Everybody's Doing it

But, Ill do it different, of-course...

I'm talking about the iPad. That new "revolutionary device by Apple. Let me start by saying that I have long been both a proponent, and detractor of tablets.  owned a couple back wn HP came out with the tc-1100.   I loved so much,  forced it on some of the executives in my company.  tght at the time the tablet form factor and implimentation was the next alternative to Laptops. The tc-1100 was a tablet first that could, with the addition of the removable keyboard, act like a laptop. It was small and light enough that I would actually carry it around (like I should a laptop). it was a snap to bring up to taker a quick note, it had all the interfaces that I needed (card reader, USB ports) and, it looked professional. 

Then the industry ignored my memo, and started making laptops that acted a little like tablets. In the process they lost some of the more important features; portability, and quickdraw functionality. 

So, fast forward 5 years and a less than stellar market acceptance of tablets. (because they are not tablets anymore). The world waits for Apple to unveil a revolutionary new product called the iPad. (that's Applespeak for tablet) Granted, Apple generally has a better implementation of most the iPhone truly is a better smartphone, and the iPod truly is the best media player. But, the iPad? great marketing run up, but I am not so sure it is the new portable appliance that I loved 6 years ago. For one, Apple erred against the consumer a little to much on this one. No USB ports? come on, I want a device that doesn't require me to carry accessories for. No card reader? No reason for me to take it with me on many of the trips that the tablet goes on. And I am not even going to go into that non standard sim card thing.  

Now, I love my Pod touch, and I believe that the implementing the same interface on the iPad was a good move to a certain extent. The fact that the iPad will share apps with the iPhone, is great, but i want more!. If I could get by with the iPhone, I wouldn't carry a netbook or a tablet. That is what I am after, and what i try to get my customers to buy into. One device, one thrill. Less hassle, less money, less problems, more productivity. I think the iPad misses that mark for me. Regardless of how sexy she is, if she can't haul firewood, she wont work for me. 

There, I said it! The unemployed apple fanboys can whine all they want, but the fact is, in todays leaner, meaner world functionality is king. When I first saw it, I almost placed an order but when I read into it, I quickly realized that I already have an iPod and don't need a bigger one. 

Keep trying Steve, in the meantime, I will go re-install windows on my tc-1100 (for the third time) and her and I will continue to travel the world together...

Opening shot

Welcome to yet another tech blog. I hope this one will be just a little different.
I write this from my newly constructed tech dungeon somewhere at the end of some road in the back sticks of Alaska. I live alone with a cat, and a bunch of computers. Mine is the generation that has put this all together for the world, figured out what use it is, and promoted it all as the next step in the evolution of mankind.

It is the first day of 010, which is what I am choosing to call the second decade of the 21st century. For you following along in your mothers basement. 010 represents the number 2. (in binary stupid) Next year 011 will be the number 3, then it all falls apart. 2 works well for me at this place and time in my life. So, I am going to begin my code at line 2, and consider line one to be a rhetorical comment.

Yeah, it has been that way. I am at mid life, still not sure if my routine will calc out to anything useful or meaningful. I keep plugging along, stepping through subsequent lines, hoping that it all will give me an answer better than the ubiquitous 42. As with the execution of any code, my program knows not of its purpose, my code it one line at a time, meeting conditions prior to subsequent execution.. In theory, I know the results of prior formulations, but, I know nothing of success, or even failure.

On occasion, my life blue screens. I used to reboot by running the “massive drug intake subroutine,” but I found that caused instability. Today, I troubleshoot my processes with a different suite of subroutines. Recovery. 3.0 is my goto diagnostic code. Followed by God 1.0 as my debugger.
While this is not always optimal, and can cause huge CPU loads. I can get through it as long as I don't bog out with with mal-ware.

So instead of frequent BSOD's I pay close attention to balanced utilization, and allocation. I don't allow too many idle processes to build up, nor do I try to overclock to fit more processes in. I try to keep my load balanced between, Serious business logic, gaming, and word processing. Obviously my number one application is the browser. Not because I am lost in the endless quest for a world connection, but because, I do stuff, some things I do are things that others have done, or attempted before me. I can take their data sets, optimize them, apply my own, and get just a little further. Sometimes I even contribute back to the root data set. Sometimes, I horde it away for my own future gain. Whatever the case, I use the web for every day functions and as an (almost) infinite storehouse of knowledge and experience. I rarely use the web for entertainment purposes, but the web supports all my entertainment mechanisms. (does that reconcile with you?)

So, today, I am feeding back to the matrix of wisdom, my bytes may be lost in the next memory reallocation but for now, my process is running stronger, and smoother than ever...



The purpose of this blog is to save data concerning my everyday interactions with I.T., and how I.T. Can elegantly support and integrate with business. I own a company that provides outsourced IT services to small businesses, and I am a small business owner. I think I am a keen observer when it comes to IT trends, and IT indulgence.

I have always been a geek. I have the horor stories of youth to prove it. I am also a gadget head, and an early adopter. But, in mid life, I am trying to take it just a little further. I am taking existing tek, and making it serve me in the ways that I have always seen as appropriate. Sometimes in this quest I keep an eye on marketability, or whatever may make one of my ideas or integrations the next killer app. Only time will tell...

As mentioned before, I live in a tek castle, that I am building myself. The house itself features 1 main CPU that monitors and controls everything from water pressure to HVAC to security. I plan to document the system in this and or other blogs.

I also live in Alaska. I live almost totally off of the bounty of the land. Yes, I hunt and fish, and garden, and harvest for my sustenance. I also use natures raw materials in the construction of my house and surrounding environment. This is part idealistic pursuit, but it is not what you think. Though I am a true conservationist, I live this way because I believe it healthier for me. I also believe that these skills will probably come in handy some time in the not to distant future.
Ok, Enough for today...Back to work.