Reflections for seminar 3

“We are supposed to come up with a flash for our proposal!!!” That is the first feeling I had when I got the instruction from the tutor. I admit that I am not a very IT person. Though years of schooling have equipped me with the necessary skills to use powerpoint, flash to me is GREEK. During the seminar, the tutor was teaching on that chapters 3 and 4. However, I was not concentrating 100%. My mind kept popping the question of how to come up with a flash. The worst thing is that we have to create it by next Wednesday. This was definitely an uphill task. Luckily, our group met on Sunday and started on this almost impossible task. The process was tiring yet fruitful. At the end of the day, we managed to come up with a simple flash. Though it was an amateur work, we are very proud of ourselves. This is because we self-learned flash all in 1 day!

Article Review 3

“e is for everything?? . . .”
http://www.work911.com/cgi-bin/links/jump.cgi?ID=1785

With technology penetrating into our daily lives, even traditional businesses cannot escape from it. In the past, if I want to set up a bakery, I just come up with a marketing proposal, find the shop and the bakers and than embark on my business venture. However, the above method would not possibly be the best solution in the world today.
This article explains on why sustaining a website for the company is necessary and efficient in boosting sales. Therefore, it enforces the point that there is a need to include this aspect in the traditional business proposal. As the articles have mentioned, attracting a new customer is more difficult when comparing to keeping existing customers. With a website, existing customers can log on frequently to these sites and they will be automatically informed of the new products and services offered by the company. In addition, they can seek customer support online. One excellent example is the Singtel website. There is a technical page where customers can access to and on that page it provides information on simple trouble shooting on the internet connection if it is down. This service provided will be very much appreciated especially to not so technically inclined customers where they get precise instructions to rectify the problem.
In conclusion, this article has probe me to look things in a different perspective. In contrast to the normal start up method, if we can think and employ our creativity like providing more services on our website, we can sustain our sales and even push the business to greater heights.

Reflections on Seminar 2

The last session was a mind opener to mi. The emphasis of the last seminar is on the technical area of the website. For instance, we learnt terms like TCP/IP, LAN and differences between HTML and XML.
I have worked as a technical officer in Starhub before. Hence terms like TCP/IP are not greek to me. However, during my stay is Starhub, I have only learnt to master how to configure the IP address to connect to Starhub network. I did not manage to understand the true meanings for these terms and how they exactly work. Therefore, I feel that after last session, I have a clearer idea of the meaning of the terms, how they work and how I can manipulate them.
In addition, the last session was the first online session we had. When the tutor asked us to come up with a HTML script of the group member names, I was daunted. I realized that I had a big problem. I have no idea how to get started. Luckily, one of my group mate, Eileen is quite well versed with HTML. That assignment to her is still manageable. Her proficiency with HTML urges me to read more so that in future, I can also come up with my own HTML script.

Article Review 2

Getting Customers to Plunk Down Their Credit Card
by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson

http://www.articles911.com/Technology/E_Commerce/more2.html

In the world today where privacy seems to be invaded, the awareness of people of securing their personal information is risen. Personal information can refers to a lot of data- number of siblings, location phone number etc. However, the few mentioned earlier are of the less important. Generally, people are more concerned about their financial statistics. Their credit card number, bank account balance and the property they owned. This concern has been blown up such that it might affect the success of online retailers.
Truly, the internet has exposed us to a whole new reign of information and data. At the same time, we are divulging our personal information to the websites when we surf through them. This definitely sounds scary especially when we imagine of the consequences if some crooks used our credit card number for illegal dealings. Hence, there is a need to provide online shoppers with the assurance that their personal information is kept confidential.
As a result, 3 factors have been created which makes online shopping more attractive and safe. These 3 factors are SSL(Secure Sockets Layer)security, Virtual Wallets and Visa and MasterCard.

SSL(Secure Sockets Layer)security
When a person using Netscape or Microsoft Internet Explorer browser connects with a Web site which is running an SSL Secure Server, all the information transmitted by the customer is scrambled and encrypted.

Virtual Wallets
A customer sets up an account with just a single Internet company -- for example, CyberCash -- and gives them the credit information. CyberCash, then, confirms to merchants who are set up with this system that the customer indeed has credit. The merchant accepts the CyberCash, and the sale is made

Visa and Credit Card
The main credit card companies, supported by a number of on-line software giants, are now coming up with Secure Electronic Transaction (SET) for the Internet. When these are released you need to make sure your shopping cart program will support them. They will allow your credit card number to be encrypted so that no one can read it -- not you nor a merchant. Only the bank or merchant's credit card service will have the decryption code.

The factors described will indeed clinch more deals for online retailers. However, if these factors are more standardized, I believe then the online shopping market would grow even rapidly.

Reflections on seminar 1

The first part of the seminar is a video featuring Clayton Christensen from the Harvard University. The video shown has exposed me to a very new concept. It seems that disruptions are only beneficial to the disruptor. However, this does not necessarily be true. In the medical field, new technologies are surfacing almost everyday. Consequences are reductions in the complexities of the operation and more people can be saved. This meant that both the hospital and the patients benefit as cost and time needed are lowered.
In the second part of the seminar, the lecturer gave us a brief introduction of the course and his expectations of us. In addition, he also went through some slides of the power point that further substantiate the information given in the video. The seminar ended with a rather interesting discussion on the features of a handphone. Some of the more interesting ones are like – scanner, voice recognition and GPS. With technology advancing at a alarming rate, it is a matter of time before the above feature are incorporated into the handphone.
I really enjoyed my first lesson! Although the work load seems to be daunting, nevertheless, I have still decided to continue in taking this subject.

Article Review 1: Can word of mouth save e-commerce?

http://www.work911.com/cgi-bin/links/jump.cgi?ID=2038

Before I read this article, there seems to be no correlation between word of mouth and e commerce. However, this article has provided me with an insight on how the above statement is not true. Usually people obtain information of online shopping websites through search engines. Despite the popularity, search engines might not be the best propaganda medium for these dot com companies. Even in the technology world, communication between human beings is still important and useful.
Shopping online is a relative new concept to most people especially the older generation. Many uncertainties deter them from trying. For instance- shipping costs, days to get the product and quality of the product are just some examples of questions bugging them.. Generally, most people do not feel that online companies are reliable as they cannot physically see the product itself and feel it. However, word of mouth would provide this group of people the assurance. General information of the reliability of the company and the quality of the products could be disseminated. As humans are peer motivated, they would be more willingly and comfortable to try out the service if they receive positive feedback from their friends. Personally I got a friend who frequents yahoo auctions. The handbags and skirts bought online are lovely. This pleasant encounter triggers my curiosity to try out the service and with her high recommendations on some particular dot com companies; it is a matter of time that I buy my next handbag online.
There is no doubt that word of mouth would be instrumental in boosting the sales of online companies. However, this would only be successful if the online company has good customer service and after sales support. Or else, word of mouth would just be as effective as bringing the company to doom as news of a torn skirt or cracked watch are circulated among friends or families.

Blog Analysis

It’s really interesting to find that in my daily life, so many events are actually repeating itself. I would say it becomes a routine. I am so customed to the information used in these events that I take them for granted.
For instance, I would repeating ask myself what I want to eat for my meals and evaluate whether I really have a craving for that food or not. In addition, it becomes a chore for mi in the morning to decide what to wear to school. Crucial pieces of information like the weather and the activities I am going to do later in the day have a major impact on my decisions. All the above information needed are derived from facts and evaluated by myself. However, I do note that for some events, the information required is provided by my friend or family member.
For these events, the degree of importance is usually higher. Hence, I normally consider more thoroughly before making a decision. As the school just started, I was in a frenzy to get hold of textbooks. Luckily, my friends were there to provide with valuable information on which are the better textbooks. Their opinion is useful and beneficial in helping me choose the textbook. One reason is that good textbooks are instrumental in my learning. Another is that textbooks are getting more expensive.
I believe that people are bombarded by massive amount of information everyday. Hence, it is important to select the relevant and useful information before making any decision.

Another day...

Time - Day	Information Required	My Location	Source	Cost	Value
630am	I DUN WANNA wake up!!! (sleepy)	bedroom	alarm clock	free	low
645am	Milk or Coffee(fickled minded)	kitchen	fridge	free	low
715am	Short or long sleeve(weather is cold!)	bedroom	wadrobe	free	low
750am	Am I super early for lesson?	Boon Lay interchange	watch	free	low
830am	Is he speaking English?(cannot make out his words)	LT25	dennis and yiting	free	medium
930am	Shld I buy the anatomy textbook?(the lecture seems hard to digest!)	Popular	dennis and yiting	free	medium
1115am	Whose stupid notes?(it’s taking a hell lot of time for it tp print!)	Printing Room	dennis	free	high
1130am	Whats for lunch?(famished)	Canteen A	myself	free	low
1230pm	Is the lecture boring?(feeling sleepy)	LT20	myself	free	low
230pm	Shld I go for gym?(my knee hurts!)	179 bus	myself	free	high
330pm	Colesaw for mi?(getting fatter!)	KFC	ivy	free	high
430pm	Is blood free? (watching Kill Bill Vol 1)	Ivy house	ivy	free	low
7pm	Dinner now?(ivy parents asking mi to eat dinner now)	ivy house	ivy’s parents	free	low
730pm	Continue pondering whether blood is free?(Kill Bill Vol 2 now)	ivy’s room	ivy	free	low
930pm	Think is time to leave?(tmr got lesson at 830)	ivy house	ivy	free	medium
950pm	Bath or blogging?	bedroom	computer	free	medium

Oh My GOD!!! SCHOOL STARTS!!!

Time - Day	Information Required	My Location	Source	Cost	Value
730am	Wakey Time	Bedroom	Alarm Clock	Free	low
745am	What to eat?(breakfast)	Dining Table	Bread Container	$0.50	low
8am	Wat attire?	Bedroom	Wardrobe	Free	low
830am	What time is the train arriving?	MRT station	Electronic Board	Free	medium
9am	Who is late?	Boon Lay Interchange	Eileen	Free	low
930am	New lecturers?	LT7	Lecturer	Free	low
1030am	New lecturers?	LT23	Lecturer	Free	low
1130am	Wat to eat?(lunch)	Canteen B	Myself	$2	low
1230pm	Lot of people in MLT?	MLT	myself	Free	low
130pm	Sourcing for notes	South + North spine + Lee Wee Nam Library	Dennis	$1.80	low
230pm	What is the birthday present?	Outside LT3	Lisa	$8	low
330pm	Is the bus crowded?	179 bus stop	Myself	Free	low
345pm	Should I take the coming train?	Boon Lay MRT station	Myself	Free	low
415pm	What time should I leave the gym?	Bukit Gombak Gynasium	Myself	Free	low
615pm	To buy the ring file?	Bookshop	Mum	Free	low
645pm	To blow hair before dinner?	Bedroom	Myself	Free	low
7pm	Whats for dinner?	Kitchen	Papa	Free	low
8pm	Should I watch the 8o’clock show?	Living Room	Sister	Free	low
9pm	How to get started with the blog?	Bedroom	Eileen	Free	medium
10pm	Shld I eat fruits?(feeling constipated)	kitchen	fridge	free	low
11pm	It’s time to sleep	bedroom	mattress	free	low