Blog spammers’ new tricks


Like many bloggers, I use Akismet to screen comments for spam. In the past month, I've noticed two new kinds of spam that are cleverer than the usual gibberish. Akismet didn't classify them as spam, but it did at least classify them as questionable. One new spam type contains extractions from other sites that contain one … Continue reading Blog spammers’ new tricks →

Another Microsoft layoff


I predict Microsoft will have another layoff this year. This is either a bold or stupid thing to say, much less write in a blog. Probably both. I'm no economist, financial guru (to which my last set of brokerage statements will attest), or business seer. Nonetheless, I have two eyes, and a brain that occasionally produces … Continue reading Another Microsoft layoff →

EMC Retrospect 8.1


On Monday, EMC released Retrospect 8.1. Here's the lowdown: There is still no user manual. This is shameful for a product that was released for sale three months ago. The engine — console communications are better. The console UI is getting better, but it's still goofy in some respects. In the support forums, there still … Continue reading EMC Retrospect 8.1 →

Reflections


I should have a preamble here, but my mind's blank. I'll jump right in. Comparing Portland and Seattle I've been ruminating over this since returning from Open Source Bridge. I felt odd the day after returning, and I quickly realized that my mood was... depressed! For the first time ever, I was in a funk … Continue reading Reflections →

More Open Source Bridge reflections


All the talks I attended were very good to excellent, with one exception. I didn't like one that was at a more elementary level than its synopsis had led me to expect. The sessions were more casual than those at OSCON or PyCon. It's hard to explain why, but that's the impression I came away … Continue reading More Open Source Bridge reflections →

Open Source Bridge reflections


This conference is great, great, great! The Open Source Bridge organizing team deserves kudos and huzzahs. They hit the ball out of the park and tore off the cover, like that scene from "The Natural". If I could, I would buy all of you new cars. (They would be BMW 7-series.) I heard two numbers: … Continue reading Open Source Bridge reflections →

Open Source Bridge arrival


I've checked into a swell room at the Portland Hilton. I hope to link up with other Open Source Bridge attendees later, for dinner or drinks. PDXPHP is hosting a kickoff meeting tonight; I'm not a big PHP user, so I'll probably not attend. Apparently, the 24-hour hacker lounge is located on the floor directly … Continue reading Open Source Bridge arrival →

Twitter echo chambers


Lately, I've seen an increase in "Twitter porn." That's my term. I just invented it. I'm not referring to web-cam girls, accounts with handles like lusty[insert name]2755. I'm referring instead to twittering about Twitter. Twitter porn is meta-twittering. It's being social about being social. Like sexual porn, it can be good, but usually it's teh suck. … Continue reading Twitter echo chambers →

Open Source Bridge session frustration


Open Source Bridge is in two weeks, and I used their OpenConferenceWare system to select my favorite sessions. Argh! I want to attend three talks in the Wednesday, 5:00pm timeslot. I'll have to attend one, and view the other talks' video afterward. But video's not as good as being there.