Re: Letters to the editor (May 17)
I too graduated from the same school as Alicia Luk–class No. 6, April 1971. And like Luk and her classmates none of us found jobs immediately. As a matter
of record, I mailed and/or hand-delivered over 150 resumes each with its own typed cover letter and had all of about six interviews–and I happened to stand second in the class. And I mean posted, not e-mailed; fax machines didn’t exist back then, never mind the Internet. I was finally hired as a computer operator/night auditor by The Inn on the Park hotel. Not exactly the position that I had spent $2000 and six months learning mainframe programming for. So if she’s ready to throw in the towel after only six weeks, then she probably wouldn’t make much of an employee anyhow.
Andrew SharkoRe: Behind the screen with software testers (May 17)
I agree with Gartner’s stats that only 20 per cent of problems are hardware related. However, to say that 40 per cent are operator related is false. Operators should not be able to make errors that cause downtime if the software works correctly.
Also, mention has to be made of two critical issues which affect software testing and operator usage:
- Design software which is incorrectly designed and/or does not present a clear, consistent interface, makes it much more difficult for users and testers alike to operate the software
- Documentation software which does not have clear and simple documentation also leads to both tester and user confusion, since neither group know what the software is supposed to do. In addition, unless all of the software’s options are known and understood, people just use the software in the wrong way
In my experience, software testers are always under too much pressure because of these two issues, and they become scapegoats when things go wrong. On top of that, as your article correctly points out, they are not remunerated on a fair basis. Software companies could save themselves huge amounts of money on software support if they designed software better and documented it better.
Mike Katz
Re: How analytics help business intelligence solutions smarten up (May 16)
While I agree that there is a significant role to be played by analytical tools implemented within an organization, there exists an equally important void that needs to be filled prior to using a toolset that meets an organizations needs.
Individuals who request information of their organization have and come from various areas of business. It is therefore especially important that they be able to articulate their requirements, and have then translated by “”Business Analysts”” who can in turn translate the business need into a technological solution that will produce exact results.
Glenn R. Brule
Manager, Business Analyst Program
CDI Corporate Education Services
Re: Say it with e-mail (May 13)
Good article and good observations. It occurs to me that rather than clamping down corporations should take the view of teaching people how to use e-mail as an effective tool for venting. In the old days, the “”interpersonal skills”” and “”conflict management”” course used to encourage people to “”write a letter”” and then leave it overnight, re-read it and either make it less “”emotional and confrontational”” or just throw it away.
The issue with e-mail is having the discipline to wait. So maybe there are techniques of having a “”gripeline”” account that simply bounces the note back to the originator after 24 to 48 hours — or similar ideas that let people “”vent”” — get the health benefits and deal with their emotions prior to going on and dealing with the underlying issue and concern with whoever they have a problem with.
Charlie Whitield
Re: Ontario call centres distressed over privacy law (May 10)
Well I salute for once the Ontario government as it is about high time that individual privacy is legalized and enforced. If that call centre business has to spend more money to comply, too bad, if he does not like it, good bye from Ontario. I’d rather sleep well with privacy protected.
Roland Orlie
Re: Ontario call centres distressed over privacy law (May 10)
Telemarketing and the Internet version we call spam is the biggest pain in the neck on the face of the Earth. I am fed up with people calling at supper time to try selling everything from carpet cleaning to new windows and everything in between. Having to put up with garbage in my e-mail is just as bad. I do not want all the trash in my list of e-mails. Some of this trash usually includes porn, stupid ways to get rich quick, how to spy on your boss etc. and a load of other assorted junk I do not want. Anything that the government can do to stop this waste of my time is just fine with me. If they could only stop the garbage from invading our homes from other off shore sources that would be even better. I hope the legislation gets passed sooner so we can all get rid of some garbage.
Peter Wesoly
Re: Ontario call centres distressed over privacy law (May 10)
Can you imagine the horrendous mess this act will bring to any Employer who wishes to check a reference. You are only allowed to check references given and people would be stupid to give a reference of someone who had fired them for cause. I wonder if this is the reason as with the call centres that the USA declined to sign on to this initiative.
Peter Harcourt
Letters to the editor must include the writer’s name and company name along with an e-mail address or other contact information. All letters become the property of ITBusiness.ca. Editors reserve the right to edit submissions for length and content.
