Boundless Depths of Dumb

Having been in the Management seat for more than a few times, I often try to give Management the benefit of the doubt. I know that making decisions and then communicating the results of those decisions are some of the hardest things that leaders have to do. Just like the axiom of technology and users; Technology is simple, users are not. In this case the decision may have been simple but communicating the results was absolutely NOT.

I read this article on TechDirt this morning and while I tried to follow my own rule of giving the management of Creative some benefit of the doubt I am challenged in doing so in this case. I can understand the fact that there is an infringement on their patent but the usage is benign and even helpful to them in this particular case. I cannot understand why they did not turn this into an opportunity to strengthen user support and create deeper customer loyalty. In their shoes I would have reached out to the coder (Daniel_K) and offered him some degree of thanks in his efforts and then on their boards, state that while these mods are helpful, they are not officially supported by Creative. Further to this, to satisfy the legal folks, they could even add the disclaimer that any damages resulting from the application of these modified files are on the users that choose to implement them. Then some points on taking some feedback from users that do elect to use these mods in an effort to feed that data back to their own development teams to help get their formal products fixed.

In that way everyone would have been satisfied and they would not be facing the fire storm as a result of their negative management approach to this matter. I also tried to think of what decision support data could possibly have led them to their current conclusion and I am mystified. Then again, the data isn’t always the only deciding factor. Often times the decision makers can also be at fault. After having witnessed train-wreck after train-wreck of poor decisions even in the face of good data, I can honestly say that this remains an unfortunate reality. I can just hope that Creative will wise up and rethink their position on this matter. It’s better to accept “Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa” than to continue to herd the burning hay wagon downhill against the breeze.

As a long time Creative customer, I will also rethink my position on this matter with regards to my choices as well as those of my recommendations to others.