Good, Soon, or Cheap. Which is it?

Reading “What’s more important, re-use, or time to market?” by Quinton Wall brought back a classic lesson in developing business software and a timeless principle.  It doesn’t matter what kind cloud-based application service you’re using, be it Salesforce.com or Quickbooks Online or Google Apps.  And it also doesn’t matter whether you’re located in Hawaii or Chicago or anyplace in between.

When a business manager asks for a custom web-based cloud application to be developed, they have to make a choice: do they want the app to be Good, Soon, or Cheap?  Here’s the catch: they can only pick two out of the three. So if you want the app to be Good and Soon, it won’t be cheap. And if you want it Good and Cheap, don’t expect it soon. You get the idea.  This simple question forces the manager to make a clear resource-based decision.

90% of the time, the right combination (in software development) is Cheap and Soon, meaning it won’t be Good.  But that’s OK because it just needs to be Good Enough.

Why Cheap, Soon, and not Good? Because I can guarantee that regardless of how well-researched the custom cloud-based software is, the first version will be wrong and require revisions.  So even if you picked Good and Soon, knowing that it would not be cheap, the fact is that you would still have to revise the software anyway.

Why will the software have to be revised anyway? Because until users actually interact with software, they really don’t know what they want.  Only after they play with it will they have a better idea of what they want it to do.

So the key, then, is to develop it Soon.  (Guy Kawasaki says “Don’t worry, be Crappy”). And it might as well be Cheap, because you’re going to have to revise it anyway. Probably several times.

And it’s this basic, timeless principle that kicks back to Quiton’s article which basically says to develop the software now (Soon) and don’t worry about building in additional functionality (Good).

Make it Soon. And Make it Cheap.  Then be prepared to revise it often.

Fun to see Google’s serious as…

Fun to see Google’s serious assault! @dleuck Google+’s UX design is fantastic. Its the UI I always wanted from Facebook.

Google Launches Facebook Foe: FB is sloppy, scary and insensitive

The Clash of the Titans: Google is finally going after the social network space with “Google+”. It’s about time. Facebook has been quickly emerging as a serious threat to Google with its eventual takeover of the web. As an avid Google ecosystem subscriber myself, I will be looking into this with great interest. You should too.

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Why Google Apps instead of Microsoft Online

I’ll state my bias up front: I was a 110% Microsoft guy until about 2 years go and since then I’m about 90% Google and 10% Microsoft (not counting the O/S). Microsoft is the world’s PC software company. The problem is that we live in a post-PC world. Today I use my Android phone more than I use my desktop. And when I’m using my desktop, I’m usually in a Google-based application. I only use Microsoft for the rare moments when I need extensive Word or Excel functions and even then I still use Google to store my documents.

So it came as no surprise that Google took the offensive on Microsoft’s upcoming Office 365 cloud-base app platform. Microsoft’s problem is that they only want you using Microsoft-based products to run their software. Google doesn’t care what you’re using so long as you’re using their software. Huge difference.

Very few companies are able to make the leap from one paradigm to the next. Microsoft did manage to stay in the game when the Internet came of age in the mid-90s but I think that was due to Bill Gates’ sheer will. Notice that Bill decided to retire. I would too.

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Android 2.3 Gingerbread update for EVO 4G finally fixed. Netflix works!

If you’re like me, the original 2.3 Gingerbread update for the EVO 4G was OK except that it was a disaster for Netflix lovers (like me). Today I found out that there’s a patch for the update which is getting rolled out. You can try forcing the update like I did. I’m happy to report that Netflix works like a charm. The update took a while to update and at one point it seems like my Sprint EVO 4G was stuck with a giant 4G on the screen. But just be patient and let it work itself out. I also had to turn my wifi off and back on again after the update but not sure if that was just me. I didn’t realize how much of a killer app Netflix was for me until it stopped working.

HTC Evo Maintenance Release – 4.24.651.1 Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)

 

Enhancements/Fixes:

– SMS are intermittently sent to wrong and seemingly random contact

– “Me” instead of “Yo” in SMS thread conversations when set to Spanish

– Unable to stream media thru some applications after updating to 3.70

– Email attachments are not displayed in the mail client

– Multiple Gmail accounts no longer sync after FroYo update

– Fix for battery discharge issue

– Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)

– Downloads management- The Downloads application gives the user easy access

   to any file downloaded from the browser, email,or another application

– Corrects voicemail notification issue (from 4.22.651.2)

– Corrects issue with hearing aid compatibility menu disappearing (from 4.22.651.2)

– Netflix compatibility (from 4.22.651.2)

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Important Notes:

– The new software version is: 4.24.651.1

This update should be applied to devices on 4.22.651.2 (Android 2.3 update) and 3.70.651.1 (Froyo)

  Devices on 4.22.651.2 will receive the following message when this update is available  “A system upgrade for 2.3 (Gingerbread)

  is available that provides minor software enhancements.  Please download and install the following update. System Upgrade 4.24.651.1 (25 MB)”

– Refer to the HTC EVO Maintenance Release blog for install instructions.  When manually trying to initiate the update, you may receive a message

  that no update is available.  Please be patient and check back later, or you may wait until the update is automatically sent to your device.

 

Update (6/22)

– Voice to text (voice search) and compass problems have been reported and are being investigated by Sprint and HTC.  Additional information will

  be posted when available.

– Voice to text alternative per community member darnatl:

At  a Sprint repair store, the tech  suggested I try Vlingo Virtual   Assistant app.  I did and although more  cumbersome to use, it does  work  with or without background noise.  It  works in situations where  Voice  Search use to work but no longer does.

 



Very keen observation. I woul…

Very keen observation. I would call them “lifeless” but same thing. RT @DerickOkihara: @peterkay @beegkahuna her eyes… they are dead…

From an alum: congrats! RT @pa…

From an alum: congrats! RT @pacificbiznews Give shout out to 2011 Forty Under 40 finalists! #pbn40 http://bit.ly/ixs3dl

Google releases Chromebooks for sale

The initial reviews have high marks for the hardwware, but the “software” is a little lacking in that unless 100% of what you do is on the web, you might find these Chromebooks slightly deficient at first. That being said, if you’re “all in” to the Google universe this might be for you. I’m one of those people. But I’m going to hold off primarily because I’ve come to realize that I need a tablet instead of a Chromebook. We’ll see if others feel the same way.

Google’s next Phone, aka “The Beast” looks hot!

I’m still super happy with my Sprint EVO 4G phone but when my contract runs out next year June I will definitely be looking at this phone, especially if it’s sporting 4G LTE network access. It’s said to have dual-core cpu, 1080p video capture & playback, and a 720p HD screen.