outlook and exchange are aweful

Today I was sitting in a meeting, and one of the participants asked if I had a particular document. I didn't, and no-one had an USB key handy, so they emailed it to me.

The size of the content was 120Kb. It took 4 hours and 30 minutes to go from the local exchange server, to the Adelaide exchange server (the home of my mailbox), and back again to me here in Chicago. The network itself is quick.

Any of sendmail, exim, postfix, or qmail would have had the delivery done in a couple of minutes. Exchange's latency is just insane.

tech/windows | 25 Feb 2005 | #

Spanish Blue

Last night was dinner and a movie in downtown Chicago, specifically Halsted St, which is sort of a Melbourne Street-in-Adelaide-styled cornucopia of boutique shops, fancy restaurants and theatres. Parking was atrocious - we ended up having to valet for the restaurant.

Dinner was at a Spanish restaurant called Café Ba-Ba-Reeba where the food de jour was tapas - entree-sized (that's appetizer-sized for USA readers) specialities of steak, chicken, mushrooms, squid, goats cheese etc. We just ordered a bunch of the chef's recommendations, sat back and started eating as all these mini-dishes just kept on coming. The theme continued into dessert, with 4 mouthfull-sized chocolate cake, pudding, sorbets etc. All very nice, yummy food, and quite affordable too - by Chicago standards.

The "Show" was Blue Man Group - what an amazing experience! The theatre and set was a sort of Aliens / The Matrix mix of pipes and gushing fluid. The audience in the first 7 rows wore waterproof ponchos - and believe me, they needed it. We fortunately were sitting in row 9, close enough to feel the goings on, not close enough to sufer the consequences. The show itself is a combination of rock music, comedy, and weirdness all wrapped up in blue paint. No spoilers here - it was very enjoyable, and something you should see for yourself if you get the chance.

Overall a wonderful night out.

travel/chicago | 25 Feb 2005 | #