May
30
Using spare computing cycles to search for extra terrestrial life is so passé. DarkGreenPC thinks you can put those cycles to better use by powering down. The initiative falls under the umbrella of Zerofootprint, the non-profit which funds tree-planting and other programs on behalf of Al Gore and others who want to negative the adverse impact of their activities on the environment — and perhaps ease their guilty conscience at the same time.
The projects proponents claim that just by powering down all the world’s computers, enough energy would be saved to power the entire Czech Republic. (Granted, their math is dubious, since the entire world does not leave their computers on 24 hours per day, but I digress.)
See the video below where Ron Dembo and Austin Hill talk about the project.
Tags: DarkGreenPC, Zerofootprint, Austin Hill, Ron Dembo, Al Gore, SETI@Home.
May
3
Advice to tech entrepreneurs: do something bricks and mortar (just for a while)
Filed Under Blogroll, Entrepreneurship, Web 2.0 | 1 Comment
Sometimes, while working in the web industry, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s important. I realized this recently while helping my fiancée with the opening of a new spa here in Montreal.
Actual customers walk in the door. They receive a service for which they pay money. They leave happy, and often bring their friends and family with them the next time they come back.
In order to make it work, you need to think about how you will attract your clientele, offer them a great, memorable experience and make money doing so.
It’s old-school business 101, but many web 2.0 entrepreneurs forget (or, worse still, consciously choose to ignore) these fundamental building blocks. So, my advice to tech entrepreneurs is: step out of your comfort zone. Turn your computer off for a week and try your hand at running or working in a clothing store, a coffee shop.. heck, even a lemonade stand.
You might be surprised at what you learn, and at how it impacts the business decisions you’ll make with your tech venture.
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About George Favvas
George Favvas is a serial web entrepreneur based on Montreal, Canada. He's been involved in the web since 1994 and is currently the President of SmartHippo, a community-driven comparison shopping site for financial products and is the co-founder of Reflexity, Inc., a provider of customer acquisition solutions for financial companies.
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MontrealTechWatch - SmartHippo blog
- Mathew Ingram