Hilary DeCesare, CEO of Everloop, talks about a "Facebook for kids"

Austin Firm Tired of Lack of Free Wi-Fi, Installs It

Discount Electronics plans 50 free Wi-Fi hotspots in Austin, with five live now, because it hasn't happened yet on its own. The firm's head, Rick Culleton, said in a statement, "If the city would let us, we'd put free WiFi in the airport and pick up the tab in full."
The hotspots, under the FreeAustinWiFi.com banner, will be in locally owned operations, such as restaurants and bars, and be branded with the company's information.
It's not like there's no free Wi-Fi in Austin, of course, and folks with long memories will recall the community wireless effort Austin Wireless City Project, which checks in with about 50 locations active in its hotspot list.

How to Accept a Job Offer Through Email

So, you just received a job offer from an employer, but the offer was sent to you through email. Now you're trying to figure out how to respond to the job offer. Well, accepting a job offer through email is becoming more common among companies today. In fact, in today's society, email is a preferred method of contact for some employers because it is a simple and effective communication tool. However, there are a few things that you should do before you accept a job offer through email.

1. 
   
   
   Step1
   Read the email from the employer. If you receive a job offer through email you should open the email as soon as you receive it and read it very carefully. The job offer should contain important information about the position, such as your title, salary, start date, work schedule and benefits. Be sure to read the entire email at least twice, so you can have a clear understanding of the job offer.
2. 
   
   
   Step2
   Write down questions about the job offer. After you read the job offer take a few minutes to jot down any questions you may want to ask the employer. For example, maybe you have questions about the health insurance or retirement benefits. Or perhaps you want to ask the employer if you can change your start date because you need to give your current employer a sufficient amount of time to replace you. Please keep in mind that If you do have questions about the job offer, you should go ahead and email or call the employer right away, so you can discuss your concerns with him. It is best to have your questions or concerns resolved before you actually accept the job offer.
3. 
   
   
   Step3
   Decide if you want to accept the job offer. Be sure to weigh out the pros and cons for the job before you make a decision. Do not spend too much time thinking about the job offer because you don't want the employer to offer the position to someone else. In most cases, you should be able to respond to a job offer through email within 2 or 3 days after you receive the offer.
4. 
   
   
   Step4
   Prepare an email to send to the employer. Once you have decided to accept the job offer, you should take time to write a professional and polite email to that employer informing him of your decision. Be sure to thank the employer for choosing you for the position and let her know that you look forward to working for that company. In addition, be sure to keep the email brief.
5. 
   
   
   Step5
   Send the employer your email. Make sure that you read over your email a couple of times before you send it to the employer. And be sure to send the email to the person who offered you the position (unless you were instructed to contact another person). Also, don't forget to address that specific person in your email (e.g. Dear Mr. John Doe).
   
   
   http://www.find-your-dream-career.com/your-job-offer.html

802.11 Quick Review

802.11 Quick Review

Posted using ShareThis

Six Questions to Determine if You're Ready to Analyze 10GbE Traffic

While the cost for 10GbE is coming down and adoption is rapidly rising, there remain challenges in analyzing 10GbE traffic, most notably because the industry has yet to achieve real-time analysis at 10GbE line rates. However, 10GbE analysis is available and does not have to be limiting in terms of results. Below are six questions that will help determine if your organization is fully optimized for analyzing 10GbE traffic.
1. Are you being specific enough?
It's important to know exactly what you want to capture and what information is going to be most beneficial for your analysis. Your requirements will likely vary between each network segment and odds are you are going to have to capture data at several locations. An excellent way to analyze 10GbE traffic, especially when utilization is high, is to use post-capture analysis and only save the data to a disk in real-time. Trying to capture and analyze simultaneously, in real-time, on highly utilized network segments puts much more strain on the system than if you just save data to a disk for post-capture analysis.
2. Do you REALLY know your network?
Knowing how you expect the network to be performing is all the more critical when trying to analyze highly utilized 10GbE segments. If you're already embroiled in a complex network analysis firefight it's too late to realize that your ability to assess "normal" conditions on the network may be lacking. To get a sense of "normal" conditions before trouble arises, you should perform and archive baseline measurements across specific network traffic like HTTP and key business applications over typical cycles - like an hour, a day, and a week, for the network as a whole. Other metrics to consider include understanding packets size distribution as well as protocol and node usage over time, uncovering cycles in these metrics, which provide a "fingerprint" of your utilization. That way you will always have a clear view of the network for comparison when trouble arises. Only after convincing yourself that the basic data is in place and being collected and analyzed should you embark on detailed analysis and drill-down of packet-level data.
3. Are you sticking to the essentials?
The temptation is to try to capture and analyze everything, especially when the source of the problem is not immediately known. But quite often certain conditions can be immediately ruled out, and using these clues to limit the collection and analysis to only what is necessary dramatically improves network analysis performance. You always have the option to customize analysis by turning off modules that are not important to the current exercise. Modules such as wireless network performance can be turned off, especially in 10GbE analysis, because odds are they are not relevant to the problem being investigated. The key is to customize your usage and take advantage of it.
4. Do you know your limits?
Even after analysis has been streamlined to only essential areas of the network, data capture for network analysis on 10GbE networks generates a great deal of data quickly, and managing the data becomes a significant challenge. Regardless of the system used, the data is typically stored for subsequent retrieval and post-capture analysis. The two most common formats are standard packet files and databases. In either case, two metrics to manage closely are file size and frequency of disk writes. Though intuition may lead you to think that the larger the file size the better, this is often not the case as very large files require very large memory footprints to open. If the files are too large they will be unworkable on the computer being used for analysis. Smaller files, however, typically lead to more frequent disk writes, and this can rob the system of precious resources for performing the actual packet capture. Optimum performance is achieved with a balance of these two demands, and this is different depending on the hardware resources available. One rule of thumb to keep in mind is that if files are being created every 30 seconds or less, it's going to increase strain on achieving the maximum packet capture rate significantly. Starting with reasonable sized buffers and files makes all the difference. We recommend that you start with 256MB buffer for packet capture and 128MB for files to be created. After a few captures you'll quickly determine if either of these parameters can be better optimized for your system. Also, try to use the lowest number of simultaneous captures as possible. In several systems, you're allowed to create as many captures as you want, but you need to remember that for each capture you open more memory is reserved for buffering and less is available for data processing.
5. Are you filtering and slicing?
Filtering is a way of limiting the overall number of packets captured and stored based upon user-specified criteria. Slicing captures and stores all of the packets, but it truncates the packets after a certain length, typically allowing you to store the header information but slice off the payloads. In both cases the same result is achieved, the overall amount of data to store is significantly reduced, freeing up more processing power for capture and analysis and more disk space for storing the data that's truly important to the current analysis task.
6. Are you being reasonable?
Most network analysis systems allow multiple users to connect to the hardware performing critical network data capture and analysis tasks. Put a limit on users. Nominate an owner for each system that will monitor filters and captures. Make sure it's understood who has the authority to go kill a capture. Too many users with too many options is a recipe for disaster. You can always scale with additional systems if needed.

Think of Wireless LAN as a system

Wireless troubleshooting-tip: What makes up a wireless LAN? 3 three main parts:

1. The infrastructure
2. The clients
3. The environment

The Infrastructure

This includes not only the access point(s) and the WLAN controller(s), but any of the routing & switching gear used for uplinks. Also included in the infrastructure would be any of the network infrastructure / services leveraged by the wireless LAN (examples include RADIUS, Network Time Protocol, Syslog, etc.)

The Clients

The IEEE 802.11 specification refers to these as "stations". Clients/stations could be computers such as laptops, table PCs, or netbooks. Other examples of wireless stations include dual-mode phones, handheld scanners, etc. When thinking about the clients, realize this includes not only the hardware, but the software (such as a client driver or management supplicant).

The Environment

This most commonly refers to the Radio Frequency environment. The RF environment can be evaluated with a spectrum analyzer, which can show you the signal level of your APs, the noise floor, and any interference in the area. Interference can come from other Wi-Fi devices, or non Wi-Fi devices (such as microwave ovens, cordless phones, and Bluetooth). I also think of the Physical environment, which is the type of construction materials used, the amount of vegitation in the area, the terrain/line-of-sight, etc.

Conclusion

Troubleshooting situations. In many of these cases, the infrastructure has been evaluated as a potential source for issues (for example, are the authentication/encryption settings correct), but the clients and the environment have been neglected.

In troubleshooting scenarios, it is imperative to take a thorough look at all three components. Not only should you take a look at the configuration file of the infrastructure, but ensure that wireless clients have the most up-to-date drivers. Look to see that clients power-save and roaming agressiveness settings are appropriate for the application. Double-check to ensure there is no interference from Wi-Fi or non Wi-Fi sources, etc. In short, evaluate your WLAN as a system.

SBA: Open Government Doesn’t Apply to Minority Entrepreneurship

Diamond Ventures, a venture capital firm, is suing the Small Business Administration (SBA) for racial discrimination. The $50 million lawsuit alleges that the SBA rejected Diamond’s application to join their Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program. SBIC firms are licensed to provide equity investment and loans to small firms, backed by government guarantees.

While there has been a long history in African-American entrepreneurship that the SBA is our friend. I’ll go as far as to say that it has frankly been force-feed to our communities as the first stop when striking out on our own in search of the great American Dream. When our communities are fed incorrect information such as this it’s not surprising that only 39% of African-American entrepreneurs survive past four years, data taken directly from the SBA’s own research.

The Chicago Tribune expanded on these findings discovering during an interview with the Kauffman Foundations that while African-Americans are 50% more likely to start a business than whites they still face a higher level of difficulty trying to maintain funding, often resorting to more expensive ways of financing businesses (mortgage refinances, credit card debt, etc.) despite having smaller personal financial wealth.

Apple's play for platform dominance

Apple's play for platform dominance - A Developer’s View

Maybe I’m getting pulled along by the tidal wave of hype accompanying Apple’s new computing device. Then again, the hype does seem to be backed by some real demand. You don’t have to hear it from me to know that the iPad looks like it is off to a flying start. Pictures this weekend of lines outside of Apple stores all across the United States support the notion that there is high demand for this kind of product. I was quite impressed with the device when I played with it at a West Hollywood Best Buy this past Saturday.

It seems likely that Apple will sell stacks of iPads this year, and if growth follows a similar trajectory to iPhone, its popularity will only accelerate with each new generation. More important for Apple, though, is that the iPad is designed to generate LOTS of revenue…for Apple. Apple’s iPad business model provides multiple revenue “whacks,” starting when people buy the device in the first place, followed by an ongoing revenue stream from the cut Apple takes on every application sold through its App store (which is, consequently, the only way to get an application onto an iPad, which to my mind, is a clear step backwards). Microsoft would have killed to have had a similar model for Windows, followed most assuredly by antitrust officials returning the favor by splintering the company into a 1000 little pieces.

Sales numbers are important, though they aren’t the only reason the iPad represents Apple’s attempt to make real developer mindshare gains for Objective-C and its Cocoa family of APIs (the technologies which underlie native development atop the Mac OS X platform). Clearly, Apple executives have that in mind. Positioning Mac OS X as the foundation of its line of computers, iPod Touch and iPhone devices was a hint of things to come, as it means every new user creates that much more demand for the platform as a whole (which is why it drives me crazy that Microsoft never really achieved true platform unification; most of its devices are based on Windows CE, not base Windows). It provides context for Apple’s attack on former friend Adobe and its Flash technology. Apple can’t really do anything to stop HTML and web technologies from being a viable platform for applications, as failure to support them properly would all but doom any network-aware device they offered to market. However, the limitations of web applications ensure that companies will need to write non-browser applications. Apple has ensured that those applications will be mostly Objective-C using Cocoa, at least for their new line of portable products.

iPad, however, can cement Apple’s APIs as a de facto standard similar to the role Microsoft’s WIN32 APIs serve on desktop computers, in ways that iPhone and Apple’s computer line never could. From a computer standpoint, Apple is unlikely to ever displace Windows, or make much of a dent in the server space (not that Apple has tried very much, Mac OS X Server notwithstanding), though they might manage an uptick. That battle is over, and Microsoft won it. Dominate a new category of computing category, maybe (hint hint). They aren’t, however, going to end up the de facto standard in desktop computers.

Apple has made large strides in the phone space, to be sure. The iPhone redefined the category, changing completely what users expect from data-connected smartphones. The problem with phones, though, is that they are a bit like cars and clothes. They are personally identifiable and expressive of individuality in ways a desktop computer isn’t (though I think it is notable that Apple has had most success, from a computer standpoint, in laptops, something people do carry on their person and use publicly in places like coffee bars and Internet cafes). Apple will have a large share of the smartphone market, but I don’t ever see them controlling the market the way Microsoft did with Windows.

The iPad is different. It is a new-ish category, one that has been tried by others (notably Microsoft). Those predecessors, however, were hamstrung by an inability to simplify the interaction model for a new form factor. That, consequently, is the same thing that torpedoed Windows Mobile, at least once something better appeared on the horizon. Apple is entering the market with a large number of applications, a great distribution network centered around its iTunes Application and content store, and a sense for design of products people use in public spaces. What is unique about the space iPad enters is that it is, at core, a tools market.

Don’t get me wrong, people WILL buy iPads because it sports the big Apple logo on back and is the much-hyped cool new technology toy…at least for now. That mania, however, will fade, just as the iPhone glitz is starting to fade as Androids pop up on networks around the world, attracted by a business model that pays them to carry it (Google, a services and advertising company, can do that, which is why it is such a threat to both Apple and Microsoft’s business model). What will keep Apple pumping out iPads, in my opinion, is if it makes a great tool that is easy to use and has available to it a large supply of helpful applications (the same thing that initially made Windows so compelling). In the tools category, usefulness eclipses sex appeal (though Apple knows that the latter never completely goes away). As Microsoft demonstrated with its control of the platform used on personal computers, one company can achieve overwhelming market share of a tool. With that market share, Apple can grow developer mindshare. Developers (myself included) follow the market.

It would be hard to mistake me for a fan of Apple products. I’ve never liked Apple computers, favoring the developer-friendliness, universal compatibility and UI flexibility of Windows. I can’t stand Apple business practices, whether it involves predatory lawsuits designed to curtail growth in Android’s market share or the hammerlock they have over the approval process for applications that appear on an iPhone or iPad. I strongly dislike Apple development technologies (Objective-C in particular), though fortunately for Apple, that is something most people care nothing about.

But, I’ve never faulted their hardware design skills, and I certainly can’t fault them their strategy. Apple is rolling out an entirely new category of product while its larger (for now) competitor, Microsoft, is struggling to roll out a sensible competitor to the iPhone and Android. But, I’m not a fan of Ed Hardy-brand clothes, hate the De Beers-created cultivation of invidious distinction centered around sparkly rocks, and have never found an insurance company about whom I’ve had good things to say. My dislike of the company, in other words, isn’t likely to change the fact that Apple is one of the smartest companies in computers these days.

Will I buy an iPad? I certainly won’t rule it out. As noted, the device feels very easy to use. I can see a lot of use for it for quick browsing of the Internet, retrieval of email (it supports Exchange, so I can check my corporate email), and maybe even watching Netflix in bed. I previously thought that I couldn’t see myself reading books on it due to its backlit screen (the same reason I hate reading documents on a laptop), though I’m less sure after holding it in my hands. I read LOTS of boring technical PDFs these days, and the iPad would be a great way to go through them (though getting them ONTO the device was made unnecessarily tricky due to Apple’s decision to omit an SD slot or a USB port).

The thing that struck my wife and me was that this would be perfect for her non-technical parents (not my parents, who are bigger geeks than I am). Computers ARE too complicated, and this was almost as easy to use as opening a book and reading from it.

I won’t ever stop rooting for another company to take bigger market share so long as Apple is the kind of company that it is (Google seems the most likely candidate). But, I will appreciate the design of their products.

I Hate My Website: Entry

I Hate My Website: Entry

I HATE MY WEBSITE

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is May 15, 2010

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"I hate my website"?

If you’re tired of being the before" and ready to be the "after," you’re in the right place.

The Deluxe WebExpress^sm service offers fast, affordable website design, hosting and maintenance. We also help you maximize your search engine potential so your business gets noticed.

See what Deluxe can do to improve your website.

What They're Invalidating in Puerto Rico

In an effort to counter fraud, the government of Puerto Rico - a U.S. commonwealth- is rendering all its birth certificates worthless. A law passed last December, which is only now receiving widespread publicity, requires millions of native Puerto Ricans to replace their birth certificates starting July 1. Many of the documents, which were routinely used on the island for everything from school enrollment to sports-league registration, have been stolen and sold on the black market over the years.

When the Earth Moves

One of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded ripped through central Chile on Feb. 27, tearing up roads and bridges, reducing homes and hospitals to rubble. Many residents on the country's shoreline survived the quake only to drown shortly after, when a tsunami sucked boats and houses into the sea. Describing a "catastrophe of unthinkable magnitude," Chile's President Michelle Bachelet vowed to explore whether the country's tsunami-warning system had failed and, with water and food running low, deployed troops to combat looting, search for survivors and restore order.(See pictures of Chile's massive earthquake.)

Officially, the quake measured 8.8 on the Richter scale — powerful enough, NASA announced, to shift the earth's axis and shorten the planet's day. But in the face of such awesome power, the death toll remained relatively low: 799 as of March 3. By contrast, more than 200,000 Haitians died as a result of a Jan. 12 quake that was very much weaker than the one in Chile.

The reason is clear: Chile is a country that is rich enough and well governed enough to insist that buildings be constructed to withstand quakes. Haiti is neither. There is a lesson in this. The biggest threat to human life was once natural disasters. Now it is our own shortcomings. To walk through Chile's gleaming and unbroken capital is to learn that although earthquakes, when coupled with dire poverty, can do terrible harm, we have the capacity to mitigate it.

When the earth moved under Chile, many of its engineers and development experts were hard at work in Haiti; now they will return to focus on their own wounded country. When things are broken, Chile reminds us, they can be fixed.

Watch TIME's video "Harsh Lessons for Chile and Haiti from Peru."

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1969741,00.html#ixzz0jni9xMGM

10 Ways Parents Can Help To Close The Gap

1. PICK A GREAT SCHOOL. Look for a school where the teachers are engaged withs students and parents are attentive. Get to know your child's teachers and don't hesitate to discuss concerns.
2. BE WILLING TO FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS. Every American child has a legal right to a quality education. Federal law guarantees that you may opt out of failing schools. For more information check ed.gov/ncib.
3. TURN THE TELEVISION OFF. Reading with your children promotes their intellectual development. If your wallet isn't recession proof, your local library is still free.
4. BE DISCIPLINED ABOUT HOMEWORK. Emphasize effort and understanding of the material. If you can watch your child in basketball practice for an hour, you can sit with your child over homework for an hour.
5. KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE. There are tons of pretty kids who sing well and are great in sports. But education is the only pursuit that truly guarantees success. Keep focused on school - but make sure you are supporting your child's dreams and not your dreams for your child.
6. GO TO MUSEUMS, ZOOS, AND AQUARIUMS. No time for a trip? Type the word "shark"  your internet browser and tour the world's oceans with your child.
7. INVEST IN YOUR CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT. Find extracurricular classes and programs that interest them and support their learning. And think ahead: Talk to your bank or financial advisers about tax-free college funds.
8. PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH. If you say you value education, then get one. Research show that the further moms go in school, the further their children will go.
9. KNOW LOVE DOESN'T HAVE TO HURT. Sometimes we are too quick to focus on the negative. Children respond better to steady, positive vocabulary and clear direction. Nobody responds well to constantly being berated. 
10. ACCEPT THAT EDUCATION IS A PROCESS. We're all trying to get it right. If your children are disciplined and curious about learning, you made them that way. But, if they're wild and unmotivated, that's on you too. Ask the hard questions educate yourself, and stay committed to your child's success. 

The Mac Manual, Free Makeuseof.com Guide

The Mac Manual, Free Makeuseof.com Guide

"The Mac Manual"

This guide supplies you with numerous tips, tricks and free applications. Get the hang of the interface and discover what your Mac is really capable of.

Gone are the days when Macs were only considered valid ‘office' computers. These days, Macs are the slick icons of the design and music industries — and now they're also spreading to the general consumer market. But even though Macs are an overall reincarnation of simplicity and user-friendliness, most people – whether they are computer initiates or have been working with Windows their entire life – need a little help getting started.

This slick, sixty-odd paged monster is based on Snow Leopard – the latest release of the Mac OS X operating system – and tells you everything you need to know about Mac. With this free guide you will also receive daily updates on new cool websites and programs in your email for free courtesy of MakeUseOf.

Teaching our Children - A strategy for success

Essence spent a year exploring how Black parents can take responsibility for our children's success. 

How one Mother transformed her children into achievers 

By Rose T. "Dr Mom" Watson, Ph.D., 

is the founder of Mothers of Achievers,

 an organization that promotes 

successful parenting strategies.

The most important step for parents in steering their children's education is having a vision. I'm not talking about some whimsical dream, but a specific goal that guides your decisions and actions. My husband and I had a clear vision for our four children: They would become high achievers.

It was our firm goal for our children to be high achievers that allowed us to make the most of their abilities, and we started the day each was born. We taught discipline and character, favored a kind word over a sharp rebuke, and held high expectations. We chose good schools that met the needs of each individual child. We turned the dining table into study hall each night, with the TV off. We made it a point to know each of their teachers and made sure that during the morning drive to school each child had a book to read.

It was tough for my husband and me to balance our jobs and our commitment to the children's education. At one point I held three teaching positions while he worked out of state. On occasions 

 the kids found me praying over stacks of bills and asking for guidance. When they saw food stamps in the house they asked "Mom, does this mean we're on welfare?" Regardless of our circumstances we remembered that dreams determine destiny. The day I watched my son receive his degree from Harvard I knew that, as parents, we had helped him maximize his potential, and it was our vision that made it so.