A few new job requisitions have landed in my lap.
I just wish one of them fit me ;-]
1. The County Of Marin is looking for a Senior Programmer Analyst. This job will be
suporting property tax applications. Skills needed are : VB.NET and TRANSACT-SQL,
test plan development and deployment strategies. See Marin Programmer Analyst
2. Intuit is looking for C++ / .NET developers. I am a direct contact to the desk of the
hiring manager. Contact me for further discussion / details.
3. The County of Contra Costa is looking for two people :
MS SQL Database Administrator in the Health Services Department
IDMS Administrator in the Technology Department
See Contra Costa County Job Opportunities
Happy Hunting !
ScN
We are a group of Marin based IT Professionals who actively seek to improve their careers by pooling information, sharing insights and supporting each other as we move forward together. We invite prospective members to contact us through this site.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
And More On Amazon ...
After I'd finished writing up that last item, a kindly
soul pointed me at this article. At first glance it's
well worth a read :
The Zen Of Jeff Bezos
soul pointed me at this article. At first glance it's
well worth a read :
The Zen Of Jeff Bezos
What's In A Product : Of Kindles, Nooks and WebPower
In my capacity as an otherwise underutilized technical person
I've been asked to help someone figure out which of these
two worthy products one should purchase for their dearly beloved :
The Nook Tablet
The Kindle Fire
This may be one of the hottest topics around for the gainfully
employed and techToy giving public at this time of 2011.
And it's not the simplest of decisions I've been asked about.
Even this week.
Both products are sold at a loss.
Both products are for early adopters
looking for something of a bargain ;
they both have a ways to go before they're
all grown up.
For this market segment / price point both
offer facilities that are currently associated
with much higher priced products. Both
thus have an additional indirect cool factor.
For those users that want to cruise the web, handle
email /messaging with a keyboard that is compatible
with thumbs AND fingers, look at Netflix/Hulu/YouTube,
play a few games, read some books and so forth, both of these
products do an exceptionally good job for the money/ form factor.
Bear in mind that you can get a good WIN7 netbook with 4GB of RAM
and 500GB of disk with an 11" screen for the same price at Costco.
Having played with both I'd have to say that the Nook Tablet
seems a better piece of hardware and my eyes tell me that
I'm buying a piece of hardware. The Nook looks a bit better,
performs smoothly, has space for an SD card, a speaker and more.
The KindleFire was good but had a bit less punch ...but not so
much less that it's a no brainer spending the additional $50
on the Nook. And all that is before you consider the Cloud facilities
Amazon is offering.
Riddle me this : Are my eyes seeing all that matters in these
products ? Is this really just a hardware purchase or is there
more going on here.
There's a whole heck of a lot more going on here.
This is actually a really juicy conjuncture.
Consider :
You're Android with the Kindle, but not entirely.
Not all Android content is available to you.
Somehow I am not worried about getting content from
Amazon, but I may not be happy with the price and so on.
There is also that cloud thing that they've invested so
heavily in and are willing to let you have some of.
(Me no need to understand, sounds cool, so me like it.)
The Nook is comparatively off by itself in the OS department.
While you can add things to the SD card and stream
to your hearts content, getting access to NewAndImproved
content the day after tomorrow is not quite so obviously
guaranteed. Ports of hot new games and so forth may
not be so quick in coming. Particularly if B&N goes bust.
And there is no hint of that cloud stuff the Amazons are so good at.
Glad you asked. They are both trying to make money by spending
money. They are to be saluted for this ! It is a rare thing in these
mindlessly austere times.
Barnes & Noble is a basically the last big bookseller
left standing. They are not a technology company, so what's
up with this tablet offering ?
Brick and mortar operations like B&N are going losing $$ faster
than my 401K. People do not really seem to be willing to pay
good $$ for that touchyFeely in store browsing experience
any more. Remember Borders ? I reckon most of us wander through
the store for fun and information, discovering what's available, what we
really want and then buying it for less on the web.
Else we only shop at Amazon or similar operators of fine web n' warehouse establishments.
So the web's the thing, like it or not. If B&N does not do something big
quick Amazon will have them wiped out. In fact, this game may well be
over already. In fairness to B&N, they've made a very creditable entry
into a new business space and this is not to be underestimated.
For Amazon I think the game is quite different. They are a technology
company and a very good one at that. Personally, I'd rate them up there
with Google & Apple. B&N is probably not even a great big concern for
Amazon. They probably outsell B&N in the book market already.
What I think Amazon wants is to put the end of their supply
chain in you hands. They will push everything from books to
baseballs at you through that FieryKindle marketing portal
you bought from them. I'm guessing that they'll offer you a variety
of merchandise and pricing that is all but impossible to imagine.
We will most likely enjoy every minute of it too, because it will
be so brilliantly well done.
Ok, so guess which product I recommended to my friend.
The Nook!??
Yep.
What does my customer want to do with the machine they are buying ?
They just want to cruise the web, do some email & messaging, read
books and play the odd game. They are essentially a book reader that is accumulating too many hardcopy books to store easily. They already have an IPhone and a good desktop. It would be nice to have a bigger screen to watch
some video on in bed. That is what is of value to them.
The Nook still looks like a better piece of hardware and that is
what you're buying today. Tomorrow never knows and in any case
you'll probably be buying the next generation tablet (with features you
never dreamed of, were not looking for ...) in two to three years anyway.
(How long did your last IPod survive ?).
Carpe diem and perhaps a bookseller will survive too.
I've been asked to help someone figure out which of these
two worthy products one should purchase for their dearly beloved :
The Nook Tablet
The Kindle Fire
This may be one of the hottest topics around for the gainfully
employed and techToy giving public at this time of 2011.
And it's not the simplest of decisions I've been asked about.
Even this week.
In brief, the deal is this :
Both products are sold at a loss.
Both products are for early adopters
looking for something of a bargain ;
they both have a ways to go before they're
all grown up.
For this market segment / price point both
offer facilities that are currently associated
with much higher priced products. Both
thus have an additional indirect cool factor.
For those users that want to cruise the web, handle
email /messaging with a keyboard that is compatible
with thumbs AND fingers, look at Netflix/Hulu/YouTube,
play a few games, read some books and so forth, both of these
products do an exceptionally good job for the money/ form factor.
Bear in mind that you can get a good WIN7 netbook with 4GB of RAM
and 500GB of disk with an 11" screen for the same price at Costco.
Having played with both I'd have to say that the Nook Tablet
seems a better piece of hardware and my eyes tell me that
I'm buying a piece of hardware. The Nook looks a bit better,
performs smoothly, has space for an SD card, a speaker and more.
The KindleFire was good but had a bit less punch ...but not so
much less that it's a no brainer spending the additional $50
on the Nook. And all that is before you consider the Cloud facilities
Amazon is offering.
Enjoy your new Kindle Fire.
Now
products ? Is this really just a hardware purchase or is there
more going on here.
There's a whole heck of a lot more going on here.
This is actually a really juicy conjuncture.
Consider :
Were does your content come from tomorrow ?
Not all Android content is available to you.
Somehow I am not worried about getting content from
Amazon, but I may not be happy with the price and so on.
There is also that cloud thing that they've invested so
heavily in and are willing to let you have some of.
(Me no need to understand, sounds cool, so me like it.)
The Nook is comparatively off by itself in the OS department.
While you can add things to the SD card and stream
to your hearts content, getting access to NewAndImproved
content the day after tomorrow is not quite so obviously
guaranteed. Ports of hot new games and so forth may
not be so quick in coming. Particularly if B&N goes bust.
And there is no hint of that cloud stuff the Amazons are so good at.
Why are these people selling hot products at a loss ?
Glad you asked. They are both trying to make money by spending
money. They are to be saluted for this ! It is a rare thing in these
mindlessly austere times.
Barnes & Noble is a basically the last big bookseller
left standing. They are not a technology company, so what's
up with this tablet offering ?
What in god's name are they doing ?
Trying to save their business that's what.
Brick and mortar operations like B&N are going losing $$ faster
than my 401K. People do not really seem to be willing to pay
good $$ for that touchyFeely in store browsing experience
any more. Remember Borders ? I reckon most of us wander through
the store for fun and information, discovering what's available, what we
really want and then buying it for less on the web.
Else we only shop at Amazon or similar operators of fine web n' warehouse establishments.
So the web's the thing, like it or not. If B&N does not do something big
quick Amazon will have them wiped out. In fact, this game may well be
over already. In fairness to B&N, they've made a very creditable entry
into a new business space and this is not to be underestimated.
For Amazon I think the game is quite different. They are a technology
company and a very good one at that. Personally, I'd rate them up there
with Google & Apple. B&N is probably not even a great big concern for
Amazon. They probably outsell B&N in the book market already.
What I think Amazon wants is to put the end of their supply
chain in you hands. They will push everything from books to
baseballs at you through that FieryKindle marketing portal
you bought from them. I'm guessing that they'll offer you a variety
of merchandise and pricing that is all but impossible to imagine.
We will soon buy more things :
we never heard of before
were not looking for
do not need
can not afford
We will most likely enjoy every minute of it too, because it will
be so brilliantly well done.
Ok, so guess which product I recommended to my friend.
The Nook!??
Yep.
What does my customer want to do with the machine they are buying ?
They just want to cruise the web, do some email & messaging, read
books and play the odd game. They are essentially a book reader that is accumulating too many hardcopy books to store easily. They already have an IPhone and a good desktop. It would be nice to have a bigger screen to watch
some video on in bed. That is what is of value to them.
The Nook still looks like a better piece of hardware and that is
what you're buying today. Tomorrow never knows and in any case
you'll probably be buying the next generation tablet (with features you
never dreamed of, were not looking for ...) in two to three years anyway.
(How long did your last IPod survive ?).
Carpe diem and perhaps a bookseller will survive too.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Remember When ?
We all used to enjoy what we did and can do so again.
Here are some technologists who love their jobs :
Jobs that inspire.
Here are some technologists who love their jobs :
Jobs that inspire.
All Is Not Lost.... More Cool Things Are On the Way..... Climb Aboard !!
Ok, technology has left some of us high and dry, but it may
not always be so. Here are a few up and coming technologies that
may be great targets for the future.
Upcoming Cool Things
not always be so. Here are a few up and coming technologies that
may be great targets for the future.
Upcoming Cool Things
Useful Financial Advice for the 99% + 10% Bracket
Keeping Track of the diminished financial attributes ..
We're not in the 1% that don't need to care
but are in the 10% that have to care too much.
Cool AND Frugal Too ?
We're not in the 1% that don't need to care
but are in the 10% that have to care too much.
Cool AND Frugal Too ?
New Ideas From Florida
We've seen revolutionary things come from this neck of the woods in the past,
so get ready for your new get up....
Care To Tug On Supermans' Cape ?
so get ready for your new get up....
Care To Tug On Supermans' Cape ?
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Some FREE training. The price is right at least.
I thought it a worthwhile exercise to look around for some free training.
I need more freedom and training will certainly help.
Honestly, I found a great deal in a very short time.
It is quite difficult to determine the quality of the information
provided in each of these places, but there is no shortage of
sources to investigate.
Here are five of the places I've encountered :
1. Keeps Granny up to date
Lots of straightforward introductions to MS Office,
Twitter, MacOs.
Free basic training.
2. More technical. More useful :
TechTutorials offers a directory containing thousands of free tutorials for IT
professionals, hobbyists, and home users. Registration recommended.
Tech Tutorials
4. You want study whaaaat ???
Well you can find courses on a whole raft of things here :
Free Ed
Free-Ed.Net is committed to providing an online "school" where users from around the world can study, take courses, and participate in online community learning activities at no cost. This enterprise requires us to build a new kinds of learning models that take into account the technological strengths of the Internet, recent innovations in information and computer technologies, and the educational needs of our users.
Probably no worse than some community colleges ...
5. The MS Virtual Academy
Free and Microsoft so rarely appear in the same sentence that this becomes irresistable :
Free Microsoft Training
I need more freedom and training will certainly help.
Honestly, I found a great deal in a very short time.
It is quite difficult to determine the quality of the information
provided in each of these places, but there is no shortage of
sources to investigate.
Here are five of the places I've encountered :
1. Keeps Granny up to date
Lots of straightforward introductions to MS Office,
Twitter, MacOs.
Free basic training.
2. More technical. More useful :
- Mondays: IT certification and exam information
- Tuesday: IT news and important announcements
- Wednesdays: Tips, tricks, tutorials and how-to articles
- Thursdays: Free training videos
- Fridays: IT career help and job information
- Weekends: TrainSignal company news and updates
More Serious training. Still free.
TechTutorials offers a directory containing thousands of free tutorials for IT
professionals, hobbyists, and home users. Registration recommended.
| |
Tech Tutorials
4. You want study whaaaat ???
Well you can find courses on a whole raft of things here :
Free Ed
Free-Ed.Net is committed to providing an online "school" where users from around the world can study, take courses, and participate in online community learning activities at no cost. This enterprise requires us to build a new kinds of learning models that take into account the technological strengths of the Internet, recent innovations in information and computer technologies, and the educational needs of our users.
Probably no worse than some community colleges ...
5. The MS Virtual Academy
Free and Microsoft so rarely appear in the same sentence that this becomes irresistable :
Free Microsoft Training
Imaginative Uses For Elder Computers
Many of us have an old box or two laying around doing
nothing. Remember when that dual cpu Pentium III seemed
like the slickest thing west of the Rio Grande ?
Well, that was 11 years ago at least.
Here are some ideas for making use of ye olde beast.
Some are flat out inspiring.
Uses for the old machines in the garage.
nothing. Remember when that dual cpu Pentium III seemed
like the slickest thing west of the Rio Grande ?
Well, that was 11 years ago at least.
Here are some ideas for making use of ye olde beast.
Some are flat out inspiring.
Uses for the old machines in the garage.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
What Will They Think Of Next ? OsX trojan !
Stealing bitcoins with DevilRobber that's what.
A newly identified Mac OS X Trojan bundles a component that leverages the processing power of video cards (GPUs) to generate Bitcoins, a
popular type of virtual currency.
So, what's a bitcoin ?
One Bitcoin is currently valued at around US$3.20, and it is a good
source of profit for both Bitcoin miners, who legitimately use their computer resources to generate them, and cybercriminals who steal them.
................Glad you asked : Go buy some !
Meet the Devil
A newly identified Mac OS X Trojan bundles a component that leverages the processing power of video cards (GPUs) to generate Bitcoins, a
popular type of virtual currency.
So, what's a bitcoin ?
One Bitcoin is currently valued at around US$3.20, and it is a good
source of profit for both Bitcoin miners, who legitimately use their computer resources to generate them, and cybercriminals who steal them.
................Glad you asked : Go buy some !
Meet the Devil
Facebook may like you too much !
It seems that our well very connected social networking portal
has a bit of a dark side to be considered. That like button can
pile up quite a bit of information about what you are up to. Like,
up to 1200 pages worth of information. See the following articles
for details. While they address ongoing controversies in Europe,
I doubt that there's much difference here.
Facebook and Gov 2.0
Facebook collects data ? Really ?
has a bit of a dark side to be considered. That like button can
pile up quite a bit of information about what you are up to. Like,
up to 1200 pages worth of information. See the following articles
for details. While they address ongoing controversies in Europe,
I doubt that there's much difference here.
Facebook and Gov 2.0
Facebook collects data ? Really ?
OPA, The Next Cool Thang : Dr. Dobbs Language Of The Month
Opa is a new generation of web development platform that lets you write distributed web applications using a single technology. Throughout the pages of this free online book, you will be introduced to the many features of Opa.
To quote but a few, Opa is concise, simple, concurrent, dynamically distributed, and secure.
The support provided includes numerous tutorials, api references and a good
deal more.
It's well worth a look.
To quote but a few, Opa is concise, simple, concurrent, dynamically distributed, and secure.
The support provided includes numerous tutorials, api references and a good
deal more.
It's well worth a look.
Amazon Cloudware : Just about free ?
Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) is a web service that provides resizable compute capacity in the cloud. It is designed to make web-scale computing easier for developers.
Amazon EC2’s simple web service interface allows you to obtain and configure capacity with minimal friction. It provides you with complete control of your computing resources and lets you run on Amazon’s proven computing environment. Amazon EC2 reduces the time required to obtain and boot new server instances to minutes, allowing you to quickly scale capacity, both up and down, as your computing requirements change. Amazon EC2 changes the economics of computing by allowing you to pay only for capacity that you actually use. Amazon EC2 provides developers the tools to build failure resilient applications and isolate themselves from common failure scenarios.
Amazon EC2 enables our partners and customers to build and customize Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) with software based on your needs. Amazon has hundreds of free and paid AMIs available for you to use.
For even more information see the following :
Amazon Web hosting
Amazon EC2’s simple web service interface allows you to obtain and configure capacity with minimal friction. It provides you with complete control of your computing resources and lets you run on Amazon’s proven computing environment. Amazon EC2 reduces the time required to obtain and boot new server instances to minutes, allowing you to quickly scale capacity, both up and down, as your computing requirements change. Amazon EC2 changes the economics of computing by allowing you to pay only for capacity that you actually use. Amazon EC2 provides developers the tools to build failure resilient applications and isolate themselves from common failure scenarios.
Amazon EC2 enables our partners and customers to build and customize Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) with software based on your needs. Amazon has hundreds of free and paid AMIs available for you to use.
The Free Tier*
As part of AWS’s Free Usage Tier, new AWS customers can get started with Amazon EC2 for free. Upon sign-up, new AWS customers receive the following EC2 services each month for one year: - 750 hours of EC2 running Linux/Unix Micro instance usage
- 750 hours of Elastic Load Balancing plus 15 GB data processing
- 10 GB of Amazon Elastic Block Storage (EBS) plus 1 million IOs and 1 GB snapshot storage
- 15 GB of bandwidth out aggregated across all AWS services
- 1 GB of Regional Data Transfer
For even more information see the following :
Amazon Web hosting
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
SharePoint Training ConferenceTomorrow
SharePoint Live Virtual Conference & Expo offers a day of in-depth technical training for IT professionals and developers. Learn best practices from the field as our technical experts show you how to deploy, manage and build solutions for SharePoint.
Register today for this FREE, online technical training conference and connect with thousands of SharePoint professionals without leaving your desk!
SharePoint Webinar
Register today for this FREE, online technical training conference and connect with thousands of SharePoint professionals without leaving your desk!
SharePoint Webinar
Bill Guard : Seek out the nasty exceptions
I came across this in my travels.
It looks promising for those of us with bills
and has a great price : $00.00.
BillGuard alerts users of unwanted charges such as hidden fees, billing errors, scams and fraud on credit card bills. The startup essentially crowdsources scams by alerting you when a charge on your bill is flagged by anyone else using BillGuard or posting scams on online forums.
Bill Guard
It looks promising for those of us with bills
and has a great price : $00.00.
BillGuard alerts users of unwanted charges such as hidden fees, billing errors, scams and fraud on credit card bills. The startup essentially crowdsources scams by alerting you when a charge on your bill is flagged by anyone else using BillGuard or posting scams on online forums.
Bill Guard
Monday, October 24, 2011
The PHP Learning Trail : Working with NetBeans Tutorials
PHP Learning Trail
Developing PHP Applications In NetBeans IDE AT a
VERY REASONABLE Cost.
Actually I think it's FREE.
Go Here
Topics Include :
FrameworksCreating a Database Driven Application With PHP
Configuring Your Environment for PHP Development
Testing and Debugging
Free Webinars This Week Javapassion !
Oct.24th-28th week free webinars from JPassion.com/JavaPassion.com (Please forward/tweet/facebook to anybody who might be interested.)
Oct.24th-28th week free webinars from JPassion.com/JavaPassion.com
(Please forward/tweet/facebook to anybody who might be interested.)
Wednesday (Oct. 26th) 11AM-noon EDT (New York time)
Topic: "Serialization"(from Advanced Java course)
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/282364102
Wednesday (Oct. 26th) Noon-1PM EDT (New York time)
Topic: "JRebel with Java EE 6 - JSF 2.0" (from JRebel course)
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/718511766
Wednesday (Oct. 26th) 9PM-10PM EDT (New York time)
Topic: "JSP and JavaBeans, Using NetBeans" (from Web programming course)
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/478902038
Wednesday (Oct. 26th) 10PM-11PM EDT (New York time)
Topic: "Spring AOP" (from Spring course)
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/728193246
Thursday (Oct. 27th) Noon-1PM EDT (New York time)
Topic: "JRebel with Myeclipse Blue"
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/824655310
Friday (Oct. 28th) 10PM-11PM EDT (New York time)
Topic: "JMS and EJB MDB" (from Hibernate/JPA/EJB3.0/JMS course)
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/632249470
As always, you can see all scheduled webinars from below
http://www.javapassion.com/webinars
The recordings of previous webinars have been posted to the
relevant course website of http://www.javapassion.com.
(Please forward/tweet/facebook to anybody who might be interested.)
Wednesday (Oct. 26th) 11AM-noon EDT (New York time)
Topic: "Serialization"(from Advanced Java course)
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/282364102
Wednesday (Oct. 26th) Noon-1PM EDT (New York time)
Topic: "JRebel with Java EE 6 - JSF 2.0" (from JRebel course)
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/718511766
Wednesday (Oct. 26th) 9PM-10PM EDT (New York time)
Topic: "JSP and JavaBeans, Using NetBeans" (from Web programming course)
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/478902038
Wednesday (Oct. 26th) 10PM-11PM EDT (New York time)
Topic: "Spring AOP" (from Spring course)
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/728193246
Thursday (Oct. 27th) Noon-1PM EDT (New York time)
Topic: "JRebel with Myeclipse Blue"
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/824655310
Friday (Oct. 28th) 10PM-11PM EDT (New York time)
Topic: "JMS and EJB MDB" (from Hibernate/JPA/EJB3.0/JMS course)
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/632249470
As always, you can see all scheduled webinars from below
http://www.javapassion.com/webinars
The recordings of previous webinars have been posted to the
relevant course website of http://www.javapassion.com.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Tech Talks & Startup Dinners.
Thanks to Judith, one of our members, who thought we might find these small tech
talks and startup dinners interesting.
This month, five companies, Dropbox, Quora, Causes, Meraki, and Stitcher (company details below) are each having private tech demos and dinners for Bay Area professionals.
talks and startup dinners interesting.
This month, five companies, Dropbox, Quora, Causes, Meraki, and Stitcher (company details below) are each having private tech demos and dinners for Bay Area professionals.
1. If you'd like to be on the mailing list for future dinners, please don?t hesitate to hit reply- blank mails are fine- and I'll be sure to put you on the monthly mailing list.
2. If you're interested in exploring engineering opportunities at these companies, and would like to meet the teams behind these brands, just hit reply, type the company's name, and attach your resume. That's it. We?ll get back to you about your place at the dinner. It would be great if you could let me know by Sunday of this week.
Alternatively, feel free to sign up on the site: http://startupbyt.es/landingpageoct.html
Companies from upcoming and past dinners include:
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Useful Firefox Extensions for Web Developers
I've found several useful Firefox extensions that have helped a lot in our project to redevelop the Marin Professionals web site:
Firebug: A top quality web page debugging tool. Opens a separate window in Firefox that shows your HTML code and the associated CSS. Allows you to make temporary changes to your tags and styles to see how they change the appearance of your page. Recommended by Joomla for figuring out what their generated pages are doing.
Colorzilla: Versatile Firefox color picker tool. See a color you want to match? Use Colorzilla to find out what its parameters are so you can duplicate it on your page.
Measureit: Use to check the width, height and alignment of elements on your web page.
Aardvark: Draws red rectangle around elements on web page; shows associated tags. Keystroke driven functionality can isolate, remove elements from page.
Hope you find these helpful.
Firebug: A top quality web page debugging tool. Opens a separate window in Firefox that shows your HTML code and the associated CSS. Allows you to make temporary changes to your tags and styles to see how they change the appearance of your page. Recommended by Joomla for figuring out what their generated pages are doing.
Colorzilla: Versatile Firefox color picker tool. See a color you want to match? Use Colorzilla to find out what its parameters are so you can duplicate it on your page.
Measureit: Use to check the width, height and alignment of elements on your web page.
Aardvark: Draws red rectangle around elements on web page; shows associated tags. Keystroke driven functionality can isolate, remove elements from page.
Hope you find these helpful.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Sources for Memory (and Other Stuff) for Older PCs
Since the topic of memory for older computers came up at a Marin Pro IT Group meeting, I thought I'd pass on the names of a couple of computer surplus places I shop.
HSC Electronics
Weirdstuff Warehouse
HSC also has a brick-and-mortar store in Rohnert Park.
HSC Electronics
Weirdstuff Warehouse
HSC also has a brick-and-mortar store in Rohnert Park.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
A Few More Articles Of Some Interest
Of Some Interest To Some Anyways !
Perhaps even you.
New Intel Processors Reviewed
Too much time on your hands ?
Windows 7 : Positive Spin
Some Androids have wee problems ..
My Pad Beats YourPad, so there
Best Apathetic Tee Shirt :
Perhaps even you.
New Intel Processors Reviewed
Too much time on your hands ?
Windows 7 : Positive Spin
Some Androids have wee problems ..
My Pad Beats YourPad, so there
Best Apathetic Tee Shirt :
Print Media Adapting to Mobile
I thought this was an interesting article.
Seeing as how I am now subscribing to
free mobile versions of publications
like the Economist, I am thinking there
may yet be hope for the "print" media.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Code Camp : Free IT Education !
Code Camp is a new type of community event where developers learn from fellow developers. We also have developer related topics that include software branding, legal issues around software as well as other topics developers are interested in hearing about. All are welcome to attend and speak.
The Code Camp consists of these points:
Code Camp
Thanks to David Mayer at Marin Professionals for passing this along.
The Code Camp consists of these points:
- by and for the developer community
- always free
- never occur during working hours
Code Camp
Thanks to David Mayer at Marin Professionals for passing this along.
Working Overseas Anyone ?
From what I hear now, more than ever , it is up to the workers to
go where the work is.
If you want to go somewhere interesting, I'd recommend trying
Ireland. There is IT work and project management to be done there.
They speak English and probably won't hate you for being American.
Take a look at :
Asset Recruitment in Ireland
There is also a linked in group.
I am familiar with the folks who run Asset Recruitment
and they will give you a fair deal.
They also cover positions outside Ireland, predominantly
in the Middle East.
go where the work is.
If you want to go somewhere interesting, I'd recommend trying
Ireland. There is IT work and project management to be done there.
They speak English and probably won't hate you for being American.
Take a look at :
Asset Recruitment in Ireland
There is also a linked in group.
I am familiar with the folks who run Asset Recruitment
and they will give you a fair deal.
They also cover positions outside Ireland, predominantly
in the Middle East.
In case you missed it : Linked In hiring FE SW Engineers
LinkedIn is now actively hiring for Front End Engineers in our Mountain View headquarters.
Summary:
You love the browser, despite its quirks, and can bend IE to your will. You are the kind of person who loves a holistic approach to websites, bringing server and web client together into beautiful harmony. You code JSP/Javascript/HTML/CSS/Java, and want to be part of the team behind this very site you're reading right now. You are passionate about user experience, and you want to actually make a difference with your work.
You'll work with User Experience Designers, Product Managers and fellow developers to build both the client web components (HTML, CSS, Javascript, JSP) and server-side delivery code (Java, MVC). You'll be working across the company with multiple groups, bringing everyone's specializations together into a final product.
Requirements:
• You know JSP, PHP or Java and use relevant tools (IDEs, ant, junit, yui-test, etc)
• You can build HTML, CSS, and JavaScript components and pages using JS frameworks such as jQuery, YUI, etc.
• You are a strong communicator and collaborator who can work in an agile/iterative development team.
• You have a BS/MS degree in Computer Science, Applied Math, Physics, or related field from a leading institution.
• You have 5+ years of experience in your craft.
This opportunity is located in Mountain View, California.
If you’re interested, please send your resume to alawrence@linkedin.com
Summary:
You love the browser, despite its quirks, and can bend IE to your will. You are the kind of person who loves a holistic approach to websites, bringing server and web client together into beautiful harmony. You code JSP/Javascript/HTML/CSS/Java, and want to be part of the team behind this very site you're reading right now. You are passionate about user experience, and you want to actually make a difference with your work.
You'll work with User Experience Designers, Product Managers and fellow developers to build both the client web components (HTML, CSS, Javascript, JSP) and server-side delivery code (Java, MVC). You'll be working across the company with multiple groups, bringing everyone's specializations together into a final product.
Requirements:
• You know JSP, PHP or Java and use relevant tools (IDEs, ant, junit, yui-test, etc)
• You can build HTML, CSS, and JavaScript components and pages using JS frameworks such as jQuery, YUI, etc.
• You are a strong communicator and collaborator who can work in an agile/iterative development team.
• You have a BS/MS degree in Computer Science, Applied Math, Physics, or related field from a leading institution.
• You have 5+ years of experience in your craft.
This opportunity is located in Mountain View, California.
If you’re interested, please send your resume to alawrence@linkedin.com
Some recent software intelligence ....
| Powered by  +  Computer Software
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IT Roadmap Conference & Expo San Jose 2011
IT Roadmap San Jose brings you one day of learning and exploring the latest IT trends and technologies that will benefit your business and help you drive your IT initiatives in the right direction all year long.
http://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/index.php?eventid=25455
- What are the high-priority IT issues for the year to come?
- What should you do now to prepare your business?
- How are your colleagues already embracing new technologies, such as cloud computing and collaborative communications to gain a competitive edge?
This is your chance to hear from the best of the best as they reveal all they know about new trends, new technologies and proven IT strategies for your business—in just one day.
http://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/index.php?eventid=25455
Monday, September 19, 2011
The 64 Interview Questions
64 Nasty Interview Questions
For those of you afraid of docstoc, I'm sorry.
I can find no better way to make this available.
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/95540391/62-Interview-Questions
Hope this is of use to the brave.
For those of you afraid of docstoc, I'm sorry.
I can find no better way to make this available.
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/95540391/62-Interview-Questions
Hope this is of use to the brave.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Joomla Course on youtube
These danscourses on youtube seem to be very helpful.
Joomla ... WAMP Install
Network subnetting (Cisco)
A Game in Flash ActionScript
The price is certainly right and the ones I've looked at,
mainly Joomla, are of good quality.
Joomla ... WAMP Install
Network subnetting (Cisco)
A Game in Flash ActionScript
The price is certainly right and the ones I've looked at,
mainly Joomla, are of good quality.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Useful News Blog for IT People
I keep forgetting to post this, but here is a useful news blog for techies that I've been reading for a long time:
Slashdot
I've got a lot of useful tech news off of this blog over the years. It's somewhat oriented toward Linux, but they cover a lot of other topics.
Slashdot
I've got a lot of useful tech news off of this blog over the years. It's somewhat oriented toward Linux, but they cover a lot of other topics.
Diving into HTML5
Useful resource for those of us looking to pick up
some knowledge on html5 :
Dive into html5 book
Please consider contributing to the author Mark Pilgrim
as you could be paying O'Reilly a lot more for this information.
some knowledge on html5 :
Dive into html5 book
Please consider contributing to the author Mark Pilgrim
as you could be paying O'Reilly a lot more for this information.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Words in Pictures : Impressionistic Resumes ?
Run your resume and the job requisition you're
trying to match through wordle to see how well they line up.
Wordle picks out the 'hot' terms and highlights them in a more
or less artistic way that produces an affect of the character stream
you feed it.
See what my resume looks like when wordled :
Wordle Gallery
Then look for the Resume by Anonymous Rex.
It will probably be older by the time you get there.
And run yours :
Wordle !
trying to match through wordle to see how well they line up.
Wordle picks out the 'hot' terms and highlights them in a more
or less artistic way that produces an affect of the character stream
you feed it.
See what my resume looks like when wordled :
Wordle Gallery
Then look for the Resume by Anonymous Rex.
It will probably be older by the time you get there.
And run yours :
Wordle !
Microsoft vs Google
Microsoft and Google agree that hosted productivity suites offer unique benefits for evolving business needs. Of course the two behemoths traveled very different paths to reach this conclusion, and bring different strengths to their respective offerings. Which one is right you?
Inquiring minds want to know, so look here :
MS vs Goog
Inquiring minds want to know, so look here :
MS vs Goog
Technical Library
There's an interesting collection of white papers and such
here :
Application Development Trends Tech Library
Topics include :
Scanning directly to Google Docs
Definitive Guide to Issue Tracking
Monitoring Services in the Cloud
Web Apps Come of Age.
Short guide to MySql High Availability options
Accelerating Innovation in Automotive
Engineering : Software Quality
Making the Development Cloud Real.
This is a good place to work on keeping up to date.
here :
Application Development Trends Tech Library
Topics include :
Scanning directly to Google Docs
Definitive Guide to Issue Tracking
Monitoring Services in the Cloud
Web Apps Come of Age.
Short guide to MySql High Availability options
Accelerating Innovation in Automotive
Engineering : Software Quality
Making the Development Cloud Real.
This is a good place to work on keeping up to date.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Sage Advice
Here are a few articles I've run across recently.
Each one has something worthwhile to say, even if I've
previously heard similar wisdom.
Eventually, I think, it will all settle in and voila!, I'm hired ?
Read on MacDuff :
Common IT interview mistakes.
Strategic branding : Your competitive edge.
Yes, I have no weaknesses, just hire me already !
The Social Media Resume
Socks BEFORE Shoes : Dress For Success.
Crafting job interview questions.
Help, I need a job counselling therapist.
Developing Confidence.
Career Building.
I hope you find some of these to be helpful.
Each one has something worthwhile to say, even if I've
previously heard similar wisdom.
Eventually, I think, it will all settle in and voila!, I'm hired ?
Read on MacDuff :
Common IT interview mistakes.
Strategic branding : Your competitive edge.
Yes, I have no weaknesses, just hire me already !
The Social Media Resume
Socks BEFORE Shoes : Dress For Success.
Crafting job interview questions.
Help, I need a job counselling therapist.
Developing Confidence.
Career Building.
I hope you find some of these to be helpful.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Online Training Anyone ?
I've recently had a no cost opportunity to study pretty much
whatever I wanted by way of online courses provided by
one vendor, like lynda or vtc.
I actually learned a fair amount.
As it happens, that opportunity is no more and I'm wondering
would anyone else would have interest in [ comparatively ] low
cost access to training of this type ?
The idea is that we could investigate pooling resources to get an annual
subscription thatcould be shared between several of us. I'm guessing there
is an account of this type that could be had. This might be organized under
Marin Professionals, so that the membership could gain access.
Thoughts, responses and so forth are welcomed !
whatever I wanted by way of online courses provided by
one vendor, like lynda or vtc.
I actually learned a fair amount.
As it happens, that opportunity is no more and I'm wondering
would anyone else would have interest in [ comparatively ] low
cost access to training of this type ?
The idea is that we could investigate pooling resources to get an annual
subscription thatcould be shared between several of us. I'm guessing there
is an account of this type that could be had. This might be organized under
Marin Professionals, so that the membership could gain access.
Thoughts, responses and so forth are welcomed !
Dice Career Fair in Silicon Valley 7/20/11
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Friday, July 8, 2011
How we'll be paying for things soon.
Mobile payments from smart devices are set to explode to $750,000,000
in the next few years. Here is what the best and brightest expect to transpire :
Here Comes The (porous ?) Digital Wallet
in the next few years. Here is what the best and brightest expect to transpire :
Here Comes The (porous ?) Digital Wallet
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
BeFoundJobs : Free Webinar on LinkedIn Insider Secrets
I'm passing along an email notification fro BeFoundJobs.
Their presentations are usually worth the effort.
" You have asked for evening training with strategies specific to when you are
confidentially looking for a new position.
You asked and I've listened.
This Thursday at 7PM EST (7 /7 @ 15:00) I will be conducting a one
time only live evening webinar training on LinkedIn Insider Secrets.
Click here now to get the details and register
http://jobsearchsmarter.com/registration
Be sure to tell a friend, because this won't be offered in
the evening again and it won't be recorded.
Talk Soon,
Greig
PS - Learn about everything new on LinkedIn in Summer 2011 with a
special emphasis on confidential job hunting with new tools like LinkedIn
SIGNAL & LinkedIn Skills.
Their presentations are usually worth the effort.
" You have asked for evening training with strategies specific to when you are
confidentially looking for a new position.
You asked and I've listened.
This Thursday at 7PM EST (7 /7 @ 15:00) I will be conducting a one
time only live evening webinar training on LinkedIn Insider Secrets.
Click here now to get the details and register
http://jobsearchsmarter.com/registration
Be sure to tell a friend, because this won't be offered in
the evening again and it won't be recorded.
Talk Soon,
Greig
PS - Learn about everything new on LinkedIn in Summer 2011 with a
special emphasis on confidential job hunting with new tools like LinkedIn
SIGNAL & LinkedIn Skills.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Recommended Resume Format ?!
Here's something one of our members received from a recruiter.
It is a recommended resume format. Sorry about pdf format,
but you'll get the idea.
A Resume Format
It is a recommended resume format. Sorry about pdf format,
but you'll get the idea.
A Resume Format
Friday, June 24, 2011
Mortgage Help for the Unemployed and Underemployed
Hearing about some people in the group facing foreclosure reminded me to write a post about Keep Your Home California, a set of state programs to help homeowners in distress by providing mortgage payments for up to six months. (Yes, I know this is not an IT-specific topic, but I hope it will be helpful to the group.) The web site for the program is here. It looks like they have programs both for the unemployed and for those whose income has dropped recently.
One of the people on my Marin Pro Success Team applied recently and was accepted. This has given her breathing room to find a job she really wants, instead of having to settle for something just to pay the bills.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Where do I put my documents so I can get them from anywhere ?
Strange you should mention it. I had reason to ask
precisely that question mere moments ago and one
answer I found was this :
http://www.docstoc.com/
After registration, you can upload documents which can then be
accessed from anywhere on the web. There is also access to existing
public documents on docstoc, including things like Writing Cover
Letters, Managing your Media Reputation and Career and a handy
Google cheat sheet.
At the price (so far, $00.00) it's well worth the investment.
precisely that question mere moments ago and one
answer I found was this :
http://www.docstoc.com/
After registration, you can upload documents which can then be
accessed from anywhere on the web. There is also access to existing
public documents on docstoc, including things like Writing Cover
Letters, Managing your Media Reputation and Career and a handy
Google cheat sheet.
At the price (so far, $00.00) it's well worth the investment.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Vista + Win7 God Mode
This is a cute and handy little thing I just found.
It pulls together a pile of handy admin functions under
one roof.
Do this :
1. Create a new folder on the desktop.
(If you don't know how to do this, then godMode
may just be 2Much4U..)
2. Rename the folder to :
GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
3. Double click on your new godMode icon.
4. Enjoy....
It pulls together a pile of handy admin functions under
one roof.
Do this :
1. Create a new folder on the desktop.
(If you don't know how to do this, then godMode
may just be 2Much4U..)
2. Rename the folder to :
GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
3. Double click on your new godMode icon.
4. Enjoy....
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
10 Tips For Use of Employment Agencies
This seemed a useful article:
http://www.libgig.com/toptenemploymentagencies
http://www.libgig.com/toptenemploymentagencies
Not All News Is Bad !?
Here's one government study that indicates there will be
significant growth in IT / Programming work over the next few
years :
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos303.htm#outlook
Overall, employment of computer software engineers and computer programmers is projected to increase much faster than the average for all occupations. Job prospects should be best for those with a bachelor's degree and relevant experience.
Employment change. Overall, employment of computer software engineers and computer programmers is projected to increase by 21 percent from 2008 to 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations. This will be the result of rapid growth among computer software engineers, as employment of computer programmers is expected to decline.
Employment of computer software engineers is expected to increase by 32 percent from 2008-2018, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. In addition, this occupation will see a large number of new jobs, with more than 295,000 created between 2008 and 2018. Demand for computer software engineers will increase as computer networking continues to grow. For example, expanding Internet technologies have spurred demand for computer software engineers who can develop Internet, intranet, and World Wide Web applications. Likewise, electronic data-processing systems in business, telecommunications, healthcare, government, and other settings continue to become more sophisticated and complex. Implementing, safeguarding, and updating computer systems and resolving problems will fuel the demand for growing numbers of systems software engineers.
New growth areas will also continue to arise from rapidly evolving technologies. The increasing uses of the Internet, the proliferation of Web sites, and mobile technology such as the wireless Internet have created a demand for a wide variety of new products. As more software is offered over the Internet, and as businesses demand customized software to meet their specific needs, applications and systems software engineers will be needed in greater numbers. In addition, the growing use of handheld computers will create demand for new mobile applications and software systems. As these devices become a larger part of the business environment, it will be necessary to integrate current computer systems with this new, more mobile technology.
significant growth in IT / Programming work over the next few
years :
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos303.htm#outlook
Overall, employment of computer software engineers and computer programmers is projected to increase much faster than the average for all occupations. Job prospects should be best for those with a bachelor's degree and relevant experience.
Employment change. Overall, employment of computer software engineers and computer programmers is projected to increase by 21 percent from 2008 to 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations. This will be the result of rapid growth among computer software engineers, as employment of computer programmers is expected to decline.
Employment of computer software engineers is expected to increase by 32 percent from 2008-2018, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. In addition, this occupation will see a large number of new jobs, with more than 295,000 created between 2008 and 2018. Demand for computer software engineers will increase as computer networking continues to grow. For example, expanding Internet technologies have spurred demand for computer software engineers who can develop Internet, intranet, and World Wide Web applications. Likewise, electronic data-processing systems in business, telecommunications, healthcare, government, and other settings continue to become more sophisticated and complex. Implementing, safeguarding, and updating computer systems and resolving problems will fuel the demand for growing numbers of systems software engineers.
New growth areas will also continue to arise from rapidly evolving technologies. The increasing uses of the Internet, the proliferation of Web sites, and mobile technology such as the wireless Internet have created a demand for a wide variety of new products. As more software is offered over the Internet, and as businesses demand customized software to meet their specific needs, applications and systems software engineers will be needed in greater numbers. In addition, the growing use of handheld computers will create demand for new mobile applications and software systems. As these devices become a larger part of the business environment, it will be necessary to integrate current computer systems with this new, more mobile technology.
Free Career Branding Webinar Tomorrow (6/15)
Check it out :
In Wednesday's NEW Live training webinar from 3-4:30PM EST I am going to show you how a Career Brand enables you to overcome all of these challenges you told us you are facing in your job search.
Register and get the details at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/594487017
Get the Answers to these problems and more:
#1 There are not enough jobs in my field
#2 I am not getting interviews
#3 I am not getting call backs
For a sneak preview of Career Branding check out this Youtube video at http://www.youtube.com/recruitergreig#p/u/5/mZEl0OqIryA
In this live training on Thursday at 3PM EST I will show you how to build a Career Brand step by step.
The price is hard to beat !
In Wednesday's NEW Live training webinar from 3-4:30PM EST I am going to show you how a Career Brand enables you to overcome all of these challenges you told us you are facing in your job search.
Register and get the details at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/594487017
Get the Answers to these problems and more:
#1 There are not enough jobs in my field
#2 I am not getting interviews
#3 I am not getting call backs
For a sneak preview of Career Branding check out this Youtube video at http://www.youtube.com/recruitergreig#p/u/5/mZEl0OqIryA
In this live training on Thursday at 3PM EST I will show you how to build a Career Brand step by step.
The price is hard to beat !
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
We've Run Out Of Addresses ?
Indeed, we have run out of addresses.
IPV4 (192.168.0.1) has been exhausted.
We simply have too many toys, and so we
c00::/7 — Unique local addresses (ULAs) are intended for local communication. They are routable only within a set of cooperating sites (analogous to the private
address ranges 10/8, 172.16/12, and 192.168/16 of IPv4).[
The addresses include a 40-bit pseudorandom number in the routing prefix intended to minimize the risk of conflicts if sites merge or packets are misrouted into the Internet.
We start Tomorrow.
Here's one place you can start now : Webopedia on IPV6
and, of for another helping : Wikipedia on IPv6.
IP addresses, the ones that really count are all gone.
We simply have too many toys, and so we
can set about exhausting IPV6
( 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334).
Actually, a nice LAN safe address like 10.10. or 192.168 is now a ULA.
(gotta have more TLA's)
address ranges 10/8, 172.16/12, and 192.168/16 of IPv4).[
The addresses include a 40-bit pseudorandom number in the routing prefix intended to minimize the risk of conflicts if sites merge or packets are misrouted into the Internet.
Just when I thought I had subnet masking
down cold.
We start Tomorrow.
Here's one place you can start now : Webopedia on IPV6
and, of for another helping : Wikipedia on IPv6.
Free Resume Update Webinar
This post is related to the previous one.
I actually missed a pass through the webinar today,
but it looks like others will follow.
Free Resume Writing Webinar
I actually missed a pass through the webinar today,
but it looks like others will follow.
Free Resume Writing Webinar
LinkedIn Premium Features For Free ?
I've read some of the things this fellow has come up with in the
past and many are quite useful. Take a look. He also frequently
has free webinars that are helpful and interesting.
Expensive LinkedIn Features for Less
past and many are quite useful. Take a look. He also frequently
has free webinars that are helpful and interesting.
Expensive LinkedIn Features for Less
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
When To Apply ; References ; Lie Detection : Applications
Here are a few highlights from discussions
in our recent meetings.
Recent conversations our members have had
with personnel consultants indicate that job
seekers can, and should, apply for jobs
when they have 50 to 60% of the skills
the employers requisition spells out.
It is their wish list after all. Chances are that
the person that has all those skills is a
complete jerk and would never get the job
anyway. ;-)
One of our members has had a few bites, mainly from
job.com and career builder. His reworked
profiles seem to have helped and he has been
contacted by search agencies as a result.
Many recent applicants have been asked to provide
references at the beginning of the process. To many
this seems backwards. In fact, it is not uncommon
for such a request to be made, but we've yet to hear
of a case in which anyone actually checked the references
in a timely fashion.
After much discussion, the group agreed that providing the
references as name, company and position without the actual
contact information is the best course.
Several people have eyed a volunteer position with ths Sherrifs
Dept. that involves software installations in their cars and more.
Sounds interesting, right ? Well, it turns out that there
is also a new and spectacularly time consuming lie detector test
that must be passed before one can be seriously considered for
the position.
To work for free that is.
Ask A. Member, he went though the whole enchilada and was
not seriously considered. Some people were frightened off before
they even got that far.
Methinks, I smell a rat. It seems entirely possible that this
position is actually a ruse for someone compiling lie detector
test data. Don't waste your time unless you like lie detector
tests.
A prominent member recommends Bonita Wahl as a resource
for getting through the government job application process.
Apparently, the State process is even less friendly than the Federal.
Bonita can help you do both.
in our recent meetings.
When To Apply ?
Recent conversations our members have had
with personnel consultants indicate that job
seekers can, and should, apply for jobs
when they have 50 to 60% of the skills
the employers requisition spells out.
It is their wish list after all. Chances are that
the person that has all those skills is a
complete jerk and would never get the job
anyway. ;-)
Updating Your Profile Helps
job.com and career builder. His reworked
profiles seem to have helped and he has been
contacted by search agencies as a result.
References Anyone ?
Many recent applicants have been asked to provide
references at the beginning of the process. To many
this seems backwards. In fact, it is not uncommon
for such a request to be made, but we've yet to hear
of a case in which anyone actually checked the references
in a timely fashion.
After much discussion, the group agreed that providing the
references as name, company and position without the actual
contact information is the best course.
How to detect a lie
Several people have eyed a volunteer position with ths Sherrifs
Dept. that involves software installations in their cars and more.
Sounds interesting, right ? Well, it turns out that there
is also a new and spectacularly time consuming lie detector test
that must be passed before one can be seriously considered for
the position.
To work for free that is.
Ask A. Member, he went though the whole enchilada and was
not seriously considered. Some people were frightened off before
they even got that far.
Methinks, I smell a rat. It seems entirely possible that this
position is actually a ruse for someone compiling lie detector
test data. Don't waste your time unless you like lie detector
tests.
State Applications
A prominent member recommends Bonita Wahl as a resource
for getting through the government job application process.
Apparently, the State process is even less friendly than the Federal.
Bonita can help you do both.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Reputation Challenge : Video Blogging
My part of the Shameless Secrets/ 90 Day Reputation Challenge Strategyis creating videos.
My research yielded 2 PDFs of considerable size. The primary focus is making money from blogging, but the basic technique should be the same.
I found a PDF written by Patrick Schwerdtfeger on SlideShare.net. The chapters under Drive Traffic to your web site look interesting.
Patrick was a presenter at Marin Professionals last year. The Powerpoint slides of that presentation are also available on SlideShare.net. The presentation is called "Social Media Victories".
I have to admit I'm surprised to see a large PDF version of a book Patrick sales on SlideShare, but if it is there available for anyone to download, I figure it is safe to distribute.
Free Video Capture Software:
Jing by TechSmith -- http://www.techsmith.com/jing/
(TechSmith also produces one of the highest rated retail ScreenCast products as well)
SMRecorder by Apsolo -- http://www.video2down.com
HyperCam from Hyperionics Technology -- http://www.hyperionics.com/?AfID=CDN
CamStudio by CamStudio -- http://camstudio.org/
Create Better Screencasts with Video Capture Software
By Heath McKnight
Creating a video screencast, product or service presentation, or a video tutorial is an excellent way to visually get your message across to internet viewers, along with provide information and instruction on goods and services. The right video capture software is important, but there are other factors involved with creating a great screencast. Here a few tips:
Write a Script
This is very important, and will keep you focused and on track with your message and screencast. After producing several screencasts over the past few years, and watching even more, we’ve learned the quickest way to lose a viewer’s attention is a muddled message and too many “ums” and “ahs,” as the narrator tries to stay focused.
After writing the first draft, show it to a colleague familiar with what you’re doing and revise it. You need to catch the reader’s attention from the get-go. Make sure all facts are straight, especially if you’re doing a tutorial for a product or service you’re not 100% familiar with. Nothing can hurt your--or their--reputation faster.
Rehearse Your Delivery
Rehearsals aren’t just for actors! You don’t need to be James Earl Jones or Donald Sutherland to perform a quality voiceover (VO) narration, but if you’re reading the script for the first time, chances are it will sound flat and boring, which in turn will bore your audience. We suggest listening to the delivery of other screencasts or video tutorials.
We found the ones from TechSmith (Camtasia for Mac) and Telestream (ScreenFlow) to be the best, and really got our attention. Listen to how they present their topic, and how they give friendly and expert advice.
Know the Video Capture Software
The video capture software you choose should have all the features you need to help create a quality screencast, whether it has a built-in video editor or not. Learn the software to aid you in creating the highest quality video and audio recordings. Don’t just record the entire screen--learn how to isolate a specific region. If your mouse cursor is moving around, it can get lost on screen. Many of the apps can add a color or “halo” to the cursor.
Also, be wary of the quality levels; you don’t need to go with an uncompressed, lossless setting, which results in large file sizes, but you also don’t want to make the quality so low that it looks and sounds cheap. H.264 QuickTime at High or Best quality with audio set at 44.1 or 48 KHz (AAC) is ideal.
Video and Audio Editing
Some of the video capture software apps have built-in video editors, which are easy to use to trim up the clips, plus add music and graphics to make a more professional video. If one isn’t available, iMovie is a great, simple and powerful video editor. On the professional end, Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Express and Premiere Pro are excellent and offer even more editing options.
Sharing
Once the video is done, all of the video capture software apps provide great ways to export a high quality version of the screencast that can be uploaded to video sharing sites such as YouTube. You can also FTP it to your own site. Be careful with the sharing settings, as they can make videos that are so large, users won’t be able to load them quickly. On the other hand, it could end up too small and sound like a bad telephone call. Experiment to see what works best.
Summary
Hopefully these tips will help you create a high-quality and professional screencasts, video tutorials or presentations. It’s good to experiment with the software to get to know how it works, which will give you the best results.
Write a Script
This is very important, and will keep you focused and on track with your message and screencast. After producing several screencasts over the past few years, and watching even more, we’ve learned the quickest way to lose a viewer’s attention is a muddled message and too many “ums” and “ahs,” as the narrator tries to stay focused.
After writing the first draft, show it to a colleague familiar with what you’re doing and revise it. You need to catch the reader’s attention from the get-go. Make sure all facts are straight, especially if you’re doing a tutorial for a product or service you’re not 100% familiar with. Nothing can hurt your--or their--reputation faster.
Rehearse Your Delivery
Rehearsals aren’t just for actors! You don’t need to be James Earl Jones or Donald Sutherland to perform a quality voiceover (VO) narration, but if you’re reading the script for the first time, chances are it will sound flat and boring, which in turn will bore your audience. We suggest listening to the delivery of other screencasts or video tutorials.
We found the ones from TechSmith (Camtasia for Mac) and Telestream (ScreenFlow) to be the best, and really got our attention. Listen to how they present their topic, and how they give friendly and expert advice.
Know the Video Capture Software
The video capture software you choose should have all the features you need to help create a quality screencast, whether it has a built-in video editor or not. Learn the software to aid you in creating the highest quality video and audio recordings. Don’t just record the entire screen--learn how to isolate a specific region. If your mouse cursor is moving around, it can get lost on screen. Many of the apps can add a color or “halo” to the cursor.
Also, be wary of the quality levels; you don’t need to go with an uncompressed, lossless setting, which results in large file sizes, but you also don’t want to make the quality so low that it looks and sounds cheap. H.264 QuickTime at High or Best quality with audio set at 44.1 or 48 KHz (AAC) is ideal.
Video and Audio Editing
Some of the video capture software apps have built-in video editors, which are easy to use to trim up the clips, plus add music and graphics to make a more professional video. If one isn’t available, iMovie is a great, simple and powerful video editor. On the professional end, Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Express and Premiere Pro are excellent and offer even more editing options.
Sharing
Once the video is done, all of the video capture software apps provide great ways to export a high quality version of the screencast that can be uploaded to video sharing sites such as YouTube. You can also FTP it to your own site. Be careful with the sharing settings, as they can make videos that are so large, users won’t be able to load them quickly. On the other hand, it could end up too small and sound like a bad telephone call. Experiment to see what works best.
Summary
Hopefully these tips will help you create a high-quality and professional screencasts, video tutorials or presentations. It’s good to experiment with the software to get to know how it works, which will give you the best results.
-- Scott Veatch, Member Technical Staff
RSS Feeds How 2
When looking for some useful RSS Feed to plonk on the
blog, I came across this link which seemed useful. I'll try it
and see, else you can try it yourself.
Using RSS Feeds in Your Job Search
blog, I came across this link which seemed useful. I'll try it
and see, else you can try it yourself.
Using RSS Feeds in Your Job Search
Common IT Interview Mistakes
I found this a reasonable article,
Pull it out in that lucky day you get an interview.
Technical Interview Advice from Recruiter.com
Ok, BEFORE the interview.
Pull it out in that lucky day you get an interview.
Technical Interview Advice from Recruiter.com
Ok, BEFORE the interview.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Google Alerts for Checking Your Rep.
I've been playing around with Google alerts for a little
while, seeing as how I volunteered myself to fill in this part of
the Shameless Secrets/ 90 Day Reputation Challenge Strategy
from Adreynn Ashley.
Ok ,so I set an alert for Sean Nelson.
This is what comes up most often :
Nice guy, noteworthy actor, screenwriter and director ;
Makes much more $$ than I ever dreamed of; Has worked
with everybody,
but
not exactly what I had in mind.
If I ask like this : "Sean Nelson" -film
then things look much more relevant,
but.
See what another of my alter egos has been up to ...
(http://socialmediasonar.com/about-social-media-sonar-and-sonar-connects )
In order to avoid picking up this one, I need to add
two other terms (-surge -sonar) to avoid my namesake
in Atlanta. I'm not using twitter much, although some
of my clones are, so I need to quash that too.
So my alert now looks like :
"Sean Nelson" -film -surge -sonar -site:twitter
This still picks up a white-trash murder on the Bayou
and a teenager (or few )on Face Book (Which reminds
me that I'll need to put a face on my face book account.),
but not very much and little that is not obviously irrelevant.
That is what I've put in play.
Once a week.
Send the email Luke.
And I can do the same for companies I want follow,
genuine topics of interest, ex girlfriends I need to avoid,
and so on.
Details on how top accomplish all this without
asking Google all about it follow below.
===============================================
Here's how alerts work
(shamelessly plagiarized from Google themselves) :
Set Up :
Go to your Google account and select ALERTS !!
1. enter a query that you're interested in : WordSmith
and test your search criteria.
2. Google Alerts will check regularly to see if there are
any new results for your query.
3. If there are new results, Google Alerts sends them to
you in an email.
Alert Management :
Users with Google Accounts can view, create, edit and delete their alerts using the "Manage your Alerts" page.
You can create a Google Account for any email address.
You can manage alerts for more than one email address by adding your other email address to your existing Google Account. To add an email address to your Google Account, visit your Google account page and use the "Email addresses" section.
To change the format of your emails from HTML to plain text, you'll need to sign in to your Google Account and go to the "Manage your Alerts" page.
Please note that Video Alerts require you to receive email in HTML format.
Creating Effective Alerts :
* Monitor a product: Enter a product name in quotes
to receive a daily email with the latest news, blogs
and web results about your product.
Example: [ "Google Alerts" ]
* Find out what's being said about you: Enter your full name
in quotes to receive an email when news
stories, blogs or web pages mention your name.
Example: [ "Joe Bloggs" ]
o If you have a common name, you can use negative terms
to remove irrelevant results.
For example, if you have the same name as a professional
football player, try adding -football to your query.
Example: [ "Joe Bloggs" -football ].
o If you get a lot of results from a site that you aren't
interested in, you can exclude results from
that site. For example, if you don't want results from
twitter.com, add [ -site:twitter.com ] to your query.
Example: [ "Joe Bloggs" -site:twitter.com ].
* Keep up with the news: to get a daily email full of news
on a topic you're interested in, enter the
topic in quotes. Example: [ "global warming" ]
o If you only want results from newspapers, change
the "Type" field from "Everything" to "News".
o If you want more results, use the "Email length" field
to increase the number of results in each email.
o If you want results as soon as possible, change the
"How often" field from "once a day" to "as-it
-happens". You may receive multiple emails per day with this
setting.
Tips
* Try to be as precise as possible. The more precise your
search terms are, the more relevant your
alerts will be.
* Use quotes around words if you are looking for them together.
Examples:
o "white house Obama "
o "Mike Smith"
* Use a minus sign (-) in front of words that you want to exclude.
Examples:
o paris -texas
o apple -fruit
* Put a plus sign (+) immediately before a word to match that
word precisely as you typed
it, excluding synonyms and spelling variations.
Examples:
o +foard (to stop Google including results for Ford)
o Michael +Jacson (to stop Google including results for
Michael Jackson)
* Use the site: operator to limit your search to specific sites.
Examples:
o physics site:.edu
o congress site:nytimes.com
* Use the site: operator with a dash to exclude specific sites.
Example:
o "joe bloggs" -site:twitter.com to avoid items from twitter.
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