The Best Business Hacks Debates of 2009
Did you notice that we added a new feature to Business Hacks in 2009? Every few weeks, Rick would wake up on the wrong side of the bed and try to debate me over some issue related to business technology. I never had to try very hard -- honestly, defeating Rick at an intellectual pursuit is like boxing a kitten -- but the results were frequently entertaining to read. I've rounded up my favorite Guy vs. Guy posts of 2009 for your reading pleasure. Check these out if you missed them the first time, or just enjoy reliving the experience.
- Shutting Down Your PC at Night: Money Saved or Productivity Lost? I thoroughly enjoyed discussing this issue both with Rick and the many readers that weighed in because it was such a tricky topic to argue dispassionately. It's really all about balancing money, productivity, and efficiency -- but there's a lot of emotion tied up in here. Enter at your own risk.
- Should We Mourn the CrunchPad? The CrunchPad is the modern day Once and Future Gadget. We tried assessing its importance in real time, as the story unfolded around us. Rick will claim I've lost because my prediction that the CrunchPad was all hype has been proven wrong. I still content that's missing the point.
- Making a Living in the New Economy Is your income potential being eroded by The Internet, cheap tech, or crowdsourcing? Mine is. I'm frustrated, but Rick is wearing his favorite rose-colored glasses again.
- What Should Users Learn From the Sidekick Data Disaster? That's the question we asked. Rick's answer: It's your fault that T-Mobile is almost criminally negligent. Nope, didn't make a lot of sense to me either. Read his insane argument and then weigh in with your own opinion.
- Cell Phone Bans: Good or Evil? Quote: "I love it when the government passes laws which restrict my personal liberties to marginally improve the welfare of a large group, measured in a statistical aggregate." I was being sarcastic. Rick wasn't. Read the verbal fireworks.
