Category Ali’s Personal Blog

Innovation. Urbytus: The Home Owners Association (Communities of property owners) web platform

In 2005 to 2007, I kept reviewing how I can improve the way things work at our Home Owners Association (HOAs as they are known in the US) or otherwise known as communities of property owners or (Comunidades de Propietarios in Spanish) and their respective management companies that ran these communities. (see what is Urbytus)

I had started working on a web service for our own community and I talked to many friends and clients about the online program I had in mind for my community and the services I could provide through it.  Some people were against the idea and others found it a wonderful idea.  Internet access, broadband and penetration was still low and smart phones were still not in everyone’s hand, but the more I talked about it, the more it was clear that this was a sector in need of change.

Protecting Your Trade Mark

The Presidents Club

 It is a thing that often most entrepreneurs forget.  It is not just about protecting your trade mark, but also making sure that you do not use someone else’s.

 Let me begin with my own story as an example.  In 2007 I embarked on a new project. I knew very well how important it was to get the naming right, have it registered and protected.  Before coming up with a product or company name, we setup about doing a six months brain storming session, while working on the project in parallel.

Did we all turn mechanics at the turn of the Industrial age? And do we all need to become coders?

I have just managed to read the article of Zach Sims, Cofounder of Codecademy in FT Weekend issue ½ November 2014.

I was kind of surprised to read that so many people believe that coding is so important. As a programmer, I don’t think coding is the important part, but rather teaching the younger generation how to use simple tools, such as word processing, spread sheets and others.  I am more amazed at the mass of undergraduates who are leaving school and haven’t got a clue how to create a simple, but well formatted letter, no idea about how to file or organize things or even calculate their expenses.  Do they need to be all coders to learn how to these basic tasks?

Moderation or Censorship? How to deal with neighbours who can’t control their language

A few months ago, I found myself in the difficult situation of needing to moderate comments.  As the founder of a communication platform for home owners and as someone who is always encouraging his clients to let people say what they want even those who bark. My platform is not without moderation either and I allow the option for the just in case and last May, I had to press the moderation button for the first time after 7 years.