June 3, 2008 at 9:15 am with 0 comments
Got an email from a friend of mine recently with a link to a Fadtastic article. I try not to be a link whore in blog entries (I let my del.icio.us feed do that for me), but this one had some great information worthy of a quick noteworthy post. So, without further adieu, take a moment and read.
June 3, 2008 at 9:09 am with 0 comments
Recently I received an RFP for a CMS project. Now, my agency is pretty well versed in CMS gigs -- everything from tyrannosaurus-sized custom systems to making quick work with WordPress and a handful of plug-ins -- we've done it.
However, as with a handful of other RFP's I've had in the past, this one had a bullet point stating "Change to PHP scripting language (currently ASP)", and it got me thinking: When did we developers begin letting clients dictate what programming language to use on a project? Aren't we solution providers? Shouldn't we choose the best option for our clients? An uneducated client stating the technology to use on a project is like me telling a mechanic working on my car that he should be using Matco wrenches, not Snap-On -- a bit ridiculous, no?
Don't get it twisted, this isn't a quarrel I have due to lack of means; PHP, ASP, .NET, Python, whatever it is -- my team and I are ready, willing, and experienced. This is about purpose and principal. Never do I feel that a client should tell the expert they've hired what tools must be used to solve the problem. Not only could this hinder the project timeline, development efficiency and budget, but it also puts a level of discredit on the developer/agency in how they may effectively be able to provide their expertise to the project.
June 2, 2008 at 8:40 pm with 5 comments
Since upgrading to Leopard, I've had wifi dropout issues every few minutes, 24-hours a day, day after day, consistently. Until now, the only fix I've found that worked has been to click the AirPort icon in the OS X menu bar and wait a few seconds; so you can imagine how irritating it has been to click that icon about a zillion times a day to regain wireless connectivity...
I thought at first that the problem was with the Linksys WRT54GS router (this is my third Linksys router in about two years, so this wasn't an unfounded idea). So, instead of logically eliminating potential causes (ie: other Windows, Linux and OS X Tiger machines weren't having issues), I ran down to Circuit City and dropped around $190.00 on the Apple AirPort Extreme (always wanted one anyway). Unbox > plug-in > configure > experiment -- issue still persists. So, what do I do? Begin eliminating other potential causes, right? Noooooo... Unplug > re-box > drive to Circuit City > exchange for $220 Linksys WRT350N > drive back > unbox > plug-in > configure > experiment. Of coarse, the issue still persists. So, what do I do? Begin eliminating other potential causes, right? Hahaha, no. You see, at that point I became that idiot who reads forum posts from around the globe and believes every word; it has to be a compatibility issue with the router. Unplug > re-box > drive to Circuit City > exchange for $190 Buffalo WZR2-G300N > drive back > unbox > plug-in > configure > experiment. To no surprise, the issue still persists.
A note to those who have had (or are having) the same issue: Don't be an idiot like me. Troubleshoot the issue properly before jumping the gun and unnecessarily spending hundreds of dollars.
