I noticed the same. For many years, the first 10 hits or so on my name in Google all came to me, one way or another. While I may have some pretty, um, less-than-politically-correct moments, at least everything people find really is me, and not some lies made up by the Democrats...;P
Actually, you'll find that many auditing firms (such as Deloitte or PwC) offer both services. They go hand in hand, because the audit mindset is at some level the same.
The trick we face, of course, is convincing IT-types of how important it is, whereas accountants either already understand the need, or accept that the law requires it (NOT that I'm proposing making this a legislative requirement!).
Yup, but my answer is going to be pretty much worthless, because I don't have a link available for you. Try searching Slash stories from a couple weeks ago.
I am more surprised by Germany. The Germany of today has seemingly been about freedoms.
Well, I don't quite know how to respond to that. As someone living in Germany's southern neighbor, I have to say that I haven't found the Germans to be about "freedoms" in our field at all. Have you followed the recent laws where even having a copy of Wireshark installed your laptop is a crime? I work in IT security, and I go to great pains to ensure that any security tools and documents are thoroughly encrypted so that I can't be charged.
I'm currently working in Switzerland, but for those of you in the States... you're telling me that in the middle of an economic recession, you want to raise costs for the employer? Yeah, THAT will save your job!
Honestly, I've worked in large and small companies, and most of the time, there are about a thousand different ways that both efficiency and effectiveness could be improved at every turn. However, most IT people that I've met simply don't have the ability to step "outside" and see that delaying one project to improve the environment could result in big savings later. They like to blame the boss for that, while at the same time demanding more and more pay, under the illusion that they're talented when in reality there's simply a shortage of qualified IT people that's forcing companies to accept them as what's left.
Although as I came to the end of that paragraph, I realized that maybe most IT workers really are perfect for unionization... but I'll personally fight against it till my dying day!
The problem with that policy is deciding how to err on the side of caution. You appear to believe that it means reducing emissions "just in case", while many of us believe it means not crippling the US's economic and military power. You say tomato, I say foodstuff...
As an American currently living in Switzerland learning German, no, I'd have to say it's not a good place to learn the language. Go to Germany or even Austria if you want to learn it (though, one could make the argument that there are much more useful languages to learn, that are spoken more widely).
Here in Switzerland, the variety of accents and dialects makes it painful to learn. "Swiss German" is actually a different language than "high German" spoken in the other two countries, and there are about 30 different versions of Swiss German, some of which don't sound anything like the others. Oh, and it has no true written form, so the Swiss make it up as they go.
I love this country, and I never want to leave, but it's definitely not the best place to learn German.;)
It's really impossible to define a ratio that works for all companies. I was listening to a McKinsey podcast yesterday where they mention that transactional companies tend to use IT to replace workers and thus have higher IT costs (and support), whereas tacit companies (knowledge workers and such) tend to use IT to supplement employees, thus have smaller infrastructures, lower costs and fewer support personnel.
Believe it or not, intent can be a crime as well. Ever hear of "attempted murder"? Intent to commit a crime is a crime in most cases.
I'm actually for jailing people in such cases. Why should anyone else, be it insurance companies or the general public or whoever, be responsible for the costs of their mistakes? Throw them in the slammer, put it on the news, and watch the success of these schemes sink far far lower.
(IANAL, but I watched Matlock on TV once. well, part of it. For as long as I could stand it.)
That was modded insightful, but I hoped it was meant to be funny, till I read your response.
What is it with people today that believe they should be able to receive anything they want in any form they want it without taking into account economic realities? I would imagine NBC has little desire at the moment to provide micro-managed services to each little joe and dick when they can sell in bulk directly to a few large providers instead.
Perhaps in the future that infrastructure will exist; maybe you can even make some money pitching the idea to NBC. But to bitch that something you want doesn't exist is just asinine.
Knock yourself out. I'm more than happy to take your job. And I have a feeling that crossing a picket line of geeks won't be any near as dangerous as at an auto worker's strike.;-)
Although it's no surprise that kdawson posted an inane "story" without any detail that bashes Microsoft, that lawyer comment is amusing enough to at least make the spam worth reading for a change.;-)
Ok, I know as well as the next guy how obfuscated code can be. However, it seems like a relatively simple task at first glance:
1) Insert subroutine "paycut" immediately before the final total is printed out. 2) Said subroutine takes the number of hours worked (depending how the app is coded, this might be the hard part) and multiplies it by minimum wage. Prints sum. 3) Original program prints actual.
Replace "print" with "store in some flatfile somewhere for later analysis" and you're done. Seriously, I know how hard this stuff can be, but reducing everyone to a universal flat wage rate is a child's problem compared to some of the stuff I've encountered when dealing with legacy apps. Just insert a shim somewhere!
Your argument: There is no economic incentive for them to create a better obscenity filter because they are a monopoly.
Another possible argument: A better obscenity filter costs money, which costs must (most likely) be passed on to the customer, who in perhaps all other cases except this man's, doesn't want to pay more for such a service. Hence, no economic incentive, regardless of monopoly status.
There are (almost) always multiple possible motives, people; thinking you can sit in your parents basement and know them all is nothing short of arrogance.
Actually, it's both. Like pretty much every word in the English language, it has multiple meanings. If you look it up www.m-w.com. you'll find that the word has meanings associated with both generosity and personal autonomy, which is what the GP said ("letting people do their own thing").
Remember that communication has 3 components: how the message is delivered, how you interpreted it, and how the originator intended it. All too often, people ignore that last component.
Yeah, this is off topic, but it might be informative to some all the same. No, I don't feel the need to AC it, my karma stinks anyway.;-)
"The government would never do anything to hurt a corporation."
Um, AT&T, Standard Oil, and a few other examples come to mind... plus, if you run a small business and have ever dealt with OSHA, you'll have plenty of other more modern examples ready.
While it's certainly true that the government supports corporate interests from time to time, it would behoove you to understand why it happens instead of making blanket assumptions.
He was highlighting the fact that his weight was muscle, not fat. A 32" waist is really nothing in and of itself impressive (at 6'4", I have a 32" waist as well). However, waist that size with a weight of 210lbs and a 46" jacket screams "dense body type", i.e. muscular.
Having said that, I still disagree with him about the ability to take on multiple opponents. Most of us (and likely myself included) lack the will to do what is necessary when taking on large groups of people; for example, a quick jab to someone's throat. If you have the will to do what is necessary, it's certainly possible to do things that otherwise seem impossible.
By all means: to each their own. While I'm happy with my new iPhone 3G, I'm not trying to evangelize it or convince anyone else that they need one.
However, in my opinion only, the iPhone "favorites" feature is far handier than a single-button speed dial and just as fast. Look at the process:
Normal phone 1) Unlock (*, #, whatever the key is) 2) Hold whichever number corresponds to your contact for 2 seconds
iPhone: 1) Unlock (a quick swipe of the finger, which I find faster than other phone unlocks) 2) Press the phone button (ok, that's an extra step over yours) 3) Press the name of the contact from a list
I find a row of text.75 cm tall by 6 cm wide more intuitive than memorizing a number, but that's just me.;-)
On the other hand, I still haven't (quite) adjusted to typing yet... but it's almost there, and in that department I'm comparing it to my blackberry, which is very strong for typing.
Starbucks does something like that here in Switzerland. You can go to the counter and ask for a little throw-away card that has a code valid for 30 minutes wifi access. It's free, but you can only get one at a time - you have to go up and ask for another to get more access.
It works on the theory that you'll be too embarrassed to sit there freeloading and getting a new card every half hour for 4 hours in a row. In Swiss culture, for the most part, that works. I'm not so sure it'd fly back home in Chicago.;-)
That's not quite as simple as you make it out to be. Ok, assuming a corporate network, you don't have to worry about as many peer-to-peer connections (such as bit torrent), but I can still think of a number of situations when workstations need to be able to chat with each other. Instant messengers, impromptu document sharing when there isn't an "official" share set up that both parties have access to, VoIP applications and teleconferencing solutions, and so forth.
You could design your network from the ground up so that every possible communication happens through an appropriately configured server, but that's just not realistic in most corporations.
Slashdot Mirror
Yes. But if you're not on Facebook, or they tag it with your name but DON'T tag it with your account, there's nothing you can do.
I noticed the same. For many years, the first 10 hits or so on my name in Google all came to me, one way or another. While I may have some pretty, um, less-than-politically-correct moments, at least everything people find really is me, and not some lies made up by the Democrats... ;P
Actually, you'll find that many auditing firms (such as Deloitte or PwC) offer both services. They go hand in hand, because the audit mindset is at some level the same.
The trick we face, of course, is convincing IT-types of how important it is, whereas accountants either already understand the need, or accept that the law requires it (NOT that I'm proposing making this a legislative requirement!).
I think everyone remembers their first segmentation fault or core dump.
Dude, I can't even remember when I stopped wearing diapers, let alone the first time I took a dump!
Yup, but my answer is going to be pretty much worthless, because I don't have a link available for you. Try searching Slash stories from a couple weeks ago.
I am more surprised by Germany. The Germany of today has seemingly been about freedoms.
Well, I don't quite know how to respond to that. As someone living in Germany's southern neighbor, I have to say that I haven't found the Germans to be about "freedoms" in our field at all. Have you followed the recent laws where even having a copy of Wireshark installed your laptop is a crime? I work in IT security, and I go to great pains to ensure that any security tools and documents are thoroughly encrypted so that I can't be charged.
I'm currently working in Switzerland, but for those of you in the States... you're telling me that in the middle of an economic recession, you want to raise costs for the employer? Yeah, THAT will save your job!
Honestly, I've worked in large and small companies, and most of the time, there are about a thousand different ways that both efficiency and effectiveness could be improved at every turn. However, most IT people that I've met simply don't have the ability to step "outside" and see that delaying one project to improve the environment could result in big savings later. They like to blame the boss for that, while at the same time demanding more and more pay, under the illusion that they're talented when in reality there's simply a shortage of qualified IT people that's forcing companies to accept them as what's left.
Although as I came to the end of that paragraph, I realized that maybe most IT workers really are perfect for unionization... but I'll personally fight against it till my dying day!
Agreed. Now go finish getting your job outsourced, you stupid lUser!
I wish I had mod points. The parent post here is about the most insightful view of IT that I've read in a long time.
"err on the side of caution"
The problem with that policy is deciding how to err on the side of caution. You appear to believe that it means reducing emissions "just in case", while many of us believe it means not crippling the US's economic and military power. You say tomato, I say foodstuff ...
As an American currently living in Switzerland learning German, no, I'd have to say it's not a good place to learn the language. Go to Germany or even Austria if you want to learn it (though, one could make the argument that there are much more useful languages to learn, that are spoken more widely).
Here in Switzerland, the variety of accents and dialects makes it painful to learn. "Swiss German" is actually a different language than "high German" spoken in the other two countries, and there are about 30 different versions of Swiss German, some of which don't sound anything like the others. Oh, and it has no true written form, so the Swiss make it up as they go.
I love this country, and I never want to leave, but it's definitely not the best place to learn German. ;)
It's really impossible to define a ratio that works for all companies. I was listening to a McKinsey podcast yesterday where they mention that transactional companies tend to use IT to replace workers and thus have higher IT costs (and support), whereas tacit companies (knowledge workers and such) tend to use IT to supplement employees, thus have smaller infrastructures, lower costs and fewer support personnel.
Believe it or not, intent can be a crime as well. Ever hear of "attempted murder"? Intent to commit a crime is a crime in most cases.
I'm actually for jailing people in such cases. Why should anyone else, be it insurance companies or the general public or whoever, be responsible for the costs of their mistakes? Throw them in the slammer, put it on the news, and watch the success of these schemes sink far far lower.
(IANAL, but I watched Matlock on TV once. well, part of it. For as long as I could stand it.)
here in Switzerland, self service produce weighin is everywhere. People accept without comment, and indeed seem to have nothing against it.
I suspect these devices will see much broader deployment in Europe than the US.
That was modded insightful, but I hoped it was meant to be funny, till I read your response.
What is it with people today that believe they should be able to receive anything they want in any form they want it without taking into account economic realities? I would imagine NBC has little desire at the moment to provide micro-managed services to each little joe and dick when they can sell in bulk directly to a few large providers instead.
Perhaps in the future that infrastructure will exist; maybe you can even make some money pitching the idea to NBC. But to bitch that something you want doesn't exist is just asinine.
Knock yourself out. I'm more than happy to take your job. And I have a feeling that crossing a picket line of geeks won't be any near as dangerous as at an auto worker's strike. ;-)
Although it's no surprise that kdawson posted an inane "story" without any detail that bashes Microsoft, that lawyer comment is amusing enough to at least make the spam worth reading for a change. ;-)
Ok, I know as well as the next guy how obfuscated code can be. However, it seems like a relatively simple task at first glance:
1) Insert subroutine "paycut" immediately before the final total is printed out.
2) Said subroutine takes the number of hours worked (depending how the app is coded, this might be the hard part) and multiplies it by minimum wage. Prints sum.
3) Original program prints actual.
Replace "print" with "store in some flatfile somewhere for later analysis" and you're done. Seriously, I know how hard this stuff can be, but reducing everyone to a universal flat wage rate is a child's problem compared to some of the stuff I've encountered when dealing with legacy apps. Just insert a shim somewhere!
Your argument: There is no economic incentive for them to create a better obscenity filter because they are a monopoly.
Another possible argument: A better obscenity filter costs money, which costs must (most likely) be passed on to the customer, who in perhaps all other cases except this man's, doesn't want to pay more for such a service. Hence, no economic incentive, regardless of monopoly status.
There are (almost) always multiple possible motives, people; thinking you can sit in your parents basement and know them all is nothing short of arrogance.
Actually, it's both. Like pretty much every word in the English language, it has multiple meanings. If you look it up www.m-w.com. you'll find that the word has meanings associated with both generosity and personal autonomy, which is what the GP said ("letting people do their own thing").
Remember that communication has 3 components: how the message is delivered, how you interpreted it, and how the originator intended it. All too often, people ignore that last component.
Yeah, this is off topic, but it might be informative to some all the same. No, I don't feel the need to AC it, my karma stinks anyway. ;-)
"The government would never do anything to hurt a corporation."
Um, AT&T, Standard Oil, and a few other examples come to mind... plus, if you run a small business and have ever dealt with OSHA, you'll have plenty of other more modern examples ready.
While it's certainly true that the government supports corporate interests from time to time, it would behoove you to understand why it happens instead of making blanket assumptions.
He was highlighting the fact that his weight was muscle, not fat. A 32" waist is really nothing in and of itself impressive (at 6'4", I have a 32" waist as well). However, waist that size with a weight of 210lbs and a 46" jacket screams "dense body type", i.e. muscular.
Having said that, I still disagree with him about the ability to take on multiple opponents. Most of us (and likely myself included) lack the will to do what is necessary when taking on large groups of people; for example, a quick jab to someone's throat. If you have the will to do what is necessary, it's certainly possible to do things that otherwise seem impossible.
By all means: to each their own. While I'm happy with my new iPhone 3G, I'm not trying to evangelize it or convince anyone else that they need one.
However, in my opinion only, the iPhone "favorites" feature is far handier than a single-button speed dial and just as fast. Look at the process:
Normal phone
1) Unlock (*, #, whatever the key is)
2) Hold whichever number corresponds to your contact for 2 seconds
iPhone:
1) Unlock (a quick swipe of the finger, which I find faster than other phone unlocks)
2) Press the phone button (ok, that's an extra step over yours)
3) Press the name of the contact from a list
I find a row of text .75 cm tall by 6 cm wide more intuitive than memorizing a number, but that's just me. ;-)
On the other hand, I still haven't (quite) adjusted to typing yet... but it's almost there, and in that department I'm comparing it to my blackberry, which is very strong for typing.
Starbucks does something like that here in Switzerland. You can go to the counter and ask for a little throw-away card that has a code valid for 30 minutes wifi access. It's free, but you can only get one at a time - you have to go up and ask for another to get more access.
;-)
It works on the theory that you'll be too embarrassed to sit there freeloading and getting a new card every half hour for 4 hours in a row. In Swiss culture, for the most part, that works. I'm not so sure it'd fly back home in Chicago.
That's not quite as simple as you make it out to be. Ok, assuming a corporate network, you don't have to worry about as many peer-to-peer connections (such as bit torrent), but I can still think of a number of situations when workstations need to be able to chat with each other. Instant messengers, impromptu document sharing when there isn't an "official" share set up that both parties have access to, VoIP applications and teleconferencing solutions, and so forth.
You could design your network from the ground up so that every possible communication happens through an appropriately configured server, but that's just not realistic in most corporations.