Snow Leopard Needed

To really sync Exchange (Email, Contacts and Calendar) with Mac OS computers we need them to be running Snow Leopard i.e. Mac OS 10.6.x  Cost of the 10.6 upgrade is $29 if you were at 10.5.  Not sure if it is more if your OS X install is too old.

Once that is installed much like iPhone/iPod Touch OS 3.x it just works like magic.

Configuration Gyrations on WP Mu

So it has taken the better part of two days to get things on the server straightened out.  The original install was quick but flawed and we needed the tech support folks at the hosting service to really understand the problem/s.

By the end of the day today they had gotten it 90% of the way there and then after I was busy tweaking -- some plug-in busted and is causing a minor issue.  I need c-panel access to the server as my only way to do anything is through the WP Mu Admin side -- and both to edit bad *.php files and also to manually upload and troubleshoot some themes and plug-ins.

Went ahead and had to purchase access to MP Mu Dev site for 3 months/$159 which gave me access to several new pay plug-ins one of which we really needed to get the "Blog Network" side of things running. They also offer tech support and advice live and on forums in addition to the plug-ins and templates.

I also went ahead and spent $65 to license the "Grace" template as the starting point of St. A's site.  It is traditional but it seems to fit closest to the aesthetics and the functionality we are looking for in a template.  It should do until we get a real design done by a designer.

So there are 4 unresolved issues in with the Alchemy tech support and hopefully those will be solved ASAP tomorrow so I can get Grace installed and I can get working on getting content and information into and organized on the new site.

Spent part of the day dealing with voicemail / autoattendants

I helped configure a rudimentary autoattendant setup so that when AT&T releases the church's main line people won't go into thin air.  I wrote a more complex set of behaviors/logic but need the Rector around to work through the logic/steps.

I also had to be in the office to answer the verification calls for the broadcast voice mail providers so it shows the proper office number in the caller id.

Fun with Mu

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Email Marketing Providers / Survey Providers

http://www.mailchimp.com
FREE for under 500 members on a list
$30/unlimited everything

https://www.surveygizmo.com/new-account/?page=mailchimp&ap=25168
Mailing List & Survey solution integrated -- 50% non-profit discount.

http://www.myemma.com/pricing.php
$249/setup + $X/month for email

Network For Good (powered by Emma)
Constant Contact
Vertical Response

Communications Configuration

As the communications systems are either very ridged or very loose at this church it makes it tough to implement tools like email distribution lists, web site and configure things like the phone system.  Sometimes there are very ridged lines and committee/s oversight that only a few people know about, other times it is adhoc or the Vestry who oversee but they only meet once per month normally.  In developing a communications plan and simplifying the process for certain things like approving use of Church facilities by groups inside the church --  we need an online system that can function and handle facilities scheduling.

I created an org chart to try and make sure organizations fell under the right hierarchy but really need to have it blessed and get some additional feedback so I can help make sure I configure things to help facilitate better communications.

I did create a distribution "Action List" that send to the Vestry Ex-Com, Judy and for the short term myself so that we can clear out and take to a point of resolution long standing complaints/issues/ideas people in the church have so we can track them to resolution which in many cases will be the "why" we can't or are not able to move forward but in an official response.  My hope is that this will help clear the deck of baggage so that we can help people begin to move forward.

Update

It took 3 hours to complete uninstall all Office related products from the secretary's PC and reinstall Office 2003 without Outlook and then Outlook 2007 from Comcast and get it installed. -- it took several reboots between each uninstall and reinstall    Machine booted fastest with no Office apps installed.

First launch was still 2-3 minutes for Outlook to open and sat at not responding.  I had to go into the control pane; then mail to delete the previous files/location by removing the profile.  Create a new profile.  Finally it did respond and I was able finish configuration but it took another 5-10 minutes.  Once that was done exited/closed and restarted and it came up quickly.

None of the above would have been requires except there was a bad install of Office XP/2002 and/or Office Publisher separately that was creating problems especially on a Windows VISTA PC.  The PC itself has 2GB RAM and a fair processor so this sloooooooooooooowness was software based.

I switched the DNS servers for the LAN connection to Google 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 and that seemed to also help.

I still need to install the 8x8 plugin for Outlook and lastly configure the autologin script I found which will help get it opened faster as well.

Another day, another system

The 8x8 phone system is now partially configured.  All the extensions are up and running and Fr. Williams iPhone has the 8x8 app running on it.  We need to continue to configure the ring groups, auto attendant and then record the VMs.  We need to finish configuring it and record the outgoing announcements then it will be ready.

The office PC continues to be problematic that yes it is "newer" but it really is bottom of the barrel in terms of spec and especially since it is running Vista -- it seems dog slow.  Turning all the bells off -- it has been running better until I tried to install Outlook 2007.  It continues to "fail install" but Outlook is there and working but VERY slow to load.  However being very slow to start makes it frustrating as Judy's normal method has been to open / close email vs. leave it running for the day.

To fix, I need the install disc for the version of Office currently installed so we can uninstall and I ran reinstall without Outlook 200X and then install Outlook 2007 again fresh -- hopefully that fixes the problem.

We really need at least a second PC in the office so that Judy or the volunteer or even the Rector if he does not have his Mac can connect.

I spent a few minutes tooling around with Wordpress Mu to now understand you do not make changes to the root blog - deactivate or delete.  Also had issues that some setting in my Chrome browser is keeping me from being able to log in properly -- it just reloads the sign-in page.  Firefox works ok but need to get to the bottom of this one.

Moving project management over to Many Moons

As several of these projects move from research and ideation into planning and because I'm juggling so many different balls simultaneous --- moving over to ManyMoon.com to handle task management and next steps for implementation.  Trying to keep this blog going as well because of the existing "tagging" and ability more easily share/track thoughts vs. tasks.

Peter

8x8 VOIP Details

Update on the details:

• 2 Day turn around from order submission to enable and configure the inital account/s
• 4 Day turn around if we needed/wanted new equipment (we have some so this is not needed)
• 5-7 day turn around for number porting by AT&T

1) Is Barbados and Nevis & St. Kitts included in the International Long Distance for unlimited or at what are those rates?  (We have a mission connected to them).

SEE BELOW - http://www.8x8.com/Resources/Tools/InternationalRates.aspx

2) You've got 4 lines + 1 virtual here -- probably need to talk again on our current setup + fax and make sure we're covered and I understand if we need additional virtual numbers.

Auto-attendant is the virtual number and it will map to the current mainline number.

3) Is there any limit on the length of an outgoing voicemail message/box i.e. so people can hear our whole calendar for the upcoming week, etc.

Not that important -- we can have up to 27 attendants/groups i.e. press 1 to x.  Same price for 1 or multiple.

4) This quote included the automated attendant right?

Yes it is the 4.99/month.

Barbados - All_other_prefixes 1246- $0.21

Barbados - Mobile_&_premium 1246-23 $0.25

Barbados - Mobile_&_premium 1246-24 $0.25

Barbados - Mobile_&_premium 1246-25 $0.25

Barbados - Mobile_&_premium 1246-26 $0.25

Barbados - Mobile_&_premium 1246-45 $0.25

Barbados - Mobile_&_premium 1246-52 $0.25

Barbados - Mobile_&_premium 1246-82 $0.25

St. Kitts - All_other_prefixes 1869- $0.23

St. Kitts-Info 1869-555 $0.19

Setback on the WordPress front

Our free account with Dreamhost does not support running WP mu the multi-user / multi-blog variety that would most help us be able to share our work with others.  So in the mean time ed is removing mu from dreamhost and is installing the standard single blog WP for St. A's so we can get the ball rolling.  I will be speaking further with the Diocese on some of these issues.  We may still want to setup mu and run it ourselves but need to find a good virtual private server / private server deal/provider.

Peter

Voip/ip phone droid/teleconference

http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/06/msi-caught-showing-off-voip-video-conferencing-phone-running-and/

http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/18/asus-aiguru-sv1t-adds-7-inch-touchscreen-to-70s-videophone-nost/

Article on best way to run Windows on a Mac

http://gizmodo.com/5487242/how-to-run-windows-in-os-x-the-right-way

Afgan WiFi & DIY Wifi

http://gizmodo.com/5486016/jalalabads-fab-fi-how-junk-was-turned-into-a-high+speed-wireless-network

Definitely worth looking into this -- maybe getting Make to help us out and document what we are doing.

Article in Make about setting up an outdoor WiFi
http://www.make-digital.com/make/vol07/?pg=121

Peter

Current Dream Tech "Wish List"

• Label Printer 
• Labels
• Postage Online Account like Stamps.com
• 2-3 more PCs in the office (touch screen all-in-one)
• Backup solution for office PCs
• Digital Projector and portable screen
• PC/notebook record video for ustream
• Decent H.264 compatible video camera / audio for streaming (Firewire or USB 2.0)
• ipad/kiosk PC for visitor/attendee sign-in
• ipad or ipod touch for usher & welcomer
• kiosk or mounted ipad screen in the narthex to list upcoming events/welcome messages
• kiosk PC for child care check in
• Printer for child care check in (possibly label printer)
• Printer for name badges as part of check in process
• shared printer for attendance/on demand printing
• Software/hardware for Cafe/Internet sharing connection
• WiFi high gain external antenna and cabling
• Server PC of church area
• 1 or 2 laptop or kiosk PCs for use of those without internet access at home or to do updates to the back end/community software
• 5-10 PCs or laptops to do a lab -- including mobile carts so they could be secured

Cevent vs. GoToWebinar

Another option for online meeting market & market research...

http://www.cvent.com/products/

Time in the office...

Spent time in the office today researching and organizing our Telcom expenses and testing the current DSL line for upload/download speeds.  It will need to be upgraded/replaced if we use a VOIP system as uplink is limited to 0.38Mbit/sec.

Also did some research on African American Weeklies -- "Sunday Newspapers" and a bit on Black Radio options we might have for advertising.

Internet Cafe Software / Solutions

Cafe Software (Has Library / Non-Profit Discount)
https://www.provisio.com/en-US/Shop/Shop.aspx?GroupIdx=15
https://www.provisio.com/en-US/SiteKiosk/VoIP-Telefon.aspx

Antennas
http://www.wifi-link.com/product.php?class1_id=643&class2_id=658

iPhone Fun

Current cost to get 2 iphones 3GS 32GB hardware $299 + $36 activation for first phone, $299 + $26 activation for each additional.  Tax & shipping from online order is estimated at $136.  For a total of $734.30 for the hardware and setup fees.

Monthly service fees are:
* $119.99 for first 2 lines for unlimited talk
* $30 for unlimited family texting
* $30 per line for unlimited data
= $209.99 for 2 iphones with unlimited talk, text and data

* 49.99 for each additional unlimited talk line + $30 per line data charge
3 Phones = 289.98
4 Phones = 369.97
5 Phones = 449.96

Internet Connection Pricing

AT&T Business DSL
1.5 MB down 512MB up (currently $30 on our bill)
6MB down and 768MB up is $60 + Cost of a phone line.

Comcast Business Internet
12MB down / 2MB up $59.95 - $20/nonprofit rate is $39.95 (2 Outlook + $6.99/month/additional user)
22Mb down / 5MB up is $99.95 - $20/nonprofit rate is $79.95  (8 Outlook + $6.99/month/additional user)
50Mb down / 10MB up is $189.95 - $20/nonprofit rate is $169.95 (8 Outlook + $6.99/month/additional user)

If we want a connection in the church proper we could either setup wireless sharing (which can be problematic) or we could install in both locations and take advantage of the $20/per line discount.

Questions:
Cost of modem rental too?
Size of Outlook email box?  1GB or more?


Includes Outlook & Outlook Web Access supposedly includes mobile access as well.