Disqus - Latest Comments for rickmahn

Re: 5 Misconceptions Bloggers Have About Themselves

rickmahn — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 01:35:37 -0000

Steven, thanks for the smile this evening. Much needed, and a reminder of what I started blogging for - no none of the above, it was for my own soapbox. But we tend to forget that when a person gets their first reader.
;)

Re: Blog Day 2008: 5 Blogs I Read and You Should Too

rickmahn — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 04:35:59 -0000

Shey, thanks for the link and recommendation! I'm flattered! :) Hope your weekend has been a god one, take care.
Rick

Re: Could there be another Star Wars?

rickmahn — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:19:05 -0000

dcr,
That's true, but in 1977 there had never been such a world-wide reaction to anything like Star Wars. Had the studios known the potential - it would've been much different IMO. You're right though - George is a pretty smart, shrewd, dude.

Re: Could there be another Star Wars?

rickmahn — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:31:01 -0000

Sure! The secret is that you'll never see it coming. Of course, you've probably already thought about that. All these things have one thing in common. They never were intended to be the unbelievable phenomenons that they have become.

Re: Getting cranky on Mashable

rickmahn — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 03:38:19 -0000

While I saw you mentioning something exciting earlier in the day, that link is how I found your first post! I do appreciate the link, and again wish you well. I'm sure this'll keep you a bit busy.

Re: Getting cranky on Mashable

rickmahn — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:59:13 -0000

Steven! Congratulations!
I'm thrilled to find you on Mashable, this is exciting news. Frederic is right, it was only a matter of time...

Cheers!

Re: The Browser is the New Operating System – NOT!

rickmahn — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 02:44:28 -0000

Steven, as an aging technologist I'm right there with you on this. Operating Systems have much more to manage than a few simple APIs. People like to criticize Microsoft, or praise Apple, or scoff at Linux, but the truth is that each of these pieces of software deals with many more API, memory, hardware, and device calls every second that a browser does all day - not to mention tending to all the event triggers that each subsystem is constantly posting to the kernel.

True, I didn't get a chance to play with the really big iron that was pre-PC, (and is still used to run all those fancy sites with their simple APIs), but the basic needs of a computer still remain. Memory, storage, input/output all need to be managed by a central system and it ain't a browser brother - no matter how spiffy Firefox 3 is. ;)

Re: A note to grammar and spelling police – KMA!

rickmahn — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 19:20:36 -0000

Steven, people like Christopher G have an unhealthy fixation on perfection. Your style of saying what you mean, and meaning what you say is part of the backbone of why we keep coming back. Honest opinions & perspectives, freely given is what really drives good writing.

Cheers,
Rick

Re: Models and Masterminds - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

rickmahn — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 23:34:00 -0000

Todd, this is a great overview of the groups Liz is putting together. I can't help but be impressed that the group we built on our own so closely compares to what many business people need. Great writeup!

Rick

Re: Hope is what we have, Hillary (Scripting News)

rickmahn — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:42:28 -0000

Steve, as you are probably aware, that happens to nearly every politician. What we originally saw in a candidate is morphed by their experiences in the real politik of Washington. There are a unique few who don't and those are the ones we remember through history.

Re: Hope is what we have, Hillary (Scripting News)

rickmahn — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:39:38 -0000

Ironically, I thought it all started in a little town called Hope. Bill Clinton anyway. At least I remember a short documentary on 60 minutes, or 20/20 about 15 years ago or so...

Re: Life Before Twitter…

rickmahn — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:37:38 -0000

Not using Twitter or FriendFeed for a day will be easy - but to really reap the rewards you're identified will require more than a day. There are a lot of Twitter users that are in the same predicament as you describe, and I think a dilligent change in how we use Twitter/FriendFeed is the key.

The client software is one key to the addiction to these services - they check for us! They bring the content back to us! All we have to do when the notification bell dings is change over and review the updates. Going back to the web-based interface and scheduling time to Twitter/FriendFeed just like scheduling time to process email will be critical to managing the addiction.

Someone should develop a "twelve step" program... ;)

Regards,
Rick

Re: Considerations in moving to web mail

rickmahn — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 22:35:49 -0000

I'll second @engtech above, having the ability to move my email domain to another host is huge for me. That it happens to reside on GMail's servers at the moment is incidental. My families email addresses won't change because I change the server it's hosted on - email for life! ;)

Cheers,
Rick

Re: Considerations in moving to web mail

rickmahn — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 22:33:34 -0000

Steven, I've been sampling the Kool-Aid for about a year and have begun using more of the Google Apps as Benjamin describes above. The integration is great, but obviously can't replace Office apps, though I have given up Outlook for email. I need Office for client work, but use GApps for some things. If it were down to just online apps, I'd go to Zoho though. At any rate, it's nice not to have to sync my email with anything - IMAP was getting to darn slow with Outlook and GMail. My only issue left at this point is syncing my contact list with my Windows Mobile phone... It's my one use of Outlook at this point.

Re: Dave - you are a pompous ass

rickmahn — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 22:13:07 -0000

Steven, I love the title of this post. Not much more needs to be said about Dave Winer. He is an intelligent person, usually with creative ideas, but when he starts spouting opinions, his approach is horrid, sometimes changing into outright hostility towards whoever has earned his wrath that day.

Re: In a perfect Microsoft world - Windows 7

rickmahn — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 01:09:11 -0000

Absolutely! That changes things dramatically - even though it would invite incompatability issues, but that could be addressed in the API easily enough. It sure would give Linux and OSX a challenge on the UI front more than Vista already did (and it did - just not as much as was hyped).

Ah, Win 3.1/3.11... thems was the good old days. Back then, I was working for an architect firm in Minneapolis and we were rolling out dozens of Gateway 486 DX2's! They had to dual boot a QEMM386 memory configuration for either AutoCAD 8 or Windows 3.1 depending on what they needed to do. We "imaged" the machines by simply doing a "copy *.*" from a network share and SYSing the C: drive. Oh, and not to forget having to compile the NIC drivers for each network controller for NetWare 2.15 MS-DOS client either! Thanks for that reminder of days gone by!

Cheers!
Rick

Re: In a perfect Microsoft world - Windows 7

rickmahn — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 00:40:31 -0000

Steven, I happen to think you're spot-on in your analysis. As you may have guessed, I too have been using MS OS products since the grand old MS-DOS days (v3.3 here) and see a Windows 7 release schedule almost exactly as you describe.

Some items I'd add to your analysis - both Windows CE and Windows XP Embedded are module-based operating systems that most people don't realize, mostly because they drive ATMs and Pocket PCs rather than laptops. I'd also suggest that Windows NT 4 was a successful version of windows as I know of several clients that ran NT4 until Windows 2003 Server shipped and upgraded directly from NT4 to XP/W2K3.

Your suggestion that Office become optional modules to the operating system is a fantastic idea, one that should be analyzed thoroughly by Microsoft.

Regards,
Rick

Re: And the Twitter spam whine begins

rickmahn — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:02:34 -0000

See the problem is really that people are not willing to use the greatest spam-filter/fighter ever developed: the human mind. As you point out, mindlessly clicking "follow" on each and every "friend" that follows a person demonstrates that the problem lies with the user and not the service.

Guess I don't see a problem... either that or I'm smarter than the average bread crumb (which I doubt).

Re: Who’s the stupid one here

rickmahn — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:24:50 -0000

One wonders...

Re: Kicking sand to get page views

rickmahn — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:48:34 -0000

Hi Steven! Not sure I added anything worthwhile, but I had to get that rant out of my system. Thanks for pointing to it, I always enjoy stopping by!

Re: Times are a changin’

rickmahn — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 16:53:26 -0000

Well, I can associate with that! Until May of last year, I was using the laptop my job provided, swapping HDD's when I was done doing "real work". I still have a desktop at home, though I don't use it at all. When I left that "real job" last year I had to pick up a laptop, and it's going to have to last for quite awhile longer too. ;)

Re: Times are a changin’

rickmahn — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 00:03:58 -0000

Hi Steven!
I highly recommend going the laptop route as soon as you get the chance. After a few years now as a laptop-only user, I can't imagine using anything else. Good luck on finding the unit that meets your needs - there are many out there.

Re: The most useful FriendFeed feature not being used by its users

rickmahn — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:25:15 -0000

Corvida, you have a couple good ideas - I'd suggest them directly to FF. Here is a link to their Contact page: http://friendfeed.com/about/contact

Cheers!

Re: Arrington - The Rupert Murdock of the blogosphere

rickmahn — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:10:38 -0000

I'll have to admit to missing much of the discussion on this topic, but know that Arrington is indeed off on some sort of media empire-building campaign. It won't matter how big he gets, the reality of the internet and it's democratizing effects do indeed level the playing field.

Sure, there are going to be big dogs and they'll surely show themselves to be asses if they indeed are - you can only hide that for so long.

Time and again, I've found people with information, perspectives, or ideas that are important to my interests and beliefs. I've also found opposing ideals that make me think and learn. No matter what Arrington believes he can achieve, I too am searching for those less known bloggers who have those 20 years of experiences to share and comment upon.

I'm constantly impressed with the quality of conversation, the well thought out points of view that permeate these blogs, and provide great commentary, and discussions that biggers blogs like TechCrunch only pay service to in the Internet-equivalent of a 6-second sound bite.

Cheers Steven, they're more out there like you than can begin to imagine.

Regards,
Rick Mahn

Re: From the Pipeline - 3.19.08

rickmahn — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:25:24 -0000

Steven, I strongly agree with your position on a "blogging union". What a great way to stifle the individuality and continual evolution of bloggers than to unionize.

If bloggers are so interested in making money off a blog, then they need to learn a lot more than spouting their opinions. The opinions may drive traffic, but without a plan, even a "blogging union" isn't going to build revenue to pay for itself.

Cheers,
Rick