Java Virtual Machine Process Status Tool

Do your know jps?
It's the Java Virtual Machine Process Status Tool, which means it will show the status of your java processes.
Ever had the need to kill a Java process from an endless list of Java processes running on a server?
Just type jps -m to discover the PID of the process you wish to kill...

./M6

Panjiva

Panjiva is an interesting search engine dedicated to company business.
It has interesting business and marketing features for markets and companies.
The search/index algorithm seems to need some tuning, some searches result non-relevant results in top places.

./M6

SaaS Metrics – A Guide to Measuring and Improving What Matters

I've came across with this great post about Software as a Service metrics aimed to improve what matters, essentially cash, profitability and growth.

Here it is: SaaS Metrics – A Guide to Measuring and Improving What Matters

./M6

Execute Commands Inside DB2 Procedures

I was looking for a way to call DB2 runstats, a non-SQL command, from inside a store procedure.
It turns out that it is actually quite easy. All one has to do is to use the ADMIN_CMD procedure from the SYSPROC schema.

ADMIN_CMD is used by applications to run DB2 command line processor administrative commands using the SQL CALL statement.

Here's how to do it: ADMIN_CMD

./M6

How Technology Can Screw Business

I'm searching for an automatic SMS send service, something sending a SMS via a web service.
Somehow two of the biggest Portuguese mobile operators, TMN and Optimus, don't provide this information on their web site, contrary to Vodafone that explains all their solutions and provides the corresponding prices and conditions.

This has forced me to contact the operators personally, so that their sales team can engage in a conversation with me and try their sales techniques that I'm already immune to.
For TMN I've requested that they call me back "immediately" as their form option said, but no phone call came from them. Maybe its because I'm competitor customer and they don't wish to make business with me. Or maybe it's just the form submission that didn't work. Whatever has happened, TMN did not called me back.
For Optimus, I've sent them an email to a specific email address that they provide in their web site. Here's the response:

Delivery has failed to these recipients or distribution lists:

16939@optimusnegocios.pt
The recipient's mailbox is full and can't accept messages now.
Microsoft Exchange will not try to redeliver this message for you.
Please try resending this message later, or contact the recipient direct

Isn't it great when technology screws your business big time?

I don't know what happened with TMN, but clearly something went totally wrong. It may have not been a technical problem, but in that case my contacts were loaded in their call center database and they've should have called me by now.

When it comes to Optimus, well, the answer is clear. Someone forgot to delete some old mails, haven't they? Or someone goofed big time with Microsoft Exchange Server, why is it configured to ignore customers? (Side Note: I love the last sentence where I should "contact the recipient direct", what am I doing by sending the recipient a direct email? I'm not contacting it through a middle man...)

Whatever the problem was, I'm almost positive that it was technical and that is how technology can screw business: by pushing them to competitors. What would their shareholders react if they knew this?
Good work Vodafone, it seems you're the one and only Portuguese mobile company that truly cares about your customers, at least you don't ignore them.

./M6