This thing has run it's course and I'm launching a new blog: http://www.bobsradar.com. It's hosted and runs on Wordpress. I've arrived!
See you there.
-Bob
12:02 PM
| Comments [13] | #Fun
Page : 1/3
Wednesday, 11 Oct 2006
Tuesday, 10 Oct 2006
Today's Micro Persuasion post reminded me that I need to get IE 7 on my radar screen, like now!
I'd heard-tell that IE 7 had a built in RSS reader, and it does, and it's really cool, and the fact that 80%+ internet users use IE and therefore will someday soon be using IE 7 means that the RSS tipping point is upon us.
I've been a bit of an anti-MS snob over the years, but I have to say that IE 7 is beautiful and the RSS integration is remarkable. I'm working hard to make sure that the Goucher site is heavily seeded with feeds so that 7 won't starve.
Trouble is, you can't easily run IE 6 and 7 at the same time. The IE 7 install REPLACES any previous IE instance. This is a problem for me for a lot of reasons. 1) my CMS client requires IE 6. It doesn't work with 7. Major drag. 2) Got to keep testing my work in IE 6 since, for a while, it will continue to be the browser of choice for most of the world.
So, while some developers are continuing to use IE 6 as their main install, I've elected to go ahead and upgrade to 7 and run 6 as a standalone. I found a standalone distribution of IE 6 here: http://browsers.evolt.org/?ie/32bit/standalone.
Seems to work. You're on your own on this one. No guarantees.
Sunday, 1 Oct 2006
There's a lot going on in Charm City on any given weekend. Baltimoreans seem to be a highly motivated people when it comes frivolous diversions. This weekend was no exception as there were two excellent events. The Legacy Chase took place at Shawan Downs up in Hunt Valley. I had several invites to attend this high-society affair but my seersucker suit was at the cleaners, so instead I opted to attend the Arcadia VFP Demolition Derby. A steeplechase of a different kind, this event featured 5 hours of no-holds-barred short track derby style racing. The action was firey and bonejarring. My inner redneck couldn't get enough!
What made this event even more interesting (the real reason I attended) was that my pals Jeff & Kevin entered a car. Like the Velux5Oceans race, just getting to the start line is a moral victory. Surving to the finish is a bonus. Here's some pics that will tell the story better than I can...
10:02 AM
| Comments [686] | #Fun
Friday, 29 Sep 2006
That's a hilarious pun in the subject line, isn't it! Gawd!
That's right, Google launched a completely overhauled Google Reader yesterday. I discovered it when I logged in yesterday and I must admit I was a little freaked out by it. The soup is no longer in aisle 2! I'd become so adept with v. 1! I find that with Google's stuff, the old adage about familiarity isn't true. "...Breeds high productivity and seamless user experience" is more like it.
Today I find myself clutzing through the new Reader interface but it's a familiar process. Google launches a new app and the app itself redefines the way I compute. It happend to me with Gmail, Google Desktop, Picasa, and again now, with the Reader. The learning curve will last about a week and then I'll be using keyboard shortcuts with my eyes closed, or something like that.
Might as well get used to the Reader because this really is the way I/we are going to be using the web, starting NOW! Google's marketing speak behind this product --"your inbox for the web"-- and the Reader's new interface and bell's and whistles (tags, share, etc) are evidence that they really get IT. Of course they do, they're Google!
9:27 AM
| Comments [646] | #Google
Wednesday, 27 Sep 2006
It seems that Google offers a FREE (per usual) web analysis application called Google Analytics. It involves putting a little piece of JavaScript on any page that you want to track, which I did for every single page on my site in 12 seconds because I'm THAT COOL (benefit of CMS).
From the looks of the screenshots, this thing is too good to be true. It maps entry points, does geo-tracking, analyzes search engine optimization (not just Google). Lot's of bells and whistles.
Now, don't make me sorry I told you about this. When your boss asks how you found out about it, tell 'em Bob told ya 
http://www.google.com/analytics/
Monday, 25 Sep 2006
 | I'm going to the 2007 Masters -- thanks to the tremendous generosity of a colleague of mine who has offered me his tickets. I'm blogging the experience at http://goingtothemasters.blogspot.com/. |
4:22 PM
| Comments [660] | #Fun
Thursday, 21 Sep 2006
Here's a really cute explanation of RSS (targeted at the Oprah demographic) from Steve Rubel’s Micro Persuasion , which I'm now subscribed to.
11:07 AM
| Comments [543] | #RSS
Tuesday, 19 Sep 2006
-----Original Message-----
From: I.T. Xpress Inc. [mailto:Server@itxpressinc.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2006 3:46 PM
To: McPeak, Robert
Subject: Re: Take me off of your damn list.
opt-out completed.
thank you for your consideration.
----- Original Message -----
From: "McPeak, Robert"
To: "ITXpress Inc."
Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2006 3:33 PM
Subject: Take me off of your damn list.
Take me off of your damn list.
-----Original Message-----
From: ITXpress Inc. [mailto:server@itxpressinc.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2006 1:19 PM
To: McPeak, Robert
Subject: HP Modular Smart Array 500
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While I'm thinking of it, here's a few thoughts about CMS Implementation that I've been meaning to write down someplace. This blog is probably as good a place as any.
Background: In February at Goucher we rolled-out a big-bang site redesign and CMS implantation. In one fell-swoop we launched a soup-to-nuts site redesign and content management system.
CMS Vendor: Our CMS vendor is Ingeniux CMS. This small Seattle CMS shop offers an XML content management system vertically located in the higher ed, news agency, and financial services marketplace. It is a very versatile system that XML to maximize content reuse. What does this really mean? It means that with Ingeniux it is very easy create content and use in in multiple places on multiple websites. It turns out that Goucher is under utilizing this aspect of the system. We have more of a "page editing" workflow, where most of our content exists in a single place on our single website. The content reuse model would work for ideally in a newsroom setting where content authors simply create news stories, enter them into the system, and then down the pipeline and editor places those stories in multiple locations on various websites.
Anyway, it turns out that Ingeniux has a great authoring UI, a very customizable user permissions and workflow system, and it's a great tool to let a short-staffed webmaster leverage his time and development efforts to maximum effect. All in all, Ingeniux is turning out to be a very good CMS match for Goucher College.
Scope: CMS vendors are notorious for promising a whole lot in the sales process. Sometimes in the product eval phase of the project it seemed like every CMS could do everything, and to some extent this is true. Mature CMS applications are more like content development frameworks than they are closed start-to-finish systems, and thus, with enough "implementation services" otherwise known as late-night hair-pulling coding sessions, a good CMS CAN DO ANYTHING. This is where things can get ugly. At Goucher, our implantation scope was much too big. We should have limited the initial scope to a few top-level pages on our site. In hindsight, I wish that Ingeniux would have offered me a little more guidance in this regard. They were eager to please their client, and thus, said "yes, we can do it" far too easily.
10 CMS Implementation Dos and Don'ts for When I do it Next Time:
1) Limit expectations and scope. Start small. Do it right. Sprawl later.
2) Conduct an extensive pilot project with the application, focusing on end user experience. Use a vendor hosted instance of the application for the pilot.
3) Make sure your IA can be supported by the CMS. I made far too many assumptions along these lines. My IA is filled with one-offs and anomalies. My CMS really wants very structured, rigid architecture.
4) Take the amount of time you think it will take to implement your site and MULTIPLY IT BY A FACTOR OF SIX. Everything takes much longer than you think it will when it comes to CMS implementations.
5) Test your hardware/environmental configuration. Ask your vendor to do load testing scenarios on your implementation. Check for memory usage issues, especially if running IIS.
6)Save money by conducting user training yourself. We've done all user training ourselves with training materials that we developed ourselves based on our experience with our implementation. This has worked out well.
7) Try to work face-to-face with your CMS vendor. My experience is that any hour I was face-to-face the vendor was at least 100% more productive than working remotely. I traveled to Seattle twice to work with Ingeniux on our implantation (this was cheaper than flying them here). These sessions were priceless.
8) Be available, especially if working with a small firm. My availability on weekends and evenings kept this project rolling and relatively close to schedule.
9) Be really, really, nice and patient. You need your vendor. Be firm but be patient, understand that they have lots of clients.
10) Get up to speed on the api and do as much build-out yourself as possible. This will keep things moving and will let the vendor focus on the more complex issues of your implementation.
Friday, 15 Sep 2006
I've created a MySpace site for the college. What should I do with it?
http://www.myspace.com/gouchercollege