I can't say that I'm going to be doing a whole lot of developing, but I run a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and I can use anything I can get my hands on. I have an intranet and portal to set up and several small database apps to write.
Even though they make things fairly reasonable price-wise, there will be no Microsoft software in our organization. Everything is GPL F/OSS.
We rehabilitate raptors (birds of prey, not dinosaurs) and do conservation education outreach.
I can give you a nice, muchly grateful letter to pass along to the IRS....
In one case last year, the ground proximity warning system in a 34-seater plane suddenly went berserk even though the plane - which was just 22 kilometres south-west of Sydney - had levelled off at 5000 feet.
I think their problem is a bit deeper than it seems...
Being a citizen of Denison and familiar with the players in this on-going drama, I thought I might point out a thing or two.
First of all, this a local spat with lots of high-sounding principles being tossed about all the while masking the simple fact that one group doesn't like a ruling made by the city. National press, court appeals, and such are great distractions from the basics of the case.
Mr. Veeck bought a building in downtown Denison several years ago and wanted a variance in the building code to accommodate his plans. The City rejected him and he stopped work, leaving a gutted shell standing on Main Street.
The City of Denison passed a resolution (law) many years ago adopting the building code as written, amended, and maintained by SBCCI with full knowledge of its copyrights and practices. The terms of this resolution require reasonable access to written copy of the regulations. By partnering with SBCCI, Denison has kept our taxes lower by not having to maintain an engineering and clerical staff large and competent enough to assure public safety and compliance with every county, state, and federal regulation that comes along. As a non-profit organization, they rely upon income derived from consulting, educating and selling printed copies and updates of the codes they establish.
What we give up is instant gratification - we have to wait until normal business hours or fork over cash. I have always been able to get what I needed for free in a reasonable time.
We in Denison accepted their right to charge for this service when we adopted their code. Is it the perfect answer? No, but with many other budgetary considerations it is considered to be the best.
Mr. Veeck published the code on his website contrary to SBCCI's explicit copyright notice and they insisted that he remove it. They asserted their rights under their agreement with the City of Denison. With this, he has managed to turn the argument away from the original question of the safety and judiciousness of his plan for renovating his building. The nearly-demolished shell sits untouched until this is over.
For more information on the Veeck family, be sure to put "Veeck" in you favorite search engine or check out Bill Murray's upcoming movie, "Veeck as in Wreck" due in theatres next year. In spite of all this current nonsense, they are a very entertaining family and American originals.
According to the House Small Business Committee's website:
"During the hearing, members of the panel will testify about the prospects of small record labels and lesser-known musical acts using the Internet and downloadable music to gain market share. Additionally, the Committee will discuss whether these emerging technologies afford small entities in the music industry competitive advantages or disadvantages."
This is an opportunity to get the ear of a gov't entity to help. The HSBC does get involved in areas where it sees that small businesses are operating at a disadvantage. However, the higher profile the case, the less likely they are to become involved (read: $BigBiz == $HSBCInaction)
These guys don't actively campaign against a small business related issue, they just don't support it if they feel it's not in their interest.
Well, I'm concerned about the not-fitting aspect of this whole project, too.
I realize that they're probably already over budget so I figured that the least we could do was to help. Every person should send 1 roll of duct tape to the ISS team. The sooner the better.
I know they'll appreciate it, you do too. After all, Apollo 13 would've either burned up in the sun or gone the way of Voyager without it!
I've been telecommuting for 7 years now and I'm on my third job. It's a prerequisite for my employment, I won't work in an office and I won't move from where I have.
You get a lot of benefits by working alone, there's no politics, few work rules, no need to put up with the gum-smacking, finger-sucking, badsmelling beardo in the next cube (oh, wait, that was me!)
But you give up a lot too. You have to establish firm boundaries with your org. You have to let them know when you're gone for the day or they will call at home you all night, on weekends and holidays. You need space. It's too easy for kids, spouses, in-laws to forget you're supposed to be working and interrupt you. You need to remember you really are at an office and work when you're supposed to and walk away from it when you're supposed to.
You also lose the sense of belonging you get from working with a bunch of people. You need to build some other social structure, so you don't lose complete contact with humanity.
But mainly look out for your proximity to the kitchen!! I've gained a ton of weight, I graze when I'm working on a problem.
Even though this seems like more warnings that anything, I think it's the best way to work. I'll never go back.
Slashdot Mirror
Pagh!
I can't say that I'm going to be doing a whole lot of developing, but I run a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and I can use anything I can get my hands on. I have an intranet and portal to set up and several small database apps to write.
Even though they make things fairly reasonable price-wise, there will be no Microsoft software in our organization. Everything is GPL F/OSS.
We rehabilitate raptors (birds of prey, not dinosaurs) and do conservation education outreach.
I can give you a nice, muchly grateful letter to pass along to the IRS....
I think their problem is a bit deeper than it seems...
Being a citizen of Denison and familiar with the players in this on-going drama, I thought I might point out a thing or two. First of all, this a local spat with lots of high-sounding principles being tossed about all the while masking the simple fact that one group doesn't like a ruling made by the city. National press, court appeals, and such are great distractions from the basics of the case. Mr. Veeck bought a building in downtown Denison several years ago and wanted a variance in the building code to accommodate his plans. The City rejected him and he stopped work, leaving a gutted shell standing on Main Street. The City of Denison passed a resolution (law) many years ago adopting the building code as written, amended, and maintained by SBCCI with full knowledge of its copyrights and practices. The terms of this resolution require reasonable access to written copy of the regulations. By partnering with SBCCI, Denison has kept our taxes lower by not having to maintain an engineering and clerical staff large and competent enough to assure public safety and compliance with every county, state, and federal regulation that comes along. As a non-profit organization, they rely upon income derived from consulting, educating and selling printed copies and updates of the codes they establish. What we give up is instant gratification - we have to wait until normal business hours or fork over cash. I have always been able to get what I needed for free in a reasonable time. We in Denison accepted their right to charge for this service when we adopted their code. Is it the perfect answer? No, but with many other budgetary considerations it is considered to be the best. Mr. Veeck published the code on his website contrary to SBCCI's explicit copyright notice and they insisted that he remove it. They asserted their rights under their agreement with the City of Denison. With this, he has managed to turn the argument away from the original question of the safety and judiciousness of his plan for renovating his building. The nearly-demolished shell sits untouched until this is over. For more information on the Veeck family, be sure to put "Veeck" in you favorite search engine or check out Bill Murray's upcoming movie, "Veeck as in Wreck" due in theatres next year. In spite of all this current nonsense, they are a very entertaining family and American originals.
This is an opportunity to get the ear of a gov't entity to help. The HSBC does get involved in areas where it sees that small businesses are operating at a disadvantage. However, the higher profile the case, the less likely they are to become involved (read: $BigBiz == $HSBCInaction)
These guys don't actively campaign against a small business related issue, they just don't support it if they feel it's not in their interest.
Is your representatvie on the committee?
I realize that they're probably already over budget so I figured that the least we could do was to help. Every person should send 1 roll of duct tape to the ISS team. The sooner the better.
I know they'll appreciate it, you do too. After all, Apollo 13 would've either burned up in the sun or gone the way of Voyager without it!
Don't delay, send 'em a roll today!!!
You get a lot of benefits by working alone, there's no politics, few work rules, no need to put up with the gum-smacking, finger-sucking, badsmelling beardo in the next cube (oh, wait, that was me!)
But you give up a lot too. You have to establish firm boundaries with your org. You have to let them know when you're gone for the day or they will call at home you all night, on weekends and holidays. You need space. It's too easy for kids, spouses, in-laws to forget you're supposed to be working and interrupt you. You need to remember you really are at an office and work when you're supposed to and walk away from it when you're supposed to.
You also lose the sense of belonging you get from working with a bunch of people. You need to build some other social structure, so you don't lose complete contact with humanity.
But mainly look out for your proximity to the kitchen!! I've gained a ton of weight, I graze when I'm working on a problem.
Even though this seems like more warnings that anything, I think it's the best way to work. I'll never go back.
I'm not sure yet how much swap space it will need though.