Do you live in or around Toledo? Are you a professional, experienced network administrator with Unix/Solaris experience? If you are, Corillian is looking for someone to join the Corporate IT department to support network and computing needs in the company's Toledo office, as well as other offices in the region.

If you or someone you know fits the bill, get in touch. I can be reached at 503-629-3771 (my desk number) if you have any questions. I'd be glad to chat. We're looking for experienced professionals that can operate both on their own and in a team. This is a terrific job for someone who has the self confidence and skills to own making all sorts of technology things happen reliably and well.

Note: I am posting this because readers of this weblog might be interested in the job opening mentioned here. This post is my own doing, and is not a communication by or on behalf of my employer. I am just trying to make people aware of some opportunities that I happen to know about. I won't be compensated for this hire or anything, since the position reports into an organization I manage, anyhow. Do not pass go, do not collect, etc...

Here's the high-level job description for the position:

LAN Administrator - Toledo

Manages and is primary person responsible for maintenance, setup and changes related to the corporate local area network infrastructure. Evaluates and/or recommends purchases of computers, network hardware, peripheral equipment, and software. Consulting management regarding use of computers and networks to satisfy business needs. Installs, configures, and maintains servers and workstations. Maintains proper levels of security of systems and information using patches, virus management, and domain-level security tools. Travel and providing after hours support on a rotating schedule is required

Essential Functions/Job Duties:

• Manages operations and maintenance of corporate computer network infrastructure, along with associated systems and attached devices. Provides reports and maintenance of corporate computer network infrastructure, along with associated systems and attached devices. Provides reports and maintains physical, logical and information security related to all networked systems. Protects against internal information systems damage by viruses and users.
• Assists users in-person with network and computer issues and questions.
• Performs desktop and portable computer setup, maintenance and repair and associated record-keeping/tracking in Help desk issue tracking software, in support of desktop support personnel as-needed.
• Keeps abreast of new developments and trends in areas of responsibility; makes recommendations to manager regarding enhancements, additions or replacements.

Knowledge, Skills and Ability Requirements:

• Training and/or certification in computer network systems management and maintenance; extensive experience and/or training in LAN infrastructure and software, maintenance, configuration and troubleshooting; experience working with applications and performing system setup and network configuration on workstation- and server-role computers.
• Specific knowledge, experience and training in Active Directory administration, setup and troubleshooting. Experience building, maintaining and troubleshooting LAN infrastructure equipment and software; Excellent organizational, decision making and communication skills.
• Administration experience with Solaris 7, 8, 9, and 10, and HP-UX 11i Operating Systems.
• Windows NT/2000/2003 Server, Server hardware, PC?s and other networked computer equipment.
• Experience with Weblogic.
• General office environment. Considerable stress may occur at times. Occasional lifting in excess of 50 pounds to an overhead position. Travel is required.

HO-LY CRR-AP!!

Okay, so... When Microsoft says the XBOX 360 is a whole new level of gaming machine, they're serious.

I just played a couple shooters on a XBOX 360 game console and that's it, I'm sold. The graphics are GREAT. The visuals make the gameplay amazing, and it's clear the processing and video power is extreme. Add to that the Media Center connections and, well... Wow.

If you want to get your hands on one, go to the Best Buy in Beaverton, Oregon on Cedar Hills Blvd. Apparently, at least according to the sales guy there, that store is the second one to get a working display setup (the first one was a WalMart in California, he said). Some Microsoftie walked in with a bunch of boxes, set up the display, and just left. "No one knew what to do!" said the Best Buy kid. Heh. Cool.

The crowd was excited. A sign is taped to the end cap where the 360 resides that says "5 minutes, please." The crew of giddy people (mostly adults by the way) quietly contained themselves and politely took turns splattering people with their virtual firearms. It pretty much rocked. Ooohs and Aahhhhs abound.

Check it out if you can. I'll try to post some pics in the next day or two if I can get back there. This was the first day in months I didn't have my camera with me, go figure.

I've been using my X41 for a few months now, and overall I like it a lot. It's one of the better portable computers I've used.

Charles Jade over at Ars Technica has put together an "unreview" of the X41 and it's a fun read, not to mention an interesting evaluation of this specific Tablet PC computer, as well as a commentary on the Tablet PC edition of Windows, which he frequently refers to (in his somewhat sarcastic but also accurate fashion) as "WXPTPCE2005."

He finds both good and not so good things to write about. I liked the review. Read it here.

Can you tell it's almost Halloween? I can. And I can also tell how much traffic one little blog article can drive. My stats for the past few days are awash with Google and other searches landing people on this site for pumpkin carving patterns, since I wrote about a great deal I found and how to get them them the other day. Here's a small, partial listing of a small portion of the search referrers for pumpkin carving, taken from today's web traffic stats on this site:

 

pumpkin carving patterns (www.google.com)	34
free pumpkin patterns (www.google.com)	29
pumpkin patterns (www.google.com)	29
free pumpkin stencils (www.google.com)	21
free pumpkin carving patterns (www.google.com)	13
pumpkin patterns (www.google.ca)	11
pumpkin patterns (www.google.com)	11
free pumpkin patterns (www.google.com)	11
pumpkin designs (www.google.com)	10
free pumpkin carving stencils (www.google.com)	10
pumpkin stencil (www.google.com)	10
free pumpkin stencils (www.google.ca)	9
free pumpkin patterns (www.google.ca)	9
pumpkin carving pattern (www.google.com)	9

And it just keeps going from there, too. Hundreds of similar search combinations and terms in addition to those. Definitely noticing the increase in the number of visits (still a small drop in the bucket, but interesting to see).

"Microsoft: Connecting with the IT community for a pain-free future"

Did you know that 1% of bugs account for more than 60% of errors? As a result of the Windows XP error reporting dialog box, Microsoft has reduced crashes in the consumer products by as much as 80%. Leveraging this program, Microsoft formed WE-SYP, which stands for "We Share Your Pain," a direct feedback program that connects customers to the people responsible for programming the portion of code that creates your frustration.

Oh, if only it was true, hehehe... But the video (take off from TechNet) is hilarious, and the premise is great. View it here.

(from ActiveWin)

Unless, of course, you die today... In which case, you probably don't care much about this right now.

Hugh over at gapingvoid.com writes hilarious (and often poignant) cartoons on the backs of business cards. Come of them are decidedly off-color, granted - but they're worth looking at as long as you don't have easily offended sensitivities or something.

Oh and many of the designs are available as T-Shirts and BlogCards.