Faster is better!

I find it interesting how the computer industry is always working to make their equipment run faster.  Sometimes I wonder why they are constantly trying to push the envelope.  Recently I've been working with a client who's network is experience a great deal of slowness.  This is very frustrating for the entire company.  The employees and management are at their wits end.  It seems most people are ok with a bit of slowness in their IT equipment from time to time.  It really becomes a problem with it grinds to an almost stand still.

I think the reason people are so interested in their equipment working fast is that they have the most powerful computer in the world right between their ears.  They want their computer/mobile phone/internet connection to move as fast as their thoughts and Ideas.  I think this is why IM and Iphones are so popular.  They move faster.  Many times it feels faster than making a phone call.  No small talk needed.  Just hard cold facts.... abbreviated.

Now I'll share something with you that is kind of embarrassing.  Sometimes when I'm heading down the road I look up contacts on my phone.  My usual tactic is to plug my headphone in to my phone in the parking lot before I launch (I know, I know...Bluetooth works better).  Next I wait until a stoplight to look up the name in contacts.  Then ideally I hit dial just as I leave the stoplight.  This should work except my 1 and 1/2 year old windows mobile phone can't keep up with my fingers and it actually creates a pretty dangerous situation as I'm still clicking while I'm accelerating down the on ramp.  I need speed!  Even though the GUI (Graphic User Interface) of the phone is somewhat annoying it pales in comparison to how slow the phone works.  The slowness has caused me to hate the phone instead patiently waiting for an upgrade.


I see this same kind of frustration with customers who experience applications or machines that are slow.  I had a client a few years ago who did software development.  Their  developers were so frustrated with the slowness of their machines that they uninstall-ed the antivirus software.  This ended horribly as their entire 80 person company was taken off line for a week with a virus.


My conclusion.  FASTER IS BETTER!  but not at too high of a cost.  I'm excited for the faster and faster processors and web based applications.  I especially like what Google has done with their apps and I love the Chrome browser.  I look forward to using it.  I'm actually kind of embarrassed for Microsoft with their doggy bug ridden Explorer 8.  Unfortunately many people are stuck with it because so many apps are built for it.  Their are many other ways to get FAST.  But I'll hit on that in later blogs.  Good luck getting fast.



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