Aug 27

Total Cost of Ownership: PC versus Mac

8 Operations, 9 Finance, Apple, Entrepreneur, Hardware, Information, Mac, Planning, Startups, Tips, software No Comments »

As an entrepreneur using a Mac I, like anyone else, tries to control costs of my business. One of the factors in my business is the cost of my Mac. Most PC users point out that they can get cheaper PCs than Macs and therefore Macs are more expensive. While there is some truth to that matter, let’s find out where the costs lie in their argument.

There is a term called Total Cost of Ownership that tries to quantify the total cost of owning and running something, whether it be a car, truck, SUV, or even a computer. So what goes into owning a computer for a business? From strictly the computer perspective there are four areas that part of using a computer:

  1. Cost of hardware – The computer itself, peripherals, cables, etc.
  2. Cost of software – Licensing.
  3. Cost of installation and configuration – How long does it take to install and configure your computer to where you are being productive.
  4. Cost of training, use, and maintenance for three to five years of use – Here is where most people get lost in quantifying their costs because they don’t measure this affect on a user or users.

In my book, “How to Start a Business: Mac Version” I go into more detail in Chapter 2 about these above issues and show additional ones that most businesses need to know and understand that affect the costs of using a computer as a business owner: The Total Cost of Ownership.

To be accurate, the PC users do win the argument “out of the gate” that they are cheaper than a Mac. I grant that to them. But, and this is a big but, what else are PC users not telling you?

So how does a PC stand up to a Mac in Total Cost of Ownership? First, read my friend Mitch Rushing’s OpenSurge blog post “In Mac vs PC cost comparison – Downtime Statistics Key” about how these numbers figure out for Windows vs Windows and then Windows vs Mac.

I’ll let you read the results, but Macs win!

What are your thoughts?

Aug 23

Importing csv, LDIF, tab-delimited files into Mac Address Book

Mac, Tips, Tools, software No Comments »

As an entrepreneur on a Mac I recently received over 700 contacts to add to my contact database in Address Book, but they were not in the usual vCard format that it likes to take natively. So, I had to see what it takes to get it done.

After reading a few sites I found that Address Book takes csv (comma-separated value), LDIF (LDAP Data Interchange Format), and tab-delimited files under the File > Import menu function.

However, there are some steps that need to be done before you embark on a one step process.

  1. Ensure your data is up-to-date. Make sure that the data you’re exporting to Address Book is up-to-date.
  2. Export the contact data. From the File > Save As… function of a spreadsheet  or File > Export  in most database programs, export the data into a file. Export the contact names into one of the three formats that Address Book takes: csv (comma separated value), tab-delimited, or LDIF.
  3. Verify the contact data. When you get an exported file you need to check the field names in the headers against the ones Address Book uses. Address Book has the names of the fields, such as “work address” or “cell phone,” that might be different from the exported file headers (a spreadsheet row) where it might say “business address” or “mobile phone.” Whatever the case, open the file in a spreadsheet and make the necessary changes in the header row to reflect what Address Book has. Otherwise, your data will not import completely or correctly. Also, delete all other rows or data records that are not needed.
  4. Add a Note for Address  Book now. When importing a number of contacts it is best to add a note in the Notes section for Address Book and you to remember, such as where and when you got the data from. Add a column in the spreadsheet titles “Note” and add the short note such as “Joe’s data, 08/15/10″ and repeat it for all of the rows.
  5. Save the file as csv or tab-delimited. Once you have checked your data and added a note you can save the file.
  6. Open Address Book and import. Now you need to open Address Book and go to File > Import and select the file to import.
  7. Check field names. Here is where you line up Address Book’s field names with the header of the file to ensure that they are the same. The address field is the only field that has multiple fields of “street,” “State,” and “Zip” for “home” or “work” address. If your fields do not show up correctly, repeat step 3 above. Also go through some of your records to double check your work.
  8. Click OK. Clicking on the OK button will now import your contacts.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions you’d like to have answered.

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Aug 01

Interview of Kevin Cullis by MrNetcast.com about his book

Entrepreneur, Hardware, Mac, Motivation, Startups, Thoughts, Writing, software No Comments »

Hi all,

Had an interview this past Saturday with MrNetcast.com himself, Esbjorn Larsen, about my book and being an entrepreneur. Check out the interview here. Let me know your thoughts.

Jul 28

Converting MS Publisher and other files to iWork Pages

Change, Mac, Tips, software No Comments »

Entrepreneurs that move from Windows to Mac usually have MS Office files to deal with, and to a lesser degree, MS Publisher files. Office files cross over with little to no problems, but with MS Publisher, that’s a different thing altogether. There is no easy way, until now.

Well, my wife is in real estate and she has some old files that are in MS Publisher’s .pub file format. Of course, she turns to me to see what can be done.

After much research I found a cool web site that helps out (it’s currently in beta) by converting files into various other formats. The web site is Zamzar.com and it converts a LOT of file formats.

WARNING: Converting files into various formats loses, at the very least, some of the formatting of the file, at the worst, you’ve lost some of your data and may not recover much of it directly. But, there may be workarounds.

As with any file format issue, there are six things that come play:

  1. Direct file conversion: here the file that was created in iWork Pages uses the “Save As…” menu export function to put the file into MS Word straight through with few, if any, problems.
  2. File translation: while most programs such as iWork Pages and MS Word have filters built in (under the “Save As… menu) that will translate file formats, Zamzar.com does a whole lot more translations.
  3. Work arounds: Translating files can do a good job, but somethings the translation just doesn’t quite make it. In the case of MS Publisher files converted to MS Word .doc file an iWork Pages files do not come through well enough and there are some problems. That’s where OpenOffice.org, a FREE office suite, will see the .doc files correctly allowing you to work with the elements of the file into your iWork Pages documents. Sometimes it’s a “Save As…” function, sometimes it’s a cut and paste of some of the elements.
  4. Scan and recover: Sometimes scanners have Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software that can scan a page and convert it. Just run the text through a spell checker if the document is a long one.
  5. Redo by hand: If you have a printed copy you can at least retype your document into your program, if you have one somewhere.
  6. Start from scratch: Here you begin again with a blank screen.

In my case, getting a MS Publisher file into iWork Pages I had to download Open Office, translate the file into a .doc format using Zamzar.com and then open the file in Open Office Writer program in order to access some of the elements, such as graphics, that do not come through the conversion well.

With a little luck I was able to recreate my wife’s file so she can continue her business. It may have taken some effort, but from here we can make many changes in the iWork Pages page layout part.

What are your thoughts?

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Jul 19

Full Circle: A Mac Story

Entrepreneur, Small Business, Startups, Tips, ideas, software No Comments »

Today we have a guest blog post by Lena Lapper. Enjoy her Mac business entrepreneurial story.

Full Circle: A Mac Story

by Lena Ludwig Lapper

The quote and subsequent belief that “Necessity is the Mother of Invention” has probably always been a fundamental building block of the entrepreneurial community. As an entrepreneur, I recently had a full- circle experience with this notion.

I have been using a Mac since the late 1980′s but when I entered the professional marketplace in the 1990′s, I found myself employed by PC-using, Windows-loving Corporate America. My life was split between diligent PC use by day and a secret Mac life by night. The differences in performance between the computers were so vast to me that after years of this double life, I simply could not continue to work prolonged hours from a PC any longer. Fortunately, I found the courage to break away from the corporate institutions and in 1999 started my first business, free from the infested PC world.

Although I have enjoyed the freedom of using a Mac to run my business, I have had some obstacles. The main hurdle was finding affordable, Mac-friendly business planning solutions and software. While there are some nice software packages out there, none really provided me with exactly what I was needing. My profession over the past ten years, ironically, has been offering strategic business consulting to small companies.

Then, it happened.

If I am looking for this, hundreds of other Mac users are probably looking for this too! This may be a good business opportunity. I would create a business planning tool specifically for Mac. I already had all of the information required to assemble a package from my decade-long career of building business plans. My product would be a downloadable kit that works with an existing Mac application (iWork), allowing Mac users to build a professional business plan. I did it. And I setup a website and starting getting the word out – and the response was very encouraging. The message was loud and clear:

Mac users want to start businesses and they do not want to give up their Macs to do it.

The activity surrounding this new business has taken precedence over my consulting studio. Other people do want and need this product. I always knew that the Mac would play a big part in my overall business success and happiness, but I would have never guessed that developing a business built from my Mac, because I needed something for my Mac would come together like some perfect storm.

We sometimes feel desperate and anxious when we cannot find something we need. Perhaps we could take advantage of those inner signals and instead think of it as a calling; a summoning of all of the others in need of the same thing, and our job is to help find the solution.

For more information about this business planning solution for Mac, visit: ION FreshStart

****** About Lena Ludwig Lapper: Formerly an engineer and programmer, Lena started her consulting services in 1999, offering strategic and analytical business solutions to her clients. Lena is the Managing Principal at Oyster Park, LLC, ( http://www.oysterpark.com ) a business advisory studio focused on green technology, alternative energy, and sustainable product development. You can also find Lena at ION FreshStart where she helps Mac business owners by providing business planning tools. For more information visit http:// www.ionfreshstart.com or email: lena@ionfreshstart.com.

Jul 17

IONFreshStart Guest Blog Post by Kevin Cullis

2 Business Planning, Business, Entrepreneur, Mac, Startups, Tools, software 1 Comment »

Hi all,

I’ve done a guest blog post on ION Fresh Start’s web site.

Click on the icon and you go to their web site, click here To Business Plan or not, that is the question to read my article.

Tell me what you think.

Jun 23

iWork Templates: Inkd and Stocklayouts web sites

5 Marketing, Business, Tips, Tools, ideas, software No Comments »

As an entrepreneur and startup there is one thing that you work on: if you can’t do it yourself, hire someone to do it for you. Creating new documents can take time, but designing templates, or finding someone else’s designed templates, can save you time in the many tasks that

Inkd is just one such company the designs iWork templates, including a number of sections of free templates, both free to download and upload your own designs.

StockLayouts is another iWork Pages template web site with nicely designed templates for business use.

Check out both sites and see if you can reduce the amount of time it takes you to get your marketing up and out the door.

If anything, you can get some great ideas from them to try out yourself. It may take longer, but you’ll increase your Mac and iWork skill set and get things done yourself.

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Jun 07

A prerelease review of “How to Start a Business: Mac Version”

Book, Hardware, Mac, Small Business, Startups, Writing, software No Comments »

I got my first review back of my book, here it is:

“Oh My Goodness! Kevin Cullis has written the most information rich, spell-binding business book I have ever read! Kevin’s business-entrepreneurial advice is sound and meshing the Mac (tool) and starting a business (process) into one concept is brilliant. It’s detailed with informative lists and how to use them but not at the cost of boredom. The example stories are inspirational.  How to Start a Business: Mac Version covers every aspect of running a business A to Z regardless of its type. This one will definitely be in my highly recommended and ‘review many times’ library.”  Chris Lott – VP of Sales DataTel Communications

Coming soon to book seller near you (online, of course)

Kevin

Jun 03

Do you want to know the lineage of Mac OS X, UNIX, and Linux?

Mac, software No Comments »

Check out this UNIX history link.

http://www.levenez.com/unix/

Geeks unite! :-)

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Jun 01

Apple iWork Pages: Create a Table of Contents for a book or paper

Mac, Tips, Tools, Writing, software No Comments »

As a budding author, entrepreneur, and startup business owner I have had the opportunity of learning how to create a Table of Contents in Apple’s iWork Pages. It’s not that difficult at all. Here’s the steps.

  1. Size your document/book. This means that you need to select a size of your document or book to the dimensions that you want. If it’s a school paper, then its 8.5″x11″ and you need to do nothing. If it’s a 6″x9″ Trade sized book you need to go to Inspector > Document > Document tab > Page Setup and then select Custom and create the correct size document.
  2. Insert text and header text. Type in or cut and paste some text and header text into your new document.
  3. Paragraph styles of headers. Using paragraph styles select the type of header text style sheets you need to use them as the focus of your Table of Contents. If the TOC does not show up, here’s the step that needs to done.
  4. Create your Table of Contents. You need to insert a page break at the beginning of your document so that your Table of Contents is at the front. Place the cursor at the front of your document. Next, go to the menu Insert > Table of Contents and it will insert the TOC in your document.
  5. Refine your Table of Contents. Go to Inspector > Document > TOC and begin to decide on what you want to show in your TOC by clicking on the boxes of each paragraph style sheet you want to show up.

There you have it. That was easy.

Now be aware that you TOC will only change when you change the header text in your document AND then click on the TOC and both the pages and header text will change.

In addition, the TOC can be changed fontwise compared with the rest of your document so it can be unique.

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