The VAR Guy

This previous Christmas, I asked for and was given a brand new Eee PC (701). When I opened it, the comments around the room came quickly, “That’s a computer?” and “It’s so small” and “What a neat toy.” Well, that Toy has been on quite a Linux journey in recent months. And I’m now running eeeXbuntu on the Eee PC. Here’s how I arrived at that operating system, along with some clues about where I may go next.

Even if you’re a small managed service provider or VAR, you still need effective PR strategies. At least, that’s the stance from PR expert Cheryl Snapp Conner. In the May 15, 2008 podcast on MSPmentor, Conner describes some simple ways to launch and measure your viral PR campaigns.

Ubuntu 8.04, codename Hardy Heron, is an LTS, or Long Term Support release. It gets three years of support and updates on the desktop. This release provides the perfect solution for those looking for a stable system that will stand the test of time, as well as provide new features for their computer.

The VAR Guy has to tip his hat (and he doesn’t do that often). Dell insiders say the company plans to launch its channel blog on May 16. Smart move. Here’s why.

Matt Asay, a leading voice in the open source community and a top blogger at CNet, claims he has met The VAR Guy — and The VAR Guy’s beautiful wife. Asay’s yarn makes for an interesting read. But is it true — did he really meet our resident blogger? Weigh the following facts before deciding for yourself.

The VAR Guy isn’t suggesting that open source companies will launch initial public offerings (IPOs) anytime soon. But a lengthy chat with an open source guru — call him Pele — got our resident blogger brainstorming a bit. Here are three open source companies that could test the IPO waters over the next couple of years.

Okay, The VAR Guy concedes that the headline is a little misleading. You can’t completely “stop” identity theft. But you can mitigate some risks. Here are 10 ways to reduce the risk of somebody stealing your identity. Oh, and full disclosure: The tips were offered up by Identity Finder (a software company), but The VAR Guy added his own spin to each of them.

I’m heading into New York this evening for some business meetings. It’s the first time I’ll be traveling with my Asus Eee PC.

One of my coaching clients is a wholesaler for a mutual fund company. Even though she works for a big company, she is really an entrepreneur, running the show in her territory. Needless to say, in today’s market climate, her business has never been more challenging. Some of the lessons from her business certainly apply to the high-tech entrepreneurs.

BusinessWeek and some Web articles are speculating about Apple’s future in the business market. Is Apple finally ready to “push” deeper into business? That question may be moot. Fact is, Apple is creating business “pull” rather than business “push.” Here’s what The VAR Guy means.

Memo to high-tech companies. Stop talking about innovation, and instead focus on sustainable innovation. What’s the difference? Glad you asked. Here’s The VAR Guy’s view.

On June 12, executives representing managed service providers will gather for a Webcast aptly named MSPmentor Live: CEO Exchange. During the fast-moving online event, MSPs will be able to ask peers and experts their most pressing questions about pricing and service level agreement strategies.

After several false starts, TelePresence — that next-generation video conferencing solution — is finally gaining traction in selected high-end vertical niches. Still, TelePresence will need to overcome at least two more major challenges before it goes mainstream, The VAR Guy believes.

Reports are circulating that Microsoft may make a run at acquiring Facebook. If true, this would be more than a consumer social networking move for Microsoft. In recent months, several Fortune 500 companies — including a major bank — have begun using Facebook to enhance employee communications and collaboration. Here’s the scoop.

The VAR Guy has been a road warrior this week, making stops in Minneapolis, New York and now Boston. Tired from all the travel, our resident blogger refueled at a local watering hole in Boston this evening. He felt right at home.

The VAR Guy and many tech industry watchers breathed a collective sigh of relief on May 6, when Cisco Systems announced relatively strong earnings. Our resident blogger warned readers earlier this week that Cisco would make-or-break Wall Street, based on the company’s results. Overall, things look good at the company. But there was an area of weakness, notes our sister site, MSPmentor.

The Ubuntu Live conference doesn’t kick off until July 21, but The VAR Guy is already booking his flight to the Portland, Oregon-based event. Here are five key trends our guest blogger expects to track at the event.

Generally speaking, The VAR Guy is a procrastinator — except when it comes to timely blogs. In fact, he’s already confirmed plans to blog live from Ubuntu Live 2008, scheduled for July 21 and 22 in Portland, Oregon. Here are five reasons you should care about the Ubuntu distribution of Linux, and the Ubuntu Live conference.

The VAR Guy always worries when two big, market-trailing companies try to merge. Alcatel-Lucent, for instance, has failed to compete with Cisco Systems. Microsoft-Yahoo would have faced an uphill battle against Google. Ironically, Microsoft’s failure to acquire Yahoo — at least for now — could be a blessing in disguise, especially for customers.

Everybody hold your breath. Cisco Systems is set to announce financial results on May 6. Most observers are cautiously optimistic. If everything goes as planned, Wall Street will breathe a collective sigh of relief. But if CEO John Chambers is in another “lumpy” mood, things could get really ugly real fast.

If you are thinking of leaving your corporate job to start a business, nothing is more important than having Reserves. I am talking about a great big virtual warehouse filled with tangible and intangible items. If you don’t have them when you start your business, your engine will soon fail.

For as long as I can remember, Linux was “marketed” and pushed towards the younger crowd—the computer-savvy, self-described “geeky” community that had no problem getting Linux to work on their system. But now, even my boss is running Ubuntu. Here’s our story.

Think of your business — or your customers’ business — as a potted plant. As the plant grows, you’ll need to move it into a bigger pot if you want to sustain healthy growth. Now, let’s apply that example to a typical office accounting system.