KCS Consortium Presentation: Success & Challenges with Dell's Global Knowledge Centered Support (KCS) Programs

KCS - Lessons Learned from Application Support

This is a presentation delivered to the Consortium for Service Innovation during a workshop held in September of 2007 in Dallas, TX with ATG (now Oracle). It highlighted the early successes and challenges encountered by the early adopters in Application Support & Services while implementing Knowledge Centered Support (KCS) and the lessons learned and shared as adoption of KCS grew throughout Dell.

I've finally got my LinkedIn Profile mostly complete...

It definitely took me way longer than I expected, but I figured since I recently left Dell I would go ahead and update my LinkedIn Profile to try and make sure I kept in touch with the many great people I've had a chance to work with over there. It took longer than I expected because I really didn't realize how much stuff there is on LinkedIn!

I had a few friends shoot me notes about joining LinkedIn, though I pretty much procrastinated on getting my account setup (sorry for those of you who've been inviting me over the last couple of months!!!) If you haven't checked it out yet, you definitely should - if for no other reason you'll have that fun Facebook friend experience for those people who you connected with at your previous jobs / schools. Funnily enough, I described it to Sam the other day as Facebook for grownups...of course now that everyone (including my Mom) is on Facebook, I guess that description may not be as accurate...

Apples & Bounties?

I'm sure this will be all over the blogosphere, but there's a guy who stuck his neck out on the line (and put his money where his mouth is) to try to get Windows XP to dual boot on his newly purchased MacBook laptop. You know, Apple's new Intel-based laptop.

He basically told his boss to buy him one, and not to worry because it would run all his Company's windows stuff fine. HEHEHE. So basically, he offered a bounty of $100 to anyone who could make it happen.

Needless to say, he's also accepting donations for the bounty fund, since $100 isn't likely to motivate many hackers, but the fund's up to around $3,300 as of this writing. I've donated $25 bucks, and thought you readers might be interested in contributing to the cause.

I know, I know - I work at Dell, and I'm contributing to this? It's one of my dark secrets - I'm a Mac wannabe, I guess. I like the design of Macs and have been an Apple fan since I first started programming on the Apple ]['s WAAAY back in the day.

So, donate to the cause! It'll help buy some crazy hacker caffeine-loaded water, which they'll probably need if they're going to finish the project by the March deadline.

Surviving & Winning Hands

Tonight's poker game was pretty kewl. David, one of my co-workers from Dell, hosted the game at his home. It was incredibly nice to meet his wife and hang out in a social setting away from work. He and I wind up talking a lot at work, as I support one of the applications for which he is a lead developer.

I was astonished as 20 people showed up to play. With a $20 buy in, unlimited re-buys for the first 4 rounds, and a $20 add on, the prize pool grew to a respectable size.

I even busted a pair of Aces. When it counted. ALOT.

Of course, they were David's, which ALMOST made me feel a little bad, but he wound up placing 2nd in the tournament so the guilt was short-lived.

I wound up finishing 3rd, which is nice for my first poker game here in Austin. I won a few hundred, nothing to brag about, but enough to cover my travel for my XMAS trip back home. I'm definitely going to be back there for the next event.

The only disappointing thing about tonight was that Survivor was pretty tame, especially considering the DRAMA of last week's episode. Poker games always leave me with an Adrenaline rush, so maybe that was why I couldn't get into the episode.

Cindy got her Aces busted in tonight's episode. Looks like the Car Curse is still alive and well. Oh well, I like the last episode the best anyways.

Great new book - "Writing Secure Code" by David C. LeBlanc and Michael Howard

"Writing Secure Code" by David C. LeBlanc and Michael Howard.

I just got my copy of "Writing Secure Code" by David C. LeBlanc and Michael Howard. 

So far, I'm only at the chapter on Threat Modelling, but it has proven to be quite an enlightning read.

I heard about it in a course I took in training called, aptly enough, Developing Secure Software. 

It's a required course for all developers and testers at Dell which is where I am currently employed. It was presented in a lab format by a representative from St. Edwards University's Professional Education Center. 

The thing that really pulled me into the class was that it covered development of web apps, C/S database apps, and code in both C# and Java.
They walked us through both the apps in question, the techniques used to compromise said apps, and even the code / technical solutions to the vulnerabilities. Definitely the coolest training I've been able to attend to date here.

If you write and/or test code, even in non-Microsoft environments, you should check out this book. I got my copy on amazon for $7.95, so it's not even a particularly expensive learning tool. Don't you just LOVE a good sale ;) ?

There's a Kindle Edition, and a Paperback available.  Links to purchase them from Amazon included for your convenience.

Finally Settling Into Austin

Aahhhh...the sweet sensation of having a new, clean apartment. How nicely that coincides with the feeling of leaning back in my too small cubicle chair here at my Dell Cube.

I love Austin. Was there ever any doubt?