I have heard it said by numerous individuals every one has a finite number of tech support calls they can field. Once one reaches beyond this number, the individual can no longer be effective on the phone helping people. I know this to be true from the inside out. To this day this is why I don’t carry a cell phone. I can’t take the stress.

However, something that looks like a phone but is made for IM seems cool to me. If only there was an IM->Voice gateway I would be set. I mean it’s all well and good to IM your friends, but if you need directions to the nearest pizza place, they might not be reachable by IM. How cool would it be if they were? Looks like ATT Wireless is selling a device just like this called the OGO. The only one part I don’t like is it’s an extra $3.00 for more than one IM provider. This is a bit of an issue for me, as there are a few hold-outs who don’t use Yahoo IM. I would hate to spend $3.00 per month, just to talk to two people who won’t switch.

I finished “The Soul Of A New Machine“, by Tracy Kidder recently.

I had heard of this book several times in reference to the tech industry and product development cycles. It is the story of the development of a 32 bit computer at Data General which they needed badly to compete with their competitors. It followed the entire release process from inception, through internal politics, all the way through QE. In some regards it seemed very real, very much like experiences I have had in the high tech industry. On the other hand, it never portrayed the emotional roller coaster of the cycle very well. The end was especially strange to me as the main character sort of fades away, which was unexpected. Perhaps it was disappointing because it was more reality than fantasy at this point. I give it three stars out of four.