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I'm currently reading The Successful Adoption of Web-Based Collaborative Software from the journal e-Transit: Electronic Business Strategies for Public Transportation (Vol.7). It's not entirely current as it was published in 2005 but it's a useful case study for those wishing to convince larger organizations to adopt web based or 'web 2.0' tools for project management and collaboration. Thus far, experience has shown me that user adoption of tools such as these tends to be far behind the curve set by smaller studios and companies.

The focus of the study is on the adoption of web based collaborative tools by the Chicago Transit Authority, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and Raytheon.

In short, here are the conclusions set by the study:

• Enhanced productivity. In Chicago, on the Douglas Blue Line Construction project, CTA senior technical personnel were able to process 260% as many RFIs per business day per person with the implementation of web-based collaborative software. At the PANYNJ, project managers were able to audit the expenses on their projects in a much more thorough and consistent way. At Raytheon, employees can work on a project 24/7 as it travels around the globe.


• More accurate information to decision makers. All three organizations reported that although decisions may be made by the same people in the hierarchy as before, the web-based tools created an opportunity for more people to see the information and to give input about it to decision makers. We can assume this leads to higherquality decisions and fewer unpleasant surprises. • Enhanced speed for information exchange. The CTA has been able to quantify that its RFIs are processed 20% faster with the web-based collaborative software. At the PANYNJ, RFIs have been processed 18% faster. These gains in speed translate to reduced delays in construction, which, in turn, translate into cost savings.


• Role enhancement for project managers. In Chicago, people appreciated the opportunity to have input into many new decisions. At the PANYNJ, easier access to cost information has begun to turn project managers into able financial managers.


• Enhanced accountability throughout the system. In a web-based system, everything is time and date stamped, and the whole system is transparent. Anyone looking in can see the status of an RFI or change order request and can see where the delays are. Initially, this transparency is what people are afraid of, but once the system is operating, they come around to appreciate the heightened accountability. This accountability is equally shared across workers, managers, and outside contractors.

"With computer-produced images and Moog-synthesized sound Pixillation is in a sense an introduction to the electronics lab. But its forms are always handsome, its colors bright and appealing, its rhythms complex and inventive." - Roger Greenspun, N. Y. Times. Golden Eagle-Cine 1971. Moog sound by Gershon Kingsley; Version III: pulls the viewer into a primal experience. Awards:Red Ribbon Award for Special Effects from The National Academy of Television, Arts & Sciences; The Smithsonian Institution and The United States Department of Commerce, Travel Services for Man & His World at the Montreal Expo, '71; collection The Museum of Modern Art. Commissioned by AT&T. (4 min.)

Dave Holland is a jazz legend having played with Miles Davis and many of his fellow Miles’ alumni. He is truly great in his own right for the numerous bands he has led, his compositions, and teaching to pay it forward an leave his mark on the lives of young musicians. Dave’s
Conference of the Birds (likely inspired by the book of classic Persian poetry of the same name) is still one of the most amazing music recordings/compositions that I’ve ever heard. I originally met Dave when I was a young pup-all of 16 at the time. I was managing bookings for our musical space: Environ. I met Dave through another talented musician: Anthony Braxton (who also played on Conference of the Birds). In fact, I had Anthony and Dave perform as a duet which was wonderful. The thing that impressed me most about Dave that he was a both a gentleman and a gentle man. It was very refreshing to meet someone so talented, musically pedigreed and genuinely nice. The piece in the video is in tribute to another great bass player: Paul Chambers who sadly dies in his prime at the age of 33. Dave is still very active and plays extensively on the international music scene. He is definitely someone that deserves to be on your musical radar and play list.

As I’ve written before, getting a debit card can be a serious dilemma for long-term foreign residents in Taiwan. Today, I’m happy to write that I’ve found a work-around for one of my previous debit card needs.

Recharging a Skype account is doable, even if you initially funded the account with an international debit card and you no longer have access to one. Better yet, there’s a vendor of Skype credit in Taiwan that doesn’t require a national ID card number– Family Mart (全家).

Just go in, ask for a Skype kǎ and tell them how much you want it to be for. Instead of a physical card, they’ll print out a receipt with a PIN code near the top. Then go to the PChome Skype voucher redemption page, enter the code and you’re good to go!