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April 29, 2003
check the quality of your P2P files
A neat application. <a href="http://bitzi.com/">Bitzi Preview</a>
Posted by Martin at 6:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 28, 2003
wow, Passport for Porn
Microsoft's Passport is pretty cool because with one sign-on you can get access to lots of sites and do transactions easilly. Apparently there is one for the porn world as well... <a href="http://secure.adultcheck.com/en/regular/3month_apply_info.shtml?9999">Adult CheckŪ - More Information</a>. Must be a good business.
Posted by Martin at 6:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Linux Patch management
So along the line of thinking about patch management as a big problem, I know some people attacking it in the windows world, but was wondering about Linux. In many ways the problem is even larger in Linux with many different distributions out there. You may just want to keep certain modules updated. I asked Brian Hanson, my friend at <a href="http://www.loudeye.com">LOUD</a> who runs IT and he says he uses: <a href="http://www.ximian.com/products/redcarpet_enterprise/">Ximian : Products : Red Carpet Enterprise.</a> They seem to have a couple of other products as well for Enterprise Linux. Since all the studies show Linux eating Unix's lunch on the server over the next 5 years, a Linux server software company is probably an interesting place to be.
Posted by Martin at 6:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
System Management meets trouble ticket process
My friend Brian Hanson at LOUD also uses altiris > PRODUCTS to track IT trouble ticket process and IT assets. <a href="http://www.loudeye.com">LOUD </a>had a home-grown system at first, but it didn't scale or integrate with anything so they bought <a href="http://www.altiris.com/products/">Altiris</a>. It would seem like some of those IT helpdesk type people could do well in the SMS type area.
Posted by Martin at 6:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Google's Schmidt talks
Lots of other people have linked to this great article, but for those of you who haven't seen it, here is the interesting middle part. <a href="http://www.alwayson-network.com/comments.php?id=328_0_2_0_C">About Google's Schmidt - Part 2 :: AO</a>From there you can read the part 1 or 3. Lots of talk about blogging. Would be interesting to hear how Msft views search...
Posted by Martin at 6:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Wireless Electricity
In my ongoing quest to find an interesting investment in the alternative energy space, I came across this thread: <a href="http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=03/04/27/1428227&tid=134">Slashdot | Wireless Electricity Set to Power Village</a> Mostly the complaints about beaming energy using microwaves are around the potential detrimental health effects. I have seen another company doing something on a much shorter range (like a couple feet) but forgot the URL. It was basically an invisable powercord. Powercords are not hard enough to find to fix the short range problem.
But power to mobile devices is a HUGE problem. The main thing holding back mobility is power. Now the question is really around does battery life get long enough to be useful before someone figures out how to deliver power wirelessly?
Posted by Martin at 6:49 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
April 27, 2003
My new new web radio station
Tune into this one and just chill. Great for latenight e-mail catch-up sessions. Or just hanging out. <a href="http://somafm.com/groovesalad.pls">SomaFM: Listener Supported, Commercial Free Internet Radio</a>
Posted by Martin at 6:52 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Test your REAL bandwidth
Ok, so I was getting totally crappy performance reading mail last night. There were quite a few e-mails with attachments, but I didn't think that could be all of it, so I hopped over to my favorite place to test bandwidth: <a href="http://bandwidthplace.com/speedtest/">Bandwidth Place, Speed Test </a>And ran the test. I am paying for a 1.5mb/sec DSL. I was getting 230Kbps! Time to call US Worst or change providers I think...
Posted by Martin at 6:52 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
NPU forecasts
I am trying to get smarter about the Network Processor market (NPU). If I had $3,995 I would buy this report: <a href="http://www.instat.com/abstract.asp?id=28&SKU=IN020204NT">In-Stat/MDR - Report Information</a>. But I am into the free kind of research, I am googling it.
Posted by Martin at 6:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 26, 2003
NW Venture Capital is not dead
If you read the local press in Seattle you would think the Venture community is deader than a doornail. We are all skiing in Whistler or huddling under our desks. I have spent much of my time talking to local entrepreneurs about how Ignition Partners is very much engaged in the local market and actively funding new companies. My friend Jon Staenberg has done a good job as well making the case for NW venture. <a href="http://www.staenberg.com/blog.asp">A Case for Optimism - An Open Letter to our Colleagues</a>
Posted by Martin at 6:52 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 24, 2003
Want to see technology applied to a real problem?
<p>I have been looking for some time for a software idea that does something to address the energy problem. I haven't found it yet. But I did find a number of companies applying the sharp edge of current technology to solve some of the real problems in power distribution and consumption. One such interesting company is Tantalus Systems. <a title="Tantalus - Narrowband Telemetry for Utilities" href="http://www.tantalus-systems.com/">Tantalus - Narrowband Telemetry for Utilities</a>. They basically have a wireless meter reading solution for utilities that saves them having to have people go around to read the meter. Each meter gets a little low power transmitter. Every now and then it wakes up and sends its data to the nearest other transmitter. Each house hands off it's data in bucket brigade fashion until it gets to an uplink point with a real connection to the data center where all data gets rolled up. This saves data uplinks from every house, a major logistical problem. The company is starting to get traction.</p>
<p>look for this coming to your town...</p>
Posted by Martin at 8:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 21, 2003
dominoes are easy after this
There is a new Honda commercial that apparently was shot all in one take. Very cool series of things. Check it out.
Posted by Martin at 6:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
New Hawg
Ok, I just bought a new <a href="http://www.martinandalex.com/images/policeharley.jpg">Harley cop bike</a>. The Harley cop bike has lots of cool options like extra accessory mounts and a place to plug in a siren and bullhorn. So I went looking for cool options to spruce it up. One guy specalizes in the stuff: <a href="http://www.owensoptions.com/Home.htm">Owens Options specializing in Harley Davidson police motorcycle accessories and saddlebags</a>. A little more surfing brought me to the <a href="http://www.police-motorcycle-equipment.com/">Mother Load </a>Now to get the larger alternator to power all these accessories!
Posted by Martin at 6:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Poor man's Segway
check out the Police Chariot... <a href="http://squadfitters.hypermart.net/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=911&Product_Code=PSchariot&Category_Code=01b">Squadfitters Online Store: Police Special Chariot</a>
Posted by Martin at 6:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
More cop bike stuff
<a href="http://www.squadfitters.com/">Squad Fitters</a>
Posted by Martin at 6:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 18, 2003
Time to sell the Beach House as well
It may look like we are clearing out all the toys, but that is not really the case. Just trading for different ones. We have loved our house on the Oregon Coast Martin<a href="http://www.flexmls.com/cgi-bin/mainmenu.cgi?cmd=url other/run_public_link.html&public_link_tech_id=20030417211825601656000000&id=1"> and Alex's Manzanita Beach house </a>but it is time to move to a different beach. A little closer to Seattle. This is the best one in Manzanita though! Great for surfing at Short Sands!
Posted by Martin at 6:55 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
imbedded security
I have been musing about what is next in IT security architecture. I generally buy the architecture change that moves security functionality from the perimiter closer to the host. The ultimate next step is into the application itself. A company doing interesting things in this area is Ar<a href="http://www.arxan.com/index.shtml">xan Technologies</a>. They imbed security guards into the binaries of software to make it self-healing and self-aware to attack. Very cool stuff.
Posted by Martin at 6:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 15, 2003
Want the most outrageous motorcycle on the planet?
Buy my Confederate. I have a 3 year old daughter and am sure to kill myself one day on this whicked fast bike. It has been in storage most of the time since I bought it new for $48K. You won't find another one like it on the planet! <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2411264225&category=10062">eBay Motors item 2411264225 (Ends Apr-20-03 11:44:55 PDT ) - Custom Makes : American GT</a>
Posted by Martin at 6:55 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 10, 2003
Self Healing systems
I have been thinking about self-healing computer code and apparently so has IBM. <a href="http://www-1.ibm.com/servers/autonomic/">Autonomic Computing - Creating self-managing computing systems</a>
Posted by Martin at 6:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 3, 2003
got lots of time to dream about tech?
I have been considering a couple of companies that have spun out technology from colleges or research institutions. In the process, I found the virtual root of all these invetions, the <a href="http://www.openchannelsoftware.org/">Open Channel Foundation: Welcome</a>. There are probably 100 start up companies in there.
Posted by Martin at 6:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 2, 2003
the next security trend
<a title="Deep Green Crystals: April 2003 Archives" href="http://www.martinandalex.com/blog/archives/2003_04.html">Deep Green Crystals: April 2003 Archives</a>
I have been thinking about IT security trends and what is the next "big" thing. I am generally convinced that the trend toward host security from the perimiter is a real one. I am also fairly convinced that ease of deployment (appliances) is a key driving feature. If you follow the host trend along you get to laptops (sygate) and further along, PDAs.
There are two companies apparently doing interesting stuff in PDA security. I haven't tried either of them, but will over the next weeks.
PDA Security Software for Palm, Pocket PC and Blackberry
Kaspersky Labs
Posted by Martin at 6:57 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 1, 2003
Segway first impressions
So I got my Seg<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00007EPJ6/martinandalex-20/104-9365267-4530368">way Human Transporter </a>yesterday. I got an e-mail Friday from the company with a tracking number saying the thing had shipped. So I hacked together a script to reload the DHL tracking site with my number every 5 minutes. The package got to Bellevue Monday, but somehow had the wrong address on it so they sent it back to the warehouse. Five calls later and a visit to the warehouse finally yielded a 110 pound box of joy.
When I got it home it was a snap to put together. Just plug together two color coded plugs, insert the handle into the base and plug it into the wall. The manual says to charge for 15 hours to ensure a full charge to the batteries, but of course I couldn't wait. After about 20 minutes I unplugged it and rode it around the house. I had already rode one at the official Segway training and a courtesy ride from <a href="http://www.bookofseg.com/">Phillip</a> the local lucky early delivery winner. I applied for early delivery as well, but told them the first thing I would do was try to hack it, so I guess they didn't like that part.
Stepping on for the first time is a real thrill. It is deceptively easy (as advertised). Just like stepping onto a stool or ladder. It is a little weird for the first 1/10 second to have something under you trying to balance, but your body naturally adjusts. Especially if you do any balance sports like surfing or snowboarding or wakeboarding (I do them all).
My first ride was just around the house. In the first five minutes I ran into a door going too fast, but didn't hurt myself or the Segway. It takes a couple of tries to stop quickly from a fast run. But it is actually very natural. You just kinda sit down and pull back on the handle bars. I was able to maneuver around all the furniture, over the rug, into the bathroom with ease. With only about half an hour of sun left I was dying to take it outside and try it on the streets. The first challenge was to get it down the 20 stairs from my apartment to the street. The Segway has a power assist mode that lets you crawl it slowly up and down obstacles like stairs. In power assist mode, you turn the handle to go forward or backward. I tried two strategies going down the stairs. First time I turned the handle to give some power assist down each stair and stopped on the one below, then took a step down myself, gave another turn, step, etc down the stairs. That worked fine, but was a little herky jerky since each turn was of different length and intensity meaning the power assist level varied. It took a couple stairs to get it right. In the middle of the stairs I tried to see if I could apply a constant amount of power assist and just walk down the stairs with the segway decending at a constant rate. That actually worked much better and felt smoother.
Once outside, the big question I had was how obstacles would be handled. Going up and down curb cuts. Uneven pavement. Other pedistrians. There is no suspension on the Segway, so all jolts and jars are telegraphed directly to your arms. You need to hold onto the unit with both hands at all times. For someone who usually walks holding a latte, that is an issue. And maybe a bigger issue for Segway in the Seattle market overall. My strategy was to approach all these obstacles slowly. That seemed to work. It was especially easy since the thing stops so quickly and starts so quickly, it didn't seem like an inconvenience to slow down for things. So I motored up to the store to get some icecream for desert. I went right up the handicap ramp and into the store back to the icecream isle. The clerks looked funny at me, but didn't say anything. I picked out the icecream and went up the the cash register all the while on the Segway. It worked great, and was in total control. Your footprint while on the unit is no more than walking, so it is not an imposition. The clerk asked what it was and I told her, paid her and was on my way. Just great. Next I went up the cobble stone street in the <a href="http://www.pikeplacemarket.org/">Pike Place Market</a> to get some money from the bank machine. The cobble stones are rough and uneven, but the Segway just rode over them fine. I had to hold on because the thing was jerking around, but not uncomfortably and no more than riding a bike over it. I rode up to the cash machine and took out some money, all without getting off the Segway.
Riding home lots of people waved and honked. Lots of fun. Today has been in the office leting everyone ride it. With literally 15 seconds of instruction everyone was able to ride it. Only<a href="http://www.tongfamily.com/"> Rich </a>ran into a cube! It automatically adjusted to the weight and height of everyone in the office.
More to come
Posted by Martin at 6:57 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack