Comments for entry "Digital Tipping" at Dilbert.com Blog

Comment from ell10tt

ThuAMPSTE_Rndnd

If I may ask this question: If you wanted to advertise this new service, in every newspaper that carries "Dilbert," four days in a row (and counting), and you wanted a display ad the size of a comic strip... How much would it cost you? [Life must be easier without nuance. I envy you. -- Scott]

Comment from mikenchi

FriAMPSTE_Rthth

@ BigJ: I disagree completely. I work for a mid-size software company (about 1500 employees), and we use a similar service (leapfile.com and another I'm not sure the name) very frequently. We have a VPN server and an FTP server, but there is still a need for a file transfer service. I work in the IT department so I can tell you with certainty why we use it. We interact with our customers daily to send them software they have purchased, as well as for them to send us data files so that we can assist them in performing their analysis with our software. For many years we used our internal FTP server, but it was a constant source of hassles for us. It needed constant maintenance. Customers would often have problems downloading from it, due to problems on our network, or problems with our ISP. It was always filling up and running out of hard drive space, so we were always having to scramble to clean it up when employees or customers would upload too much. Add to that hardware failures every now and then, and you get the idea. Our IT department is VERY short staffed, and since the ability to transfer large files to/from customers is absolutely essential to our business, we started using a third party. This gives us the uptime and zero maintenance we need without seriously taxing our IT staff. One other thought. We recently started providing our customers the ability to buy our software in an online store and download it right away. Since we are a public company, we have to be able to prove with some level of certainty that customers have taken delivery of the product to recognize revenue. Our internal FTP server was not reliable enough for this, nor did it allow a good level of certainty that the software has been delivered. Overall, i think it's a great idea. I think it would be great for our tech support dept to use, as many people interacting with tech support and uploading files will probably enjoy the Dilbert interface and comics while uploading. Trouble is, I doubt management would go for it. Oh well. Management kills the fun again. If I were the tech support mgr, I'd be all over it!

Comment from beranger

WedAMPSTE_Rrdrd

Digital tips... business model... OK, the idea is great, BUT why can't you, Scott, offer some Dilbert-branded merchandise, such as this Wally Catbert mug here? http://www.flickr.com/photos/cannysphotos/2727428887/ The lack of branded products (mugs, mouse pads, caps, whatever) is a serious lack of the brand "Dilbert" (and friends).

Comment from BigJ

ThuAMPSTE_Rthth

I just had to comment on a bad business. First, if the photo was too large to send via email, it would have probably taken the photographer a long time to upload, and probably didn't want to have to leave a specific browser window and his PC on for that long, or have his internet connection tied up. Secondly, any business beyond a certain size that needs to transfer large files frequently will have an in-house solution set up, such as a Virtual Private Network, or an FTP server. This means that most of the people who use your service will not be repeat customers. Third, there are free services that offer large (beyong 2 GB) temporary file hosting and that do not make those files available to anyone who knows an URL. And finally, no serious business is going to use a service called "DilbertFiles.com" to send files to their customers.

Comment from mathieu

TueAMPSTE_Rthth

If there's a way to build a version of this site on a company's own systems (so the files don't sit on a third-party server) and take out the Dilbert stuff, I could see it working because it does look user-friendly and convenient.

Comment from vidiyeah

TueAMPSTE_Rthth

Probably way too late to comment on this topic, but hopefully Scott is (or has someone) still checking this space. I was thinking maybe you could add a one-time trial file send for people to try out the service and see how funnyunfunny the service is. You may also want to add a PS on the site about there being no funny business with the service. Keeping the Dilbert name has its pros and cons, but it's more likely to work to your advantage with getting the initial push.

Comment from macuga

SunPMPSTE_Rrdrd

This is the first time anyone's suggested that I should tip for writing a blog. As far as I can tell, writing a blog is a labor of love, and if you don't enjoy it as a creative outlet, you shouldn't be doing it. Some people do try to monetize their blogs, most commonly through ads, and that's fine. But "tipping" suggests that we are somehow beholden to you.

Comment from kshepherd

SunPMPSTE_Rrdrd

I share a few concerns already mentioned: - The name and branding itself may limit the market who want to use it - The people who use it *because of* the name will be even fewer, since most of us geeks already have good solutions for this problem However, I don't agree with the "FTP" comments at all, we're trying to focus on non-techies here as well, and while they can click an Upload button and browse for a file, most will end up stuffing up FTP transfers. For what it's worth, my workplace has an in-house tool to deal with transferring large files.

Comment from Dio

SunPMPSTE_Rrdrd

Scott, these comments are getting ugly! Start packing for Canada!

Comment from loveland

SunAMPSTE_Rrdrd

I am surprised at the number of commenters who see a problem with the Dilbertfiles.com URL. It's my opinion that they are missing the point entirely: the Dilbert brand name will garner more publicity than anything else. What are the better ideas they think will work? FileSender.com? SendMyBigFiles.com? CorporateFileTransferClient.com? I can't believe how many people are so easily embarrassed by a name. I think that, for the majority of people who want to get their jobs done, the name won't matter once they start using it anyway.

Comment from rodeoclown

SunAMPSTE_Rrdrd

@It's Dave, Well, don't be a douche bag and other visitors probably won't flag your comments to be removed. It's probably not Scott removing them, it's visitors who want to see a more constructive comment rather than to call Scott a begging whiny baby or the like. If you don't want to see Scott Adams posting about his business endevours then simply stop coming to this site, it's that easy!

Comment from screaser

SatPMPSTE_Rndnd

I'm honestly not trying to be negative, but I suspect my reaction is fairly common and I offer it merely as a thought for consideration. While this seems like a truly useful service, I as a management-type would be mocked if not fired if I sent a download URL to any client or potential client with "dilbertfiles" as part of the address. If this service were named something more neutral, I might be able to use it. But with this name, I would seriously hurt my credibility by using or recommending it. Unfortunately, not all of the world operates with a sense of humor lately. It should, but it doesn't. Unfortunately, also, a good idea isn't enough - it requires stellar execution. Used to be, a halfway reasonable idea/execution and a jingle was enough. Just not so these days. I am a die-hard fan of Dilbert and that will almost definitely never change... but that "loyalty" as it is cannot be automatically converted into anything more than a reasonably willing ear for ideas, humor, thoughts... If you show me something that will actually make my life better, I'm interested. But I will not buy anything (or pay more for something) just because it is branded with the Dilbert name... I do have some need for this type of service. Luckily, though, that need happens to be fulfilled by my IT department (FTP with a helpful Word doc for non-techies to use.) If they didn't provide it, though, I would probably just have to suffer. Again, using something with the name "dilbertfiles" is a one-way ticket to cubeville... and I'm just not willing to risk my career (even in the pathetic job I have) over using a service that will be interpreted by the PHB's of the world as insubordination and a lack of "leadership potential". Sorry, truly... but those little things still make a difference these days. Sucks, don't it?

Comment from BarnRat115

SatPMPSTE_Rndnd

I enjoy Dilbert, but I would never use Dilbert-themed software to transfer files to my bosses, colleagues, or clients. First, while it's fun to read and sometimes share comics about the workplace, it would be rude and unprofessional to send real work (which, you'd expect, either the sender or receiver thinks is important) with mocking comics attached. Second, if I'm sending a file of that size, it probably is important to someone for some reason, so I would want the receiver's focus to be on my team's or my contribution, not on your comics. Third, I can't imagine anyone in her right mind paying up to $270/month to provide you with free advertising to all of her professional contacts. Fourth, following on webgrunt's comments, if any one of a person's bosses, colleagues, or clients found any of the comics inappropriate or offensive for any reason, that person could lose her job (or the client) and her credibility/reputation in her professional circle. Sincerely, A Pompous, Self-Important Management Type ;) (Thanks, webgrunt! :) )

Comment from dahved

SatPMPSTE_Rndnd

How big of a photo was that of you? The site filedropper.com allows file sizes up to 5GB in size. [There are lots of competing services. If you don't care about security or convenience, they are fine. -- Scott]

Comment from dahved

SatPMPSTE_Rndnd

@digi, mark II <<>> If they did pay Scott when they took the photo (which I would doubt), why would it be so incredible that he would then have to pay to have that photo? The photographer/magazine would have paid Scott, and then used their photographic expertise and equipment to create the photo. What, they should pay for the right to take a photo, and then give it away?

Comment from dahved

SatPMPSTE_Rndnd

@digi Unless some kind of prior arrangements are made, a photographer owns the rights to photos he/she creates. I would guess Scott was happy to have his mug in a magazine, probably alongside an article.

Comment from staje

SatAMPSTE_Rndnd

I've worked in Enterprise Content Management for years and generally businesses have a way of dealing with large files. As has been mentioned FTP is always popular as is zipping. Additionally many companies have systems like eRooms (made by EMC, part of the Documentum suite) that allow large files to be shared either within or between business !$%*!$%*! It surprises me that the company you work with doesn't provide you with a way to get them the files they require. I can see that people who are not very tech savvy or who only occasionally need to move large files might use this service but as others have pointed out it is relatively expensive.

Comment from gozar

SatAMPSTE_Rndnd

To everyone who says using ftp is a good way to do this.... I thought so to until I started spending time on the phone supporting clients who were not technically savvy enough to choose and install an ftp client, much less use it. That got old real fast. I think Dilbert Files is an interesting foray for the Dilbert brand - it advances the brand in new ways, and it will be interesting to see how a comics-branded business application is accepted in the staid corporate world.

Comment from digi

SatAMPSTE_Rndnd

You BOUGHT a photo of yourself? Did they pay you when they took a photo of you? Even if they did, why do YOU have to PAY?

Comment from gozar

FriPMPSTE_Rstst

Any plans for an Apple Mail plug in or desktop client? Graphic designers would be a good market for this - we send / receive large files all the time - and tend to use the Apple platform more than Windows. It's a very nice service - and the price seems reasonable, but for my needs (graphic design agency) not quite as nice as sharefile (www.sharefile.com). You might want to check them out and steal (I mean be inspired by...) some of their features. One thing I really like is that we were able to skin the interface so it looks like our web site / agency brand. Also, I can give my clients logins so they can upload / download files from folders I set up.