Skill Shift 2010 :: Introduction

In a lot of companies a line exists between what the tech guys do and what the marketers, publicists, and managers do with their computers.  Same computers.  Same horse power.  Same permissions.  But when it comes to updating a website, creating online content, changing images, creating a video, producing a podcast, or launching a website, that’s somehow off limits.  And if not totally off limits, there are many meetings to sit through before proper procedures & protocols are created.  Unfortunately, many ideas die by the time this is all knocked out.

Well, I’m here to help you get your tech skills up to par so you can do interesting things online both on your own and affordably.  The goal is not to create a bunch of rogue seudo-techs that kinda know what they’re doing.  Rather I want to show you the stuff that is already available and how to get in there and use it.  From setting up a new domain and installing a blog, to hand editing some code and setting up a quick database.

It’s Independence Day!

I entered the white collar workforce when people were making the transition from typewriters to personal computers, and from hand distributed memos to email.  It’s happening again.  If you think using MS Word and Excel are enough, you’ll find yourself stuck and reliant upon people that have the knowledge and experience with HTML, blogs, CMSs, databases, and websites that keep you connected.  With outdated skills, you’ll end up being a commodity instead of someone that can freely create, produce, and ship.  Nobody wants that.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll cover things like setting up a domain, launching a blog, the ins and outs of Wordpress, some handy database tricks, essential HTML tags, and more.  Sometimes in text, sometimes in video, and sometimes both, I’ll work to get the ideas over to you so you can take control and unleash those brilliant ideas without getting stuck in a marsh of technobabble.