Tools, Tools, Tools

Tools, Tools, Tools

As part of my business, I spend a good amount (too much?) time looking at the comments made by various companies about the need for business intelligence, and all the fantastic new products they have come up with: tools for dealing with 'unstructured data'; search-like query tools; semantic-layer tools... tools, tools, tools.

The thing that struck me is that these software tools are essentially just like the tools of a carpenter or plumber. Without the skill of someone trained to use them, they are at best inanimate lumps, and at worst, they're the keys to a misguided car, careening towards a cliff!!

So the point for today is that a tool is a tool. A wrench is a wrench, and software is software. It is the skill of the person using the tool that brings benefit to you.

(Oh, and don't call me to come fix your plumbing!)