Ports Thoughts

A few days ago my friend Ed Brill was writing about the suitability of services such as Gmail in the Enterprise . Despite the vogue for services such as Google Apps and other "Software as a Service" and "Cloud" computing, he points out that they simply aren't as reliable as on premises solutions (or hosted ones for that matter). However, one of the biggest challenges with these solutions is "who you gonna call" when there is a problem. If you can't access Gmail you won't get very far phoning Google. However, these free services are normally deemed to be fine for consumer use. Well I have just had a personal experience that even makes me question that. Since around 2000 I have been maintaining a web site for the band that I'm in. Being a cheap skate I just grabbed a free site at Tripod . It was a bit spoiled by the adverts but it worked fine. Tripod was subsequently purchased by Lycos but it didn't seem to change anything. It only got ...

OK - so it is kinda like shooting fish in a barrel poking fun at MS Windows for crashing. I'm sure that we have all seen the famous Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) on airport monitors and ATM machines, not to mention our home and work PCs. But it is rare to see one as high profile as this - during the climax of the opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympics. More ironic because PC suppler Lenovo ditched Windows Vista for the supposedly more stable Windows XP. Full story Here

Matt and Alexis looking ravishing seconds after tying the knot. Matt and Alexis on Kew green The bride and groom with the bridesmaids and page boy. Matt with some of his family Alexis and some of her family Matt and Alexis on the back of a vintage Routemaster bus which was used to transport all the guest from Kew to the reception in Soho. Matt's Mum and Dad with Akira and Junji Traditional cheesy self service shot of Mr and Mrs Ports Alexis and her daughter Tracy The fantastic wedding cake made up of loads of tiny cakes Matt and Alexis have their first dance as a married couple Ali cuts a rug on the dance floor Alexis opens the card from Lucy Alexis and Ali Matt and his Best Man.

Tom poses with his Best Men, brothers Olly and Ben, before the ceremony. The ceremony itself was beautiful being held in the back garden of Laura's Parents house overlooking the glorious Gloustershire countryside. After the ceremony the normal festivities kicked off. Ian was looking particularly racy in his white suit. The core of legendary band Sideburner. Al, Tom and Ports pose together. Ports and Ali take a traditional self service picture. The happy couple at the reception He might be married but Tom is still a ladies man. The traditional cheesy wedding band Ali and Lynne compare shoes Ali and Laura Ali with the Happy couple

As my best friend Matt's Best Man I had to organize his stag night. The first thing we did was go for a superb champagne flight on the London Eye. Not only did a couple of glasses of bubbly make the flight more decadent but the other advantage of a champagne flight is that you get to jump the long queue. Even better the long queue of people get to see you jumping the queue. Next up it was a trip to the excellent Benihana Japanese restaurant in Piccadilly. This is great place to dine as they mix excellent surf and turf style cuisine with with what can only be described as a performance chef who practically juggles the food in front of you as he cooks it on your tables personal hot plate. The over to the The Comedy Store for some fine stand up comedy. Finally we all piled back to my place. I take my Best Man duties very seriously so this is how I had prepared the fridge. Full of Lager, Guinness and Wine with just enough room left for sausages, bacon and eggs for a fry up in the mor...

Completing any degree is hard work, but it is especially challenging when you are doing it in your spare time whilst also having a full time job. So I was very proud when my buddy Matt invited me to attend his graduation ceremony after gaining a distinction in his Masters degree in Information Security from Royal Holloway. Interestingly the degree is part of the school of mathematics rather than the school of computing. Here are Matt with his Mum, Dad and Fiance looking appropriately chuffed. Time for the group photo. Matt is in the middle. What could be more traditional that the Mortar Board (hat) throwing ceremony. After spending 4 years earning his Masters, Matt decides to continue wearing his mortar board to the amusement of many passers by.

For Tom's stag night his brothers Olly and Ben first arranged for us to got to the famous Ice Bar where you are provided with a very fetching smock, locked in a sub zero room and plied with vodka cocktails. An interesting experience. Stag Tom sits on his ice throne. Obviously being a stag night we had to have a couple of ales. Olly and Ben had also provided fine Cuban cigars and champagne outside. Al is no expert on smoking cigars. Ports has got the idea. Back at the pub Neil and Ian plot strippers (not really) Olly and Ben congratulate themselves on being excellent Best Men who laid on a cracking stag night for their brother.