A new beginning

I’ve been postponing the writing of this post long enough, but I think I owe the readers of my blog an explanation as to why there is so little updates on Dynamics CRM coming from me. So here is my long and overdue update.

Sérgio Vieira de Mello: 10 Years

Ten years ago today, the world lost Sérgio Vieira de Mello; a unique and wonderful human being who dedicated all of his adult life for the well-being of others.

The entertainment industry’s war on consumers II

A year ago I wrote a post in this blog about my concerns around digital rights management and how companies like Microsoft and Sony are looking into ways of blocking users from buying and playing used games. This is a move that, in my view, is paving the way for the entertainment industry to transform consumers in a money-making battery farm through the introduction of such limitations in their upcoming consoles.

There’s been a lot of uproar in the comments section of technology news and information websites about this issue recently, and some people saw with optimism the statements by some Sony executives that PS4 will not block used games. Well, I don’t share such optimism. Read more >>

Microsoft Account and the EU Data Protection Directive: The long and winding road

— With contributions by Geoff Coupe

Microsoft has recently announced that they will now accept migrating XBOX Live accounts from one country to another. While the XBOX community rejoice in celebration, I look back and reflect on my assiduous journey to have my account migrated, and wonder if my case along with the case of a fellow friend and others who joined our cause, has contributed to this outcome. Read more >>

The entertainment industry’s war on consumers

The consumer preview of Windows 8 is around the corner, and I’ve been reflecting about it’s Windows Store, the consumerisation of IT and how it affects us as consumers. I’m afraid I see dark times ahead of us.

Sure that downloading content from the comfort of your home is a convenient concept. But corporations are luring consumers to become cattle in a battery farm, where they milk consumers for their money to pay for services, but consumers hold no right to any goods. As consumers we don’t own anything but the limited right to consume content provided by these companies. So when we buy a song or a book, we don’t own a copy of the song or the book, but the limited right to play the song and read the book. If the corporation wishes to do so, they can pull out our right to such content. Read more >>

Steve Jobs: 1955-2011

I started using Windows 3.0 at the age of 12 and even though I worked with a lot of different systems, from Linux and OS/2 to BSD (and a few times, Apple OSes), I have pretty much solidified my profession career with Microsoft products.

I saw Jobs solely as a difficult man who mistreated his employees, and I never understood his value to the market. That is, until I did my Masters Degree and I was introduced to the concept of industry paradigms.

Regardless of any feeling of rivalry one can feel on “Apple Vs Windows” subject, Steve Jobs was undeniably a visionary and a paradigm pioneer who challenged concepts and developed new markets and trends. Before the iPod, the digital music players were all but a joke, and the iPad succeeded to launch the tablet industry where others previously failed.

The world will be less innovative without him. My sympathies to Apple Inc, his family and friends.

Sérgio Vieira de Mello: In Memoriam

In the state we find the world today with all its poverty, epidemics and never-ending conflicts, it is almost impossible to find comfort in the words and actions of our politicians and statesmen. We’re often tired of their rhetoric and demagogue speeches, in what many of us see as fueling empty promises about making the world a better place. Speaking for myself, I can’t think of any politicians or diplomats from our time that I can say, hand on heart, that I truly believe in their good intentions, integrity and honourable values. All but one, who unfortunately was taken away from us five years ago. Read more >>

Studying for exams: How Wikipedia helped me (and so can help you)

Yesterday I had my first examination of my MBA programme: Human Resources Management. I don’t plan to talk about all my exams, but since this was my first one, it was quite significant. In particular, I would like to mention how I actually used Wikipedia as a way to help with my studies.

Of course the name Wikipedia raises all alarm bells when talking about research and academic studies. Every lecturer I know has strong feelings against the use of Wikipedia as a source. Use Wikipedia as a reference and bibliography and you are likely to be penalised.

But if used correctly, Wikipedia can help you. In case of studying for my HRM exam, here is how I used it in my favour, in two different ways. It might surprise you.