About this blog

The Basics

Here at Codswallop we discuss how technology can be used to increase productivity. Codswallop is written by Chris Garrett and Yoav Ezer.

A bit more about the authors

Chris Garrett

Chris Garrett is a UK-based professional blogger and Internet Marketing Consultant. You might know him from such blogs as CopyBlogger and the Blog Herald, or his own blog at chrisg.com. Like Yoav, Chris also became a computer geek at an early age, first becoming addicted to his Commodore Vic20, then later making a career out of it. Since 1994 he has concentrated on all things internet, first as a developer and more recently as a consultant and writer.

Yoav Ezer

I am in my mid thirties and have been programming/working with computers for the last 20 years.

Growing up I was a bit of a computer geek. So when it was time to join the army (everyone in Israel has to serve in the army for at least 3 years), I was drafted to the computer division (MAMRAM).

My first job in MAMRAM was instructing young programmers about programming, algorithms, basic system design, UI design, etc’. This was a very educating experience, because for the first time I had to interact with people - sometimes I would stand in front of a class for 45 hours every week. I did this for about 2 years.

During that time I wrote a book about system management in VAX/VMS systems. VAX/VMS was a beautiful operating system. Not as complex as the IBM MF, but very robust. A real beauty. It’s long gone now. Digital Equipment (the company that manufactured the VAX computers) made some wrong decisions and failed financially. It was later bought by Compaq, which was later bought by HP.

My second job in MAMRAM was to head the VAX/Unix unit within the MAMRAM computer school. I was in-charge of about 10 soldiers and we taught all the VAX/Unix courses and operated the Unit’s computers. Again a very educating experience. I was very young (about 20) and already had to manage 10 people and also had quite a lot of operative responsibility. I had to admit I was a bit over my head there, but the unit survived and so did I.

In my last job in MAMRAM I was appointed to oversee the definition of software development methodology in the computer school (a sub division of MAMRAM) and once such a definition was in place, I was to define a syllabus for teaching those methodologies in the army. This was a fascinating process. I worked with some of the best minds in Israel and together we created a series of courses and books on the subject, which are still in use today.

But eventually I was to much of a free spirit to stay in the army and so I left and started a consulting/programming practice with my second best friend Guy (Guy…please read this to the end). For about 3 years we helped start-ups define and implement their products. We worked mainly with Information Retrieval/Knowledge Management companies. Most of these companies don’t exist, but some have grown to become real businesses. Signed a lot of NDAs. Learned a lot about business and life.

Finally we started Cogniview with a group of friends and the end of this story is yet to be told.

Somewhere along the way I got married (my wife is my best friend and the smartest/most gentle/beautiful person I know) and had two kids (whom I love more then anything in the world).

I hope you enjoy reading our blog. Please leave a comment so I know you were here.

Comments

7 Responses to “About this blog”

  1. Codswallop » Announcing the Creative Commons PDF Converter on July 2nd, 2007 4:36 pm

    [...] I can also be contacted through my email (see the About the author page). [...]

  2. Alitta on August 25th, 2008 11:07 am

    Hi Chris,

    After 5 months in progress (with a lot of sweat, blood and tears!) today we are launching our new startup called FeedZa – A public RSS feed reader where the community will vote on the blog posts they find most interesting.

    Over the last few months I have been searching hi and low for the best blogs on the internet that we can include on the FeedZa site, and I’m really happy to announce that your blog made it through!

    Today we are launching a huge marketing campaign that should generate some nice traffic, hopefully to the selected blogs that we have chosen.

    Feel free to check out http://www.feedza.com or our site tour for more information: http://www.feedza.com/learn

    If you think that your readers will find FeedZa interesting, feel free to write about us on your blog. We can provide you with editorial/graphics and I can even arrange an interview with the founders if you think your blog readers would find this interesting!

    I hope this is a start to a great relationship between you, myself and the FeedZa project. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

    Warm regards,

    Alitta
    Quality control
    http://www.feedza.com

  3. Richard Williams on August 26th, 2008 1:27 pm

    Yup, found your site. You sure get about Chris :)

  4. Elizabeth King on October 14th, 2008 7:16 pm

    Hi Chris and Yoav,

    My name is Elizabeth and I’m the Marketing Coordinator for Techweb’s Mashup Camp, a three-day “unconference” event where IT pros, users and members of the mashup community come together for an open conversation about mashup technology (basically combining multiple sources like software to create a newer, cooler product). This year’s event will be held on November 17th-19th at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA. You may be familiar with some of our other event brands like Interop and Web 2.0.

    After exploring Codswallop and reading some of your blog entries, I think that our event would resonate with some of your readers who would be interested to know how mashup technology can improve productivity. As a result I wanted to offer Codswallop the opportunity to become a media co-sponsor for Mashup Camp. In exchange for posting a blog entry (or as many as your heart desires) about our event, I would offer to:

    • Promote Codswallop in each of our attendees’ folder materials
    • Link Codswallop on the Mashup Camp “News and Coverage” page
    • Link Codswallop on our all of our 6 remaining email blasts (40,000+ recipients each blast) targeted toward both prospective and registered attendees
    • Feature your blog on our Facebook page
    • Provide you with promotional Mashup Camp badges and graphics to post on your website

    If you and/or your readers register to attend (it’s FREE), you will participate in Chalk Talk discussions, SpeedGeeking sessions, the Best Mashup Contests (with over $4,500 in prizes), complimentary meals and amazing networking opportunities with leaders in the mashup community.

    I hope you agree that this could be a mutually beneficial relationship and I urge you to contact me for more details. I can be reached at 212.600.3025, or feel free to email me at eking@techweb.com. Thanks so much and keep up the great work!

    Sincerely,
    Elizabeth King

  5. LoneWolf on December 24th, 2008 5:16 pm

    LoneWolf was here!

    Just discovered Codswallop. Any info on where the name comes from?

    Shalom
    LoneWolf

  6. clevercelt on February 12th, 2009 2:27 pm

    Hi Chris and Yoav,

    Codswallop !

    While the word has grown to represent a less than accurate, or exaggerated account of a particular even or product. The word actually describes an action which represents clever use of (old) technology.

    In the north of England a company called Hiram Codd produced soft drinks in glass bottles, each bottle contained an internal molded glass groove that acted as a type of ‘holder/restrainer’ the lid/cap of the bottle was a glass marble trapped inside the bottle.

    In order to open the ‘pop’ bottle, one had to wallop or hit the marble lid into the bottle, holding the bottle at a specific angle/rotation ensured the lid/marble remained away from the neck. Wallop was also apparently slang for Beer.

    As a kid, I once saw this demonstrated while being explained by Jack Hargreaves OBE (31 December 1911 – 15 March 1994) on his ITV program ‘HOW’ (Fred Dinenage anyone ?)

    I enjoy your site, my own 25 year preoccupation has been with technology and creativity.

  7. Andreas.wpv on March 8th, 2009 6:44 pm

    Folks,
    this is the best blog I’ve seen so far - and I read quite some of them. I get updates via email, and my reading rate is well above 90%, and I nearly always learn a little bit, try something out or so.

    I love your productivity tips as they help me get faster, more efficient and produce better quality.

    THANKS!

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