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[Keith] Welcome to another exciting episode of A Couple Of Admins Podcasting. I'm Keith Albright
[Rich] and I'm Rich Niemeier.
[Ted] and I'm Ted Miller
[Keith] This is Episode 10 recorded on July 31st, 2007.
Chit-Chat - What's going on with you?
[Rich]
- My wife had a death in her family. So we had funeral services to attend. It reminded me how long it has been since I have been in a church.
- You know what I misssed Sysadmin Day. August 27th. So although it is a little late, Happy Sysadmin day.
[Ted]
- I've been working on a 37 foot deck in my backyard. I have the framing almost complete and I am in the process of working out some of the rounded corners.
[Keith]
- Got my iBooks.
- Juniper Networks Educational session (Bourne Ultimatum Screening)
Housekeeping Items
[Rich]
- The Food Guru - Chef Peter Harman
- Nice short podcast on how to do simple dishes
- And he is from the Quad Cities Area where I live
- He's available on I-Tunes
- A discussion we have had before about backing up Digital Pictures.
- Copies directly from memory cards to
CDrom or DVD
Link: http://www.ezpnp-usa.com/show_category.sstg?category=a7a9779f77564bd9
[Keith]
- First, my aplogies to Jed for the sound problems in the last show. I don't know why it cut off his audio feedback, but it did. I had hoped to fix it in post-production, but was running late in getting it out and didn't have the chance.
- Triumvirate - prompted by Pentavirate from So I Married An Axe Murderer
In So I Married an Axe Murderer, Stuart Mackenzie is convinced that The Queen, the Vatican, the Gettys, the Rothschilds, and Colonel Sanders form a group known as the Pentavirate, and is further convinced that this group run everything in the world, including the newspapers, and meet tri-annually at a secret country mansion in Colorado, known as The Meadows.
- Frappr Map - Welcome Justo, Doug, and Ted Miller to the Frappr map.....Uh, let's see. Ted is on there, but Rich, I don't see your name here... Heck, I think Doug is the one you work with, although I don't know how he neded up with Michigan on his pin.
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Link: http://
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Listener Feedback
From listener Steven Murawski
- Thanks for the show guys.
One option for network management tools is Kiwi Cat Tools. They have a free version for smaller environments, and a paid version with greater functionality. It works with a variety of network devices, including Cisco and Dell. Management of devices can be done via SNMP, telnet, or my preference, SSH.
Right now I use the free version, but my network is growing, so I will probably be purchasing a license to accommodate my expanding network.
[KEITH] I've used Kiwi's Syslog Server daemon, but have not played around with the Cat Tools. I originally thought they were Cisco-only, but I downloaded and it looks like they have MIB's for lots of brands (3Com, Juniper, NetGear?, etc.) I will definitely include Kiwi in my future round-up of freeware Network Management tools
I'm not 100% sure, but I think this is the same Steve that just guest co-hosted the last Technorama with Chuck Tomasi (#179). If so, 'Thank you' for the great show and we hope to hear from you in the future.
From listener Jed
[KEITH] I asked Jed for feedback on adding Ted to the show and.....
"You guys sound like you were having fun, and that helps the mood of the
show."
"The flow didn't suffer, at least by Pauldotcom.com standards, not
at all."
[KEITH] Heck, he even compared us to Leo Laporte's show. I just hope Ted doesn't become our John C. Dvorak.
News Items
Geek Squad Tech Steals Porn From Computer From The Consumerist
-The Consumerist's 3-month sting operation snared a Geek Squad technician stealing porn from our hard drive, and we've got the work-safe video and logfiles to prove it.
-"we loaded a computer with porn and rigged it to make a video of itself. We captured every cursor movement, every program opened, every file accessed. Everything that the user saw and did, we recorded.
-We took it to less than a dozen Best Buy Geek Squads and asked them to perform simple tasks, like installing iTunes. Most places were fine, sometimes doing the job right on the counter, sometimes even for free."
-"Then we caught one well-seasoned Geek Squad Agent copying personal and pornographic images and video from our computer to his company-issued thumb drive ."
Link: http://consumerist.com/consumer/investigations/video-consumerist-catches-geek-squad-stealing-porn-from-customers-computer-271963.php
[Rich]
I thought about what I have done. Even though the computers I touch are corporately owned and personal information contained on them techincally becomes company property. Is there still a line that should not be crossed?
Order Food and Drinks, Watch Replays on Your DS Lite at Mariner Games
From WHDH-TV via Dvorak's Blog
The Redmond, Wash.-based company [Nintendo] is making a pitch to turn its portable DS Lite into a baseball staple, bringing interactive technology to fans through a pilot program being tested this season at the Mariners’ Safeco Field.
The innovative program is called the Nintendo Fan Network. For a fee, the network uploads a program onto the user’s DS Lite and allows fans to order food and drinks, watch the live television feed of the game, access stats and scores and play trivia, all from the comfort of their seat — whether it’s a premium seat behind home plate or in the top row of the stadium.
The program is still in the beginning stages, but Smith said the idea is being embraced by Major League Baseball and fans as another way to make attending a game more interactive. Nintendo declined to provide numbers on how many users are purchasing software for the program — at $5 a pop for one game or $30 for 10 games.
[Keith]
I've seen similar initiatives with PDA's, but I think ultimitely this is going to be cell-phone driven. I've been tertially involved in pilots using SMS messaging, but I think the whole thing hinges on cell phone as a seure payment method being worked out first.
[Rich]
I know that certian arenas were built with wireing to the seats in anticipation of this type of ordering. But no one has really done it yet that I am aware of.
Link: http://www2.cw56.com/news/articles/sports/BO56850/
Seven Ways Technology Vendors Blow the Sales Pitch
From CIO Magazine
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-"No one likes a pushy salesperson, whether they're peddling shoes, cars or software."
-"The opposite of being too aggressive is just as problematic for IT managers. Vendors should be chomping at the bit when prospective buyers ask them for additional information about their product or service"
- They turn the meeting into a domestic dispute.
-"A nontechnical salesperson who wishes to answer all of a prospective buyer's technical questions often brings one of his support people along on the call. That strategy is good in theory, but it can rapidly head south if the salesperson starts bickering with-or worse, disparaging-the technical support person"
- They make no attempt to tailor the pitch.
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-"Vendors find many ways to suck up an IT leader's precious time. The first way goes back to overpersistence: When trying to get on a CIO's calendar, they don't take "no" for an answer, no matter how unlikely the CIO is to buy."
[Keith]
-I know you think your solution is the best, but is it the best for me?
-Ever witness the bickering between sales and technical staff? Sales staff promises the world, technical rep corrects....and so it begins. It can actually be quite funny.
-Have at least a basic understanding of what my company does before you say your product works for us.
-Do you have a vendor meeting horror story Rich?
-How about you Ted?
[Rich]
[Ted]
-I am a sucker for a good sales rep but I can't stand the "used car salesman" type. Basically, I'm talking about someone who goes through the motions without listening or really caring.
Link: http://www.cio.com/article/124957/Seven_Ways_Technology_Vendors_Blow_the_Sales_Pitch/1
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Rich's Topics
- Corning Announces Bendable Fiber Technology
- Technology that lets you bend fibre
- -------Fun fact: To get a fiber connection to a typical basement apartment, installers encounter an average of 12 right-angle turns
-"But no one really knows exactly where all our e-waste goes because there isn't a national program to certify electronics recyclers. Some e-waste gets tossed in the trash and ends up in landfills. Some gets shipped to developing countries, where scavengers dismantle them in unsafe ways that expose workers and the environment to toxic metals and chemicals."
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Keith's Topics
- IM Interviews article in Microsoft TechNet? magazine
-Field Notes column by Nathan G. Jensen
-Interesting concept for doing technical interviews for large volumes of candidates.
-Ability to cut and paste questions, limit the time spent with candidates, save phone costs, keeps a transcript with times, etc.
-Writer had specific tech questions to ask, so this may not work in all types of technical interviews.
-Fear of cheating. Have someone else do interview, Googling answers, etc.
- Updated CCNA and New CCENT
-Cisco recently introduced a new entry-level certification to the Career Certifications program, CCENT (Cisco Certified Entry Network Technician), and also announced significant enhancements to the popular CCNA certification. In doing so, Cisco plans to simultaneously localize both the curricula and certification exams to meet the worldwide demand for networking skills.
CCENT presents a new point of entry for those just beginning to build a career in networking. As an optional stepping stone to CCNA, CCENT validates the skills required to successfully install and verify basic networks -- a requirement for most entry-level network support positions. At the same time, Cisco's foundational CCNA curricula has been revised to include a greater breadth of networking topics and more focus on performance-based skills to differentiate Cisco-certified applicants in the IT job market. The CCNA curricula will be available worldwide on July 26, 2007. Exams will be released in English on August 1, 2007. Additional languages will be announced as translation plans are finalized.
-The new CCENT certification validates the ability to install, operate and troubleshoot a small branch network, including basic network security, a requirement for most entry-level networking support positions such as Entry Level Help Desk Technician and Entry Level Technical Support roles. As employers search for skilled talent, this certification will differentiate you from the competition and position you to start a great career.
-Available 8/15/07.
-On a side note, Cisco may be gearing up to get rid of the Linksys brand name. Engadget had a video of John Chambers at a European conference indicating it was happening. PR jumped in afterwards and indicated it is not near term and may never happen.
- Secunia Software offers free Personal Software Inspector
-It's a beta, but it's free
-Scans system for installed software and the versions and categorizes them as up-to-date, inescure, of end-of-life.
-No clarification on whether end-of-life means anything other than the vendor no longer supports it. If it's still secure, I don't know why I can't keep using it.
-Coolest feature is that it provides you a direct-download link for the updated/secure version of the software if it can provide one. For example, I had an older copy of Wireshark on my PC and when I click the download link, it pulls the latest build from Sourceforge.
Ted's Topics
- Laser Printer Particles Pose Potential Health Risk
-A recent study out of Australia has shown the potential for cardiovascular and respiratory problems.
-Professor Lidia Morawska from the Queensland University of Technology will publish the results later this week.
-Basically, out of the 62 printers tested, 17 of them were classified as "high particle emitters".
-12 models of Hewlett Packard printers and one Toshiba printer earned the "high particle emitters" classification.
-The tiny particles may be as harmful as secondhand smoke.
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Website Picks
Rich - http://www.lds.org/cm/catalogalphamp3/1,18331,4768-1,00.html Download church music for use at a church or by religious orginization
Ted - http://www.etsy.com
Etsy.com is an on-line marketplace for artists and crafters to sell their works. Kind of like an Arts & crafts Ebay without all the clutter.
Keith - http://www.youlicit.com
Billed as a 'Social Recommendation Engine' where you put in a website URL and it gives you a list of similar or related sites. The content/relationships are established by users. As an example, I put in www.cisco.com and was returned 10 recommended sites that had some interesting stuff I hadn't seen before like a page with PDF and PNG graphics of TCP and UDP headers. (Great for training presentations by the way)
I don't know what kind of filtering/QA is done, so I'd hop on it now before Spammers get in there and "link" their Viagra sites to every possible topic.
Last Call
Anyone....Anyone....Buehler.....Buehler....
Closing
Well I hope everyone has enjoyed the show.
Please feel free to contact us by - emailing RichandKeith? [at] gmail.com or by leaving a comment on the website www.acoupleofadmins.com
Another way to help support us is by reviewing our show wherever and whenever possible. I-Tunes has the ability to accept reviews, so please help us out by reviewing us at I-tunes or anyother podcast indexing service
For fun and enjoyment of the people producing this podcast please put a pin on our frappr map. I had my pin there.... But hey I know where I live!!!
Once, agian thanks for listening, and cheers to the geek in all of us.
Thanks everyone.
