Comments on: Mpower Open Now on the Leaderboard http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/mpower-open-now-on-the-leaderboard Confessions of a Non-Profit Executive Director Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:46:18 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Luis F. http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/mpower-open-now-on-the-leaderboard/comment-page-1#comment-100581 Luis F. Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:03:09 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/?p=3579#comment-100581 How long have you been blogging...your good at it. How long have you been blogging…your good at it.

]]> By: Stemulite http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/mpower-open-now-on-the-leaderboard/comment-page-1#comment-98760 Stemulite Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:59:50 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/?p=3579#comment-98760 When I was completing my MBA in Portland, OR, I worked with the Youth Symphony to help guide them in their fund raising efforts. This tool would have been a very interesting one to explore - especially given its open source nature and relatively cheap commitment level. When I was completing my MBA in Portland, OR, I worked with the Youth Symphony to help guide them in their fund raising efforts. This tool would have been a very interesting one to explore – especially given its open source nature and relatively cheap commitment level.

]]> By: Allan Benamer http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/mpower-open-now-on-the-leaderboard/comment-page-1#comment-97964 Allan Benamer Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:02:47 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/?p=3579#comment-97964 Thanks for the kind words, Doug. No, I don't think that there have been any connections built between MPower and Salesforce but it's not impossible to do so. Thanks for the kind words, Doug. No, I don’t think that there have been any connections built between MPower and Salesforce but it’s not impossible to do so.

]]> By: Doug http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/mpower-open-now-on-the-leaderboard/comment-page-1#comment-97915 Doug Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:35:17 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/?p=3579#comment-97915 I appreciate Allan's voracious ability to challenge this sector, and bring up things that just seem to go ignored. case in point: seat licensing and its negative impact on solution adoption. kudos, dude. By setting it up as a scarce resource, the system becomes a barrier to transparency and breeding ground for dysfunction. I sure wish we could figure out the business model for a SAAS offering on this. Did you happen to ask if they have built an interface to SalesForce? doug I appreciate Allan’s voracious ability to challenge this sector, and bring up things that just seem to go ignored.

case in point: seat licensing and its negative impact on solution adoption. kudos, dude. By setting it up as a scarce resource, the system becomes a barrier to transparency and breeding ground for dysfunction.

I sure wish we could figure out the business model for a SAAS offering on this.

Did you happen to ask if they have built an interface to SalesForce?
doug

]]> By: James http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/mpower-open-now-on-the-leaderboard/comment-page-1#comment-97904 James Thu, 18 Sep 2008 01:59:46 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/?p=3579#comment-97904 Hi, I found your blog on this new directory of WordPress Blogs at blackhatbootcamp.com/listofwordpressblogs. I dont know how your blog came up, must have been a typo, i duno. Anyways, I just clicked it and here I am. Your blog looks good. Have a nice day. James. Hi, I found your blog on this new directory of WordPress Blogs at blackhatbootcamp.com/listofwordpressblogs. I dont know how your blog came up, must have been a typo, i duno. Anyways, I just clicked it and here I am. Your blog looks good. Have a nice day. James.

]]> By: Jim Boles http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/mpower-open-now-on-the-leaderboard/comment-page-1#comment-97890 Jim Boles Tue, 16 Sep 2008 05:00:18 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/?p=3579#comment-97890 Maybe we are talking about two different things. Yes, I see the multi-org feature and I know how that works. The Oracle ERP has the same thing. But that isn't exactly what I'm suggesting. Instead, a hosting service would install MPower and provide the functional and technical support to any NPO out there. Each NPO would use the same installation of MPower, but WOULD NOT share data. It would appear to be a private DB. The NPO only pays a monthly fee for the service, saving them infrastructure and staffing cost to support MPower themselves. This would be attractive to smaller NPOs could never afford to implement their own servers etc. As the number of NPOs grows who bought into the monthly service, then the hosting service would buy a second server (other hardware etc), and another copy of MPower, and new clients would come onto the 2nd server, etc. Maybe we are talking about two different things. Yes, I see the multi-org feature and I know how that works. The Oracle ERP has the same thing. But that isn’t exactly what I’m suggesting. Instead, a hosting service would install MPower and provide the functional and technical support to any NPO out there. Each NPO would use the same installation of MPower, but WOULD NOT share data. It would appear to be a private DB. The NPO only pays a monthly fee for the service, saving them infrastructure and staffing cost to support MPower themselves. This would be attractive to smaller NPOs could never afford to implement their own servers etc.

As the number of NPOs grows who bought into the monthly service, then the hosting service would buy a second server (other hardware etc), and another copy of MPower, and new clients would come onto the 2nd server, etc.

]]> By: Allan Benamer http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/mpower-open-now-on-the-leaderboard/comment-page-1#comment-97792 Allan Benamer Sat, 06 Sep 2008 23:23:40 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/?p=3579#comment-97792 @Jim Boles: Luckily for nonprofits, they can purchase SQL Server through Techsoup. Microsoft provides licensing for nonprofits to their products at a massive discount. This means that while licensing and per seat costs are an issue for nonprofits, it's not too painful for them when it comes to purchasing SQL Server. Your other point is well taken and I have, along with many others, advocated for such resource sharing. MPower Open has taken a step with its clients <a href="http://mpoweropen.com/database_september0408.shtml" rel="nofollow">by letting sister clients share their MPower database</a>. Salesforce.com has also done a good job of it as well. Ultimately though, Jim, the major issue isn't the technical barrier, but nonprofit management as a whole. There's no existing incentive on the part of many nonprofits to share these kinds of resources. @Jim Boles: Luckily for nonprofits, they can purchase SQL Server through Techsoup. Microsoft provides licensing for nonprofits to their products at a massive discount. This means that while licensing and per seat costs are an issue for nonprofits, it’s not too painful for them when it comes to purchasing SQL Server.

Your other point is well taken and I have, along with many others, advocated for such resource sharing. MPower Open has taken a step with its clients by letting sister clients share their MPower database.

Salesforce.com has also done a good job of it as well. Ultimately though, Jim, the major issue isn’t the technical barrier, but nonprofit management as a whole. There’s no existing incentive on the part of many nonprofits to share these kinds of resources.

]]> By: Jim Boles http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/mpower-open-now-on-the-leaderboard/comment-page-1#comment-97788 Jim Boles Sat, 06 Sep 2008 15:34:49 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/?p=3579#comment-97788 I'm new to the nonprofit sector. I'm a database administrator by trade. I would agree that the full version of SQLserver would be the way to go, but it too would have the seats/licensing issue too wouldn't it? I use Oracle, and it is licensed by type and number of CPUs. So the larger the system the more it costs. Not sure how SQLserver works. However, that's not what interest me. Why is each nonprofit doing this themselves. Isn't there a service provider out there that has all the IT stuff set up and the NPO just pays to use the service? Why is each NPO doing it for themselves? That is what Oracle is increasingly doing even with its own products like Oracle's Enterprise Resource Planning suite (ERP). They have it set up and instead of companies setting up the software and infrastructure themselves, they simply pay Oracle for access, and have what appears to be their own private system. I’m new to the nonprofit sector. I’m a database administrator by trade. I would agree that the full version of SQLserver would be the way to go, but it too would have the seats/licensing issue too wouldn’t it? I use Oracle, and it is licensed by type and number of CPUs. So the larger the system the more it costs. Not sure how SQLserver works.

However, that’s not what interest me. Why is each nonprofit doing this themselves. Isn’t there a service provider out there that has all the IT stuff set up and the NPO just pays to use the service? Why is each NPO doing it for themselves? That is what Oracle is increasingly doing even with its own products like Oracle’s Enterprise Resource Planning suite (ERP). They have it set up and instead of companies setting up the software and infrastructure themselves, they simply pay Oracle for access, and have what appears to be their own private system.

]]> By: Allan Benamer http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/mpower-open-now-on-the-leaderboard/comment-page-1#comment-97758 Allan Benamer Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:24:04 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/?p=3579#comment-97758 @Jim Jacobson: Yes, I've used Raiser's Edge. As I've said before on the blog, I helped purchase it in 2002 so I used RE and maintained it between 2002 and 2006. I also know the basic usage patterns of most development people when they use it. The use cases are generally speaking, limited, in that they tend to revolve around data entry and some reporting clustered mostly around mail merges and LYBUNT/SYBUNT reports. It's unlikely that most development folks are going to get deep down into the data without their IT director helping them. I think the lack of formal training in data analysis for nonprofit managers is the problem. Have you taken a look at what they teach nonprofit management people in grad school when it comes to data analysis? It's a joke. This is what I mean by 80%. As for SQL Server Express, you can by all means install a real copy of SQL Server 2008 in place of SQL Server Express. It will only put you back $240 at Techsoup. However, for many users, SQL Server Express will do them quite nicely. I know as system administrators we like to goldplate requirements and thus puff up our resumes. I'll be the first to say that I've been sorely tempted at times. However, SQL Server Express will do for many people until their fundraising efforts are well underway. As for setup fees, I think it really depends on how you want to set up SQL Server. That seems to be the driving issue in terms of cost. Does your org need a load-balanced SQL Server with RAID 5 redundancy running on SSD drives? That will cost you a pretty penny in terms of hardware. I think if you have an existing Raiser's Edge server, I'm pretty sure you could use that. As for setup labor costs, anybody with SQL Server administration skills can set this up so I leave it to you to find those people and figure out what that would cost. My guess is a day's work by any decent IT guy who can follow someone on the phone when they hit a roadblock. @Jim Jacobson: Yes, I’ve used Raiser’s Edge. As I’ve said before on the blog, I helped purchase it in 2002 so I used RE and maintained it between 2002 and 2006. I also know the basic usage patterns of most development people when they use it. The use cases are generally speaking, limited, in that they tend to revolve around data entry and some reporting clustered mostly around mail merges and LYBUNT/SYBUNT reports. It’s unlikely that most development folks are going to get deep down into the data without their IT director helping them. I think the lack of formal training in data analysis for nonprofit managers is the problem. Have you taken a look at what they teach nonprofit management people in grad school when it comes to data analysis? It’s a joke. This is what I mean by 80%.

As for SQL Server Express, you can by all means install a real copy of SQL Server 2008 in place of SQL Server Express. It will only put you back $240 at Techsoup. However, for many users, SQL Server Express will do them quite nicely. I know as system administrators we like to goldplate requirements and thus puff up our resumes. I’ll be the first to say that I’ve been sorely tempted at times. However, SQL Server Express will do for many people until their fundraising efforts are well underway.

As for setup fees, I think it really depends on how you want to set up SQL Server. That seems to be the driving issue in terms of cost. Does your org need a load-balanced SQL Server with RAID 5 redundancy running on SSD drives? That will cost you a pretty penny in terms of hardware. I think if you have an existing Raiser’s Edge server, I’m pretty sure you could use that. As for setup labor costs, anybody with SQL Server administration skills can set this up so I leave it to you to find those people and figure out what that would cost. My guess is a day’s work by any decent IT guy who can follow someone on the phone when they hit a roadblock.

]]> By: Jim Jacobson http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/mpower-open-now-on-the-leaderboard/comment-page-1#comment-97749 Jim Jacobson Thu, 04 Sep 2008 04:35:41 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/?p=3579#comment-97749 Thank you for doing this review. I am not sure that "enterprise class application" and SQL Server Express go hand in hand. Database size limit is 4 GB and performance goes down the tubes with more than a few concurrent users. I have seen this first hand with other apps. That is why it is free I guess. Is this available as saas? I agree with the per seat licensing complaint. That is a way of the past. Any more details on pricing? It cannot be just a support fee and most people buy that anyway. Who sets up the system and what does that cost? Is Mpower the only people that can set it up? Having used Raisers Edge at two previous nonprofits I do find it a stretch that Mpower has 80% of the functionality. The screens only seem to confirm that they have copied 80% of the tabs. Have you ever actually used Raisers Edge? I am just wondering how you are basing the comparison. Thank you again. Thank you for doing this review. I am not sure that “enterprise class application” and SQL Server Express go hand in hand. Database size limit is 4 GB and performance goes down the tubes with more than a few concurrent users. I have seen this first hand with other apps. That is why it is free I guess. Is this available as saas? I agree with the per seat licensing complaint. That is a way of the past. Any more details on pricing? It cannot be just a support fee and most people buy that anyway. Who sets up the system and what does that cost? Is Mpower the only people that can set it up? Having used Raisers Edge at two previous nonprofits I do find it a stretch that Mpower has 80% of the functionality. The screens only seem to confirm that they have copied 80% of the tabs. Have you ever actually used Raisers Edge? I am just wondering how you are basing the comparison. Thank you again.

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