worms worms worms

[Alma J Wetzker]

> burns <linux at burnsmacdonald.com> 18 Aug 2003 00:02:26 -0400
> 
> On Sun, 2003-08-17 at 19:06, Alma J Wetzker wrote:
> 
> 
>>every executive I have ever met will spit nails about downtime and the 
>>cost to the company until you tell them how much it will cost to fix it. 
>>  Then the executive goes away, until next time.
> 
> 
> That's the business we're in and I can tell you that it depends on
> you're approach. Nobody spends money on technology "just because"
> anymore. You have to frame it in a credible rationalized business case,
> comparing the cost of making the system improvements, vs the risk, vs
> the cost of NOT doing it. This is where we as technologists get lazy and
> usually fail. 
> Suits are nothing if not predictable. Show them where they can reduce
> risk and save money and they WILL listen. Tell them about "neat"
> technology that is "better" and their eyes glaze over.

I used to live between the techs wanting neat technology and the execs 
wanting to not spend money.  I was pretty succesful about getting what 
we needed except on two topics; downtime and time testing patches. 
Downtime was rare enough on the busines systems that they were 
impervious to requests to spend to prevent it.  Patches they never 
understood, "Why do you need to test it?  It is already installed!"

     -- Alma