-
Deciding when it's time to quit
There are just some projects that refuse to die. They take on a life of their own. At some point, you just have to cut bait. But how do you decide when it's time to quit and just go on?
-
Do smart phones really provide productivity gains?
There was a time when all you could do with a phone is talk. Now, with the iPhone, the Blackberry Storm and Google's Android phones, the ability to talk seems to be a minor feature. Has feature creep ...
-
Deciding to create a culture of innovation
Innovation isn't one of those things that just happen. You have to make it happen. This video shows how one Internet entrepreneur dropped out of college to start a business built around innovation.
-
If computers are like cars, then who's GM?
We often use cars as analogies for computers when trying to explain things to users. Can a further analogy be drawn? Is the computer industry also like the auto industry? Not exactly, although you cou...
-
Sometimes it helps to be a little crazy
Einstein was famous for saying that the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Einstein never worked in IT of course. And sometimes being a lit...
-
Do we really need one more mobile device?
Here's a video showing Intel CEO Paul Otellini demoing a new mobile Internet based device. After notebooks, netbooks, MIDs, and cell phones, do we really need one more mobile device? What do you think...
-
Be an IT leader, not a lemming
You're supposed to be an IT leader - using your knowledge about technology to help improve the organization. But are you a lemming instead? Forget the stereotype, being a lemming might be worse that y...
-
Does Geek Squad give a good or bad impression of IT consultants?
Quite a few people don't deal with IT people directly in their line of work. Instead, they do so only when they have problems with technology we provide. Others only experience IT through customer sup...
-
Name the key factor driving your voting decision
We're fortunate to live in a country where we get to help decide who are leaders are going to be. It's not always any easy choice, and you don't always get the best candidates to choose from. What are...
-
How can TechRepublic help you decide about products?
A recent study by Jupiter Research and BuzzLogic has suggested that blogs are more influential in product decisions than friends on social networks. What can a site like TechRepublic, which has a mix ...
-
Process 300 million transactions a day without going crazy
And you think you've got a busy day. How'd you like to be the CIO responsible for processing 300 million transactions a day? This CIO Session video comes from ZDNet and discusses what Visa CIO Michael...
-
What influences you in making a final product decision?
When you have a product purchasing decision to make, there are usually dozens of different makes and models to choose from. Trying to sort out the differences isn't always easy to do without taking in...
-
Make better decisions with less information
Is it possible to have too much information to make a decision? The obvious answer is yes, but what's key is how you define what 'too much' information is. By minimizing the amount of information abou...
-
Is price no object to the typical Apple customer?
Apple recently freshened the Mac line, including souped up CPUs and new graphics from nVidia. What didn't change however was the Mac price point. Although there's now a (barely) sub-$1000 Mac, most Ma...
-
If you sit out Vista, what are your alternatives?
Steve Ballmer has finally come out and said that it's ok with him if you sit out Vista and stick with XP until Windows 7 ships. But will you wait? And when 7 ships, will you sit out that as well?
-
Synergy: Buzzword or code word?
In a previous post I asked TR members to list some of the most hated buzzwords they've encountered. The word Synergy came up quite often. However, is the word more of a buzzword or a codeword? I think...
-
Snap decisions may be the best ones
What's the best way to make a decision? Take your time and think through all your options and their consequences and then decide or go with your first reaction? Sometimes snap judgments can be best.
-
One CIO's strategy for battling accountants
If IT has an arch-enemy in an organization, it's usually finance. We have strategies and solutions that can help make the business more efficient, but accountants are often too concerned with the bott...
-
Building Enterprise 2.0 with Web 2.0 technologies
The buzzword Web 2.0 is kicked around quite a bit, but there's actually a little bit of something to it. This video from ZDNet shows how you can use Web 2.0 technologies to enhance information flow in...
-
If you sit out Vista, what are your alternatives?
Steve Ballmer has finally come out and said that it's ok with him if you sit out Vista and stick with XP until Windows 7 ships. But will you wait? And when 7 ships, will you sit out that as well?
-
The eternal IT debate: Build or buy?
The classic conundrum is IT has always been between building the solution yourself or buying it from someone else. Let's look at some of the common build vs. buy scenarios and see how to make the best...
-
From Web 2.0 to DotBomb 2.0?
The dawn of the 21st century saw a lot of Internet companies crash and burn in the first DotBomb era. With the recent economic problems, Rafe Needleman from Webware talks to CNETTV about the possibili...
-
Should users be allowed to supply their own computers?
In an attempt to show the power of virtualization, Citrix has implemented a policy to allow users to purchase any computer they want. Is a BYOC policy a good idea or a bad idea?
-
Why do rational people make irrational decisions?
Otherwise bright people sometimes do the dumbest things. In this video from TR sister site BNET, author Ori Brafman discusses some of the reasons why in stories from his book Sway.
-
How do you decide who gets what machine?
You can only hold on to old machines for so long. Eventually equipment has to be replaced. Doing so requires a strategy. How do you decide who gets what machine in your organization?
-
Are netbooks a growing trend or a passing fad?
Small form-factor laptops have popped up from nearly nowhere. Some people call the netbook the wave of the future. Others dismiss them as toys. Which is it?
-
What has the economic meltdown done to your IT projects?
One of the, if not the primary, factor to take into consideration when rolling out a new IT project is ensuring there's an available budget for it. With the economy in a near meltdown, budgets are dis...
-
Deciding the proper user/IT support ratio
When figuring out staffing in your IT department, one of the hardest thing to do is to figure out exactly how much support staff you need based on the number of users you have. Here's a video from ZD...
-
If computers are like cars, then who's GM?
We often use cars as analogies for computers when trying to explain things to users. Can a further analogy be drawn? Is the computer industry also like the auto industry? Not exactly, although you cou...
-
Deciding to create a culture of innovation
Innovation isn't one of those things that just happen. You have to make it happen. This video shows how one Internet entrepreneur dropped out of college to start a business built around innovation.