I think it's a little hypocritical for the US to warn about cyber-spying by anyone else when TSA will confiscate anyone's laptop or PDA on a whim and not return it. Physician heal thyself.
XP was vaunted as Microsoft's most secure operating system ever. And it was, for about a year. Then it went through several really horrible security incidents. Eventually the holes were patched and, even though XP will never be anyone's idea of a secure operating system, at least we know where XP's weaknesses are and how to mitigate them.
So now we're finding the Vista security holes. I'm sure there will be a stretch of security horror shows and we'll figure out how to run Vista in a semi-secure fashion. At least we'll know where the vulnerabilities are.
It's really nice running Linux when things like this come along. You can watch in a detached, slightly amused fashion. Although I'm sure our day will come.
perhaps it is the American people (and the people of Iraq) who should be seeking punitive damages from Diebold.
Having the executives stood up against a wall and shot would seem to be the appropriate punitive award. Free elections are...were...the foundation of this country. Deliberately undermining the basis of our democracy would be...should be...the very definition of treason.
and gave Foxconn a lot of reasons to believe that Linux users are crazy zealots.
You say that like it's a bad thing.:)
On a serious note...good job Foxconn. The correct response that will be quickly settle the turbulent waters and turn a negative into a positive. And you raise a good point that Linux support has become an issue hardware vendors take seriously. Good for all of us.
My understanding is that the US Government typically relies on keyloggers in these instances
So now I can assume any laptop that has gone through US customs is dirty? It's bad enough assuming they're compromised. How can we expect the rest of the world to work with us when we behave like douchebags? All your laptops be belonging to us.
So what AT&T is saying to me as a purchasing decision maker in business is that I should consider another wireless carrier if I want to use p2p sharing tools to push marketing materials, training videos and other documents to our mobile sales staff?
Or maybe AT&T only intends to enforce that policy against individual users they think are using too much bandwidth?
One way they're saying they don't value my business. The other that they're arbitrary douchebags who don't deserve it.
Great marketing there guys. I'm really impressed. Really.
And I'm sure the corporate AT&T sales team on my calendar the middle of next month will really enjoy the opportunity to directly and pointedly address those concerns. Let me add that item to the agenda right now....
People seriously need to make more use of profane language.
I was just going to suggest blocking their account and IP address, but routing them to the FUCK OFF page sounds a lot more fun.
Another option would be to let them post and just don't run the insert. Hehe. Hopefully after some really long ranting post, just direct them to the success page but don't actually post it.
The internet is a great outlet of expression for those lacking any impulse control.
One of the reasons I like Linux so much is that there's so little to complain about. Everything just works. Occasionally there's a driver hunt or compatibility issue, getting a scanner to work, but overall, once it's set up and working, smooth sailing.
That was the way Windows used to be. Everything would install and just work, while the Linux tinkerers spent hours chasing down compatibility issues and combing through HCL's. But Vista changed that perception and the very time Linux was making progress in big leaps.
Five years ago if you wanted a smooth install and minimal fuss you picked Windows 2000 or XP. Now you install Ubuntu or buy a Mac. The reality is probably a little more complex but the perception certainly has changed.
Seems this was a run-of-the-mill BlackBerry without any encryption, only a simple password lock.
This is the best IT security the UK PM's office can manage? They have staff in a foreign countries and let them walk around with sensitive information on a low security device? Come on. It wasn't the aides fault if their InfoSec policy is that weak. And it doesn't matter how he lost his Blackberry. Would have been just as easy to arrange a minor accident and have the emergency responders lift it off him during the confusion. Hey, if the Chinese deliberately stole it, at least he got laid for his trouble.
Besides, I have a hard time believing RIMs security hasn't been compromised. Terrorists the world over figured out all they have to do is get a Blackberry to defeat the mighty NSA. Does anyone really buy that? You'd think an organization with the resources of the Chinese government could do better.
The PM's office has, or should have, copies of all his messages. They should know what the Chinese know. And knowing that they can't find a way to monitor those potential exploits? Who the hell is running their network security? Usually that level of incompetence is limited to the Bush administration. Do the Brits have an Arabian Horse association? Is that person running their network security?
I'd much rather get an adequate paycheck to work in an environment that is conducive to success than be paid generously to work someplace that sucks.
A bit harsh perhaps but I agree with the gist of the post. A small, tightly knit group can work bigger than a room full of dysfunctional developers. And working alone is more productive and less stressful than working with idiots. It's really difficult being trapped in a team of people you didn't have any say in picking and whose skill level and motivation may vary widely. One or two toxic personalities can undermine the productivity of the entire group.
That's not the same as being socially inept. If someone is less skilled as a programmer but works hard and listens, I can work with them. It helps to be able to fire the discordant personalities. I recently let two people go and the stress level in the office came down almost immediately, accompanied by a surge of relief from the other departments. Nothing substantive has changed, just getting rid of the shoes in the gears gave everyone else a sense of relief.
The parent may have been a little abrupt in tone but the sentiment is quite accurate. You don't want to drag down your high fliers by yoking them with oxen.
As far as a "motley crew" goes, I resemble that remark.;)
Just like RIAA set out to do with the definition of music downloads. Most of the "piracy" are simple oversights. I read about one engineering firm that got dinged because they had software on retired workstations that were then used for a different purpose (at the same company). They forgot to uninstall...I think it was some CAD tools...and they got fined big for that. They had licenses for all their working drafters, just neglected to delete the old software off re-purposed machines.
That's why I'm happy to be setting up a Linux network. Doesn't necessarily insulate you from a BSA audit. But unless their software runs on Ubuntu, they can go pound sand.
Should I 'ride the wave' and join the new company and culture, or dust off the old CV/resume?
I don't like either of those options. Back in my day job days this kind of thing would go on all the time. Outsource rumors and buy outs in private industry, contract changes in military contracting. Either way you're still an employee subject to the whims and petty rules of your employer.
Another option is thinking about banking some cash and starting your own gig. It's harder work and pays less but ultimately you'll be happier. You have to learn about things like quarterly taxes and professional liability insurance, business licenses and what advertising works and what doesn't. The nice thing about tech is you don't need expensive offices or a lot of overhead to get going. You will need enough cash to survive until you have money coming in, which takes longer than you think.
Most people have ideas about what it takes to start a business and those ideas are almost universally wrong. You may not get fabulously wealthy but with hard work and miserly habits you can make ends meet. I was doing okay and it eventually led to a job that is, essentially, layoff proof. And I get an equity position if the company gets bought out. Plus I'm in the envious position of being the person with the whims who makes up the petty rules. Life is a lot better being on that side of the equation.
Having your own gig gives you the leverage to take a pass on the crapass, dead end, corporate cubicle jobs. You'll be happier in the long run. What seems strange to me are people who will argue for the financial security of a day job. Talk about a false sense of security. You can work in the same place 20 years and get fired the next day and won't get squat.
Seriously. Wii-boxing. Geek game showdown.Seriously. Wii-boxing. Geek game showdown.
What a clever idea.
No physical contact, and an enjoyable way for everyone else to ease the tension that conflict can bring.
I like it. A little theatrical but that can be fun if it doesn't get out of hand. I wonder if any other organizations are doing anything like that? Another company I could point to as an example.
It also helps justify the big screen TV, which is already in the budget. Do things like get pay-per-view during March Madness and order in wings and pizza. I'd rather have people distracted but there instead of skipping out of work to go watch the game somewhere. Or have staff fighting over telecommute days because of an event on TV. May have to ease into some of these ideas. But if I'm going to run a boiler room and push tough deadlines, I'm going to do everything I can to make it a velvet boiler room. I've worked in some sterile, oppressive places and I'm determined to be different...or at least try. It may be Polyanna but I can always go back to consulting.
Looks like day one may be toward the end of the month, so I have three more weeks to soak up inspiration. I'm a little surprised at the supportive comments and thoughtful suggestions from some of the/. crowd. I expected more "Ha-Ha! Good luck, buddy!" Or does that come later when I face plant? I just want you guys to know I'm really listening.
I've always thought that a CIO needs more business specific skills like budget forecasting, financial reporting, contract negotiation, SLA's etc.
I'll do some of that. The financial reporting is handled by the auditors, but I'll do all the IT related budgeting. A long time ago I ran a small software company, so I'm familiar (though rusty) with projections and accounting. We have a lawyer for contracts but I've taken classes in contract law. The secret is actually reading the service contracts you're supposed to sign. And thinking about how long a 24 hour turn-around can be when your business is dead in the water.
Do CIO's report to the board or to the CEO?
Depends on the company. I've seen the CIO report to the VP of Operations, in other organizations they're filing a VP type role and report to the president or CEO. It can depend on the type of business as well. Unless you're bigger than around 350 million in market cap the title may encompass a range of responsibilities that are split up in bigger organizations. Turf wars, rice bowls, personnel turn overs can all change how responsibilities are split up. This is a company selling a tech service and the CIO is King Geek. Everything technical from the phones to the server room to access control. The second interview of a laundry list of things everyone else wants. It's a very long list.
Thanks for your response
Enjoy it while it lasts. Half my contracts aren't working this week, another one is cutting back. I don't play online games so it's a rare opportunity just read and relax. Calm before the storm.
How did you get selected - what are you bringing to the table?
The process started when they asked a former client of mine if they knew anyone. They're a small company that just got a big contract and need to ramp up in a hurry. There were at least two other very qualified people on the short list. I think what set me apart is I have deep roots in the tech community here. No resume slush pile for finding development talent. People I know and have worked with on other projects. They also liked my ideas about integrating (I swear I didn't use the word "leverage" once) open source technologies into the enterprise framework. I think my background with open source was the big difference. Not long ago that would have been a negative. Times change. Another point that seemed to resonate was what I call customer oriented development. Working with the people actually doing the job to shape the software product to the work flow. Not a focus group or testers but putting analysts and developers out on the job site until they can see the application from the perspective of people actually doing the work. The developers identify closely with the customer and it really smooths out staff acceptance issues.
How do you handle conflict?
Thunder Dome.
How is your domain specific knowledge in the field you will be working?
I have built applications similar to their primary product lines, so I have very specific experience and know the rules they have to follow. Even better I have a core of experienced programmers to draw on with specific industry knowledge.
I was up front with them about my ideas for creating a "geek friendly" workplace. Foosball table, flexible hours, a free coke machine, occasional telecommute and remote work policies, training in areas of interest (not just what we're interested in), maybe some valet services for small errands during the day (I sensed some concerns about that one). And job one, day one will be tearing down the cubicles in the IT area and casting them into the dumpster hell they belong. I hate cubicles.
And, yes, I was kidding about Thunder Dome...but only slightly. The development staff, such as it is, borders on completely dysfunctional. There will be personnel changes. The support people are pretty good but they're the dog that's been kicked too many times. Alternating between cowering and snarling. Nothing particularly exotic about their networking infrastructure and the networking guys are pretty good and OSS literate.
Keep us informed as to how it goes
I'll do my best but after day one...which we're still negotiating, I have some other contracts to finish up...I'll be living and breathing it. You know how it goes. Those darn vendors will be circling around like sharks.
I was just offered a CIO position this am, we're negotiating the start date. Too funny.
And, if you never watched Star Trek then you shouldn't even be a CIO.
Whew, got that one covered. Scotty! I..need...that...data center power. And I'll preface all my emails with a Stardate.
Stop thinking about your golf game.
D'oh! How did he know that?
Guess I'll find out if this is better than running my own consulting gig. All those times I shook my head wondering how people so clueless got into decision making positions, karma comes around. All those times I suggested a better way to have it ignored. Not anymore. It's an interesting feeling.
Vendors are a problem. Relentlessly annoying. Going to have to come up with a system to keep them from bothering me all day.
Its yet unpublished format ISO OOXML will not be supported before the release of the next Office generation.
Microsoft doesn't even support the format they've been bribing through the certification process? Wouldn't you think they'd want all their products supporting that standard before embarking on such an ambitious process? Talk about Ready, Fire, Aim.
After a while one comes to expect that MS is more chainsaw than timber but this effort seems even less organized than usual.
DARPA may be different, but every gov contract I've ever worked on has been a soul-sucking, process-intensive horror in buildings that are row after row of blue-gray cubicles. No flexibility in hours, no creative work environment or benefits. No bonuses for on time delivery and certainly no equity positions. And always badges. Stinking badges, base stickers, dog and pony shows for the brass, and mandatory meetings for the sheer delight of listening to someone go on about the dumbest things. And never any room just to experiment, try things that don't work, and make mistakes.
If DARPA moved their tech research to a beach-side resort in Peurto Rico, provided a beach volleyball court and bbq, free sodas and regular hops back to the states, you'd see the brightest and best lining up to work there.
Hey, DARPA, if you want top talent, call me. I know what programmers and researchers want and how to structure a work environment to keep them interested. Otherwise, best of luck with your soul-sucking land of crappy cubicles.
I run all my pop accounts through GMail. Images don't load automatically and I keep javascript on a short leash. So, do those services have some kind of techno-magic or are they just spying on the weak, the lame and the infirm?
FOSS has made it possible to create these machines and circumvent Microsoft's near monopoly...
I'm not sure FOSS made their existence possible, but it certainly made this price differential possible:
The Wind appears to be solidly constructed out of hard plastic--unlike some early mini-laptops, which feel about as sturdy as a Styrofoam mini-cooler. At 10 by 7 by 0.8 inches, the Wind resembles some pricier portables--enough so that the list price of $399 (or $499 for the Windows XP version) seems like a bargain. Wait a week and we'll be able to tell you whether it's worth the money.
The mini-notebook phenom has most definitely highlighted the Windows tax on computer hardware. And it's nice to see examples of having that price differential clearly illustrated. And that's the way it should be. If you feel having Windows adds $100 of value to your notebook, by all means go right ahead and fork over the $$$.
There's one simple way to stop the RIAA, MPAA, BSA silliness...make the member companies jointly liable for the excesses of the enforcement organization. Apply the same regulations for bill collectors. As long as they're playing by the rules and obeying the law, no problem. But if you're responsible for the actions of a collection agency you hire, you might be a little more selective about who you pick. Likewise if Sony, BMG and the others found themselves exposed to liability, they might lean on RIAA to play by the rules. In fact, I'd be willing to bet RIAA membership would drop significantly overnight.
I had a dispute with Dish Network a couple years ago, they tried to blame an advertising partner for the problem.
It would change the entire outsourcing landscape. If the local hospital is responsible for the actions of outsource contractors, they might think twice before hiring medical transcription services from Abduls Discount Transcription in downtown Pakistan. As long as companies can insulate themselves from liability when trying to cut corners the silliness is going to continue.
Not according to the two year chart. Averages out to be pretty flat. Especially compared to Apple. I might wonder where the revenue growth is going to come from? Vista?
They do have a high profit margin and lot of cash but there's nowhere to go but down. Unless they suddenly wake up one day with a commitment to value instead of just revenue, nothing is going to change.
Slashdot Mirror
I think it's a little hypocritical for the US to warn about cyber-spying by anyone else when TSA will confiscate anyone's laptop or PDA on a whim and not return it. Physician heal thyself.
XP was vaunted as Microsoft's most secure operating system ever. And it was, for about a year. Then it went through several really horrible security incidents. Eventually the holes were patched and, even though XP will never be anyone's idea of a secure operating system, at least we know where XP's weaknesses are and how to mitigate them.
So now we're finding the Vista security holes. I'm sure there will be a stretch of security horror shows and we'll figure out how to run Vista in a semi-secure fashion. At least we'll know where the vulnerabilities are.
It's really nice running Linux when things like this come along. You can watch in a detached, slightly amused fashion. Although I'm sure our day will come.
But not today. :)
perhaps it is the American people (and the people of Iraq) who should be seeking punitive damages from Diebold.
Having the executives stood up against a wall and shot would seem to be the appropriate punitive award. Free elections are...were...the foundation of this country. Deliberately undermining the basis of our democracy would be...should be...the very definition of treason.
and gave Foxconn a lot of reasons to believe that Linux users are crazy zealots.
You say that like it's a bad thing. :)
On a serious note...good job Foxconn. The correct response that will be quickly settle the turbulent waters and turn a negative into a positive. And you raise a good point that Linux support has become an issue hardware vendors take seriously. Good for all of us.
My understanding is that the US Government typically relies on keyloggers in these instances
So now I can assume any laptop that has gone through US customs is dirty? It's bad enough assuming they're compromised. How can we expect the rest of the world to work with us when we behave like douchebags? All your laptops be belonging to us.
So what AT&T is saying to me as a purchasing decision maker in business is that I should consider another wireless carrier if I want to use p2p sharing tools to push marketing materials, training videos and other documents to our mobile sales staff?
Or maybe AT&T only intends to enforce that policy against individual users they think are using too much bandwidth?
One way they're saying they don't value my business. The other that they're arbitrary douchebags who don't deserve it.
Great marketing there guys. I'm really impressed. Really.
And I'm sure the corporate AT&T sales team on my calendar the middle of next month will really enjoy the opportunity to directly and pointedly address those concerns. Let me add that item to the agenda right now....
People seriously need to make more use of profane language.
I was just going to suggest blocking their account and IP address, but routing them to the FUCK OFF page sounds a lot more fun.
Another option would be to let them post and just don't run the insert. Hehe. Hopefully after some really long ranting post, just direct them to the success page but don't actually post it.
The internet is a great outlet of expression for those lacking any impulse control.
One of the reasons I like Linux so much is that there's so little to complain about. Everything just works. Occasionally there's a driver hunt or compatibility issue, getting a scanner to work, but overall, once it's set up and working, smooth sailing.
That was the way Windows used to be. Everything would install and just work, while the Linux tinkerers spent hours chasing down compatibility issues and combing through HCL's. But Vista changed that perception and the very time Linux was making progress in big leaps.
Five years ago if you wanted a smooth install and minimal fuss you picked Windows 2000 or XP. Now you install Ubuntu or buy a Mac. The reality is probably a little more complex but the perception certainly has changed.
Seems this was a run-of-the-mill BlackBerry without any encryption, only a simple password lock.
This is the best IT security the UK PM's office can manage? They have staff in a foreign countries and let them walk around with sensitive information on a low security device? Come on. It wasn't the aides fault if their InfoSec policy is that weak. And it doesn't matter how he lost his Blackberry. Would have been just as easy to arrange a minor accident and have the emergency responders lift it off him during the confusion. Hey, if the Chinese deliberately stole it, at least he got laid for his trouble.
Besides, I have a hard time believing RIMs security hasn't been compromised. Terrorists the world over figured out all they have to do is get a Blackberry to defeat the mighty NSA. Does anyone really buy that? You'd think an organization with the resources of the Chinese government could do better.
The PM's office has, or should have, copies of all his messages. They should know what the Chinese know. And knowing that they can't find a way to monitor those potential exploits? Who the hell is running their network security? Usually that level of incompetence is limited to the Bush administration. Do the Brits have an Arabian Horse association? Is that person running their network security?
I'd much rather get an adequate paycheck to work in an environment that is conducive to success than be paid generously to work someplace that sucks.
A bit harsh perhaps but I agree with the gist of the post. A small, tightly knit group can work bigger than a room full of dysfunctional developers. And working alone is more productive and less stressful than working with idiots. It's really difficult being trapped in a team of people you didn't have any say in picking and whose skill level and motivation may vary widely. One or two toxic personalities can undermine the productivity of the entire group.
That's not the same as being socially inept. If someone is less skilled as a programmer but works hard and listens, I can work with them. It helps to be able to fire the discordant personalities. I recently let two people go and the stress level in the office came down almost immediately, accompanied by a surge of relief from the other departments. Nothing substantive has changed, just getting rid of the shoes in the gears gave everyone else a sense of relief.
The parent may have been a little abrupt in tone but the sentiment is quite accurate. You don't want to drag down your high fliers by yoking them with oxen.
As far as a "motley crew" goes, I resemble that remark. ;)
Just like RIAA set out to do with the definition of music downloads. Most of the "piracy" are simple oversights. I read about one engineering firm that got dinged because they had software on retired workstations that were then used for a different purpose (at the same company). They forgot to uninstall...I think it was some CAD tools...and they got fined big for that. They had licenses for all their working drafters, just neglected to delete the old software off re-purposed machines.
That's why I'm happy to be setting up a Linux network. Doesn't necessarily insulate you from a BSA audit. But unless their software runs on Ubuntu, they can go pound sand.
How much urine? 30 liters per day, including weekends.
Kegger at NASA! Wo-ho!
No, by definition, the President's job is to *execute* the wishes of Congress, who are our *representatives*.
And it's really too bad that Congress won't impeach the president who doesn't obey the law and do their job.
Should I 'ride the wave' and join the new company and culture, or dust off the old CV/resume?
I don't like either of those options. Back in my day job days this kind of thing would go on all the time. Outsource rumors and buy outs in private industry, contract changes in military contracting. Either way you're still an employee subject to the whims and petty rules of your employer.
Another option is thinking about banking some cash and starting your own gig. It's harder work and pays less but ultimately you'll be happier. You have to learn about things like quarterly taxes and professional liability insurance, business licenses and what advertising works and what doesn't. The nice thing about tech is you don't need expensive offices or a lot of overhead to get going. You will need enough cash to survive until you have money coming in, which takes longer than you think.
Most people have ideas about what it takes to start a business and those ideas are almost universally wrong. You may not get fabulously wealthy but with hard work and miserly habits you can make ends meet. I was doing okay and it eventually led to a job that is, essentially, layoff proof. And I get an equity position if the company gets bought out. Plus I'm in the envious position of being the person with the whims who makes up the petty rules. Life is a lot better being on that side of the equation.
Having your own gig gives you the leverage to take a pass on the crapass, dead end, corporate cubicle jobs. You'll be happier in the long run. What seems strange to me are people who will argue for the financial security of a day job. Talk about a false sense of security. You can work in the same place 20 years and get fired the next day and won't get squat.
Seriously. Wii-boxing. Geek game showdown.Seriously. Wii-boxing. Geek game showdown.
What a clever idea.
No physical contact, and an enjoyable way for everyone else to ease the tension that conflict can bring.
I like it. A little theatrical but that can be fun if it doesn't get out of hand. I wonder if any other organizations are doing anything like that? Another company I could point to as an example.
It also helps justify the big screen TV, which is already in the budget. Do things like get pay-per-view during March Madness and order in wings and pizza. I'd rather have people distracted but there instead of skipping out of work to go watch the game somewhere. Or have staff fighting over telecommute days because of an event on TV. May have to ease into some of these ideas. But if I'm going to run a boiler room and push tough deadlines, I'm going to do everything I can to make it a velvet boiler room. I've worked in some sterile, oppressive places and I'm determined to be different...or at least try. It may be Polyanna but I can always go back to consulting.
Looks like day one may be toward the end of the month, so I have three more weeks to soak up inspiration. I'm a little surprised at the supportive comments and thoughtful suggestions from some of the /. crowd. I expected more "Ha-Ha! Good luck, buddy!" Or does that come later when I face plant? I just want you guys to know I'm really listening.
I've always thought that a CIO needs more business specific skills like budget forecasting, financial reporting, contract negotiation, SLA's etc.
I'll do some of that. The financial reporting is handled by the auditors, but I'll do all the IT related budgeting. A long time ago I ran a small software company, so I'm familiar (though rusty) with projections and accounting. We have a lawyer for contracts but I've taken classes in contract law. The secret is actually reading the service contracts you're supposed to sign. And thinking about how long a 24 hour turn-around can be when your business is dead in the water.
Do CIO's report to the board or to the CEO?
Depends on the company. I've seen the CIO report to the VP of Operations, in other organizations they're filing a VP type role and report to the president or CEO. It can depend on the type of business as well. Unless you're bigger than around 350 million in market cap the title may encompass a range of responsibilities that are split up in bigger organizations. Turf wars, rice bowls, personnel turn overs can all change how responsibilities are split up. This is a company selling a tech service and the CIO is King Geek. Everything technical from the phones to the server room to access control. The second interview of a laundry list of things everyone else wants. It's a very long list.
Thanks for your response
Enjoy it while it lasts. Half my contracts aren't working this week, another one is cutting back. I don't play online games so it's a rare opportunity just read and relax. Calm before the storm.
BTW do you have an MBA or something?
I have graduate education but not in business.
How did you get selected - what are you bringing to the table?
The process started when they asked a former client of mine if they knew anyone. They're a small company that just got a big contract and need to ramp up in a hurry. There were at least two other very qualified people on the short list. I think what set me apart is I have deep roots in the tech community here. No resume slush pile for finding development talent. People I know and have worked with on other projects. They also liked my ideas about integrating (I swear I didn't use the word "leverage" once) open source technologies into the enterprise framework. I think my background with open source was the big difference. Not long ago that would have been a negative. Times change. Another point that seemed to resonate was what I call customer oriented development. Working with the people actually doing the job to shape the software product to the work flow. Not a focus group or testers but putting analysts and developers out on the job site until they can see the application from the perspective of people actually doing the work. The developers identify closely with the customer and it really smooths out staff acceptance issues.
How do you handle conflict?
Thunder Dome.
How is your domain specific knowledge in the field you will be working?
I have built applications similar to their primary product lines, so I have very specific experience and know the rules they have to follow. Even better I have a core of experienced programmers to draw on with specific industry knowledge.
I was up front with them about my ideas for creating a "geek friendly" workplace. Foosball table, flexible hours, a free coke machine, occasional telecommute and remote work policies, training in areas of interest (not just what we're interested in), maybe some valet services for small errands during the day (I sensed some concerns about that one). And job one, day one will be tearing down the cubicles in the IT area and casting them into the dumpster hell they belong. I hate cubicles.
And, yes, I was kidding about Thunder Dome...but only slightly. The development staff, such as it is, borders on completely dysfunctional. There will be personnel changes. The support people are pretty good but they're the dog that's been kicked too many times. Alternating between cowering and snarling. Nothing particularly exotic about their networking infrastructure and the networking guys are pretty good and OSS literate.
Keep us informed as to how it goes
I'll do my best but after day one...which we're still negotiating, I have some other contracts to finish up...I'll be living and breathing it. You know how it goes. Those darn vendors will be circling around like sharks.
I was just offered a CIO position this am, we're negotiating the start date. Too funny.
And, if you never watched Star Trek then you shouldn't even be a CIO.
Whew, got that one covered. Scotty! I..need...that...data center power. And I'll preface all my emails with a Stardate.
Stop thinking about your golf game.
D'oh! How did he know that?
Guess I'll find out if this is better than running my own consulting gig. All those times I shook my head wondering how people so clueless got into decision making positions, karma comes around. All those times I suggested a better way to have it ignored. Not anymore. It's an interesting feeling.
Vendors are a problem. Relentlessly annoying. Going to have to come up with a system to keep them from bothering me all day.
What does the Slashdot community think about this?
I think you'd better keep your shields up if you meet another starship pretending to have communications problems.
Its yet unpublished format ISO OOXML will not be supported before the release of the next Office generation.
Microsoft doesn't even support the format they've been bribing through the certification process? Wouldn't you think they'd want all their products supporting that standard before embarking on such an ambitious process? Talk about Ready, Fire, Aim.
After a while one comes to expect that MS is more chainsaw than timber but this effort seems even less organized than usual.
DARPA may be different, but every gov contract I've ever worked on has been a soul-sucking, process-intensive horror in buildings that are row after row of blue-gray cubicles. No flexibility in hours, no creative work environment or benefits. No bonuses for on time delivery and certainly no equity positions. And always badges. Stinking badges, base stickers, dog and pony shows for the brass, and mandatory meetings for the sheer delight of listening to someone go on about the dumbest things. And never any room just to experiment, try things that don't work, and make mistakes.
If DARPA moved their tech research to a beach-side resort in Peurto Rico, provided a beach volleyball court and bbq, free sodas and regular hops back to the states, you'd see the brightest and best lining up to work there.
Hey, DARPA, if you want top talent, call me. I know what programmers and researchers want and how to structure a work environment to keep them interested. Otherwise, best of luck with your soul-sucking land of crappy cubicles.
I run all my pop accounts through GMail. Images don't load automatically and I keep javascript on a short leash. So, do those services have some kind of techno-magic or are they just spying on the weak, the lame and the infirm?
FOSS has made it possible to create these machines and circumvent Microsoft's near monopoly...
I'm not sure FOSS made their existence possible, but it certainly made this price differential possible:
The Wind appears to be solidly constructed out of hard plastic--unlike some early mini-laptops, which feel about as sturdy as a Styrofoam mini-cooler. At 10 by 7 by 0.8 inches, the Wind resembles some pricier portables--enough so that the list price of $399 (or $499 for the Windows XP version) seems like a bargain. Wait a week and we'll be able to tell you whether it's worth the money.Computerworld
The mini-notebook phenom has most definitely highlighted the Windows tax on computer hardware. And it's nice to see examples of having that price differential clearly illustrated. And that's the way it should be. If you feel having Windows adds $100 of value to your notebook, by all means go right ahead and fork over the $$$.
There's one simple way to stop the RIAA, MPAA, BSA silliness...make the member companies jointly liable for the excesses of the enforcement organization. Apply the same regulations for bill collectors. As long as they're playing by the rules and obeying the law, no problem. But if you're responsible for the actions of a collection agency you hire, you might be a little more selective about who you pick. Likewise if Sony, BMG and the others found themselves exposed to liability, they might lean on RIAA to play by the rules. In fact, I'd be willing to bet RIAA membership would drop significantly overnight.
I had a dispute with Dish Network a couple years ago, they tried to blame an advertising partner for the problem.
It would change the entire outsourcing landscape. If the local hospital is responsible for the actions of outsource contractors, they might think twice before hiring medical transcription services from Abduls Discount Transcription in downtown Pakistan. As long as companies can insulate themselves from liability when trying to cut corners the silliness is going to continue.
and MSFT is just going up...
Not according to the two year chart. Averages out to be pretty flat. Especially compared to Apple. I might wonder where the revenue growth is going to come from? Vista?
They do have a high profit margin and lot of cash but there's nowhere to go but down. Unless they suddenly wake up one day with a commitment to value instead of just revenue, nothing is going to change.
I think he's right to short them.