Recently I have been thinking a lot about how software and content developers target different software platforms.  Two very compelling recent developments are the adoption of Flash video and AJAX. 

Both Flash and DHTML have been around for a long time.  It seems that over the past year these two technologies are really taking a big jump. 

One is standards based. One is proprietary.  One has weak developer tools. One has strong content tools.  Both have relative ubiquity. 

A key question for me is what factors govern the decision framework for making a bet on these technologies.  How do developers and content creators “do the math” to decide that the power and customer value of the experiences they can create are worth the cost of development, page load time, test hit, etc. to make a bet on these?

For the .NET Framework, the story has several dimensions.  For server side programming, and websites in particular, there seems to be about an even trade off between PHP or JSP and ASP.NET.  This is pretty clear with the rate of new site development on ASP.NET and the options you get today from hosting companies. 

Client side targeting is another part of the story.  Right now web sites with hosted Windows Form controls are rare and corporate IT team do actively write .NET Framework applications.  Consumer penetration is actually quite good with estimates of 55-60% of all desktops today have the .NET Framework 1.1.  There are a lot of shareware/freeware apps now starting to take a bet on the .NET Framework. I personally suspect this is because of the great tools and the speed of development.

So, how does your team approach this area? When do you decide to take a technology dependency? What a key factors for you?

Publishing an email newsletter or ezine regularly is a lot of work. And if you think that you'll never make a mistake, think again. Even experienced publishers can make mistakes because of technology or human error. It's all too easy to press the wrong button and have a disastrous "oops moment."

When the mouse is quicker than the brain or you pull a really bonehead maneuver, here are five simple tips for making amends to your readership:

1. Apologize. A little old fashioned groveling never hurts anything but your pride. In today's spam-phobic world, just a few irate readers can cause an entire ISP ban your newsletter or land your ezine on one of the many spam-blocking lists. So before anyone can accuse you of doing something wrong, beat them to the punch. Suck up your pride and send an "I'm sorry" email to your entire list. Make it humble, human, and heartfelt.

2. Hurry! Alert your entire mailing list about the mistake as soon as you can. This advice is especially important if you're struggling with a crisis, like a hacked list server that's cramming inboxes with multiple repeat messages. Showing readers and advertisers that you're paying attention and really working on the problem reestablishes their confidence in you (and keeps them on your list).

3. Get Personal. Customize the subject line of your apology so it demands attention. For example, an informative subject line like "Apology For Mistake In MyEzine" works better than "Read Immediately" (which sounds like spam).

4. Explain. Tell your readers and advertisers the reasons "why" the mistake happened. Whether it was human error, a bug in your mailing software, or bad luck, give your readers a few details. Just make sure you don't over do it trying to explain really technical problems or ramble on about your personal stress level.

5. Bribe. If your ezine blooper is threatening to send readers and advertisers packing, offer enticing perks to make up for the mistake. Maybe a free report, a coupon, some nice templates, or software can save your list and your reputation. Just make sure the freebie is good quality and original that people can't just pick up anywhere.

An ezine publishing mistake can threaten your list. So remember that prevention is the best medicine. Be sure to test every single mailing. Also invest in a quality list server and secure hosting, and always monitor everything that's automated.

Just in case, you also might want to use the tips above to develop your own ezine "disaster plan checklist." That way, when the Ezine Gods get cranky, you'll be one step ahead of them!

About the Author

Susan Daffron is the President of Logical Expressions, Inc. (http://www.logicalexpressions.com) and is the author of more than 70 national magazine articles, 200 newspaper articles, two books, and online training courses. With hundreds of online articles to her credit, she regularly publishes ezines on computer tips and other topics.

Remember when I blogged about what awesome looks like on a resume? Well our invitational event with the hiring group that inspired the post is coming up. Whee! The event is on-campus, so we are looking for folks in the local area. If you are outside the greater Seattle area, don't fret...I'll still share your resume with the hiring team. But we won't be flying  people in for this particular event. I look forward to seeing  your resume if you are interested in joining us. Here's the announcement:

In early August, Microsoft’s Information Worker Business Marketing Organization (BMO) will be hosting an invitational career networking event on our Redmond, WA campus. We are seeking talented marketers for multiple open positions in this organization, focused on marketing our products to the information worker audience. Specific products include Microsoft Office and Unified Communications solutions like Live Meeting.

A wide range of opportunities exist for both experienced and aspiring technology marketers, including:

-Public Sector Community Marketing Manager

-Product Marketing Manager

-Partner Marketing Manager

-Partner Strategy Manager

-Partner Liaison

-Field Engagement Marketing/Community Manager

-Field Go-to-Market Manager

Whether you are an experienced technology/audience marketer or a professional that has achieved success in another field, we are very interested in hearing from you. Because space is limited, we ask that upon submitting a resume, you highlight specific areas of proven personal excellence (in educational, professional or personal endeavors). We are looking for high-potential, enthusiastic team-players to add to our high performing team.

To submit a resume for consideration, please e-mail it to Heather Hamilton, at Heather.Hamilton@microsoft.com. We will respond to every e-mail and will provide details on how to participate in our event if we feel there is a potential match for your background.