The VAR Guy

The VAR Guy has found a cure for his insomnia: It’s called an online slide show. And it’s a blatant attempt to make you click through page after page of information just to artificially lift a Web site’s overall page views. Here are three of the biggest current online slide show offenders in today’s channel.

1. 25 Channel Chiefs You Need to Know: Actually, this is a great list. These names are valuable additions to your Rolodex. And the list could have been presented in three or four Web pages … or perhaps even one page.

Instead, you’ll … need … to … point … and … click … through … twenty … five … slow … loading … Web … pages. If you’ve already mastered Solitaire and Minesweeper today, feel free to point and click through this list.

2. Ten Hot Peripherals Selling Right Now: If you’re the first slide on the list (InFocus, take a bow) you’re pretty darn happy. But if you’re number 10, does anybody actually click all the way through to you?

3. Twenty-Six Alternative Products VARs Should Know: It’s always good to see emerging and alternative vendors getting some ink. Even The VAR Guy spends a bit too much time blogging about Cisco, Microsoft and the IT establishment. But does this 27-page slide show serve readers — or is it a group hug aimed toward potential advertisers?

Hey, The VAR Guy is as guilty as the next channel site in his attempts to create catchy lists. Anybody else remember the Top 100 Highlight’s from Cisco’s Partner Summit? Lists are meant to be fun, informative, fast reads.

It’s … really … too … bad … that … some … slide … shows … are … such … blatant … and … artificial … attempts … to … transform … valuable … content … into … more … page … wait for it, wait for it … views.