Phil Simon's Blog, page 111

Going to Interop? Let’s meet.

I’ll be attending Interop from May 6-10. If you’re going to be there and would like to get together, let me know.

Free Talks: Exploit My Rush Obsession

Readers of my books and blogs know that I’m an obsessive Rush fan. I mean, restraining orders. (I’m kidding…) Here’s a screen shot of page 86 of my most recent book. Recognize anyone?

While I’ll be there in Las Vegas for the November 23rd show, one just doesn’t cut it. My current speaking schedule has me missing Rush by a few days or weeks in several places.

So, here’s the deal: I’ll come to your organization or conference to do a one-hour talk about whatever you like. I’ll waive my normal fee. I’ll only ask that you do the following:

buy a decent number of copies of The Age of the Platform (discounted)
cover my travel expenses (flight, hotel, parking, a bit of food)
buy my Rush ticket (usually about $120 USD)

Contact me so we can work out logistics. Yes, I will go to as many shows as I can.

Rush: Clockwork Angels’ 2012 Tour Schedule

Bold indicates that I am already going. For the other dates, I’m up for a road trip.

Red indicates that I really, really want to go to that particular show.

Sep-7 – Manchester, NH – Verizon Wireless Arena
Sep-9 – Washington, DC – Jiffy Lube Live Amphitheater
Sep-11 – Pittsburgh, PA – CONSOL Energy Center
Sep-13 – Indianapolis, IN – Bankers Life Fieldhouse
Sep-15 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Sep-18 – Detroit, MI – Palace of Auburn Hills
Sep-20 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
Sep-22 – St. Louis, MO – Scottrade Center
Sep-24 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
Sep-26 – Winnipeg, MB – MTS Centre
Sep-28 – Saskatoon, SK – Credit Union Centre
Sep-30 – Edmonton, AB – Rexall Place
Oct-10 – Bridgeport, CT – Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard
Oct-12 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
Oct-14 – Toronto, ON – Air Canada Centre (How cool would it be to see Rush in its hometown?)
Oct-18  - Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
Oct-20 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center
Oct-22 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
Oct-24 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
Oct-26 – Buffalo, NY – First Niagara Center
Oct-28 – Cleveland, OH – Quicken Loans Arena
Oct-30 – Charlotte, NC – Time Warner Cable Arena
Nov-1 – Atlanta, GA – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Nov-3 – Tampa, FL – 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre
Nov-13 – Seattle, WA – KeyArena
Nov-15 – San Jose, CA – HP Pavilion
Nov-17 – Anaheim, CA – Honda Center
Nov-19 – Los Angeles, CA – Gibson Amphitheatre
Nov-23 – Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena
Nov-25 – Phoenix, AZ – US Airways Center
Nov-28 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
Nov-30 – San Antonio, TX – AT&T Center
Dec-2 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center

 

Intelligent Data Management Strategies

In this video, I talk about the importance of a data management strategy. Fancy tools are great, but is the data good? Do you know what to do with these tools?

This post was written as part of the IBM for Midsize Business program, which provides midsize businesses with the tools, expertise and solutions they need to become engines of a smarter planet. To watch all of my IBM Mid-Market videos, click here.

Inc. Article #4: App Development Made Easier

My fourth Inc. Magazine article is now live. Here’s an excerpt:

Let’s face it. Most of us aren’t terribly technical–present company included. I may know my way around a computer and an iPhone, but coding? I’ve met people who can code better with one hand than I can with two.

Good thing one need not hold a degree in computer science to do some pretty cool and “techie” things. The power of user-friendly tools to create websites, original content, and apps is only growing. And Apple is about to launch a tool that may only increase it.

Click here to read the whole thing.

Platform Man #1

Our superhero appears in his first adventure.

Coming Soon: Platform Man

I had quite a bit of fun with my first cartoon character and, in a moment of sheer genius or utter boredom, developed the concept for the second.

All About the Platform

I am pleased to announce that I'll be writing a regular column for Inc. Magazine called All About the Platform. (Yeah, I tried to work in a Rush reference but just couldn't do it.)

I'll be writing three or four times per month on a wide variety of topics related to platforms, technology, and management.

Even Google Makes Mistakes

When you tweak your products, sometimes even the smart cookies at Google forget a few things…

Inc. Article #3: Facebook and the Instagram Deal

My third Inc. Magazine guest post is now live. Here's an excerpt:

Aside from making jubilant Instagram employees and investors rather wealthy, what does this mean for the rest of us? Clearly not everyone benefits from the Instagram acquisition. Hitching your wagon to individual applications and platforms for marketing purposes comes with risks.

Like all mammoth companies, Facebook is anything but universally loved. In fact, it routinely ranks high on "most hated company" lists. Many of its haters will now surely abandon Instagram–and some have already done so.

Click here to read the whole thing.

Inc. Article #3: The Instagram Deal

My third Inc. Magazine guest post is now live. Here's an excerpt:

Aside from making jubilant Instagram employees and investors rather wealthy, what does this mean for the rest of us? Clearly not everyone benefits from the Instagram acquisition. Hitching your wagon to individual applications and platforms for marketing purposes comes with risks.

Like all mammoth companies, Facebook is anything but universally loved. In fact, it routinely ranks high on "most hated company" lists. Many of its haters will now surely abandon Instagram–and some have already done so.

Click here to read the whole thing.