Weblog by Dan Stevens

Twenty Minutes

Tim Russert's recent passing inspired me to download his book "Wisdom of our Fathers" onto my Amazon Kindle (wireless reading device).   The book contains some of Tim's own stories along with a lot of excerpts from letters that fans wrote to him after reading "Big Russ and Me".  Here's a snippet from a story about a father and son talking outside a funeral chapel as they watched people go in...and then come out.
"My father nodded thoughtfully. 'Well, that's about right.  When a person's life is over, we have a funeral to celebrate that life, and it generally lasts about twenty minutes.' "  The son asked why they were even talking about this, since he's only eleven.  His Dad replied " 'Because I hope you will live a long and productive life, that you will be aware of your surroundings, that you will stay out of trouble, and that you will be thoughtful and cautious.  And above all, that you will always know in the back of your mind that someday your entire life will be summed up in twenty minutes.' "

New! - Corbin Book Released

It took us a long time...but the Corbin book v1 is finally done.

8 I/R Price Books Updated

Last night I posted into production the price updates effective July 28, 2008 for:
Falcon, GJ, Ives (Hinges/Pivots), LCN, Monarch, Schlage, Schlage-Electronic-Security & Von Duprin.

OneBox Virtual PBX

If you've ever setup a new business or location you've probably experienced the pain of dealing with telephone carriers and telecom equipment vendors. I am happy to say that I've been to the mountaintop, and I have seen the other side. Welcome to the age of the Virtual PBX.
I must have Googled for "there's got to be a better way" ;-). And there it was...www.onebox.com. At first it sounded like a new twist on VOIP, but it's not. It's better. Within minutes you can set up a OneBox account and have a new phone number + a toll-free number, and 4 virtual extensions. Using a web interface you assign your extensions, and decide what land-lines or cell phones to forward calls to. The entry-level 4-extension account includes 2000 minutes of inbound calling per month.
So now we can provide our customers with a single phone number to reach anyone on our team wherever they are physically located.
How about rich voicemail?...delivered to you email inbox! Imagine having the ability to save important messages in a project folder on your PC. Imagine being able to transfer a call to another extension...in a different location. It's not only possible, it's easy! And you don't need expensive VOIP equipment or additional bandwith to make it happen. You need $50 a month, and you can get it functioning in a matter of minutes.

Cores: Interchangeable vs. Removable

We were reviewing the Yale catalog today, and I saw a reference to their 2196 listed as "Interchangeable". I guess this continues to be a controversial term. Personally I always recommend using the term "Removable" to refer to LFIC/ proprietary cores, and "Interchangeable" to refer to SFIC cores.
LFIC=Large-Format
SFIC=Small-Format

Buyer Beware - LFIC systems are typically sold to limit the potential for competition. Whereas SFIC system are truly Interchangeable even across brands. Obviously the manufacturers would prefer to leave the lines blurred. That way they can bid/provide their proprietary cores when the Architect or Owner really wanted SFIC.

Ives Price Book 24A (Hinges/Pivots) is ready

Ives Price Book 24A (Hinges/Pivots) Effective July 28, 2008

I finished this price update this afternoon. It will be held, and posted Sunday evening July 27. The increases run approx 6%.

Ives Price Book 24A (Hinges/Pivots) Effective July 28, 2008

I finished this price update this afternoon. It will be held, and posted Sunday evening July 27. The increases run approx 6%.

Ives Price Book 24A (Hinges/Pivots) Effective July 28, 2008

I finished this price update this afternoon. It will be held, and posted Sunday evening July 27. The increases run approx 6%.

Schlage Electronic Security Price Book 20A is ready

Schlage Electronic Security Price Book 20A Effective July 28, 2008

I finished this price update this afternoon. It will be held, and posted Sunday evening July 27. The increases run approx 6%.

Schlage Electronic Security Price Book 20A Effective July 28, 2008

I finished this price update this afternoon. It will be held, and posted Sunday evening July 27. The increases run approx 6%.

Monarch Price Book 2008A is ready

Monarch Price Book 2008A Effective July 28, 2008

I finished this price update this afternoon. It will be held, and posted Sunday evening July 27. The increases run on average 6%.

Here's a few anomalies, I will be inquiring about:

On the Low-Side:
pg 14 - 17-C-WDC-EO x US3 @ $200 (Feb '08 price was $1,579)
pg 18 - 18-R x 811K-BE x US3 @ $1,156 (Feb '08 price was $1,225)
pg 24 - 18-C x 718DT x US4 @ $1,483 (Feb '08 price was $1,527)
pg 33 - F-19-R x 917DT x SP28 @ $397 (Feb '08 price was $407)
pg 38 - XX-R x 815TP x US4 @ $794 (Feb '08 price was $840)

On the High-Side:
pg 18 - 18-R x EO x US3 @ $1,065 (Feb '08 price was $871), 22% increase
pg 24 - 18-C x 717DT x US4 @ $1,618 (Feb '08 price was $1,400), 16% increase
pg 38 - XX-R x 815C x US4 @ $869 (Feb '08 price was $749), 16% increase

Falcon Price Book 2008A is ready

Falcon Price Book 2008A Effective July 28, 2008

I finished this price update this afternoon. It will be held, and posted Sunday evening July 27. The increases run on average 6%

Here's a few anomalies, I will be inquiring about:

On the Low-Side
1. pg.RU-3 - RU8511PD (should be RU851PD?) x D x 613 @ $685 (Feb '08 price was $835)

2. pg.Y-3 - Y12 x D/Q x 626 @ $48 (Feb '08 price was $54)

On the High-Side

3. pg.M-4 - M521 x Hana-Gala x 626 @ $425 (Feb '08 price was $354)...20% increase

That's not a forehead...it's at least a 7 or 8!

I posted a slightly skewed photo of myself on the blogs main page.  This was created using the "Photo Booth" software included with the i-Mac, using the "Stretch" effect.  It's good for a laugh.  My kids had a blast with this software.

Becoming the lead innovator

Here's an excerpt from a book I read earlier this year.  I keep returning to these words for motivation.

from Innovation Nation by John Kao...
"If we (the U.S.) are to renew our commitment to being the world's leading innovator, we must teach three foundational values - the will to mastery, the spirit of risk taking, and the embrace of continuous change - supplemented by a crucial fourth value that rejects the idea of global competition as a zero-sum game."  He goes on to say..."Rather than seeking to dominate the world economy, we must seek to lead it as a visionary and progressive problem solver."

Words to live by.

New iPod-Touch

I purchased an iPod-Touch today and handed my older iPod down to my daughter. The upgrade to the new 2.0 firmware wasn't very smooth, but now that it's done...I love this thing. I downloaded the free TypePad app from the AppStore and I am posting this blog entry with it. This is truly a gadget I will use everyday.

In Search of...Integrity

Integrity:

1. adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty. 
2. the state of being whole, entire, or undiminished
3. a sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition

Some might call it a virtue.  A state we should all hope to attain, or sustain.  I would argue it's probably the most important ingredient for long-term success.  And yet it seems that so many people simply don't get it.  Notice, I said people, not companies.  People are responsible for their decisions/actions.  Possibly, they are just so concerned with the short-game (i.e. "managing for the quarter").  Maybe the future is so unclear...they figure they won't be around in the long run...so they might as well "make hay while the sun shines".

As a mid-career individual...this bothers me...a lot.  It's like we're returning to the Wild-West..."check your morals at the door, please".  Ask yourself..."if this was my last day on earth...would I do what I'm about to do?"  That's a pretty good measure.

New iPhone is available

I drove past the AT&T store on the way to work on Friday to check out the line. There was at least 40 people standing outside the door of our local store...waiting to purchase a new iPhone. Apple sold over 6 million units of the original. It looks like they've added even more value to this 2nd generation device. The 3G network now offers broadband internet on the phone (add $30/month for unlimited). They've also cut the price in 1/2 by letting AT&T subsidize (this only applies for new activation, or qualified upgrades).

The iPhone is fast becoming an attractive software development platform for individual and corporate users on the go. Apple offers an "AppStore" where you can find all kinds of software for the iPhone (some is even free). All these features combined with GPS, and their new MobileMe service("push" email, contacts & calendar)...the iPhone is ready for business.

Von Duprin Price Book 2008A is almost ready

Since it's a Sunday...I'm taking off early. All of the BasePricing, and 1/2 of the OptionPricing is done. It looks like an average of 6-7% increase. This should be finished tomorrow.

Glynn-Johnson Price Book 2008A is ready

GJ Price Book 2008A Effective July 28, 2008

I finished this price update this afternoon. It will be held, and posted Sunday evening July 27. The increases run approx 6%.

LCN Price Book 2008A is ready

LCN Price Book 2008A Effective July 28, 2008

I finished this price update this afternoon. It will be held, and posted Sunday evening July 27. The increases run 4% to 8%.

Schlage Price Book 70A is ready

Schlage Price Book 70A Effective July 28, 2008

I finished this price update this morning. It will be held, and posted Sunday evening July 27. The increases run on average 4% to 7%. The F series (residential) prices remained the same.

Here's a few anomalies, I will be inquiring about:
L-9 L9444 x 93 x 605...@ $568 (Feb 2008 price was $436), approx 30% increase
L-9 L9444 x 93 x 630...@ $591 (Feb 2008 price was $458), approx 29% increase
L-9 L9175 x 03 x 626...@ $214 (Feb 2008 price was $169), approx 27% increase

Big Message #1

"The problem is never how to get new innovative thoughts into your mind,
but how to get the old ones out." - Dee Hock, founder of VISA

Going Deep

It probably borders on sacrilegious to blog about Deep Knowledge.  After all, the success of blogs is proof that many of us have shrinking attention spans.  Unfortunately, our ability to solve really tough problems relies on it.  Careers available to those looking for mundane processing (i.e. paper pushing) are nearing an end.  The PC and software continue to automate most of these tasks.  Servers & Networks are already performing mind-blowing workflows as incredible speeds without pause or error.  In order to differentiate yourself in your career, my words of advice are..."go deep".  We used this command on the football field as a teen to mean "sprint past the others, and get open".  It's not much different for an adult, or a business.  But the sprint is done intellectually rather than with raw muscle.  It is our collective IP (intellectual property) than differentiates us from our competitors.  That "IP" is in the form of our people, as much as it is in our software and systems.

The Door & Hardware industry continues to become more and more complex with every passing year.  I am amazed at how much information is stored in the minds of my colleagues.  Thousands if not Millions of bits of information ready for instantly retrieval.  The human mind is a massively parallel computer.  This has always been a challenging industry.  We touch so many disciplines...Metals, Wood, Mechanical and Electrical Hardware, Paints & Stains, Powder Coating & Plating (and that's just the products)...then we get involved in Contract Documents, Project Management, and more.  And now with factory automation and global sourcing the "custom options" are growing exponentially.  Harry was reminiscing today about how Sargent offered 3 styles when they first introduce the Lever Lockset.  Today, there's more than 320.  On the other hand...if it was all vanilla...most of us wouldn't have jobs.

Recently, I've been doing a lot of price book updates.  I could probably have someone else do the raw data entry.  But to me the task is as much about seeing what's not there...as what is.  And just maybe that next great idea will emerge while I'm neck deep in details.

Updates to T.O.P. (Total Openings Pro, a Kelley Bros software solution)

I posted some updates to TOP-Northeast & TOP-NewEngland Note - these changes will be posted onto the new T.O.P. server for
KB-Southwest (coming soon!)

#1 - TOP-New England now has a [Check Notes] button on the report tab. Northeast has been testing this feature. This is used to find sets & subsets (e.g. 01.00 & 01.01) with different
HdweSet Notes. Resolving these issues will prevent, the Detailing Error about
"...HardwareSetsDescription" This usually happens when Un-Detailing after complex Notes have been
established.

#2 - The Detaling Procedure has been improved to send back useful info,
in the event of the Detail Error about "...SetsCodesQty". This is usually caused by duplicate items listed within the same HdweSet. If you really need this...just change the Qty. The error will now provide the HdweSetID & ShortCodes that has a
duplicate ProductName. You can then either delete that line...of use Maintain Products to tweak
the ProductName For example you might have (2) lines of the same mortise cylinder called
20-001. Change the [ProductName] field for one to "20-001 Device-Trim" and the
other to "20-001 Removable Mullion" The ProductName is the key field...and must be unique for each hardware
item within a set.

#3 - TOP-Northeast now has "version 2" of the Hardware Configurator
software. New England has been testing this feature. It should be faster, more stable, and provides automated email feedback
error reports. We also discovered and fixed a bug today regarding a special inch-symbol
we use on some products. The special ” character was getting saved as †in the XMLEdit field.
This did not impact the ProductName. But, it did create a problem if you went to edit those products (e.g.
McKinney hinges) In any event...the issue has been resolved.

#4 - I've taken some more of the "sharp knives" out of the drawer. The Copy Job routine will now warn you if the Destination JobID you've
provided already exists. The default action (Yes) button...will cancel the Copy routine (fail safe).

New McKinney Pricing Posted

Yes that's right...the McKinney E-2008 Price Book has been retired at the ripe old age of 76...days old :-)

I was able to update all of the 4,410 prices in the McKinney book this afternoon (5-1/2 short hours).  TOP & SFH users should receive the updates automatically overnight.  The new book F-2008 is already in effect (effective June 30, 2008).  And June 27 was the last day to place orders at the 4/15 price (without a quote).

The average price increase was 10%.  Continuous hinges went up 16%.  And a handful of items went up 20-51%.  A few prices remained unchanged.

I will be inquiring about the following discrepancies I noticed:

Check if new lower prices are correct:
CG-21 MCK-FS302 x 85" x 32 @ 234.03 (4/15/08 price was 287.50)
FM28 TA2714 4-1/4 x 4 (NRP) x P-NRP @ 13.62 (4/15/08 price was 14.37)

Check if prices on same unit RH vs. LH are correct:
FM42 TA3331 4-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 10A RH @ 58.49, LH @ 61.71
FMA-4 TA394 4" x 32 RH @ 356.68, LH @ 326.02
FMA-5 TA5392 5 x 4-1/2 x 4 RH @ 326.02, LH @ 273.51
FMA-5 TA5392 5 x 4-1/2 x 32 RH @ 356.68, LH @ 362.81

I think I'll go home now.

Pending McKinney Update - New Price Book Effective June 30, 2008

I received an unexpected new price book today.
McKinney has published a new book, Effective June 30, 2008.
Obviously - we're behind the 8-ball on this one.

We will get on this right away, and get it posted asap.

Configurator Progress & Coming Soon! "TOADCRT"

We have also been creating and improving on our Configurator Management Software (TOADCMS).  This tool has become our "Quality Assurance" software.  It runs a bunch of cross-checks to ensure the proper linkage exists between the 8 working data tables in each Configurator file.

My goal for this product (from 2004) was to provide a better solution than what was on the market.  We are certainly delivering on that. It's amazing how complex this stuff gets behind-the-scenes.  But - we try really hard to keep it as simple as possible for the user, without skipping any required details.  The purpose of the software is to deliver the following functionality:
1. Provide Proper Ordering Nomenclature - Prefix+ProductNameBase+Suffix & Finish
2. Base & Option Pricing
3. Validation Logic (Sequential Logic & Non-Sequential Conflict checking)
4. Catalog Cut-Sheets in PDF format (we slice every catalog into individual pages, and associate them with the appropriate product Attributes.

Soon we will be extending this offering with an easy-to-use desktop application (currently named TOADCRT - for "Catalog Replacement Tool"). This will allow users to create a list of required products from various manufacturers...print Customer Quotes, Purchase Orders and Cut-Sheets.  A simple spreadsheet tool makes it easy to enter multi-level discounting, multipliers, or QuoteNet pricing.  We have also implemented both Markup & Gross-Margin to calculate the Sell Price.  Great progress was made this past weekend on this tool.  I hope to have a "beta" version available soon.  Please contact me, if interested.

Dorma Configurator Update "r1"

I posted "r1" this afternoon to cover a correspondence we received from Dorma with the Subject: "Price list 19 - Errors and Omissions" dated 7-2-08 from Bob Hasty.

End of an Era

Windows-XP OEM & Retail has officially ended as of June 30, 2008.
And with SP3, XP is better than ever. In fact we're still rolling out XP desktops.
Both XP & Vista have been very stable in my experience.

I finally updated my primary PC to Vista-Ultimate last Fall.
Lots of RAM (3-4Gb) and decent AntiVirus is crucial.
It also helps that I virtualized my "old" laptop using Acronis Universal Restore.
So my XP-laptop is now running as a Virtual PC, inside my Vista box.

Recently I purchase my first iMac.
I worked on the original Mac back in the late 1980s (to learn CAD)
And I bought an eMac at auction a few years back.
So, I'm not jumping ship.
I thought it was time for me to re-explore the Mac platform.
They are creating an entirely new software platform with the iPhone (2.0).
And the Mac is the obvious development environment for that.

I can certainly see Mac gaining market share.
But - this is not a zero-sum game.  There is room for both markets to continue to grow.
PC will still dominate for many years to come, based solely on their existing footprint on the world.
As network administrator for a medium size company, I can only imagine the pain of a major platform shift.
This is not something I would undertake voluntarily :-)

I/R Price Updates Available

I just checked on the partnerlink site. The new July 2008 price books were posted on Thurs 7/3. We will get started on these tomorrow (yes on Sunday). They become effective 7/28. The clock is ticking. So far, we have always been able to get the updates ready by the effective date. This round should be no exception.

A little History lesson

In 2004 I came up with the idea to create a Hardware Configurator as a software "component". At the time, the 2 companies that offered product pricing and catalog info had tightly coupled it with their scheduling software. I created a 3rd offering that could be leveraged from any Windows software.

We immediately integrated this component into our own T.O.P. Software. Kelley Bros was using a 3D AutoCAD solution from Petersen Custom Software. John Petersen was also challenged with trying to build and maintain business software...which was also demanding an integrated product pricing feature. We signed a co-development agreement, and the rest is history.

4 years later we have over 25 catalogs published. 2008 will be our best year yet. More catalogs, more users, more momentum.

Connecting-the-dots

Yesterday, I was watching a re-run video-podcast of a commencement address @ Stanford by Steve Jobs.  He said..."you can only connect-the-dots looking backward".  How true.  I am beginning to see the dots of my life connecting.  My latest new software-project is finally taking shape.  I keep trying to dream up that "killer app" for our Industry...I just might be getting close, after 20 short years :-)  I started this blog today to start documenting my adventures in software.  I am really stoked about the coming months.