CMS Vendors Face Old Age, Maybe Need HGH?
July 20, 2010
Content management systems and CMS consultants are an interesting mix. On the lower digit end of the CMS spectrum are the lightweight content management systems. Four years ago, the capabilities of even the vaunted Google’s Blogger.com, which seems frozen in time to me, were like Lance Armstrong’s 2010 Tour de France.
On the end of the spectrum where the big numbers are round, the industrial strength records management systems were found. The addled goose honks about IBM, but when properly configured, IBM’s FileNet can perform some nifty CMS tricks.
So the CMS spectrum ran from the citizen journalism functions to the mad scientist mode. The consultants followed suit. I don’t recall getting spam from IBM about FileNet. Sure, IBM – like any $100 billion outfit – has its weak moments, but shoving FileNet at the addled goose has never happened. Probably won’t even happen opine I.
The reason is that when you move to the double digit end of the CMS spectrum you enter a world where a document error can shut down a nuclear power plant after a US government inspection or a really friendly CEO gets to spend time with prisoners in the “yard.” The vast majority of CMS consultants trample around in the lightweight end of the CMS market.
The problem is that the lightweight systems are now looking more sophisticated, and some venture firms and corporations are taking a hard look at these former wimps.
Don’t believe me. Navigate to “Squarespace Gets $38M to Compete With WordPress and Six Apart”. The write up calls attention to three outfits with CMS that can do interesting things and seem to be growing as my son did when he was in the third grade. Every day he needed a new pair of sneakers with the French chicken on them. Le Coq Sportif for those who are not into suburban Maryland fashions. I noted this passage in the write up:
The size of the investment that Squarespace has managed to attract from Accel and Index indicates that these investors see the potential to take the company’s software and services beyond simple blogging and into the broader world of content-management systems. Although some media companies have been experimenting with open-source software such as Drupal and Joomla for web publishing, both of these are fairly complex to manage, and a hosted solution could appeal to publishers such as the Telegraph Group, which is already using a number of cloud-based services.
Squarespace is quite interesting. The company makes it dead simple to create a blog, a photo gallery, even a complete Web site. The user can drag and drop. Sure, SquareSpace allows coders to fiddle, but the company seems to draw the line with some potentially interesting live database action from its pages. Aside from that prudent step, SquareSpace is a CMS for the person or company frustrated with a traditional CMS.
Is the SquareSpace system right for managing nuclear power plant records? Probably, but I wouldn’t use the system for that purpose. Nor would I rely on SquareSpace for information likely to be probed for effective safeguards against spoliation. For other work, SquareSpace looks mighty tasty as it is.
What will happen with $38 million? Traditional content management vendors may want to pay some attention to the fun loving folks at this outfit. Also, the CMS consultants may find themselves having to work much harder to get those high-paying, wild and crazy CMS product reviews. SquareSpace makes it dead simple to play with the system any time, for free, for a couple of weeks.
Times are a’changin’ in CMS and CMS consulting I conclude.
Stephen E Arnold, July 20, 2010
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Former AOL Top Dog Marks the Territory
July 20, 2010
One week from now it will be a year since AOL changed their CEO giving the new one 100 days to turn things around and restore the tech industry leader to its rightful place at the top. One of the really interesting developments was the fact that during the last 12 months almost every executive left and was replaced with someone who had once worked for Google.
The resulting article in BusinessInsider.com, The Inside Story: An Anonymous Ex-AOL Exec Tells All, does just that. The company was demoralized and its employees down and out before a Google influence injected a new life to the beleaguered firm. It’s an interesting read and one that begs the question if the Googlization of America is something that will work or rather just one of those things we might have to get used to.
Rob Starr, July 20, 2010
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Tech Bug Bites Aging Readers Digest
July 20, 2010
It’s been happening since that 1990s when newspapers attempted to go viral so it’s no surprise that one of the most popular magazines we all grew up with is adopting an App.
Readers Digest UK is launching an iPad app in concert with YUDU media that will even add video to the digital version of the print magazine everyone remembers.
From the magazine’s standpoint, they are understandably excited. Gill Hudson is the Editor in Chief and she says that the iPad App will help the magazine’s desire to transform and develop. The marketing director for YUDU media is equally excited in the article entitled Reader’s Digest UK Accelerates Digital Transformation with YUDU iPad App.
No wonder. As the population ages, imagine all the crosswords that will be done electronically in Senior’s Centers all across the land? Might be a demographics rift with iPad users here.
Rob Starr, July 20, 2010
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Wikipedia Looks Ahead To Web 3.0
July 15, 2010
As far as Wikipedia’s Foundation is concerned, one of the cornerstones for moving the global resource to the next level and Web 3.0 will be making that data on the site’s 15 million articles decipherable to computers as well as the humans pushing their buttons.
Last month’s 2010 Semantic Technology conference in San Francisco saw developers showcasing how the needed semantic structure might be added to Wikipedia. It’s a big idea for a big database. Still there is a question as to the real value of the move.
The people attending the conference from Wikipedia were also actively recruiting help to make the base of the website more accessible to both computers and software.
One of the questions is how to determine the benefits when the service is implemented.
Rob Starr, July 15, 2010
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Publishing Help is on the Way?
July 11, 2010
Publishing remains one of the toughest industries to be a part of, but one aspect of this work just got a lot easier thanks to OpenPublish. This Calais-powered publishing suite comes as a direct result of the pairing of Thompson Reuters with Phase2 Technology. The result is a Drupal compatible program aimed to help medium-sized and small publishers reduce costs and get more bang from offline content.
OpenPublish provides support on a variety of content, ranging from articles, to blogs and even content monetization tools. In addition, it helps build an online presence by including functionality for email forwarding, social bookmarking, RSS feed capabilities and allowing for readers to leave comments.
This is an exciting development for any publisher because as the rising costs of production and competition from other media, this industry needs help catching up. With many commercial content management systems crashing on the rocks, this solution may be worth a close look. The open source magnetism may be a plus too.
Pat Roland, July 11, 2010
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Open Source: Frisky Like Ben Franklin in France?
July 10, 2010
Several newspapers tossed aside their proprietary software for a day in order to produce an entire edition strictly from open source material. And we have Ben Franklin to thank for it. Saratoga Springs, NY’s daily paper, the Saratogian, recently detailed its foray into open source world in an article, “Ben Franklin Day at the Saratogian”. The results were a newspaper that offered the same high-quality look and layout of previous editions, but made completely from open source word processing, pagination and photo editing tools. Part publicity stunt, part open source boot camp, this event was part of the Ben Franklin Project that aims to help newspapers get more of an online presence.
This is an intriguing story that tosses more credibility toward open source programs and hammers in another coffin nail for expensive, difficult proprietary software.
Pat Roland, July 10, 2010
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Who Will Publishers Blame Next?
July 6, 2010
Google has been the target for some media companies for years. Most of the hostility has been ignited because Google indexes content. Users want to find information. Anyone who uses a computer wants to shorten the distance between A (what is needed) and B (where the information is). Simple and a constant problem for Google’s engineers to understand.
Now publishers have to face some painful facts.
First, Yahoo – after years of inattention – has figured out that clicks yield valuable information. According to the New York Times, Yahoo will use these data to deliver “news.” (Note that this link will go dead because the New York Times is trying to cope with online. Helpful, right?) Gee, I do that in this lousy blog. I look at usage reports from Blossom, AWStats, and other analytics sources. I write about what gets clicks. If the addled goose, aged 65, figured this out years ago, what took Yahoo so long? Interesting how those young wizards overlook the message of the purloined letter?
Second, the US Postal Service is going to raise its rates. (Same deal. The link will be dead in a nonce.) The USPS has been the print publishers’ pal for decades. My grandfather, after World War I let him out of the trenches, delivered mail. He complained long and loud about the crap he delivered at bargain basement rates. In Harrods Creek, the postmistress and I talk about the volume of junk that flows through the system. One conference promoter sends me dozens of fliers at bulk rate prices. Last year, I gathered up these fliers and mailed them to the company president. Guess what? No change. It is cheaper to pump baloney through the USPS than clean the mailing list. How long will this outfit be in business?
Hopefully the media titans will direct their ire at Yahoo and the US government. Why not blame others instead of oneself? Isn’t that the modern MBA way?
Stephen E Arnold, July 6, 2010
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Azure Chip Whiz Reveals Possible CRM Goof but Is It Okay Now?
July 6, 2010
I urge you to read this ZDNet article in full. Before I make any observations, point your browser at “Gartner Customer 360 – Their First Social”. Study the write up. If you agree with it, don’t read my comments. If you think it sounds like azure on azure, read my comments and observations. Keep in mind that I am offering my views and opinion. I don’t know much, but I know what I find tough to swallow. You may have a different preference. As a former Ziffer, I was shocked at this write up and its content.
The idea is this write up is that a big consulting firm, Gartner, did not understand customer relationship management and now has figured it out. Here’s the passage I found quite remarkable from a person who gets paid by the azure chip outfit to be an “expert”:
My conclusions in most of my prior posts on this particular conference over the years, were that Gartner didn’t get it, or later on almost got it, but not quite. Last year, they regressed and held a conference that was universally (and a bit shockingly) panned for its attendance and content. But they’ve shown a truly admirable resiliency and a real humility when it came to rethinking what they had to do to make this conference a true success. And that they did. This was spectacular.
As I said, off the rails in the past and now the azure chip outfit gets it. So the person paid by the azure chip outfit knew the client was confused if not wrong and kept taking the money. Even more remarkable, the hired gun is now trying hard to convince me that the railroad train is back on the tracks and pulling a load. Wow.
Second, notice this passage:
Gartner to their credit is showing an incredible flexibility and humility when it comes to Social CRM. First, they are now behind the market where a year ago, that wasn’t exactly the case. They are predicting a $1 billion spend on what they define as that market (more on that in a bit) in 2011, which would put it at about 8% of the total CRM software market if they are seeing it as a subset of that. I’m unaware of whether or not they are or aren’t but will find that out and let you know via a tweet soon enough. Additionally they see SCRM as a defining framework for the market. They also see it (YESSS!) as evolutionary, not revolutionary. Meaning it’s not replacing CRM but its extending social capabilities into CRM. BTW, they are not having any difficulties using the word “social.” I say this because I’m seeing some feedback – as in the kind “Blackberry-next-to-speaker” feedback – noise – about the use of the word “social” because “we’ve always been social.” So what? That doesn’t mean we can’t use the word. Its used as a way of distinguishing changes in CRM that are due to changes in customer behavior and how the customer communicates. In fact, read Mitch Lieberman’s post on managing expectations for a good way to think about it. What makes Gartner’s perspective on SCRM important is that they are market makers when it comes to customers’ thinking about what kind of business strategies to execute and what kind of software to implement. They don’t do much in between, honestly – the programmatic requirements of practitioners are left to consultants as the guidance counselors.
I like the YESSS! Quite emphatic. Kathy Bonomo, my grade school girl friend, wrote in capital letters and used exclamation points too. My view is that after explaining the outfit was not on the beam and praising everyone at the azure chip outfit effusively, the azure chip outfit is in the swing of social, has Web content that makes this point, and influences companies about business strategies.
Okay, so if the azure chip outfit was off the rails and advised clients at the time, perhaps the advice was somewhat flawed? If accurate, wow.
That’s enough. I am delighted that I am old, semi retired and able to avoid sticky wickets that poke their prongs into objectivity, knowledge of a domain, and credibility. This mea culpa write up is a keeper, just not for the reasons one would tuck away an important piece of writing like Kenichi Ohmae’s The Mind of the Strategist. The troublesome thought is that some clients might put the azure chip firm’s work on an equal footing with a blue chip outfit. In tough times, clients deserve the best, not self referential information that underscores how a goof seems to have allowed a CRM train to run off the tracks.
Stephen E Arnold, July 6, 2010
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ArnoldIT July 2010 For-Fee Columns
July 6, 2010
Stephen E Arnold’s July 2010 columns have been filed. These will appear between August and October 2010 due to the lag time in print publication. Information World Review has shifted from paper to an online-only publication, so that column should be available in the month of July. Here’s a run down of what I covered for each of these publishing firms:
Information Today, published by Information Today in Medford, New Jersey. The column is “The Palantir Play: A Blend of Open and Closed.” Palantir received about $90 million in venture funding. The column considers the implications of the firm’s open source and proprietary technology blend. www.infotoday.com
Information World Review, published by Bizmedia Ltd., runs my column in its online journal. This month’s column is “Will Open Source Boost SAP?” My view is that I hope so. SAP has a long hill to climb with its aging locomotives R/3 and NetWeaver. www.iwr.co.uk
KMWorld, published by Information Today in Medford, New Jersey. The column is “Google Communications: Regular, Blended, or Transformational?”. I consider the differences between Google’s approach to enterprise unified communications and what such companies as Cisco, Microsoft, and Verizon offer. www.kmworld.com
Smart Business Network publishes about 20 regional business magazines. My column appears in each region’s publication. This month’s column is “Why a Web Site Is So Yesterday.” The idea is that other types of electronic presence is required. A Web page won’t pull the marketing cart in today’s world. www.sbnonline.com
In addition, the ArnoldIT.com team is generating original content for Access Innovations and IGear. If you want to add original content to your blog, let me know. I can provide you with options and costs for this service. The Beyond Search blog and my columns have created a spontaneous demand for substantive content on technical and business issues. Quite a surprise for this aging goose. One plus is that traffic to a Web site increases with the ArnoldIT.com “triple tap” method. Forget traditional public relations and consider the original content methods. Write seaky2000@yahoo.com for information.
Stephen E Arnold, July 6, 2010
This is a commercial message bought by Stephen E Arnold in order to generate vast sums of money and help companies wanting a marketing method that really works.
The Official Airlines Guide on Steroids
July 3, 2010
No reference to my Google: The Digital Gutenberg in this post. I do want to suggest you read “Google Buys ITA for $700M to Boost Travel Search.” Forget Expedia, Orbitz, Farecast, and the rest of the crowd. Go find an old person who traveled a lot in the 1970s and ask about the Official Airlines Guide Pocket Edition, once the proud captive of maybe an outfit like Bowker. I can’t remember but I recall that a subscription cost a lot of money. Airlines have been clueless about the needs of the professional who travels for a while. The point is that the OAG pocket thing which was too tall and fat for any of my pockets was yesterday’s iPhone travel app. The Google is now in this business. Is Google a publisher? Of course not.
Stephen E Arnold, July 3, 2010
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