Nortel lost their President-COO and CTO today. [here]
Analysis: Company is more screwed up than Siebel.
TECHNORATI: Nortel
Month: June 2005
New Databaser Server
Last night I built a new dedicated database server for my applications. Up until this morning, the databases resided on the same machine as the Web server.
The new DB server has less RAM than the Webserver, but has much faster SCSI drives, with plural being the operative word. Data lives on one physical device, and apps on another. The Web server currently only has one physical drive, which meant lots of thrashing on large queries.
If you experience any weirdness, let me know.
Reader Recommendations: Travel Power Adapters
There is a slight chance that I could be going to Germany at the end of the month, so I need some help.
I am looking for reader comments/suggestion on a solid, robust, multi-country power adapter for my emergency bag (I fly off to foreign countries to solve Web performance issues almost daily — NOT!).
So far I am looking at the Kensington or the Belkin. But I want to hear what you folks out in radio-land can contribute to my buying decision.
Thanks!
My GTD Kit
For those who who like GTD photos.
Notes on photo at Flickr.
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TECHNORATI: GTD, Hipster PDA, Index Cards, Moleskine
Frank Lloyd Wright
I do as little as I can to promote Google, as they are adept at doing it themselves. However, today’s logo celebrates the life of one the American greats: the arrogant, bombastic, conceited, brilliant architectural genius, Frank Lloyd Wright.
Happy Birthday, Mr. Wright.
Cameron Reilly recounts his personal memories of Mr. Wright’s buildings.
TECHNORATI: Frank Lloyd Wright, Architecture, Prairie Style, Fallingwater
Comcast: Lower Your Prices Or Lose More Customers
Dear Arrogant Monopolistic Cable Operator:
The day of reckoning is upon you. Your formerly monopolistic power has been drained by years of failed mega-mergers, media plays, satellite providers and gross mis-management. Your cash cows are showing signs of Mad Cow Disease.
The final straw for me is your incredibly pig-headed strategy of price inflexibility on your high-speed Internet service. I pay what I consider a ridiculous amount every month for what is a necessary service for me. Now I see that your Telco competitors are slashing prices every way they can to win back business.
I read that you will lower your price if I call you and threaten to move to an alternate provider. But only for 3 months.
You really need to step back and realize how dead your business is going to be in 2 years.
I live in the testbed for fiber-to-the-home in Massachussetts. Every day, Verizon linemen, training to string fiber to every home, drive up and down our street, leaving spools of high-speed goodness on every corner.
They say that in a year, I can have incredible speeds to my home, for less than what I pay for your high-speed Internet service.
So, Mr. Cable Operator (you have to be a man, because only a man would be this pig-headed), what are you going to do to keep me a customer?
Sincerely,
me
TECHNORATI: Comcast, dsl,Cable Operators, Verizon
Leadership Paradox
Skip has some great thoughts on what leadership means when you reach the VP or C-levels in an organization. [here]
What does a true leader do?
So, I began to delegate by better defining the roles of people, provide them with the right level of responsibility and accountability, and make sure I was available for any questions that was a result of lack of clear direction. I, on the other hand, needed to ensure that each person has what they needed to get the job done (equipment, training, skills, communication, etc) and then get out of their way and let them do it!
The worst managers and VPs I have ever encountered were those who could not delegate. These managers failed because the did not, would not, could not admit that their job, and their only job, was to be a conciliator, facilitator, negotiator, reporter, and mentor.
A leader is great by not trying to do the job. A leader’s job is to ensure that the job gets done by the team best able to do it.
Leadership is a Zen Koan: Being, not doing, shows leadership.
Read it.
TECHNORATI: Management, Leadership, Organization, Workplace, Business
Apple: On Sales Strategies
As many have said now, Apple may have committed a serious marketing and sales error by announcing the move to Intel for 2006-2007. Ppersonally, I would have no problem buying a PowerPC Powerbook right now, especially if Apple is forced to lower the price to reduce stock or drive sales.
We will have to see how that plays out. There must be something else going on. Maybe there will be a G5 Powerbook…and an Intel Powerbook. That would be a tough choice.
If Apple lives that long.
TECHNORATI: Apple, Intel, Steve Jobs, Powerbook,
PowerPC
The Tipping Point
It appears that over the weekend, this blog reached a tipping point of sorts. Traffic hasn’t skyrocketed, but over the weekend, there wasn’t the usual drop-off.
I have started using Technorati tags on posts where they are relevant, but based on an analysis of the traffic, it’s not one or two posts that is increasing traffic. It is the volume of total posts on topics that people are searching for.
So, it goes to show that if you don’t have a specific topic, but you do post frequently and often, eventually you will begin to attract a wide-range of readers, some of whom may actually stay for the show.
Not getting rich, but there is a certain happy feeling to see traffic stats going up, not down.