Monthly Archive for November, 2006

It’s the user stupid!
In the end, it’s the user (not technology) that matters the most when you go about your daily IT routine trying to solve problems. Rob Howard is absolutely correct when he states the following:

One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned is one we didn’t really anticipate: a shift from caring less about the underlying technology to how our software solves the user’s problem. It’s a subtle change, but as an ISV this is probably one of the bigger “maturing” steps a software organization has to go through. You can tell when an ISV hasn’t made this transition yet: the literature and announcements about their releases focus 100% on the underlying technology instead of how the software solves a particular set of problems for the people that use it…

For example, have you ever bought a car because of where the steel was made or because of the brand of the engine? A few people care about these things, but most people care more about: does the car drive good, are the seats comfortable, etc. {source}

Quite frankly, I already knew this, but sometimes we tend to forget the simple things in this bloody “technical” field. When you hear all the kool Tech buzzwords floating around in the Tech press, that’s when you gotta take a step back and, once again, refocus on the problem at hand. Sounds simple, eh? Well, you’d be shocked at how many IT pros, who lack people (or soft) skills, forget this. No wonder non-techies think we’re *gasp* geeks.

Therefore my advise to all you coders out there is this:

1. Really understand the user’s problem by seeing the big picture. Heck put yourselves in their shoes.
2. Find out what features are absolutely essential and implement those first.
3. Is the user happy with the basics?
4. If yes, proceed and implement the other less important stuff.
5. Is the problem solved? If no, then go back to step 4.

Now wasn’t that simple?
Read more…

Have you ever see those movies or read those stories where a powerful, entrenched ruler (or a dictator…even a clique of politicos) has been in power for an eternity…without a viable challenger to their rule? Heck that happens a lot here in Africa. Actually, things are getting better thanks to no-nonsense leaders like Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania.

Any way, my point is that, after a while, people genuinely would like a bit of change. However, the incumbent has their tentacles in all corners of society making it impossible to oust them and achieve real change.

Die, Exchange, die!
Well, a lot of people in the “Info Tech” world feel that way about Microsoft’s Exchange Server. You see, here’s the deal. In order to use Exchange, you have to run it on a Windows (as opposed to a secure, reliable Linux) server. Mind you, I have crazy respect for Windows 2003 Server. But now you also have to worry about purchasing additional licenses for all those users who’ll connect to the damn server, which can run into the thousands. Strike 1. Next, in order to retrieve your email from an Exchange server, you need to run buggy Microsoft Outlook, which comes with Office 2000/2002/2003/XP Professional. Strike 2. Did I tell you how annoying Outlook is yet? I bloody hate that program with a passion. Yet everybody’s soooo addicted to it. Argggh!!

Now, if you’re using Exchange up to version 5.5 (I think), and want to move up to the next level via Windows 2003 Server, well, you’ll have to install Active Directory (AD), which seems to be a nightmare to a lot of administrators who have other things to do (work!) with their company’s time. Strike 3. If I’m not mistaken, I think you need a degree in Rocket Science in order to install AD.

You’re out!
Well, all I want to say is that a lot of software companies have made some serious headway against Exchange in terms of mind share. What, you don’t believe me? Well, here’s some food for thought.

OpenXchange and competitors such as Scalix and Zimbra are no longer of interest only to a small clique of open source believers, but are being widely distributed through partnerships with “mainstream” ISVs, consultants, and hundreds of VARs. (OpenXchange alone claims 650 VAR relationships.) {source}

So what’s the secret? Well, these Exchange killers either run on Linux or use the LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) stack, which is open source and free as our polluted air. Organisations the world over are seriously looking for alternatives. Look, a lot of system administrators simply don’t want to feel so dependent on one company – especially where there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. I actually blogged about this a while back (April). See Change is very good: Say goodbye to MS-Exchange.

Any how, take a peek at these recent stories on how the competition is stacking up against the Windows/Exchange/Outlook software stack.

• ‘Exchange killers’ are successfully stalking Microsoft messaging
• Scalix is sneaking Linux in through the corporate mailbox
• Not quite answered: Can open source messaging servers replace Microsoft Exchange?
• Zimbra sets sights on Exchange, and beyond
• Open-Xchange Server 5: Groupware done the OSS way

Perhaps you might find an alternative solution that’s perfect for your workplace. As for myself, I’m a little intrigued with the free Covide CRM-Groupware project (also see covide.net). It has some amazing features, and this user quote really piqued my interest:

Covide Groupware-CRM has all zimbra/openxchange etc have and more. Unlike phpgroupware and egroupware it’s not a tool to link several projects together but it’s build from scratch with integration of all your communication and calendars as basic principle. Please have a look at it in your next review. {source}

Now all I have to do is find a spare server to install it down here. Ya got one? However, you can take it for a spin from right where you are. Whoa, those coders over at Covide have to do something about that user interface. “Um, hello, can you please pretty it up a little bit for meeee?” I suggest they hire some super kool artsy web desingers to spice things up a bit. After all, seeing is believing. That’s just my opinion though.

Good luck. And for heaven’s sakes, get the heck out of the way with all those arrows pointed at Microsoft from its competitors.