Archive for the 'Fun' Category

My Digital Life…Unblended

Published on June 2, 2010 in Fun and Information. Closed

Have you ever seen the “Will it Blend?” commercials on YouTube that are created by BlendTec?  I find these commercials quite amusing.  Unfortunately these commercials are not so amusing when your digital life feels like the making of one.

Imaging a giant BlendTec blender… Throw in “my digital life”… Which consists of four desktop computers, five network laser printers, a laptop, a tablet PC, a NAS (Network Attached Storage), an iPhone (or BlackBerry depending on the day), and almost enough network gear to power NASA. To equate the number of files I have stored.. drizzle about six filing cabinets full of paper over the top like you would chocolate sauce.. Will it Blend?

I have found that, in fact, all this stuff will blend perfectly and make your digital life a living hell.

It surprises me how much influence my digital life has on my actual life. We think of technology as a tool that we use on a daily basis that has no more impact than the toaster sitting on your counter in the kitchen.  Would life continue normally without a toaster? Would it continue normally without a cell phone?  For some people the answer to both of these questions would be yes.  For me, I could live without the toaster but definitely not without the cell phone.

Back to the blender full of stuff… The reason my stuff is in a blender is because I neglected my digital life for a while and eventually it started to fall apart.  As you can imagine my “snarl” (definition: a complicated or confused condition or matter) of technology can be difficult to maintain on a good day.

I have spent the last month trying to “unblend” my life.  (NOTE: First step is to turn off the blender!) I can officially say to you today that my “snarl” is no longer blended (much like Chuck Norris in this commercial).

It has been a complex process to get everything working properly. My VPN is once again communicating to all the computers on my network, all the laser printers are working and are accessible from anywhere (not sure why but it’s cool), my files are somewhat contained to two file servers, and my iPhone seems to fit in just fine as “the new kid on the block”.

From this I have compiled a list of tips to keep your digital life out of the blender.

  1. Think of files as real paper. If you take it out, or create it, put it away when you’re done.  This may sound a little like your mom telling you to clean your room, but it will save lots of time. (NOTE: Your Desktop should be used for quick access for files for a short period of time, it should not be a dumping ground.
  2. Sync. Sync. Sync. There are some great tools out there to synchronize your files across computers, networks, or even to a USB flash drive.  SyncToy is one that I have like.
  3. Don’t neglect it or you’ll regret it! If part of your digital world becomes obsolete or stops working.. Fix it now to prevent problems later.  You’ll be surprised how interconnected technology is.
  4. Backup. Backup. Backup. It doesn’t have to be anything complex.  Even if you backup to a USB flash drive with the SyncToy software mentioned before. Do it!  Nothing will bug you more than losing files to a hard drive failure.
  5. Tidy up. Just like you would clean the garage or the closet, a couple times a year clean your digital world.  Archive old files, delete the files you don’t need, and sort some files into new folders.  It may also be time to get rid of things you saved but don’t know why (Bunny with Pancake)

For those of you that thought I fell off the face of the earth and have been looking for a post… I’m still alive!

On a company related note (since this is a company blog)… I am working on several new projects with summer launches.  Stay tuned.

Team Member Spotlight: Red Swingline Stapler

Published on April 2, 2010 in Fun. Closed

I have decided to expand my blogging to include some “team profiles”.  I would like to recognize all the team members at Future Web Design that make projects happen.  Who says team members have to be human?  You are definitely thinking what I’m thinking!  I will be profiling all sorts of office “characters” otherwise known as office equipment.  Most people would look at these as just objects that one can purchase at the local Staples outlet, I see them as productive members of my office community.

The very first team member that I will be profiling is my Red Swingline Stapler.  This guy really helps “keep things together” (pun intended!) around the office.  He joined the team at Christmas 2008 as a transfer from Initech (after an unfortunate fire), and has been with the team ever since.  Why a Red Swingline Stapler?  This is not just any ordinary stapler.  Made famous by the movie Office Space in 1999, Swingline released a limited edition stapler, indistinguishable from the one Milton had in the movie.

Here is a quote from Wikipedia

A Swingline product was featured in the 1999 cult-classic film Office Space. One employee, Milton, constantly mistreated by his boss, has his favorite stapler, a red Swingline, taken away. At the time, Swingline had not manufactured red staplers for years (a prop department employee, named Ric Trzeciak, painted one using red paint [1]according to the film’s commentary). In 2002 they released a limited edition series as a result of customer interest.

The Red Swingline Stapler has taken up permanent residence in my LaunchPad office at UPEI (somewhere between the phone and the computer monitor).  Although this may be a stapler, he has his preference in meals, his favorite snack… TPS Reports are hard to find but worth the hunt. Although he has been a loyal member of the “team” there have been some “incidents” in the past.  I am not able to go into detail but he has inherited a love for “setting the building on fire” which prompted me to hide the matches and take out an additional fire insurance policy.  For those of you who have not seen the movie Office Space I suggest you watch the video below for a better understanding.

I would like to personally thank the Red Swingline Stapler for the dedication over the past few years.

Check back often for the next Team Member Spotlight!

Nicholas