The IT Skeptic - Comments

More on prISM and the results

skeptic — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 08:43:32 +0000

In reply to Do you know the professional recognition of individuals in Service Management Institute, a.k.a. prISM?:

More on prISM and the results of this survey here http://www.itskeptic.org/content/state-prism

ITIL history from the originator

skeptic — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 20:38:00 +0000

In reply to IBM: the company with such a firm grasp of ITIL strategic issues that they sold their service desk:

here is more insight into the origins of ITIL (and IBM's role in it) from THE MAN, John Stewart

The IT Skeptic website now using Disqus- CHANGE RSS

skeptic — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 12:34:39 +0000

In reply to How to use this website:

Hello readers

The IT Skeptic has decided to replace the Drupal comment system on my website with Disqus. I've been underwhelmed so far by Disqus functionality, but we will stick with it, as apparently it is funky and mobile and social and builds community or somesuch crap.

As a result this RSS feed for comments no longer works - this is the last comment you will receive on that feed (unless I spit the dummy and roll back). The new RSS feed is http://theitskeptic.disqus.com/latest.rss My apologies for any inconvenience.

Many thanks for following The IT Skeptic

Cheers
Skep

Ok - I will.

jgander — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 23:36:32 +0000

In reply to Green sustainable IT is a sop to middle class consciences:

Ok - I will.

We have reached peak child

skeptic — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 22:56:29 +0000

In reply to Green sustainable IT is a sop to middle class consciences:

"We have reached peak child" brilliant

Everybody should read The Rational Optimist

spam / not spam

skeptic — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 22:34:05 +0000

In reply to The sorry tale of Infra: will VMWare kill it?:

Akismet decided your comment was spam.

I hummed and hahhed and eventually decided it isn't. Line ball, since I try to keep product promotional stuff off the blog, but in this case it is pertinent to VMWare's commitment to burying a good product, and offering a way out for those trapped on it.

Close though. please don't every vendor pile in offering upgrade paths. Alemba genuinely is close to Infra so I let this one through. What do readers think?

Not sure I agree with EVERYTHING here......

jgander — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 22:29:00 +0000

In reply to Green sustainable IT is a sop to middle class consciences:

but there are some very valid points. With regards to point 4 above, have you seen Hans Rosling talking at TED on the same subject, but from a differnet point?

duh!

aprill — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 12:41:08 +0000

In reply to Green sustainable IT is a sop to middle class consciences:

Never read the comments! duh! ;)

Hello IT Skeptic

Alemba — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 10:09:15 +0000

In reply to The sorry tale of Infra: will VMWare kill it?:

Thank you for mentioning Alemba in your recent post about the death of Infra/VMware Service Manager. We share your thoughts exactly but would like to explain how Alemba fits into the picture.

Alemba is the largest independent Infra/VSM support consultancy in the world with over 100 years combined Infra/VSM experience. We have created a series of plug-ins to the application that transform how users interact with it. Cross browser support is included in this but everything uses standard VSM API calls so your core VSM system is not impacted in any way.

We are also developing a new ITSM platform which will be launched in April next year. This keeps alive the philosophy and spirit of the Infra product but is a ground-up re-write using the latest technology. Existing Infra users will be able to upgrade easily and we are currently running a promotion that will allow existing Infra users to access this new version for free once it becomes available.

We would love to talk to any existing Infra users who have questions about this and reassure them that their investment in Infra/VSM is not dead. Also more is on our website: www.alembagroup.com

shortlisting using the Magic Quadrant

skeptic — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 19:07:00 +0000

In reply to Examining the 2012 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Service Desk:

If one's requirements for a service desk tool meet the selection criteria for the quadrant then yes it might be a useful first cut

but that would be odd. For example only tools that have both a SaaS and an on-premise version are allowed in this quadrant. And only tools that have a global presence.

So if you are a global multinational who is planning to install multiple instances across the globe, but also must have a SaaS option while staying with the same vendor, then yes the MQ would be a useful shortlist

For the other 99.7% of us, no.

Reasonable business practice ?

Philippe — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 09:53:52 +0000

In reply to Examining the 2012 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Service Desk:

Using the quadrant as the base for the long list when selecting a software can be a reasonable business practice. Especially if you compare it with the other options. It beats a google search by far and questions on LinkedIn easily.

I'm not a Gartner fan but they put a fair amount of work in it. And placing HP and even BMC where they are requires balls of a decent size.

caveat emptor

skeptic — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 02:33:02 +0000

In reply to Pass the ITIL Foundation exam in six easy and (almost) free steps:

yes
no

readers should confirm all details for yourselves on the suppliers' websites

So to be clear... the vendors listed above actually have..

Visitor — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 01:40:06 +0000

In reply to Pass the ITIL Foundation exam in six easy and (almost) free steps:

So the two vendors above have a full course, for the price of the exam itself?
or is the course fee added to the cost of the exam?

Citrix acquire Beetil

skeptic — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 23:59:51 +0000

In reply to The Evolution of Homo Informaticus, or Why VMWare are in the Tin Age:

While VMWare are busy burying their own service desk technology six feet in a hole, Citrix snap up one of the hot up-and-coming tools: Beetil.

Congratulations to Dan and the team. Another group of Kiwis to be proud of.

Quadrants are meant to be read?

Osama S. — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 17:35:22 +0000

In reply to Examining the 2012 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Service Desk:

Does anyone who actually looks at these quadrants read the text? Rob, you only have yourself to blame for doing that.
rgds
Osama

I just might

skeptic — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 10:35:57 +0000

In reply to Examining the 2012 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Service Desk:

If I can do it online for a few grand - which I can now - I just might.

Take the exam

aroos — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 08:58:22 +0000

In reply to Examining the 2012 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Service Desk:

I wish I could see even some anti-ITIL movement but what I mostly see is blind acceptance of everything. Even you published text which argues that ITIL is a standard.

Remember that ITIL is also a rigid set of exam and product requirements, based on the 5 books. Maybe you should try to get certified as an ITIL Expert.

Aale

Does this mean that Pink will

not a great strike rate for me. — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 00:48:01 +0000

In reply to Examining the 2012 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Service Desk:

Does this mean that Pink will offer a "COBIT 5 - verify" stamp?

While everyone has their +ve and -ve ITSM tooling stories, I'm batting 0 and 3 across three vendors listed in the MQ (over the past 6 years) in terms of their tooling actually being able to do what was promised.

Yes, for three different employers.

the death of ITIL

skeptic — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 16:23:21 +0000

In reply to Examining the 2012 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Service Desk:

I like to think I'm rational about ITIL. I know when it has value and I know when it needs criticism. I'm also able to distinguish between ITIL the body of work and ITIL the movement. At least I flatter myself that these things are true.

The anti-itil hysteria at present is as irrational as the pro-itil hype was, and is as worthy of skeptical demolition. Singing the death of ITIL is as much a fad as declaring it a miracle cure was. Reality is of course complex, grey, and somewhere in the middle, as always. I.e. common sense

Yes and no

aroos — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 11:54:18 +0000

In reply to Examining the 2012 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Service Desk:

Yes, for awhile ITIL was useful but agree with Rhett that now it is holding things back.

Rob, you should sometimes read your own writings ;) You do an amazing job of ITIL bashing.

Aale