This evening I was tinkering with a problem I’ve been having over the past few days. I use VNC to connect to a client but that client has a cheapo ADSL with a dynamic IP so it’s guesswork as to which address they’re currently at. I can see them online via MSN and I usually ask them to invite me to remote inward so I can do an IPConfig and get thier current IP. A bit cumbersome and only applicable when they’re actually in the office.

So I thought of writing a small app that “phones home” or emails me the latest IP. Neither option is really suitable because I don’t want more email and I’m pretty mobile so I dont have the same IP myself for it to report to. So next best thing, an MSN messenger bot that waits for a keyword from me and responds with hostname and IP address. Works great.

I Went to the SAP business forum yesterday and had the chance to talk and listen to a bunch of very smart people. I was a little dissapointed that they didn’t have as good a motivational speaker as last year when we were treated to an inspiring talk by Lior Arrusy. No, this time we had the pleasure of listening to Andreas Delgado, a Mexican mountain climber. Not the best delivery, but a nice video – and an interesting story but … come on SAP.

Still, it was superbly organised and held in that most excellent venue, The Megaron. A great demo of RFid and some really good info on CRM. The Intracom and Jansen Clagg implementations of SAP Portal left a lot to be desired. Surely they could have done a little better given the features of this product.

SAP is by far and I mean by far, the best software a company can choose to use to run thier business. It’s also the MOST EXPENSIVE. Every year however, they come out with a more affordable product and a set of smaller implementation times so it’s becoming more and more accessible to smaller enterprises. I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes a standard.

1) This Week in Tech

2) Security Now with Steve Gibson

3) Inside The Net

4) BBC Radio 4’s “In Our Time”

…More to follow

 

I was walking through the CEO’s house the other day while fixing a PC there and noticed his gardener has an assistant. Talk about priorities !! I don’t have an assistant – I’ve been asking for one since day 0 but it seems that the garden is more important than the system.

 Mind’s made up, I’m taking a garden administration course. I’m now no longer going to be the System Administrator. I’m gonna me the garden administrator. Probably same pay band so why TF not ! Bonus is: I get an assistant, get to work outdoors and no more stoopid users !!

 Ok, so I’ve gotta conjure up a scheme to rid us of the current gardner so I can step in when I have my new skill set. Perhaps I’ll plant some “weeds” and then post an anonymous tip on the corporate intranet that mr GreenFingers isn’t just cultivating the rosebushes but has some other recreational plantation stashed away in a little corner of the mansions gardens. That’ll do it. I’m set !!