Sixty Second Tech

If you are responsible for your company’s web strategy, you probably have a list of technologies that you can’t afford to ignore; near the top of that list should be OpenID. Chances are you already have an OpenID identifier since AOL, Yahoo and Google all are “identify providers”. If you have a login on any one of those services then you have an OpenID identifier.

For the uninitiated, think of OpenID as a single user name and password for the entire web. However, instead of the usual way that is implemented, just using the same use rname and password everywhere, with OpenID, you only identify yourself to your identity provider.; they will then identify you to any website supporting OpenID.

OpenID provides your user with both convenience and security. Convenience because allowing your users to log into your website via OpenID means that they don’t have to remember yet another password. Security because your user can now pick which identity provider they trust to keep their information secure, they don’t have to worry whether your application is secure enough for their secrets.

Implementing OpenID for your site will give your users one more reason to trust you since they don’t have to trust you as much.

My name is Cal Evans and I am your Sixty Second Tech.

 

 OpenID and You [1:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Ok Minute Men this is a housekeeping post. I just wanted to let you know about a couple of things happening on the site.

First, Sixty Second Tech has a twitter feed now. You can follow us at twitter.com/60secondtech (that’s the number 60 and then second tech.) Or you can visit the website and click the graphic, that’s probably easier. Every time there is a post, a notice goes out over twitter so you can be the first on your block to listen.

Second, If you don’t want to be notified via twitter, you can get your tech fix via email now. As with the twitter, every time there is a post, an email will be sent to you letting you know that there is fresh content for the picking. These two options are for those of you who don’t use iTunes or subscribe to the feed.

Third, I’ve written an poignant and insightful post on the web site called “Become a Minute Man”. If you want to help the cause, take a look at it. (Visit sixtysecondtech.com, you can’t miss it) It’s not going to cost you a dime, just a minute or two of your time.

Finally, I know you’ve been dying for this one so I’m pleased to say that each post now has an “Email this to a friend” link. Hey, I don’t really care if they are your friends or not, I’m just looking to make it easier for you to help spread the word.

One last thing. If you like Sixty Second Tech, then chances are good that your customers, vendors, partners and hangers-on will like it as well. Consider licensing Sixty Second tech for your company. There’s a page describing our offer on the website, give it a look. If it’s not right for you, pass it on to your rich uncle who is CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

Thanks for listening!

My name is Cal Evans and I am, your Sixty Second Tech.

 

 Housekeeping Episode #1 [1:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Do you know what they are saying about you out there? You really should. To find out what people are saying about you on the web you have two choices. You can read each and every web site every day or you can find someone who already does who will let you know what they find.

Since reading each and every web site every day cuts into my freecell time, I chose plan B. Now if we just knew someone who read everything on the web…oh wait, we do, Google! Yes, that’s right everybody’s big brother google actually likes to use their power for good instead of evil; which is good because the SEO lobby has cornered the market on evil.

Go to Google dot com slash alert. Enter the email address you want to send the alert to. Then enter your name, your company name, your product name, your best friends name, your dog’s name, whatever you want to search for. Volia! You have an alert. Seriously, every day that Google comes across your search term in any of it’s spidering, it will send you an email.

Stop sneaking out to google and entering your name hoping no one will see you vanity searching, let google do it for you! Keep an eye on what people are saying about you, who knows…it might be good!

My name is Cal Evans and I am, your Sixty Second Tech.

 

 Do You Know What They Are Saying About You? [1:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

So your web project has grown up and all of a sudden you need a programmer. But how do you find the right one. Here’s a tip, go to meetup.com and find a nearby PHP users group. If there’s not one in your area, go to phpdeveloper.org and ask them to post your need.

Once you get a few candidates, yes, you will need more than one. Sit them down and describe your project in as much detail as you can. Here, one of three things will happen.

They will smile and say “Yeah, I can do that.” To which you reply in a loud voice “NEXT!” If they think they can build your project based on your first description, they either don’t really understand or are desperate, neither are qualities you are looking for.

Or, they will smile and say “Yeah, but if we…” NEXT!

If they already have ideas on how to make your idea better then they spent the entire time daydreaming and not listening to you.

Or, they will smile and say “Let me see if I understand…” BINGO! We have a winner.

Now, negotiate a price that is fair. No, they don’t want a piece of the action, they want cash and they are going to want some of it upfront. Make sure you both sign an agreement before you discuss the project any further though.

My name is Cal Evans and I am your Sixty Second Tech.

 

 Standard Podcast [1:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

You’ve got a website, a shopping cart, even an rss feed; you are 100% buzzword compliant for the Web 2.0 The only thing you don’t have is traffic. So you do what every good web entrepreneur does, you find an SEO expert who says they can help you rank higher.

Of course Google is doing it’s dead-level best to make sure that on-page elements like keywords and descriptions are worth about as much as Enron stock these days. But hey, handing over money to a consultant who can’t provide you with measurable proof of ROI is a time honored tradition.

Here, let me save you a few Benjamins. There is one magic bullet that will improve your rankings on google more than any SEO expert. Write this down because I’m sure the SEO Illuminati will be after me soon.

Be Relevant

I know, I know, it sounds too simple, right? Understand, google is not the enemy. They want to server your site up for relevant searches, it’s what they do for a living. So take that money you were going to invest in SEO and buy your programmer that new Mac they’ve been begging for. Then get out there and write some relevant copy.

Go Relevant or Go Home!

My name is Cal Evans and I am your Sixty Second Tech.

 

 Standard Podcast [1:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Ok, you’ve got an idea and it needs a home on the web. You don’t need much but you don’t know where to start. So you call your friend who is a web designer. She of course decides you need a programmer. By the way, did she mention her hourly rate and oh yeah, she’s got a friend who does hosting. Your four or five little pages just grew into a two week project with a deposit.

Now, I’ll share a secret with you that I’m sure will piss-off the programmer’s guild; WordPress can be used as a simple CMS.

Here are the five magic steps to web freedom.

1. Get a hosting account with someone you trust and not the one that gives your designer friend a kickback.
2. Grab Wordpress form wordpress.org and follow the five minute install.
3. Google for “Free Wordpress Themes”, pick one you like and install it.
4. Log in and write your content as Pages, not posts. You will understand when you see the admin interface.
5. In the Admin Interface, select “Options->Reading” and tell it that the front page should be a static page and which page you want to be the front page.

There, you’ve got your new site, no designer, no programmer and no deposit.

My name is Cal Evans and I am your Sixty Second Tech.

 

 Standard Podcast [1:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download