Web Development for Web 2.0 Websites

Web 2.0 websites can be classified as user driven websites. These websites survive on membership marketing. They are more commonly categorized as social networking websites. These sites run on user inputs. They determine how their page should appear, they themselves provide content to the site and also evaluate content written by others. Considering these very different aspects of a web 2.0 website, there is a difference in its development too. Here are a few tips which will help make web development for web 2.0 websites easier.

Member interaction is the buzz word in web 2.0 sites, hence make sure that all your web development strategies center around the same point. Introduce blogs and forums in your website creation plan, so that there is enough space for your visitors to interact and communicate. Make easy zones for your users where they can do what they feel like. Introduce gaming and chatting in your website so that they can invite their friends and have some good time.

Web development is all about increasing the popularity of a website, and when it comes to increasing your website popularity nothing is enough. Keep trying newer things every time, so that your members stick to you and keep waiting for the next development to happen. This way your web site's development will also never end, and there will always be a buzz about your website. This will act as a positive point for your website and will make your site popular in the web.

Incorporate video and tele sessions for your members, where they can either post promotional content for their website or just share entertaining features with their friends.

While you are designing the web development plan of your social media website, try and incorporate features like, give your review, member polls, add a survey report etc. this are some of the most popular features among users. It is a general mindset of people that websites that give them importance really care for them and are genuine.

Since your website is for the users primarily make sure your website creation plan has space to introduce user competitions and Online games. A very important feature of web development for web 2.0 websites is that they also make continuous efforts to keep their visitors in loop. One such technique is by sending newsletters to your members. Newsletters are one effective tool that helps keep your visitors intact.

The Uage of Web Application Development

Web application is developed to make surfing a smoother experience. Web application publication is primarily developed in a three tier program. The user level, the business level and the data services level. What you see on screen is the user level application of the software, that creates a gateway for the users to interact on the web.

The user level web application are generally created in the simple HTML, DHTML, sometimes the complex COM and Java script applets. Most of the softwares that were developed earlier were based on the client server architecture, which needed it to be installed separately in each of the user's computer. Upgrading such web application became extremely difficult as it involved upgrading each and every machine in which it was earlier installed. Another hassle that the client server web application development required was to license it every time you installed a web application in your computer.

Earlier since the websites were more of a simple program, with static pages, web application too was restricted. There was not much of an emphasis paid on user interaction. But with the introduction of more dynamic websites, web application development has grown. And with the technological advancements, web application development has also grown. Today website applications are no more boring and static ones, they have now grown to become more and more dynamic. User interactivity in websites has grown manifolds. User filled forms, e-commerce transactions, e-commerce interactions ans so much more are added into the website with the help of these web application development.

All the latest web 2.0 websites that you see floating across the Internet are true examples of how web applications can be used in the websites in order to make them more profitable than before.

Apart from the HTML, and DHTML techniques used in the search engines, J2EE Development services also invites people in. Java development services are important to the website, since they give it a friendly and smooth work position.

13 Easy Steps To Implement Search Engine Optimization

Developing a strong website that’s easy for the search engines to catalog and index is all about following a few simple steps. Site structure can be your best friend when it comes to getting high search engine rankings and once you have established that perfect site structure your website can continue to grow and adapt with the search engines.

There are many sites out there that list which on-site SEO elements are most important and what aspects you need to pay more attention to but this list will explain what each element is and how to use and implement them to your advantage. This list also offers ways to keep the on-site SEO user-friendly to maximize your results.

It doesn’t matter if you’re developing websites for a mom and pop local plumber or a multi-million dollar agency that will have thousands of dynamic pages, the same 13 steps to on-site SEO will need to be applied to each.

1. File Naming Conventions

Most developers don’t give a lot of thought to page names, but it can be an extremely beneficial way to get more keywords into your site without having to force them.

As you can see from the image above, Google picks up on naming conventions and using “website- promotion” as the name of my page re-iterates the importance of website promotion in my website.

Start off by making a list of all of your pages before you begin to build out the site and try to add in your keywords any chance you get.

File Naming Guidelines:

• Instead of products.html >> skincare-products.html

Use this method for every page and work your keywords into your site architecture where applicable.

2. Title Attributes for Navigation

Developed more for screen readers and usability purposes, title attributes for your navigation can offer a significant amount of extra value to users and search engines.

The image above shows the title attribute when you hover your mouse over the services navigation tab.

Add a title attribute to all of your navigation tabs to give users a better indication of what the pages are about:

You want to abide by a few rules before you go stuffing your title attributes with information that could be considered spam.

Title Tag Attribute Guidelines:

• Be precise with the text to let users know exactly what’s on the page
• Shoot for 10 words or less
• Try to implement keywords into the descriptions but DO NOT FORCE THEM

3. Title Tags (not to be confused with the above title tag attributes)

Just like every other list on the web will tell you, the title tag is one of the most important areas to focus on for your on-site SEO.

The title tag is what the search engines use to populate their rankings. You need to be specific with your titles in order to achieve high rankings.

Title Tag Guidelines:

• A range of 60 to 90 characters with spaces is a good standard. Google only recognizes 70 characters with spaces included, so I always try and stay under 70.
• Place the most important keywords for that page in the title tag and keep them as close to the beginning of the tag as possible.
• Keep non keyword terms to a minimum.
• Each page should have a unique title focusing on the keywords for that page.

4. Meta Descriptions:

The Meta description is almost as important as the title tag when it comes to converting clicks because this small snippet of content will tell the user whether or not your link is worth clicking on.

Ideally, once a user reads your title tag they will then read your meta description and it will entice them enough to click to your page.

Meta Description Guidelines:

• Descriptions should be written with a marketing style of writing
• Descriptions should be between 25 and 40 words (I have a plugin installed on my blog that limits the number of words to 20, but for a static page, 25-40 words is a good rule-of-thumb).
• Descriptions should include all targeted keywords for that page and should be unique for each page.
• *** Meta Descriptions are placed in the code in the head section, but you can also place the same description in your footer area so that it’s visible on the page as well.

5. Image Alt Attributes:

Images don’t have descriptions and search engines have no idea what images are unless you tell them. You can take advantage of a lot of extra traffic from Google Images by optimizing your graphics. Anytime you add images to your website you want to make sure that you add some descriptive text that gives the search engines an idea about what that image is.

Image Alt Attributes Guidelines:

• Text should describe what the image is and incorporate keywords when appropriate.
• Image alt attributes should be used on images such as .jpg, .gif, .png, and clickable buttons.

6. Heading Tags

Heading tags were originally developed for better site hierarchy, but they can also be used for on-site optimization. Heading tags go from

To

And when keywords are applied to these tags they can increase your website rankings for those particular keywords.

Heading Tag Guidelines:

• The most competitive keywords should be represented in the
• Site architecture should represent a rational outline:
• H1
• H2
• H2
• H3
• H3
• H3
• H2

7. Crosslink’s

Search engines find websites by traveling from link to link. Adding keywords in your links gives the search engines a strong value to base where the link is going and what that link is about. When crosslinking throughout your own website you want to link from page to page with the keywords that are on the page you are linking to.

Ex: Page B is targeting the keyword “viral-marketing.” You want to add a link from Page A to Page B. Instead of using “click here,” try “…learn more about our viral marketing services.”

You want to use this formula for both on-site crosslinking as well as when you are trying to acquire links from other sites. If you can get a similar topic website like joe-schmo-advertising.com to link to your website with “website promotion” as the anchor text, you are giving Google more context to evaluate the relevancy of the link and also the site that it’s going to.

Crosslinking Guidelines:

• Crosslinks should have a clear destination, but keep in mind that there are two types of Internet users: scanners and readers. Scanners will scan through the page and click on the colored links that they think they might be interested in without reading any of the surrounding content. Users who read the entire page will naturally come upon each link and decide if the link is worth clicking on. The best links make sense to both types of users.
• Link length should be as short as possible so that excess words do not dilute the value of your keywords.

8. Keyword Density

Keyword density refers to how well you are able to plug in your keyword phrases into the content. Even though this aspect of on-site SEO has been getting a lot of attention lately for both sides of the argument, I still believe it’s best to have your keywords placed within the content and mentioned a certain number of times. Now what that magic number is, I can’t tell you. You have to make your own decision about that, but obviously if your whole page deals with cats you are naturally going to mention cat-related keywords all throughout your content.

When I’m considering keyword density I look more towards good writing with a natural tone versus trying to please the search engines.

Keyword Density Guidelines:

• If you’re targeting a three word phrase, you need to try and make sure that you include all three words in order for the instance to count towards your keyword density. They don’t have to always be right next to each other, but they should be within a few words of one another.
• Some say for best practices you should hit your keyword phrase once in the first paragraph, once in the main body section of the content, and one final instance in the closing paragraph.

9. Keyword Proximity

Very similar to keyword density, keyword proximity refers to how closely you get the individual words in your targeted keyword phrase together. In the example below there are four words in between widgets and online. This example is a strong reference to the keyword phrase but it isn’t as strong if I could have worked blue widgets online into my content without any words in between them.

Example of Keyword Proximity:
Keyword phrase: blue widgets online
If you looking for blue widgets, you can find them online.

Although the words in the keyword phrase aren’t immediately adjacent to one another, they are close enough to be meaningful to the search engines. This example would also seem natural to a user.

Keyword Proximity Guidelines:

• Keep your keywords as close together as possible while still sounding natural.

10. Keyword Order

If you are trying to target “blue widgets online,” you have to mention blue > widgets > online in that order throughout your content. If you scramble them up or mention online before widgets then you are not targeting the same phrase that you researched and selected based on traffic and competition.

Keyword Order Guidelines:

• Always mention keyword phrases in the exact order that you selected based on the results of your research.
• If you are targeting more than one keyword phrase per page the order concerning which keyword phrase goes first doesn’t matter, but the order of each individual keyword phrase does.

11. Content Organization

Content on websites needs to be organized in a logical fashion based on both the user’s needs and the targeted keywords. Every time I speak with a new client I always ask them for a rough outline of everything that they want to include in their website. I take all that information and organize it the best way I see fit. A whole page doesn’t need to be devoted to testimonials if you can pepper them throughout the site in smaller areas that need some filler content.The organization of your site can easily distract users and cause them to leave abruptly. Have the content of your website organized in a sitemap before any development begins.

Content Organization Guidelines:

• Content for a given page should be logical based on the navigation so that users can quickly find the information they are looking for.
• Content should be presented in a hierarchy fashion using heading tags to create a clear organization.

12. Content Consistency

Not every page on your website is going to be able to target keywords and have SEO content, but it’s important that these non SEO pages have the same flow and standards that the SEO pages have.

Content Consistency Guidelines:

• Consistent format should be represented site wide among optimized and non-optimized content: length, style, crosslinks, and other formatting should be uniform.

13. Know Your Audience

Anytime content is written for anything, whether it’s a print ad or a website, the audience needs to be thoroughly researched and the copy needs to speak directly to them. Many people in the industry will bloat their content with these on-site SEO tactics and it can read very odd and chuncky. Good SEO content will read very naturally and speak personally to your audience without the interruption of keyword, keyword, keyword.

Audience Guidelines:

• Speak to your clients first. These are the people who buy your products and pay your bills.
• Speak to the search engines. After this guide, you should have a decent understanding of what the search engines are looking for when they rank your website. Know the rules and how to implement them.

On-Site SEO doesn’t have to make you pull your hair out. Just like any process, once you know what steps need to be taken, even the largest projects seem possible. These 13 steps to on-site SEO can be applied to each and every page you develop and once you master these steps, you can expand on what factors will work the best for your projects.

Taken from www.alibiproductions.com

How Interesting : i - Snake will "Transform Surgery"

Experts are developing a flexible surgical robot, known as the i-Snake, which they say could revolutionise keyhole surgery.

It could enable surgeons to do complex procedures previously possible only through more invasive techniques.

A team at Imperial College London has been granted £2.1 million for the work.
They envisage using the i-Snake - a long tube housing special motors, sensors and imaging tools - for heart bypass surgery.
But it could also be used to diagnose problems in the gut and bowel by acting as the surgeon's hands and eyes in hard to reach places inside the body.
The Imperial College team, which includes health minister and surgeon Lord Ara Darzi, will test the device initially in the laboratory before it is used on patients.


Minimally invasive surgery has obvious advantages - it can mean smaller scars, reduced hospital stays and shorter recovery times.
Surgeons are also looking at ways to avoid skin incisions altogether.
One approach is Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery or Notes. This means operating in the peritoneal space through natural orifices or cavities, such as the bowel.
Lord Darzi said: "The unrivalled imaging and sensing capabilities coupled with the accessibility and sensitivity of i-Snake will enable more complex diagnostic and therapeutic procedures than are currently possible.
"The cost benefits that i-Snake will introduce include earlier, cheaper and less invasive treatment, faster recovery and procedure times and intangible benefits through an increase in patient care and quality of life."
Dr Ted Bianco, director of technology transfer at the Wellcome Trust, said: "Gone are the days when the surgeon's knife ruled in the operating theatre. The future of surgery is in smart devices like i-Snake."

KEYHOLE SURGERY MILESTONES 1900s -
Mirrors, lights and lenses attached to endoscopic tubes are used to examine bodies' interiors1930s - Fibre-optics offer an essential light source; endoscopes now thinner and more flexible1970s - Cameras attached to endoscopes mean that surgeons can operate from images on a screen. Lasers developed which can perform surgerySource: Ghislaine Lawrence, Science Museum, London


Taken from BBC News

Something Really Knowledgeable Part - 2

:: Some General Knowledge ::

How many states have active volcanoes?

Four states have active volcanoes: Washington, California, Alaska, and Hawaii, whose Mauna Loa is the world's largest active volcano. Hawaii itself was formed by the activity of undersea volcanoes.

What does moussaka consist of?

Coined about 1930, the popular Greek dish moussaka consists of layers of seasoned ground lamb and eggplant, and is usually topped with a custard or cheese sauce and baked.

Which state is most hazardous materially?

Tennessee leads the United States in hazardous material mishaps with 15.4 accidents per 100,000 people, a 1996 federal report showed. The national average is 6.3 accidents per 100,000 people.

What would you see in the Bo-Kaap Museum?

In Cape Town, South Africa, a must-see for tourists is the Bo-Kaap Museum. This house, built in the eighteenth century, portrays the lifestyle of a typical Malay family in the nineteenth century. An exhibition of carts and coaches can be seen in the courtyard of the museum.

Which is the oldest pro-sports franchise?

The Chicago Cubs are the oldest original franchise in professional sports, dating back to the founding of the National League by team president Walter A. Hubert in 1876. Nicknamed the "lovable losers" of the North Side, the Cubs have not won a World Series since 1908 and have not played in the fall classic since 1945.

Something Really Knowledgeable Part - 1

:: Some Informative things about Christmas ::

How long have we had the Yule log?

During the ancient 12-day Christmas celebration, the log burned was called the "Yule log." Sometimes a piece of the Yule log would be kept to kindle the fire the following winter, to ensure that the good luck carried on from year to year. The Yule log custom was handed down from the Druids.

When did Eastern Europe have its first Christmas?

On Christmas Day, 1989, Eastern Europe was permitted to celebrate Christmas freely and openly for the first time in decades. Church masses were broadcast live for the first time in history.

What does an Armenian Christmas dinner consist of?

In Armenia, the traditional Christmas Eve meal consists of fried fish, lettuce, and spinach. The meal is traditionally eaten after the Christmas Eve service, in commemoration of the supper eaten by Mary on the evening before Christ's birth.

How long should that Christmas log burn?

In southern France, some people burn a log in their homes from Christmas Eve until New Year’s Day. This stems from an ancient tradition in which farmers would use part of the log to ensure a plentiful harvest the following year.

Where would you want a spider web in your Christmas tree?

An artificial spider and web are often included in the decorations on Ukrainian Christmas trees. A spider web found on Christmas morning is believed to bring good luck.

Looking For Cool Technology Toys?

1. Elekit Robotic Arm - Everyone can use an extra hand and now you can actually get one. Elekit has created a fully programmable and workable USB Robotic Arm. It has five separate movements: grab/release, lift/lower, pivot sideways, and rotate wrist. Internal LED lights allow you to see it at work. This is a kit, so you actually have to do a small amount of assembly, but just keep thinking of the rewards of your labors when it passes you those Doritos that are not quite in reach. The Robotic Arm will be making its Japanese $80.00 debut in March in a limited addition from Elekit.
2. X7-G100 Game Board - Easy to Master... who needs a Joystick? The A4Tech X7-G100 Gaming Keyboard has 4 large swappable red rubber keys and a one-touch volume control. The G100 is heavier than a regular keyboard for stability and even better, it’s waterproof so you don’t have to worry about spilling your Bud while you thwart off the bad guys. It’s available at A4Tech for $29.00. Plug it into your USB and let the games begin.
3. USB Wireless Mouse - Just admit it... you'd much rather check your e-mail in the comfort of your own bed with a laptop than sit at some back-wrenching computer desk for hours on end. Thanko, most famous for their nifty plug-and-play warming gadgets, has developed the USB Wireless Mouse EZ that can actually be utilized in the air. Simply place and move your finger on the red light and watch the screen cursor respond. The button also functions as a single or double clicker. Compatible with both PC and Mac, it can be used as a normal optical mouse and can recharge its batteries while you work. Find this clever computer rodent at Thanko’s RareMono Shop for a price of $35.67.
4. USB Gadget Keeps Beverages Cool or Warm - There are cup warmers and then there are beverage coolers. USB.brando has managed to combine the two. Simply plug it into your USB connection, set it to chill for a 13 degree decrease or warm for a 29º increase, then wait 10 minutes. The gadget has a built-in fan and comes with a 98cm cable so you don’t have to worry about your coffee spilling into your keyboard if you're only mildly awake. Available at USB.brando for an inexpensive $24.00.
5. Kodak Easyshare AIO Inkjet Printers - The folks at Eastman Kodak are coming out with their own line of Easyshare All-In-One inkjet printers. Claiming to save up to 50% in professional printing costs, this translates into a 4x6 inch image for as inexpensive as ten cents a print. Kodak’s ink cartridges will cost you a mere $9.99 for black and $14.99 for color. You can get the 5100 and 5300 models at Best Buy beginning in March for $149.99 and $199.99 respectively. The deluxe 5500 will be available in April at the Kodak Store for $299.99.
6. Missile Launchers Cure Cubicle Boredom - Feeling claustrophobic in your Dilbertesque space at work? One alternative to hanging out at the water cooler is this missile launcher. With 3 feet of USB cable, this plug-and-play can move horizontally or vertically and comes with 3 foam missiles. It can shoot up to 20 feet, is compatible with Windows XP, and comes with sound effects software. Get two and not only will you save a few dollars, you can have wars with the cubicle next to you. The launcher can be found at Latest Buy for AU $39.99 (US $31.56) and the Twin Battle Pack is available for US $59.21.
7. ION Audio iTTUSB Turntable Converts Analogue to Digital - What top 10 list is complete without a musical gadget? The plug-n-play ION Audio iTTUSB Turntable connects to your PC or Mac and turns your vinyl collection into digital CD or MP3s. It will work with 33 1/3, 45, and 78 rpm records, and features high-speed recording, adjustable pitch, and anti-skate capabilities. It even includes an auxiliary line in to convert audio cassettes, and RCA outputs to play records through your speaker systems when you are done converting. The iTTUSB comes with stylus, 45 adapter, and 90-day warranty, and can be found at Sharper Image for $199.95.
8. Wood Contour Peripherals - This line of peripherals just oozes your inner CEO. Wood Contour offers luxury wood and stone keyboards, monitors, and mice. Each one is custom made from one piece of hardwood such as cherry, oak, ash, and mahogany, or Corian stone. You can even request personalizations such as your company’s logo or initial engraving. Class does not come cheap, but if you cannot afford a whole set, you can compromise with the company’s overstock of individual peripherals from prices beginning at $129.95. If you want to look like YOU should be the boss, visit Wood Countour for your own set of wood-be peripherals.
9. USB Lava Lamp - For a change of pace, hook up this nostalgic lava lamp to your computer. At a height of 6-inches and in colors of white, red, or blue, you can rest your eyes from the glare of your monitor for at least a few minutes. LavaWorld also carries USB glitter lamps, computer vacuums, and lava fans. The groovy gadgets are available at LavaWorld and various retail outlets at prices starting at $6.99.
10. Star Wars mimobots - Your new favorite USB storage keys just have to be mimobots. Launched in 2005, Mimoco has basically turned a simple concept into a collection with a cult following. In limited editions of 250 - 500 units, all are hi-speed and come in 256MB, 512MB, 1GB or 2GB capacities. You'll dig their Star Wars collection with Chewy and Darth Vader, now that they've recently added a Storm Trooper and R2-D2. Prices start at $79.95.

With Reference of: Bob Rankin

Top 10 IT Disasters of all time

Following the loss of the personal records of some 25 million child benefit recipients by Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs this month, the UK government will be acutely aware of how quickly mismanagement of technology can lead to serious problems.

While technology wasn't to blame per se in the HMRC data loss, there are plenty of recorded examples where faulty hardware and software have cost the organizations concerned dearly, both financially and in terms of reputation--and resulted in some near misses for the public.

Here's our considered list of some of the worst IT-related disasters and failures. The order is subjective--with number one being the worst--so feel free to comment using Talkback below if you disagree or have suggestions for disasters we may have missed.

1. Faulty Soviet early warning system nearly causes WWIII (1983)
The threat of computers purposefully starting World War III is still the stuff of science fiction, but accidental software glitches have brought us too close in the past. Although there have been numerous alleged events of this ilk, the secrecy around military systems makes it hard to sort the urban myths from the real incidents.

However, one example that is well recorded happened back in 1983, and was the direct result of a software bug in the Soviet early warning system. The Russian system told them that the United States had launched five ballistic missiles. However, the duty officer for the system, one Lt Col Stanislav Petrov, claims he had a "funny feeling in my gut", and reasoned if the U.S. was really attacking they would launch more than five missiles.

The trigger for the near apocalyptic disaster was traced to a fault in software that was supposed to filter out false missile detections caused by satellites picking up sunlight reflections off cloud-tops.

2. The AT&T network collapse (1990)
In 1990, 75 million phone calls across the U.S. went unanswered after a single switch at one of AT&T's 114 switching centers suffered a minor mechanical problem and shut down the center. When the center came back up soon afterwards, it sent a message to other centers, which in turn caused them to trip, shut down and reset.

The culprit turned out to be an error in a single line of code--not hackers, as some claimed at the time--that had been added during a highly complex software upgrade. American Airlines alone estimated this small error cost it 200,000 reservations.

3. The explosion of the Ariane 5 (1996)
In 1996, Europe's newest and unmanned satellite-launching rocket, the Ariane 5, was intentionally blown up just seconds after taking off on its maiden flight from Kourou, French Guiana. The European Space Agency estimated that total development of Ariane 5 cost more than $8bn (£4bn). On board Ariane 5 was a $500 million (£240 million) set of four scientific satellites created to study how the Earth's magnetic field interacts with Solar Winds.

According to a piece in the New York Times Magazine, the self-destruction was triggered by software trying to stuff "a 64-bit number into a 16-bit space."

"This shutdown occurred 36.7 seconds after launch, when the guidance system's own computer tried to convert one piece of data--the sideways velocity of the rocket--from a 64-bit format to a 16-bit format. The number was too big, and an overflow error resulted. When the guidance system shut down, it passed control to an identical, redundant unit, which was there to provide backup in case of just such a failure. But the second unit had failed in the identical manner a few milliseconds before. And why not? It was running the same software," the article stated.

4. Airbus A380 suffers from incompatible software issues (2006)
The Airbus issue of 2006 highlighted a problem many companies can have with software: What happens when one program doesn't talk to the another. In this case, the problem was caused by two halves of the same program, the CATIA software that is used to design and assemble one of the world's largest aircraft, the Airbus A380. This was a major European undertaking and, according to Business Week, the problem arose with communications between two organizations in the group: French Dassault Aviation and a Hamburg factory.

Put simply, the German system used an out-of-date version of CATIA and the French system used the latest version. So when Airbus was bringing together two halves of the aircraft, the different software meant that the wiring on one did not match the wiring in the other. The cables could not meet up without being changed.

The problem was eventually fixed, but only at a cost that nobody seems to want to put an absolute figure on. But all agreed it cost a lot, and put the project back a year or more.

5. Mars Climate Observer metric problem (1998)
Two spacecraft, the Mars Climate Orbiter and the Mars Polar Lander, were part of a space program that, in 1998, was supposed to study the Martian weather, climate, and water and carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere. But a problem occurred when a navigation error caused the lander to fly too low in the atmosphere and it was destroyed.

What caused the error? A sub-contractor on the NASA program had used imperial units (as used in the U.S.), rather than the NASA-specified metric units (as used in Europe).

6. EDS and the Child Support Agency (2004)
Business services giant EDS waded in with this spectacular disaster, which assisted in the destruction of the U.K.'s Child Support Agency (CSA) and cost the taxpayer over a billion pounds.

EDS's CS2 computer system somehow managed to overpay 1.9 million people and underpay around 700,000, partly because the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) decided to reform the CSA at the same time as bringing in CS2.

Edward Leigh, chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, was outraged when the National Audit Office subsequently picked through the wreckage: "Ignoring ample warnings, the DWP, the CSA and IT contractor EDS introduced a large, complex IT system at the same time as restructuring the agency. The new system was brought in and, as night follows day, stumbled and now has enormous operational difficulties."

7. The two-digit year-2000 problem (1999/2000)
Many IT vendors and contractors did very well out of the billions spent to avoid what many feared would be the disaster related to the Millennium Bug. Rumors of astronomical contract rates and retainers abounded. And the sound of clocks striking midnight in time zones around the world was followed by... not panic, not crashing computer systems, in fact nothing more than New Year celebrations.

So why include it here? That the predictions of doom came to naught is irrelevant, as we're not talking about the disaster that was averted, but the original disastrous decision to use and keep using for longer than was either necessary or prudent double digits for the date field in computer programs. A report by the House of Commons Library pegged the cost of fixing the bug at £400 billion. And that is why the Millennium Bug deserves a place in the top 10.

8. When the laptops exploded (2006)
It all began simply, but certainly not quietly, when a laptop manufactured by Dell burst into flames at a trade show in Japan. There had been rumors of laptops catching fire, but the difference here was that the Dell laptop managed to do it in the full glare of publicity and video captured it in full color.

(Unfortunately, the video capturing the incident appears to have vanished from the web. If you happen to own a copy, please send it to us as it should make interesting viewing again.)

"We have captured the notebook and have begun investigating the event," Dell spokeswoman Anne Camden reported at the time, and investigate Dell did. At the end of these investigations the problem was traced to an issue with the battery/power supply on the individual laptop that had overheated and caught fire.

It was an expensive issue for Dell to sort out. As a result of its investigation Dell decided that it would be prudent to recall and replace 4.1m laptop batteries.

Company chief executive Michael Dell eventually laid the blame for the faulty batteries with the manufacturer of the battery cells--Sony. But that wasn’t the end of it. Apple reported issues for iPods and Macbooks and many PC suppliers reported the same. Matsushita alone has had to recall around 54 million devices. Sony estimated at the time that the overall cost of supporting the recall programs of Apple and Dell would amount to between ¥20 billion (£90m) and ¥30 billion.

9. Siemens and the passport system (1999)
It was the summer of 1999, and half a million British citizens were less than happy to discover that their new passports couldn't be issued on time because the Passport Agency had brought in a new Siemens computer system without sufficiently testing it and training staff first. Hundreds of people missed their holidays and the Home Office had to pay millions in compensation, staff overtime and umbrellas for the poor people queuing in the rain for passports. But why such an unexpectedly huge demand for passports? The law had recently changed to demand, for the first time, that all children under 16 had to get one if they were traveling abroad.

Tory MP Anne Widdecombe summed it up well while berating the then home secretary, Jack Straw, over the fiasco: "Common sense should have told him that to change the law on child passports at the same time as introducing a new computer system into the agency was storing up trouble for the future."

10. LA Airport flights grounded (2007)
Some 17,000 planes were grounded at Los Angeles International Airport earlier this year because of a software problem. The problem that hit systems at United States Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) agency was a simple one caused in a piece of lowly, inexpensive equipment.

The device in question was a network card that, instead of shutting down as perhaps it should have done, persisted in sending the incorrect data out across the network. The data then cascaded out until it hit the entire network at the USCBP and brought it to a standstill. Nobody could be authorized to leave or enter the U.S. through the airport for eight hours. Passengers were not impressed.

Security Feature of Microsoft's new IM version Leaked

Windows Live Messenger 9.0 will feature SPIM, a new security feature that reports users who send unsolicited messages

Microsoft's next version of its instant messenger application will have a new security feature to report users who send unsolicited messages, known as SPIM (spam over IM).

That's one of several new features in Windows Live Messenger 9.0, which was released to some private beta testers on Tuesday, according to Liveside.net, a site that focuses on Microsoft's Live brand of Web-based applications.

The problem with SPIM is that it's annoying and, at worst, dangerous. The tricky part is that the hacker may have obtained someone's IM account details, so it appears that a genuine contact is sending the messages.

After compiling a list of IM contacts, hackers try to trick users into clicking links. Those links can often launch an unwanted installation of spyware or other malware via browser vulnerability or other security hole.

Further details on Microsoft's reporting tool were not available. However, other IM products on the market use reporting tools to compile blacklists of known IM spammers in order to block them.

Liveside published other new details of Messenger 9.0 on Wednesday but then deleted the post on Thursday. It wasn't entirely clear why the site decided to delete the post, but it could be retrieved via Google's cache.

Liveside said other new features include the ability to stay signed into the application from several computers, called Multiple Points of Presence Support. In the previous 8.5 version, users are automatically signed out of the application if they log in to the application on a new machine.

Other new features Liveside said will be in version 9.0 include:

-- Animated .GIF files can be used in the display photo area.

-- Allows users to associate a specific sound with an action performed by one of their contacts.

-- URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) can be clicked on in the status area.

How To Choose Right Data Recovery Software ???

Data recovering is a process to make available lost or damaged data that was previously available in either a hard drive or diskettes, either due to an accidental deletion or due to a disk physically damaged by shock. Data recovery was a feature accessible in older systems with MS-DOS 6 operating system.

However, the arrival of the 32 bits architecture in PC processors, and later upgraded to 64 bits, override this functionally. When data is lost, the opportunities to recover valuable or sensitive information are not lost at all. Computer data recovery software can do the job.

This type of software help people retrieve lost or inaccessible files from almost any imaginable data recovery disaster, and without the need to send your hard drive to a specialized technical service.

Computer data recovery software makes it possible for the rescue of any file more often than everybody might think. Like the old MS-Dos, modern applications not only can undelete accidentally deleted files, but also partitions, and even when power failure, software failure, or virus caused the deletion attack.

Choose the right data recovery software, which is associated with your needs. Some applications can get your files back using different utilities after the disk command, while others can retrieve the data even if the hard drive has been formatted.

System restore is another function handled by computer data recovery software. Whether logical hard drive failures or RAID reconstruction and recovery, data recovery is possible, even when your system does not recognize the drive to be rescued.

The key for you to choose the right software is by taking some time to do a search. Recognize if your data recovery problem is beyond your immediate control and even having old undelete software installed, most of the time it will not work because all of them were programmed to work in systems developed with 16 bits architecture.

Double check what every computer data recovery software offers, and be aware of those claiming to recover your files in a way outside all limits of reality, because of the saying; "if something looks too good to be true, it probably is."

Data recovery is not a matter of a high price, in fact, sometimes smaller and cheaper or freeware programs can recover the files as well as the costly versions using mega-gigabytes. However, most of the small gems usually can make a few tasks in comparison with large, full-featured versions.

Again, make sure you do research and comparison before deciding on the best computer data recovery software to fit your needs.

Overcoming SQL Server Sprawl

Quest Software
Overcoming SQL Server Sprawl

With the success of SQL Server, a new trend has emerged: a server for each application. The result is the uncoordinated deployment of tens, hundreds or even thousands of database servers -- also known as “SQL Server sprawl”. For many IT departments, this means low levels of performance and poor availability.

Get started on an effective consolidation project by joining SQL Server MVP, Kevin Kline for an archived webcast. Kevin explores the major risks, considerations and activities in streamlining your SQL Server environment. You’ll find out why consolidation ultimately saves significant amounts of time and money, while yielding big efficiency benefits.

Webcast: Stop the Sprawl with Kevin Kline: Is Server Consolidation Right for Your Organization?

Archived Webcast from
Wednesday, October 24/07

Quest Software
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contact your local sales representative
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What If Gmail Had Been Designed by Microsoft?

Today I want to ponder the question: what if Microsoft, not Google, had created Gmail? What would be the differences in that web mail client for users today? What if we apply some of the same design rules that brought us Hotmail, for instance?

To start, here’s the current Gmail homepage after you log-in:

First of all, we need to rebrand the application name to something longer. Let’s call this Windows Live Gmail, and add some of the visual elements connected with Windows. Also, as in Hotmail, there needs to be less space for the email subjects to make place for a reading pane, which is full of verbose explanatory help text*:

*Not shown in the screenshot, we’ll also throw in a security measurement that will prevent you from clicking on links in emails, unless you discovered the switch to mark a mail as safe. Another security measurement we’ll add is that you won’t be able to log-in with just username anymore but are required to enter the full username@gmail.com. Furthermore, we will change the browser URL from http://gmail.microsoft.com to the more professional looking http://by114w.bay114.gmail.live.com/mail/mail.aspx?rru=home.

For another design iteration in our inbox, we will need to camouflage the checkboxes next to the messages by putting a mail icon on top of them. Also, we need to break up messages from conversation threads into their individual parts. Furthermore, this version of Gmail needs to change from context-aware text ads to context-unaware graphic banners, which we’ll require to carry at least one clip art. Gmail currently has a chat box which I don’t use and thus find annoying, so I think we can build on that and expand it to a more full-featured chat widget, replacing the labels box. We’ll also adjust the spam filter slightly to show a couple of more bulk mails in the inbox:

There’s still not enough banner space available though, so let’s add a top row for ads and move the rest a bit more down. Also, to go back to the real Microsoft spirit, the inbox will now carry a maximum of 2 MB of messages – that was the amount Hotmail offered when Gmail was released with 1 GB in April 2004. Also, Microsoft-style, the actual start page of this service will not be the inbox, but a “welcome” splash screen. Please imagine the ads blinking at this point:

Somehow, this still misses part of the Microsoft feeling – the current design is just too bright & light, and it doesn’t have enough glamor. I’ll darken the colors a bit and add some smooth shades. Also, admittedly, Hotmail is a bit slower than Google’s competing service, so we’ll add some “loading” messages. Usually there’s less focus on unclutteredness with the Redmond guys, so we’ll add some MSN news bits and “special offers” where space is left. Plus, to increase user lock-in, let’s get rid of the “sign out” link. I’m also putting less emphasis on search, moving the box to the bottom right and replacing it with a dog:

Internet could run out of capacity in two years

Nemertes Research Group has published a study indicating that consumer and corporate demands on the Internet could outstrip capacity very soon

By Grant Gross, IDG News Service

November 19, 2007

Consumer and corporate use of the Internet could overload the current capacity and lead to brown-outs in two years unless backbone providers invest billions of dollars in new infrastructure, according to a study released Monday.

A flood of new video and other Web content could overwhelm the Internet by 2010 unless backbone providers invest up to $137 billion in new capacity, more than double what service providers plan to invest, according to the study , by Nemertes Research Group, an independent analysis firm. In North America alone, backbone investments of $42 billion to $55 billion will be needed in the next three to five years to keep up with demand, Nemertes said.

The study is the first to "apply Moore's Law (or something very like it) to the pace of application innovation on the 'Net," the study says. "Our findings indicate that although core fiber and switching/routing resources will scale nicely to support virtually any conceivable user demand, Internet access infrastructure, specifically in North America, will likely cease to be adequate for supporting demand within the next three to five years."

The study confirms long-time concerns of the Internet Innovation Alliance (IIA), an advocacy group focused on upgrading U.S. broadband networks, said Bruce Mehlman, co-chairman of the group. The group, with members including AT&T, Level 3 Communications, Corning, Americans for Tax Reform, and the American Council of the Blind, has been warning people of the coming "exaflood" of video and other Web content that could clog its pipes.

The study gives "good, hard, unique data" on the IIA concerns about network capacity, Mehlman said. The Nemertes study suggests demand for Web applications like streaming and interactive video, peer-to-peer file transfers, and music downloads will accelerate, creating a demand for more capacity. Close to three quarters of U.S. Internet users watched an average of 158 minutes of video in May and viewed more than 8.3 billion video streams, according to research from comScore, an analysis group.

Internet users will create 161 exabytes of new data this year, and this exaflood is a positive development for Internet users and businesses, IIA says. An exabyte is 1 quintillion bytes or about 1.1 billion gigabytes. One exabyte is the equivalent of about 50,000 years of DVD-quality video.

Carriers and policy makers need to be aware of this demand, Mehlman added.

"Video has unleased an explosion of Internet content," Mehlman said. "We think the exaflood is generally not well understood and its investment implications not well defined."

The responsibility for keeping up with this growing demand lies with backbone providers and national policy makers, added Mehlman, also executive director of the Technology CEO Council, a trade group, and a former assistant secretary of technology policy in the U.S. Department of Commerce.

"It takes a digital village," he said. "Certainly, infrastructure providers have plenty to do. You've seen billions in investment, and you're seeing ongoing billions more."

U.S. lawmakers can also help in several ways, he said. For example, the U.S. Congress could require that home contractors who receive government assistance for building affordable housing include broadband connections in their houses, he said. Congress could also provide tax credits to help broadband providers add more capacity, he said.

Consumers also pay high taxes for telecommunication services, averaging about 13 percent on some telecom services, similar to the tax rate on tobacco and alcohol, Mehlman said. One tax on telecom service has remained in place since the 1898 Spanish-American War, when few U.S. residents had telephones, he noted.

"We think it's a mistake to treat telecom like a luxury and tax it like a sin," he said.

7 Tips To Starting A Successful Small Business

Getting a small business off the ground is challenging to say the least. Here are some tips which will prepare the ground for running a successful small business.

Have Goals

This is where it all starts - the foundation for success. Know exactly where you are heading. What will the business 'look' like in the future? How will you know when your business is a success? When you wake up in the morning, do you know what actions you have to take to get you on the road to success?

Take Action

The difference between success and failure is down to the actions you take. The failures in life are the people who know what they have to do but never do it. The successful small business owners are people who take action on their ideas, ones who never say, "I wish I had done …”

Seek Feedback

There is a saying that feedback is the breakfast of champions. During the early days of your business you must continually seek feedback about all aspects of your business. What works? What doesn't work? What needs changing slightly? Speak to customers, suppliers, your bank manager, your accountant - anyone who can provide you with a fresh perspective.

Find Out What Do You Don't Know

You can't expect to know everything about running a business. Undertake your own skills analysis and find out your areas for development. Once you know your knowledge gaps seek out courses, books and advice, which will get you on track.

Be Focused

Let no one distract you from achievement of your goals. At the start of every day get yourself into the frame of mind that you will only do tasks which will get you closer to your goal - nothing else matters.

Take Risks!

You will never achieve anything if you're not prepared to jump off the cliff a few times! We're not talking about risks which will put the business in jeopardy; just risks which are planned and thought out, yet at the same time test the edge!

Think Positive

Yes, the oldest cliché in the book, but totally true. See the positive in everything. If something has not gone right train yourself to ask, "What good has come out of this?” Understand that in every problem there is potential for good.

© Robert Warlow Small Business Success

Seven Ways To Enhance Organizational Culture

As a young employee I was transferred to work in an office tower in downtown San Francisco. I wasn't the only person to arrive in this new office space - the group had changed significantly due to reorganization and many of us were working together for the first time.

My boss, the Marketing Manager, asked me to help him with some unusual projects. First, I organized an ugly tie contest. Next, we created a puzzle where everyone told me their fantasy identity (who they would be if they could be anyone) and I created a quiz. People had several days to try to figure out who was who. This culminated in a party and the revealing of all the secret identities (and prizes for those who had done the best guessing).

Along with many other events, we eventually instituted the first casual Friday in this company (hey, this was 1987).

At the time I knew what was happening and why it was important to the development of the culture in this organization. But I didn't understand it the way I do now. . .

For a whole variety of reasons, organizational culture is important to the health or viability of any organization.

It is one thing to know something is important. It is another thing entirely to know what to do about it. This article will give you some specific things you can do to act on the importance of your organizational culture.

Get help. Wherever you sit in the organizational structure or hierarchy you can impact organizational culture in a positive (or negative - but why would you want to do that?) way. Admittedly, if you are in a position of leadership, it might be easier, but we can all have an impact. But we can't do it alone. Form a team of like minded, interested and enthusiastic people, and get them on board with developing and enhancing your culture.

Get a vision. Get your team to discuss the current culture. Define the parts of the culture that are already great and need to be supported. And honestly determine where the culture could use some polishing. Then create a vision of the culture you want to create, taking into account the entire current picture -the warts and the beauty marks.

Get strategic. Your team will recognize that this is important - you've picked people who already understand that and you have developed a deeper understanding as you created a vision of a desired future culture. Help everyone understand - the team and organizational leadership - that this isn't a band-aid, quick fix; but an ongoing, strategic intention to build a more attractive culture that fits the needs of the organization.

Get people excited. Chances are your culture team will be excited. If not, get them excited! Help the team recognize that not everyone else in the organization is going to think that these efforts are worthwhile immediately. Remember that enthusiasm is contagious. Do what you can to keep the enthusiasm of your team high. If their excitement falters, remind them of the vision they created to re-invigorate them.

Get a champion. That person may be you, or it may be someone else on the team. In my case, I took on an alter ego of the "phun phantom.” While a moniker might not be necessary, a point person, whether anonymous or not, is important. Culture change is like any other change - it requires champions. The champion needs to be someone who is passionate about creating the new culture. As in my case, this might be a perfect role for a young energetic person, but don't assign the role. The best champions will rise up and "select” themselves.

Get started. Yes, I have listed the first five suggestions in a chronological order. But that doesn't mean you can't so something today, as soon as you finish reading this article or right now. You already know some things that need to change in your culture, so role model one of them starting immediately. Maybe your first step is to invite a couple people to lunch that you think might want to be on your team. Whatever your first step is - do it.

Get momentum on your side. Any change will have a greater chance of success with momentum. Don't form your team today if you don't think you'll be able to get them going quickly. Don't think of this something that can be done in a couple of weeks. A single event that you hope will permanently change the culture - won't. In fact, it might have the opposite effect entirely. Get started but be committed to building momentum and staying with it. It will be one of the most rewarding efforts you and your team will ever engage in.

I haven't given you specific cultural events to try. Why? Because I don't know what kind of changes you want to create. In my case we were trying to create higher levels of camaraderie and more fun in the workplace. You may have that and may want to enhance your culture in completely different ways. You and your team will figure out what to do. This list is meant to help you figure those things out for yourselves.

These seven things are by no means a complete list - but they are a great place to start. And getting started is the most important next step of all.