Today is the day the Titanic sunk in 1912.
There has to be a leadership lesson in that.
Never proclaim anything as “unsinkable”?
INTERESTING: Today is Titanic Day
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Leave a Comment » | 
INTERESTING | 
Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
TECH SOFTWARE: Process Tamer is available for free
Thursday, April 12, 2007http://techsupportalert.com/issues/al_current.htm
Gizmo
Ian Richards
***Begin Quote***
6.1 A Free Utility That Stops Programs From Hogging Your PC
It was driving me mad. My laptop would sporadically run at 100% CPU utilization and lock up. It defied all attempts at analysis as the PC was seized and I couldn’t do anything. Only a hard reboot was possible, but on rebooting the problem was gone.
Eventually I solved it with a superb little utility called Process Tamer, written by “Mouser” over at Donation Coder. Process Tamer is a monitor that watches the CPU utilization of all running processes. Once the usage of a single process gets above a certain level (by default 70%) Process Tamer reduces the usage by lowering the process priority.
It’s a simple idea and Process Tamer implements it immaculately. With Process Tamer installed, the next time the problem occurred on my laptop it didn’t totally lock up but rather just ran very slowly. This allowed me to do a quick diagnosis. The problem turned out to be simple but non-obvious. Two programs, Diskeeper and X1, had been accidentally scheduled to start at the same time and were getting into an embrace of death. It was unexpected, as these two normally peacefully co-exist. Simply re-scheduling the programs to start at different times solved the problem.
I couldn’t have solved the problem as easily without Process Tamer. However Process Tamer has much broader application than just this kind of problem.
It’s a great tool for preventing any one program from hogging your processor. Every user has experienced the situation where their PC has been slowed down to the point of being unusable, by a background program such as a desktop search program, that starts and takes all the resources. Process Tamer will stop that from ever happening again.
For the same reason it can also help speed up your Windows Startup. Make sure though, that you enable Process Tamer to start automatically with Windows. By default it does not, but it’s easily changed from within the program’s options.
Yet another use for Process Tamer is intra-server load balancing. It’s near ideal for this task.
If you actually want a program to able to use all available resources, such as a digital editing program, you can set the program to be excluded from Process Tamer’s watchful eye.
I was so impressed with Process Tamer that I’ve permanently installed it on my laptop. It takes only around 6MB of memory space and its own CPU usage is so low I could barely measure it.
Process Tamer is available for free from the Donation Coder site. They use a novel licensing system: you have to register to get a free license key which allows you to download any number of programs on the site. This key lasts six months after which you must return to the site to download another free license key. After a year you are given a permanent license. Alternatively, you can make a once-up donation of any size and get a permanent key straight away. It’s a clever and ethical way to encourage users to recognize the work done by freeware authors and I support it fully. I donated generously and I hope you do too.
Donationware, Windows 2K, XP, 2.23MB
http://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/proctamer/index.html
***End Quote***
Hmmm, may be useful to put in place.
Leave a Comment » | SOFTWARE | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
INTERESTING: Brad Benson commercial slamming Rosie O’Donnell
Thursday, April 12, 2007Did anyone hear the commercial this morning razzing Rosie for her 911 rant?
2 Comments | INTERESTING | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
RANT: Nice to see the Duke players “get off”
Thursday, April 12, 2007Now who’s going to repay their parents for the reported ~1M$ each paid for legal defense.
I’d assume the taxpayers of North Carolina have the deepest pockets.
Leave a Comment » | Ranting | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
MONEY: A YAHOO ANSWER I want to consolidate my debt?
Thursday, April 12, 2007I want to consolidate my debt?
***Begin Quote***
I have great credit, but a little to much debt. I would like to consolidate my debt without hurting my credit to bad. I would like to be able to pay less than what I am paying now. Paying for many years does not bother me, some of us can only make it with payments on everything (that’s me, the world is to hard and expensive today). Does anyone know a good place to go with?
***End Quote***
Well, if I were you, I’d look around for a Credit Union. Almost all credit unions, at least the four that I have used extensively, had: (1) great rates; (2) an education program; (3) debt counseling — the non-rip off kind; (4) were honest with you; and (5) usually have your best interests at heart. In recent years, the membership requirements have been loosened. It’s now as exclusive as rainfall. The last one I joined, I had to deposit 25$ in my account as a “membership fee”. It paid interest, and I still don’t understand, but you have to “join”. Look around. I’m sure you can find one you can join. If all else fails, I can “adopt” you. :-)
You also have to change your thinking a little. Credit card debt is a “disaster”. You’re a slave to those payments. The interest rate is only part of the “cost”. Don’t be late or you’re socked with fees. They play games with when they “get their mail” and other dirty tricks. Finally, it affects your thinking and your future choices. You think it’s ok and you get in the habit. Next you know it’s juggundo godzilla size debt. And, you have to keep working at your current job because you “need to make your payments”. That precludes switching careers, taking time off, or just not having to remember to make a payment.
Disclaimer! I’m not “suzy orman”, don’t work on Wall Street anymore, and have not stayed in a Holiday Inn Express. But, I do blog about money from time to time. And, I’ve made a lot of mistakes with my own money. So I’ll claim “black ‘n’ blue” credentials from the University of Hard Knocks!
Hope this helps.
fjohn
*** in addition, an after thought ***
I probably could have stressed “thinking” first and “credit union” second. Consolidation, without improved thinking, will just lead to more debt. I probably should have referred to Dave Ramsey, who is the king of “i’m debt free”. That’s the other extreme.
Leave a Comment » | MONEY | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
TECHNOLOGY: NETWORK WORLD TOP DOG
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
NETWORK WORLD TOP DOG
***Begin Quote***
The Network World Technology Opinion Panel is a group of technology professionals who evaluate, use and/or purchase technology-related products for the organizations they work for. Panel members represent a wide range of industries, company sizes and areas of expertise. This diversity allows us to gather information on a variety of technology topics from different perspectives.
***End Quote***
I don’t think I ever exposed the fact that I’ve been on this panel for a while. At least for two jobs worth! (Heck of a way to rekon time!)
Leave a Comment » | Technology | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
TECH SOFTWARE: PGP not for me
Wednesday, April 11, 2007Rest Secured
***Begin Quote***
The PGP Encryption Platform delivers comprehensive enterprise data protection. Rest Secured.™
The PGP Encryption Platform enables organizations to address a broad range of business and regulatory data security and privacy requirements with solutions that are flexible, scalable, and easily deployed and managed from a single, unified management console.
PGP solutions allow enterprises to deploy gateway- and desktop-based encryption based on specific requirements for data security within the organization. PGP products can secure internal and external communications, data stored on servers, desktops, and laptops, and automated backups and data transfers.
***End Quote***
Yes, but … …
… … assuming you can get the trial software down from their web sites.
(I followed their instructions, kept getting “url not found” message using the url in their email, gave up yesterday. After replying to the email “ng”. No response.)
Came back to it and the software downloaded. Hey, making progress. (You think?)
Installed it. With the required reboot. (Argh!)
Then comes activation!
Like Microsoft, you have to activate it. It doesn’t. Says “no connect to the inet”. Right! No link to support. No options to appeal. And, nothing in the help that “helps” or identifies how to contact them.
So, if I have all these problems (again) when they are trying to SELL me their software, then what will be my experience after I start using it?
If I get my data secured with their software and it locks up, then what would I do?
Nah, not for me.
Leave a Comment » | SOFTWARE | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
RANT: How Could I Live Without Filing Taxes … … pretty well!
Wednesday, April 11, 2007http://www.centerforsmallgovernment.com/taxsong.html
“How Could I Live Without Filing Taxes?”
asks Carla Howell in song
*** begin quote ***
Carla Howell, sponsor of the 2002 Massachusetts ballot Initiative to End the Income tax, offers a suspiciously upbeat way to think about taxes with her song: How Could I Live Without Filing Taxes? – for you to listen to and use free of charge.
*** end quote ***
Ahh, my favorite strategy for dealing with the gooferment is make fun of them.
This is a real “laffer”. If you don’t laugh, you’ll cry.
Here’s a two minute reminder that you are not your gooferment’s slave. You imprison yourself by your own thinking.
The worst part of “income taxes” is not the money they rob from you and the time that they steal, but it is the other uses of that time and money for your benefit.
Argh!
Leave a Comment » | Ranting | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
INTERESTING: Why Aren’t Managers Paid More?
Wednesday, April 11, 2007http://www.agilemanagement.net/Articles/Weblog/
WhyArentManagersPaidMore.html
Agile Management
BlogEntry
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Why Aren’t Managers Paid More?
David J. Anderson
***Begin Quote***
I feel that if we are to deliver on Davenport’s vision that good management will come from offering a premium for knowledge workers to make the leap to a new skill set then we must first start to value management skills more highly. In order to value management skills more highly, I believe that we must embrace Barry Boehm’s observation from 25 years ago – poor management can increase software costs more than any other factor. So far, we’re an industry in denial of this basic truth. Until we face our own brutal reality – that good management works and bad management hurts – then there is little hope for fixing the situation.
***End Quote***
Arghhh! (in the most professional blogger 2 blogger fashion)
I would assert that the paradigm is wrong.
[The comic book version for those who haven’t been Kinsey-like or -lite “management” consultants. (And, I don’t mean that disparagingly. Sometimes, I think. Think that the only way to communicate with “senior management” that really should be “senior leadership” is by comic books, or their consulting equivalent content-free power point slides.) Any way the comic book version is that if you’re in LA with a map of NYC, your paradigm is wrong. Paradigm is the five dollar word for your thinking about something. Anything. Is the glass half-full or half-empty? Look at the optical illusions. Once someone shows you how what you think could be something else, your thinking and perceptions change dramatically. So do you have the wrong map or the wrong city. Either way your wetware is the problem. Sorry, no cartoons.]
The whole “management” paradigm is wrong.
You can manage “disk space”, register receipts, fuel tanks, or any abstract or concrete thing. The minute you put people in the equation, the concept of “management” should go out the window. People need leadership first, last, and always.
Why is that consultants always replace “you should do x” with “we propose we do x”. They always seek to engage the Client or Customer with a shared struggle. It’s not a “me and you. It’s “us against the world”.
I have had “mangers” and I have had “leaders”. The difference was that if I was lead then I was self-motivated to do something. When I was managed, good-luck getting me to do great work. Compare “Yes, boss, I did my status report” with “Hey, Joe, take a look at this. I think we can reduce disk drive failures to near zero by lowering the temperature in the data center 5 degrees.”
No, I’d assert that “manager of knowledge workers” should be a position slated for nuking. Leaders command value commensurate with what their team creates. Always have. Always will.
How’s that saying go? “Without vision, the people perish.”
All too often, we have no leadership.
Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
TECH SERVICE: A dynamic blogroll
Wednesday, April 11, 2007A dynamic blogroll
***Begin Quote***
Replace static, boring blogrolls with dynamic content and transform your blog into a web portal for your network of friends
***End Quote***
Bzzzz! Can’t use javascript on the free version of wordpress. Is there a workaround? It’s a neat idea.
UPDATE 12APR07
One thing I love about the Web20 paradigm is that you actual hear back from real people. Try that with Nuance, IBM, ScanSoft; Microsoft, Dell, or any big company. Here’s feevy’s response.FROM: Alexandre Girard
Re: [Feevy Problem] Signed on but get “down squirrel”
We’re testing a sidebar widget to include your Feevy on free version of wordpress, we will tell you as soon as WordPress Team include it on their website admin.
Current workaround is to use RSS widget, and give it your Feevy RSS url:
http://www.feeyv.com/code/your_code/rss.xml
This will not display the proper Feevy, just an updated blogroll of your Feevy Feed.
Cheers,
Alex
Ain’t that terrific! Real people with a real solution in under a lifetime!
Leave a Comment » | SERVICE | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
You must be logged in to post a comment.