job search [aka consulting]

[Carl Sappenfield]

I think that's a good point.  Remember, companies aren't just interested in
cost, they're interested in cash flow.  Business Schools teach that all that
matters is NPV, but every company I've worked at (from a 15MM custom
engineering firm to a ???[whatever the accountants say] telco) use payback
as (at least a major) financial measure for projects.  You won't get far by
saying "the NPV is 1MM, but the payback is 9 years."

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jonathan Hutchins" <hutchins at opus1.com>
To: <mgoins at kcp.com>; "Rusty" <kujayhawkbb at yahoo.com>
Cc: <kclug at kclug.org>
Sent: Friday, July 26, 2002 4:42 PM
Subject: Re: job search [aka consulting]

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <mgoins at kcp.com>
>
> > That seems to be most peoples general perception "a slow transition". My
> > thought is why not seize this opportunity  (the current financial
market),
> > most companies are looking to cut costs as much as possible. Sounds like
> > the perfect time to introduce them to Linux and open-source. M$ is doing
> > everything they can to kill the beauty that is Linux. I think WE need to
> be
> > more aggressive, push harder.
>
> They need to amortize their investment in Windows licensing.  It doesn't
> make sense to replace something they already have that's already working -
> and whining aside, up through NT4 it pretty much does.
>
> The opportunity is to not buy new Microsoft licenses, but to start
> implementing any new hardware or software with Linux.
>
> Knowing the users where I work, switching to KDE or Gnome would be like
> kicking over a hornet's nest.  These people freak out if a button changes
> color, let alone moves to the other side of the screen.  It would be a
major
> retraining effort to put Linux on the desktop.  Worth it not to go to XP,
> but major.
>
> You're right that it's a good  moment though - MS is changing their
> licensing plan, companies are seeing the hemorrhaging costs, and will be
> planning for the next three years, where they will have to either start
> buying XP (or something worse) or switch to non-MS software.  THAT's where
> the soft spot is!
>
>
>