This screencast is about a way to have a computer based messaging system using tools you may already have and then using the free version of Dropbox to implement it.  I did a test with it and thought it was very useful.  I would use it myself but – all the secretaries are gone.  I used to have three of them.  Only one of them was really worth anything but that is another story for another day.  All of them are gone now.  I have been running things solo for several years now and really prefer it.  I could occasionally use someone to answer the phone but as far the work goes, I have to check it so closely and be involved in the editing process so much that it is really quicker for me just to do it myself.  Also, as I mentioned, it probably has as much to do with the quality of secretaries that I had as anything.  I am considering utilizing a service called Ruby Receptionist that operates as a virtual receptionist.  I have heard good things and will give it a try soon hopefully.  But I digress….

Here it is – my first screencast —

Update – After a critique by my wife – who is probably the most kind, gentle and compassionate person I know and who never wants to offend anyone or make them feel bad about their efforts – and her words were something to the effect of  “it’s slow, rambling and painful to watch and if it wasn’t you, I would have clicked away by now”.  I realized that it was a bit more lame than I had thought.  I have taken it down until I redo it.  If it was bad enough to elicit that kind of reaction from Joyce, then it’s pretty bad.

Update #2 – I have completed version 2 of the video.  I can probably still do a little better,  However, I think that this one is at least 35% less painful to watch as the first one.  We will have to see what the wife says – so watch it quick before she “critiques it” and I take it down again.