Software How To Choose The Right Software

Writen by Robert Emler

As you are aware, there are a tremendous amount of software programs on the market today. There are a lot more software companies out today then ever before. So then how do you choose the rite software for you?

There are really only two major factors that people consider when buying software. That is coast, and coast again. No really most people looking for software only consider the one thing. How much dose it coast.

When buying software you should consider coast, I do. You need to consider also what dose the software do, or how much the software will do considering what you want it for. Let’s say you want to buy a Spyware program, or an Antivirus software program. How do you know which one to buy, because there are a lot of them on the market today?

There are a couple things you should consider, and do before you spend any hard earned money on a software program. That may in the end not be the software you need, or thought it would do for you. Just to go out and spend more money for the other software program. Now instead of saving money you spent more. Any one can do this it’s free and you will in most cases end up with the rite software program you are looking for.

First. Look around and find out what software program has the best rating and why. There rating doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the best software program for you. Because most of the time, the rating only means they sold more of the software programs.

Second. try the free trail version of the software. By trying out the free trail version of the software, you will have the chance to find out how user friendly the software is, and also find out how your computer interacts with the software. Just a little point you should consider, and that would be If the software company doesn’t offer a free trial version of there software. That might be an indication that the company itself might not be very user friendly, as far as tech support is concerned. That doesn’t mean the software program is not a good one.

Third. Take a look at what you are getting for your money. Free software upgrades are a pulse. If the software offers you more in the area programming then you need, that’s also a plus. Weigh the coast of the software. As well as how much you like the software programming, or how user friendly the software is. Then consider what you are getting for your money. Make your decision, and choose the rite software for your needs.

Robert Emler. I’ve spent more money on software programs then on my computer. Lesson learned. http://softwarelimits.com

Review On Business Accounting Software By Sage And Microsoft

Writen by Javier Fuller

Accounting is one of the most vital processes in any business. To say the least, it is even more important than manufacturing goods and selling them. Flow of revenues and expenditures ultimately decides the fate of a business as does its proper management. The requirements of every business may vary, but the general requirements of a business like collection, classification and analysis of financial data is what constitutes the crux of accounting.

Nowadays, it is becoming a norm to purchase accounting software before starting a business. You can find accounting software for both small business as well as large businesses. In fact, a whole basket of accounting software programs is there to choose from. Depending on the type of business you have and how you run it, you have to choose the accounting software that compliments your business, instead of being a limiting force to it.

Before reviewing any accounting software, it is important to classify the market of accounting software in the following manner:

a) Small business/personal accounting software is targeted at home users. Such software are simple, easy to use and inexpensive. They perform simple functions such as management of budgets quite at ease.

b) Low end accounting software is known for its ’single entry’ products. It serves a single national market quite easily.

c) Mid market accounting software for mid-level businesses serve multiple national accountancy standards. You can do accounting in numerous currencies.

d) High end accounting software is also known as Enterprise Resource Planning or ERP software. These expensive solutions cater to the needs of huge organizations.

Since the mid 1990s, with the entry of Microsoft and Sage, accounting software market has simply evolved. In fact, it is simply increasing at a break-neck pace. There are various good accounting software in the above categories of accounting software. Selecting the best one is not that easy.

In the small business/personal accounting section, the best accounting software would doubtlessly be the Intuit’s QuickBooks Accounting Software pro edition for small business. This accounting software has all the accounting features necessary for small businesses. QuickBooks Small Business 2006/ 7, through its time-saving features and improved functionality aids management of business. By applying online accounts management of bank statements, this software easily helps in integrating bank records in a smart way. With this software, you can rule your growing business accounts effortlessly and productively.

One excellent software, targeted at the low-end accounting software market is Sage MAS 90 ERP/MAS 200 ERP. This software is also applicable in mid-market accounting software market. This software encompasses different worthy solutions. Some of them are e-commerce, payroll, financial reporting, customer relationship management, core accounting and much more. This is an award-winning accounting software. With key processes like bill of materials, inventory management and job costing, it aids in the management of business. The advanced version MAS 200 ERP has the extra function of a client/server platform. It is known for its scalability and reliability.

In the high end accounting software market, several excellent accounting software, from some well known manufacturers like Microsoft and Sage are competing with each other for the market pie. No doubt, selecting the best one is difficult. Still, I would go with the ACCPAC Advantage Series which is known for its world-class multi-tiered functionalities. ACCPAC accounting software is perfect in the sense that it allows a business to tune its functionalities according to the needs. The ACCPAC Advantage Series is available in three editions- Enterprise Edition, Corporate Edition and Small Business Edition.

The Sage ACCPAC ERP system/Enterprise edition helps you to increase the productivity of your entire enterprise with end-to-end solutions, such as CRM. This high end software provides integrated set of end-to-end business management applications. Like other Sage software, this accounting software is known for its seamless integration, reliability and high performance which a large organization desires for keeping its competitive advantage over its rivals.

E-Procurement Software

Writen by Damian Sofsian

It is estimated that supply chain invisibility leads to 20 to 40% more inventories. The invisibility comes from time delays and lack of communication. Advanced technologies enable real time communication through exchange of documents and they enable many communications.

Ecommerce platforms started with business-to-consumer sales. The characteristics of business-to-business transactions such as multiple decision making process has hindered the progress of B2B ecommerce platforms. The need to save costs has forced firms to look at opportunities provided by the Internet. Many large corporations have started to formulate e-procurement strategies, just like corporations evolved strategies for Internet presence.

E-procurement strategies include category selection for procuring online vendor access to the portal and vendor selection. Category selection decides which items to be procured online. Vendor selection decides the infrastructure access and the nature of access to the vendors and the platform on which the technology has to be hosted. E-procurement software is a web-based interface that is open source or proprietary and integrates email, ERP and legacy systems of the firm and suppliers.

E-procurement software has features to receive proposals, evaluate them, raise purchase orders and track them, and process invoices. In addition to these features, the menu has eMarketplace, where vendors can auction for the items. This is called reverse auction, in which ones bids for the lowest price. The advantage of reverse auction is that many vendors can participate in it; lowest price can be obtained when compared to conventional purchasing prices. E-procurement allows vendors to manage customers’ inventory by having access to inventory data.

An E-procurement package comes along with a Supplier Relationship Management suite, in which suppliers and firm communicate using e-mail and other technologies. Suppliers can access the web based software using their own log-in passwords. Connectivity to legacy systems would require long term commitment from vendors and the firm. Many small and medium enterprises, who are the suppliers to large enterprises, lack web savvy, which explains the lack of penetration of B2B commerce when compared to B2C commerce.

Purchasing Software provides detailed information on E-Procurement Software, Purchasing Consultants, Purchasing Management Software, Purchasing Outsourcing and more. Purchasing Software is affiliated with Free Budgeting Software.

Five Steps to Create Your Software Product with Outsourcing

Writen by Steve Mezak

Many executives and investors are skeptical that software products can be developed using outsourcing. Even more skepticism is expressed at the idea of outsourcing version 1.0 of a product. Yet Accelerance clients are using outsourcing to create their products right now. What is the secret to using outsourcing to successfully develop a software product?

Many people believe outsourcing is useless when you are in the Fuzzy Front End – that fuzzy zone between when a market opportunity is known and when serious software development can begin. They think you need to slog through the Fuzzy Front End by coding a prototype of your product. If so, you need the development team here, not several oceans away.

Another false assumption is that you need to write a comprehensive specification for your software during the Fuzzy Front End. Many companies use a very formal product definition process, optimized to remove as much “fuzz” as possible. How long should it take to design a software product before development can begin?

Obviously time is of the essence when developing a new product, but before the development process can begin you must have some idea of what your software will do. It is best to find this out from your prospective customers. But how can you involve your customers early and often in a collaborative process, when both of you are not sure of what they need or want? And what does that have to do with outsourcing?

According to Steve Blank, founder of several software startups and now lecturer at the Haas School of Business at Berkeley, you don’t need a product development process. You need a customer development process. You need a process to discover what ornery problem your potential customers have that will cause them to part with their hard-earned money to solve that problem by buying your software.

The first step of Blank’s customer development process is Customer Discovery. Here are his steps of customer discovery:

* Create a product (or product demo)

* Meet with customers and answer these four questions of customer discovery:

1. Have you identified a problem customers want to solve?

2. Does your product solve these customer needs?

3. If so, do you have a viable and profitable business model?

4. Have you learned enough to go out and sell?

* Change your product to reflect what you learn

* Iterate until all questions can be answered positively

Is there a way to shorten these iteration cycles? The Accelerance answer is, don’t code up your product or prototype at the start. Use an HTML editor to create screen mock-ups. Then link them together to tell the “user stories” of your software product. They show the major use cases of your product. Demonstrating the use cases this way is like putting your product requirements in motion. It simulates how the real product will be used.

HTML is easy to edit and requires no programming. You can make quick iterations before committing your product ideas to code.

Here is the five-step Accelerance formula you can follow to successfully design your product:

1. Describe your product idea and its benefits

2. Create a demo of the major use cases showing the biggest benefits of your software

3. Perform the Customer Discovery steps described above, iterating until you & customers are satisfied

4. Write an MRD using screen shots from your demo as illustrations

5. Develop and test your software

In modern business, you should focus on your core competency and outsource the rest. In the Accelerance five-step process, the first 4 steps of defining your product idea, completing the customer discovery process and documenting the requirements must be part of your core competency. The last step is not.

***

Anybody can develop software. But only you can figure out what your customers will buy. And that makes your software development a non-core process. Use this five step formula to take advantage of low cost outsourcing as an effective way to get your product developed quickly.

Steve Mezak is a successful Silicon Valley technical entrepreneur and international outsourcing expert. Get your copy of his free report on “Outsourced Development – A Secret Weapon for Quickly Creating Software Products” by visiting his Accelerance outsourcing company web site now.

The Myth of Web Based Applications

Writen by Terri Roeslmeier

Everyday we get calls from staffing companies asking about web based systems. My response is always “Why web based?” Most often, the caller does not have a firm answer. Typical responses are “Isn’t that what everybody’s doing?” or “I don’t want to make a large investment” or “I don’t want to be responsible for my own network.” This underscores the general misunderstanding of the platform, and what its relative strengths and weaknesses happen to be. When choosing a staffing software system it’s important to understand how the system is going to be used and to select a platform that will deliver the best and most cost efficient results. The following is a discussion of some of the main benefits that web based systems tout, some of the compromises one has to live with in order to use them and a review of the principal alternative.

Web based systems can be run from anywhere that has access to the internet.
This is true, but it is not the exclusive domain of web based systems. Pretty much any system can be run using the internet as a connection conduit. Microsoft has included a capability in their Windows operating system called Terminal Services that enables users to access applications on the Windows network via the internet. Conclusion: No clear cut advantage.

I won’t have to maintain my own network.
This is only true if every user has a personal internet connection. In most offices, many users connect to the same line. In order for everyone to access the shared resource, a network must exist. Most likely they will need file sharing, e-mail and print services locally. Therefore, some network administration will be required. Firewalls, virus protection and some kind of local expertise are crucial. Most importantly, a back-up routine is still required. Conclusion: No advantage. You still have to do all the network admin stuff anyway. In addition, there’s someone between you and your most valuable asset (your data). Should a dispute ever arise, someone would be in position to cut your company off from its life’s blood.

The user interface is easier to learn since it’s like a web page.
With any system the designer has to create the methods and workflows. They will be forced to use conventions, abbreviations, icons and other devices as they attempt to get the most functionality per inch of screen space possible. The user will still have to learn how the system works and get used to its specific rhythms. And while it is true that many people are familiar with how to navigate web pages, the same can be said of Windows applications. In fact, Windows programs generally adhere more rigorously to a set of standards than web based programs tend to. Conclusion: No advantage. There will still be a learning curve and a training requirement to effectively use these softwares.

What they’re not telling you:

1. Web based systems run through a web browser. This means that the user interface is constrained by the limits of the browser itself. The browser will limit the number of records that can be open at a time, will force more data integrity responsibility on the user and often experience long repainting delays.
2. Web based systems, or just about any system delivered through an ASP are significantly more expensive. This is a classic rent vs. buy decision. If your company has 10 system users and you have to pay $199 per month per user, that’s a $1,990 per month outlay. This is the equivalent of purchasing a $60,000 system (based on a 36 month, $1 buyout lease). There aren’t many systems that charge $6,000 per user. This is exorbitantly expensive.

The best alternative:
This is easy. Windows based (client/server) systems answer all of the questions raised above. These systems can be delivered to diverse and remote users via the web; run on the same basic network (with the addition of SQL Server) that satisfies the rest of our needs; have exceeding rich user interfaces – generally offering many more features; are easy to learn and usually out perform systems running through a web browser. They also provide a much more bang for the buck. Having your database in your office isn’t necessarily bad, as it remains under your control. What’s more, these systems are generally more mature and therefore offer a far greater range of features and are typically more stable. All this translates into a better, more cost effective computing experience for your company. After all, you’re not in this to support the technology; you expect the technology to support you.

Terri Roeslmeier is president of Automated Business Designs, Inc., software developer of Ultra-Staff, a full-featuered staffing software solution with components for front office, back office and the web. http://www.abd.net

Open Impact

Writen by Guy Smith

Don’t get me wrong. I like the old model for making money on software. A couple of clever people have a bright idea and cobble together a solution on spare time and credit card debit, releasing their solution to the world and charging obscene amounts of money for each copy. That is the essence of the Silicon Valley dream – digital prostitution (you got it, you sell it, you still got it).

But of late so much market momentum has shifted to Open Source that even the oldest and most cynical in the industry must give pause. And in one case, we may well be seeing the beginning of a revolution and a conspiratorial insurgency.

Here is the basic fact of life about the software industry: nobody buys software. It is the same as drill bits. Last year millions of 1/4 inch drill bits were sold in America, but nobody surveyed wanted a 1/4 in drill bit. They all wanted a 1/4 inch hole.

Software is the same way. The operating system is nearly irrelevant as a purchasable item because what people want is applications. If the application runs only on Macs, people will buy Macs. Sun Micro built their fading empire on growing a base of applications, as did Microsoft. And people buy application not because they need a CD-ROM filled with highly organized bits, but because they want to accomplish something using the software (like surfing the web to learn how to drill 1/4 inch holes).

Recently, IBM — the once and future 900 pound gorilla of the tech industry — announced that a client for Lotus Notes would be available on Linux. The IBM spokesman (if such creatures can be believed) noted that “he has personally been ‘hammered’ for the last several years at Linux and Lotus Notes conferences on the issue of when a client would be available for the Linux desktop.” Perhaps he was being hammered by IBM employees who have been shoved into using Linux desktops and likely were disconnected from their groupware grope.

The fact of the matter is that no enterprise will deploy Linux on the desktop (outside of IT) unless their applications — or reasonable equivalents — are available. The cost savings on software would be many orders of magnitude less than the lost employee time and productivity. Thus, common applications must be ready for any sane CIO (if there is such a thing) to commit to even a modest test deployment.

But we may well be on the cusp of such a moment. OSDL conducted a survey of tech professionals to determine what enterprises need in a Linux desktop for it to be a practical alternative. The results largely matched early work I did with SuSE when “Linux desktop” was a new concept. Notice that with few exceptions, the list includes only applications, and the exceptions are primarily application development oriented:

Desktop Element Status

• Email & messaging: Done to death
• Office Productivity Tools: Open Office
• Browser: Take your pick
• Database Applications: Undefined
• Developer Tools: Lots, and now Eclipse-centric
• Applications specific to your business: Here is the weak spot
• Internally Developed Applications: Depends largely on staff training
• Secure Remote Access / VPN: Got it
• Personal Information Manager (PIM): Evolution, KOrganizer, et all
• Audio or Video players: Too many options
• Instant Messaging: Many options

There are several take-aways here from a marketing and market perspective:

The Linux desktop “whole product” definition is incomplete, but not by much. The two remaining holes are the toughest to fill and will take the longest time.

As always, there is a check-and-egg issue in that vendors don’t want to build Linux desktop applications or clients until there is a significant roll-out of Linux desktops, and CIOs will not roll out Linux desktops until there are sufficient business applications. Catch-22.

Internal application cannot be built until CIOs get their in-house development staffs trained on Linux development, and that won’t happen until there is a compelling reason to roll-out Linux desktops … and that won’t happen until there are enough external Linux desktop applications (see above). Catch-23? (Note: This all ignores the elegant solution provided by my pal Jeremy White and the good folks at Codeweavers )

The market is near, but not yet at, a tipping point. To get to the next phase, there needs to be pressure from a few desperate, determined, or demented stakeholders to move key applications to Linux. In short, someone will have to pony-up money and/or manpower to port existing applications to Linux, or recreate them from scratch. Neither will happen quickly as the cost/benefit to the vendors is risky and most enterprises would rather invest that kind of money internally.

The alternative is for vendors to Open Source some of their development work. If they open client code programming to communities with a vested interest in creating Linux desktop applications, then the vendor can get the work done relatively cheaply and quickly. The downside is they face extra support costs on the back end for no new revenues in the short term.

The other alternative is to port clients to web browsers. With AJAX offering elegant ways of creating clients that are portable across most (if not all) platforms, many vendors have a “port once and for all” opportunity.

The key is for vendors to recognize that they must support a Linux desktop in the long term because of Asia. Asia is growing like an economic weed, and they are starting nearly from scratch. Many Asian enterprises have no high switching costs away from Microsoft or Apple, and thus are adopting Linux desktops rapidly. This means whatever applications you sell into Asia must have a good Linux desktop story. If not, those markets may be closed to them, and competitors who do support Linux desktops will prosper.

Asia is the Linux desktop tipping point … and its coming faster than many people want to admit.

Windows Error Reporting

Writen by Meryl K. Evans

Bet you get the following message from time to time: “The system has recovered from a serious error” message from time to time with two buttons: “Send Error Report” and “Don’t Send” regarding sending the report to Microsoft. The error message appears when an application runs into a problem it can’t handle. When this happens, XP stops the app and the error report prompt appears so you can send the error report to Microsoft if you’re connected to the Internet.

In the case of hardware or a driver (software managing hardware) attempts something that could cause problems, XP puts up that annoying BSOD (blue screen of death) and the computer is either restarted or you have to turn it off and back on. System error reports go to the Microsoft Online Crash Analysis Web site, aka MOCA. Go figure – the Web site drops the ‘M’ in the URL.

When one of them error report windows pops up and you decide to let it send a report to Microsoft, be sure you’re connected to the Internet before hitting the “Send Error Report” button. Behind the scenes, XP creates a short message describing the error and provides additional information such as operating system version, failure type, language, cause of the problem, etc. to help Microsoft resolve the problem. The message is encrypted.

In the error report window, there is a link “click here” for seeing what the data report contains. After you send the report, you’ll get a message from MOCA with the steps on how to solve the problem and other information depending on the problem. Such information could be links to downloading updated drivers and how to prevent the problem from happening again.

What about when getting errors from a non-Microsoft application or hardware? MOCA reports these errors to the company behind the application or device, so it can be helpful to send these forward. So those of you who never send non-Microsoft-related errors might want to reconsider.

You can also use MOCA to track errors when you get BSODed. This Microsoft Knowledgebase article shows how to use error reporting.

Many people don’t use the reporting at all because of privacy concerns. We’ve heard plenty of jokes about how Microsoft knows everything about everyone who has a computer. You can read Microsoft’s error privacy information to get exact details on what Microsoft learns about your computer when getting such reports.

Error reporting is not just for Microsoft, but pays off for you since it can help reduce the problems with your computer when you get the error resolution messages back from MOCA. You can turn off error reporting, but I don’t recommend it.

Some saud they’ve never received resolutions to their problems when submitting an error report. I don’t know if this happened or not, but it may not be obvious that Microsoft is providing a possible solution.

I got an error after writing this report and submitted it to Microsoft. After it finished, the following window appeared. Click on “more information” to get details about the problem and a possible solution. When I clicked on it, it takes me to the Microsoft Online Analysis Web page and provides the following information.

Clicking on “Word Quits…” takes me to a knowledgebase article for details. Some problems probably have multiple possible solutions and there would be a bulleted list of other knowledgebase articles.

Maybe instead of “more information,” it would be better for the link to say, “More information and possible resolution.” “More information” might lead people to believe it’s tech speak about the problem and people don’t have time or interest to read that, so they close the box instead of clicking on it to see what is really behind the link. I’ve been guilty of that before.

Meryl K. Evans is the Content Maven behind meryl’s notes, eNewsletter Journal, and The Remediator Security Digest. She is also a PC Today columnist and a tour guide at InformIT. She is geared to tackle your editing, writing, content, and process needs. The native Texan resides in Plano, Texas, a heartbeat north of Dallas, and doesn’t wear a 10-gallon hat or cowboy boots.