thefutureissimple
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Hasta la Vista XP... NOT!
After hearing so much about the new Microsoft Vista, I've been a little resistant to bring it into my workplace, as making a change to a new operating system is a masochistic move that can only bring on additional pain and suffering. Mind you, I am not talking about a huge company with limitless resources and a dedicated support staff. No, we are a small company of professionals who depend on technology each and every day to get our things done, and the move to a new operating system that is basically unproven, delivered from a company infamous for security issues, sub-standard customer care and comprised of a convoluted usability interface is not something to look forward to. So we've not really paid it much mind.
Until last night.
I tried Windows Vista for the first time last night. The truth is, I was asked for help from my sister, who was having computer problems. When I offered to help, I was unaware that her computer was running the new OS. At first I was a little excited... I mean come on, its a new OS that Microsoft has been raving about for so long. It was almost, like that feeling one get when one is about to open a present.
So I played for about 5 minutes. Granted, it was not a long time, but I did get a basic feel for the system. In short, its the polished but slightly retarded cousin of Windows XP. In essence, Vista is the operating system that XP should have been... if it had wanted to be 'cooler' but slower and more annoying.
The truth is, I was utterly disappointed. I guess I knew I might feel this way, which might be why I had not had any desire to seek it out and play with it at all. While playing with Vista, on a computer that is arguably twice as good as the one that I use daily, I felt as if I had taken two steps back into the dark ages. The responsiveness of the system seems to have been tuned to give the impression of speed, when in reality it is as sluggish as can be. The start button and a few other key elements have been tweaked to be ultra responsive, but in essence I felt I was waiting longer for programs to start and load. Closing programs on the other hand was kind cool, as they disappear with a 'cool' effect, though looking at the system processes, the reality is simply that they get out of your way quicker, but are still closing in the background.
It is with all this in mind that my decision to not upgrade to Vista has been validated. In the end, I've already gone ahead and made a decision to wait for the next version of Apple's OSX, and simply migrate to Macs instead of the next version of Vista. The reason for this decision is simple... as a small business (or even as an individual), there is not enough time (or desire) to be continuously fussing around with security patches, system updates, anti-piracy registrations, and all the other overhead that comes along with running PC's. In short, the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) is pretty high with Microsoft products, something that is almost the opposite of the Apple products which I have tested and/or played with.
At the end of the day, it is also a leap of faith, and my faith in Apple has been earned, while my faith in Microsoft is almost expected - unfortunately, it is no longer there.... so all I have to say is Hasta la Vista, Vista!
Until last night.
I tried Windows Vista for the first time last night. The truth is, I was asked for help from my sister, who was having computer problems. When I offered to help, I was unaware that her computer was running the new OS. At first I was a little excited... I mean come on, its a new OS that Microsoft has been raving about for so long. It was almost, like that feeling one get when one is about to open a present.
So I played for about 5 minutes. Granted, it was not a long time, but I did get a basic feel for the system. In short, its the polished but slightly retarded cousin of Windows XP. In essence, Vista is the operating system that XP should have been... if it had wanted to be 'cooler' but slower and more annoying.
The truth is, I was utterly disappointed. I guess I knew I might feel this way, which might be why I had not had any desire to seek it out and play with it at all. While playing with Vista, on a computer that is arguably twice as good as the one that I use daily, I felt as if I had taken two steps back into the dark ages. The responsiveness of the system seems to have been tuned to give the impression of speed, when in reality it is as sluggish as can be. The start button and a few other key elements have been tweaked to be ultra responsive, but in essence I felt I was waiting longer for programs to start and load. Closing programs on the other hand was kind cool, as they disappear with a 'cool' effect, though looking at the system processes, the reality is simply that they get out of your way quicker, but are still closing in the background.
It is with all this in mind that my decision to not upgrade to Vista has been validated. In the end, I've already gone ahead and made a decision to wait for the next version of Apple's OSX, and simply migrate to Macs instead of the next version of Vista. The reason for this decision is simple... as a small business (or even as an individual), there is not enough time (or desire) to be continuously fussing around with security patches, system updates, anti-piracy registrations, and all the other overhead that comes along with running PC's. In short, the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) is pretty high with Microsoft products, something that is almost the opposite of the Apple products which I have tested and/or played with.
At the end of the day, it is also a leap of faith, and my faith in Apple has been earned, while my faith in Microsoft is almost expected - unfortunately, it is no longer there.... so all I have to say is Hasta la Vista, Vista!
Labels: Apple, microsoft, OS, Small Biz, software, TCO, Vista
¶ 10/04/2007 08:43:00 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Web 2.1 - iPhone Strategy Revealed
The iPhone will be the spark that ignites a change in how we live, work and play. Many will follow, much will change, leaders will come and go... there is just so much about to happen. This is all very exciting....
For those who might not see this as clearly as I do, I'm happy to outline the strategic moves made by Apple, in what will surly be a monumental and eye-opening event - the beginning of the Web 2.1 revolution. I shall do my best to explain, but unless you've been following Apple/Google/Microsoft at least a little, then some of this might be a little vague.
The iPhone is a Trojan horse for the next revolution of the Internet. More than a phone, it is your portable computing platform. It will a full-fledged version of OS X. It will be connected 24/7 to the Internet. It will be able to synchronize all your information with your Mac (via .mac account), which will be available on your home or work computer - Mac and Windows (via Safari for Windows). It will allow you to use any HDTV as a large PC screen (via Apple TV). In short, you will not only be online everywhere all the time, but you will be connected to your computing environment everywhere, or rather - your will become your computing environment.
same old stuff... the Apple iPhone will no doubt be a revolutionary device and should it have been any other company that announced such a device, we would also marvel at the unique features and unique approach, but this was not just any other company, it was Apple. Steve Jobs, as most of you know, has always been very secretive about announcing products ahead of time. So what's changed? I'm beginning to believe that nothing has really changed, rather that the 'big announcements' about the iPhone have yet to be made. We feel like we know so much, but in reality we have only a handful of hardware specs and a few glimpses at some software. Pretty mundane stuff to be honest... snazzy, but nothing revolutionary.
wireless everywhere... the iPhone will allow users to be connected to the Internet at all times... but there is more. A lot more. Everyone has been so focused on how it can connect to the web (Bluetooth and WiFi) that they have neglected that the iPhone will probably be able to connect to and control a wide scope of crazy devices... some of which might not even yet exist: mini keyboards, cars, computers, home theater systems, home lighting/security systems.
OS X in your pocket... this is probably one of the most interesting, and glossed over, details about the iPhone; one that provides a wealth of opportunities and possibilities. If you imagine that the iPhone will be your portable mini-Mac, that will allow you to have the ability to boot from any PC into your portable, but full version of OS X, which will no doubt be online and fully synchronized with any machine you prefer... work or home. With an iPhone in your pocket, which has a 'Full version' of OS X on board, is it really any stretch of the imagination that you will be able to use your FULL OS X somehow? Why is it that no information on the processor has been released?
the .mac daddy!... taking the above idea one step further, Apple no doubt plans to utilize their soon to be updated .mac service as the conduit for all your information - including backups from Time Machine. In essence, you will always have your computing environment with you, along with your documents, photos, videos, backups... everything... with you... everywhere!
the revolution will be televised... why is the Apple TV being sold so cheaply? To make it affordable enough that people will want to snap one up for every HDTV in their homes or office. So the Apple iPhone will be able to hook up to any Apple TV and display any movies, photos or video... not too shabby. But wait. There is more. Much more. With the Apple TV and the iPhone, would you not be able to utilize the full HDTV to actually pull up some OS X apps and start playing or working?
demographics... the PC industry is no longer a single market, but rather made up of multiple different niches, identical to the automotive markets. Apple has proven itself to have the style of Ferrari, the engineering of Mercedes and the foresight and strategic vision of
advertising, advertising, advertising.... who do advertisers want to target? They want the people who can afford to buy an iPhone, all the Web 2.0 stuff will be pretty easy... and will probably get a little over hyped in the beginning, but the bottom line is - I'll bet - that there will soon be a new online advertising model coming from Apple/Google in which the revenues generated by the advertising (opt-in most likely) will be split by both companies, but in the end, will also greatly benefit the advertisers of this particular demographic - those willing to plop down $600 on a shiny new phone.
this Steve Jobs is a moron...not! given all the little details that might have a buyer reject the idea of buying the brand spanking new gizmo/cel phone, it should be clear that Steve Jobs has a little something extra up his sleeves that will help entice folks to trade in their mundane digital lives for a shiny new, Apple branded one... Lets face it, Steve Jobs has never let the cat out of the bag this early, practically placing the entire credibility of the company on the line... for 'just a phone', I don't think so.
and now Apple does hype... as this is the first time that Apple has really let the hype machine go into full gear, it is worth keeping in mind that this is the first time ever. This is so incredibly out of character and has so drastically overshadowed everything else that they have been doing that there are really only two possible explanations... Option 1) Apple has broken away from its winning formula and decided to hype the heck out of the iPhone in a desperate attempt to win customers at the expense of years of ingrained tradition... or Option 2) They have continued their tradition of being secretive and we have only seen the tip of the iceberg. Should option 2 be correct, which I believe it to be, then the fact of the matter is that they have only told us what they want us to know, given us enough to keep us salivating while questioning their intelligence of putting their future credibility on the line.
this is not a case of comparing apples to Apple.... Apple does not compete, they surpass. They have vision. They have resources. They have credibility. They have "cojones". To believe that this is not a small piece in a much larger strategy is almost ignorant to a fault. Looking at the landscape of technology, it is clear that Apple has no interest in being in the phone market, or at least not the phone market as it exists today... Apple is looking to reshape the computing industry NOT the telecommunications industry (that will be just a side effect), so please stop comparing the iPhone to regular phones.
The pieces fit way to well for it to be a coincidence. I can see this going two was... I'm wrong, in which case Apple is launching 'just a phone', which will be disappointing... but still fun to play with. If I'm right, I'll be replacing my PC's very soon. If I am right, the iPhone will be the catalyst for a new generation of computing and business paradigms, many of which have yet to be dreamt. Though check back on my blog often and I'll be happy to give you my two cents worth on it.
Please keep in mind that these are simply my opinions on the situation, but if you'll look carefully at the pieces of the puzzle - they fit, way too well. I have always believed in a lifestyle that is beyond digital, it is simply a lifestyle - be yourself, let the technology remain in the background doing its job and not getting in the way. This is the promise I see and that I think everyone is beginning to 'feel'.
Please note that I do not work for Apple or Google (who is deeply entrenched in this strategy), though if either firm would like to hire me, I'd be willing to entertain any offers. :-)
My friends, we live in a very exciting time... we'll talk on Monday and see what happens.
/ps
Labels: Apple, Cel Phones, hardware, misc, networking, OS, software, webware
¶ 6/26/2007 09:39:00 PM 1 comments
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
The Palm Foleo
Personally I'm thrilled about the idea.
I've just come across what is arguably one of the greatest departures from the main-stream that I have seen in a long time. The Foleo is simple, sleek and just the right size to carry around for those moments when a simple laptop would do nicely. It has a 10inch screen, a full sized keyboard and has all the basic tools that you need for getting down to business.
Personally I'm thrilled about the idea.
The reviews however, have been less than kind. Most 'analysts' have slamed the Foleo as being too simple and wondering why the company has gone in this direction rather than creating a full-fledged Linux powered laptop.
My take on this however is very different. I love this concept. Personally, one of the things I've loved about Plam is the instant on/off, with all the basic tools you need to get down to business - without all the distractions, lag time and complications of a full-fledged PC... and with a 5 hour battery life (which with Palm, I acctually belive).
I think that Palm has really hit on something here. This is NOT meant to be a laptop replacement, rather a companion to your smartphone - which from the sound of what I have read so far, should work with non-Palm smartphones too. As a companion, it is substantially lighter (2lbs, I belive) and able to tackle the basic office documents, web browsing and emailing; which as a business tool is EXACTLY what I need - nothing more, nothing less.
In fact, I'm so happy with my Palm Treo, that I no longer feel compelled to carry around a laptop everywhere I go... this however makes me realize that from time to time, it is a necesary evil.... until the Foleo comes out I mean.
I know nothing about the specs of the device, but then again, I know nothing about the hardware of the Treo, all I do know is that it works. Thats all I really care about. And if the Foleo has the same pedigrie as the Treo, I will be very happy.
I see the Foleo as the perfect tool for sitting anywhere jotting down a quick email, ideas or whatever.... QUICKLY. Instant on means (if I understood this correctly), that in exactly 2 minutes, I could turn it on, send out a few emails, check my Facebook account, pay for my coffee, hit the off button and be on my way. With a 'real' PC, I would not even be able to boot it up, consistly over time, that quickly. This is one atractive feature. One DAMN ATTRACTIVE feature. Oh yeah - for presentations, it has a plug to conect directly to a TV - sweet.
In short, I'd rather pay $500 for the Foleo, than for some bargain basement PC that will be twice as heavy and will require me to wait and wait between turning on, off, etc.... Oh yeah... and this device will probably NOT be obsolete in a year.
I remember seeing a device like this many years ago - it was a windows device, and back then I could see the wonderful possibilities... though back then it was a little ahead of its time; but today with the prevalance of smartphones, bluetooth and wifi - well the time is right indeed.
Labels: Cel Phones, hardware, Linux, misc, Palm, Reviews
¶ 6/12/2007 09:40:00 AM 0 comments
Monday, June 04, 2007
Hello, this is Microsoft, please bend over...
Ok, I'm quite upset at the moment. After a few months of getting a message that my Windows Media Player was out of date, I decided to bite the bullet and download the new version... despite what problems that might bring. I figured that they must have some snazzy improvements - or at the very least, would get rid of that darn message every time I want to watch a video.
I'd like to tell you that everything worked out for the best. I'd like to tell you that everything went smoothly. I'd like to tell you that I'm very happy with the new version. But I can't.
I'm really not in the mood to go into many of the details, but I'll just sum up by telling Microsoft one simple thing... THIS VERSION OF WINDOWS IS INDEED GENUINE!!!!!
I'm very upset. I bought a Gateway a few years back and have been using it for simple computing, video watching and web surfing... that’s about it. I've been tempted to install Linux, but quite frankly could not be bothered... Windows was working fine. Mind you I have the OEM RESTORE CD that came with the PC... but now Microsoft claims that this copy of Windows is not genuine. Bastards! Seriously.
So what do I do now? Well, the way I see it, I have three options.... 1)Try to resolve this with the wonderful folks at Microsoft... 2)Find a crack / work-around to the problem... or 3)Install Linux. The irony is that all three options would probably take an equal amount of time and effort. So what do I do now?
Quite frankly I'm looking at the situation and realizing the irony of it all... Microsoft has spent so much time and effort policing their crappy software, that they are actually driving their clients away. Perhaps a few years ago it was a different case, in which the majority of users really did not have much of an option due to experience or confidence, but today... it’s as easy as downloading a file, burning a CD and turning on the computer.... THAT’S IT.
Geeeeeeeeeeee.... I wonder which option I will choose. Oh yeah, the one that will NOT cause me more problems and headaches in the future. Plus, since Linux is obviously going to be 'the' next OS, I might as well start learning it now. Can't be worse than Windows 3.1, or even DOS... both of which I had struggled through in the past, and let me tell you... the limited exposure I've had to Linux (Ubuntu and xubuntu) has been a lot better than those 'good old days' of computing.
Ok. Fine. That was easy. I now know what to do... install Linux. It takes care of partitioning and everything, so I can keep my Windows until I can transfer all the files and get rid of the old crap...
BTW - while writing this I looked at the Windows 'help' (haha) page regarding the "Genuine Windows Validation'... first off, not much help. Second of all, is gives you 'all' the scenarios in which you’re PC could have 'failed' he test... with one exception - a false positive... or as I am seeing it - MICROSOFT IS WRONG! Well, I guess I must be wrong, cause apparently Microsoft could never be.
Well, on the bright side, I guess I have to thank Microsoft for laying out the red carpet for my journey to Linux. Bye bye Microsoft, hello free-stable-faster Linux. Wait a moment... why had I not done this before? ¶ 6/04/2007 09:38:00 PM 1 comments
I'd like to tell you that everything worked out for the best. I'd like to tell you that everything went smoothly. I'd like to tell you that I'm very happy with the new version. But I can't.
I'm really not in the mood to go into many of the details, but I'll just sum up by telling Microsoft one simple thing... THIS VERSION OF WINDOWS IS INDEED GENUINE!!!!!
I'm very upset. I bought a Gateway a few years back and have been using it for simple computing, video watching and web surfing... that’s about it. I've been tempted to install Linux, but quite frankly could not be bothered... Windows was working fine. Mind you I have the OEM RESTORE CD that came with the PC... but now Microsoft claims that this copy of Windows is not genuine. Bastards! Seriously.
So what do I do now? Well, the way I see it, I have three options.... 1)Try to resolve this with the wonderful folks at Microsoft... 2)Find a crack / work-around to the problem... or 3)Install Linux. The irony is that all three options would probably take an equal amount of time and effort. So what do I do now?
Quite frankly I'm looking at the situation and realizing the irony of it all... Microsoft has spent so much time and effort policing their crappy software, that they are actually driving their clients away. Perhaps a few years ago it was a different case, in which the majority of users really did not have much of an option due to experience or confidence, but today... it’s as easy as downloading a file, burning a CD and turning on the computer.... THAT’S IT.
Geeeeeeeeeeee.... I wonder which option I will choose. Oh yeah, the one that will NOT cause me more problems and headaches in the future. Plus, since Linux is obviously going to be 'the' next OS, I might as well start learning it now. Can't be worse than Windows 3.1, or even DOS... both of which I had struggled through in the past, and let me tell you... the limited exposure I've had to Linux (Ubuntu and xubuntu) has been a lot better than those 'good old days' of computing.
Ok. Fine. That was easy. I now know what to do... install Linux. It takes care of partitioning and everything, so I can keep my Windows until I can transfer all the files and get rid of the old crap...
BTW - while writing this I looked at the Windows 'help' (haha) page regarding the "Genuine Windows Validation'... first off, not much help. Second of all, is gives you 'all' the scenarios in which you’re PC could have 'failed' he test... with one exception - a false positive... or as I am seeing it - MICROSOFT IS WRONG! Well, I guess I must be wrong, cause apparently Microsoft could never be.
Well, on the bright side, I guess I have to thank Microsoft for laying out the red carpet for my journey to Linux. Bye bye Microsoft, hello free-stable-faster Linux. Wait a moment... why had I not done this before? ¶ 6/04/2007 09:38:00 PM 1 comments
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Its a little Spicy...
Not really, but it does have a pleasant kick to it. Came across this free suite, Spiceworks, which is really nice in that it allows you to take an inventory of your computers, peripherals, software, network... basically everything.
Supported by targeted ads, this little program runs in the background and seems to be a really comprehensive solution. Though I've yet to require it, I've been playing around with it and it is very nice indeed - and it is a AJAX-based web-app!
I would love to hear what my more tech savvy readers have to to say about this software - so if you want to give it a shot and play around a little, please do so and if you would be so kind as to leave a note about your thoughts, it would be much appreciated.
Supported by targeted ads, this little program runs in the background and seems to be a really comprehensive solution. Though I've yet to require it, I've been playing around with it and it is very nice indeed - and it is a AJAX-based web-app!
I would love to hear what my more tech savvy readers have to to say about this software - so if you want to give it a shot and play around a little, please do so and if you would be so kind as to leave a note about your thoughts, it would be much appreciated.
Labels: ajax, hardware, misc, networking, software, webware
¶ 4/04/2007 08:35:00 AM 0 comments
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Hey Google... ENOUGH with the Spanish already!
Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Spanish, its a very expressive language with a lot of interesting sayings... but i digress.
My little peeve right now is with Google. What do I have to do in order for you to understand that I prefer to speak in English? You can track millions of users search histories, surfing habits, word clicking and a million other criteria, but yet you refuse to allow me to see your site in English.
I should mention, that most of the time, I'm located in the Spanish speaking country of the Dominican Republic. And as I'm sooooo forgetful, Google is kind enough to remind me every chance they get.... when I go to www.google.com, they feel that I'm obviously wanting to go to www.google.com.do... guess what... I DON'T!
When I log into gmail, google docs, personalized homepage, blogger, calender .... I have changed the frickin language again and again.... its a pain in the culo.
Coño Google... could you please stop messing with me like this. I know its not much as I love using all your wonderful free products, but seriously... could you just associate my user name with a preferred language and stop changing my homepage.
Thank you Google.
BTW - el spellcheck Español que tienen en gmail no es lo mejor del mundo, ahi si les ganaron las gente de Redmond. ¶ 3/24/2007 05:24:00 PM 0 comments
My little peeve right now is with Google. What do I have to do in order for you to understand that I prefer to speak in English? You can track millions of users search histories, surfing habits, word clicking and a million other criteria, but yet you refuse to allow me to see your site in English.
I should mention, that most of the time, I'm located in the Spanish speaking country of the Dominican Republic. And as I'm sooooo forgetful, Google is kind enough to remind me every chance they get.... when I go to www.google.com, they feel that I'm obviously wanting to go to www.google.com.do... guess what... I DON'T!
When I log into gmail, google docs, personalized homepage, blogger, calender .... I have changed the frickin language again and again.... its a pain in the culo.
Coño Google... could you please stop messing with me like this. I know its not much as I love using all your wonderful free products, but seriously... could you just associate my user name with a preferred language and stop changing my homepage.
Thank you Google.
BTW - el spellcheck Español que tienen en gmail no es lo mejor del mundo, ahi si les ganaron las gente de Redmond. ¶ 3/24/2007 05:24:00 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
iPhone, uPhone, wiiPhone....
Ok, been checking out the new iPhone website, and it definitely looks pretty snazzy. Shame about the digital camera being so low-res... If they had been able to bump it up to at least 5 mega-pixels, it would be a lot cooler, but now that I think about it, I don't remember even seeing a flash on the sucker... oh well.
The iPhone is definitely cool, but by no means a breakthrough, rather I see Apple as being the leader in today-tech... its really the only one that is pulling in all the right ingredients and making a special dish that combines them correctly. If anything, I'm not so much amazed at their ability to pull this off, if not rather the inability for their competition to not have thought about this sooner.
If you think about it, the iPod was on its was out of existence as eventually all phones will have the ability to listen to music, the brilliance lies in that they where able to leapfrog ahead of themselves and ad another category of product on a much higher price point than any existing iPods - a good move, which will allow them to keep all existing product lines, for as long as possible. Tying themselves into a specific carrier for so long will also help them ensure that the iPod sales will also continue to blossom for at least another two years.
I'm not so sure I have a point to make. Nope. I'm really only trying to get my writing flowing again... so to my loyal readers (you both know who you are), bare with me as I get my juices flowing again.
The iPhone is definitely cool, but by no means a breakthrough, rather I see Apple as being the leader in today-tech... its really the only one that is pulling in all the right ingredients and making a special dish that combines them correctly. If anything, I'm not so much amazed at their ability to pull this off, if not rather the inability for their competition to not have thought about this sooner.
If you think about it, the iPod was on its was out of existence as eventually all phones will have the ability to listen to music, the brilliance lies in that they where able to leapfrog ahead of themselves and ad another category of product on a much higher price point than any existing iPods - a good move, which will allow them to keep all existing product lines, for as long as possible. Tying themselves into a specific carrier for so long will also help them ensure that the iPod sales will also continue to blossom for at least another two years.
I'm not so sure I have a point to make. Nope. I'm really only trying to get my writing flowing again... so to my loyal readers (you both know who you are), bare with me as I get my juices flowing again.
Labels: Apple, Cel Phones
¶ 3/20/2007 07:05:00 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Google gets its Apps on - SWEET
Ok, I'm a little biased as I'm looking for any alternative to MS Exchange, but the more that I test the new Google Apps the more I like. My initial thoughts where that the system does not have enough controls in place for archiving, permissions and contact sharing.... well two out of three of there have been adequately addressed, and I'm happy to say, that I now think that the migration to Google Apps, will definitely happen in the next couple of months.
I've been playing with the free version for a while, and I'm very happy. The system is as solid as Gmail, with the ability to use your own email address for most things Google (docs, blogger, etc.). In fact, I like it so much that I've been moving many of our clients to the system, and they have absolutely loved it - naturally, these are small clients that have been migrated away from services such as AOL or Hotmail... but nevertheless, they seem to be very happy with it.
...more to come, so stay tuned in. ¶ 3/13/2007 05:26:00 PM 0 comments
I've been playing with the free version for a while, and I'm very happy. The system is as solid as Gmail, with the ability to use your own email address for most things Google (docs, blogger, etc.). In fact, I like it so much that I've been moving many of our clients to the system, and they have absolutely loved it - naturally, these are small clients that have been migrated away from services such as AOL or Hotmail... but nevertheless, they seem to be very happy with it.
...more to come, so stay tuned in. ¶ 3/13/2007 05:26:00 PM 0 comments
Now a better blogger, not a beta blogger
In the little *ehem* time I've been not been posting, Google has made quite a few noticeable improvements to their blogger app. I'm seriously impressed. They've even removed the Beta label!!!!
I mean, this bloody thing is smooth... working more like an app than a website. They've done a phenomenal job on it. Kudos Google.
I wont go into the details of what they changed or how they changed it, I'm sure better people than me will have provided in-depth tutorials, screenshots, comparisons, reviews, yadda yadda yadda... What I will do is mention the experience that this new blogger has.
Google has done an impressive job making the entire experience much smoother and easier. The site runs fast, I mean really fast - which is no small feat as my Internet connection is un-reliable (thank you Verizon). More than a major overhaul, they where able to simply streamline and squash the bugs out of the over all system - which if you think about it, is exactly what your supposed to do when moving from a beta system. I guess I'm just accustomed to sites/tools that focus more on features and effects than on finishing what they started.
Love the spellcheck - a great example of how Google has integrated elements of its Gmail into blogger, and how one system/project is feeding others, and others... my lord, its such an improvement.
Ok, so I have added nothing substantial to this post, and I think I'm getting a little tiered of writing... actually I do need to get some work done. But I wanted to at least get back into the habit of writing. Until I find my next muse, I will continue to write and see what I can come up with.
Stay tuned in... ¶ 3/13/2007 08:29:00 AM 0 comments
I mean, this bloody thing is smooth... working more like an app than a website. They've done a phenomenal job on it. Kudos Google.
I wont go into the details of what they changed or how they changed it, I'm sure better people than me will have provided in-depth tutorials, screenshots, comparisons, reviews, yadda yadda yadda... What I will do is mention the experience that this new blogger has.
Google has done an impressive job making the entire experience much smoother and easier. The site runs fast, I mean really fast - which is no small feat as my Internet connection is un-reliable (thank you Verizon). More than a major overhaul, they where able to simply streamline and squash the bugs out of the over all system - which if you think about it, is exactly what your supposed to do when moving from a beta system. I guess I'm just accustomed to sites/tools that focus more on features and effects than on finishing what they started.
Love the spellcheck - a great example of how Google has integrated elements of its Gmail into blogger, and how one system/project is feeding others, and others... my lord, its such an improvement.
Ok, so I have added nothing substantial to this post, and I think I'm getting a little tiered of writing... actually I do need to get some work done. But I wanted to at least get back into the habit of writing. Until I find my next muse, I will continue to write and see what I can come up with.
Stay tuned in... ¶ 3/13/2007 08:29:00 AM 0 comments
Monday, March 12, 2007
Its been a long time...
Too long really. I'm sure my fans (yes there are more than one) are very upset with me. The unfortunate fact is that I've been in a little bit of a rut, and have not have really had any inspiration for a couple months... that and I've been quite busy.
Now however, I have a new muse, or rather an sudden surge of inspiration... that and a couple shots of espresso.... so, I predict I will be writing a little more than once every few months. Especially with everything that's going on in cyberspace.... Google, Microsoft... oh its so on.
So, don't know when I will begin, but I hope it to be soon. I don't know what I will write about, but I'm sure it will be fascinating. The adventures shall indeed continue.
Can you feel the excitement?!
[This post made with recycled electrons.]
Now however, I have a new muse, or rather an sudden surge of inspiration... that and a couple shots of espresso.... so, I predict I will be writing a little more than once every few months. Especially with everything that's going on in cyberspace.... Google, Microsoft... oh its so on.
So, don't know when I will begin, but I hope it to be soon. I don't know what I will write about, but I'm sure it will be fascinating. The adventures shall indeed continue.
Can you feel the excitement?!
[This post made with recycled electrons.]
Labels: google, microsoft, misc
¶ 3/12/2007 04:03:00 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Who said Pandora was trouble?
I just wanted to give everyone a little heads up to a GREAT music website that breaks the mold into a million little pieces. The site is Pandora (http://www.pandora.com/). This site is phenomenal as it provides the listener to listen to their type of music. Key word here is type.
You see, with this site, you basically create your own station, based on a song or artist that you particularly like. Then the system goes ahead starts playing one song after another of similar type of songs. The selection in most cases is uncanny... its really that good. The best part is how you can learn of other artists with similar musical styles as the ones you enjoy.
So what if there is a song I don't like, you ask. Well there is a rating system in place.. and its simple. Thumbs up = I like this song, find more like this one too; and Thumbs down = not liking this all that much, skip to the next selection. Its that simple.
What makes it better, is that its also web-based, which means you can always have your 'radio stations' follow you, and play them from any computer. Just log in and done.
For those who like a 'real' program, someone has hacked together a fabulous little program that has the player and sits on your taskbar. Brilliant! Oh yeah, you can get that here: http://openpandora.blogspot.com/
Enjoy and Rock on!
¶ 10/03/2006 04:56:00 PM 0 comments
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Is this my tipping point?
I recently installed a brand spanking new desktop at the office and did not bother to buy any software, I thought it would be a good experiment to see if I could get by using only free software.
The biggest challenge was obviously going to be Office. So I started using Open Office. I struggled. I cursed a bit. I basked in my own inaptitude. Its quite different I kept telling myself.
Tonight I find myself working on my laptop.... it has both MS Office and Open Office. I instinctively went into MS Office. Somewhere in the back of my head I must have thought since its paid, it must be better. WRONG. Given the choice, I'm using Open Office... and damn happy about it.
Seriously, its that much better; and oh baby is it stable and fast. I know, I know... fast? Yes, fast. I don't know how MS Word managed to be slow... but it is. Its a system hog. Oink oink no more.
I even feel calmer that I am not in fear of it crashing and taking my work to the pits of XP hell. I think I have in fact reached a tipping point, from tonight on its Open Office as my primary office system. Now only to get out of the habit of calling them Word Documents.
Ok, enough ranting, its back to work for me. Ciao all. ¶ 9/28/2006 11:56:00 PM 0 comments
The biggest challenge was obviously going to be Office. So I started using Open Office. I struggled. I cursed a bit. I basked in my own inaptitude. Its quite different I kept telling myself.
Tonight I find myself working on my laptop.... it has both MS Office and Open Office. I instinctively went into MS Office. Somewhere in the back of my head I must have thought since its paid, it must be better. WRONG. Given the choice, I'm using Open Office... and damn happy about it.
Seriously, its that much better; and oh baby is it stable and fast. I know, I know... fast? Yes, fast. I don't know how MS Word managed to be slow... but it is. Its a system hog. Oink oink no more.
I even feel calmer that I am not in fear of it crashing and taking my work to the pits of XP hell. I think I have in fact reached a tipping point, from tonight on its Open Office as my primary office system. Now only to get out of the habit of calling them Word Documents.
Ok, enough ranting, its back to work for me. Ciao all. ¶ 9/28/2006 11:56:00 PM 0 comments
Friday, September 22, 2006
the most secure version of Windows yet
Or at least that's the claim from MS. A bold claim considering their track record. But what makes it all the more interesting is that the MS will be taking a very risky move with this claim as it launches all the versions of Windows Vista on a single DVD, differentiated only by the product key you put in. Given the proliferation of pirated product keys online for XP this seems like a very risky move indeed... I have a funny feeling there is something more in the works aside from simply 'better security'. Will it be a more intrusive registration system? DNA tests?
What it will turn out to be is only a guess on my part, though I'm sure it will be something spectacularly intrusive and uncomfortable. God forbid it would be too easy, right? ¶ 9/22/2006 11:43:00 AM 1 comments
What it will turn out to be is only a guess on my part, though I'm sure it will be something spectacularly intrusive and uncomfortable. God forbid it would be too easy, right? ¶ 9/22/2006 11:43:00 AM 1 comments
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Now I get it...
WiFi for the iPod has been bugging me for some time. Its been unclear to me as to how this is going to be immediately and incredibly a big deal. It just did not make sense to me. But now I think I'm beginning to get it... ITS NOT JUST FOR THE MUSIC!!
Thats right. These portable hard drives, with the increasing sizes and now the advent of portable apps and offline web-apps... I smell the future and it allows for carrying your digital life with you from one computer to the next (PC, Mac, Linux, whatever).
You know, I think I'm going to like this.
Any thoughts?
UPDATE: It was pointed out to me that the iPod does not have WiFi. That is correct. I should have clarified, that WHEN the WiFi enabled iPod comes out, it will not be simply for music, but rather have a top-notch system in which you can take, sync and carry your digital life with you. ¶ 9/20/2006 10:11:00 PM 2 comments
Thats right. These portable hard drives, with the increasing sizes and now the advent of portable apps and offline web-apps... I smell the future and it allows for carrying your digital life with you from one computer to the next (PC, Mac, Linux, whatever).
You know, I think I'm going to like this.
Any thoughts?
UPDATE: It was pointed out to me that the iPod does not have WiFi. That is correct. I should have clarified, that WHEN the WiFi enabled iPod comes out, it will not be simply for music, but rather have a top-notch system in which you can take, sync and carry your digital life with you. ¶ 9/20/2006 10:11:00 PM 2 comments
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Has it been that long?
I've noticed that its been a while since I've posted anything here. So for my loyal fans (all three of you), I just wanted to reassure you that I have not run out of topics to write about, simple time in which to write about them.
Until I have a little more time, I will leave you with a deep philosofical question to ponder...
Until I have a little more time, I will leave you with a deep philosofical question to ponder...
If a woodchuck could chuck wood, how much wood would a woodchuck chuck?¶ 9/13/2006 06:51:00 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Could 3-D TV be just around the corner?
Doubtful, but not out of the question.
In a recent article by one of my favorite publications, Wired News (Wired News: 3-D TV That Actually Works), it appears that 3D television is quite possibly coming closer to not just reality, but to our living rooms.
Apparently Philips has developed a new TV that can produce uncanny 3D effects, sans the goofy glasses. While I doubt that this will become a mainstream additional to the home theater anytime soon, it does seem clear that the there is a considerable amount of interest in leveraging this new medium as a unique marketing channel.
I would also love to see video cameras begin shipping with the option to record in 3D, as well as have computer screens with this kind of power. In fact, why not hope against hope and see if Apple will be a forerunner in this world. Could you imagine all shiny new Macs coming with brand spanking new 3D displays...
I see the future and I like it; though lets keep in mind that this would be a minimum of 5 to 10 years away.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Gosh oh Golly meets 01010100101001101010101
This is a fun do it yourself (and then please show me) post.
This guy has taken an old rotary phone, a cel phone, some time and imagination and created something really spectacular.... a rotary cel phone.
I wont bother re-writing the entire post, so head on over and check it out. http://www.sparkfun.com/tutorial/Port-O-Rotary/portable-rotary.htm
50 pesos to the first one to show me a working version! 200 pesos if you can get it to work with SIM chips.
Have fun and send phot ¶ 8/01/2006 07:35:00 PM 0 comments
This guy has taken an old rotary phone, a cel phone, some time and imagination and created something really spectacular.... a rotary cel phone.
I wont bother re-writing the entire post, so head on over and check it out. http://www.sparkfun.com/tutorial/Port-O-Rotary/portable-rotary.htm
50 pesos to the first one to show me a working version! 200 pesos if you can get it to work with SIM chips.
Have fun and send phot ¶ 8/01/2006 07:35:00 PM 0 comments
Gopher, remember me?
Talk about a blast from the past.... While I never used this service personally, I had read quite a bit about it, mostly because of the research I was doing as I taught myself HTML and the web.
Ahhhhh, Seems like a lifetime ago.
Back to my point, I came across this article which I thought was blog-worthy for both historical and personal reasons. So without further delay I present, Jason Kottke's Blog Posting on Gopher (http://www.kottke.org/06/08/gopher-still-going).
Another reason, I thought this would be interesting is the way in which life swings' back and forth like a pendulum. What today is the trend becomes tomorrow's refuge, only to come back again, bigger and better.
So my question for the day is "How will this type of informational structure be leveraged into future systems?" ¶ 8/01/2006 07:26:00 PM 0 comments
Ahhhhh, Seems like a lifetime ago.
Back to my point, I came across this article which I thought was blog-worthy for both historical and personal reasons. So without further delay I present, Jason Kottke's Blog Posting on Gopher (http://www.kottke.org/06/08/gopher-still-going).
Another reason, I thought this would be interesting is the way in which life swings' back and forth like a pendulum. What today is the trend becomes tomorrow's refuge, only to come back again, bigger and better.
So my question for the day is "How will this type of informational structure be leveraged into future systems?" ¶ 8/01/2006 07:26:00 PM 0 comments
Monday, July 31, 2006
Hey Google - Prep the OCR, this SPAM is getting a little out of control
That's right, despite GMail's phenomenal spam filter the spammers have found a new way to circumvent our filters and get in our faces. The tactic is simple, lots of seemingly normal text with some picture attachments.
The fact of the matter however, is that these messages are working within the rules of the spam filter to make it into your inbox, and should you end-up opening the message and 'display the images' you will find yourself staring at some advertisement for viagra, cialias or some other unsolicited message.
Thus, I see one quick (though perhaps not quite so easy) solution - enable OCR capabilities on the images coming into one's mailbox.... the ratio of text to image is significantly higher than most, if not all other, images being received - so simply seeing that there is a considerable amount of text in the images should provide an important first clue.
After this step, should the image not have passed the initial test, then do a full OCR scan to see exactly what words are contained within the images - this should also help a lot.
That being said, I do continue to give kudos to the G-Men (and G-Women) for keeping my spam down to a minimum. ¶ 7/31/2006 07:47:00 AM 0 comments
The fact of the matter however, is that these messages are working within the rules of the spam filter to make it into your inbox, and should you end-up opening the message and 'display the images' you will find yourself staring at some advertisement for viagra, cialias or some other unsolicited message.
Thus, I see one quick (though perhaps not quite so easy) solution - enable OCR capabilities on the images coming into one's mailbox.... the ratio of text to image is significantly higher than most, if not all other, images being received - so simply seeing that there is a considerable amount of text in the images should provide an important first clue.
After this step, should the image not have passed the initial test, then do a full OCR scan to see exactly what words are contained within the images - this should also help a lot.
That being said, I do continue to give kudos to the G-Men (and G-Women) for keeping my spam down to a minimum. ¶ 7/31/2006 07:47:00 AM 0 comments
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Google to the Rescue
Here is something new that Google is pushing... something that I am proud to see them do, "Google Accessible Search"
I think this is an excellent addition to the web, as I know that there are many great sites that usability wise simply don't make the cut. The over use of FLASH, images, Java and other junk can indeed do wonders for the look of a site, but in the end may be alienating many of its users. So I really think it is a great move forward for online accessibility and the complete democratization of internet content. Furthermore, this is one of those projects that is right in line with the mission of Google, to organize the worlds information AND make it accessible to all!
Go Google Go! ¶ 7/22/2006 03:28:00 PM 0 comments
Accessible Search adds a small twist to the familiar Google search: In addition to finding the most relevant results as measured by Google's search algorithms, it further sorts results based on the simplicity of their page layouts. (Simplicity, of course, is subjective in this context.) When users search from the http://labs.google.com/accessible site, they'll receive results that are prioritized based on their usability.
View the entire blog post:
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2006/07/finding-easy-to-read-web-content_20.html
I think this is an excellent addition to the web, as I know that there are many great sites that usability wise simply don't make the cut. The over use of FLASH, images, Java and other junk can indeed do wonders for the look of a site, but in the end may be alienating many of its users. So I really think it is a great move forward for online accessibility and the complete democratization of internet content. Furthermore, this is one of those projects that is right in line with the mission of Google, to organize the worlds information AND make it accessible to all!
Go Google Go! ¶ 7/22/2006 03:28:00 PM 0 comments
Friday, July 21, 2006
Off Shore Out Sourcing - When a dollar is not a dollar
Having worked outside the US for what now seems forever, I keep hearing that I must be saving a fortune on the cost of labor compared to the US. Logically it makes 100% sense as the cost of labor in the Dominican Republic is considerably less than that in the US. Unfortunately, so is the level of experience, commitment and professionalism.
For the sake of argument, lets say that a US website designer will cost you about US$50/hour while a DR designer with (supposedly) similar experience will cost you US$25/hour. So far it looks like the argument holds up nicely right? Wrong. One must take into account that the level of experience is significantly disparate - ten years of working in a top advertising agency in US is NOT equal to 10 years of work in a top DR agency, so of the bat we have a considerable difference in the quality of the work being done.
Next we need to take into account that the amount of time being spent on the work is a huge factor. One hour of work by a US designer will yield you approximately the same as three hours of work of a DR designer.
So all other things being equal, lets say we require work on a project that should be approximately 4 hours of US style work. With the US designer, you would end up paying about US$200, while for the same results it would probably take the DR designer a good 12 hours, bringing the total to US$300.
But as I've found, all things are not equal, and my experience has shown me that the quality of the US designer will far out shine that of the DR designer, which means that while working with the DR designer, you will also need to undergo various rounds of revisions and refinements.... adding to the already higher cost. Lets be optimistic and say that it takes the DR designer only another 4 hours... now your up at US$400.
Now factor in the competitive nature of the market and the cost of time/money, and your talking about the difference of almost a week for one designer versus the other. This is time that makes a huge difference in terms of 'wowing' the client.
If on the other hand you are on a tight deadline, you only have one option - to sacrifice the quality of the work, which I imagine explains a lot of the over all quality of advertising in third world countries.
Thus, when examining the possibility of outsourcing, there is a lot more than cost per hour to take into account. In many cases, the difference is so dramatic that for the cost of one US hour, you can hire (depending on the country) 3 to 5 people, and still come out ahead - but this hardly seems practical.
I've always been of the mind that the top dollars should go to the top people, not spread around many mediocre or incompetent folks. While much argument could be made on both sides of the argument, I know that I am right.
So, if you are an EXPERIENCED graphic designer or web developer that would like to lower your cost of living and increase your NET income, and move to a sunny and warm Caribbean paradise, please let me know - the life you save could be mine, and the benefits shared!
UPDATE: It has been brought to my attention that there are plenty of exceptions to what I have posted above, as well as having been pointed out that generalizations do not hold true as there are many inept people in the US as there are in the DR - or any other third world country. I would thus like to point out that this is not based on anything other than my experience in working in both countries, and that I concede that there are many excellent people in the DR, some of which I have had the pleasure of working with. Unfortunately, finding, attracting and keeping these great people is FAR more difficult than it is in the US - especially when you do not live in one of the TWO main cities.
I will no doubt be further exploring this topic and its various angles as I continue to try to succeed in creating the very best Integrated Marketing and Technology company in the Caribbean.
¶ 7/21/2006 11:37:00 AM 2 comments
For the sake of argument, lets say that a US website designer will cost you about US$50/hour while a DR designer with (supposedly) similar experience will cost you US$25/hour. So far it looks like the argument holds up nicely right? Wrong. One must take into account that the level of experience is significantly disparate - ten years of working in a top advertising agency in US is NOT equal to 10 years of work in a top DR agency, so of the bat we have a considerable difference in the quality of the work being done.
Next we need to take into account that the amount of time being spent on the work is a huge factor. One hour of work by a US designer will yield you approximately the same as three hours of work of a DR designer.
So all other things being equal, lets say we require work on a project that should be approximately 4 hours of US style work. With the US designer, you would end up paying about US$200, while for the same results it would probably take the DR designer a good 12 hours, bringing the total to US$300.
But as I've found, all things are not equal, and my experience has shown me that the quality of the US designer will far out shine that of the DR designer, which means that while working with the DR designer, you will also need to undergo various rounds of revisions and refinements.... adding to the already higher cost. Lets be optimistic and say that it takes the DR designer only another 4 hours... now your up at US$400.
Now factor in the competitive nature of the market and the cost of time/money, and your talking about the difference of almost a week for one designer versus the other. This is time that makes a huge difference in terms of 'wowing' the client.
If on the other hand you are on a tight deadline, you only have one option - to sacrifice the quality of the work, which I imagine explains a lot of the over all quality of advertising in third world countries.
Thus, when examining the possibility of outsourcing, there is a lot more than cost per hour to take into account. In many cases, the difference is so dramatic that for the cost of one US hour, you can hire (depending on the country) 3 to 5 people, and still come out ahead - but this hardly seems practical.
I've always been of the mind that the top dollars should go to the top people, not spread around many mediocre or incompetent folks. While much argument could be made on both sides of the argument, I know that I am right.
So, if you are an EXPERIENCED graphic designer or web developer that would like to lower your cost of living and increase your NET income, and move to a sunny and warm Caribbean paradise, please let me know - the life you save could be mine, and the benefits shared!
UPDATE: It has been brought to my attention that there are plenty of exceptions to what I have posted above, as well as having been pointed out that generalizations do not hold true as there are many inept people in the US as there are in the DR - or any other third world country. I would thus like to point out that this is not based on anything other than my experience in working in both countries, and that I concede that there are many excellent people in the DR, some of which I have had the pleasure of working with. Unfortunately, finding, attracting and keeping these great people is FAR more difficult than it is in the US - especially when you do not live in one of the TWO main cities.
I will no doubt be further exploring this topic and its various angles as I continue to try to succeed in creating the very best Integrated Marketing and Technology company in the Caribbean.
¶ 7/21/2006 11:37:00 AM 2 comments
Monday, June 26, 2006
Netscape Says "Digg v3 Disappoints" and so do I
So one of my most beloved sites for a face lift, a nip, a tuck, some botox and a little category augmentation... like most people who just came out of such comprehensive surgery, I have to admit that the site actually looks worse than before.
Nevertheless, we will have to wait and see how it develops from here on in, as that will say a lot more about the success of the surgery, rather than the initial look. Cause so far, I feel that have managed to add a considerable amount of clutter rather than clarity. Actually, the change is what I would imagine would happen to the Apple site if Microsoft got their hands on it.
So far, I have not had too much time that to notice the superficial changes and one or two internal ones, but over all I remain unimpressed. One MAJOR concern that I do have, is the removal of the feature that lets you edit your comments... it was really handy, why was it removed? Why oh why?
SIDENOTE: As for Netscape, I find it truly ironic that they will now 'leverage their client base' to out-digg Digg. Today the masses know that IE is the only browser, tomorrow they will know that Netscape is the only site of its kind. Irrelevant, I know - but you have to admit that the irony is too good to ignore.
read more | digg story ¶ 6/26/2006 05:10:00 PM 0 comments
Nevertheless, we will have to wait and see how it develops from here on in, as that will say a lot more about the success of the surgery, rather than the initial look. Cause so far, I feel that have managed to add a considerable amount of clutter rather than clarity. Actually, the change is what I would imagine would happen to the Apple site if Microsoft got their hands on it.
So far, I have not had too much time that to notice the superficial changes and one or two internal ones, but over all I remain unimpressed. One MAJOR concern that I do have, is the removal of the feature that lets you edit your comments... it was really handy, why was it removed? Why oh why?
SIDENOTE: As for Netscape, I find it truly ironic that they will now 'leverage their client base' to out-digg Digg. Today the masses know that IE is the only browser, tomorrow they will know that Netscape is the only site of its kind. Irrelevant, I know - but you have to admit that the irony is too good to ignore.
read more | digg story ¶ 6/26/2006 05:10:00 PM 0 comments
Friday, June 23, 2006
Full of Advertising Email (aka Hotmail)
So performing my monthly ritual, I log into my Hotmail account, which I rarely use but keep active simply cause there are a few people who still have the address and on rare occasion I do log into MSN Messenger (which is another story for a later date).
Well lets see what we've got here...
I'm told that the new MS Live Mail (or whatever it is called) is actually pretty decent... though the fact of the matter is that I have been burnt by Microsoft so many times, that I would rather go else where. Luckily I have gmail, which I could not be happier with. ¶ 6/23/2006 06:40:00 PM 0 comments
Well lets see what we've got here...
- Spam
- Spam
- Spam
- Hotmail spam
- Email
- Spam
- Hotmail Spam
- Hotmail Spam
- Hotmail Spam
- Spam
- Hotmail Spam
- Hotmail Spam
- Spam
- Spam
I'm told that the new MS Live Mail (or whatever it is called) is actually pretty decent... though the fact of the matter is that I have been burnt by Microsoft so many times, that I would rather go else where. Luckily I have gmail, which I could not be happier with. ¶ 6/23/2006 06:40:00 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
I am living in fear
That's right. Every moment I am working on my PC I am living in fear.
FEAR that my computer will freeze as I am in the middle of that important presentation. FEAR that my word processor will fail as I am putting the finishing touches on that document I spent 6 hours preparing - and shredding the last saved files in the process. FEAR that my browser will crash just as I found that one website with the vital information I needed - the one that took me a boatload of time to find. FEAR that my email program will crash repeatedly in the same day, killing the train of thought I was riding.
This really sucks. Seriously, I've had to reboot my PC once already, my MS Outlook has crashed a record three times this afternoon., and the day is not even half over yet.
The more this happens, the more I long for a internet connection stable enough and prevalent to only have to use web applications. We have the technology. Why are we not there yet?
Ok, Outlook has restarted... so back to work.... for a little while at least.
[update] Odd little thing, it seems that now my spell check in Outlook is not working. For those of you who may be pointing at MS Word as the culprit, don't even think about it - I disabled it as my default email editor a long time ago, due to how unstable it was. ¶ 6/20/2006 01:37:00 PM 1 comments
FEAR that my computer will freeze as I am in the middle of that important presentation. FEAR that my word processor will fail as I am putting the finishing touches on that document I spent 6 hours preparing - and shredding the last saved files in the process. FEAR that my browser will crash just as I found that one website with the vital information I needed - the one that took me a boatload of time to find. FEAR that my email program will crash repeatedly in the same day, killing the train of thought I was riding.
This really sucks. Seriously, I've had to reboot my PC once already, my MS Outlook has crashed a record three times this afternoon., and the day is not even half over yet.
The more this happens, the more I long for a internet connection stable enough and prevalent to only have to use web applications. We have the technology. Why are we not there yet?
Ok, Outlook has restarted... so back to work.... for a little while at least.
[update] Odd little thing, it seems that now my spell check in Outlook is not working. For those of you who may be pointing at MS Word as the culprit, don't even think about it - I disabled it as my default email editor a long time ago, due to how unstable it was. ¶ 6/20/2006 01:37:00 PM 1 comments
Monday, June 19, 2006
Forecast for the Week
Unstable with a chance of intrusion.
Should today be representative of what I have in store for the week, I think I will have to call in sick for the rest of it. So far today, I have had to do the following:
Reboot PC - 3 times (due to 'unusually' slow performance and app crashes)
Restart Outlook - 2 times (it just decided to crash twice... so far)
Kill IE - yes, it froze today... but that barely raises an eyebrow anymore.
Install 'security updates' - another 10 or so, I've pretty much stopped counting as I know I'll be screwed one way or the other.
Kill & Restart MS Word - Twice.
This of course does not take into account all the minor annoyances that I've been putting up with along the way... but that's just Windows environment for ya. Closer and closer I feel I am being pushed into the world of Apple or Linux... it will no doubt be this year.
All I want is a system on which I can work with which I can expect a reasonable level of stability and reliability... Why is this so much to ask for? ¶ 6/19/2006 02:06:00 PM 0 comments
Should today be representative of what I have in store for the week, I think I will have to call in sick for the rest of it. So far today, I have had to do the following:
Reboot PC - 3 times (due to 'unusually' slow performance and app crashes)
Restart Outlook - 2 times (it just decided to crash twice... so far)
Kill IE - yes, it froze today... but that barely raises an eyebrow anymore.
Install 'security updates' - another 10 or so, I've pretty much stopped counting as I know I'll be screwed one way or the other.
Kill & Restart MS Word - Twice.
This of course does not take into account all the minor annoyances that I've been putting up with along the way... but that's just Windows environment for ya. Closer and closer I feel I am being pushed into the world of Apple or Linux... it will no doubt be this year.
All I want is a system on which I can work with which I can expect a reasonable level of stability and reliability... Why is this so much to ask for? ¶ 6/19/2006 02:06:00 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Picasa Web Albums Test ?
Beta, Labs, Test ? What gives?
Yesterday Google announced on their blog what was essentially another new web product extension of their Picasa software (of which I am a big fan). However, this post has nothing to do with that.
My question is the in regards to the "Test" label they've added to it. We understand that it is not ready for prime time, but unless you provide us with some definitions as to the difference between Beta, Labs, Test, etc, it feels like you are simply going through a thesaurus and looking for other ways of saying 'its not finished'.
Its kinda confusing, especially for those who don't know Google's culture very well, or at all. ¶ 6/14/2006 09:21:00 AM 0 comments
Yesterday Google announced on their blog what was essentially another new web product extension of their Picasa software (of which I am a big fan). However, this post has nothing to do with that.
My question is the in regards to the "Test" label they've added to it. We understand that it is not ready for prime time, but unless you provide us with some definitions as to the difference between Beta, Labs, Test, etc, it feels like you are simply going through a thesaurus and looking for other ways of saying 'its not finished'.
Its kinda confusing, especially for those who don't know Google's culture very well, or at all. ¶ 6/14/2006 09:21:00 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Updates are ready for your computer.
No wonder that Microsoft Vista is so far behind, it seems their engineers are still busy patching holes in XP. I just got 13, yes 13 critical security patched downloaded to my computer.
My gosh, this is computing? On the bright side, I no longer have to be patching things myself, on the flip side, I have to admit that I do not really trust all the stuff that is being installed by Microsoft. Its that purgatory 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' kind of feeling.
I have faith that right before, or maybe during the launching of Microsoft's mega-super-duper OS, the GMen will launch a co-branded OS that will NOT make our machines obsolete overnight. Something light and fluffy which will probably be no more than a web-server running a Google File-System that can run a few of their yummy apps offline while at the same time, sync-ing everything with their web services.
In the meantime, let me close everything I am doing, install the 'updates' that just came in, restart my PC, pray that everything still works, hope that I did not loose any functionality in my programs as I did in that last little IE 'update'.
Yippy dipp-e-dee-doo. Thanks Microsoft, for keeping me safe from the nasty people who would exploit the swiss cheese you call XP. I'm getting a little cynical, I guess the figured I needed to take a break anyways.
UPDATE: It seems I was not the only one who noticed this little bombarment of patches... ElectricNews.net had a great little write-up; as did PC Magazine with a more detailed description of the patches. ¶ 6/13/2006 02:16:00 PM 0 comments
My gosh, this is computing? On the bright side, I no longer have to be patching things myself, on the flip side, I have to admit that I do not really trust all the stuff that is being installed by Microsoft. Its that purgatory 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' kind of feeling.
I have faith that right before, or maybe during the launching of Microsoft's mega-super-duper OS, the GMen will launch a co-branded OS that will NOT make our machines obsolete overnight. Something light and fluffy which will probably be no more than a web-server running a Google File-System that can run a few of their yummy apps offline while at the same time, sync-ing everything with their web services.
In the meantime, let me close everything I am doing, install the 'updates' that just came in, restart my PC, pray that everything still works, hope that I did not loose any functionality in my programs as I did in that last little IE 'update'.
Yippy dipp-e-dee-doo. Thanks Microsoft, for keeping me safe from the nasty people who would exploit the swiss cheese you call XP. I'm getting a little cynical, I guess the figured I needed to take a break anyways.
UPDATE: It seems I was not the only one who noticed this little bombarment of patches... ElectricNews.net had a great little write-up; as did PC Magazine with a more detailed description of the patches. ¶ 6/13/2006 02:16:00 PM 0 comments
Friday, June 09, 2006
A voice from the void.
All this time I thought I was writing for writtings' sake. Then someone added a comment to a blog entry. This is a first and I have to admit that even though it was not a *positive* review in the traditional sense, it was in fact a positive in the fact that someone actually took a moment to post a comment, so thank you anonymous guy from Seattle (RB? Is that you?).
Ok back to the procrastination station we lovingly call the internet. ;-) ¶ 6/09/2006 04:52:00 PM 0 comments
Ok back to the procrastination station we lovingly call the internet. ;-) ¶ 6/09/2006 04:52:00 PM 0 comments
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Does Google Google the Googlers?
Quick thought - is Google Googling the Googlers?
I was looking at a few postings that mentioned that Google had setup a new page that does not yet exist, which should indicate that this and that is going to happen, and therefore that and this may happen.... blah blah blah.
Now I love rampant speculation as much as the next guy, but it got me to wondering if Google sometimes does this type of thing on deliberately? Is it possible that sometimes they may allow a 'leak' or the impression of just such a thing without any pre-compiled or pre-conceived plan or agenda? Could it be that they do this simply to find out - just to find out what people can come up with?
I mean, it is clear that there are a lot of folks out there who hold Google on a pedestals, perceiving them as the end-all be-all visionaries of the internet frontier. Granted, they've snatched enough of the best and brightest to earn such a reputation; but what if, they also leveraged the imaginations of their greatest and most vocal fans?
Lets think about it for a moment. Done yet? Great. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Ok, perhaps is may sounds a little nutty, but talk about the ultimate in customer service - open a discussion with your greatest customers / fans, and let them come up with ideas they would like to see, or have them dream the impossible dream; and then make it happen.
Remember that old saying, "the perception of reality is reality". Well, why the heck not. If people can conceive it and believe it, no doubt they can achieve it... or at least will the GMen to do it.
Naturally this would require considerable resources in terms of searching the entire web for random discussions and editorials... oh that's right, they do that anyway. Ok, so it would only take a few guys a few minutes of time to create an algorithm to track this sort of thing... oh sorry, they've already done that too with Google alerts.
Hmmmmmm. So I guess all it would take is one guy and five minutes.
In any case, I thought it was a neat idea and if Google decides to use it, I ask only a nominal 50% of the profits... or a free t-shirt and coffee mug. ¶ 6/08/2006 11:51:00 AM 0 comments
I was looking at a few postings that mentioned that Google had setup a new page that does not yet exist, which should indicate that this and that is going to happen, and therefore that and this may happen.... blah blah blah.
Now I love rampant speculation as much as the next guy, but it got me to wondering if Google sometimes does this type of thing on deliberately? Is it possible that sometimes they may allow a 'leak' or the impression of just such a thing without any pre-compiled or pre-conceived plan or agenda? Could it be that they do this simply to find out - just to find out what people can come up with?
I mean, it is clear that there are a lot of folks out there who hold Google on a pedestals, perceiving them as the end-all be-all visionaries of the internet frontier. Granted, they've snatched enough of the best and brightest to earn such a reputation; but what if, they also leveraged the imaginations of their greatest and most vocal fans?
Lets think about it for a moment. Done yet? Great. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Ok, perhaps is may sounds a little nutty, but talk about the ultimate in customer service - open a discussion with your greatest customers / fans, and let them come up with ideas they would like to see, or have them dream the impossible dream; and then make it happen.
Remember that old saying, "the perception of reality is reality". Well, why the heck not. If people can conceive it and believe it, no doubt they can achieve it... or at least will the GMen to do it.
Naturally this would require considerable resources in terms of searching the entire web for random discussions and editorials... oh that's right, they do that anyway. Ok, so it would only take a few guys a few minutes of time to create an algorithm to track this sort of thing... oh sorry, they've already done that too with Google alerts.
Hmmmmmm. So I guess all it would take is one guy and five minutes.
In any case, I thought it was a neat idea and if Google decides to use it, I ask only a nominal 50% of the profits... or a free t-shirt and coffee mug. ¶ 6/08/2006 11:51:00 AM 0 comments
