Alex Sirota

Alex Sirota is the Founder of the Toronto-based IT consultancy eBugz.com. His technical expertise, product management experience, and sales/marketing know-how let him get into the heads of Internet users everywhere and the companies marketing to them. In 10 years online, he's seen nearly every cockamamie idea out there. Got a rant or rave? The

Spam of the Times - There is definitely something to learn from the prevailing attitudes of the opt-in as well as unsolicited bulk-mail community. Even the best email marketers can fail or succeed. May 25, 2001

Email Marketing Is a Seven-Year-Old Child - If you have ever brought up a child, you know that a seven-year-old is not terribly experienced in the ways of the world. So let's not be too hard on ourselves. The Internet is just starting to grow up -- it hasn't even reached puberty yet. May 11, 2001

The Curmudgeon's Hierarchy of Net Needs - Remember Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs from psychology class? Now there's the Curmudgeon's Hierarchy of Net Needs. Think of it as a way to shape your email marketing program. May 4, 2001

Information Wants to Be Free? - "Information wants to be free." Last time the Curmudgeon checked, information hadn't actually voiced this preference. But never mind that. Sometimes the best things in life -- including life on the Web -- aren't free. Or shouldn't be. Apr 27, 2001

What's the Best Way to Can Spam? - Divert it, filter it, quarantine it, duck it. Still spam gets through. How to can it? Maybe it's time to charge for it. Apr 20, 2001

After the Fall - So you lost your dot-com job. What to do now? Well, once you get tired of wringing your hands and the baristas won't float you any more half-caf caramel macchiatos, you've got a lot of options. So read on, and buck up! Apr 6, 2001

A New Niche for IT - If you're in the IT business, you know what the market slowdown has meant: Cool technologies are just sitting around collecting dust. But there are customers out there who would love to get what you've got -- you've just got to get to them. Mar 30, 2001

The Curmudgeon's Customer-Service Debacle - Customer service is not just a cost of doing business. It should set your business apart. Listen to your customers, record their interactions, and make sure your systems are auditable and regularly reviewed. Mar 23, 2001

The Realities of Email Marketing - Taking a cue from reality television, the curmudgeon sweeps some reality into email marketing by pointing to the issues that are fast becoming best practices. Don't get kicked off your island, and take notice. Mar 16, 2001

The Shape of Killer Apps to Come - The hype vacuum: You can feel it in the air, in the email ether. What was once widely present is now weirdly absent. So where's the next killer app when you need it? Mar 9, 2001