Chris Pirillo » economy

The Go-To Guy

Chris — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:08:00 +0000

The Go-To Guy is a post from Chris Pirillo

Even those of us who are power users or experts with technology need help sometimes. None of us can possibly know everything there is to know. Who do you go to when you get stuck and need an answer, or an extra set of eyes? Who can you call up to pick their brains, hopefully helping to solve your problem? I’m lucky to have a good network of friends that I know I can turn to, depending on what the problem is I’m facing. Being a Geek (and a guy!) – I admit I have a hard time reaching out and asking for help. I tend to research and fiddle, trying to fix whatever it is myself. But sometimes, you just have to wave that white flag and say “Help me!!”. So – who can you count on to give you those answers? Have you ever thanked them for taking the time out of their day to patiently help you? Make sure you do!

So much is going on around here right now. Gnomedex is only a week away, and the team is all very excited. We have an excellent lineup of presenters this year, many fun and exciting things going on in the hallways and in the evenings. I know we’re going to have a fabulous time – but not without a few more days of all of us running around like crazy. To all my volunteers and helpers… bless you, every one. No way would this ever be happening without you all!

Even amidst the hectic days right now, I still make time to check up on all of you. I love reading what you’re up to and what’s on your minds. I hope you make time in your day to do the same.

Gnomedex 2009 for $99?!

Chris — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:27:19 +0000

Gnomedex 2009 for $99?! is a post from Chris Pirillo

As you might know, my conference (Gnomedex) is headed into its 9th year, this August 20th – 22nd, having come a VERY long way since its inception. We just posted a Gnomedex FAQ a few minutes ago, too.

Would you like to register for Gnomedex? Awesome.

For Gnomedex, everybody loves the Bell Harbor Conference Center in Seattle for a lot of reasons: unlimited munchies, unlimited drinks, relatively steady WiFi in recent years, relatively comfortable chairs, ample room to move around, lots of natural light, etc. It’s certainly one of the fancier venues in which to hold a tech conference – definitely NOT cheap.

Today, I’m announcing registration changes that should make Gnomedex more affordable (and accessible) for anybody who has always wanted to go. Ready for this?

Full Passes are now being lowered from $500 to $299 – effective immediately. This is a full-access pass, and includes a scrumptious lunch on-site, seating in the Bay Auditorium, and access to a power outlet or two.
Hall Passes (aka Half Passes) are being introduced at $179 for two days or $99 for a single day. This is a partial-access pass, and doesn’t include a scrumptious lunch on-site, doesn’t include seating in the Bay Auditorium, and doesn’t include guaranteed access to an electrical outlet.

Of course, if you’d rather have a cash refund for the difference – we can arrange that, too.

Why am I cutting prices? First, I realize the economy is hitting all of us hard – but that doesn’t mean we should be kept from enjoying a world-class venue (with plenty of amenities) together. Second, I want to open up the hallways to more people – the conversations there are always amazing. We’ll have run of the entire top floor at Bell Harbor! It was like that a couple of years ago when the economy was doing better, and it was awesome. It’s still a single-track conference, officially.

Now, if you’ve already registered for Gnomedex, you might care to pay attention:

If you purchased a ticket at $500 or $450, you have one of three options: (a) You can invite a guest into the Bay Auditorium with you! That’s insta-savings for them. Spouse? Friend? Family member? Boss? Co-worker? Colleague? It’s up to you. (b) You can receive a $200 credit for the next Gnomedex event; (c) You can have $200 of your ticket cost donated to DonorsChoose.
If you purchased a ticket at $350 or $400, you have one of four options: (a) You can spend $100 more to bring a guest into the Bay Auditorium with you; (b) You can receive a “Geek” Care Package TBD (worth ~$100); (c) You can receive a $100 credit for the next Gnomedex event; (d) You can have $100 of your ticket cost donated to DonorsChoose.

We wanna work with everybody this year, and you know that we’re gonna do what we can do to make sure you’re happy (with these changes, or the conference in general).

The hallway should be full of sponsors and participants, and the auxiliary rooms will have the live video feed piped in from the Bay Auditorium. If enough people sign up before too long, we’ll be able to accommodate an “unconference” to run in the same building as the official conference itself. Moreover, a couple of lucky hallway pass holders may be selected to present their ideas on the Bay Auditorium stage!

I’m really hoping to pack the place this year – and hope that the new pricing proves it. We’ll be announcing more sponsors, speakers, and partnerships very soon. Don’t let that stop you from registering, because YOU are 90% of what this conference is about.

Attendees, past or present, are more than welcome to join Gnomedex.com at any time. If you have any questions, please ask through this form.

Will Code for Green

Chris — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:48:15 +0000

Will Code for Green is a post from Chris Pirillo

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Have you thought about Green Computing? Do you have what it takes to make the next great Green Computing application?

Gnomedex and the Microsoft Live Search have teamed up to sponsor a developer contest called Will Code for Green. The hope is to make a difference in the economy (Green = Money) and the Earths ecology (Green = Environment) that lasts long after the contest is over. For more details, you can read my earlier blog post.

All Semi-Finalists will present their creations at the Gnomedex conference August 20-22, 2009. Attendees at the Gnomedex conference will be invited to vote to determine a Grand Prize winner in each Category – and three runner-up winners from both Categories combined. Each Grand Prize winner will receive $10,000.00 to further their ideas and projects, and each runner-up will receive $3000.00.

Do you have a passion for the environment or economy? Do you have the mad skills to put that passion to work to help others? If so, get busy! The deadline for entry is on August 12th. You just never know… you could be our winner.

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Will Code for Green: Make Money!

Chris — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:40:34 +0000

Will Code for Green: Make Money! is a post from Chris Pirillo

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As you know, I’ve been hosting my Gnomedex conference for the past nine years. We have just found out that this year, we will be sponsored by Microsoft Bing. I have some big news to go along with this… we’ll be giving away two grand prizes – $10,000.00!!! You have to use the Bing API to either help people save money, or be more environmentally friendly.

Enter the Will Code for Green! developer contest. If your economy or ecology-themed web application is chosen as one of the two grand prize winners at Gnomedex in August, you’ll win $10,000!! No, that isn’t a typo. I said TEN! THOUSAND! DOLLARS!.

Even if you aren’t a developer, you may have a great idea about how to make the world a greener place – or help people save money. Grab a dev friend, and share the project… and the prize! There will also be three runner-up prizes of $3000.00 each so get to creating!

Change the world. Make some money. What’s wrong with that?

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One Small Act of Kindness…

Chris — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 09:32:36 +0000

One Small Act of Kindness… is a post from Chris Pirillo

Reading through things today in our community, I came across yet another post that gave me pause for thought. That seems to happen daily, doesn’t it? It’s so great to have all of you posting things that makes us all stop and think about life… often in a different way than we might otherwise have.

With the economy so tough and so many thousands of people out of work, it’s easy to lose hope. The house is getting foreclosed. The bills are stacking up. Luxuries are a thing of the past, as are dinners out – even at McDonald’s. It’s hard to see your way clear to remembering that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. It’s nearly impossible at times like this to keep your hope alive, until one small, random act of kindness restores your faith.

Even though the post I mentioned above talks about a company who reached out to unemployed people, there are things all of us can do in order to help bolster the spirits of those we know and love who are having a rough time. I encourage YOU to reach out. You can do something simple, like taking a home-cooked meal to a family you know is having a hard time making ends meet. You could offer the use of your car to someone whose may have been repossessed due to job loss… they need wheels to go out and put in applications! Why not offer free babysitting time to that neighbor who is stressed out? Take her kids to your house for a few hours, and encourage her to relax and recharge herself.

All it takes is one simple little gesture to remind us that life is so much better than it may appear. Even during our worst times, there’s still hope.

Thank you to all of you who touch MY life each and every day just by being a part of this community. Even on the days when I struggle to do the things I need to do, I simply restore my own hope by reading what all of you contribute. I am so blessed to do something that I love so much – and it’s thanks to all of you.

How Have You Handled the “Big L”?

Chris — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 08:45:14 +0000

How Have You Handled the “Big L”? is a post from Chris Pirillo

I bet you thought the “Big L” meant Love, didn’t you? Well hah on you! I’m actually talking about being laid off, unfortunately. As I was roaming through our communities today, I came across a post on Geeks discussing layoffs. Sadly, several of our community members have been affected in this way by the Economic downturn. It’s sad to see people who have worked for more then half their lives in a decent-paying job suddenly end up with nowhere to go. In many cases, the person may be considered “too old” for many jobs that might be available. In other instances – there just isn’t anything out there.

If you’ve been affected by job layoffs, or know someone who has been, how have you/they dealt with it? How are you coping? Are you hanging in there?

Be sure to take time to read other things throughout our community. You just never know what you may identify with.

What is Capitalism?

Chris — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 04:46:29 +0000

What is Capitalism? is a post from Chris Pirillo

This is Bryan Haskell’s submission for the HP Magic Giveaway. Feel free to leave comments for this article as you see fit – your feedback is certainly welcomed! If you’d like to submit your own how-to, what-is, or top-five list, you can send it to me. Views and opinions of this writer are not necessarily my own:

Capitalism is the world we live in. It’s the polluted air we breathe, the water we drink, the frozen dinners we eat, the computers we spend hours on, the rules we follow, the conflicts we face… all influenced by popular opinion and wrapped up into a big box covered in green paper made of lies, misconception, deception, and the idea that enough is never enough. Capitalism has a very pliable structure, one that can withstand abuse, change shape, and perhaps even be recycled when need be. In my opinion, there really is no straight definition of the term. Capitalism simply consumes us, and we consume it, too.

What I am trying to say is that capitalism is a subconscious state of being. Capitalism isn’t real. Capitalism is a utopia that we’ve created; a utopia filled with inhuman characteristics that are masked by the hopes and dreams to be a successful figure amongst your peers. Capitalism is an excuse to be unethical, to get away with doing improper things in order to gain self satisfaction. Capitalism forces you to abide by the holiness of items called money. I would not disagree with the suggestion that capitalism could be considered a mental disorder. After all, the single most important aspect to this thing called capitalism is the root of all evil, the reason for how people act, the reason why people commit crimes.

Throughout the history of man-kind, competition and the will to survive have always been the most important parts of life. So what exactly makes capitalism so important? Well, capitalism simply is just a name for our will to survive and compete, except that these preconceived notions are influenced by technological advancement. It is a known fact that human-beings throughout the history of their presence on earth will perform actions only if they have some motive or receive some sort of reward for doing it. Any other activity is really just a distraction. The wonderful thing about capitalism is that it motivates people to do many things they otherwise would not do. Capitalism preserves personal hopes and dreams and creates ambition. In turn, this allows substantial progress to be made technologically. All this is able to occur because of the level of importance capitalism has made money become.

Capitalism controls us. Everything we do, say, write about, and act on is because of capitalism. Capitalism can easily be referred to as “Big Brother”, a subconscious man overlooking our every motion. What is right necessarily isn’t always right and what is wrong necessarily isn’t always wrong. I think the movie “The Matrix” and the rest of the trilogy have depicted capitalism quite well. The world we live in is created by capitalism. Capitalism is a fantasy world created for the overall success of those in charge. The fact that people on the bottom of the ladder seek some sort of satisfaction through whatever means is great for those on top of the ladder. In capitalism, the only means of success is the acquisition of money. It is as simple as that.

Can we live without capitalism? Just go ahead and try to do something without a reward (even without personal satisfaction as a reward). I absolutely feel that capitalism is the end all to human ideology. Capitalism gives humans everything they want in an accepted fashion while allowing the freedom of life to mask a much larger picture that is progress and success. Even though there are those more successful than others, capitalism allows everyone to feel some sort of success; success of which benefits those above.

How to Save Gas without Gas Savings

Chris — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 01:02:22 +0000

How to Save Gas without Gas Savings is a post from Chris Pirillo

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We all cringe when we pull up to the gas pumps these days. Unfortunately, our griping won’t lower the prices at the pump. Here are some tips sent in by a reader to help you conserve gasoline, and hopefully save you some money.

Drive at the speed limit. Not only are speed limits designed to save lives and keep people from driving recklessly, but are factored into saving gas mileage. Driving at 55mph instead of 70mph on the freeway can save a lot of gas. The faster you go, the higher your engine’s RPM’s will raise, causing the engine to work harder. The harder the engine has to work, the less gas mileage you will see.
Remove any and all unnecessary items from the trunk or interior of your car. That golf bag in the trunk – while it may be convenient to just leave it there, is adding extra weight to your car. The heavier your car is, the more the engine must work to drive it, resulting in less gas mileage. Also, make sure nothing is changing the car’s aerodynamic design such as empty crate boxes strapped to the roof.
Roll your windows up on the highway. Sure you may think that turning on your A/C while driving down the highway will lower your fuel economy, but the drop in aerodynamics due to your windows being rolled down is far greater. When your windows are down, air passing over the sides of the car flows into the passenger compartment and produces drag – thus lowering your gas mileage.
Leave unneeded people at home. It may be nice to have a companion riding along with you, but this person is nothing more then a 160lb object added to your car’s weight. The more people you travel with in your car, the heavier it becomes, once again lowering your fuel mileage.
Last but not least, do not stop and go quickly at stop lights. A smooth acceleration is key to maintaining your gas mileage. Do not jerk between lanes to pass people. Passing causes your car to down shift into overdrive, effectively dumping a large amount of fuel into the motor for an instant boost in power. Doing this often can produce dramatic loss in fuel economy in a short amount of time. Having a vehicle that gets 6MPG, I have learned to ease on the accelerator when leaving stop signs or lights. When done right, you can see a fluctuation of at least 1-2MPG.
Bonus Tip!! Having your car serviced on a regular basis, changing your oil when the manufacturer recommends and having your fuel injectors cleaned at a tuneup can add to your gas mileage in the long run. Clogged or damaged fuel injectors on a fuel injected car can lower your horsepower as well as your fuel economy! I always feel that my truck runs better after a fresh oil change – and noticed a significant increase in gas mileage after my last tuneup.

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How to Handle Remote Tech Support

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 06:30:00 GMT

Using GoToAssist is the easiest way to view and control another person's computer online. Use it to provide instant technical support to family, friends and customers. Start a session with just one click, and instantly connect with the other party.

Network Tools for Windows

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

You need these network tools, no matter which operating systems and networks you have to support. SolarWinds ipMonitor: Affordable Network Monitoring for SMBs. Get turnkey network, server and application availability monitoring with SolarWinds ipMonitor v9.0. This easy-to-use, reliable solution for SMBs delivers out-of-the-box availability monitoring so you always know exactly what's up with Active Directory, DNS, Exchange, FTP, Web, IMAP, MS SQL Server, and SMTP. Download your free trial today. Or, try their totally free tools! And, through 2/29, save 20% when you purchase ipMonitor 9.0.

Get Your Own Web Site

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

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Plus, as a friend of Chris Pirillo, enter code CHRIS7, that's C-H-R-I-S and the number 7, when you check out, and save an additional 10% on any order. Get your piece of the internet at GoDaddy.com.

VMware and Parallels for Virtual Machines

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

It doesn't matter if you're running on Windows or Mac OS X - every power user needs either Parallels or VMware (or both). There's never been an easier way to test software without destroying your primary operating system's stability. Think of how many times you wish you could press a 'reverse' button on your computer. Plus, there's no easier way to try new Linux distributions - see what all the fuss is about. Run Windows in OS X, run Linux in Windows, but the best way to do either is with VMware and/or Parallels.

Coupons for Online Shopping

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:56:13 GMT

This feed is fueled by Lockergnome Online Shopping and Coupon Codes

Before you shop next time, see if we have a coupon first.