As bonfire night approaches, John Tate is cautious about the pace of the new developments setting the technology world alight.
On 5 November, shortly after this edition of Charity Finance hits your desks, Lewes in Sussex will host the biggest bonfire night celebrations in the UK.
I was brought up near Lewes and this event was one of the highlights of my year as a youngster. Some of my family still live in the area so I return regularly to enjoy the event.
As we all know from our school history lessons, the origins of this started in 1605 with the Gunpowder Plot. The tradition in Lewes is that people dress up and parade with burning torches around the town, light bonfires, let off fireworks, play music and consume large quantities of alcohol.
Maintaining traditions
Over the centuries there has been pressure to revise the format of the evening but the traditions have been maintained. Churches have suggested that it is not a good idea to parade and burn effigies of the Pope; temperance groups have proposed that pubs should not be allowed to open; and health and safety officials have tried unsuccessfully to stop burning tar barrels being rolled down the streets and thousands of bangers being thrown.
As a result of this resistance to change, the first bonfire night I went to, many years ago, was almost the same experience as today. I find myself wondering what the pros and cons would be of upgrading this event to be more in line with 21st century thinking?
It is interesting to explore the contrast with the world of technology in 2014, where we are seeing constant change.
For example, this summer has seen the release of the new Apple iPhone 6 with the iOS8 operating system. While many in the Apple community rave about the new features, others have been complaining that it bends in their pockets.
I confess I am still on the iPhone 4 and have avoided upgrading to the latest operating system. But then I am of a generation that remembers when a ‘landline’ phone could last for decades without the need for any upgrades. Perhaps I am now a traditionalist who quite likes some things being the same from one year (or even one day of the week) to the next.
So what else is changing on the technology front? At the time of writing, rumours were circulating that Google will unveil a new Android smartphone with a 5.9-inch display that’s even bigger than the iPhone 6 Plus.
Microsoft also announced the forthcoming release of the Windows 10 operating system. With many charities just getting off Windows XP this seems a big jump. Vista followed XP – then Windows 7 and 8. Now we are hearing about Windows 10.
New ways of doing things
For those accountants who are good at numbers – yes, you are right to spot the absence of Windows 9. Microsoft is jumping this release number because the new platform will “carry forward into a new way of doing things”.
One piece of good news, particularly for those on Windows 8, is that the new system will include the reintroduction of the start menu that was scrapped in this version of the operating system. Suggestions that the new version will return to the look and feel of Windows 3.1 are unfounded.
Other upgrades announced in recent weeks from leading suppliers to the sector include Blackbaud, which released information on Raiser’s Edge NXT which will be available to customers from late spring 2015.
Separately, Sage announced that it had transformed Sage 50 Accounts for the cloud, with the launch of Sage Drive, two mobile business apps and subscription pricing.
Upgrading to a new version of a product can deliver new features that can really benefit a charity. However, they can also be costly and troublesome. So make sure you check the numbers stack up on any proposal and that there is a real return on investment.
For those who fancy sticking with something more traditional, information on the Lewes bonfire night event can be found at www. lewesbonfirecelebrations.com.
John Tate is a business consultant and a visiting lecturer at Cass Business School
