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

First things first. If you didn’t check out our PDF to Excel conversion software then do it now. This tool is what keeps our happy little blog alive (not to mention me and my lovely family).

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.

Contact us

You may send me email to yoav.ezercogniview.com

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