Skype, MSN, eMail and Collaboration

Right so here I sit at my laptop talking to a few friends simultaneously - how is this possible well the title should give you some idea. The concept of discussion and working to an end goal i.e. constructing and filling in a document is in my mind what collaboration is all about.

Now I work for a company that specialise in collaboration (well to a large extent) and as I remarked to a colleague today whilse at a French motor vehicle dealership (yes the French do make cars, fascinating!) because we are so exposed to a collaboration or process driven environment to such a high level we are constantly on the lookout for these situations and automatically assume a solution to the situation. Well at least I do.

So you can imagine how I can get when I speak to someone that either works for a company that does not allow tools such as Skype, MSN Messenger, Yahoo etc to be used - yes I know there are bandwidth considerations but lets be honest sending a mail to ask something that could be send via msn is hardly comparable (the email wastes a whole lot more). Enter the world of instant messengers!

Now picture this scenario... two work colleagues sit opposite sides of the office in order for them to communicate there are a few options:

1. Walk over and chat
2. Walk to get coffee and chat
3. Chat over the internal phone
4. Send and email
5. Instant Message

In points 1 and 2 - yes I would agree that you would probably do this as a break is a necessary evil and so is coffee... but you may be under a little bit of time pressure, or your colleague is, potentionally even on the phone etc...

Pt 3 may be an option unless your on the phone - but there are considerations such as should it be discussed open (in an open plan environment) or is there additional information that is required as part of the conversation.

Pt 4 requires opening up Outlook or the application that you use to send email and constructing an email based on the least amount of structure required for this medium. Now sending this email requires the recipient to wait for it to be delivered to his or her inbox... they will be required to open it... to click reply to all etc and reply... Yes I am making it sound like a long process its not really couple of minutes depending on the context.

Pt 5 is a little more adhoc than email, it is pretty much a case of open, select recipient (if they are online) type text wait for response. In most cases the recipient will have a window open up with message displayed or a already open window will flash. The recipient opens up replies and collaboration begins. The beauty of this form of communication is that the users can chat very quickly and pass information across a medium in a very unstructured form. From an infrastructure perspective it takes a load of the internal mail server - this is a good thing!

Both Pt 4 and 5 could occur whilst on the phone, in between working on a document etc...

What is quite humourous to note that in a company where collaboration via email or instant messenger is the norm, the workers can sit right next to each other and still use the electronic means of communication - LOL.

This is my favourite topic of discussion and I will be attempting a few more articles in the coming weeks exploring the concept...

Double/R

Hi I am Double R and I have a problem

I am never really known myself to be squealish - ok except for spiders and snakes... but only a little :) But there are two words that bring intense terror the second that I see them. I know that I am not the only one - Phlippy has suffered under this enormouse pressure as well - this does bring me some solice.

The worst bit is that I tend to frequent places of interest where I know that these words will be clearly visible... and I will (even though I am now clearly petrified) move closer and closer until it is too late. I am enveloped and cannot escape.

These two words are "DVD SALE" and they have a controlling influence at the moment.. my witch doctor says that by admitting that I have a problem I might get some control of it.
The worst two places - well worst be an operative word, I find it difficult to avoid Phase 2 in Sandton (advertising royalties pls or DVD discount haha) or Look and Listen in Hyde Park.

An hour or so of "just looking" while the pile of DVD's in my hand grows and grows and grows is quite normal and it takes super human effort as I leave to just put them down and realise that I have about 20 DVD's at home that I haven't watched yet (they're still in their plastic ;P) so I don't need these yet...

Moral Issue

Once upon a time in a land far far away... just kidding - my head hurts! Explanation to follow....

I have a friend, let’s call him Full stop (FS), said friend is a golfing buddy - quite a character incredibly good value... well he must be he’s one of my friends :P

To get you, the reader up to speed:
FS has been known to attend a few of the company "do's" the last one being the Xmas party - one of my "smaller" ones... (I will at some stage tell the story of my first week at the Imperial - my place of occupation.) Right I digress (hangovers are great - NOT!)...

So FS arrives at said Xmas party with his boss in tow - for the purpose of this blog and to try and stay on the moral high ground for as long as possible we'll call her Skank [SLAP] sorry Chick.

Right now at the time of arrival (FS and Chick), the boys and girl (we are in IT) were at the stage of Most-Hammered (I think a blog on my terminology would be good at some stage - chuckle) - this stage is when you’re ready to drink everything and anything cause this party is going to explode! FS introduces everyone to his boss Chick and we all start chatting... now Chick is quite competitive but in a silly kind of way - everything is a competition, which is fine if you can actually compete. A few drinks get administered Chick and I start getting a little friendly and FS pulls me aside and gives a speech... to which I am confused until he drops a little bit of information - she's married.

Aha strategy re-align...

Chick has not been wearing a wedding ring so I don't feel like a total toad and I subtract my involvement with her amicable - well I thought I did at least - no harm no foul. To be blunt at this stage she is overs... (that is basically the queue to be taken home to pass out). Ok this occurs and we end up at that terrible place the 'haten. :)

Ok so now up to speed the story continues:

FS has a little get together for his birthday last night... no problem - fantastic little prawn braai, mostly good conversation, mostly good company, a "bit" of liquor. I say mostly because FS has invited Chick.

I have no problem with the verbal lashing I received from Chick because I "abandoned" her at the Xmas party last year - bluntly I reminded her of your little LIFELONG COMMITMENT and my rule on clearly not getting involved with any woman that has made such a commitment - or do I mind the complete lack on anything intelligent to be added to the conversation from her part, or even the constant attempt to compete with me (or the rest of the people involved in the conversation) in everything that I said or discussed - to very honest and direct (as I was to Chick last night, I will paraphrase) “Chick, there is really no competition to speak of”.

I did humour her a bit to attempt to compete in a shooter competitions, but that was more for FS's sake than hers. PLEASE NOTE THAT SHE IS WEARING HER WEDDING RING - this is important to the rest of the story.

Now we're having a good time but Chick getting a little too friendly with all the lads at the party and very heavy with FS, Import (a friend of the big Guy who is now living in London) and myself. Fair enough Import and I are playing the game but we are also monitoring FS and Chick.

Morale issue #1 arrive…

Chick begins to offer some sexual favours all round and do mean all round, not one male team member that I am aware of (and this includes the gentlemen with their fiancee’s / girlfriends) was left alone at this stage… Some pretty graphic offerings too..

Moral issue #2…

At this stage there has been a lot of alcohol consumed, the lads are ready to party but FS and Chick are not really coherent… and seemed to have migrated to the couch in a distributed location. The lads head out, in search of the lesser spotted “Party Harder” venue… we ended up at a few choice establishments… choice in that we would probably never choice to go again! Back to the story – Chick and FS slept in the same bed, which I don’t have a problem with if the two people are adults and respect sanctities of marriage etc. I am NOT saying something happened – I am merely stating that in this case I it has seriously set off my Moral alarms.

FS and the big Guy are going to have a chat – I hope for FS’s sake he did not do anything…

SIGH random night in the end – as they happen :P

8 legged freak...

What is it about spiders that freak people out!?

To set the scene...

Last Friday, I attended my second day of an economics course (for those who have done this will know that 9 hours of Macroeconomics is pretty heavy).. I returned home to get ready for a 21st. My brother's best friend GayLord (happily named hahaha JKM)...

Anyway SweetPea, Screech (explanation will follow) and I were sitting in the living room watching a bit of rugger - discussing a digs' issue... when SweetPea out of the blue tells Screech "Don't look at the wall and go to your room..." Screech complies straight away - I guess there is some sort telepathy between the women in our digs (note that I am male - and I %^%# all clue to what was transpiring) . So I take a look over my left shoulder and there it is a Wolf Spider (bout the size of Microsoft Mouse - BG I want advertising royalties pls :) ) in the middle of the wall.

SweetPea moves into Screech's room, and I stand up - now I am not a fan of anything that crawls or slithers (yes my friends would ask why? some girls I have been involved with fit into that category - hence why I'm not a fan.. :P ) - anyhoo I'm thinking what the hell to do...

SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Screech lets one out - I tell you I must have jumped 5 ft...

Anyhow - I opened the doors to the patio and walked around to open the front door... my plan to move the freak out one way or the other... grabbing a curtain rail - like a joust (Knight in shining armour like) I manage to coax the freak outside... Mission complete... Girls return to normal, spider has disappeared - double R heads to 21st..

Meanwhile that little SOB has snuck into SweetPea's room... SP had headed off to the 'Haten so she was unaware of this little varmint till Monday...

Arriving home from work that afternoon, SweetPea informs me of the said varmint hiding above her door... after close inspection Spidey seemed to have expired.. enter my trusted joust for a little confirmation.. You'd think that a "little" spider would be scared of two humanoids with a big stick - negative, the possum impersonating spider attacked the stick.. crazy crazy crazy!

Anyway SweetPea at this stage had moved to safety - her bathroom and I had decided it was time to bring out some alternative measures... namely hurling slippers, slip slops and one times shoe at Spidey to get him to move...

No Luck...

In fairness I wasn't sure what to do ... and we decided waiting for Jem (the other guy in the house) to see if he could provide some valued input...

I had to leave for hockey, but they managed to catch this beast you had for the better part of an hour kept us rather busy...

It was rather amusing to see +-150Kg's of human (SP and I) held at ransom by probably 0.5kg of spider :)

Random Photos

Well, if there was anything to make a night full of fun - RANDOM PHOTO's it is...

I recently took a little trip, the goal to purchase a descent digital camera - mission accomplished.

What has incurred subsequently is what I have termed Random Photo Nights (RPN's). The goal of the night is to have a few sharpies (thats booze for the uninformed) and just get as many photos with the PIC's (Partners in Crime namely - Phlippy,Lord Wiggly, Davey Crockett and I) involved. Cuteness has been known to make a random appearance... We have never had a night where we haven't had a ball! The value of people that we have met and gotten to know - is well ginormous (thats really high)! Big up to the Peeps!

So if you see a rather rowdy bunch of blokes, with a camera talking bout Random Photos it could be us :) Join have a blast ;P

I'm back!

It is a very rare occassion that I feel the need to comment on an actual night or even a profound moment, but last night has to got to go down as one of my best nights ever.

I went out with the Crockett and the GG (german greek – it’s a short story for lata) for a “non” valentine evening. The plan was to watch some cricket at the local watering hole and then potentially head off to Frankies…

We stuck to the plan ;) (As good well behaved gentlemen do)

That’s where the good well behaved gentlemen portion of the story ends…
Can you say party HARDER!!!

I have titled this blog “I’m back” for the sole reason, that for the first time in a long time I actually don’t have that nagging thought that I’m lost – if you’ve ever been there you’ll understand what I mean.

Maybe I’ve finally gotten over that serious heart break from that special someone (who I still view as special but in a potential different light now) or may I have finally broken that code that I always look for when I’m trying to understand something – in this case I have finally broken the code to me.

Just a thought – well for me anyway :)

The point is now have an explanation on how I tick... I have an answer to the question that I have been asking myself for as long as I can remember (those that wish to go and throw up now may do sooooo ;) )... So glad to be me right now!

Hit Counter

So I thought it'd it be a good idea to put a hit counter on my site. I think though my counter is either broken or I'm getting way more viewing that I could imagine.

If this is the case, MANY MANY thanks for coming :)

Hope to see you again soon!