Author: admin

Wikipedia Ridiculous Apples to Oranges Comparison to Publishers on Systemic Bias

Wikipedia pats itself on the back for being better on addressing systematic bias than book publisher Taschen in a ridiculous comparison. Continue reading Wikipedia Ridiculous Apples to Oranges Comparison to Publishers on Systemic Bias

SaaS & Cloud Technologies Are Where Software Subscriptions Should Be

OneRender Cloud Based 3D ServiceI’ve been a critic of subscription based technologies based on customer value. However for some, subscriptions are just right. Case in point with OneRender. Continue reading SaaS & Cloud Technologies Are Where Software Subscriptions Should Be

Its Complicated,But it Can Be Effective: Brainstorming Still Works

This is a response I wrote to the Medium article Brainstorming Does Not Work: Why people who brainstorm are wasting their time, about the value of brainstorming an alternative group creative processes. Continue reading Its Complicated,But it Can Be Effective: Brainstorming Still Works

Bloatware Argument for Customer Selection

Over the last few years, there have been a number of product upgrades that actually subtract features, especially from Apple. You see this the most in products that are offered for free; its hard to argue against radical change when you aren’t actually paying for it. Continue reading Bloatware Argument for Customer Selection

Features Subscriptioned into Services Are Bad For You

Software publishers have been struggling with a problem for many years now.  We all know about it, and hate to talk about it. It is when the previous or current version of your product becomes the worst competitor for the next version you want to release. What you have right now (or even in a previous version) fulfills all the basic needs of your customers; your customers are so satisfied that they feel little compunction to upgrade.  Combine this with a growing domination in your market space, and suddenly you find yourself with far more upgrade customers than new customers, and a lot of those upgrade customers may want to skip an upgrade or two. Continue reading Features Subscriptioned into Services Are Bad For You

How Subscription Based Software is Bad for Customers

Software companies are working hard to convince you that a pure subscription model is good for you.  Sometimes it actually is. But mostly its not, because its implemented in ways that is bad for customers and their businesses. Nowhere is this more apparent than the direction of Adobe Creative Cloud.

Lets start with the painful lesson one user of Creative Suite 6 learned that caused him to invalidate his license and get locked into the subscription model. Continue reading How Subscription Based Software is Bad for Customers

Unheard Voices in Ukraine

As many world powers weigh in mostly against the actions Russia (with a mostly silent and non-committal China trying to remain out of the conflict), inevitably the conflict gets reframed to make it easier to understand.  I think that is a disservice to the people of Ukraine.

I have long relations with ethnic Ukrainians and resident Russians in Ukraine (those who also carry a Russian passport), and first and foremost – among all of them – there is an agreement that a Ukraine that is independent of both undue European and Russian influences is the best thing for all Ukrainians.  That may be a dream that died with the fires of the EuroMaidan fueled coup. Continue reading Unheard Voices in Ukraine

Will Crimeans Vote to Become Russian on March 16?

A public referendum is coming in Crimea with a simple question: do we continue with Ukraine or with Russia? Of course the EuroMaidan backed Ukraine government rejects the legality of such a vote. Before rushing to accept that this is the appropriate right of determination weighed by a majority of a popular vote – consider if your country would or should allow its states, provinces and districts to, on a popular vote, secede?

If its not okay in your country, why is it okay in Ukraine?

Only those who support breaking away from Ukraine benefit from this vote. It does nothing to change the status quo if it fails, and provides justification of the will of the people if it succeeds. The perhaps subtle and missed message for many in the West is that this  isn’t just a vote by those who have strong ties to Russia, but its also a vote by those who feel the EuroMaidan supported coup in Ukraine is illegal.  You can be certain that only those who vote will be those who have strong feelings either way.