Today I was at Comp USA (b/c I have to get a report saying one of my PC's is dead...that is another story) and there was a sale on external Hard Drives, I picked up a 250GB (USB 2.0) drive for $100....one Hundred dollars...that seems silly cheap for the 250GB. The actual price was $175, a Managers Discount of $35, and $35 mail-in rebate, so after the rebate, the price of the drive $100...well i guess a little more;)
This was a very fortuitous find, as I was trying to figuring out how I was going to consolidate all my old PC data, into a single place, prior to their retirements (which is coming at some point in the future...)
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Monday, April 24, 2006
Wrong Metaphor for Technology (Draft 1)
[apologies, this is more a aggregation of random thoughts, than a proof-read, edited, essay ]
I was thinking the other day that when justifying the cost-benefit of outsourcing IT, a popular metaphor relates the software development process to manufacturing. Treating technologist as interchangeable resources producing widgets. If this were true, it makes economic sense to find the cheapest producers of widgets. Which is a significant amount activity observed in the industry today.
I understand economies of scale, and that using generic products will can achieve "good-enough" quality for the business purpose / requirements. However, there are many industries that employ larger numbers of in-house IT staff to develop custom, to semi-custom solutions. This is the segment I have in mind, while writing this blog. I'm not intending to make a blanket statement, as I'm sure there are several things I have not considered.
Firstly, I feel that software should be a lever used to multiply the power of the business vision/process. Most businesses should strive for the most effective lever, not the cheapest produced one. Some software are widgets, which are basically a cost of doing business (e.g. operating systems in the Financial Services Industry). The business will have to fund them, similar to funding electricity. But is is not the electricity that makes money, it is how it is used.
[N.B. there are several studies out there on this topic, to shorten this post, I'll just spout my opinion]
As a developer, I view the creation of some software as a craft. The true value in (some) software comes from a quality solution to the problem. Yes, it may be more expensive for the development phase, but over the life of the product, it will provide a much more powerful lever to amplify your business, in effect making your business more effective. Which should be the point of software.
Anyway, I was thinking this weekend that a better metaphor, is that of medicine. Medicine is largely technical, largely scientific, and largely artistic. This is how I view software, part technology (advances in Hardware and VM's), part scientific, and part artistic. This artistic aspect of software is the attribute that I think undervalued in the industry.
With medicine most people would strive for the best care possible depending on the issue. If you have a scrape, most people would treat that at home. If you have a gash that requires stitches, most people go to the nearest hospital for stitches, and let any ER doctor action the injury. Yet if you require serious surgery, most people will search for references of the best possible surgeons available. You would not send a manual of how to heart surgery, to people trained as a EMT or Nurse, and say, "they've been trained medically, and this spec is clearly specifies our requirement. We should find the cheapest surgeons possible."
People innately, understand that being a superior surgeon, requires mastery of Anatomy, extensive training and experience, yet there is also artistry in doing an exceptional job.
Yet, in IT, most business, do not take the time identify the different types of problems. All problems appear to require IT attention, there is no difference between a scrapped knee and open heart surgery. Thus, most business only look for the cheapest healthcare possible.
I'm not saying all software should be developed by the "elite surgical teams", but I think the industry would be better served by spending more effort at separating types of problems. Getting elite craftsmen to action the core, transplants of the business they server.
I was thinking the other day that when justifying the cost-benefit of outsourcing IT, a popular metaphor relates the software development process to manufacturing. Treating technologist as interchangeable resources producing widgets. If this were true, it makes economic sense to find the cheapest producers of widgets. Which is a significant amount activity observed in the industry today.
I understand economies of scale, and that using generic products will can achieve "good-enough" quality for the business purpose / requirements. However, there are many industries that employ larger numbers of in-house IT staff to develop custom, to semi-custom solutions. This is the segment I have in mind, while writing this blog. I'm not intending to make a blanket statement, as I'm sure there are several things I have not considered.
Firstly, I feel that software should be a lever used to multiply the power of the business vision/process. Most businesses should strive for the most effective lever, not the cheapest produced one. Some software are widgets, which are basically a cost of doing business (e.g. operating systems in the Financial Services Industry). The business will have to fund them, similar to funding electricity. But is is not the electricity that makes money, it is how it is used.
[N.B. there are several studies out there on this topic, to shorten this post, I'll just spout my opinion]
As a developer, I view the creation of some software as a craft. The true value in (some) software comes from a quality solution to the problem. Yes, it may be more expensive for the development phase, but over the life of the product, it will provide a much more powerful lever to amplify your business, in effect making your business more effective. Which should be the point of software.
Anyway, I was thinking this weekend that a better metaphor, is that of medicine. Medicine is largely technical, largely scientific, and largely artistic. This is how I view software, part technology (advances in Hardware and VM's), part scientific, and part artistic. This artistic aspect of software is the attribute that I think undervalued in the industry.
With medicine most people would strive for the best care possible depending on the issue. If you have a scrape, most people would treat that at home. If you have a gash that requires stitches, most people go to the nearest hospital for stitches, and let any ER doctor action the injury. Yet if you require serious surgery, most people will search for references of the best possible surgeons available. You would not send a manual of how to heart surgery, to people trained as a EMT or Nurse, and say, "they've been trained medically, and this spec is clearly specifies our requirement. We should find the cheapest surgeons possible."
People innately, understand that being a superior surgeon, requires mastery of Anatomy, extensive training and experience, yet there is also artistry in doing an exceptional job.
Yet, in IT, most business, do not take the time identify the different types of problems. All problems appear to require IT attention, there is no difference between a scrapped knee and open heart surgery. Thus, most business only look for the cheapest healthcare possible.
I'm not saying all software should be developed by the "elite surgical teams", but I think the industry would be better served by spending more effort at separating types of problems. Getting elite craftsmen to action the core, transplants of the business they server.
Monday, April 17, 2006
Overheard at brunch
I was at brunch the other day, at the Beach House Cafe in Old Greenwich, and I overheard the following conversation....
Boy: " This is a pretty Classic New England looking Beach house. You could totally imagine this decor being on Cape Cod, or any beach in New England really."
Girl: "yes. Its very cute."
Boy: " I guess that makes sense that it looks like a New England beach house. We're in New England."
Girl: "We're not in New England. We're in Connecticut."
Boy: [with a puzzled look] " What do you think 'New England' is ?"
Girl: " A state."
Boy: ....[astonished with bewilderment]
Boy: " This is a pretty Classic New England looking Beach house. You could totally imagine this decor being on Cape Cod, or any beach in New England really."
Girl: "yes. Its very cute."
Boy: " I guess that makes sense that it looks like a New England beach house. We're in New England."
Girl: "We're not in New England. We're in Connecticut."
Boy: [with a puzzled look] " What do you think 'New England' is ?"
Girl: " A state."
Boy: ....[astonished with bewilderment]
Sunday, April 16, 2006
No Day but Today
Watched the Movie version of Rent today. Totally made me want to see the Play again. Rent is definitely one of my favorite musicals. There are many good messages throughout the play. The few that are really moving me today are [these are extractions from song lyrics.]
"There is no future, there is no past. [...] Forget Regret, or life is yours to miss. No other road, no other way. No day but Today."
"There is no future, there is no past. [...] Forget Regret, or life is yours to miss. No other road, no other way. No day but Today."
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Don't like NOT being clipped in
I bought a new bike recently to get me from home to the train station. On my "nice" bike, the one I normally go mountain biking with, I have SPD (clip-in pedals), It has taken awhile to get used to them. I still have some deep seeded fears, as I have the tension set very low, so that it is easy to disengage and release from the pedals.
On my new commuter bike, also a mountain bike, I just have normal pedals. There is one staircase that I ride down to throw a little spice on the cruise to the train station. Anyways, going down the staircase on normal pedals, feels totally unstable and is quite nerve racking. I don't like it all. I was a little surprised, how dramatically I prefer to be clipped in.
On my new commuter bike, also a mountain bike, I just have normal pedals. There is one staircase that I ride down to throw a little spice on the cruise to the train station. Anyways, going down the staircase on normal pedals, feels totally unstable and is quite nerve racking. I don't like it all. I was a little surprised, how dramatically I prefer to be clipped in.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
New Hobby about to start
My Final Cut Studio arrived...my hobby as a Film Editor is about to start!!!!
As soon as I buy an external hard drive and give myself enough room to install it on my laptop.
As soon as I buy an external hard drive and give myself enough room to install it on my laptop.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Excuses to Spend Money
I think bicycles are like guitars, they tend to multiply...soon you have one bike, and soon you have more...
My commuter parking lot is being torn apart. As of 1-April, I will need to find a new place to park (or another method of getting to the train station). I figured this would be a great opportunity to buy another bike and try cycling to station.
I also bought a decent bike, so that I can possible convert it to a single speed to fool around with.
My commuter parking lot is being torn apart. As of 1-April, I will need to find a new place to park (or another method of getting to the train station). I figured this would be a great opportunity to buy another bike and try cycling to station.
I also bought a decent bike, so that I can possible convert it to a single speed to fool around with.
Today's Lunch, 31-March-2006
El Tajin, Texas Burrito. We actually went for a SIT DOWN LUCNH!!!!! Quite Shocking, actually.
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