Archive for December, 2008

Thoughts About the last Year

Personal | Wednesday, December 31st, 2008

New Year’s Eve. I wish you all a great day and celebration. What I want to write at this day is for me obvious. I want to write about the past year and tomorrow about the up and coming. But my problem is everybody is writing that. So I’m not going to do that. Reason for that is that I’m going to publish a long post about my story and my path to this blog. In that article the main part will happen in 2008 and I think it’s not needed to feature all that twice.

Even though this year happened pretty much. Some cool people showed that and wrapped the year in photos or news together, some days ago I got this for me quiet heart touching series of posts.

  1. Part 1
  2. Part 2
  3. Part 3

I think this series of pictures shows one thing pretty well. The split between different worlds. Some in which war is the most common and visible thing and some in which people complain about little things. I’m pretty much caught by some relief organizations which are complaining about facts which are absolutely not acceptably but people who could care and help just don’t care about. Or they care but the bureaucracy is to complicated to help where it’s needed and it’s needed fast. I’m not saying nobody cares what happens but I think it could be done much more.

I think we should face the next year with some great plans and this plans shouldn’t be to self centered. There are many people who could help and if it’s just a little help, even a little help can change things.

Even though I wish everybody a great year with great plans. And a little tip which I think everyone knows but I think nobody should forget. If you write your goals down to a paper – even for computer addicted people like me – and pin it to a wall is a great way to remember what you wanted to achieve!

25C3 Review Day 2 and Preview Day 3

Opinion, Traveling | Monday, December 29th, 2008
Used by gulli.com news

Used by gulli.com/news / Panel: ccc jahresrueckblick

Day two is over. Again it’s over for me but some are still listening or just hacking at the hackcenter. My personal review of the day is that the talks I though would be interesting mainly were. Just the Attacking Rich Internet Applications talk was not what I expected it to be. But the two other talks have been quiet interesting and fun. The one was the talk about the CCC year, what happened – good and bad – and what goes on. The second very interesting talk was by Tim Pritlove about the Blinkenlights Project Steroscope in Toronto. That one I found very interesting especially in the mater of how to organize a project, and that you just have to do it and not just talk – even if you have to work 16 hours a day or more. And I found his way to present some things very funny, I have to say he’s a great stage man and not just that he does great podcasting as well.

gulli-25c3-jahresruckblick-des-chaos-computer-club-teil-1

gulli.com/news used one of my pictures

That’s it for today, the review of day 2. But what’s with day 3? I’m not going to be there. Why? Well just like I wrote yesterday, I’m not the right person for this event at least running around alone is not what I thought it would be and I have some other stuff going on at home. So maybe I’ll be at the 26C3 next year or not we’ll see.
But one very interesting thing just happened short before I was writing this post. I opened my WordPress dashboard after login into my blog and had a look at the stats and saw that a in link was showing up, well at least a recognition of my name which is mainly cspiegl. The page I was mentioned is gulli.com, the reason I’m mentioned is cause one of the pictures used in the article was shot by me. That makes me proud, especially cause it’s the first time one of my pictures is used by another person than one out of my family.

I thank you gulli.com news and the writers of this article (-rbrueckner & gS-), I’m looking forward to go on taking good shots even if I can’t take some more of the 25C3.

25C3 Review Day 1 and Preview Day 2

Opinion, Traveling | Sunday, December 28th, 2008

Day 1 is over. At least for me. The schedule will go on till 1 AM tomorrow I think, but I’m reviewing my opinion on what I saw today.

Like it was written on twitter, there where too few seats for to many people. I got lucky and after 1 minutes of waiting I got a seat with table and a power plug in ‘Saal1′ ( = room 1) – just perfect to surf and listen. I have to admit, I didn’t made it to the 2 first lectures I wanted to go to because of my notebook not File Vaulting fast enough. But the once after this first two have been very interesting. About the German ‘Hackerparagraphen‘ and building hackerspaces.org. I think if you are interested in what the keynotes topics where, just go over to the video archive of the congress at the wiki.

Preview Day 2

The list of interesting lectures, which I’m trying to visit:

  1. 11:30 AM: Jahresrückblick
  2. 02:00 PM: Attacking Rich Internet Applications
  3. 04:00 PM: Blinkenlights Stereoscope

That’s a pretty short list I think but hey, I want to have a look at the other things at the congress too. For example the Hardware area close to the hackcenter. And maybe there is a great workshop.

Planing

For me all looks pretty interesting, but I have to say that if I have the choice next year to go to the congress or have some great days with friends watching movies or so. I’ll choose the friends cause the congress is not that much of information I would valuate, and the few which are valuable, can be watched via stream or recording. Maybe that opinion change over the next two days? Or not.

For this year, I planed to stay for 4 days but now I’m going to leave at the 28th of December cause the congress does not give me what I thought it would be like. That means no preview or review after tomorrow, maybe a review of the congress how I experienced it and the coverage from external.

If you are interessted in watching the live stream of the keynotes held at the 25C3. Have a look at the streaming site which has information about where and how to watch the stream.

As fare I can tell the stream is working pretty good and is well done by the FEM.

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25C3 Preview Day 1 and a Reason to visit Meet ups

Opinion, Traveling | Saturday, December 27th, 2008

I made it. I’m in Berlin right now and for 4 days from now on. The reason for that is known. I’m at the 25C3 to listen to lectures, photograph, meed and see people.

But there is something I have to tell. I’m not pretty sure if the 25C3 is the right meeting for me. It’s maybe for an other kind of people. But! I learned something in the past year. And that is: If you have the chance to meat people real – person to person – that’s great and you should go out to each and every conference, meet up, congress you can get into! Just for that real in person social-networking. That’s the main reason I’m here at this congress. One other reason is that I’m interested in some lectures but in no way in this hack center kinda hacking. More on that, there is a schedule online and I walked through this schedule to see what interests me. Here is a list of my favs for today.

  1. 10:00 AM: Opening and Keynote “Nothing to hide”
  2. 11:30 AM: Datenpannen
  3. 12:45 AM: U23
  4. 02:00 PM: Der Hackerparagraph 202c StGB
  5. 04:00 PM: Building an international movement: hackerspaces.org
  6. 06:30 PM: Erich Mühsams Tagebücher in der Festungshaft
  7. 08:30 PM: Hacking the iPhone

I think if you view the articles pages you’ll get an idea of what it is about and I don’t have to explain that now. But I think that’s for me a great day of informations, but after the ‘Hacking the iPhone’ lecture I’ll leave. Let’s see how it tourns out. I’ll be posting a review and pictures of the day tomorrow.

**Update**

Sorry for the Update but the Title was not right.

25C3 Preview

Traveling | Friday, December 26th, 2008

I’m going to visit the 25C3 located in Berlin starting at the 27th of December and ending at the 30th.
Today the 26 of December 2008 I’m going to travel to the 25C3. For that I have to travel about 300 km. But what is the 25C3? And why I’m going to travel 300 km for it?

What is the 25C3?

The 25th Chaos Communication Congress (25C3) is the annual four-day conference organized by the Chaos Computer Club (CCC). It takes place at the Berliner Congress Center (BCC) in Berlin, Germany. The Congress offers lectures and workshops on a multitude of topics and attracts a diverse audience of thousands of hackers, scientists, artists, and utopians from all around the world. The 25C3s slogan is “Nothing to hide”.

Why I go there?

Well I hear a lot about the CCC, mainly though the podcast. But all that comes through their internet direct into my computer without any social interaction. The 25c3 is a possibility to get out, in touch with other people, living a live like I do mainly. And last but not least, to get out of my room. Last year was very exiting, it was the first time I visited the congress – the name was 24C3 and the slogan was ‘Volldampf voraus!’ (literally “Full Steam Ahead”).

I think this year will be very interesting too. There are some interesting lectures and workshops I’m planing to visit and write about. Also I’m planing to post a review and some pictures of every day.

Please let me know if you are going to be at the congress too.

A not so conventional Business-Card

Design, Personal | Thursday, December 25th, 2008
Business-Card

Business-Card

If you take a look at my business-card (here) your going to see that it’s pretty empty and that there is not that much information. Normally a business-card contains:

  • the Name of the person who gives the business-card out,
  • the Address,
  • the Phone-Number, Mobile-Phone and maybe Fax
  • the Email-Address
  • and if existing the Domain of the web-site.

At mine you’re searching two of this five pints without success. The fun thing is that persons who I showed the design, – nearly all – have been mentioning why I don’t have the 2 missing parts of my data included into the business-card. The two parts are:

  • the Address
  • and the Phone-Number, Mobile-Phone and Fax
Business-Cards Christoph Spiegl

Business-Cards Christoph Spiegl

The next logical question to ask is why did I do that. Just before I decided to get a own business-card printed, I’m not able to get new business-cards every time just one of the information changes. So one main part was that I don’t want to print new cards just because my mobile-phone number changed, for that reason I decided to just print consistent data which I think is the email and my two web-sites. The other ‘whys’ of my decision have been this 3:

  1. It may change
    I pointed this out before but it’s important enough to be mentioned again. The data I didn’t include could change very fast. OK, the address not but mobile-phone could. The data I decided to print is data I’m hoping to hold for a long time from now on. It’s a great way to get your own concentration focused to some few parts. In my case it’s just my email – cspiegl@cspiegl.com – and my two domains – cspiegl.com and whereischristoph.com. I want to concentrate my stuff at this two pages. And I even have the possibility to change my mind but than I can link the domains up to the new sites.
  2. It’s to personal
    Phone, mobile, fax and address is in my eyes very personal data. I think nobody needs my address in the times of email. The same is for phone, mobile and fax. I’m willing to give you this data if you send me an email and ask for phone or any of the others. But email is my main part of communication and there I can check when ever I want and answer.
  3. The most important is there
    Like I already mentioned, the most important information is included. If you are willing to contact me you find your way, if though the contact page or via the email, is your personal decision. The only problem could appear if you want to call me and don’t have internet and email. But how many people are out here without email and internet? Nearly none. And I have to tell, the people I’m interested in mostly have email and internet.

These 3 reasons are why I decided to get my business-card the way I did and I hope you get the point. If you want, you can download the front and back to print it or do just what ever you want but all in terms of the license.

Please feel free to comment or email me feedback or your own opinion, I’m really interested.

Christmas

Personal | Wednesday, December 24th, 2008

I wish you a merry Christmas or Hanukah or what ever name you give to this celebration. I think it’s a great invention. For some it’s about faith for some it’s just about the gifts to get. Some others like the fact that the family is together and having a great day.
For me, it’s just everything above. You have a silent time around the christmas days in which you can just think about faith, the year, and about the upcoming time, you can get and give gifts – or buy stuff for your self if you want to – and you hopefully have a nice time with your family.
For this years Christmas wishes, I have made a little list:

Rockstar Wordpress Designer (Book)

I’m into Wordpress-Design since about 6 month or so and am not calling me well known about Wordpress-Theming, I can write my own theme and could design others but I’m still at the top, and there’s a long way to get deeper into Wordpress and it’s ability’s. Sadly the book is not released till now.

Rockstar Freelancer (Book)

I hope that I can someday enter the freelancer live-style. Well I think I already did – more the less, but not yet the whole way down. I’m still at school and not working full time – not even half time – as a freelancer – and that’s OK, I still need to learn many things. I hope that’ll change in the future and I’m going to get a living from what I do. This book is one source where I think I can find some great information about Freelance live, just like the blog FreelanceSwitch.com already is. The book’s already released but would be cheaper if it’s bought with the first book caused by the shipping cost.

Apple Aluminum Keyboard

I already own a Apple Keyboard, but it’s the ‘old white wireless’ one and I’m starting to write pretty much and for writing my opinion about this keyboard is not the best. I tried the aluminum for some minutes and was fascinated by the feeling. It’s like writing at my MacBooks internal keyboard which is just amazing. But I want it external for better use in combination with my dual-screen setup. For that reason I wish to have the Aluminum Keyboard – wired that I have a num-block for quick numbers.

That’s what I wish for Christmas as gifts. But I also wish to have a great day. Hopefully no stress and a chill out.

If you want, you can share your thoughts about Christmas or your wish lists with me.
For now I wish everybody a merry Christmas or Hanukah or *insert your feast name here*. I hope you all have a great day.

I’m back

Blogging, Personal | Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008

Finally it’s now exactly the 2008-12-23 at 00:00 AM and I’m back. Read on to see what changed and what’s going to come.

The Blog

Finally, after 50 days I’m back with a new design, improved layout and the structure. Now there is a much less cluttered sidebar and a well positioned Flickr stream – at the top – here at my blog.

Second, i reimported all posts I wrote over the last year since I’m writing this blog. Why I did this? I’ll publish a own post about this in the future, stay tuned.

Third, the place changed a bit. Till yesterday – few seconds ago -, the blog was placed at cspiegl.com/blog now it’s just cspiegl.com that’s cause I think the blog should be the main part and not just one in the background. And the second reason is that the about page is much better placed at whereischristoph.com which brings up the next point.

New About Page

I created a new about page which was inspired by some other pages I discovered over the web, but manly by the one of Michael Mistretta (http://whereismichael.net). It’s a clean easy way to find out where you can find information about me and where I do my stuff for example the link to my flickr stream, twitter profile, my facebook profile and of course to this blog.

KwasK.com and KwasK.de

That wasn’t the last I changed, I also had another page for a long time. The page I’m talking about was KwasK.de for the most time and than about one year ago as I were hitting new areas of the internet, I got KwasK.com. But now after a year of KwasK.com and about 3 years of KwasK.de I thought about the use of the domain and came to an ending, in which this two domains are no more exist. So I simply got rid of the two domains which means that I don’t own them any more. They KwasK.com will stay online and linked till the 24 of January 2009 and KwasK.de will stay online till the 06 of June 2009 and both will have a CLOSING page online for the rest of their lives. So far about KwasK.com, I’ll post more on that soon, especially about the reason why I got rid of this domains.

Business-Card

In the last few month I tried to overwork my complete online brand. But not just the online brand, I also worked at the offline brand. I’m going to post a picture of the card and a down loadable version the day after tomorrow. I’m pretty satisfied by the result and that’s manly cause I thought so long about getting a own business-card and now finally it’s here and great looking. I simply can give it away and not just write my email or homepage address on a crappy paper. If you have a blog and want to contact with people offline for example at a conference or a congress – like the 25c3 where I’m going to be and post in the next few days about – you’re willing to have a business-card in place so that anyone who asks you for your email, you just give them a little card with all information needed. The second reason is if you are a designer, you can instantly show your abilities to the person in front of you – about this I’m also going to post a own post, why I did my business-card the way I did it.

Future?

So, that’s it for now. With this post I start a series of posts which are going to be more in depth information about why I made my decisions the way I made them. So if you’re interested, stay tuned – maybe subscribe to the blog? – and give me some feedback or contact me if you want.