Koozie Notes

How NOT to Run IT as a Business

I really enjoyed Bob Lewis's article from InfoWorld titled, "Run IT as a business -- why that's a train wreck waiting to happen."  Some of my favorites quotes include:

1. Fawaz also sees the damage that comes from limiting IT's role to delivering software to internal
   customers. "I've spent so much time arbitrating between 'business,' which won't put anything in
   writing as a requirement, and my IT team, which have been slammed so often for not delivering
   'exactly what is needed' that they insist on receiving complete requirements before they make a
   move."
2. "Relationships matter. A lot. I've seen it a lot in my daily work. When people have built a good relationship there is trust and it's easy to get things done. And it's very difficult to get things done when there is not a relationship built, with the lack of trust that causes."
3. Nobody in IT should ever say, "You're my customer and my job is to make sure you're satisfied," or ask, "What do you want me to do?"  Instead, they should say, "My job is to help you and the company succeed," followed by "Show me how you do things now," and "Let's figure out a better way of getting this done."
4. Instead of asking what the software should do, they start by asking how their business
   counterparts run their operations now, what are their biggest problems, and how they want to
   run things differently and better in the future.  IT's job is to recommend better ways to operate, using technical capabilities business managers might not even know are possible.
5. These enlightened companies don't have IT projects -- they have business change projects that aren't done until the planned business change has been accomplished, and users are trained, not in how to operate software, but in how to do their redesigned jobs using the new software.

--Chris

Let Me Google That For You: URL Builder

Ever google something for someone because it was easier to do it yourself.  No longer. 

Now you can use LetMeGoogleThatForYou, which should build a URL showing a user how to use Google. :-)

Question: Where can I download Ubuntu?
 

Answer: http://lmgtfy.com/?q=ubuntu+download

--Chris

IRS Updates Pub 1220: Procedures for Filing 1099 Electronically

IRS has published an updated version of IRS Publication 1220, which covers electronic filing of 1099s for tax year 2008. [IRS PDF Download site]  As result of the new rules for 2008, the IRS will no longer accept magnetic media, which makes Form 4804, Transmittal of Information Returns Reported Magnetically, obsolete.

If you are new to filing information returns, wikipedia has a some good information on 1099 filing.

--Chris

How to Remove Antivirus XP 2008

Today, I helped an office user remove Antivirus XP 2008 from their computer, which is no easy task.  According to a CA, they this stuff as rogue security software.

Security software that uses deceptive means for installation and purpose. Once installed, the rogue software usually uses scare tactics to inform the user that spyware or malware is installed on their system. The rogue security software then claims to offer remediation in exchange of payment. These applications can come bundled with other malware that serve other purposes. This software usually comes in the form of Anti-spyware, or Anti-virus applications.

Yahoo answers provided a few different methods for removing Antivirus XP 2008 from your computer. 

My favorite, which is also a manual process, is listed below.

1. First you need to stop the program from loading on startup.  Navigate to your Start Buton --> Run
2. Enter "msconfig" without the quotes and hit enter.
3. Select the "Startup" tab
4. Uncheck "lphc25dj0e1an" and Uncheck "rhc75dj0e1an"
5. Note where the files are located, because you will need to delete them in future steps
6. Click Apply and OK
7. Restart your computer
8. Delete the two(2) files from step #4.  You remember to write down the file locations, right?
9. Next, we need to fix the background wall paper, that probably still has a message on it.
10. Navigate to your Start Buton --> Run
11. Enter "Gpedit.msc" without the quotes and hit enter.
12. Navigate to User configuration--> Administrative Templates--> Control Panel--> Display
13. Right click on Remove Display in Control Panel and select Properties
14. Select Disable.
15. Repeat steps 13 and 14 for:
    Hide Desktop Tab
    Prevent changing wallpaper
    Hide Apperance and Themes tab
    Hide Settings tab
    Hide Screen Saver tab
16. You should now be able to update your desktop background. (Right click-->properties) on your desktop.

--Chris

Former Googlers Start Cuil: Internet Search

As reported by Fox News, former Google employees have started their own Internet search company, named CUIL. 

Anna Patterson's last Internet search engine was so impressive that industry leader Google Inc. bought the technology in 2004 to upgrade its own system. She believes her latest invention is even more valuable — only this time it's not for sale. Patterson instead intends to upstage Google, which she quit in 2006 to develop a more comprehensive and efficient way to scour the Internet. The end result is Cuil, pronounced "cool." Backed by $33 million in venture capital, the search engine plans to begin processing requests for the first time Monday.

Looks like the site is up for now.  Digg link

--Chris

Update - Now it is down.

No results because of high load...

Due to excessive load, our servers didn't return results. Please try your search again.

Update: more responsive today (29 JUL 2008)

"Last Lecture" Professor Dies

It is being reported by CBS, via Slashdot, that Randy Pausch had died. 

Randy Pausch, the charismatic young college professor who chronicled his battle with pancreatic cancer in a remarkable speech widely-known as the "Last Lecture," has died.  He was 47.

I first heard about this computer science professor when someone sent me to a link to watch his "Last Lecture," which was videotaped at a Carnegie Mellon lecture hall .  Mr. Pausch follow up his lecture with a book titled, "'The Last Lecture."

--Chris

10 Linux Admin Tricks

As reported on Digg, IBM has some documentation titled, "Lazy Linux: 10 Essential Tricks for Admins" which covers some good material and commands.

1. fuser:  to locate user/process using a CDROM drive you would like to dismount. i.e. umount: /media/cdrom: device is busy
2. reset: to reclaim your hosed console screen
3. screen: VNC like
4. single user mode to reset root's password
5. ssh backdoor
6. Tunnel VNC through ssh
7. iperf: to check your bandwith
8. scripting commands
9. Using vcs devices
10. proc/cpuinfo, dmidecode, and ethtool

--Chris

SysAdmin Day

Today is SysAdmin Day.  What, you do not know about SysAdmin Day?

SysAdmin Day is celebrated once a year on the last Friday for July.  There is even a web site which advocates this celebration and provides some nifty gift ideas for them.

So go find your sysadmin and let them know how much you appreciate them with a great big hug. :-) 

-Chris

Note:  Also take a look at Sysadmin of the Year.

Perl Survey 2007

If you are a perl programmer, the perl community would appreciate if you could spare five (5) minutes to complete the 2007 perl survey.

Take part in the 2007 Perl Survey!

The Perl Survey is an attempt to capture a picture of the Perl community in all its diversity. No matter what sort of Perl programmer you are, we'd love to hear from you.

Be sure to read the privacy policy and complete the survey before September 30, 2007.

-Chris

Custom Printer Forms: How to print to non-standard sizes

Am I the only one who feels that Microsoft keeps changing how to setup custom paper sizes for printing with each new version of Windows? 

Today, I needed to configure an XP machine so that it could print correctly to an impact printer loaded with 8.5" X 7" tractor feed paper.  Lucky for me I finally located a solution.

1. In Windows XP, start the printer control applet.  (Start -> Printers and Faxes)
2. Select the Menu Bar labeled "Printer Tasks". (also you may need Administrator rights)
3. From the File menu select "Server Properties" (Print server properties)
4. Select the "Forms" tab
5. Check the box labeled "Create a New Form" and enter the page sizes you need.
6. Type in a form name in the "Form Name:" box.
7. Click on the "Save Form" Button.

-Chris