Lockergnome Nexus

Posted: 27 Sep 2007 04:43 AM CDT

If your dog ever has had fleas, you know it is a battle. There is a 'folk rumour' that may be true: fleas would survive a nuclear catastrophe. If you have gone to battle with fleas, then you would tend to believe in the truth of that belief. There is a holistic approach to ridding your dog of fleas but it does take some work. Fleas are not only on the dog. They are lurking in other places too, such as the carpeting, the dog bedding and perhaps even your clothes. You must treat the environment, as well as the dog. If you just focus on treating the dog, it will become an endless battle. The fleas will return to the dog if they are not eliminated from the dog's environment. Salt will help eliminate the fleas. The salt will be a dehydrating agent. Salt can be used alone or with equal parts baking soda. If you are using this mixture on the carpet, leave this on the carpet overnight. And then vacuum this up. Repeat this for four more days. - Yes, it is loads of work. (And please test this on a small part of your carpet to make sure that the material will not be damaged.) The dog is treated with the same mixture of salt and baking soda. It is so much easier to do this outdoors. Make sure you have enough supplies on hand. Your dog will shake some of this off and, of course, be prepared to have this all over your clothes. Try to leave this on the dog for three hours at least. Then, comb out the dog. Be sure to comb out the dog before giving it a bath. If your dog will allow you, it would be a good idea to run the vacuum over the dog. Then bath the dog. And yes, repeat this for four more days. Doing this once will not eliminate the problem. Eliminating fleas just seems endless - but this method does work. Catherine Forsythe

3 Myths About Email That Need to Die Cold and Alone

Posted: 27 Sep 2007 02:20 AM CDT

Everyone uses email the same way. Not True. I'm not necessarily sitting at my computer with my eyeballs touching the screen waiting for email to come. I don't have the audio reminder turned on so that I know every time an email comes through. I check email once a day, if that, in an attempt to be more productive. So if I don't get back to you in eight seconds, it's probably because I didn't see your email yet. But I'll answer you. I promise.
If Someone Doesn't Respond To Your Email, They Hate You Could be they didn't get it. Could be they tried to answer by phone. Maybe it's in their junk folder and they haven't found it yet, or never will. It's actually quite common.
Email is the best way to reach anyone. Sorry. If you email me, you're guaranteeing that you won't hear from me immediately. I have folks who sort for me, and I check the sorted, filtered, folder version of the mail daily. If you were a client of mine, you'd know to call or how else to reach me. It's nothing personal. I just don't operate that way.

What email myths do you wish would go away?

The Dreaming Soul

Posted: 27 Sep 2007 02:07 AM CDT

Abstract ideas without any form, run like rivulets along a country road, meandering through time like a half forgotten memory. Intelligent intellect analyzes form, and makes logical leaps of understanding, rarely seeing it's mysterious properties, as something with life and soul. Dreams within different dreams, reflecting so many myriad ideas and concepts, each one a facet on the gem stone of life. Homogenies offspring lacks diversity and flow, and faceted things are far prettier you know. I like diversity, it gives life to dream's infinite possibility. Seeds of ideas falling into the soil of it's potential, and unfolding into flowers that have arisen from all of the shit this planet has ever been through. It is divine, and yet it is degrading, and it comes out like a sublime melody that each experiences differently. Influential motions of populations, changes quickly in very little time; the wave effect multiplying, the snowball gathering mass as it flows downhill. It is all nothing but dream, a shift in mind, a shift in reality...and yet there are consciousnesses like boulders, and they do not want to grow, or move beyond the confines of where they now exist. They block flow, and hinder travel, when we as groups seek passage toward something greater than where we are now. Yet boulders cannot withstand great upheaval, and they will crumble under the weight of earth's changes. Over time, even the winds will wear them down. Change is inevitable, and with change brings a newness, a freshness to life. It is newness that brings wonderment, an ignorance of something we did not previously know. It is this ignorance that brings childlike curiosity, and it's lack of ignorance, that brings knowledge and wisdom. Falling, falling, falling, beyond the macro, and into the micro; I can see forever here. No matter how deep I dive, no matter how many worlds I enter, there are always more beyond this one. Sentient life? Sentient life is everywhere! Sentience lay in every living cell, and every living creature. Everything of course has it's own agenda and purpose, and it is aware of it's job, no less than you are aware of yours! Sentient life, and yet it is not sentient; it is a pool of chemicals, biological processes, electromagnetic frequencies, and functions, working in symbiosis, creating this cellular network of existence we have come to call life. Diving even deeper, I fall past the boundaries of order, and plummet into disorderly worlds within the in between. Here form is but a thought, and not yet manifest into the solid world of permanency. Here, life is moldable, and thoughts create so much. Abstract understandings that you completely grasp, and yet there are no words to make sense of them, in a language that we have known. Paintings coming to life, objects that speak, people with odd appearance, and physical laws that seem impossible. Here lay the world of chaos, here lay the world of dream. Within and without it's tapestries do weave, a pattern of flow, that come to bear their essence upon the web work of your soul. See not what is before you, but read between the lines, pay attention to the subtleties, and innuendos that blatantly lay open for all to see. There is nothing truly hidden, for those who will look with open eyes. Life will always work toward the truth of our desires, and the truth of our fears. We are dream's manifestations, we are characters on the stage. We take so seriously the game we play, and often go on to complain about it another day. Can't change it? Get used to it. That is what they say. Be grateful for what you have, and don't demand more, at least I'm alive. Alive? Alive? Like a house cat longing for the outdoors, like a rat wanting free of it's cage...I want to feel my wings! And so I rise above the confusion, I rise above the clamor, of ideologies, and religion, governmental dictates, and genetic tendencies that cry out to be freed. There, beyond the horizon, I can see where earth meets sky, and I know there is a balance. The balance I find, within myself. Destination unfolds from within, and the pathway now is clear, I have nothing to fear. The body is but a moment in the memory of life, but the dreaming soul is forever. I am. I dream. And onward does the spiral turn.

What is a Prepaid Credit Card?

Posted: 26 Sep 2007 11:53 PM CDT

You probably see them all the time at gas stations or advertised as a solution for people with bad credit. Prepaid credit cards act just like a regular credit card, except unlike a normal credit card there is no line of credit behind the plastic. Essentially, prepaid credit cards are debit cards. There are two main differences between prepaid credit cards regular cards:

Pay as you go - With a prepaid credit card you have a fixed amount of money you can use. Since there is no line of credit, you don't have to worry about paying back any debt.
No credit reporting - Since prepaid cards are not a line of credit, no reporting will be made to any credit union. this can be great if you need to watch your budget, but it's horrible if you're trying to rebuild your credit score.

Since prepaid credit cards don't have any line of credit attached to them only certain people will actually want to use them:

Banks Without Debit Cards - People who have accounts at banks that do not provide a free debit card with their accounts often need a way to carry larger sums of money without carrying around lots of legal tender. A prepaid credit card is the perfect way to transfer this money around.
Children and Students - Many parents today will give their children a prepaid credit card for them to use as they see fit. Children can benefit from this by having their allowance placed on the card, while students - especially college students - can benefit by being able to have the card refilled when needed.

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YULA'S ARK - chapter 3

Posted: 26 Sep 2007 11:35 PM CDT

copyright 2007 Brenda H all rights reserved CHAPTER 3 Kerry pulled the covers to her chin and wondered what she was doing there. Armstrong Gault was one reason, now next to her, his breathing slowing finally, his eyes drifting to sleep. Should get back to my room, Kerry told herself. Leigh will wonder. She's jealous, that's all. Who cares? She doesn't like men anyway. Maybe she likes me, Kerry suddenly understood with a shudder. "Cold?" Gault asked and Kerry realized he wasn't asleep. At least he asked about your comfort. That's something. "A little," Kerry answered. It had all seemed so important, the way Gault had explained it: "We go to the forest to stop the chainsaws, putting our bodies and lives in the way if necessary." But they'd done nothing of the kind, only standing out in the cold, passing out leaflets to people whose livelihood depended on the cut. There has to be another way. Even the news crews have gone home. And Gault's becoming tedious and boring. He isn't even much of a lover anymore. Kerry felt guilty for being so hard on him. Just because the campaign wasn't a huge success in its first week. Gault's snoring erased the guilt. Kerry couldn't help thinking about Raymond Beck. He had a kind, clean-shaven face and a sense of humor. His hair was neat and his clothes didn't have holes in them. He was everything Armstrong wasn't. Raymond was just as dedicated as the rest of them, Kerry was sure, but he didn't rave endlessly. He held his morale inside, where it belonged. Capable--that's Raymond. A can-do person. Kerry had felt herself attracted to him from the first. And the man in the Jeep. He's too old, of course--a townie, no doubt, but far different than the shouting loggers. What is he doing here? He doesn't belong. Like me, Kerry thought. It was a puzzle that Kerry would have to solve. And quickly--enrollment began in two weeks. Another year at Berkeley had seemed impossible just a few weeks before, but now Kerry surprised herself by longing for the communal stability of the campus that she'd hated at the time. Freshman year is always difficult, the counselor had told her. It wasn't what Kerry had wanted to hear. Kerry suddenly felt very cold. Even so, she pushed the blankets off and looked down her naked body, so recently used and abandoned by the sleeping boy next to her. You deserve better, Kerry told herself. Be selfish, take the best, she vowed. Kerry put on wool socks, jeans, flannel shirt and down jacket. She picked up her boots and crept to the door. Maybe it's just the motel room, Kerry thought as she slipped on the boots and stared at "Motel Rules and Regulations" on the door. Kerry scurried down the walkway to her own room. Leigh rested on the bed reading a book. The heat was on high. Kerry gasped a first breath of hot, dry, motel air. Leigh was in the middle of one of her sulks. Give me a break, Kerry thought. So I've got a boyfriend, big deal. "I'm gonna take a shower," Kerry said, heading for the bathroom. Leigh nodded absently. For the second time that evening Kerry removed her clothes. She stepped into the shower and felt the near-scalding water on her body. It hurt until her skin was numb. She inhaled great gulps of steam. It'll be all right, she told herself. Thunder blasted the night. Scott woke with a start. A flash lit the forest when Scott opened the cabin door. "I'm getting tired of this!" Scott screamed. Another blast of light responded and a thunderous boom followed close behind. Scott shut his eyes and still saw the jagged electricity. He cringed, waiting for the next one. When it came, Scott glanced at his watch. 2:07. Remember that. Could be important later. Scott retreated to the cabin. At dawn, he made himself a cup of coffee and forced down a piece of bread. Then Scott climbed the hill, his eyes on the footprints in front of him. Slowly, Scott approached the crater. What if the tree is back? What if it was all a mistake? Scott chuckled to himself. You'll be on the cover of the Enquirer. Won't Lorraine be surprised, facing you at the checkout counter? No, she'll just shake her head and click her tongue. "Figures," she'd say. Scott couldn't picture her when she wasn't shaking her head or clicking her tongue or giving him that look. When she started using it on Kathy, it broke Scott's heart. At the edge of the clearing, Scott blinked, stunned at what he saw. A second crater adjoined the first, exactly the same, in place of the other redwood, the one Scott had leaned against the day before. Scott's legs began to give way. He squatted and rolled back. What can it be? Something unexplainable. No. Scott believed there was reason in everything. This wasn't ghosts, aliens, or the devil come to earth to torment him. Scott walked tentatively to the new crater. He looked back and saw only his footprints. Scott knelt by the hole and touched the edge with the palm of his hand. Not warm, not cool. Wish it was something. Burning hot--that would be nice. Scott's eyes followed the perimeter of the crater. The anthill was gone! What had been a pyramid was now a concave dip in the ground, a tiny version of the large craters. Scott emitted a cry between a grunt and a whimper. He walked the edge of the new crater and stepped to the anthill. Ants--just a few of them--stood at the chasm, their tiny heads feeling the emptiness. Do they smell it? Or feel it? Are they asking the same questions I am? Scott studied the surroundings. Nothing but the forest, lit by the sun, mysterious and unyielding. There are things in this life we can't explain. That's just for the talk-shows, isn't it? Scott listened for the woodpecker. He, too, was gone. Will it all be gone? The whole forest? One tree at a time, one anthill a day? How many trees are there? An area the size of Washington State per year, isn't that what the pamphlet said? The amount of forest lost each year? Or is it each day? But that's chopped down by loggers--living, breathing human beings. The ones in town, who work for the lumber company. Guilt jackhammered into Scott. It was his forest. He'd only been there a couple of days but still, he'd failed to protect it. From what? The footprints. No innocent lovers these. They're behind this. Find them and you find your trees. But what about the anthill? A chill went up Scott's spine. Backing away, he glanced behind him. No one there. Scott turned, slowly whirling, searching 360 degrees. Don't let them sneak up on you. Be on guard every second from now on. They are there--it isn't just a feeling now. They watch and wait. You'll be their victim if you're not careful. The hairs on Scott's arm stood warning, his scalp tingled. Scott ran. The woods were alive with danger. Pines, spruces and redwoods which Scott had admired in their magnificence now only offered death. There were hiding places galore behind the thick trunks and overhead branches. A thousand ambushes faced him before he reached the road. Scott felt his heart rise into his mouth. He tasted blood--no, it couldn't be. Scott tripped on a root and then he knew what he tasted--dirt and pine needles. Scott whirled, ready to fight, ready to die if necessary. Just make it quick. There was nothing but an eerie silence. Then the laugh of a loon in the trees. There aren't loons up here, are there? Don't know. Learn the birds' names. Learn the trees' names. Put it on the list. No. Run. Scott scurried down the hill, to the road, past his Jeep, up to the safety of his cabin. He slammed the door and regretted there was no lock on it. "They're out there," he said aloud. "They'll have me for dinner." It was the last thing Scott needed. He moved to the woods to be away from it all, to be one with nature, to escape civilization, pollution, traffic, a miserable marriage and an unfulfilling career. Scott's first impulse was to move, rent another cabin in another woods, even call the whole thing off as a failed experiment and return to civilization. Scott pulled out his duffle bag and began throwing everything into it. Save yourself. Go to the sheriff. Scott had been in the office already, after all. Nothing threatening about it. And even if the sheriff was churlish, he wasn't going to shoot him. This is America. Something's happening in the woods and it's your duty to report it. Scott left his duffle bag in the middle of the floor and stepped out the door. He moved quickly down the path to the road. He could be in town by nine. The sheriff would have some explanation, or be prepared to investigate. Scott would see some action here. Scott hurried down the hill. This wasn't a walk, this was a mission and if he slipped and scraped his knees again it didn't matter. Scott buckled his seat-belt, checked the rear-view mirrors and drove down the mountain. The environmentalists blocked the main street. Loggers yelled at them from the other side. Scott was forced to run the gauntlet, looking for a parking place. Even here, in the middle of nowhere, it was difficult. Scott parked in front of the real estate office. The rental agent stood on the wood porch, amused by the demonstration on the main street. "How's the cabin?" he asked Scott. "Fine," Scott replied. "No refunds," the agent told him. "It's fine," Scott repeated, moving off toward the sheriff's office. The rental agent shook his head. There'd be more like Scott Felton, he feared. It was paradise up here, and despite all the momentary noise, it was only a matter of time before the secret was out. Good for real estate prices though. "No calls today," Jack Steadman said when Scott charged into the office. Steadman stood by the window, watching the loggers and the activists, waiting for blood to flow. Steadman knew the townspeople would make the first move. It was their town, after all, and their forest, they felt. They wouldn't let the activists keep this up. Their livelihood was at stake. "There's something happening in the forest," Scott tried to say. It was barely audible and Scott felt the air escaping from his lungs in great gasps. Steadman turned slowly to look at Scott. "Boy, you look terrible." "Thanks." "Mountain air doesn't agree with you," the deputy stated flatly. Scott shook his head and sat in a hard wooden chair. He felt like screaming, but the breath for it would kill him. "Altitude sickness," Steadman clucked. "Wiped out the whole Anderson family first week. Catholics they were, from Florida. Had to ship 'em all back." "Two trees," Scott managed to get out. "And an anthill." Steadman nodded as if he understood. "Okay, I'll call your two trees and an anthill and raise you a beaver-dam," he deadpanned. Scott closed his eyes. He would wait until his breath returned and the bumps on his arms retreated into skin. "I'd love to sit and chat," Steadman said after a full minute had gone by. "But I'm real busy here." Scott opened his eyes. The vise at the back of his neck slowly released its grip. Steadman hadn't moved from the window. "There's something out in the woods," Scott said again. "You already said that." "Two trees disappeared," Scott told him, deciding to leave out the anthill. "What do you mean 'disappeared?'" "Gone. Just gone." "Chopped down you mean?" Steadman asked. "Pulled up by the roots." Steadman chuckled. "Probably just a bear or a deer. Even an owl will pull up a sapling sometimes if there's a juicy lizard attached to it," Steadman explained. Scott shook his head again. "Redwoods. Big redwoods. Tons. Two of them. Pulled up by the roots." "By who?" Steadman asked. "Something," Scott replied. "I don't know. You'll have to come look." "The hell I will." "There are two giant craters in the ground! Thirty feet across! Ten feet deep!" "Where did you come from?" Steadman asked. Don't alienate him. He's the only hope you have. In fact, the only person you know here. Except the rental agent and you don't even remember his name. And the blue-eyed girl. "Los Angeles." "Any history of mental illness?" "Oh, come on." "I have to ask," Steadman said without apology. "I understand. But this is real." "Sure, sure," Steadman said, sarcasm returning to his voice. "Aren't you even curious?" "Not much," Steadman replied. "Hey, sometimes lightning hits 'em and they burn." "This isn't lightning." "What are you--a forest ranger all of a sudden?" "You tell me--do they log that way? I mean pulling the trees out of the ground?" "Not that I know of," Steadman said. "There weren't any tractor tracks," Scott told him. "There you go," Steadman said. "By helicopter?" Scott tried. Steadman snickered. "How about some kind of military exercise? Could it be something like that?" Scott asked. "I'd know about it," Steadman replied. He hated being sucked into this conversation. Whatever this flatlander's problem, it wasn't a law enforcement matter. "You have to come up and look at this," Scott stated as calmly as he could. "Don't need to," Steadman said. "I can look at you. Fact is, I looked at you a little too much the last two days. It gets spooky out there--I know that. I can even sympathize a little. But every time there's a little noise in the woods you can't be running in here asking for police protection." "Okay," Scott sighed. "Go home," the sheriff's deputy said sincerely. "All of you. Go back to your cities and leave us alone." Scott said nothing. It's what he'd been thinking of course, but he wouldn't admit that to Jack Steadman. Scott drove the long, steep road back to the cabin. Steadman was right. But the fact he'd said it out loud made Scott mad. He wasn't crazy. There was something out there in the woods at night that Scott wasn't imagining. You have to prove it.

New Desk Arrived Today

Posted: 26 Sep 2007 11:31 PM CDT

Today my secondary desk (for my other two Linux boxes; including my Zonbu box plus my Windows box) arrived today. Unfortunately, it is nothing like this one. Seriously, I would love to take that bad boy home for test drive! But with that said, it will be nice to have the extra space in order to push the home office to new dimensions. But there is one addition that still needs to happen - I think I need to get something like this. Not really wanting to add one more thing to my existing main desk, but with my constantly working from this position, it might be healthier in the long run. What do you think? Is all of this extra desk space and ergonomic stuff just adding to the problem of staying productive? Or instead, is it possible with the right items, wisely positioned, that a person could indeed, see an increased level of productivity?

Dog Owners: Warning Issued for Chicken Jerky Treats

Posted: 26 Sep 2007 10:52 PM CDT

If you have chicken jerky treats for the dog, it might be a good idea to put them in the trash. There has been a warning issued: "Washington — Chicken jerky treats may have sickened dozens of dogs, federal health officials warned Wednesday despite failing to find any trace of contamination." link: FDA: Chicken treats may be making dogs ill There have been so many recalls that pet owners may think of making their own treats. There are numerous recipes that can be found on the internet. The ingredients are made from products that are deemed safe for human consumption. Granted that these days that is not a major reassurance but it may put pets at less risk than manufactured products. There simply have been too many recalls... and again, the Food and Drug Administration will not give a number as to how many pets have died. It is "an unspecified number". Catherine Forsythe

Do not tell your mom that you are atheist

Posted: 26 Sep 2007 10:27 PM CDT

So the title explains it all. This mom gets super pissed when her son tells her that he is now an atheist. video

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Kanye and 50 cent have met there match

Posted: 26 Sep 2007 10:26 PM CDT

So if you think that rap has always been cool and hip, you are sadly wrong. I am lucky enough to of not remember the 80s video

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How to Promote a Blog Whose Sidebar You Can't Edit by Socializing Your Web

Posted: 26 Sep 2007 10:18 PM CDT

One of the reasons I don't post here as often as I should is because, being a content contributor rather than an admin, many of the things I would normally use to promote here are off limits to me. There's likely a way to edit the sidebar from the default with the widget mobility we have access to, however, I never seem to remember to make time to save the html of what is there now so I don't lose the functionality that ties me into the rest of the Lockergnome Universe. This post will serve as a note to self to do that much this week, if nothing else. If you're in a similiar situation, where you can't edit the sidebar or any other design angle of your site, and can't convince who ever is in charge of marketing or promotion to install plug-ins or widgets that might help with publicity, there's still hope. Here are Five Ways to Promote a Blog You're Contributing to, but Not Admin Of 1- Cross-link. If you link your blog to your main site and vice versa, you can cycle traffic between the two, at the post or trackback level, if nowhere else. 2- Blog Carnivals and Contests. Make sure it's okay with the Blog Master before you do this - some of them might not mind carnivals, as long as they are tatseful, but may have very good reasons for not wanting you to enter contests. 3- Social News Networking If your writing is frequently in the how-to category, that is one example of content that some social news sites want to read. If you start participating at those sites and list the site you're promoting in your profile, someone is eventually going to want to return the favor -- IF they find great content at your site. Or you could submit your content to one of those that allow or even encourage self-promotion. 4- Stumble Networking It's considered a bit déclassé to constantly be the first to stumble your own posts. Again, you'll find that through some smart networking, folks will stumble you on their own. Start Stumbling your favorites today. Feel free to add me - we'll we StumbleBuds! 5- Article Marketing If it's okay with the Editor In Chief, you can use either an older blog post or some other fresh material of yours to market your site. The link can take people back to your site. 6- Create. Great. Content Not good. Not okay. Not great to YOU. Great to them. I learned this the hard way. My idea of a great article is one with details and instructions, at the end of which I have taken away knowledge or a better understanding of something. Many of the people I know prefer I work much less hard, and I am happy to oblige. :) Always investigate what is getting eyes, then figure out how you can structure it better without losing your own soul.

Ruby On Rails Proves It Deserves The Hype

Posted: 26 Sep 2007 10:12 PM CDT

With the multitude of programming languages out there such as Fortran, Java, C++ and C#, you may wonder why Ruby on Rails has suddenly become such a hot topic in the development world. Created in the late 1990s by an individual in Japan, the Ruby programming language had a cult following but never reached top-tier status. In 2004, a company called 37 Signals released a Web programming framework called Rails, which was originally developed for their own in-house projects. Rails was written using the Ruby programming language. It is the combination of Ruby and Rails together that has generated notable excitement in the development community, and the emerging language and application framework is proving to be a game-changer to the world of Web application development.

Ruby on Rails' Impact on Productivity

Rails is an integrated framework that utilizes the dynamic nature of the object-oriented Ruby programming language. Rails developers emphasize features of the framework for productivity rather than tools, and they take a common approach to Web architecture that should satisfy the needs of a large portion of the Web application projects in the wild.

As Rails was developed, the innovators of the framework realized that there were a multitude of features inherent to the framework that could benefit all Web applications. Rails is an extremely productive framework for database-backed Web applications. It is different from other frameworks in that it preaches convention over configuration. Typically, if you were building a computer program, you had to start from scratch and rely heavily on the skills and experience of the team's architect to develop and adhere to standards of writing good software. Rails primarily uses conventions to avoid configuration when possible, resulting in time saving and enhanced productivity. In a study by IBM, Rails applications needed a fraction of the configuration code of Java counterparts, often by a factor of ten or more (1). Where the programmer must specify configuration, Rails usually relies on Ruby programming language to provide configuration. The strategy saves developers many lines of code and simplifies the code that does need to be written. By taking mundane but essential decisions away from the developer, productivity increases substantially because more time and attention is spent satisfying the customer's requirements rather than the technical plumbing that can burden most projects.

Ruby on Rails is known for its ability to build Web applications quickly and with ease. For first-time users of Java, it could take about five to ten days to build a moderately useful Web application that will communicate with a database using accepted Java Web best-practices such as separating business logic, from display logic (commonly referred to as Model-View-Controller). With no prior training on Ruby on Rails, it takes about one day to accomplish the same goal using the Ruby programming language. In several more days, it is possible to build a relatively complete Web application with Ruby on Rails.

In Java, a developer has countless decisions to make about how to proceed when communicating with a database. Should I use JDBC? Should I use an Object-Relational-Mapping (ORM) library, and, if I use an ORM, which one should I choose? TopLink? Hibernate? JDO? Do I need to use EJB2 or EJB3? Rails has an ORM database layer built into its framework called ActiveRecord. Another useful feature of Rails is scaffolding - Similar to how a building under construction uses scaffolding to assist in the construction of the final structure, Rails can generate code called scaffolding that can be used to quickly put up functional Web pages that talk to a database and allow you to add, delete and change information quickly and with very little coding. As previously mentioned, in other languages you have to select naming conventions and define the general structure of the file system, while Rails utilizes conventions and the Ruby programming language so that all of that is provided for you. Managers will appreciate the fact that Rails minimizes configuration and encourages standardization. This feature enables programming skills to be more portable. Rails developers can move from one project to another with ease, since standards common to all development projects, such as naming conventions, directory structures, unit-test frameworks, and interface templates, are already decided, with working samples always available.

Another feature of Ruby on Rails that enhances developer productivity is the rapid feedback loop. The feedback loop is the amount of time between making a change in code and seeing the results in the execution of your application on the screen. In Rails, you get nearly-instant feedback as you code. There is no compile or packaging phase needed. You can immediately load a browser page to see the results of your changes. Managers should take note of this feature, because with enhanced productivity comes improved client satisfaction. Say you are in a meeting with a client, and they have some edits that they would like for you to incorporate into their Web application. With Ruby on Rails, you can make changes promptly and see the results immediately, improving the overall client experience.

It is important to note that introducing a radically different framework such as Ruby on Rails can be detrimental to a company's development, testing, and production infrastructure. For example, Rails applications are installed differently than common development platforms such as Java or Microsoft's .NET. Operations managers need to understand how to deploy it effectively.

But Rails acceptance is already being witnessed in large companies such as IBM, Microsoft, Apple, and Sun Microsystems. Sun Microsystems supports a project called JRuby that enables Ruby applications to run in a Java Virtual Machine. Efforts like JRuby will make it easier for companies to transition and adapt to Ruby on Rails since it will become a part of a familiar structure. Apple Computer has announced that Ruby on Rails will be included in the next release of its flagship operating system, OS X 10.5 (Leopard). And, even Microsoft has included Ruby programming language support in its newest rich-Internet framework, Silverlight. The world's largest technical publisher, O'Reilly Media, has even acknowledged Ruby's rapid growth and now considers it a major language with triple digit growth between 2006 to 2007.

A common question regarding Ruby on Rails relates to its performance relative to its peers. Some companies claim that Ruby on Rails does not perform as well as comparable systems. Comments such as these must be looked at objectively and balanced against productivity gains. Managers then need to make the decision of whether it is cheaper to hire people or purchase additional hardware, and chances are they will find that purchasing more hardware makes better financial sense.

Conclusion

People are paying more and more attention to Ruby on Rails, and for good reason. With the advent of the Rails framework, the Ruby programming language is making its way towards the top. By focusing on convention over configuration, Ruby on Rails is lowering the barriers of entry to programming and positively impacting employee productivity -- ultimately proving that all of the hype is true and well-deserved.

Sources

1. Crossing borders: What's the secret sauce in Ruby on Rails?; Bruce Tate; May 9, 2006.

About the Author

Francis Wong is an independent consultant and senior technical trainer for WestLake Training and Development. He has developed software applications for many well-known companies such as AOL, Hitachi, FannieMae, and Marriott for over 19 years. Wong has also developed online and on-site technical training for programmers and managers and delivered courses throughout the United States as well as Bangalore, India. He can be reached through Westlake or contacted directly at francis.wong@keybillable.com.

Online Maps Warning

Posted: 26 Sep 2007 10:05 PM CDT

I survived a weekend-long family celebration. Afterward, I learned that some people didn't make it to the party because MapQuest didn't have the right information or street for the location of the party. I was horrified. I used Google Maps and it was perfect in giving directions and showing the location of the event.

This is a lesson in how technology can screw up the best laid plans. About five people got lost and thankfully, my out of town family found their way even though I gave them the right map and posted it on the event's Web site.

So Web designers and anyone involved with Web sites -- please verify the directions before posting them on a Web site. When planning an event for a business involving getting someplace... check the major map sites and do all you can to avoid this problem. Maybe I should've included a map in the invitations -- but really... this place wasn't new. Remember that people don't have your Web site with them when they head to the event.

Even if we had our phones with us, it probably would not have made a difference. Only one person called needing directions. Most people won't likely know how to contact you. Or maybe giving out a cell phone or the event's phone number would help.

Networking On Ryze: A Strategic Plan For Making Higher Quality Contacts

Posted: 26 Sep 2007 10:00 PM CDT

Do you use the Ryze Business Network to promote your company Web site and make new connections in the professional world? On Ryze and other online networks, human connections are happening everywhere.

Online networks such as Ryze have live links built into them for a reason. They're your opportunity to directly connect with people who can help you achieve your business goals. Such links enable you to "trace a path" from connection to connection. You can shorten that path to the best connections if you incorporate a sound linking strategy into your networking plan.

How to go about this? Use keywords and "key people" who can help you get to the place where you want to be.

Include Keywords In Your Personal Profile

As you build your personal Ryze page, you'll notice that you get to add descriptive words to your profile to define who you are. You're free to use any words you want, but the idea, again, is to take the most direct route to success. So choose words, or keywords if you will, that will help you "find and be found."

Let's use your location as an example. If you click right on the state where you live, you can "pivot" on the word to see a list of every Ryze member who lives in that state, too. The same goes for every other live link you get on Ryze. You are in control of these links.

Now suppose you want to link up to people who share your personal hobbies and interests. Type in the words to describe your interests as they're most commonly known.

Let's say you're a golfer. You can attract other golf enthusiasts with the simple keyword "golf." You can of course type in something like "putting around" but what other golfer is going to choose those exact words for his interest list? Maybe one other guy, and if you can find him then you're soulmates and should probably marry each other. Just kidding!

Remember, the point of online network links is not to be original, but to make connections. If you feeling like getting creative, you can always do that on your homepage. Write fabulous copy. Include breathtaking photos. Just make sure that your links are beefed up with common keywords for prime networking opportunities.

Adding Key People: Target Your Links!

In much the same way that a smart advertiser pulls in his audience using keywords and highly targeted copy in every ad he writes, you should be pointing all your Ryze links to the people, groups, and opportunities that will point your business in a highly focused and profitable direction.

Some Ryze members try to really work the Friends List angle, adding everyone they meet to their friends list. But I have my own theory about Ryze: adding everyone to your Friends List defeats the purpose of being there in the first place.

Think about it: what would happen if you could add every single person on Ryze to your friends list? You'd be right back where you started on Ryze. A massive pool of connections to pore through to do some decent business, and you don't know where to start.

The solution, of course, is to be more selective in who you link to. Hook up with those who offer services, information, support and advice that you need to grow your business. How to do this? Join networks. That's what they were created for.

Joining the Right Networks Will Bring Targeted Traffic to Your Page

When you first get on Ryze, join networks. Not necessarily a ton of networks, but the ones that will help forward your business objective along. This is how you get good traffic to your page. The thing is - you don't want "just any" traffic. You want traffic to come from areas where there are already a lot of people who are interested in the same things as you.

An example: let's say that you sell all-natural coffee, and you want to do some writing for the coffee industry as well as put out a newsletter to your email subscriber list of coffee drinkers. You don't have subscribers yet because you only just started your business. Also, somewhere down the line maybe you'd like to revamp your Web site, but that's not in the budget right now.

Your networking strategy whould be as follows: join a network of coffee fans, another network of natural foodies, a writing group, an email and/or ezine publishing group, and a Web design group. Participate in each of those groups. Jump right into the conversations. Then watch as "people whom you'd like to know better" come flocking to your Ryze page in droves.

You'll find that networks which coincide with your personal goals are appealing because members are often interested in achieving the same things as you are. In talking with them over time, you'll develop mutually beneficial relationships that lead to new business opportunities.

Another perk of joining the right networks: new Ryzers and "floaters" who "Ryze on by" the networks will scan the list of network members, see your name, and maybe reach out to make a connection with you. This is a method for getting "found" by the right people. People who don't bother to join topic-specific networks on Ryze don't ever get the traffic they expected to their page. That's because they're not using the system to its fullest potential. So target your networking, and carve a path to success and prosperity for your home-based Web business.

Your Friends List is Your Circle of Trust

Your Friends List can include anybody you wish, but ideally it should consist of people you know and trust. ONLY add people with whom you've had positive prior experiences, are making current plans with, and have established solid, long-term relationships.

Some people scurry around Ryze, adding everyone they meet as a friend. This doesn't work to bring you valuable connections, and I'll tell you why. Because when the time comes to "seek out a trusted source," you won't have one because you actually don't know many people on your list.

Example: suppose you're looking to hire a tech guy. You think, "Oh, I know... I'll ask around my network for a good computer guy to use." You look to your list... that circle of trust... and if it's a group of people who you actually know well, then you can rest assured that referral will be a good one.

Of course, not every network you join will be related to your business. You can join for the social aspect alone, and that's perfectly okay. Because another cool thing about online networking is that you can keep your groups separate if you want!

The best online networks, like Ryze, are ingeniously designed to make the most of your connections in every facet of your business and your life. In much the same way we make real-time connections, online networks afford opportunities to build profitable and trusting relationships. Why not use that to your advantage?

Dina Giolitto delivers copywriting direction, support and implementation to businesses throughout the United States. Want free tips on how to write great copy and drive more sales? Sign up for the Copywriting and Marketing Ezine from Wordfeeder today.

I'm In Ur Web, Making Wahala

Posted: 26 Sep 2007 09:44 PM CDT

I have been neglecting this blog seriously. That's the bad news. The good news is that there are several more posts at my main site that are crossing over into areas that I can post on in here. I'm going to do a couple of short posts now. And I'm gonna make this pledge: At minimum, I'll have more summation posts of other stuff I read on the Web here more often. More Wahala for us all!

The Spider Versus The Starfish

Posted: 26 Sep 2007 09:21 PM CDT

In the last few columns, we have explored some unexpected properties of noise, and we could easily continue that line of thought for a whole book. There is much more to noise than meets the ear. However, I recently discovered a new book that is peripherally related to the main subject of this series. The book is The Starfish and the Spider sub-titled "The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations" by Ori Brafman and Rod A. Beckstrom. This book is sufficiently interesting that it interrupts the noise.

Starfish is a metaphor indicating organizations without a strong hierarchy. You cut off a starfish's arm, and it simply grows as new one. Depending on the cut, the arm might also grow a new body. It has no strong central organization. Spider is a metaphor for highly structured hierarchical organizations. You cut off a spider's head and the whole web is out of commission. Nothing works anymore.

Both types of organizations have strengths and weaknesses (after all, we do have both real starfish and spiders in our eco-sphere), but the strengths of the starfish are not as obvious since we have been surrounded by hierarchical organizations such as General Motors and IBM throughout our culture. I suppose the prime example is the Roman Catholic Church. Military forces are obviously hierarchical. That is, regular military forces are highly organized.

But throughout history, traditional professional military officers have been perplexed when they run into a starfish. Two spiders squaring off against each other know the rules and can fight until one of them is dead, but a spider going against a starfish is another matter. In colonial times, the stiff British soldiers did not understand the concept of isolated combatants in camouflage firing from behind trees at lines of marching troops in red jackets. They expected a foe that was more traditional. In fact, the war was fought with a hybrid organization.

In a similar manner, today we see a lot of press about the necessity of capturing Osama, but would removing him make any difference in global terrorism? The answer is probably some effect would be noticed, but terrorism would not necessarily disintegrate because it is more starfish-like than spider-like. Breaking up his immediate organization would be roughly like cutting up starfish and throwing them back into the ocean.

The book is full of examples of the unexpected robustness of starfish. Much is made of eBay and Craigslist and how they evolve. Years ago General Motors hired an analyst who was impressed with the tendency toward decentralization and recommended more of the same. He immediately went from being a beloved golden boy to persona non grata. But he was not out of business. He went to Japan and had some good advice for automobile manufacturers. The rest is history.

If you are exploring a business opportunity or trying to overthrow a regime, which form of organization should you use? My take is that both extremes and the various hybrids are simply tools and like all tools have areas in which they work better than alternatives. You can drive a screw into a board with a hammer, but a screwdriver works better. The American colonists, like the Indians under British Raj two hundred years later, succeeded in breaking away from the mother country by non-traditional methods. The choice of strategies was at least partly determined by the available material for the struggle. The colonists were familiar with native techniques and did not have as much material wealth as the British. The Indians used a non-violent approach, but the rebels did not have any guns, tanks, or planes to match the forces of the occupiers -- this is simply an observation, not a putdown of their technique.

We often feature puzzles, and this book presents some truly spectacular puzzles for consideration.

In response to the interest my original tutorial generated, I have completely rewritten and expanded it. Check out the tutorial availability through Lockergnome. The new version is over 100 pages long with chapters that alternate between discussion of the theoretical aspects and puzzles just for the fun of it. Puzzle lovers will be glad to know that I included an answers section that includes discussions as to why the answer is correct and how it was obtained. Most of the material has appeared in these columns, but some is new. Most of the discussions are expanded compared to what they were in the original column format.

Communication Company Customer Service

Posted: 26 Sep 2007 09:07 PM CDT

Do a search for any telecommunications company and you'll see plenty of complaints about all of them. That's because their systems are complex.

I've worked at two telecommunications companies for ten years and it gave me perspective into why customer service is often not a smooth process. Both of these companies have been around since the early 1900s. Because of this, they had legacy systems that could only do so much.

So they took the legacy systems further than they were ever supposed to go and added other systems to work with the legacy systems. With multiple systems connecting to each other (teleco to teleco, too), it's no surprise data gets messed up along the way.

As for quality of customer service, these companies have multiple call centers that focus on specific areas of the business. Furthermore, whenever new plans and changes come out, they have to be trained. Big companies lose track of its components simply because they're big.

Newer companies don't face the problems of old computer systems and their organization was created with newer systems and processes in mind, so they're less likely to have problems. Newer companies also don't have to deal with union workers and contracts.

Today's communication environment allows us to pick our providers and keep our phone numbers. Something that has not been in place for long. This results in telecos getting usage data from other telecos instead of straight from the customer. It's incredible how many external systems interface with one company's systems.

I think when deciding on a phone service, you can't always go by customer service and accuracy. Instead, most people judge based on uptime, features, and prices. Even though we can keep a phone number no matter where we go, it's still challenging for most customers to switch providers and the switch doesn't always end up better.

I'm currently reading Loyalty Myths: Hyped Strategies That Will Put You Out of Business and Proven Tactics That Really Work, which supports that excellent customer service alone doesn't make a business (it can for some, but not for the wireless industry).

Reflections On Vista SP1 Beta And Impeccable Timing

Posted: 26 Sep 2007 09:00 PM CDT

I thought I would have been fine with installing the first Windows Vista SP1 beta last night (after having been invited and accepted into the feedback program). Guess what?

Everything seemed fine after the first three installer-induced reboots, but then I came to see a black screen of... nothing but my mouse cursor. No matter what I tried, I could not move past this snag.

I tried rebooting in Safe Mode a few times - and the first few times, it showed me that SP1 was installing itself again. Eventually, however, I could only boot into Safe Mode for a second before the PC would restart itself.

So, I throw in my Vista install CD and hop into the Recovery Console. It shows me that I have three restore points for this particular installation of Windows Vista (x86). However, it cannot restore the volume because... Vista is too retarded to help me.

So, I need to clear space on this volume (obviously). I boot into my x64 installation of Vista and discover that it was never activated. Grumph! Well, okay... so it's back to a fully-functional Windows XP I go - if only to clear some excess space on the Vista x86 partition.

After wiping out a few non-essential (and rather large) files, I went back into the Recovery Console only to discover that my restore points had completely vanished. Awesome. Pure awesome.

Back to Windows XP... period, end of story.

In the middle of this ordeal, I received an email from Wendy Kaufman, an NPR correspondent who wants to interview me on the subject of Vista. Her timing is impeccable.

Activision Acquires Bizarre Creations

Posted: 26 Sep 2007 08:52 PM CDT

Activision, Inc. today announced that it has acquired U.K.-based video game developer Bizarre Creations, one of the world's premier video game developers and a leader in the racing category, a $1.4 billion market that is the fourth most popular video game genre and represents more than 10% of the total video game market worldwide.

This acquisition represents the latest step in Activision's ongoing strategy to enter new genres. Last year, Activision entered the music rhythm genre through its acquisition of RedOctane's Guitar Hero franchise, which is one of the fastest growing franchises in the video game industry.

With more than 10 years' experience in the racing genre, Bizarre Creations is the developer of the innovative multi-million unit franchise Project Gotham Racing, a critically-acclaimed series for the Xbox and Xbox 360. The Project Gotham Racing franchise, which is owned by Microsoft, currently has an average game rating of 89%, according to GameRankings.com and has sold more than 4.5 million units in North America and Europe, according to The NPD Group, Charttrack and Gfk.

Bizarre Creations is currently finishing development on the highly-anticipated third-person action game, The Club, for SEGA, which is due to be released early 2008. They are also the creators of the top-selling arcade game series Geometry Wars on Xbox Live Arcade.

Bizarre Creations and its games have won numerous industry awards including: Best Racing Game for Project Gotham Racing 2 from the prestigious British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA); the Industry Grand Prix Award from Develop; MCV's UK Development Team 2006 award; Best Racing/Driving Game from IGN; Game of the Year from OXM and Gamespy for Project Gotham Racing 3; and IGN's Best XBLA Game for Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved.

"Activision continues to grow and drive greater value for our shareholders by broadening our portfolio and entering new gaming categories with strong global appeal," said Robert Kotick, Chairman and CEO of Activision, Inc. "Bizarre Creations is the leading independent developer with a proven track record in developing highly successful and influential original properties, especially in the racing field. They are one of the most innovative and creative studios in the industry, and we are very excited to welcome this talented creative team to Activision."

Mike Griffith, President and CEO of Activision Publishing, Inc., added, "Bizarre Creations will play an important role in our growth strategy as we develop an original new intellectual property for this important racing segment, expand our portfolio in other genres and utilize their proprietary technology for cross platform development."

Martyn Chudley, Managing Director of Bizarre Creations, said, "Our goal at Bizarre Creations has always been to do all we can to nurture our creative and passionate teams, who excel at and enjoy what they do. Activision's independent studio model will continue giving us creative freedom to build exciting new brands. Their financial support and marketing prowess will also enable us to build upon the commercial success that we currently enjoy, and take the company - and our games - to an even higher level."

Under the terms of the acquisition, Bizarre Creations will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision and the company's management team and employees continue with the company as their teams start to develop two new AAA titles alongside their current projects. The 160-person development studio is located in Liverpool, England. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Activision expects that its first game from Bizarre Creations will be released after fiscal year 2009.

Report: AIM Vulnerable To Worm Attack

Posted: 26 Sep 2007 08:40 PM CDT

Researchers report that a critical vulnerability in AIM could be used to create a massive worm attack.

The flaw was discovered by researchers at Core Security Technologies, which has been working with AOL over the past few weeks to patch the problem. AOL's servers are now filtering instant messaging traffic to intercept any attacks, but the company has yet to patch the underlying problem in its client software, security researchers said Tuesday. The flaw has to do with the way the AOL Instant Messaging (AIM) software uses Internet Explorer's software to render HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) messages. By sending a maliciously encoded HTML message to an AIM user, an attacker could run unauthorized software on a victim's computer or force the IE browser to visit a maliciously encoded Web page, said Core Chief Technology Officer Ivan Arce.

According to reports, AOL isn't taking the flaws in the AIM software too seriously and doesn't plan on releasing a fix anytime soon. Instead, they're relying on filtering malicious HTML through AOL's servers and not the client software. This makes me a bit concerned about the safety of AIM as the flaws in the client software should be fixed themselves as they might not have filters in place to catch everything worm authors may think of. [Researchers say AIM vulnerable to worm attack]

Where To View Streaming NFL Games Online

Posted: 26 Sep 2007 08:30 PM CDT

So I came across this site in which people broadcast NFL games live through a program called sopcast. I ran a Web site that did the same thing, but it was taken down. It's a neat thing people are doing and a lot of people view it. I feel that if the NFL would do this itself I would pay for it because I cannot get Direct TV in my area. So if you get a chance, check out this Web site the guys there are great.

Amazon Set To Compete With iTunes

Shawn Marion Wants to be a Laker

Posted: 26 Sep 2007 08:19 PM CDT

Just yesterday, things seemed quiet in Lakerland. The prominent news was that there was no news. That quiet was shattered by a report out of the Phoenix Suns organization. Shawn Marion wants to be traded - to Los Angeles. Yes, it's true; Shawn Marion wants to be a Laker: "...Marion told Sportingnews.com by telephone that he would welcome a trade to the Lakers to play with his good friend Kobe Bryant. "You have a great organization, great ownership there with the Lakers. I don't see no problems with playing there," he told the Web site." link: Marion: It's time for me to move on The Lakers could send Lamar Odom to Phoenix for Shawn Marion. It could be seen as a win-win situation for both teams. The Lamar Odom / Kobe Bryant experiment has failed miserably. They just don't fit well together. Lamar Odom has an abundance of talent. It seems that he defers to Kobe Bryant too much and, at times, becomes a spectator to Kobe's magic. Lamar Odom would fit nicely with Phoenix. He is a team player and he would shine with bounce passes from Steve Nash. Shawn Marion would be the second option on the Lakers, after Kobe Bryant. The Lakers would improve their athleticism and might be a bit more of a running team. Shawn Marion says that he loves Phoenix, the fans and his teammates. He knows that Phoenix has a far better chance of contending for the championship than the Lakers, with their present lineup. The trade out of Phoenix seems predicated on two things: money and ego. Shawn Marion wants to be appreciated. He certainly would have media attention in a high exposure market such as Los Angeles. The question now is whether the Lakers front office will make the call to Phoenix. If I were the Lakers general manager and had Mitch Kupchak's job, I would be calling Steve Kerr in Phoenix to finalize the trade. Immediately. With Shawn Marion's comments, it would be difficult to open the Suns training camp with the knowledge that one of their core players wants a trade. As the general manager of the Phoenix Suns, Steve Kerr could restore the team's focus quickly by making the trade with the Lakers. Then Mr Kerr could sit back and watch his former coach, Phil Jackson, managing the unfolding soap opera. It would be entertaining - Marion, Bryant, Jackson and a cranky group of Los Angeles sports writers. Catherine Forsythe

Firefox Helped Me Rediscover The Web

Posted: 26 Sep 2007 07:57 PM CDT

Before finding the amazing Web browser Firefox, I was stuck with IE 6 then IE 7. While neither was terrible, I expected better. First off, IE 7's tabs are a joke to me; they really slowed down my PC. Then one day I found Mozilla's Firefox, and it made my life easier. The things I love about Firefox:

The tabs are super fast and it makes it easier to open many windows at once.
I love how it remembers my passwords and automatically logs me into certain Web sites.
Firefox is a lot more secure and stable than IE.

So goodbye IE, it was nice knowing you. Firefox, I love you.

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HijackThis by TrendMicro: Spyware or Not?

Posted: 26 Sep 2007 07:51 PM CDT

Earlier this year, my friend Merijn Bellekom sold his HijackThis tool to TrendMicro. Due to other projects, school and 'real life', Merijn simply didn't have have the time to update HijackThis any longer. Most of us in the Malware world were quite skeptical of Trend at first. Thankfully, one of their top brass joined the Staff of many forums, and lines of communication were opened. Right off the bat, we were outraged at the "analyze this" function of the new HJT version. While the average user likely thinks the AnalyzeThis button provides helpful information for diagnosing their log, it's main purpose is to send the HJT log data to Trend Micro. Unfortunately, unless you carefully read the Trend Micro End User License Agreement, you would probably never know that the AnalyzeThis button submits the data from your HijackThis log to Trend Micro for use by them and their partners. Not even in the QuickStart Guide does it explain what this button does. We demanded a better alternative. If you feel you need to gather this information, then fine. Gather it. However, you need to make it more obvious what that little button actually does. Show the user in plain sight, using plain text, what exactly you are gathering from them, where it's going, and what it will be used for. Don't hide this somewhere in the EULA where no one will ever see it. Put it out there, and let the truth be known. I'm personally still not happy with this feature, and believe it isn't even necessary. However, it's not likely to go away. Let's hope that TrendMicro will really listen to those of us who spend countless hours every day helping thousands of people to clean their computers of unwanted Malware. In this instance, we are the voice of the "people". And we are determined that our voice WILL be heard.

How to use HijackThis Effectively

Daylight Savings Time - Are You Ready For The Next Change?

Posted: 26 Sep 2007 07:38 PM CDT

I covered the new daylight savings time changes at the beginning of the year, and hopefully you obtained the fixes recommended by Microsoft for your Windows based PC. This is just a reminder that the next phase of daylights savings time change will occur on November 4th, 2007. If you haven't fix your system, Microsoft has provided a way to determine which fix you may need. On their site Microsoft states the following:

Beginning in 2007, daylight saving time (DST) will be extended in the United States. DST will start on March 11, 2007, which is three weeks earlier than usual, and it will end on November 4, 2007, which is one week later than usual (more details on the new DST start and end times can be found here). This results in a new DST period that is four weeks longer than in previous years. Observance of DST, and "Summer Time" in much of Europe, is often different around the world; many areas, countries and territories shift their clocks at different times throughout the year. During these changes, clocks are usually shifted by one hour. Some locations follow a set of standard, uniform rules for the start and end dates of DST, but some locations determine the dates on a much more dynamic basis. Unless certain updates are applied to your computer, the time zone settings for your computer's system clock may be incorrect during this four-week period. In particular, you must make sure that both your Windows operating system and your calendar programs are updated.

Comments welcome. Microsoft web site is here.

High tech - Cell phone - Pda - Laptop

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Lockergnome Nexus

Lockergnome Nexus

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