Working with SharePoint, virtual machines are a way of life.  At SusQtech, I end up working with a variety of different virtualization formats while supporting our customers and partners.  The virtualization platforms that I see most frequently are Microsoft Hyper-V, VMware, VirtualBox, and recently, Xen.  I really don’t have the time, desire, resources, or money to run so many dedicated virtualization environments.  What I need is a very stable virtualization platform that lets me import all of the other virtual environment drives to run native, then do the work that I need to do, then convert the file back so that a client can attach the virtual disk and keep on running.  I’ve got a great laptop setup and an even better desktop setup for running these virtualized environments.  Here are some notes outlining some simple ways (for me) to switch back and forth between these environments.

I basically use two different third party tools depending upon the exact need.  Both of these tools are extremely easy, self explanatory, and work very well.

WinImage is available at http://www.winimage.com/.  WinImage will convert between VHD and VMDK, but it does much more.  WinImage also has the benefit of being able to convert a ‘metal’ machine to a virtualized machine.  Any time I’m about to wipe a machine for good (laptop/desktop/server), I often will use WinImage to take a virtualized snapshot of the machine.  This allows me the option to either access the original drives or even relaunch the original machine if I’ve forgotten to get some critical info prior to formatting.  WinImage is a superb product!

StarWind V2V Converter is available at http://www.starwindsoftware.com/converter.  StarWind is a great tool for doing a sector by sector conversion between VHD and VMDK.

Now for some specifics…

“Convert Hyper-V to VMware” or “Convert VHD to VMDK”

This is the easiest scenario in an enterprise environment since the VMware ESX tools support importing VHD out of the box.  That doesn’t really help everyone that is running VMware Workstation on PC or VMware Fusion on a Mac.  Using either WinImage or StarWind has worked very well for all VHD to VMDK conversions that I’ve needed.

“Convert VMware to Hyper-V” or “Convert VMDK to VHD”

Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) also allows you to copy existing VMware virtual machines and create Hyper-V virtual machines. You can copy VMware virtual machines directly from an ESX Server host, in the VMM library, or on a Windows share. Although V2V is called a conversion, V2V is a read-only operation that does not delete or affect the original source virtual machine.  Details are at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc793147.aspx

Both WinImage and StarWind will also convert from VMDK to VHD.  I have had some odd issues with WinImage, but I’ve honestly never made the time to determine what the issues were.  It has happened two times in the past, and since then for this conversion I’ve just used StarWind.  I’ve found StarWind V2V Converter to be a rock solid, stable tool that works perfectly with conversion between Hyper-V and VMware Workstation and back.  However, in my experience, WinImage does create a smaller virtual drive during the conversion.

IMPORTANT: Prior to a conversion using either of these tools, you should (must?) uninstall VMware Tools on the guest OS prior to converting a VMDK to a VHD.  If you don’t, the virtual machine will not boot once you add it in Hyper-V.

“Convert VirtualBox to VMware” or “Convert VMDK to VMDK”

It’s funny that VirtualBox and VMware utilize the same extension for a virtual disk, VMDK.  This would lead one to assume that the virtual drive formats are the same, and that you could just interchangeably utilize either virtualization platform as desired.  The funny part is that sometimes you can!  The really funny part is that most of the time this doesn’t work for me!  Inevitably, I will attach VMware to a VirtualBox VMDK file, Windows will start to boot, and then it just stalls.  Sits forever and ever… never gives me an authentication screen.

The simplest way that I’ve found to migrate a virtual server from VirtualBox to VMware is to export the VirtualBox environment as an appliance.  VirtualBox allows you to Export the Appliance, which saves out a new VMDK file and an OVF file.  I then run a small batch file to launch the VMware Virtual Disk Manager command line application (comes with Workstation) to clean up, defrag, and shrink the disk prior to adding to VMware.

You could run each of these lines independently, but I find it easier to ‘set it and forget it’.  Some of these conversions take a while, and I’d rather not sit and watch progress reports.

vmware-vdiskmanager –r ExportedApplianceName.VMDK -t 0 NewDiskName.VMDK
vmware-vdiskmanager -d NewDiskName.VMDK
vmware-vdiskmanager -k NewDiskName.VMDK

For reference, the tags for disk manager used are:

-r : convert . Enter source path , disk type , output path
-d : defragment .Enter local path to vmdk
-k : shrink . Enter local path to vmdk

You may want to run the repair option if you aren’t able to open the VM after conversion.

-R : repair . Enter path to vmdk

Clearly, I am glutton for punishment.  Anytime there is a new Beta/Alpha/Release Candidate/Pre-release, I immediately download it, install it, and hope my computer keeps working after the install.  Why is it that I need to reformat/reinstall my entire environment every 6-9 months?  Ponderous. 

If you’re as daring, feel free to participate in the open Firefox 4 Beta at http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-beta.html.

I really dig the new theme they’ve applied (only for Windows, so far).  The tabs are at the top of the page, above the URL address bar.  They’ve also ‘borrowed’ from the typical Microsoft Office interface (sort of) – the menu bar at the top has been replaced with a Firefox button.  This is good.  People are used to finding the main menu item in the upper left corner.

Each tab has a small gauge to show page download progress of the page for that tab.  I find this extremely helpful.  I’m a huge fan of launching MANY browser tabs from a search result page (Ctrl + Click), and this feature makes it very easy to see which tabs are loaded. 

The bookmark toolbar has been consolidated into a button (to the right of the search box).  I’ve been using Google Toolbar to manage my bookmarks for a long time, so I don’t really see a need for the localized, browser based bookmarks.  I also use different computers all the time, and this keeps my list accessible.  The local bookmarks/favorites is something I typically hide on all my browsers to free up screen real estate.  If the upcoming Firefox Sync ends up easier to use / faster / better, then I may switch and start using this again – but it would be hard to beat my Google bookmarks.

Seems they’ve done a lot of work under the hood for HTML5 (support for the WebM video format, new HTML5 parser, HTML5 form controls, etc.).   The new Add-Ons manager is extremely easy to understand.  What is this?  YAAS Coming?  (Yet Another App Store?)

So far, my computer is still working great.   I loved Firefox yesterday, and after only an hour of use I’m pretty enamored with Firefox 4.  It seems fast and stable – and it looks great.  My only complaint is that the Google Toolbar isn’t yet compatible.  One-and-a-half thumbs up… so far.

Ubuntu may be difficult to pronounce, but it can breathe new life into your old computer.  I used to spend time and money buying upgrades for laptops and adding faster hard drives and adding more RAM, but I’m convinced that laptops are built to be disposable now.  Sure, they may be built to last a few years, but at the speed that software demands increase, hardware can hardly keep up.  Purchasing a new computer every 18 – 30 months is really not necessary either (though new netbooks and laptops can be found for under $300).   If you talk to my wife, she’ll say I still buy new equipment too frequently.  She’s correct.  I am making an effort to repurpose the older equipment without any monetary investment as well (especially for her and the kids!).

I have a couple of older laptops (5-7 years old) that were running extremely slow.  I also have three children that all want to use a computer at the exact same time.  I installed Ubuntu on the old laptops and could not be happier with the results.  The laptops boot up fast and are very fast to use – without ANY monetary investment.  In fact, I have one computer that the hard drive doesn’t work at all.  It won’t boot at all, and all of my attempts to fix it have failed.  I configured a USB thumb drive with Ubuntu and the computer now boots from the thumb drive and is as fast as ever. 

This is what YouTube.com looks like on Ubuntu:

This is what Google.com looks like on Ubuntu:
 

Notice that Firefox is the default browser installed with Ubuntu.  Also note that the start bar is at the top of the screen and not the bottom.  Once you get used to these two facts, learning to use Ubuntu for any computer user should take about 3 minutes – without instruction.  You’ll be able to just click on the browser and start surfing the web just like you do today.

What does the word Ubuntu mean?
It is named after the Southern African ethical principle Ubuntu ("humanity towards others").  Ubuntu provides an up-to-date, stable operating system for the average user, with a strong focus on usability and ease of installation.

How do you install Ubuntu?
I am quite confident that anyone reading this post can install Ubuntu.  Particularly if you are running some version of Windows.  There is an Ubuntu installer that runs within Windows.  The Windows installer will actually let you install Ubuntu, test the software out, decide each time whether you want to run Windows or Ubuntu, and then even choose to remove Ubuntu from your computer if you decide you don’t like it.  If you are running Windows, just go get the Ubuntu Windows Installer from http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/windows-installer

Will Ubuntu work with my computer?
I’ve installed Ubuntu on laptops made by Dell, Sony, and HP.  I’ve never yet had to go download a driver or try to get some piece of hardware to work.  Video, sound, wireless networking, microphone, and touchpad/mouse worked perfect with a vanilla install.  Installing Ubuntu was very easy every time.

What can I do with Ubuntu?
You can surf the web, update Facebook, check email, send email, use Google, use YouTube – pretty much anything on the web.  You can play games (a few come preinstalled).  You can use a word processor, spreadsheet editor, and more since OpenOffice will be pre-installed.   This will let you open and save Microsoft Office document files as well.  You can hook up and use your printer.  You can watch movies on DVD, you can listen to your music files, you can manage and edit your photos and videos.  You can do all of this very easily and immediately after restarting into Ubuntu.

What can’t I do with Ubuntu?
You can’t watch Netflix streaming directly on Ubuntu.  Sure, you can still manage your queue and account, but you can’t watch the movies on the laptop.  If you have an iPad, Wii, PS3, XBOX 360, Samsung TV, or Blu-ray player – you can just access your Netflix queue directly from the device – so it really shouldn’t be a deal breaker.  You also can’t install Windows software on Ubuntu.  If you purchased Windows software, such as games or applications, it will not work within Ubuntu.

How much does Ubuntu cost?
Ubuntu is FREE.  It doesn’t cost anything.  Zero.  Zilch.  Nada.  You can purchase support if you want, but you can also just post messages to ubuntu.com and get free answers.  You can also ask me.

Is Ubuntu for me?
Maybe.  If you have Windows on your desktop or laptop now, you can use the windows installer and just test it.  When you turn your computer on, you will be prompted to choose Windows or Ubuntu.  Choose Ubuntu and try it.  Use it for a day or use it forever.  The next time you turn on your computer you will be prompted again to choose Windows or Ubuntu.  You never have to change anything else on your laptop to keep using Ubuntu.  Using the Windows Installer also provides a risk free option so you won’t lose any of your music, photos, videos, files, or anything else to try it out.

BTW, this is SharePoint on Ubuntu.  Perfect!

Good luck!  Let me know your thoughts…

Technology can be defined as the knowledge and usage of tools, techniques, and crafts. I am not a PC, and I am not a Mac.  I am a human that uses technology.  I may not resemble the average technologist.  I use PC, I use Mac, I use mobile.  What I do share with other technologists (and most males), is that I love tools.  I especially love finding new tools that let me work and play more effectively and more efficiently.  This list of seven free software tools work on both major operating system platforms (and many others).  I have many other tools that are specific to a platform that I would recommend, but the tools I selected for this list had to meet three conditions: work on PC/Mac/iPad, be a tool I use everyday, and be FREE.

1. Kindle.  Not the physical device, the Kindle Apps.  While there is no order to this list, the Kindle App is first and foremost.  You may or may not know, but I have been using a Kindle for quite a while.  I still love everything about it – wireless access to new books, lightweight, simple, easy to understand, easy to use, easy on the eyes.  The eyes have it – the Kindle 2 device is one my all time favorites.  However, since acquiring my iPad, I leave my Kindle at home.  I use the Kindle app everywhere – on my Windows laptop, MacBook, iPhone, Blackberry, and my iPad.  I’m never far away from an extensive and varied library of books that I can read at any time.  I can also switch from nonfiction, technical manuals over to fiction at the press of a button if I need a change of pace.  Also, for those of you who aren’t aware – there are thousands of FREE books that you can read on your Kindle applications.

   

2. Evernote.  My favorite note organizer.  I have been a huge fan of Microsoft OneNote for years.  I’ve gotten other people hooked on OneNote.  OneNote does many wonderful things – screen caps, notes, organization, audio recording, video recording, synchronization of notes with audio/video, note sharing, searching, OCR…  the list goes on and on.  Evernote does not have the full functionality of OneNote.  However, what Evernote is missing in functionality, it makes up for in ease of use and convenience.  Evernote stores all of my notes ‘in the cloud’.  Evernote is available on my PC, my MacBookPro, my iPhone, and my iPad.  If I jot down a note, or take a screen capture, it is available to me from anywhere.  I don’t have to have my PC with me – I can access all of my notes from my phone.  Priceless.

   

3. DropBox.  Very similar to Evernote – but with files.  It’s my personal external hard drive in the sky.  I can upload files, read files, share files, and keep private files.  Word docs, Excel files, text files, photos, videos, zip files, PDFs, and more.  It’s my file backup location.  I can access and upload from any device – PC, Mac, or iPad.  Also, if you sign up for DropBox using my recommendation – then we both will get additional free space: https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTc5MTE3Njc5 
4. Google Voice.  One number to rule them all.  Google Voice lets you pick a new phone number, and uses that one number to dial out to your other numbers.  People don’t have to chase me down – dial my Voice number and it rings through to my office desk, my cell phone, and my home phone – on my terms.  Google Voice allows you to screen your calls or send them to voicemail, block calls, provide personalized calling, and make conference calls – all for free.  Google Voice also does voicemail transcription – it will text or email you a text version of the voicemail someone just left you.  Awesome.

    

5. Google Picasa.  Everyone I know has a digital camera and takes hundreds of photos.  Only the amateur photographers I know have full control of their photos.  Most people have directories scattered all over the computer (or multiple computers), share photos via email and Facebook, and couldn’t find a specific photo on demand.  Picasa is a great, free tool to manage your photos.  The Facial Recognition features are very neat as well.  You can also post your photos and libraries for FREE to Picasa Web Albums (though I prefer Flickr).
6. Google Reader.  I use RSS feeds to keep tabs on all of the sites I frequent.  News sites, blogs, photo sites, and many others have RSS feeds that I can quickly and easily subscribe to on my Google Reader.  The web address for Google Reader is always available for me to catch up, review, and read any of the feeds I want.  There are also a ton of tools available for platform specific reader that will synchronize with Google Reader to provide a better end user experience depending upon the device I’m using at the time.
7. Google Toolbar.  The number one reason I use Google Toolbar is to keep my Bookmarks (or Favorites) synchronized and available to me from anywhere on any platform, but I also use the AutoFill and Custom Buttons to have simple access to weather, Facebook, maps, and more.

   

What resources and tools do you find indispensable?  I am shocked at my own reliance on Google tools.  I am a HUGE Microsoft fan – especially of SharePoint 2010.  I use Microsoft tools everyday.  Unfortunately, none of the Microsoft tools fit the original three requirements that I’ve laid out here.   I also didn’t include email, I really consider that a commodity.  You can get email from anywhere, and they all do the same basic functions.  If I did include web based mail, I would have listed Hotmail.  The new Hotmail version is superb – excellent features and great UI.  Also, I can use my Microsoft SkyDrive instead of DropBox, and I can use my Live Toolbar instead of the Google Toolbar.  However, third-party app providers (particularly on the iPad) have adopted DropBox directly into their apps – SkyDrive does not have the industry adoption (though it integrates perfectly into Office).

I’ve heard some photographers say that using a flash is for people that don’t understand how to use available light.  I’ve heard other photographers say that a flash is an available light.  Some photographers think that people that haven’t mastered using a flash is exactly because of that – they haven’t mastered using a flash.

I personally think that extremism is, in nearly all cases, a lack of openness.  Particularly in photography, there is no ‘always’ correct answer.  There are so many photography best practices that literally hundreds and thousands of books have been written.  However, the best photographers that keep evolving with their science are constantly changing and reinventing their art form.  A strong tree will break in a windstorm, but the blade of grass that will bend with the wind will survive the strongest of wind.  

Photography without a flash is one such example.  Many photographers use a flash when there is a lack of ambient light, and don’t use a flash if there is plenty of light available.  There are perfect reasons to use a flash on the brightest and sunniest of days, and there are perfect reasons to put the flash back in the bag when it is dark.  Some venues won’t allow a flash.  If you are photographing a friends wedding, you may be asked to shoot without a flash.  Plays, dance or music recitals, concerts, museums, aquariums, and many other facilities may not allow flashes. 

So how do you take a great photo without the flash in low light?  It’s simple – practice.  Shoot.  Evaluate.  Adjust.  Shoot.  Evaluate.  Adjust.  Shoot.  If you have an event that you are shooting and can practice ahead of time, take the opportunity to go practice and determine what settings you will use for the event.  If you can’t practice in advance, then shoot a few photos and review carefully.  Adjust quickly and keep shooting.  With memory cards cheaper than every, you can just keep shooting, evaluating, and adjusting.

Photography is part science and part art. Photos are taken in wildly varying scenarios with equally varying equipment.  While it’s very easy to replicate the equipment (you and I both have the same lens and the same camera body), the scenario in which we’ll be taking photos will be very different.  Regardless of whether you are taking photos indoors or outside, if you can’t use your flash then you may be looking for some tips to help take better photos in low light. 

1. Buy a new lens.  It’s funny to me, but the top list on most professional photography site recommendations is to use a faster lens.  Simple, right?  While you can get relatively inexpensive faster lenses (like a 1.4, 1.8, 2.0 etc.), it is beyond the budget for most casual photographers to purchase a variety of lenses.  It is also beyond convenient to carry around 4 lenses everywhere.
2. Try SPORTS mode.  Most modern cameras have a variety of settings, some automatic and some manual.  The SPORTS mode on most cameras does a couple of things very well.  SPORTS mode may set the shutter to a continuous shooting mode, opens the aperture wide open (which will allow more light in), and set the ISO to auto (which will help in low light scenarios).  Most cameras do not use the flash in SPORTS mode.  If you aren’t yet familiar with the manual or creative modes on your camera, then SPORTS mode may give you good results.  You can also try NO FLASH mode – another automatic camera mode that may get you good results.
3. Don’t zoom in.  While a professional lens may have a consistent f-stop across the entire zoom range, most consumer lenses have smaller apertures as you zoom in.  To allow the widest aperture, stay zoomed out.
4. Switch to Aperture Value or Aperture Priority mode.  The priority creative modes will generally let you manually set one or two variable and then adjust the other values appropriately.  Setting the camera in Aperture Value mode will allow you to open the aperture wide open (lowest number possible).
5. Increase the ISO.  Cameras are very good at determining the appropriate ISO, but in very low light conditions you will likely need to increase the ISO as high as possible.  This includes 1600, 3200, 6400, beyond.  While you’ll read that higher ISO settings will introduce noise, most of this noise won’t be an issue if you are resizing for smaller files being shared on the web.  Also, there are some great software tools for post processing noise reduction (many of which are free).  Some cameras, like my Canon T1i, allow you to turn on High ISO Speed Noise Reduction feature.  If yours has it, turn it on.
6. Use a tripod.  Manually setting the ISO and Aperture Value will likely result in longer shutter speeds.  Image stabilization will help tremendously with slower shutter speeds, but if you are anything like me you will not be able to hold the camera still much beyond 1/30 of a second.  Tripods may not be useable everywhere, so try a monopod for a more usable camera stabilizer.  If using a tripod – turn off the image stabilization.  It can (and will) introduce movement – particularly in longer exposures.  I typically also recommend using the timer or a shutter release (cable or remote) so you don’t introduce unncessary vibration by pushing the shutter release button as well.
7. Shoot RAW.  This one really only makes sense if you are going to do post capture processing.  If you are looking to shoot and share – then shooting RAW may not provide any further use.  Otherwise, you can definitely use post processing to do more with a RAW file than a JPG.

There are many other things you can do, such as moving closer.  If you are in a concert or recital where flashes are not allowed, you may be able to work your way up to the stage or get backstage and shoot from there.  You can set exposure compensation down a stop.  You can shoot video and then pull stills out of it.  Use a manual focus instead of the AF.  You can shoot in full manual and control the shutter speed, the ISO, the aperture, the exposure compensation, and fully control what your camera is capturing. 

I have a relative getting of prison after serving quite a few years.  While he’s had occasional access to computers, he has not had access to the Internet.  No email, no web, no video, no social networking.  No connection.  He has never used the Internet.  He’s heard about, talked about, and has a general concept of what the Internet is.  He is familiar with computers, just not the Internet.  He has used older versions of Office and older versions of Windows.  In fact, he qualified to be a Microsoft Certified Trainer for the Office platform (though I think it was on 2003 version).  He started teaching the courses to other inmates and employees.  He does have computer skills – just no Internet experience.  So the question that I’m posing is a simple one: How do you teach someone the Internet?

I know that I live in a bubble.  I have a great job, and I have worked with computers and worked online in one fashion or another for my entire life (starting with a 300 baud modem).  I literally have trouble comprehending a life without connectivity, though I know that most of the world is still without Internet access.  According to http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm, nearly 3 out of 4 people on the planet do NOT have Internet access.   In the bubble I live in, everyone has Internet access.  Between my desktop, laptops, iPhone, and iPad, I am always connected.

I know quite a bit about the Internet, but this scenario got me thinking: how do you teach someone the Internet?  Where do you start?  Do you just point someone to Bing and walk away?  What is the ‘learn the Internet’ syllabus?  In typical ‘seven steps’ fashion, below is my basic list of acclimation to the insanity that is the web of 2010…

1. Get an email account.  Go to http://www.gmail.com or http://www.hotmail.com.  Click the link that says, “Create an account”.  You cannot exist online without an email address.  Sure you can lurk, but you can’t contribute.  You can’t join a site, place an order, or create an account for any site that I can think of.  I even considered just creating an email account for him but decided that it would be best to go through every miniscule step to learn as much as possible as quickly as possible.

2. Send me an email.  I provided my email address.  Having an email address without an understanding of the process of sending and receiving an email is like having a Ferrari without knowing how to start a car, or maybe not even understanding what a car is.  Once he understands how to send an email and check his email and read my response, he at least has remote tech support.

3. Google.  Enough said.  http://www.google.com.  Most of us take Google and Bing for granted, but it truly is a magical assistant.  Searching for content is a millennia-old task that individuals have dedicated their entire lives around.  Do you even remember having to learn the Dewey Decimal System?  Google has spoiled me.  I expect to type a single word or phrase into a text box and get back EXACTLY what I am looking for.  No Boolean operators.  No complex searches.  No.  Find what I am thinking about by looking at a single set of words.

4. Facebook.  Create a Facebook profile and reconnect with a variety of TRUSTED individuals.  Do not connect with the people that you don’t want to.  Be VERY selective of who you connect with.  Facebook has gone through a series of peaks and valleys of acceptance from most of the people that I know.  Initially, everyone was very skeptical and only accepted friend requests from people that they knew very well.  After this initial skepticism there was a period where everyone was trying to make anyone and everyone they have ever met in a grocery store checkout line a friend.  Based on the fact that everyone was everyone’s friend, most people were extremely modest in what they shared on FB.  That may be a good thing, that may be a bad thing.  Now Facebook has kind of stabilized.  I think that most people are more selective in choosing who they invite and accept as friends.  This allows a little more transparency and honesty in what is shared…  Facebook is one of the game changers on the web and has transformed how we connect.  It’s a must.

5. YouTube.  This one I was skeptical of…  Based upon the fact that 24 full hours of video are uploaded every 60 seconds, you can literally waste your entire life watching what is uploaded and NEVER catch up.  However, is there really a faster way to truly experience the full human condition of 2010 than to spend 1 hour clicking through today’s most popular vids on YouTube?

6. Amazon.  Product consumption has changed.  I don’t have to go to Kmart, Hills Department Store, Wal-mart, Sears, or even the grocery store.  I can order groceries, shoes (since they acquired Zappos), clothing, electronics, and books.  Books.  Funny that Books is the last thing I think of when I think of Amazon.  Books were the backbone of Amazon.  I’m a Kindle fanatic, yet Amazon to me means commerce and, oh yeah, books.  That said, I would recommend the Kindle Application on the laptop so that you have a reader and access to hundreds of FREE books.  Sure, purchase any books you want, but look through the free books before you start spending money on new books.

7.  Netflix.  For less than $10 a month, I can watch as many movies as I want.  YouTube is entertaining, but produced movies can be life changing and even inspiring.  Keep in mind, my relative has not seen any form of modern media for years.  Netflix doesn’t even require a laptop.  I can wait for the latest, greatest DVDs to cycle through the mail (which I do), but I can also watch hundreds of movies right now – directly on my laptop.  Even better, I can watch them on my iPad, but more about that later…

Of course, the millions of sites out there could be prioritized in any order, but other ones that I would at least highlight would be (in random order):

• Pandora
• MSN
• Wikipedia
• ebay
• Craigslist
• Twitter
• CNN

I’m curious to hear your thoughts and feedback.  What would you recommend?  What steps are missing?

Hills Department Store, Morgantown, WV.
Photo from http://www.hillsstores.com/hills_images.htm