Re: OT: OpenOffice not 100% compatible?

Hello Frithiof Andreas,


I believe the main problem is that there are an awful lot of people

out there

with decision-making authority (when it comes to software) who

aren't

particularly familiar with the software they're being asked to

upgrade, so by

default they figure that "newer=better --> let's buy it!" is the

"safest"

option.

"Incentives" is the key word here - there being no incenctives for an
IT manager to keep the IT budget in single-digit percentages of
turnover. Work below a certain percentage of the budget and you
become "ressources" or (even worse) "services".

"Upper management" in most organisations will not deal with small-fry
parts of the organisation while the people with the heavy budget gets
promoted to "strategic areas" and gets to sit on the board so they get
even more opportunity to demonstrate their importance.

The safest option is to buy and to buy lots.


That certainly does not work in mid-size companies. I ran the division of one for several years. During the yearly budget sessions we sat down with the support departments that were common to all three divisions. There was a darn good incentive for the IT folks to keep it single-digit. Thing is, if they would not have shown proper frugality we would have looked at outsourcing their particular support function. That was never an issue with our folks since they were as careful with budgets and corporate funds as we were. Money in a corporation is not owned by employees, departments or divisions. It is owned by the shareholders.

Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com
.