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Yin meets yang
Blog Authors: Valerie Skinner 060000VKGS is part of the IBM developerWorks team, getting to know the real developers who make up the My developerWorks community and exploring the world of social networking. I'm enjoying learning what makes developers tick! I'm very interested in exploring online communities and social media and understanding real world application - how they can help people solve problems and work together.
Crystal ball: What's in the future for developers and developerWorks?
vskinner 060000VKGS Tags:  developerworks dw birthday 9 Comments 6,711 Views
Share YOUR predictions and ideas about the future of developerWorks, developers, and technology
IBM developerWorks is celebrating 10 years of IT leadership on September 28, 2009. It's fun looking back, but what about forward?
What does the future holds for developers and IT professionals?
What technologies do you predict will hit it big in the next 10 years?
What do you want IBM developerWorks to do in the next decade?
Post YOUR predictions and ideas about the future of developerWorks, developers, and technology here by adding a comment!
Interview with Martin Packer, IBM Mainframe Performance Consultant
vskinner 060000VKGS Tags:  interview mydw system_z mainframe social_networking 3 Comments 6,704 Views
Martin Packer's got an interesting job as an IBM Mainframe Performance Consultant. Luckily he shares his insights on his blog and with us here in this interview.
Discover more about Martin in his My developerWorks profile, his Mainframe Performance Topics blog, and Twitter.
Tell me about yourself and what you're currently working on...
I'm a mainframe performance guy who's been building skill over the past 25 years to the point where this year I've "gone global". That is, I work with customers around the world, dealing with the thorniest performance issues. It's interesting and varied work: encompassing conference presentations, customer troubleshooting, supporting the implementation of new applications on System z, developing analysis tools, and writing Redbooks.
I'm also interested, as it happens, in web infrastructure (as well, of course, as Social Networking).
How did you get started working in the IT industry?
I think it was inevitable I'd do SOMETHING with IT: My Father spent most of his career working at various levels with computers - so there were always technical computer books around the house. And so I got a master's degree in Information Technology and joined IBM in a Technical Marketing role. (I was a Systems Engineer in the 1980's, for anyone who remembers SE's.) And, while lots of IBMers were "upmarketing" themselves I took a turn for the technical... :-)
Would you have any advice to share with students or IT professionals just starting out?
I'd say the same to them as to anyone starting their career: Follow your heart in what you choose to do. It's probably more sustainable in the long term, you'll sleep better at night, and have a lot more fun doing it! The standard careers advice, I gather, is to think and act in business terms. I'd put it a little differently: While technology is important and fun you have to think of people (and what technology enables people to do) as well.
What do you think is the most under-appreciated aspect of Mainframe?
Because mainframes have been around for a long time, in one form or another, I think people have a "set in concrete" view of what a mainframe is and what it can do. (By the way I like to use the "throw back" term "mainframe" instead of something more modern sounding because I'm actually very proud of our heritage.) So, it's evolved an awful lot, and keeps evolving. Now I'm closer to where the Development action is I can tell you it's going to keep evolving and fast: There's no chance of getting bored of it. So, the most under-appreciated aspect is its continuing evolution, relevance and modernity.
How do you see Mainframe changing - either right now or in the future?
I obviously can't talk about unannounced products but mainframe folks would have to have been living under a rock not to know about some of the stuff on the horizon, to do with enabling hybrid applications to be run more effectively, with the mainframe as the centrepiece.
I also think we're going to see more emphasis on demonstrating all the modern technologies that run on the mainframe (and run well).
In my neck of the woods I'm going to be working on making the instrumentation (the entrails performance people like to pore over) even better. I seem to have an "unofficial evangelist" role for this, and I'm constantly in discussions with Development on how we can improve things. And I'll be sure to blog about it on developerWorks, too. :-)
How do you use developerWorks?
I started a few years ago with developerWorks as the host for my blog: I wanted an external blog, hosted by IBM, having blogged internally a while before that. I'll admit I've not been a heavy user of the social aspects of developerWorks, but that's really because I've been so active elsewhere - for example on Twitter. And, if I was going to have an external blog I really wanted it to be an IBM-hosted one: Most of what I want to talk about at length is work related so I think that's the right venue.
What are you planning on learning about next?
I'm looking forward to learning more about the shape of mainframes to come, and also about the next version of DB2 on z/OS. And, from what I already know, there's tons of it to learn about.
Away from the day job I'm doing a lot of "learning by doing" with web technologies: I have a "personal automation" webserver or two on my (now Linux) laptop so I'm starting to get competent with things like PHP, Dojo and jQuery. Up next is Python (thanks to one of my mentees, Stephane Rodet, who suggested I might like it) :-) and some stuff with SVG that I hope will lead to some nice visualisation tooling.
But I'm easily distracted by new technology, so who knows? :-)
What's the coolest piece of tech news you've heard lately?
Well you'd expect me to say something mainframe-related, wouldn't you? But, while the news I've heard IS very cool, it's not sharable. But actually I think the DB2 for z/OS and Smart Analytics Optimizer Previews are pretty cool.
Why did you decide to start a blog? Does blogging have any hidden benefits for you that you didn't expect?
As anyone who's ever come across me will agree, I like to talk. They might not spot I also like to listen. :-) So, for me, I can reach many more people by blogging (actually by tweeting now) than I could if I had to meet them in person or pick up the phone to them. And I hear all sorts of interesting stuff, too. Actually the decision to blog was a natural evolution (as is my use of Twitter): I'd been using the IBM Internal VM-based FORUMs since 1986, and the Social Networking stuff is just a natural extension of that, for me.
You have a pretty large, active Twitter following - what role does Twitter play for you in work and personal life?
Yes, it seems like a lot of people - around 900 at the time of writing - and the question of what the relationship with each and every one of these is. At one end of the spectrum some of my family now use Twitter. At the other end are almost total strangers. But there are lots of people in between whom I'm really glad to know (and judging by the discourse some of them seem glad to know me). :-)
Working remotely a lot of the time it's a great channel for chatting with people - albeit in a "broadcast" sense. It keeps me thinking - sometimes about aspects of work, sometimes other technical stuff, and sometimes about the human condition. :-) There's stuff I plain need to believe I have an audience for - most notably the bad jokes. :-) And the "distraction" aspect adds A LITTLE :-) seasoning to my day.
I'm also finding Twitter is a great Instant Messaging medium for staying touch, using Direct Messages (or DM'ing for short). As I have twitter clients on almost everything with an (electronic) pulse it has the pervasiveness for staying in touch (especially when travelling) that I want. This IM aspect has surprised me recently - as I was tweeting for almost 3 years before I really got to use DM'ing this much.
What are some of your favorite websites/feeds/twitter accounts to follow?
- Thanks Martin!
The top 3 things students can do to prep for the IT workplace
vskinner 060000VKGS Tags:  developerworks academic_iniative students student_portal interview ai 6 Comments 6,663 Views
When I first moved from academia (as a college student) to a cubicle it was a jarring leap. At times I felt my nights working in restaurants, juggling trays, cooks and customers, had been better preparation than my days skimming textbooks (although one spectacular writing professor stands out as an exception). I regret that I didn't take advantage of things like web sites, professional associations, and mentors to better prepare me for a transition to the professional world.
That's why I am excited to put the spotlight on new resources for technology students in this interview with Laura Niemi. Laura's focused on the developerWorks outreach to students, and so I wanted to hear, straight from the horse's mouth, what's new for students this year.
So, the fall semester's officially kicked off... What's IBM doing for students this year that's new?
We put a renewed focus on students as an audience we want to reach out to - they are the developers of the future that we, our customers and our business partners need. Last spring we conducted a survey asking students what they want from an IT portal, what technologies they need skills in, what formats they prefer their skill-building materials in - all sorts of information that helps us meet their wants and needs. Over 1500 students from 46 countries replied - a terrific response.
We want to make sure that students can find the resources they need from IBM, on developerWorks and elsewhere, so we enhanced our Student Portal and added news items, more beginner learning resources, a community page with a number of social networking links, and information on Professional Certifications geared towards beginners. We're now working on additional enhancements and would love to hear from students via our Student Group on My developerWorks or by email to firstname.lastname@example.com.
What kinds of things do technology students need?
Technology students today need a broader set of skills than ever before. Businesses are looking for people with an interdisciplinary focus, not just a detailed technical background. Communications, business, economics, social sciences - all these fields deepen a person's background and make them more valuable in the workplace. Creativity, problem-solving capabilities, collaboration - you need all of the above since the world is so interactive. You can't work in a vacuum.
How can developerWorks help?
My developerWorks is a great place to get started - set up a profile and use the community to network with IT industry professionals, fellow students and professors around the world.
What are the top three things you would advise a student to do this year to take advantage of what IBM offers?
First, understand the job market that exists today, with all its challenges. Get experience - from your classes, projects and work experiences - that focus on technologies the market needs.
Second, focus on networking, both to learn about the IT industry and make contacts in the field.
Third, take advantage of the developerWorks skill-building resources through the Student Portal. Encourage your professors to join the IBM Academic Initiative and take advantage of our no charge offerings designed to prepare you for the IT marketplace.
Thanks Laura!
I'd like to add a postscript to Laura's responses... If you want a glimpse into the everyday world of IT professionals, what kinds of jobs are out there, what people are working on, and where they get inspiration, subscribe to my blog's RSS feed. Each week I enjoy interviewing a new member of the My developerWorks community. These are multi-faceted people, with a variety of skills, experiences, and passions working on all sorts of projects, giving you a peek into what's happening in the IT professional world. You can also add them to your colleagues in My developerWorks and contact them with questions.
5 ways to find people who "know stuff" on My developerWorks
vskinner 060000VKGS Tags:  blogs my_developerworks social_media social_networking groups colleagues bookmarks 8 Comments 6,399 Views
I'm still a little green when it comes to social media. I'm still learning and I'd be crazy to call myself an expert. But isn't that what makes it fun? While I haven't been writing one myself, I've been an avid reader of blogs for several years. I have an RSS reader full of 'em. And I'm completely amazed at the number of people blogging, the wide range of topics, and the vast difference in quality. When I find a blog I love, it's like finding gold. But mining for gold, can be tedious. Not that I know about gold mining personally, but those little tourist operations where people pan for gold in a stream have always looked kinda fun. It can be fun on the web too--spending hours browsing, jumping from link to link, seeing what's out there. But sometimes I need something specific and I need it fast, and it's annoying not to be able to find it. 1) Use "Find people" on the My developerWorks Connect page. 2) Search Profiles in My developerWorks Go to Profiles. Click on Advanced Search and then you can look by city, country, name and keyword. This is good to use if you're looking for someone in your area. 3) Look for people with similar interests in Groups 4) Get to know your local, friendly blogger! 5) Take a peek over your neighbor's fence at their bookmarks Oh, one last thing… Now that you've found someone, how do you make contact with them on My developerWorks? On their profile page, or from their virtual business card request to add them as a colleague. Once they've accepted your colleague invitation, it's easy. Just go to their profile page and how you'll see "Message this colleague" available as an option. Click on that link, type in your message and it will reach their email inbox.
But mining for gold, can be tedious. Not that I know about gold mining personally, but those little tourist operations where people pan for gold in a stream have always looked kinda fun. It can be fun on the web too--spending hours browsing, jumping from link to link, seeing what's out there. But sometimes I need something specific and I need it fast, and it's annoying not to be able to find it.
1) Use "Find people" on the My developerWorks Connect page.
2) Search Profiles in My developerWorks
Go to Profiles. Click on Advanced Search and then you can look by city, country, name and keyword. This is good to use if you're looking for someone in your area.
3) Look for people with similar interests in Groups
4) Get to know your local, friendly blogger!
5) Take a peek over your neighbor's fence at their bookmarks
Oh, one last thing… Now that you've found someone, how do you make contact with them on My developerWorks? On their profile page, or from their virtual business card request to add them as a colleague. Once they've accepted your colleague invitation, it's easy. Just go to their profile page and how you'll see "Message this colleague" available as an option. Click on that link, type in your message and it will reach their email inbox.
On their profile page, or from their virtual business card request to add them as a colleague. Once they've accepted your colleague invitation, it's easy. Just go to their profile page and how you'll see "Message this colleague" available as an option. Click on that link, type in your message and it will reach their email inbox.
Interview with Suma Shastry
vskinner 060000VKGS Tags:  author db2 qa my_developerworks interview 8 Comments 6,372 Views
This week I'm highlighting a new member of My developerWorks, Suma Shastry. Suma has authored several articles on developerWorks related to DB2 and she's been an enthusiastic presence in My developerWorks with her new blog.
Learn more about Suma in the interview below and you can also find out more about her on her Profile and her Blog.
Articles authored by Suma Shastry:
IBM DB2 Content Manager security model essentials
How to go hand-in-hand with DB2 and Informix
DB2 performance tuning using the DB2 Configuration Advisor
What was your first job?
I joined IBM right after my graduation. I had to design DB2 Database tables and write stored procedures for an internal project.
Describe your favorite IT project.
First one was test automation of DB2 Control Center testing. During this project, I got a chance to lead a team and hence learning all the leading activities including scheduling tracking was fun. 2nd favorite project was IDM 4.0.2 release work. Knowledge transition was still going on, when we were asked if we could take up the challenge of releasing the product before the transition end date! We took the challenge and we did release the product successfully.
Describe a normal day for you.
For the past 6 months I have been working out of home. It's kind of difficult to spell out a "Normal Day" for a working mother with 2 kids:-). Every day is different. I am mainly occupied with the following but not limited to - cooking food, getting my first daughter ready for school, testing the product, planning for future releases of product, reviews of plans or test cases, taking care of my 9 month old daughter, couple of meetings, lots of sametime chat with team mates, catching up my friends and recently exploring My developerWorks which has kind of become an addiction :-)
How do you use developerWorks?
Since I have been part of projects which used IBM products, I've been associated with developerWorks (dW) for very long now. Be it articles, redbooks or downloading fix packs for the products that we use, dW is the place that I visit most often.
What's your experience with social networking so far?
I haven't been using social networking sites until last year I guess. Its been good so far. I mainly use FaceBook on the personal front to catch up with friends and now My developerWorks to catch up with technical stuff.
The coolest thing about social networking is...
I can be in touch with as many people as possible sitting in one place. It's like a get together party where every one can pour in at one place, rather me having to go and visit one by one.
The biggest problem with social networking is...
Spam friend requests and at times the public image that you may carry.
What publications or websites do you read often?
Mostly, developerWorks. At times, I Google to get what I am looking for and read the resulted web pages.
What's the coolest piece of tech news you've heard lately?
My developerWorks launch
Thanks Suma!
Interview with Roosevelt Bynum, development manager for IBM developerWorks
vskinner 060000VKGS Tags:  interview developerworks my_developerworks mydw 8 Comments 6,367 Views
It might not surprise you that developerWorks has an active team of developers too! This week I'm turning the spotlight onto Roosevelt Bynum, who manages a team responsible for infrastructure web applications supporting developerWorks.
Tell me about yourself and what you're currently working on...
I'm the west coast development manager for developerWorks. My team is responsible for the infrastructure web applications that support developerWorks and My developerWorks.
What's your favorite aspect of your work?
I really like the ever evolving web technology and how we impact the software developers of the world.
What tips do you have for leading a team of software engineers?
I have a BS and MS in Computer Science 32 years of experience in software development experience. As a former developer myself, I suggest these tips:
1) Software Engineers are creative and use different approaches to solve problems, as a manager I believe developers are more productive if you give them the freedom to use that creativity to solve problems.
2) I believe development processes are necessary and valuable, but should be only used as a tool to enhance quality, while not inhibiting progress.
3) Since we use object technology in our development, the use of established design patterns and code reuse libraries make our software engineers more concise and productive.
4) Utilize the efficiencies of the tools in our software stack, like DB2 and WebSphere .
How do you deal with the challenges of working with a remote team?
Regular communication and building strong relationships are the key to solving the challenges of a remote team. Tools like IBM Lotus Sametime are key in the success of managing remote teams, but sometimes nothing beats a simple phone call.
What's your approach to keeping your skills current?
I'm very curious and I love technology. I read lots of articles, talk to people and sometimes I take classes.
Do you think it's more important to go broad or deep with your IT skills?
There are advantages of both. One needs a certain amount of depth to become a effective developer, while the broad skills give you flexibility to do different things.
What challenges are ahead for you in 2010?
We need to continue to drive growth in the local sites around the world. Additionally, we need to enhance our site security to prevent malicious attacks, SPAM, and denial of service.
What new ground do you think developerWorks should break next?
I think the next phase of developerWorks growth is an interactive community experience which makes our site security most important.
How do you use developerWorks?
I mostly use developerWorks to test and validate our new applications and I read blogs and articles. I plan to start my own blog as well.
Can you share something about yourself that most people don't know about you?
I am #2 of six kids and I have 5 sisters.
- Thanks Roosevelt!
Interview with Angela Bates on SmartCamp
I was intrigued when I first heard the concept of SmartCamp, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors and mentors in a fast paced bootcamp and competition. Hear what Angela Bates has to share about the SmartCamp in London and more opportunities for startups to build a Smarter Planet with IBM.
Tell me about yourself and what you're currently working on...
I'm the UK and Ireland Marketing team leader for IBM ISV and Developer Relations. I've worked in the IT space for more than 20 years both with major global corporations - including IBM and Hewlett-Packard - and with business partner organisations. My team and I are currently working on leading the marketing campaign for IBM Global Entrepreneur, building co-marketing campaigns with ISVs, delivering more that 100 ecosystem events and building Smarter Planet client references with UK and Irish business partners, developers, students and academics
Tell me about the recent SmartCamp in London. What was the most interesting or exciting thing about SmartCamp?
IBM SmartCamp London took place on 21st July at Imperial College London. SmartCamp is an exclusive event that brings together entrepreneurs, investors and experienced mentors who want to help us build a Smarter Planet. SmartCamp provides startups access to world-class advisors, plus a direct route to seed and venture capital.
SmartCamp London attracted more than 70 registrations from the startup community. It was a tough job to filter this down to 23 shortlisted candidates which were interviewed at our IBM Innovation Centre, South Bank in Central London. After some tough discussions, we chose 5 fantastic finalists which stood out from the rest: 3Strata Technologies, Ark Mobile Finance, Kinesense, Shaspa, and WorldSensing. The overall winner was WorldSensing, with a classic Smarter Planet/Smarter Cities solution.
The most exciting aspect of the event was the amazing ecosystem that gathered at the event and their incredibly positive feedback from attending the event... their comments included:
"Congratulations to the whole team on SmartCamp London - it was a fascinating day for me, and an impressive lineup of potential partners for IBM for the future." - Caroline Taylor, VP Marketing and Communications, IBM UK & Ireland
Audience Feedback included:
"No other company comes even close to IBM in its outreach and support of entrepreneurs"
" I love the IBM smarter planet strategy, it seems like the company really cares, I am deeply impressed."
"Beautifully Organised. Great central London Location"
"Outstanding Companies, well chosen"
"Thought it would be more formal, it was a nice surprise"
"Brilliant event and excellent smarter planet campaign"
"Great event that helped bring together the large businesses and the fresh new startups"
"Doug Richards was a great addition to this event, I learnt a lot and broadened my network significantly"
"Was excellent to be able to receive feedback from such a range of people.
"Great networking event, good keynote speakers as well"
I read on your blog that there is actually going to be an international SmartCamp finals on November 15, where one business will be named "The World's Smartest Start-up". Tell me more about that!
WorldSensing will now go forward to the global final of "SmartCamp", which will be held in Dublin from 15-17 November. Winners from each one of the IBM SmartCamp events from around the world - from Silicon Valley, Boston and Waltham in the US, to Paris, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Dublin and Tel Aviv in Europe - will gather with leading mentors from around the world in Dublin to name the 'World's Smartest Startup.
If someone missed out on the chance to be part of SmartCamp, are there still opportunities they can seek out with IBM?
There are more SmartCamp events planned around the world, so keep checking our web site for dates and locations: http://www-05.ibm.com/ie/smarterplanet/smartcamp/index.html
I'd encourage all startups less than 3 years old, to join IBM Global Entrepreneur. This programme - announced in March this year - has the products, people, and promotion that can help technology startups extend the size and reach of their company. The initiative provides support and resources in the areas these startups need most:
1. Product
* No charge access to IBM's software portfolio on-site or through the cloud to accelerate software development
2. People
* Dedicated technical enablement support to help startups develop their product and get to the marketplace faster.
* Mentors at IBM SmartCamps around the world who can help them grow their business.
* Industry market intelligence from our top industry experts that can help them understand the enterprise customer and the market opportunity.
3. Promotion
* Visibility as part of the IBM Smarter Planet agenda to set themselves apart from the competition.
* Recognition and additional benefits to partners with the most innovative solutions
* Opportunity to showcase their company in the IBM Global Entrepreneur directory.
Startups who meet the eligibility criteria can register at http://www.ibm.com/isv/startup. On our application form we ask a few simple questions to help us understand a little about their companies, and once accepted they will be contacted by one of our Project Resource Managers (PRM). The assigned PRM will make a personal call to welcome them, and will guide them through how they can make best us of the resources we provide on a one-to-one basis.
What are the challenges that entrepreneurs face & how does IBM help? How can entrepreneurs benefit from IBM's leadership with Smarter Planet?
Today, the world's physical systems are being infused with intelligence, and this opportunity to apply information technology to physical infrastructure opens up vast new markets for the IT industry. With disruptive, new technologies, this is the perfect scenario for innovative entrepreneurs to play a major role. With IBM's unique vision of a Smarter Planet, we are looking to partner with technology entrepreneurs who share this vision and want to work together to address this new market opportunity. Technology Startups, together with IBM, can drive change to build a Smarter Planet,
What future technology would make your life easier?
The Battery Operated Butler / Maid - for all those boring laundry and housework chores. What can I say - housework sucks.
- Thanks Angela!
Interview with Jason Clark, software engineer and gamer
vskinner 060000VKGS Tags:  games linux open_source interview my_developerworks mydw gaming 3 Comments 6,086 Views
This week I'm bringing you an interview with Jason Clark, a software engineer at IBM developerWorks. Jason's passionate about many topics in technology and I was excited when I saw him start a new blog recently because I know he's got a lot to bring to the table.
Find out more about Jason Clark: My developerWorks profile - Geek and Penguin Blog - @geekandpenguin Twitter - Jason T Clark Blog - @jasontclarknet on Twitter
Tell me about yourself and what you're currently working on...
Well, I'm a software engineer for the IBM developerWorks Advanced Design team, and currently I'm working on improving the My developerWorks experience for international users. Since My developerWorks is a community for developers across the globe, we want to make sure that our site is accessible by developers worldwide. I'm also a strong player in the developerWorks Twitter strategy, and have offered thought leadership on how we leverage social tools like Twitter to convey what we have to offer.
Describe a normal day for you.
At developerWorks, I wear several hats- a jack of all trades in a sense. I'm a software engineer, but my systems engineering and network engineering skills play a significant role here at dW. My typical day starts with a morning meeting, followed by bugs to squash (code bugs that is), keeping our development systems safe and secure from a security stand point, and making sure that our team's daily development processes flow smoothly.
What led you to pursuing a career in technology?
Video Games. I'm a HUGE video gamer, and the technology behind them has always fascinated me. My father is a private pilot, and uses flight simulator software on his PC. When I was younger, it was my job to make sure that his computer was adequate to run the software, and to fix any problems that came up. That's really how this whole thing began for me.
Do you have any strategies for keeping up with what's new in technology?
I read RSS feeds, a lot. I use a RSS reader to give me the news in technology across a number of industries, and typically I blog or write about those that are most interesting to me. These two tips typically give me plenty to talk about on my blog, and discuss those findings with others.
How do you use developerWorks?
Articles and Blogs are what I use the most. They say that people come to developerWorks looking for an aspirin on a vitamin. For me, there are lots of 'vitamins' on LINUX technology at IBM developerWorks. The blogs are always nice to read up on as well.
Tell me about your new blog that you've started called The Geek and Penguin... What inspired you to start it?
Well, I've used LINUX and opensource tech for years. Many of those in my circle always cringe at the idea of using LINUX. I thought that starting a blog about the coolness of LINUX, and all of the really 'geeky' things that you can do with it would give people a different idea about it.
As a connoisseur of LINUX and opensource, I thought that starting a blog that speaks to those like me- The Geek is the user and The Penguin is the product; similar to auto enthusiasts magazine Car and Driver.
How are you using social networking today?
Social networking is important for me. I use social networking tools to interact, collaborate, and syndicate things around the Internet. I like having those 'at the water cooler' discussions over the web where you discover news and interesting ideas, then share them with other people. Not only that, but it's great to also share what you're up to with those who are interested. My social tool of the moment is Twitter. There has been plenty of times where I've heard things on Twitter before anywhere else- I think it's a great way of keeping your ears to the ground.
The biggest problem with social networking is...
The signal to noise ratio. Many times you have to filter out a lot of noise just to get to the real content that you are looking for. However, things like hashtags have helped the situation.
What are some of your favorite websites/feeds/twitter accounts to follow?
As far as twitter goes, I like to follow @guykawasaki and @mashable. I also keep up with the gaming industry by following @gamasutra and the Industry Gamer RSS feed.
When you're not working, what interests or activities do you enjoy?
I play lots of video games, and I make music. I DJ, play piano, and make dance tracks in my spare time.
Email or text messaging?
Email. More words, less finger soreness.
- Thanks Jason!
Interview with Rawn Shah, author of Social Networking for Business
vskinner 060000VKGS Tags:  mydw lotusphere social_networking social ls10 lotus interview my_developerworks social_media 3 Comments 6,006 Views
I'm not at Lotusphere 2010 this week, but the excitement is contagious! If you want to follow along, check out #ls10 on Twitter and My developerWorks blog posts and podcasts tagged with Lotusphere.
In honor of Lotusphere, I'm bringing you an interview with Rawn Shah, IBM social software practices lead. Rawn's moved on to new frontiers, but he was once part of the IBM developerWorks team and without Rawn's visionary ideas about social computing, My developerWorks wouldn't be where it is today. He is the author of a new book about to be published, Social Networking for Business, that I'm looking forward to reading and I hope you enjoy these insights from Rawn.
Connect with Rawn: My developerWorks profile - Twitter - Blog
You've worked in many different roles: network admin, systems programmer and author to name a few and you've gone from dotcom startup to Big Blue at IBM. What have been the most interesting transitions during your IT career?
It's hard for me to remember the feeling from the earlier ones years ago, and some roles I worked in parallel so there weren't as many major changes. The last large software application I wrote was a TCP/IP network router in 2007, but I don't program much anymore. I'd say the most interesting ones was either moving from being a startup to working for IBM, and another transition from being an technology editor to an online community program manager. These were very different job roles: from managing various independent writers to leading teams of folks working on social software. It truly helps you learn the differences between motivating individuals and teams. In the move to IBM, it took a few years just to appreciate the scale of difference in knowing people well, across the company, even more than trying to meet people across the industry. There was also a steep learning curve with social computing just starting to rev up in the 2000s.
Congratulations on your new book, Social Networking for Business! There's a lot of info out about social networking right now - what perspective does your book offer that makes it unique?
Thank you. The book focuses on how people work socially, the collaborative methods they use, how they experience it, how they subdivide or build up tasks, how they decide on governance and proper etiquette to working together, and how culture emerges in social groups. Unlike many other books which tend to focus on social media marketing and issues around using tools around the Web, this book reaches across both external scenarios, as well as within the enterprise. The focus is on understanding the dynamics of the social systems that these tools support. That is much more a study of human behavior, social collaboration, and business productivity, than trying to understand the technical aspects of the software.
Each chapter focuses on a different dynamic, for example various leadership models in social computing, different ways of accomplishing tasks socially, understanding elements of culture and behavior, encouraging members and participation, and more. Beyond theory, it provides examples of each of these dynamics in action. Like an architect, I hope this book helps people to look beyond the technical or physical structure and into the artistic design, human factors, social impact and practicalities of social computing ideas.
What did you learn in the process of writing Social Networking for Business?
This is the first book project I have taken on entirely by myself. My other books (a variety of other subjects) have all be co-authored with several folks. It really tested my resolve to work on a singular project several times a week for two years—this, on top of my day job of course. It was also very much a subject in constant motion, with new ideas and approaches to social computing emerging every few months. I've probably revised the book a dozen times. The final book itself, I trimmed down from about 400 pages to its current version of about 200 or so.
Writing for business readers rather than technical was also another big shift. My last work as co-author is intended for a deeply technical audience: SOA Compass (IBM Press 2005, and now in six languages worldwide). What's more writing for Wharton School Press was also a little intimidating; the Wharton professor and the editorial staff were very pleasant and accommodating, but there is a different kind of rigor that goes into explaining in simple detail without expounding at length on a topic.
The topic itself is constantly reshaping itself, but I have found that adoption tends to be a top concern, once people get beyond the "What is it?" question. Companies want to know how to apply social computing across their employees, customers and partners, but they also want to know what the payback or gain of taking part may be. So far, there are many different scenarios where the rewards are real, but I have yet to find anyone who can claim a common set of methods, metrics and value that applies in every scenario. For CIOs and IT departments used to delivering very specific ROI measurements for their application installations, this lack of a systematic means of measuring ROI can make it difficult to justify the cost. On the other hand, as many will tell you, there is no question of "do you need a phone system for your business?" as a means of communication. My prediction is that social software and collaboration will eventually become a standard cost of doing any kind of business.
Your favorite and your least favorite thing about social networking?
Pros: It's a brand new frontier of ideas especially when you become involved in trying to take this from an artistic to a scientific approach. There are lots of opportunities on an intellectual level which really drives me.
Cons: It's a brand new frontier of ideas especially when you become involved in trying to take this from an artistic to a scientific approach. :)
It's true both ways. On the con side, I end up talking with folks ingrained with the subject and those just entering it, and often find people rediscovering some of the same ideas over and again. There are still so many new things to be learned, but having to go in reverse sometimes can also readjust your perspective on what people need.
How has being a father changed how you use social networking?
I went dormant for a while, not posting online too often. This book writing project started when my first child was about a year old, and ended about two years later just before my second one was born. On a daily basis it was a flip-flop between deep intellectual discussions with many experts on the dynamics of social interactions, and then watching Curious George and Yo Gabba Gabba—"Don't… bite your friends… Don't… bite your friends"—with my son, and then back to work after he went to bed. Let me tell you, it changes the way you think. Both have their ups and downs. Since this book was dedicated to my son Ryhan, I will eventually have to write another one to dedicate to my daughter Zoe.
What advice would you give on being an active social networker but balancing it with the rest of your job and the rest of your life?
What I think many folks new to the subject find hardest is that it takes time (years, not weeks) to become involved in a social group. Much of it involves if you can, on a personal level, form and maintain relationships with people you don't see or talk to except in brief bursts. Most folks don't get to spend hours at a time working closely with other individuals in an online social environment. That's okay. However, frequency and authenticity of interaction does matter. You need to connect with others just as you would with your in-person relationships.
But don't lose your life to it. Talk about the subject in a relevant and useful manner. But, there is also nothing wrong with occasionally talking about what you do in your off-time, if that's okay with the social environment you are in. What that does is bring up other concepts that perhaps the other members may be interested in and want to talk to you about. Therein lays serendipity.
What are some of your favorite websites/feeds/twitter accounts to follow?
What I read regularly has changed quite a bit over the years. It used to be fairly heavily technical and developer oriented, but these days, they are more around social systems, economics, employee behavior, and enterprise technology
Online, I read blogs like Crave.cnet.com (for my gadget news fix), CNN Money, BBC news, the Enteprise 2.0 Adoption Council (private community for enterprise social software). Most Web sites I tend to find per recommendation from others on Twitter or on internal social sites. There are a lot of IBM internal sites and communities I read too.
I tend to read a lot offline as much as online. Having been a writer and editor, I still regularly follow a number of publications like the Economist, Fortune, BusinessWeek, Strategy+Business and Harvard Business Review.
I see Twitter as a stream of info to dip into occasionally rather than to soak in for hours. I tend to be specific on who I follow and which followers I accept. I only track several hundred folks but will read posts by rhappe (Rachel Happe), jowyang (Jeremy Owyang), kdpaine (KD Paine), rotkapchen (Paula Thornton), turbotodd (Todd Watson), briansolis (Brian Solis), ITInsider (Susan Scrupski), horizonwatching (Bill Chamberlin), and eric_andersen (Eric Andersen).
Are there any technical experts or blogs you follow on My developerWorks?
I read Luis Benitez's and Todd Watson's blogs often because they are both in my field and interesting writers. I was reading the Extremeblue Internship Experience blog over the summer—I was mentoring an intern team working on social computing activity metrics. I'm starting to discover new folks on there too.
What do you think about My developerWorks so far?
It's interesting and a third home online so I visit it occasionally. I like the fact that its open to allowing any developerWorks member to get involved in. There's a lot to growing a new ecosystem like this; and it is new because the users have not been working in such an environment for very long, even if developerWorks itself has been around for over a decade. I'm really glad to see that content from My developerWorks now appears on the main developerWorks page.
Outside of the social networking universe, what hobbies or interests keep your flame burning?
My other passion is practicing and teaching Japanese swordfighting. It's exhausting physically but nice and relaxing mentally from work. On http://battodo.ning.com, you'll find photos and videos of my students and me over the years. I teach mostly middle-school and high-school now. That audience requires a whole other approach to trying to explain ideas and practices. For example, "Let's not try to get anyone hurt in class by swinging your wooden sword wildly. Now, line up so you can practice how to cut in half this target about the density of a person."
- Thanks Rawn!
Interview with Andrew Larmour, technology blogger from Australia
vskinner 060000VKGS Tags:  telco mydw telecom websphere interview asean utilities my_developerworks lotus australia energy 1 Comment 5,999 Views
This week get to know Andrew Larmour, a self-professed geek from Australia who loves a good challenge and helping IBM Business Partners with technology. Learn more about Andrew on his profile and blog on My developerWorks.
Tell me about yourself and what you're currently working on...
I am in my 40s and a bit of a geek - I love technology (I wish I was at CES last week), aircraft and cars. I've worked in the Retail, Automotive, Photographic, Military and Logistics industries before my career in IT - all of which I think helps me relate to customers better. These days, as part of the Industry Business Partner Technical Strategy Enablement (IBPTSE - yes, I am not a fan of the name either) team I am focused on three industries: Telecom, Media & Entertainment and Energy & Utilities although I spend most of my time on Telecom.
Our team is dedicated to making sure IBM's Business Partners in those target industries are successful with using IBM technology - predominantly the WebSphere family of software. We cover all types of partners, although usually they are:
Independent Software Vendors (ISV) - we are often called in to assist with enablement on WebSphere products, helping the partner to evaluate our software as a platform for their software and figuring out the right strategic direction for them with respect to our software products. Some that I have worked with include Soprano (who recently became a validated partner in our Telecom solution framework - Service Provider Delivery Environment - SPDE), eMagine and Digital Water.
System Integrators (SI) - I spend most of my time supporting these partners - if they're new to our software, I help them with the technical elements of selling the solution - that may even include doing the architecture, providing training, writing proposals in conjunction with the partner. At Globe Telecom, we partnered with Nokia Siemens Networks Consulting Services team and jNetX to win the business. Since this was the first time NSN had worked with IBM software I did a significant amount of work on the architecture and making sure that NSN got it right (technically). On subsequent projects with NSN, they have been much more self sufficient - which is really what we want to happen.
Network Equipment Providers (NEPs) - are a special category of business partner for us - they're quite different to IBM's typical partner and are very Telco specific. I personally have worked quite closely with Huawei in China to conduct interoperability tests between IBM's Telecom software and Huawei's components. This included testing WebSphere Application Server, WebSphere Presence Server, WebSphere IMS Connector and XML Document Managers Interaction with Huawei's IMS Core components. Since we added a China based team member - Xie Tong - my involvement with NEPs has dropped off and Tong handles most of that work.
The whole ASEAN region seems to be a hotbed of Telco activity at the moment. I am working with customers and partners in Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia. That's occupying most of my time as well as some personal development tasks. Naturally, I need to spend some time on my internal and external blogs and mentoring activities (I have two mentees) .
How did you get started in IT?
I've been in the IT industry since 1994 but was a geek long before that - way back in 1983, I got my first computer, a Microbee (an Australian Z80 based computer with a whole 32K of memory!) which I used to write all my school essays and reports. In 1994 when I finally finished my degree part time at Monash University in Melbourne (Australia), I got a job with the Victorian Auditor General's Office - where I started using IBM technology. I deployed Lotus cc:Mail, Lotus Organizer Group Calendar and Lotus Notes 3.0. We were the first Notes 3.0 site in Australia using the Windows NT platform. I recall the server shipping on 16 floppy disks!
From there I moved into a local IBM Business partner doing Notes/Domino work, then into an international IBM Business Partner (Software Spectrum) continuing down the Notes/Domino path. While I was there, I established a close relationship with IBM locally and internationally becoming one of the leading experts in Asia Pacific on what was then SecureWay Host Integration products (Host on Demand, Host Publisher, Screen Customizer, PComm) - those products ended up under the WebSphere brand and when I joined IBM nearly 10 years ago, I was hired into the brand - forgoing all my Lotus history. Since joining IBM, I have had the pleasure of being closely involved in some bleeding edge products and projects. I established myself in the Australia/New Zealand WebSphere team as the guy that looked after all the non-core products. That meant I had to cover things like WebSphere Portal (from V1!), WebSphere speech products, pervasive computing products like WebSphere Everyplace and the WebSphere embedded technology.
Now that I think about it, I have been involved with a lot of significant IBM technology very early in its life.
WebSphere Portal - since V1
Eclipse - which stared out life as Edgelets within WEA in 2002
J9 JVM which stared out as our embedded JVM and is now the basis for all JVMs in IBM
WebSphere Application Server V3
Lotus Notes V3.0 (on a Win32 platform)
Not all of the technology I have worked with has been so significant for IBM. Some of these technologies live on, but plenty are now pushing up daisies. It's still been fun.
I think experiencing IBM from the point of view of a customer, a partner and as an IBMer has given me valuable insight into our partners and customers which has helped me on the way.
Tell me about one of your favorite IT projects you've worked on.
That's tricky - obviously successful projects figure highly when I think back, but there have been a few where we have been unsuccessful, but the challenges have been tougher and they rate quite highly too. If I put my sales hat on, I would probably say Globe Telecom's Service Delivery Platform has been very rewarding - I was the architect for that and it has proven really successful for Globe and for IBM. While I continue to be heavily involved at Globe and am very proud of what we have achieved there, probably my favourite project was from a few years ago - we were trying to win a deal with Telstra in Australia for a multi-channel portal. A project that lost its executive sponsor with a management reshuffle at Telstra, so the whole project just died. We were positioning WebSphere Portal, WebSphere Everyplace Mobile Portal, WebSphere Voice Application Access and WebSphere Voice Server to deliver Telstra's portal to all channels - Web, Mobile Phone (via phone browser) and Voice. It was bleeding edge stuff and I met some good friends in IBM from all corners of the world on that project. We were proposing the use of WVAA to deliver both a Voice Portal with a subset of the same content that visual users would access but also a statistical conversation model to enable a Natural Language interface. Our future plans also included support for a multi-modal interface (using X+V which we demonstrated to Telstra) that mixed voice and visual interfaces to deliver a truly unique user experience. It was a challenge to bring together all of these different technologies and demonstrate them let alone write the proposal. It was a shame to see all that effort go to waste after the Telstra management shuffle, but that is the way this sort of thing goes sometimes. I guess if I am honest, it is those sort of technical challenges that I really enjoy and why I work for IBM.
What's ahead for you in 2010? What new things do you plan on learning?
For now, from a job perspective, it's business as usual. We have some Telco classes coming up in Bangkok and Manila in February (pretty much the same classes that we ran in Kuala Lumpur and Hanoi last year with some small updates). The classes are free for Business Partners - if any partners would like to attend, feel free to contact me and I will let them know how to enroll. I hope to do a bit more work in the Energy & Utilities sector (which will hopefully be reflected in the blog), but that's dependent on the customers and our partners - if they need me or not.
On a more personal note, I plan to do my professional certification (as L2 IT Specialist) and I need to improve my skills with iLog, Telecom Content Pack and WebSphere Business Events, so I will be looking to pick up some deeper skills with those products. I expect the Telco and Energy & Utilities sectors to be quite active this year throughout Asia Pacific so I anticipate another busy year with lots of flying.
How do you use developerWorks?
I often search developerWorks for whitepapers and am often satisfied too! I find developerWorks a tremendous resource for both IBMers and Business Partners as well, so I recommend it often. I point partners to developerWorks downloads to get trial copies of software too. Of course, I also write on my team's blog on My developerWorks, but that is a relatively recent occurrence - I only created the blog at the end of October 2009 - but there are a number of bloggers here that I now regularly follow and I am seeing quite a bit of useful information cropping up within My developerWorks.
What's the most interesting, satisfying, or challenging thing about helping IBM Business Partners and ISVs?
It's funny that you ask that, because for me, job satisfaction and interest is all about the challenges. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to be pulling my hair out all day long on ancillary stuff, but interesting technical challenges really does drive job satisfaction for me. I like to think of our business partners as part of my team - which is really the case when we're jointly in front of a customer anyway. I am a firm believer in the need to stretch myself so if I can work with a partner who is equally keen to solve those technical issues, then I am going to be a happy chappy.
What inspired you to start a blog for The Industry Business Partner Technical Strategy Enablement (IBPTSE) team?
I have been blogging internally at IBM for a few years quite erratically. When IBM launched Lotus Connections 2.5 beta through the Technology Access Program, I migrated my old blog to the new environment because it was much more reliable and more stable than the old connections 2.0 based blog central. At that time, within out team we were discussing how we could better share information to other IBMers around the world, so I started a community for our team - that was May 2009. That blog has been humming along with a small but regular readership. Given our team is targeted at Business Partners, it seemed to me a bit silly to only be sharing these blog posts, files bookmarks with IBMers so, I figured My developerWorks would be a good place to extend the reach of our team and provide information to partners that we deal with and those that we don't (but should). If anyone else is interested in what we share then that's a bonus. I have been looking at where the blog traffic is coming from and noticed a few from Google, mostly direct for from My developerWorks, but I did notice that it has been picked up by the smarterplanet team (Sam Palmisano's Smarter Planet speech on the 12th of January) so someone else finds it useful too. I am pretty chuffed about that. :-)
You seem to travel quite a bit. Any survival or productivity tips for fellow IT professionals who travel?
I do get about - lots of overnight or all day flights - that's the thing with living in Australia - the closest country I can go to is New Zealand and that is still three and a half hours flight time. The next closest that I visit is Singapore at seven and a half hours. Most of my work recently has been in ASEAN, although I have also spent quite a bit of time in China and South Korea as well in my current role.
Last year, I only had 60 flights, but was onboard aircraft for 11.7 days and flew 210,593 km. In the past five years, I have flown 1,046,148 km so I guess that classes me as a frequent flyer. The things that work for me (which may not work for everyone) that greatly assist my travel and my productivity are:
How are you using social networking today? What significance does it have in terms of the work you do?
I use a number of social networking tools, some internal to IBM such as Lotus Connections, Socialblue, Cattail and Fringe, but I also use a number of external tools too - including My developerWorks (naturally), Lotuslive Engage, LinkedIn, Facebook, FlightMemory, Tripit, Stumbleupon and Picasa.
Certainly the internal Connections and Catail tools are very important to the way I am able to do my job. The file sharing capability, the blogs, communities of interest, forums and activities all make me more effective at my job - I reckon it saves me four hours per week. Equally, My developerWorks and LotusLive Engage are important tools in collaborating externally with customers and partners on work matters. The other external tools, are not so related to IBM. LinkedIn is quite business and career focused, but I don't get a huge amount of business value out of it other than participating with other industry specialists in some discussions. The others are for my interest or purely social so they don't have any great significance for work.
What publications or websites do you read or visit?
I subscribe to Australian Aviation (been a regular reader since 1977) and (when I can get it) also read KitCar Magazine (UK) but you probably don't care too much about that. In the IT world, I follow:
A number of Fierce Industry newsletters (FierceWireless, FierceTelecom and FierceIPTV)
Computing Unplugged
WebSphere Power
Domino Power
Palm Boulevard
Smart Planet
Telecom TV
Plenty of IBM internal newsletters and sites
In your spare time, if you have any, what hobbies or activities interest you?
Spare time... hmmm. Not so much. Spending time with my family, work and travel - that's pretty much me at the moment. I would like to exercise my inner mechanic though and build a kit car - The Raw Striker is probably my ultimate dream machine, but customs duty in Australia make them really expensive :-(. Still, because it is a kit car; I could buy a few bits at a time and spread the cost out a bit more.
- Thanks Andrew!
Interview with Anthony English, AIX blogger from Australia
vskinner 060000VKGS Tags:  aix blogger interview 2 Comments 5,950 Views
I'm excited to share this interview with Anthony English! Anthony is an AIX expert from Australia who writes a popular blog on My developerWorks called AIX Down Under.
Tell me about yourself and what you're currently working on...
I'm a Sydney father of (only) six children, and my wife and I home school them.
I've been working primarily on AIX systems since 1991, and in the last couple of years have been doing contract work in the finance, retail and manufacturing industries. It's a chance to work with lots of good people and learn to take advantage of virtualisation on IBM Power Systems. My most recent project was building two Power6 570s (one for DR) from the ground up without ever seeing them. They're hosting some 24 X 7 public-facing web sites with WebSphere, DB2 and Informix on the back end.
What first drew your interest to technology?
I used to take clocks apart as a boy, and put them together again, with intermittent success. When I started working, "computerisation" was the buzz word. What I worked on was producing mailing lists using real letters and envelopes using CTOS. These days I'm used to taking on new technologies and I'm quite excited when I have to troubleshoot problems. I have nightmares about workarounds. Can't stand 'em. There's nothing so permanent as a temporary solution.
How did you end up being an AIX expert?
My colleagues and clients might have an opinion about calling me that! I'm no expert, but I am keen. I've learned a lot from my mistakes and I've developed a strong interest in finding simpler ways of doing things. I think AIX and virtualisation on IBM Power Systems can help build environments which are flexible, consistent and stable.
I'd say laziness is my big motivation. In a way my goal is to do myself out of a job. I like to set things up so that people are not fighting fires all day. Maybe I should write a blog post: "From firefighter to autopilot."
So you started a blog called AIX Down Under - what inspired you to start blogging on My developerWorks?
It was really by popular demand. A few colleagues found they were getting lots of free and unsolicited advice from me on how to set up their systems. They gently suggested to me that there might be someone out there in cyberworld who really was interested in what I had to say.
After some years of working with all different kinds of people - some great people with wonderful abilities - it's a good thing to share around what they have passed onto me. It's also a chance to help out people who have lots of enthusiasm but not so much experience to show how they can make their systems work better. I'd also like to believe that some people appreciate my Aussie sense of humour. I do, anyway.
What's been the most interesting or surprising thing about blogging so far?
I wrote a post on the most famous of all Unix commands - the one which will wipe out your system. I called it "rm -r and your career". Five minutes after I put it on my shiny new blog I managed to wipe out the entire post and had to reconstruct it using Google searches, one and a half sentences at a time. See what I mean about people being able to learn from my mistakes?
How do you use developerWorks?
Primarily reading the excellent articles. It's a great source for hands-on examples of doing things which the official man pages simply can't cover. I've got some articles in the wings myself. I think it's a great way for people to see how things work and hang together in the real (virtual) world. Even a task which you're told is very simple can be daunting until you see someone step through it.
Are you a gadget guy? Any new gadgets that you are adding to your wish list?
The i-don't. Gadgets? No, not really. I actually grow veges, coach cricket and read books, (you know, printed on real paper) especially the classics. I was catching the bus to one company in Sydney recently and that gave me the chance to read the whole of Dickens' and Jane Austen's novels and a good dose of Shakespeare (the bus driver took the long route that day). I also have a strong interest in mediaeval philosophy and theology, and have written the odd article in that field, which is perhaps not so common among geekdom.
What are some of your favorite websites/feeds/twitter accounts to follow?
https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/mydeveloperworks/blogs/AIXDownUnder/?lang=en (of course! I'm its most frequent visitor.)
In the AIX space
http://twitter.com/cgibbo (and every word written by my compatriot, Chris Gibson)
Anything produced by Nigel Griffiths, especially his Wiki movies: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/wikis/display/wikiptype/movies
And, to prove I have a life outside of AIX:
Do you have a motto or a philosophy that guides you?
I'm not much of a doomsdayer. I have a great deal of hope for the future, and I think that's important in a world where the emphasis is sometimes more negative. True hope gives joy and peace, whatever is going on around you. I also find people face things best when they know the truth, spoken with clarity and charity.
Now if only I could condense all that to a bumper sticker.
Yin meets yang - Welcome to my blog!
vskinner 060000VKGS Tags:  myers-briggs ibm otto social_media marketing_professional personality social_networking my_developerworks web_2.0 6 Comments 5,917 Views
Welcome to my new, and I admit it, FIRST blog!
The truth and nothing but the truth... I'm not a developer and I'm not a techie, so don't expect any geeky posts from me. But I love geeks! I've een working with all kinds of technical geniuses at IBM for the last ten years, from web developers to ISVs to our brilliant team of people here who made My developerWorks possible. And I find that us marketing professional types (I fall in that bucket btw) have a nice yin-yang relationship with technical types. We appreciate each others' strengths and complement each others' weaknesses. Opposites attract and that's why I've named my blog "Yin meets yang". This year I've had the privilege of working on the launch of My developerWorks - working with a multi-faceted crew, collaborating on everything. So while I'm no techie, I can't resist blogging out here on My developerWorks, because I want to get to know the technical community up close and personal, plus I want to share ideas about how to get the most out of My developerWorks because that's a topic I'm passionate about! So what can you expect from my blog?
The truth and nothing but the truth... I'm not a developer and I'm not a techie, so don't expect any geeky posts from me. But I love geeks! I've een working with all kinds of technical geniuses at IBM for the last ten years, from web developers to ISVs to our brilliant team of people here who made My developerWorks possible. And I find that us marketing professional types (I fall in that bucket btw) have a nice yin-yang relationship with technical types. We appreciate each others' strengths and complement each others' weaknesses. Opposites attract and that's why I've named my blog "Yin meets yang".
This year I've had the privilege of working on the launch of My developerWorks - working with a multi-faceted crew, collaborating on everything. So while I'm no techie, I can't resist blogging out here on My developerWorks, because I want to get to know the technical community up close and personal, plus I want to share ideas about how to get the most out of My developerWorks because that's a topic I'm passionate about!
So what can you expect from my blog?
Tips, hints, and tricks on how to use My developerWorks -- things like how to find people who "know stuff", how to amp up blog readership, and how to build your inner circle.
My explorations, discoveries and thoughts about social media, social networking, and Web 2.0.
What I'm learning about playing nice with others and getting things done in a 21st century, fast-paced, highly-matrixed virtual team workplace.
My thoughts about personality in the workplace (I am a geek about Myers-Briggs testing, okay?).
Discussions about working OTTO (that's what we at IBM call "Other than traditional office) - I'm starting to work from home and still learning how to make it work for me.
I'd love to get to know you better! So please, come get to know me on my profile and add me to your colleagues. And on my blog, please leave comments, and let me know if there's anything you want to hear more about!
I'd love to get to know you better! So please, come get to know me on my profile and add me to your colleagues. And on my blog, please leave comments, and let me know if there's anything you want to hear more about!
Interview with Kelly Smith, Notes from Rational Support blogger
vskinner 060000VKGS Tags:  my_developerworks social_media mydw rational social_networking interview 4 Comments 5,753 Views
This week, get to know Kelly Smith, a blogger on My developerWorks. With over 20 years of experience with the software development lifecycle, plus a wide variety of social networking activity, Kelly has a unique perspective to share. Learn more about Kelly in the interview below, plus:
Kelly's profile on My developerWorks
Kelly's blog on My developerWorks: Notes from Rational Support
Kelly on Twitter
What project are you most proud of ?
IBM's Hack Day, without a doubt! IBM's Hack Day was started in June 2006, inspired by a blog post I wrote on Blog Central about Yahoo's Hack Day program. Completely grass-roots and unfunded, the rocking bloggers on BlogCentral took the idea and ran with it, taking it global with participation from IBMers all over the world. Hack Day 7 is scheduled for this October, and we are always looking for folks to help run the event or to participate! (HackDay is a one-day competition challenging you to come up with the most interesting "Hack". "Hack", in this case refers to ability to come up with a solution to a problem or an interesting idea you've been thinking about. If you're an IBMer and want to participate, contact Kelly.)
What are you currently working on?
Currently, I and my team are working on several initiatives to help our clients help themselves be successful using our products. Rational Client Support is continuing its adoption of Knowledge-Centered Support best practices, and is exploring new venues like Twitter (@RationalSupport) and blogs (Notes from Rational Support) to connect with our clients proactively, and share knowledge.
Are you a gadget person? What type of gadgets do you use?
I am a sucker for anything with LEDs ... color-changing LEDs, preferably. :-) I'm also fascinated with the home automation work Andy Stanford-Clark and others are doing. I'm an Apple fan-girl, and I totally puffy heart my macbook, and my iPhone.
How do you use developerWorks?
I use developerWorks to connect and share with colleagues and clients ... the power of collaboration, community and knowledge-sharing.
Tell me about your experience blogging so far...
I've been blogging for several years now. I have a personal blog over at http://kellypuffs.wordpress.com/. I love blogging and connecting with others. I have to say, though, that since the advent of Twitter, I'm having trouble writing anything longer than 140 characters at a shot!
The coolest thing about social networking is...
I love how social software has enabled me to widen my personal and professional networks. I have met so many wonderful people both inside and outside of IBM and all over the world through social networking. I can be plugged in to all the latest news and trends in areas I'm interested in. I'm a life-long learner, and I love learning from all the wicked smart folks out there. For me, it's all about the people.
The biggest problem with social networking is...
I'm frustrated with the transformation of "social networking" to "social media" to "social media marketing". The value of social networking goes SO far beyond selling folks products or services. Also, I'm tired of reading about social media and from social media experts on twitter and blogs. It's all too meta. Let's go back to genuine conversations and high-value content.
What are some of your favorite websites/feeds/twitter accounts to follow?
@badbanana - Tim Siedell of Fusebox Studios. Very funny.
@freshmarketNH– food and kitchen tips
Favorite blogs/websites:
Zen Habits
Code Simplicity
Dinosaurs & Robots
Email or text messaging?
I HATE email! I'm longing to attempt the Luis Suarez patent-pending No-Email system, but haven't convinced my boss yet.
Thanks Kelly!
Interview with Allen Montejo
vskinner 060000VKGS Tags:  rad open_source developer j2ee interview 2 Comments 5,694 Views
This week get to know Allen Montejo as he shares what he's been working on as a J2EE application developer and what the IT industry is like in the Philippines. He's definitely inspiring as he looks at ways that technology can improve the world!
Tell me about yourself and what you're currently working on...
I'm a software engineer with almost 8 years of rigid software development experience using different technology as required for the project, building software from scratch to maintenance and to its evolution. I am new to IBM and was hired as IT specialist and am currently assigned to a project as a J2EE Application Developer. Currently I am working on the web application project that is used for smart and fast information research in many different field. The project was built using IBM enterprise development tools which is the Rational Application Developer (RAD 7). I never used this tools before I came to IBM and I was amazed how easy it was to use and how fast to learn the tools for development. I am quite fan of J2EE open source tools and technology such as Eclipse, Netbeans, and Oracle JDeveloper but with RAD it has many cool features that can boost development productivity. IT Firms should try using this tool for their business since it helps productivity. Aside from being a software developer in our team, I was also given a chance to get involved with project management which gave me good benefits in the end. I learned about IBM's software development processes from enhancement, maintenance to full release.
When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? How did you end up choosing a career as an IT professional?
Actually in the Philippines, we have this custom that our parents are the ones who decide what course to take in college. Though I was interested and had a great desire in computers and computing, they decided for me to take Accountancy since at that time the course was in high demand. But then accidentally when I was trying to inquire and enroll to different Universities, I was always getting denied because the course was already full in capacity. I was determined to go to college and hopefully to land a better job someday because life in our country is very difficult when you don't have a degree finished. And so I enrolled to Computer Science without asking permission first to my parents, and this is also the profession I always wanted.
I chose this career because I believe that technology will always evolve and human beings will always find ways for a better life through the help of technology. And also I am very curious about how computers work and how it will change or help our lives in the near future.
What's happening in the Philippines related to technology? What's the high tech climate like there?
Currently there are a lot of foreign IT Firms starting to establish business in our country and also local companies starting to embrace software development type of business. Our new government is starting to automate their processes for fast and accurate results to the selected agency services that have a critical function, like what we had in the last May 2010 election, it is the first automated voting system to be successfully implemented.
Regarding our climate, Philippines is one of the country in Asia which is most visited by typhoons, we even have up to 4 different typhoons in a month. We have PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) a government agency that monitors our weather and typhoons. Unfortunately, currently the agency still uses old technology and approaches for monitoring change in weather. But I think our current government administration is planning to upgrade the technology on PAGASA. Actually when I heard the news I posted a suggestion to our new elected President on Facebook to use the IBM supercomputer which can perform 34 trillion calculation a second, which I believe is the perfect solution to our unpredictable weather change. Hopefully they will consider my suggestion. ;-)
What's the most challenging aspect of being a Software Engineer (and how do you handle it)?
Aside from technical and logic formulation which I find challenging and interesting in my daily work, I think the most challenging situation I'd experience as a software engineer is negotiating and communicating with a client that has no good background in software development. I find it very hard and time consuming for us to make them understood the process development must undergo. Explanation and solution recommendation is a bit tricky since they do not understand technical terms we use. The only solution I implement when I encounter such situation is patience and transformation of technical terminology to layman's terms or to their perspective to better understand things and to synchronize with development team.
What's your approach to keeping your skills current? What new topics or areas are you learning about right now?
Reading tech news is one of my hobbies and becoming part of my daily routine. I also get myself involved and participate actively on tech forums and group mails which I am interested in. Collaboration and sharing ideas with the group of people that have the same interests as I have is the key for keeping the skills updated and concurrent. And of course reading tech books to achieve new skills because in our profession we cannot afford to be left behind, it is a constant learning process.
Currently I am quite interested on the declarative languages such as Python and Ruby, I'm playing with it in my free time. I'm also exploring new web frameworks and design patterns. And for IBM, I am learning how to manage and handle the software life cycle and processes.
How do you use developerWorks?
Well, developerWorks is one of my resources to keep my skills updated, keep in touch with people with the same interest as mine and to keep me informed what is concurrent news at IBM. I also use developerWorks to update my working status online. What I like is that it has a feature to automatically update to my other networking accounts such Facebook. I hope soon it will cater auto update to other networking sites too.
How are you using social networking today?
I'm using social networking to keep in touch w/ my distance friends and relatives. I also use it as a resource in my profession, to gather different information and data, collaborate and share my thoughts and experience in certain topics.
Can you share something about yourself that most people don't know about you?
I think my principles and beliefs in doing things in life - my work may be futuristic but I'd still prefer to live and implement life in ancient ways. :-)
- Thanks Allen!
Interview with John Pape, WebSphere blogger
vskinner 060000VKGS Tags:  social_networking interview social mydw blueiq my_developerworks websphere 2 Comments 5,658 Views
This week get to know John Pape, a member of the IBM WebSphere Application Server SWAT team, blogging on My developerWorks and using social networking to connect and share his experience. Learn more about John in the interview below and connect with him on:
My developerWorks Profile
John's Random Musings blog
Follow John on Twitter
Tell me about yourself and what you're currently working on...
I am a member of the IBM WebSphere Application Server SWAT team. My team focuses on acute product defect support, mainly focusing on crit-sits. My job entails me traveling to customer locations as helping them get through the tough times they are having with WebSphere Application Server, WebSphere Virtual Enterprise, and WebSphere eXtreme Scale. We also do remote engagements as well.
What inspired you to pursue a career in technology?
I'd like to think that I've always had a talent for working with computers. Technology has always fascinated me, whether it's a new smartphone, operating system, or browser. New technology is a bright and shiny toy for me!
What are you doing to make the planet smarter? How do you personally relate to IBM's Smarter Planet story?
My personal efforts to make a smarter plant are two-fold: 1. I'm working with other IBMers to help make more technical content available to our customers via social media like Twitter and My developerWorks and 2. I am part of an internal effort at IBM called BlueIQ which aims to promote social software adoption inside IBM. I see the effective use of social software as a means to work smarter and thus produce a smarter planet.
You seem to be a pretty prolific author, not only are you blogging, but you've also written articles and Redbooks. What inspires you to write so much, and how do you make find the time or make it a priority?
Writing is a big thing for me. I see authoring as a great way to give back to the technical community that brought me up, so to speak. In my job at IBM, I see lots of different types of problems and to be able to take these experiences and share them with other colleagues and customers to help them avoid them seems like such a small thing to do but, the benefit can be enormous!
From your perspective, what's the most exciting thing happening related to WebSphere software right now?
Personally, I'm excited about grid computing and distributed caching. I think more and more customers and perspective customers are realizing the value of using a product like WebSphere eXtreme Scale to help save their company money. Since grid computing can be done complementary to cloud computer technologies like CloudBurst, I think it's a very relevant topic in the enterprise today.
Besides WebSphere, what other technologies are you fanatical about and why?
As I mentioned before, grid computing concepts like distributed caching and data grid applications are my current interest. There are lots of new innovations in this area right now. Additionally, I've taken a great interest in the use of social networking in the enterprise. I think there are many lessons to be learned around the concept of Enterprise 2.0 and business collaboration technology.
Your article about how to get an answer in forums is great! Do you spend a lot of time in developerWorks forums?
Less than I'd like to but, yes. I try to regularly contribute to the forums on developerWorks. I hate to see a question go unanswered!
How are you using social networking today?
Internally, I make _HUGE_ use of our Lotus Connections deployment. I also use an internal Twitter-like clone called BlueTwit. Externally, I break up my work and personal life by using Twitter for technology and IBM-related stuff and Facebook for my family and friends. I also use LinkedIn to keep track of my professional network. Lastly, I try to blog regularly on the My developerWorks site.
What are some of your favorite websites/feeds/twitter accounts to follow?
I keep track of the WebSphere support RSS feeds so I can stay on top of current fix availability. I also watch the developerWorks RSS feeds for new content. On Twitter , I follow various IBMers related to WebSphere and Lotus products, Blackberry tech blogs, and my favorite NHL team - the Carolina Hurricanes!
Do you have a must-have gadget - something you can't live without?
My Blackberry. It's always glued to me.
When you're not working, what hobbies or activities grab your attention?
Outside of work I enjoy watching hockey, coaching soccer, and inline skating.
- Thanks John!
Interview with Susan Visser
vskinner 060000VKGS Tags:  blogging authors social_networking interview db2 mydw publishing blogs my_developerworks 1 Comment 5,508 Views
This week, I'm bringing you an interview with Susan Visser, a seasoned blogger and social networker with unique insights on DB2 , certification, and publishing. Learn more about Susan in the interview below. And don't forget to visit her profile on My developerWorks and catch the latest on her blog.
Tell me about yourself and what you're currently working on:
I'm working on expanding the collection of books that are available to help train people on any of our information management products! These books include the retail books that you can purchase on amazon.com (including kindle versions) as well as the custom books that IBM gives away for free at events. One of the more recent books that published is IBM Press' DB2 pureXML Cookbook.
What inspires you in your work?
I'm inspired by people! I find something truly amazing about every person I interact with. I'm blessed to be sitting in the Toronto Lab, surrounded by 2500 brilliant IBMers. I like to help people realize their dreams of becoming authors and try to help promote the work that others do.
How do you think the publishing world is changing with new developments in technology like online publishing, ebooks, blogs, kindle, etc?
I don't think the publishing world has quite figured out what to do with all the change that is happening in the world right now. Actually, I'm not sure readers have figured out what they should do with all this change either! The one thing that hasn't happened is a slowdown in published materials. In fact, I'm constantly overwhelmed at the amount of content that is available on every topic. One thing for certain is that literacy skills are more important now than ever before!
How are you using social networking today?
Social networking has always been important in my life... but now I'm able to connect with more people than I could just face to face. I use my blog to tell readers about something that has come to my attention that they may wish to know about. I use Facebook to connect with my family, friends, and work colleagues on a variety of topics. I use LinkedIn for my professional network. I've been using ChannelDB2 and PlanetDB2 for years now but I am fully embracing the rich features available in My developerWorks! There is a thing as too much, so there are a few social sites that I'm not using.
Tell me about your blog on My developerWorks...
I started my blog in 2005! Does that make me an early adopter? I like to write and connect to people, so blogging was a natural progression in my career. I'm on the education team and was constantly being told that there were a lack of skills resources available to our customers. I knew that this wasn't true, so my intention was to use my blog to broadcast about the vast collection of resources that we have available. I like knowing that I help people find what they need to keep their skills current. My only complaint about blogging is that the tools are not always stable or flexible enough for me to be really creative in my posts.
So far, what do you think about the update of the My developerWorks environment to Lotus Connections 2.5?
I've been actively using and teaching people about the amazing features that exist on My developerWorks now that it is on Lotus Connections 2.5. The only thing that could improve the environment is by having more people registered and using the site! The more the merrier!
What publications or websites do you regularly visit?
The first website that I visit most regularly is PlanetDB2.com which is a collection of blog entries from the IM community. Nearly instantly I'm aware of what is on the mind of all my fellow bloggers. I use the ibm.com/developerworks/mydeveloperworks/blogs site for the same reason, but this community is much broader than what I get on PlanetDB2.com. The second site that I visit most often is amazon.com. I like to monitor the books that we've published and the reader comments that the books receive. I like to stay on top of what the competition is publishing and promoting.
What gadget that you currently own, can you not live without?
It isn't really a gadget, but I don't think I could live long without the internet! Sure, I go on vacations where I don't use the internet for an entire week... but I'm wishing I could! A gadget like the Blackberry would be perfect for me... but alas, the price is too high for Canadians, so I connect to the internet via laptops at work or home.
- Thanks Susan!
Interview with Dustin Amrhein, technical evangelist for WebSphere emerging technologies
vskinner 060000VKGS Tags:  cloud_computing mydw cloudburst websphere my_developerworks cloud interview 2 Comments 5,484 Views
Cloud computing is only getting hotter, so I wanted to bring you an interview with Dustin Amrhein, a technical evangelist for WebSphere emerging technologies and an active member of My developerWorks contributing to the dialogue around Cloud computing.
Learn more about Dustin: Profile on My developerWorks - Blog on My developerWorks - Twitter -
Follow the latest news and join in group discussion about Cloud, at Cloud Computing Central
Tell me about yourself and what you're currently working on...
I've been at IBM for nearly four years now. The first three years of my career I was a software engineer on the WebSphere Application Server product. Now I'm a technical evangelist for emerging technologies in WebSphere with a specific focus in our cloud computing technologies. My job is to make sure that our cloud computing technologies are well-known and from a technical standpoint are well-understood.
How do you see cloud computing changing the middleware landscape for developers and IT professionals?
When we talk to our customers it is truly eye opening how much time and resource they invest in configuring, deploying, and managing middleware infrastructure. The truth is that this infrastructure is just a means to the end of making their applications available for their users. Cloud computing can help to easily and efficiently manage the lifecycle of this middleware, thus allowing users to concentrate on the business value they provide in their applications.
What are some of the most common challenges that you're seeing involved with getting cloud technologies up and running in client environments?
There's always odds and ends from a technical sense that can present challenges to those implementing new solutions. However, our clients understand this and more importantly they understand that they can overcome these technical issues. The single biggest and most consistent challenge I have observed with respect to embracing cloud computing is the cultural change that is sometimes required in an organization. Cloud computing is a significantly different way at looking at the problems IT
organizations deal with, and many solutions require buy-in and participation from numerous technical factions within the enterprise. Sometimes this means teams that are not used to working together have to do just that, and sometimes it may mean redefining a group's job responsibilities. In my experience so far, these cultural challenges seem more difficult to embrace than any technical issues.
Specifically with WebSphere CloudBurst, are there any tips/hints you would offer users getting started with the appliance?
I would tell any new user of the appliance to make sure to involve the right teams very early on in the adoption process. First of all, WebSphere CloudBurst works on a "bring your own cloud" model. This allows users to leverage their existing investment in hardware, network, and storage infrastructure, but it also means that users need to define a pool of this infrastructure to the appliance. The process of defining this in the appliance is very simple, but users will probably need to work with their physical infrastructure team to determine which resources are eligible for use in the WebSphere CloudBurst cloud. Another thing to consider is that WebSphere CloudBurst gives you the opportunity to customize the operating system that will be used by the WebSphere application environments dispensed by the appliance. Users will want to involve the team responsible for operating systems to ensure that any environments dispensed by the WebSphere CloudBurst Appliance adhere to all organizational policies and procedures.
[Learn more about customizing with WebSphere Cloudburst in this article series]
What has been your most memorable demo/project that you've worked on for CloudBurst?
Any time I get a chance to go and speak to our clients it is memorable because each and every time I learn quite a bit about their wants and needs and how our solutions can address some of them. That being said, there are two stories that really stick out in my mind.
The first is the story of how our own WebSphere Application Server test team has seen marked improvement in their operational environment as a result of using the WebSphere CloudBurst Appliance. This team adopted the appliance before it was even made public and has been using it for nearly a year now. WebSphere CloudBurst has given them many tangible benefits including decreased time spent managing operating systems, decreased deployment times, and increased hardware utilization rates. In addition, they were able to leverage existing hardware assets by simply installing VMware ESX hosts on top of existing machines, and existing software assets because when all is said and done their applications were still running in the same WebSphere Application Server container, that container just happened to be running in a virtual machine. It is also interesting to hear about how this team has been able to introduce the WebSphere CloudBurst Appliance to their environment in a gradual manner. They did not rip and replace, but instead they have augmented their existing provisioning and management approach with WebSphere CloudBurst. This is a usage story that I think would be of interest to anyone thinking of adopting the appliance, and the good news is that you can hear more about it at IBM Impact 2010.
In addition to this story, there is the story of a very large insurance company that was really impressed with the maintenance capabilities of WebSphere CloudBurst. This company was not satisfied with their process for applying fixes to their WebSphere Application Server installations. The process was human-driven, had to occur in the middle of the night, and simply took too long. Using the appliance they were able to schedule and automate the application of fixes to their WebSphere Application Server environments, and they reduced the time to install these fixes from approximately 30 minutes down to about 4 minutes. Needless to say, they were very happy with the results.
You keep up many sources for WebSphere - blog, space, group, twitter, and youtube channel to name a few.... what's your secret in keeping so many many sources of information going?
Our team works hard at sharing as much information as we can about what's going on in WebSphere. I think the reason we have been able to keep our drumbeat going with so many sources is simple. We are all genuinely excited about the technical and business value that the WebSphere portfolio has to offer, and we are eager to share this information with as many people as possible. We all want to make users understand why to choose WebSphere offerings, and once they have chosen one of our offerings, we want to arm them with as much technical information as possible so the time-to-value is significantly accelerated.
What are some of your favorite websites/feeds/twitter accounts to follow?
From a website perspective, besides the ones our team maintains, I follow some other IBM sites like the Cloud Computing space on developerWorks. I also follow The Server Side, InfoQ, and technology sections on Digg. I read lots of blogs, and I have found the easiest place to find a wide collection of blogs from many different authors is Ulitzer. I like just about all of the Twitter accounts I follow because I appreciate the wide variety of ideas and opinions that are ever present.
Are you a gadget person? Any gadget that you currently own that you can't live without?
Actually, I'm not too much of a gadget person. I will say though that I've slowly become addicted to my iPhone, and I would have a hard time getting by without it, especially when traveling!
How do you use developerWorks?
I use developerWorks to spread technical information about WebSphere's cloud offerings through both my blog and articles. Lately, I've been using the new community features of developerWorks to expand my community network and interact even more directly with our users.
- Thanks Dustin!
Interview with Chris Walden
vskinner 060000VKGS Tags:  my_developerworks mydw interview open_source developerworks 1 Comment 5,464 Views
This week, I'm bringing you an interview with Chris Walden, the new developerWorks Open Source zone editor who is doing quite a bit of interesting work around open source software on My developerWorks. Learn more about Chris and join in on the open source software collaboration by visiting: his profile, his blog, the Real World Open Source wiki, and the Real World Open Source group.
Tell me about yourself and what you're currently working on...
I've been into technology all of my life. My father spent his life in the electronic manufacturing end so I had access to things like calculators (when the were driven by red LED displays) and other gadgets as they came along. I tinkered with programming starting in High School because a friend of mine had an Apple IIe. I had an idea early on that computers were about problem-solving.
My technical career began on the support queue at CompuAdd where I quickly developed the skill of cutting away possibilities and zeroing in on the source of the problem. This was back when memory was $10 a meg and you actually tried to fix them rather than always throwing them away. From there I moved to a value-added reseller doing field support, which was invaluable. I spent time as a sysadmin for a couple of small companies, running mostly Novell and Windows NT. I spent time with the Texas Lottery Commission and then finally at IBM, starting as an architect and then moving into the editorial staff of developerWorks.
The editorial work has been a huge surprise for me. It was an opportunity that I had not expected and I've been enjoying the change of pace immensely. I've spent the last year plus working as the content acquisition editor of the Web Development zone. My role is essentially to determine what content will be useful for people who are interested in working with Internet-based technologies and causing articles on those topics to be written. I work with the author to help them refine their ideas into something that I feel will resonate with our audience and then help get the article into shape for publishing. At that point I hand it off to our talented production editors to get into final shape for posting on the web. It's very much like editing a section of a paper-based technical magazine; it simply happens to be delivered electronically.
However, this month I have moved from being editor of Web Development to editor of Open Source. I'm actually swapping with the other editor. We realized that our backgrounds and interests complimented each others' areas and so we arranged a switch. I've actually had my eye on Open Source since I moved into developerWorks so I couldn't be more excited!
Tell me about your favorite (or most interesting or challenging) IT project...
Gosh! There's been so much. I think, though, that the work project that I still think back on from time to time was the Y2K change-out at the Texas Lottery Commission. I was placed in charge of the workstations. There were several challenges. First, our biggest issue was that the stations in most need of replacement belonged to the people in the lowest strata. There was a little political fall-out about those people getting new machines while the directors had to make do with what they had. Secondly, there was no uniformity to our software. The machines were a hodgepodge of software which had been installed and managed one at a time.
My answer was that everyone would get their machine swapped. We'd start with the people at the top, then roll their machines down to the next level, and so on until the final machines fell off of the bottom. This was popular, because everyone got an upgrade. I also used the opportunity to move to an image-based approach to the operating environment. We divided the drives into operating space and personal space. People kept the data in their personal space and the operating space could be re-imaged at any time. It really cleaned up our environment and made it a lot easier to work on people's machines.
When did you first start using open source software?
I discovered open source about ten to fifteen years ago. I always struggled with the cost of keeping my home computer system going. I had access to great software in the places that I worked, but I couldn't afford to keep my home system quite so shiny. In addition, my own curiosity takes me in a lot of different places technologically. So I had a rather insatiable appetite for software, which cannot be legally satisfied commercially.
I had tinkered with Linux, but hadn't quite gotten it to work. However, I had discovered things like Pegasus email and the Netscape browser which I'd begun using. Finally, about Redhat 4, I got Linux to run and started trying to use it to do work. When I was at the Texas Lottery Commission I actually switched at some point to a Linux desktop, because we were a Novell shop and Novell was already supportive of Linux at the time. I haven't run another desktop since.
What makes you so passionate about open source?
I struggled to learn about some kinds of technology because of cost. As I said, I was curious about everything from programming to system security to graphic design and media editing. I was uncomfortable with stealing software to learn about it. However, when the software is free, you can have as much as you want. I don't have to choose a particular area of software to specialize in so I can afford it. I can get into anything and everything as my whim dictates. It's actually given me a bit of a reputation in some areas of my life outside of work as a Jack of All Trades.
To give you an idea, I've used open source projects to:
create business documents
do email
surf the web
edit complex audio
run live sound for theatrical events
edit video
do 3D modeling and animation
touch up photos, adjusting skin, red-eye and even removing major objects from a photo
write theatrical scripts and screenplays
image computers
remotely support a network and workstations
create a full-color magazine
build and manage complex web sites
broadcast an online radio show
That's quite a list... and it's incomplete. I just love the fact that anyone who is willing to apply their mind and their time to learning something new can be rewarded. Technology is no longer just for the wealthy. It's for everyone. Anything becomes possible.
Any new technologies that you think are about to break into the big time?
I think that Cloud computing is going to be a big game changer, more than people appreciate. We are just scratching the surface on the power of virtualization. As we all become more interconnected with mobile devices and advancements in the Web 2.0 approach to doing things the resources that Cloud can provide are going to make a huge difference. Anyone will have access to the kind of technological power that was once reserved for the government and large corporations.
There are areas of encryption and identity protections that I think should be making huge strides, but are so under-appreciated except for geeks like me that they haven't really broken through. Imagine if you had near complete control of your personal information by only allowing what you wanted read by whom you wanted. Wouldn't that change the game?
What's on your list to learn about next?
That's a tough one. I'd really like to get further into multimedia production. I've gotten a little into video production, but haven't really had the time to develop any real skill there. I'd like to be able to be able to express myself better there. I'm trying to learn more about social networking, especially OpenSocial, and how this can be applied to connect people who should be connected.
Do you have any advice to share with students or new IT professionals just starting out?
Do more than just your job. If you go in and do what you're told and draw the paycheck, that's fine, but no one is going to come up and beg you to be more than you are. You may become the living example of "rising to your level of incompetence." Be curious! Dig into the documentation and experiment with different ways of doing things. Innovate!
I progressed in my career because I was always able to reach a little further. A large part of that was the fact that I would just RTFM (read the fine material). Learn just a little more than you have to and enjoy the chances to play with technology. It's those extra discoveries which make it fun and the fun builds your passion and skill.
What do you think is something that is not commonly known about developerWorks that would benefit others?
That's a tough one. It's hard to know what people don't know. I'm going to change that around to what I think is underutilized. I think our audience doesn't take advantage of the opportunities to interact with developerWorks. They tend to quietly read the material but not jump in with a lot of comments and letters to the editor. I know that I would welcome more interaction with my audience. I think that My developerWorks falls into that category as well. It's all well and good to be a consumer, but when you actually spend a few minutes expressing yourself and sharing your wish list you help to shape what you get. It's a very open-source concept. You give a little here and there to get what you want. If you do nothing, you get what you get.
How are you using social networking today? Do you see it changing in the future?
I have mostly used social networking for personal things outside of IBM. It's only as I stepped into the editorial realm that I've appreciated the value of what social networking can provide for me professionally.
I've been on MySpace, though it was really hard for me to keep up with it. I got onto FaceBook and find myself being much more active there. It think it's because FaceBook does more to get in my face and remind me of opportunities to interact. When I see an email about a comment that someone left I'm a lot more driven to quickly give a comment back.
I'm really intrigued by the new tools in My developerWorks. I've started a Wiki and a group called Real World Open Source to help accumulate people and ideas about how to use open source solutions in our daily life.
What are some of your favorite websites/feeds/twitter accounts to follow?
Slashdot is great, of course. There's a lot of noise there sometimes, but you definitely find a core of people who are passionate about their technology. I also like to get on different lists with various kinds of news. One that I've been enjoying lately is Fast Company. It has bits of tech news with marketing analysis and other diverse business views of the world. I've had several things that I've explored as a result of one of their articles.
Most of my exploration is less driven by specific sites and more by my own searching. Google provides. I punch in what I'm curious about and it always seems to find things that are useful. What I search for is driven by whatever is happening to me today or the problems that people have to challenge me.
Interview with Antony Satyadas
vskinner 060000VKGS Tags:  smart_work collaboration mydw lotus interview my_developerworks india cloud smarter_planet 1 Comment 5,402 Views
This week, get to know Antony Satyadas, an active blogger on My developerWorks, sharing smarter collaboration insights. Learn more about Antony in the interview below, follow his blog, and visit his profile to ask him to be your colleague in My developerWorks.
Tell me a little bit about yourself and what you're currently working on?
I have been in the IT industry for 25 years with a blend of experience in solution consulting/architecture, applied research, teaching, marketing, and intelligent systems modeling. I co-founded a couple of startups in healthcare and intelligent systems, spent 5 years in design office automation in India, architected solutions for BellSouth, Perot Systems, and IBM and been doing a variety of worldwide business leadership and marketing roles in IBM for the past 9 years. I live with my wife and two kids in Lexington, MA. My current focus is on bridging the business-IT gap by leveraging situation aware smart clients on the cloud, identify collaboration patterns and drive global competitive initiatives.
What are you doing to make the planet smarter?
Figuring out how I can work smarter by having the right work life balance... Just kidding, half kidding i guess :-) I have been working with several customers and business partners helping them figure out how to leverage smarter collaboration as a strategic asset to lower cost, and establish cultures of innovation. So how can a clinician work smarter by collaborating with a researcher? Teachers and students in academia. Government leaders and constituents in federal and state government organizations. Tellers and advisors in banks, contact center agents with their customers, subject matter experts, marketers and sellers in this globally integrated enterprise 2.0 type firms. Recently I was with bunch of CIOs from the ASEAN countries, in Singapore doing a smarter collaboration jam using virtual linux desktops. Lots of fun. One of my pet projects is how we can bring sanity to Smarter Cities by helping villages get smarter, using IT as the catalyst, as a cottage industry in emerging growth markets. Another one is on cost reduction strategies that can lower TCO and drive rapid ROI. I care a lot about us mere mortals, people in this smarter planet, duh :-)
Now we are getting ready for the Smart Work Mandate videocast and Jam Sept 16th thru 18th . This is going to be lots of fun. I would like every one of you to sign up for this here: http://www-01.ibm.com/software/solutions/smartwork/virtual/?cm_sp=CTA08-_-EV100-_-8340
How did you get started in the IT industry? What advice would you give to students or new graduates just starting out?
I got started in 1984, with Hindustan Computers Ltd in India, offering design office automation solutions using CAD/CAM/ Micrographic systems in India. Those days, our focus was on design office automation for organizations who had design and manufacturing shops – from shipyards and defense establishments to electronic, energy, and automotive industries. I would encourage students to pursue their passion, think out of the box and take risks - be an entrepreneur, and be ready to explore emerging growth markets. IT has revolutionized our world and it will continue to do so with more leaps and bounds in the years to come.
Since you've been a part of the IT industry, what has surprised you the most?
Kind of a paradox. On one hand, the ability of IT to drive productivity and transform us from the Industrial mindset to a knowledge driven economy that has leveled the global playing field. On the other hand the fact that we often solve part of a business problem, create new problems, and continue that cycle again and again.. But hey that is life i guess.
How do you use developerWorks?
Its a destination, a place i visit every day to find out new things, share my thoughts and more recently meet new people and communities.
What is your favorite thing about blogging? What's your biggest challenge?
Ability to express your thoughts and share widely right away. It is fascinating. One interesting Challenge is to be able to type once and repurpose in multiple ways across social media networks. We are getting better at this, but we have ways to go i guess
What are some of your favorite websites/feeds/twitter accounts to follow?
Given my competitive pursuits, I frequent eweeks, blogs and other sites where there are conversations about our competitors. Recently we set up a community model to create alerts based on feeds and pings from a variety of sources. One of my favorite tweets is by Mr Shashi Tharoor, the current Indian Union Minister of state for External Affairs. He was once lined up to become the Secretary General of the United Nations. Shashi is a great role model for every government leader in terms of how they should use social software to know the pulse of their constituents. This is also about participatory policy making, becoming a smarter government.
Any new technologies that you think are about to break into the big time?
Big fan of smart clients on the cloud – the ability to have choice of access and interaction devices, anytime, anywhere. I would place big bets on gaming and cognition oriented architectures and how they can lead the new wave of innovation in this smarter planet. I believe we need the right balance of automation and self-service to make this happen.
What future technology would make your life easier?
Virtual Smart agents who can do my work, who have situation awareness capabilities, and the ability to mashup multiple communication media and channels.
Besides work, what other interests or passions do you enjoy?
Couple of years back, few of us formed the Kerala Information Technology Alliance (http://www.kita.in; http://teamkita.ning.com). We have been executing a 12 point programme. I enjoy bringing entrepreneurs together, mentoring the Gen Ys, exploring the edges of my social networks, and tackling challenges in public sector... And of course having fun with my family.
Thanks Antony!
Interview with Alan Harris
vskinner 060000VKGS Tags:  interview polyglot my_developerworks mydw 4 Comments 5,262 Views
Happy New Year! I'm hoping 2010 is going to be even better than 2009 on My developerWorks! And since I want to start the year out with a bang, I'm bringing you an interesting interview with Alan Harris, whose blog "The Strange Tales of a Polyglot developer", never fails to suck me in with its honest POV.
Learn more about Alan in the interview below, visit his profile on My developerWorks, visit his blog, and follow him on Twitter.
Tell me about yourself and what you're currently working on...
I am a senior web developer at the Council of Better Business Bureaus in Arlington, VA. I've been developing software for about 10 years, migrating from desktop to firmware and finally arriving at web development. At
the moment, I'm working on a new offering for them based on Ruby on Rails that will dovetail nicely with the existing in-house CMS.
How did you get started as a developer?
I got my start working at a Naval subcontractor in Virginia, although I spent the first year or so working directly on PCBs (printed circuit boards). I had been programming in a hobbyist capacity for quite a few years prior to this, and when I saw a need within the company for someone to step up and offer some programming assistance, I jumped on it. I worked with them as a developer for several years and the things I learned at that company have stayed with me throughout my career.
How do you keep your technical skills sharp and growing?
Community involvement and a healthy dose of curiosity. This is part of the reason I started a blog here on the developerWorks site: it seemed to be a vibrant community where a lot of people were discussing interesting (and relevant) topics. I wanted to be a part of it. Beyond that, I can't help but play with new technology; I'm trying to move away from saying "I'm a C# developer" or "I'm a Rails developer"...that would be like a mechanic saying "I'm a socket wrench." The tool you're using doesn't define you, what you accomplish with it does.
How do you use developerWorks?
Personally, I've been tied to the Microsoft platforms for a long time, mainly because the organizations I worked at were themselves tied to them and one goes where the work is. I've read a lot of entries on this site to learn more about IBM's offerings, as well as how people are using them. In between, I occasionally write a post about whatever might have piqued my curiosity or set me off on a Dennis Miller-esque tangent.
What's on your list to learn about next?
Next up on my list is Erlang. I spent about 12 months working on the side with Erlang to develop proof-of-concepts and experiment with the "Erlang way", but had to set it aside in favor of other priorities. I see a lot of value in the "shared nothing, massively scalable" message-passing style that Erlang functions in so well and I need to devote the time to seeing what I can create with it.
So, you're blogging on My developerWorks, and I have to say although I'm not a developer, I'm a big fan of your blog. Tell me about your experience as a blogger so far.
A big pet peeve of mine are blogs that talk down to you in a technical sense. I'm not out to impress anyone (nor be impressed), only to converse with other developers (and non-developers) about the state of the union with regard to web development as I see it today. I started the blog just as a way to get out thoughts I had that would randomly pop up during a day's work; I write the entries the same way I would discuss with a colleague across the table. Luckily, from what I've seen so far people seem to enjoy the discussion, so I will happily keep writing in the hopes that we can all keep up the dialogue.
Your blog has an interesting name: The Strange Tales of a Polyglot Developer. From your perspective, what's unique about being a polyglot developer?
I've heard it argued that a polyglot developer is a jack of all trades and master of none. What I have found from my observations of others is that they often have an excellent grasp of how best to solve a problem with the least amount of code possible. In the end, code you develop is code that you or someone else has to maintain. If I can write something functional in 10 lines of Erlang, I won't use 20 lines of C# or 15 lines of Ruby. Knowing that these tools are out there as well as how best to apply them is a recipe for a valuable team member in my opinion.
Are you a gadget person? Have any gadgets you're a fanatic about? Or new ones you'd like to get your hands on?
Actually, I'm not much of a gadget person! Now if a new programming language comes down the line, I'll try it out, no question. I even tried LOLcode. The shelf life of gadgets tends to be woefully short, but C++ is still alive and kicking. Hell, so is COBOL. I'd rather invest my time in code.
What are your favorite Twitter accounts to follow?
For a good pick me up, the "S--t My Dad Says" tweets are always a good time; same with "The Real Shaq". For web development I love following the Smashing Magazine guys as their tweets are 90% links to really informative and unique stuff that people are experimenting with. I also follow the 37signals guys as I have a real appreciation for "opinionated software."
What do you like to do when you're away from a computer screen?
Away from a computer screen I like to spend my time practicing Krav Maga and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I'm a huge billiards fanatic and I'm growing to appreciate bowling, although I'm less likely to embarrass myself with the former. I've also been a drummer for more than 20 years, so I try to devote a little time to making music when I can.
- Thanks Alan!