The recent burst of bad news from the once all-conquering Dell — disappointing earnings, executive departures, customer service problems, battery recalls, MP3 market withdrawal, SEC inquiries etcetera — brings to mind the huge cyclical swings that have always characterised the global PC business and the historical inability of even the strongest vendors to adjust. Each decade has had its own version of this pattern and its own winners and losers. Is history now repeating itself with Dell?
Recent columns in Computerworld US, plus some excellent reader letters, have explored the long-held stereotypical notion that many IT professionals lack sufficient people skills. Normally, I would think that these exchanges covered the subject sufficiently and that I should write about something else. But this particular topic has such great currency within our client base that I can’t resist the temptation to weigh in.
You don't have to be a weatherman to detect a touch of froth in the air. For the first time in more than five years, the IT industry press is pretty much all positive, with the eyes of the internet world focused on the future. There's even talk about IT being "disruptive" again. Has a new up cycle begun, perhaps even a minibubble? It would seem so.
FRAMINGHAM (11/07/2003) - As a general rule, world-class companies shouldn't tie their images too closely to the appeal of any one celebrity. This year has already shown why deals with sports stars are especially risky. Baseball's Sammy Sosa and basketball's Kobe Bryant were among the most admired athletes in American sports. Then Sosa was caught using an illegal corked bat, and, far more seriously, Bryant was accused of sexual assault. IBM Corp. probably had it right when it chose the timeless image of Charlie Chaplin's tramp to introduce its first PCs.
FRAMINGHAM (10/10/2003) - For more than 50 years, IT customers have complained that their suppliers do a poor job of building standardized, interoperable products. Over the next decade, we will find out if the IT user community can do the job any better.
Blogs are hot news. In February, Google caused a stir by acquiring Pyra Labs, creator of Blogger.com. In the past few months, many businesses have been experimenting with blogs as a way to make their websites and intranets seem more current and friendly.
Here in London, the dominant reaction to the Enron, WorldCom, Adelphia Communications and now Xerox scandals and the subsequent decline in the dollar has been one of almost unrestrained gloating.
IS should think twice before leaping on NC bandwagon