Our Zeitgeist tagged with “Technology”
So with that in mind, here’s a dirty little secret: many of my clients who are paid by their clients to manipulate data into interesting, attractive and possibly useful ways are one disk crash away from losing that data forever.
Seriously.
About half of the businesses I consult have no significant backup system. When I ask about backup, half say something like, “Yeah, we’ve been talking about getting some backup for a year now…but we have a sprinkler system so if there’s a fire, we’ll be fine.”
It's remarkable how quickly a single sprinkler head can fill an office with water. But it's more likely that your sprinklers will go off when the maintenance people hit them while trying to change a light bulb than due to heat from a fire. Anyone who has been inside an office building that’s had a flood will appreciate the devastating effects it can have. Fire is a minor threat by comparison.
And all hard disks fail, eventually.
Systems Administrators are a strange breed; we think about risk all the time. And I know it’s weird to suggest that you put your data, that very valuable data you’re paying someone to manipulate, alter, massage or otherwise sex up ahead of the creative ideas…
But I dare you, I double-dog dare you to go into the next meeting with a creative firm and, after the pleasantries and the pitch, ask them this: “If there was fire or hard disk crash in your office, would you be able to get the data back that I’m thinking about paying you to create? If so, how quickly?”
If they can’t answer the question in two sentences, preferably something like, “Well, we move your data offsite nightly, so we might lose a day’s worth of work for you, but we’d be able to get everything we’d worked on up until 6:00pm last night back within 24 hours,” you might ask them when the last time they did a test restore of one of their backups was. By this time, you might notice moisture on their upper lips. If you see that tell-tale glisten, I recommend building another couple of weeks into your project plan to allow them to rebuild your data (and the data of the their other customers with pending projects) from scratch, just in case.
Seriously. Back. It. Up. Dammit.
[post_title] => Backup isn't sexy (a short screed).
[post_category] => 0
[post_excerpt] =>
[post_status] => publish
[comment_status] => open
[ping_status] => open
[post_password] =>
[post_name] => backup-isnt-sexy-a-short-screed
[to_ping] =>
[pinged] =>
[post_modified] => 2007-10-21 10:33:17
[post_modified_gmt] => 2007-10-21 18:33:17
[post_content_filtered] =>
[post_parent] => 0
[guid] => http://industrialbrand.com/blog/backup-isnt-sexy-a-short-screed
[menu_order] => 0
[post_type] => post
[post_mime_type] =>
[comment_count] => 1
[filter] => raw
)
-->
I work in a world of data. Most of what I do directly involves the manipulation of data or the transfer of data from A to B. Most of what my clients do is manipulate or transfer data from A to B. Indeed, most of my clients are paid by their [...]
Posted by: Andrew Ball on Sunday, October 21st, 2007
Categories: Technology | 1 Comment »
While I know a few people that have been know to say, “My name is blah, blah, Google me.” This new product may be just a little excessive. It’s called the Vanity Ring, a ring with a small display that—when plugged in to [...]
Posted by: todd smith on Sunday, October 14th, 2007
Categories: Pop Culture, Technology | No Comments »
![]()
Content Management Systems are great. They’ve become more flexible and easier to implement, allowing companies big and small to have the ability to manage the content on their websites without breaking the bank. There’s a proble [...]
Posted by: Haig Armen on Thursday, October 11th, 2007
Categories: Interactive, Technology | No Comments »
Three Strikes, You're out:
One: If you had gone to the trouble of making your own ringtones for your iPhone using clips of songs from your library then you will find they are all gone the next time you sync with the latest iTunes. Apple now sells ringtones to its US customers for $0.99 and it would rather you paid up than made them yourself.
Two: It seems that the new generation of iPods will not output video through cables or docks that aren't Apple authorised and have a specific "authentication" chip. Apple charges a hefty cut for joining its approved suppliers programme, and this is a way to ensure that vendors sign up.
Three: iTunes keeps your songs organised using a database, and over the years a number of free and open source music players have been developed that can read and write this database format. Any Linux user who wants to use an iPod needs a non-Apple library manager. Programmes like gtkpod, Rhythmbox and Banshee are easy to use and don't try to sell you songs all the time, but now Apple has added a new feature to the iTunes database, a special number which is calculated from your list of files using a process only Apple knows. If the number is wrong, your library looks empty. And because the free players don't know the algorithm used, they can no longer be used with iTunes/iPod.
These three examples point to a larger strategy that Apple has adopted. It may be a strategy that Apple has had for a while as the iPod was never really that open a device. But now it's getting to the point where users will really start to feel the squeeze.
This got me thinking about the iPhone. I have to admit it, Apple has done a great job of making the iPhone one alluring gadget, here at our own studio most of us are lusting over the iPhone even if it's unusable as a phone in Canada. It's touch-screen interface is a pleasure to use and so intuitive.
I am an early adopter, the iPhone is made for people like me. Back in 2000 when Apple first launched its iPod, I was right there, then it was miles ahead of the pack.
Apple has been extremely slow to improve upon that first generation iPod. With nothing more than cosmetic changes to the original apart from the fundamental video capability. The iPhone has been a long time coming and it's a bit of a closed box when you look at it closely. With a price tag of $640 you'd expect it to have at least the same amount of features as some other smart phones.
Here are some of its deficits:
1. Can’t exchange contact information via bluetooth with other PDAs,
2. Can’t listen to music with bluetooth headphones,
3. Bluetooth can only be used to answer phonecalls (limited)
4. Web browser is not flash compatible
5. No zooming for the camera
6. No flash for the camera
7. No video camera
8. NOT compatible internationally like most other smart phones
Sure, there are hacks,
Hacktheiphone.com is full of tutorials and software but that's besides the point. It's clear that the iPhone is a first generation product. It didn't really dissuade me back in 2000 when I bought the iPod but I'm going to wait and see what direction Apple will take it.
[post_title] => Apple Locks Down
[post_category] => 0
[post_excerpt] =>
[post_status] => publish
[comment_status] => open
[ping_status] => open
[post_password] =>
[post_name] => apple-locks-its-music-down
[to_ping] =>
[pinged] =>
[post_modified] => 2007-10-10 11:23:38
[post_modified_gmt] => 2007-10-10 19:23:38
[post_content_filtered] =>
[post_parent] => 0
[guid] => http://industrialbrand.com/blog/apple-locks-its-music-down
[menu_order] => 0
[post_type] => post
[post_mime_type] =>
[comment_count] => 2
[filter] => raw
)
-->
During the iDesign conference in London I heard Bill Thompson talk about design’s role in the world of technology and he mentioned the locking down of Apple’s newest portable products. I did some reading and found quite a lot un [...]
Posted by: Haig Armen on Wednesday, October 10th, 2007
Categories: Articles, Music, Technology | 2 Comments »
![]()
It’s no surprise that we’re big fans of open source software here at Industrial Brand. After all, we use software like WordPress and Drupal a lot. I have also been a strong believer in ActiveCollab, an open source project manage [...]
Posted by: Haig Armen on Saturday, October 6th, 2007
Categories: Technology | 5 Comments »
What I love most about Photoshop on the iPhone is the functionality. Adobe has really thought of everything. Designers, prepare to throw your laptops and towers away. The iPhone is really all you need.
Posted by: Kevin Broome on Monday, September 17th, 2007
Categories: Design, Pop Culture, Technology | No Comments »
Not sure how I came to find this site really (I think I was googling something entirely unrelated and it caught my eye). Anyway, Retro Thing is a terrific site dedicated to vintage gadgets, gizmos and books. Perusing though the entries is l [...]
Posted by: Ben Garfinkel on Friday, August 31st, 2007
Categories: Design, Technology | No Comments »
You’ve probably secretly fantasized about having Wikipedia on your iPod, right? Just imagine, a friend asks you a perplexing question and with a flick of a thumbwheel you’ve got an answer. Well, wait no longer. You can now take [...]
Posted by: Haig Armen on Sunday, August 19th, 2007
Categories: Learning, Pop Culture, Technology | No Comments »
The
keyboard is pretty sexy too, measuring only 0.33 inches thick! Again though, my only concern is what it's like to type on those keys. Anyone with a newer MacBook will probably say you get used to it, and it's probably much quieter than its predecessor.
Overall though, it's an attractive, powerful machine, and the prices are reasonable. I'll have to start saving my pennies to replace my 17' Gen 5 PowerPC iMac! I measured, the 24" will fit on my desk with just 1 inch to spare before it hits the shelves overhead. Giddy up!
[post_title] => Sexy New Hardware
[post_category] => 0
[post_excerpt] =>
[post_status] => publish
[comment_status] => open
[ping_status] => open
[post_password] =>
[post_name] => sexy-new-hardware
[to_ping] =>
[pinged] =>
[post_modified] => 2007-08-07 14:06:04
[post_modified_gmt] => 2007-08-07 22:06:04
[post_content_filtered] =>
[post_parent] => 0
[guid] => http://industrialbrand.com/blog/sexy-new-hardware
[menu_order] => 0
[post_type] => post
[post_mime_type] =>
[comment_count] => 0
[filter] => raw
)
-->
Apple announced the new iMacs today. Pretty sleek, although I’ll miss the white. My only gripe is that black frame around the screen. Why not make the entire face of it black, in all its fingerprint-prone glory? I think the brushed al [...]
Posted by: Leigh Peterson on Tuesday, August 7th, 2007
Categories: News, Technology | No Comments »
It's not a technical Bible filled with techno-babble at all. On the contrary,
Getting Real is more of a Coles Notes guide filled with common sense rules for building smarter, faster and better ways to build successful web applications. A fast read with good insights into how 37signals developed their products and advice how that can be applied to your own methodology—whether you're a programmer, designer, project manager, entrepreneur, marketer or even just someone with a really great idea.
The book is written by the brilliant crew at 37signals, who know a thing or two about developing, launching and supporting web applictions, having created the popular
Basecamp project management app,
Campfire group chat,
Highrise CRM,
Backpack info organizer,
Writeboard collaborative writing tool,
Ta-Da Lists,
Ruby on Rails web application framework and
Signal vs. Noise blog. Originally a design firm in Chicago, 37signals now maintain their own products and don't take on any design clients—they are their own client! How great is that?
This isn't a textbook, it's more like a manifesto-style expression of the philosophies behind 37signals' team and workflow. It's written in layperson language that non-coders can understand and is filled with strong opinions. At times I found myself mildly shocked—even mildly offended—by the almost flippant tone toward process and protocols, but for the most part I was releived someone I respected was finally said these things publicly. This book is the antithesis of behemoth reads, such as Bill Moggridge's
Designing Interactions (also an excellent read for web designers), but no less important.
Getting Real challenges paradigms, blew apart old preconceptions and was quite fun to read, leading me to often think about my own design firm, inspired to apply the philosophies to our web development processes.
Read it. You won't be disappointed.
[kudos to my buddy Tyler for the heads up on this great resource]
[post_title] => Getting Real: 37signals on Web App Development
[post_category] => 0
[post_excerpt] =>
[post_status] => publish
[comment_status] => open
[ping_status] => open
[post_password] =>
[post_name] => getting-real-37signals
[to_ping] =>
[pinged] =>
[post_modified] => 2007-07-19 12:59:38
[post_modified_gmt] => 2007-07-19 20:59:38
[post_content_filtered] =>
[post_parent] => 0
[guid] => http://industrialbrand.com/blog/getting-real-37signals
[menu_order] => 0
[post_type] => post
[post_mime_type] =>
[comment_count] => 1
[filter] => raw
)
-->
I’ve always appreciated defined methodologies and well documented processes with steps, procedures and documentation. It’s long been an accepted approach to developing design or technology solutions. And nowhere has this been mo [...]
Posted by: Mark Busse on Thursday, July 19th, 2007
Categories: Learning, Reading, Technology, Tips | 1 Comment »
Flickr has become a pretty useful tool for me to post my photos to, but I don’t really consider how others might use my images (hence the reason why I don’t have any nudes up there!). Props to our friend Derrick for bringing thi [...]
Posted by: Ben Garfinkel on Monday, June 18th, 2007
Categories: Photography, Technology | 1 Comment »
I’ll gladly admit that I’m no coder, but Coda is a cool application. Text editor + Transmit + CSS editor + Terminal + Books + More all in one window.
Posted by: Mark Busse on Tuesday, June 5th, 2007
Categories: Design, Technology, Tips, We love, Websites | 1 Comment »
We often implement content management systems (CMS) for our web clients and the topic of Drupal versus WordPress is commonly debated. Linux.com’s Bruce Byfield recently compared the two open source platforms, comparing their interface [...]
Posted by: Mark Busse on Wednesday, May 16th, 2007
Categories: Learning, Technology, Tips, Websites | 1 Comment »
I don’t want to meet the person that would want to use this real mouse.
Posted by: Leigh Peterson on Friday, April 27th, 2007
Categories: Fun, Technology | 2 Comments »
The title of this posting sounds like some twisted thing Ben would say. Let me explain, what I mean is, it is getting really easy for a web developer to sprinkle a little magic on their websites with some help from the open source AJAX libr [...]
Posted by: Haig Armen on Thursday, March 15th, 2007
Categories: Typography | 1 Comment »
