Is The Next Killer App Just Making All This Technology Work Properly?
from the it's-about-time dept
Everyone keeps saying they're looking for the next big "killer app" that will create the next technology boom. Here's an article suggesting that the next "big thing" is simply making all the technology we have work properly. While the article focuses on things like grid computing and blade computing as examples of this, I think it goes much further. There have been so many bad implementations of technology, wouldn't we be better served if people took the time to figure out what they can do to use what they have to improve productivity, rather than rushing off to find the "next big technology" that they will implement incorrectly?
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
No Subject Given
"For too many years, technology buying decisions has been left up to the technicians."
I'm not sure about other companies, but I know for sure that my company has wasted WAY too much money on foolish technology (remember the CueCat?) because of some skilled salesperson who WOWed the people who sign the checks.
Companies buy terrible products from vendors who offer "turnkey solutions" and then hand it to the tech folks who struggle with shoehorns and axle grease to wedge it into their current systems/workflow.
Grid computing and blade servers are not going to solve anything until decision makers start making wiser decisions about their data.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: No Subject Given
I once worked for a .com that made buggy but marginally useable software. They weren't doing great, but ok. Sales were average.
Until we got a slick new CEO and sales team. The sales guys were SPECIFICALLY ordered to STOP talking to IT guys AT ALL .
I quote:
"If the person you're talking to has any tech savvy, stop talking right away and go up the ladder."
"Hook the boss and he'll make their IT install it. Period."
Sales went up like a rocket after that.
Its slimy and its how its done and it sucks.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: No Subject Given
But you can't ignore this - those that are ignorant of the technology make far worse decesions. They base decesions on only understanding their needs (usually) and not the solution being sold to them.
What I love the most here, though, is that everytime I have seen either of these things happen the technician finds out that it is NOT acceptable for him to lack in understanding of the business model, however, it is completely acceptable for a business manager to be ignorant of the technology in the world around them.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: techies making decisions?
The guy who wrote that paper must be bitter that some of his programs don't work and does what any executive tries to do in a bad time, blame the techies for their poor decisions.
I'd rather not start a laundry list of technologies I had to work with that were ill-fated from the start. There was a time where I actually looked forward to a root canal appointment rather than integrating a product I knew was bound to fail and cause many stability issues (CEO's friend owned the company that made that product).
Maybe someone should write an article about how executives make poor decisions based on greed and lack of understanding?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]