RE: EMAIL != FTP

[Roeland Meyer <rmeyer () mhsc com>]

> From: Jim Mercer [mailto:jim () reptiles org]
> Sent: Friday, May 25, 2001 5:47 PM

> On Fri, May 25, 2001 at 11:22:15AM -0400, deeann mikula wrote:

> you are helping to create a society of users who think that 
> Netscape/Explorer
> is the internet, with no concept of any of its other applications.

You miss the point. It's what the users want. They are not interested in
maximizing efficiency <gasp>. They are into what works. They don't give a
flip how.

> > unfortunately, i have accepted the fact that there is no stopping
> > customers from emailing 10MB (and larger!) files, they can 
> just go to
> > our competition if we prevent it.
>
> that would be my tactic, but then i'm my own boss, so i can make those
> decisions.
>
> i get the impression that you (or someone else on the 
> "pro-ftp-by-email" side)
> is "just and employee" and has to do as they are told.

When I started my own company, the first time, I was under the nieve
impression that I was my own boss and could do whatever I wanted. Guess
what? I wound up with more bosses then you could shake a stick at. They're
called CUSTOMERS. EVERYONE has a boss! If you don't, then you are already
richer than Gates or broke as hell. Fifteen years later (and lots of peaks
and valley's) have not changed my mind on that. Owning your own company just
makes you feel the pain that much more directly.

> well, have a bit of guts, and try to explain to management what the
> implications (both current and local as well as future and 
> far-reaching) of such policies are.

Everyone learns to pick their battles. This issue is so far down the
priority list with ALL of my clients that you'd need a Saturn V booster,
just to find the bottom of the well. Since they pay me to know better, they
would simply question my sanity ... and proceed to find some one that will
do the job they wanted to get done.

> when 100 customers leave because 1 customer hosed your mail 
> server, then maybe
> they will start listening to tachnical advice, as opposed to 
> relying solely
> on marketing advice.

The smart ones find a way to have the cake AND eat it.