Comments on: Who’s more open, Blackbaud or Kintera?

By: Allan Benamer

Allan Benamer — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 23:30:35 +0000

Yeah, I basically didn’t post about it since it’s kind of a non-event. So what’s the installed base of Blackbaud NetCommunity? Unknown but perhaps less than a hundred? Also, an API where you have access only if you own the product. Gee, Blackbaud, can I have another? If an API comes out for a product that no one has ever really seen, does it matter?

Frankly, my guess is that it’s not really Shaun Sullivan who is the problem here. He seems to be the kind of geek who gets open source and would love to use it. At least, that’s the impression I get from the kind of enthusiasm (which I think can be contagious in his case) that comes across when he discusses Blackbaud products. Some of the stuff they’re doing is pretty neat. However, it’s all in the context of the walled garden that is Blackbaud so that definitely sounds a low note for me every time I want to enthuse about Blackbaud.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:15:51 +0000

Al(l)an,

Would love to hear your thoughts on the following:

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/080324/20080324005556.html?.v=1

By: Allan Benamer

Allan Benamer — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 23:23:09 +0000

Hi Tony,

I’ve been saying as much about Blackbaud in many posts on this blog and pretty much the same thing about salesforce.com. We’re definitely in agreement there. Can you tell us more about your integration experience with both? Do you have any slick software doodads you want to show off?

By: Tony Glowacki

Tony Glowacki — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 22:57:33 +0000

All, as an introduction, my company provides a service that depends on the integration capabilities that exist in Donor Management Systems or CRM for non-profits. I can speak to both Blackbaud’s and SalesForce’s integration or API capabilities. As a company, we have had no integration requests for Kintera (obvious, since P!N is a competitor) or Convio. What we have found is Blackbaud has significant capabilities that can be “exploited” to create your own interfaces to the application. However, they seem to take the approach that their API’s are an “add-on” or additional revenue opportunity. They obvious do not realize that one of the best ways to drive usage and extend capabilities is to encourage others to create applications and integrate these into the existing functional capabilities. SalesForce takes a totally different approach. We use it internally and in about 18 months we have integrated every internal system into the application via their API’s. I have had previous experience with large information systems (ERP, CRM, Sales force automation, Supply Chain Management, etc) and I have yet to see an application embrace an open platform better than SalesForce. Quite frankly, I think that if SalesForce starts to actively seek business in the non-profit market, they will run circles around the competition. Just my thoughts – this evening anyway.

By: Allan Benamer

Allan Benamer — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 18:38:45 +0000

No problem. I think nonprofit users need to talk more about the software they use. After all, just for Blackbaud alone we spend tens of millions a year just to pay for support (at a 300% markup I might add).

I don’t know about the blog challenge. I know that the old template was cramping my style though. It was painful having to do things plus it was broken when viewed in IE. The blog is finally looking good on IE again. I’ll post about the design changes when I finally get them all ironed out. I hope you noticed that your MyBlogLog avatar showed up in the comments…

By: Pam Ashlund

Pam Ashlund — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 18:30:03 +0000

Hi Allen – I’m joining the crowd and shopping for a CRM – considering Convio, NetCommunity & Kintera (if they don’t all buy each other by then). Jurys still out on whether I add Salesforce.com to my slate! I’m following your thread on this, and wanted to thank you for forging the path before me (it sure helps in the analysis).
==Pam

p.s. wow, I didn’t recognize your site, was that part of the 31 days to a better blog challenge?

By: Jon Stahl

Jon Stahl — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 21:13:58 +0000

Things that aren’t documented might as well not exist, for all the value they have to anyone other than the creator.

By: Allan Benamer

Allan Benamer — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 20:47:28 +0000

Tech demos are a Good Thing in my opinion.

By: Peter Gulka

Peter Gulka — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 20:29:09 +0000

Shaun contacted me as well. There's an article up on bb.org as well as a new forum to talk about the Labs. Is it an Open API? No, but it is definitely a step in the right direction!