This week I will be working with the GSX team in their offices near Nice.  Looking forward to seeing the improvements in their software with the latest release of GSX Monitor.

A colleague just switched to Mac, and I have been asked what software would I recommend.  In 2008, this post was my “list” after receiving my beloved blackbook.  It’s quite dated at this stage.  So if you had to list “must-haves” and great software for the Mac that you use, what would it be in 2011?

Mine is now:

• Facetime (rarely used but cool)
• Skype (brilliant but I have not upgraded past 2.8 as newer versions look like pure bloat)
• Adium (rarely used)
• MS office 2011 (not by choice.  I deem it necessary)
• Apple twitter client
• Logmein Himachi
• Evernote
• Firefox
• Dropbox
• x-lite4 (VoIP phone)
• Keynote
• iPhoto
• Mac VNC
• MS RDP for Mac

UKLUG, as ever, delivered.  Although only passing through for a day this time, the event checked all the boxes.  Energetic, fun, engaging and content-rich.  I’m sorry to say I was only there for the second day, and presented my session just before the closing session before heading off after a quick beer.  It’s great to see old friends and familiar faces, but there were new ones too, and new sponsors.  That is an encouraging sight in this bubble.

Yesterday morning, after arriving from Orlando I went straight to UKLUG conference in the Museum of Science and Industry to attend and present a fantastic day and meet colleagues, friends and customers.   More in a following post.  Before that, something happened that totally boils my blood, to the point where this post will be sent to relevant authorities over the next few days.  I will update this post if I ever receive a response.

I checked in for a FlyBE flight 488 from Manchester to Belfast city airport-  (24th May.  20.15hours.  Seat 5A).  Heading home after over a week of US/UK based work.  Passing through security at approximately 19:30 I completed my usual steps of removing belt, laptop, iPad and everything else in advance of being asked, as I am a frequent traveler and experienced in not “holding up the queue”.  “Will I remove my runners (trainers)?”, I asked.  “No, just go through” was the response from security.

After using two large trays to lay out all my kit I left it, then proceeded through the detector.

I beeped.  Not unusual.  Happens to everyone and started to check my pockets.

A woman comes up to me and asks me to walk into a machine and stand with my hands above my head.  It’s only then I saw the full body scanner (or backscatter machine; I’m not educated enough to know which is which).  I  have been through these before in the US (and opted out when I could).  As I am not sure of the laws in the UK I didn’t complain and stood there whilst being “scanned”.  I heard a noise and moved my head to the right.  “You moved” she said.  “It doesn’t matter, just put your trainers through the machine”.  I did.

After completing the security check I start to pack everything up.  The person behind me is an employee and stands in the machine as she passes through.  At this point, they are all having a jolly good laugh.  In fact, she starts to make poses while standing in the machine.  Comments like “It doesn’t matter, we can see both sides” are said jokingly.  They all laugh.  I don’t.

I’m a 35 year old man.  I’m not a prude.  Don’t think I ever have been.  However this scanner is uncomfortable and violating enough for many people as it is.

While continuing the pack the bag, even more laughter as jokes about exposure are exchanged.  For a moment, I walk the wrong way then reverse course towards my gate (Gate 146).  The staff see me pass again.  They see the disgusted look on my face.  She comments “Oh, am I going to get reported now?!”.  More laughter.  .  I shake my head in disgust and move on.   Nobody around I can see to report this to.   I don’t look hard as it has been over 24 hours since I slept.  Maybe I am just grumpy.  Maybe tomorrow morning common sense will prevail and I wont complain.

This is now tomorrow morning.  Common sense has prevailed and I will complain.   There is no need for anyone to accept this.  Anyone.  I saw a hotly contested, intrusive, security measure being abused just the way the TSA and UK Homelands say it will not be.  Bravo.

Update: Manchester Airport has contacted me to say they are conducting an investigation.

I knew it was acting up over the past few days, but the device after charging is almost too hot to touch, then this.  Battery life is also useless.  Trying soft reset and full restore.

Update – full reset partially works.  No spike in heat until traveler installed (EAS).

Update2: – full os wipe and set up from scratch.  All ok until EAS setup.

Update3: - device replaced in apple store, Belfast.  Genius guy picked it up and went “ok.. that’s WAY too hot” and immediately sourced a replacement.  No argument.  No fuss.

Being at this place without seeing  thousands of yellow backpack wearers.  Subconsciously, we believe that the place just stops for a year, then opens just for us.

In Orlando as we speak planning a Traveler (shock) presentation to a customer tomorrow.  The only downside to this is missing the pre-UKLUG madness and day 1.  Tomorrow evening, I will leave Orlando on a direct flight to Manchester (waving to Stuart McIntyre as we pass each other).  Straight to UKLUG to deliver my admin session there.  After that, London for some Symantec Enterprise Vault work.  Then home.

Looking forward to reading the UKLUG madness on twitter.  See you all there Tuesday morning.  I typically would say that I will be the tired one, after traveling overnight.. but this is UKLUG so I very much doubt anyone will have had sleep.

Give it 30 seconds. Thank you (I think) Andrew.

Flight from JFK to MCO yesterday.

Attendant: “What day is it tomorrow”

Me: “Friday”

Attendant: “Ah.. ok, that makes sense.  What day is it today?”

Me: “em…It’s Thursday”

Attendant: “Thursday…. you sure?”

Me: “Yes.  It’s the day before Friday”

Attendant: “Ok great.  Thank you.  That clears it up for me!”  And she then cheerily walks away.

As part of the Bluewave/Teamstudio workshop, we issue lend devices (iPod touches and Androids) to attendees while they connect to our server for setup.  I recommended that the delegates use the device they are least used to.  Result?  A lot of cursing and frustration.

iOS device users had a tough time getting traveler installed and up and running on Android.  Mostly is was droid OS knowledge (or lack of) related.  Android users had the same issues with the iPods.  These are technical people, smart people. They all appreciated the opportunity to do this, and it most definately opened their eyes on seemingly “simple” software.

Now imagine normal people.  One attendee said that even with self service documentation, they are only achieving 50% success without assistance from support desks.  Considering the explosion of mobile devices, this will be a serious impact on your FTE resources.

Do absolutely everything to assist self help in advance of deployment.  Consider really good documentation, emulation software for testing (for yourselves) and automate the process as much as possible.  As you scale up in number of devices, the financial cost of Mobile Device Management products will become more and more justified.