Managing & Technology — www.ddmcd.com

Website copyright © 2002-2025 by Dennis D. McDonald. From Alexandria, Virginia I support proposal writing & management, content and business development, market research, and strategic planning. I also practice and support cursive handwriting. My email: ddmcd@ddmcd.com. My bio: here.

All in Media

Harsh Realities of Windows 7, "Standalone" Devices, and Cloud Computing

Mar 4

Mar 4 Harsh Realities of Windows 7, "Standalone" Devices, and Cloud Computing

Dennis D. McDonald

Apple, Cloud Computing, Complexity, Media, Sony, Technology, Television, Vaio, Windows, iPad

Ed Bott’s Windows Activation Technologies: an unauthorized inside look is a look at what happens when Windows 7 automatically gathers and sends encrypted data describing your Windows 7 installation back to Microsoft so Microsoft can see if you are running an authorized copy of Windows.

Jan 4
Jan 4 A Positive Spin on Higher Cable TV Prices

Dennis D. McDonald

Cable TV, Media, Regulation, Television

In Fox-Time Warner Cable deal could mean billions for broadcasters, Bloomberg News’ Kelly Riddell wrote the following on January 4, 2010:

Nov 30
Nov 30 Old Media Islands Will Shrink But Won't Disappear Overnight

Dennis D. McDonald

Change, Chatter, Collaboration, Facebook, Information Technology, Knowledge Management, Media, RSS, Sales Management, , Software, Strategy, Web 2.0

I’m optimistic. I’m beginning to think that second-nature use of collaborative technologies by non-technologists, both for social engagement as well as for work, could reach a tipping point much sooner than I had thought. It’s not going to be completely smooth sailing, though.

Can Online Public Dialogs Succeed With Anonymous Participants?

Sep 15

Sep 15 Can Online Public Dialogs Succeed With Anonymous Participants?

Dennis D. McDonald

Anonymity, Authenticity, Blogging, Comments, Curmudgeon, Definitions, Journals, Peer Review, Privacy, Publishing, , Trust, eGovernment, Media

I used to think that if you want to be taken seriously online, and if you want to actually participate in an ongoing dialog with a sponsor or other participants, you need to post using your own name and identity so that others know who you are.

Amazon Kindle Orwell Deletion May Be Legal -- But It's Still Doubleplusungood

Jul 18

Jul 18 Amazon Kindle Orwell Deletion May Be Legal -- But It's Still Doubleplusungood

Dennis D. McDonald

DRM, E-book, Kindle, Publishing, Media, Censorship, Orwell

I know I know — the Orwell titles deleted from customer Kindles by Amazon were unauthorized copies. I’m still concerned. Why? Because it demonstrates how this technology can be applied and managed remotely without the owner’s involvement.

An Inspiring New Movie about Imagination, Innovation, Science, and Engineering

May 22

May 22 An Inspiring New Movie about Imagination, Innovation, Science, and Engineering

Dennis D. McDonald

Creativity, Education, Engineering, Innovation, Media, Movies, Science, Science Education, Technology, NAE

I was fortunate this week to attend a screening at the National Academies of the new film, Imagine It!, a work by Rudy Poe and Richard Tavener of Infinite Loop Media LLC.

How We Use Media Will Drive Development of a Real Time Web

Dec 31

Dec 31 How We Use Media Will Drive Development of a Real Time Web

Dennis D. McDonald

Convergence, Data Web, Feeds, Media, Publishing, RSS, Semantic Web, , Telecommunications, Television, communications

Why do we use media? What got me thinking about this was a recent post by Robert Scoble about the “real-time web.” Scoble’s focus was on the technical standards and processes that are evolving to support the use of the web for instantaneous two way communication.

Are You Building Professional Relationships or a Publishing Platform?

Dec 16

Dec 16 Are You Building Professional Relationships or a Publishing Platform?

Dennis D. McDonald

Basics, Consolidation, Fatigue, Linkedin, Microblogging, , Twitter, Media

Years ago when I first joined Linkedin I started receiving connection requests from people I’d never met before. Some were recruiters, some were fellow IT management consultants, and some were people I would probably never meet in a million years.

Can You Avoid Subscribing to Cable TV?

Oct 29

Oct 29 Can You Avoid Subscribing to Cable TV?

Dennis D. McDonald

Anachronisms, Cable TV, Media, Television

Betsy Schiffman’s Americans Can’t Live Without Their Cable TV describes how unlikely it is that Americans, despite dire economic circumstances, won’t be giving up Cable TV subscriptions any time soon.

Why Books Will Survive

Sep 30

Sep 30 Why Books Will Survive

Dennis D. McDonald

Books, Future, Media, Publishing, Writing

These days there is no shortage of ways to express ideas in a variety of media, ranging from less-than-140-character Twitter messages to self-produced Flip camera snippets complete with sound.

The Appeal of Steam Punk

Aug 12

Aug 12 The Appeal of Steam Punk

Dennis D. McDonald

Imagination, History, Media, Steampunk

Command Line’s podcast rant about Steam Punk is a fun listen. He refers to William Gibson and Bruce Sterling’s 1990 novel The Difference Engine as the seminal work of “steam punk” literature where technology and 19th Century history are re-imagined. If you’ve never read that novel, I recommend it.

Proposed New TV Rating Category: TV PO

Aug 2

Aug 2 Proposed New TV Rating Category: TV PO

Dennis D. McDonald

Advertising, Television, Media

Caution: this blog post contains political content, which I normally avoid. On March 12, 1998, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued an order that established requirements for installing “V-Chips” into televisions 13 inches or greater manufactured after Jan. 1, 2000.

I Bought a Magazine Today!

Jul 22

Jul 22 I Bought a Magazine Today!

Dennis D. McDonald

Anachronisms, Books, History, Magazines, Media, Publishing

I know, I’ve criticized magazines before as vestiges of an old fashioned past, but I confess: I bought one today.

May 23
May 23 When Will Electronic Textbooks Take Over?

Dennis D. McDonald

E-book, Media, Publishing, Textbooks

All it will take is one high-quality rebel to jump into digital textbook distribution. I studied the economics of that business last year for a client and saw the raw numbers of what you say. Someone’s going to come along and convince a large state to go with digital distribution, bundled with something like this new e-book. Talk about a saving in gasoline for shipping!

Jul 25
Jul 25 Copyright Basics Explained by Disney Characters

Dennis D. McDonald

Cartoons, Copyright, Disney, Media, Pixar

From Professor Eric Faden of Bucknell University comes this review of copyright law, explained in super-clever terms using snippets of video and dialog from Disney and Pixar animated films.

Using New Media To Sell Old Media

Feb 12

Feb 12 Using New Media To Sell Old Media

Dennis D. McDonald

Media, Podcast, Publishing, Writing, iPod, iTunes

I ordered a book from Amazon today that I heard discussed on a recent podcast. I think this transaction is a good example of how challenging it can be to trace the influence different media can have on a purchasing decision.

Mr. Lincoln's Telegraphy Practices and Modern Email

Dec 28

Dec 28 Mr. Lincoln's Telegraphy Practices and Modern Email

Dennis D. McDonald

Email, History, Technology, Telegraph, Media

A while back I published an announcement about a new book by Tom Wheeler called Mr. Lincoln’s T-Mails: The Untold Story of How Abraham Lincoln Used the Telegraph to Win the Civil War. Tom sent me a note suggesting I also check out the book’s web site, which is here. One of the things listed on the web site is a discussion of how Abraham Lincoln used telegraphy and how this might relate to modern usage of email.

Abraham Lincoln and the Telegraph

Dec 12

Dec 12 Abraham Lincoln and the Telegraph

Dennis D. McDonald

History, Technology, Telegraph, Media, Lincoln

If you are a fan of the history of technology, this new book might interest you. Bob Willard has been kind enough to forward to me information about Tom Wheeler's book Mr. Lincoln's T-Mails: The Untold Story of How Abraham Lincoln Used the Telegraph to Win the Civil War.