Jun 12, 2006 | blog
Paul Thurrott has posted a review of Windows Live OneCare on his SuperSite about a week ago (I know, I’m slow). Looks to be a good review of the product, as Paul gives some background information on the product and how it came to its current form.
Along with some shameless self-promotional plugs, Paul covers the product in detail, along with some good screen shots of OneCare in action. Performance, usability, and feature set are covered in this review.
Windows Live OneCare is a $50/yr. service provided by Microsoft. The OneCare product includes a managed firewall, antivirus, anti-malware, and performance tuner in one easy to use package. The annual service cost of $50 includes the license to run OneCare on up to 3 computers, so it ends up being a great deal. Compare this product to Symantec and McAfee’s products – it’ll run rings around them (my opinion).
I’ve been using this product for about 9 months, since some of the early betas, and have been continually impressed with the security it provides, and the performance compared with competitor’s products.
Jun 11, 2006 | blog
Now I read PPCT a lot, they’re always a good source of info, commentary and the like, but once in awhile one of the mods goes off topic and starts a thread that simply shows how ignorant the population can be.
Ed Hansberry rants on how Microsoft’s Windows Genuine Advantage tool is akin to “big brother” and whimpers about about Microsoft trusting him not to be a criminal one day and not the next.
Good God, there are more important things that Microsoft is not doing to bitch about.
UPDATE: Microsoft Watch has a great Q&A on Windows Genuine Advantage that tries to clear the FUD on WGA.
Jun 11, 2006 | blog
So I’m really sad to see Robert leave Microsoft. He has done more for the company than any other person except Gates himself.
The blogosphere has been talking about this all weekend, but I only ran across it on Sunday evening. Reading all the posts about the news, there seems to be a growing consensus that Microsoft is the “loser” in this deal – and to be sure, there currently is no one at Microsoft that can replace what Robert delivered in his position.
The Interesting part is that you could see this decision coming. I mean, this isn’t quite the surprise it seems to be made out to be. If you look back over the last three months or so on his blog, you can quite clearly see that something has been niggling at Robert. You could almost see that he sensed a life change was approaching, and with the passing of his mother last month, it shifted into high gear.
I’m glad for Robert’s move to a new position in a new company, that is focused on a new medium. There are a lot of “news” in there, but I expect that this is what Robert was looking for. So good luck to Robert Scoble on his next adventure!
Robert posts on it here, here, and here.
UPDATE: Microsoft Monitor posts about Microsoft Blogs today as well, and gives some great recommendations on other important Microsoft bloggers.
Jun 9, 2006 | blog
So I’ve been getting into project management the last 18 months or so, and its been quite a bit of fun. What surprises me, is that I really enjoy the work – it has been taking more and more of my interest in place of my passion for technology.
The thing that also stuns me, is that I’m actually good at it. Don’t get me wrong, I still have a LOT to learn about project management, methods, tools, tricks, organization, etc… Of course a person really never stops learning. The neat thing about PM work that I’ve found so far is how it streches me in a whole new direction that I’d never had to work towards in just a technology-focused position.
Now with that all said, the project I’m trying to get started and organized at work has me really twisted around. First, until recently it really hasn’t been a project, it has mostly been a skunk-works effort to get it done, and we’ve found as a department that we really need to formalize what we are attempting to do. So what is the project? Our Information Technology Lab Environment.
Of course we have a bit more long-winded name for it, mostly because of the complexity of what we are trying to do. The Lab has many parts, some are actually critical, others simply a support roll in that they’re used for research (obviously).
So what’s so hard you ask? You know, it really shouldn’t be difficult, and maybe its because of the way I’ve approached it. See, our group has worked on this little effort for about 2 years, suffling the responsibilities from one staff member to another. Each generating their own pieces of the puzzle, but not stepping back to look at the whole mosaic. Then we bring about a dozen team members together about 8 to 14 times and generate a ton of additional information.
What I’m babbling about is that I’ve got a ton of information, but have lost sight of the starting point. I’ve taken the group up to the higher levels where we can see how all the pieces fit together, but I’ve now got too much information to go back and actually morph what we’ve got into a true multi-year, multi-phase project plan. A seasoned PM would be able to do it in about half a week I suppose, but I’m still really learning the craft.
What I’m planning on monday, is to start from the beginning, writting the project plan, plugging in time, costs, resources, etc… Taking the wonderful mountain of information, drawings, concepts, and such that we have accumulated and using it as a research tool to answer the basic project questions that our Project Methodology asks. So for the two who ‘put’ the 800lb. gorilla on my back 😉 I think I’ve got it figured out how and where to start.
Jun 9, 2006 | blog
Well, I’m trying to decide if I should go to the Windows Connections conference this fall. It’s in Vegas, and I’m not really enamored of the place (of course I’ve never been there yet).
Looks to be a good conference, as the Connections ones usually are, with a number of great speakers (Steve Riley, Mark Minasi, Sue Mosher, Tony Redmond, Paul Robichaux). I’ve always had a great time at previous Connecitons, and the quality of the information, sessions, speakers, content, and location have been excellent.
Its being held at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, so check it out if you are interested.
Jun 9, 2006 | blog
Easton Ellsworth talks about how his passion and interest in reading sometimes keeps him from blogging and asks what is the biggest time-waster for everyone else. I know what he means, I’ve got around 120 feeds that I follow daily, and would not be able to do that if it were not for RSS Readers! It takes up a lot of time.
But even aside from reading, simply needing to do the work necessary for the day job takes up most of my time. While I love blogging, it currently doesn’t pay the bills, and I’m making a little progress in ‘climbing the corporate ladder’, so I might as well stick it out awhile longer.
Hmm, other than that I guess I’d have to add that simply taking time to relax and spend some ‘down time’ is another thing that takes time away from blogging for me. This is kind of frustrating in a way because I have a few ‘special project blogs’ that I’m trying to make progress on, and simply can’t find more time to get them to that magical point yet.
Anyway, I’m curious as well – what keeps you from, or interrupts you from blogging?
