Steve Tout's Blog

Some Windows 7 wins and losses

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:11:37 GMT

I can hardly belive the official release of Windows 7 is right around the corner. Only a few of you may know that back in Decem ber 2008 (right before Win7 Beta became available) I was merely weeks away from switching entirely from PC to MAC OSX to rid myself of the evils beset inside of Windows Vista. I have been running Windows 7 on every home PC, yes even able to sneak it on to my wife's laptop, and have enjoyed the progressive quality, reliability and performance I have squeezed the from each new Windows 7 build. It's so capable that I do not even work with my "Work" pc directly but use my home PC with Remote Desktop and "remote" to my work PC on a regular basis. Memory, Video and CPU rarely if ever pose any constrains on such a configuration. The most common pitfall: network and broadband congestion. Windows 7 is rocking my would be Mac OSX world, and I have nothing but praises for the latest from Redmond, Wa.

However this morning (Sunday), horror struck as my wife informed me her latest Win7 build (Release 7201) stopped working (7:40 AM). She couldn't login to her desktop. Being the tech guy that I am, her hard drive is has 2 partitions, one for the OS (40GB) and the rest for "Data" ~ 120GB and every user/app setting is backed up to the Data drive. I tried loging in to her desktop 3 times (8:40, second cup of coffee and Molly by my side) to realize it was time to boot in Safe Mode. Logging in with Safe Mode I found 1.) Windows Media Player netowrking service consumes a lot of network and CPU bandwidth once enabled and 2.) Network share of a nearby (Win7, of course) PC in Sleep mode caused boot delays. Still after disabling Startup programs in the boot menu, I was unable to boot up properly. (9:30 AM)

Windows 7: Fools game or Mastermind of time management?

Today was a tricky one to have troubles with a PC. I had a flight to catch (which I missed) at 4:24, had to leave home by 2:00 in order to catch the flight, although post July 4th traffic would kill off any such aspirations. Also I was informed of a honey-do list that included A.) Fix the back door from opening so Molly could not escape, B.) Fix the teeter swing in back yard C.) Get milk, and D.) Pick up prescriptions, and most important E.) Fix my PC, even if it requires installing "With Windows 2.0... I don't care what version of Windows!!!" I could have hyperventilated with all that was to be accomplished by 2:00. Windows 2.0 honey? C'mon, I don't have a copy of that anymore, that would require a tript to my friend Doug Dayton's house (Microsoft's 169th employee and Windows OEM Sales Guru) and there's just not enough time for that (10:30).

Kicked off file system restore. Took a shower and finished packing. Attempted "Repair PC" option from Boot menu. Started new Windows 7 Install (10:45) which finishes in near record time thanks to streamlined install process. Reviewed USB ports (drivers) and installed programs post install before heading to Fred Meyer (11:30). Installed MS Money and Office 2010 Tech Preview. Started Windows Backup (11:45) and went to Fred Meyer. Returned (12:15) backup complete, yay! Next time this restore process will only take an hour or less. Stopped for awhile and to have lunch with Molly and Cami. Chicken sandwich.

Wow! How could this happen to me on the day like this, little would I know it would only get worse in Tacoma Narros toll traffic *sigh* and so continued restoring Cami's Laptop with all personal files by 1:30. Forgets to install Pidgin, so she takes upon herself to install it herself (bless her) so we can chat on IM tonight from my hotel room. It seems as though 98% of reinstall and restore tasks are complete (still need to fine tune network share, wake on lan, install Java and Business Accounting, and a few other small items...) so a sigh of relief.

It's beautiful outside although clouds are flying high Cami and I go outside and lay on the grass and talk about the weekend, our rental in Oregon, and how nice it would be to have our own home here (in Washington). I take mental notes about packing cell phone battery charger, medications, and throw on a quick deodorant before heading out the door. Sends text to Cami (to her fresh Windows 7 PC) from my phone while driving. Whew, everything is okay!!!

Did Windows 7 just save my day and avert a disaster of the most extraordinary kind?
Someone is lucky that Windows 7 is so amazing, or that she has an engineer as a husband! :)

Happy Monday!

P.S. What went wrong with Win7 in the first place? I'm not convinced that it was Windows fault since it's running fine on another laptop and a home built PC, and take more issues with the hack jobs that Sony did when coming up with Drivers for Vista, and of course there are no new drivers for this Windows 7, and Sony just expects you to run Vista Home for the rest of its life. Anyways I'm suspicious of the Sony drivers, which I had uninistalled after installing them before. So moral of the story is, Sony laptop owners beware. I always seem to have most issues with drivers for Sony products whenever any configuration outside of the shipped OS is used.

Favorite Win7 Performance Tips

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:37:05 GMT

My favorite Windows 7 tips from Maximum PC

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/25_most_popular_windows_tips

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/21_steps_make_your_pc_betterfasterstronger

Windows, security and success as a photographer

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:25:24 GMT

Thanks for all the kind feedback about the latest Rangefinder article on securing your images for online portolios and online proofing.

Frequently in interviews and computer science classes the rhetorical question gets asked, "Would Windows be so successful if it was more secure from the start?" I think that's a great question, one deserving more contemplation rather than declaring abolsutely whether it's true or not. If Windows was more secure, would it have been user friendly enough for adoption by the masses? (UAC annoyances anyone?) Of course now that Windows is on practically every desk and lap in the world, there is a bit more to worry about if we don't address the security issues.

Now, I wonder if there are any parallels to the way photographers share their images online. What is there to be afraid of? Are you afraid of the embarassment that others will poke fun that your work isn't relevant or compelling? Are you afraid that someone might get away without paying for a couple hacked up 5x7 prints? Are you afraid that your clients will get mad if their images are passed around online without their permission?

Well then, start by addressing all your fears one by one instead of going the opposite extreme and locking them down tight. Stop using gaudy borders and don't watermark your images to death. Take away all of the distracting elements and let a person focus on the quality and crafstmanship of your photography. Go to a couple workshops to improve your digital imaging or photographic skills and get yourself inspired! Make sure your clients know in advance that you own the copyright to your images (of them) and that you may at your own discretion use the work in a public forum for portfolio and publicity of your photography business. Restrictions in usage rights due to model release and negotations for privacy should be an exception rather than the rule if you are to keep your business moving forward. Because if you can't show your work, you can't sell your services as a photographer.

So lighten up on your heavy handed use of watermarks and JavaScript to lock down your images. Really spend the time to think about how you can turn your strategy upside down by creating business oportunities through the way your images are displayed and shared online.

Securing Images Online (For Photographers)

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 23:14:41 GMT

Here's a little somthing for all my photographer friends and Profitable Website Management fans out there. I took a couple months break from my regular column for Rangefinder Mag. but I'm back, and this time I have combined two subjects near and dear to me, a smashup if you will. Web security, web management and photography websites. So in my June column I dive into some issues facing pretty much every working photographer today who takes their business online.

Here's the link for ya. (It links to the Rangefinder article, so you can trust where the PDF link comes from.)

http://www.stevetout.com/articles/web-security-for-photographers.php

Special thanks to contributing photographers who graciously allowed me to use beautiful images from their portfolio. Kenny Kim, The Photographers, Cheryl Savan and Corey Hilz.

Also, stay tuned, as I am currently collaborating with an Sr. Flash Developer with guru status on the Top 5 performance grading criteria for Flash Websites for photographers, and with evaluations of some of the top vendors specializing in websites for photographers. You'll have to wait for further details. :P

I hope you enjoy. Please feel free to leave your comments on the article here in my blog, or you can share your horror stories with me at HowSecureAmI@stevetout.com.

Today is my last day at Oracle

Fri, 08 May 2009 17:54:49 GMT

Today is my last day at Oracle, and it's a bit of a sad day. I have had the pleasure of working with some of the smartest Oracle professionals on the planet (OCS Security Practice, A-Team, OID gurus and Support team you know who you are) but at the same time I really needed a break from life on the road. At a time such as this in our country, I feel extremely fortunate and blessed to be leaving on my terms (more about this in a second), rather than being terminated due to downsizing. I feel blessed in countless ways.

There is a little bit of background to my leaving Oracle. I remember the excitement when I first got contacted by the recruiter like it was yesterday, although not too surprised since I had been using Oracle (Oblix) software for quite awhile, I did have to reckon with the fact I would have to travel 100%. I accepted the job at Oracle and made a promise to my wife that I would spend the next 2 years at the job, and then find something that did not require so much travel. While I wish I could attribute it all to great planning, I submitted my resignation on the week of my 2nd year anniversary. Sometimes things happen just the way we want them to by pure luck, or is it?. However you see it, I'm extremely greatful and looking forward to spending more time at home.

Now to the not so happy side of my departure. Many of you may know that my daughter (Molly) was born with a rare children's cancer called Wilms tumor. She had a positive prognosis because it was caught early, and had her right kidney removed along with the tumor itself. After months of chemo, we believed she was 100% cancer free. Until 2 weeks ago. On the same day that we were supposed to have 100% confidence that she was cured from Wilms, her scans showed two .6c spots near where her kidney was removed. My wife and I were crushed. The Sr. Oncologist thought it perhaps could be swollen lymph nodes, and to come back in 6 weeks for more scans to make sure. We are hoping and praying that this is the case, and that there is no more cancer. So with the cloud of uncertainty again visiting the Tout household, my departure from the Road Warrior life was necessary. I could not very well be the husband and father I was meant to by from 838 miles away.

What I have learned and need to remind myself of every day is that there are no guarantees and to take each day as it comes. I have had a truly wonderful experience working at Oracle and with my many colleagues there. Since my wife and I have had this vision of where we wanted to be on this day, I feel like the decisions have been made for me and I am encouraged that I'm doing the right thing. Although the path is not as extremely well lit as it once was, there will be new challenges around the corner and I know that the friendships I have made and the life skills I developed at Oracle will be there when they are most needed.

Many thanks to all of you who have helped make mine, Cami's and Molly's life so positive and filled with joy the past two years. We are looking forward to what comes next and hope you will share in our life's victories and defeats together.

-steve
Bremerton, WA ~ 2009

Updating Your Website (For Photographers)

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 21:52:52 GMT

Hey Everyone,

Heads up.... Yet another article just appeared on the Rangefinder Website a couple days ago. This time I share my thoughts on the Top 3 Priorities for website updates for 2009. You may not get the print copy before WPPI so I wanted to make sure you had a chance to read it before this weekend. If you are like me you are super busy and have a lot on your plate, so to simplify things I reduce your website management to 3 essential ingredients. If you can do these three things well you will be ahead of the pack, and your results will speak for themselves.

So here is a link to the article. Please do me a favor and add this link to your favorite social bookmarks and let all your friends know about if (if you dig it)

http://www.stevetout.com/articles/update-your-website.php

Also just want to give props to Grant and Deb, their awesome website and allowing me to share their work with everyone who reads my column. If you want to explore their site further, visit them at http://www.grantdeb.com

It's not too late to nominate your favorite photography website for one of my upcoming articles on Best Of Photography Websites, Spring 2009 Edition. Send your nomination to bestof@stevetout.com or post your info here.

Have a great time at WPPI this year everyone!!!

Cheers!

Spring 2009 Best Photography Website Showcase

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:28:57 GMT

Do you or someone you know have really sweet photography website? I'm working on another feature article that will appear in Rangefinder Magazine this spring to showcase the Best Photography Website on the planet, along with two honorable mentions (selected and personally reviewed by me!)

Rules:

Must be a professional photography website. (No vendors, forums or dog groomers allowed)
Must be submitted by Feb16th to be considered
Must have permission to interview the website owner (via email)
Must provide full name and contact info of the Website owner

That's it! Yes, you may nominate your own site (although it's way cooler if someone does this part for you) so don't be bashful.

Post your submission here in my blog comments or email your submission to bestof@stevetout.com - Please tell me all the reasons why the Website is cool along with your post.

You will have to read Rangefinder Magazine this spring to find out who the winner is. If you are interested, you can look at the Fall 2008 Best Of article that ran way back in September to get an idea of what you are in for.

I can hardly wait to review all your submissions, so keep the nominations coming!

Thanks!

Blog Announcement - Marcus Bell

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 04:43:19 GMT

One of my all-time favorite wedding & portrait photographers, Marcus Bell, just announced his new blog. Is it a coincidence that I recently wrote an article on blogging awhile back, and now Marcus has a new blog that's off the hook? I know it's probably been in the works for awhile, and its wishful thinking that someone of Marcus's caliber (one of Austrailia's top 3 photographers) would be reading my articles.

I don't know about you, but I especially enjoyed looking at all his personal favorite photos, and also a ton of free e-seminars that Marcus gave, and there are links to them on his blog.

I'm working on a writing project right now that talks about how accessible top notch information is today for those wishing to go pro, and at such an unprecedented rate. The line between information "haves" and "have nots" is disappearing... Creativity, imagination, ambition and suave personal skills are the key ingredients to reaching remarkable levels of success in the photography industry, and that is what will separate the wannabes from the diehards. It's the diehards that can bring us average joe to tears with the single click of the shutter, and that's who I want to shoot my family's portraits.

Anyways, Marcus has amazing images, and is a photographer's photographer. He wrote an amazing book a little over a year ago, and now has a blog that takes his personal work for photogaphers to the next level. I hope you check these out and use them to get inspired and work hard at being great.

Lucky Friday!

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:47:25 GMT

Molly climbed into a chair in our bedroom this morning all by herself, and refused to get out of it. She stayed there for almost 30 minutes being as cute as she could be. With the natural light from a nearby window like a giant white box, and with Molly wearing a cute little outfit that Grandma bought for her birthday it quickly dawned on me that this was a great photo moment.

Downloaded to my computer and had a real quick adjustment in Lightroom with very little changes required because the exposure (Manual, f/2.2 at 1/60th and 800iso) was perfect. Uploaded to my Website using Lightroom's Web Module.

http://www.stevetout.com/molly-green-chair

Information security challenge... Illustrated

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 02:58:36 GMT