Coté

Then Facebook began to grow and grow. I remember the first time someone was showing me Facebook—it was Tantek of all people—I remember asking “But what is it for?” After all, Flickr was for photos, Delicious was for links, Dopplr was for travel. Facebook was for …everything …and nothing. I just didn’t get it. It seemed crazy that a social network could grow so big just by offering …well, a big social network.

Then Facebook began to grow and grow. I remember the first time someone was showing me Facebook—it was Tantek of all people—I remember asking “But what is it for?” After all, Flickr was for photos, Delicious was for links, Dopplr was for travel. Facebook was for …everything …and nothing. I just didn’t get it. It seemed crazy that a social network could grow so big just by offering …well, a big social network.

The reality is that it is only the `cash cows' that are really important—all the other elements are supporting actors. It is a foolish vendor who diverts funds from a `cash cow' when these are needed to extend the life of that `product'. Although it is necessary to recognize a `dog' when it appears (at least before it bites you) it would be foolish in the extreme to create one in order to balance up the picture.

The reality is that it is only the `cash cows' that are really important—all the other elements are supporting actors. It is a foolish vendor who diverts funds from a `cash cow' when these are needed to extend the life of that `product'. Although it is necessary to recognize a `dog' when it appears (at least before it bites you) it would be foolish in the extreme to create one in order to balance up the picture.

On this week's Critical Path, Horace gives a great overview of why a functional organization is a better way to achieve goals that are dashed by self-cannibalism FUD; that is: why your company should have just one P&L.

On this week's Critical Path, Horace gives a great overview of why a functional organization is a better way to achieve goals that are dashed by self-cannibalism FUD; that is: why your company should have just one P&L.

A while back I posted a quick quote from recent Gartner prognosticating about cloud email. The up-shot was that right now, it’s just about 8% for all types of companies, globally (except India and China for some reason). Someone from SpiceWorks left a comment that arecent survey of theirs indicated something much different, at least across the more SMB focused demographics they asked (out of 539 respondents, 46% were in companies of 10-99 employees, 23% were from companies of 100-249).

A while back I posted a quick quote from recent Gartner prognosticating about cloud email. The up-shot was that right now, it’s just about 8% for all types of companies, globally (except India and China for some reason). Someone from SpiceWorks left a comment that arecent survey of theirs indicated something much different, at least across the more SMB focused demographics they asked (out of 539 respondents, 46% were in companies of 10-99 employees, 23% were from companies of 100-249).

One of the odd things starting at Dell was that they have a cafeteria in each building. I've never worked at a place big enough for that. Anyhow, they do pretty well with omelettes and refried beans. Slop in some pico de gallo and salsa, and you've got a hot sloppy mess only rivaled by Tamale House:

One of the odd things starting at Dell was that they have a cafeteria in each building. I've never worked at a place big enough for that. Anyhow, they do pretty well with omelettes and refried beans. Slop in some pico de gallo and salsa, and you've got a hot sloppy mess only rivaled by Tamale House: