tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20044320.post8485282569506220221..comments2023-06-05T05:32:27.103-07:00Comments on Anthony's Blog: Linux on Wall StreetAnthony Goldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16958976067274531285noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20044320.post-72108356594298093842007-05-03T09:58:00.000-07:002007-05-03T09:58:00.000-07:00Unisys were kind enough to fly me to NYC on EoS ai...Unisys were kind enough to fly me to NYC on EoS airlines Stansted (UK) to JFK.<BR/><BR/>I had not heard of the airline before even though Stansted is my nearest major airport.<BR/><BR/>It was very nice to travel with them - all was much as they say in their adverts.<BR/><BR/>Note the full page advert for EoS in the Financial Times today if you have access to a copy.<BR/><BR/>The plane (a 757) does indeed only have 48 seats (their loyalty scheme is called 'Club 48'!) - the 'seats' are really 'ottomans' where you can raise the middle section and lie flat - using the provided pillows and blankets to sleep. <BR/><BR/>Seating is a 'good' business class and compares to what I remember to travelling 'BA' some years ago. <BR/>Each passenger receives their own 'cordless DVD/game' player with a selection of USA/GB films and TV shows and headphones - and they do really work (these things never work for me on '###### Airways). About half way through the flight you are offered a 'battery swap' in case the machine is running low on charge. <BR/><BR/>EOS claim their onboard staff are 'experienced' the plane crew were very efficient and attentive. In particular EoS claim their pilots have at least 20 years flying behind them and they seem to have reassuring names like 'Hank' and 'Chuck' and be so relaxed that the whole process is very straightforward.<BR/><BR/>The on board food is pretty good - choice is restricted of course but if you want anything specific you just have to arrange before hand.<BR/>As many free drinks as you have desire and nerve to ask for are available; choice of wines, ports etc. and also including BASS Export pale ale (which is now rare in most English bars, never mind an aircraft). I had lamb on the way out and a splendid fillet steak on the way back - portions are what I would call 'American' (in some London restaurants you can order small, medium, large or American) but you would probably call 'normal'; more than enough for me on an aircraft. <BR/><BR/>Further on food, chatting to a couple of people on board - and a lot of passengers apparently are very regular travellers on that airline and choose it where possible - EoS shares the Emirates Lounge at JFK airport; so what the smart people do is arrive a couple of hours early and eat heartily at the top class buffet in the Emirates Lounge, have a couple of drinks when they Board the plane and then sleep very soundly all the way to Stansted and the crew often have to wake them up for landing. Must be an interesting life if you can afford to travel EoS on a regular basis.<BR/><BR/>The lounge at Stansted is acceptable - just snacks and drinks - apparently EoS are expanding these facilities soon.<BR/><BR/>The travel to/from airports was faultless - I'm not used to having a driver pick up service but it is really so useful when as in my case time was very short. And as EoS claim the check in process is also speedy compared to what I've had to endure before, with only 48 passengers at a time they are able to meet and greet each one and take the fastest possible route through. In Stansted where I didn't bother with any shopping I was in the EoS lounge about 10 minutes after arriving at the airport. At JFK my time was short but I needed to stock up on Hershey chocolates or the girls in my Accounts department would have been disappointed; so I missed out the feeding experience in the Emirates lounge.<BR/><BR/>For any multinational with significant offices in the UK - within 50 miles drive of Stansted - this is the radius that the EoS 'pick-up' service - this is a viable transatlantic alternative for an executive (or engineer) who can easily fly out of JFK. This might well be more efficient than flying to Heathrow (the traffic situation at Heathrow is a rolling disaster) and certainly better than Gatwick (which is well south of London). Stansted is also the best airport these days for a meeting on the eastern side of London (i.e. 'Canary Wharf') and a lot of EoS passengers on my flight back were heading there. If the visit is an 'emergency' the engineer would certainly be much more productive on arrival compared to economy travel.michaelfriarshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15129284722094819748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20044320.post-33525136087202119622007-05-02T17:00:00.000-07:002007-05-02T17:00:00.000-07:00I am so sorry I had to miss your talk Michael--it ...I am so sorry I had to miss your talk Michael--it sounds like an amazing thing you did! I was sort of stuck at my booth the whole time (no complaints, though--I had a smashing time at LoWS). See me grinning from ear to ear <A HREF="http://dovfriedmann.smugmug.com/gallery/2768347#147343671-L-LB" REL="nofollow">here</A>.<BR/><BR/>Here's a good one of <A HREF="http://dovfriedmann.smugmug.com/gallery/2768347#147341241-L-LB" REL="nofollow"> Andy</A><BR/><BR/>Oh, and with regards to the discussion of the Roosevelt, I watched Wall Street after returning from New York and had to laugh! The famous <A HREF="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_icgdMQ4MdQ" REL="nofollow">"Greed is Good"</A><BR/>speech that Michael Douglas delivers takes place there!<BR/><BR/>--<BR/>Doug Barbieri<BR/>CTO of <A HREF="http://www.m2osw.com/" REL="nofollow">Made to Order Software</A>R. Douglas Barbierihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02702394504378377999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20044320.post-13555905651743303752007-04-29T14:39:00.000-07:002007-04-29T14:39:00.000-07:00From Michael Wheeler (as per text): very kind of y...From Michael Wheeler (as per text): very kind of you Anthony. It was an honour to share a platform with you and a lots of fun too. <BR/>I would urge anyone in the open source world to take every opportunity to hear Anthony speak on the subject if you can.<BR/>A combination of good design (the ES7000 product), luck and solid hard work from Unisys engineers and our own team has given us an even more stable and near 'bomb-proof' open source platform (using SLES 9) for our mission critical applications than our most optimistic expectations. While there were no shortcuts and no silver bullets found on the way we are most happy for the open source world to know that this can be done. <BR/><BR/>The Roosevelt Hotel (built ~1923) is grand and impressive at lobby and conference floor levels and these facilities are among the best I've seen. The guest rooms are 'small' and disjointed by most American standards. Full of corners and angles that suggest the current rooms have been condensed out of larger ones in the past. I suppose they have to make money out of a limted 'footprint' in the middle of a great city. It is a shame to lose property in a great hotel - in most UK hotels the odds would have been in your favour to have the charger returned/forwarded on.michaelfriarshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15129284722094819748noreply@blogger.com