A better me

As difficult as it is, overcoming a hurdle when life throws out a wrench at you can become an exhilarating experience if you show the right attitude. Today was one of those days. I am reaching down to find the strength to become a better me.

My take on vulgarity

Instead of lamenting on the lack of civility pervading culture in America today, I want to offer a different take on Lee Siegel’s article titled America the Vulgar. How being exposed to vulgarity make me feel?

It is intimidating. It makes me coil and pushes me in a place where I want to crawl and hide. It stops me from listening because the words are assaulting me. Am I too prude? Maybe. Am I a hypocrite? Perhaps. Am I too afraid to admit it? Probably. But being more sensitive than most is a trait, not a weakness.

I understand that America’s cultural history and its development assume roughness and coarseness. Maybe it is a proof of its authenticity. Its sophistication is not in the form. Rather it is in the content of its character.

Siegel’s article ends on a hopeful note: “So maybe there is hope, and we will find, after all, some relief from the relentless hum of casual coarseness and vulgarity.” I sure hope so.

Can SAP win with Windows 8?

Over a year ago, Joshua Greenbaum wrote an article of the same name as this post. In this article, he argues that “mixed-mode productivity is ideal for a company that has a solid base of older enterprise apps – characterized by lots of keyboarding and mousing – and a growing portfolio of new tablet-based mobile apps.”  Where are we a year later?

Windows 8 does not seem to take off in the enterprise. It looks as if the dual mode of touch screen and keyboard/mouse input mechanisms is too ‘odd’ for the knowledge worker.

Like the pocket PC and the tablet PC before, Windows 8 seems to be out of place and out-of-sync this time as well. I would not be surprised if a new OS – not from Microsoft – which tries to meld form factors comes along a few years from now…