This will be the last post for Mango Blog. It seemed like a nice system when we started up with it a while back, but now it's just not advancing like WordPress. And with us beginning to use WordPress as our primary website hosting service, we wanted to make the switch.
Our up-to-date, ongoing blog for anything after 7/12/10 will now be at:
For a long time, ListingWare has used HTTP Cookies in the programming of our system. It is a very commonplace thing on the Internet and helps us setup our system for each individual website owner and their users. For a while, though, we've not really had a clear indicator that appears to website users that aren't accepting cookies - just a vague report here and there that a user couldn't login to the system. This is a very small number of the overall users, but enough that we should at least try to figure out what's occurring. And it all seems to go back to a few people that aren't accepting cookies in their browser.
So, starting Friday, July 2nd, a warning began appearing for those users that aren't accepting cookies. This doesn't prevent them from using the system, just shows them that they could get some additional benefit by allowing cookies. It looks like this:
Again, this only appears for a few users and offers them an explanation why they might not be able to use certain features.
We're monitoring how it's being received by users and so far, it seems pretty much business as usual - no fewer visitors or registrations. Just more understanding as to why certain things work/don't work.
Woohoo! WordPress 3.0 is released! We've been holding off on any major announcements, but now that it's available, get ready for some new stuff from us VERY SOON!
After I saw Brad Feld link to Simon Sinek's Power of Why presentation, I started following Simon's blog. I know a lot of my posts recently haven't been tech-related, but tech ain't everything!
Yesterday, Simon wrote about Overestimating Your Potential. I think this is the way you should approach each and every day. Another good old maxim from Ralph Waldo Emerson: "You become what you think about all day long".
Brad Feld has posted a link to a wonderful talk by Simon Sinek. EVERY business needs to check the way they are communicating - I know we're already talking about "Why" now.
Caution: Major Egghead subject matter...
Another great post by Brad Feld about Software Patent Absurdity. He's long been a champion against software patents. It's a subject that more Americans should be aware of, but even my eyes glaze over at some of the concepts. However, I am sensitive to it because I even had someone waive a really weak patent claim at me because of the fact that I use mapping software to display Real Estate listings dynamically.
What I'm doing seems like real common sense, huh? Take mapping components, overlay listings, nice display, everyone wins - many companies out there doing just that, all independent of each other. But there are people out there that troll around and try to extract "licensing fees" from companies like ListingWare just because we get close enough to an idea they put down on paper. Ridiculous.
Part of the film contained in Brad's post questions what would have happened in the 1700's if musical composers had been granted patents on musical concepts - how would Beethoven have dealt with someone having patented a particular rhythmic pattern or combination of instruments? Hopefully the Supreme Court will figure out the best way to get out of this mess.
We lost a member of the ListingWare family yesterday. My good friend Craig Parana passed away late yesterday after battling a brain tumor for more than 2 years. Craig had worked with ListingWare for many years - he was there on Day 1 when we officially launched to the world. Many ListingWare customers had heard about what he'd been going through, so we wanted to let you know.
On the personal side, I'd known Craig since I got out of the Army in 1995. We worked together at my first full-time gig. Then, I roped him into the Clever/Interliant startup, followed by roping him into ListingWare. I say "roping in", but he came willingly. He always wanted to do something new and different, even if outwardly he sounded like he was throwing on the brakes!
He was the Best Man for me and Max, my lovely Wife/Business Partner, when we got married 10 years ago. It was the second marriage for both of us, so what more fitting time and place to get married than April Fools Day at The Bay Hill Club in Orlando? And he was there for us.
Craig, Max and I traveled together often, playing golf badly in many beautiful places. We loved no place more than the Dominican Republic, where Max introduced him to Melissa, the wonderful woman who became Craig's wife in January 2008. Craig had moved down to the DR several months prior to their wedding, and was still working for ListingWare! All he needed was high-speed Internet and Skype to do support, so we made it happen! Of course, we had to be at their wedding, as well!
Only two weeks after their wedding, Craig had his first seizure. The brain tumor was discovered then, and he and Melissa came back to the U.S. to get him the best care possible. But even after more than two years of fighting, it finally got him yesterday.
The one thing that I'm happy about at the end is that Craig and Melissa didn't just let him wither away in the dark. There is a family event this weekend in Georgia, and they decided to drive from Ohio for it because THEY wanted to. THEY made a decision to go to a place and be with people that they loved and made them happy. EVERYONE should do that today: go somewhere and be with folks and be happy and loved. I'll miss you, Brother.
Happier times: getting ready to play some bad golf in Vegas...
More bad golf: Craig, Bob, Melissa, and Max in DR
We've just launched a new website called Vacationistas.com. For consumers, it will be a resource for finding Vacation Rentals. For Property Owners and Managers, it will be an advertising portal for getting inquiries for bookings. If you're familiar with the Vacation Rental market, it's similar to websites like VRBO, HomeAway, or FlipKey - but about half the price!
For a limited time, you can get FREE Standard Listings for your properties! And you don't even have to be a ListingWare customer!
We're pretty darn excited about it. Check it out and let us know what you think!
During RETechSouth, we were doing a TON of demos on both my laptop/big monitor and my new iMac, which was a business Christmas present. I've got the wireless Magic Mouse and tiny wireless keyboard. Toward the end of the day Thursday, a message popped up saying the mouse's battery was low. Up until that moment, it had not even occurred to me how the mouse was powered. The process of setting up the computer back in December had not highlighted it. But of course, it was as simple as flipping the mouse over, popping in two new AA batteries, and going back to work.
That is the type of design I've been striving for - unobtrusive. Of course it works - why wouldn't it? How does it work? Automagically. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain? No, that's obtrusive. It's really more like "What curtain?"
Another little lesson learned in generating magical user experiences.
Thanks to everyone that came out and visited us at RETechSouth on Thursday and Friday. This was our first year exhibiting there, but I have a feeling it won't be the last. They put on a good show, and I like the fact that most everything there is focused on technology - and not just for the pretty blinking lights and coolness factor. I heard a few good sessions from speakers as well.
One of the most exciting things was the buzz about WordPress. Within the first hour on Thursday, we had four different people asking about out new WordPress integration! On Friday, there was a WordPress lab. It was held in a room with seating for about 60 - there were 100 people crowded in there! I was almost afraid to mention our new support! I'll make a big announcement about it this next week.
So, good show! We're excited about new stuff!