Greetings Listeners!

For those that aren’t following Global Geek News on Twitter (and you should be!), I just thought that I would let everybody know there will be no show this week.  Normally, a new show would have come out this morning but since Microsoft decided to send me to PDC in LA this week, I was unable to do a show this week.  It is as disappointing for me as it is for you, I assure you as Randall Bennett was scheduled to be on this weeks show.  So, things are getting pushed to next week and we will be back with our normal show on Tuesday.

Until then, stay tuned to both here and the Global Geek News Blog for my posts about PDC 2009 and some videos that I will be posting likely on the weekend as Wifi is kind of iffy around here.

Tweet This Post

Related posts:

1. The Global Geek News Podcast returns this week and with a new co-host!
2. Did Conan O'Brien Steal his Tonight Show backdrop from…Mario?!
3. Global Geek News #7

Greetings Readers!

For a while now, I have been looking for a new design for the Global Geek News Blog and I think I have finally found one I really like.  For those wondering what happened to the old Vista looking design, it doesn’t play well with the ECHO comment system so until I found this design, I went back to the previous design.

What do you think about the new design?  Participate in the poll on the right to let us know what you think about it.  Feel free to leave a comment below on what you think about it and if you have anything on it you would like to see changed.

Check out the latest episode of the Global Geek News Podcast!

Tweet This Post

Related posts:

1. Global Geek News’ Windows 7 Ultimate giveaway

Greetings listeners and readers!

I am officially announcing the first Global Geek News giveaway!  What are we giving away?  We are giving away a copy of Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit Signature Edition that I received at a Windows 7 launch event in Denver last week.  How can you score this awesome copy of Windows 7?  Here are the requirements:

• Tweet this:  The awesome Global Geek News Podcast is giving away a copy of Windows 7 Ultimate!  Head here for details:  http://bit.ly/DMoUX #globalgeeknews
• Follow @globalgeeknews on Twitter
• Comment on at least one post from the Global Geek News Blog posted within the last 2 months.  The seven suggestions for becoming a constructive commenter must be followed for the comment to count.  Multiple comments won’t increase your odds but they are appreciated
• Have proof that you are subscribed to the Global Geek News Podcast (RSS).  A screenshot of your podcatcher (iTunes, Zune software, ect.) with a subscription to the Global Geek News Podcast will work.  You are also welcome to take a picture of your MP3 player or whatever showing the podcast on there.  If you have another idea, I recommend asking about it in the comments first.

The contest will conclude at 10PM EST, October 12, 2009.  The winner will be be selected at random from the tweets at that time and will be notified via twitter the next day.  Once contacted, the winner must reply to the tweet with a link to his blog comment (must be able to be verified as that left by the winner aka no anonymous comments) and picture or video showing their subscription to the podcast within 24 hours.  If the winner does not meet any of the criteria or tries to use a blog comment not within the past 2 months or after the end of the contest, a new winner will be selected and notified until a valid winner is chosen.

Each tweet will be an entry into the giveaway and you can enter as many times as you wish until the deadline (but be aware that tweeting too much will annoy your followers).  Now go tell your friends!

This contest is for US residents only.  If changes are made to the giveaway, they will be placed here and tweeted about by @globalgeeknews.

UPDATE:  The blog comment requirement is no longer required.

UPDATE 2:  Link in the tweet fixed because the first link didn’t work.

Tweet This Post

Related posts:

1. Why must Windows take forever to shut down?
2. Windows 7 is… Windows 7?!
3. Is Microsoft repeating its Vista version mistakes with Windows 7?

Greetings Listeners!

Yet again, its been too long since I have done a Global Geek News Podcast.  The Global Geek News Blog has been going stronger than ever, but there has been nothing from the podcast in far too long.  That changes this week.  While the Global Geek News Video plans are still in the works, the Global Geek News Podcast returns this week!  If that wasn’t exciting enough, we now have a new co-host, Wesley Faulkner!

I’m not positive exactly what time the show will go up, but we are recording on Wednesday night, so I expect it to be out on Thursday or Friday.  In the future, we will be recording on Saturdays, so I will try to get the show out by Sunday.  Also, don’t forget that unless something goes wrong, the recordings will be at least partially streamed on Global Geek News Live.

For more updates, follow me on Twitter!

-Jeremy “pcnerd37″ Bray

Tweet This Post

No related posts.

While this isn’t the first time I have run into this issue, my recent posts about Twitter Etiquette has helped me realize the importance of constructive commenting.

Comments like “First!”, “Bite me”, “You suck”, as well as other mindless garbage should not be posted in a blog or social news websites comments. These comments have nothing to do with the posting and are not only rude, but do nothing to further the conversation. If you are going to waste your time on the internet do something other than waste peoples space and bandwidth.

I’m not saying you have to agree with everything somebody posts, but if you have an opposing view, state it and the thought process behind it. Saying something like “You are wrong” does nothing to further the conversation. Offer constructive criticism! The internet is about the free sharing of ideas, not the flaming of other people simply because you do not understand or believe in what they say. Here are a few tips for leaving constructive comments.

1. Ask the author to clarify what he says. If you are unsure of what the post author is trying to say or can’t see how they made the leap from observation to conclusion, ask them to explain it better. Just because you don’t understand somebody’s point, does not mean its not a valid point. Feel free to ask as many questions as is needed so that you can understand the issue and be able to provide some constructive thought about the topic.
2. If you are an expert on the topic, speak up! If you happen to be an expert on a particular topic and believe that the author or other commenter’s don’t understand what they are talking about or have some details wrong, jump in and share your knowledge. Don’t simply say “These people are idiots” and continue on your way. Help inform them so they can speak intelligently about the topic in the future. Doing this will not only impress the readers with your knowledge, but it will spur a more informed conversation.
3. Post links to related content. If you know a great source of more information on the topic, feel free to post the link. Anybody concerned with the post will be very happy to learn more about the topic. Often blogs aren’t long enough to go in great detail of a topic, so posting links that will give other readers more detail is often greatly appreciated as it saves people the time they would use to search for more information on the topic.
4. Post polite comments. The old adage of if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say it at all, can easily apply to blog or social news posts. While I am not saying you should not speak negatively about the post if it warrants it, it is not necessary to flame the user with obscenities and directions to where he can go. Keep in mind that when you say something on the internet, it won’t go away and can easily come back to haunt you in the future. What you say and how you say it affects your reliability and reputation. While a post like “Nice job” isn’t the most constructive post, it is at least more respectable than “You suck”.
5. Offer alternative ideas. Many topics are not black and white and won’t have a single answer of solution. If you or somebody you know has an alternative idea, share it! Progress is achieved through the concept of idea sharing, not keeping your opinion to yourself. Sometimes an alternate idea is better than the original idea, so share your thoughts on the subject.
6. Suggest improvements. If somebody is posting about some kind of project they have in the works, suggest improvements for any areas you see that could be improved upon. Similar to the alternative ideas point, if you have an idea that could be more efficient than they way they are currently doing something, suggest it! If they don’t want to listen to you, that is their choice, but at least suggest improvements. Often you will be thanked for your input.
7. Be original!  While you may agree with other commenter’s viewpoints, don’t just repeat what they have said.  Thinking for yourself and having your own, unique opinion is embraced on the internet.  Expand on what others have said or state why you don’t subscribe to their entire thought.  It is not necessary to be correct, just original.

Following these guidelines will help you become a valued commenter on any blog or social news outlet.  Remember, on the internet knowledge is valued and trolls are despised.  Most importantly, respect the opinions of others if you want others to respect yours.

-Jeremy “pcnerd37″ Bray

Tweet This Post

Related posts:

1. Twitter Etiquette Part 2!