Disclaimer for My Blog
At some point, I’ll find a theme or another blog site/format to allow this to be a top-level link for constant reference. Until then, here is some important information you need to know about my content!
TL;DR
This is my blog that contains my opinions, my observations, and the works of my hands (Tim Miller) - not of my employer (past, present, or future) or of any vendor. I do not get compensated for the content in my blog in order to provide any endorsements, or write any specific content, or recommend one product or technology over another.
Specifics on Content
I write content solely about the technology and trends that interest me. In the case of lab scenarios or troubleshooting, I write that content in the hopes it helps my fellow engineers just as I have been helped by other technology blogs.
Period.
That being said, you should know how I come about that information.
As a IT professional, I have access to a wide variety of information from vendors with which I interact. Most of this information is publicly available - e.g. from official websites, publicly available webinars, and conference events. Other information may come from confidential discussions that are covered by non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) or embargos - a request by the provider to not talk about the material until a certain, specific date.
Early or privileged access to information (either by NDA or Embargo) is in no way a commitment by me to write about that information nor, when I do write about the subject, is it a commitment to write favorably about that information. I do not accept access to such information from any vendor that is conditioned upon such writing and/or favorable mentions.
Almost exclusively, access to NDA information is for the purpose of intelligently planning and recommending solutions for my employer OR for my personal understanding of technology trends.
For such privileged information, all content will remain confidential until the terms covering that content have expired.
Specifics on Expenses
From time to time, either through the course of normal employment or through conferences or through special invitation events, vendors and/or third parties will cover my expenses at events where I may hear about their products and technologies.
More often than not, these expenses are simply the meals provided during a presentation (”lunch and learns”, for example). On occasion, my travel expenses to these events are also covered, which may include mileage, airfare and/or hotel.
At some of these events, such as conferences or technology events, there are free items provided as a result of participation in the event. Many times, this is the usual “conference swag” ranging from free t-shirts to backpacks to battery packs.
Additionally, either through the course of normal employment or my special request, a vendor may provide loaner demonstration equipment or free software trials or, in rare cases, a free partially/fully functional product sample. For loaner or demonstration environments or product samples (samples costing less than $50), I may or may not indicate the circumstance for obtaining access to the technology and I do not commit to indicating so for any or every post.
Any content that is the result of a free product sample (costing more that $50), I will indicate on each post the source of the equipment.
HOWEVER, regardless of expenses or giveaways or equipment/license provided to me, at no time are these requested by me or provided by the vendor with the understanding by the vendor or a commitment by me that I write material about those products or technologies, whether favorably to the vendor or unfavorably to a competitor.
Again - as I said before - I write content solely about the technology and trends that interest me.
In the case of lab scenarios or troubleshooting, I write that content in the hopes it helps my fellow engineers just as I have been helped by other technology blogs.
Period