Knowing What You've Got... And What You've Don't Got

If I were to ask just a random person on the street about Monster cable, they probably would have heard of them. They are a well marketed company that produces a lot of cables. They also produce various portable music player accessories, kits, and their price tag implies top quality stuff. Many people swear by them, others would rather just buy bulk and be done with it.

Now, if I were to ask those same random people on the street, whether they have heard of Blue Jeans Cable, they would probably not have. However, they are also a fine provider of quality cables, and are actually well covered in the audiophile world.

Both companies make cables for rather standard ports and connections. Sure, there are differences here and there, but for the most part, most of the proprietary stuff is specific to how the companies produce their cables, compositions, etc.

So, while it wasn't much news that Monster Cable issued a cease-and-desist letter to Blue Jeans Cable, it WAS news when it turns out that the president of Blue Jeans Cable, Kurt Denke, used to be a lawyer.

This is something that many other sites have reported on and is actually quite amusing to read, as it can serve as cheap education in how not to release the legal hounds... until you've done some digging.  read more »

• Gizmodo's Coverage
• Audioholics Coverage ( This is where I first read the article! )
• Engadget Coverage
• AudioJunkies Coverage

Stuff I Think Is Great To Read

Hey, here's my read list. I've grouped them into various categories.

Programming, Coding, and Sysadmin

• C Programming Language (2nd Edition) (Prentice Hall Software)
• Introduction to Algorithms
• Introduction to the Theory of Computation, Second Edition
• Operating System Concepts (7th Edition)
• Introduction to Automata Theory, Languages, and Computation (3rd Edition) (seriously, this book changed my life!)
• Advanced Programming in the UNIX(R) Environment (2nd Edition) (Addison-Wesley Professional Computing Series)
• Learning MySQL (Learning)
• High Performance MySQL: Optimization, Backups, Replication, and More
• PHP and MySQL Web Development (3rd Edition) (Developer's Library)
• Beginning PHP and MySQL 5: From Novice to Professional, Second Edition
• Learning Perl, Fourth Edition
• Advanced Perl Programming
• UNIX System Administration Handbook (3rd Edition)
• Essential System Administration (Nutshell Handbooks)

Team and Project Management

• Time Management for System Administrators
• The Complete Idiot's Guide to Lean Six Sigma (Complete Idiot's Guide to)
• Six Sigma for Dummies
• Agile and Iterative Development: A Manager's Guide (The Agile Software Development Series)
• Agile Estimating and Planning (Robert C. Martin Series)
• The Art of Agile Development
• The Art of Project Management (Theory in Practice (O'Reilly))

Legal & HR

• HR Handbook for California Employers
• Doing Business in California: An Employment Law Handbook
• Labor and Employment in California: A Guide to Employment Laws, Regulations, and Practices
• Equal Employment Opportunity: Labor Market Discrimination and Public Policy (Sociology and Economics)
• Discrimination, Jobs, and Politics: The Struggle for Equal Employment Opportunity in the United States since the New Deal

Marketing/Advertising, Design, and User Interfaces

• Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, 2nd Edition
• Letting Go of the Words: Writing Web Content that Works (Interactive Technologies) (Interactive Technologies)
• Web Analytics: An Hour a Day

Food, Cooking, Eating

• I'm Just Here for the Food: Version 2.0
• I'm Just Here for More Food: Food x Mixing + Heat = Baking
• Martin Yan's Feast: The Best of Yan Can Cook (Yan, Martin)
• Martin Yan Quick and Easy
• Martin Yan's Invitation to Chinese Cooking (Yan, Martin)
• Martin Yan's Asian Favorites: From Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Thailand

Venture Capital, Entrepreneurship, and Public Policy (CESifo Seminar Series) asin: 0262112876

The Book of Letters: How to Write a Letter for Every Occasion author: Peter Breen asin: 186508669X

What would you do?

Let's say that you are faced with a really tough problem:

• Release product that isn't really ready to get off the ground, but at least will provide support for both Windows and Mac platforms?
• Delay one version, so that you can release it right in the long term?

This dilemma is one that Adobe was faced with, regarding Adobe Photoshop CS4. They have a 32bit version out for both Mac OSX and Windows. However, for their new 64bit version, they only have a Windows version. The reason? Because the API they were planning on using, 64bit Carbon, was going to be delayed. This left them with an abrupt forced requirement to port code over to 64bit Cocoa. Hmm... have you seen the CS4 application? It's huge. That's alot of code.  read more »

Amazon's Buy Button

If you are a writer or someone interested in publishing, either through a vanity press or a print-on-demand publishing house, this is something which might be of interest to you. It certainly is, to me.

Amazon, a company that is nearly synonymous with online books sales, has recently decided to pull the trigger on a business strategy, which has writers and publishing houses getting twisted in private places. Their own POD(Print on Demand) fulfillment printing service, BookSurge. The issue at hand?

This quote from Writer's Weekly best describes the situation:

Reports have been trickling in from the POD underground that Amazon/BookSurge representatives have been approaching some Lightning Source customers, first by email introduction and then by phone (nobody at BookSurge seems to want to put anything in writing). When Lightning Source customers speak with the BookSurge representative, the reports say, they are basically told they can either have BookSurge start printing their books or the "buy" button on their Amazon.com book pages will be "turned off."
- Writers Weekly

Yes, it is somewhat problematic, when you consider that it takes quite a bit of time and effort to convert books. That Amazon's BookSurge might cost more and present less options than other POD(s). There is also the issue of this being a monopolistic move, which some industry groups may not be too happy about.

In either case, it is definitely something that has many small/mid-sized publishing houses in a stir, and the larger publishing houses, quietly considering their legal options:  read more »

• Writers Weekly
• Publishers Weekly
• Book Browse
• Amazon Damage Control PR Post

They Start Younger and Younger...

Let's face it. The last generation had to deal with the current generation, and the current generation is now dealing with a new generational wave of intelligent and young admins. How young? Try 11 years old.

Yup, you heard me right. 11 years old. Check it all out at the following news links:

• Network World Coverage
• Hard OCP Coverage
• Slashdot Coverage

Let's face it. The next generation is young and eager to take on the challenges that we currently face. And to be quite honest, a part of me is comforted to know that there are bright young lads taking on the challenge in a constructive manner! I'm cheering these new admins, who will be earning certification degrees before they earn their high school diploma.

In my mind, if we have individuals like this young student able to grasp and apply the concepts we are using now, then we have much to look forward to in the future. There is, in fact, a "standing upon shoulders" effect in play, not just in technology, but in the skills and abilities of people as well.  read more »

Building Out a Custom LiveCD Image Under Linux

Well, a friend was trying to build this out and after a bit of chatting, I just decided that hammering out a quick document would be easier, considering the times we're online. :)

In anycase, the word processor I use loves to add "extra" stuff to the page, making it difficult, currently to import into this site as HTML. So, I have added it as a PDF attachment.

Elements of Writing, Third Course, ACADEMIC AND WORKPLACE SKILLS WORKSHEETS WITH ANSWER KEYS, revised edition (Holt Rinehart) author: Holt Rinehart asin: 0030511720

Writing Training Materials That Work: How to Train Anyone to Do Anything author: Wellesley R. Foshay,Kenneth H. Silber,Michael Stelnicki asin: 0787964115

The Ecology of Wisdom: Writings by Arne Naess author: Arne Naess asin: 1582434018

So.. What Am I Signing Away Today?

That is something I wonder about, each time I sign an NDA agreement, hiring contract, purchase order, package receipt, or sales receipt. Just... what am I signing up for... and what rights am I signing away?

Like many folks, I typically will give something a good long read and try my best to make heads or tails of it. And, like most folks, I will derive a very simplistic understanding of the written agreement and go with it. Seriously, does anyone REALLY read and parse every line of their electronics store agreements? Do you? Really?  read more »

On The Matter of "Cruft"

For those who know me, I have a habit of building out a sizable online footprint, then after a year or so, just retract them back, save for a handful, which I migrate or rebuild. Part of this exercise is due to hosting migrations, but part of it is to clear out "cruft" that builds up on my sites.

By cruft, I mean... posts which really don't add much value to the site, for me, or for people visiting and reading the site.

However, what survives has a tendency to be improved upon, even if it seems worse off at first.

This site is a new site. :) So thankfully, it has no bar by which it is being judged.

However, my other blogging sites do have a history.. and a good deal of "cruft".  read more »