I hate being unprepared. When I was in high school, I had a locker. I even had one of those clever plastic shelves and a magnetic mirror. You know what I stored in there? Nothing -- I spent far too much time watching MacGuyver. So I carried around all my books, pens,...
Software Development & Release Management
6 Reasons Screen Recordings Streamline Collaborative Development Processes
Collaborating on an engineering project with team members separated by many miles and multiple time zones can be challenging at times. Telephones, emails, screenshots and online virtual meetings all help but also have their shortcomings. In many ways, screen recording...
3 Must-Have Mods for Windows 8
New software may not be something you want to use or look at, but if you are in the IT services field, it is necessary. Windows 8 has been a controversial release with many people refusing to upgrade and use it, stating that it is a mistake by Microsoft. Despite...
Keeping your Ego in check to Maximize your Toolbox.
I don't usually read autobiographies, but recently a close friend of mine suggested that I read "Surely you're joking, Mr. Feynman!" Being bored with the book I was currently reading, I decided to give it a go. In it there is a chapter title "A Different Box of...
Keep Track of Passwords with Pleasant Solutions
When involved in IT strategy consulting services, you need a way to keep track of passwords in a safe and accessible manner. There are a number of different options out there ranging from single machine managers to cloud-based services. The one I found to be a great...
What’s New in Git 1.8.5.1
Call me weird, but for whatever reason I find version control really interesting and a crucial part of your build and release model. Maybe it's because it's saved my bacon a few times so I appreciate what it does, or maybe it's because it lets me see how my code has...
Executives, Can you Afford to Stay on a Windows PC?
As the CEO of a technology services company, my personal computing necessities are actually quite simple. I've got to have easy, reliable access to the Internet, the basic Microsoft suite of tools, and I need synchronized email with Gmail, my computer and my mobile...
Do you Think an Engineering Employee is Really Cheaper Than a Consultant? … Think Again.
Occasionally I’ll get a comment from a potential client who is particularly price sensitive about the rates for our consultants, and the comment usually goes something like: “I can hire a full-time employee who would cost me a lot less than what you are going to...
Engineering and IT Professionals: Take a Break!
It's easy to get caught up the task at hand -- more so if its something you find interesting. But over the years, more and more papers are being published on the hazards of non-stop work, from eye strain to carpal tunnel, there are countless pitfalls to sitting in...
Is the Windows Phone 8 Ready for the Enterprise?
Is the Windows Phone 8 Ready for the Enterprise? I suppose the short answer would be, 'compared to what?' I've been an Android user, an iPhone user, and now I'm using a Windows Phone 8 -- and I have my gripes about all of them. Of course the real problem is that I...
What Happened to IPv6?
There was a lot of talk about IPv6 and how it would affect users and IT infrastructure as a whole when we ran out of IPv4 addresses in 2011. Since then, on the consumer and individual level, we have not seen much change. End users still use their IPv4 addresses at...
What New iOS and Android Versions Teach Us About UI Design
Android L and iOS 8 are bringing big changes to their respective user interfaces, shaking up not only their visual appeal, but striving to change how users operate their devices. Sundar Pichai of Google has commented that L represents one of their "most comprehensive...