It was somewhat early that year when my brother came up with the news that he had bought some reasonable priced GPS by following some info he had found on the net about this device could easily loaded with a bigger variety of all the famous navigation software packages like TomTom, Navigon or iGo.

Great I said, but didn’t really go into it as for since my time at the German Air Force (no, I wasn’t a pilot) I’m trained in finding my directions by using some good old maps.

So all the years, on all my journeys and trips I’ve never needed more than some more or less recent map about the area I was going to cruise and I never got lost. But it wouldn’t have been my brother coming back to it again and again … at that point we both a very much alike!

Hey have a look an what I have done with it again and again …. until the day he called me with the news: "I’ve ordered one for YOU!!"

Great :-/   That is my brother!  A 100 Euro for nothing I thought!

For what would I ever need a GPS for?! It came like it had to came. I did put it aside all the time, until shortly before this vacation now when my brother told me about he would have some North America Map for me.

Ok, why not I thought and did take it with me finally.

Now believe it or not. This little device does a great job … All the time I keep it navigating me so far. And besides one single issue when the info where to go wasn’t really clear - the good old map did help - I have nothing to complain about it’s route suggestions.

Guess there is a "sorry and thanks" necessary when I will be home again and being able to tell my brother about.

Years ago when i headed out into this world first, even phoning home was some adventure.

What will this call going to cost you? Does is need 2 or 3 leading "0" and the country code to dial home?
But today with everyone is carrying a cell phone this is no longer an issue anymore. We are used to pick our phone and dial whoever and whenever we want right away.

Now travelling some less occupied areas of the world it can happens that you reach the end of mobil phone coverage even these days.

Last this happened to me while traveling the outback of Australia. No one living out there …. no need (at least no commercial) to make effort covering this area for mobil phone usage.

But curious this time being over in the USA I’m running into similar situations. No cell phone network access since days … at least not with my european mobil phone. But knowing about there is no phoning anymore, it is impressive to see that nearly each Hotel/Motel does offer Wireless Internet connection for free …as a reason to exactly choose them and no other business instead.

Yes, world seems to be far more connected than once at the time when I headed out into it first.

But … tell me … how can they know, that today I far way more often communicate and write emails with international friends around the world … than calling folks at home and telling good old mum for example that I’m fine?

Yeah, things have changed dramatically …. but I couldn’t say I don’t like it.

I guess it was about time fitting in something truly good topic like caring for our all environment also into marketing areas like the IT business. Forcing a closer look at things again and aiming the start of re-querying bad and old behavior from once.

Green IT is more than just another new marketing gag companies now use to sell there actual new and modern hardware!

Even it may appear that way at first …. Energy Awareness is an must requirement and need for me today.

Besides traditional MHz or Mips, now power consumption, issues free standby and sleep functionalities of the used  OS have to become a reasonable arguments to answer the question whether or not to buy a specific hardware model, brand or software.

Years ago I have read some article pointing out about worlds’ overall electrical energy consumption was raise by 10% since the invention of  the Personal Computer System - short PC.

Millions of PCs … and often never powered off for just and pure convenience issues!

Sure it is smart when for a quick email check I only have to power on the LCD. The system is already up and running and it needs me just a few seconds to stay in touch with the whole world …. confessed that at some stages permanent running systems offering infrastructure services is a must requirement ….

But does it need to be more than one system per household? Does it need all the periphery running as well all the time? Does it need to be the most energy hungry system of all … Dad’s Power PC with chrome stripes and stars?

Do you know that in big data center the cooling and environment conditioning does need up to 3 or 4 times the energy all systems do need for their operating?

What about that million old server system out there in central computing center just not powered off because they are ignored and no longer used since ages? Running on money of big companies just turned too ignorant for it, as for shareholder value is the only thing what counts?!

Green IT has to become a general concern of all of us. Starting with those private users, heading over to small businesses and finally addressing CEO’s of big companies …. all “deciders” …  users, system developer, manufacturer and finally the big industrial consumer have to be AWARE today.

Recently on monday Microsoft announced that they will make effort locking down noticeable software license keys.
Nothing to say about that. They write software and want to sell it ….

But tell me! What is a noticeable software license key? They on I bought with and found  on my old notebook?

Sure it is a nice and helpfully arrangement new systems today are bundled and offered with some valid OS license key keeping costs low and giving me the feeling I’m doing right. But what about the system gets old and I buy a new one and don’t like the new burning software on it and rather would prefer going on to use the older one I’m used to used from my prior hardware?

What about the old hardware is still functional and working and I’m going to sell it on eBay?

Sure the license keys will go with the hardware, but what about the changing owner? Will this new owner then have such a noticeable software license key?

I really do understand Microsoft and other companies. But isn’t the problem also forced by them and there more than archaic licencing modells?

Today in times of fast broadband internet connections you of don’t even get an installation medium. You download the software and request a valid serial key online easy paid by paypal or credit card.

Where the hell there is a problem to found something similar than the internet domain registration services to buy and administer your license keys online? Even perhaps on some time limited base?

Sometimes I don’t need the whole cake for ever. What about buying a Creative Studio or Office license for a quarter of a year with the option to get a cheap and easy renewing?

In my eyes it is about time for those big software companies to think about new and creative licencing modells.

Just my 5ct on that!

Sometimes I think it really doesn’t matter what news is written about a company.
Good or not … there was a news about and people get curious about … that is the aim and that is what we want!

Now knowing about the rumours about Apple has a build in backdoor within the new Apple iPhone 3G were recently confirmed by Steve Jobs …. indeed make me thinking about.

But not about the company or the product itself. Instead I’m more thinking about whether or not I do like that.

Do I really want a company being able to de-install  software fromsomething I have bought from them?

They got my money and I got the phone … now it is mine and it is up to me deciding about which software I run on it.
What ever they tell me it is good for they have such an option, I’m seriously and absolutely sure about I don’t NEED it!

Guess it needs some firewall software soon for this gadget.