It happened...

Saturday, July 26th, 2008
45th Birthday Cards
You're not using ActiveWords?!!  You don't know who Buzz is?!! You're in for a real treat!  Tech evangelist, Robert Scoble will interview my buddy, Buzz Bruggeman, CEO of ActiveWords, on www.fastcompany.tv today at 10:00 AM PST.

20080725_ScobleInterviewsBruggeman.jpg

Buzz is always an interesting guy to visit with. To refer to him the CEO of ActiveWords is too limiting. Buzz is perhaps the best networker in the tech world - he's certainly the most prolific. (There are probably only 2-3 degrees of separation between Buzz and anyone in the tech world you'd want to meet.) I've had the opportunity to work with Buzz on several occasions as we share a common passion for all things mind mapping, GTD, and productivity.

Buzz and I first began talking about adding ActiveWords support for Lotus Notes several years ago. We finally did it and, with ActiveWords and eProductivity, millions of Notes Users can finally control the most productive aspects of Lotus Notes, from anywhere - even when Notes isn't running! I wonder if he will demonstrate or talk about ActiveWords and Notes on the show? (Hint to Buzz)

Anyway, here's the link to the live broadcast. I believe the replay will be up shortly, too.

Update: Here is a link to a PDF of my ActiveWords Wordbase
Here's an interesting spin on the notion that knowledge workers need to think through the transition from "knowledge is power" to "knowledge sharing is power"...

My friend, Alan Lepofsky, has posted his thought on a new tag-line he thought up:
"If knowledge is power, then sharing knowledge is the ultimate power-trip"


I liked Colin Williams' comment that proposes a secret handshake for KM professionals: "Sharing is caring.".

Kit Kittredge: An American Girl

Tuesday, July 15th, 2008
(Guest post by Kathleen Mack)
This past weekend, our family went to see the movie "Kit Kittredge:  An American Girl."  Our two youngest daughters, ages 11 and 9 are big American Girl fans.  
KitKittredgeAmericanGirl.jpgThis is the first time this franchise has released a movie to the theaters.  They have previously released videos straight to DVD.  Several months ago, we watched the movie based on the "Molly" doll.  The movie, set in the WWII era, was incredible.  To borrow the colloquialism:  We laughed, we cried.  It was a well written and entertaining story that did more than entertain, it made the personal history of families who lived through WWII very real.

The "Kit" movie does the same thing with the Depression Era.  For those of you who are uninitiated to the American Girl series, each doll represents a time in our nation's history - Josefina represents the early days of the southwest, what we in California call the "mission era";  Addy is a slave girl from the time of the Civil War; Julie represents the 1970's, and so-on.  The various series of books, that go along with each doll, don't necessarily teach history through dates and facts, but through the emotions of a family, and especially a little girl.

Continue Reading "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl" »

The downard spiral of deproductivity

Friday, July 11th, 2008
This says it all...

viciouscycleofdeproductivity.jpg

Source: phdcomics.com.  Via: re:Domino

Freedom is never free (Revisited)

Friday, July 4th, 2008
Six years ago, Amy and Wendy memorized Red Skelton's patriotic commentary on The Pledge of Allegiance:

Image:Freedom is never free (Revisited)

Red's commentary offers a glimpse into the meaning of these words and what it means to recite the Pledge as an American.

If you have never heard it, I invite you to watch this video from July 4, 2002.

Here's something else to think about: Freedom is never free.

Whether at the physical or spiritual level, the freedom that we enjoy today came at a great cost.


This Fourth of July, let us give thanks and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.
The sign-ups for the eProductivity preview program continue to pour in. We decided to increase the # of preview kits we will offer to 200 so that everyone that completes the application will be able to participate.

It's been interesting to read the forms that people have filled out to learn who uses Windows (99%) and who uses Mac (< 1%) and which versions of Notes folks are using. (Lots of activity in Notes R6.x and R8.x) and what challenges people face trying to get things done in Lotus Notes. I'll have lots to share as times goes on.

Meanwhile, I'd like to offer a special thanks to the bloggers that have picked this up, and I encourage you to visit their blogs:

Michael Sampson:
eProductivity for Notes is About Ready To Go ... Eric Has a Special Offer

Chris Blatnick of Interface Matters:
eProductivity for Lotus Notes...Want To Be Way More Efficient?

Stephan Wissel:
Procrastinator Professional and (e)Productivity

Ben Poole:
Do you want to get things done?

Oliver Starr of GTD Times:
Eric Mack to Launch eProductivity: your chance to get a preview in this post

(If I have missed anyone, please let me know. If you are a GTD or Notes blogger, let me know and I'll add you to our pre-launch list.)

I am preparing the preview kits and will send them out in batches of 25 as the completed applications are received. I plan to send the first batch tomorrow morning.

Some folks wrote with questions, e.g. what versions of Notes?, will I get a free trial?, etc.. I refer you to the eProductivity Preview Invitation which has all of the details. (Be sure to scroll down the page as there is a lot to read.)

Thanks, I look forward to posting great news, soon.

Eric