eCommerce and

I am a fan of open source software.  The main characteristic of open source software is that the source code is freely published.  This contributes to the success of the programs in many ways: the code is available for modification making it flexible, users are able to collaborate to correct defects, authors are more likely to stand behind their claims (because the code can be read), oh and it’s typically free.  Linux (Ubuntu) is my main desktop operating system at home and on my personal laptop.

However, as do many open source enthusiasts, I use Windows at work.  But, of course, I would prefer to use an open source solution. The question is, how does one “infiltrate” open source into their primarily Windows based work environment?
     
First I thought about letting everyone know that we should be running Linux (*BSD, OpenSolaris) on everything regardless, no matter what it is or who is running it. What stopped me is that I am still unable to grow a proper Unix/Linux Beard:

Little bit of nerd humor, but joking aside, for the everyday office circumstance this is probably not the best approach for integrating open source software into a work environment that has been based on a Windows operating system. What does make sense is starting small and simple.  Instead of replacing the current platform, build on top of it.  That is, find open source software that runs on Windows.

If you don't know where to start there is the OpenDisc which is a CD you can download that has open source software to try out.

Also, here is a list of programs that I use at work:

• Open Office: Office productivity suite that is able to open the new docx and xlsx out of the box unlike office 2003.


• FireFox: Even you don't know about open source you've most likely heard of this web browser that offers many custom features, add ons and plug-ins.


• FreeMind: A java based mind mapping program.


• GIMP: For image retouching, editing and authoring.


• SharpDevelop: A free IDE for C#, VB.NET and Boo projects on Microsoft's .NET platform.

Of course check with your IT Manager to make sure that the use of these programs is allowed.  Also, check out this presentation by Chad Wollenberg titled “The Free and Open Advantage”.

Kohler is arguably one of the most innovative brands in the home improvement industry. The new Karbon faucet has completely transformed the kitchen and more specifically revolutionized the kitchen faucet. Meanwhile Kohler seems to effortlessly create bathroom fixtures that are not only sleek but save water, like the Escale toilet.

In the spirit of football season I have written a blog contrasting some positions in football to those of an eCommerce team. In the game of football there are different positions, the positions vary in skill and brain power, but when combined on a team, and in order for that team to succeed, they all need to work together. Without the skilled positions, you would not be able to play the game of football.  For example that would mean playing without a quarterback. There are also the lineman, not categorized as a skilled position, and by some considered to be the grunts of the team.

Now, lineman are not as “necessary” to playing football as the more skilled positions. To play a pickup game at the park no one is going to hold off kickoff to fill the lineman positions. Even competitive passing leagues don’t need lineman, but those aren’t as competitive as the major league. To play any serious, competitive football, the type that gets exposure, you need lineman, good lineman. Good lineman are absolutely needed for any serious team to win games and be successful.

There is a balance though, the better your skilled positions are the worse your lineman can be, because your stars will make plays and really stand out because of their skills. Conversely, the better the lineman, the better your skilled positions will look because they give the quarterback time to make that pass, they make the holes for your running back to run through, etc. Again, your skilled positions will stand out, because they are able to perform well. Being a lineman is a thankless job, they almost never get any glory, no adulation, and no recognition in comparison to other positions. Rarely does an offensive lineman make the highlight real unless he misses a block. To be part of the offensive line is also a tougher job than people realize, lineman have to know the playbook just as well as the running backs and be able to recognize and read the defense.

The job of data entry is much like being an offensive lineman. Data managers are expected to do their job correctly 100% of the time, there is no room for mistakes. There is an important reason for this though, data entry/lineman are the foundation. If something goes wrong with them, something goes wrong with everyone. Without the correct data/block you can't move the ball forward, you make it harder on the rest of the team. Data entry is a supporting position, the quality of their work has an effect on everyone else. So don't forget how important they are to the success of the company as a whole, and data entry people don't forget how important the quality of your work is and how important it is to everyone else.

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I stare at a spreadsheets most every hour at work, so there are a lot of spread sheet manipulations that take place on a daily basis. Here are five formulas that I find useful and I think you will too.

VLOOKUP()
Microsoft Office: VLOOKUP(lookup_value,table_array,col_index_num,range_lookup)
Open Office: VLOOKUP(lookupvalue; datatable; columnindex; mode)
VLOOKUP() is used to find the “lookup value” in a given table of values and returns the column identified by the “column index.” This formula I find invaluable, it is used any time there is multiple data sources and I need to match up data.

CONCATENATE()
Microsoft Office: CONCATENATE (text1,text2,...)
Open Office: CONCATENATE(text1; text2; ... text30)
CONCATENATE() combines the values of the given cells. I use this often to combine data to create product names according to our format. As a hint, to concatenate a space, put the space in quotes (“ “).

LEFT()/RIGHT()
Microsoft Office: LEFT(text,num_chars)
Open Office: RIGHT(text; number)
RIGHT() and LEFT() work similar to a sub string function in programming. The formulas start at the right or left side of a cell and then grab the number of characters specified in the formula, which can adjust the data to your specifications.

SEARCH()
Microsoft Office: SEARCH(find_text,within_text,start_num)
Open Office: SEARCH(findtext; texttosearch; startposition)
SEARCH() locate one text string within a second text string, and return the number of the starting position of the first text string from the first character of the second text string. SEARCH() can be very helpful when used in conjunction with LEFT() or RIGHT() when you want to get the contents of a cell to a certain character.

Text to Columns
Ok this one is not really a formula but it is a very useful tool. It allows you to break one column in to multiple columns by a common delimiter that you choose. Also you can choose “Fixed Width” and break up the column by width.

Differences between Open Office and Microsoft Office

For the most part the way that formulas work in Open Office and Microsoft Office work the same. There is a syntax difference in Open Office, instead of using commas (,) Open Office uses semi-colons (;) to separate the parts of the formula.

For additional information see the Open Office Formula Reference, and the Microsoft Office Formula Reference.

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A botnet named “psyb0t” has made recent news for being “The First Linux Botnet.”  Psyb0t is actually a worm that targets routers and DSL modems that run Linux, and might be the first of its kind. The worm “psyb0t” takes advantage of default and weak passwords on these embedded devices by using a dictionary attack. Then, after gaining access it installs itself and starts harvesting usernames and passwords from the user’s web traffic.

So it is not a vulnerability of Linux, or the software installed on the router, or DSL modem, but poor user or default passwords that provide the vulnerability. Many routers have their default password set to 1234, admin, or even blank.  As you can see these are certainly not very secure passwords.  To make a long story short, default passwords are insecure.

Whenever possible change default passwords and make sure everyone in your department has done so as well.  Every device connected to your network, including the printer, can be compromised and used to access your network.  This worm is a strong reminder that strong password standards not only apply to your computers but also embedded devices on your network.  

If you are unfamiliar with the term “strong password”, a strong password at minimum contains: a capital letter, a lowercase letter, a number and a character or symbol.  For more tips on strong passwords I recommend this article.  Posters are available for those in IT that want to call attention to the importance of strong passwords. Just remember that default passwords are about as secure as an unlocked padlock.

A recent study from the University of Melbourne goes against the pretense that personal website browsing at work negatively affects employee productivity. Dr. Brent Coker says, “People who do surf the Internet for fun at work - within a reasonable limit of less than 20% of their total time in the office - are more productive by about 9% than those who don’t... Firms spend millions on software to block their employees from watching videos on YouTube, using social networking sites like Facebook or shopping online under the pretense that it costs millions in lost productivity, however that’s not always the case.”

This recreational browsing helps prevent burn out by letting the mind rest. In the long run taking a break from time to time leads to a more focused concentration level for the tasks at hand that day. Some of the examples given were online banking, YouTube, social networking or sending a personal e-mail.

Though I agree with the study, there are some reasons why a business would want or need to control or limit the personal browsing of employees. One reason may be as simple as scheduling.  Take a call center for instance, in a call center proper phone coverage is necessary for day to day business activities.  While personal browsing may be good for overall productivity, if everyone in a given call center decided to start their personal browsing at the same time how successful would that call center be as employees adjust from personal activities to business tasks?  Could the company depend on these employees to make their personal activities second to what is going on at the company? Other concerns could be bandwidth issues.  Having multiple people watching video online could seriously diminish productivity to those still engaged in tasks associated with work.  Another issue to be wary of is the security hazards that can be associated with some social networking sites.

The key, as in most things, is moderation.  A little bit of personal browsing is most likely good in the workplace. A lot of browsing will most likely lead to a decrease in productivity and employers may not like it. On that note, be sure to check your workplace policy on browsing the web so you know the consequences of personal website interactions at work. Happy Browsing!