Never pay retail again

While many people are bemoaning the rising costs of staples and fuel, there are still ways to keep up on deals and get better pricing. CNN recently reported on it and a couple of my favorite resources are:

http://slickdeals.net
http://www.currentcodes.com/

Never pay retail again: "Comparison shopping, haggling and swapping discount codes are all becoming mainstream marks of savvy shoppers. And retailers are playing along.

"

(Via Clippings.)

Never pay retail again

While many people are bemoaning the rising costs of staples and fuel, there are still ways to keep up on deals and get better pricing. CNN recently reported on it and a couple of my favorite resources are:

http://slickdeals.net
http://www.currentcodes.com/

Never pay retail again: "Comparison shopping, haggling and swapping discount codes are all becoming mainstream marks of savvy shoppers. And retailers are playing along.

"

(Via Clippings.)

Imaging

I'm new into the Windows imaging and I do wish there was something a little more elegant to do this but I'm using Hisham's blog (http://blog.hishamrana.com/2006/02/22/how-to-image-windows-xp-with-ghost-and-sysprep) as a guideline. If you have other tips and suggestions, please do send them my way.

Aron

Editing MSI Features

Came across some nice tips for editing properties of MSI files on Novell's site. While they talk about using ZenWorks for deployment you can still edit MSI characteristics using the Orca application from Microsoft's Software Development Kit. Very cool and super easy.

http://www.novell.com/coolsolutions/tip/19182.html

10+ things you can do to motivate your team

A simple but neat post on leadership...

10+ things you can do to motivate your team: "

To get things done these days, working in teams is almost imperative. But how can you, as a leader, motivate a team to accomplish your objectives? How can you avoid common mistakes that can kill performance and morale? This article discusses ways of doing so.

Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.

#1: Believe in your team’s objectives

Do you believe in what you want the team to accomplish? Do you think your goals are realistic? If not, rethink your position, because your team will sense your uncertainty. You may say the right words, but your body language and overall demeanor will give you away. On the other hand, if you truly are dedicated and believe in your goals, your team will sense it and will react accordingly.

#2: Model the behavior you want from the team

Don’t be a hypocrite — lead by example. You want your team to interact courteously and professionally with others, but do you do so yourself? If you ask them to put in extra hours, are you there along with them? Country artist Rodney Atkins sings about how one day, his four-year-old son said ‘a four-letter word,’ but how later that night, all by himself he got on his knees and prayed. What did the son say when asked about how he learned to do both things? ‘I’ve been watchin’ you.’

#3: Keep a positive attitude

• Game 1 of the NBA Finals has just begun. Fifteen seconds into the game, one team connects on a field goal, making the score 2-0. The other coach slumps in his chair, puts his head in his hands, and yells, ‘@(*@&@, this series is OVER!!’


• (On November 12, 1989): Person 1: ‘The Berlin Wall just came down!’ Person 2: ‘Horrible! The guards are now out of a job!’

Don’t laugh. If you have these attitudes, how do you think your team will react? If you model a negative attitude, your team will pick it up. I know it sounds trite, but try to stay upbeat.

Doing so doesn’t mean being unrealistic. It does mean, however, that you try to look at the glass as being half full rather than half empty. Instead of saying, for example, ‘This project will never succeed because of issues 1, 2, and 3,’ consider saying, ‘If we want this project to succeed, it’s critical that we resolve issues 1, 2, and 3.’

#4: Be clear about your goals

It’s hard for your team to accomplish its goals if those goals are unclear or unknown to them. More important, it’s hard to get them even to agree with those goals if they don’t know what they are. Make sure your team knows what you are expecting of them. If you can quantify your goals so that you can measure how well you did compared to what you expected, so much the better.

#5: Get feedback from the team members

Unless you hear from your team members, you may have little or no idea of how effective or clear you are. Few of us enjoy hearing bad news or criticism, but if there’s a problem in what we’re doing, it’s important that we hear it.

When discussing issues with the team, don’t shoot the messenger. When listening to a team member, try to separate the message and issue from the person. Similarly, when someone is offering suggestions or discussing issues, try to separate your own self and ego from the discussion. If you do shoot the messenger, all you will have done is make your team even more reluctant to talk frankly with you in the future.

#6: Set expectations

Make sure your team knows what to expect of you. If they do, there’s less chance that they’ll be unpleasantly surprised or disappointed.

Suppose, from the previous point, you had a discussion with a team member, who made a few suggestions. Some of them are workable (so that you could act on them), but others aren’t. Before having this discussion, it would be good to let your team know that while you will listen to them, you may or may not adopt all of their suggestions. One would hope they’d realize this already, but it’s best to be explicit. Furthermore, if you do adopt a suggestion, make sure everyone knows about it.

#7: Avoid mixed messages

Consultant and trainer Robert Mager, in his book Analyzing Performance Problems, discusses the uses of consequences and rewards in shaping human behavior. Specifically, he points out that to encourage desirable behavior, there must be positive rewards for it. Conversely, to discourage undesirable behavior, there must be consequences that result from it. Believe it or not, some people mix up these two points. Have you, as a parent, ever said to your child, ‘Any time you have problem, you can talk to Mommy or Daddy’? What happens when they do? You become irritated and yell at them, ‘Come back later! Can’t you see I’m busy?!’ If you send similar mixed messages to your staff, you will make it harder for them to act the way you want.

#8: Know the difference between exhorting and belittling

It’s fine and good for you to want greater and higher quality results from your team. However, be aware of the line between exhorting someone to do better and belittling them because they aren’t right now. The latter might work, but the chances are greater that it might only create resentment and turn out to be counterproductive.

A couple of weeks ago, after a rehearsal of the choir I direct, I said to two young men, ‘I want to see confidence in your eyes when you’re singing.’ I didn’t say to them, ‘You idiots, you don’t know the music.’ In other words, in keeping with the positive/negative point discussed earlier, I focused on where I wanted them to be, rather than on the fact that they weren’t there right now.

#9: Correct in private

If personal issues of a team member are becoming a problem, address them with the person in private. Don’t embarrass the person by bringing it up in public. Such issues include attendance and punctuality, dress, and general professionalism.

What about a mistake involving work? Use discretion here. Using the choir example again: Suppose a person has an incorrect rhythm in a measure. I will just take a moment and work it out with that person in front of the group. If he or she gets it, fine. However, if he or she were consistently missing notes and rhythms, I would need to talk privately with that person to see what’s going on.

#10: Praise in public

When someone does something right, you probably are happy and want that person to continue doing it. You also probably want to make that person look good in front of the others, and for the others to be motivated to improve their own performance. For those reasons, recognize good work in public, rather than in private.

Other things being equal, of course, most people would prefer money and praise rather than praise alone. However, praise alone still can motivate, as long as you’re sincere and specific in what you’re praising. Generalities are unhelpful. Rather, focus on the specific action, and how it benefited the group.

In the case of the young men I mentioned earlier, I spoke to them again just a few days ago, after our last rehearsal, which went really well. I said to one of them, ‘Remember I told you I wanted to see confidence in your eyes? Well, I see it now.’ To the other, I said, ‘You’ve been practicing, right?’ When he nodded yes, I continued, ‘See what a difference it makes?’

#11: Believe in your team

England expects every man to do his duty.

The Battle of Trafalgar, in 1805, established British naval supremacy for decades afterward. In that battle, a fleet led by Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson defeated a combined French and Spanish fleet off the coast of southwest Spain, near Cape Trafalgar. As both sides were preparing for the battle, Nelson sent his now-famous message to his fleet. Sadly, Nelson suffered a mortal wound and did not live to see his ultimate victory.

People tend to live up, or down, to your expectations. If you expect high performance from them, and they realize it, you have a greater chance of getting such performance than if you expect low performance.

It can be rewarding to see a team come together and execute the way you want. It’s even more rewarding to see people develop the way you want. However, try to be realistic. The members of my choir are all teenagers and friends with my younger daughter, Rayna. One day, I asked her, ‘Rayna, do some people in the choir tell you how much I’ve influenced them?’ At that, Rayna replied, ‘Daddy, don’t flatter yourself.’

---

Calvin Sun works with organizations in the areas of customer service, communications, and leadership. His Web site is weee.calvinsun.com and his e-mail address is csun@calvinsun.com.

"

(Via Clippings.)

10 developer want ads that will attract topnotch talent

This is a pretty neat list of things to pay attention to in recruiting developers although many elements could apply to most traditional IT personnel.

10 developer want ads that will attract topnotch talent: "

When your company is trying to hire programmers, there is a good chance that your ad on Monster, CareerBuilder, other similar Web sites is going to be the first thing potential candidates see of your open position. Unfortunately, most programming ‘help wanted’ ads are written in a way that makes the best candidates fairly unlikely to respond to them, even if they are a good match for the job.

Why? Because the people writing these ads often don’t understand developers, and they produce a generic ad that reads like a boilerplate job description with an Apply Now link at the bottom. Here are 10 want ads for developers that show how to get top programmers to click that link.

Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.

#1: Show them the money!

While the compensation for this position is ultimately dependent upon the candidate’s experience and other qualifications, the approximate salary range that has been approved for this position is $XYZ/year to $ABC/year.

There are some good reasons why most job ads omit salary information. The problem is, candidates don’t care about your reasons for omitting it. They want to be shown why they should apply for your open position. Programmers are busy people, and they don’t enjoy sneaking away from their desk to have a 20-minute discussion with recruiters doing the ritualistic ‘compensation dance.’ Providing an approximate salary range (with all disclaimers, of course) in the job ad ensures that no one’s time will be wasted and encourages candidates to apply.

#2: Leave the laundry list at home

We are looking for candidates to fill a senior Java developer position. Position focuses on creating and maintaining Web services that interact with a complex database and implement precise business logic. Candidates with experience in the insurance industry will be given preference.

Did you notice that the only technical skill listed is Java? Most job ads turn away many qualified candidates by presenting a laundry list of skills that are ‘must haves.’ In reality, few candidates will actually have that precise combination of skills, so they simply will not apply. What generally happens is that the technical manager writes down all the technologies they use and how often their programmers use them. The recruiter then turns that into the list of ‘must have’ and ‘plus’ skills based upon the usage. When job seekers see the list, especially the items labeled ‘must have,’ they do not apply, even if those skills could be easily learned. Another downside of the laundry list is that it takes up a huge amount of space in the ad. In the example above, skills like XML and SQL are implied by the statement that the work is in Web services; there is no need to explicitly mention it.

#3: Offer a chance to learn

Even the most experienced developers in this position will have the opportunity to expand and improve their skill sets in many advanced areas of knowledge.

The very best programmers did not become good just sitting around and learning by osmosis; they did work beyond their capabilities and learned how to do it. They are much more interested in jobs where they will use old skills in new ways or learn new skills entirely. If your project is run of the mill, you will have a harder time recruiting (and retaining) top talent compared to a more exotic project. But if your project is a challenge, let the candidates know. Not only will you attract more of the best developers, but the programmers who are not as interested in having their limits stretched will be less likely to apply.

#4: Show a commitment to their education

The firm believes that it is critical to encourage personal development to have a successful team. As such, we have established a budget for employee education and allow developers to take training courses or otherwise improve their skill set during normal business hours.

One of the best ways to attract (and retain) developers is to show them that you really value them. And one of the best ways to do that, as well as to show that your company is special, is to establish and advertise an education program for your programmers. Most companies fail to do this and at best allow managers to buy a few books. The expectation is that programmers are supposed to show up ready to work with all skills already learned, and any new skills have to be learned on the employee’s own time. By advertising a formal education program, you are letting candidates know that they will be valued, and that your position is a smart career move for them.

#5: Play up the most attractive languages, when possible

Interested in Ruby? So are we! We are hiring developers to work in Ruby. Candidates with prior Ruby experience will be given extra consideration, but all candidates with a strong grasp of programming principles, particularly experience with other similar languages (Perl, Python, Lisp, Scheme, etc.), will be viewed favorably. We are hiring one senior member of the team and three mid-level team members. Training in Ruby will be provided at the company’s expense.

Wow, an ad that essentially says, ‘We are looking for a skill you don’t have, but we will hire you anyway’? Yup, that’s right. There is something magical about Ruby amongst programmers. People who work in Ruby are extraordinarily loyal to it, and it seems like a number of really smart programmers are willing to travel or otherwise make sacrifices for the chance to use it professionally. As a result, working with Ruby and advertising that fact will get the resumes piling up pretty quickly. Other languages out there have similar followings, such as Python, Lisp, and Scheme. If your team is using a language that developers are really passionate about using, advertise it.

#6: Mention that relaxed atmosphere

Our development environment has a laid back feeling, with business casual dress throughout the week and Friday ‘jeans day.’ Schedules are flexible within reason, and employees are given the option of working from home one day each week.

When applicants see an ad like this, they know you will be a lot less likely to feel the need to have them under your thumb. Top programmers hate that feeling, and it may very well be a reason why they are thinking about leaving their current job. When you post an ad like this, you are showing candidates that you are not just looking to fill empty chairs, but you actually will give them the latitude in hours, dress, and in-office presence that most developer positions can allow.

#7: Offer toys!

We believe that the most productive developers have the full backing of the company. We ensure that our developers have the most modern workstations and provide a modest budget for all developers to customize their workstation or purchase peripherals they require.

The best developers tend to be interested in computers in general, not just in cranking out code. While many developers are not working on projects so massive that their PC’s capabilities will make a huge impact on their ability to complete the project, giving them a super-nice PC will win big points with them. It shows the developers that you are willing to put your money where your mouth is in terms of supporting them. And giving them a moderate budget to customize their tech is just icing on the cake. When your ad makes it clear that you get the right tools into the hands of your development staff, potential candidates will be more likely to apply.

#8: Advertise the benefits of your location

Our office is located right in the middle of downtown Manhattan, one block from the E line and a wide variety of restaurants.

If your office is located in a place that has a lot going for it, let the candidates know. After all, if they are choosing between your ad and another one that looks roughly the same in terms of work and compensation, things such as the ease of commute, lunchtime options, and after-hours entertainment suddenly become deciding factors. If your office is in or near a great school district, that is a major selling point too. But whatever makes your location special (in a positive way) should find its way into your ad if possible. The response rate to your ads is likely to improve.

#9: Show that you ‘get’ developers

Our company is committed to making our developers as successful as possible. A manager with a work history in IT leads each team, and our sales process includes technical personnel throughout every step of the sale to ensure technical viability of every project.

Some of the biggest complaints voiced by the best programmers are business problems, not IT problems. All too often, their ability to do a good job is hampered by managers who do not understand the special needs of a programming project or by a rogue salesperson who makes wild promises that the development team knows it can’t fulfill. When your job ad shows that your environment works the way a programmer would have it work, candidates will be a lot more interested in your ad than the others that look like another exercise in corporate futility.

#10: Advertise your success

The department has increased revenue four years in a row and is considered the ‘crown jewel’ of the division.

One of the things that can scare a possible job applicant away is a project (or department or company) that might be teetering on the brink. After all, why jump jobs only to lose the new one a year later? Even if the job itself is in no danger of going away anytime soon, no one (especially top programmers) likes working for a project that is not successful. When your candidates know that this job would have them working for a proven winner, they will knock down your door to apply.

"

(Via 10 Things.)

Overcoming Jet Lag

Some great ideas mentioned by John. While I couldn't forego the caffine part I agree with most suggestions. Staying up that first day upon arrival is tough but it helps. I also set my watch to the destination time zone as soon as I sit down in the plane and check it frequently to start thinking in the local time zone.

Overcoming Jet Lag: "Every May on the last Thursday of the month, I lecture to European Hospital CEOs in Geneva. After a full day of teaching, networking, and group meals, I have two choices - fly back to Boston on a Friday, or travel to some European city for the weekend, then fly back on Sunday. For the past few years, I've done the European weekend option, visiting Paris, Prague, Rome, and Vienna/Saltzburg. This year, I'll be in Istanbul for the weekend and my experiences there will be the subject of my blog tomorrow (no cool technology blog this week).

My schedule this week will be Boston to Paris to Geneva to Lausanne to Geneva to Zurich to Istanbul to London to Boston in 4 days with 6 to 7 hour time changes.

Traveling in economy class, wedged in a middle seat, traveling from point to point just in time for my lecture responsibilities, how do stay coherent? Overcoming jet lag and enjoying foreign travel requires a few simple steps

1. Avoid all caffeine and alcohol - they truly do not help. Caffeine leads to more fatigue and alcohol leads to interrupted sleep. I have similar feelings about taking medications on airplanes like ambien, benadryl etc for sleep. They just make you groggy.

2. Wherever in the world you arrive, push through to the time you would normally go to sleep in that country. Never take naps - that will prevent your body from adapting. If you go to be at 10pm each night at home, go to bed at 10pm local time on the first day you arrive at your destination, no matter how painful it is to stay awake that first day. By the second day, you'll be adapted.

3. Expose yourself to sunlight as much as possible (with appropriate sunscreen to avoid too much UV). Rising with the dawn and staying outdoors will help your body rapidly adjust to the new time zone.

4. Avoid heavy, fatty meals. Several light meals make adaption easier. To the extent possible try to eat similar foods to your diet at home. Traveling as a vegan is sometimes challenging, so I eat vegetarian while traveling. Eating light salads, fresh breads, and soups keeps my energy up without weighing me down.

5. Stay hydrated. I drink 1-2 liters a day while traveling, especially when I'm wandering through a city on foot. I use a Platypus Hydration bladder in a small backpack as I'm walking the streets of Europe. http://www.platypushydration.com/

6. Avoid pre-packaged tours. While traveling, I like to experience a country by walking among the locals, visiting their shops and restaurants, and understanding the terrain between points of interest instead of crowding on a bus to sprint from point of interest to point of interest, then eating an Americanized meal of rubber chicken at a roadside tourist diner. Pre-package tours tend maximize crowds and minimize walking, making you feel more fatigued.

7. Do something out of the box. While in Japan, I climbed Mt. Fuji at dawn on the first day of the climbing season. While in Salzburg, I hiked up the Untersberg, where the Sound of Music was filmed ('the hills are alive...') to enjoy the wildflowers. In Istanbul, I've found a master flute maker who creates and plays the Turkish Ney. The Japanese flute is said to be the most challenging instrument to play with the Ney a close second. I've arranged to purchase one of his flutes and take lessons. Luckily, I've also found a Ney master in Boston so I can continue the instruction when I return. Doing something that's not in any tourist guide will give me a reason to want to get out of bed in the morning and will create a lifelong memorable experience.

8. Exercise. Rather than consider caffeine or other stimulants, get moving. Walk the city and you'll feel more invigorated throughout the day. Generally I walk 15-20 miles a day while I'm touring a city.

9. Do something intellectual. While in Istanbul, I've arranged to have lunch with a Professor of Ottoman History and we'll walk the Sultanahmet area (Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia) reflecting on the history of old Constantinople. This will keep my brain engaged so I'm not just wading through a sea of tourists.

10. Go with the flow. From the moment I land in Turkey at 1pm on Friday to the moment I leave at 1pm on Sunday, I have no schedule and no plans other than to call the cell phone numbers of the Ney maker and Ottoman Professor to arrange meetings. This means that I can explore Istanbul 20 hours a day without any concern of the next tour bus to catch. I can eat when and where I find something interesting. I can take side trips I would have never been able to plan. The end result is a stress free unique experience.

I may not have WiFi access in Istanbul, so tomorrow's blog entry may have to wait until Sunday night, but I'll be on Blackberry if you need me."

(Via Clippings.)

10 free Windows Security Downloads

Seems like there have been some pretty good Windows top 10 lists recently. Now what I'm looking for is a free way to elegantly clone my Windows laptops and desktops..... Any suggestions?

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9087778&source=NLT_AM&nlid=1

Twitter: Tweeting from your Mac

Twitter is pretty interesting and I know plenty of Tweets. The part that this article mentions that I've also found infuriating is the lack of reliability......

Twitter: Tweeting from your Mac: "Twitter is probably the most beloved unreliable web-service on the net. That said, if it is running (even with some features turned off), I tend to be using it. Here are some Mac clients I've been using with it instead of the default web interface."

(Via Clippings.)

Adieu to the true audiophile?

I put myself through my undergraduate education while working in a high end audio retail store and my . At the time and into my late 20s I was an avid audio enthusiast as well. As time went on and MP3s became more mainstream I reluctantly adopted encoding my music and eventually putting all my CDs into large plastic containers and never again getting them out. For myself and I believe most people, the convenience of the iPod and MP3s is worth the, at least to me, negligible difference in sound quality. I believe much of the same is beginning to happen with video. While I agree with most analysts who have said that people don't feel as inclined to own their video as they do their audio, the portability is a greater feature than the greatest resolution, and hence the reason for the fact that BluRay hasn't taken off with the same enthusiasm as DVDs did 10 years ago.

Adieu to the true audiophile?: "True connoisseurs of home stereos will take exception to the notion, but complicated home stereos may be going the way of baby boomer taste-setting."

(Via Clippings.)

DropBox

I just signed up for the public beta of DropBox, a very cool online file sharing application that's integrated into Windows and Mac. While companies should really use their own solution or a hosted secure solution, this is pretty neat for stuff you need to access from multiple computers or share with others. Watch the video, it's pretty cool. http://www.tuaw.com/2008/05/22/dropbox-seamless-file-upload-and-sharing/

Aron

RIM execs on best BlackBerry apps: eight downloads

RIM execs on best BlackBerry apps: eight downloads: "Here are what they find to be the most valuable and use the most, from GPS apps to travel aids to media players -- and many are free.

"

(Via Clippings.)

Why You Should be Shooting Photos in the Raw

Why You Should be Shooting Photos in the Raw: "An increasing number of digital cameras can shoot in a format known as RAW, which gives you much more control over how your photos turn out. Here's how to use the format to your advantage. In Gadget Lab.

"

(Via Wired: Gadgets.)

The ‘Power’ of the Network

I've been waiting for IP-based appliances for a long-time--I would love to be able to control the thermostat, the fridge, timers on the oven, etc. from a web page. I predicted that it would have been mainstream by now so my timing was off but it will be here soon....

The ‘Power’ of the Network: "

About six months ago, I installed solar panels at my house. Not that I expect to go ‘off the grid,’ but its impact is already showing as the days grow longer. Being a tech-geek, I was naturally fascinated by the computerized electric meter that came with the installation. The built-in technology tracks my usage and diverts the energy as needed. So, if the sun is high, and my consumption is low, I am in fact sending electricity back into the grid. This got me thinking, and doing a bit of research….

Sending power back into the grid isn’t new. But it does open the whole discussion of smart metering, the ability to monitor and possibly adjust one’s electricity consumption, and leverage the network. We’re already seeing companies focused on helping industries manage peak utilization by cutting off or reducing non-essential loads; helping municipalities better manage their street lighting; and helping farmers better manage their irrigation based on weather patterns. But this is only the beginning.

Soon, I’ll be able to log into the network and view my home’s energy utilization. In fact, at least one company in Silicon Valley already offers this as a service. I’ll be able to set policies to automatically reduce usage based on cost, or adjust it manually. But, what’s exciting is that this same capability can be extended to my security system. With an IP-enabled system, I’ll be able to see what’s happening in the house, and check on the heating or fridge (hey, who took the last yogurt?!) from anywhere in the world. Yes, this technology exists today. But only recently has the connectivity, either wireline or wireless --within the house and between the house and the Internet--been available. It’s moving beyond the early adopter and hobbyist to the mainstream. And mainstream folks are seeing a new use of the network infrastructure…tens of millions of endpoints, always on, always communicating. The IP network has really transformed how we communicate, but now we are seeing the potential of how it can transform our lives and help the environment.

"

(Via The Platform: The Official Cisco Blog.)

Universal/Unified Threat Management Devices

In working with several small to mid-sized companies I'm finding more and more of them that are really not well-equipped as far as their border networking is concerned. Several have consumer grade network devices, often router/WAP devices from Linksys, Netgear, D-Link, etc. While these companies all make very good devices, they are really consumer-grade and don't offer some of the more advanced features that products from Sonicwall, Juniper, SnapGear, etc. With these $400 - $1000 products you get more sophisticated networking capabilities, anti-virus, anti-spam, port/data type blocking, etc. Some have real-time intrusion detection and blocking of malicious activity. Unfortunately, many do require annual subscriptions for the full feature set so factor that into your buying decision. I'm fond of the devices that are more open-source based, such as the SnapGear because of the lack of licensing costs and the fact that they used standards-based protocols and don't require proprietary clients for connecting (seems like most of the VPN clients for most of the bigger brands are licensed individually).

ComputerWorld did a nice write up about a few of them and what to look for.

Image gallery: Reader favorites -- 10 great free network tools

Image gallery: Reader favorites -- 10 great free network tools: "After we reviewed several surprisingly powerful free network utilities, many readers wrote in to tell us about their own favorites. So networking pro Greg Schaffer set out to review them -- and a couple of his own choices -- to recommend a tool kit every net manager should have on hand.

"

(Via Clippings.)

Go Green — Buy a Used Car. It's Better Than a Hybrid

Go Green — Buy a Used Car. It's Better Than a Hybrid: "Driving a Toyota Prius may make you feel better, but it won't necessarily make you greener. Fuel-efficient used cars are a better choice.

"

(Via Clippings.)

A cure for the 802.11 ABC's

As I'm working on remote access for users with my employer I came to much of the same conclusion as John Halamka based on currently available technologies. SSL-VPNs rule in terms of ease of use and zero client configuration. For my regular users we're using WPA enterprise with Active Directory authentication.

A cure for the 802.11 ABC's: "Every week, some industry publication calls me to discuss the latest wireless acronym. Questions abound such as 'are you implementing 802.1x on your 802.11a/b/g networks? How about EAP-FAST supplicants? IPSec VPN over wireless? TKIP, MIC, LEAP? How do you feel about the future of 802.11n....w,x,y,z?

It's dizzying.

Users want something simple - just open a laptop and be connected to the internet. If they can do it in a hotel why is the corporate enterprise any different?

At BIDMC and Harvard Medical School, I need to support several wireless use cases ranging from insecure wireless internet access for visitors with unmanaged virus-infected laptops to highly secure wireless access for trusted users of corporate managed devices.

With thousands of PCs, Macs, Linux variants all needing wireless access, what can a CIO do to navigate the 802.11 ABC's and create a sustainable, supportable solution?

After months of experimentation by my teams, we found an approach that meets the needs of our users, provides reasonable security, and keeps help desk calls to a minimum.

Before I discuss our solution, a few comments on what did not work.

Although supplicants worked fine on PCs, support for Macs and Linux machines was problematic and a support challenge.

Configuring complex wireless protocols such as TKIP/MIC/EAP-FAST on Red Hat Enterprise Linux required expert engineers.

Using IPSec VPN's on any platform was very invasive to the operating system and tended to cause errors, instability and calls to the help desk.

After ruling out these technologies, we implement something very simple.

For the visiting user who wants access to the internet and nothing more, we created an 802.11a/b/g SSID which offers access only to the public internet and sits outside the firewall. Any laptop - PC, Mac or Linux (such as Red Hat Fedora) can pick up this SSID without any configuration. Just open up the lid and you're on the internet. We do show an 'appropriate uses' page when users first open their web browser to discourage violations of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, but no login or configuration is required.

Once on the internet, any user on any platform can access secure resources behind the firewall via an SSLVPN. The SSLVPN (Juniper) works in any browser, on PCs, Macs, and Linux-based laptops with identical features, no client and few support issues.

For our power users who are willing to accept a minimal amount of configuration to get behind the firewall without SSLVPN, we created an SSID that uses WPA and PEAP. For Mac users, no configuration is necessary, just open the laptop lid and sign in to the network using enterprise (Active Directory) credentials. For PC users, a small amount of configuration is necessary depending on the driver used for wireless (Windows, Intel, IBM etc.). For Linux, a custom driver may need to be downloaded, which makes the solution less than perfect, but most Linux users are happy with SSLVPN, so calls to the help desk are limited.

The bottom line - two SSIDs, one unsecured with a simple 'appropriate uses page' and one with WPA/PEAP, provides a wireless solution that works everywhere for anyone.

One caveat - after hours guest network support is tricky, especially for private laptops, because we have no control over 1) who is using the system 2) what they are doing on the system 3) the integrity of the laptop software and drivers. One misbehaving user and/or laptop driver can wreak havoc on other local users.

As more and more mobile devices provide support for wide area networks, users are likely to be able to connect to their choice of high speed EDGE, EVDO and eventually WiMax, making guest connectivity to 802.11 in public places less important. The current Verizon commericial is about getting out of the jail of your Wi-Fi internet cafe. Staying connected will become easier and easier."

(Via Clippings.)

Top 10 Wired.com Reader Black-and-White Photos, Decided by You

These are some outstanding B&W photos posted on Wired. I can't pick a favorite as they are all quite incredible either technically or for the mood that they capture.

Top 10 Wired.com Reader Black-and-White Photos, Decided by You: ":

For the past two weeks we've asked you to go on a color fast for our black-and-white photo contest, with enlightening results. We now permit you to gorge on the entire visible spectrum once again, but first check out the fruits of your abstinence. These 10 photos are the highest-ranking black and whites among Wired.com readers. Whiffleboy won the contest with his photo 'A Bit Spotty,' at left. Whiffleboy will be receiving a subscription to Wired magazine and a digital picture frame for his desk.

Since we had so many great photos that we thought should've received more votes, we've also compiled a Wired.com Editor's Choice Black-and-White Photo Gallery.

Our next twice-monthly photo contest is water. Show us your best homage to life's elixir. Check out the contest page for more information.

Left:

A Bit Spotty

Submitted by Whiffleboy

Photographer's comment:

'A self-portrait in a stairwell.'

:

Straw Dogs

Submitted by Jason Flett

Photographer's comment:

'Taken in drought-affected area of Victoria, Australia.'

:

Man In the Fog

Submitted by David Gordon

Photographer's comment:

'A man walks the Golden Gate Bridge through the fog.'

:

Running Through

Submitted by Harrison

Photographer's comment:

'Taken back in February. The bus didn't show up for another 30 minutes.'

:

Wicked Path

Submitted by Shawn Kresal

Photographer's comment:

'Taken in Yosemite after an unusual rain-filled winter loosened once-still stones and slicked paths.'

:

Girl, Unafraid

Submitted by Neil Bernhart

Photographer's comment:

'This girl was playing around at dusk with the incoming waves.'

:

Cape Fear

Submitted by Vilhjalmur Ingi Vilhjalmsson

Photographer's comment:

'Canon EOS 40D + Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6. Two exposures combined together to create a high-dynamic-range image (hdr) then converted to blue/black sepia.'

:

Pitty

Submitted by Charline Messa

Photographer's comment:

'Canon EOS 400D. Sigma Lenses 70-200mm f/2.8. This picture was taken in a rock festival in Sao Paulo, Brazil, promoted by a radio station with lots of famous Brazilian bands. But in my point of view this moment was unique, the stage was all covered with smoke, her hair was flying with the wind and her face was so quiet and peaceful behind all that noise, I had to take a shot and document that moment.'

:

Silhouette

Submitted by Andrew Scharlott

Photographer's comment:

'Lizard inside a frosted-glass light fixture outside a hotel in Kauai, Hawaii.'

:

Hidden?

Submitted by bushn

Photographer's comment:

'Black & white macro of pill bug in defense mode.'

"

(Via Clippings.)

Great Blog with Tips on Moving to Mac

While I live in both of the bigger worlds of computing (Mac & Windows), David Alison has done an outstanding job of documenting many of the things to be aware of in the Mac world coming from Windows. When I first returned to using Macs (I had essentially left them around 1990) in 2003, I struggled for a long time to get the same things done that I needed to do in the Windows world. Reading David's blog reminds me of the things I fought with. Of course now the Macs use Intel processors and that makes a world of difference seeing as how there are virtualization products like VMWare and Parallels.

Anyhow, if you're new to the Mac or even if you're a veteran Mac user, there are some great tips on David's blog.

ThinkGeek

I noticed the WiFi t-shirt ad on sourceforge.net the other day and it looks like ThinkGeek is distributing them. There's a shirt I've wanted for a long time since I saw it on the UK's Channel 4 program The IT Crowd. It reads simply, "I see dumb people." Turns out ThinkGeek has LOTS of other cool shirts too, check it out for a quick laugh. I might have to get Sadie the 'version 2.0' shirt.....

Recover Your Password-Protected MS Office Docs

Recover Your Password-Protected MS Office Docs: "MS Word lets you password-protect your documents. But if you lose or forget that password, say sayonara to your 200,000 word novel. Wired’s How-To Wiki shows you how to regain access to your orphaned docs.

"

(Via Wired: Top Stories.)

10 ways to develop customer self-sufficiency

Some great points here and one approach that I've taken when resolving someone's issue is asking them if they would like to know why it happened and how it could have been prevented or if they just want it fixed. 80% of the time they'll say they want to learn more.

10 ways to develop customer self-sufficiency: "

‘Make the customer self-sufficient? Are you crazy? I’ll be out of a job!’

This reaction often follows a suggestion about making customers more self-sufficient and hence, less dependent on an IT department. Yes, if customers can do more by themselves, maybe they will need you less. On the other hand, if, as a result of increased knowledge, your customer calls you less often for the ‘trivial’ questions, you have more time for your other tasks. You can could devote this additional time to providing higher-value services to that customer. Most important, that customer (and your boss) might recognize the added value you provide, and that recognition could be good for your career.

Here are 10 ways in which you can help customers achieve more self-sufficiency.

Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.

#1: Give principle along with answer

After graduating from college, I took a job with IBM in California, a decision that involved a move from New York. In making decisions about renting an apartment, I became concerned about having to spend money for a refrigerator, and I asked my father for advice. Rather than simply tell me that I didn’t need to worry about it, my father said the following:

Calvin, by law, generally a landlord HAS to supply a refrigerator to a tenant.

By answering this way, my father did more than just give me an answer. He gave a principle and a reason for the answer, and doing so made the answer more meaningful.

In dealing with clients, try to do the same thing. Instead of simply answering ‘Yes’ or ‘No,’ consider giving an underlying principle if you can. For example, instead of answering ‘No’ to ‘Will someone have to install Vista on my new computer?’ you could answer instead, ‘Actually, Vista comes pre-installed on most new computers, so we don’t have to install it ourselves.’ If a customer forgets his cell phone number, you could do more than just read it to him from your caller ID screen. For example, if he’s using T-Mobile, you might say, ‘If you ’send’ the sequence #686#, it will tell you your phone number.’

#2: Let the customer ‘drive’

I see and I forget. I hear and I remember. I do and I know.

- Ancient proverb

If you’re sitting next to a customer and showing him how to work with an application, let him do the field entries and mouse actions. You already know how to do them, and the customer gains nothing from watching you do it. It doesn’t matter how many times the customer watches you, chances are he will be lost once he is on his own. His chances of retaining the knowledge increase markedly if he has to perform the actions himself.

#3: Ask questions rather than give answers

With regard to a technical issue, asking questions will force the customer to think about larger implications. A customer who arrives at an answer by thinking about it generally will retain that knowledge more than a customer who is simply told the answer.

So if a customer asks why it’s good to keep at least two backup copies, you could just tell them the answer. However, it’s more effective (assuming you have time) to ask a question, such as ‘When we back up to a DVD, that DVD is usually inside the computer, right?’ Then, when the customer says ‘Yes,’ continue with, ‘What happens to both computer and DVD if the computer blows up while it’s doing the backup, and that DVD is your only backup?’

#4: Allow customers to come up with their own answers

By asking questions rather than giving answers, you increase the chances that the customer comes up with the answer you want. This method is more effective in communications and for learning. However, it also can be safer politically, particularly if the person you’re working with is your boss, your boss’s boss, or someone higher up.

In the classic Rogers and Hammerstein movie The King and I, Anna doesn’t tell the king to dress his women in European clothes and hold a dinner. She says instead that she thought he was going to dress his women in European clothes and hold a dinner. At that point, the king said Anna was correct, then chastised her for not having the idea herself.

#5: Encourage customers to teach their co-workers

I’ve found, through experience, that the best way to learn something is to teach it to someone else. Doing so forces you to examine your own understanding and to correct it if necessary. When you encourage your customers to teach their co-workers about an application or system, you relieve yourself of an extra duty and save time, but most important, you force your customers to become more knowledgeable.

#6: Debrief customers after a problem is resolved

After you resolve a problem, get with the customer to explain what happened. If the customer caused the problem, point out that fact, but be sensitive how you say so. Unless you’re careful, you could inadvertently cause the customer to feel defensive, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the communication. Focus on the issue and the problem, not on the person. Instead of saying, ‘This is what you did wrong,’ consider saying, ‘This is what happened, and why.’ When talking about future preventive measures, consider a phrase such as ‘The best approach is to do x’ or ‘The best approach is to avoid doing y,’ instead of ‘The best approach is for you not to do y.’

#7: Use positive rather than negative language

When we say things in a positive way, we have a greater chance of being understood correctly. It also sounds better to the person we’re speaking to. So instead of saying, ‘You shouldn’t have done x,’ consider saying (in combination with the previous point), ‘x was the wrong action’ or ‘Doing x was inadvisable.’

#8: Let customers know about their correct actions

Building and keeping rapport with customers is important. One of the best ways to do so is to tell them when they’ve done something right. It’s a way of counterbalancing all those times you’ve told them (even diplomatically) that they did something wrong. Telling a customer about correct actions need not be a complicated exercise. Once, while at a university help desk, I heard the following effective exchange:

Help desk: ‘So, Professor Jones, as I understand it, you copied the file instead of moving it?’

Professor Jones: ‘That’s right.’

Help desk: ‘Good. That was the right thing to do.’

#9: Give customers the benefit of the doubt when answering questions

When customers ask questions, it can show their interest in learning more. The more they learn, the more self-sufficient they can become. Therefore, be careful about reacting negatively to what you might think is a dumb question. Give the customer the benefit of the doubt. Almost certainly, that person has less technical knowledge than you do. However, even if questioners have good technical skills, they might have a valid reason for asking an apparently stupid question. Their question could involve a different release of the application or a misunderstanding of the correct hardware environment. Take the time to answer questions as patiently as you can, and your customers will have a desire to learn more.

#10: Script other calls the customer may have to make

Your customer may need to talk to other resources besides you. If you can make that job easier for them, they will appreciate it. At one of my clients, the central IT help desk was separate from the help desk for the application Banner. One day, the main help desk received a call that should have been made to the Banner desk. The analyst explicit scripted, for the customer, that next call the customer needed to make. He said to the customer, ‘Now when you call the Banner help desk, don’t say anything except about Banner. If you mention Windows, for example, they will switch you back to me, and neither of us wants that.’

By scripting the call, the IT help desk analyst made the caller’s job easier and reduced the chances he would receive similar calls from that same caller. In other words, everybody won.

Following these tips can build customer self-sufficiency, thus benefiting both the customer and you.

---

Calvin Sun works with organizations in the areas of customer service, communications, and leadership. His Web site is weee.calvinsun.com and his e-mail address is csun@calvinsun.com.

"

(Via Clippings.)

VoIP Considerations Guide on Com.com

While it's not the most sophisticated or detailed guide on implementing VoIP telephony, it does have some good points from the project management perspective. The guide is here: http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tr/downloads/home/dl_10_ways_voip_rollout.pdf

Windows XP SP3 reboot hell (and how to get out of it)

I've seen a couple of these, although most reports talk about it affecting AMD-processor systems applying SP3. In my case it was an Intel based Lenovo laptop. I've got a spare laptop so I've not worked through it yet. Here's a good blog with specific instructions: http://msinfluentials.com/blogs/jesper/archive/2008/05/08/does-your-amd-based-computer-boot-after-installing-xp-sp3.aspx

Windows XP SP3 reboot hell (and how to get out of it): "

Microsofts having a tough year with reboots. First it was a reboot ad infinitum in February, brought on by a flawed update to Windows Vista . Now the same things happening to some users who have updated to Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3).

What gives?

We dont have the answer to that -- at the moment, no one seems to have the definitive answer to that. But we do have answers to the most pressing questions about the latest Windows snafu, including a developing game of blame.

Whats happening? After some users update to Windows XP SP3, their PCs reboot -- which is normal -- but then fail to start up, and then reboot again and again, which is decidedly not normal.

The 'endless reboot' cropped up immediately after Microsoft made XP SP3 available to the general Windows-using public by posting the service pack to Windows Update last week. Within a day, users were reporting problems in messages on Microsofts XP SP3 support forum.

Why are some PCs rebooting endlessly? Microsoft hasnt given any official explanation, but users on the support forum sharing accounts have identified several possible causes. Some seem to affect only systems running processors made by Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), while others have also hit users with Intel-based PCs.

Although its possible to get a feel for the theories by reading multiple support forum message threads, the best source of information has been a frequently updated blog post by Jesper Johansson, a former program manager for security policy at Microsoft and currently an MVP (Microsoft Most Valuable Professional). Johansson, who had one of his own PCs slip into a reboot coma, has neatly summarized the several possible causes put forward by himself and other users.

Are only AMD-powered machines sold by HP rebooting over and over? No, although theyve gotten the most press.

According to Johansson and others, Hewlett-Packard used the same Windows XP disk image to factory install the OS on AMD-based systems as they used for PCs running Intel processors. Thats a mistake, Microsoft contends.

'Under this configuration, after the computer is upgraded to Windows XP SP2 or SP3, the Intel processor driver (intelppm.sys) may try to load because an orphaned registry key remains,' Microsoft said in a support document first released in 2004, after the company issued XP SP2.

The presence of the unnecessary driver, said Microsoft, may crash the machine, causing it to reboot. If the PC is set to automatically reboot on a start failure -- as most are by default -- it reboots endlessly, often so quickly that the user cant interrupt the process and enter whats called 'Safe Mode' in Windows, a last-ditch way to sidestep the normal boot process for troubleshooting purposes.

So Microsofts blaming HP? It sure sounds like it. Yesterday, a Microsoft spokeswoman confirmed that the company was aware of the reboot problem, and pinned responsibility on the computer maker, but didnt name names. 'Microsoft issued guidance to OEMs [computer manufacturers] advising them to only load Windows XP images onto like hardware in 2004,' she said.

Whats HP said? Nothing and a lot, if that makes sense.

Although Computerworld asked for comment on Monday and an HP spokeswoman said Tuesday that the company was investigating, no one from HP had followed up as of end-of-day on Wednesday.

However, HP has posted a document to its support site that shifts the blame right back to Microsoft. 'After installing the initial release of Service Pack 3 for Windows XP an error condition can occur,' the HP document reads. 'The Service Pack 3 update copies an Intel power management driver to the computer that was not on the computer before the update [emphasis added]. During Windows startup, computers with AMD processors may experience a blue screen error.'

Computerworld has not been able to confirm that the errant driver is, as HP claims, added by XP SP3 to AMD-based PCs. If that is, in fact, the case, the endless rebooting is Microsofts fault, not HPs.

Is the intelppm.sys driver problem the only AMD-specific reboot issue? Not according to Johansson and other users, who have also reported shutdown error messages claiming that the PCs BIOS is 'not fully ACPI compliant.'

Users who have seen this message say that their PCs are running one specific motherboard -- an ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe -- equipped with an AMD processor. Those same users claim that inserting a USB flash drive or connecting another USB-based storage device before booting solves the problem.

Are some Intel-powered PCs experiencing endless reboots? Yes, say users.

Johansson noted that some users had seen error messages that indicate their crashes are video driver-related. Both ATI and nVidia drivers may be involved, Johansson said.

How can I stop the endless reboots? To break the chain, you may first need to halt the automatic restarts. Press the F8 key when you see the black Windows XP screen and then select 'Disable automatic restart on system failure'

Now, try to get into Safe Mode by pressing F8 at the next reboot. You may need to press F8 repeatedly. Once in Safe Mode, follow the steps Microsoft lists in this support document to disable the intelppm.sys driver if you suspect thats the problem.

If that doesnt work, Johansson suggests trying the more advanced Recovery Console, which can be run from the XP install CD if it hasnt previously been added to the PC. For detailed directions on installing and using the Recovery Console, check out this Microsoft support document. Again, disable the intelppm.sys driver.

If your PC is not an HP or Compaq with an AMD processor, your best bet -- in lieu of anything official from Microsoft -- is to read through Johanssons post for possible solutions.

Isnt there an easier way? Were not sure, but you can try to offload the heavy lifting to Microsoft by using the free tech support its offering for any install or upgrade problems related to XP SP3.

Although Microsoft normally refers users who obtained XP as part of a new PC to the computer manufacturer or reseller when problems pop up, it will provide free-of-charge XP SP3 install support until April 14, 2009. You can contact Microsoft by phone, e-mail or online chat. (E-mail and chat are available only in the U.S. and Canada.) Details can be found here.

What if I just want to give up on XP SP3 and revert to something that works? No problem, as long as you can regain control of the PC.

Assuming you can stop the endless reboot spiral, you can ditch SP3 and return to (presumably) SP2 by opening 'Add or Remove Programs' from Control Panel, checking the 'Show Updates' box, then scrolling to the bottom of the listing. Select 'Windows XP Service Pack 3' and click the Remove button.

The PC will reboot (again!), but after that, the machine should return to its pre-SP3 state.

Microsoft spells that out for you in this recently updated support document, which also walks you through winding back to SP2 using System Restore or the Recovery Console.

Computerworldis an InfoWorld affiliate.

"

(Via Clippings.)

Article: Copying Content from your iPod to your Computer - The Definitive Guide

Article: Copying Content from your iPod to your Computer - The Definitive Guide: "Probably the single most frequently-asked question of our editors here at iLounge is ‘How do I copy music from my iPod back to my computer?’ Although Apple’s iTunes program is very good at keeping a computer-based library synchronized to an iPod automatically, or for manually transferring tracks from your computer’s iTunes library onto your iPod, it provides extremely limited functionality for transferring information in the…"

(Via iLounge | All Things iPod, iPhone, iTunes and beyond.)

iPhones (Refurbed) 8GB $249 and 16GB $349

Sounds like the deal is back, although the arrival of the 3G iPhone (or perhaps OS X iPhone) is imminent. As others have noted, this is a great deal if you want to buy one to hack and experiment with.

iPhones (Refurbed) 8GB $249 and 16GB $349: ""

(Via SlickDeals.)

Thousands gear up for Bike to Work Day

I'm disappointed that I won't be able to partake in the B2W Day seeing as how I have a 22 mile commute but I applaud all those who do it!

Thousands gear up for Bike to Work Day: "Thousands of bicyclists are expected to take to Bay Area roadways on Thursday for Bike to Work Day, an annual event organized by government officials and community activists to promote pedal power as an alternative to the private automobile. With a backdrop...

"

(Via SF Gate BayArea.)

Scanning wallet cards into the iPhone

Scanning wallet cards into the iPhone: "

Filed under: Software, Hacks, Tips and tricks, Odds and ends, iPhone

This is pretty much genius. Like Albert, I have a bunch of 'membership cards' in my wallet -- they're those cards with a barcode or number on them that you get from places like the local grocery store, or some other retailer. They're useful to have around, but they tend to pile up after a while, and pretty soon, your wallet gets to be a brick of barcodes rather than anything you'd actually want to carry around in your pocket. Albert's solution was to scan all of his barcodes into the iPhone, front and back, as an iPhoto album. And lo and behold, just like the paperless boarding passes we posted about a while back, it worked. All of the barcodes were scannable, which means no more countless membership cards -- just a gallery in your iPhone.

We've already heard of barcodes reading both on and off of the iPhone, of course, and we'll hopefully see more of this when the SDK drops in just about a month here (maybe, in the future, someone will write an app to generate barcodes from numbers, so you don't even need to get a clear scan). But even without an external app, this is pretty handy solution to clearing up some of the clutter in your wallet. Obviously, for anything important (driver's license, credit cards), an iPhone scan won't do. But just to get the membership prices down at the Jewel-Osco, scanning wallet cards into an iPhone seems to work just fine. Very nice.

[via Waxy]

Read'|'Permalink'|'Email this'|'Comments

"

(Via The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW).)

How to Geotag Your Digital Photos

How to Geotag Your Digital Photos: "Add geographic metadata to your photos, and you can easily browse photos by location. Even better, you can make it easy for other people to find interesting locations you've shot. here's how to add that data to your photos quickly and painlessly.

"

(Via Clippings.)

How to make Safari look like IE to a finicky web site

Interesting tip, although OWA (Outlook Web Access) has issues and doesn't load the inbox messages but the appearance is much more like IE 6/7 when you use that engine/User Agent.....

How to make Safari look like IE to a finicky web site: "

Ever hit a site with Safari and it says 'This web site requires Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher!'. Well, if you don't have IE on your Mac you can at least see what all the fuss is about by tricking the web site into thinking you are on a Windows machine running Internet Explorer. David Alison has a simple tip on how to make this work. Read the warning at the end of the tip though!

"

(Via Clippings.)

How to Take a Vacation as a CIO

How to Take a Vacation as a CIO: "I've written that being a CIO is not a job, it's a lifestyle. Given the CIO's responsibilities, is a vacation possible? Can you really unplug? Here's the way I do it.

1. Pick a second in command to run the operation while you are away
Just as a military operation would appoint a commander or watch officer, assign someone else to run the operations while you are away. Broadly communicate that this delegate is in charge and can make decisions in your absence.

2. Email a bit in the morning and at night
When I go on vacation, I do email early in the morning before my family gets up and I email late in the evening after my family goes to bed. This means that I can resolve all issues and keep my email queue empty. When I return to the office, there is nothing waiting for me. A great vacation is one that is easy to return from. The burden of having 5000 emails and 5 crises to resolve is high, so I invest a bit of time each day to ensure my desk is empty when I return, minimizing the emotional cost of a vacation.

3. Set expectations with an out of office message and enjoy each vacation day
Since I have a Blackberry strapped to my body 21 hours a day, I generally do not use out of office messages. During August, while I'm climbing in Yosemite, I cannot physically answer email most of the day. My out of office message provides the details of my climbing schedule and sets expectations when I will be reachable.

4. Own the appropriate mobile technologies
I own a Blackberry 8707G six band phone which works on every square inch of the planet with cellular technology, including Japan. Every airport I land at has GSM/GPRS or UMTS, ensuring I can connect as needed. During my 2 weeks of climbing and hiking in August, I will not bring a laptop and will exclusively rely on my Blackberry to keep my email queue empty.

5. Avoid major infrastructure changes during your vacation
Change is the most likely cause of downtime. By minimizing major change during your time away, you can reduce the risk of outages during vacations.

6. Pick the time of year when stakeholders are on vacation
If senior management and other major stakeholders are on vacation, there are fewer urgent requests for new projects or issue resolution.

7. Avoid vacations during a time of organizational instability
I've been in organizations with major leadership changes i.e. CEO, Dean, your boss etc. I recommend avoiding vacations during times of great transition, since you want to be around to defend your position and your department as needed.

8. Be able to return in case of emergency
Last year, the Joint Commission arrived for a surprise accreditation inspection on the first day of my vacation. It was so important to demonstrate our medication reconciliation system and communicate our plans for quality improvement applications that I agreed to travel back from my vacation for a day to ensure we had the best showing possible.

9. Build a Partnership with your family
My wife and I have been together for 28 years (I married the first woman I dated in college), and she's very tolerant of my various activities from working long hours to climbing isolated mountains. My wife, daughter and I spend time together every day and we support each other's lives, realizing that at times the best support is allowing each other time alone.

10. Tolerate ambiguity
Take each day of your vacation as it comes, and go with the flow. If you need to make a critical call, that's ok, your family will forgive you. If you are late responding to important email that's ok, your customers will forgive you. Staying loosely connected, not disconnected, and reacting to events without worrying about a precise schedule will make your vacation restorative and your return to the office easy.

Using these approaches, I'm able to balance family time, personal time, and work time on vacation in a way that works for everyone. From August 9 to August 24, my blogs will slow down and my email will flow only in the night and morning hours. I hope you'll enjoy a bit of time off too!"

(Via Clippings.)

How to be a Great Boss

John never fails to amaze me at valuable nuggets of wisdom and his activities; on top of that, he's a vegan! I particularly liked this bit because so much of it is pertinent. Even if you only take away one or two points, it can be a significant shift in improving your own management.

How to be a Great Boss: "In my career, I've reported to CEOs, Professors, Doctors and Deans. I've had good bosses and bad bosses. I've had bosses who have leveraged me as a strategic asset (my current bosses do) and others who have not.

In my opinion, there are 10 characteristics that make a great boss. These are based on my own reporting experiences and are the behaviors I try to use with staff I supervise.

1. Responds rapidly - In general, employees escalate issues when they feel anxious, conflicted or powerless. When an employee asks for clarification of a strategy, help with a political conflict, or a decision about resource allocation, bosses should respond rapidly with a decision, so that the boss is not the rate limiting step to progress. A boss does not need to carry a Blackberry, but should acknowledge every email the same day it was sent, even if the resolution will take a little longer. My personal goal is to clear my Inbox completely before bed each day, ensuring every issue is responded to and resolved if possible.

2. Embraces process - Every problem, even a crisis, can be resolved by initiating the right processes. Each organization should have budget processes, position control (new hire) processes, governance processes, communication processes, conflict resolution processes, and human resource processes that can address every issue. If a boss cannot respond immediately with the resolution of an issue, he/she should identify the processes needed to bring it to closure. Giving employees definitive directions about which processes to pursue and guidance about how to pursue them is a great way to resolve complex issues.

3. Micromanages and Macromanages - Some projects are so complex and require such alignment of stakeholders that the boss needs to get involved with the details of the people, budgets and project plan. Most projects require just general oversight of progress. A boss should get involved in the details when asked to help, but otherwise should follow project progress at a high level, leaving the details to those experts who are immersed in the project specifics.

4. Empowers - A boss should use his/her authority to support direct reports, giving them the freedom to execute their projects per their best judgment while giving them the political support they need to be effective. As a project sponsor, the boss can help with stakeholder alignment, project vision, and building a guiding coalition in support of the project.

5. Provides Resources - Staff counts and operational budgets should be increased yearly based on workload, strategic plans, infrastructure demands, and compliance requirements. Of course, most organizations are resource constrained so it may not be possible to fund all new staff needed, but since each project is a function of scope, time, and resources, the boss needs to pay attention to resources to avoid turning a 'lean and mean' organization into a 'bony and angry' one.

6. Stands by you in good times and bad - One of the great joys of IT is that the organization rarely gets credit for the thousands of things it does right, but is often criticized for the few things that go wrong. A boss needs to support employees with personal thanks and praise when things go right and support them when things go wrong. The organization should not punish the individual but should ask how processes can be improved to avoid bad outcomes. Whenever we have downtime, project delays, or budget overruns, we improve our processes to reduce the likelihood of future problems, supporting our employees completely along the way.

7. Communicates Consistently - I would much rather hear often from a boss about strategy, priorities, politics, and rumors than be surprised with sudden changes in direction or given emergent deadlines. Everyone in the organization is happy to work hard, but they need to the flexibility to plan their own schedules and control their own destiny. I try very hard to communicate to all my staff via blogs, email, town meetings and very predictable priority setting. With consistent communication, I will never be accused of 'priority deficit disorder', a corollary of attention deficit disorder which occurs when executives and organizations forget the priorities for year long projects half way through them.

8. Delegates and trusts - A boss must build a trustworthy team of people and delegate the details to them. I try to master the technical and process details of all our major projects but as my authority becomes broader, my depth of understanding of the details shrinks. My teams support each other and I watch their progress. Unless I see someone on the team impeding the work of others, I leave the team alone to execute the projects using the standardized processes we have established together.

9. Has boundless energy and enthusiasm - Bosses should be your greatest fan and marketeer. They should show real passion for your work and tell the world about it. An optimistic, highly visible, and energetic boss keeps the employees optimistic, visible and enthusiastic. Of course, the boss should also respect the need for downtime and temper that boundless energy during employee vacations, family time, and weekends.

10. Focuses on the trajectory and not the position - Every day the organization will have some new need for an IT project that is deemed critical for quality, safety, compliance, profitability, or customer satisfaction. Governance committees need to triage these using objective criteria. More often then not, new projects will be placed in a queue behind existing priority projects. The boss must realize that on any given day, 10% of the organization will feel that their needs are not being addressed, but that over time, all projects get done based on the prioritization of governance committees. If the track record of the organization is that projects get done consistently and needs of stakeholders are addressed year to year in a way that keeps most people happy, the trajectory is good. I especially apply this concept to audits. Every kind of audit - security, governance, strategy review, or specific technology -will identify dozens of opportunities for improvement. Every year gets better and better, but the position is never perfect. That's a great trajectory.

Let's hope you have a great boss. If not, keep the faith. The one constant in this world is change and over time you'll have one. In the meantime, be the best you can be by using the 10 behaviors above with your staff and you'll succeed."

(Via Clippings.)

Identify mystery apps installed on your PC

Identify mystery apps installed on your PC: "

I'm always looking for a little bit more performance from my PCs, so I regularly use Piriform's free CCleaner utility to clear out the clutter on my systems' hard drives. (Note that CCleaner is donationware, so if you find yourself using it regularly, drop a few ducats in ...

"

(Via Workers' Edge.)

10 things you should do near the end of a project

10 things you should do near the end of a project: "

Depending on the size of your organization, you may treat project management as a casual practice or you may have an involved PMO. In either case, you probably go through the typical inception, elaboration, and construction phases of a project. But when it comes to the end of a project, many project managers come up just short of the finish line. Failure to handle the final steps can add confusion to an initiative and may lead to customer dissatisfaction, unhappy staff, and a project dragging on longer than necessary.

Here are a few things you should be thinking about when you get to the end of your next project. Some of these items are purely administrative, but many of them will help get you one step closer to ensuring that your project is successful.

#1: Finalize testing

Testing can be a drain on people, and many of us don’t like to do it — especially when it takes a few rounds. I have seen complex projects that were four to six months long have a day or two scheduled for testing. Not scheduling an adequate amount of testing usually ends up with problems occurring during the first few weeks of an implementation. Don’t take a shortcut here and minimize the importance of testing; otherwise, you’ll take on the additional risk of having a painful rollout.

#2: Finalize training

Users? Who cares about users? Well, many projects are done for their benefit, so make sure you have all your testing materials completed and delivered. Failure to do so will most likely manifest itself in the form of angry phone calls from irate users in the middle of the night.

#3: Validate deliverables

You’ve checked all your boxes and cleaned out your inbox, and you really think you’re done. But what does your customer think? Schedule time with customers to review all the deliverables and ensure they have been met. In some cases, there may be a few outstanding issues still unresolved when you get to your scheduled end date. Early on in your project, you should have made an agreement that determines how this will affect your end date if this situation occurs.

#4: Get project signoff

After you’ve agreed that all the deliverables have been met, request a formal signoff on the project documentation. Doing so helps ensure that everybody is in agreement on the state of the project. Since this signoff usually signals the formal end of the project, be careful not to make your customers feel pressured into signing. If they do this without understanding what it means, you will likely end up with an unsatisfied customer if an issue arises at a later date.

#5: Release the team

Now that the project is done, where is your team going? Depending on the organization, they may be sent back to a development pool or into the business. Or maybe they need to go drum up some work for themselves within the company. No matter what it is, make sure you spend time with them and set a clear end date for when you no longer need their services. Also don’t forget that you probably need to complete any performance review documents that need to be added to their file.

#6: Analyze actual vs. planned

Resources. Did you really get away with only one developer/tester for 10 weeks or did you need to scramble and get more people? What about the amount of time you scheduled for your business partners? Understanding how well you hit these targets will help you better allocate resources for your next project and set more realistic expectations when it comes to a project’s duration.

Budget. How much was the project going to cost? Did you come in on budget, under budget, over budget? Sitting down to understand the answers to these basic questions should give you some insight into a critical area of any project.

#7: Archive documentation

During any project, we seem to create huge amounts of documentation. It can range from scope documents and project plans to contracts and meeting minutes. Whatever it is, when you are done you should have someplace to keep it based on the retention policy of your company. You’ll be glad you did when your phone rings two years from now and somebody asks you to explain the rationale behind a choice you made during the course of the project.

#8: Ensure contract closure

It’s not unusual for a project to have its own budget. You also may have contracts for hardware, software, or professional services. When you’re done, make sure that you verify that all the terms of your contracts have been met, request final invoices from vendors and submit them to AP, and close out any associated financial accounts, if necessary.

#9: Conduct a postmortem meeting

What types of risks did you identify and mitigate? What went really well that you want to ensure you do again next time? Have a meeting with all the project stakeholders and relevant participants to provide them with a forum to express any lessons learned.

#10: Perform a self assessment

So it’s finally over. After all the hard work has been completed, you’ve made sure that all the i’s have been dotted and all the t’s crossed. Now what do you do? It’s important to get some feedback on your performance from the people you interacted with during the project. If you have the opportunity to send out a 360-degree feedback survey to as many individuals as possible, I would recommend it. It will help you assess how you’re progressing and will give you some great direction in deciding which personal growth opportunities you should focus on.

This list won’t be the same for everybody and will depend on your organization and how it implements projects. But if you can do them, it will always make the transition to the next project smoother.

"

(Via Clippings.)

Test #2

Testing again.

Sent from my iPhone

Finding a way to learn Ruby on Rails

Finding a way to learn Ruby on Rails: "

David Alison recently decided to learn Ruby on Rails. This article covers the early stages of that learning experience and has some book recommendations that are helping him get started.

"

(Via Clippings.)

St. Anthony Farm rehab dairy closing - Santa Rosa Press Democrat

I didn't even know about this farm-rehab deal and I wish I had before--this is a great cause--unfortunately they can't afford to keep it running. It's also amazing to me that they have been running for 50+ years!

St. Anthony Farm rehab dairy closing - Santa Rosa Press Democrat: "

St. Anthony Farm rehab dairy closing
Santa Rosa Press Democrat'- 49 minutes ago
By PAUL PAYNE James Jennison watches over a newborn calf in January at St. Anthony Farm in Petaluma. Jennison, who has struggled with addiction, lived on the streets for years before coming to live at the farm.

"

(Via Google News.)

SSHing via Apple Remote Desktop with AppleScript

SSHing via Apple Remote Desktop with AppleScript: "

Filed under: How-tos, Blogs

Scott posted yesterday on a new series about SSH coming to Apple Matters. If you want to skip the learning and go straight to the Secure Shell-ing, then why not take a look at this recent post by John Welch. In this post, he describes how to set up a simple AppleScript that uses Apple Remote Desktop to SSH into a set of Macs on your local network. The script takes the machines you have selected in ARD (or, if you've only got one selected, just that machine) then opens SSH sessions in Terminal, ready for you to type your UNIX commands to your networked computers.

If you want to get the script and start batch-connecting to your machines, visit his website.

Read'|'Permalink'|'Email this'|'Comments

"

(Via Clippings.)

Now GPS Can Tell You Where the Cops Are

Funny, my mother-in-law forwarded me an e-mail discussing one of the sites today. I wonder how the patrol feels about this ;-).

Now GPS Can Tell You Where the Cops Are: "Thanks to the wonders of Web 2.0 and Google Maps, your navigation system can tell you where Johnny Law and those infernal traffic cameras are hiding.

"

(Via Wired: Top Stories.)

10+ useless interview questions… and what you should ask instead

I've heard these asked by companies before and none were organizations with which I would have wanted to work....

10+ useless interview questions… and what you should ask instead: "

How many times have you heard colleagues say they had to run to an interview for 10 minutes and they’d be right back? How many times have you heard IT pros say they were too busy to sit in on an interview with a prospective candidate?

Although the temptation to shortcut or avoid such duty is great, don’t miss one of the best opportunities you have to make your job easier. Decisions regarding the hiring of systems and network administrators and their supporting staff shouldn’t be taken lightly. After all, if the candidates you hire aren’t sufficiently trained or properly motivated, it’ll end up meaning more work for you. When interviewing potential new hires, make the most of it. And don’t waste your time or the candidate’s. Ask professional, appropriate questions that will help ensure you hire the most qualified individual.

Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.

#1: What’s your favorite color?

A crazy pearl from way-back-when, many folks believe asking off-topic questions reveals a candidate’s personality and creativity. Don’t waste time with such nonsense. If you want to know about someone’s personality, ask them about their hobbies and how they spend their leisure time.

#2: If you had my job, what would you do differently?

I’ve heard this before myself. It’s ludicrous to expect candidates to understand the intricacies of your position if they haven’t had an opportunity to immerse themselves in your corporate culture, work within your budget constraints, and manage the dynamic relationships of your staff. Instead, ask a candidate which management styles they feel are most effective or ask them to describe the best manager they’ve worked for and which traits made that individual so effective.

#3: What are your greatest weaknesses?

If you haven’t weeded out candidates by this stage of the game, you’re not going to do it with such lame attempts at confession as this. ‘My weakness? I’m impatient and exacting. I want everything done quickly, efficiently, and without error.’ You deserve what you get if you’re relying on such lines of questioning. Instead, inquire as to whether a potential hire has found any self-improvement techniques helpful in furthering their career.

#4: What’s the most negative thing you’ve heard about our company?

Another gem to avoid. If you’re with a smaller firm, you’re going to come across as self-indulgent and arrogant. Honest candidates will think, ‘What makes you assume anyone’s even heard of your company, much less thought something negative of it?’ Instead, ask why a potential hire is interested in working for your firm.

#5: Anything beginning with, ‘If I speak with your present employer …’

A candidate knows this isn’t going to happen. The liability is much too great. Besides, even if you were sufficiently brazen to place such a call, candidates are well aware that their current employer will only verify employment dates and title. Target their references as the subject of the question instead.

#6: Can you work under pressure?

What are employers thinking when they ask this? What do they expect? A candidate’s not going to say, ‘Well, actually, I prefer to work at my own pace, unaffected by other department’s needs, crises, or objectives.’ If you’re worried about whether a potential hire could work effectively within your hectic, sometimes disorganized organization, say so.

#7: What was the last book you read?

Who cares? So the candidate’s a Stephen King fan. So what? If they tell you they just read One Minute Manager, they’re probably lying and telling you what they think you want to hear. I’ve flown on a lot of planes, spent significant amounts of time in airports, and I’ve never seen people reading ‘business’ texts. It’s always USA Today, sports and fashion magazines, and novels. Unless you’re a publishing house, skip this line of inquiry.

#8: Have you ever been arrested/how’s your health?

They’re both illegal and in violation of federal law, according to Job Interviews For Dummies. Don’t go there.

#9: What was your grade point average?

Have you seen the degrees IT professionals possess? What do you care if your new hire aced anthropology at State? You need somebody who can restore a dead T-1 so your customer service department can get back up and running. Ask questions that will give you an idea of the candidate’s actual proficiencies.

#10: Would you like to sit in my chair one day?

I found this loser in The 101 Toughest Interview Questions … And Answers That Win The Job. Even intellectually challenged candidates understand that you’re asking whether they’re motivated. Why march the combative route where they have to behead you to climb the ladder? Ask them their aspirations straight up and leave the games for grade-schoolers.

#11: How do you manage to live on an entry-level salary?

This question comes from the Idiot’s Guide to the Perfect Interview. It’s also one that’s none of your business. If you have to ask, maybe you should be paying your employees more. Stick to questions that help you gauge your potential hire’s ability to perform the tasks you need completed.

#12: How would you evaluate me as an interviewer?

This is a question for an HR consultant, not your candidate. Besides, you don’t want to make yourself the centerpiece. Ask candidates questions about themselves that you want honest answers to; not drivel that makes you look like a poor host.

#13: Can you tell me about a time you did something embarrassing?

Do you think someone’s really going to spill the beans with, ‘Well, there was this time I drank too much at the company Christmas party and …’ Don’t think this question doesn’t get asked, as I found it in a best-selling interview guide. But how is such information going to help you select the individual best qualified to subnet your multinational corporation’s data network? Instead, ask how well a candidate eats humble pie, because that’s really what you want to know, right?

"

(Via 10 Things.)

New and Improved!

Once again, John makes excellent points and observations about working in technology, though much is true of any administrative or support role....

New and Improved!: "CIOs rarely receive credit for keeping the trains running on time . Instead, they receive credit for implementing new applications and cool infrastructure features. The challenge is that 80% of IT resources are needed to maintain existing applications and infrastructure, leaving 20% of the total IT budget to be spent on new work. When you consider the multi-year larger projects, the must do compliance issues, and the tyranny of the urgent, there is very little left over to focus on discretionary innovation.

A cutting edge application can rapidly become a legacy system if the stakeholders feel that IT has lost the ability to respond to the needs of the users. What is the best strategy to keep the users happy and make the organization feel that IT is constantly innovating? Here's my approach:

Establish Strong Governance
Governance committees have three major purposes. They provide a process for prioritizing new requests, they establish a team of champions for the application, and they provide a forum for education about an application's features and benefits. Whenever I hear that an application is non-intuitive, has ceased to be innovative or lacks critical features, most of the time it's a governance problem. Do not replace the application, establish a multi-stakeholder governance committee as your first step.

Implement small continuous improvements instead of big bang new applications
A few times in the history of my organizations, stakeholders outside of IT have decided that wholesale replacement of applications or massive new implementations will solve workflow issues. In each case, the issues turned out to be non-IT process problems or weak governance caused by internal politics. The problem with big bang new applications is that they consume all available IT resources and often require existing applications to be frozen for months (if not years) while the new implementation progresses. Lack of progress in existing applications causes even more frustration and by the time the new application is ready, it's common that needs have changed and the new application is no longer the nirvana it was once thought to be. Making constant small changes in response to constantly evolving customer needs is the best way to achieve satisfaction.

Communicate broadly
For the past decade, I've written an email to everyone in the organization at least once a month describing the latest in IT innovations. With the increase in sensitivity to Spam and broadcast email, I've replaced that communication with blogging. My recent blogs about Integrating the Medical Record, Providing Decision Support, and Clinical Documentation were all in response to internal customer questions about strategy, new features, and priorities. I use blogs, emails, and in person presentations to celebrate IT successes and to educate naysayers.

Enhance the user interface
Just as many people are attracted to new car models because of changes in style or color, users find a new user interface to be a sign of innovation. Especially with the web, it's important to evolve user interfaces to embrace a modern look and feel. The late 1990's were about lists of links. The early 2000's were about graphical elements and color. The mid 2000's were about clean interfaces with blues and whites. 2008 is about pastels, brushed steel, and effective use of screen real estate. All my organizations are now implementing modern 2008 looks to our internal and external web applications.

Run Focus groups and do surveys
As a corollary to governance, it's important to get feedback from the trenches. Doing usability testing with Focus groups and getting candid feedback from a large number of stakeholders via surveys is an effective way to measure the pulse of the organization. When I get detailed feedback, I often find that the issues which are most bothersome to users are the easiest to fix, such as relabeling a button, changing a screen layout or improving workflow through refinement of a minor feature.

Thus, continuous incremental improvement driven by strong governance is the path to success. For me, 2008, has been more about people than technology. My governance groups are stronger than ever and the buzz is that 'New and Improved' applications are rolling out faster than ever."

(Via Clippings.)

Google Mac Apps You May NOT Know About

Google Mac Apps You May NOT Know About: "If Google software for the Mac like AppMenuBoy, Statz, MacFUSE, and Visigami don't ring bell, keep reading. I'll show you where to find some of Google's lesser know Mac applications."

(Via Clippings.)

5 ways to build your virtual office

5 ways to build your virtual office: "Running a virtual business is easier (and cheaper) than ever -- if you have the right tools.

"

(Via Clippings.)

What to do when Windows gets really messed up

What to do when Windows gets really messed up: "Even when Windows routinely gives you the Blue Screen of Death, all may not be lost. We'll show you how to restore both your data and your sanity.

"

(Via Computerworld Breaking News.)

DIY identity-theft protection: A 12-step program

DIY identity-theft protection: A 12-step program: "You don't have to spend $100 to $200 a year to defend yourself from identity theft at the level of protection that a paid service offers. You can do almost everything the services do, free. Our friends at PC World have a plan outlined for you.

"

(Via Clippings.)

Keep Vista's User Account Control on guard duty

UAC may be one of the top 5 complaints from Vista users but it does serve a good purpose. As the reviewer notes, and I fully agree, it could have been better implemented, perhaps in a service pack....

Keep Vista's User Account Control on guard duty: "

Well, Microsoft has finally come clean about the real motivation behind Vista's User Account Control feature. As Tom Espiner's reports from the recent RSA Conference in San Francisco, Microsoft UAC Program Manager David Cross admits that UAC was designed to annoy users.

Espiner quotes Cross telling the security-conference ...

"

(Via Clippings.)

Video Gallery: Top how-to tech videos that won't cost you a dime

Video Gallery: Top how-to tech videos that won't cost you a dime: "From enabling wireless security and speeding up Windows to recording with GarageBand and even building a calculator with PHP, the Web is chock-full of videos that show you how to do things rather than just read about them. We highlight some of the best and point out where you can find plenty more.

"

(Via Computerworld Breaking News.)

Of Routers-Firewalls

I find it remarkable what a difference or spread of products there is between low to mid-priced firewalls/routers and the high end (Juniper, Cisco, etc.). It seems like beneath about $1500 but above about $500 there are a lot of pretty interesting devices out there that have the unified intrusion detection, anti-spam, anti-virus, content-filtering, active firewalls, and moderately sophisticated routing. They tend to be web-administered and are fairly intuitive for a non-networking person. Once you cross the bridge though to the higher-end devices they often become infinitely more cryptic, offer fewer services, and invariably require specific training or professional services. I've recently worked with products from SnapGear and SonicWall designed for 25 - 150 person organizations. Some products are even including built-in SSL-VPN services. I'm testing an SSL-VPN concentrator from Netgear right now, the SSL312 hardware appliance. It's a 25 concurrent user SSL VPN device and it's pretty straight-forward and reasonably elegant. There are no additional licensing costs and street price is around $300. I'm sure that in the next year or two we'll see fairly robust integrated devices with similar functionality.

I recently was asked to select and implement a new router-firewall for a client of mine in San Francisco. The criteria I used to select included:

• intrusion detection and automated blocking
• multiple external WAN IP addresses
• IPSEC, L2TP, and PPTP VPN services
• non-proprietary VPN clients (you'd be amazed how many this rules out!)
• web interface so I can show my client how to add services in case I'm not available
• subscription-based content filtering as an option
• included network utilization and intrusion detection reporting
• anti-virus capabilities
• anti-spam capabilities
• preferably based on open-source (i.e., Linux) with configuration files
• preferably with integrated SSL-VPN service but most won't be big enough for 20+ remote users

There aren't a lot of devices that meet all of these and for this client, it was down to the SnapGear and the SonicWall. SonicWall, like many vendors, has lots of additional options available but they add up quickly and they generally require annual renewal. They also use a proprietary VPN client instead of native clients (Windows, Mac, and Linux all have native VPN clients for PPTP & L2TP). I've used SnapGear products a few times over the past 5+ years and I'm still impressed. They don't have built-in SSL-VPN but the reporting and reliability are really strong.

Main Street, Sebastopol

This is an eclectic and cool little town west of Santa Rosa. I always enjoy going through Sebastopol....

Main Street, Sebastopol: "Main Street, Sebastopol This western Sonoma County town has always marched to its own drummer - environmentally sensitive, organically inclined. Main Street remains faithful to that beat with a two-block array of eclectic businesses, all locally owned and...

"

(Via SF Gate BayArea.)