My Life With IT

Having been blogging for quite some time, I have come to identify that blogging is an obsession. A blog is a site where ideas and opinions are meshed together.

Blog Abuse

After reading different types of blogs, from niche to personal, I have realised the abuse that blogs have become. There are many who make use of the traffic from genuine niche blogs to redirect to their money making sites infested with Google Adsense, Kontera and affiliates. The sites have no content value except to trick the non-savvy into clicking the advertisements.

Image via Wikipedia

Blog Wars

When someone blogs about the personal opinion of a certain subject, another takes offence and starts a post linking to the “offending” post. Another trigger could be from an interview with the newspapers and one blogger starts to be offended at being quoted as “second fiddle” to the other. This starts with the blogger stating the reasons that the other isn’t good enough and a blog war is started.

Throughout my journey with blogging, I have experimented with a few niches that I have interests in and they are gaining traffic at a slow pace. This is a good sign as it meant that I am doing something in the right direction.

While there have been negatives seen along the way, blogs don’t necessarily mean negative. I haven’t seen anything that has no negatives.

New Friends

New friends with similar interests are found. It’s much more fun talking about blogging stuff with people who have similar interest in blogging.

Community

A community is created and it’s filled with more people who have tried blogging with different platforms and their frustrations with the platforms.

Knowledge Shared

Knowledge is shared among people with common interest. There have been times when one posted a request for looking for missing friends or family members whereby the people were found.

Blogs have evolved from personal diary to niche whereby different sites attract the group that is being targeted. Some have even started their own eHow, Wikipedia and even shop blogs. Shop blogs are gaining popularity in certain countries due to the uniqueness of the products and most of the time, availability of products that can’t be found in the country.

This is a group writing project by Daily Blog Tips.

Image via Wikipedia

After using the Samsung Omnia for more than a week, I can safely say that I love it. I love the slimness and it’s sleek looks. I like the auto brightening of the display based on the surrounding lighting. I am use the auto function. So far, it seems to work fairly. I’m not a good gauge at the display.

I like the way Samsung built in the keyboards. They are not too tiny like the default keyboards that comes with Windows Mobile. I can press the keys using my finger and that is why I dislike iPhone despite its sleekness

Windows Mobile 6.1 has threaded messages and it makes it so much easier to continue the SMS if you key in halfway and have to answer someone else. I don’t have to save the message and read the message that I was trying to reply too. Unfortunately, deleting a message also means deleting the whole thread and you can’t save just one message from the same person.

I tried the mass sending of SMS and sent blank messages instead. I don’t know if that’s what it was supposed to do but I wasted a few good long SMS that way. Thus, I won’t be attempting the stunt except using the email. The volume is quite good but the vibration is a wee bit too weak. Perhaps it’s the size.

Overall, I love it a lot because I can take quite decent photos with the 5MP camera. The dim lighting will cause the photos to go dark but when I tried using the flash, the photos turned out too white. Looks like my S5 IS is a better option for such condition.

There is a slight lag despite turning off the Samsung Widget programme. I feel that the processor speed is alright but the RAM should be increased since it doesn’t seem to match the processor speed.

I still haven’t used the Wifi because the last time I connect to Wireless@SG, I didn’t manage to surf the net except the error page.

I’ve done my share of IT projects for years. Throughout the years, I’ve often learnt some techniques from different teachers along the way. The different users I meet also gave me the opportunities to improvise despite being angry about the ways that things just change at their whims.

The Indecisive User

This user kept changing the requirements at every meeting. Likes to pick on things that aren’t functional. Is unable to decide if this function is more important than that function despite the impeding deadline.

Alternative: Give them the low down of the thing and confirm which are the important features to be rolled out 1st phase. Subsequent changes can be rolled out in the 2nd phase. This alternative may be time consuming but mention the word: budget in the communication tools and you’ll see miracles.

The Picky User

This user likes to pick on the colours, layout, functions, features and more. Even after massive overhaul based on the changes said, everything changes back to version 1 for the layouts, colours, functions and more.

Alternative: Backup every design for each phase and show them the demo upon the decided UAT date. Mentions keywords like user interface, budget and more. Hope for miracles.

The Forgetful User

This user likes to talk to you and forgets about it after that. Claims non-ownership even if the idea came from this user in the first place.

Alternative: Always follow up with an email listing the requirement changes and CC to the bosses who are involved. This way, you save yourself a major headache.

The Haughty User

This user has all the requirements laid out and likes to wait for you to fetch them to the UAT environment. Does not like to be delayed but will always be late for the testing. Prefers to talk to the higher authority than someone who is of a lower status.

Alternative: Send reminder emails about the date and venue. Include the test case. Let the higher authority know that you will be fetching them to the test environment. In the event the user wants the higher authority, let the higher authority know too.

The Know-it-all User

This user usually has some IT background and will instruct you how to develop, code and how the layout should look like. Sometimes, does not know what he/she wants. See The Indecisive User.

Alternative: Design a prototype and asked for more specifics as the requirements are often vague except for the programming portion.

The Want-it-all User

This user wants everything to work for the system. Likes the system to be 100% bug free. Prefers to have just 1 click and the system will do its magic. Expects the developers to be able to produce it in the shortest time possible when the requirements are not fully discussed. May be a little like The Haughty User.

Alternative: Give them the lowdown and explain that the system is unable to achieve everything if the deadline is too short to be able to fully test for 100% bug free launch. Send emails to confirm to prevent disputes. Documentations should include what the system is and isn’t able to perform.

I am not a project manager but I’ve seen mine using ways to calm down the users. There were times when I had to manage some projects on my own and recall how to handle it. While I’m not perfect, I learn them along the way.

After using WP for so long and doing my own upgrades when necessary, I found that the new UI is a refreshing look. All other features work find except for the widgets. I am not the only one complaining of the way the widgets work now.

I just wanted to move my text widget to another sidebar. So, I removed it and saved. Only to realised that it has been totally deleted. That’s not what I intended. I have to find all my codes again and add a new text widget. I have no idea why the new changes to the widgets but it would be nice for us to be able to control whether the text widgets gets deleted, no?

I thought it was so much easier just to drag and drop. Now, it’s changed to something that isn’t that friendly and easy to use at all.

The grass always look greener on the other side. When you see a friend earning $4, 000 per month for doing seemingly simple job, you envy them and wished that you could earn that amount every month too. IT is known for its high pay. Just note that in Singapore, it ain’t that high a pay unless you are at manager level and above as they don’t see paying $8, 000 a month for a SAP developer or BW developer is worth the money.

Read here about foreign talents being paid more. Enough said. Being in the IT line for at least 6 years, I have seen different users with different ways of giving you their requirements. How they give it to you so that you can interpret it correctly is one thing.

It’s very frustrating when your user don’t even know what they want or are not able to tell you how they like it except they love to tell you how to programme it. Now, isn’t this great? I should just give them the programme and shake my leg while I still get my pay.

After 6 freaking months of doing 2 seemingly simple databases, I am about to give up. I kept being chased after on when the things can be up when they can’t even tell me what they want for nuts. If that’s the case, please gather your thoughts and sort them out before even telling any programmer to do anything.

After the development, they started to look at cosmetic changes. Nothing new. Except the changes involved the codes and there is no way I can shorten the timeline to change them they want to see it ASAP. Finally, they seem to have decided what they want. Now, they want another change to a previous request.

I’m starting to wonder if IT users tend to be the sort where they tell you how to do the programme rather than tell you how they want the system to function. Work can be such a headache and at times like this, I feel like changing to another field.

I was about to give up on Text Link Ads totally as I haven’t earned a single cent from it for months. However, I wanted to ensure that I was making the right decision until I saw the amount. Wow. I have earned something! I’m going to leave it as it is and continue with Text Link Ads as it’s non-intrusive on my readers’ viewing quality.

This blog needs a face lift. It’s now starting to get cluttered with out of focus posts at times although I try not to write out of topic. It can be tough as you know I’m just doing my part on making money online to survive this domain name and hosting fees.

Blogging Goals for 2008

I hope to make this site a better site with more tips on how I resolve my never-ending issues with programming languages, gadget loving obsession, online games, and other various distractions of the great web.

In addition, I hope to add in more of my reviews with gadgets and such here too. Finally, I hope to be able to earn more money online, be it passive or active.

How About Number Oriented Goals?

Well, I can’t fight with the endless ways sites can generate traffic like John Chow, ProBlogger, John Cow, I Can Has Cheezburger or Cute Overload, can I? I can if I want to commit myself to figuring out how to lure more RSS subscribers, comments, readers and more blog reactions to be listed in Technorati

Numbers will disappoint me if I do set myself a range for this blog to hit. If I set 100 readers per day, 10,000 RSS readers, 80 sensible comments per post, I’ll be very discouraged if I don’t get those numbers regularly. So, why should I fret about them?

Last Words

I hope to have a new theme too. So, let me win, pretty please?

This is a submission to Daily Blog Tips’ Group Writing Project - 2008 Blogging Goals.

Stumbled Upon These sites which I like.

Almost every file format in the world - An A to Z list of almost every file format in the world.

10 Geeky websites - Where real geeks gather. Gee, I wonder if I’m really a geek, semi-geek or wannabe-geek.

Top websites for brain training - Ok, so I need to train my brain more in order to excel.

It’s a Wonderful Internet - Oh my, do we depend on the Internet so much.

Browser Shots - You can test your website in different browsers, from Firefox, Opera, Safari and even select the screen resolutions.

The US is stopping you from downloading - Ok, it’s the not first time the attempts on anti-piracy is being flashed in front of our eyes.

How geeks are dressed - I think it depends on your sense of humour.

Code Fetch - Enough said.

So what are your favourite finds on Stumble Upon?