Direct-response advertisers pepper the airwaves with commercials hawking entrepreneurs’ inventions, CDs laden with hits from the ’60s and ’70s, free credit reports and headache remedies. They often capture attention despite their low production values, fast-talking announcers and quirky spokespeople. In tough economic times, these ads seem to gather more traction, particularly as TV networks find it harder to sell inventory amid an economic pullback.

DRTV-pioneer Ron Popeil must be shedding tears of joy right now. And although NBC has banned any 800 number on Super Bowl ads, you can rest assured the direct marketers at Cash4Gold are going to have their website glittering bright for all to see.

But wait…there’s more! Check out our recent post DRTV wins in hardluck economy.

• Is ignorance really bliss?

• 25 reasons you’re not followed on Twitter

• The Great Toronto Pun Hunt

• Triple score for this Scrabble keyboard

A. J. Khubani, the chief executive of TeleBrands, which sells products like the PedEgg and EZ Combs, said that his prime-time advertising had increased by about 20 percent over last January. “I like to say that we’re getting beachfront property at trailer park prices,” Mr. Khubani said in this NYtimes article. “We’re clearing stuff at prime time, which we almost never do.”

The article’s author Stephanie Clifford breaks down why DRTV ads are hitting prime-time at a “low, low price!”:

In exchange for the lower prices, infomercial producers are given no guarantees about when their ads will run. The networks give priority of time to the full-price ads, which usually take up the slots during prime time and other popular times. When the networks cannot find advertisers to pay the premium time slots, they will use direct-response ads instead.

Perhaps no informercial has benefited from this bargain access like the sleeved blanket better known as the Snuggie. According to an AdAge article, the gaudy garment has sold more than 4 million units in just over three months. The manufacturer is struggling to keep up with the orders—a problem many companies wish they had right now.

[A quick aside: I myself received a Snuggie for Christmas this year, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wear it around my drafty apartment on a fairly regular basis. You can’t help but feel elegant in it—almost regal. And at only $19.95 for two Snuggies and two bonus reading lights, it’s a deal you don’t want to miss!]

Often an issue will occur on a windows based system that is not easy to pinpoint. Common symptoms might include the system is slow, stops responding or certain applications may intermittently crash.  In some cases there will be no obvious indicator of what is causing the issue. This problem can especially confusing on a system with multiple applications and possible places to start troubleshooting. There are several helpful tools in these situations. In this edition I am going to discuss using Performance Monitor. While many of you are probably familiar with this tool there is a litany of ways to use it and its depth can actually make it daunting to use. I am going to cover some basics of this tool that may be helpful the next time your windows system is just plain unusable and the regular avenues are not helping.

Right click on my computer and choose manage. Choose Performance Logs and Alerts

Right click on Counter Logs and choose New Log Settings. Name your new log settings something easy to remember.

Each performance object has a selection of available counters. In the screenshot below we can see the available counters for the Processor object. To add a counter simply choose add. This step is repeated for each object. To change object choose the drop down. It goes beyond the scope of this article to go into great depth about each counter however I will recommend what I consider to be a few key counters for some important objects.

-Processor-
%Processor Time
Interrupts / sec
-Memory-
Pages Reads/Sec
Page Writes/sec
Commited Bytes
-Network Interface-
Bytes Received/sec
Bytes Sent/sec
Packets Outbound Errors
Packets Received Errors
-Paging File-
% Usgae
%Usage Peak
-PhysicalDisk-
% Disk Read Time
% Disk Write Time
-Process-
Private Bytes
Virtual Bytes
Thread Count
-Web Service-
Current Connections
Bytes Received /sec
Bytes Sent /sec
Connection attempts /sec
Get Requests /sec
Head Requests /sec
Maximum Connections
Total Not Found Errors

Once all your objects and counters have been added go ahead and click close then apply. Your new performance monitor is now in effect but now what. In order to view the data that is being collected it will be necessary to browse to c:\perflogs “this is configurable”

Double click on the .blg file that corresponds to the monitor you created. This will open the window below. From here it will be necessary to specify what data you are interested in viewing. To do so click on view log data “the grey cylinder icon along the top edge of the graph”

From here choose view Log files and browse to the file that we double clicked on earlier in the article.

Once the log file has been selected choose the data tab. From here choose add.

It is necessary from here to select each of the object and counters that were defined earlier. It is possible to select all them or only a certain subset.

You should now see something similar to the graph below. It’s possible to increase the size of each line in the graph by right clicking on it and going to properties and then width. It is also possible to view this data in real time by choosing view current activity.

Now comes the tricky part interpreting the data.  In my next column I will discuss some of these counters and other ways to view info on some this same data.

In an incredibly thorough article published on MarketingProfs, authors Barbara Bix and Olga Taylor explain how to best integrate customer success stories into your marketing. From the source:

Customer success stories remove obstacles to the sale. They build confidence that your solutions work as promised. Effective case studies translate the technical merits of your product into dollars and cents for the customer—which in turn makes it easier for decision-makers to justify an investment in your services.

While companies are often flattered by the request and look forward to the free publicity, giving them a say over content and usage is often a needed step. The authors go on to warn how case studies can be diluted by overt self-promotion:

Far from being a mere listing of your product’s features and benefits, a good case study truly focuses on the customer….It is also a story that brings to life a specific business situation that your product or service aims to address.

Finding the appropriate place for case studies in your marketing is the last—and perhaps most critical—step. We recommend putting them after you address the correlating buying barrier.

If subject lines are the gatekeepers of email, yours need to be more Saint Peter and less troll under the bridge. Approachable. Honest. Inviting. Not making subscribers run in fear.

We could talk about the link between subject line length and open rates or which day is best to send emails, but those have been debated over and over. And frankly, we think they’re small potatoes in the large scheme of things.

So without further ado, here are three simple subject line rules that will improve your results:

Be provocative. You either grab their attention, or you’re in the trash. So tempt the reader. Make them laugh. Make them wonder. Make them click.

Be truthful. While open rates are the ultimate measure of subject line success, the ends don’t justify the means if the content fails to meet reader expectations.

Be smart. You should want to learn and improve, not guess and hope. So test. And test. And test again. Follow a simple scientific method and take some chances. The market will tell you the rest.

Recently I saw an alarming post from my former writing teacher on Facebook. It said “Thanks to everyone for their love and support during this difficult time.” Difficult time? I was worried. I didn’t want to bother her if she was in the middle of something terrible. But I did want to be supportive. What to do?

I clicked on her wall. There were tons of messages from friends – but none said what had happened! Some of the messages addressed her daughter so I knew she was probably okay. I deduced it must have something to do with her husband. Nervously I clicked on his Facebook page, which was linked to hers through the “Married” section. His status said, “John is happy and looking forward to going to Madagascar!” Quickly I Googled his name. An article came up from a Madagascar newspaper…. in French. I knew it had to have the answer.

My rusty college French skills only got me so far. Troubled, I looked at my chat list but my only friend who spoke French wasn’t online. I found a French/English translator through Google and entered the article. My worst fears were realized: John was dead.

I immediately went back to my teacher’s Facebook page and expressed my sympathies, then reflected upon what a strange experience that was. We all know personal privacy is as antiquated as the rotary telephone – but even this? The most intimate, private and tender pieces of our lives are available (with a little digging) for anyone to see, comment on, and become a part of.

My mom, who was visiting at the time, said, “My generation would never do that, we would call someone and speak directly.” But what if you’re not a ‘phone friend’? Texting, IM, email, blogs, comment posts and Twitter have allowed for compartmentalization and delineation of relationships in a whole new way. Is it better to post a brief note to let someone know you’re thinking of her – or is that low level of effort just insulting? Is social networking and Internet sleuthing a horrible invasion into someone’s inner life or a valuable way to connect and extend support to your ‘village’ in difficult times?

My answer came in her next post. “Every time one of you writes, my mobile beeps, showing me the message. And I feel just a little bit better.”

Lisa Belkin, author of the NYtimes blog Motherload, wrote an eye-popping post about her experience speaking on a “Word of Mom” marketing panel sponsored by Cookie magazine. From the source:

It probably will not surprise you that in two-parent families, mothers are overwhelmingly likely to make decision about what a family purchases. Last year mothers in the U.S. spent $2.1 trillion—which is more than the Gross Domestic Product of Russia, France, Brazil, Italy, Spain or the U.K.

So, how do we decide what to buy? A recent survey by BSM Media, which specializes in “Marketing to Moms,” found that 71 percent of us now use the Internet to get product information. But we aren’t going online to find ads or company websites so much as they are looking for opinions—of bloggers, and of those who comment on blogs.

In other words, we want information from a person—one we have come to think of as a “friend.” Of course we’re talking to our real friends, too. A poll of Cookie readers found that 78 percent recommended brands to friends and acquaintances, and 92 percent acted on the recommendation of a friend.

And it doesn’t stop at home. According to a recent AdAge article by Natalie Zmuda, Office Max has also picked up on the purchasing power of women. After two years of research, the retailer decided to reconfigure both their product line and marketing efforts to meet the expectations of this demographic. From the source:

The retailer’s 2009 catalog also has been revamped, with a glossy, black, embellished cover, as well as flower-and-vine graphics that tie back to the advertising campaign. Tabbed stickers, such as those found in shopping magazines Domino and Lucky, are also included, so customers can mark items of interest. A redesign of the website also is in the works.

“Women are the primary purchaser of office supplies. These are big decisions that are being made by women,” said Mr. Thacker, who noted that women purchase $44.5 billion in office supplies per year. “This is a total repositioning of the company to realign with a customer that has not been addressed.”

Part of that repositioning involved establishing OfficeTalk, a panel of 5,000 women who provide feedback to the retailer. The women have begun testing new products, giving input on their use of circulars and coupons and discussing the types of promotions that are appealing, Mr. Thacker said.

So, what have we learned today marketers? Before you move a single inch, take the time to find out who actually cuts the checks. Then treat them like royalty and get them talking about your service.

The history of the Web has seen many milestones:  Netscape. Amazon. Craigslist. Blogs. Wikis. People finding love.  People inventing new technologies, services, and modes of commerce. The inauguration of the next President of the United States in now within one week. It is time to reflect on another major milestone in the short life of the Web: The advent of Change.gov  - - [All images in this post are clickable]

Launched on November 5, 2008, just one day after the nationwide Presidential Election, Change.gov instantly became a major vehicle to promote the transition plans and communication strategy for the office of the President-elect Barack Obama. For those who live much of their day-to-day lives using the web and digesting content via the web, it may come as no surprise to see articles and news posting online. Yet, it is important to realize that this is the Presidency of the United States. This is not a shop selling handmade Yak-wool scarves. Or a site promoting the AORBS (Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas). Or even another major site from General Electric, Wal-Mart, Yahoo! or Google. This is a site representing the focal point of the future of the government, and thus of the people, of the United States of America.On launch day, a post on Change.gov’s official blog included:

Change.gov provides resources to better understand the transition process and the decisions being made as part of it. It also offers an opportunity to be heard about the challenges our country faces and your ideas for tackling them. 

This is a great example of fulfilling the social and communication promise of the Web. It is great to see online community being used at the national level.To some extent the promise of the Web and social media, and the long-tail-ization of news production and consumption, is that anyone can publish information. And that all information should hold equal weight. As Howard Rheingold wrote in Smart Mobs in 2003 “Everyone can be a publisher or broadcaster now.” Nonetheless, there is clearly a different level of gravity and impact when the publisher is the office of the President-elect. An office soon to be in charge of directing trillions of dollars in funds, commanding the largest workforce in the nation, the ability to wage war, guide Climate Change laws, and the ability to direct major programs affecting everyone living in America.

Transparency

The transparency shown on Change.gov is a breath of fresh air coming from government. For some of us who lived through periods of secrecy, or lack of communication, such as Watergate, or the Iran-Contra cover-ups, or even your local City Council’s inability to post garbage pickup days, or School Board policy decisions, it is truly remarkable to see the official items expressed on Change.gov.  Just a few examples include:  PDF files spelling out the Presidential transition plan details; agenda papers declaring the official position on topics from Health Care to National Security; job applications; dozens of videos with key cabinet level personnel telling you their opinions and visions directly; lists of all the people responsible for decisions in the various departments and committees; and daily blogs and news posting and videos from Obama himself and the Obama team.

Dissent and Community

More than just a boosterish campaign site, Change.gov has also become a platform for dissent and criticism. Foes of the in-coming Obama administration are allowed to post comments and be heard. As Clinton veteran Peter Daou puts it:

It speaks well that they aren’t using a heavy hand to moderate the outrage on the site. It’s also encouraging that across the web, activists see Change.gov as a place to express their views. Bloggers have been sending readers there to tell the transition team how they feel about Warren’s selection.

For me, this is the raw power of the medium, the ability to communicate and aggregate at will, massively and instantaneously. It’s not the YouTube addresses and the capacity to ask questions and receive boilerplate policy answers that will mark Obama’s as the first truly wired presidency, it’s the freedom to speak out on a global scale, both in support of — and in opposition to — the incoming administration. Kudos to Obama’s team for providing an official platform for that to happen.

 On the constructive side, on day one Change.gov started soliciting user input and comments to be sent directly to Obama’s team using the “Tell us your vision for America” online form.

Team

There are some great stories online about the genesis of the Change.gov site, including that of the domain name itself: http://michellemalkin.com/2008/12/20/document-drop-the-story-behind-changegov/

The folks behind Obama’s internet strategy and transition to Change.gov are no slouches. Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes became a key player in the Summer of 2008 (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/07/technology/07hughes.html), and former IAC executive Julius Genachowski acted as Obama’s Chairman of the Technology, Media and Telecommunications during the campaign and transition. With Hughes involvement Change.gov reaches a higher level of polish, gloss, focus, clarity of purpose and approachability than your standard government Website. The branding, user experience, and content are professional and on par with good corporate Websites, and better than most global news portals.

Tools and Copyrights

Surprisingly, and to the delight of most of us in the Web profession, Change.gov has opted to use inexpensive low friction off the shelf tools, instead of building some wacky roll-your-own proprietary solutions. Multimedia web technologies are integral to Change.gov, including the use of YouTube and Flickr. Imagine the backroom discussion to approve this “Hey Smitty, is it okay if we create an Obama account on Flickr?” pause “Yea, dude sure. Cool.  Do it.”

Additionally, Change.gov is not averse to using best of breed commercial solutions for particular parts of the site.  On January 14, the “Citizen’s Briefing Book” an online forum where you can share your ideas, and rate or offer comments on the ideas of others, was launched using Salesforce.com CRM tools.

Community based rating is one thing for restaurants and dog grooming, yet it is interesting to think about the implications for national public policy, or determining funding priorities.

Dispelling the white-knuckle control focus of some administrations, Change.gov has also adopted open Web-generation practices such as the use of Creative Commons for copyright policy and fair use of content. Sharing and dissemination of information seem to the order of the day.

Future

It is hard to tell how the postings, tools, lessons, and open forums of Change.gov will be used once Obama becomes the President. There are many rumors regarding the potential interplay between the two existing sites Whitehouse.gov and Change.gov.  It is not clear how open and rapid the President will be able to be once in office, officially representing the county. As we have seen in recent weeks Obama will not be allowed to use his BlackBerry device going forward. There are privacy and security issues linked to the person of the President. The transition team says that the open forum, and citizen input, and transparency will remain. And that the use of the Web will continue with the posting of detailed Administration budgets, decisions, and positions.  This all sounds promising. One thing that is for certain: The Web is here to stay. Yet tides change. Attitudes come and go with Administrations. In the future there may be a lockdown on information and a new rise of paranoia. For now, let us relish this brush with collective action, openness, and community.

-Peter Montgomery