danf

IT Needs to Innovate or Consumerize

IT seems to see their purpose as being the imposition of "process" on the hapless "users".

"process" means the responsibility for providing services are transferred to "teams" - usually located thousands of miles away and with careful structuring of communications channels so that the people with problems can never, ever call the "service" providers directly.

The strategic function of IT is to constrain expense by frustrating, sidetracking and preventing "users" from using IT services beyond what IT "teams" are prepared to provide.

This explains the attractiveness of SaaS, ASP and cloud solutions as what all the "users" hear is the possibility that they can bypass, ignore, avoid, escape the IT stranglehold.

One is reminded that the German Army in the early days of WW2 crushed their enemies with fewer armored vehicles or inferior technical qualities because they reorganized their fighting forces around the new technology whereas france and england simply added armor to traditional infantry formations.

Sadly IT has taken the same route as france and england. Of course it's probably not the fault of IT, but rather their management by checkbox masters and their own "loyalty" to their profession rather than to the businesses they have joined.

Full Disclosures - the above is all based on personal experience

Microsoft Gets Its Edge Back

MSFT is like the government. An unfortunate burden our society has to endure that nonetheless drains us of our vitality. I make my living with a computer - not as an employee - so my computer purchase is a choice for me. Given the choice to buy a PC for $1000 or a Mac for $2000. I would - and do - buy a mac. One machines gives me Unix, Windows and Mac software. No concerns about virus, excellent access to open source.

MSFT stock is dead money. The stock repurchase is all about transferring cash to Bill Gates. Most MSFT employees are retired in place. The manipulators have remained, the doers have left for other places where they can do