Readers' lives: Rugby-tackling technology
Clodagh Murphy hopes life won't entirely mirror art when it comes to Spooks
Murphy: Vendors don't understand the channel's needs
What was your first job, and how did you get into IT?
My first job in IT was as a bit of a gopher! I was working in an office in San Francisco and wanted to get into IT. I used to volunteer to work evenings and weekends doing anything with the IT team – doing anything from putting in network cables to answering the helpdesk phone. From there I got the chance to move into IT as a business analyst.
What sport should be in the Olympics but isn’t?
Women’s rugby. I’m passionate about rugby and the Olympics is considered the pinnacle of sporting achievement. All sportspeople should have a chance.
Which fictional TV character is borrowing ideas from your life?
Maybe Ros Myers from Spooks. She’s very focused and doesn’t stop until she’s achieved her goal. Her character was killed off last week, though.
“In my dreams ...”
... we would all work a four day week, and we would get as much if not more done!
If you had a week to live, how would you fill it?
Visiting as many places as I could. I’d start with Asia and then go to Australia and move around the world from there.
“I never…”
... say never
“I always...”
... try to stay away from chocolate but rarely succeed.
Print or online news?
Both: online is great to skim, but print is great for the detail and for in-depth reviews.
Do you use social media?
Yes, for both business and personal reasons. I am trying to get to grips with Twitter, but am worried it will take over my life!
Will the economic recovery continue?
I think it will recover, but at a slower pace than we possibly anticipate. The next six months are critical. No matter how much we know, we can’t foresee what the real impact of the planned cuts will be on the economy. The good thing is that the people who should know, in the IMF, are saying it is the right thing.
Do vendors do enough to help their channel?
No. I don’t know why it happens; for some reason vendors don’t spend enough time understanding the business needs within the channel. If we did this, we could recommend solutions which meet the business needs and be much more proactive – this would be win:win for all. This is something I am passionate about, but our first step is reengaging with our customers in the right way, not just trying to sell something, but with a view to really understanding the challenges.
Clodagh Murphy is director of Eclipse Internet