conect.com

I travel regularly into remote locations and take great care with safety. Early on, I discovered the importance of quality tyres. Because of this, I have fitted Cooper ATR’s for the last 2 new sets. I have been extremely happy with them. They are a genuine ATR with reasonable comfort on the highway and good all terrain grip on dirt roads, rocky and sandy tracks and wet tracks.

In 2008, I severely cut the rear left tyre in a rock strewn creek crossing and it deflated. This happened about 150km west of Leigh Creek (SA) and the trip that I was on required a couple of thousand further Km’s on dirt. There was no alternative but to replace the tyre. After a very hot and dirty job of replacing the wheel, we drove into Copley which was the only tyre repair location around. My Jackaroo has 15″ rims and the only tyre they had in that size was a cheap Chinese import. It was either that or wait 2 days for a new Cooper to be shipped in ( if we were lucky). Reluctantly I had the Chinese Tyre fitted. As it was new, I decided to put it on the left rear. I recall that the dealer at Copley swore that it was the best tyre for the hard roads in that area and he was not impressed by my preference for Coopers. We were not going to reach agreement on that but as he only had one 15″ tyre in stock there was no point in debate.

We completed the trip over the next 5 weeks without further tyre trouble. A great deal of travel was on dirt. This included a trip up the Tanami, two trips from Alice Springs across the west road to Haasts Bluff, some off-road back country travel, a circuit of the backroads across to Uluru, two trips to Kings Canyon and a run out to Ross River gorge and Arltunga. There were 4 adults on board with full camping gear and provisions for most of the trip and 2 adults on the repeat legs. The vehicle was very heavy and so the roads were able to extract their punishment. This included pushing the tank up into the boot on one occasion when crossing a rock strewn hill; ending the life of the 2 front shockers; and splitting open a 20L PVC water container.

On returning to Melbourne, I realised that the Chinese tyre had performed without any problems. The Coopers (at about 50,000km) needed to be replaced after such a hard trip and long faithful service. So, I purchased 4 new Coopers but decided to keep the Chinese tyre on the rear to see how long it lasted. It had done about 5000km of hard work by then and I was beginning to wonder why I had not noticed poor performance. My expectation was that a few weeks around town would soon show it up and it would become the spare.

20000Km and 2 years later the new Coopers are noticeably more worn than the Chinese tyre. All the tyres have worn evenly as the alignment and balancing has not been neglected. The current ’spare’ Cooper, with 15,000 fewer Kms travelled has the same tread depth as the Chinese tyre. I am astonished by this. To be fair, the Chinese tyre has never been on the front - my prejudice against it has meant that I was not prepared to put it there.

It is becoming increasingly clear that both for value and safety, the Chinese tyre is a leading design. I have decided this rotation to finally put it on the front left - usually the toughest corner for wear. The only two drawbacks have not caused any issues. These are 1) the sidewall is less radial  which made me think it would get cut (however, it is in pristine condition); and 2) the load capacity is specified at 110kg less (not a problem having towed a few heavy loads for short distances).

It does not look like the Coopers will make their 50000km warranty period unless I stay on the bitumen and we get a wet winter. They have suffered some block chipping which I have read of elsewhere but not previously experienced.  The car has done some very heavy work over 2 years and the standout so far is my one cheap Chinese tyre.

It looks like I will have a matching set of 5 after the next replacement round.

A friend sent me a Youtube video offering some ‘no-bull’ insights into how to get your site ranked so that it appears on the first page of Google.  An interesting piece of commentary from someone who has a lot of experience at it.

One of the things he has done is put up a couple of PDFs of Google ‘Best Practice’ For your convenience, you will find them
here (Aussieweb Best Practice)

The reason that I posted this is to try out a theory about how everyday users access web sites using Google. One thing I have noticed is that there are an awful lot of people who don’t know what the address bar is and who think that the only way to access a site is to type it into Google search. At first this strange behaviour puzzled me, but I quickly found that it was often faster to do that than try and get the URL in, even for short site addresses, such as conect.com

Occasional readers will realise that I don’t post often. This is due to the influence of a comedy show that I watched as a child called ‘Mr Ed’. Those who have seen it will understand. To all the rest, I suggest you consider the latest Telstra ad aimed at reviving interest in the (failed?) Trading Post (online) and wonder if it is an original idea?

Tell ‘em their dreamin’

If there is a result or some interesting feedback this topic might go further.

This is to update those who are wondering about why there has been no follow up. A few quick observations:

1) If you are not on Twitter, do it now. The rest of the story can wait. Just get in and get your place at the table.

2) About Blogging: one thing is that it does create a sense of obligation. You put it out, some read it and then you have a social network that wants to know what happened next. Have at least 3 articles in draft that may or may not see the light of LCD.

3) Watch out for misleading domain renewal or search placement invoices as these seem to be on the rise again. Make sure you understand what you accept or sign-up for.

OK, so that sorts it.

Cheers

Years ago I saw a sign that has stuck in my mind since:

“A business with no advertising has no business.”

Most businesses start with great enthusiasm. Often this enthusiasm becomes replaced by routine.  Regularly, even very good businesses just slide into oblivion. Have you noticed at the Shopping Centre how businesses turnover? Last years great jeans store is this years shoe shop. Even more likely, the last vacant jeans shop is replaced by a completely new jeans store with a new owner. This happens regularly. What is often missed in this process is that the emergence of a ‘new’ store represents a very strong form of Advertising. We are all attracted by the ‘new’.

 ”A business with no advertising has no business.”

 Perhaps you are still not convinced. You are doing OK and have been in business a few years now.  You definitely have ‘a business’.  Well, perhaps, but are you simply ’self-employed’?  To borrow a phrase ’self-employment is the opiate of the businessperson’. Self-employment is an occupation, not a business. A business has to contain a dynamic that gives it a separate form and opportunity for growth regardless of you.

You can develop your true potential in business. First, you need to understand what it is that you supply. The answer could start with:  I add value to the lives of my customers by….

Once you have that finished, the next task is to complete:  My web site does this by….

All of the successful business operators that I have been involved with could answer those two questions. Often, I come acrosss businesses that know what they are about but have no idea of how their web site should deliver. The confusion exists that somehow just having a web site is enough, as if it is a complete form of advertising solution of itself. Some consider that their web site will be a success through it’s technology.  A good place to start is to consider what a new customer will look for when visiting your site. New customers are the most expensive acquisition for most businesses. So after you have gained one, the next stage is to ask what should existing customers get from your web presence?

Recently, I encountered a new Business Web Site that had these issues sorted out, and two others that did not. The growing business has developed a niche market sector and gone out to deliver service at a level not previously available. The launch was supported by a moderately successful Adwords campaign. The sales result was clear but not great. Using analytics from that campaign, the issues that are getting in the way have been identified. Improvements are being made and more advertising can proceed.

The other businesses had developed their sites in isolation.  One made no new Advertising effort at all and the other embarked on a very big SEO effort. Result: nothing much. Apart from a short traffic peak as the operators eagerly traversed their own work, the sites remained unvisited by the public to which they were addressed.

Advertising: Nil. Business result: Nil.

That message again: “A business with no advertising has no business.”

Since the exposure of Clickjaking in September, a lot of effort has gone into working out the implications and potential solutions to this problem. There is a great deal of information now available about the problem which was first described at http://ha.ckers.org/ You can follow the technical discussions there or through a search.

This article is not about the technical how and why of Clickjacking, but I will offer a short definition. Clickjacking is the execution of hidden code on a web page such that a user executes some action without being aware of it. JavaScript is one way that this can be achieved. To see an example of how this works without Clickjacking take a look at the example on this page: http://www.pages.org/javascript/email_button.html It contains a very normal button to open up your Email and send a message. This is common on many web sites.

Now consider the effect if that button was invisible and placed above a screen that looked ’safe’. It could be placed as a transparent layer so that anywhere you clicked on a screen would activate any piece of JavaScript without your knowledge. That’s Clickjacking. Clickjacking can be as simple as when a web page contains a transparent button that executes a download from another site. In this case the user will be unaware that the software download does not reside on the site they are visiting.  This may be well intended, such as simplifying a set of tasks that would otherwise involve many more steps. However, the fact that the user is unaware of the process allows for more sophisticated diversions that can compromise security by redirecting or skimming data.

So what can you do Cliackjacking? The major vendors are aware of the risk and the industry is working on patches. The status at present appears to be that the issue is so complex and fundamental to web browser functionality that a solution is some time off. Which raises the question of what to do in the meantime? Faced with this, I have come to the conclusion that there are two reasonable defensive actions 1) only use Firefox (http://www.mozilla-europe.org/en/firefox/) with the NoScript plugin installed ( http://noscript.net/). 2) be extra vigilant in observing browser sessions particularly where personal data and passwords are involved. As always, as a minimum, make sure you are confident in the sites you visit.

These two steps do not eliminate the risk.  What they do is reduce the risk.

This very rare specimen is located in a remote part of Central Australia. The location, near Coober Pedy, is a secret.

Few of this species survive today. This example clearly shows the Eucalyptus Originalis as the common ancestor of the Gum-boot tree and common Bottle Brush tree (seen here with the bottles still intact). It is unusual to find one in flower.  The marvellous red strands have evolved into today’s more compact bottle-brush varieties.

The Gum Boot Tree is today just called a Gumtree, due to changes in the genetic line some time after the pleistonic period. That was a period of deep and prolonged drought which forced the species to develop a much smaller fruiting body. This remnant population is protected by it’s remote location and the careful management of locals. There are just a handful spread over an area of approximately 2.5 square kms.

The lack of leaves is not a matter for concern. The leaves are shed during flowering so that sufficient energy is available to grow the long red flower strands, seen here at the centre right of the tree. All Gumtrees drop their leaves during flowering, but not to the same extent. This ancient specimen has survived through centuries of environmental change.  The boots and thongs seen in the lower branches are selective adaptations to modern times. Surprisingly, the bottles are original. Local aboriginals used these containers for over 50,000 years which is one reason they were so successful living in the desert. It is thought that excessive harvesting of the large bottles led to the adaptation of the tree to the now familiar gum-nut. European migrants adopted the design in the 80’s as plastics became widely available. The proliferation of the plastic bottle across the Nation’s highways led to some confusion amongst botanists who doubted evidence of the Originalis variety. However, these remnant specimens clearly show the origins of the species.  It is interesting to note that similar confusion existed with early specimens of the Platypus which European scientists considered were fakes composed of parts from numerous animals.

This rare specimen is vulnerable to the effects of soil compaction. To limit damage, locals have attached the cans, road-kill and other assorted items seen in the picture. These additions confuse Backpackers, who generally just drive-by. This was found to be a more effective method than fencing which attracted unwanted interest.

My thanks to Peter of Johns Pizza Bar (The best food in CP)

In ancient Vedic knowledge, one of the greatest goals to be sought is to be a master of dialectics.

In essence, this means to know what is ‘truth’. Recent experience has further enhanced my respect for this wisdom and I urge all who read this to try and work for truth in your life and dealings with others.

(Update: The Australia Live web site referred to in this article was discontinued after the Olympics).

On the eve of the Beijing Olympics, it seems appropriate to bring together Web 2.0., the technical event of 2007/2008, and the Olympic Games. Australia has a long history of achievement in both the sports and technology fields. The recent BRW article showcasing 100 Australian Web 2.0 sites gives some indication of how strong we are on that front. Though, it has to be said that the BRW list probably included some sites that would not make the cut in real competition. That tantalising ‘Top 100′ certainly sounds better than the ‘Top 87′ and probably got the better of them.

Australia’s Olympic Athletes apparently face a tough time in Beijing.  Australian Olympic chief John Coates, was bringing to our attention that we spend an awful lot of money on our athletes for such a small Nation. He also seemed to imply that he felt we were falling behind in sports competitiveness. I am not sure that was the best strategy to apply when seeking more funding in a performance based world. How many Australian Technology Companies get almost unlimited funding from the Federal Government? Even so, as a Nation we manage to develop world leading solutions that are often snapped up by the industry giants.

In the spirit of the Games, take a look at Australia Live. This Web 2.0 site offers sports fans the opportunity to have their say and support the Australian team.

Web browsers are more aggresive in warnings about security certificates. This extends to the content of embedded advertising links on pages. If one of the links uses https then a certificate scan is in order.

What happens if the certificate is not liked by the Browser?

Your visitor will get a warning message about security of the page. At this point most will QUIT, many choosing never to return. Their trust has been broken. One thing that developers often assume is that the ordinary public can work out for themselves what is happening. As a trainer, I can vouch that very few users have the courage to doubt a security warning on their browser. Most will assume it means they face a great and unknown risk.

So make sure that your secure affiliate and advertising links have valid certificates. You will also need to test them across the different browsers, as each has their own take on how to manage security. IE might pass something that Firefox or Opera will knock out.

We sometimes get comment that it is hard to contact us by telephone. That’s true. The telephone is not the best means of contacting busy technicians who are glued to their computer screens. However, when you (or we) place ‘the call’, the ‘need’ is to speak to someone. That need often outweighs the value of the matter being followed up. That is, the emotional weight of the situation shifts to the need to talk to someone. If that emotional need is not satisfied, we feel rejected or anxious or just plain annoyed. I know because it happens to me as well. Or at least it used to.

So what is going on when you can’t talk to someone in support right away? Possibly they are solving a Mission Critical task, have three phone lines in use, and twelve active web connections open. Or perhaps they are working on installing a software upgrade or new server. So, you get Voice mail and the anxiety builds.

Would it help if all calls could get through? Yes and No. The emotional weight would be lifted, but the cost would be extended delays in solution. This is because the emotional weight tends to be dumped during a support call.

It becomes a question of balance, judgement and trust.

Balance. Only someone who has oversight of all system status will have the balance to prioritise faults. When you or I experience a problem with something we want to use, the emotional response is narrowly focused.

Judgement. The SYSop is the best placed person to judge the critical nature of an issue for 2 reasons. First, they know the likely cause, cure and duration of an event from years of experience. Secondly, they are uniquely placed to provide a balanced view of the situation in context of the entire site.

Trust. Unless you are new to a business, you should be able to determine from past experience if you can trust in their performance. Most likely, the problem you are experiencing is sudden and unexpected. Step back from it and you can unload some of the anxiety you feel by recognising that normal service will return. Armed with this information, you can assist the process of recovery by doing some work on the matter before calling support. Did you just change something? Are your friends/workmates experiencing the problem also?

We are all human and our emotions matter, your’s and mine. However, a unique feature of emotions is that we choose to have them. Really, we do.

Consider why you feel the distress in a situation and you will realise that is has nothing to do with the facts. Facts are just that, observations of events. They have no emotional weight. The deadline/sale/upgrade that is at risk is also unweighted emotionally, it will happen or not regardless of how we feel about it. We can choose not to be disturbed and calmly deal with the situation. This will keep our minds clear and help resolve the challenge; or importantly find an alternative if the situation is one of those rare extended events.

The reason I am writing this is because I recently had my emotions tuned to something very trivial. We were asked for a fix to a situation a customer was in as a result of some changes they had made. The work was done professionally and promptly. What happened next? Absolutely nothing. Weeks later, the work remained unused. Their emotional need had been solved and passed onto us. If I had thought more about it at the time, I would have realised that the issue was not a priority. The customer at the time was anxious to resolve their problem, mainly because they were dealing with something not well understood. That converted to anxiety, a call to support and diversion of efforts from work in hand.

Was availability of ready support on the ‘phone a good thing? You be the judge.

Click on the link below for another take on this topic.

The System is down.