Google+ opens it's doors, with over 10 Million users already!

Google+ finally revealed itself to the public today.

For those who may not have heard about it, it’s a new social networking site from the guys that brought you searching.

It has been running behind closed doors for about 2.5 months and went ‘live’ today – with over 10 Million users.

This was achieved by use of an invitation system, allowing those privileged few who got the original invites to invite friends and colleagues etc. They also made it ‘cool’ to be one of those who got an invite - Viral marketing for want of another phrase.

It has already been praised for having some innovative features – grouping who sees what with ‘Circles’, ‘Hangouts’, where you can video call your friends, and some cool mobile apps.

Anyhow, now it’s there and no doubt coming to a screen near you soon…

Have a read…

Google+ opens social network to everyone

If you are wanting to visit and/or join:

Google+

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Virgin Media - helpfully forgetting to give you most of the information to get your email working...

I have recently assisted a long term client with their move from Sky to Virgin boradband – a simple process, thanks to the router which we installed, with added ‘expandability’ – we managed to effect a smooth transfer without re-programming all his equipment.

Happy so far 

This is all well and good ~ however, there was an issue with configuring his new Virgin Media email – all the setting were entered as per the help documentation, but this still seemed to fail. Working on the fact that sometimes email systems take a while to set up, I advised our client to test it again in the morning.

Cometh the morning – not cometh the emails

Call Virgin – who told me that they had neglected to update their own ‘help’ system with the details of the email system they were now using.
Oops…

Enter the amended details and voila – email flood.

For you all with a similar issue – try these settings:

Under the ‘More Settings’ bit on the email configuration choose the ‘Advanced’ tab and set the following

• This server requires an encrypted SSL connection – tick
• Use the following type of encrypted connection list, choose SSL
• Outgoing server (SMTP) – 465

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"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." - Arthur C. Clarke, "Profiles of The Future", 1961 (Clarke's third law)

Sometimes it’s hard.

That’s the truth about this industry.

Recently we did a little ‘home grown’ PR and visited a local serviced office to show our skills. We were offering a free visit to fix some of those minor issues that plague businesses.

You know the kind of thing ~ “Oh, it always does that” ~ this statement is too often heard.

Anyhow, one of the companies there had a ‘minor’ issue with the email; just the ‘minor’ issue of not being able to send!

Now here’s the problem. To use an email system to send email, you need to use what is known as a SMTP server (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) which handles the sending of the email. This server is usually either on-site, or connected to your broadband.
The question “Who provides your broadband” in serviced offices usually returns a “Don’t know” response; As it did in this case.
So, how do you connect a client to an unknown SMTP server when no-one knows the info required? 

Suffice to say (and not giving away any secrets) we managed to solve the clients issue – without asking anyone for the details :)

“Now that’s MAGIC!”

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There are few feelings quite like a difficult project coming to fruition!

After our recent employee left the company, we were left with a couple of difficult projects that were running badly, mainly through poor management and communication.

Two of these we’ve completed already – a 3^rd completed today.

In our line of work it’s a necessity to keep all parties in the loop to maintain the project integrity – there’s too much ‘one upmanship’ between the egos of some of the protagonists and so things can go south rather quickly.

It’s imperative that all interested parties know who is doing what and the point at which they are at doing it.

1. Lack of communication (within R&A and with the client)
2. Lack of documentation

In the first instance the client communicated his ideas, preferences and needs to us via our previous employee, who neglected to communicate that to the rest of the team.

This was compounded by the second instance as there was no record of any of these being discussed or planned beforehand.

Marking a huge deviation in the processes we have developed over the years for managing exactly the issues raised above, I am still at a loss as to why these procedures were not followed!

This resulted in much unhappiness all round ~ both we, and the client were not happy.
Furthermore this almost began the first salvos of a legal case!

Not good…

Well, today we finally completed the project

After long discussions (and the patience of the client who took the time to explain things a second time – and I duly documented them!), things were finally put to bed.

The end result was a happy client (eventually) – a reduced bill from us (we took responsibility for some of the problems) and a much reduced stress level!

Just a couple of minor bugs and we are home and dry!

YEAH!!!!!! 

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Demon Internet - massively over complicated - difficult to configure - Why oh why...

Now I’m not one to moan – as you dear reader will likely know – but today was a difficult day.

The major headache was trying to get Apple stuff to use Demon Internet’s email system – what a PITA!!!

Firstly I had it working the other day and the iPad decided that it would not send – then not receive, then neither, then not send…
Great ~ how could that possibly be??
Well; today it came to a head and I braved the international joys of Demon Internet’s support.
Surprisingly they were actually quite useful and helpful, something I was not expecting!

Suffice to say that eventually we maanged to get the iPad conencting…
… to the catch all account
Sigh – not what this was needing
Phones back to someone else
Gets the iPad connected to the correct account
Now the Mac has an issue – can’t send, then can’t receive, then both
Sigh
More international joy
Finally gets it working

Joy

#Note#
for anyone reading this wanting the correct settings it’s as follows:

incoming mail server – pop3.demon.co.uk
Username – the bit before the @ symbol and +catchall account name including the ‘+’ symbol (i.e. mail+catchall)
Password – the catchall account password
Port – 110
SMTP – post.demon.co.uk
Port – 25

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