How Commercial Software, can fight against the Free Softwares?

Before you jumping in to making of a software you looked in to the market and realized there is enough market share. Now you made it, wanted to test them. You made it free as a beta Phase, you now started making commercial version of the same and by retaining the free version with limited features for people to try.

Guess what? A new player comes and provides a me too version of the software for free, only revenue channel being advertisement inside the product.

How do you fight the free version?

Now let us look at same problem solved by the big software companies, I am just taking 2 examples.

1. Microsoft Windows VS Linux
2. Camtasia snagit VS Firefox addons Screen Grab VS WINK (Free)

Microsoft Windows – People continue to make fun of the “Blue screen of Death” in Windows, but funny bone people continue to run their machines with the same Microsoft Windows OS at least the majority of them.

When the threat came from Linux for Windows, I remember every media said that it was death of Windows and even now people say that web will be the new OS, that is still speculative.

What did Microsoft Windows do?
If I am not wrong, they came with lot of advertisements to educate users about the benefits of using Windows. They came with Windows XP SP1, SP2 & SP3 and fixed as much as they could. They executed it well.

I believe the marketing spend on Microsoft XP could have been almost or significantly nil when XP sales was at its peak. Word of mouth still holds good in business. Techies still continue to say XP is stable compared to Vista and there is no major innovation in Vista, that people have upgrade to Vista.

To say, we are still dependent on Microsoft for most of our office productivity. Aren’t we?

The second story is the most significant one. Their product is easy to create and it requires less effort and they still continue to be leaders in their USP. I am taking about TechSmith the makers of Camtasia Snagit.

They did face the similar issue of free software from the open source community.

The popularity of Firefox add ons created a market slow down for Camtasia Snagit and on top of that was the Freeware software called WINK, it did almost the same functionality of Snagit and it was free and forums was available for support.

How did TechSmith Camtasia Snagit fight?
Camtasia Snagit 7.2.5 the earlier commercial version of the software was given free.

Do you want to know why they made it free?
The story goes like this in the Indian shop vendors or Medical Shops, If you ask for a medicine and if it is currently out of stock, they will send one of their members to collect the same medicine from the medical store just opposite their store or even few streets away to procure the same and give it to their customers. It is that the customer gets a feeling that any medicine he needs can be obtained. And that he will come back to the same medical store if he needed one.

TechSmith didn’t want end users to try free software instead allowed users to try the previous commercial version for free.

I use Camtasia Snagit free edition as I experience the reliable, proven and easy to use screen capturing/recording software. BTW, I have already tried the software and its features, and even know each and every interface. It is just that it is easy to use, Comfortable. The only feeling being left out, that I am unable to use the advanced features, which are available in the current commercial version.

For the extra mileage they have contributed few projects called Jing Project and ScreenCast
That takes care of community etc etc

Final Notes: Winning over Free is difficult, but not impossible. If you believe in Free, you can’t win over Free. Undo the learning and fight against Free. If you wish to.

Technorati Tags: software, free, commercial, fight, microsoft, Linux, techsmith, camtasia, Snagit, Jing, Screencast, story, advertisement, revenue, marketshare

June 7th is World Drawing Day – Use ToonDoo

Hi Friends
As you might have seen from the title that tomorrow is world drawing day. If you would like to express your creativity ToonDoo is the right place. There are numerous characters, props available in the Library all you have to do is drag and drop. You don’t even have to draw, just use your creativity to express what you have in your mind.

Have fun.

For more information on World Drawing day check out this website

Technorati Tags: toonDoo, cartoons, drawing, creativity, fun, unproductivity, express, feelings, life, art

Aren’t tools making us dumb

Yeah, It is about WYSIWYG editors or IDE for most application we create.
Yes I accept these tools help Productivity which is the major concern.

I just want to explain how Indian (asians) learning methodology differs from the American way of education and it has go to do with the tools which make us dumb

If we just compare the Indian kid with an American kid, there is lot of difference in the way they learn, few are explained below

Indian Kids
Basics or the fundamentals very strong
Why are we strong in our fundamentals?
The basic reason is that our education system still believes in the clark tables and manual calculation no support of calculator till we reach the pre degree or the Plus 1. Our theory knowledge is good but mostly we lack in the practical knowledge, due to lack of infrastructure
Their strength lies with calculation, programming or just take commands to execute things

American Kids
KISS – “keep it simple stupid” is the main idea. or Don’t make me think
Infrastructure has never been a problem, from calculators to Computers are at their disposal. To the funnier site they could even outsource their home work with the use of internet.
Their strength lies in the designing and managerial capabilities

Do you remember those young old days (kindergarten times)how we use to write impositions to remember things or read things aloud

What if we just use text editors and don’t depend on Dreamweaver in the initial stages to learn CSS and XHTML?
Yes that is the right approach, I learned from the pros who have been doing the table less or the css way of creating a web page. I remember the old days where Dreamweaver/ FrontPage was in early stages where I learned by just typing the syntax on a text editor notepad. Today I have been addicted by using dreamweaver and my learning curve has been at large with respect to time.

The same goes with all the IDE s, my developer friends in Opmanger team at Adventnet still continue to use text editors that is how I learned from them.

I don’t say using IDE is a sin. But initially restraining from the use of IDE helps learning curve short. Once you learn the basics or the fundamentals, most things in Dreamweaver  seems to be too relevant. At least it helps you to optimize the Dreamweaver code when it comes to connection scripts with the database.

What do you feel?

Technorati Tags: tools, dreamweaver, productivity, India, US, America, kids, students, learning, IDE

Seth Godin needs this mobile

I had been to “The MobileStore” at Annanagar, 2nd avenue, chennai last evening, and was in the search for Scratch guard for my Nokia N70 as soon my eyes was on the samsung SGH- E250 with a special feature saying Mobile tracker, It got my attention. This mobile has all features of Nokia N70 + wifi + Mobile tracker - theft guard and the best price is 7800 INR (approx) i.e half the price of Nokia N70.

I remember looking in devanand blog post my mobile my mobile, and here is what Seth post had said.

I personally feel having two credit card sized devices one on the mobile and another one on you neck or your hand or in your wallet is another pain in the butt.
If you could forget your mobile, you could also forget taking the card sized device.
I would say the best option would be a mobile which automatically would sends sms to your pre configured mobile numbers as soon one changes the SIM card.

Kindly Note: Most models of Samsung Mobile phone has the Mobile tracker installed by default.

Convergence: when the whole world is looking forward to have all controls under one device, for instance mobile phones have integrated Music, Photos and  Internet access. Why do we want the Mobile tracker be another piece of hardware on your butt. Just consider the user experience of carrying two device at a time

Technorati Tags: mobile, nokia, samsung, seth, seth godin, marketing, mobile tracker, tracker, security, user experience, convergence

Brand vs Local shop

A discussion which Mr. Baskran of Castrol BikeZone MSF Manager and I had last week.
You might have known about my death of Nokia N70 and the rebirth of Nokia N70 which I spoke in the other blog.

He had been to my office at Adventnet for a friendly chat on one afternoon and I told him that my Nokia N70 had a rebirth, I should thank the bright young fellow entrepreneur who primary business was on selling caller cards and the second one on servicing mobile Phones. In just 48 hrs my mobile Nokia N70 was in my hands and full functional. There was horrible difference when I had handed over my mobile to Nokia authorized service center at HCL Infinet. After looking in to the mobile they said that I either had to replace the mother board or replace a new mobile.

So here is the question

Why HCL infinet couldn’t fix my mobile where as the local shop keeper could fix my mobile in just 48hrs?

HCL Infinet – replace mother board or buy new mobile
Local Mobile service center – buys a “power IC” from Gagdet store at Burma Bazzar near Parrys corner.

HCL Infinet  150 INR for checking the mobile
HCL Infinet repair cost estimated – 11000 INR

Local mobile service center – 4000 INR (3500 INR for Power IC + Service charge 500 “out of sheer user experience and happiness”)

What I asked Mr. Baskaran.

me: Why do Big brands don’t look in to the small details and try to fix it up, so that the customer benefits?
Bakaran: It is because of product packaging. Chips or IC’s are not available for the Big brands separately. They are either sold as Unit package/ Components which will consist of IC’s or chips. It is because they need to pay tax to the government as unit packages, if they are going to pay tax for smaller components they may have to pay larger tax.

By this time I could figure out that maintenance is also easy in warehouse.

Baskaran: the same holds good in automobile Industry. The cost of the bike is cheap by adding additional taxes the cost of the bike is almost double.

So what do you feel, should you blame the government for increasing the tax or big players for not giving the benefit to the customers.

End of the day, If you are looking for better service it is big brands and if you have lot of money.
Small things can be fixed at our local shops and getting things promptly

Technorati Tags: Nokia, castrol, n70, adventnet, tax, service, brand, local, hcl, hcl infinet

What is Site24X7 beta

Do you have a website?
And if your service provider never cares to provide you a site availability report, here is the magical tool which does the following capabilities

1) monitors the URL
2) checks for a supplied keywords on your site for eg any important keyword on your content, there are 2 uses of this

a) to check whether the site is been hacked
b) if your content is database driven the words are checked, hence to ensure your website database is working perfectly

3) Allows you follow a sequence of page tracking on your site
4) Alerts through email, provides with additional email fields to alert your service provider or your friend or boss
5) provides you excellent graphical report of Availability and Response time history
6) you can have your alerts through SMS
7) All this for Free

So get started, Register now and get your sites monitored for Free.

What is Site24X7 beta?
Site 24X7 beta is a URL monitoring tool, i.e a website monitoring tool to check for Availability

Wonderful tool for the network and system administrators, if they had to monitor their company website.
Opmanager- Network monitoring software too, has this feature, so Network administrators can also use the URL monitor feature available with Opmanager

Technorati Tags: url monitor, network administrator, system administrator, adventnet, opmanager, site24X7, monitoring, website, availability, response time,

Adventnet Japan

I like japanese people for 3 reasons, They are kind of inspiration when it comes to work for me.

1. Hardwork – I don’t have to comment
2. Perfection – ” “
3. Respect – he would bend his head down thousand times (bow) while we had a conversation

I am about to introduce Yoshiyuki Sone, collegue of mine who works at Adventnet Japan, he is the sales specialist. He has all the above qualities and one more exceptional reason for me to talk about him

His Hair style rocked Adventnet Chennai, He had been here yesteday meeting all members of the Opmanager Team, beleive me he was the center of attraction

So here he is

Click on the image to have a larger version
Well actually it is 4 reason for Yoshiyuki Sone, I asked him how does he maintain his hair style, do you apply Hairstyling gel, He said  “Yes”
cool personality

Technorati Tags: adventnet, opmanager, team, japanese, hardwork, perfection, respect, japan

Adventnet turns 10 years old

Adventnet, My office where I work turns10 years old on september 1st 2006, That means we are more reliable than ever before, than means more customers, more products and more fun and a big Family. The chennai Development Center will be heading for the party tommorow at Mayajal.

This post is for my friends who left recently and letting them know that we are celebration our 10th anniversary.

Technorati Tags: adventnet, anniversary

My Picasa 2 Web Albums My experience

I had been on vacation with my friends and family tour, When I came back I didn’t have option to show all the images to all my friends. Yeah I know we have lots of websites which offer you free upload of images and allow you to view them, but the toughest part was to upload all these images one after the other, that was really a pain.

I am sure most of you would have experienced the same with flickr or other website which offer you this service.

Google seems to understand the users expectation all the time. The users pain.

I had picasa installed already on my machine, After I got the invite they presented an update on Picasa, felt do I really need to update my Picasa. After I did, it was a wonderful experience.

As I too work on a product Opmanager as the User Interface Designer, I find really find the user experience approach of google to be amusing.
The minute you login to the destop version of picasa and configure the google online account with picasa you are done.
Things which were magic on the picasa desktop

1. select the images right click Choose “upload to web Album”
2. Choices you get
3. You can create a new album
4. post your images to the existing one

All selected images got uploaded successfully, with out you knowing, you could go and take cup of coffee, by that time things are done

Things which I loved on the online version

1. The Zappy thumbnail sizes offered automatically all I had was huge image which was neatly sized with respect for 3 dimension, small, medium and large
2. ( what else can I expect from the product more)
3. Oh Yeah the online Url which will let others to view the images well here is one that I experienced

Well I forgot to tell you one thing, I was able to Blog about a photo of mine right inside the Picasa desktop client.

Too good to be true. here is my http://vinodvv.blogspot.com/ only drawback on the blogging tool is not the ability to post on other blogging sites

Technorati Tags: user experience, google, picasa, flickr, opmanager, usability

Don’t Just Stop with Website for promotion

I remember yesterday evening I was saying the same thing to DevAnand, If Opmanager MSP needs to come to top in search engine you need more people to talk about Opmanager MSP in the blogs and you more potential customers on the website.

Why Blog? why not just google ads? Website Keywords, description etc ?
Simple there are other sites which are more popular than your websites, Where more people come there to collaborate, discuss, talk, express and what not. If more people are going to talk about your product, more the response you get from technorati. so you listing gets improved in Google or other search engines like yahoo, MSN

Do remember Yahoo is still the KING and then google after which is MSN.

Here is a little stat on what helped this Blog hits go up.

To name a few

1. Delicious
2. Technorati
3. Digg
4. Furl
5. fark

And here is nice article which on the Yahoo News which gives an idea Why blogs also helps?

PS: for those who don't know what OpManager is "Opmanager is Network monitoring Software" which is under the brand name ManageEngine and is a product of Adventnet , in short terms it is nothing but a – Mapping – Monitoring – Alerting – Reporting tool. if you need to know more about the software you check this link of opmanager, Opmanager MSP is another flavour for the MSP (Managed Service Provider) and the link is right here.

Technorati Tags: website, blogs, website promotion, technorati, digg, furl, delicious, google, yahoo, msn, opmanager, opmanager msp, adventnet, manageengine