Sustainable IT: Although there are still miles to go, one thing about 2007 is certain: this year was greener, IT-wise, than the past. At least in recent history. "It seemed that just about everyone had green on the brain," Ted Samson relates in 2007: The year in green. "The impetus to be eco-friendly wasn't just tied to concern for our little blue-green planet. One of the obvious benefits for reducing energy waste is saving cash, be it in the form of lower electric bills or fewer dollars pumped into the gas tank." The looming datacenter power crunch came under the spotlight in the IT fray. And a jam-packed raft of vendors turned their eye toward greener IT, including: AMD, Cisco, IBM, Intel, Hewlett-Packard, and many, many others. "2008 will undoubtedly yield more technological innovations and internal efforts to save energy, cut waste, and reduce GHG emissions." Related: Out with the old -- what to do with unwanted tech gear (from Computerworld).

The feature well: Every company has them. Those bonehead end users and tech hacks, otherwise known as IT simpletons, that give us cause, and pause, to erupt into laughter. The year in IT idiocy includes bumbles that fit into categories such as stupid user tricks, IT horror stories or amazing tales of stupidity.

Careers: If you'll be looking for a new job in the New Year, Nick Corcodilos has some advice about How not to get hired. Don't be a "media hog who uses community environments to get noticed -- and nothing more." The opposite approach, of course, can help raise your profile, and for the right reasons. "It's simple: participate and contribute to your professional community without expecting to get anything in return. The more you do for the community you're in, the more you'll be recognized for the value you contribute." What's more, in a previous post, Who ya gonna call?, Corcidilos reveals some secrets to hunting for contacts, a practice that, he asserts, "ain't rocket science, but it does take patience, diligence, and a solid bit of diplomacy and respect."

Posted by Tom Sullivan on December 28, 2007 05:10 AM