Uhm, Gee… er, UMGY.

Is it possible? Is it truly, really real and possible?

In case you haven’t already heard there is a very interesting and exciting ‘computational knowledge engine’ website on the Internet. The site is Wolfram|Alpha which launched May 15^th of 2009. They have a lofty goal in mind.  To paraphrase, they mean to deliver any and all computable data and information to the masses.

Although some have touted Wolfram|Alpha as the next big search engine I believe it is exactly what they market it as: a computational knowledge engine. A computational knowledge engine is much different than a search engine.  A search engine grabs reams of existing pages and dumps them to a search result while the other computes specific information for the final result. To better understand in part what the computational knowledge engine does we can see some examples from the current search engines. To name a few, the calculator, mapping, distances, and language definitions.

What excites me about Wolfram|Alpha is the potential for high quality information. Wolfram|Alpha will gather good information from trusted sources, systematically compute it and only then provide you with the results. Our current crop of search engines typically grab mass amounts of pages or data from any and every source that may or may not have valid information.

What excites me is Wolfram|Alpha’s focus on starting with solid data and information. This helps resolve the problems that often occur with the current crop of search engines. The existing lack of quality control by current engines can be summarized perfectly with a term used in the IT world known as GIGO: Garbage In, Garbage Out. Wolfram|Alpha’s focus on good information in will translate to less time sorting through garbage results from bad sources. The assurance of quality results will save me a lot of stress, frustration and cut down my Aspirin expenses.

See Wolfram|Alpha computational knowledge engine in action at http://www.wolframalpha.com/

Examples of what it can do: http://www.wolframalpha.com/examples/

• Leave a comment... 110(0)http://umgy.com/internet/the-search-for-quality-informatio/The+Search+for+Quality+Information2009-07-09+08%3A11%3A25Shane

This is a very simple modification for Mihalism Multi Host (MMH) that will allow you to include content interspersed in the public gallery section. Provided is a simple method that includes content on each row in the gallery and in a random position of that row.

This mod does not include content in the user galleries or in the admin section but it would be simple enough to do for them. Further, adding content in an ordered way and at set intervals, could also be done with ease.

This example is based on a four column table (which is standard and hard coded in MMH). Ok, lets get down to it:

Step 1, Create a template file for the content you want to insert:

In the directory source/public_html create the file global_ad.tpl in this file include the following:

<!– BEGIN: GLOBAL GALLERY AD LAYOUT –>

<template id=”global_gallery_ad_layout_1″>
<# TABLE_BREAK #>
<td class=”<# TDCLASS #>” valign=”top” style=”text-align:center;”>
<strong><# FILE_TITLE #></strong>
<br /><br />
Sample Text #1 – Replace with text, markup or javascript
</td>
</template>

<template id=”global_gallery_ad_layout_2″>
<# TABLE_BREAK #>
<td class=”<# TDCLASS #>” valign=”top” style=”text-align:center;”>
<strong><# FILE_TITLE #></strong>
<br /><br />
Sample Text #2 – Replace with text, markup or javascript
</td>
</template>

<template id=”global_gallery_ad_layout_3″>
<# TABLE_BREAK #>
<td class=”<# TDCLASS #>” valign=”top” style=”text-align:center;”>
<strong><# FILE_TITLE #></strong>
<br /><br />
Sample Text #3 – Replace with text, markup or javascript
</td>
</template>

<!– END: GLOBAL GALLERY AD LAYOUT –>

The above code allows for three different content items. You can include markup, javascipt or straight text by replacing the text shown in bold: “Sample Text – Replace with text, markup or javascript”. How many content items you want is up to you. Adding another is as simple as copying one of the template sections and changing the end number in template id. To have fewer just remove the template markup for one or more items.

Step 2, Add the code to insert content:

In the root directory you will find the file gallery.php – load this with your favorite editor to get down to hacking.

1. On or near line 20, just before the while loop: while ($row = $mmhclass->db->fetch_array($sql)) { insert the following: $ad_place_in_row = rand(1,4); // Get random position for ad on first row
2. Just bellow the while loop there is an if condition with the line: $break_line = true; Right after that add the following: $ad_place_in_row = rand(1,4); // Reset random position for new row
3. Now, just after the while loop you will see the line: $tdcount++; add the following block of code after that line (now aproximately line 28/29):

/* begin ad placement */
if ($tdcount == $ad_place_in_row) {

$mmhclass->templ->templ_vars[] = array(
“FILE_TITLE” => ‘Title of Content (or empty)‘,
“TDCLASS” => $tdclass = (($tdclass == “tdrow1″) ? “tdrow2″ : “tdrow1″),
“TABLE_BREAK” => (($break_line == true) ? “</tr><tr>” : NULL),
);

$ad_number = rand(1,3);
$gallery_html .= $mmhclass->templ->parse_template(“global_ad”, “global_gallery_ad_layout_$ad_number”);
unset($mmhclass->templ->templ_vars, $break_line);

if ($tdcount >= 4) {
$tdcount = 0;
$break_line = true;
$ad_place_in_row = rand(1,4);
}

$tdcount++;
}
/* end ad placement */

In the code in section C of step 2 you may notice the assignment for “FILE_TITLE” – here you can add a standard title that will display above your content.  Replace the bolded text with your preferred title.  You may also remove all the bolded text and just leave the two single quotes to have no title. Further, you can remove that whole assignment and replace the <strong><# FILE_TITLE #></strong> in the template file to a title you want.

If you have opted to have more or less items in the template file be sure to update the random ad_number: $ad_number = rand(1,3); to accommodate how many content items you have in your template. If you’ve decided to have just one item you can remove the random code and edit the line right after it: $gallery_html .= $mmhclass->templ->parse_template("global_ad", "global_gallery_ad_layout_$ad_number"); to $gallery_html .= $mmhclass->templ->parse_template("global_ad", "global_gallery_ad_layout_1"); to allow for just one item.

Step 3, Bask in the glory of happiness:

Thats it.  It is as simple as that.

As you most likely noticed the code included in gallery.php is almost exactly the same as the existing code.  This may not be the prettiest or most efficient way to do it but the reasoning behind it was to keep the mod as easy and unintrusive as possible.

If this ends up useful for someone and there is the need I can include a file for download.  I could also provide  further examples such as including the content at a set interval, if desired.  Oh, and please let me know if this made any sense at all.

• Leave a comment... 76(2)http://umgy.com/php/mihalism-multi-host-ads-or-content-in-public-gallery-section/Mihalism+Multi+Host%3A+Ads+or+Content+in+Public+Gallery+Section2009-05-26+09%3A45%3A14Shane

The reason I ask is because last week I had my poor little Windows XP laptop running well over 24 hours doing scans, eradicating Spyware, extracting worms, burning Trojan horses and pouring salt on slugs.  It was an excruciating time for everyone involved and what makes it worse is its not an uncommon occurrence around here.

I do have a real time Anti-Virus guard set up with ‘Shaw Secure’ which is re-branded ‘F-Secure Anti-Virus’.  It does provide protection to some degree but the cold hard fact, at least from what I’ve experienced, is one is never enough when it comes to protection from Malware.

At one point there was a strict difference between Anti-Virus and  Anti-Malware or Anti-Spyware applications.  That strict line continues to blur as some companies are stepping over said line and attempting to offer a ‘complete package’.   In this article I am focusing on applications that are known to be good for Malware, which includes trojans, back doors, loggers, et al and not touching on the Anti-Virus type.

As I mentioned, for Malware one application is never enough.  I strongly suggest (and should note the timeless adage: Do as I say, not as I do) running a real time shield for Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware.  The real time shield sits in memory and watches for nasty things playing around with your system.  Although they will take up system resources a good application can keep the overhead fairly low.  One thing to remember is the real time shield is different than real time scanning.  You don’t want to have multiple programs running real time scanning which is much more system intensive than the shield.  Also, take note that not all Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware apps will ‘play’ well together.  I have never had a problem with the programs I’ve used but I’ve stayed away from the well know, very large and popular Anti-Virus and security packages that are very good at taking over your system.

Now, before this turns into something formal and informative I want to get to another point of why I’m writing this – besides of course letting everyone know how dumb I am for not protecting my helpless little laptop.   There are a lot of quality Anti-Spyware applications out ‘there’ but there are also some less reputable ones.  Many people have been fooled by what looked to be a professional application.  There are many ways the distributors of these applications pedal their wares including various advertisements, sites made to look like independent reviews, hijacking your system and more.  Once they have you install the application some of them produce false reports to make it seem like it’s found a load of Malware.  Considering this, I wanted to provide another resource and give a short list of Anti-Spyware apps that I have used and know to be on the up and up. Remember, these have been used and proven to fix an infected system. Hopefully you’re not like me and you can use one of these for prevention as well.

Note: A summary list will follow this text.

A couple of the ‘big boys’ who have been around and proven to get the job done are: Spybot – Search & Destroy (not to be confused with a product called Search and Destroy) and Lavasoft Ad-Aware.  Spybot -  S&D is donation-ware, it is completely free to use which makes it an easy one to recommend.  Lavasoft Ad-Aware has free and paid versions.  Both Adaware and Spybot have worked well for me without causing any hassles or troubles.  Ad-Aware has reportedly fallen a bit behind in the times but I’ve been more than happy with what its done for me.

For my current favorite I will have to re-iterate this is truly a serious and professional application.  When I first found out about it on a credible Anti-Spyware site, HijackThis.de Security I still had trouble believing it.  With some trepidation I tried it out and have loved it ever since.  SUPERAntiSpyware.  Yes, the name screams all sorts of warnings but I’ve found it to be one of the easiest to use, it runs fast, hunts and kills Malware very well. For me, one of the most important aspects of SUPERAntiSpyware is that it doesn’t get in my way. It’s a nice, clean, no-nonsense application.

A couple other very good Anti-Spyware applications are PC Tools Spyware Doctor and Webroot Spy Sweeper. You can download them to scan your system but you’ll need to make a purchase to do any removals. Even if you only stick to free applications it doesn’t hurt to try other scans to see where you stand which is usually on shaky ground when it comes to Malware. As with the previous titles I mentioned these are both highly regarded and award winning Anti-Spyware applications.

I have tried other popular Anti-Spyware applications but have opted not to include applications which were not pleasant to use or productive. Finally, I would like to note where applicable, I have signed up as an affiliate for the applications listed and recommended. This was done as an afterthought when the article was mostly written and had no bearing on what was chosen to make the list. The benefit for you is, if you plan to buy, I was able to find a discount coupon for PC Tools Spyware Doctor and I can now offer a deal on SUPERAntiSpyware Professional with lifetime updates (send me a message if you’re interested). I will add any coupons or deals as I come across them.

The List:

• Leave a comment... 40(3)http://umgy.com/internet/have-you-let-your-anti-spyware-guard-down/Have+You+Let+Your+Anti-Spyware+Guard+Down%3F2009-02-03+20%3A32%3A05Shane

You’ve got to love how easy it is to add WordPress plugins with the one click installer.  Strangely I still seem to have a lot of problems getting many working.  I’m close to having as many de-activated non-working plugins than working ones.  I’m theorizing that subconsciously I believe leaving them installed and stewing will somehow fix the problem at some point.  So, lets set failures aside as I wanted to make note of the few plugins I did get working this week.

The first is the most exciting for me.  I finally installed a dofollow plugin that seems to work with everything.  I’m only guessing it works as it is Lucia’s Linky Love, which as you may know, will only start dofollow’ing after the 3rd comment from the same commenter.  The drawback to this is when considering the number of comments to date (not counting illegal porn acts spam caught by Askimet)  I project there won’t be a dofollow link for several years.  I am setting a life goal to last long enough to see at least one person get a dofollow.   Previously I had tried DoFollow, WebGuerrilla Version and Do Follow by Dennis de Bernady.  I liked what they offered but neither worked properly for me.

The second plugin is commentluv.  commentluv is supposed to show a link to the last post from the commentors blog… or so they say.  I’ve seen it working elsewhere but, as with the first plugin I’ll have to see it working here to believe it.  Anyone getting the hint yet?

OK, third and last is Domain Portfolio.  It allows you to list the domain names you have and whether they’re for sale or not.  I’ve actually seen it work here which is a mega bonus for me.  It is still a beta plugin and I’d say it needs a little finishing to get all the features in order.  Serious points for it working though and it was the only domain related plugin that I could find.  You’re free to check it out and make a great offer on any of the listed domains.  You can consider it as helping me test it out, would be very neighbourly of you.  To ensure we’re on the same page – I’m not saying do it as a test, I mean actually buy them.   Sound good?

Finally, for a sort of on topic finish.  I came across an interesting opportunity to try out a new WordPress plugin.  It’s not really up my alley but I thought it was a great idea.  It should be quite interesting to domainers and those of you that are into auto content generation.  I’ll see if I’m allowed to post about it after I’ve done some playing around.

• Leave a comment... 33(7)http://umgy.com/websites/i-introduce-to-you-some-link-love-and-comment-luv/I+Introduce+to+You+Some+Link+Love+and+Comment+Luv.2009-01-12+10%3A07%3A57Shane

After being neglected for some time umgy.com has a new homestead on a different host.  The previous host is not to blame for the neglect – that’s a different story and this is about why we’ve moved.

Over a year ago we (that’s Umgy and me and a few other sites) moved to Host Monster in what was supposed to be a temporary and cheap stop over.  I was looking for a more appropriate and affordable hosting package.  Life being what it is, mostly busy, we’re still with Host Monster (that’s me and the other sites, not Umgy).  Before I digress further, I’ll explain why we’ve moved and are trying a new hosting company.

First reason, with Host Monster being a budget hosting company that has one plan and no room for growth I wasn’t expecting the world.  With no way to grow to a VPS, dedicated server or reseller account I knew it wasn’t a long term relationship.  The response from my inquiry on such services also indicated they didn’t want me long term if I was needing more.  I do admit they offered a lot for the price.  Besides the standard features and almost unlmited everything I wanted PHP 5 which wasn’t on all hosts at the time.  They also support PostgreSQL and Ruby, both of which I was interested in playing with.  The support for telnet access was important to me as well.  They do continue to move with the times and are now offering Python in their plan.

The second and major reason is how they meter their accounts.  Host Monster has a system that meters/monitors server load/system resources.  The general gist of this is that if your website(s) take “too much” system resources they will deactivate your account without warning.  Their support will claim this is due to inefficient scripts that are bogging down the whole server.  In theory this makes sense and seems fair but where the problem occurs is how much is “too much”.

Consider you are their customer.  You have purchased a plan which includes “Unlmited Disk Space” and “Unlimited Gigs of Site Transfer”.  I bet you’re expecting you can run basically any website you want?  Consdiering that you should be able to max out their OC-48 Backbone 24 hours a day with as many visitors that your site software can handle.  Unfortunately, you would be wrong.  Granted my example is a tad extreme and most of us wouldn’t expect that much but how much would you expect?

My one business site would not be considered a busy website.  With under 10,000 visitors a month it’s not a large site.  My business, Umgy and some other very low traffic sites are all I have running.  Even so my account has been suspended in the past due to the load.  The reason for my suspension had to do with MySQL taking too long on the site logging which was basically a shock to me.  I’ve have also come dangerously close to their “too much” load when I first copied over my site and other times when I’ve installed one of their supported applications.  That’s not mentioning how risky it is when you’re being indexed by a search engine and have maybe 1 or 2 users on at the same time.

To state which I hope is obvious by now, their “too much” is next to nothing in my opinion.  If you plan to host a very small site with them then you’ll be fine.  If you’re at the starting stages of your site you’ll be fine.  Just be careful as you may soon find yourself growing out of an unlimited host.  If you won’t take my word for it, you may, like me, have noticed sites you’ve surfed to that come up with a page that shows one line indicating the account has been suspended.  It is very likely a budget hosting company and the site has become too big for them.

In closing, it is my opinion that the best and honest business practice would be to indicate they are a host dedicated to casual and small websites and follow that up with less bandwidth, disk space limits and to mention the system metering.

As a bit of a disclaimer and warning I would like to mention that Host Monster is not the only company that has these limits.  So be careful with what host you choose.  Do a search for reviews on the company you’re interested in.  I basically knew what I was getting into when I joined them but as I said it was supposed to be temporary.  Also, for a bit of trivia, the word on the web is that Host Monster is owned by Blue Host.

Any comments or notes about how Umgy is currently running would be very helpful with evaluating the current host.

• Leave a comment... 18(1)http://umgy.com/websites/home-home-on-the-host-monster/Home%2C+Home+on+the+Host+Monster.2008-12-29+11%3A35%3A51Shane

What do you think of that witty little title? You get it, don’t you? The Drop, from Drupal. Dew as in Dewdrop but meant as do (that’s a homophone y’know). Pretty cute, huh?

Alright, I’ll explain. I have chosen to use the PHP based content management system (CMS) Drupal for one of my projects. This may not seem like a big deal to you but it is for me. You see, I have a small problem. I end up spending massive amounts of time trying to figure out what tools I should use for each project. This was no exception.

The project is a gaming related site with a specific focus. I admit I was able to create a shortlist right off due to continued research on CMS’s and PHP Frameworks. The shortlist consisted of: Drupal, Joomla!, CodeIgniter or MODx.

I will introduce each and explain the major factors that lead to my decision.

MODx CMS and PHP Application Framework

MODx was awarded by Packt Publishing the “Most Promising Open Source Content Management System” in the 2007 Open Source CMS Awards.

MODx is a very interesting project which is targeting the Web 2.0 audience with an AJAX library, SEO focus, web standards compliance and cross browser compatibility among other things. It is an open source project with the standard no-nonsense GPL.

The decision against MODx was mostly due to the current rewrite of the core code. As of writing the official release is 0.9.6.1. There is a newly rewritten core on the way and slated as version 0.9.7. In my opinion this is a major problem with many CMS’s and Frameworks. Often these open source projects are in constant flux due to major revisions.

The small part of me that is a geek feels excited about MODx but I don’t feel comfortable starting a project with what could be an outdated and unsupported code base ala 0.9.6.1. Further, who’s to say how long it will take 0.9.7 to become stable and what kind of backwards compatibility will it have? I’m not sure this was a great plan right after winning the most promising CMS award.

Joomla!

Joomla! took “Best PHP Open Source Content Management System” and came in second for “Overall Open Source Content Management System Award” in the aforementioned Packt Publishing Awards. Joomla! started as a fork of the Mambo CMS and has been working at making a name for itself ever since. Joomla! has two versions available at this time: 1.0.15 and 1.5.1. Both are licensed under GPL.

Version 1.0.15 maintains a certain compatibility with Mambo to allow for use of the large assortment of Mambo/Joomla extensions. A large focus on the project has been a steady move away from its Mambo beginnings. That move has resulted in Joomla! version 1.5.1. The latest version includes an object oriented API, split of logic from presentation, search engine friendly URL’s out of the box (about time) and several other changes, additions and goodies.

Again, therein lays the big problem. 1.5.1, in comparison, is a new code base with limited usable extensions. Even some die hard Joomla! fans recommend staying away from 1.5.1 until the community can catch up and provide ample offerings for it. Starting a major project with 1.0.15 may cause additional problems and considerations if the need to upgrade arises.

I do like Joomla! for its sheer simplicity and ease of use. You can have a good solid working CMS up and out the door in no time. It reminds me of a new generation of the old Nuke CMS’s where there is a large user base constantly adding to the project. The Joomla! project is a beast that is only going to get bigger and better.

CodeIgniter PHP Application Framework

CodeIgniter is not a CMS. It’s an open source library type framework for PHP programmers with a very liberal BSD like license. CodeIgniter (CI) is a great framework with excellent documentation that provides a simple and lightweight collection of libraries. It is not overly abstracted, has a very short and easy learning curve, needs minimal server requirements and moves like greased lightning compared to many other PHP frameworks. The CI team does its best to maintain backward compatibility to allow for easy transitions to new releases. This, to me, is a major plus that many open source teams are missing.

I really don’t have anything bad to say about CI. The main reason I decided against it is the amount of time involved to build the application. There are a few CI based CMS’s that are just surfacing. I will keep a close eye on them for this and future projects. Until then, I’ll be working with Drupal.

Drupal

Finally, that leaves us with my decision. Drupal is a PHP based CMS which was awarded “Overall Open Source Content Management System Award” and took second for both, “Best PHP Open Source Content Management System” and “Best Open Source Social Networking Content Management System” in the Packt Publications 2007 contest.

Drupal is currently offering two versions, 5.7 and 6.1, both under GPL. I have opted for the older 5.7 due to module compatibility. Drupal provides a way to upgrade from 5.7 to 6.1 so instead of trying to run 6.1 with legacy code I will upgrade as the modules do. I am confident Drupal will continue to provide a solid and reliable way to move forward.

That leads to a serious plus for Drupal. The team is dedicated to a rock solid core and they seem focused with a steady development plan. I don’t have to worry about newly rewritten cores or drastic changes every few months. The Drupal project has that ‘old reliable’ feeling, one that is not riddled with surprises and upsets.

What has kept me away from Drupal is the learning curve. Drupal does things its own way using its own terminology. I’d say it is very unlikely someone new to Drupal could churn out a fully featured website in the same time a new Joomla! user would. What may take a new user one day in Joomla! may take a week in Drupal.

On the flip side, after that week with Drupal you are left with a sense of awe at its flexibility and potential. Sure, it is still awkward in many ways but it can be a powerful system to work with.

Another plus for Drupal is reports of an excellent API. I haven’t dove into that yet but expect I will soon.

A note for developers and designers both Drupal and Joomla! can open doors to additional opportunities. I often see local contracts for developers and designers familiar with Drupal or Joomla!. Sometimes both.

If you’re looking for a flexible and reliable CMS I would strongly recommend giving Drupal some time. I have found the online documentation to be spattered throughout the site. Often it is not very enlightening especially for modules. If you want to give Drupal a shot I would recommend checking out a Drupal book from your local library to help you along.

• Leave a comment... 15(7)http://umgy.com/websites/ive-decided-to-dew-the-drop/I%27ve+Decided+to+Dew+the+Drop2008-03-12+05%3A07%3A34Shane

Obviously I’m not on the ball with this one as the CodeIgniter team popped out another release, version 1.6.1, on Feb 12, 2008.

1.6.1 is consider a maintenance release but it does include some interesting new features such as active record caching and a path helper.

The official release text and link to changelog can be viewed at http://codeigniter.com/news/codeigniter_161_released/

• Leave a comment... 13(2)http://umgy.com/php/codeigniter-161/CodeIgniter+1.6.12008-03-07+01%3A40%3A38Shane

(Question 1) Does technology kill the creativity of recruiters?

(Question 2) Are head hunting human resourcers becoming lazy due to the Internet?

(Question 3) Is the Internet and technology destroying common courtesy?

(Bonus Question) Can we stop our world’s downward de-humanizing spiral encouraged by the Internet and technology? Is there any hope?

As finding an additional form of stable and enjoyable work is my focus as of late, I expect there to be further articles on this topic. So stay tuned or run away because here we go.

As mentioned, I am looking for additional paying gigs. A few potentials have lead me to read, “Finding Keepers : The Monster Guide to Hiring and Holding the World’s Best Employees”. I admit, I am only 36 pages into it but recent experiences and thoughts generated from this book have me questioning the whole human resources world. This article will touch on the aforementioned questions.

1. The employment industry (is this what we would refer to it as?) and recruitment systems seem to be lacking in creativity due to technology and the Internet. Now, before I get lambasted, the fact is many businesses and industries have this same problem. For recruiting it seems to me they are using new transport systems for old and possibly out-dated methodologies. I like to refer to this as the ‘Build it and they will come’ syndrome. They also seem to be dropping the personal touch which in my opinion shows more about a person than a creative resume or CV.

   For example, where it once was the norm to place jobs in print (newspapers) it seems Craigslist is now that current workhorse. Where there was a quick resume drop off there is now email. Where there was once word of mouth… well I guess there’s still that.

   My point is that the Net and technology should allow for some interesting recruiting and screening practices. I may be missing something, but where are the ‘Meet and Greet 2008 in IRC’ or ‘Four hours with <insert company and name> on video chat’ or ‘Play our online Manhunt Talent Game’ or ‘Join our Virtual Tour on Second Life”. At the very least, why are companies not asking for a Video Resume/CV?

   These are off-the-cuff ideas. There are many possibilities with our current technology yet the same old practices are applied to such a powerful medium.

2. I will say, I do believe there are many more applicants for jobs than their used to be. It is just too simple to throw your hat into the ring with an email as opposed to mailing it, dropping it off in person or what-have-you. This may be a large factor in what is quickly becoming the standard ‘no phone calls’, ‘email only’ and lack of business name or address in ads.

   With that said, shouldn’t the current technology help handle many more applications? Shouldn’t it open hiring staff or agents more time for the personal touch or possibly a little more two way communication?

3. This leads us to common courtesy. This is a no brainer. The fact is email and the Net and the concept that “it’s just business” all have negative effects on common courtesy.

   What I find mind boggling is the lack of even the most simple form mail stating your resume/application has been received. This problem, in my opinion, also crosses over into the laziness point.

   How difficult is it to create a email template stating the position is filled, that you don’t meet or that you exceed their requirements? This is down right unbelievable and should send a message to potential employees about the company practices and priorities.

There are some companies who are considerate and personable when it comes to hiring. They are proactive and have creative ideas. This is a generalized article based on some of my experiences and by no means is meant to attack or insult any one or multiple entities.

I saw a statistic on the news (sorry, no reference) that soft skills were narrowly the number one priority for companies and that this was an increasing requirement. Current pre-screening methods really aren’t considering this. A resume is not an indicator of a person’s soft skills. First off, a resume is spun a specific way and there is no telling who created or helped tune it.

Additional considerations for the recruiter or HR representative, as stated in ‘Finding Keepers’, and what I believe is general knowledge at this point is that people are increasingly more informed and considerate about their jobs. The fact is you have to sell someone on working for you. There has been a slow shift from where the employee was happy to have a job to where the employer is happy to have a productive worker. There is more to keeping an employee than money and the threat of job loss. There are human factors to consider and it should start with hiring practices and considerations, from the ground up.

I will leave the bonus question for you to answer. Any comments or enlightenment would be appreciated. Expect some further articles on hiring an ego and the forgotten art of training and ‘growing’ your most important resource, people.

• Leave a comment... 12(1)http://umgy.com/business/technology-less-personal-less-job-recruitment/Technology-less+Personal-less+Job+Recruitment2008-02-22+02%3A15%3A07Shane

The latest installment of CodeIgniter (CI) Framework was announced on Jan 30, 2008.

Due to the 120+ changes the expected 1.5.5 release was passed over for the current 1.6. I won’t go into the change log as you can check out the official release yourself.

Upgrades are reported to be easy as pie. Guides can be found at: http://codeigniter.com/user_guide/installation/upgrading.html. One user posted an easy update from version 1.4 range to 1.6.

The official release forum thread which contains the standard celebration and thanks can be viewed at: http://codeigniter.com/forums/viewthread/70329/P15. So far the most interesting posts for me are from PoWah and tonanbarbarian which indicate a small increase in overhead and speed but nothing serious considering the additions.

Some 1.6 specific bugs have been trickling in on the bug report forum but I haven’t seen anything major as of yet. Most issues in the CI Bug Tracker were dealt with in this release so it is looking very clean.

As with previous CI releases there are few concerns with backwards compatibility. Further, Derek Allard, one of the CI developers has basically stated that it is fair to ‘expect tighter development cycles’ and that they already have 1.6.1 code.

If you don’t know what CodeIgniter is or haven’t tried it, I highly recommend it. In my opinion it is one of the top PHP Frameworks with boasting rights in speed, simplicity, documentation and community support. You should have no trouble in knowing what works in various versions and if you understand PHP you shouldn’t expect any serious learning curves.

• Leave a comment... 10(0)http://umgy.com/php/codeigniter-16/CodeIgniter+1.62008-02-04+20%3A42%3A41Shane