Comments on: Tuesday Three: 3 ways to improve your business

By: inkodeR

inkodeR — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 23:37:08 +0000

In regards to no.3 – get two of them.

This is standard at our workplace and has a massive effective on productivity.

Going home to my single monitor at the end of the day feels disabling.

By: Lance Wiggs

Lance Wiggs — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:46:40 +0000

Lovely – well put.

By: stuartm

stuartm — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:18:49 +0000

OK, last comment from me on this matter… If it were me, I would offer the following 3 tips: (similar to what Ronan commented above.)

1. Go through all your software receipts and see if you can reduce them by looking at cheaper or free alternatives. But don’t just look at purchase price, take into account the available support options and other related costs.
2. Be accommodating to the type of computers people want to use. An experienced systems administrator should be able to get all the Windows, Mac, and Linux computers working together on the same network.
3. Provide your staff with the right computer equipment for their job. Larger monitors, comfortable keyboards & mice, and ergonomic desks and chairs will all make staff want to work on their computers.

By: Ronan

Ronan — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:39:34 +0000

Well I’m delighted I got in first to give the hornet’s nest a good poke! :)

I think everyone has valid points (I’m in a hippy mood), so maybe the real solution is to keep an open mind about these things, don’t remain locked in to what you have just because you have it right now.

And offer your users choice where you can, assuming running both Macs and PC’s doesn’t drive the poor techie to distraction.

On the more general point about open source that Lance raised: I would still caution people to not equate free with cost free. You need to think seriously about your support options when you go open source, and of course whether or not that particular open source project will still be going in 2-3 years…

Wow, between Opensource V Microsoft, Macs V PC’s, large monitors V multiple, this thread could go on forever!

By: stuartm

stuartm — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:27:28 +0000

“Meanwhile my spreadsheeting is increasingly on Google Docs as I find that sharing is more important than advanced functionality and speed.” As much as I love Google Docs (I use it daily) it’s by no means a replacement for Excel. You’ll realise this as soon as you start using basic functionality like charts or simple functions such as subtotals.

To put all my comments in context, I provide independent advice to lots of small businesses on their IT requirements, and although I may be a fan of one vendor’s products or services over another, I try to stay as pragmatic as possible. Your post just smacks of the romantic notion that Macs are better than PCs and that you’ll be more productive by using them.

By: stuartm

stuartm — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:47:25 +0000

And about your third point about upgrading coders’ displays to 30″, are you sure that this would increase productivity? I haven’t worked with a 30″ display before but I’m not sure I would want to either. I’d rather have two (or three) smaller monitors rather than one large one. I’d be interested in hearing from developers about this one, but reading the following post seems to indicate that a 30″ monitor may actually decrease productivity: http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000928.html

By: Lance Wiggs

Lance Wiggs — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:45:56 +0000

Of course Macs are proprietary, and I also suffer from PC keystroke learning syndrome – I’m much faster on excel on the PC than the mac.

However the latest version of office has made those keystrokes useless (they are meant to work, but are too slow) and you simply end up creating more beautiful output using things like Keynote.

Meanwhile my spreadsheeting is increasingly on Google Docs as I find that sharing is more important than advanced functionality and speed. Let people choose

By: stuartm

stuartm — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:40:01 +0000

“Why use SQL-server if MySQL will suffice?” Generally speaking, businesses use MS SQL because they are purchasing an application which requires it as the back-end. Sure, if you’re custom building an application for your business then looking at going with MySQL makes sense.

“…but people like using macs” Not everyone likes using Macs, my wife was given a new iMac (which I was jealous of) for a new job and she hated it because all of her keyboard shortcuts had changed and it was taking her twice as long to do her work than before. So it’s definitely not a given that people are more productive on a Mac.

“…but do avoid being locked into a proprietary operating system.” Are you implying that Macs use a non-proprietary operating system?

By: Ben

Ben — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:21:55 +0000

I made a reply to this post at the following internet universal resource locater address:

http://bennolan.com/?p=221

By: Lance Wiggs

Lance Wiggs — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:14:08 +0000

Well – I would agree with Ronan – that reducing MSFT products to Zero is perhaps a bit much, but I still defend the notion that pen source software is going to be cheaper in purchase and maintenance costs versus Microsoft. Why use SQL-server if MySQL will suffice?

As I mention – let the internal folks figure it out.

The Apple mac thing is aimed at productivity – sad to say Sturartm and Ronan, but people like using macs – so why not let people have fun at work?

And sure Stuartm – if you derive more fun from PCs – then let people stay that way, but do avoid being locked into a proprietary operating system.