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IT managers gathered in New York City earlier this week to get advice from experts on when, why and how to virtualize their server environments. The takeaway from the conference? If you want to run an enterprise-class virtualization platform in production today, stick with VMware.
By Alex Barrett, News Director SearchServerVirtualization.com
The PODCAST story continues, and many folks are commenting on it. Russell Shaw From ZDNET identifies three reason why Apple is pursuing the POD trademark:
According to Russell there are three groups of reasons.
- Apple itself is seeking a Trademark for "IPodcast."
- Apple has been experiencing some significant difficulties getting final approval from the USPTO for the iPod trademark.
- Finally, Apple has trademark applications on file for significantly expanding the iPod brand beyond devices, to other merchandise
You can find the full article on Russells blogs at http://blogs.zdnet.com/ip-telephony/?p=1252
It looks like Robert Scoble from the Scobleizer blog has an opinion about Apple going after the PODCAST name. Robert likes the terms audiocast and videocast, however I am still partial to the term cast. There are a lot of folks commenting on both Robert's and Leo's blog.
What is Apple going to do ?
Did you see the post on Leo Laporte's blog about Apple claiming that the term "Podcast Ready" infringes their iPod trademark ? Apple is claiming ownership of the word podcast. Did Apple coin the phrase podcast ? The only "POD" that you need when listening to a podcast is your computer. You do not need an mp3 player or an iPOD to listen to a PODCAST.
If Apple is going to restrict the the use of the term Podcast, my recommendation would be to change the name. Call it a CAST or a netcast or an audiocast. Ken Rutkowski from kenradio.com has been saying this for over a year. He does not like the PODCAST reference as he has been delivering streamed audio content since the mid 90's, long before there were any iPOD's or podcasts.
Here is another thought, if we call it a CAST, then it would be easy to reference your individual CAST's with your identify like TWITcast or KENRADIOcast. I am currently working on my first CAST and I when I deliver it I will call it the KEVINcast.
Here is a link to Leo's blog post ... http://www.twit.tv/2006/09/22/a_cast_by_any_other_name
Check it out and feel free to comment here or on Leo's Blog.
I can remember when I would wait a week for the latest edition of Info world, Network world and Computer world. As everyone knows, those days are long gone as access to up to date news is available on a hourly basis as opposed to a weekly basis.
Folks looking to grow and improve their skill set have access to so much data on the NET that can help them determine which areas to concentrate on, and help them to get a head start on growing and improving their skills.
I was reading Lisa Haneberg's "Management Craft" blog about using blogs to enhance training and development and what jumped out at me was the list of high profile blogs and resources surrounding Management and Leadership, Career Satisfaction and Development, Business Writing and Communication, Coaching, and Sales and Revenue Generation. This list is a great starting point for anyone looking to learn more about Management.
Check it out today .....
http://managementcraft.typepad.com/management_craft/2006/09/over_50_great_b.html
Just another plug for the Best Damn Tech Show
Watch or listen to it this week.
Tech News with an Edge
We are in the process of a change in ownership at work that has left my staff with a very uneasy and uncertain feeling about the future. There are many questions concerning direction and strategy being asked, along with a higher state of anxiety. Operating under this cloud of uncertainty requires more day to day Functional Management and more communication, from me, from my manager and from senior management.
We have known about this for 5 months now and we are really in the quiet period before the execution of the sale, however the level of intensity and uncertainly has grown tremendously. Senior management did a good job of communicating and letting us know when the present owners decided to sell, however given the nature of this type of transaction, there has been little communicated with the exception of when the sale may be finalized. We have setup a "Ask the President" page to increase communications. This has allowed employees to anonymously as questions of the President and Senior Management and the feedback that we have received is that IT and HealthCare Operations will be ok, however Finance, HR and Legal are at risk.
We had an incident this week surrounding workflow and responsibilities that became very emotional, and charged the entire group. Our VP started inquiring about moving a high profile but low volume function from my group to another group. His rational was that it was just busy work and my team was busy enough, and did not have to do this busy work. His inquiry got out and started spreading through my team who viewed this as the start of the breakdown of our group. After many discussions with my team, my manager and eventually my team and the VP, we were able to calm my group. Although my team is less charged and has really calmed down, they are still very skeptical and guarded concerning their future and the future of the group and company.
One thing that I have learned from this is that communication is key to change. This information leaked out and was floating around like a bad rumor. Once it was out, we did our best to confirm and communicate it, however it took meeting with the VP to really settled down my team. If this change was contained and communicated correctly from the VP, then the delivery and acceptance would have been better received.
Mondays and Tuesdays are not that bad, however my schedule on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays is crazy. Every Wednesday and Thursday, I am booked in meetings from 9 to 5 including lunch. The only time I have to read email or get caught up on the days events is early in the morning before 9, on the corners between meetings, or after 5pm. I find that if I want to leave by 5:30 or 6:00pm on Wednesday or Thursday, I need to login from home to get caught up on email, status and meeting minutes. Fridays are a little better, as I anm usually free for lunch and often I am free at 4:00 in the afternoon.
I prefer to try and leave by 5:30 or 6:00, go home and have dinner with my wife and sometimes our son, do some errands and then login. If I spend an quick 30 minutes to an hour in the evening, I am better prepared the next day.
A question that I would have for others is ......
Is this the norm for those of you in a managerial role ?
For a quick video review of some of the conferences and conversations at PodCamp Boston, visit the following link at PodCamp Boston 2006
