Author Archives: Chris

About Chris

Chris is an IT/IS management professional with over a decade of experience in IT, IS, Network Engineering, and Telecommunications integration. Chris specializes in web server deployment and information management. This includes CMS, CRM, and dynamic content deployment. Chris also manages a full service Video Head End with over 200 digital TV channels. Chris also has five years of project management, knowledge management, and engineering design experience. He specializes in both the Agile and Scrum project management methodology. He also has a background in computer forensics and information security including federal or state compliance audits (such as SOX).

Flashbacks & Flash Forwards

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With over 189 news posts in the blog even I am amazed at how much stuff I was able to dig up. For those of you who haven’t followed my written posts before, I have never until this point kept a record of what I’ve written past five posts. With that in mind, this is the first time that the majority of df.com’s major blogs have ever been collected into one unified chronological piece of written work much less one that spans ten years. The latest trove of entries comes from my old work computer where I found the original 1999 web site with several gems. They all revolve me arguing with basically everyone in site. How I ever had any friends is beyond me– looking back it seemed I was constantly arguing with someone at any given point during the course of that year.

There’s been a lot of reflection during my travels collecting my own history. It’s amazing how much we both forget over time and more so how much we choose to forget even when we could recall. There is definitely a sense of history here and I almost feel like I’ve just collected my memoirs after two terms as the President of the US. I have to reflect on my short failings and my victories– something that is sometimes wonderful and other times painful to do. In the grand scheme of history mine is, but a small part of humanity’s overall course of time. I can say though the times have changed me in some way much about me is still the same. In many more ways I just finally have clarity of mind that for whatever reason I never possessed before.

The tenth anniversary was supposed to be about amassing the history of this grand project we call df.com, but in many ways it became my own personal journey of recalling who I am and where I come from. In the end, I feel exonerated to know that I have matured in many ways, but am a lot more easy going in so many important other aspects of self. Is that part of growing? Who knows. I leave the psychoanalysis to the pros. I’m just happy to have been able to take the ride and survive it all, as well as, to have the family and life I have now. I have been reminded these past few weeks of how truly blessed I am in oh so many ways whether it be my daughters, my wife, my mom, or my siblings. Not to mention all my friends and acquaintances.

On another note, I did get my MRI this past Monday (9/21) and the results were delivered to my orthopedist yesterday. With no emergency phone call coming in it appears all is good thus far. I will know definitely more this Monday (9/28) once I visit the orthopedist to discuss the results. I do think I’ll need at least minor surgery; but my hopes are high for a quick recovery. My arm is out of the sling and though I cannot bear any real weight with it– it does work and I can type. All in all, that’s all I can ask for considering the situation.

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Milestone dfv11RC2

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The site is pretty much finalized and with that I’d like to announce we’re at version 11 release class 2. Minor changes will occur herein to the actual web site framework with most changes being either content updates or additions, but overall development is final.

Last night we opened up comments on the Music and Visual Artwork pages. That takes care of the ability to comment throughout the site. I’m thrilled to be able to offer you the viewer a more interactive experience.

Along those lines we’ll be shifting gears over the next week or so. I’ve built a new Facebook Group profile that you’re welcome to add if you so happen to be on that social networking site. It features full integration with updates from this site so if you’re lazy like me and would rather login there to check both what’s going on there, as well as, see the latest df.com news from here you most certainly can do that.

We’re going to be doing more along the line of turning up social networking profiles and integrating them back to the main news/content on df.com over the next few days including MySpace, Pure Volume, and Twitter. More on that work will be posted as it happens. That should all be rather exciting. If you have a social network site you think we should join let us know and we’ll put it into consideration for future integration plans.

I also added the “Cliff Notes” for each df Pirate Radio season that used to be on the old site. That completes all the old Pirate Radio content and df.com content being integrated into this new site. We’ll see if we can dig up more of the classic df.com news posts, but for now the collection is pretty complete and includes everything that was on version 5-10 previously.

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Doing The Deed

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So last night I continued to update content. There are a few new pictures on pages 6 , 7, and 8 of the Visual Artwork “Graphic Art” gallery including some old pen & ink comic art I did for Daemon Immortalis’s “Stack Ups” cartoon series. You’ll also see exclusive never before seen scans of the character sketches. You’ll also see some old “Vote Bush” banners from back when we were young and stupid, as well as, some old holiday greeting graphics from v4 and v5 of df.com. We now have over 90 pieces of art work in this category alone. This is arguably the most complete collection of both my and our contributors graphic art work to date that we’ve publicly displayed at any given one time ever. As always, this site is about being bigger and better than before. I think we’re doing a good job of that motto thus far (and based on your feedback it seems you feel the same way).

You’ll notice on the right hand menu a new “Around the Web” feature that will show you the latest news from some of my favorite sites (CNN.com, BBC News, and CNET to name a few…). I thought this would be a nice compliment/feature to have on the site. It’ll give you some insight into the news I’m reading and an opportunity to catch up on some of the latest developments in politics, science, entertainment, and technology. I don’t think it’s over whelming in any sense and compliments the overall look/feel well. As always, please let me know if you disagree.

Overall the site is working very well and it appears as if we may be ready in the next week or so in going ahead with the final beta portion of the site (dfv11 RC2) before we finalize the site. Again– thank you both your patience through development and your feedback as it has helped shape the site into quite the little masterpiece.

I also opened up all the old articles and df Pirate Radio posts to public comment. Feel free to have at it and let me know what you think. We did have comments closed down while we finalized the look/feel on those pages, but we’re ready now for you to leave your own mark on the posts.

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Shameless Promotion: New Casket Architects CD

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Casket Architects "Future Wounds" CDThis past weekend the Casket Architects released their new CD “Future Wounds” to much accolades during their CD release party at the Tuscan Cafe in Warwick, NY. I’m not one to pimp out the “scene” any longer (cause frankly the scene died about ten years ago a fiery painful and much under documented death), but it is noteworthy for a few reasons:

1. They are arguably one of the best live bands from Orange County, NY actively performing (if not THE best).

2. They are a sonic mind trip and a half– listening to their first two albums (“Dance on the Death Nerve” and “Skull Persuasion”) was like some sick late night mash up of Skinny Puppy and Napalm Death… this album takes it another step further.

3. There are few truly creative bands out there. Casket Architects manages to really cross musical boundaries, do something original, and be pretty darn melodic without being a Pop sell out in any sense. We call that “win-win-win”.

I’m not close with the band (so there’s no incentive for me to give props) though Skow admittedly knows them, but he didn’t ask me to pimp them either. I just feel they deserve the shout out and if you like digitalflood’s stuff it’s certainly worth checking out their new CD (which can conveniently be purchased through their new Merch shop).

Give it a listen and drop back to let me know what you think. You can (even maybe more conveniently) find the Casket Architects featured in the digitalflood Pirate Radio “Palindrome Remix” episode if you want a sneak peak at their earlier work. You can also listen to Skow and I babble about nonsensical metal ramblings, as well as, food during that same episode in case you’re into that sort of thing.

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Broken Links Make Broken Site

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Ended up having to disable one of my broken link checking tools… caused lots of stability issues with the server and wrecked web page load times. Things are noticeably improved since disabling the system about 15 minutes ago. With that– we’re back in business again.

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