Oh come on now. He isn't all that bad. Sure, he has his issues. He is slow. He is bloated. He doesn't treat me correctly. He's complex. He's slow. The way he treats me leaves a lot to be desired. Sure, I would rather he talked to me instead of punch me in the face. He is slow. He has a hard time staying employed. But really, he's not THAT bad...
.... but only upon being faced with a demonstrable improvement. Case in point: I have yet to encounter anyone resisting a move away from Vista after sitting through a Windows 7 demo. I expect Vista marketshare to be around 1 percent by the end of 2010.
I know, I know, the prevailing opinion is that SharePoint sucks, but in my experience, companies that grab hold of SharePoint integration with Exchange and MS Office, would rather give up their children than that combo.
Where is the competition for that ENTIRE feature set, for a comparative amount of money?
Its full Lock-In, and I have no idea how Google competes with that.
I'm guessing you have a non-multi-tasking iphone? Blackberry users dont have that problem. We can use the GPS turn by turn, while making and receiving calls at the same time. Also, you should always have your phone plugged in to the car charger while using GPS, as it is a major battery drain.
I also own a Storm, and I killed off VZ navigator in favor of TeleNav, which is very, very good. The fee is $10 per month after a free 30 days, and I found it superior in every way. The nicest thing, is that you can call in your addresses, and TeleNav downloads them to your phone so you never have to type in addresses. Very nice, clear maps too. Check it out.
Microsoft has a very detailed white paper on the subject, and there are numerous reviews of the application on sites all over the web. I think, you will find it interesting.
Direct Access uses IPv6, requires no configuration after initial setup, no DHCP issues to deal with either.
No worries about a VPN router's config or available connections, etc. Check it out.
I stopped caring about airport wi-fi the day I gave up the iphone for the Blackberry Storm. I know a lot of people dont like the Storm, but it tethers like nobodys business.
My next toy will be to setup Microsoft's Direct Access replacement for VPN's and I will never be disconnected from my network. When more people become aware of Direct Access, that is going to put a dent in those who say they cant innovate in Redmond. This is some bad-ass technology.
ISA Server never got the respect it deserved. Even so, I would never use it as an edge device. I prefer fronting it with a Cisco ASA-5500 in SBS networks.
ISA provided unmatched flexibility for what it did, but in the (too often) wrong hands, it was a nightmare to configure. Under any circumstance, IMHO, Sonicwall sucks. Unreliable, prone to reset under load (multiple VPNs) and just cheap garbage.
Bottom line: It just works. Nice new GPO features, Hyper V is fine, but overall, nothing to get terribly excited about other than the fact that there have been few negative issues.
Outside of removing ISA Server from the Small Business suite, I've read very few negative opinions on 2K8. If you dont need 64-Bit goodness, it might not be worth upgrading from a stable 2K3 environment.
We Blackberry Storm users already have turn by turn GPS Navigation, with access to our contacts. We also have stereo bluetooth, something else lacking in the iPhone.
"Be honest; don't you feel that most of your potential clients are egg-sucking rubes, who, instead of questioning your judgment, should be kissing your feet for merely showing up?"
Well, I am no Apple Fan-boy, but I'll say this about the iPhone.
I have never come across a device that allows me to use it how I LIVE, more than the iPhone does. Most every device forces you to adapt to how it works, make changes to how you like to do things in order to get productive use out of the device. The iPhone just seems to fit like a glove to how I like to do things with a smartphone.
I dont have to compromise, I just use it, it works, especially the GPS feature.
Agree totally, especially since my code is already perfect......
Seriously though, it is a very hard thing, something I haven't really learned, even though I am merciless with my team's codebase, and they are following my example.
Dont do the Fridge thing if it cant be free. Soda's are a very cheap investment. Just buy in bulk at Costco and expense it. If your superiors balk at such a small expense, find a new job asap, as they suck.
Twin monitors are fine, if the workstations have the horsepower to drive them.
Again, the developers will be most happy, if you just keep the daily crap of business decisions away from their eyes and ears.
As their manager, they will expect and respect ONE thing above all else.
Bullshit stops at YOUR door. Whether coming down from your management, or headed up from one of your primadonna coders.
Your job is to provide the environment that best lets your people do what they do best. You are insulation, you are the sponge, you are the glue. All superfluous shit must be sandwiched and eaten by you.
Don't try to be technical, admit what you don't know and ask for explanations. Realize that coders consider their code as a mother does her children. If you criticize, you better be right, or you will be hated forever. If the baby is truly ugly, KNIFE it, don't adapt to crap.
NEVER turn down a legitimate request for tools considered necessary for their jobs. NEVER. Find the money, find the stomach to fight your management for the funds, and YOU make the arguments on your people's behalf.
This is how you get coders on your side. (that and free food and drink.)
Nobody has more free resources available to the budding programmer than Microsoft; like it or not.
Anyone can download FREE IDEs, free Source code, videos, documentation up the wazoo.
Also, C# is almost syntactically identical to Java, and it is a good language for the beginner to discover whether or not they have a REAL interest and a knack for coding.
If I were 14 again, wanting to learn how to code, Microsoft would be nirvana with all the free available stuff out there. There really is no contest.
As always, I got karma to burn, so take your best shot....
"It's extremely hard to estimate the level of effor it takes to build software."
It isn't hard at all if you are any good at it. When you know what you are doing, AND take the time to know what the client wants, it is a simple matter to put that effort into a dollar amount.
If you estimate a 40 hour effort, and it turns into 120, that means you suck. If the overage is the fault of the client, and you did not plan for that in your contract and statement of work, then again, you suck.
Your client might not know how much effort it takes to build software, but YOU should.
Every argument you made can be addressed with proper planning, and enough experience to justify your calling yourself an 'expert'.
You are right about one thing; a lot of people DO get burned on fixed fee work. The point is, a LOT of people also suck.
I turn follow up work into "projects". My contracts state 'Version 2.X', or whatever works, but I still make it fixed fee, with a third down. I charge based on the work's value to the client, not on how much time I think is required.
For example, it might take me less than an hour to enable Paypal or credit card billing, but its worth a hell of a lot more than an hour's work to the client. I bill on value, not on time.
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Oh come on now. He isn't all that bad. Sure, he has his issues. He is slow. He is bloated. He doesn't treat me correctly. He's complex. He's slow. The way he treats me leaves a lot to be desired. Sure, I would rather he talked to me instead of punch me in the face. He is slow. He has a hard time staying employed. But really, he's not THAT bad...
.... but only upon being faced with a demonstrable improvement. Case in point: I have yet to encounter anyone resisting a move away from Vista after sitting through a Windows 7 demo. I expect Vista marketshare to be around 1 percent by the end of 2010.
Nope. Notes users are like abused women. They really believe that this time, everything will be okay, if they can only FORGIVE....
Where is the competition for that ENTIRE feature set, for a comparative amount of money?
Its full Lock-In, and I have no idea how Google competes with that.
I'm guessing you have a non-multi-tasking iphone? Blackberry users dont have that problem. We can use the GPS turn by turn, while making and receiving calls at the same time. Also, you should always have your phone plugged in to the car charger while using GPS, as it is a major battery drain.
I also own a Storm, and I killed off VZ navigator in favor of TeleNav, which is very, very good. The fee is $10 per month after a free 30 days, and I found it superior in every way. The nicest thing, is that you can call in your addresses, and TeleNav downloads them to your phone so you never have to type in addresses. Very nice, clear maps too. Check it out.
Microsoft has a very detailed white paper on the subject, and there are numerous reviews of the application on sites all over the web. I think, you will find it interesting.
That is why Apple and Linux providers have been using it for YEARS, right?
This is technology that could have made serious inroads for the traveling business customer.
Managing remote clients has been a nightmare under any circumstances, but DirectAccess will change all that.
Dead obvious extension, my ass.
So, who has already done this? Tell me where you can have this setup over any other OS, TODAY?
Dont be blinded by MS hatred. This is a serious advance over SSL VPNs and you know it. I dont know anyone anywhere leveraging IPv6 in this fashion.
Direct Access uses IPv6, requires no configuration after initial setup, no DHCP issues to deal with either. No worries about a VPN router's config or available connections, etc. Check it out.
My next toy will be to setup Microsoft's Direct Access replacement for VPN's and I will never be disconnected from my network. When more people become aware of Direct Access, that is going to put a dent in those who say they cant innovate in Redmond. This is some bad-ass technology.
23 year old's don't command starships in ANY reality. Reboot, my ass. Die StarTrek, die......
SOLVED!
ISA provided unmatched flexibility for what it did, but in the (too often) wrong hands, it was a nightmare to configure. Under any circumstance, IMHO, Sonicwall sucks. Unreliable, prone to reset under load (multiple VPNs) and just cheap garbage.
Outside of removing ISA Server from the Small Business suite, I've read very few negative opinions on 2K8. If you dont need 64-Bit goodness, it might not be worth upgrading from a stable 2K3 environment.
We Blackberry Storm users already have turn by turn GPS Navigation, with access to our contacts. We also have stereo bluetooth, something else lacking in the iPhone.
Uh,..good luck with that....
"Please elaborate."
I have never come across a device that allows me to use it how I LIVE, more than the iPhone does. Most every device forces you to adapt to how it works, make changes to how you like to do things in order to get productive use out of the device. The iPhone just seems to fit like a glove to how I like to do things with a smartphone.
I dont have to compromise, I just use it, it works, especially the GPS feature.
Seriously though, it is a very hard thing, something I haven't really learned, even though I am merciless with my team's codebase, and they are following my example.
Twin monitors are fine, if the workstations have the horsepower to drive them.
Again, the developers will be most happy, if you just keep the daily crap of business decisions away from their eyes and ears.
Bullshit stops at YOUR door. Whether coming down from your management, or headed up from one of your primadonna coders.
Your job is to provide the environment that best lets your people do what they do best. You are insulation, you are the sponge, you are the glue. All superfluous shit must be sandwiched and eaten by you.
Don't try to be technical, admit what you don't know and ask for explanations. Realize that coders consider their code as a mother does her children. If you criticize, you better be right, or you will be hated forever. If the baby is truly ugly, KNIFE it, don't adapt to crap.
NEVER turn down a legitimate request for tools considered necessary for their jobs. NEVER. Find the money, find the stomach to fight your management for the funds, and YOU make the arguments on your people's behalf.
This is how you get coders on your side. (that and free food and drink.)
You have to be the cog in the wheel.
11-14 years old = NO CASH.
Nobody has more free resources available to the budding programmer than Microsoft; like it or not.
Anyone can download FREE IDEs, free Source code, videos, documentation up the wazoo.
Also, C# is almost syntactically identical to Java, and it is a good language for the beginner to discover whether or not they have a REAL interest and a knack for coding.
If I were 14 again, wanting to learn how to code, Microsoft would be nirvana with all the free available stuff out there. There really is no contest.
As always, I got karma to burn, so take your best shot....
It isn't hard at all if you are any good at it. When you know what you are doing, AND take the time to know what the client wants, it is a simple matter to put that effort into a dollar amount.
If you estimate a 40 hour effort, and it turns into 120, that means you suck. If the overage is the fault of the client, and you did not plan for that in your contract and statement of work, then again, you suck.
Your client might not know how much effort it takes to build software, but YOU should.
Every argument you made can be addressed with proper planning, and enough experience to justify your calling yourself an 'expert'.
You are right about one thing; a lot of people DO get burned on fixed fee work. The point is, a LOT of people also suck.
For example, it might take me less than an hour to enable Paypal or credit card billing, but its worth a hell of a lot more than an hour's work to the client. I bill on value, not on time.