Introduction from the CEO of Comodo

[Guest]

[panic]

Also, perhaps, a product where a computer secretly pings a server whenever it is used, so that if a laptop is stolen, the user could log on to the server and find out where it is being used from.

Hey Melih,

This sounds like a job  for the "sandpit". A Comodo user could log in to somewhere on the Comodo support site and turn this feature on using one of their Comodo activation codes. When an update was done, the updater could check if this was turned on and a traceroute could be done on the return path of the update.  The routing information could then be passed back to the user.

What do you think?
Ewen :-)
 (WCF3)

[Melih]

That looks like an interesting product. Does Comodo have such a product? Also, perhaps, a product where a computer secretly pings a server whenever it is used, so that if a laptop is stolen, the user could log on to the server and find out where it is being used from. There are commercial products that can do this, but if Comodo released a free one it would be very popular I think.

Well, I had designed a chip to do that, however there are software versions, albeit not as secure as chips. Maybe you should put that as another product we should develop in the forum ;-)

Melih

[Júštiñ™]

Melih,

The software version could make a secret hidden Partition on the drive and ping with the Comodo servers whenever Windows Starts and then 1 time each hour after that. Just an idea.

[Melih]

Hey Melih,

This sounds like a job  for the "sandpit". A Comodo user could log in to somewhere on the Comodo support site and turn this feature on using one of their Comodo activation codes. When an update was done, the updater could check if this was turned on and a traceroute could be done on the return path of the update.  The routing information could then be passed back to the user.

What do you think?
Ewen :-)
 (WCF3)

When thieves steal a PC/Laptop, the first thing they do is to format the HD clean.  So any software solution will be susceptible. There are some companies offering some solution by modifying the BIOS etc that I know of. We'll see where we go in the future ;-)

Melih

[panic]

Management question for you, Melih.

I've always found that managing teams of geeks has its own unique issues for managers. If you give them too much rein, they can lose business focus, but if you keep them on too tight a leash, they lose the intuitive, creative spark.

I'm currently rotating team members from one field into another in an oversight capacity. This lets them see other areas outside of their expertise (comfort zone), provide another perspective on that teams issues and get a bit of a taste of team management.

Given that you've got teams in software development, desktop security, HA certificates - many disparate fields, how do you keep the spark alive, while still achieving your business goals?

Ewen :-)
 (WCF3) (WCF3) (WCF3) OI OI OI!

[Melih]

Management question for you, Melih.

I've always found that managing teams of geeks has its own unique issues for managers. If you give them too much rein, they can lose business focus, but if you keep them on too tight a leash, they lose the intuitive, creative spark.

I'm currently rotating team members from one field into another in an oversight capacity. This lets them see other areas outside of their expertise (comfort zone), provide another perspective on that teams issues and get a bit of a taste of team management.

Given that you've got teams in software development, desktop security, HA certificates - many disparate fields, how do you keep the spark alive, while still achieving your business goals?

Ewen :-)
 (WCF3) (WCF3) (WCF3) OI OI OI!

Well, "shiny" and "new" stuff makes the techies (like me) tick :-) We like to venture into the unknown. Thats where the excitement comes from. With that comes learning and self improvement. That to a real techie is the ultimate joy!

Learning new technologies and doing cool and funky projects has always been a good recipe for me. So you are doing the right stuff Ewen ;-)

Melih

[jharris1993]

Learning new technologies and doing cool and funky projects has always been a good recipe for me. So you are doing the right stuff Ewen ;-)

Melih

Let me hime in here with my "Dos Centavos"  ( )....

If I, or Melih, or any manager had the True Answer to that question - we'd be gazillionares!

What you discuss is actually a very fine balance - maintaining focus, but not stifling creativity...

IMHO, this question actually has more than one answer - and the "correct" answer depends on things that noone but you control...

First:  The engineering / development / R&D effort you envision - what is it's primary goal?

(a)  If it is focused on a specific project, (i.e. improving the B-2 Bomber to make it less of a white elephant), then you have a fairly narrowly scoped goal, and can confine within it.  However, you need to give the engineering staff enough "lead" to examine multiple possibilities - including possibly just scrapping the whole darn thing and starting from scratch!

(b)  If it is focused on a less specific project, (i.e. shortening your companies "time to market" on new projects, or developing a new functional paradigm (to shorten your time to market...), then you need to give your staff even more lead...

(c)  If you're looking for pure, unadulterated, creativity - then you may not want to give your engineers any boundaries at all....  It's entirely possible that your staff may come up with totally new and unique ways of working with an existing product - or a way to use existing technology to do something totally un-precedented - etc. etc. etc.

Example:
The Home Depot near where I live sells these "Florescent Replacement Bulbs" that we've all seen - has a screw-base and replaces a standard incandecent bulb.

This one company (TCP), markets bulbs under the n:vision brand - and they include a "daylight" bulb rated at 5500 degrees Kelvin, and they get about $6 apiece for them

I have discovered that - when taking interior photos - these bulbs work wonders, WITHOUT the greenish tinge that you usually get from florescent bulbs.

They could not only sell these bulbs at Home Depot, they could advertise them to photographers (photo-flood bulbs and fixtures are expensive as hell!), "natural light" health nuts, (other "natural light" fixtures cost in the several-hundreds-of-dollars range), and so-forth.

In other words - by "thinking outside the box" a bit, this company could rapidly expand the relevant market for their lighting products.

Another example:

Years ago, I ran a small home based business that specialized in custom engineering projects - the "one off's" that people occasionally want.  This was - of course - in addition to my "day job"

When the military market tanked in the 90's on Long Island - I was unemployed with a room full of computer equipment collecting dust....

So, I made up a whole S-load of bright orange signs that advertised me as a "resume" service... everyone wanted resumes, right?

The phone was ringing off the hook!  OK, it wasn't "custom engineering", but it paid the mortgage!!

In summary, it will really depend on what it is YOU want to do with your Engineering department, and what their prospective goal is.

Sorry about the length...

Jim

[jharris1993]

 

Well Hello Everybodeeeeeeee!  (My "Grover" imitation)

OK, so this is (ahem!) "just a tad off-topic".  (so sue me!!  )

It has been a while.....  and I've been busier than a cat with two tails! ... so I haven't been posting like I would wish too......

But I'm "not dead yet!", still here, still supporting Comodo, and still kicking (DONKEY!) and TAKING NAMES!!

I bet I've got a LOTTA READING TO DO, just to catch up!!

It's nice to see that Melih hasn't decided to bag it yet - what with all the crazies that must be posting here!!

Well - I'm glad to be back, and I'm looking forward to making everyone's life "more interesting" (make that read "CRAZY!") 

Glad to see folks still here.

Jim

[JerryM]

Hi Melih and all other posters!

Wow, I saw an advertisement for some career positions open at Comodo on Monster.com so I came to the main website to find out more about the company and later I found these user forums.

I was amazed to see the CEO communicating with the end-users of the products in such a free and open manner.

What a totally radical concept!!! A President and CEO who talks directly to the company's user base! I am very impressed with that. Since the user criticisms show how to make the products even better and the compliments let the CEO know what the company is doing right.  You are probably in the .021% of CEOs that do such a thing.

Bravo, may God bless your company and your vision of a more secure internet. I will definitely be applying to this company.

Jerry

[Melih]

Hi Melih and all other posters!

Wow, I saw an advertisement for some career positions open at Comodo on Monster.com so I came to the main website to find out more about the company and later I found these user forums.

I was amazed to see the CEO communicating with the end-users of the products in such a free and open manner.

What a totally radical concept!!! A President and CEO who talks directly to the company's user base! I am very impressed with that. Since the user criticisms show how to make the products even better and the compliments let the CEO know what the company is doing right.  You are probably in the .021% of CEOs that do such a thing.

Bravo, may God bless your company and your vision of a more secure internet. I will definitely be applying to this company.

Jerry

Thank you Jerry

Melih

[jharris1993]

What a totally radical concept!!! A President and CEO who talks directly to the company's user base! I am very impressed with that. Since the user criticisms show how to make the products even better and the compliments let the CEO know what the company is doing right.  You are probably in the .021% of CEOs that do such a thing.

Concur.

I ran into this company a few years ago following a link (from within Outlook!) seeking an e-mail certificate.

I noticed that they were "giving the store away for free" - and (as the totally cynical QA engineer I am), I decided to call their bluff.  I sent an e-mail to their general reply address asking some pointed questions about how do they expect to stay in business - what's the catch - yadda, yadda, yadda....

Surprise #1.  My e-mail was actually answered in a reasonably timely manner. (!!!)
Surprise #2.  It was answered by the CEO himself. (bigger !!!)

This lead to my initial assumption that "Comodo" (AKA Commode-oh??) was a "one man band" - a corporate "wannabe" - with delusions of gender... (  )

Melih set me straight on that right away - and my comment (as posted earlier in these same forums), is that I wish a certain company in Redmond Washington (et. al.) had a similarly open and frank interface with it's user-base.

(Re: "Comodo" - Not "commode-oh", but more like "Komodo", as in the lizard - they're looking to EAT THE COMPETITION'S LUNCH!  And (AFAIK), they're slowly but surely doing exactly that...)

I won't tell you that Comodo's products all walk on water and talk with the angels - they don't.  (as if anyone else's products do?!!)  But I will tell you that they at least listen when the users talk.  They may not agree.  They may not do whatever I wish.  But they DO listen - and if they disagree, they have the courtesy to tell you WHY they disagree.

And... if I "disagree" with their disagreement - I can (politely!) ask questions and I get polite, educated, literate, and considered answers.  I may still disagree, but you gotta respect ANY company who goes to such lengths.  (p.s.  I have sent links to Comodo's forums to companies that I wanted to suggest they do the same.

Again, I am not always in agreement with them, but the simple fact that they make an effort to listen to their user-base places them in the top (very large negative power of ten) percent of companies world-wide.

Even if I thought Verisign (et. al.) walked on water, I'd still push hard for any company I work with to use - or at least look at - Comodo's products for just that reason...

I too wish God's blessings and boundless prosperity for them.

(p.s.  If Comodo has openings for "gadflies" (i.e. QA people!!), let me know!!)

Again - let ME offer my thanks - and support! - for Comodo's open and frank user interface.  Really!!  Where else can you find a company that's a major player in it's market - ANY market! - that has this level of accessibility?

Jim

[mgriffard]

 
I just wanted to provide some feedback and make a recommendation. I just changed my Trustfax account, since I wasn't using the number of pages I initially thought I would. Guess what happened....All the remaining pages from my previous account just disappeared! I got a new, clean slate to work with. The problem is...I made the decision to change programs a week early because I got an email saying my account would be automatically renewed on 22 June. I was trying to be proactive and make appropriate adjustments. I have searched your website and I found nothing about no carryover of unused pages when the year expires...nor wiping the stale clean if you change your program now. Nobody likes these kinds of surprises and I recommend you include a warning and write about this policy on you main pages.

[TrustFax]

The subscription plan for your trustfax account has a specific number of pages included for use duiring the billng cycle. In your case, the pages for your billing cycle were for a year subscription.
At the end of the year when you renew, the page also renew. The included fax pages do not roll-over. If you purchase additional fax pages beyond those that are included with your yearly subscription, the unused portion of the additional purchased pages will roll-over. In your case, the additional fax pages purchased rolled over to your new yearly subscription plan.
You can change your subscription plan at anytime and when doing do, TrustFax will calculate a credit based upon 2 factors which are the number of page used and the time left in the billing cycle. That credit if any is applied to your new plan.
Thanks for you for your suggestion. TrustFax values comments and suggestions from it's customers and will also forward they to our product and development team.
Thanks,
TrustFax

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