What is the Optimal Software Feature Set
Software vendors must remain current with computer technology. Minimally, this means open architecture like running on the same Mac or PC the user otherwise uses in his job, and optimally access data through a centralized database that gives your company a choice of which database platform to utilize: whether Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase or other popular and powerful relational database management system (RDMS) packages available today. And bundling a versatile report writer like Crystal Reports to enable you to prepare reports (online or hard copy output) without the need for vendor programming.If yours is not a small publishing office, you will want the application to be server-based for sharing information not only between users internal to your offices, but even remote offices, which thanks to the Internet, can be globally located today. For example, a sales rep in Amsterdam can see his client’s ad (or the issue map) from your server. AND, as the next topic emphasizes, you can properly integrate your internal (and client/printer) applications to truly realize the benefits of ERP.Plus, your vendor has to be willing to continually re-invest in his software as new technology facilitates, such as the next topic demonstrates. Software Integration:Second perhaps only to computer platform, your company wants to bi-directionally and dynamically share data between software applications in real-time (like right at this moment) to avoid errors as well as eliminate redundancy: literally single-entry data, and maybe by someone outside your company; but with commensurate checks-and-balances to ensure accuracy.Such data-sharing is not a simple task, as it can mean that two or more software vendors have to agree to work together (and who may in different products be competitors). This is only compounded in the event one or more of your vendors have not re-invested in their software as computer technology has advanced, meaning possibly high integration fees.Ease-of-Use:The software needs to be as intuitive as possible, even providing intelligent defaults including user-definable drop down lists, as to what entry choice you will make where possible. And be reasonably adaptable to your company’s way of doing business.Robust Feature Set:For the person using the software (and for the company’s determination of cost/benefits and ROI), this is the name of the game: what’s in it for the users and company to buy one vendor’s product over another’s—or even investing in a new application for that matter? Let me provide you an example of an up-and-coming application, one that has been around for awhile, but which takes on new urgency with the integration of content and production of your printed magazine—including with your printer per the next topic, your issue map. One that can even expand into Web integration for your Web site and related e-media applications.• Your mapping software (also referred to as the flatplan, dummy or schematic) should be visual and smart: catching incorrectly placed ads and providing the user with top-down data detail as to what comprises each page’s content—either as images or metadata or both. And, it should be able to handle the most complex of makeup, including geo/demo and other targeted marketing.• Mapping software may even contain related modules like Production Schedules, through an integrated database that can relate job specifications and activities to schedule performance. Even the ability to try out different map scenarios through a real-time collaborative Cost Estimating module, covering both manufacturing and distribution expenses.• The mapping software should not only interface with other software applications, but also enable you to compose pages from the map through interfaces with either Quark Xpress or Adobe InDesign. This can even help build classified pages.• Besides interfaces, the mapping software also needs to be self-sufficient for companies that may not have ad management systems by offering a complete Ad Booking system.• Most importantly, your mapping software should be compatible with your printer and advertisers and their agencies’ systems, importing/exporting files in whatever format is appropriate: PDF/X, JDF, and/or XML/PROSE. This can enable an electronic insertion order being sent to you from your advertiser’s agency; or for you to send manufacturing or purchase orders to your printer—all through the Internet. Even where the sending data can be automatically acted upon by the receiving party’s (including your own) software.Consider Your Printing Partner:Your printer has likely been on a quest for some time to automate many of its manufacturing and business operations. In the process, you likely have seen a drop in paper consumption waste factors and better and more consistent quality. The next step is to electronically streamline every other aspect of business and manufacturing that is possible, through an increased focus on Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM). As a result, the appropriate mapping software can reach out not only to your printer’s customer service rep through an electronic purchase or manufacturing order, but even to scheduling and the manufacturing floor. In turn, this passes along efficiencies and other forms of savings to the publisher and printer—while avoiding miscommunications and other costly mistakes.Your Software Vendor’s Operating Policies (both spoken and unspoken):Software vendors have to make money to stay in business, but how they go about accomplishing that can impact your cost of doing business with them in ways that are not always apparent—nor in your best interests.One area is in added development costs a vendor might quote to enable its product to operate the way you need. You should make a detailed listing of the features for which you are looking, and compare them to what the software vendor’s product does as determined both through the feature set the vendor provides you and through live demonstrations, ideally at a client site so you can interact with a publisher about his impressions of the product in detail, if at all possible. Be open-minded that the workflow derived from the vendor’s software may actually improve upon your own operations, whether due to automation, the developer’s workflow model or both.The other area is whether or not you continue to get upgrades of the software as the vendor enhances the feature set for other customers: see next topic.Here is where talking to other users of the considered product(s) is important: talk to the client’s existing customer base, and not necessarily only the ones to whom the vendor points. Sometimes a client roster can be found on the vendor’s Web site. In other cases you can network, such as joining FOLIO:’s mediaPRO Web site. Or otherwise reach out to your peers to learn of their experiences with a software application and the products they use.To sum up this point, your questions to a prospective vendor’s clients should include the following points:• How long has the publisher been using the software? In other words, have they fully vetted the product? Have they comparative experience with competing vendors’ products?• Can you talk to actual users (as well as IT or the original buyer) in terms of what they specifically like (and don’t like) about the product: even—as suggested above—see the software in operation at the publisher’s site?• Without discussing dollars, did the publisher pay what he expected to pay when justifying the ROI? Concentrate particularly on any customization and implementation as well as integration fees. Why Pay for Maintenance/Support (and Specifically, Upgrades)?Being consumers of software products like Microsoft Office have spoiled us into thinking that we need not pay for anything after buying the software itself, outside of the occasional upgrade.That is not the case with professional business software such as used in publishing and as covered herein. Paying for continuing maintenance/support is something you really need to do and should be a consideration of your ROI analysis going forward. But, it is also important that you clarify the vendor’s position on the availability of upgrades, which must be factored into maintenance/support fees by the vendor. If your vendor is as progressive in its approach to continuing software development as this column urges, upgrades means better product as time goes on. Leaving the next topic’s most difficult situation a moot point. As publishers look for ways to cut costs, one of the primary sources of cost-cutting is through automation of workflows. At the same time, employees are looking for a more efficient way of doing their jobs given the workloads expected of them as a result of the competitive and economic pressures facing magazine publishers today.In the December, 2007 issue of FOLIO:, I covered “Enterprise Resource Planning,” or “ERP”: simply the ability of a publisher to computerize—and streamline—its operations and administration to an optimal level based on today’s computer technology.This column expands upon that article to cite the major features you need to consider when buying publishing-specific software in order to better automate your publishing office. But also, what you can do to benefit both in economies and timing in terms of your printing partner’s own efforts at streamlining manufacturing and related processes while enabling you to perhaps better compete in e-media as well as print.Platform and Related Architecture:
Alaska’s new attorney general is a 39-year-old who has spent the last 10 years practicing law with Governor Bill Walker. Craig Richards grew up in Fairbanks. He’s enthusiastic about his new position.Richards says the department of law is dealing with two big challenges right now – the first is the National Guard issueDownload Audio
ReutersWith leading domestic carrier Jet Airways lurching from one crisis to another, talks of its rescue are hinging on the potential exit of promoter Naresh Goyal.There have been talks about suitors including Etihad Airways and the Tata Group making Goyal’s future in the company a key pivot in the acquisition alks.The Business Standard reported on Wednesday that a consortium of lenders led by State Bank of India are formulating a funding plan that doesn’t see Goyal keeping his current position in the company.The report says SBI could possibly convert its debt to equity in Jet Airways when the consortium recasts the Rs 8,000 crore debt. The discussions have apparently taken an ominous turn for iconic aviation entrepreneur Goyal, with even his position on the board becoming a negotiable matter.According to a Mint report, the consortium of local banks led by SBI has proposed a $900 million package for the embattled airline, which includes fresh equity infusion and restructuring of $450 million of existing loans.As per the plan, while Goyal and Etihad will funnel $450 million, the rest will be pooled in by the local consortium. The talks aim at finalising the turnaround plan this month so that the cash-strapped airline gets the funds before a March deadline set by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).Ongoing forensic auditEarlier on Tuesday the Times of India reported that Jet’s lenders would not release further funds until a forensic audit undertaken by Ernst and Young gives assurance on Jet Airways’ business viability. All the three options before the lenders –Goyal selling his stake, starting of insolvency proceedings when the loans turn NPA and restructuring of loans, which changes the current equity structure — will result in major setback for Goyal.The debt-laden airline’s crisis worsened last week when it defaulted on loan repayments to banks. “Payment of interest and principal installment due to the consortium of Indian Banks (led by State Bank of IndiaNSE 0.10 %) on December 31, 2018 has been delayed due to temporary cashflow mismatch,” Jet Airways said in a regulatory filing on Wednesday.India’s biggest full service carrier, which posted three consecutive quarters of losses since March, has been looking for a suitor for some time. Etihad itself had emerged as a possible buyer earlier but Chairman Naresh Goyal’s unwillingness to cede control had spoiled the merger prospects.Jet Airways, which Goyal founded in 1993, is reeling under a debt pile of 81.5 billion rupees ($1.2 billion). Bloated costs, surging fuel prices and a weaker rupee are hurting Jet Airways. Peers such as SpiceJet and Indigo had reported impressive profits during the same period. Mid-air technical snag forces Etihad flight with 349 people on board to make emergency landing Close IBTimes VideoRelated VideosMore videos Play VideoPauseMute0:01/1:08Loaded: 0%0:01Progress: 0%Stream TypeLIVE-1:07?Playback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedSubtitlessubtitles settings, opens subtitles settings dialogsubtitles off, selectedAudio Trackdefault, selectedFullscreenThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal DialogEnd of dialog window. COPY LINKAD Loading … According to some reports in November, Goyal was considering pruning his equity stake in the company to as low as 15 percent in order to prevent the embattled airline going belly up. The report has emerged after a meeting Goyal had with Etihad group CEO Tony Douglas in Dubai.Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways has a 24 percent share in Jet Airways. Before Jet’s troubles worsened, Etihad had reportedly shown interest in taking a controlling stake in the loss-making airline, but Goyal, who holds 51 percent, had declined the offer.
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — His rivals dismissed him as a spoiled elitist, but ex-football executive Mauricio Macri gathered allies from diverse political forces to persuade Argentines to vote him in as their new president Sunday.With 96 percent of the votes counted at 11 p.m. local time on Sunday, Macri had 51.7 percent of votes compared to 48.3 percent for his opponent Daniel Scioli, according to electoral authorities. Related posts:Pro-market Macri likely new president of Argentina: exit polls Argentina announces end of forex restrictions Argentina starts talks with ‘vulture’ creditors Elections in Argentina could bring big economic, political change Facebook Comments
With a dashing smile under his piercing blue eyes, the graying 56-year-old channeled discontent among Argentines fed up with the hands-on economic policy of outgoing President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.In the runoff vote, Macri was the favorite candidate of big businesses and foreign investors alienated by Kirchner’s abrasive approach and protectionist policies.He has proposed easing restrictions on imports and dollar transactions and liberalizing the economy after 12 years of rule by the Peronist movement that has dominated Argentine politics for decades.A social conservative, he opposed the legalization of gay marriages in Argentina in 2010, firmly opposes abortion and once criticized what he called “uncontrolled immigration” in the country under Kirchner.The twice-divorced father of four rose to fame as the president of Argentina’s most popular football club, Boca Juniors.“I wanted to be Boca’s number nine” striker, he once said. Instead, he led in the boardroom during the team’s most successful period, seeing it win 17 titles.That powerful position catapulted him into politics. He founded his Republican Proposal alliance, known as PRO, in 2005.The mayor of Buenos Aires since 2007, Macri led a movement called “Let’s Change” aiming to roll back policies that Kirchner says help the working class but business leaders say wrecked economic growth.Life of privilege and dramaMacri was born in Tandil, a city in an eastern agricultural region, and previously managed his father’s firm.He is married to model and fashion entrepreneur Juliana Awada — a friend of rival Daniel Scioli’s wife — with whom he has a three-year-old daughter. He has two other children from a previous marriage.Son of a rich businessman and educated at the elite Cardinal Newman College in Buenos Aires, Macri had to tread carefully in a country with a loaded history of class conflict. But he drew leaders of various political stripes to his cause, including Peronists and social democrats as well as right-wingers.In last month’s first-round vote, he surprised pollsters by finishing close behind his opponent, Kirchner’s ally Scioli, and seized the momentum as the vote headed to a runoff.Macri crisscrossed the country’s poorest provinces, hugging children and grandmothers and promising not to take away anyone’s social benefits but give them the chance to work.Hailing his victory on Sunday, he said he was working “to help Argentines be a bit happier each day.”His life has been marked by dramas and scandals. In 1991, he was kidnapped and freed two weeks later after his family paid a $6 million ransom.Macri was cleared of smuggling charges in the 1990s and overcame accusations of links to groups of Boca football hooligans.In a more recent case, he faced accusations that he spied on opponents.His style has been compared to that of Republican politicians in the United States.At colorful campaign rallies, he has released yellow balloons, danced the Argentine “cumbia” and imitated the singer Freddie Mercury, a gay icon.He has vowed to liberalize the economy, but the contest against Scioli also forced him to face up to voters’ social demands. Scioli branded Macri a “stuck-up” elitist.“In the past. he was just right-wing and proud of it,” sociologist Federico González told AFP.“Now he is like Buddha. He went out of his palace and discovered misery and sickness.”
Large swathes of the capital of Taipei were submerged Tuesday in knee-high flood waters after a night of downpours.The Central Weather Bureau says the torrential rains may last until Wednesday.(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) Quick workouts for men Sponsored Stories 4 must play golf courses in Arizona Meghan McCain to release audiobook on conservatism, family Comments Share Think Tank analyzes the second round of Democratic debates
More Valley freeways to be closed this weekend for improvements How men can have a healthy 2019 New high school in Mesa lets students pick career paths Top Stories TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) – Flash flooding caused by heavy rain has forced the evacuation of more than 3,000 people across Taiwan and unleashed landslides that have killed four people.Officials say a landslide Monday in the mountains of Taichung county killed two people in a makeshift shelter. They had previously reported two other deaths in landslide in Nantou county.The government said Tuesday that 3,000 people have been evacuated from flood-hit areas across the island.
Check your body, save your life Top Stories MOSCOW (AP) – A Russian cargo plane has crashed into a military base, killing all nine crew members.No casualties were reported among base personnel in the Thursday crash on the outskirts of the Siberian city of Irkutsk.The Emergencies Ministry and the Investigative Committee said the nine crew members on the An-12, a four-engine turboprop, were killed. No cause was immediately determined.Russian news reports said the plane was carrying aircraft parts from a factory in Novosibirsk when it tried to land at the Irkutsk-2 airport near the military base and struck a warehouse. The airport is on the other side of the city from the main international airport. Milstead says best way to stop wrong-way incidents is driving sober 5 people who need to visit the Ultrastar Multi-tainment Center Comments Share Ex-FBI agent details raid on Phoenix body donation facility
5 ways to recognize low testosterone Sponsored Stories Former Arizona Rep. Don Shooter shows health improvement New Valley school lets students pick career-path academies (Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)