On Tuesday, 11/11/2014 at 01:44 EST, Alan Ackerman
alan.ackerma...@gmail.com wrote:
Would you be willing to tell us those annoying idosyncrasies?
No. What annoys me may not annoy others, and in no case do the behaviors
diminish the value sufficiently to make me get rid of the product. Like a
good TV program from my childhood, Good always triumphs over Evil.
Our shop is very unlikely to move away from Velocity, but newer
customers, such
as the Original Poster, might find it useful.
Since I spend most of my time in the System Management part of the world,
there are a lot of add-ons. I recommend that my clients be savvy
shoppers, just as if they were in the market for a large-ticket item at
home. To that end, always keep in mind:
1. A person's first love is often their best love. It's not common sense,
but it's just the way humans work. If you learn one of the programs
first, you will generally like it best since it's a huge improvement over
stone knives and bearskins. But once learned, The Other Guy's warts look
worse in the shadow of your current selection. Bottom line, when getting
comparisons from friends and family, make sure that they've actually spent
quality time with both. (I hate that car because Dad hates it just
doesn't cut it.)
2. The vendor will tell you what's great about their product, and they
will says things repeatedly in the hope that if you hear it often enough
you will believe it to be True. They will even provide reference
accounts. See #1. By the way, TALKING LOUDLY doesn't make a claim truer.
3. Beware of unsubstantiated claims, including references to unbiased
opinion. That phrase is an oxymoron. Words like most and everyone
should raise a red flag.
4. Have actual requirements (gasp!). Compare all claims against *your*
requirements, not those of the vendor. If you don't care whether the car
is blue or not, ignore any color references from the manufacturer. Discuss
your requirements back at home before you go shopping so that your list is
complete and works for the whole family. Get the big picture.
5. A product stands on its own merits. If a salesperson tries to make
their case by telling what the other guy does wrong, they aren't saying
anything about their own product.
6. Products change. Don't let ancient history or innuendo color your
decision-making process. Claims from the vendor should be based on
reasonably current data. (JD Powers Associates #1 Pick 3 Years on a
Row! shouldn't have a footnote that says 1988-1990.)
7. You don't get what you pay for or deserve. You get what you negotiate.
Is there a trial period? Is setup included? Will they cart away your
old mattress? For free? Does it come in puce? Are go-faster stripes
available? But Caveat emptor.
8. Good products have a long list of unfulfilled requirements. Bad
products have none because no one cares. People who like the product the
best will have the most requirements as they are the ones who use it the
most. So if someone complains about a product, dig deeper.
9. To Mr. Ackerman's point, give yourself a break and don't be afraid to
change your mind. Try it, you'll like it! Maybe not so much, eh? Just
set Management's expectations properly ahead of time.
Feel free to also use the above for buying insurance, a car, or a set of
steak knives.
Alan Altmark
Senior Managing z/VM and Linux Consultant
Lab Services System z Delivery Practice
IBM Systems Technology Group
ibm.com/systems/services/labservices
office: 607.429.3323
mobile; 607.321.7556
alan_altm...@us.ibm.com
IBM Endicott
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