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An article on CNet about Mobile Phone Viruses caught my attention. I’ve known about this threat for a while, but it occurred to me that buying a phone with Anti-Virus software on it should be pretty important. Apparently it isn’t a standard inclusion on new handsets. I thought that this ought to be something that should be high on the list of desired features next time I buy a handset.

My friend Jeremy ordered some really great Ugg Boots. I asked him where he bought them. He told me he bought them from here. Apparently they are pretty good. I’d love to know if anyone else has a recommended source for good uggies, as I’m in the market (my cheap, synthetic K-Mart uggies aren’t cutting it).

I’m concerned about the state of the planet. It seems that we are making a mess of it, pretty much. As a result I’m interested in doing things to minimise the negative impact we humans are having on this place we call Earth. As a result, this book on living off the grid reviewed at Treehugger.com caught my attention.

I’ll have to order it when the old plastic is a little more elastic…

I’m still trying to get my head around OPML, and what it’s benefits are. This article does the best job so far in explaining it in language that I understand (no, I am not an uber-geek).

I know enough to know that OPML (or perhaps it’s derivative OML) is going to be an important technology, albeit probably more of a behind the scenes kind of technology. By that I mean something that is used by people creating cool software, but not directly, or consciously, used by most users.

Manuals that are written poorly, or that even omit important information really annoy me. Seriously. Just because I don’t read them all the time, doesn’t mean I don’t read them at all.

However, no matter how strongly I feel about this, I must admit I’ve only mentioned it now in order to have some context in which to link to this great Red Meat strip.

Camping, and especially cooking while camping, is a real pleasure to me. I love getting out into nature, enjoying the beauty and serenity it offers. While camping, I like to eat well, and as I usually have lots of time I enjoy cooking up good food for my friends and I to eat. Often it is fairly simple food, prepared with fairly simple tools, but always prepared with love. Which is why it usually turns out so well, I guess. It probably also explains why I’m impressed with this innovation.

I’ve written about and linked to the business that I’ve been working in for about the last 9 months. I am a co-owner of Shift Control, but it is with mixed emotions that I have decided to leave this venture, and accept a job offer from Centra Networks. Although their website is a bit corny, they are a great bunch of people who really seem to know where their towels are. I’m looking forward to joining them and helping their clients to kick some goals. No doubt I’ll be posting more about my adventures at Centra later.

There is a downside to this news however, and that is that I am walking away from Shift Control. There are lots of contributing factors to this decision, but really there is only one reason: I underestimated what it takes to get a business off the ground. My pride is dented, and I feel really sad that I’ll no longer be working with Paul and Ben. I would feel even worse if this would be leaving any clients in the lurch, but happily my decision to leave was handled really well by Paul (my business partner), and we’ve been able to work together to ensure that no clients will be adversely affected by this decision. Thanks Paul.

I’ve learnt a lot from my (first) experience at owning a business, and no doubt I’ll be sharing some of the things I’ve learnt in the near future.

Here’s to the next challenge!

Great article here at the Trial By Fire blog which seems to intelligently examine what Microsoft can do to ensure it’s long term viability. Apparently there is going to be follow up articles that will expand on the four main points, so keep an eye out for these other articles.

To whet your appetite, the four action points are:

1. Scrap the Windows codebase forever. Release Vista, and announce publicly that it will be the last version of Windows based upon the NT/Win32 platform.
2. Use Linux as the base operating system for the next generation of Windows. Do not modify it, do not “Microsoftize” it. Do not try to own it. Exploit it.
3. Reinvent the Desktop. Call it Windows. Windows: The Next Generation. Outdo Apple, outdo the current platform, outdo every “Linux desktop” effort in existence.
4. Put applications first. Office TNG, Project TNG, Excel TNG, Outlook TNG. Do not port. Rewrite. Do not create a Win32 compatibility layer. Do it right.

Interesting stuff, and I look forward to the follow up articles.

[I’ll link to the subsequent articles as Gary posts them.]

I just saw an article on Seth’s Blog that touched upon the importance of using correct grammar and punctuation. I believe it is important. No doubt I’ve made a few mistakes here on my site, as I have elsewhere, but I try to write properly.

This is something I occasionally give my brother a hard time about. Ben always writes the word “your”, when he means “you’re”. Ben reads Seth Godin’s blog often, and now that Seth has posted about this perhaps he’ll start paying some more attention to this!

I’m carrying a towel around with me today. It’s my fast drying, compact Tek Towel.

Why?

Because today is International Towel Day. Yes, I am a bit of a geek I suppose. Hell, I may even wear my bathrobe all day too, just for good measure.

I’m a fan of Douglas Adams works, not just HHGTTG. The Dirk Gently novels, and Last Chance To See, are excellent reading, in my opinion. Hell, my garage band is even called Slartibartfast.