[LINK] "I don ' t understand computers" is not an excuse!

[Stilgherrian]

On 29/1/08 9:48 AM, "Roger Clarke" <Roger.Clarke at xamax.com.au> wrote:

> At 8:47 +1100 29/1/08, Stilgherrian wrote:
>> I don't understand computers" is not an excuse
>> If you own or manage a business that handles information (and which business
>> doesn't?) then you must understand computers and the Internet. If you don't,
>> you're incompetent. Yes, that's right, you heard me. Incompetent.
> 
> I know you want to keep it simple and to-the-point, but "here in the
> 21st Century" there's a problem with the word 'computer'.
> 
> Sure, 'we' know what one is, and to some extent so does 'the public';
> but the idea manifests itself very differently in different
> businesses.
> 
> Desktops, portables, handhelds, phones, smartcards, RFID tags, and
> that's without getting into the embedded ones in photocopiers, fuel
> injection, etc.

Excellent point, Roger. Many (most?) small business people wouldn't realise
that a phone is a computer now, and that for many applications it might be
better to use Twitter or SMS or a custom web application on a small screen
than lugging around a laptop.

The article is intended to be one instalment in an engagement process with
small business clients. Most small business don't really thinks about IT
until something breaks, and in my experience most are only just capable of
using email -- let alone being across the newer "Web 2.0" developments.

However it IS important to start the dialog on the right note.

One continual frustration is clients asking whether Tool X is "good" when
they haven't first explained what it is that they want to achieve.

A website commenter has added:

    Know the difference between shrinkwrap and custom-built
    software.  Sometimes a task can be automated with an Excel
    spreadsheet or a copy of Quicken.  Other times you need to
    hire programmers or buy software from someone who writes it
    for you.  You need to be able to make a judgement as to when
    that's necessary, and have a good idea of how long you'd
    expect a software development project to take and how much
    you'll need to pay.
    
    It may be costly to get someone in to write the software to
    handle sales and ordering for your little shop selling
    hand-knitted Etruscan snoods, but if you try doing it in Excel
    you'll quickly fall in a heap forcing your entire business to
    fit into rows and columns, but buying a generic inventory
    program off the shelf won't help you deal with the tricky bits
    involved with the different grades of Carthaginian yak wool
    and their effect on knitting time.

His example is a tad obscure, but he has a point.

Stil


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