July 28, 2007 by phillip.

As a consultant (a word I hate because of it’s perceptions) I have to deal with a lot of different types of companies. Lately, I’ve been noticing how many companies are running server rooms of 100 computers or more. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to understand the economics. I explained it to my wife (who does use my laptop in Kubuntu Linux rarely) this way: “To do the same thing with Windows would cost you more that $100,000 for less functionality or room for growth.” Should be an easy call for smaller server rooms too. You can throw vmware on one of the machines if you just HAVE to run a Windows app from the server or Exchange server.

Here’s my problem. I’ve been curious to see what other people do to make their lives easier in environments like this but I only want to use open source products. I also want to put some books on my shelf in this area. Who can help me?

Send me resources for big enterprise Linux. Big environments. Big business. Big Linux!

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July 28, 2007 by phillip.

The world is a very predictable place in a lot of ways. I have yet to document my methodology for picking winners but I have to learn to truly take advantage of this ability. As a person who is big on the stock market but only puts money on stock with a widget that I use like a fantasy league (and yes I’m winning a lot with my starting line up) you can tell how much I really jump out on a limb for new ideas in areas outside my expertise.

Thus my commentary today was a throw back to a conversation I had earlier with a friend of mine that I just figured out was a tech guy of the Cisco router persuasion. My cousin in tech enlightened me on the fact that he is big into Voice over IP and it took me back for a second. I knew that would be a big winner. I remember at the time telling a friend of mine that was a telecommunications guy, “I don’t think people are really going to want to pay $50,000 for a phone system just to get 20 phone lines in the near future. You should really get your Cisco or Nortel certifications in this area and stay ahead of the curve.” Of course I laughed talking to my new cousin in tech about where that person is now relating his staunch rebuttal of “This will NEVER dry up” as the calling card of the VHS over DVD guys.

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July 28, 2007 by phillip.

There are few things in life that I really believe have changed life in a very good way.  Today I pay and ode to that word processing and blog function that’s accolades have long been overdue.  Let me speak of this function that has made society a much better place to live and read. In the future they will refer to this thing as the grandfather of the universal translator.  Of course what I’m talking about is “Spell Check” and it’s cousins Grammar checker, Thesaurus, etc.

As I often notice the rare few people in the world that ignore the little red line under their text. That red line that says, “Fourth grade teacher I didn’t need you for English just like I thought.”  Why do we so often forget this savior of our language and so many others?  Does his cousin not give you the green underline to warn you that your sentence may not look as beautiful as you think?

I have had the unique pleasure lately of looking at the writing of a “techie” (oh I know I get the red line for that word but spell check isn’t ALL knowing) guy stuck without spell check. Yikes!  Some computer people have never really excelled in the soft skill known as writing.  Those that have have gone into areas of technology known as documentation so others can understand how something works.

Believe in the red line!  It is your friend.  If it doesn’t work in one place please know your limitations.  If English isn’t your strong suit (oddly enough I am actually pretty good at spelling since that spelling bee championship in 6th grade but I’m not bragging) don’t force the issue.  Let it do what it’s here for.  To help you.  This technology has not gotten it’s due and so I raise a glass for it today.  “Here’s to you Spell Check.  You have made this world a much better place.”

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