The Ivory Tower*

At the beginning of the year, I was in a Knowledge Managment class, and The Ivory Tower – A Knowledge Management Fable article was chosen to be a part of the lecture for us to study at the time.

The assignment was to come up with a slide showing our understanding of the story, and present it to the whole class.

The story provides a clear understanding to me about knowledge creation and management.

Just this morning, I received a comment on my primary Thai blog from the author. Actually, I also got the exact, same comment at my slide page, but I did not know that the comment was there.

Hey – nice slide pack. Did you pick this material up as a CPA member? Just thought you may like to add a link to the original story – it’s on my blog at http://delarue.net/blog/docs/

Keith De La Rue
Author, “The Ivory Tower”

Once I saw that, I went to my SlideShare page and added his link to the slide description.

Besides, he also has his own SlideShare page here. Surely, I have subscribed to his blog feed and added him as a contact in SlideShare.

Knowledge Base*

My boss mentioned that the IT department in the office would start a knowledge base. I am wondering what kind of knowledge base that will be. A folder containing some files to share among their staffs? And that is it?

How will they gather the knowledge? Only explicit knowledge is concerned here? How about tacit one?

Knowledge Management is something I thought that this company should have had since I was studying Innovation in Management. I found that although we have what we call ’shared folders’, not everybody uses them. And though they use them, there is no guideline of how ones should store what to where. All folders are there, and wherever ones want to upload whatever, they can just do that.

To me, Knowledge Management has nothing to do with IT apart from using the technology as an enabler to allow the process to go faster in better organised manner. Nevertheless, I strongly believe that most people still think that Knowledge Management is all about technology. That is why IT is the department who starts this project.

Technology will have no role in Knowledge Management if we do not have any knowledge to manage and to store. Where can we find and how can we get the knowledge from people in an organisation are the main questions.

Ask*

[Boss] asked me what he should tell [another boss] if he would be asked about my availability for the trip?

Well, honestly, I am not really in that so-excited and so-keen-to-go mood now. That feeling has been faded away for a while.

Instead, I started to be unsure about what I am expected to do and whether I will really like what I will be asked to handle. I might get struggled if I have to do something I do not like and am not in to it.

Despite saying anything, I just keep quiet and see what to do next or what will happen next. That’s better for now.

During this time, I keep doing what I have been doing, play around my ways, get out of my path a little bit, and then I will come back to my should-be life. Also, I will look around and see if there is anything out there that may suit me more.

:)

What-ever!

Too Much*

Two customers came in together today to test a SIM card. They cannot be called a potential or profitable one because they are interested in airtime and will be using it for a few days as a demo for their customers.

I always feel comfortable and am willing to serve any customers who talk nice and don’t act like shit, and one of them seemed nice when we talked on the phone.

When they came, we went on with the demo before we talked more about the pricing and proper packages for his usage requirement.

Finally, since the prepaid packages do not allow any ’streaming’ service, while the postpaid package would cost a lot and 12-month contract is required; I could offer him a loan on our own demo and we charge them back with the minutes and MB used later.

I think this would be the best thing I have ever done for a customer because they have never bought anything from us. I just thought that it was good that they had a chance to try it and we had no costs, so why not?

After they knew they could borrow the demo card, they said they wanted one more. OK, my colleague was also nice and said that we had one in Singapore. We sorted it out and we could borrown that, and it should be able to be shipped next week.

However, they did not know the word ENOUGH. They told my colleague that they wanted to borrown our terminal as well. Once I heard, I at once said TOO MUCH. THAT WAS TOO MUCH, PEOPLE!

I walked to talk to them right away that borrowing our terminal was not possible. That they could borrow our demo card and would not have to pay for the activation and monly fee was really too much. And what.. one of them still said..

‘So, I will have only one terminal for testing.’

‘OK then. You will need only one SIM card.’ I turned away right after the full stop. But I recalled that I should have said goodbye to him and asked when they wanted to come and get the card.

‘OK, so that’s it.’ My face was like the other way around from the first time I met them last hour, surely. ‘Good bye.’

(I will be happy if this will not be successful…. I do not want this kind of customers.)

SK*

He turns to be an employee of the parent company and that makes me feel like we are not colleagues, although, actually, we are.

The major change is that he would not fully and be involved in any correspondence with my company’s customer. Saw his e-mail address domain has change today. Kinda weird, but probably it is just the time to move on.

He is still there to support when I need help or suggestion.

However, I’ve gotta wait until he is accustomed to his new life in Dubai first; while, I will do my best from here and also try to work in the Japan office as usual (just not feel familiar with the new salesrep as yet).

Well.. yea..

Sales & Marketing*

Just being asked by my boss whether I had thought of the offer to have a training in UK, I said I was considering that.

My boss added that since Shoji (Japanese salesrep) saw a potential in Thailand, he recommended we had a sales. Sandy (bigger boss) said that I might be able to handle both Sales & Marketing, and I go to UK for a product training.

That is very interesting. I have more idea what I am expected to do there. This is more than just web developing, but also product training.

Interesting, innit? :)

Complete Block*

Finally, Account Dept has been moved to my side and that means that they are separated from Billing Dept.

Both departments are not going well in some aspects and they, esp Accounting, wished a lot to be moved to the other side (same side as me).

That happened this week, and I would believe they are extremely happy.

To me, the real iceberg just bagan.

..

With more people at my side (changed from 4 to 8), I seem to lose my quietness ever. Sigh..

.

But I can put my eatset on.. Not a big deal though.

What Am I Waiting For?*

Return

Love

Passion

Hope

Never after

Friendship

Care

Forever

Couple

Single

 

 

..

Non-Sense*

When asking for any security deposit back from a company or service provider, would I accept that my credit card has been credited when there is no proof?

No.

.

And would Nikki accept that her credit card has been credited when there is no proof?

I do not think so.

.

It is not $100, but $1,000! If I were a customer, I would shout at the rep from the provider, and would not leave this office till I had an evidence to prove that my money had been returned to my account.

How come Nikki left me and did not even try to forward me the receipt (which showed that the amount had been refunded)? I even asked her to take a photo of the receipt. She laughed and said the customer would have to wait till tomorrow.

Ha! If you were a customer, would you Nikki? Kid!

Thinking that the money would be automatically transferred to the customer’s credit card right away (and Nikki said so), I just went to talk to the customer and asked him to check with his card provider; while Nikki was leaving for home.

And it turned out that the card provider could not see any credited amount in the customer’s account yet!

D a r n . . . .  

.

Wish I could go home now.. Moody!

Lesson-learnts

• Transfers to and from a credit card/ bank might not be done right way. Normally, it takes a daily process. For this case, the transaction would be done through the system around midnight.
• Don’t let Nikki go until the job is successfully done. Otherwise, she will not be contactable at all. No matter how often I call or text, she will just keep quiet without any returning calls.
• I should not allow or favour any customer with the credit card application anymore. Actually, the credit card application is not for Thailand, but Australia. And when it happens in Australia, it is out of my control (I cannot control the machine, as well as people’s minds and behaviours). Unlucky for the coming customers. No more credit card application from me ever!

..

P.S. Anyway, this customer is also quite picky and always wants this and that in his way. When he came for renting the phone, it was like he did not read what I had emailed to him.

He came and started asking everything again. I spent over 2 hours with him. And when he came, he said he did not have $1,500 to pay in cash, and if it was possible to use his credit card. I favoured him and tried to get everything in the ways he wanted.. and now.. problem.. ! Duh! 

Next time, I would let all customers now that credit card use is not possible here. Customers have to ensure they have enough cash or can transfer the amount to our bank account.

A Memory*

Nice evening I had today :)

[17:39] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: waddee krap
[17:39] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: so tired
[17:39] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: 2 exams tomorrow but havnt hv time to study
[17:40] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: bought a restaurant near home last monday
[17:40] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: been caught in the middle between work and study since then
[17:40] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: how are you anyway? i may have gone to bed when you get this but that’s ok
[17:41] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: ma bon hai fung laew ja pai non la
[17:41] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: c ya
[17:41] Mook®: arai waaaaaaaaa
[17:41] Mook®: talk to me first..
[17:41] Mook®: T_T”
[17:41] Mook®: thought you were on holiday.. why having exam la?
[17:42] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: arai la ther
[17:42] Mook®: aow.. just want to talk some time si.. we haven’t talked a lot so far
[17:42] Mook®: just miss our conversations
[17:43] Mook®: anyway.. you bought a thai restaurant? so your mum would cook?
[17:43] Mook®: oh.. sorry, you are having exam ni na..
[17:43] Meebo Message: ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~ is offline
[17:43] Mook®: aow.. offline pai loei..
[17:44] Mook®: hahaaa.. ok, ok..
[17:45] Meebo Message: ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~ is online
[17:45] Mook®: so you’re online or offline nia’
[17:45] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: err..
[17:45] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: happy birthday na ther
[17:45] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: sorry na, a bit late
[17:45] Mook®: 4 days late T_T”
[17:46] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: mai koi dai online a’…
[17:46] Mook®: you’re the one that i expected to get a msg on the day cos i didn’t think you would forget.. its easy to remember..
[17:46] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: back home kor straight to bed most days
[17:46] Mook®: mobile is broken or what?
[17:46] Mook®: duh..
[17:46] Mook®: anyway.. thanks
[17:46] Mook®: at least you say something
[17:47] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: yeah… haven’t have it for a week
[17:47] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: batt searm..
[17:47] Mook®: huh?
[17:47] Mook®: oh.. broken jing jing
[17:47] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: wanna buy a new one but still looking
[17:47] Mook®: hahaa….
[17:47] Mook®: what model you’re using now?
[17:47] Mook®: bough iPhone si
[17:47] Mook®: hahaa
[17:47] Mook®: bought*
[17:48] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: looked at it but dont like
[17:48] Mook®: its sold in NZ?
[17:48] Mook®: legally?
[17:48] Mook®: thais mainly use the illegal ones
[17:48] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: too big for my pocket
[17:48] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: plus iphone dont have pen 555
[17:48] Mook®: your current phone has a pen?
[17:48] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: yeah
[17:49] Mook®: really? hi-soo
[17:49] Mook®: what model is it?
[17:50] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: htc touch
[17:50] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: batt isn’t very good
[17:50] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: but functions and features plus look is good
[17:50] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: laew tum rai yoo a’ near
[17:50] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: i’ll be going to bed soon na ther
[17:50] Meebo Message: ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~ is offline
[17:51] Mook®: oh.. my friend has that htc.. looks nice, but i like iphone more
[17:51] Mook®: type type type and offline eek la
[17:51] Mook®: at work..
[17:51] Mook®: leaving office at 6pm to uni
[17:51] Meebo Message: ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~ is online
[17:51] Mook®: what time is it there? 5 hours ahead?
[17:51] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: hi soo yoo laew jmuirg
[17:51] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: how’s mum?
[17:51] Mook®: jmuirg <<< what? an emoticon?
[17:52] Mook®: she’s fine…
[17:55] Mook®: just looked at your mum’s and jim’s pic in the last two nights eng.. hahaa
[17:57] Meebo Message: ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~ is offline
[17:58] Mook®: real offline this time??
[18:00] Mook®: ok jaaa… take care and good night.. good luck in your exam
[18:03] Meebo Message: ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~ is online
[18:04] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: they still old and grumpy lol
[18:04] Mook®: aow..
[18:04] Mook®: back laew rer..
[18:04] Mook®: your internet connection sucks??? ))
[18:05] Mook®: so, who will cook for the restaurant you bought la?
[18:05] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: ja
[18:05] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: pai shave ma
[18:05] Mook®: shave before going to bed nia na ther
[18:06] Mook®: what’s the exam about tomorrow?
[18:07] Meebo Message: ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~ is offline
[18:07] Meebo Message: ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~ is online
[18:07] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: ther
[18:07] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: pai non la na
[18:07] Mook®: a’na..
[18:07] Mook®: ok ok
[18:07] Mook®: good luck in your exam
[18:08] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: all the best for this year na.. sorry, no present again.. will be around when it comes next year ok
[18:08] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: g’nite krap
[18:08] Mook®: nite jaa
[18:08] Mook®: you say it na..
[18:08] Mook®: for next year
[18:09] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: ps: i love uni life coz it makes me feel young but i hate assessments
[18:09] ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~: nite nite
[18:09] Mook®: hahaa..
[18:09] Mook®: sleep tight
[18:09] Mook®: nice talking to you tonight
[18:11] Meebo Message: ~(L)so tired.. exam 2moro with no study~ is offline

 

Although it hurts some time when thinking of the past, it is still refreshing when talking to those in the past again.

.

E-mail with Tweetr*

 

On 13/10/2007, John Ballinger <john@bluespark.co.nz> wrote:

Hi,

The font size issue was broken by AIR beta2, so I have to find that.  I have just finished system tray support but I want to add in notification support before I release it so it coming. I don’t see any real practical reason for the public timeline and don’t really want to develop that.

Re-the sent, currently I only show what Twitter returns from their API, really they should show your messages inline with the messages you have sent.  Sent wouldn’t make that much sense in a separate view and then it comes down to a  lot more work.

Several people have commented about the 140 char limit.  I don’t enforce it as that would make it harder to edit your message should you go over the limit, eg pasting a URL at the end.  You can see in the title bar the message limit, it would be better if it was closer to the actual text input but I have been working really hard to remove clutter from the UI, so put the current char count in the title bar worked quite well.  What I think I will do is ad a little tiny balloon that appears just above the text field when you type and shows you the char limit. That could work nicely.  OR allow you to type for as long as you like and send 2xmsgs just like SMS does when you go over you 160 char limit. Why not send 2x messages? Or 3x. That could be quite handy sometimes.  Any for Tweetr users re-combine them?  Will see.

Thanks for the comments. John.

—–Original Message—–
From: me
Sent: Friday, 12 October 2007 5:10 p.m.
To: tweetr@bluespark.co.nz
Subject: RE: Comments

Hi There,

Somehow, I don’t think I can really change the font size. It looks the same from 7-11. I want it to be smaller, so that I can see more twits in one small window.

And here are some more comments on the tweetr.

• Apart from ‘inbox’ in Direct Messages, perhaps there should be ’sent?’
• Can the counter of 140 letters move to the bottom of the page near the text entering box? It’s easier to notice. Or, do not allow us to add more letters after we reach the max. The letters after 0, i.e. -1, -2, -n, do not show up anyway.
• How about ‘Public Timeline?’

All for now. Thanks

PS. I’m using Windows OS, btw.

And.. perhaps, an option for minimise the window to the system tray.. ?

:)

Thanks a lot

Tweets with Snitter*

 

 snitter @escribitionist Snitter doesn’t do TinyURL. Twitter does it automatically…most of the time. Thinking of using Snurl b/c it starts with SN. about 17 hours ago from Snitter in reply to escribitionist

me: @snitter what you mean when you say Twitter does TinyURL? However, I know your app does without clicking ‘insert tinyurl.’ its automatic. about 17 hours ago from Snitter in reply to snitter

me: @snitter just tried thru twitter site if you could see.. and i still see the full version. http://labs.adobe.com/downl… about 18 hours ago from Snitter in reply to snitter

me: @snitter and agree with ’snurl’ :D suits the snitter. about 18 hours ago from Snitter in reply to snitter

Tweets with Spaz*

 

 spaz I am releasing an update today that should fix the error messages you’re seeing in Spaz. Snitter is a great app too, though! about 18 hours ago

me: just realised that i’m in your ‘following’ list. so i can send my comments on spaz here? and thanks for the dm re the new released version. about 18 hours ago

 spaz yes, you can certainly contact me either via reply or dm about Spaz here. about 16 hours ago

me: just recalled one thing. i think spaz doesn’t support ‘thai font’ :) i’m from thailand, btw. fyi. about 7 hours ago

 spaz It’s a known issue with AIR HTML apps that non-US English keyboards aren’t supported properly, unfortunately. about 5 hours ago

me: hmmm.. tweetr support both reading and typing in thai though (snitter supports reading but not typing). about 4 hours ago

 spaz That’s because Tweetr is written in Flex/Flash, and Snitter is an HTML app (like Spaz). As I said, it’s an issue with AIR *HTML* apps. about 4 hours ago

me: i see.. thanks :) sorry, i dont have much knowledge abt software for developers though. :p about 4 hours ago

 spaz 8) it’s okay. You can’t tell if you’re just using the apps. I’d rather people ask than just assume it’s a bug with Spaz. about 4 hours ago