Twitter etiquette

Twitter is a social network. And, as in all social situations, etiquette applies. Think of your tweets as your contribution to a brainstorming session being held by your followers. Be courteous, and don't dominate the conversation by constantly injecting your thoughts and opinions with little or no pause. Otherwise, your thoughts and opinions - read tweets - may no longer be desired.

Execution is easy. (Profitable) Ideas are hard.

Conventional wisdom in the software industry states that investors invest in people rather than ideas. For as long as anyone can remember, this approach has been based on the belief that the success of the venture is primarily dependent on the determination and perseverance of the team executing the idea rather than the strength of the idea/vision itself. I, however, have asserted the opposite for years; execution is easy, but it is extremely difficult to come up with the type of idea that all investors desire, one that will result in significant and/or substainable profits.

The tech industry's history is littered with failed products from both startups and industry giants alike; most notable of late are the Google Wave and Microsoft Kin products. Each of these launches was backed by an industry giant and executed by an experienced, rock-star team with access to virtually infinite financial and technical resources. So, it is extremely difficult to understand how anyone could argue these products did not gain traction because of poor execution. I charge, in each case, the execution could not have been any better. The products were simply based on ideas that could not be monetized.

The failures of the dotcom bust - govWorks, Kozmo.com, etc. - can also be attributed to product ideas/visions that were not solid. A simple way to confirm this is to count the number of failed dotcom products that have reappeared during Web 2.0. If the idea hasn't been recycled with a new team and/or implementation, it must have sucked to begin with.

Let's take a look at the other end of the spectrum, Facebook for example. According to the trailer for the movie about the founding of the company, The Social Network, the idea at the heart of the phenomena was, "taking the entire social experience of college (Harvard) and putting it online." The site then apparently received 22,000 hits in its first two hours, expanded to Stanford, Columbia and Yale, moved to Silicon Valley, and had over 1,000,000 users in less than twelve months all without venture capital funding. This product launch was initially backed by no one significant, and executed by inexperienced, undergraduate dropouts with access to minimal resources. Yet, Facebook, the website, has been a huge success, simply because it was based on a solid idea.

In the 80's, Microsoft along with IBM brought a cheaper computer to market. In the 90's, Google built a better search engine. After the millennium, Facebook built a more efficient way for people to interact with their social network. In each case, the product was successfully launched by a relatively inexperienced team in its early 20's, and the product was perceived to be significantly "better" than competitive products or methods in at least one critical category; price, performance or ease of use.

History has shown, time and time again, in general, "Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door." The formula appears to be that the required strength of the management team is inversely proportional to the strength of the idea. For example - and I know this is ridiculous - if I created a "Fountain of Youth" application - can we agree that EVERYONE is seeking the fountain of youth - how strong would the management team truly need to be? Conversely, if I created something that it turned out very few people wanted, the team MUST consist of superstars in order to find a way to make it successful. And, we've already proven a superstar team doesn't guarantee success.

Giving the people what they want (execution), is not rocket science. Neither is figuring out what potential users will find of value (idea), but the latter sure is hard.

What the mobile app explosion has really showed us...the browser's days as the star of the Internet are numbered

Mobile applications, or "apps", are not new. They've been available, in various forms, for mobile phones since the 90's. I remember discussions about the "burgeoning" market for mobile phone software with my technical lead back in 1998. We both were very excited about the potential of this new platform.

In a former life, I was an avid fan of the Palm Treo. I remember installing several productivity applications on various occasions; Pocket Quicken to better track my finances, software that tracked both my workouts and caloric intake, specialized browsers, etc. Some of these apps were quite useful, others weren't. At the time apps were cool, but dealing with them was a pain, so browser based software ruled.

Then in the early 2000's, Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) hit the market promising, "The best of the desktop, meets the best of the web." It was now possible to develop desktop quality software that provided an optimal user experience, but was easily administered like a browser-based application; no installation disks, centrally managed updates, connected to the 'net using Internet protocols, etc. And, over the years, RIAs have made some traction on the desktop, but they've really taken off on mobile platforms...as apps.

According to the Silicon Alley Insider, few cellphone users access the mobile Internet. This is understandable due to the user experience that mobile devices provide as a software platform. Please don't misunderstand me, mobile devices are definitely getting better all-around, but the limited screen real estate makes it difficult to provide information to the user in an optimal fashion. Using a web browser makes it worse.

The same logic applies to software for tablet computers. As evidenced by the iPad, another mobile platform, tablets will access services on the network primarily using apps, not the web browser.

In my opinion, as mobile computing continues to proliferate and make the traditional desktop computer a highly specialized product, see my previous post, the web browser, commercialized by Marc Andreessen and Jim Clark of Netscape fame, will continue to be used for its initial intention, to browse information on the web. Yet, it is experiencing its last hoorah as a requirement to access interactive services on the Internet. There's an app for that.

Goodbye Desktop Computer, It Was Fun While It Lasted

Invented and commercialized by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, founders of Apple Computer Inc., the personal computer, the beloved desktop version, exploded on the scene in 1976. Some of you may be old enough to remember that Time magazine named the desktop computer "Man of the Year" in 1982, establishing it as a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

But, on April 3, 2010 the "inadequate police" raided the desktop computer's celebration, which had lasted 34 years, and told everyone it was time to disperse. That was the day Apple Computer Inc., ironically, launched tablet computing to the forefront of consumer consciousness with the iPad. And, although you may feel that my dismissal of the beloved desktop is premature, my theory is fully rooted in historical precedence...in the telecommunications industry.

As you well know, technology tends to get smaller, faster and cheaper over time. But, the Achilles heel of the desktop computer is not its performance, nor its price, nor its portability. The Achilles heel of the desktop computer is its lack of mobility. 

Remember corded telephones, so near and dear to the Baby Boomer and preceding generations? Today they have largely been replaced in the home by the cordless handheld; a mobile device that provides the required functionality at the user's chosen location within the home, with an acceptable user-experience, for essentially the same price. Wow...sound familiar.

Now, an obscenely large, or dual display configuration will always be desired. Therefore, I envision tablets will eventually have docking capabilities, as laptops do, to satisfy these requirements. But, netbooks were developed because laptops fell short in certain situations, and tablets were developed because neither laptops, nor netbooks hit the mark. They both are simply portable, not mobile. You can move a laptop or netbook from one place to another, but as for using them while  in transit, or while standing, it's not going to happen. And, that my friends is true freedom.

So, Time magazine's 1982 "Man of the Year", get your business in order. We haven't seen the last of you or your close buddies. But...the party is over.

Lebron...Lebron...Lebron Pt. II

"The Decision" is in...it's the Miami Heat. My congratulations go out to Lebron, and as evidenced by my previous post, I think he made the right decision. I now predict that if Lebron, D-Wade, and Chris Bosh stay healthy and Pat Riley remains president of the team, the following will happen:

1. The Heat will be the first team to 4-peat since the Celtics of the 60's
2. Lebron James will be the first player to average a triple-double since Oscar Robinson (due to his reduced need to score)

Either way, they are going to be ballin' in Miami.

Lebron...Lebron...Lebron Pt. I

At this pivotal point in his career, Lebron "King" James is burdened with a decision that very few can comprehend...his legacy. And, though my intentions have always been for this to be a tech blog, as a lifelong basketball fan I felt I would be remiss if I did not comment on the impending decision facing one of the game's all-time greats. But, I'll make it short.

Taking everything into account, I think he should stay in Cleveland. He shouldn't leave his hometown without giving them at least one championship. They've supported and rallied around him his entire life. No matter where he plays, the money and endorsements will be there. And, he could always live in New York to manage his brand. But, that's just sentiment talking.

The reality of the situation is that during what has arguably been the most watched free-agent period the NBA has ever experienced, the Cavaliers haven't made any significant personnel moves that would bring the team, the city and Lebron closer to a championship. And, that's what it's all about....championships.

The opportunity to play with two other all-stars who are also in their prime is rare, and that's putting it mildly. Yet, for King James, that opportunity is at hand. Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh await you in Miami, with championships on the horizon. Can anyone say 4-peat?

What a Former NBA All-Star Taught Me About the Software Industry and Business in General

Sometime in the late 90's, I was watching an interview on NBA Inside Stuff of a young man who, a few years prior, had made the jump from high school to the NBA. That may be common these days with several high schoolers being drafted every year, but at that time it was still a fairly rare occurrence . This individual was the focus of attention because he was exceeding expectations. No one predicted the level of success he had achieved in such a short period of time. That player was Tracey McGrady aka T-Mac.

As a basketball fan, the interview was interesting, however, it was his response to one question in particular that has remained with me all of these years. When queried about what surprised him most during his time in "The League", he said initially upon arriving in training camp, he was under the impression that everyone in the NBA could "do everything", i.e. that each player was adept at all the skills required to play the game. Yet, in reality that was not the case; some players did not dribble well, others did not pass well, others were poor shooters, etc., and his shock was due to the fact that these were the best basketball players in the world.

His observation stayed with me, because I've come to realize that it also holds true regarding the software industry and business in general. Conceptually, if one substitutes a software development/consulting company for a NBA team, IT professionals for basketball players, Silicon Valley for "The League", and industry knowledge and skills, for basketball knowledge and skills, T-Mac's observation remains valid.

Specialization can be seen in both the NBA and the software industry. Phil Jackson, an average player throughout his career, is arguably the best coach, or "idea" guy of his time. His Silicon Valley counterpart would be Steve Jobs, in my opinion, who's probably never written a line of code in his life. Michael Jordan excelled as a player, but has had marginal success in the front office. His computer/software engineering counterpart, i.e. "arguably the G.O.A.T (greatest of all time)", I see as Steve Wozniak since he designed and developed both the hardware and software for Apple's first computer. Yet, I doubt his name would appear on anyone's list of great executives.

All-in-all,  specialization appears to be the way things work best in a team environment.You don't want Shaquille O'Neal playing point guard, or Nate Robinson, the shortest man in the NBA, playing center on your basketball team. Apple probably wouldn't have been as successful with Steve Jobs designing and developing the company's hardware and software, and Mr. Wozniak handling the business side of things. One should always play to his or her strengths. Rest assured, if you excel at at-least one critical skill, and have the desire, you'll make it to the top of your chosen profession. But, one should never rest on their laurels, and one should always seek to improve in other areas.

Finally...The Arrival of the Tablet-PC

The cover of the March issue of Wired magazine proclaims "How the Tablet Will Change the World". Now that is a very bold statement given tablet computers have been on the market since the early 2000's. Yet, pre-orders for the iPad were strong, indicating that tablet-pc's appear to have arrived in the eyes of consumers.

Over the years, have you noticed that screen sizes have been increasing on virtually all devices that visually present information to the user; television screens have been getting bigger, computer screens have been increasing in size and the same can be said about mobile phones. The logic behind this trend is simple: you want the largest screen practical for the situation, because a larger screen facilitates a better user-experience. With respect to computers, tablet-pc's in particular, it means that more information can be presented to the user and in a much friendler format than competing technologies, like a netbook, but in a smaller overall package than say a laptop.

I purchased my first tablet-pc, a Fujitsu Stylistic 3400, in 2003 when I sought "the largest screen practical" for a mobile solution I had envisioned. Several competitors had already entered the market with cell phone and PDA based solutions without much success. A tablet-pc provided a much better solution. And, even though the tablet technology was not fully mature at the time, the solution was solid.

Now, I have yet to use an iPad, and from what I've read it's missing some key features and functionality that may hurt it in the long run, i.e. multi-tasking, flash support and a USB port(s) to name a few. But, in addition to those features, my ultimate tablet would also have:

• a pointing device or trackball or both for navigation, not my fingers (The ability to resize windows with your fingers is nice, but I don't know many people who still resize their windows)
• handwriting recognition (There is software available for this)
• a camera for pictures and video conferencing
• docking station support

Regardless, the excitement surrounding the iPad, with all its shortcomings, finally signals the arrival of the tablet-pc. Look for many competitors to follow with new or enhanced products, for educational institutions to embrace the technology, and for the Netbook market, and possibly other markets, to erode.

Getting Acquainted

Ok…I’ve finally caved in and started a blog. After several years of browsing the thoughts of others, I feel now is the time to speak-up, claim my piece of the intellectual web, and share my thoughts, opinions, experiences, and lessons learned…and to be heard by anyone willing to listen. To start, I feel it best I introduce myself.

For roughly the past seventeen years, I’ve been working in the information technology industry in various capacities; mainframe computer operator, computer programmer, QA engineer, software engineer, independent contractor, and software product entrepreneur. At the risk of dating myself further, I’ve had the dubious experience of programming not only in assembly while obtaining my degree, but also using punch cards as a member of the last team to be granted that “honor” while training for my military specialty at Ft. Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama back in the late ‘80’s. In short, I’ve seen a lot.

What have I seen? Well, I remember when IBM and WANG ran the world. I remember when Tandy computers used cassette tapes…remember those…to store data. I remember using the BASIC programming language in high school to program Apple IIe’s, storing everything on five and a half inch floppy disks and having to print to a dot matrix printer. I remember programming in Fortran 77 as an engineering major my freshman year in college on my school’s mainframe. I remember being mesmerized by Mitch’s Apple Macintosh: Mitch was another freshman student on my floor. It was the first time I had seen a computer with a graphical user interface, and I would spend hours exploring the options on the menu bar, the preferences and the settings – all after I finished pitting Mike Tyson against Rocky Marciano or Muhammad Ali in boxing of course - the whole time thinking to myself, “How do they do this?” I remember when a computer with a 66 megahertz processor was considered fast. I also remember when downloading one picture off the network at 9600 baud took 6 - 10 hours. Man…those were the days.

But, those days are gone, pleasant but fading memories of the information age’s adolescence; a time before Netscape brought the Internet to the masses by commercializing the web browser, before the term “dotcom” had any meaning, before stock options became popular outside of Silicon Valley, and before an old friend of mine coined the phrase “Dotcom Paid” with respect to all of the new wealth being created. It was a time when many of us, me included, got involved simply for the love of the game.

Love is what eventually led me away from engineering to computer science. My senior year, I worked as a maintenance programmer at a small shop that built CAD software for the Macintosh. That Mac development experience, and my love for America Online, opened the door for me to the Dotcom industry, the impact it is having on our society and the unprecedented opportunities that it provides.

In 1993, after switching my major to computer science a few years prior, I had an instructor pay me a tremendous compliment. He told me I had a gift. Now, I don’t know what he saw in my work, but after seventeen years in the industry I realize that I’ve been fortunate in that I have been able to identify several trends and/or technologies in the industry years before they were adopted by the mainstream and dominated their competition. For example:

• In 1993, I became an avid user of America Online, becoming an employee upon obtaining my degree in 1996. By 1997, America Online was the #1 Internet Service Provider (ISP) in the world.

• In 1997, I identified Java as the language of the future, making it the foundation of my skill-set as I transitioned into software engineering. By 2000, Java was the most sought after programming language in the world.

• In 2003, upon hearing about a new class of software being coined Rich Internet Applications (RIAs), I identified Flash as a force to be reckoned with and focused my entrepreneurial ventures in that direction. Flash – love it or hate it - is now the most widely distributed software in the history of the Internet, as well as the clear leader in the RIA space.

And, there have been several other predictions or "gut feelings", both before and after the aforementioned, that I am proud of. However, I am starting this blog to share my opinions and experiences – and to hear yours- regarding various aspects of the IT industry. Hopefully, it will be an interesing exchange.