If you are looking for free, solid source control with your Visual Studio projects, I recommend Subversion (SVN). SVN is robust and solid, and generally the replacement for CVS (which was also very good). But, the killer feature is the Visual Studio integration with AnkhSVN. This tool makes source control work in Visual Studio completely seamless. Check out the screenshots.
Author: mike
GPAs as Interviews
The New York Times recently reported about some changes to Google’s hiring and screening processes. It’s interesting to think about ‘how do I find the best employees’. But what what do you think about using the GPA as a screener?
Fortunately for me, I had a pretty high GPA, so I probably qualified even under Google’s strict policies. But, I have to admit it was strange to put my never-referenced GPA onto my Google application. It has been so long since I used it that I had actually forgotten what it was.
The Times article claims:
“Unfortunately, most of the academic research suggests that the factors Google has put the most weight on — grades and interviews — are not an especially reliable way of hiring good people.”
I think the Times is wrong. I don’t think there is academic research which supports this at all. I have yet to meet a person that was a successful student that didn’t become the same type of employee. These people are smart, work hard, and love to work. It’s in their DNA, they are often “Type A”, and they are always successful. As much as we all hate to think that our college DNA could brand us for the rest of our lives, it actually may be one of the better metrics.
The Times could have said that “just because you didn’t have a high GPA doesn’t mean that you won’t be a good employee.” This is certainly true as well. There are plenty of great people out there that didn’t find school interesting enough to do well, yet are perfectly qualified. I think that Google’s change in policy is really about finding these people. You always need to find new ways to screen candidates. Maybe the people that didn’t pass the easy screening before would actually be great employees. Is there another metric, however? Of that I’m skeptical.
Immigration by the Numbers
Immigration is an issue that I care about a lot. If you read this blog, take a few minutes to watch this well done presentation. This is serious stuff!
Microsoft’s Revenue Breakdown – 2003-2006
Here is how Microsoft’s business breaks down. This data is all from Microsoft’s Annual Report, June 30, 2006.
From 2003-2006, Microsoft has reported revenues in 7 business units. Prior to that they reported 4 business units, but I’m not going that far back. I’ve also included data from Google’s annual reports 2003-2006 just to put things into perspective.
Click the charts for full details.
Microsoft’s businesses are:
- Client (Windows)
- Information Worker (Office)
- Server & Tools (Windows Server,
Exchange, SQL Server, etc) - Home Entertainment (XBox)
- MSN
- Business Solutions (CRM, SBA)
- Mobile (Windows Mobile)
Notice that 3 of Microsoft’s business units are each significantly larger than Google as a whole, both in terms of revenue and income. (I estimated Google’s 2006 numbers, since they are not reported yet).
When the Wave Hits
All of us that work on server products have weathered storms where our services had to endure a wave of traffic. The wave could be caused by any number of things – time of day, a particular press release, or a new product launch. Generally, you plan these events very carefully to make sure that engineers and operations staff are on hand when the Wave hits.
Now, imagine you work at Apple. You know your wave is coming. When? Christmas Day, of course. Yikes! Hard to change that. Some are reporting Apple’s traffic spike at a 1000% increase over the prior week – causing the site to go down. Imagine you are the poor Director of Server Engineering there, and responsible for keeping the site up? So much for Santa Claus – you have to go to work!
I know, it’s hard to feel sorry for the successful. But for some reason, I feel for them on this one. Of course, you might feel more sorry for the millions of people that tried to use the iTunes site on Christmas Day.
Vista Retraction
I previously wrote that I was looking forward to Vista. I was. But, now I’m not. XP is good enough and Vista is terrible. Its slow, bloated, won’t let you play music and doesn’t offer one iota of interesting new functionality. It’s like having Microsoft Bob and Clippy and a bunch of security holes.
Now, to all you Microsofties out there that read this blog, I hear that when you give an honest Vista review like this one, Microsoft sends bloggers like me a new laptop to evaluate Vista and help us better understand the true value of Vista. I could be swayed. But for now, unless Microsoft can help me understand again why I might someday want to install that hopeless piece of garbage, I have to retract my previous “looking forward” statements, and I no longer recommend Vista to my vast subscribership.
Update 01/03/07: Since I’ve had a few comments on this, it’s clear my sarcasm is undetected. This post is a joke. I just want Microsoft to send me my free reviewer’s laptop, and then I’ll sing and dance for Vista. Until then, no recommendation for Vista!!
Vista DRM Controversy
The top 10 results on Google News search for “Vista DRM” today reference this ridiculous Peter Gutmann article. This is a bunch of Microsoft bashing. I’m actually surprised at how many so-called news sources are quoting this article without thinking.
Gutmann uses some cool sound-bites, though, like:
“The Vista Content Protection specification could very well constitute the longest suicide note in history”
and
“This seems a bit like breaking the legs of Olympic athletes and then rating them based on how fast they can hobble on crutches.”
Yeah right.
Do you really think Apple is going to skip DRM, be legally prohibited from displaying HD content, and force their users to use Windows? Ha! Don’t blame Microsoft for this one, guys. It’s the movie and music industry. And it’s their content and their choice for how to protect it. If you want, you can cast your vote by not buying the content. Vista is just another viewing medium – like your TV, CD player, DVR, etc.
Marc Cuban Can’t Let It Go
I’ve been a fan of the Blog Maverick for some time. But…
I don’t understand why he can’t stop ripping on YouTube. He’s been wrong about 50 times, and yet he keeps going on and on and on. With no evidence yet surfacing that he was right, he’s now just on a quest to insult and belittle the whole thing. In the end, he’s going to be at least partially right – the User-Created Video market is just too immature to not have upheavals which will at least partly corroborate his claims. Move on to another topic – you’re a smart guy – but you were wrong on this one. For some reason, I think you are just waiting for some downturn to say “I told you so”. We all know there will be a downturn. So don’t take credit for the obvious!
Protecting Your Privacy: Don’t Go To College
Last month I received a letter from UCLA telling me that they had leaked my personal information to a hacker. I never went to UCLA. I applied to school there 17 years ago (and was accepted, of course!). Since I declined their offer to study, I guess they finally got their revenge by giving my information to a hacker nearly two decades later.
I don’t know which is worse, UCLA’s negligent information retention policies, or realizing that its been 17 years since I applied to go to school.
Web Boom 2.0 – The Bubbgle
Don Dodge writes about why this bubble will be less severe than the last bubble. I found it an interesting read. It certainly is true that a lot of this bubble is via private institutions and acquisitions.
There is another interesting follow on from Alfred Thompson, lamenting how it’s the employees that get their lives really hurt by way of layoffs when the bubbgle bursts.
I agree with Alfred about who gets hurt. But I don’t feel very bad for folks that get laid off. All of us as employees have a responsibility to choose our employers well. If we fail to do that, we might get burned. Choose wisely. Many of us in Silicon Valley have been chasing startups for a long time. When we choose to work for small companies, there is risk. We know that. While it can be devastating to get laid off, all of us need to assess whether we can take the risk before we accept a job.
For me, personally, I landed at Critical Path by way of acquisition in 2000, and at the time it seemed like a pretty good deal. 9 months later (just after I left), it turned out that Dave Thatcher and Tim Ganley were crooks, and the whole company collapsed. Was it my fault that the executives lied to investors, employees, family, and friends? No. But was it my fault for having invested heavily into a risky company? Absolutely.
So, when the bubbgle bursts, all the folks (including me) that are working for Web 2.0 companies may have a rough time. For some, it will work out just fine. For others, it will work out very badly. That’s Risk. As Warren Buffett says, “Risk comes from not knowing what you are doing.” I don’t feel sorry for people that don’t know what they are doing. Bubbgle or not.