If you want to increase the benefits that computing provides while reducing the costs associated with it, this game plan might help.
Save money on platforms.
Raw computing power is becoming ever cheaper. Unfortunately, utilizing it well seems to be getting ever more difficult.
How much cheaper? Computers have storage and processors. The storage is for describing objects (i.e., nouns.) The bigger, the better. Processors are for performing tasks (i.e., verbs.) The faster, the better. In 1958 I first wrote programs for the Sperry-Rand Univac 1. It was the first computer that became a product. Since then the costs have dropped by a factor of 127 trillion. A leader in this is the Raspberry Pi. The change works out to be about a 50% reduction every 16 months.
Linux and other free open source tools have further reduced platform costs.
Platform independence is key to lower computing costs.
Don't get locked in. A platform independent software tool or application can be made to easily run on a number of operating systems, computer hardware and system architectures. Platform independence keeps you from being locked into overly complex, unadaptable technology.
The applications newspapers use are large and feature rich. They can be built of components that share a common data store, e.g. an ad database. Alternatively, they can be composed of a set of tasks or services. Neither of these system architectures is guaranteed to minimize system complexity. Care must be taken to prevent being locked into a monolithic database. Components can become too complex when they have too many interacting functions.
A microservice architecture seems closer to the ideal. A system built of microservices has a service oriented architecture that follows certain rules. These rules are designed to minimize complexity and maximize adaptability. A less complex system will be easier and faster to extend, debug, upgrade, deploy, understand and support.
A microservice is a software component designed to perform a single function. Microservices are a way to build modular systems. Several rules characterize them. They have their own data. No microservice can directly access another or its data. (I.e., no shared databases, monolithic or otherwise.) Microservices can reside anywhere. Data is shared among microservices via an enterprise service bus. (ESB). ESBs use standard, encrypted protocols to provide communication among microservices. Only the ESB knows where a microservice resides, locally or network based.
A given function might be implemented by several different microservices. The ESB chooses which. For example, using the ESB an upgraded component can be tested in parallel with a prior version.
Well written microservices are inherently platform independent. Systems built with them are compatible with every type of system architecture from dedicated workstation to a single server, multiple servers, private clouds and hosted platforms.
Standby ads, an illustrative example:
Our advertising systems have supported standby (or remnant) ads for decades. If you are dummying a product and have a space you need to fill, putting in a standby ad can provide revenue where a regular filler would not.
Standby ads should not be ordered in the ad order entry system, because there is not yet an order. Supporting them within a microservice is a near perfect use case for them.
Up until recently we bound standby support into our display ad dummying system. If you had a space to fill while dummying, you could find an ad to use. Unhooking standbys proved a revelation. Using the standby ad microservice allows remnant ads to be selected during classified pagination as well. Isolating the function offered new revenue possibilities.
What is good for classified pagination is also good for news pagination. Well engineered microservices can often be easily used in many different contexts.
What makes for a good system architecture is well engineered software.
The best choice will be the least complex to do what's needed. You will know it by how durable it proves to be.
I just hate vendor departures.
You might think that we would be happy to see a competitor newspaper vendor go. We've seen a lot departures.
From 2000 to now, newspaper employment has declined from 420,000 to just 180,000. We vendors serve an industry in decline. Doing business as usual isn't a viable option.
Martha and I say that SCS builds trusted newspaper systems. We also think that for newspapers, being trusted is essential. Otherwise its readers will flee and its advertisers will depart.
A while ago, at a trade show conference, one speaker, a disgruntled newspaper executive, announced that he thought all vendors lied. To this Martha (the person who founded SCS 40 years ago and proudly stands with a fist) proclaimed that this hasn't ever been true of our company.
When a newspaper vendor fails, it's like when a newspaper goes out of business. The scuttlebutt becomes "All newspapers are going out of business." And some trust in them is lost.
There is a concept in business called fiduciary responsibility. It means you place your clients interests ahead of your own. Professionals are often required by law to do this.
For newspapers it is a responsibility conferred on them by their special status written into the Constitution.
So here's the question: Would you expose the malicious intent or behavior of an important advertiser? How about a favored politician? What about an executive of your company?
Newspapers need the ability to reinvent their business. Often this will require new or changed technology. They need trusted vendors now more than ever.
Being virtuous is tough. We've found that doing well goes hand in hand with doing good.
For your Peace of Mind you will want to partner with a vendor you can trust.
Martha and I took a vacation in Alaska this past July (2018) to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. It included a land tour starting in Fairbanks and then a cruise from Seward to Vancouver, BC. It was a wonderful experience in a beautiful state.
Martha thought we should be prepared for travel difficulties when going to Alaska. That's why we had an extra day to do sightseeing in Fairbanks. We took a cab ride. The driver, Jason, from the Eagle & Yellow Cab company headed off to our planned destination. He seemed to need a few minutes to work up the courage to ask something that bugged him. "So you want to go to the newspaper? No tourist has ever asked me that before. Why would you want to go there?"
We explained that we owned a business that supplied computer systems to newspapers. It turns out that the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner is one of our customers and has been so since they contracted for Layout-8000 (then still called Layout-80) on June 22, 1984. That's right, the News-Miner became a customer just one year after I joined Martha at SCS in 1983. Even more surprising, the News-Miner is fully updated to new NUCs and current with the latest version of Layout-8000.
Brian said of the most recent upgrade that the equipment came in boxes with an 11-step set of instructions from Frank. It started with unboxing instructions, followed by cable hook-up directions. Everything was very clear. The last item said "Call me." Brian then said, "So I immediately called and Frank said 'I see you. Your installation is complete.'"
"It was by far the slickest upgrade I've ever experienced in over 30 years here. Ann then helped us learn the new system, taking care to go at a pace that our staff was comfortable with. Your people are great."
Brian's first question to me was were we doing more things with Raspberry Pi computers. Seems that he has deployed several at the newspaper. They are used to monitor directories and provide visual signals when pages, plates, etc. are ready for further processing.
Brian had notes on his chalk board. The biggest said "Simplify".
The News-Miner's contract was for Layout-80, ad entry with credit checking, Webpresser, sales analysis and report writer. They currently use Brainworks for retail advertising management and NewsCycle for editorial and pagination with InDesign.
The interface to Layout-8000 is via a cardex from Brainworks. The News-Miner has had Brainworks for a long while. They may have been one of Brainworks earliest customers.
Fairbanks is about as far as one might get from anywhere. It is about 150 miles from the arctic circle.