Digital Lifestyles, LLC Blog

I’ve been thinking lately that I need to change around my webstores to offer different solutions for different purposes. I also need to make a means for a client to submit work for me to work on. I have a number of invoices that I generate that do not have an equivalent representation on any of my webstores yet. The bad thing is, I have been operating with these invoices since 2008. I know, I’m a bad procrastinator, right? Well, I know what I need to do here:

My Linux store should have a sales video or two on the benefits of Linux and our expertise with Linux. I also need to add links on the various distributions we will be providing. For do-it-yourselfers, a payment step before acquiring the execution scripts that I always offer. I would like to capture a purchase for every individual computer that accesses a single script. I may need to limit purchase and execution access to a single MAC address to do so. Another technique I could use is a PayPal donation button for each script. My thinking at this is, being that I’m not charging for the software to execute these scripts, the only charge is for these scripts to adapt the initial installation of Linux to a user-ready status. Besides the initial scripts, I will likely have push-button solutions for internet television, gaming, education, home automation, and windows-only users.

Solutions for individual (personal) clients that request or require technician intervention (such as initial conversion) will have the means to request a technician to show up at their doorstep by scheduling the technician (using Google Calendar) for a certain block of time for the purpose of converting their computer(s) to Linux.

A new section will be available for business clients that will allow them to request assistance directly from a client’s desktop. A technician will be at the ready for remote access and administration within 4 hours of the request. I will be working to lower the response time to something more reasonable and attractive to businesses, especially mission critical functions. Businesses will also be offered more comprehensive service and technical support contracting that will differentiate mission critical businesses, departments, computers, users, and programs from general service and support. Business clients will have specific program needs met with software that caters to their ability to effectively function in their daily activity. I’m still working on the payment process and procedures. How do I collect? How frequent? What payments are optional? When are payments due? What if a payment is missed? When and how will I honor refunds, rebates, and deductions? What about late fees? I have much to do here.

I’m also considering a custom system building service that will be something like what Dell offers for new computer purchases. Customers will be able to put together compete systems using known-compatible components. As a caveat to this specific offer, I’m researching a means to import an XML-like stream that announces deals from eBay and other online affiliates like Google and Amazon to appeal to those whom may desire more economical or single-step solutions.

For my home automation solutions, I will still offer our Zion server based on LinuxMCE, but we will also be offering a new server solution named Cronus. Cronus will be different from Zion in that it is based on MythBuntu, which is a flexible solution that allows for single-room, single server, or multiple server applications. Cronus will bundle LIRC, Hulu desktop, Boxee, Miro, and Linux’s gaming emulators into a single solution. And even though they only work with Windows, I will be attempting to add in use and support for Vimeo, Veoh, and Netflix’s Instant Play. Cronus, in essence, will not integrate security, climate control, lighting control, or telecommunication.

Security functions will not be served or utilized by Cronus, in that only its video surveillance functions will be acquirable for distribution throughout the network. If a web-based control element is available for the security panel, it will be utilized to control the panel’s available security functions. Lighting will be left to a non-server  solution such as Insteon, UPB, ZigBee, or Z-Wave. Like the security panel, if a web-based control element is available for lighting control, it will be utilized to control the available lighting functions of the campus. Climate will be controlled by a technology other than computer-based, such as IP, RS-232/RS-485, or directly controlled by the installed HVAC units. If a web-based control element is available for climate control, it will be utilized to control the available climate functions of the campus. Telecommunications will use existing centralized technologies that each client will be able to plug into, such as SIP- or AIX-based VoIP, Skype, Yahoo, GTalk, AIM, or MSN Live Messenger.

Also for my home automation solutions, I will be creating a means to receive PDF drawings of architectural plans via uploading files to allow clients to give us instructions on what systems and technologies to best prepare their home automation solution for. This will make our wiring designs more complete and faster to return to the requesting client. While we worked with Hanley-Wood, 95% of our submissions were hardcopies that were sent via FedEx to our site, where we processed each plan manually. This caused our turnaround to stay near 10-15 business days for each plan. With this new submission method, we can reduce this by up to a week! This will allow us to process more plans in any given period of time. We will also be extending our offer for this documentation and logistics service to all residential architectural plans providers and services, both local and remote.

And finally, I will be adding my Online Church Presence (OCP) service as its own webstore! All of the solutions that I offer and work with will be described, shown, and offered for purchase. Domain purchase and maintenance, blog installation, FaceBook and Twitter integration, and some advanced features such as videocasting/podcasting, video and audio streaming, and advanced online collaboration will all be a part of the solutions offered in this webstore.

These are some very exciting developments for me to announce! I will be updating the blog as these tasks are completed. 2010 should be a very productive year!

I am. Summer is two-thirds gone, and our schoolchildren are being sent back to the place they dreaded for 180 days last year–school! Many of their peers are finding that they are being collecting their pencils, notebooks, and paper. But nowadays, students need computers to be more effective in their schoolwork. And Digital Lifestyles is extending Linux Conversions for students a 30% off coupon for Linux Conversions for Home and Conversions for Gamers. The offer is good until September 30, 2009. Register with our webstore and receive an email response with the coupon code to take advantage of the offer while it lasts.

At Digital Lifestyles, we have been telling you about how many ways Ubuntu Linux is better than Microsoft Windows. There are quite a few reasons to mention, and we believe that, without a switch from a proprietary architecture to open source, Windows will eventually lose their major market share soon. They are currently behind the curve on realizing this reality.

I just received an article from one of the Technicians I work with, Steve Blumling, a few weeks ago talking more about the validity of Ubuntu Linux when compared to–of all things, Mac OSX’s latest version, the great Snow Leopard! Now the article mentions a comparison to primary distribution, but I believe that Ubuntu’s media-centric version, UbuntuStudio is a version that more directly compares to Snow Leopard better than Ubuntu does to make up for the weak links in Ubuntu that the article exposes. Both have tools that lend to the creative arts in both audio and visual disciplines. Also, more advanced applications can be added or custom-created to make up a fully-functional virtual- or physical studio.

In all, Ubuntu shows a huge variety of applications that its distributions can fit well into. It just shows another significant reason why Ubuntu Linux is a superior choice of operating system for your computer, whether it’s a desktop, laptop, netbook, cloud, or PowerPC!

BTW, Steve will be posting articles here himself very soon.

I’ve had Digital Lifestyles as a contractor on ServiceMagic since 2006. At the time, I was only targeting home automation work. Now that I have added the Linux crossover program, ServiceMagic looks like it will pay off better now.

The plan now is to add areas as I add representatives in those areas that want to do this kind of work. I already have the basic contract for technicians drafted, and my primary team is reviewing that document set now.

Also, I will be adding this to my repertoire of identities to cross-reference in order to further build my brand’s reach and demographic. The hope is to have all of these identities bring every single potential and existing client right back to the webstore to purchase my services, no matter what their initial interest was for in subscribing to me at all.

What this will do is bring my program closer to many areas, while giving those technicians a brand to work under AND a territory to develop, using my promotion materials, methods, and tactics. I believe that, rather than going it alone with freelance work, working under a franchise helps the entrepreneur and the small businessperson by tagging in on a better known and respected brand before venturing out on a risk and a hope.

I am confident that this tool will work for Digital Lifestyles because of the strong viability in Linux’s solution. Many people put up with Windows simply because it is what introduced them to computers in the first place. If they knew that a superior alternative was available for free, I think most apprehensions will melt away.

As it is, I will be testing out this ServiceMagic risk and evaluating it monthly to find out if it is worth keeping. Is so, Digital Lifestyles will become a permanent fixture to the site. If not, then I will cut my losses and make another attempt when the opportunity arises.

Let’s see… I have FaceBook, Yahoo, AIM, Google Talk, LinkedIn, Plaxo, Ryze, Ecademy, and Windows Live. I subscribe to Netflix, Hulu, Veoh, Last.fm, and LaunchCAST. I administer and maintain a webstore that serves to fuel my business as a financial means. I need to keep up with all of these networks, but only 24 hours to work with to meet with potential clients, service their needs, and follow up with all vendors, suppliers, partners, and subcontractors. How can I do all of this without going out of my mind of who I’m talking to and what each conversation was about? DandyID.

DandyID is a service that brings all of these services, accounts, and profiles (over 300 in all) to one portal that people can find out more about you as a person, employee, businessperson, friend, or relative. For me, I combine these entities into my blog (listed on the left sidebar). For someone who knows more people know him than he can admit at a given time, this service is a great way to both promote and keep up with friends and associates.

The sad thing is that you must set up each account or profile in its totality in order to benefit from this effort–which takes a great deal of time if you are as busy as me (or more). Thankfully, I have set up most of my profiles to the point that they are presentable and accurate to my current situation. I have a couple more profiles to go, but I should be at or near 95% finished within a week. I do hope that this effort will pay off quickly and soon so I can buy a shoe or two! (maybe I can get a sock with that…)

In either case, I’ll know how well the service works the more I use this service with my other accounts and profiles. I’ll keep you posted.

I was here thinking about what incentives and programs I could employ to help promote my Linux Conversion store. This is the season for Fathers’ Day and graduations, which has me thinking “what about student pricing and Fathers’ Day gifts?”.

Well, I happen to be late with this thought, but I figure, it’s never too late for a gift. I will be adding in a means for students to use our services while keeping their costs low with a coupon I will create and enable. As for Fathers’ Day, I missed the boat this year, but there’s always next holiday!

Wesley

I have been at this business for over eight years. I have worked as an adult since I was 14. There seems to be one thing that I have learned with all that I have experienced: the greatest invention for a business is reinvention!

When my first attempt at the home automation industry failed, reinvention kept me afloat. When I worked as an independent computer consultant, reinvention allowed me to shelve that skillset for what I was going to become next. Now that I have made the contacts that I have, with acquiring the knowledge that I’ve gained over the years, reinvention is allowing me to bring past experiences and knowledge together because it is these exact skills that will help me in this new venture.

When I was about to start thinking about my career in grade school, I decided that I wanted to be an architect, an electronic engineer, or a cartoonist. Now, in 2009, my computer and electronic histories have fulfilled my desire for engineering, home automation has fulfilled my desire for architecture, and documentation has fulfilled my desire for cartooning (which is actually illustration).

So what does this mean? Well, to me it means that nothing is over until the last breath is spent. In life, there must be a way, no matter what path you’re on, or which direction you are headed, to shift or adjust your focus. I’m glad I can improvise, adapt, and overcome as I had been taught to see my own way through this economic hardship.