I saw a really great post on the Freakonomics blog talking about how hidden connections almost sunk Chicago.  I’ve seen situations like this all too often during my career.  At least in the software world, we can try to prevent this by developing modules that are more loosely coupled.  Of course, in the real world you are often inheriting years upon years of past decisions made by anonymous developers.  In the absence of a thorough end-to-end testing suite, is there anything you can do to prevent this?

Recently I installed Windows 7 RC on the Dell Latitude D830 I use at work and I have been slightly impressed.

One of the most useful features so far has been the ability to right click on an image and select “Burn Image” thus I no longer need to use third party burn software.

A big problem for a Windows Tech is that there is no “Tool Kit” available like with XP, Vista. Telnet seems to have disappeared which makes life difficult. Another missing tool I have come to depend on is one that gives me the ability to create a “snap on” mmc that lets me  save multiple RDC sessions in a user friendly split window. Saved passwords and a tree like list that makes toggling from server to server a breeze is a must for the professional Windows admin.

The overall speed and response times have been remarkable. The longest wait is experienced when resuming from a hibernated state.

Program compatibility has caused me no headaches. I have the latest version of OpenOffice, Safari, and all of the usual garb like Adobe Reader and Flash installed and everything works as well as it is expected to work.

It seems whenever Micro$oft creates a new OS the big problem is usually printer drivers. Most of the networks I work with use some form of printer that is no longer supported and is not going to work with Windows 7 in anyway shape or form.

Indexing is probably my second favorite feature. The “Search for Programs or Files” box found in the Start menu can find all similar references to what I am typing faster than I can type (not a big surprise).

Overall I am pleased with the post Vista changes and will most likely install the full version when I have the opportunity.

One last note, Windows 7 and Safari are making impossible to insert this beautiful Windows 7 logo, so you might have to go Google for it.

In Confessions of an IT pro, Becky Roberts talks about her nine biggest professional blunders.  It really brought back some old memories.  Maybe I’ll write a later post discussing some of my less-than-finest moments.  A minor points in the article really struck me and I wanted to point them out:

Mistake #1 – Okay, you’ve royally screwed up.  Do you try to get out of it?  Or, do you admit your mistake, try to fix it (if you can), and deal with the consequences.  I’d also like to give bonus points to the boss in this case for handling the news so graciously.

Mistake #2 – I assume this story is a bit dated since the program was in basic, but I always am amazed when there are no test systems.    It happened back then, it still happens today.  I’ll be the first to admit that I make mistakes.  Lots of them.  It was also refreshing to hear that she struggled with how hard she should dig in her heels and fight when she found herself in a bad situation.  Do you tell the boss its a bad idea and do it anyways when he tells you to?  Do you refuse?  I’m not sure I have a good answer for that one.

Mistake #6 – I’ll admit that I’m bad at this one.  I have the utmost respect for people who are good at this.  If anyone has any pointers on how they developed this habit, I’m all ears.

Mistake #7 – I think this situation is all-to-common.  Especially in organizations that are matrix-managed and have individuals split across multiple projects.  Her last sentence struck me though.  I’ve never had it work for me.  I don’t know if that is a product of the particular environment I was in at the time, or if I wasn’t effective in presenting my case.

Not a life-changing post, but a refreshing reminder of the bumps and bruises everyone seems to experience along the way.

Kevin Bacon Is The Center Of The Universe

Working in Rapid City, SD on a consulting engagement for First Administrators (a client of Source Allies that is a subsidiary of Wellmark) I was responding to an invitation to get together with colleagues from a former employer, MetLife.  Looking at the email addresses of my friends and former coworkers reminded me of the social pyschology research done to understand connectedness and social networks.

MetLife used to have a larger IT presence in West Des Moines and had, at one time, about 300 West Des Moines-based employees in total.  Most of the MetLife IT staff have moved on to other companies and the MeLife presence for business and IT in WDM is now much smaller.  Most of my former coworkers are still in the work force and have jobs here in Central Iowa.  A quick read of the email addresses reveal that many of these people are working in IT and/or management roles at companies that include IFMC, Wellmark, Principal, Marsh, Aviva, John Deere Credit, Wells Fargo and (still) MetLife.

One of the facts that was a little surprising was that there were several people at each of those companies.  Often the people were clustered by professional area of focus.  For example two HR people that I worked with at MetLife are both now at Wellmark.    There are several factors that likely had influence on that result; obviously companies have to be hiring when people are looking for work and it also is helpful to know someone at the target company if you want to find appropriate employment opportunities there.

Stanley Milgram is the psychologist most commonly associated with Small World Theory although he is hardly the person who developed the original concept and many psychologists and mathematicians have done work in this field since.  The book “Six Degrees: the science of a connected age” by Duncan Watt covers the related theories at a high level (and so does Wikipedia).  Milgram is probably better known for his work on Obedience to Authority than for social psychology work on network theory.

So – this leave me stuck in South Dakota when a large group of former coworkers will be gathering tomorrow evening at The Tavern in WDM for drinks.  I’m going to miss that opportunity to catch up on how they’re all doing professionally, as well as personally, but I’m reassured to know that when business contracts social networks expand.  Quite frankly – my social network is growing while I sit here in the hotel.  I guess I’ll relax and look for updates on those people later – using  tools like Facebook and LinkedIn.  Who knows?  Maybe something discussed Thursday will open the door to a new client (or a new engagement with an existing one) for Source Allies.

With one step into our office on Ingersoll Ave, visitors are greeted by a pile of shoes and several racks of slippers.  Watching the expressions of first time guests is priceless.  Some don’t even notice this small detail while others are quick to question the story behind the slippers.

On my first visit to the office a year and a half ago, I was one that didn’t notice the slippers right away.  After this discovery, I even thought it was a little “odd” at first.  Having a background of working with IT professionals, I thought I understood the geek culture but didn’t fully grasp it until my first week or two at Source Allies.  The slippers are a small piece of the puzzle when it comes to the Source Allies culture.  I now can’t imagine having to wear shoes, not slippers, ALL day long!

As the Office Manager at Source Allies, a few of my main duties consist of dealing with HR related issues (recruiting and screening candidates, organizing interviews, reviewing on boarding paperwork for new hires and continually updating and reviewing benefit related issues) as well as Accounts Receivable invoicing (verifying time entries by our employees for billing accuracy).  These tasks in particular require a constant line of communication with all of our employees.  Communication hasn’t always been too easy with our employees and I’ve found that a major reason why I’ve struggled with this is because of personality trait differences… I consider myself an extrovert where as the majority of the Source Allies staff would most likely be classified as introverts.  What is the difference you ask?  The main difference between the two personality traits is that introverts get their energy from themselves whereas extroverts get their energy from other people or activities.  The communication methods between introverts and extroverts vary greatly.  This article has helped me understand how to communicate better with our staff!

Curious if you’re an introvert?  Take this quiz to find out!