Box has some really amazing features we’ll be rolling out in the next few months, and we’d love to test the new tools on a few (hundred?) willing participants.  If you meet the following criteria, please shoot an email to aaron@box.net and we’ll get you hooked up ASAP:

* You work in a company or organization with between 3 and 50 employees
* You have used Box for business purposes in the past
* You are able and willing to round up co-workers to test out a new feature (very little hassle)

Please make sure to email from your corporate address.

Thanks!

Aaron

Often times, making a difference just takes some good insight and a willingness to follow through on a good idea. That difference can change lives in real and positive ways. This week’s user story highlights Palo Alto, CA-based FACE AIDS. Their mission is to raise funds and awareness to fight AIDS in Rwanda, Zambia and other countries throughout Africa. The origins of FACE AIDS goes back to the experiences of three volunteers working in a Zambian refugee camp. They realized that such a small number of refugees were openly known to have HIV, while even fewer people were tested regularly for virus. Overwhelming statistics suggested that a greater number of these refugees were probably affected and needed help. So, the students started a small project to raise money that would encourage people to get tested and open up about their status. They first set a goal to sell 50,000 beaded AIDS awareness pins through colleges across America. From there, their mission expanded and FACE AIDS was born.

FACE AIDS started using Box.net last year to help in the production of educational handouts on AIDS in Africa. These materials cover such topics as AIDS orphans, access to treatment and education, food security and gender inequality. In addition, FACE AIDS uses Box.net to share documents and photos of the people they support in Rwanda and Zambia, including the “pinmakers” that are employed and receive funds and support for making FACE AIDS’ fund raising pins. Having Box gives them a more “coherent platform” for sharing content and helps them save time in the creation and distribution of their materials.

The work of FACE AIDS also supports the related efforts of former President Bill Clinton’s foundation, as well as raising funds for Partners in Health, which focuses on training community health workers, establishing new clinics and implementing health care models that support communities throughout Rwanda.

We’re incredibly honored and thrilled to support the mission of such a worthy cause.

This week’s user story features Watts Law Group P.C. & M. Stan Herring P.C., a consumer law firm based in Birmingham, Alabama. We came across a post on the firm’s blog, highlighting how they use Box.net as a digital archive for all their legal documents. I caught up with John G. Watts, one of the firm’s founding partners for a few more details.

“Lots of Paper”

Anyone familiar with the life of an attorney knows that it is filled with all kinds of paper, which can pile up pretty quickly with just one client. Multiply that by a growing volume of consumer litigation cases and the paper starts to pile up pretty high and fast. As John and Stan’s firm took on more cases and dealt with attorneys from large national firms, they wanted to scan all of their documents to make them more accessible on the go. While they evaluated their options for storing and managing these documents, a fellow attorney recommended Box.net.

Sharing is Good

Accessing files on the go? Check. Ample storage? Ditto. But where Box really shines is giving John and Stan’s firm the ability to share and exchange sensitive and confidential files with opposing counsel, wherever they happen to be. They also find Box convenient for managing documents from assistants working remotely in Birmingham, as well as outside the country. Instead of sending over hard copies of legal documents or burning and mailing CDs, the firm uses Box to share password-protected links to files and folders with their assistants and other attorneys. This not only makes the exchange of information fast and more complete, but also more secure. The exchange goes both ways, as the firm also has folders set up on Box where other attorneys can post files they need to send over. It works out well and saves everyone a lot of time.

No Objections Here…

The legal world may be steeped in long-standing traditions, but the days of sending files in real boxes or jewel case-clad CDs, at least for this firm, are over. And till this day, John and Stan have yet to receive a complaint from opposing counsel.

As for what happens after those files change hands, that could be another story…

We want to take a moment to congratulate Sen. Barack Obama on his campaign’s historic victory. We would also like to express our gratitude to Sen. John McCain for his continued courage and service. And regardless of how people voted, Americans everywhere can take pride in this achievement, the barriers that have been broken and America’s continued promise for ordinary citizens to go on and do extraordinary things.

Many of us at Box are also interested in how the next administration will respond to a whole host of issues, particularly with respect to the impact of technology on the world’s economy and environment. Exciting and new industries will change how we power our homes, cars and businesses more responsibly and provide countless new jobs to skilled and eager workers. The ongoing questions around net neutrality will be tackled. We can help level the playing fields in education, commerce and civic participation by expanding access to broadband and other technologies in rural and under-privileged areas. President-elect Obama has even suggested the appointment of America’s first Chief Technology Officer to bring the full weight of the Executive branch to these and other issues.

As we continue to innovate and make our own contributions, Box.net holds a hopeful and optimistic outlook for the future and the renewed engagement of citizens everywhere. Congratulations, America.