I’m back, I’m tired, and I’m swamped with email. Business will resume shortly.
Me and 22,000,000 people in Beijing
Last year I was invited to speak at a Digital River conference in Shanghai. Not surprisingly, I had no idea that I was going to get trapped by an Icelandic ash cloud. Tomorrow I leave for another DR event in China, this time in Beijing. I have no idea what the banner says, but sincerely hope it has nothing to … Read More
Your product will never be ready
Get it out there. The great software success stories all began their public lives as buggy and quirky. But they were first. If you’re developing something truly exciting, you need to have released it yesterday. Being first doesn’t mean that you’ll forever dominate your market. But when the clones and blatant copies appear, you’ll have a better chance than they … Read More
When will the Facebook bubble burst?
I’m perpetually baffled by Facebook. I use it and I like it, but I don’t see how they’re ever going to make enough money from their advertising to break-even, let alone make a profit. To me it’s simple. I go to Google because I want to find something. The search results and ads that I see in Google are (mostly) relevant … Read More
Pissing off customers is bad for business (Symantec)
Broadly speaking, there are two types of people in the world. Reasonable and angry. Reasonable people show sound judgement, make rational decisions and usually make logical decisions even when unhappy. They make good friends. Angry people, on the other hand, lash out at the world, are prone to rash decisions and can make really bad enemies. Here’s the key point. … Read More
Software Mad Men
A search for speed up my PC on Google (predictably) produces a lot of ads featuring surprisingly happy women. In fact five out of the first ten ads I clicked: Clearly this segment of the industry believe that deliriously happy (usually blonde) women sell software, but why? Could it be that they’re trying to sell to women? Unlikely. An old Squidoo … Read More
Lack of clarity = confusion
After a recent (horrible) virus experience, I’ve taken all reasonable steps to protect my system. I use Google Chrome, and use the excellent NotScripts to protect my web browsing. One of the useful features of NotScripts is that when I get to a website, I have to allow scripts to run, and if I’m not sure about a domain, I … Read More
Innovation can cripple your business
Most (but not all) business sectors are driven by the need to innovate. Yet consumers and business are fickle. We want innovative tech devices, but get annoyed when our media streamer isn’t as reliable as our CD player. We want ground breaking features in our new cars, then get annoyed when the electronic seat memory positions can’t be overridden manually. … Read More
I’m a software developer. What software should I write?
It’s a common question. Software developer leaves school or university and is great at churning out tight, functional, well-written code. Software developer doesn’t want to work for someone else, and likes the idea of running their own software company. But s/he doesn’t know what to write that will sell. They could start by following the wisdom of crowds through Google: … Read More
Technology is no cure for stupidity
This was captured by my wife when she went to book tickets online for an event at the Royal Albert Hall. The team responsible for running the website and booking system clearly know that their server isn’t up to the task. So they’ve found a solution. I don’t know who first invented the numbered ticket queueing system loved by under-staffed … Read More