I Love February (2024)

Wow, it's me again. Another four years have passed since my last blog post. Back then I thought blogs were so Passé, but it turns out there are actually some people in the world that are looking forward to reading this.

So before I have my 'free beer' to celebrate this quadrennial event, I thought I might comment on what's been happening for the past four years.

Can you believe we had a pandemic? I somehow managed to avoid it, until just a month ago. Damn you COVID.

My daughter got a new home in Invercargill, which is good for her and I am happy too.

The house I mentioned in my 2016 post was sold and we moved out exactly a year ago and so we're now planning a new house for the next decade.

Oh, and I came out of retirement. Yes ... I sold WillNotice, went into retirement, got bored, started building something new that is awesome and cool, and then decided it was much easier to simply get a job and write code for someone else, so that I can 'scratch my itch'.


What's gonna happen in the next four years - well I'm hoping I can go to the Football World Cup in North America in 2026. So lets see if that comes true - just wait another 1,460 days and I'll confirm. Oh, if blogs are still a thing in the future.

Until next time,

Stuart

I Love February (2020)

Hello again. It has been four years to the day since my last blog post. I think it is fair to say that blogs are well and truly relegated to the past, much like pagers, fax machines and common sense.

But I couldn't resist the temptation to once again visit this old place, like going back to your parents home after a long time away. There is something comforting and familiar, although antiquated.

So what's been happening over the past four years, I hear you ask. Well, I am now 'semi-retired'. I set up a cool little business around three years ago called WillNotice which has been working out pretty ok. We've bought and sold some properties along the way, and we now have a lovely holiday home just outside Akaroa. Things are pretty good actually.

And tonight I intend to have a 'free beer' just to celebrate this quadrennial event.

I Love February (2016)

So, here we are again, four years on (to the day) from my last post.

February 29th is such a fascinating day - an occasion in general limited (for most of us) to less than 25 occurrences.

And for one out of 1,461 people, it represents their birthday (on the unfounded principle of an equal number of births every day).  I don't recall having met anyone with a birthday of 29th February. I suppose that might be because I've not met 1,461 people yet.  Or perhaps it might be that I haven't asked 1,461 people what date their birthday is.

By the same token I wondered what famous events may have occurred on February 29th.  A superficial search using Google resulted in nothing of any interest. Reviewing the list found here was remarkably unremarkable. I believe the reason that interesting events happen on dates other than February 29th is because people can more readily celebrate or commemorate them if they are annual, rather than quadrennial. So, people intentionally and deliberately chose to wait an extra day (although looking at interesting events that occurred on March1st somewhat discredits this hypothesis).

So, in my own life, not much has changed in the past four years. We're now happily living in the house we began on March 1st 2012 - but there is still a little more work to do in the gardens. We did accomplish our European adventure last year, travelling for three months and experiencing a taste of European life. We've finally 'exited' from the Christchurch market, with the sale of our house and section there. I'm still working in the software industry, and experiencing new challenges as technology progresses. And - thankfully - the All Blacks won their third Rugby World Cup last year.

And tonight, I'll have a celebratory 'free beer' in anticipation of the next four years. 

I Love February (2012)

I've just been looking through some of the posts I wrote in previous years, and came across this one:

I Love February

And here we are, exactly four years on from that date.  A lot has happened since that time.  Four years ago I was busy working at MYOB, attempting to support the release of a product (BusinessBasics Online) to compete with Xero, a company I began work for a few months later.

And since my time at Xero came to an end, I've been working with a variety of software providers to help them successfully deliver great products to market, through my own business Stuart Bale Limited.

The last four years have been very eventful.  We've moved to Wellington, then to Wanaka, where we're comfortably settled.  My daughter is in Invercargill, and my son has just started primary school.  My father died two years ago. I started my own business. Christchurch crumbled. Oh, and New Zealand won the Rugby World Cup.  And tomorrow work begins on our new house in Peninsula Bay, with breathtaking views across Lake Wanaka to the mountains behind.

The next four years hold a lot of promise, and some exciting times.  I expect my life to continue to change, and I think it's important to accept and embrace that change, since it is inevitable.  Most of all, each day needs to contain a measure of happiness - as that's what makes life worth living.

Until next time,

Stuart

New website launched

I'm excited to announce the launch of my new website at:

http://www.stuartbale.com/

This is the beginning of a new venture for me, a service with a difference, providing high level successful software strategies.

There's lots more work to do, but I'm up for the challenge.

So take a look at my site, and if you have a blog or your own site, please link through to help my rankings ;-).

Until next time,

Stuart

Ideas are like pens

I have a personal belief that if a pen doesn't have your name on it, then it is available for anyone's use. These 'free pens' have an exciting travel life, moving from one owner to another, visiting countless locations, from coat pockets to handbags to shop counters to glove boxes.

Pens come in all different shapes, colours, weights, lengths for a variety of different purposes. Every person has their favourite. I like blue or black ballpoint pens, of a reasonable weight (preferably made from metal) and a nice grip. Being retractable has its advantages too, but not where the retracting device is easily triggered just by general use. A clip to attach the pen to a shirt pocket or folder is useful, although too often these are bent or broken off.

Anyway, back to the purpose of this blog - "Ideas are like pens" - I was thinking last night how true this simile is. I come to this conclusion on the following basis:

• There are lots and lots and lots of them;
• They come in different shapes and sizes;
• Some are better than others;
• There is little point having one if you don't use it;
• Each new one is really just an old one with some fancy stuff added;
• Often, the simpler, the better;
  
• Eventually, most of them are thrown away, or lost;
• Finding someone else in possession of yours can make you angry, although sometimes it really is theirs even though it looks like yours;
• They are really hard to find when you desperately need one; and
  
• You can find them in strange places, such as in the bathroom, on the beach, in the car, and under the bed.

Stuart

Changes ...

Well, on Monday 7th September I became unemployed, for the first time in 15 1/2 years. As you might expect, it's likely to take a little while to get used to it.

For those that know of this change, and have cared enough to ask me "what next?", I've replied "I'm simply not sure yet!".

I'm certain there are many opportunities out there just waiting to be found - and maybe as my wider network of friends and ex-colleagues become aware of this change, then even more will present themselves.

For the moment though, I'm happy to take some time out with my family, catch my breath, and maybe do a little more blogging :-).

Until next time,

Stuart

Tim Shadbolt - an opportunity

To: Tim Shadbolt

Dear Tim,

It appears to me that in these difficult times of economic uncertainty, there is a pressing need for a Hero of the People, to lead a cause that gives the hope of future prosperity to ones followers. Someone with charisma, connections and capability - and I believe that Hero is you.

And why is it you more than anyone else? Primarily because of your current prominent position in the region with the greatest opportunity - Southland. Now some from further North may ignorantly scoff at this statement, but once they see the extent of the opportunity, they'll come to the same conclusion as I did, that Southland contains all that is needed for the biggest technological system in the world. In fact, this very system would be gratefully and readily used by the world, for the very fact that Southland is where it is.

So, maybe by now you are curious to know more? (Or perhaps just flummoxed as to where this is leading.) Please indulge me a little, and let me elaborate on this grand plan. In short, Southland has four key assets that no other region in the world can offer, being distance, power, climate and water.
Distance
Southland is geographically the furthest habitable distance from Europe and America.
Power
With huge natural reserves of hydro electric power, and the capacity to continue to develop wind generated power, Southland has a ready supply of environmentally friendly, totally renewable and sustainable power.
Climate
Southlands climate is never hot, a good thing for what I propose.
Water
Southland has an abundant supply of clean, free flowing water.

These four factors are significant for this major project, which at its heart aims to provide to the rest of the world a secure and reliable second level backup and archive service. Hardly exciting, until you understand the extent of the need. Conceptually, the world is concerned about their data, and invests trillions of dollars each year in securing it on tape and disks and everywhere else.

Imagine if we could just pick up a fraction of this within New Zealand - that is the opportunity looming for Southland.

So Tim, give me a call sometime, and we'll chat.

Stuart

Hi Linda Lucas ...

My dear friend,   

I am Linda , the only child and daughter of Late Chief. and Mrs.Allen Lucas from Serrie Leone in West Africa. I want to use this media to ask for your help in transferring my inheritance into your country. I will be so glad if you can allow and lead me to the right channel towards your assistance to my present situation now. 

I'm aware that this might sound strange to you but please I beg you to handle this matter with the most urgency.   It is my desire to contact you based on honesty and sincerity to assist me in transferring $8,000,000(Eight million United States Dollars) which I inherited from my late father Chief Allen Lucas who was a Gold and Cocoa merchant based in Accra and Abidjan to your country for investment.   

My late father Chief Allen Lucas died during last year's rebels attack for the presidential election in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. He was attacked alongside my mother on their way back home from my father's office. Before his death,he told me that he deposited this money in a bank in abidjan with an agreement that nobody can withdraw from it until it is being transferred into a foreign partner's bank account which I shall nominate as his next of kin.   

I am motivated in contacting you and hope to gradually build trust, relationship and confidence in you as i get to know you better. You will have to assist me in coming over to your country as soon as the transfer is completed for me to continue with my education while the money will be invested in a lucrative business in your country. Meanwhile you will be the guidiance of the investment while i will continue with my studies.   

I am willing to offer you 20% of the total money for your effort input after the successful transfer of this money and investment. Indicate your interest towards assisting me by replying to my mail as soon as possible.   

I will also appreciate it if you can send across to me your photo for a better recognition. I will be waiting to hear from you soon.   

God Bless you.   

Thanks, 

Linda Lucas

    

Hi Linda,

Sorry to hear about your folks.

Here's a link to my picture.

Good luck,

Stuart

P.S.  Can you send me your bank account details and your drivers licence and your contact details, so I can deposit some money in your account, to help build our trust.

OSsils - What Software Archeologists of the 22nd Century will discover

My good friend Daniel and I were watching a show on Discovery last night about fossils, and it prompted a discussion on what new discoveries archeologists might make in the future.

In particular, we started to think about a new profession, Software Archeologists, and how in a hundred years time they'll scour the Internet (or whatever it is by that time), and come across the remains of DOS, BeOS, OS2, Windows, Mac, Ubuntu, Red Hat, Solaris and the like.

Perhaps they'll be named OSsils?

There may be specialist Software Archeologists that dive deeper into the origins of a particular OSsil, thriving on the intricate differences between major & minor versions, and the specifics of build numbers. The arguments at OSsil conferences will begin, where questions like "Did DOS 2.0 really have support for subdirectories?" and "Whatever happened to DELTREE?" will rage.

At universities around the world, wild eyed professors teach spotty faced students the Theory of OS, while religious zealots from the Church of Gates preach how Windows was created in just six days, until it sinned and spawned the vile offspring - aka Vista.

It does lead me to wonder if there will be any OS survivors in 2109?

Stuart

VirtualBox

I've recently started using Sun's VirtualBox, the only professional-quality virtualization solution that is also Open Source Software. I've previously used VMWare Fusion (on Mac), VMWare Workstation (on Windows) & Microsoft VirtualPC (on Windows).

So my opinion on VirtualBox is that it is certainly worth taking a look at, particularly with the support of VMDK (VMWare) hard disks in the most recent 2.1 release. This has allowed me to take all my old VMWare images and access them using VirtualBox.

Performance appears to be much the same as VMWare, and the types of features I typically need are all included in VirtualBox.

So if you are looking for a simple to use, quick to setup, personal virtualization environment, I'd recommend you start with VirtualBox.

Stuart

iPhone

About two months ago I bought myself an iPhone. I needed one for work, and it seemed like a good idea (albeit an expensive one). Being something of a technogeek, and recently having changed to a MacBook, I was keen to discover for myself what all the hype was about.

So what I like about the iPhone is the size of the screen and navigation. The keyboard is a little tricky to get used to, but does end up being quicker than a normal cellphone, where you have to tap the same key three or four times to get the letter you want.

Battery life sucks. I'm now in the habit of plugging the iPhone in to my MacBook every morning to recharge.

WiFi is awesome and totally transparent. I've configured my home and work connections, and as soon as I'm in range, the iPhone switches off 3G and on WiFi. That's cool.

The camera has poor picture quality, is difficult to use and doesn't have any video capability. I guess we'll need to wait for iPhone 3.0 to get that.

I like the iPod functionality, although having to configure song lists on my MacBook and download via iTunes is inconvenient for me. In fact, all updates to the iPhone are handled by iTunes, which is a pain as I'd like to be able to do it directly from the device. I couldn't even activate the phone without having plugged it in to iTunes.

But the best and most promising part of the iPhone is the App Store. I love this, and until you see it in action, it's hard to comprehend the huge potential that the App Store possesses. Apple have made the delivery, installation and updating of "iApps" so easy. (If only developing them was the same.)

So overall I have to say I like the iPhone. Oh, and I guess I should comment that the phone quality is superb.

Until next time.

Stuart

Orchestral Backing

The other day my wife and I went to see Che Fu perform with the Wellington Symphony Orchestra. It was an exciting combination of funk, hip hop and classic, with violins, trombones, cymbals, electric guitar, and scratchy rapping records. My all time favourite Che Fu song is Fade Away, and I got goose bumps listening to it. What a great night.

Over the days that followed, I started to think of other 'pop' songs that have classical backing. I didn't think that there was that many, but here are a couple I've thought of:
The Veronicas - Untouched (argh)
The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony (forever great)

I'd like to build a playlist, so would really like to hear of any that you know about.

Stuart

Why would a business want S+S?

This morning I presented at Microsoft Tech·Ed on the topic of S+S. The session went well, with some good audience interaction, and I think there were a number of people that hadn't understood the significance of S+S, until seeing it in action in the Xero world.

S+S presents some challenges for traditional developers and IT/Systems people, because it involves taking what is already familiar (being installed desktop software), and making this interact with online service. In my opinion, S+S extends the power that exists with having centralised data (on and via the web), with the mature and established applications. I also believe that rather than this be a transitional process (to bring everyone on to the web), it is a collaborative process, allowing customers to make the choices about what they want.

In particular, Xero has a developer interface that enables all types of software (Online, Desktop, Mobile & Enterprise) to securely access information instantaneously. Interestingly, one of the questions asked at my presentation was "Why would a business want this?" I believe I was able to answer it, but would like to know your thoughts.

Stuart

Microsoft Tech·Ed 2008

Here I am (again) at Microsoft Tech·Ed 2008. This is the sixth Tech·Ed for me, and the first as a Xero employee, the previous five while I was with MYOB. It is also the first for me to appear as a speaker, which is quite exciting, and a wonderful opportunity. My session is on the topic of S+S which, contrary to popular belief, is not about Scones + Strawberry jam, but actually Software + Services.

Interestingly, S+S was a big part of the keynote address given by Amit Mital, however apart from my session, there are only two other sessions out of 139 that explicitly address S+S, both of which are in the Architecture track.

Nevertheless, this doesn't in any way devalue the content that is being offered at Tech·Ed 2008. Today I attended sessions by Steve Riley and Scott Hanselman, two entertaining and intelligent speakers. Rick Anderson's session on Mobile devices gave just enough info to capture my interest, and encourage me to go to Dr Neils session on Windows Mobile Development, although I already knew everything that was shown at that session.

Tomorrow I am looking forward to 21st Century networking (Steve Riley), Web futures (various speakers), IE8 (Matt Heller), and of course, the infamous TechFest. Unfortunately, with my session being 9am on Wednesday morning, it will likely be an early night for me.

If you're at Tech·Ed this year, let me know - perhaps we can catch up for a coffee at the Ace stand.

Stuart

Populacy

Populacy is an old word, with a new meaning.
Populacy is an opportunity for all people to have their say.
Populacy extends democracy to every issue.
Populacy recognises the importance of individuals.
Populacy is personal choice.
Populacy is possible now.

Overcoming CIPE via Symbiosis

Back in January I wrote about the Corporate Intellect Plateau Effect (CIPE). I always thought I would come back to the topic, and it was just the other day when watching a news report about the Clown Fish that my neurons connected. Here's my thoughts:
The clown fish has a symbiotic relationship with a particular type of sea anemone which protects it from predators. In turn, the clown fish protects the anemone from its predators. A similar (and somewhat more applicable) symbiosis occurs with the Acacia Tree and Acacia Ant. In their case, the tree provides a safe home and sustenance for the ant, and the ant protects the tree from other insects, and prevents other seeds germinating nearby.
So I got to thinking about my experience of how an organisation grows, and oftentimes it is through some form of merger or acquisition of another (smaller) organisation. And the common catch phrase is around better profitability due to the 'synergies' that can be created. Mostly, this is about distributing costs for shared internal services, such as IT, Admin, Finance, HR, Warehousing, etc. And in my industry, it will often mean a consolidation of product lines.
Sadly though, these types of 'synergistic' activities end up resulting in staff changes, as the businesses battle it out to determine what areas stay the same, and what parts have to change. This process is a catalyst for the ongoing exodus of experienced and hence high corporate intellect, individuals.
So how can this be stopped?
That is where Symbiosis comes in. Imagine if, rather than merging common internal services and product lines, each business was left entirely to operate independently from any of the others, but each were encouraged to 'work together' to support one another, and to fend off rival competitors. Any bonuses would be based primarily on the success of the individual organisation, with a smaller measure paid on the basis of the entire group succeeding.
Now I may have over-simplified this, but it is an interesting concept.
What do you think?
Stuart

The Defector

I was surprised to see a special mention on me in a post on Diversity yesterday, and then again today. (see here and here.)

Not that I know Ben, or he knows me, but today he said: "... As mentioned the other day, there have been a few rumblings from MYOB about SaaS - these have been hampered by the defection of their On-demand head to Xero ..."

Now another person might be offended by being labelled an 'On-demand head', particularly a defective one. But I tend to take these comments in my stride. In fact, to set the record straight, I was actually the 'Product Marketer' for MYOB BusinessBasics Online for New Zealand.

And while it is flattering to think that I am important, I certainly doubt that my departure 'hampered' MYOB's plans. I can say with confidence that the timeframes were set in place and the outcome was not dependant on any one person.

In Bens earlier post, he suggests that he might know the reason for me leaving MYOB. I'm not prepared to comment on what my reasons are in this blog, but what I can confirm is that the 'limb' Ben went out on was the wrong one. (Ben, flick me an email sometime if you want to know the background: stuart@xero.com).

(I'd also like to add that while Ben thinks this is MYOB's first SaaS offering, there have been others, but he just isn't aware of them, and I'm not interested enough to provide any details.)

Until next time,

Stuart

Wellington and Xero

So, here I am in Wellington, now working at Xero. Tomorrow will be three weeks from my last day at MYOB, and I already feel that I am part of a totally different world.

I have plenty of fond memories of my time at MYOB. I can see that Xero will give me plenty too.

Working with a team of online specialists is fantastic, and the focus and passion the team have makes every day exciting. And it shows in the quality of the product, and the eagerness to increase its functionality, something that is currently happening every month.

As I settle in here, I'll post more about how this actually impacts businesses in New Zealand, the UK, and elsewhere so stay tuned for more.

Until next time,

Stuart

Pooh Survivor (2004)

I know there are a few of my old MYOB colleagues that visit my site now and again, so while I was cleaning up my desk, I came across this movie I made for a competition I ran back in 2004 called Pooh Survivor. Take a look at it here on YouTube.

Stuart