Thanks and farewell - couldn't have done the last 18 months without SDN !

[Former Member]

I'll be rolling off my current SAP assignment 12/31, and it's doubtful I'll be doing any further SAP work in the foreseeable future. (For that reason, I'll be resigning my SAP mentorship in a separate email to Mark F.)

But I wanted to take a moment to say thanks from the bottom of my heart for all the help and advice I've gotten at SDN at three critical development junctures over the past 18 months:

While there were many many instances when I reached out to SDN to get answers on technical matters and got them, perhaps the most important was the assistance I received on the problem of bringing Office Manager gif/jpeg attachments out of SAP's internal "SOFF"database to a place where they could be assigned URLs for display in picture controls. Although I had to solve the final piece of this puzzle myself, this piece would not have fallen into place without help from several SDN'ers who not only put intermediate pieces of the puzzle into place, but also provided clues for finding out where the final piece had to fit.

I have said before, and I'll say it again now, how remarkable it is that SAP's premium consulting partners do not force SAP to shut this place down.

Here's why their failure to do so is so remarkable.

You know that ad for Verizon on TV where the man or woman is followed around by an entire battalion of people dedicated to keeping his or her network available?

Well - that's what SDN is like.

When a client throws me a curve-ball that is so hairy I'm not even sure it CAN be done, much less HOW to do it, I know I can go to SDN and get the requisite advice.

FREE.

Let me repeat that, folks.

FREE ADVICE.

Not advice from a "platinum" sharpshooter at $250/hr (although I suspect that some of the SDN's who've helped me are in fact "platinum" sharpshooters in real life.)

FREE ADVICE.

So in effect, ANY SAP consultant at any company can do what I've done at SDN: 1) show an honest desire to make SAP software turn the exact cartwheels the client needs, without compromising SAP "best practices" for development; 2) communicate the problem clearly; 3) express profuse thanks when you get the answer to the problem here at SDN.

And if that's true, I'm not sure I understand why more folks don't take advantage of SDN to increase their ROI by reducing their COD (Costs of Development).

But!

Ssssssssh.

Let's keep what I've said above just "our secret".

Otherwise the premiums may finally win and force SAP to limit SDN to the kind of "sing about bling" place they'd probably like it to be.

Well, anyway - I've gone on far too long.

I want to thank Mark Y/Mark F/Marilyn/Craig and all other SDN staff for making this place possible, and all the SDN'ers who' ve made this place work for me.

Couldn't have done it without y'all.

Best regards

djh

[Former Member]

Sorry your leaving.

There will be "No F in Characters left"

Good Luck & Best Wishes,

Chester

[Former Member]

A bit belated, but forgive me if I don't wish you good luck.

After all, if you've found something to do that's better than SAP, you don't need it

[former_member194669]

djh,

Good luck with your new assignment.

a®

[former_member374]

Hi David,

We miss you already. You were one of the few here in SDN and BPX land that was pointing us to our true potential, to influence SAP as a whole. You showed ways hot to get to the promised land of Enterprise SOA in your enterprise.

Your posts were wordy, which sometimes diluted your message, which was really unfortunate. In most of your threads I learned something new or got a different few regarding an issue. I regret not having engaged more in these discussions.

Good luck with your new engagement.

You say farewell, but I think SDN and this community is like Hotel California:

<i>You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave </i>

I hope I am right and the big SAP family will welcome you back soon, Mark.

[Former Member]

Hi Dave,

I am very sorry to hear you're signing off. I for one have enjoyed your postings.

If you get to Australia, you will find my contacts on the personal profile and I would hope you'll drop in.

Regards

Gareth

[Former Member]

David, your work here in SDN inspired me to participate. I got from your passion and ideas a model to learn.

Thanks,

Ignacio.

[stephenjohannes]

David,

Good luck and hopefully you are on to a more "greener pasture", that is little "less full". I definitely will miss reading your "coffee corner/blog" questions that either pose a technical challenge, or just a challenge on how we are really using things.

As far as your quest to bring the pre-Netweaver folks to the promised land, we will have to wait and see.

If you ever do wind up on another SAP assignment and it happens to involve CRM, I will be more than happy to provide some FREE ADVICE that you mentioned.

Good luck,

Stephen

[ChrisSolomon]

David!!!! Wow....where to start....this news, from my own selfish perspective, really bums me out....however, I know a person like you....adaptable and smart...will do well where ever you go. Hopefully this won't be your last SAP stint, but if it is.....go well.....and keep fighting the good fight and please PLEASE keep questioning! Your posts and blogs have kept me entertained and often enough, you have said, asked, or pointed out many of the absurdities I have always wanted to ask but just apathetically thought "that's just the way it is" and go on doing what I have always done (most commonly, the good ol' "standard workaround"...a term I find laughable in itself! haha). Thanks, David. I too was hoping to meet you at a future TechEd....maybe that hope isn't completely lost. 😃

[suresh_datti]

David,

You are kidding right? thought I would run into you at Teched this year.. anyway, good luck in your future endeavors.. surely, the coffee corner will miss you..

~Suresh