Time For Working Vacation & Random Thoughts

After we complete an outsourcing effort for a F 500 and wrap up dispatching all the upgrades for Translator 5.0, we will collectively go for a period of “working vacation” lasting about 2 months or so. What is a “working vacation”?

My definition of “working vacation” is when we tie all the loose ends, upgrade infrastructure, hire new employees and train them, setup few additional dedicated servers (any recommendation?), switch web server, fix and add features to Comment Guard plugin for future release, setup 24/7 site and server backup, prototype new ideas, develop spike solutions etc. So how is it a vacation?

It is a vacation because during this period we will not actively develop a new product or take any new outsourcing work. We will focus inwards in an effort to improve our systems and process.

This vacation should take us to the next level where we can more efficiently serve our customers needs with less resources, automate mundane tasks and prepare the infrastructure for our next product. And it will require some infrastructure!

I am somewhat frustrated with LayaredTech, maybe not as much as to say it sucks but quite a lot actually. Some of my clients are unable to access my site. I have given them ping & traceroute report as the asked but they are not taking any initiative to solve it. They are dispensing their duties with a customary “I can ping your server” response. Of course you can ping my server even I can. But that is not the bloody point. A significant number customers are repeatedly unable to access my sites - that is the point. At the same time they are able to successfully access and ping sites like google or yahoo. The traceroute from the affected machines is stopping inside LT servers without being able to reach the final destination. At the very basic level I expect my web hosting provider to ensure that I have good connectivity. I had plans to purchase several additional dedicated servers from LayeredTech but now I am thinking about looking elsewhere. Any suggestions for affordable unmanaged dedicated server is welcome.

My server is currently at an average of CPU 60% utilization. I am planning on upgrading WordPress and switching to Lighttpd.

I am also looking for a good ad management solution for my blogs. It should allow my customers to easily order ads online like TechCrunch.

Recently I left TLA because they wouldn’t allow links with nofollow. So I just checked what TechCrunch does with advertisers. They too use nofollow on their ads. Looks like I am not alone.

BTW: Have you ever worked with someone who thinks software gets done in zero time? He thinks that you can pile any amount of additional work and it will still get done in the same old time. I wonder if he is smoking crack. It plain sucks.

BTW 2: I said before and I will say it again. BSNL DataOne Broadband SUCKS!

Do you think I should CSSize Simple Thoughts (this blog)?

Oh yeah, I too am waiting for the last book in Harry Potter series