Well, hello there. You may have noticed The VAR Guy’s website has a new look and feel — giving you a sleeker, easier-to-navigate site. Our resident blogger (and the usual cast of characters) are still here. Same attitude. Same commitment to crashing the best channel events. Same outcome (double-secret probation). So who exactly is The VAR Guy and what can expect from this re-designed website? Here are 7 clues worth investigating.

7. Hidden Identity: The VAR Guy’s true identity has never been revealed. He somehow carries a passport and mingles with the industry’s top channel chiefs. Just don’t ask him to share his real name — if he has one…

6. Endless Road Trips: The VAR Guy tracks the world’s top 100 channel partner conferences (http://www.thevarguy.com/events). You’ll even find him reporting live from channel events across the globe — assuming he isn’t sidetracked at a theme park, concert or stadium.

5. Bad Movie References: Surely everyone enjoys a few classic Hollywood lines mixed into the blog chatter. And don’t call me Shirley.

4. Bait and Switch Headlines: Or did you miss The VAR Guy’s Sexiest Men, Women of the IT Channel survey?

3. We’ll Link to Anyone: Even Computer Reseller News Magazine (er, CRN.com) if we absolutely have to. 

2. All in the Family: The VAR Guy originally blogged for a range of sites. But Nine Lives Media gave him his own dedicated website in January 2008. (Has it been that long?) This latest site re-launch was managed by Penton Media — which acquired Nine Lives Media in August 2011. Special thanks to Matt Tulloch and the other Penton IT team leaders who gave The VAR Guy’s site a complete overhaul.

1. Attitude: The channel can be a little dry. Partner programs can be, um, predictable. Platinum, gold, silver. Yada, yada, yada. Instead of stating the obvious, The VAR Guy will continue to ask the diffiult questions — while also poking around for stories that most media sites overlook.

The VAR Guy hopes you enjoy the site’s new look and feel. Thanks for continuing the journey with our resident blogger.