M3 Sweatt

I received an email: “I like reading your blog. So why the link to preparing for a pandemic?” They’re referring to the link I have to “Preparing for Pandemic Flu” in the left-hand nav, which connects to the King County Pandemic Flu Preparedness site.

I’m generally concerned about people’s well being and I try to help wherever I can. As this is about satisfaction — which goes to all parts of the interaction we have with our customers and partners — passing along beneficial information is one way to make a positive impact. So I include the link.

A pandemic is a world-wide epidemic, and it’s not just about Bird Flu. The Wiki has a number of notes on pandemics and notable epidemics through history. So just as you use the web to stay informed, stay informed on this, too. The following is courtesy of the above web site: 

Public Health-Seattle & King County

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Get this free guide: Pandemic Influenza Planning: Guide for Individuals and Families. The guide includes checklists and information on how to prepare for a potential pandemic.

For information on the vaccine development process, visit the National Institutes of Health. 

Tags: pandemic flu, be prepared, pandemic.

In the past I posted about how to create strong passwords (and passphrases) in six easy steps. Here’s more info from PC World on MSN Tech & Gadgets on how to “protect your privacy and your data with strong passwords–plus some ideas for tormenting squirrels.”

(Please note I have no involvement with the squirrel reference.)

Here are a few of the author’s suggestions for creating passwords for web sites… and even one for storing all your user ID and password data:

• 
  
  WinGuides’ Web-based tool that helps you create good passwords.


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  Also see Steve Gibson’s Perfect Passwords.


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  And RoboForm – this program also remembers the passwords for you and has a handy connection to a Pass2Go USB key for keeping your passowords available.

Some of the best web sites will ask if you want to update and change your password regularly – I wish more presented this as an option. Some regularly change their on-line access navigation, the series of pages you have to go through to access your account or recover a password or account information (as we recently found out when accessing a bank site today).

Whatever you do, change your passwords regularly and make them strong!

As they said on Hill Street Blues: “Remember… let’s be careful out there.” (Gee, I’m showing my age…)

Tags: Microsoft, passwords, password, passphrase, security.

If you’re looking for the highest rated look no further than the Top 10 Webcast page:

“Fast and easy access to on-demand webcasts – what could be better? After selecting your webcast, simply enter your name, e-mail address, and company name to start watching, or you can download the webcasts to view when you’re offline. We’ve selected the 10 highest-rated Microsoft webcasts, as chosen by customers like you. And, as always, these webcasts are free.

“For a richer experience, make sure you’ve first downloaded the Microsoft Office Live Meeting 2005 Replay Wrapper. It allows you to explore webcasts and complete the evaluations, and it’s something you only have to do once.”

Bonus: If you’re a US or Canadian resident, watch one Top 10 webcast by June 30 and you’ll get a chance to win a Palm Treo smart phone (click here for official rules).

Today Reuters reported that free, streaming web-based TV is a hit with viewers and advertisers. This from the same network that sold a huge number of shows over iTunes, more than 6 million at last count. It appears that Disney found a good balance, offering two choices to viewers: watch for free with interstitial ads, or pay for an ad-free experience (at least, through June 30th – no word on an extension).

Although I’m being humourous on improving your memory, there were interesting findings on the free episodes offered: more that twice as many people reported that they remembered the advertisers than those viewers watching regular broadcast TV…

“An [ABC] online exit survey posted the first week of the two-month trial showed that 87 percent of respondents could recall the advertisers that sponsored the episodes they watched. That compares with typical ad recall of about 40 percent for commercials viewed on television, industry sources said.”

I’ll guess that if people watch a show on a broadband connection they’re (currently) viewing it right on the PC, and as such the traditional TV viewing experience and environment changes. I wonder if they were the same national ads? As noted previously, TV viewing is changing. And I’ll also guess that ABC extends the free, commercial-supported viewing through the summer.

If the ads are interesting, I’m more inclined to watch: the technology is such that Internet broadcasters can use dynamic ad placement systems available in IPTV to provide more targeted commercials to the viewer.

Next: allow viewers to me download the episodes, ads and all, and view them where I want.

Tags: microsoft, dvr, iptv, iTunes.

A couple of articles this weekend on the changes last week at Microsoft…

“As Gates announced his plans Thursday to begin the process that will see him eventually cease full-time work at Microsoft, he also announced that he was dividing much of his technical leadership responsibility among the two software veterans, both of whom have been serving as chief technical officers.

“Craig Mundie, a longtime Microsoft veteran, will now handle the company’s research units and will serve as Microsoft’s external voice on technology.”

The Seattle Times’ article on “A conversation with Bill Gates: Reflecting on where he’s been, where he’s going”

CNET News‘ on how “Ozzie, Mundie pick up tech mantle at Microsoft.”

And this one from the Seattle Times on “driving the Windows Live initiative.”