Today I Cried

Last Post?

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 16:49:00 +0000

I want to thank everyone for their readership and their support. I had entirely different hopes for this site when it began and it certainly has been an interesting several months. I had not expected the online community I would inevitably become a part of. I think it's wonderful that non-profit technology has its own niche on the web and that its people support each other to get through those tight budgets and impossible demands. Also nice was to see that non-profit technology isn't nearly as limited as it is perceived to be.

This experience and the birth of my children have changed my goals quite a bit. Initially I had considered finding another non-profit position. As one commenter suggested, there is a great position at NPowerNY that I had recently interviewed for. But I think I'm done with non-profit. At least for now. I'm looking at corporate - the bigger the better. I need something different, a fresh start. I'm not sure I'll find what I'm looking for in corporate but we'll see.

The interview for the position with NPowerNY was eye opening. I do consider myself to be knowledgeable, however what I had not considered was the limiting factors being tied to one small company can impose. This was never more apparent then when NPower had me teched out. I didn't get the position specifically for this reason. I don't setup domains and Exchange servers everyday, nor do I deal with multiple types of configurations regularly. I don't have a dependable test environment and sometimes, to reduce downtime and risk, I will call upon a consultant with more experience in certain matters. As a result there are holes in my knowledge much larger than I expected. While NPowerNY didn't feel I belonged in that role, they did want to try me in another. As I mentioned, after the birth of my children my mindset changed. Maybe I'm just at a very confusing point in my life but I reluctantly declined. Maybe in the future I will have the opportunity to work with them again. In the meantime, I should brush up on my skills.

The resignation was long coming but the act was spontaneous. The situation was soon to become even worse and it was not worth it for me to continue here until a job I wanted came along. The time off will give me a chance to spend some more time with my newborns with less on my mind. I've never resigned under such circumstances. I've never known such a hostile and negative work environment. What an experience.

Now I'm winding down; documenting and hoping to perform a full knowledge transfer once a replacement is hired. My anger towards Boss does not extend towards the organization. In the end, good is being done and I have no interest in penalizing the company by leaving them without an IT resource.

Again, thanks to everyone for all your support. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with this site now that I think I'm done with non-profit. I'll leave it up for a while and see what happens.

Goodbye, all. Good luck and see you around.

-Former Non-Profit IT Manager

My Resignation

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 15:29:00 +0000

From: IT Manager
To: Boss
CC: Executive Director
Date: Today
RE: Notice of resignation

Boss,

This memorandum serves as notification of my resignation from the position of Information Technology Manager for the [company]. My last day will be April 6, 2007.

I have decided I can no longer work under your supervision. I do not believe you are fully aware of my worth to the company. While I do not expect gratitude, I will no longer accept regular criticism of my loyalty, dedication, and competency. In the nine-months I have been employed here, I have more than proven my benefit to this organization. If you still feel, among other things, that I prioritize for my own benefit and not for the [company], then you still do not see my work for what it is. I will no longer deal with the friction this regularly causes.

In the interest of giving [the company] time to find a replacement and allow for a proper knowledge transfer, I am providing the organization the professional courtesy of a four-week notice. Please contact me if you require me to leave earlier.

Thank you for the experience of working with the [company]. It is unfortunate my experience here was not more positive.

IT Manager

Everything Changes

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 20:45:00 +0000

After an intense month, my daughters have arrived!

Born in the afternoon on Feb 7, weighing about 4 lbs 10 oz, both are already home and doing well.

Taken

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 05:32:00 +0000

Do you know what a modem-router is? I didn't until I started figuring out how to better integrate the nearly forgotten branch offices at my last job. This modem-router was a Netgear 4-port router with a built-in 56.6kbps modem. Yes, that's right, the staff were all splitting a dial-up connection.

Over the years I spent a lot of time attempting to integrate the branch office staff so they were less remote. This included VPNs and Citrix, new hardware and regular visits. Eventually many staff were mobile and it worked mostly well. My final hoorah was supposed to be setting up a new phone system that should have made everyone just 3-digits away. The phone system, 15-years old, needed to be replaced anyway, so it was a good opportunity. However, having never worked in telephony, I look back and realize this was one big job to take on. 90 staff, 5 sites, 1 me. It wasn't a complete failure, but I grew a few gray hairs that have stayed with me.

Lesson one has to be not to push the technology envelope on a tight budget. The immediate project budget was robust but monthly recurring charges had to be kept lean. To make the 3-digit extension scheme work vendors repeatedly told me that VOIP was the solution. Of course it was. But I was also told that it could be done over cable-modems and SDSL. My own figuring told me no, yet I listened to the experienced vendor. No, it can't be done that way and it wasn't.

While the main office, which has a hybrid digital and VOIP phone system, works flawlessly, the branch office have been left in bad shape due to poorer than expected voice quality. The main office project ran into cost overruns because the vendor, CBS Whitcom (site), has no concept of project management or the limits of the technology they hock. Though we had used them for 15-years, that made no difference in the level of care shown in setting up the project. While its sales rep and "lead engineer" (and I do mean that sarcastically) insisted that the setup was workable and that they do it all the time, the site technicians stated it couldn't be done in the first hour they appeared (prior to showing up the techs hadn't even been informed what the job was). Thankfully the techs were smart, competent people and over the next few days made the system at the main office work, but only after we wound up spending a couple thousand more than originally projected due to oversights by the lead engineer.

The false guarantees of CBS Whitcom about VOIP capabilities have stranded the company. The project should have been finished months before I left but it continues to be worked on months after. I feel terrible about this. At least if the system worked, albeit delayed, there would be some closure. Certainly lessons were learned. The biggest was vendors will not treat you fairly just because you're a non-profit. Money is money.

To sooth my guilt-ridden soul, I'm wondering if anyone else was taken as badly as I was.

No More Steam

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 16:15:00 +0000

Writing my blog has been a struggle lately. I had hoped that with the passing of the holidays and the end of the school semester I would be better able to write about the state of non-profit technology as I see it. My friend noted that I had lost steam and its absolutely true. I was able to write when I was in the thick of it; when I was thinking critically about how to better help the company achieve its goals. Unfortunately initiative is severely frowned upon by Boss and therefore, until I leave, I have relegated myself to break/fix, protocol, and answering the occasional mid-level question. So many technology decisions have been made without my input it is baffling.

Why hire a marketing company with no web experience to create your website?
Why spend the money on making a new website on Kintera when the same amount of money could have been used to transition the company to a new CMS/CRM system that actually works, is supported, and delivers?
Why pick a PRI vendor without soliciting competitive bids?
Why pick a T1 vendor without soliciting competitive bids?
Why hire an IT Manager if you don't want that person to manage the IT?

My heart's not into it anymore. I see what I could have accomplished, I see what I didn't, and I see why. So much energy wasted on bullshit.

Restricted/Unrestricted

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 05:30:00 +0000

My use of the term "restricted/unrestricted" in the previous post actually has to do with the way money within a non-profit is allocated. Often when someone donates money or a grant is provided, the money is restricted to a certain initiative, which means it cannot go to administrative matters. For that non-profits depend on unrestricted funding, which is what often pays for computers, salaries, and other business matters.

This is one key difference between non-profits and for-profits. For-profits establish budgets for departments and projects and expenditures are generally determined internally. Also, deficits from cost overruns are compensated for differently. For-profits can either shift money around easier, push sales, etc. The point is that a for-profit may have more options to fund projects and may not need to make due as often as a non-profit might.

I certainly don't believe that for-profit IT departments have endless pockets. I've worked in for-profit and know how many administrators feel there should be a tangible cost-savings, even profitability, from the efforts of their IT departments. Some of this is unrealistic and forces IT departments to stretch money in ways that don't necessarily make sense. Still the level of control over the money within the organization, as well as the source of that funding, is vastly different between the two sectors. That's not to say that the non-profit is solely at the mercy of the donor or grantor, nor am I saying there aren't options in the face of cost overruns, but these differences are factors that impact non-profit technology decision-making.

Non-Profit Technology vs For-Profit Technology

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 03:33:00 +0000

At a recent interview someone asked me what the difference is between non-profit technology and for-profit technology. Ironically, this is a question I've struggled with for some time, despite having been in the field for several years and having worked on this site for about 6-months. It seems to be an answer I know but can't articulate well.

My answer wasn't eloquent but it satisfied the interviewer. The answer didn't satisfy me, so I took what I came up with as seed for a larger discussion. While I'm well aware that money has a nice place in every IT person's decision matrix, it's how that money impacts the decisions that is relevant. Other factors include psychology (i.e. the for-profit staff mentality is different from that of most non-profit staff). Below is a brief over-arching list of items that I find different between the two sectors.

Money

restricted/unrestricted funding
discount pricing
used/donated technology
TechSoup
technology grants

Social services-oriented staff and clients

psychologies
schedules

Non-profit specific services and software

fundraising
grant management
Microsoft
consultants

I'm sure better minds have considered this matter with greater care but I wanted to think about it before I researched the topic. I'll go into some details in future posts and would like to hear your thoughts on the matter.

Holiday Time at Non-Profits

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 05:01:00 +0000

Holiday times must be madness for most, if not all, non-profits. It's also a time that many people are out of the office, exacerbating the madness. For IT, I find it a mixed bag. Usually when I hear that people are out of the office, I start planning for some major overhaul. I even try to take advantage of holiday parties if I can. The longer users are away from their PC, the more time I have to do network-wide projects during the day. In the past I have planned OS patching, hardware swapping, firmware upgrading, and rewiring around these golden moments of opportunity.

This time is also more harried, as fewer people need to suddenly do far more things than they ordinarily would. Different people have been assigned to check others' emails (and no one understands delegates in Outlook so forget it), perform data entry into programs not ordinarily on their workstation, or work remotely (just go on vacation, people!).

I've learned a couple of things in the last few years: 1) make staff tell you ahead of time how they plan to disburse their work when they are out. There is nothing worse then being approached on the day the person is leaving with the request to help solve their lack of availability. Threaten them if you have to but be careful. Brushing a person off as punishment for their procrastination means they'll just give someone their password. 2) Once a project is planned, don't let anything stop you from doing that project on schedule. Opportunities where most staff are away from their workstations don't come often. Yeah, I'd rather be at the holiday party but I'm a one-man IT operation and this is my chance.

Have a great Holiday Season, everyone!

Branch Office Setup Status

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 04:28:00 +0000

Limited for time, I went with the VPN setup I had originally spoken of (post) and mailed out one of the two workstations. Since we were in donated space and using someone else's network, I changed the VPN connection settings to connect with the local DNS server. This way at least it will limit how much traffic has to come over my T1.

The free version of RealVNC (info) was installed so I could have access to the computer from New York. I like to show the users stuff in their own profile and this allows me to watch what they do so I can figure out what the problems are. This type of setup has worked out great so far.

My only snag has been that Outlook can't find my mail server through the tunnel. (Okay, so that's more than just a snag.) The mail settings resolve the Exchange server's internal IP address to beta.[non-profit].org; that is, the server name on the domain. Outlook can't find the server, I'm assuming, because once resolved it is seeking the website beta.[non-profit].org. I assumed that an entry in the hosts file will solve this. Unfortunately I was not able to test this by the end of the day due to hardware difficulty...

While the workstation had been working fine for me in New York, by the time it reached the branch office one of the fans seemed to have broken. As a result the tower makes some horrible noises and apparently shuts itself down from over-heating. I'll probably have to ship out the other workstation to replace this one. It's a good thing the second employee hasn't started yet.

Mobile Device Standardization Winner

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 04:23:00 +0000

Standardizing on mobile devices required a little research. My non-profit sticks with Verizon Wireless (site) because we prefer paying more to be dictated to - it's like a bonus. Admittedly Verizon's network is one of the best. However, this limited me to a handful of devices.

The Samsung SCH-i730 (info) and the Verizon branded Audiovox XV6700 (info) were immediately ruled for simply being too much machine for my average users. My staff does need mobility but don't necessarily require high-end, high-tech immediacy. The Treo 700p (info) (my favorite) was also out because it didn't work with Exchange 2003's ActiveSync. That narrowed the choices down to the Palm Treo 700w (info), the Motorola Q (info), and the Blackberry 8703e (info).

The Motorola Q (shop) would have been my choice if not for some major shortcomings. Motorola has priced the Q perfectly, while offering what many IT staff will think is the perfect device for most non-technical mobile users. It provides a limited interface that allows for ActiveSync synchronization (albeit intermittent, not real-time), a small form, and good sound quality. Unfortunately the Q's negatives were weighty. Its battery life is very poor, the OS is prone to crashes, and the device's keyboard is horrible. My fingers are not big and still I had trouble working those keys. Motorola has a great idea with the Q. It is exactly what many companies want for their users, but it is unwise to roll out a first-generation device of such questionable quality.

The Blackberry 8703e has a great screen and a wonderful keyboard. This device would have been my choice if not for the costly implementation. Key to this decision was my requirement of centralized manageability. The Blackberry Server is a great product that provides considerable remote control. Perfect for what I want to do, however, Blackberry does not offer ANY non-profit discounts on its server products. Additionally, should there have been a non-profit discount, such a purchase would still have been tough to justify when Exchange 2003 with ActiveSync was already in production.

The Palm Treo 700w (shop) was my winner. I'm a big fan of the Treo 650 and 700p (Palm OS) models. Though now dated, the Palm OS is a simple, elegant operating system that considers the mobility aspect of mobile computing in its design. Until recently, the Windows Mobile operating system was laborious and clunky and created knots in my shoulders. But Palms rendition of the Windows Mobile OS makes me feel at home. My users will find it simple to use and the hardware is divine.

The Treo 700w costs much more than I would like to spend and is probably not within reach of non-profits seeking larger rollouts. Yet, for the five to seven units that will eventually be in operation in my organization, the Treo is well worth the savings in frustration. However, when the second-generation Q comes out, you better believe I will be taking a close look at it.

First Thoughts on Standardizing on Mobility

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 04:34:00 +0000

My organization is opening a new branch office with two people. It's a small endeavor in a donated space. I'm building the computers now in the New York office to ship over while I come up with a smartphone/PDA solution for the director. For now the land line phone and internet will be shared with the donor organization until we move, so a dedicated phone number for our organization will take the form of a mobile device. Plus, the need for the director to be on the go means email needs to be readily available. Multiple problems arise out of my requirement for streamlined efficiency.

I feel now is the time for me to standardize on a smartphone/PDA solution. Since I prefer central management as much as possible, I don't want to purchase cellphones that require a desktop client. We already have such setups in the New York office for both Blackberry and Treo. Both work fine but I don't see this as a solution when dealing with remote site users. Since we have Exchange 2003, we have ActiveSync. Using a Windows Mobile device, like a Treo 700w, email and contacts can readily flow to the device. With no desktop client to install, there would be less hassles when something does go wrong with the workstation or PDA. A Blackberry server option winds up being an additional expense that, while far more useful for centrally managing mobile devices, is difficult to justify when we already own something that satisfies the general requirement. Still, Blackberry is not out of the equation yet.

There is a problem on the network side. Because it is easy, I was intending these users to be set up on POP3, which means while I can set up their Outlook to leave the mail on the server for a duration of time thereby syncing with the handheld device, their contacts will forever be on their desktop. Alternatively a VPN for Exchange would create constant synchronization and give me a chance to use ActiveSync. Currently a VPN is what we use for two west coast users, though the rest use POP3. VPN is currently handled between server and desktop instead of between firewalls. I fear over time this setup could eat up bandwidth and resources. I might not want to think that long-term though, since a growing organization is a changing one, and just setup a protocol that really works through the immediate future.

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 23:29:00 +0000

I wish you all a great Thanksgiving weekend - even to those not in the United States. I'll write more next week. Have things to say about grant applications processes and mobilized workers. Enjoy the weekend!

Meanderings

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 04:00:00 +0000

At the crack of 8:15-ish I am out the door and on the subway. I change trains instinctively while reading a paper and ignoring the many thousands of my fellow New Yorkers I pass daily. I manage to get to the office usually unscathed by 9. Downtown is always a mess but mornings are worse for pedestrians as everyone is meandering the maze of security zones, barricades, police road blocks, construction, and grabs of eminent domain - not to mention the groups of talkers, smokers, hockers, and loiterers. Especially mobbed is the area around the Stock Exchange (pic) and Federal Hall (site) where George (the good one) presided.

In the midst of this mess is my non-profit. Not nearly as bustling or exciting but just as cramped as any rush hour subway car (pic). There is a "beautiful" view of the building across the street. The datacenter that looks back sports a wall of blinking lights. Yeah, so what? We may only have five servers and no air conditioner but we help people every day!

The thought doesn't really alleviate the blinking-light envy (pic) I feel in my gut.

No, load balancing will never be an issue at my little non-profit, but it is amazing what so few people with nearly adequate tools can do for the betterment of the world. It's rewarding working as a non-profit technologist, despite the politics and difficult budgets. Small improvements in technology and an understanding of staff needs can make a big difference in output. Personally, it's great ROI to be there for those that are there for others.

My day usually ends 15 minutes too late and then I'm off to class. The streets aren't nearly as bad as in the morning but the trains run like broken escalators. I gripe about my day-to-day happenings, yet in the end I can't imagine being happy anywhere but at a non-profit. Hopefully that continues.

Revisiting Computer Equipment Rentals

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 04:08:00 +0000

In a previous post I spoke naively about computer equipment rental (post) for events held offsite, often in hotels. It's a great idea to look for the bargain, but after speaking today with the event planners I realized that the roadblocks set up by money hungry hotels actually makes it more cost effective to rent directly from them. Hmm, convenient, ey?

Things I didn't understand included the fact that many venues charge a fee for bringing outside equipment. According to my event planners it seems that one can get away with bringing in one's own laptops but other equipment, especially projectors, is best rented from the hotel. Michael Stein pointed out that support is a lot quicker to obtain if you're working with the hotel's equipment (post).

Still, there are some ways save a few bucks but it all depends on the frequency and needs of your events. My company is probably going to buy a half dozen laptops and a shipping case. We're estimating a savings of several thousand over the life of the laptops, which I estimate to be 3 years (usually the life of the warranty). Additional presentation remotes and lavalieres will also be purchased for a little more savings. I figure the presentation remotes and lavalieres will pay for themselves within a handful of events and the we'll keep a spare laptop on hand if any one breaks. These items should require minimal onsite support and some venues are willing to look at your machine to figure out why your equipment won't function with theirs.

Computer equipment rentals is certainly not as clear-cut as I had initially thought. There is some merit to renting directly from the venues, even if it is by their own design. But I still wouldn't buy a bag of peanuts from a hotel!

Documentation Matters

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 02:36:00 +0000

IT management requires one laborious task at its heart for the sake of organization and consistency: documentation. Creating documentation is tedious but not altogether horrible. It is the maintenance of those documents to reflect current conditions that requires monk-like discipline. Too often, once the document is drafted it lies buried on a server, growing outdated month after month until it is useless and only the template is worthy of salvage. Then the "next guy" has to start from scratch.

The dereliction of this duty comes easier the fewer people there are in a department. One-person IT department personnel are notorious for keeping everything in their head. When sharing isn't a requirement, the importance of documentation falls to the side. For non-profits with small IT departments, this appears to be a routine problem. For those dependent on consultants, often non-technical administrators don't request documents, or if they do, the material isn't stored well enough for future reference. Often I have asked for a specific piece of historical information and been handed an unwieldy folder with "everything about the network."

Document every month like it is your last month at the job. This is especially so for inventory and "Network Binders." Documentation should be limited to as few pieces of material as possible. The tome that is my Network Binder is really an anthology, but it is physically one document and digitally one folder on the server. When edits are made, diligently swap out the loose-leaf pages of the physical volume with the updated ones. And do keep as few copies of the physical and digital versions as possible - for consistency and security.

Non-technical administrators should always ask for documentation after any major work or regular maintenance has been conducted. Material on work performed should be kept separate from invoices and manuals. Additionally, keep the work documentation in chronological order. Being able to quickly review the work history of a network will reduce the learning curve for any future network admin.

Managing such a disciplined approached to documentation isn't easy, especially if you're a one-person operation. Certainly I'm guilty of ignoring my own guidelines. I consider this an ideal to strive for until reality interferes. Everyone needs dreams.

What To Do? Where To Go?

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 04:12:00 +0000

A week in Montreal helped clear the mind of its webs. Sometimes a break from all levels of routine is very much needed. The trip allowed me to evaluate my situation and goals from a less stress-reactive position.

Firstly, the job needs to go. Despite having made the decision out of shear frustration, it is the right choice. I just wish I could quit now and take a month off. The wife won't allow it at a time like this. Understandable.

Second, I've turned this site into something too personal. I wanted to keep the blog very much about the technology and managerial trends exemplified by work experiences. I wanted to document what I learned and how I went about performing my job. Along the way I could reevaluate what I said, learn from criticism and others experiences, and grow. For this to happen I would have liked to work on project after project. Unfortunately the work environment has left me lacking in this regard, and therefore I feel the blog has not lived up to what I had hoped it would be.

So where do I go from here? I'm not sure. I don't know where I was going with this post. I had hoped I'd find some resolution, some direction, by the end of this paragraph.

Nope. Nothing.

Spooky Spooky! IE7 is Coming! Spooky Spooky!

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 04:24:00 +0000

Tomorrow is Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) day (info). Microsoft is planning to roll it out through automatic updates. Ooohh, Microsoft! Why must you induce IBS (info)?

I did rant some time ago about how I thought auto updates were such a great thing (post) for small companies like mine with no update protocol in place. I still think it is except in times like these. So I finally focused on WSUS and planned everything to be ready by today. Nope, not happening.

1) The settings in group policy that allow changes to workstation update schedules and update site redirection just would not take effect. The parts I setup previously work fine, like the remote printer installation and drive mapping login script, but the workstations don't receive the changes to the auto update settings. I always have some quirky issue with group policies.

2) WSUS won't recognize any of the computers on the domain.

I haven't had enough time to research these issues but attempting to beat tomorrows deadline left me little choice but to go to each computer and manually change all the update settings to notify. As a simple fix, a friend suggested I could have blocked Microsoft's update sites altogether through the firewall, but there's some issue with the Sonicwall (site) and licenses. I always thought blocking websites was a basic part of firewalls. Unless I've missed something, it can't be done without the license. I miss the Fortinet (site) firewalls I used to use at the adoption agency.

IE7 seems quite harmless overall. I've noticed no problems and it seems to have a few nice influences from other browsers. The PC I'm testing on continues to behave normally, however, I'm certain the new interface will trouble many users initially. I'll release IE7 to staff eventually. It's just not that critical for all this fuss.

Wow!

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 03:51:00 +0000

The well-wishes have been very uplifting. But I was not expecting the job listings, offers to pass around my resume, and contacts. I'm stunned and grateful and planning on making the best use of all your help. Thank you, everyone!

It struck me that while my blog is a tremendous resource for making contacts in the non-profit tech community, my need to remain anonymous limits me from using the site to its fullest potential. Despite my disappointment in my current employer, I cannot reveal the company in any way because I have discussed too many details. It would simply be inappropriate. And frankly, the disappointment is with one person, certainly not the entire organization, which I feel continues to do wonderful work for its cause and I don't want to hinder that in any way.

While the resumes have already begun going out, I will continue working to improve this company's infrastructure as much as I can; as much as time allows.

Thanks again, everyone.

Wasting My Time

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 19:12:00 +0000

Boss being how he is, no one actually wants to talk to him if it can be helped. As a result I've worked independently for a while, with little or no information exchange between him and me. Boss has decided he does not like this vacuum and so today was the first of ongoing weekly meetings reviewing what I accomplished last week and outlining what I intend to do this week.

Immediately we got into an argument over Kintera. He had repeatedly told me that staff's dislike of Kintera was due to their inability to use the tool. Ignoring the obvious questions about training, I gave him my opinion as an IT professional who actually has gone to Kintera training (post).

His usual threatening and belittling prattle ensued regarding any research on my part for alternatives to Kintera. Some time ago he had ordered me not to pursue such research but today I purposely informed him that I have done so on my own time. My aim at this point was to escalate this argument. Stress and frustration shouldn't only flow one way.

Now I was wasting his time and was told I should not be doing this on my time either. All this amused me for several reasons.

1) He never uses Kintera so how he disregards anyone's opinion is beyond me.

2) He made one of his minions delete several thousand records at 100 records at a time (yes, that's right!). Kintera doesn't allow more than that through their web-interface. However if Kintera ever gets back to you, they can do it with one push of the delete key. Somehow my seeking alternatives to a bad situation was a waste of time but deleting several thousand records, 100 at a time because the company refuses to get back to you, is efficiency.

3) He now presumes he has control over my personal life. I love it!

I've never behaved this way at work. Then again, I've never been treated this way at a job. I've worked for multi-millionaires with their own startups; Yale, Harvard, and Wharton graduates; IT engineers leagues over my abilities; even government bureaucrats, and no one has ever threatened, insulted, belittled, or disrespected me like boss has. This nobody has done it all.

The oddest thing: as a result of maintaining limited communication, people around him tend to fail often. When one fails he rewards with compassion. It's almost as if success is threatening to him, preferring rather that those around him fail so his status as top dog maintains. Odd behavior for a CFO - for any manager, in fact.

I'm done with this. He's right, I am wasting my time, but not because of what I do but in dealing with him. My resumes are going out tonight. I hope I can stick with non-profit but with twins on the way, I don't have the flexibility I once did.

Wish me luck.

Computer Equipment Rental

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 14:23:00 +0000

For our recent fundraiser the event planner spoke to me about computer rentals and her needs for the project. We didn't comparison shop, we just went with who we used last year, Rent-A-PC (site). They not only made the planning easier but the tech that came knowledgeably and quickly put together the PCs into a peer-to-peer network. Granted some of it was setup beforehand but that's the point, our project was handled well. I'm sure many rental equipment companies can do a comparably good job.

The costs were not great and so renting the units made far more sense than buying equipment for a one day event. Plus, working with an equipment provider whose prime directive is the maintenance of their wares gave me some confidence that we weren't going to be stuck with lemons. In the end the event went well.

Then another event crept up on me. Other departments decided they would handle a west coast event by themselves. However, at crunch time they needed my help. That was fine but suddenly I was getting so many requests for equipment purchases under the logic that it was cheaper than renting them. Without seeing the numbers I took their word. Since this is a multi-day event, I imagined costs could add up. Then I started seeing numbers and thought things like, "$50 a day for a presentation remote seems high." There was too much happening for me to get any deeper into the matter so I let it go and just ordered the equipment.

Today is the event, the equipment is in, and I now understand why the gear was so expensive. The staff rents equipment directly from the hotels where they are conducting their events.

O...
M...
G...

For anyone that does this: don't do this. Would you even buy a bag of peanuts from a hotel? Of course not! Then why would anyone pay $500 a day for a laptop? Just give the money to me. I'll waste it far better than you. Besides, the twins are going need plasma TVs.

Owning your own equipment is nice until it breaks, gets old, or you can't figure out how to set it up. Renting it from a dedicated computer equipment vendor should mean you get some support and a few less headaches during your event. I suppose that's the allure of renting from the hotel, but the costs don't justify it. Of course your rental choices are determined by how involved the hotel is in your event but if you can bring your own equipment, you can certainly rent from somewhere else too.

Tags: nptech computer rental

Suddenly MStyfied

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 02:56:00 +0000

The PowerPoint onslaught continued today. I poorly timed the setup of my long delayed WSUS project (post) this week, unaware that when half the company went to the west coast tomorrow it meant PowerPoint, PowerPoint, PowerPoint for me. Suddenly I feel more AV than IT as I sit there timing slides and fades to Fantasia's I Believe (shop).

WSUS (site) this week because Microsoft finally pushed me over the edge. The announcement that IE7 will be deployed through automatic updates (link) sent shivers down my spine. I tested IE7 (ha!) on my own workstation and nothing blew up, so my fears have subsided, but I would still like to manage the installs myself. And while MS kindly provided a blocker toolkit (info) to deter their deployment, why must I deploy something to deter a deploy? Maybe I didn't read something right but in any case, I decided WSUS was what I needed to setup this week. I'm still not done 3 days later with all the event distractions (i.e. PowerPoint).

Tomorrow I mix Diddy's "classic" All About the Benjamins (shop) to a slide show about giving for medical research.

I'm kidding!

Tags: nptech powerpoint Microsoft WSUS IE7

Next Level of Productivity: PowerPoint?

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 20:35:00 +0000

It's happened twice. I go into a company, rebuild their network, and clean up their workstations. The result is that increased productivity appears in one form: PowerPoint. Suddenly everyone is doing presentations. It's happening here like it occurred at my last gig. This is funny and odd but I think the reasons are somewhat clear.

The task that once took three hours only takes two, so employees want to enhance their output. PowerPoint is easily accessible because it uses similar logic to other programs used by staff (i.e. Word, Excel, Outlook). There is plenty of online help (find) and instant gratification couldn't be more attainable.

Projectors are also easy to use. Anyone with the drive to see their work on a wall will spend energy learning to use a projector. And projectors often come with presentation remotes, which are also relatively easy to learn and allow staff to be techno-cool (though included projector remotes aren't nearly as user-friendly as third party presentation remotes. This Logitech (shop) is my favorite right now). So there is an element of fun to this.

The real driving force is that most non-profit departments (especially in small companies) do their own marketing. The easy visuals offered by PowerPoint make for a better pitch and in the end, one hopes, this means growth for the company. I'm not sure if this is success but it is interesting to see where the first steps after a major overhaul take us. Now, if only people knew how to use PowerPoint well (info).

Books I've suggested to staff:
PowerPoint 2003 Personal Trainer (shop)
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information (shop)

Tags: nptech powerpoint

I'm A Man, Technobaby!

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 01:29:00 +0000

When I started this blog I purposely left out the context of my gender. The intention was to focus on the broader scope of non-profit technology and not so much on myself. I figured my gender was irrelevant to the issues of technology and business and have always felt that identifying oneself on blogs tends to immediately impress certain ideas on readers. As time went on the blog started becoming more about me. While I had no intention of keeping my gender a big secret, I kept it quiet until I let it slip in a moment of exhaustion (post). I decided to leave the post as is and confirmed my manhood in a comment on Beth Kanter's site (nothing dirty!) (link). Later I received an email from Deborah Elizabeth Finn that my gender identity was a big enough issue for a group calling themselves the Technobabes to discuss it during a gathering (link). I'm floored and flattered and hope the gender mystery wasn't the only reason you came to the site. There is still the gender mystery for my unborn twins!

It was interesting to me that the use of the word "cried" led many people, not just the Technobabes, to believe I was a woman. There are all kinds of socio-psychological lessons that can be derived from this. I just want to clarify that the word "cried" can mean several things, including yelling for someone to pay attention. And frankly, man or woman, who hasn't wept in the face of insurmountable computer illiteracy? :)

Technobabes, thanks for the support!

An Opinion About Raiser's Edge

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 03:03:00 +0000

Celeste had inquired about my opinion on Blackbaud's Raiser's Edge (RE) in a recent comment (post). It's a program that has dominated fundraising and one that I've worked with quite a bit. However I should clarify, I don’t work with Raiser's Edge (info) directly. That is: not the database end of it. I do manage the installations, upgrades, maintenance, and troubleshooting, and currently work closely with a very talented in-house DBA. On occasion I do find myself in the development tools, though. Between the DBA’s experience and my own, I find RE to be a well conceived, well supported application. It does exactly what it is meant to do and seems to do so quite competently. More often than not, problems I come across have solutions found in the online knowledgebase. While the DBA has outwitted many of the Blackbaud support staff, I have felt they are all well enough trained for my needs, patient, responsive, and clear. That's what I need from my complex-application providers.

If you’ve not used RE, be prepared for a couple of things.

1) Complexity. Logically constructed and versatile though it may be, RE requires training for effective use. I would never setup an RE database without help. After training, new functions can be picked up relatively easily. It helps to have a dedicated staff person on RE, but there are plenty of consultants specializing in the product if needs arise.

2) Expensive. Blackbaud has made an industry out of charging non-profits exorbitant prices. Their products seem well worth it though. I would recommend RE if your non-profit can handle the initial and recurring costs.

Due to RE's costs, I recommend a few things. Speak to other non-profits that use RE to understand the full scope of RE's deployment into your organization. Don't limit yourself to just the ones Blackbaud provides as references. An investment of this level shouldn't just make fundraising and customer management easier. This product should shape the way your development department operates, opening up new roads to money and constituent generation. Have a plan for growth in place before you buy and be willing to change that plan as you experience the strengths and weaknesses of RE.

Kintera Sucks, Man!

noreply@blogger.com (Non-Profit IT Manager (MS)) — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 20:47:00 +0000

The mind can only take so much of the illogical. When 75% of one's time is spent trying to make connections between tasks and elements in a program as vast and as ill-conceived as Kintera, all one wants to do is nap. Instinctively the brain knows that putting so much effort into something inevitably fruitless is fruitless in and of itself, and therefore prefers to shutdown. My initial psuedo-optimism has passed (post).

It's hard to argue Kintera's benefit when you look at the numbers. My non-profit makes heaps off the relatively minimal investment in Kintera. Hard to argue until you factor in that data management and site traffic have very little to do with Kintera. Kintera's function, at least in the capacity we manage to use it, is not unique. Many products such as ESX (site), Convio (site), and Blackbaud's NetCommunity (site), could do just as well because in the end the tools provided are just tools. Granted, I've not used other services, but ours site's traffic, this non-profit's service, and the reasons why people donate have nothing to do with Kintera and everything to do with the quality and sincerity of this organization.

I think my company is trapped into thinking that Kintera is the only road to online donations success. I can't explain their insistence on staying with Kintera any other way. In the end, Kintera only makes this company's life harder. Its tools are difficult to use and its support is non-existent. Volunteers, constituents, and donations are practically manually managed since Kintera won't speak to Raiser's Edge with any competence. After my three-day training, the instructor who claimed a supporting commitment to all his students has never once responded to my emails. (I never even got the fleece promised me!)

At least I got some Silly Putty (info) from them. Do you know that the harder you throw Silly Putty, the harder it gets (demo)? That's cool! At least Silly Putty makes far more sense (info) than Kintera.

Kintera is a lemon. There are options. Go with them.