[TriLUG] [OT] What's the value of IT?

[Steve Litt]

On Friday 08 May 2009 12:17:56 am Phillip Rhodes wrote:

> Anyway, thinking about something a fellow Tri-LUG'er said to me about
> the need to connect the value that I possess (in terms of skills and
> knowledge) with their needs led me to spending a lot of time thinking
> about what companies (small / medium companies in particular) really
> need from IT.  And that led me to backing all the way up to the
> fundamental question of what value IT brings in the first place.

Here are my IT needs:

I need someone to provide me with a continouously functioning book authoring 
software, LyX in particular. I need someone to create new LyX layout files to 
accommodate various paragraph and character styles. Wordperfect and MSWord 
and OpenOffice styles are a user function, but for LyX they require either an 
IT person or a serious power user. My book authoring software must be capable 
of 3000 words per day. LyX does that.

I need someone to provide me with ways to print paper books and manufacture 
and personalize eBooks.

I need someone to provide me with software to create and personalize 
courseware for my Troubleshooting Courses.


I need someone to provide me with a continuously functioning static web 
authoring environment (Kompozer). I need someone to maintain my website 
(Troubleshooters.Com). I occasionally need someone to create dynamic web 
pages.

Every few years I need someone to move my website from one vendor to another. 
On a regular basis I need someone to move redirections of various URLs 
around.

I need someone to create and maintain my backup system (rsync). I need someone 
to repair and upgrade computers and operating systems (Mandriva Linux).

I need someone to provide me with personal productivity software including 
VimOutliner and UMENU, both of which I use tens or hundreds of times per day.

I need someone to provide me with functioning, well maintained and organized 
email, and to deal appropriately with spam. 

I need someone to create, maintain and back up an appropriate accounting 
system that captures enough info but isn't so inclusive that it's easier not 
to use it.

I need someone to train me on all the systems I use.

Fortunately for my pocketbook, I personally fill all those needs.

If I had to summarize in a sentence, it would be this: I need someone to 
enable me to use my technical resources to create and maintain profits.

HTH 

SteveT

Steve Litt
Recession Relief Package
http://www.recession-relief.US
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/stevelitt