THIS WEEK: What is whatis?

[WhatIs]

July 30, 2002 >> Receive this email as text  >> About this e-mail  In this Issue >> From the editor: What is whatis? >> Featured topic from SearchNetworking: Networking Decisions >> Reader Feedback: Rank the job candidates   What is whatis? by Lowell Thing, Editor A long time ago (1996), whatis.com was just an exercise to see how many hypertext links we could cram into one page. (Yes, that's right, we didn't really say to ourselves: Let's start an IT encyclopedia with 3,500 topics or definitions. That would have been a little too scary.) As it grew, we began to see it as our own personal repository of information that we just happened to be sharing. Then we began to tell everyone that whatis was a "mental construct," a giant jigsaw puzzle whose pieces we were assembling for a picture that would never be complete because it would always be changing and growing. We still like all these points-of-view and find them all valid ways to think about our site. More recently, over the past two years, whatis.com has become something more -- part of an interlinked set of useful Web site resources for information technology professionals. 18 of these Web sites, all part of a well-named company called TechTarget, focus on specific IT aspects or product areas. The remaining site, whatis.com, serves all the users of these sites as well as any user that happens to be passing by. Some of our definitions actually land the reader on one of the other sites. For example, selecting the definition for "digital signature" will lead you to our definition presented within the context of the SearchSecurity site. After reading that definition, you can continue by searching for another whatis term -- or you can use or explore one of the features on the SearchSecurity site, such as "Ask the Expert." The people who run TechTarget naturally think of this as a way to introduce readers to one of their topic-targeted Web sites. The editors of whatis like to think that we have added information value to whatis.com by offering our content in a more valuable context for the reader. Interestingly, users seem to like -- or at least not dislike -- the new integrated whatis.com. We think this is for two reasons: First, most readers just want some information and could care less what the rest of the page looks like. And secondly, we believe, some readers actually "get" what we are trying to do -- extend the services we can offer you. Lately, although we still have more research to do, we are beginning to see that some users understand that whatis.com is part of TechTarget -- or, to put it another way, that there is a powerful resource called TechTarget and whatis.com is the part with all the definitions. It's one more way of looking at whatis. For example, see what TechTarget site "Wi-Fi" lands you on... http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid7_gci838865,00.html and then click on "Home" at the top to see everything this site offers you. But don't forget to keep whatis.com on your list of bookmarks, too!  Featured Site: SearchNetworking Networking challenges are constant. There are always new demands on you and your network traffic never slows down. You may have even started to think about implementing wireless and VoIP initiatives. Or you may want to know the real-world benefits and costs associated with these technologies before you make your move. So how are you going to pull it all off? Networking Decisions is here to help. One of our sister sites, SearchNetworking, is hosting an important IT conference that we think you should know about. This is a great chance to qualify for FREE attendance at Networking Decisions, which arrives in Chicago October 16-18. (Not focused on networking? Forward this email to your network management colleagues). Top industry speakers include at the conference include: Cisco Systems Chief Development Officer Mario Mazzola; Giga Information Group Director Jean-Pierre Garbani; Nortel Networks CIO Richard Ricks; Yankee Group Senior VP Zeus Kerravala; The Yankee Group ...and many other leading industry analysts and independent experts. Learn more about the Networking Decisions Conference and qualify for free attendance! Review our full schedule of free IT-specific conferences.  Reader Feedback: Rank the job candidates by Margaret Rouse, Assistant Editor Challenges are a learning tool where you (the reader) try to solve various real-life IT problems. Sometimes there's one right answer, but more often than not (just as in real life) there are several ways to approach the problem depending on your perspective -- and that's why reading how other people would troubleshoot/solve the Challenge is a fun way to learn. It looks like this week's challenge is going to be even more fun than usual because so far, no one has agreed with anyone else. It's the age-old question of certifications vs. experience. Coursework vs. who-you-know. How do you get your foot in the door? And how does a personnel department that receives hundreds of resumes figure out which resumes they're going to hold on to? Well, Company Alpha (not the real name) decided to use a rubric. Is it fair? Probably not. But here's your chance to tell them how to do it right. THE SCENARIO: Company Alpha's personnel department is over-run with job applications for their IT department. Tom, the Director of First Impressions, has been asked to come up with a numerical rating system (a rubric) to help personnel decide which candidates should be interviewed first for IT openings. Tom's broken the candidates down into seven categories but can't decide in which order to rank the candidates. Can you help him? THE CHALLENGE: Rank the candidates from 1-7, with 1 being the most desirable candidate. Explain your reasoning. - Job experience - Job experience and certification(s) - Certification(s) only - College degree - College degree and certification(s) - College degree, certification(s) and experience - Recommended by someone who already works for Company Alpha Take the challenge!  Disagree with the whole rubric system to begin with? Tell us how you would do it!   This e-mail is brought to you by TechTarget where you can get relevant search results from over 19 industry-specific Web sites.  Whatis.com contacts: Lowell Thing, Site Editor ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) Margaret Rouse, Assistant Editor ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) To unsubscribe from Updates on new site content: >> Simply Reply to this Email with REMOVE within the Body or Subject -OR- >> Go to: http://WhatIs.techtarget.com/register/1,,sid9,00.html    - Log in to edit your profile.    - Click on the link to Edit email subscriptions.    - Uncheck the box next to the newsletter you wish to unsubscribe from    - When finished, click "Save Changes to My Profile". Copyright 2002 TechTarget, Inc. All rights reserved.