How do you define “dead technology”? My definition is that dead technology is no longer used to build new systems. Old legacy systems may be still running, may be still maintained, but no new development takes place. ComputerWorld proposes top 10 list of dead technologies.

It is amusing how some technologies gained to much momentum that we are speaking of them half-a-century after they were first introduced.

Just came across this series of podcasts published by BBC World Service – The Handy Guide to the Gurus of Management. Going to listen to them in the nearest future.

Business is about making a difference. Difference to customers, difference to partners, difference to employees. Now how you are different and why it is good or bad and act appropriately. Check out this material about difference (via Joel).

Microsoft disproves rumors about its moves to acquire Yahoo!. Microsoft executive says they’ve got everything they need to be successful advertising business. While I’m ok with Microsoft side, there is something that concerns me on Yahoo! side. Unfortunately, I’m not that much familiar Yahoo! and their services, but I do not think Yahoo!’s only value is its position in online advertising.

Evaluation period of my copy of BlogJet approaches its end. While I like the tool in general I’m still not sure if I want to spend another $40 on it. I got used to BlogJet as it has all of the features you need for effective blogging, but there are issues that really irritate me:

• I did not manage to get it to work through authentication-protected proxy.
• I did not manage to get image upload to work properly. Somehow it tries to recreate the folder where I want to upload images and naturally fails.
• It does not work with tags on Blogger.

Still have 3 days to think.

I’ve come across a picture of Al Gore in his office. This immediately reminded me a story about Bill Gates – he also uses 3 monitors.

How many monitors do you have on your desktop?

While listening to Department of Defensiveness podcast by Jim and Michele McCarthy I’ve heard about GeekLeaders.com. Among other things you can find transcripts of some Jim’s podcasts. One of the most recent transcripts has very eye-catching title:

billg: Where did you get this date? jimmc: Out of my ass?

In general the most interesting part of this site to me at this moment is Geek Leader Competencies. Good reading for week-end.

Everybody (well, almost everybody) around is talking about Seth Godin’s new book The Dip. It amusing to see that different people from different industries share very similar comments about this book:

• Guy Kawasaki (venture capitalist): The Big Dip: Ten Questions with Seth Godin
• Chris Busse (IT specialist): REVIEW: The Dip by Seth Godin
• Hal Macomber @ Reforming Project Management (project manager): Seth Spreads the Idea of Mastery
• Bob Walsh (micro-ISV developer): Time for a hiatus

Have you ordered a copy of the book at Amazon? I did.

Breaking news from mathematical congress! One of the scientists provided indisputable proof that 101 is the most important number in the Universe. Look yourself: 57+44=101, 188–87=101, 1212/12=101!

Old joke

Today is certainly a day of 101. I happened to spot 2 post related to blogging and the most important number in the Universe:

• 101 Steps to Becoming a Better Blogger
• 101 Great Posting Ideas That Will Make Your Blog Sizzle

What your the most important number in the Universe today? Can you prove it?

Browsing Reforming Project Management feed I came across the post about the importance of saying “No” when feel you can not say “Yes”. Truth be told I fully agree with the idea that No is equally as good response to a request as Yes. But it requires some courage to say No when are asked to do something because, I believe, somehow we always think that the person who asks wants to hear yes. Especially, if you are kind of subordinated to her. Be it your boss or your customer.

One of the things I try to teach new PMs is to have courage to say “No” when they really want to do so and not to try to finding a way to say “Yes”. In communication with them I try to make them feel comfortable with saying “No”. When I ask something I try to show that what I really need is a decision and not necessarily positive.

So make sure you say “Yes” when you really mean it. And say “No” when you don’t.