It is the future. How we laugh at the thought of people typing things into computers. They used to sit there at wooden desks, in adjustable chairs, interfacing with their device at the speed of tapping. Those who were good typists could get a good speed going while the rest of them had to keep … Continue reading Smartphones? For how long?
Targeting business support
There is a lot of help for businesses out there, you just have to look. Much of it is free, either from local authority business development teams, associated organisations or online. Yet the numbers of people who are helped, in my opinion, is a drop in the ocean compared with the number of businesses that … Continue reading Targeting business support
Of the clock
The clocks have gone back. My stomach says it’s lunchtime yet the timer on the oven tells me there is still an hour to go. I've lost an hour or gained an hour. I can't work it out but know it's lighter in the morning and darker earlier in the afternoon. The whole daylight saving … Continue reading Of the clock
Rural problems
Over the last year Justin and I have been working with a small number of rural businesses to help them develop. We struggled with what rural meant in this context. Is a rural business one that is based in an area with few homes or other buildings and a low population density? Or is it … Continue reading Rural problems
Socitm #North18
Once again I had the pleasure of talking at this year’s Socitm North Conference. I had not expected to be involved as such and so it was all a bit last minute, yet one of the advantages of blogging (and being opinionated) is that there is always a pile of material to draw from. The … Continue reading Socitm #North18
Digital hoarding
In a previous blog I said how I had started to build a home archive. I have been working through all of the papers that we keep and scanning the important ones, or those that don’t have email copies, and storing them on a pair of hard drives. One I keep in the house and … Continue reading Digital hoarding
Imagine a car
The opening speaker on day 2 of the Unit4 conference gave us his thoughts on the future of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). It was at the Conference Centre in Harrogate. I am not the greatest of advocates for ERP in that I don’t think grand systems solve anything and in the effort to combine all … Continue reading Imagine a car
Stadium of Cyber
The sign over the door on one of the conference rooms in the Stadium of Light, Sunderland Football club’s ground, said ‘Magic Moments Bar’. I’m not sure that it was referring to the latest #CyberFest event that was being held in the room next door yet it could well have done. The fifth event in … Continue reading Stadium of Cyber
Energetic buildings
Someone once told me that an introvert is someone who feels drained by engagement with people rather than invigorated. I’m not sure how true this is but since then I have taken myself to be an introvert. I like dealing with people, I am perhaps at my best when amongst groups of people yet afterwards … Continue reading Energetic buildings
More Diverse Times
I had four meetings on one day last week. There was nothing unusual in that. On most days I have this number and sometimes more. The meetings in themselves were not that unusual either. I met with Newcastle University to talk to them about both #CyberFest, or rather CyberNorth, and the North East Initiative on … Continue reading More Diverse Times
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 