I’m a Mac…
I went to a trade show yesterday, and was prepared to purchase some items from one of my favorite vendors. While waiting in line, I happened to look over and see her husband working on an Apple laptop. An Apple laptop that said “Vaio”. He was using a Vaio but had a white Apple logo sticker in the center of it. I asked him what that was about, and he said it was “just to irritate Steve Jobs and the other Mac users” (nevermind that I’m sure Steve has never been anywhere near the same zip code as this guy, but that’s beside the point).
I’m a PC…
Then he launched into the same old anti-Mac rhetoric spewed by middle-aged folks who haven’t kept up with technology…you know the one statement common to all of them: “None of the applications I need run on a Mac”. I asked what he needed to run, and he said he definitely needed accounting software to keep track of expenses. And it had to be something his accountant would use. He looked like a deer in the headlights when I suggested QuickBooks or MYOB. I tried to explain to him that Macs can run Windows now since the switch to Intel processors. He said he didn’t want to use “BootStrap” – I’m assuming he means BootCamp since he didn’t appear to have a clue about either BootCamp OR Bootstrapping Statistical sampling 🙂 He said he didn’t want that program “that they make you use” (he was referring to BootCamp). I told him he was free to use any application he wanted if he had some proprietary software that required him to run Windows. I told him that both Parallels and Fusion worked quite well (clueless again) but that chances were good that he wouldn’t need any of those.
“Donate to my relief fund”
I told him there were a lot of excellent shareware applications available and widely used for both personal use and small businesses now, and that there were a lot of really good independent developers in the Mac community. You know what he did? He laughed in my face. He said something to the effect of “yeah, just donate a dollar to my relief fund and use my application at your own risk”. What a jerk! He obviously doesn’t have a clue about what shareware is. I attempted to explain it, but he cut me off. I decided I would just be wasting my breath anyway. After our brief exchange, I don’t think he really has a clue about much of anything!
The Challenge
He, like most of the other folks at the show, have a small business and they display and sell their wares (jewelry and crafting supplies in this case) while traveling from venue to venue. The apps they need are very basic…just good old common small business applications. I talked to a couple of other vendors who had heard our exchange, and they told me they had been looking at switching to Macs because of the ease of use and because you don’t have to spend countless hours trying to stay ahead of issues with viruses, adware, spyware, and crashes. They asked me to help them figure out what hardware and software they would need that would serve their needs both at home and on the road. Cost was an important factor as they don’t have an unlimited amount of money to spend. They wanted to start with something more “entry-level” that they can expand upon later after they see how it works and make sure they are comfortable with the solution.
I shared with them what works for a few of my friends and me, as we all have a small business of some kind, from consulting to graphic design and desktop publishing to jewelry sales. This is geared toward someone who runs a small business on the road. It could be any number of products, but the folks I was dealing with happen to sell handcrafted jewelry and materials so that others can make jewelry to sell themselves. For example, Missy makes glass beads and does wirework. She sells individual components so that I can go home and make jewelry to sell using the beads she crafted. She also sells the finished products which, in her case, are beautiful earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. With that in mind, here’s what we came up with.
The Hardware
Because they are just starting out, Missy opted for the mid-level MacBook. It comes in three configurations: two white ones, and a higher end black version. The price points were $1099, $1299, and $1499. She went with the middle one. It’s a white MacBook, and it has a larger hard drive and more memory than the entry level version. At $1299, it’s a very powerful computer. Just a few years ago, people traveled with a “dumbed down” laptop…they were slow, had small hard drives, and not much memory. These travelers needed a desktop computer to use at home. These days, thanks to ever-faster processors, smaller hard drives, and falling memory prices, Apple’s laptops carry just about as much processing weight as their desktop counterparts. For a printer, Missy wanted the functionality of an all-in-one so they could easily scan and store important documents and make copies when needed. It didn’t take long to decide on the Canon Pixma MP520. It wasn’t very expensive, especially with the $100 rebate given for purchasing a computer at the same time, and the quality was excellent. Plus, the footprint wasn’t much larger than a standard printer. It also had a bonus feature as far as they were concerned: duplex printing. Granted, because of the volume of printed material they distribute, they use Kinko’s for most of their printing needs. But for the occasional emergency when they’ve run out of brochures, Missy said it’s nice to know that can print them quickly and easily if needed.
The Software
I’d been thinking about what Missy’s needs were regarding software: a word-processing program for instructions and signage, an internet browser to surf for information, maps, weather, etc. while traveling, a financial app, something for project and contact management, and a game or two to play when sales are slow or they’re in the RV between shows. I’ve never seen anyone use a POS app. They just use a calculator and write out receipts by hand on generic receipt books.
Here’s what they could use to get started nicely:
1) Finances – QuickBooks Pro ($169.95) or Moneydance ($39.99). Moneydance would be a good tool to keep track of both their business and personal finances. QuickBooks Pro has long been the gold standard of business accounting software, and most accountants are familiar with it. However, you and your accountant definitely would not have to have the same software. Both apps import and export the common financial forms, and they both download your transactions from your bank.
2) A word processing app such as NeoOffice (free), OpenOffice (free), or Pages ($79, part of iWork ’08) to print instructions, signs, business cards, brochures, etc. Swift Publisher ($34.99) and Pages are both easy to use, inexpensive, and have some nice templates for brochures and business cards as well. MicroSoft Office ($399.95) is the most expensive of the bunch, and the folks I talked to really didn’t need it.
3) Promotion – iWeb (comes pre-loaded on new Mac computers, $79 as part of iLife ’08) could make a nice website for a beginner with virtually no experience. For more control and more choices, RapidWeaver ($49) will make quite a nice site. The developer, RealMac Software, has a very active support community, lots of templates and plug-ins, and the sites look great. Sandvox ($49 regular, $79 pro) is also a consideration, as it has been gaining steam with new users lately.
4) Project Management – SOHO Organizer ($99), Project X ($199.95). I’ve been hooked on SOHO Organizer for several years, since they had a great little app called “Sticky Brain”. You input all the bits of info into it that you’d have all over post-it notes like login info, passwords, serial numbers, account info, due dates…you get the picture. They changed the name awhile back to SOHO notes (I still like Sticky Brain better!) and added a lot of functionality. I upgraded from the notes to the organizer because the organizer has contact management built into it, as well as templates for invoicing, which look really nice. I’ve heard good things about Project X, but haven’t tried it myself. I’ve probably got way too much stuff in SOHO now to ever leave it for another app!
5) Anti-productivity apps (i.e. “games”) – Hey, you can’t work all the time!!! The thing is, there are tons of Mac games out there. It totally depends on what you like. I’m addicted to World of Warcraft, a MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) that is played online with people all over the world. I met one of my best friends playing WoW. For quick time-killers, though, I like puzzle-type games such as Bejeweled, Bookworm, and MahJong. Frenzic and Enigmo are addictive, fast-paced puzzle games that are very popular. There are casino and card games such as slots and Texas Hold ‘Em. There are also sites where you can play different types of games online for free. Just do a search for “Mac online games” and you’ll get a lot of hits.
The cool thing about Mac shareware is that they have a “try before you buy” policy. You can download, install, and use the software for a period of time (usually 15-30 days) before you have to pay for it. That gives you time to try out a couple of different offerings in each category to see which apps work best for you. As you can see from the included pricing info, really good software doesn’t have to cost a small fortune. For around $250 you can get a good app in each category and even have enough left for a game or two 🙂 Not a bad deal in my opinion.
The Results
I presented my recommendations to Missy regarding software, and she’s going to try two apps each from the different categories (except she wants to go with SOHO Organizer after I showed her how I use mine!) for two weeks, and that will give her two weekends of shows to use them. That should be sufficient time to see what best meets her needs. These are just suggestions. If you guys have had success with other apps, drop me a line and let me know. I’ll add them to my arsenal 🙂
By the way, in case you’re wondering, I left my favorite vendor without making my purchase. I’m not sure if she knows her husband cost her a few hundred dollars with his bad attitude and ignorance, but she will when I send her a copy of this post! Until next time, cheers!
Jott This!!
I “discovered” Jott today. This is a terrific little app that basically transcribes your messages for you. You call Jott and leave your message. Then Jott transcribes it and either emails or sends a text message to you or your chosen contact(s). That’s pretty cool all by itself, but it also integrates with other apps to make it even more powerful. It’s especially useful given that more and more states are enacting laws about not driving while talking on a cell phone. Just pop your bluetooth headset on and you’re good to go.
It is quick and easy to get a Jott account. And free. Head to www.jott.com. Fill out your info, confirm it with the email they send you, then add 866.JOTT.123 to your contacts list. Make that first call and see how easy it is. You can set it up to get confirmation emails, text messages, or both. I made “my phone” a contact (an idea I got from lifehacker) and didn’t enter an email address for those times when I just want a text message. For email reminders, I added “me” as a contact. You can also add groups, which comes in quite handy for work or family.
There is a very simple how-to guide and FAQs at Jott’s site. It’s pretty much a no-brainer though. When you call, a cheerful voice asks, “Who do you want to Jott?”. You tell her your contact’s name, then give your info. She confirms your message has been received with “Got it!”, and you hang up. How easy is that!!
There are several applications, including the ever-popular Google Calendar webapp, that use Jott links. How cool is it to leave a message on your cell phone then have it show up on your Google calendar the next time you open it?!? Jott also works with Remember the Milk (www.rememberthemilk.com), which was voted the best web-based task manager at lifehacker.com. RTM also integrates with iCal, Google Calendar, Gmail and more. You can use Jott to let everyone know what you’re doing on Twitter, and you can post a blog entry using popular blog apps such as WordPress and Blogger. You can record short messages up to 30 seconds (hey, I said they were short!) that you can playback at your account page on Jott’s website.
I played around with the accuracy, and it’s very good. They do give you some tips in the guide, so check those out as well. You can spell odd or difficult names and make it less likely for an error to occur.
This is one hot application. I still can’t believe it’s this good AND it’s free! Try it today. You’ll be hooked.
MacHeist Retail Bundle revealed…
So here’s more info on the MacHeist Retail bundle. 
There are 12 apps included. Here’s the rundown along with a few comments. Being an avid MacHeister, I already have most of these apps. There’s more info about the individual apps at the MacHeist site.
Awaken – This is one I didn’t think much about that was in the most recent MacHeist bundle. I probably never would have tried this on my own. However, I absolutely love it and use it every day. Support from the developer, Jerry Brace, is nothing short of phenomenal! You’ll love this one.
Wallet – This was included in a Christmas referral bonus. If you don’t want or need the robustness of something like 1Password, this is a great little program. I set it up for my dad and my cousin for them to keep track of passwords, serial numbers, etc.
Xslimmer – I just recently started using this one. It has already freed up several gigabytes of space on the smaller hard drive of my aging 4-year old G4 laptop.
WriteRoom – This is a good one for folks who just want to write without being distracted by a lot of bells and whistles. It just lets you write.
Overflow – This one is indispensable to me. I had so many apps in my dock that I couldn’t even figure out what they were because they were so small. Now there’s only a handful in the dock, and Overflow has them all managed by category.
Cha-Ching – I got burned out on Quicken and wanted something easier but that would still do the job. This was another recent MacHeist app. I like the interface and the ease of use of this one.
DEVONthink Personal – Honestly, I’ve been using Notebook for a long time, and I didn’t see the need to use both. I have several friends that use this one though, and they love it.
iClip – This is a great clipboard app. Easy to use, very functional. If you copy and paste a lot, you need this one.
Bugdom 2 – Cute game first introduced several years ago. I’d actually forgotten about it. Give it a shot.
Nanosaur 2 – I might be wrong, but I think a trial of the original version used to come on new Macs. I’ll enjoy getting back into this one.
CoverSutra – Wow. You just have to use this one a time or two to be hooked. The search feature is killer. Control iTunes without having to leave the app you’re currently working in. Beautiful app.
Enigmo – Deceptive in its simplicity. Addictive little puzzle game.
So, that’s the package. Quite a good line-up. We hardcore MacHeisters were hoping for a new bundle, not a “Greatest Hits” package, but we’ll just have to keep looking forward to MacHeist 3 later this year. MacHeist is continuing their altruistic endeavors by donating 25% of the proceeds to charity.
They have a cool referral program in place with some great prizes up for grabs. If you’re interested, please click on this link to head over to MacHeist to check it out. Thanks!
MacHeist Bundle back for a limited time…
The MacHeist bundle returns!! It’s over 80% off!! The lineup, which is essentially a “Best of..” package, contains the following apps: Awaken, Wallet, Xslimmer, WriteRoom, Overflow, Cha-Ching, DEVONthink Personal, iClip, Bugdom 2, Nanosaur 2, CoverSutra, and Enigmo. The entire package is only $49. As is customary for MacHeist, 25% of the proceeds will be donated to charity. They have an intriguing referral program going as well.
Click here for an invite and more details: https://www.macheist.com/buy/referral/31652
Retail Sales Force
I’ll probably get hammered for this one, but I’m just being realistic. Here goes.
What kind of training do you think most folks get who work at a retail establishment? My recent survey, which consisted of asking friends, relatives, and complete strangers who are employees at various types of retail stores, tells us the answer is “not nearly enough”. Here’s a sampling of what I learned.
Drug stores (Walgreens, RiteAid, etc.): This might be one of the easiest retail places to work (and I speak from experience, having worked as a soda jerk, pharmacy tech, and assistant manager during my high school and early college years). The inventory is fairly consistent, you don’t have to have a lot of product knowledge, and you basically just have to remember where stuff is located. The tougher questions, like which band-aids work better or what cream is best for your rash, get referred to the pharmacist. If you have good customer relation skills, you can go up the ladder and do okay.
Clothing stores (Old Navy, Gap, American Eagle, etc.): This runs a close second, although you mostly see younger guys and girls in these positions. Being skinny earns bonus points. Except at Lane Bryant, then eating a pint of Chunky Monkey every day is a good thing. Basically, you don’t have to know much except how to ring up the sales and be nice to the customers.
Electronics and computer stores (Circuit City, Best Buy, CompUSA, Apple): I could write for hours about this one. They give employees basic training…very basic. The employees are expected to know an insane amount of information about products whose lineups are constantly changing. Most of these places pay salary plus commission, which drives employees to sell the higher ticket items, or to try to get you to add on a bunch of crap you don’t need.
Example Number 1: What’s the difference in the Panasonic TH-42PX70U, the TH-42PX75U, and the TH-42PX80U? All three of those 42″ plasma tv’s were on the sales floor at Circuit City, Best Buy, and the Sears Electronics Department last week. Several hundred dollars separated them in price. They look virtually identical. Asking the salespersons the differences got answers from total bullshit to a commendable, “I honestly don’t know, except that the 80U is the newest one”. Because a salesperson at Sears gave me some very erroneous information regarding pricing, and because she actually admitted it to the manager on duty when I decided to go back and buy one of those televisions based on what she had told me, I got an incredible deal and saved several hundred dollars. I almost felt bad about it. It was the newest one, too 🙂
But it goes back to training. It wasn’t even anything about the product. It was about the store’s pricing policy, how long a sale price was good, and their price matching guarantee. So, in other words, it was basic training. She obviously didn’t get it, or didn’t retain it, and I came away with a heck of a deal because of it. It probably didn’t hurt that I managed to remain polite, but firm, rather than jumping up and down and pitching a fit. I’m sure they would have preferred that I said something like, “I understand she told me the wrong thing. Thanks anyway.” Rather, I said, “I realize she made a mistake, but this is what she told me, and I think you should honor that”. Kudos to the manager for doing the right thing and honoring the pricing that the salesperson quoted me instead of essentially saying, “Well, she was just wrong, sorry, no way are we taking a hit like that”.
Example Number 2: Who can possibly keep up with specs on all the Apple computers and iPods these days? Could you imagine working at an Apple retail store and trying to keep up with the maximum amount of RAM the white MacBook can hold versus the mid-level MacBook Pro? Or which units need to have RAM installed in matched pairs? Or how to publish a web site built in iWeb to your own personal domain rather than to your .Mac account? Or how many songs and how many hours of video the new iPod Touch will hold compared to the iPod Classic? Friends who work there tell me that you learn all that stuff on your own. The training you get is about policies and procedures, driving sales — especially the Holy Trinity of selling a computer system bundled with AppleCare, .Mac, and ProCare (even though Apple employees don’t work on commission) — and customer relations. They do have an online training program that can be accessed from home, so when they aren’t at work, they can spend their own time learning about the products they are paid slightly more than minimum wage to know inside and out. 
So, what’s my point? I don’t remember now. The one constant in the retail world is to provide good customer service. Even if you’re brand new at it or don’t know much about your products, if you treat the customers politely and with respect, you should be able to make a career of it if you want. If not, it can be a stepping stone to another career path. Granted, it’s been over twenty years since I worked in the retail business, but I learned customer relation skills back then that I have carried with me in every position I’ve held. It’s just that so many customers that I’ve seen lately, especially the younger ones, have such an attitude of entitlement, that I wouldn’t want to work retail for anything.
Next time you’re in a retail establishment, don’t be too hard on those folks. Remember, they’re not making enough money to put up with a bunch of crap – unless they’re management, then you can let ’em have it! 🙂 Just remember, though, that manager might be the one to decide whether you benefit from the misinformation given out by the employee. Be nice.
Pessimist or Realist?
I’m a “glass is half-empty” kind of gal. Some call it pessimism, I call it realism. That’s just the way it is.
I majored in biology and psychology in undergrad school. Along with Maslow’s Heirarchy of Needs, Kubler-Ross’s Stages of Death and Dying, and a few other tidbits, I also picked up my psych advisor’s penchant for pessimism, er, realism. If I heard him say it once, I heard a thousand times, “that’s not pessimistic, it’s realistic”. You know what? He was mostly right. I didn’t think so back then. I was young and idealistic, like most other kids are at that stage. Slowly but surely, over the years, his thinking has crept into my psyche so much that I could teach the freaking class by now, complete with his overabundant usage of certain phrases. The class record back then was hearing “…and this is why…” well over 100 times during a 1 hour lecture during an Abnormal Psych class. Seriously.
I’d like to go back and regain a little bit of that idealism and shed some of my “realism”. It would be nice to see the glass as half-full for a change.
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