The Underground Man

backing up the iPhone

So, having left Microsoft, I find myself having to backup my iPhone to my TiBook rather than my Dell laptop. Of course, for some bizarre reason, Apple has made this difficult. I fail to understand why I cannot have music I OWN on more than one machine. Anti-deluvian thinking, surely put in place by Apple to salve the concerns of the record companies.

So I've had to engage in a search for software that will allow me to "backup" the contents of my iPhone to my Mac desktop. Failing to do that, some of the content I've loaded into my iPhone would be deleted by syncing my iPhone with my Mac. I've got some videos I've converted for viewing on the iPhone that I don't want to lose, hence my spending a couple of hours find appropriate software to accomplish this.

Along the way, I've found this cool app (TinkerTool) written by Mark Bresink, allowing me much greater control over some system features.

I'm currently trying out iLinkPhone, which seems to backup the contents of the iPhone fine, albeit with cryptic names. However, launching a file seems to play it (properly labelled) in iTunes. So, I'll try importing the content post backup completion.

battling the printer

I'm trying to get three or four prints readied for submission to the juried photo exhibition at our county fair.

I'm planning on going big this year (13x19) as that is as big as my printer (an Epson 1270) will go.

Unfortunately, the printhead definitely gums up through lack of use and I haven't used it for six months. I've resolved to try and do something with it weekly to avoid all the cleaning and testing hassles I seem to go through every time I use it.

Went out last night and bought new cartridges, and am trying to find a place locally that sells the paper (may have to order it). I'm under severe time pressure because I need to submit my entry by next Tuesday. So many phone calls are in my future.

Unfortunately, only the best paper (Epson Premium Luster) will do as it is a dye-sub printer. After printing, I need to have them mounted and then framed.

Past competitions have suggested that even though they are matted, framing is essential to get the blue riband. Sad, but true. Got to learn to play the game.

At least I have time to do this while I'm looking for work.

arggh..

Arrghgh.. The only thought I have to describe my morning interview process with Microsoft Dublin. It was a position I thought I was very well qualified for and very motivated for. Unfortunately, it's been a long time since I've been a programmer and I was unable to answer a hash table question. (Actually, I chose not to try since I would have just been blowing smoke..)

But I suspect, as with most phone screens, anything you cannot answer will generally rule you out of consideration. I think I did well on the thought problem, solved both halves, but I rather think it was pointless after my failure on the hash table question.

One might argue that a senior PM or GPM shouldn't need to worry too much about technical implementation details but the reality is that the PM roles at Microsoft frequently require some serious technical chops and in this instance, I imagine that a good answer to the question was very necessary.

Frustrating, as the Careers site at MS is just hopeless as an avenue to getting a job - it's a channel for fodder. This interview came through LinkedIn (as most of my best ones have) and I'll continue to pursue that.

Time for me to go back and review basic programming concepts so I don't have the issue arise again.

Mon Reve

Seen on the Vs. TV coverage of the Tour de France (my second favorite sports event to watch): "Mon Reve - Un Tour Propre". Which translates as "My Dream - A Proper Tour". In the sense the French mean, that means a Tour without doping, a real competition.

Definitely my dream as well.

Watching the Stage de Reine (Queen Stage - toughest stage in the Tour) today. Looks simply punishing. Nothing I would want to do, but Lance made me an avid watcher of the Tour. Just wish it was on a major network so more people could catch it and come to appreciate the drama of a 3-week competition.

Arlington Fly-In, 2008

A close-up, derived from a RAW image that I retrieved from my hacked A720IS.