It's been our company's IT policy for over two years that Firefox is the default browser, and IE is only to be used for web sites that require it (and even then we contact the web site owner and protest).
It would be cool to see a matrix of the members of the Fortune 500 Boards of Directors. We always hear about who's CEO of this or that corporation, but it's amazing when you hear about who's on the Board.
I'd much rather focus my energy on getting the job done correctly and on time than on merely looking good. Wearing comfortable clothes helps me focus on the work and not be distracted by that tie around my neck, slowly choking off the blood flow to my brain.
In corporate culture, Marketing Types are the archetype of this premise... they'd rather look good than do anything that's actually valuable in life (e.g. promote product features that actually obey the laws of physics).
I went from Windows XP to Linux (SuSE 9.x) to a Mac (iMac G5) running OS X Tiger. Although I still maintain machines with all three operating systems, I use my iMac 99% of the time. In that sense I'm a "switcher". Yes, I bought an iPod while still using Windows, but that wasn't the reason I got a Mac. Everyone I know that owns a Mac swears by them. After using one for about 9 months now I can honestly say it's the most elegant, well thought out operating system and hardware combination I've ever used, period. I simply get more done in less time and with less hassle using OS X than I ever did in Windows or Linux.
FYI: I use Linux as a L.A.M.P. server and I use Windows to connect through a client's VPN that requires me to use Symantec's VPN product. Otherwise I can honestly say I wouldn't have a use for Windows at all anymore.
Regarding the compliance of MySQL to SQL standards and how that may affect an eventual migration to another database, all I can comment on is my own experience. In 20 years of software development, I've only been involved with, or seen, two database migrations from one product to another. Both were from SQL-Server to MySQL (on Linux). In my experience, I have found SQL-Server and Oracle to be more "locked in" and proprietary in their implementations than MySQL, and have found more applications and programming languages to support MySQL more than any other RDBMS save only MS-Access. Until 5.0, it's not been what I would consider "enterprise" because of it's lack of stored procedures and triggers, etc. but now that 5 is here, I think it can compete with the big boys.
Hacking, IMO, is the creative (art) application of skills or technology (science) to solve a difficult problem. There are lots of people who are strong on "how" but weak on "why". They are not hackers. Hackers must be strong on how (science) AND be able to creatively apply that knowledge (art) to achieve a new and unique solution to a problem or challenge.
I recall reading something once (sorry, I don't have the original reference) that said most people would rather receive praise in front of their co-workers by their supervisor than an anonymous $50 bonus in their paycheck.
Granted, that's always going to be a personal preference, but my own experience both as a grunt and as a manager has shown this to be generally true... as long as the praise is genuine.
As an independent filmmaker and videographer, and as a Mac AND Linux user, I'm curious to see if they use Linux for rendering or editing? There's a huge difference.
IMHO, the only time the death penalty is warranted is when the criminal killed someone. Hackers, and worse yet identity thieves, deserve something pretty bad but not as bad as death. Let them serve "a year and a day" in a federal "pound me in the ass" prison where they become some bad man's girlfriend. And most importantly, make it known ahead of time that if you get caught cracking or stealing people's identities, that's where you're going to go. Period. End of story. "How do you like them apples, Chester?"
Accessing a publicly visible and unprotected WiFi connection, either intentionally or unintentionally, is about the same as overhearing a conversation spoken between two people on a street corner. IANAL, but it seems that harm must actually occur for someone to have a case against the alleged perpetrator for them to have a case against them, i.e. excessive bandwidth usage resulting in increased cost, etc.
I'm not well educated on the concept or existence of rootkits, but I get the impression that they exist on Linux as well as Windows operating systems. My question to the/. community is: which OS is most easily infected by a rootkit?
Just because something is possible doesn't make it probable. Viruses may or may not be possible on Mac OS X and Linux operating systems, but they are clearly not probable (based on the extremely low number actually found in the wild).
So just how probably are rootkits on the relative operating systems?
We still use Windows for the same reason people still smoke cigarettes... utter and complete stupidity. That and excellent marketing.
Having said that, there are still some folks who don't have a choice (for various reasons). For example, I'm not allowed to access my own financial records online with my bank unless I'm using Internet Explorer -- despite the federal government's clear and stern warning NOT to use IE because it's unsecure.
This review didn't really tell me anything that I couldn't have gleened by simply reading the Table of Contents. I get the impression the author either didn't actually read the book or he was too lazy to write more detail.
Having said that, I'm intrigued by the title and will probably investigate the book anyway simply because it's a topic that directly pertains to some upcoming projects on my calendar.
I'm being somewhat simplistic here but I'd like to propose an analogy of the attitude many "left" thinkers tend to have:
You go to a casino and get dealt a series of bad hands at the poker table. You end up losing all your money.
According to your line of thinking, the casino should make wealthier gamblers pay a cover charge when they enter, which would be set asside into a fund so they can give you some pocket money so you won't feel tempted to rob the joint.
If you DID rob the joint, it was because the casino created an environment that allowed you to lose, and that's why it's their responsibility to give you money before you rob the joint.
It's all about accountability. Yeah, there are a lot of people out there who get dealt crappy hands in life, and we all agree that it sucks and that life is very unfair. But that doesn't make them any less personally accountable for their actions. The rich guy has just as much opportunity to go steal Ma's car as the poor guy. Both have the same choice to make -- to steal or not to steal.
P.S. It's really tough to compare countries based on crime rates or taxation because there are SO many other factors (like culture, etc.) that influence crime rates.
I've yet to see a small company of your size successfully implement a full-blown documentation and project management system. Why expect a small company to act like a big one? Instead, find the top three frustrations and risks in your current processes and address them individually, rather than trying to put in place a system that's bigger than it needs to be. There will be time enough for that when the company grows.
Otherwise your people will be spending more time documentating what they're doing than they will spend actually doing it. Billable hours are key at that stage.
Management is nothing but politics on a micro scale. It's not how good you are technically, it's really not about how nice you are, it's all about how well you play the game. Everything in the game boils down to people who are good at being people they are not for reasons that only appeal to themselves. There are exceptions, managers with integrity and a true love of their job and their trade and their staff. The rest of management tends to be a) very selfish, and b) very good at hiding that fact when it's in their best interest to do so.
Treat your existing product as one big, well developed prototype. Not many people have that advantage in a large-scale development effort. If you can somehow put a function-freeze on the existing product, that will enable to you to develop the new product to match the functionality of the old product without trying to hit a moving target. When possible, scope out and implement your improvements and efficiency improvements at the same time. In many ways, this is the best way to do a large-scale project.
Get some other IT folks like yourself and form a corporation together (i.e. split the cost). Then you all become W2 employees of your own corporation, can get better deals on benefits packages, can maybe split the cost on something resembling an office, and here's the big benefit... get more clients/customers because you're a regular agency rather than "just this guy, you know".
Believe it or not, many corporate clients would rather hire an agency and spend twice the cost for the same end result simply because an agency implies stability and competency more than a single individual can. At least this is my personal observation.
Plus, if a potential contract comes along that you're not necessarily qualified for, it's really easy to have your co-worker/partner take the position, or even share it. Based on your corporate structure, you all end up benefiting through profit sharing, and you end up with a contract that otherwise would have been lost.
I agree, and would rather spend my time teaching unwed mothers important job skills than criminals. Granted, prison is expensive without much (if any) positive net gain to society, but I don't think there should be an inherent reward for committing crimes.
It reminds me of the homeless people in my city (Portland, Oregon) that break store windows so they can have a meal and a warm place to sleep each night (jail; they're always released the next morning).
People learn "action and reaction"... if I do X, then Y happens.
Slashdot Mirror
It's been our company's IT policy for over two years that Firefox is the default browser, and IE is only to be used for web sites that require it (and even then we contact the web site owner and protest).
It would be cool to see a matrix of the members of the Fortune 500 Boards of Directors. We always hear about who's CEO of this or that corporation, but it's amazing when you hear about who's on the Board.
Saying violent video games cause crime is like saying spoons are the reason Rosie O'Donnell is fat.
I'd much rather focus my energy on getting the job done correctly and on time than on merely looking good. Wearing comfortable clothes helps me focus on the work and not be distracted by that tie around my neck, slowly choking off the blood flow to my brain.
... they'd rather look good than do anything that's actually valuable in life (e.g. promote product features that actually obey the laws of physics).
In corporate culture, Marketing Types are the archetype of this premise
I went from Windows XP to Linux (SuSE 9.x) to a Mac (iMac G5) running OS X Tiger. Although I still maintain machines with all three operating systems, I use my iMac 99% of the time. In that sense I'm a "switcher". Yes, I bought an iPod while still using Windows, but that wasn't the reason I got a Mac. Everyone I know that owns a Mac swears by them. After using one for about 9 months now I can honestly say it's the most elegant, well thought out operating system and hardware combination I've ever used, period. I simply get more done in less time and with less hassle using OS X than I ever did in Windows or Linux.
FYI: I use Linux as a L.A.M.P. server and I use Windows to connect through a client's VPN that requires me to use Symantec's VPN product. Otherwise I can honestly say I wouldn't have a use for Windows at all anymore.
Regarding the compliance of MySQL to SQL standards and how that may affect an eventual migration to another database, all I can comment on is my own experience. In 20 years of software development, I've only been involved with, or seen, two database migrations from one product to another. Both were from SQL-Server to MySQL (on Linux). In my experience, I have found SQL-Server and Oracle to be more "locked in" and proprietary in their implementations than MySQL, and have found more applications and programming languages to support MySQL more than any other RDBMS save only MS-Access. Until 5.0, it's not been what I would consider "enterprise" because of it's lack of stored procedures and triggers, etc. but now that 5 is here, I think it can compete with the big boys.
Hacking, IMO, is the creative (art) application of skills or technology (science) to solve a difficult problem. There are lots of people who are strong on "how" but weak on "why". They are not hackers. Hackers must be strong on how (science) AND be able to creatively apply that knowledge (art) to achieve a new and unique solution to a problem or challenge.
I recall reading something once (sorry, I don't have the original reference) that said most people would rather receive praise in front of their co-workers by their supervisor than an anonymous $50 bonus in their paycheck.
... as long as the praise is genuine.
Granted, that's always going to be a personal preference, but my own experience both as a grunt and as a manager has shown this to be generally true
As an independent filmmaker and videographer, and as a Mac AND Linux user, I'm curious to see if they use Linux for rendering or editing? There's a huge difference.
IMHO, the only time the death penalty is warranted is when the criminal killed someone. Hackers, and worse yet identity thieves, deserve something pretty bad but not as bad as death. Let them serve "a year and a day" in a federal "pound me in the ass" prison where they become some bad man's girlfriend. And most importantly, make it known ahead of time that if you get caught cracking or stealing people's identities, that's where you're going to go. Period. End of story. "How do you like them apples, Chester?"
Accessing a publicly visible and unprotected WiFi connection, either intentionally or unintentionally, is about the same as overhearing a conversation spoken between two people on a street corner. IANAL, but it seems that harm must actually occur for someone to have a case against the alleged perpetrator for them to have a case against them, i.e. excessive bandwidth usage resulting in increased cost, etc.
Now if only I could use Skype while away from my computer (and away from my WiFi network's range).
I'm not well educated on the concept or existence of rootkits, but I get the impression that they exist on Linux as well as Windows operating systems. My question to the /. community is: which OS is most easily infected by a rootkit?
Just because something is possible doesn't make it probable. Viruses may or may not be possible on Mac OS X and Linux operating systems, but they are clearly not probable (based on the extremely low number actually found in the wild).
So just how probably are rootkits on the relative operating systems?
We still use Windows for the same reason people still smoke cigarettes ... utter and complete stupidity. That and excellent marketing.
Having said that, there are still some folks who don't have a choice (for various reasons). For example, I'm not allowed to access my own financial records online with my bank unless I'm using Internet Explorer -- despite the federal government's clear and stern warning NOT to use IE because it's unsecure.
Apparently banks are pretty frickin stupid, too.
Give your staff...
1. Clear and obtainable goals and expectations
2. The authority necessary to obtain those goals and expectations
3. Respect
Be...
1. Clear in your communications
2. Fair and reasonable
Don't...
1. Tell them how to do their job (micromanage)
2. Get in their way
3. Pester them for constant status reports
4. Bog them down in unecessary meetings
This review didn't really tell me anything that I couldn't have gleened by simply reading the Table of Contents. I get the impression the author either didn't actually read the book or he was too lazy to write more detail.
Having said that, I'm intrigued by the title and will probably investigate the book anyway simply because it's a topic that directly pertains to some upcoming projects on my calendar.
I'm being somewhat simplistic here but I'd like to propose an analogy of the attitude many "left" thinkers tend to have:
You go to a casino and get dealt a series of bad hands at the poker table. You end up losing all your money.
According to your line of thinking, the casino should make wealthier gamblers pay a cover charge when they enter, which would be set asside into a fund so they can give you some pocket money so you won't feel tempted to rob the joint.
If you DID rob the joint, it was because the casino created an environment that allowed you to lose, and that's why it's their responsibility to give you money before you rob the joint.
It's all about accountability. Yeah, there are a lot of people out there who get dealt crappy hands in life, and we all agree that it sucks and that life is very unfair. But that doesn't make them any less personally accountable for their actions. The rich guy has just as much opportunity to go steal Ma's car as the poor guy. Both have the same choice to make -- to steal or not to steal.
P.S. It's really tough to compare countries based on crime rates or taxation because there are SO many other factors (like culture, etc.) that influence crime rates.
You almost make it sound as if it's the middle class taxpayer's fault that the perp jacked the guy's car.
That's about as logical as saying a woman deserves to be raped when she wears a short skirt after dark.
Reminds me of that joke: "If a plan crashes directly on the border between the US and Canada, where do they bury the survivors?"
If you've got a Zip drive, the 3.5" floppy drive is close to worthless. Except for Emergency disks.
I've yet to see a small company of your size successfully implement a full-blown documentation and project management system. Why expect a small company to act like a big one? Instead, find the top three frustrations and risks in your current processes and address them individually, rather than trying to put in place a system that's bigger than it needs to be. There will be time enough for that when the company grows.
Otherwise your people will be spending more time documentating what they're doing than they will spend actually doing it. Billable hours are key at that stage.
Management is nothing but politics on a micro scale. It's not how good you are technically, it's really not about how nice you are, it's all about how well you play the game. Everything in the game boils down to people who are good at being people they are not for reasons that only appeal to themselves. There are exceptions, managers with integrity and a true love of their job and their trade and their staff. The rest of management tends to be a) very selfish, and b) very good at hiding that fact when it's in their best interest to do so.
Treat your existing product as one big, well developed prototype. Not many people have that advantage in a large-scale development effort. If you can somehow put a function-freeze on the existing product, that will enable to you to develop the new product to match the functionality of the old product without trying to hit a moving target. When possible, scope out and implement your improvements and efficiency improvements at the same time. In many ways, this is the best way to do a large-scale project.
Here's a fourth option:
... get more clients/customers because you're a regular agency rather than "just this guy, you know".
Get some other IT folks like yourself and form a corporation together (i.e. split the cost). Then you all become W2 employees of your own corporation, can get better deals on benefits packages, can maybe split the cost on something resembling an office, and here's the big benefit
Believe it or not, many corporate clients would rather hire an agency and spend twice the cost for the same end result simply because an agency implies stability and competency more than a single individual can. At least this is my personal observation.
Plus, if a potential contract comes along that you're not necessarily qualified for, it's really easy to have your co-worker/partner take the position, or even share it. Based on your corporate structure, you all end up benefiting through profit sharing, and you end up with a contract that otherwise would have been lost.
I agree, and would rather spend my time teaching unwed mothers important job skills than criminals. Granted, prison is expensive without much (if any) positive net gain to society, but I don't think there should be an inherent reward for committing crimes.
... if I do X, then Y happens.
It reminds me of the homeless people in my city (Portland, Oregon) that break store windows so they can have a meal and a warm place to sleep each night (jail; they're always released the next morning).
People learn "action and reaction"