#Interview: Michael Stein, Author, Blogger, & Veteran Nonprofit Technology Strategist
Michael Stein, Senior Account Executive for Donordigital, is a veteran nonprofit technology strategist whose areas of expertise include online fundraising, email messaging, email list growth, blogging, website content, mobile messaging, and social media. With Nick Allen and Mal Warwick, Michael wrote the groundbreaking 1997 book Fundraising on the Internet: Recruiting and Renewing Donors Online.
The interview was conducted by Don Akchin, a principal of Nonprofit Marketing 360 and a frequent contributor to the MKCREATIVEnonprofit blog.
MKC: How did you get into this field?
Michael: About 20 years ago, I was working for an environmental group just as the Internet started to emerge. I got in on the ground floor, building bulletin board systems for Greenpeace activists and others tracking toxic chemical emissions around the U.S. I helped build the pioneering Internet provider called IGC.org that trained nonprofits to use the Internet, which then morphed into the first experiments in online fundraising on the Web for Rainforest Action Network. In the mid-1990s, I hooked up with legendary direct mail fundraisers Mal Warwick and Nick Allen, and we started to think about what the future of fundraising might look like with the evolving Internet. Together we wrote the first book about fundraising online.
Popularity: 9% | Category Advertising, Advice, Blogs, Branding, Campaigns, Communications, Community, Copyrighting, Cross-Post, Database, Development, Donor Acquisition, E-Mail, eNewsletter, Facebook, Facebook, Fundraising, Grants, Grants and Funding, Interview, iPad/Tablet, Major Gifts, Marketing, Marketing Skills, Measurement, Newsletter, Nonprofit, Nonprofit, Permission Marketing, Perspectives, Public Relations, Social Media, Storytelling, Technology, Tools, Twitter, Writing | | 0 Comments
Written by: Don Akchin
#Tech: Mac Mini Server, Part 4 – Storage Options
Scott Caldarelli returns to continue his discussion of the advantages of the inexpensive Mac Mini Server for your office.
I am pleased to be back to discuss the great opportunities that a Mac Mini Server can offer a charity or nonprofit wanting a stable, secure, and affordable computing solution for everyone in the office and even on the road. This time, I’d like to talk about how and where to store the files that your organization will be using.
By default, if you purchase the Mac mini Server from Apple, it comes configured with two 500GB, 7200 rpm drives. Also by default, the Mac Mini has one drive with Snow Leopard Server software pre-installed and one drive blank, awaiting your data.
There’s nothing wrong with that setup. 500GB is a lot of space for future use. Nevertheless, two issues arise: First, the drive might not be quite fast enough for you. Second, there are no failsafe provisions. If the system drive breaks, you can’t get to your organization’s files because the method and software to get to those files doesn’t exist. Conversely, if the data drive goes down or breaks, you can’t get to your files because the drive can’t be accessed.
Apple's RAID Utility is built in to the Mac Mini Server
One alternative is to set up a RAID 1 mirrored system. RAID stands for Redundant Array of Independent (or ‘Inexpensive’) Disks. A RAID 1 system allows for the first drive to be your actual, working drive. What also happens is that when a file gets written to drive 1, it is also written to drive 2. On the Mini’s desktop, you would see only a single 500GB hard drive because the other drive is simply mirroring that original boot drive. In the event that the drive stops working, the RAID can be easily rebuilt, which typically uses a “Rebuild” command in the software to transfer operations to the backup drive.
Another alternative is simply to set up a clone of the OS’s drive – the one also carrying your files. I typically recommend using a software such as SuperDuper ($27.95) or Carbon Copy Cloner (donationware) to schedule a time to make a copy of the first drive to the second drive. After the initial run through, when the program runs again, it only copies any changes, which means the software takes much less time to finish its work. This system will allow you to restart and boot from the backup drive if need be.
A third option is to set up the two drives as a RAID 0 array. This is set up to provide faster read and write times to the drive, making the system work faster for all your staff. You also double your storage capacity because both original Mac Mini drives are used. Two 500GB drives yields nearly 1TB of drive space. The concern with this setup, though, is that if one drive fails, you’ve got nothing. So, you want to be sure to attach a USB or Firewire drive to the Mac Mini and backup the two drives. It doesn’t need to be another RAID 0 system, just a drive large enough to fit what is on both drives (that is, at least a 1 terabyte drive).
In the next revision of the Mac Mini Server, it is highly likely that Apple will also install a Thunderbolt port on the back. Thunderbolt is a new high speed port that will greatly enhance storage speed compared to USB or Firewire.
Since the mini will also get a much newer processor as well, it’ll certainly open up what it is capable of and up the target audiences for it. Creative workgroups, small businesses, and even small video houses could use the mini plus a Thunderbolt RAID storage system to work cheaply, efficiently, and save on costs and power.
Many choices exist for storage for your Mac mini Server. Hopefully this will help the choices make sense for you and your organization.
Please see also Part One, Part Two, and Part Three of Scott’s discussion of the Mac Mini Server.
Guest blogger Scott Caldarelli writes frequently about technology and IT consultation at scottcaldarelliconsulting.com.
Popularity: 15% | Category Apple, Communications, Database, Desktop Apps, Hardware Review, Nonprofit, Site Administration, Software Review, Technology, Technology for Nonprofits | | 1 Comments
Written by: Scott Caldarelli
Tech: Public & Private Clouds Could Be Heavenly
Though security remains a concern that catches the headlines, recent surveys clearly demonstrate the fact that businesses of all sized are heading toward cloud computing to share information and to house data and software. The scalability and flexibility of using such networked storage and configuration are just too inviting.
What is also becoming ever clearer to nonprofits and small businesses is the fact that cloud computing is not a single cumulonimbus entity holding – or losing – all your stuff. The focus of discussion is about how to mix various types of cloud computing for the the various benefits each can offer your organization.
Popularity: 2% | Category Case Study, Communications, Database, iDevice, Social Media, Technology, Web and Print | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, PhD
#Tech: The Apple Mac Mini Server – Part 2
Scott Caldarelli returns to continue his discussion of the advantages of the inexpensive Mac Mini Server for your office.
In Part One of my review, I talked about the Mac mini server and how it can provide useful services for your organization. I talked about the built in services that are included from Apple. While they are not bad, there are alternatives to use on the mini server to gain more powerful features.
Popularity: 11% | Category Apple, Database, Hardware Review, iDevice, Nonprofit, Revitalization, Site Administration, Software Review, Technology, Technology for Nonprofits | | 1 Comments
Written by: Scott Caldarelli
Tech: The Value of an IT Partner for Nonprofit Organizations
My Apple Technology consulting company, scott caldarelli consulting limited, has been supporting MKCREATIVE and its clients for some time now, so it’s a thrill to be able to share some of the lessons I’ve learned and the insights I’ve developed over the last few years, especially when it comes to supporting consultants and community-based organizations.
Specifically, I’m going to be exploring technology — hardware, software, troubleshooting tips, how-tos – over the next months. My focus will be what you can do to maximize your organization’s infrastructure reliability and minimize procurement and maintenance costs.
A bit about myself first. I became interested in computers and in Apple’s Macintosh computers as an audio engineer. At that time, the best recordings were made on analog tape that held 24 tracks, each reel could record about 15 minutes and each reel cost $150-$200. Then I saw someone edit a stereo master track on a computer. He just highlighted what he wanted to go away, hit delete and it was done. I was a convert.
Popularity: 3% | Category Advice, Apple, Communications, Cross-Post, Database, E-Mail, Technology, Technology for Nonprofits, Tools | | Comments Off
Written by: Scott Caldarelli
#SocialNetworks: Facebook Sharing Re-Expanded (Again)
Time Magazine,May 2010
It seems like every couple of months users of Facebook get to re-learn how to control what the world’s most popular social-media site shares of their personal material. As we have argued before, the whole point of ‘social media’ is to share, so complaining that Facebook ‘shares’ seems misguided at best.
Which is not to say that we must simply accept what FB tells us to accept. A development posted by the engineers at FB demonstrated how one can implement the sharing of home address and cell number. The posting itself is mostly code and not likely to inspire, or scare away, the majority of subscribers. Nevertheless, the outcry was severe enough that Facebook backed off the implementation of the sharing mechanisms after a weekend of ‘useful feedback.’
Well, now it’s back up. (more…)
Popularity: 5% | Category Communications, Database, Desktop Apps, Facebook, Marketing, Permission Marketing, Social Media, Web and Print | | Comments Off
Written by: Christopher Gardner, PhD