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ORSTRYLIA, WE LOVE YA
11:20 PST 20 SEP 1998
Another radio interview -- this time with Planet Rock in Australia (a land where I once lived, when I was very young). Buzz Bishop is the host of Cyberbuzz, and I'll be at his tender mercies. Not sure when it's airing exactly, but if you're Down Under, I understand that the show is syndicated across the country.

HOW DARE I!
11:18 PST 20 SEP 1998
Judging from the deluge of e-mail regarding the iWhack cartoon, people have...errr...differing opinions on the usability of Apple's latest hardware foray. Not to put too fine a point on it, but nothing in the world of computers and the Internet is sacred to me when it comes to humour. Microsoft NT is just an obvious target, so you see more of it. But it doesn't matter what it is: Macs, Wintel boxes, Web designers, programmers, and yes, even Linux is fair game. There's something funny in everything, including cartoonists getting flamed and cheered at the same time. :)

TRIAL BY VOICE
12:43 PST 18 SEP 1998
It's been a busy week. I'm on the air tonight with CBC Radio's Afternoon Show, hosted by Kathryn Gretsinger. Apparently I'm up to bat at around 17:35 PST. Excuse me while I go throw up.

NEVER THOUGHT OF IT AS A VIRUS
10:22 PST 18 SEP 1998
It's been going around: people have been calling the comic strip and its effect on offices The User Friendly Productivity Virus. I get numerous letters telling me how when people discover the archives they literally can get no work done, either individually or collectively. The best story to date: the entire MIS department of a particular firm put off all of their projects for the whole day, telling the other departments that they were "running tests on the proxy server." Fourteen MIS staff slacking off. I love it. :) And in recognition of this "virus effect," I've done up a couple 'o buttons for you to use, if you so desire. There's one for individuals and one for companies or groups. Link them back here if you like.

ON THE AIR
11:40 PST 17 SEP 1998
Dotto on Data, a Canadian computer talk-show, roped me into doing a brief interview on Sunday (Sept 20). Hit their Web site to see what stations air the show. Me, I'm gonna get tanked before the interview. I'm nervous now!

QUICK! BAR THE DOOR!
11:35 PST 17 SEP 1998
We had a veritable flood of orders for Dust Puppy models last night, so I have to say thank you and STOP! In all fairness I can't accept any more orders for my sculptor friend, as she can't guarantee if she'll be able to turn them around in a reasonable time -- I also think she'll be exhausted when she finishes the orders we've already taken in. Once we clear the orders we have now, I'll let everyone know whether or not more orders will be accepted.

IT'S DUST *PUPPY*, NOT *BUNNY*!
08:25 PST 16 SEP 1998
In the wake of the article in the Globe and Mail on Monday, The Province did a slightly more in-depth piece on the comic strip. I love the description the reporter gave of the Dust Puppy, even if he did call it a "Dust Bunny." :)

DUST PUPPY PRODUCTION UNDERWAY
08:15 PST 16 SEP 1998
It wasn't much of a surprise -- enough orders have come in for Dust Puppies to convince my sculptor friend to proceed with the second (and probably last) run of the models. If you ordered one, you'll get an e-mail from me sometime today or tomorrow with instructions for payment. Once your payment arrives and clears, my friend will produce your Dust Puppy to order. Turn around time is about two weeks, but add another week or so for shipping. For the record, I'm not making a cent on this; after all, my friend is doing all of the work. Thank you to everyone who ordered a model!

DUST PUPPIES TO ORDER
11:35 PST 15 SEP 1998
As mentioned in the Friendly Forum, my friend who happens to be a brilliant sculptor has agreed (after much badgering) to do one more run of Dust Puppy sculptures. If you haven't seen what they look like, check out the one owned by Bitslayer. They're made out of FIMO, a resilient material similar to Friendly Plastic, which is heat-set. They're selling for US$50.00 each, shipping included if you just want regular mail service. Anything above that is extra. Note: She wants half a dozen orders first before she'll do this, and orders have to be prepaid (she got stiffed on one model when she did the first run). If you're interested, write me and tell me if you want a Dust Puppy by himself, with a mouse, or with a keyboard.

TAKE THE WHEEL, FLETCHER
09:22 PST 15 SEP 1998
If you really want to influence the direction of the comic, head over to the Friendly Forum and help us develop some ideas. We have some seriously clever people out there. One of the best ideas to date: a friend for Erwin in the form of a Palm Pilot. :)

CURSES! FOILED AGAIN!
09:20 PST 15 SEP 1998
Okay, that was a surprise: User Friendly got mentioned on the front page of the Business section in the Globe and Mail, Canada's national newspaper. Even more of a surprise was that my true identity has been revealed for all to see, or at least my name. Sigh. Anyway, the article is still available for those who'd like to take a gander at it.

I'M SQUINTING AS HARD AS I CAN
08:05 PST 14 SEP 1998
I've gotten only a couple of complaints about the size of the strip in the Daily Static, which is 15% smaller than the usual size so that you can print it on a page without switching to landscape printing. And of course, if you click on the smaller strip you call up the larger, original sized one. Is anyone else having problems with viewing the smaller strip? I'm going to take steps anyway to up the clarity of the image, but I want to hear what you all have to say. Let me know.

SURVEY SAYS...
08:02 PST 14 SEP 1998
Final tallies are thus: UFies (YOU-fees) 183 votes, Geeks also 183 votes but corrected by 21(!) votes because the ballots were stuffed before I switched on enforcement, which makes Geeks come in at 162 votes. So UFies wins out, and a group of UFies is called an Array. You guys crack me up. :)