Google is making concerted efforts to attract and publicise its lighthouse Google Apps educatioin sector adoptionwins to proves its readiness to move into the enterprise space. See “Going to School with Google” (Google AU Blog)
IT News sources such as ZDNet will often cover these win-stories. Sometimes, I often wonder what happens after the switch? Switching core IT services like emails systems in a large organisation (like a University) aren’t like switching to a new grocery chain for food.Things often do go wrong.
Often with the introduction of a new operating environment, many legacy and unexpected issues arise. Are the users satisfied with the service level with these hosted services? Were the IT services able to receive adequate support when things falls apart? What are the statistic behind when these problems get resolved?
The complete story after a migration often goes unreported. In all fairness, the points raised can also apply to other companies including Microsoft.
(The Australian IT, 9 Jul 08 ) National Australia Bank has announced another wave of IT roles to be offshored that could see over 400 jobs sent to India by the end of the year.
From general (and ex-NAB) customer’s perspective, I’m not in favour of major outsourcing or massive usage contractual workforce. This structural workforce (and business process) change that rewards short term numbers gain for longer term decline in a company’s internal knowledge accumulation, customer knowledge, losing direct decision making ability and demonstrates a lack of commitment to the local customer base.
A recent article “How Offshore Outsourcing Affects Customer Satisfaction” published on WSJ reports on the very real cost of offshoring (up to 5% of a company’s market capitalisation). The authors understands the rational behind offshoring and recommends steps to minimise the downsides.
Congratulation to Team SOAK from Australia! The 2008 Microsoft Imagine Cup Software Design Worldwide Finals Champions! You brought home the (green and) gold!
I am extremely proud of your final achievement! You have achieved a first for Australia! Well done, David Burela (University of Tasmania), Dimaz Pramudya (Swinburne University), Ed Hooper (Melbourne University), Long Zheng (Monash University)!
Dr Rick Rashid (Senior Vice-President, Microsoft Research) spoke to IEEE Spectrum (Jun 08 ) about his computer science department-styled approach to running Microsoft Research and the breathe of pure research (and not just applied) undertaken.
Every day we’re exposed to an average of 3000 commerical messages on TV, radio, cinemas, billboards, magazines, newspapers, T-shirts, cups, public transport and the INTERNET. Have you wonder how advertising works and how it works on us? Check out ABC’s Gruen Transfer.
The Gruen Transfer hosted by Wil Anderson where a number of advertising agencies experts provide insights to the industry in lighthearted and funny panel discussion setting. These panel guests take part in weekly challenges, exercise and games to create ads for the unselliable (For example, “Making celibacy sexy!”)
Don’t forget to try the Consumer’s Revenge, where you can mix and match your own beer/ bank/ beauty cream ad!
I was visiting an academic when I came across this print out published in CHI 2008 on a staff’s wall. You can click on the link to read more about this paper (ACM Library). I am keen to hear your thoughts after reading it.
Microsoft SearchTogether is a free Internet Explorer plug-in that allows groups of people to collaborate on Web searches.
SearchTogether can benefit any group of people who are interested in investigating a topic together, such as students working on a group report, colleagues working on a joint project, or friends planning a shared vacation or other social activities. SearchTogether supports both synchronous and asynchronous collaboration styles.
SearchTogether allows each group member to customize their search preferences; choices include Windows Live Search, Yahoo!, and Google.
SearchTogether is a project from Microsoft Research. See SearchTogether page for more details.
Team SOAK comprise of David Burela (Microsoft Student Partner, University of Tasmania), Long Zheng (Monash University, blogger extraordinaire of istartedsomething.com), Ed “h00ps” Hooper (Star Microsoft Student Partner, University of Melbourne - I recruited this man into the program!) and Dimaz Pramudya (Swinburne University) are the 2008 Australia Imagine Cup winners! The 03 area code (VIC and TAS) won the day!
Australia is the driest continent on earth and the persistent drought has been hitting the farmers and our wallets hard. Team SOAK put their minds together to develop SOAK and address a real environment challenge for Australia.
SOAK is an integrated software and hardware platform with the aspiration of helping farmers achieve sustainable use of their land. This is achieved through the integrated use of environmental sensing, rich visual front ends to display the information to the farmer, and a subsystem which controls farm equipment such as sprinkler systems
Imagine a world where technology enables a sustainable environment and SOAK is spot on! Well done, boys!
PS: It is a pity, there hasn’t been any pictures nor blog updates mentioned about Thur’s Australian Finals from the AU Imagine Cup web site or local Imagine Cup blog since 12 May.
1235 Update: Long Zheng’s article was updated and mentioned the other members of Team SOAK namely, Ed Hooper and Dimaz Pramudya. Guys, time to pick up that old Year 12 French text book.
During the recent years, Asian universities (especially from Singapore, Japan and Korea) received unprecedented level of government support to educate and develop the next generation of engineering and technology talent. But only few institutions can really make the grade to eminent research institutions. One of such institution is KAIST (formerly known as Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology).
During the recent Singapore Management University Distinguished Presidential Lecture (Apr 08), Dr Suh Nam Pyo (President, KAIST) outlined his university’s effort excel as a 21st century research university. Read about his vision for the future of Asias’ research universities.
Interested PhD candidates from Australia, New Zealand and Singapore universities, please contact me () for more information. Please note that I can only respond to relevent AU, NZ and SG enquiries.
) for more information. Please note that I can only respond to relevent AU, NZ and SG enquiries.
