The New Normal…

Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer talks about the phrase – ‘The New Normal’ in his most recent executive email (link). The ‘New normal’ equates to the new economy and social baseline since the economy went down the toilet last year. People are generally spending less, saving more and being more cautious. He then follows by saying

I believe the new normal requires a new kind of efficiency built on technology innovations that enable businesses and organizations to simultaneously drive cost savings, improve productivity, and speed innovation.

No really? I am pretty sure that if I picked almost any press release at random from Microsoft in the last 10 years that these phrases in one guise or another would come wheedling out of the woodwork.

These new efficiency gains, where will they come from? Steve says Windows 7, Exchange 2010 and Windows Server 2008 R2… <tumbleweed> cough </tumbleweed>

If he had mentioned fully featured, on-line office productivity applications, designed for today’s web centric life then small businesses, students and social organisations would be cheering so hard it would make his ears bleed. As it is, this just fuels speculation that the upcoming On-line Office 2010 apps are merely a protectionist stance to maintain the cashcow and keep the customers using more expensive fat applications.

As it is there is already a solution that fits the bill, its called Zoho. Check it out here, and get a free trial for various apps here

MS Office online. Half-assed by design?

The shortcomings in the recent technology preview of On-line Office applications from Microsoft are glaring.  Ignoring for now how late the release is (originally touted for December 2008), it is also poorly marketed and not clear who the product is aimed at. Worse still, its missing some core functionality and is only available as yet via Windows Live, a service supported (plagued) by adverts. (If I wanted ads i would use google apps!)

The technical shortcomings and delays are surprising as every man and his dog realise that the web apps of today are digging trenches for the battle to come. Surely MS realises this?

Perhaps these ‘hobbled‘ web versions of the leading desktop productivity suite are meant to be a tick in the box to support existing users and provide new methods of viewing and editing existing docs?

Bad move if this is the case, Zoho and Google are roaming the web on a massive landgrab whilst MS is still tying its laces and thinking about taking a packed lunch. its worth noting here that Zoho launched its web app ‘Writer’ just over 4 years ago. 4 years! That’s a lifetime in an arena that is moving on a pace comparable with digital cameras. Remember what you were shooting with 4 years ago? A top of the line 3 mega-pixel maybe? Would you be happy using that again?

Given that Zoho staff comprises about 85% developers and that they churn out features and updates like a chicken turns out eggs MS isn’t just lagging behind, they are still in the starters blocks. If MS were a new start-up they could never recoup that difference, it would be impossible. However they have shown time and time again that they can perform Rocky like comebacks, and keep fighting until they over-run their competition.

This time however its as though they don’t hear the bell. They are late coming out for this round and for once I feel the momentum may be too much for them. The new kids on the block have stolen a huge lead and are offering far more persuasive, integrated and complete products.

Don’t believe me?

Zoho Sheet (spreadsheet) version is compatible with Office 2007 formats and has been offering support for VB macros since April 2008!

Finally, with many of today’s youth, and those leaving further education favouring a cheaper, access anywhere, more socially palatable solution than MS, the change is already upon us. The embrace by the youth of today’s business world of Software as a Service solutions is as powerful a force for change as anything else.

Zoho Creator Video

A few weeks back I was asked by Raffic, one of the nice people at Zoho to create a short video explaining the benefits of Zoho Creator. I am a keen photographer, shooting mostly Landscapes so the thought of shooting video, and also of myself was somewhat daunting.

The final edit is here and if you can ignore the plentiful “um”s and “Er”s then its not too bad. Not something I would be in a hurry to repeat as the deer caught in the headlights look is not too flattering.

It’s also available in more context at the Zoho Blog

Here you go…

The first 6 months…gone already??

I have seen this date creeping up on my calendar for some while now. Credible Systems is now 6 months old. Not a huge milestone perhaps, but for me it feels pretty important. Check out the about me page for my views when writing my first blog post.

I think we have come a long way in 6 months. From no customers, products or services to dozens of customers, on two continents with a real mixture of products and services….

6 months ago my confidence took a bit of a hit (massive understatement #14), but it soon returned. The joy of getting that first invoice paid was something else and it really feels good that I never went on the dole, grabbed benefits or stole food to survive. 

What now? Well we have made some great partnerships with customers and suppliers alike and the intention is to flesh these out further and concentrate our offerings. We will certainly be doing more with our partners at Zoho, hopefully on a bigger grander scale (see first post again!)

Mostly the experience has been fun tinged with fear, although the first month was almost 98% fear.

Regrets – I have a few, but then again, too few to mention! I wonder what 1 yr will feel like?

Credible Systems – Nip & Tuck

The website at Credible Systems went under the knife last week for a little plastic surgery and botox. We hope you like the new look and feel.

In addition to the new skin we have also added lots more content and additional information around the Zoho services we offer and a link to sign up for Free Accounts for Zoho Reports, Zoho Creator and  Zoho Projects with Zoho Business to follow soon.

A bulk of the new information is around Zoho Reports, and online Business Intelligence portal and Zoho Projects, a fundamentally different way of managing your projects that embraces the way we engage socially to help complete tasks and projects.

More changes coming too…

Resellers for more Zoho Services

Today we increased the Zoho services we are entitled to resell as UK Partners and members of the Zoho Alliance Partner Program.

We are now authorised resellers of Zoho Reports, Zoho Project and Zoho Business.

Use these services for Free! Click on the images to be redirected to Zoho free account sign-up or read more about them here

Being Zoho Creator Partners for a while now we are pleased to enhance our offering with Zoho Reports as it ties in closely (and getting closer) with Creator. We look forward to tighter integration and more exciting possibilities with these two.

In addition we can now consult on and resell Zoho Projects, the powerful and greatly enhanced Online Project Management Toolset. Zoho projects 2.0 is proving very popular, allowing organisations to enjoy low cost yet powerful & flexible  Project Management. our users tell us the new social features in particular are great to use.

Finally, Zoho Business will allow our customers to access all their documents and email in one place with all the sharing and editing possibilities they could need. Wrap this up with a great interface that allows access to all the users services and applications, including bespoke applications and reports from Zoho Creator and the whole business could function from the browser.

The landscape is changing…are you?

Zoho’s Secret Sauce is ‘Open Source’

Zoho is one of the most successful SaaS companies at present and is easily punching above its weight in several categories making it an interesting beast.  In the productivity application area, Writer, Sheet and Show are feature rich (particularly the first two) when compared with Google docs and even the touted features of the cut down web enabled Office 14 components from Microsoft. Their CRM product is also, pound for pound the biggest hitter out their in SaaS CRM.

Strength in this area  is measured in two ways though; functionality and price point. Zoho score equally well on the price index as well. All products have a free option that is suitable for a very small business, and prices remain very competitive all the way up the scale.

Stronger competition is inevitable though, and their speed out of the blocks and price will only go so far to keep them ahead in this arms race. What’s needed is constant innovation.

In a recent article at Cnet, Zoho evangeliser Raju Vegesna talks about how Zoho was built and delivered using primarily open source ingredients. (This is of course only one of the reasons for the price point) Zoho is happy enough to modify these ingredients where required with its own propriety code as well. However the closing line of the interview was the key for me really:

“We use the best of open-source software, contribute back strategically, and write our own software where it makes sense.” – Raju Vegesna

A perfect example of this would be the utilisation of Google Gears to enhance both Zoho mail and the offline capability of Zoho docs. Contributing back is key as well; Zoho don’t see Google as their fiercest rival as it were. I think they see them as fellow explorers, chasing similar goals; aware of each others presence, yet happy to collaborate where it benefits both parties and the wider user community. (Like Scott and Amundsen racing to the South Pole)

The benefits of this model, using and sharing reciprocally can be seen in the light of the news that Google will be releasing their Google Wave code as open source. This ensures wide uptake and experimentation with what is possible and will of course allow Zoho to cherry pick the code it feels best enhances their platform.

I for one would love to see Zoho implement elements of the Google Wave in its products. Enhanced real-time communications would be great and the benefits for a product like Zoho CRM or Zoho Projects 2.0 are mouthwatering. I guess we will have to wait and see.

Zoho Sheet Update supports Excel 2007 docs

Ramesh at Zoho talks today about how Zoho Sheet now supports Excel 2007 docs and a host of other small changes. If this compatability was a barrier…well its gone now

Also covered:

• Collaborative enhancements
• Cell Comment Improvements
• Fixes
• Performance Improvements

See the full item here

How will we get through this?

Zoho’s Sridhar recently blogged on the announcement of MS Office Online and how many thought this could be the end of Zoho. Its a great article and well worth a read.

It certainly got me thinking about how I and others use Zoho. I think MS will certainly do a great job technically, but not so sure about how well they will ‘get’ web apps.

The Zoho suite has been developed vertically to add product depth and maturity (such as macro support etc)  but the last years drive towards product integration has brought great benefits.

So can MS produce a product with similar levels of features as its fat client? If they crack that then can they also develop the levels of integration required to match or exceed Zoho? I personally doubt it. Especially as the proposed web versions of office apps don’t compete on the same basis as the Zoho line-up.

You see to me, its not just about office productivity apps. When I use Zoho I barely think about them, they are simply part of the landscape that also allows me to use business appslications such as Zoho CRM, Zoho Project 2.0, Zoho Creator/Reports and Zoho People in a fluid manner.

It is in this final area that MS comes up short. Maybe Azure will be a game changer for a wider platform of apps. Maybe we will see versions of MS Project or MS Access on the web, but not yet and not for a while I think. I am sure when these come they will be reliant on SilverLight and IE’x’ making the recent strong gains by FF and others doubly important.

Meanwhile the likes of Zoho and a hundred other SaaS and PaaS providers will make big strides forward. These companies will shape the landscape, these are the innovators and the brave. Kinda like the old land-grab in the wild west!

My money is very firmly on Zoho to continue to lead the innovation race and thrive on the competition.

Google knows where I am…scared? Me?

Google maps have become such a part of my everyday life that when the chance to install a version to my lovely shiny Nokia E71 arrived I was totally up for it. Installation was a breeze, i simply entered my phone number on the Google maps page and it sent me a link via SMS. The application was installed and working in about 2 minutes.

What’s cooler than cool is that these maps on your mobile are location specific. A simple once only step allows the maps to relate to your current location in a snap.

The map displays your location with a nice blue circle. The radius of this circle gets smaller and more accurate depending on how many satellites your GPS has latched onto. It even works if you happen to be using a wifi connection too, easily pinning my location on my home wireless to within 20 yards or so. If this seems scary to you it’s probably because your either have read ‘1984′ so often that the text has faded or you don’t live in Britain – the most watched and photographed (cctv) populace in the world. Frankly we are used to big brother knowing every intimate detail of our lives from where we drive our cars to who we sent that email to and how much our waste bins weigh.

Here is a quick overview from Google

The localised search is a godsend, it finds my local Pizza place very quickly, and seeing as its 35 metres away I certainly need the directions.

The much disputed ‘Street View’ is also in operation giving you a street level view of your surroundings or anywhere else that the Google snooper vans have been (except Milton Keynes where I live, we chased them away with pitchforks and torches…)

Local search results can instantly be used in a variety of ways. Get directions to..or from, call numbers, store as contact or SMS. Brilliant, simple and also very fast.