Discussion on:

Choose the best tools for each task or the same tool for everything?

One of the problems with "swiss army knife" solutions is complexity. IT admins already have too many things occupying too much mental space, so simplicity should always be the goal. Remembering each of the multiple facets, switches, etc of a complex all-in-one tool can be exhausting if not frustrating.

Arguing on the behalf of simplicity, I prefer a "right tool for the job" methodology that keeps mental and physical organization the highest priority. There are fringe benefits too: single-purpose tools are often more effective.

thoughts?

...master of none applies to software as well. All-in-one systems are very rarely the best, the only time I can think that they are suitable is when used by less experienced staff who need everything in one place or with a common interface. Dameware is a good example of this. They can be expensive too.
But a good engineer/tech will know the proper way to manage each system, and that is generally either via its command line or specialist tools.
If anyone can recommend a free all-in-one which manages everything better than the myriad of tools I currently have to use then let me know.

These 2 rule are non exclusive. A generic good-enough tool can be the best tool if "best" means to have just one tool.

More generic IT staff can do most daily things with a good enough tool, while the experts use the specialist tools to dig into the dark matter.

"Best" is subjective and dynamic.

This article is very vague and filled with generalizations. Each situation is unique. Do not approach every problem thinking that you know the solution before a proper asessment.

...which can be summed up as "There is more than one way to skin a cat". Right, but, umm, we already know that...?

Do you think talking about "skinning cats" is funny? In law enforcement, I've sick pieces of **** do that to innocent animals. How about if I apply the same analogy to your kids?

So will you show me how to do it.

About the best way to get rid of the kids easily if you ask me.

Col

Ease up there Skooboy. It's a common American phrase. Sure it's dated and lost it's association from the meaning of the words. If you skin and cook a cat, you'd be Chinese. If you skin and cook your children you'd be a Cannibal and a murderer. I'm not saying that it's right. I'm all for animal rights but here in America many people do not respect animals that are not their own pets. My friend calls his own dog "The emergency food supply". It's a joke, and it's funny.

The law of meetings says: the number of people in a meeting is inversely proportional to the amount of work that gets done.

I propose a new "Law of Blogs" which this blog definitely proves: The more replies to a blog post, the more likely it will devolve into stupid commentary, flame wars, and trolling.