April 2003 Archives

When talking to business people, if you suggest they consider alternatives to Microsoft Office, they invariably have the same response. That they must remain with MSOffice because they need to interchange documents with customers and access their existing documents.

But does this really make sense? Read on for some analysis...

This article was inspired by this article on The Register.

In thinking about this problem, I am reminded of the medieval times (and earlier), when the priesthood were probably the best educated in the land. The High Priests kept all the books, were amonst the few that knew how to read and write, and had the ear of the monarchy. As the guardians of knowledge, they wielded considerable power. Their power arose from this monopoly, and it was not in their best interests to share this knowledge for it would dilute their power. Thus, princes and paupers alike were beholden to the priesthood to advise them and act as intermediaries between them and the knowledge they sought.

Fast forward to the 20th century, where modern businesses run on computers, and most would cease to function without them. Our reliance on technology for everyday life is incredibly far reaching; just think about the last time you had a blackout. Did you feel like you couldn't do anything? Couldn't cook, work, watch TV...

If we look at some of the most pervasive aspects of technology, we see that they owe their success to a common attribute. Nothing would happen without electricity for a start. And our appliances can only work because they are all designed to have the same physical plug and the same voltage and frequency (eg. 240V at 50Hz). I can buy a light bulb from anywhere because they all use the same socket. I can buy a radio from any manufacturer because the FM radio signal will work with any of them. I can choose my favourite TV because the tuners can all pick up the same signal. I can shop around for the best deal on a CD player, because no matter which CD I buy they will all work in whatever player I choose. The internet owes its phenomenal success to the fact that any device that talks TCP/IP can connect and participate. So what do all these marvellous things have in common?

Standards. Standards for the size and shape of the electrical plug, the power regulation, the FM radio signal, the TV signal (PAL, SECAM, NTSC), the Redbook CD Audio format, TCP/IP and its related protocols... With standards, consumers benefit from phenomenal choice, while manufacturers compete on value-add and extra features. This encourages innovation and competition, and creates thriving markets. So standards are good for everyone! :)

By contrast, monopoly markets tend to stagnate and leave little incentive for innovation. By strangling competition on the altar of extreme capitalistic success, everyone suffers but the vanquisher.

Now, back to business. Ask any CEO what would happen if a smart bomb went off near their data centre and wiped out all of their computers and all their data, including backups. It would be absolutely devastating. Most companies rely on computers for their day to day business, and the bulk of their business value is tied up in the data stored in these computers.

Before this sounds like an advertisement for doing backups (which reminds me...) let us now ask ourselves. How is our data stored? For a company that uses Microsoft Office products, all their data is locked up in proprietary formats. Formats that only Microsoft can unlock for them. Formats that change from one version of the software to the next, to keep things incompatible. Microsoft are the high priests of the business world. Big business is beholden to Microsoft to access their own data, the lifeblood of the company. Its as if a little Microsoft munchkin sits in the back room of every corporation, madly transcribing invoices, reports and memos, into MS-speak that only they can understand.

And once the company stops paying the MS tax, known by some as an annual licensing fee, the MS munchkin gets recalled to Redmond central. And your data is stranded.

But its even worse; everyone knows what pain is involved in upgrading from one Office version to the next. Loading a file that was written in Word 97 in Word 2000 is always a crap-shoot, and typically some formatting is lost or screwed up. When was the last time you went back into your archive of old files created a few years ago and tried opening some documents? What happens when you are running Word 2003 and the tax office asks for that memo you wrote 6 years ago. Will you still be able to read it? Do you still have a PC running Windows 98 and Office 97 around to access it?

If the largest most successful software company in the world can't get backward compatability right, what hope do us mere mortals have? Or do they really have a good incentive to do so? Provided the migration path is "good enough" they can keep driving users forward, and collecting more taxes in the form of upgrade charges (where they make most of their profits).

So does it really make sense for a business to pay a 3rd party to store valuable corporate data in a proprietary format that only they can read? That breaks after a few versions? Where there is no guarantee that it will be accessible in the future? Where the only specification of the file format is the proprietary source for the app that created it (that we will never see)?

Or does it make sense to store corporate data in an open format? Where you can buy software from multiple vendors who compete on features and service and value-add? Where you aren't locked in to a single choice in perpetuity, and forced to pay annual taxes to continue to have access to your own data? Where you can engage a developer to write custom software to process your data in ways that the ISVs had not envisaged? With an open, published specification, we have an even playing field. Your data will still be accessible in the future, regardless of whether or not the software maker is still in business, let alone still selling the version of the software that created the data.

If you chose to switch to OpenOffice instead of MSOffice, you can store your corporate data in XML, using a schema that is published by the OASIS standards group. And you can still exchange documents with your customers, because OpenOffice can read and write MSOffice documents. So while remaining compatible, you can still take advantage of the openness that is afforded by using a standard file format. And of course, you have a few other bonuses too. OpenOffice is free and open source, so you can get all the benefits too. And you get the choice of platform, as it runs on Linux, Windows, Mac OS X, and the *BSD platforms. Choice is a wonderful thing - but don't wait until its gone to realise how valuable it is.

How long is your corporate memory?

I just read an interesting column by Jon Udell (of InfoWorld) entitled
Open source and global development, that talks about how Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS) are eclipsing traditional development strategies.

This blog explores the role of Open Source and Free Software in the corporate environment.

The "Core versus Context" argument is a potent one, and it really makes you think about what is important to your work. Whether it is on the level of an individual working on a small project, or at the enterprise level on large-scale development, decisions are all too frequently made without considering the "core".

Imagine a small software company, called VideoSoft, building an integrated business management system for video stores. It handles rentals, accounts, sales, and ordering. The "core" of the project can be defined as "that which directly addresses the problem domain", ie. keeping track of videos, managing cash registers, and so on. The "context" is anything that is required to implement the system, but does not actually provide domain-specific functionality.

The system will need to store its data, produce reports, run queries, and so on. But VideoSoft is not in the business of writing database software, so they will simply use a 3rd party solution (such as the excellent MySQL and PostgreSQL, both of which are free and open source). By leveraging this 3rd party software, they can focus on the core of the problem domain. Database software is context. Similarly, it does not make sense for VideoSoft to write their own GUI toolkit. They can simply use an existing toolkit, such as GTK or wxWindows, both of which are cross-platform and free/open. So it is clear that by leveraging all these wonderful libraries and toolkits, VideoSoft can make an even better product by focusing on the core, and leaving the context to be provided by 3rd party solutions. And if they need new features, improvements, bug fixes, and so on, they have access to the source code if they need it.

The Apache web server, the most popular web server on the planet, is a shining success story of Open Source software. The full history of the Apache project is very interesting, however its genesis, like so many other FLOSS projects, was to scratch an itch.

It began with some users of the original NCSA httpd server, patching it and improving it. These users were developers and admins from a variety of different companies. Few (if any) of the companies were in the "web server" business, so it was not a "core" concern. Having a solid web server was context for their business, as it provided a platform for serving business content to customers. They could have easily purchased one of the many commercial web servers, however this would have put them at the mercy of the provider's strategic decisions. Apart from paying for the licensing, they would also be paying for support, marketing, corporate luncheons, and covering all the expenses of the provider. They would likely have little say on features, be forced to wait for bug fixes, and most likely be kept in the dark about security problems. (Sound familiar to anyone?)

No one of these companies could afford to build a web server alone. But by individuals from many different companies contributing time and effort, a locus of energy far greater than the sum of its parts, was brought to bear on the problem of building the best web server. And so people came together and built a product, because they needed it. The companies involved (with no reason to compete in this area) stand to benefit enormously, and the fact that everyone else gets to benefit from sharing the code and the product can only generate good karma for those involved.

Since companies compete at their core, they have every good reason to collaborate on their context. So getting involved in an Open/Free software project actually makes good business sense. The company amortises the cost of their involvement, has strategic influence over product features, has access to the source for bug and security fixes, can add their own features as required, can engage 3rd party support as required, and so on. Developers can be involved in the community of users and developers, who have every reason to help each other - instead of calling a 1-800 support hotline, only to be asked for your credit card details. And as Udell's article mentions, the transparency of devleopment in the open directly contributes to the high quality and elevated productivity of such projects.

So next time you are working on a big software project, think about the core, and choose Free/Open software for your context. There is a wealth of software out there, and by leveraging it, you not only help yourself but everyone else in the process. It makes sense!

I would like to throw down a challenge to my gentle readers...

It started when I noticed myself and others using exclamations such as "Oh my God!" and "Geez!", and so on. And I thought about the way we use words, the way our language shapes our thoughts, and what words and expressions we have at our disposal...

So the challenge is...

Can you think of an exclamation that is not "dirty" (such as the usual four-letter words) but that does not have some religious significance or etymological link?

So far I have come up with only two - "blast" and "bother". Not exactly compelling stuff...

When something significant happens, we are shocked, we are scared, surprised, and so on - we need a way of expressing these emotions. But why is it that the vast majority of these words are either about sex or religion? Why do we say "fuck!" when we stub our toe, or "Jesus!" when we drop a glass on the floor. What are we tapping into when we make these utterances? And why would an atheist go around using expressions that appeal to a supreme creator?

There has been much written on the topic of language and thought; I wonder what the implications are for swearing. I would like to have a word or phrase at my disposal that doesn't sound like I am appealing to some deity for intervention. I am now resigned to making some up and hoping they spread like memes.

So - I would like to ask anyone reading this: think about what exclamations you use, and post a comment below. Can you think of any that don't fall into the above categories of the usual four-letter words or religious words and euphemisms? For example, "gee", "geez", "geepers", etc are 'soft' forms of 'Jesus'. "Golly", "gosh" from "God". "Cripes", "crikey", etc from "Christ". And so on...

So what's left?!

Lygon Street is the heart of Carlton, just north of the Melbourne CBD. It is full of wonderful cafes and restaurants, and is always busy. But this morning it was blocked off, and we had the whole road to ourselves. Melbourne's Little Italy had been taken over by 15,000 bright orange cyclists...

We grabbed a drink, did a final check, and headed off. I reset my trip meter as we passed under the archway at the starting line. We set off at a moderate pace, and soon caught up with a cluster of other cyclists a little further along. This was to set the pace for the rest of the trip; I was expecting a bit more speed and competition, but it was very much a 'family' ride, and the pace was - by necessity - fairly easy.

Police were stationed at several key intersections, directing traffic. Not 10 minutes into the ride, we had our first 'adverse' encounter. A guy in a beefed up car drove along and pushed his way into the flow of bicycles. He was becoming very impatient, and seemed to be very put out by all these infernal cyclists taking over HIS road. When there was finally a gap for him to turn into, he put his foot down and squealed off around the corner. We were all most impressed by his macho display of prowess and gave him a little golf clap as the smoke from the tires cleared.

We rode on, turned west and headed through a nice area of Moonee Ponds; another cafe quarter, where dozens of riders had stopped to take a sip. We had only just begun, so weren't about to stop for a brew, and pushed on.

Before we knew it, we arrived at the way-point at Flemington Racecourse. We entered through the gates, and came into the betting area, which had been turned into a rest-stop. We hit the toilets, filled up the water bottles, checked tires and then headed off again.

Coming out of the racecourse, an enormous sign pointed left for those following the 25km course, which sloped around gently along the fence, and right to the 45km course, that immediately went up a steep incline. We headed up right, and crossed a bridge, to come up yet another even steeper hill. Fortunately it was one of the few along the way. A few zig-zags, and before I knew it we saw the Westgate Bridge arcing aross the road ahead. We could make out a trail of orange along its length, with a cluster in the middle as people stopped to admire the views.

By this time, Kian's head was lolling about in his seat, having drifted off to sleep not long after we left the racecourse. The views of the docklands to our left were interesting, as I had never seen it from this angle (or area) before. we passed huge cargo ships, and smaller yachts alike, as we headed down toward our lunchtime destination.

We pulled into Williamstown just before noon, and the trail wound its way through a street lined with bakeries and cafes. Many people stopped to eat, but it was busy and I was hoping to catch up with my sister who lived nearby, so we pushed on to the rest point. A park had been taken over, and there was a truck trailer with portable toilets on, which we put to the test.

In a crowd of around 15,000 (I have yet to hear the final count) people dressed in identical orange t-shirts, what are the odds that you would run into someone you know? Well standing there waiting for Michael to drop off his boy to Jo (who came in the car to pick him up) and I run into Hakim, who works with my Dad. He had an amazing set of gear; a Batman-style utility belt, with all sorts of attachments, tools, and things. He was waiting for some other friends, so we pushed on, starting to feel rather hungry.

The ride took us along a path that followed the beach for a while, then headed back through town. Once we realised we were headed back toward the bridge, we cut back toward the cafe area to grab some lunch. We tried a few bakeries but by this time, they had sold out of most things. We went up the road and chose another cafe, and who should we find sitting outside but Hakim again. What are the odds of seeing the same person twice?!

We grabbed some delicious salad sandwiches and sat outside in the shade. The weather had been near perfect; clear blue sky, warm sun (but not too hot), with a gentle breeze. I had barely worked up a sweat, since our speed was limited most of the time by the rest of the crowd.

I didn't manage to hook up with my sister, so we headed off after lunch back toward the bridge. The police had blocked off a lane for us, and were directing us around the corner and onto the onramp. The Westgate bridge is an icon in Melbourne, and it is part of the freeway that goes from just south of the CBD, down toward the south and eventually Geelong. Since it is a freeway, it is normally impossible to ride or walk up, so having two lanes blocked off for us cyclists to ride across was a special highlight of the trip. The hill started at the bottom of the on-ramp and it was a steady climb for hundreds of metres. I chose a low gear (1-3) and kept an even pace all the way up, passing most people along the way. I stopped at the top to admire the view and have a quick drink of water. The panoramic view was amazing; you could see from the south, across the docklands, the new developments, the big stadium near Flinders St, the whole CBD with the gleaming office towers, across south Melbourne to the bay at St Kilda, where the pier stretches from the crescent-shaped beach out into the bay. It would have been worth brining a camera just for this, but I decided the bulk and weight would have been too much of a hassle.

Once the others caught up, I set off down the other side, hoping to set a new speed record. However, the headwind was so strong, I only managed to get up to 53km/h, pedalling like mad. I followed the first exit around, and the road wound around and back under the bridge, and through to South Melbourne itself. It was here that we finally stopped for a coffee at a trendy little cafe, for a much needed caffeine fix. We gulped down some water too, went to the loo, and then jumped in the saddle again.

The trail continued on back into the city, where we headed up past the new Exhibition Centre, past the Casino and World Trade Centre, and around the top of Spencer Street Station. We did a circuit around the end of the new Docklands project, where some pretty ugly buildings were half-built. The road took us around and back to Collins Street, where we had to go single-file.

I was surprised that Collins St (a busy street in the CDB, with trams and 1.5 lanes of traffic) wasn't blocked off, a lane cordoned off or anything, not even signs. We had to squeeze in past cars and trucks, in between curbs and tram stops, and very slowly made our way up the hill. We turned left at Russell St and had a few dicey moments. Another guy who thought he had more right to the road than any of us started getting aggravated, and pushed in through the traffic. A young girl, riding with her family, was following straight through and he swerved toward the side, nearly knocking her off. Another squeal of tires and he was off, after hurling some abuse at us. It is such a shame that these people lose their patience and direct their anger at a family fun ride, simply because they have to wait a few more minutes on a Sunday, to get where they are going.

Anyway, we followed Russell St along back to Lygon Street, to the Finish of the ride. (Insert applause track here.)

We filled up with water, and decided to reward ourselves with afternoon tea. We walked up Lygon, found a place to chain up the bikes, and grabbed a table at one of the many busy cafes. Peter and I shared an enormous slice of butterscotch mousse cake, which I washed down with a nice strong caffe latte.

We then decided to go home, so headed toward a station. Michael and I rode with Peter for a while in the right direction, until he went his own way, then we cut through some back streets and arrived at Clifton Hill station.

We had to wait around half an hour for a train, and finally it arrived. By the time I got home, I had done around 62km (including travel before and after the ride). By my calculations, the ride itself was closer to 50km than 45km, but who's counting?

So although we didn't break the world record of 30,000 people, it was certainly a very popular day. Fantastic weather, a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, an interesting ride, lots of coffee stops -- I think I'll be back again next year...

On Sunday the 23rd of March 2003, the Great Melbourne Bike Ride took place in this fair city of ours.

This is the first installment of my report...

I had arranged to meet Michael on the 8:42am train that morning, on the front carriage. The night before, I was excited about the event and didn't sleep terribly soundly. I set the alarm for 7:00am, to make sure I had plenty of time to get ready.

I went to bed at around midnight, having watched a movie. I stayed away from the alcohol and corn chips, not wanting to impair my peak performance...

The alarm sounded and yanked me from my very peaceful slumber. I leapt up and turned off the cacophany, at least to spare my partner, if not my own ears. I jumped into the shower and let the hot water revive me.

The day before I had invested in some proper riding shorts - knicks - with the padding and all. And boy, I was glad I did by the end of the day! So I got dressed and made some breakfast. It was 8:15am by this stage. Since I was up alone, I took my bowl of cereal into the office to read some news on the 'net before I left. Time passed, and just as I finished eating the phone rang. I spoke for a few minutes, and then went to grab my things.

As I was picking up my bag, I glanced at my watch - then did a double-take. It was 8:40am! I had less than 2 minutes to get to the station! I grabbed my things (tools, puncture kit, etc) and jumped on my bike, then raced down the hill toward the station.

My legs were pumping like crazy, and I was doing nearly 50km/h down the hill. I slowed for the turn in toward the station, just in time to see the train coming along in front of me. I put on an extra spurt of speed, raced down the side-street and up the ramp, just in time to jump through the doors before they beeped and swung shut. The train started to pull away from the station, and as I was regaining my breath, I realised that not only was I on the wrong end of the train (to meet Michael) but that I didn't have a ticket. Oops.

I got off at the next station and ran up the platform, just managing to get onto the same carriage as Michael. He had his 3yo son with him, who was having a great time climbing over the seats and looking out the window at the scenery going by.

The rest of the train ride into town was uneventful. We chatted idly and before we knew it the train was pulling in to Flinders Street station. I got off and explained to the guy at the gate that I had to race for the train and thus didn't get a ticket. He warned me that inspectors wouldn't care about my reason and probably just fine me, but then proceeded to operate the machine to get me a ticket, even digging into his own pocket to find me change.

We rode off up Swanston St toward Carlton, and took a right to head along the side of the Exhibition Gardens, where we were to meet Peter. I took the opportunity to pump up my tires and do a general maintenance check (something I probably should have considered earlier) and generally prepared myself for the trip.

Peter appeared fairly soon after, and we headed off toward the starting line. As we came down the side-street, the scene unfolded before us. There was a veritable sea of people wearing bright orange T-shirts, and Lygon Street had been blocked off to cars. We grabbed a drink, had a quick look at the map, and set off toward the starting line.

Stay tuned for the next installment...