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Alan K'necht was first exposed to computers in a Grade 12 Math class back in the '70s. He had to perform the technologically advanced task of coloring computer cards in order to write a very simple program. Oh, how he coveted a Commodore 64. After graduating from high school he attended the University of Waterloo pursuing the study of his favourite topics - economics and business. The University of Waterloo was at the hotbed of computer innovation and while Alan was earning his Bachelor Degree in Economics he was exposed to computer technology and its applicability to the world of business. His roommate's Apple ll provided the introduction to the wonderful world of local social networking, referred to then as a "bulletin board". Just prior to graduation Alan was given an account on Bitnet with which he could now access a wealth of information on Usenet groups (precursors to discussion forums) and email.
After graduation Alan's interest in technology grew. Unfortunately it was impossible at that time for a private individual to have an Internet account. Eventually ISPs began to spring up in his home town of Toronto, Ontario and Alan immediately got his first dial-up account. In order to learn everything that he could about the online world he went out and purchased every book he could on the Internet and the web (maybe not every book but he did buy 4 of the 6 available) and as he says in his book ”the rest is history”.
As Alan tripped and stumbled down the road of life, he discovered a constant in the business world - no matter how new something appeared to be and how it promised to be something entirely different, it really was the same old same old, just with a new technological way of doing it. To quote Alan
"As desktop publishing was to typesetting so was typesetting to moveable type and moveable type to scribes. So the next logical evolution of spreading the printed word was the web. With each evolution there is always a small period for early adopters to differentiate themselves as skilled pioneers, but very quickly the technological advance and becomes available (if they choose) to the common man."
Over the years Alan has worn many hats -desktop publisher, manager of corporate forms, pioneer of early web development for the corporate world, search and web analytics expert, Internet marketer, columnist, business owner, public speaker, and now as a book author. While Alan has no idea of what lies ahead for him, he does know that his persona and career will continue to evolve and that he can only succeed by looking back and seeing what worked and didn't work in the past and applying that to the future.
In the beginning... According to the Bible, Adam was God’s greatest creation and last original idea. Eve was merely a variation of the theme,...
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Will Rogers eloquently stated, "Advertising is the art of convincing people to spend money they don't have for something they don't need." The purpose of advertising remains constant regardless of the medium or the point in time.
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One of the oldest activities known to mankind aside from sex is the exchange of news. And, for the last 200 years newsprint has been the primary means by which this exchange has taken place.