175: Sifting Through Sierra

Recorded September 27,, 2016

We are sponsored this week byGruntwork by Mac-MSP. 

Gruntwork is the ultimate managed service package for you and your clients. "Think of what you would do when trying to solve a user’s support request: run a disk verification utility. Run permission repair. Update the affected software to the latest version. With Gruntwork, those chores have already been accomplished. Your time spent troubleshooting issues is greatly reduced when the common maladies are already ruled out. Better yet, Gruntwork prevents many common problems, so the Mac just works and you can focus on higher level tasks for your client." 

Find out more at - http://mac-msp.com/gruntwork and tell them CCP sent you.

TOPICS:

Web Design:
RapidWeaver - https://realmacsoftware.com/rapidweaver/
SquareSpace - https://www.squarespace.com
Wix - http://www.wix.com
Logo Design:
http://www.designcrowd.com
https://99designs.com

Mailing Lists:
http://mailchimp.com
https://www.campaignmonitor.com

Belight Business Card Composer - http://www.belightsoft.com

IT Asset Management - MonkeyBox
https://monkeybox.com

Online MDM Solution
https://www.bushel.com

Alfred - Productivity App for Mac OS X
https://www.alfredapp.com

• from Ars Technica Sierra review: "Apple told us it would continue to offer an upgrade path to older Macs that stop at El Capitan but haven't yet been upgraded for whatever reason. While the installer will disappear from the public Mac App Store, anyone without the El Capitan installer already in their purchase history will be able to add it via an Apple support page."

• GateKeeper removes the option to allow apps from "Anywhere" in System Preferences, but the option is still available on the Command Line (sudo spctl --master-disable), or individual apps can still be opened using right-click and then choosing "Open" as before; does the removal of the "Anywhere" option portend a gradual deprecation of the ability to open unsigned apps at all?
• to turn off the new Universal Clipboard feature in macOS Sierra, disable Handoff in System Preferences > General; no way to turn off Universal Clipboard but keep Handoff
Remote access for business users or teams
http://www.splashtop.com

Alfred - Productivity App for Mac OS X
https://www.alfredapp.com

How to Disable Gatekeeper and Allow Apps From Anywhere in macOS Sierra
https://www.tekrevue.com/tip/gatekeeper-macos-sierra/

• Apple Watch unlock is in Security & Privacy; requires 2-factor authentication on Apple ID; requires Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11ac Wi-Fi

SAMUEL VALENCIA - TEAM V | 2016 TCS NEW YORK CITY MARATHON

Team V is the official endurance fundraising program for The V Foundation for Cancer Research. 
http://www.jimmyv.org
https://www.crowdrise.com/samuel-teamv/

163: The Preparedness Mindset with Shelley Watson of Wheelwrights

Recorded June 14, 2016

SAMUEL VALENCIA - TEAM V | 2016 TCS NEW YORK CITY MARATHON

Team V is the official endurance fundraising program for The V Foundation for Cancer Research. http://www.jimmyv.org

https://www.crowdrise.com/samuel-teamv/

- Enjoy Command Control Power and want more commercial free programs? Please visit our Patreon Page where you can support Command Control Power and help us bring you more commercial free programming.

Thanks to all our Contributors: 

Kevin Ginger, kGinger Consulting - Weldon Dodd - Rewind Tech -Mats Schwieger - envision design, llc - Adam Rice -  Daniel Escobar, Proactechs - JD Strong, Strong Solutions - Luis Giraldo, Ook and MonkeyBox

And thanks to our other wonderful supporters who chose to donate without any reward.

TOPIC:

This week we welcome back Shelley Watson of Wheelwrights, LLC of Seattle, Washington.

Shelley Watson is currently Managing Partner at Wheelwrights, started in 2007 with Chris Dawe, to provide technology services including strategic planning, implementation, and support to business and education clients in Western Washington. An Apple consultant and trainer since 1997, Shelley’s past activities include working on curriculum development teams for Apple, and as an Apple Certified Trainer. Shelley earned her degree in Psychology from the University of California, never realizing it would be perfect for a career in IT.

In this episode, Shelley discuses her recent participation in Cascadia Rising, a Joint FEMA-OEM Catastrophic Earthquake and Tsunami Functional Exercise June 2016. She also discusses the benefits of participating in Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) training. 

Find Shelley on Twitter-  @1technodiva

161: Husbands and Wives Who Work Together -Proactechs & Waples Networks

Recorded June 9, 2016

- Enjoy Command Control Power and want more commercial free programs? Please visit our Patreon Page where you can support Command Control Power and help us bring you more commercial free programming.

Thanks to all our Contributors: 

Kevin Ginger, kGinger Consulting - Weldon Dodd - Rewind Tech -Mats Schwieger - envision design, llc - Adam Rice -  Daniel Escobar, Proactechs - JD Strong, Strong Solutions - Luis Giraldo, Ook and MonkeyBox

And thanks to our other wonderful supporters who chose to donate without any reward.

TOPIC:

This show features Matthew and Sabrina Waples of Waples Networks in Dallas TX along with Daniel Escobar and Valeria Colimodio of Proactechs in Miami Beach, FL.

Matthew and Sabrina Waples

Valeria Colimodio and Daniel Escobar

We discuss the delicate balance and challenges that couples face when they work together in a business environment.

It was a fun topic and we hope you enjoy!

094: Remind me on a website

Recorded on March 17, 2015

This week's show has been brought to you by the fine folks at Backblaze: Online Backup Made Easy. Visit Backblaze.com/ccp to sign up for their Partner Program and ask for your free license of Backblaze. Try Backblaze and see just how great it is!

Topics:

- Joe thinks Reminders should have the ability to remind me "on a website" (in addition to "on a day" and "at a location"). How great would it be to be reminded when you end up on Amazon or MonoPrice that you need some cable or whatever?

- Apple engineer explains how the new MacBook came to be

- Jerry's funny wifi story

- Sam's Apple Store saga: cracked screen, poorly seated memory, failed migration; seltzer (goes well with sushi – see also: non-alcoholic beer)

- Joe's client attempted a self-directed email server migration at noon on a Wednesday; see also: Episode 077: Trust No One, Yoseminite Sam in regards to a serious permissions issue caused by a prior consultant

- Sam's client turned off Time Machine, but Backblaze saved the day

- Jerry reminds us of Bender, which saved the day for his client

- Joe's CCC praise: migrating to new SSD in new machine, Carbon Copy Cloner identifies drives across reboots, and across different startup disks

- Sam encounters (and solves – remotely) "unapproved caller: SecurityAgent may only be invoked by Apple software"

- Joe teases an upcoming segment about upgrading a client's van

086: Apple Store Goes Above and Beyond

- Joe's Apple Store followup: they fixed it!

- project-based billing considerations

- writing proposals, including an onsite followup to give the client (and consultant) a level of comfort that any unforeseen issues can be resolved because you're standing by

- clients taking your well-designed proposal with specifications and shopping around to other consultants

085: Apple Store Jumps Over the Moon

Recorded on January 13, 2015

Joe brings an iMac into the local Apple Store for repair.

Next show: the exciting conclusion!

075: Hey Siri

Pre-recorded on November 4, 2014

This week's show has been brought to you by the good folks at Blue Mango Learning Systems, makers of Clarify.  Visit Clarify-It.com to download a free trial of Clarify, and start creating how-to's and instructional documents today – and help others be great.  Use coupon code CCPSENTME for 15% off

- Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 Dual Band WiFi Gigabit Router saves the day... wait – what?!

- how to use Hey Siri feature without being connected to power

- how to use Speak Screen feature: Settings > General > Accessibility > Speech and then toggle on Speak Screen. Speak Screen is only available for devices running iOS 8 or higher.

- Jerry's Windows Migration Assistant woes

- Apple Store Stories: they don't check migrated data – anecdotal, or corporate policy?

- we wonder why the mainstream press hasn't paid more attention to the decreasing repairability of the Mac mini

- we address a pressing question from listener Gannon Nordberg: @CmdCtrlpwr I’d love to hear what you guys think about eating meals when onsite with a client. Also, business customer vs. residential

- client foibles: upper caps and lower caps; small caps; x-ing out; UBS port; closing everything when we connect remotely

062: Mac Repairs - The Agony and The Ecstasy

Recorded on July 31, 2014; aired on August 5, 2014

Followup from Dave Provine: How to Restart SMB automatically on Mavericks Server

Liquid Spills - Mircro Replay - 

Tools We Use - Tools that we can’t live Without
8" Straight & Curved Hemostat http://amzn.to/1qXedhv
Magnetic Projet Mat - https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/Magnetic-Project-Mat/IF145-167
iFixit 54 Bit Driver Kit https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/54-Bit-Driver-Kit/IF145-022
Wiha - Wiha 26099 - Screwdriver Set, Slotted, 8Pc 1-4mm Bonus Pack http://amzn.to/1qXcOax
iMac Screen Removal - FastCap HOD-DOUBLE Handle On Demand - http://amzn.to/V2fdSp

http://www.PowerBookMed.com
http://www.iFixit.com

Data Recovery - Driver Savers Partner Program

What repairs you regularly do. 
What repairs you won’t do and why.
Apple Store repair experiences
Depot Experiences
Out of warranty satisfaction repairs
Weirdest Repairs

053: Toxic Hellstew

Recorded live June 3, 2014

Tim Cook quoting Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, ZDNet: "With vulnerabilities such as Heartbleed and Pileup likely to go unpatched on tens, if not hundreds of millions of Android devices, the platform is fast becoming a toxic hellstew that should send chills down the spines of IT admins."

Yosemite and iOS 8 initial impressions

How the OS X Beta Program will affect us as Apple consultants; expect overzealous clients to call for help troubleshooting issues with pre-release software

Family Sharing looks great for home users, but still no way to migrate purchases or merge Apple IDs

Sam reports that AirDrop works between Yosemite and iOS 7

Joe reports that Apple Store is no longer accepting machines at the Genius Bar using "Quick Drop"

Jerry reports that Genius Bar has been lenient when accepting machines from consultants on behalf of clients; no signed letter needed

Difficulty offering help as a Consultant in the Apple Store; would be nice if Apple would more readily refer clients to us as they tend to be thrilled when they eventually do find us

Joe had fun configuring an Automator workflow for a client referred (eventually) by the Apple Store

The Craig Federighi Show from Jonathan Mann

046: Secret Out-of-Band Show

Recorded on April 9, 2014

This week we are pleased to be sponsored by Drobo.  Check out DroboStore.com and use coupon code CCP50 for $50 off the Drobo 5D or Drobo 5N.

Topics:

- Heartbleed; more resources: Heartbleed Hit List, Bruce Schneier, Ars Technica, CloudFlare, NetCraft

- Windows XP End of Life; Laplink PCmover ($60) can help migrate from Windows XP; to keep XP machines running or not?

- referring clients to the Apple Store and asking them to drop your name; providing written recommendations for clients to take into the store; introducing a client to a representative in the store

- iNet, great network scanning utility recommended by Joe

038: Weather Permitting

Recorded live February 18, 2014

Topics:

- Jerry receives a call from the brother of Samantha West

- Joe recommends the SanDisk Extreme 64 GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive for diagnostic drives because it's extremely fast and reliable; SanDisk finally announced a fast 128 GB version: SanDisk Extreme PRO® USB 3.0 Flash Drive; some non-spammy reviews from Tom's Hardware and The Wirecutter

- use FileWave Lightning to automate creating our diagnostic partitions?

- Sam recommends the Skooba Design Cable Stable DLX, originally recommended by Ryan Powell in the chat

- Sam explores TeenSafe for iOS security and parental controls; see also OpenDNS, Intego Family Protector, and Spector

035: Interview with Mike Kingsley, Kingsley MacConsulting

Interview recorded January 21, 2014; Intro recorded on January 28, 2014

Intro:

- testing Mavericks Server; being Client 0

- using Profile Manager to easily configure CalDAV, CardDAV, VPN services; Sam's trick to save a profile without a user name

- the trial and error of troubleshooting a server leads to uncertainty

- using authrestart to bypass FileVault 2 on next restart; installing software updates that require a restart now does this automatically

- force quitting fsck to allow mounting a drive that was failing to mount, even read-only, after letting fsck complete

- using the "security" command to read the contents of the user's keychain

Interview:

- Mike started his consulting practice in 2004, a great year for Apple

- first computer was an Apple IIe in 1984

- Apple Store has been great source of referrals; helps to think of Apple as a partner, and promote their services like AppleCare and JointVenture

- JointVenture can be a great supplement to help from Apple consultants

- first job was working at Disneyland; customer service was ingrained in the culture and top quality; out of five day training for new hires, three days are purely customer service; helps with consulting: owning issues, taking responsibility; e.g., customer drops ice cream cone, and employee walks customer over to the ice cream stand to facilitate the resolution; how to deal with people who are upset, hearing both sides; if you can't help, who can? 

030: Interview with Ryan Powell of iLifestyle Consulting, plus Bonus Rants

Recorded live on December 10, 2013

Topics:

- special guest Ryan Powell of iLifestyle Consulting discusses some cloud-hosted apps he uses to help run his consulting practice

- looking at the per seat recurring/subscription pricing models of cloud software as a predictable cost of doing business

- Work(etc)

- Wufoo for forms

- LiveChat for website live chat

- RingCentral for phone system

- Highrise for CRM

- Basecamp for Project Management

- Echosign for agreement signatures

- Timely for scheduling and automatic appointment reminders

- Xero for accounting

- Zendesk for support

- Mailchimp for email marketing

- HootSuite for social media

- Google Apps for email hosting

- Robot Cloud for client monitoring and policy management

Plus:

- Joe's rant about Yahoo Small Business

- Joe's rant about Apple Store

003: The ACN Office - marketing, finding clients, working with AppleCare, the Apple Store

Episode three of Command-Control-power features a wide-ranging conversation with Joe, Sam, and Jerry discussing the topic of The ACN Office.

Topics: 

• marketing to existing clients, incentivizing referrals vs. mass marketing to public; relative quality of leads
• Constant Contact, MailChimp, My Emma, Campaign Monitor
• sticking with what you know vs. "the devil you don't know"; clients also trust a known entity
• finding clients, never having needed to seek out clients before now
• PR; marketing
• press releases in local publications; working with non-profits to get one's name out
• OnForce vs. ACN
• Intro to Business at the Apple Store presentation includes an ACN slide; tip from Apple Store Business Manager
• retail turnover in the Apple Store, especially in the Business Team
• tip from local Apple Store about increasing ACN referrals
• working harder to get new business?
• "Sales"
• Managed Services vs. Break/Fix
  
• revenue streams; recurring fees
• Wellness Visits, i.e. preventive maintenance
• running a managed offsite backup service using CrashPlan
• offering email and web hosting services
• RackSpace offices in San Antonio, a former mall
• recurring revenue streams, no matter how small; residuals
  
• benefit of referrals from Apple Store; clients feel Apple endorses us
• a day in the life of an ACN
• next week: Live from Advanced Camp!

Mentions

Craig Cohen (@ccohen), Arek Dreyer (@arekdreyer), Ben Greisler (@magikben).