I started down this ITIL journey at the end of 2008 and wow, has it been one bumpy ride. Back when I first learned about ITIL V3 I thought “this is some pretty good stuff,” and instantly I knew I wanted to continue on to become an ITIL “Expert.” After I took a few courses and purchased some of the (rather expensive) volumes, the OGC announced ITIL was going to have a “refresh” in 2010. Like so many others, my initial reaction was something akin to “WTF?” But I didn’t waiver, nor did I lose faith, after all, the refresh was just to correct some of the inconsistencies and the changes would be freely available in downloadable PDF files – perfect since I’m poor and would no way want to purchase more of the same books.
Now it’s 2011 and the OGC has announced that they’re getting rid of the “V3” designation* and will be releasing updated versions with the year as the “version.” OK – I was willing to accept a refresh, but another one? And adding processes as well as a rewrite of Service Strategy? I’m now starting to wonder if there’s a conspiracy here to milk as much money out of me as possible…and that thought is what led to the realization that the OGC is really Microsoft.
Crazy, you say? Let’s look at the facts:
1. Microsoft has practically held a monopoly on the computer operating system for the past 20 years. The OGC has practically held a monopoly on ITIL, the main IT Service Management framework, for the past 20 years.
2. Microsoft has always asked for exorbitant amounts of money when a new version of “Windows” was released. With the constant refreshes of ITIL V3 (sorry OGC, I meant ITIL v2011), I now have to spend lots of money I don’t have just to stay current. Never-mind the training costs to take bridge courses and certifications.
3. Windows was released with version 1, then 2, then 3, then 3.11, until finally Microsoft started releasing Windows with the year as the version (Windows 95/98/2000). Now, the OGC has changed ITIL from V1, V2 and V3 to ITIL 2011. Coincidence? I’m willing to bet OGC will eventually release “ITIL Vista” and when its popularity drops, we’ll see an all “new” release of ITIL V7.
4. Since Microsoft’s Service Management framework (MOF) is free (how ironic), there’s now a money vacuum gap in an area of IT to be filled by another entity. Why not the OGC?
5. It’s just as fun to make fun of ITIL and the OGC as it is to make fun of Microsoft.
There it is, my conspiracy theory laid out for you to swallow and digest, which hopefully will be easier than the news of “ITIL 2011.” Now, I just need to come up with a cynical way to type out ITIL with the dollar sign abbreviation, much like M$ for Microsoft. Maybe O$C? OG$? I$I$? $$$$? Any help would be much appreciated…
* On a side note, I guess I can understand their desire to remove V1, V2, etc. It’s too much reference of the UK’s trauma from WWII.
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