I didn’t make many New Year’s resolutions this year. I cut out all those destined to fail, and instead focused on some that I have at least a little hope of achieving. A lot were work related, and one in particular applies primarily to web work. That resoultion? To be more green in my work practices.
It was something I hadn’t paid particular attention to since leaving an office setting. At my last corporate gig, I was instrumental is establishing a proper recycling program. It was easy because it was me vs. the corporate climate. At home, with no machine to rage against, I hadn’t even realized how much could be done.
If you’re looking for a more complete, customized end-to-end solution than something like Google Apps can offer for your business, you may want to take a look at what Liferay’s offering. The company offers portal, content management system, and collaboration solutions, all customizable, open source software to fit yours or a client’s specific needs.
It’s designed to require little setup, and aimed at companies with little or no in-house development capability. Out of the box, Liferay offers a number of different pre-set portlet configuration options, including CMS and collaboration. The idea is that you get an easy-to-set up intranet system up and running in no time, with features that can be easily changed, added, and removed without much effort.
Well whaddya’ know - with the computing industry’s collective consciousness almost fully occupied with Apple, Web 2.0, social computing and web-based applications, it’s almost as though we forgot that the world’s largest software company is still making stuff!
Until today, I think I’ve gone 2-3 years without entering www.microsoft.com into a browser address bar!
Microsoft’s Professional Developers Conference has been a flurry of activity this week with the launch of Windows Azure, previews of Windows 7 and, notably for web workers, confirmation of an web-based edition of Microsoft Office, previewed as Office 14 for Web. As Microsoft’s pitch for the new suite explains…
Wouldn’t it be cool if all the Office applications worked online, cross-browser from anywhere with AJAX and/or Silverlight? Or maybe even from your cellphone? What would be even better is if they had real time collaboration, integrating the rich client with the web clients. Well, wish no more because all of the above is going to be a part of the next Office Suite. Read the rest of this entry »
Working from home allows me to be a more involved pet owner, since I get to be around my pets all day. Right now, I have two dogs, two cats, and a rooster. (I also have a snail but it hardly gets in the way of anything.) But having pets around while you work leaves you open to several distractions throughout the day. How can you find the middle ground of enjoying your pet’s company without letting them disturb your work?
Know your pet’s behavior. By understanding your pet’s behavior and what it means for you as a teleworker, you’ll be better equipped to make decisions that would benefit your pets without getting in the way of your work. You’ll also know how they’ll react to different situations, and how much of a distraction they will be.
For example, I know that Toby, one of my cats, is very independent and doesn’t care what I do. Because of this, I don’t mind that he’s around when I work. However, my other cat, Sasha, is attention-hungry. If she’s around, I know I’m not going to get any work done. So if I know that I need to do a lot of work, I try to avoid encountering Sasha.
A web worker’s office is her most important tool. Arranging it should be given more care and importance than setting up one’s LinkedIn profile. In my four years of web work, I can’t say that I’ve achieved the perfect office yet, but I already know what I have to do to get there. If I could, I would go back in time to implement the following things so I could get a better start with my home office setup.
Spend time looking for a great chair. One thing we have in common with office-bound workers is the need for a good chair. Without it, we’re prone to back aches and hours of working in pain or discomfort.
Alternatively, some people prefer to sit on uncomfortable chairs or even work standing up. Having uncomfortable seating sometimes forces people to work faster and more efficiently. But if you prefer a more contemplative style of working, you should focus on looking for a comfortable chair.
Need a quick break from the grind? WWD sister site NewTeeVee Station brings you Watercooler Clips, a selection from our collection of what’s good, interesting and/or of note in the online video world — whatever the web is talking about at the virtual watercooler.
Today, it’s a look at the harsh realities of office politics — what happens when the tension between IT and sales departments explodes into an all-out battle? Runaway Box’s The Great Office War brings that conflict to life. With Nerf guns.
And if you’ve got more procrastinating left in you, come by and check out what else we’re watching at the Station!
Microsoft has updated it’s Office Live service, now called Office Live Small Business. Originally launched about two years ago, Office Live offered business an easy way to get set up with an online office suite, including a free domain name, a basic website, and hosted email service. Since then it has garnered around 600,000 users. The online suite was heavily marketed at small business who have a) little or no IT staff and b) little understanding of how to set these these types of services up.
I didn’t make many New Year’s resolutions this year. I cut out all those destined to fail, and instead focused on some that I have at least a little hope of achieving. A lot were work related, and one in particular applies primarily to web work. That resoultion? To be more green in my work practices.
If you’re looking for a more complete, customized end-to-end solution than something like Google Apps can offer for your business, you may want to take a look at what 
Microsoft has updated it’s Office Live service, now called 
