I've been asked a few times about Windows 10.
It really doesn't excite me. I used the beta, and I have a Windows 10 laptop. It runs just fine, and the new Edge browser does seem a little snappier. It is great that Microsoft is becoming more agile with their releases. The FREE upgrade to Windows 10 is an amazing gesture, or should I say attempt to retain their hold on the desktop... and their hope... the ecosystem.
Yet, the same problems persist with OEMs, fragmentation, upgrade challenges, SKU confusion, etc. A decent OS on a crappy computer is still a crappy computer. I don't know what kind of feedback system and OEM review process Microsoft uses, but Microsoft should provide more guidance and auditing of the products that their OS goes on to.
If I sound a little jaded, I am. I recounted to a coworker the years of Windows 95 to present and Internet Explorer woes. Some of the reasons that people despise Apple have actually led to, in some cases, a better overall experience. Microsoft should learn from that and demand more from their OEMs in order to give their customers a better experience.
If Microsoft intends to ride out the "death of the PC" by offering Office365, Office, server products, and other revenue streams, then I'll submit that most users will jump ship to cheaper, more reliable, cloud based, easier to understand and with real support, and hassle free solutions... regardless of whether they are on Windows 10 or not.
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Thursday, November 6, 2014
It has been a while...
Yes, it has been a while since I've shared my thoughts on technology. There is a lot happening out there right now. Privacy is gone. Fans analyze Apple. Microsoft is circling the wagons. Windows 8 is the new Vista. Cloud and Social dominate everything. The next generation is raised on mobile. Entertainment options move toward a la carte.
Yet, I want to talk about the User. We all have different needs. Some of us use technology to simply communicate and view/share information (I'm going to call them "consumicators"). Others use technology for the same reasons as consumicators, but also to produce something, whether it be art, engineering, design, entertainment, etc. (I'm going to call us "pros", it sounds kind of cool).
The difference between the two, from an IT manager's perspective, is the User's computing needs. I'm going to call this analysis the Organization User Analysis (OUA). Sure, you could formalize this analysis, and that is probably a good idea. Yet, enough info can be garnered via talks with users, managers, and time spent managing an infrastructure.
Without a real analysis of your organization's technology needs and specifically the Users' needs, you may be doing a disservice to your people.
Consumicators are the large portion of the consumer market for technology manufacturers. The consumicator customer doesn't care about the details of technology or the specs, whether or not the device can be upgraded... they just want it to work. Consumicators are perfect customers for appliance like devices and cloud based services. From a manufacturers perspective, consumicators are great customers for a lot of reasons, though I won't go into them here.
Pros are specialists that use technology for all sorts of purposes. They require knowledge of all of the tools that they use in order to maintain operability and to maximize value in their often expensive technology investments. Pros deal with large content sizes, resource intensive software, and demand performance in order to accomplish their tasks. They are often very technology saavy.
When I work with Users, sometimes I will associate their needs with the type of User that they appear to be. In doing so, I can suggest solutions for their technology needs that best fit with their working style and within the organization's constraints. Often times, you are constrained by other factors, such as budgets, personnel, space, training (or lack thereof), convenience, etc. Kind in mind, it is most important to consider the User and their needs, otherwise you may be wasting time/money/effort.
A tip for HR, my experience tells me that some job types require a certain type of User.
Why am I writing about this? It is critical as an IT Manager to constantly evaluate the resources that you are providing to your organization and your people.
Yet, I want to talk about the User. We all have different needs. Some of us use technology to simply communicate and view/share information (I'm going to call them "consumicators"). Others use technology for the same reasons as consumicators, but also to produce something, whether it be art, engineering, design, entertainment, etc. (I'm going to call us "pros", it sounds kind of cool).
The difference between the two, from an IT manager's perspective, is the User's computing needs. I'm going to call this analysis the Organization User Analysis (OUA). Sure, you could formalize this analysis, and that is probably a good idea. Yet, enough info can be garnered via talks with users, managers, and time spent managing an infrastructure.
Without a real analysis of your organization's technology needs and specifically the Users' needs, you may be doing a disservice to your people.
Consumicators are the large portion of the consumer market for technology manufacturers. The consumicator customer doesn't care about the details of technology or the specs, whether or not the device can be upgraded... they just want it to work. Consumicators are perfect customers for appliance like devices and cloud based services. From a manufacturers perspective, consumicators are great customers for a lot of reasons, though I won't go into them here.
Pros are specialists that use technology for all sorts of purposes. They require knowledge of all of the tools that they use in order to maintain operability and to maximize value in their often expensive technology investments. Pros deal with large content sizes, resource intensive software, and demand performance in order to accomplish their tasks. They are often very technology saavy.
When I work with Users, sometimes I will associate their needs with the type of User that they appear to be. In doing so, I can suggest solutions for their technology needs that best fit with their working style and within the organization's constraints. Often times, you are constrained by other factors, such as budgets, personnel, space, training (or lack thereof), convenience, etc. Kind in mind, it is most important to consider the User and their needs, otherwise you may be wasting time/money/effort.
A tip for HR, my experience tells me that some job types require a certain type of User.
Why am I writing about this? It is critical as an IT Manager to constantly evaluate the resources that you are providing to your organization and your people.
Friday, March 28, 2014
Way to go Microsoft - Office for iPad and Android
All I can say is Wow. Microsoft did something smart in releasing the Office for iPad apps, and they are FREE. There are many office suites, but Microsoft still dominates, for now. By releasing this suite of Office mobile apps for FREE, Microsoft retains the crown in office suites a little longer.
Well done.
More info - PCWorld - Office for iPad
Well done.
More info - PCWorld - Office for iPad
Friday, December 20, 2013
The trust is gone....
We've all heard about the NSA and intelligence community spying on US citizens and foreign diplomats. I'm not faulting the agencies for doing their jobs. Yet, the extent of the intelligence gathering is quite alarming. The trust is gone and can NEVER be restored.
As an IT Manager at a startup biotech company, I recently had an experience that is directly related to this entire FUBAR with the NSA. A partner company located in Europe specifically refused to use a cloud service located in the USA, and instead recommended a European based provider.
I had hear about this type of fallout of the spying allegations, and I expected to hear about lost revenue for the top tier cloud service providers in the USA. But, I never expected to have a partner company refuse the USA based cloud provider service. It is happening... this is not a joke.
Not only has the NSA lost the trust of its own citizens, it has also caused an economic loss to US companies. This is a fact.
I do not want to argue the fact that "we are safer" or "we've saved lives". I'll concede that... but certainly the NSA and intelligence community needs to re-examine their tactics.
As an IT Manager at a startup biotech company, I recently had an experience that is directly related to this entire FUBAR with the NSA. A partner company located in Europe specifically refused to use a cloud service located in the USA, and instead recommended a European based provider.
I had hear about this type of fallout of the spying allegations, and I expected to hear about lost revenue for the top tier cloud service providers in the USA. But, I never expected to have a partner company refuse the USA based cloud provider service. It is happening... this is not a joke.
Not only has the NSA lost the trust of its own citizens, it has also caused an economic loss to US companies. This is a fact.
I do not want to argue the fact that "we are safer" or "we've saved lives". I'll concede that... but certainly the NSA and intelligence community needs to re-examine their tactics.
CyanogenMod on my Google Galaxy Nexus (Verizon), so long Google...
Well, I can say that I was extremely frustrated with Google's decision to abandon me and other early adopters of their Nexus line of products. The Nexus line was promoted as "THE ANDROID" platform that would receive the latest updates. Staying ahead of the curve is imperative for IT industry employees, and that is exactly why I (and others) bought the Nexus phone.
So Google announced that they'd no longer be providing updates for the Nexus phone (notably the most recent update called Kit Kat Android 4.4), and they also somehow snuck in a new policy of only 18 months of updates for Google phones. This is absurd.
After wrestling with poor battery life in my Nexus phone in Android 4.2 and no upgrade in sight, I finally decided to go the way of a custom ROM... an alternative Android called CyanogenMod.
CyanogenMod is free, works flawlessly, and has a beta Android 4.4 version in the works. I highly recommend it to anyone who has been frustrated with Google.
So Google announced that they'd no longer be providing updates for the Nexus phone (notably the most recent update called Kit Kat Android 4.4), and they also somehow snuck in a new policy of only 18 months of updates for Google phones. This is absurd.
After wrestling with poor battery life in my Nexus phone in Android 4.2 and no upgrade in sight, I finally decided to go the way of a custom ROM... an alternative Android called CyanogenMod.
CyanogenMod is free, works flawlessly, and has a beta Android 4.4 version in the works. I highly recommend it to anyone who has been frustrated with Google.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Google Nexus no 4.4 - problem, mistake, bug, fail, not working, Android, KitKat, 4.4, - screwing the customer
Though I consider myself technology agnostic... From time to time, I have strong opinions regarding technology. Today Google announced that their Google Galaxy Nexus phone (the one I specifically bought for stock Android updates) will not receive the Android KitKat 4.4 update.
Additional information on their Nexus website states that the phone is now out of the 18 month support for updates. This basically goes against the entire original marketing strategy of the phone and the keynote discussions from Google I/O when they announce the Nexus product line.
I'm livid. And others are pissed off at Google as well. Check the threads here - http://productforums.google.com/forum/#!categories/nexus/other-discussions/galaxy-nexus
I see the Google Nexus update to Android 4.4 KitKat (or lack thereof) as a major letdown and failure of Google to adhere to their credo "don't be evil". They have essentially cut off an entire community of their strongest advocates.
As an IT Manager and career IT professional, it is disheartening for me to feel taken advantage of in this manner. From this point forward 10/31/13, I will strongly reconsider making choices that involve Google.
UPDATE: There is Change.org petition for this issue - http://www.change.org/petitions/google-update-the-galaxy-nexus-with-android-4-4-kitkat
Additional information on their Nexus website states that the phone is now out of the 18 month support for updates. This basically goes against the entire original marketing strategy of the phone and the keynote discussions from Google I/O when they announce the Nexus product line.
I'm livid. And others are pissed off at Google as well. Check the threads here - http://productforums.google.com/forum/#!categories/nexus/other-discussions/galaxy-nexus
I see the Google Nexus update to Android 4.4 KitKat (or lack thereof) as a major letdown and failure of Google to adhere to their credo "don't be evil". They have essentially cut off an entire community of their strongest advocates.
As an IT Manager and career IT professional, it is disheartening for me to feel taken advantage of in this manner. From this point forward 10/31/13, I will strongly reconsider making choices that involve Google.
UPDATE: There is Change.org petition for this issue - http://www.change.org/petitions/google-update-the-galaxy-nexus-with-android-4-4-kitkat
Thursday, April 25, 2013
This is kind of a big deal
Microsoft Office is a cash cow. It is amazing how much people fear alternatives to a program that is mature, almost mundane, and so familiar. The idea of abandoning MS Office for OpenOffice, LibreOffice, Google Docs or any another solution is virtually unthinkable to the masses.
I understand that there are many that have tried and tested methods of doing things, particularly with data and Excel. Yes, re-engineering some data exchanges and analysis would be a troublesome task. So, I agree that alternatives are not applicable to all.
Yet, for many, dropping MS Office is a possibility... and one that I think everyone should consider.
Today I read about the new Google Chrome extension that allows Office docs to be viewed in a browser. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57581475-93/new-chrome-extension-can-open-office-docs/?part=rss&subj=news&tag=title
What does this mean? Well, what it signifies to me is that Google has a commitment to Office alternatives, i.e. Microsoft will eventually lose Office market share in a big way. I also take it to mean that Google Docs/Drive has MS Office in its cross-hairs.
In the future, the ubiquitous "Office" software will no longer be an installed application and $200 license fee paid to M$. Cloud "Office" will dominate. Yes, Microsoft's reduced price Home & Student Office allowing multiple installs was a welcome gesture. But, Microsoft should be even more proactive and lower their price in order to keep their business customers happy. Though, I doubt that will happen.
The downside for Microsoft when people jump ship is that those same people will realize that they don't really need Microsoft at all.
....just as unthinkable as not needing Office.
I understand that there are many that have tried and tested methods of doing things, particularly with data and Excel. Yes, re-engineering some data exchanges and analysis would be a troublesome task. So, I agree that alternatives are not applicable to all.
Yet, for many, dropping MS Office is a possibility... and one that I think everyone should consider.
Today I read about the new Google Chrome extension that allows Office docs to be viewed in a browser. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57581475-93/new-chrome-extension-can-open-office-docs/?part=rss&subj=news&tag=title
What does this mean? Well, what it signifies to me is that Google has a commitment to Office alternatives, i.e. Microsoft will eventually lose Office market share in a big way. I also take it to mean that Google Docs/Drive has MS Office in its cross-hairs.
In the future, the ubiquitous "Office" software will no longer be an installed application and $200 license fee paid to M$. Cloud "Office" will dominate. Yes, Microsoft's reduced price Home & Student Office allowing multiple installs was a welcome gesture. But, Microsoft should be even more proactive and lower their price in order to keep their business customers happy. Though, I doubt that will happen.
The downside for Microsoft when people jump ship is that those same people will realize that they don't really need Microsoft at all.
....just as unthinkable as not needing Office.
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