How to Construct a Photo Blog in Movable Type

Haven't tried it but it seems like a decent tutorial:

http://www.photokity.com/howto-purple.html

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Translating Radio to French!

Coming soon from www.evectors.com:

http://www.leweblog.com/

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United Linux to Ship

I have to admit I'm awfully skeptical here.  It's not as much the superiority of Red Hat (although that is significant) as much as I am absolutely convinced that RPM based Linux is totally and completely the wrong way to go.  www.gentoo.org is just so much better when it comes to system level updating that it just rocks your world.  And, while we'd all like to pretend that we don't do that all that often, we do.

UnitedLinux OS to make public debut. This month, the public will get its first look at the unified version of Linux for businesses, developed by a four-company consortium. Can it really challenge niche leader Red Hat? [CNET News.com]

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Marketing 101: Why I'll Rent a Budget Truck Next Time

This is a very, very short piece -- not even worth making a story.  I'm a big fan of Ryder trucks, www.yellowtruck.com, but after what I just saw, the next truck I rent will be from Budget (I'm not a truck guy -- this is for moving between places for example).  Here's why: Humor.  I just drove past a lot that must rent these trucks and saw the following text on two of the trucks:

REMEMBER!  Use Separate Boxes for the Dog and the Cat !!!

It's OK to Curse at Large Furniture!!!

There were appropriate pictures also.  This is an example of fantastic marketing in action.  We really do live in an entertainment economy it seems -- they entertained me and I will remember them for it.  This will unquestionably bias me towards Budget.  At the minimum, I'll give them a first shot at my business and at a maximum?  They'll get my business.  No question.  And I've pretty much always rented from Ryder.

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Good Software Marketing Article

From Mike:

http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=06933

Good find!  Thanks.

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Picture of the Day: Oliver

From Textism's Photos

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Jeremy Sets Up Spam Assassin News Site

Spam Assassin is a good, server side Open Source tool for handling spam.  Jeremy just set up a news site for it at:

http://news.spamassassin.zawodny.com/

Spam Assassin Home Page: http://spamassassin.taint.org/

Blog Entry: http://jeremy.zawodny.com/blog/archives/000170.html#000170

Russell made the observation that: 

If you have control over your *nix mail server and you're NOT using Spam Assasin, then you're a fucking moron. 'nuff said.

http://www.russellbeattie.com/notebook/index.jsp?date=20020909#144619

Even though I have clear bias here (a product that I'm working on that will theoretically ship this century has anti-spam as part of it's features), I disagree.  There are at least three clear issues with SpamAssassin:

• Given that it is Open Source, if you are a spammer, you have the code and are analyzing how to get around it.  Security via obscurity isn't usually good but it may be in the anti-spam marketplace.  I know of at least one spammer that is doing this.
• It's slow.  And it is unclear how fast it can be due to its architecture (this rules it out for very large email installations at least from what I have been told and that person could have been wrong).
• It can't take into account user specific things i.e. what's spam to you may not be spam to me.  Believe it or not but there are levels of gray here. 

With that said, SpamAssassin is an outstanding product.  And, as I said, I have bias here so bear that in mind.

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Wow!  Someone Actually Likes Mandrake...

I see that Russell is using Mandrake 9 at:

http://www.russellbeattie.com/notebook/index.jsp?date=20020912#113508

Astonishing.  I'd rather eat glass than ever use Mandrake again.  Perhaps some maple syrup on the glass might be nice but I'd still rather eat glass than go down the Mandrake route.  If you want to see a not too nasty but technically accurate anti mandrake rant then see my comments on this blog entry.

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CIO Magazine Bashes Blogging!

My friend Guy K. Haas IM'd this to me:

http://www.informationweek.com/story/IWK20020905S0004

Here's the really negative quote:

If you think your staff spends inordinate amounts of time designing PowerPoint presentations now, just imagine what these would-be artists and authors will do to productivity when their creative powers are unleashed on the world of computerized diaries and ever-expanding hyperlinks.

Finally, and perhaps most compelling, is the litigation issue. With the exception of research labs, where you write down everything to fight for patent protection and government certification, the last thing you want are uncontrolled and ever-expanding records of individual activities and opinions. As Microsoft has learned from keeping old E-mail too long, in this age of writs of discovery, what you've said way back when may really hurt you. Before you embark on a company blog initiative, best have a chat with your chief counsel.

Clearly I disagree.  Sure blogging can be abused -- AS CAN ANY OTHER TECHNOLOGY.  Remember that people said the same thing about email and IM, two communications tools that are now invaluable in the workplace.  Sigh.  He just doesn't get it.  Anyway .. A more detailed response later.  But if you want to send an example (not a flame please; let's all be civilized on this one) of blogging goodness in the workplace, his email address is:

lovelace@comcast.net

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Dressing for Job Interviews

One one of those random googling things, I found this:

Google Cache Link

which talks about dressing to match the environment but also points out that it really doesn't matter if you are over-dressed.  I'd agree with that but I'd also point out that in these days it is better to be dressed well for the 1st interview regardless of the environment (note -- that's an opinion, not an absolute, and I could be wrong).  My position, and what I've read, is that employers are currently rebelling against dot com casualness and like the look and feel of a suit and tie / formal dress.  Dressing down for an interview occurs at the 2nd or 3rd interview.

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