----- Original Message ----
Sent:
Saturday, June 14, 2008 4:00:30 PM
Subject: [GIFT] Next Steps
Reinier
Here's the latest on what I have told Garth
You will see below that I am trying to get Garth to meet with
me, to discuss options on building our various interests, and our combined client base
I think you should also be at this meeting, to defend what
GIFT wants to do. First prize would probably be that Garth (somehow) "buys-in" to
what GIFT is doing ...that Garth either becomes "a co-owner?" of GIFT, or becomes
"an employee?", or "sub-contractor?" of GIFT
There is a growing danger in what I am giving Garth overlaps with what I should be
giving (only to?) GIFT. Does GIFT want to help people like Garth? ...or should people
like Garth rather pay GIFT to help get web pages written?
...and how much do we want to help the other students?
...irrespective of whether-or-not they support GIFT
There is (BTW) a business argument that as long as we are in
the hosting loop, of clients of people like Garth, we "have-our-foot-in-the-door".
Perhaps we could (should?) build an environment where we can act as a sort of "backup" to
clients of people like Garth
Once again, there are a number of hosting issues in the
current little-melting-pot with Garth. Since you are the only one interesting in the
hosting side, I have not invited any of the other members of the board to this meeting
If you still cannot get mail through to me, PHONE!
<<< I'll be back in town late Wednesday
I have started thinking about revealing a higher level mailbox
to you, but I first want to see the members of the GIFT BoD pulling together a bit.
The four of you must start pulling as a unit ...get yourselves to the point where you ALL
know what you want ...where you ALL know what GIFT wants!
Soon enough, the GIFT BoD (as a unit) will be pressing me for
better access, to me and the systems and people at my disposal
So, 'till then, you are stuck with whatever address I publish
on PeterZulu
Maybe it is time for you to press the others to have another
formal GIFT meeting? (...which will be your second GIFT meeting). This meeting
(I say) should be without me, where the members of the GIFT BoD can debate and decide what
they want to do
Get some synergy on the go
You should probably print every letter I have written you,
either directly or via contact with (say) Garth. Search every word for important points
that should be discussed and prepare an agenda. Do not forget
that you have pieces of information that the others to not have
(like this email!)
Then get everyone to THINK! about what they want GIFT to do
And WRITE IT ALL DOWN !
Make a point that what GIFT wants might be- or might not be-
what the members of the board want! ...that it is possible that GIFT might want something
that the members of the board might not be able to give!
For example, what if GIFT wants the members of the board to
put in tonnes-and-tonnes of effort into making things work, but the members of the board
are unable to find the time and/or inclination to make things work?
In this case it should be quite reasonable to minute that GIFT
wants (needs?) effort, but that the (current) members are not able to deliver
Think about it! ...the difference between what GIFT wants and
what the members of the board want. It takes dedication from everyone to narrow this
gap!
You said you "want this!"
Well, take the lead and prove it!
PeterZ
-----
Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, June 14, 2008 1:52 PM
Subject: Re: Additonal Webpage
Hi Garth
Thanks for all the updates ...I have been busy driving around
the country side - to Umtata, then George, then PE - and now it is back to PE on Monday!
<<< more about this later
Garth, we are working at getting more websites registered
on our servers, at any cost. For now, I am happy to get YOU started at R200 for each
of YOUR clients. You are right: It
SHOULD be more! ...but this is where I want
you to add a huge profit, and charge more. We want to help make it worthwhile for you
to support your own clients
Do not feel you have to pass a price that is too low on, to
your clients. We do not want to spoil the public, so that they start EXPECTING to
pay only R200 for hosted domains. A year-or-two down the line - once we become more
organised - we want to start squeezing for more, and we do not want a whole lot of clients
wining about increases
It is important that you, as one of our "partners" in building
a client base, help us find the way to building strong revenue streams, from a well managed
client base
It is probably time you and I sat down for coffee, and worked
out a strategy. We need to look at questions like, "What do we want to do to make
money?" ...and, "What do you want to do to make money?"
Getting you started at R200 per client on the hosting side is
the easy part ...at least, this is easy for us,
and we are getting better-and-better at this! But we need to discuss what we
want to do to build our support skills, for the web-development process
We are (not yet) good at answering web-development questions,
such as your question on getting page counters to work. The first answer I gave you
a while back was, "Learn Joomla!". That is
probably the best answer, and we are looking for people to build a Joomla! User Group, so
that we can do just that: "...Learn Joomla!"
Don't get me wrong!...
There are people I can use (and do
use!) to get my web pages working the way I want them. I out-source! I use
others to do my Joomla! work, write my SSL pages for credit cards, page counters, flash,
etc etc ...but I pay for all this. So, if you want to
BUY answers to getting your pages to work the way you want them to, then that is EASY!
But we need to meet to discuss:
"To what extent do we want to bring those skills into our own environments, so that we do
not have to pay for them?"
Remember I told you something about the
web-development company a number of our students are
building? We want that company to become skilled in all the tasks that
are to do with building websites. So we want people to learn about things like
Joomla!, code for page counters, etc, etc
There is an opportunity for you, and the web-development
company we are building to learn these skills, and start competing in the market place
This week is pretty full for me, but could we meet on next
Saturday? (the 21st) ...for coffee and talk? Meantime,
if you want other domain for someone else, then do the same as last time: Start
getting candidate domain names to me, and get your R200 loaded into our account (...and
don't forget to get your client ready to pay a lot more that R200!)
Remember I prefer ".com", ".net", and ".org" domains, but if
your client wants a ".co.za" domain, then it is still, "no problem!"
To help keep your costs down (especially for later years), I
would like to re-use your existing FTP
account. That means YOU would manage the content of this new website, right next to
your existing website. Part of the formula for you and I staying highly competitive
is (at least for now) keeping tight control on our FTP accounts
<<<< More about this later
Garth, this is quite of lot of "ifs and buts" I have put at
your feet, instead of "answers" ...but I am in "company build mode" at the moment.
That means I am looking for new partners in the game of bringing websites to the public
Here's one more idea for you: Raise a domain for
yourself ...where I can load a copy of Joomla! for you ...so you can start experimenting
with Joomla!. You will quickly learn about counters and more
Will not be long before you want Joomla! loaded onto all the
websites you develop
PeterZ
-----
Original Message -----
Sent:
Wednesday, June 11, 2008 9:43 PM
Subject:
Additonal Webpage
Hi Peter,
How are things going? All ok here for the moment. Been quite
busy, as am getting ready for the S.A. Polo Club Champs at the end of July. Made it onto
the team, so got a great deal of work to do between now and then, making sure that horses
are all fit and ready to go. Its the biggest tournament in the country, so the pressure
to perform is rising fast!
I have someone else who is interested in having a webpage
constructed. Will you be prepared to host another page for me?
Also, will it still be R 200 for hosting, or will that go up
due to the fact that it is a business?
Well, all for now.
Hope all is well.
Regards,
Garth
