E-Business Association

HKCS Outstanding ICT Achiever Awards 2012

2012-02-13T22:43:00.000-08:00

E-Business Association is a supporting organization of
HKCS Outstanding ICT Achiever Awards 2012.

Exploration

2012-02-07T06:36:00.000-08:00

“Exploration” involves the meaning of searching and finding out about something. Nowadays, we are all explorers – most of us get used to search and find different things through web browsing for our everyday lives. We may also post or re-post information through micro blogs or social media walls to be explored by others. The rapid increase in the amount of information on the web may imply a risk of information explosion. However, it may also imply an opportunity for lowering the cost of getting timely and valuable market data.

A marketer’s exploration can be starting from existing studies, by observing and interacting with customers, and by analyzing the existing value chain.[1] It is about going out in the spirit of discovery and gathering the knowledge of market intelligent. It always includes an intense focus on the customers or end users - those who will receive the end of the product / service value creation. All these can be done through the web nowadays. Owing to the high degree of interactivity and impressiveness that web media offer, virtual qualitative focus groups and quantitative-surveys become feasible and popular.

Riding on the power of web media, customers being web explorers can become co-producers of marketing messages. A brand receiving positive feedbacks and recommendations posted on the web may result in an increase in brand value. On contrary, a brand getting a lot of criticisms posted on the web may result in a decrease in brand value. A marketer can have a better understanding of the present market situation, reframe the current situation in smarter ways and predict where future opportunities lie through appropriate “Web Explorations”!

Dr. Amanda P. Lim

[1] Business Model Innovation: A Process Model, UV1642 JUNE 30, 2009.

Social Media in China InfoGraphic

2012-02-04T08:14:00.000-08:00

InfoGraphics are very popular and interesting stuff that many companies produces, as a social media content, that are purposely being spread on the net to promote the company's brand. I thought it would be nice to find some interesting and relevant "Social Media InfoGraphic" as a starting for the Social Media series of articles.

Despite Internet offer global reach, for those of us who live in Hong Kong, China is the most important marketplace. So why not start searching for an InfoGraphic for China related Social Medias. A quick search using Google produces one that may bear some relevancy. Please find it attached.

Stanley Suen
President, EBusiness Association
www.stanleysuen.com
4 Feb 2012

Social Media

2012-02-04T07:54:00.000-08:00

Social Media no doubt tops the list of talking points when it comes to eBusiness these days. Terms like "online shop" and "eCommerce" are simply out of favor these days. Instead "how many likes do you have on your fan page?" are in.

One may feel much pressure that it seems that all OTHER companies are rushing into the social media space. We are all afraid that we will risk being left behind if we don't get into Social Media now. And everybody is searching for that "Wow" strategies that creates "Millions of Likes on Facebook" and achieve Overnight Success. Thus we try all kinds of social media and try all kinds of social media marketing strategies. Despite of many successful stories out there, they are but just a tiny fraction of all the companies and individuals on social media these days. Successes are still far in between.

Social Media is still in the World Wide West era.I think it will soon form a new kind of science by itself and soon Universities may include a class "eSocial Science"! Until then, I think we are all exploring (more like chasing a moving target) what social media is as it changes face continuously. If there is a eBusiness subject we as business man may like to explore, it will be Social Media Strategies.

I do not proclaim I know Social Media but I thought it would be a good platform to share my views and hope to attract many of you the like-minded and may even earn your feed back comment so I'll learn something everyday. Thus I will start explore interesting articles, news and share my thoughts through posting on this blog. The articles will be labeled "Social Media" and a quick search link for these articles is placed on the horizontal menu.

Hope my two cents will be useful for you.

Stanley Suen
President, EBusiness Association
www.stanleysuen.com
4 Feb 2012

Engagement

2012-01-31T03:57:00.000-08:00

What does the word “Engagement” mean? Does it mean “A promise to marry”?

A boss does not need to be engaged but may need to know what does “Engagement” mean when the word “Employee” is added in front of “Engagement”. The term “Employee Engagement” means an employee’s involvement with, commitment to, and satisfaction with work (Schmidt et al. 1993). A successful “Employee Engagement” may mean a lot of value creations for the company.

A marketer does not need to be engaged but may need to know what does “Engagement” mean when the word “Customer” is added in front of “Engagement”. The term “Customer Engagement” means the engagement of customers with one another, with a company or a brand (Wikipedia accessed on 31 JAN 2012).

In this networked world, firms are recognizing the growing power of the Internet as a platform for co-creating value with customers. The internet has distinctive capabilities as a platform for customer engagement, including interactivity, enhanced reach, persistence, speed, and flexibility. Firms can use these capabilities to engage customers in collaborative product innovation through a variety of Internet-based mechanisms (Sawhney, Verona & Prandelli 2005). Customer engagement may affect marketing metrics, which subsequently should affect firm value (Lehmann 2004). The evolution of internet technology and the popularity of social media drive the change in ways to communicate and drive the opportunities for customer engagements.

Successful customer engagements may mean a significant economic return for a company! Nowadays, marketers should be familiar with the meaning of “Customer Engagement” and also the tricks for successful customer engagements!

Dr. Amanda P. Lim

全球［雲］革命對香港的啓示

2012-01-30T02:26:00.000-08:00

[雲計算］牽起的革命

進入了信息時代，[雲計算]（Cloud Computing，或稱：雲端運算）被譽為是一個新的信息革命：‘雲計算’不但代表了技術的突破，也代表了IT應用行爲的改變，以及政府和企业的管理模式的改進[1]。但大部分的香港人對於[雲計算]（Cloud Computing）是什麽還‘雲裏霧裏’，較好學的香港人在查完維基網站（Wikipedia）關於‘Cloud Computing’ 是什麽後更‘不知所雲’！關於[雲計算]的定義，不同人對其有不同的理解：是一種技術構想、是一種計算模式、是一種營運模式．．．[2]。[雲]的魅力，可以從各大科技網絡公司包括Google、Amazon和Yahoo等都風起雲湧的推出他們的[雲]產品/服務而略知一二，但要數到近月最矚目的[雲]產品/服務發佈，就必數蘋果（Apple）的iCloud和微軟（Microsoft）的雲端版（Cloud Version）Office 365 ！

喬佈斯解釋[雲]的意義

[雲]這名字給人一種看得着但摸不到的感覺，而[雲]技術又的確是一種看得到但摸不到的技術!在六月六號的蘋果iCloud發佈會上, 喬佈斯（Steve Jobs）就以一個升上天的硬盤（Hard Disk）變成一朵雲的影像解釋什麽是[雲]（圖1），還說笑蘋果用戶以後可不用再“In Sync”（意：同步，音：像insane=發神經），不用再“發神經”！用戶在不用接駁電腦‘同步’的情況下，儲存在iPhone®、iPad®、iPod touch® 裏的應用程式、相片、電話本、記事本等都可放到[雲]上，並同時緊密無縫地整合各蘋果裝置内的應用和資料。大家當然不相信蘋果真的會把硬盤和伺服器都放在天上的雲端，但從技術構想理解，[雲計算]通过虛擬化技術配置用戶業務所需的IT資源（包括：CPU、IT硬件、IT軟件等）,並通過互聯網把IT資源供給用戶，從這理解想像，又真的好像把無數的IT資源都放到看得着但摸不到的雲端上！

微軟雲端版MS Office的啓示

微軟（Microsoft）在六月二十八號也宣佈推出‘雲端版’MS Office組合[3]（名為：Office 365），在發佈會中，請了美女拿着小雲為Office 365宣傳（圖2）。為了解這雲端版Office 365的商業模式及相關價值，特地請教微軟香港的業務拓展總監黃頌恩先生（Andrew）（圖3），Andrew表示：「Office 365是一個以每月使用範圍計費和保持更新的雲端服務，用戶可隨時隨地隨心地通過雲端，使用相關軟件服務。爲達到卓越的服務承諾，微軟為這服務提供多重保安措施、24/7技術支援、99.9%服務水平協議，跨地域備援、災難復原、私隱監控等等，以確保服務的時刻安全正常運作。Office 365於去年以測試方式面世，在數月內於世界各地登記及開始試用Office 365的機構已超過200,000家。企業採用Office 365後對服務的正面評價令人鼓舞，其中包括節省IT投資成本多達50%，以及明顯提升生產力和競爭力，因此這‘雲端版’Office 365的價值在沒正式推出市場前已得到市場的肯定！」筆者作為一個MS Office 的忠實用家，聼後也覺非常興奮，因爲通過參與這服務，以後就不用再帶着笨重的電腦到處走，也不用老更新軟件，日後的文書處理配置簡單多了！而微軟對服務承諾的深思，也很值得其它雲計算運營商學習。除了討論產品以外，Andrew也分享了他對雲計算的領會：「雲計算不只會影響IT界，雲計算對大企業、中小企、社會甚至個人都有莫大裨益。雲計算的出現將改革整個社會，改變現有的運作模式。」　

全球[雲計算]的價值

這[雲]革命都讓大家爭一杯羹，到底這[雲]業務如何營運而價值又在那裏呢？[雲計算]營運公司通過對虛擬化技術構想基礎架構、物力資源、中介平台、數據應用存取．．．等等各模塊進行梳理、整合、開發，從而組成[雲端平台]（Cloud Platform）開放給客戶使用IT資源[4]，客戶通過‘雲端平台’使用IT資源的支出可按用量計費，這計算模式就好像電費計算一樣，按用電量收費。‘雲’客戶因而可更靈活、更容易、更省錢的獲得業務所需IT資源，以支撐複雜和快速的業務變化。全球雲計算的快速發展，不但會改變企業業務价值鏈的流程，將來更會改變全球產業供應鏈的運作效率及效益！根據Gartner預計：2011年全球的IT開支達3.7萬億美金，比2010年增加7.1%，但由於[雲計算]的經濟效益明顯，[雲計算]的開支就會比一般IT開支的增幅多四倍以上[5]！爲了在这高速增長的全球[雲]利潤裏分一杯羹，除了科技公司積極推出他們的[雲計算]產品和服務外，也有電訊商、數據中心、地方政府，甚至交易所等也積極開展他們的[雲]大計。

交易所的[雲端平台]

六月一號紐交所（NYSE）宣佈於七月推出全球第一個交易所[雲端平台]（Cloud Platform），並把這[雲端平台]（Cloud Platform）命名為‘Capital Market Community Platform’（譯意:資本市場社區平台）(圖4)，使用这雲端平台的紐交所客戶，除可容易地進行市場數據存取外，也可方便地按需升級IT資源及按量計算IT費用，這平台不但為紐交所客戶提升業務運作靈活性，也可減少客戶日後要處理的技術問題，使客戶可更專注本身的業務[6]。紐交所的Cloud Platform是通過與VMware (NYSE:VMW) 和EMC(NYSE:EMC)的技術合作完成，VMware 主機虛擬化軟件是全球桌面到數據中心虛擬化解決方案的領導廠商，而VMware這公司其實早在2004已被EMC以6.5億美元收購，比較2010年底市值，在六年間已升值四十多倍¹! 雖不清楚港交所是否有類似的交易所Cloud Platform計劃，但見港交所行政總裁李小加先生在最近記者會演説後[7]，被NOW新聞女主持讚喻其充滿自信和個人魅力的表現像喬佈斯（Steve Jobs）的演説！盼望如果有一天．．．看到李小加在發佈港交所Cloud Platform的會議上，也如喬佈斯發佈蘋果的iCloud般，那麽精彩！

政府要正視的[雲]政策措施

考慮‘雲計算’的經濟价值以及對全球產業信息化供應鏈的運作影響，全球很多的公司和地方政府都積極進行他們的雲計算大計，以避免在這‘雲’發展中失去地區競爭優勢，中國一些地區已有完成的‘雲計算’項目，而中移動、中聯通、中國電信和阿里巴巴也啓動了雲工程⁴。但香港的機構和政府部門對這方面的計劃就好像遲遲沒起步。爲探索‘雲計算’在香港發展緩慢的原因和啓示，特地請教香港電腦學會（HKCS）的理事會成員梁成琯先生（Gabriel）（圖5）（Gabriel現為EMC公司香港及澳門區的總經理），Gabriel 表示：「從IT投資回報角度考慮，雲計算明顯的經濟效益已受到各機構領導層的關注，但由於很多香港的IT決策者對應用這技術於關鍵業務仍然心存疑慮，使相關的項目遲遲沒起步。這些疑慮包括：雲計算的安全性、可用性、可靠性、隐私權與法規風險等。其實大部分這些問題都不是技術性問題而是地區性執行問題：雲計算的安全性、可用性、可靠性等技術問題，可以利用優質的IT技術和通過專業的IT人才解決，但機構領導者要確定雲計算營運商在這幾方面的信譽，就可能要依賴政府相關機構的認證和監督；而關於隱私權與法規風險等問題，就一定需要當局的協調、立法和監管。除外，香港政府也應積極協調土地、電力和電訊規劃，以配合雲計算營運在港發展的契機，要不然，這些營運商就可能把他們的雲計算數據中心都設到鄰近地區，香港又再一次面對科技競爭力倒退危機！」据了解，中國工業和信息化部正研究推出雲計算相关政策措施，以全方位、多角度地為中國國内的雲計算企业做大做强打好基础[8]。希望香港政府也能學習，好好把握現在的「雲」機會，積極研究推出配合香港優勢的「雲計算」政策措施，為香港將來的競爭力帶來一片雲彩！

文：林屏博士

2011年7月11日

(本文已刊于2011年信報月刊8月號）

[1]芮益芳、韩志国(2010), "EMC: 大器天成，笑傲云端-访EMC公司大中华区副总裁-周西柱”，中国传媒科技-科技前沿/2010/12，48-29页。

[2]中國傳媒科技編輯部，“漫步雲端-共話雲計算在傳媒領域的建設與應用”，中國傳媒科技2011年2月號，34-47頁。

[3]早於兩年前，2009年8月，微軟推出Microsoft Business Productivity Online Standard Suite (BPOS)，率先為商務客戶提供軟件即服務Software-as-a-Service的雲端方案。2010年4月，更擴展其雲端部署，推出針對企業用戶為主的Microsoft Online Services和Windows Azure雲端服務。而微軟亦於2011年在6月28日，正式宣佈推出一站式雲端方案Office 365。Microsoft Office 365是以原有 Microsoft Office為核心的雲端服務，除了原有Office提供的各種卓越功能外，還加上具有出色網上通訊功能的Microsoft Lync Online、可分享並供存取文件檔案及加強協作的Microsoft SharePoint Online及用戶常用的電郵通訊工具Microsoft Exchange Online，以靈活低廉價格為各大小公司提供具企業級標準並功能完善的雲端方案。資料來源：微軟香港提供。

[4]中國傳媒科技編輯部，“漫步雲端-共話雲計算在傳媒領域的建設與應用”，中國傳媒科技2011年2月號，34-47頁。

[5] Shah, A (2011),“Gartner upgrades worldwide IT spending forecast”, Infoworld – IDG News Service, 30 JUNE 2011.

[6] NYSE News Release (2011), NYSE Technologies Introduces the World’s First Capital Markets Community Platform，NYSE Euronext web site, 1st JUNE 2011．

[7]七月八號NOW直播港交所行政總裁李小加的‘結算所風險管理改革’記者會演説。

[8]溫婷、李雁爭（2011），“我國打造雲計算"國家隊" 扶持政策出台在即”，中國高新技術產業導報， 2011年4月19日。

NEW LOGO

2012-01-11T01:57:00.000-08:00

NEW LOGO

綠色ICT

2011-11-16T07:18:00.000-08:00

「綠色」已成為‘愛護地球’、‘萬物共存’和‘珍惜資源’的的同義詞。對於實際的城市人來說：「綠色」除了代表環保以外，還代表了高效能、社會責任和低碳生活，它象徵了比世界繁榮更高層次的目標理想。全世界有越來越多的‘綠色文化’擁護者，對於他們來說：「綠色」甚至是超物質的理想世界。

「綠色ICT」（又稱“綠色信息技術”）中的‘ICT’（Information and Communication Technologies）會意了資訊和通訊技術的融合。近年ICT技術和服務快速的發展，推動了互聯網、移動通信、寬頻網絡和雲計算等基礎設施的整合，驅使數據網絡（Internet）和電話網絡（Telephony）間的分界變得模糊。許多相關服務的營運商，同時也是互聯網服務提供商（ISP）、無線網絡運營商、移動網絡運營商（MNO）和/或本地固網（電話服務）經營者，方便他們為消費者提供不同的服務組合套餐。現在的筆記本電腦（Notebook Computers），大都可以通過小指頭大小的USB無線網卡（USB Network Adaptor）或無線Wi-Fi網絡隨時隨地聯接互聯網。新一代的移動電話，大多也是‘互聯網接入終端’（Internet Access Terminal），擁有上網功能。很多新一代消費者，都會為他們的個人電腦（PC）訂購互聯網服務（ISP）和/或Wi- Fi服務，以及為他們的手機訂購移動數據服務計劃（Mobile Data Service Plan）。這種種現象都喻意資訊和通訊技術融合的時代來臨。

在全球化的視野下，‘碳限制’成為國際社會的焦點，因而帶起 ‘綠色ICT’ 議題的全球關注與商機。‘綠色ICT’ 被視為達到碳限制目標的重要手段，其中兩個廣被倡議的范疇包括——“低資省能生活型態ICT應用科技”，以及“節能減排高效能ICT產品／系統”。

低資省能生活型態ICT應用科技

提倡低資省能的生活形態，可以減輕自然資源的虛耗，幫助全球的可持續發展。利用ICT應用科技推動綠色生活形態，可以從三方面實現低資省能，其中包括：（一）非物質化（Dematerialization）和減少廢物排放、（二）能源管理（Energy Management），（三）以及流程控制（Process/Flow Control）。

高效節能減排ICT產品／系統

隨著ICT產業的蓬勃發展，ICT產品生產和產品應用等過程也都成為高耗能的源頭。根據一篇2010年的報道：美國ICT產品的能耗已佔全美電力總消耗的百分之十五。另外，2009年中國三大電信運營商的電力消耗將接近290億度，這數字跟2008年相比增幅為百分之二十六，大大的加重全國能源負擔[1] 。要綠化ICT產品／系統和廢物處理，可從四方面考慮高效節能減排，其中包括：（一）虛擬化（Virtualization）ICT系統、（二）優化ICT設施能源效益（ICT Facilities Energy Optimization）、（三）採用環保ICT設備（Eco-Friendly Energy Optimization）、（四）ICT廢物處理（再用，再循環）(Environmental Conscious Disposal)等。

現就這‘綠色ICT’的三方面‘低資省能的生活形態ICT應用科技’，以及四方面‘高效節能減排ICT產品／系統’，共七方面一一詳細說明。

一、非物質化（Dematerialization）和減少廢物排放

利用ICT應用科技，進行非物質化（Dematerialization）和減少廢物排放——其意義在於保障生產和消費質量的前提下，減少社會生產和生活過程中物質資源投入量，將不必要的物質消耗降到最低。通過ICT應用科技減省業務運作上的資源需要（例如：紙張、出差、來回交通等），可以減少由此產出的碳排放量。

以往大量的手遞郵件（包含正式和非正式文件），很多已被電子文件取代：通過電郵傳送的文件性質，可能是學術性的、技術性的、資料性的、娛樂性的、或者無聊的﹔通過以電郵傳遞的文件類別，可能是銀行對賬單、工資單、報紙、雜誌、甚至樂譜等。使用電子化文件，直接減低了紙張消耗，間接減少了廢物排放。ICT虛擬科技使文件非物質化，實現無紙社會。除了利用虛擬文件減省資源外，利用網上虛擬會議和視頻會議等ICT應用科技，也可以減省出差的資源需要。另外，現代的上班一族，大多可以在任何地方使用簡單的ICT設備（電腦和寬頻），直接連接公司主機繼續業務運作，減省來回交通的資源需要。

二、能源管理（Energy Management）

利用ICT應用科技，進行能源管理（Energy Management）——其意義在管理提供能源給消費者的過程，在這過程中盡量達到低資和省能目標。這方面的技術都會應用在現代的智能建築（Smart Building）和智能電網（Smart Grid）上。傳統的能源管理系統（Energy Management System，簡稱“EMS”）是電腦輔助工具的集合，為電網運營商‘管理’、‘控制’和‘優化’電力生產或電力轉動系統效益。EMS的能源管理和控制功能，一般由“監控與數據採集” （Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition - 簡稱為SCADA）部分負責﹔ EMS的能源管理優化功能，一般由“高級應用”（Advanced Applications）部分負責。EMS的計算機技術部分，有時會被直接稱為SCADA / EMS或EMS / SCADA，它是能源網絡控制的應用系統集成，負責網絡能源控制和調度。

這類應用科技的早期專案供應商包括：Harris Controls (現為—通用電氣)、日立、 Cebyc、西門子、東芝、Digital Equipment、Gould Electronics 和MODCOMP等。這類應用科技的後期方案，由於可以在標准的計算機硬件（包括HP、IBM和Sun硬件）與平台（包括Unix、Linux和視窗平台）上運行，於是坊間就多了很多的供應商提供能源管理系統，幫助實現低資減排目標。

除了能源網絡，建築物的供暖、通風和照明系統也可以通過建筑物EMS系統控制和監管，這類能源管理系統還具備電力、燃氣及水表讀數功能，收集到的讀數據可作為消費趨勢分析及預測，以設定和執行高效益能源應用計劃。

三、流程控制（Process/Flow Control）：

利用ICT應用科技，進行流程控制（Process/Flow Control）——其意義在調整生產製程，優化產品制造、物流、運輸等過程，提升相關流程的效率和效益，從而減少天然資源與能源之耗用。現代信息技術（ICT）（包括：計算機軟件、電子傳感器、監測/控制設備、機器對機器（M2M）通信、無線和移動技術等）的成熟發展，推動了信息化流程控制的應用。相關無線和移動技術的普遍應用，減低流程信息化成本，進一步帶動綠色流程的順利發展。

企業利用ICT技術建立B2B（企業對企業）電子商貿平台，再連接B2C（企業對消費者）電子商貿平台，一方面可以改善業務供應鏈效率，另一方面可以節省當中流程的資源消耗。

制造業和分銷企業的運作績效，取決於他們的資源配置效益。這些企業的資源配置管理涉及：生產調度、車間設計、存貨規劃、裝箱、分銷網絡管理和人力分配等等，這些複雜的運作管理，都可以通過信息技術幫忙提升效益。企業可以利用無線監管設備鎖定低效益部分，又或者利用機器對機器（M2M）技術控制，從而優化資源配置和改善能源使用。

運輸行業的運作績效，多取決於他們的運輸車隊效益。幫這些企業實現效益的信息技術方案，一般稱為‘車隊管理系統’（Fleet Management System，簡稱為“FMS”）。一套‘車隊管理系統’的功能可包括：衛星定位車輛跟蹤、移動通信調度工作、交通情況路程研究、車輛狀況記錄分析等。根據調查顯示：在香港，消耗在交通運輸上的能源佔整體能源消耗的百分之三十五;在美國和歐洲，分別有五分一和三分一的二氧化碳來自交通運輸過程的碳排放[2]。通過ICT應用科技優化車隊管理，可減低運輸過程中的碳排放，推動綠色環保。

四、虛擬化ICT系統

電腦設備的‘虛擬化’技術可以擴大硬件容量——利用CPU的虛擬化技術，電腦系統可以利用單CPU模擬多CPU並行，允許一個平台同時運行多個操作系統，讓應用程序可以在相互獨立的空間內運行而互不影響，[3]所以‘虛擬化’技術可以簡化軟件的重新配置，以及顯著提高電腦（計算機）系統的效率。

近年漸流行的“雲計算”（Cloud Computing），就是利用‘虛擬化’技術來完成即時調度IT資源，並配合企業營運而進行的自動化最佳策略。雲計算可以提升IT資源的運作效益，企業IT資源可以隨著業務需要，快捷地進行重新配置，以適應快速的市場變化。

通過雲計算服務供應商，企業IT資源使用就好像使用傳統電力等公共設施一樣，根據用量計費。雲數據中心可以聚集IT資源，進行中央管理，從而提高使用IT資源的靈活性和可擴展性，以及優化能源效益。雲數據中心可以設立在低密度人口區，從而減低通風要求以及環境影響。

不論大小企業，都可以通過移動和雲ICT技術，使用輕便的平板電腦或智能手機連結雲數據中心，企業人員可以隨時隨地遠離辦公室，繼續進行頻繁的業務工作。雲技術應用的成功，同時也減少出差時要帶備的大量文件或其它設備，間接減低運輸過程中產生的碳排放。

五、優化ICT設施能源效益

一般的ICT設施包括：數據處理中心，網絡操作中心，互聯網交換點，信息服務器機房，打印機中心等，都是高耗能設施。在過去，企業通常隻重視系統的可靠性，忽視系統的能源效益。根據一份2009美國的研究報告顯示：平均每台服務器每年浪費四千美元的營運成本，但全球竟有最少四百七十萬台多餘的服務器，這數字多過全球百分之十的服務器總量。數據中心的能耗也非常驚人——　以一個每平方英尺消耗100瓦能源的典型2萬平方英尺數據中心作比較，這數據中心的冷卻系統需求，相等於一個20萬平方尺的商業辦公室。類似數據中心每年的能耗總量，相等於一個40萬平方英尺的商業辦公樓。這驚人的能源需求，主要是來自不斷增加的服務器機件密度。在過去十年，制造商不斷增加服務器幾件，加入更多計算能力的同時，機件密度增加了十倍，服務器的電源消耗平均翻了兩番。[4]而相應的制冷能耗也大大增加,以防止系統過熱發生故障。數據中心每平方英尺的造價可為一般辦公樓的4至5倍，而數據中心每年的電費支出更可達一般辦公室的25至30倍之多。如果可以優化數據中心ICT設施使用效能，定必可以大大的減少碳排放，實現節能減排。

據環保組織估計，有效的ICT資源整合以及節能實踐，可以為數據中心節省多達百分之四十五的能源消耗 [5]。以下是一些數據中心的節能實踐方案例子，以供參考：

〉使用佔用感應器控制燈光在數據中心的大堂、內部辦公室、應急發電機組、不間斷電源（UPS）、電池室等範圍，每年可以節省百分之二十五到百分之五十的照明能源消耗。

〉使用高效能照明系統，包括電子鎮流器（Electronic Ballast）、T-5燈具或LED照明等，每年可以節省百分之十到十五或者更多的照明能源消耗。

〉使用可變速的驅動器控制通風空調系統，替代單元式空調、水泵和冷卻塔風機。

〉使用變速機房空調（CRAC）/機房空調處理風扇（CRAH）可以節省百分之四十的能源消耗。風扇在80％的速度運行時，會消耗50％的全速能源;在50％的速度運行時，會消耗13％的全速能源。通過風扇運行速度調控，將可減少能源消耗。

〉使用變速機組替代定速機組，可以節省百分之三十五以上的機組能源。所以，在新數據中心裡，安裝變速機組的投資回報期一般小於一年。

〉提高冷凍水溫度設定點到48華氏度（0.83℃），可以減少耗能。每增加華氏1度（攝氏0.55度）冷凍水溫度，將節省3.5％的變頻驅動（VFD）冷水機組或1%至1.5％定速冷水機組耗能。

〉調整服務器間的排列，減少服務器機架間的空間，會提升資源效益——服務器機架間的空間增加，會增加排氣口熱空氣被服務器循環攝入量，間接增加散熱的能源負擔，通過有序的無空間排列，達到高效節能減排目標。

〉採納具能源效益的冷熱通道布局安排，配合適當的空調安置，可以節省5％至12％的電力消耗。

〉盡量去掉或減少了UPS系統的低電壓（LV）變壓器，因為標准低壓變壓器的能量損耗（散熱）大概是其體積的1％至2％。

〉避免為配電單元（PDU）安裝內置變壓器，把低壓變壓器置於空調范圍外，可以減少空調耗能。以一個一萬平方英尺的數據中心為例，這改變可減少14噸的能耗。

除了以上例子，通過簡單的用戶節能習慣改變，也可以取得環保成效，而這些節能習慣也可以擴展到一般辦公室環境，其中包括：在空閑時間啟用休眠用戶/待機模式、下班后關掉電腦，以及使用環保制冷系統（如蒸發式冷凝器）代替空調。通過採納和推行有效的優化ICT設施能源效益方案，可以節省相當的ＩＣＴ設備能耗，推動綠色ICT的實踐。

六、採用環保ICT設備

企業可以通過制定包含環保考慮的採購標准，鼓勵供應商生產與提供高能源效益以及環保型產品。企業ICT產品採購，一般包括：個人電腦（台式機和筆記本電腦）和顯示器，服務器，成像及印刷設備及印刷用品等採購。ICT產品採購的環保考慮，除了這些產品本身，也可以涉及產品包裝、產品用后處理、供應鏈責任以及供應商本身的環保表現等。供應商也可通過制定環保產品生產標准、為產品作出環保聲明以及使用生態標簽，從而配合現代企業的綠色採購要求。

一些綠色ICT的領導組織，為電子產業訂立了合符環境責任的守則，有關的行為守則內容包括：確保供應鏈流程安全、工人受到尊重對待以及生產過程合符環保責任等。要符合有關守則，供應商需匯報他們的碳排放量，以及他們的最大供應商碳排放資料。這些綠色ICT組織會定期，列出符合電子產業環境行為守則（EICC）的供應商名單，以作企業ICT產品採購選擇考慮。

七、ＩＣＴ廢物處理

減少ICT電子廢物的戰略基石，可以分為五個廢物處理部分，包括：減少、再用、再循環、回收和棄置。各部分的主要目的都是：盡量加大ＩＣＴ產品發揮的效益，以及盡量減少ＩＣＴ廢物的產生量。一些ＩＣＴ產品由於產品型號停產停售，但同時又遇上：客戶退貨、取消訂單、產品積壓，以及產品破損等情況，被逼考慮丟棄，但這些產品其實可以經處理后保留價值。通過產品檢查後翻新再做、重新包裝，以較低價推出再售再用，可為產品重新建立價值，以發揮產品最大效益。其它示範和租賃回收產品，也可以透過類似方法再售再用，以減少ＩＣＴ廢物產出。

當ICT電腦產品使用壽命結束時，通過電子廢物回收，可以循環再造及再用電子廢物。香港環保署一直致力推動舊電腦回收及循環再造，電腦回收計劃在二零零三開始試行，在二零零七年開始全港性推行，通過上門回收和屋苑收集電腦廢物。香港的電腦回收計劃接受不同的電腦產品回收，其中包括：桌上電腦、手提式電腦、顯示器、打印機、掃描器、鍵盤、外置儲存器、滑鼠、耳機和擴音器等硬件回收。電腦回收計劃指定的回收商會定期收集舊電腦及電腦配件，然後送到工場分類。操作正常的電腦產品會交到指定的慈善機構翻新及捐贈給有需要人士。[6] 不能運作的電腦產品則會由指定的回收商拆件，以回收有用的零件和物料，為環保出力。

除了可以回收ＩＣＴ產品本身，其它ＩＣＴ配件如：充電池和打印機墨盒等也有同計劃進行回收。香港環保署、業界和環保團體合辦的「充電池回收計劃」，已在全香港各處地點設置充電池回收點。充電池所含的物料會危害人體健康和環境，用完的充電池如不能妥善棄置，對環境會造成影響。但這些物料具回收價值，可以循環再造，製成其他產品，例如磁合金和不銹鋼。因此，回收再造是解決充電池處置問題的上策。另外，也有打印機制造商和自願團體在全香港不同地點，提供墨盒回收服務，把沒用的墨盒廢料轉化為有用的資源。

總結

考慮到全球人口快速增長、經濟迅速發展、氣候產生變化等情況同時發生，環保已成為企業責任的一部分。很多現代企業客戶、股東和分析師都認同：企業要對社會整體有可持續發展的責任，而綠色ＩＣＴ正是實現這可持續發展的重要元素，獲得機構和個人的重視。

另外也有機構利用ICT技術推動市民的環保意識：在英國的一個小社區，利用ICT技術公開每家每戶的用電費單，讓民眾參考鄰居的用電情況，結果有效引導市民自發去想辦法節省用電。[7]

隨著社會對ＩＣＴ應用的依賴度不斷增加，以及全球對環保問題的關注度增加，‘綠色ＩＣＴ’已成爲全球經濟和政治的關注議題，相關應用科技和推行方案也不斷催生和發展。就如之前所提到的綠色ＩＣＴ應用科技和採納方法，企業和個人都可以透過善用ＩＣＴ和妥善處理ＩＣＴ廢物，體驗低資省能生活以及達到高效節能減排目的。透過個人、企業和國家的共同努力，‘綠色ＩＣＴ’在今後定必可成功推行。

文：林屏（根據原文‘Green ICT’修譯，原作：張梓昌博士、吳瀚博士、盧景輝先生）本文已刊于“潔淨能源與環境”一書（ISBN：978-988-15045-2-4）

二零一一年四月三十日

[1] “左迅生：信息通信業必須抓緊建設綠色高效能網絡” 中國信息產業網,2010年十一月。

[2] “Datacom Equipment and Power Trends and Cooling Applications,”.Amercian Society for Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, 2005.

[3] “虛擬化的概念” 互聯網，ZDNet CIO频道，2010年八月三十日。

[4] “Datacom Equipment and Power Trends and Cooling Applications,”.Amercian Society for Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, 2005.

[5] “Report to Congress on Server and Data Center Energy Efficiency,” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, August 2007.

[6] “香港以往在回收電腦活動的工作”電腦回收計劃，2011年三月二十三日，[資料來源：https://www.wastereduction.gov.hk/chi/workplace/crp_faq.htm#HappUsedPC]。

[7] “Nudge經濟行為．提升經濟效益”信報研究部，信報，2010年十月十二日。

是不一樣的「科網」時代，還是另一個「科網」泡沫？

2011-11-03T02:39:00.000-07:00

科網熱潮
在上月，LinkedIn在美國市場集資了4億美元，而中國的 ‘人人網’也在美國市場集資了7.43億美元；在本月，Groupon宣佈準備火速上市，在美國市場集資7.5億美元[1]，而淘米網也已在9號在美國上市集資6千7百萬美元。其它正「排隊」在美國上市的國内外科網公司還包括：Zynga、Twitter、facebook、土豆網、盛大文學．．．等等。有人認爲這喻意着一個真正「科網時代」的開始，也有人認爲這是另一個二千年後「科網泡沫」的徵兆!

支持這新一輪「科網」熱潮的分析認爲：很多新的科網公司，已具備真正的盈利能力，跟二千年的情況大大不同。最好的例子就是Google：Google在2004年上市，上市後股價從85美元升至今天的517美元一股，而單是本年度第一季盈利，已達23億美元！而從技術、市場和媒體發展角度，這十年的確發生了很多突破和變化，因而推動這「科網」熱潮的形成。

技術突破
近十年，互聯網相關技術、系統、網絡、應用、終端和服務等，都有很大的突破(包括：Web2.0、雲端計算和平板電腦等等)。另外，互聯網運作在人手和成本需求上也有很大的下調，使網站功能可以大大提升的同時，成本也大大的調低。其中一個成功利用這技術和成本突破機會，創立網站的例子，就是全球知名、已擁有超過五百萬會員的約會網站PlentyOfFish ：PlentyOfFish在2007年已有一千萬美元收入，但這家公司直到2007年底，才只有一個人，他就是公司的CEO – Frind[2]，而Frind依賴的主要新技術就是Web2.0和.NET。沒有新技術的支持，一人科網公司每年賺一千萬美元，簡直是不可能，但如果可能，當中的利潤就非常可觀！

市場變化及新媒体力量
這十年，全球網民數目從6.99億（2000年統計），增至20.8億（2010年統計），而平均網民上網時間更不斷增加。新媒体（如：Google、Facebook、Twitter和YouTube等）對市場的影響越來越大，不但擴大了市場競爭範圍，也同時改變了消費者行爲，以及提升策略性市場區間銷售的可行性。企業如果忽視這些新媒体力量，沒有對應的市場策略，可能會付上很大的代價。其中一個有趣例子，是關於一名倒霉的聯合航空乘客- Dave Carroll：Dave心愛的吉他在一次聯合航空的旅程中，被粗魯的航空職員打破了，由於經歷多次投訴但還是沒結果，Dave一怒下，就用了150美元製作了一套“United Breaks Guitars”的音樂錄像，他不單把這製作過程放上Twitter，更把這錄像放上Youtube，結果有超過7百萬人觀看，後來還上了CNN[3]！之後的日子，聯合航空要不斷地為這次事件在媒體上解析和道歉，當中的公關成本和品牌損失，比起那吉他，簡直是小巫見大巫！

新媒体的力量愈來愈大,如果懂得善用,不但可以避免類似聯合航空的損失，更可幫企業提升品牌價值以及進行產品/服務推廣。其中的成功例子包括：可口可樂公司利用Facebook專頁，吸引超過三千萬名粉絲登記，使公司很容易就可以利用Facebook，接觸客戶推廣品牌和產品；蘋果電腦推出新的iPhone和iPAD產品，利用網上討論區的熱烈討論，間接為蘋果產品宣傳，從而刺激銷售。另外，很多的大小型企業，都會利用搜尋網站，進行對路適銷（Niche Marketing），大大減低市場營銷成本以及提升競爭力。

科網泡沫
以上談到的技術突破、市場變化以及新媒体力量，都好像利好「科網」熱潮，但認爲這是新一輪「科網」泡沫的分析卻認爲：很多新上市的科網公司，並不具備實際的盈利能力，而他們的競爭對手數目也不斷增加；一些中國的網股，更有財報問題，以及上市後即股價潛水。其中的例子包括：Groupon在今年第一季的淨虧損已達1.46億美元[4]，而Groupon的競爭對手數目更不斷增加，多達數百家；在本月上市的淘米網披露，該公司審計人員發現自身在財報內部控制存重大缺陷[5]，上市後當天，股價即下跌9%[6]；在上月上市的人人網，股價也已下跌了62%。另外，最近還接連爆出種種網站保安問題，這些都打擊了「科網」投資者的信心。

科網時代的香港
但無論這是另一個「科網」泡沫，還是不一樣的「科網」時代，我們都不可忽視這股科技力量！互聯網科技應用幾乎滲透了生活和工作的每一部分、改變了市場競爭定律以及企業价值鏈活動、提升了業務跨地分工的可行性，更加速了全球城市間的競爭。這十年間，有很多在香港做生意的科技公司，考慮到技術的可行性，以及其它城市更好的科技配套環境，就把開發部、客戶服務部和後勤部等都搬到其它城市，而其中最受歡迎的城市就是新加坡。香港失去了為那些中國網股上市的機會，可能幫了投資者避過這泡沫一劫，但這「科網」泡沫絕不能作為香港科技政策和配套發展停滯不前的藉口！上月社科院發佈的城市競爭力藍皮書，就正好説明香港在科技發展的力度不足！科技創新需要政府在資金、稅務和土地等政策作出配套扶持，但是香港在科研所投入的資源，只佔本地生產總值0.6%，遜於內地的1.4%，遠落後於新加坡和美國。第三屆特區政府調整部門架構時，更刪除了「工商科技局」，以「商務及經濟發展局」代之[7]，科技政策不進反退。希望今後，香港政府可有較長遠目光，積極面對批評，帶頭推動科技政策、配套投資和人才培訓，以吸引更多的科技投資發展，避免香港的競爭力快速倒退！

林屏
二零一一年六月十號
文：刊于2011 HKUGA Annual Journal （六月）

圖1：網站商標，圖片來源：Groupon、人人網、Linkedin、Twitter、Facebook、土豆網、Zynga和淘米網等網站。
圖2：PrentyOfFish網站，圖片來源：PrentyOfFish網站。
圖3：“United Breaks Guitars”的音樂錄像，圖片來源：YouTube網站。
圖4：可口可樂Facebook專頁，圖片來源：Facebook網站。

[1] Groupon 是一個全球性的團購網站，成立於2008年十一月，但到了2010年十月，全球已有三千五百萬用戶。資料來源：2011年6月9號Wikipedia 網站，關鍵字為“Groupon”。
[2] Cheung, W. et al. (2008), “Swimming in the Virtual Community Pool with PlentyOfFish”, Ivey Management Services.
[3] Bernoff, J. & Schadler, T, (2010), “Unleash Your Employees, Energize Your Customers, and Transform Your Business – Chapter III Peer Influence Analysis”, Harvard Business Review Press.
[4] “Groupon申請上市籌58億”，2011年6月3日信報即時財經。
[5]“淘米網稱公司財報內部控制存重大缺陷”，2011年6月9日中國日報網。
[6]“淘米網IPO首日收報8.23美元較發行價跌9%”，2011年6月10日北美新浪。
[7] “社評雙語道：香港競爭力減弱再響警鐘”，2011年6月3日文匯報。

Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and My PDA Phone!

2009-07-30T20:06:00.000-07:00

While Microsoft and Yahoo reached an agreement for a 10 years collaboration in the search market attacking Google’s root of business, Google has also launched Android and Chrome O/S to hit Microsoft’s root. Yahoo got stuck in between the two giants. To survive, it shares its existing and large market share of search user base and likely to focus on content based Online Advertising Campaign based business.

Through this collaboration, we can categorize the three companies into two types:

Software and Web Services bias – That would be Microsoft and Google.
Content bias – That would be Yahoo!

Why did I think so? The reason is simple. Yahoo cannot beat the other two in software. It’s role, right from the very beginning has been like a Portal to other information (they call themselves Content Aggregator). Search Engine is very much a software and AI challenge. Microsoft and Google seem to be much stronger on this. Operating System is even more obvious that it’s not the cup of tea for Yahoo. In simple terms, Yahoo is left to be like an online portal of content (like plain old newspaper but online). Unless Yahoo fundamentally reinvent themselves as a software company, it’s hard to beat Google and Microsoft in Search Technology in long run.

Microsoft and Google both try to beat each other by launch competitive products targeting each other’s foundation. Google is doing O/S and Microsoft is doing Search! It’s hard to say who will win ultimately. To me, Microsoft has proven to be a big giant, heavy but still wanting to reinvent itself to maintain it’s edge despite that it’s not very successful in the Searh and Online base.

Google has the advantage of the right start for the Internet age. Whatever it does seems very much “advertiser sponsored” focus thus fitting the “free stuff” culture of Internet. And Google has grown to be a strong teenage so it’s not a kid anymore. It has smartly prepared itself for the Online Software market right at the start. As I explained to my non-technical friend, Google has started off with Online Services like search and gmail. Those software will likely to support “offline” in a PC to gain the speed and erase the network access interruption to grow. However, the PC is not the same PC you and I are using. They are likely the tomorrow (not so far tomorrow) PC – the Phone. In the day where Google is launching Chrome O/S for netbook and Android for PDA market, what I have said seems to be a reality.

If I have to bet, I will bet on Google for the online services and advertising market because it has produced great online software and product so far. Microsoft has grown to be a bit too big and resulting slower less innovative products. I assume that there will be no M&A between Microsoft and Google to made such bet. We can, of course, not tell the future for sure. I have also assumed that the Microsoft’s enterprise software market is isolated from the battle. (However, Google's another bet on the Google Wave as a Universal Communication Server software seems to be hitting Microsoft's Enterprise Software business, see my other blog posthere.)

It’s likely to be years of dog fighting and a fun to watch battle.

Side story:

After a long wait, I've dived into buying the "HTC Magic" mobile phone based on Android operating system. This is a big personal decision to move away from the Windows Mobile, which I have been using for last 12 years. Another choice, iPhone, does not appear to me cause it seems to be an iTunes focused product. I am not a music lover. iPhone is great but it’s just not for me.

The new Android phone is great. My 4 days experience using the HTC Magic is great. UI pretty smooth, user friendly and flexible. Handing Chinese is great. Every typical mobile PDA function seems great. Price is reasonable! (HK$4,680 less $100 rebate by credit card and $100 cash coupon by the store) I am a cheap person. Price is never low enough for me!).

However, those are not the primary reasons I switch to the new phone O/S. I brought the phone because of Google and it's seemingly never ending attempt to push new, integrated and useful web-based communication software. I believe the cross product integration will be much better (PDA + Online WebMail) and future development will be faster. After I've done some data cleansing, I have imported my MS Outlook contacts (thousands of them) into Gmail. Once in the gmail accounts, thousands of contacts just got synchronized with my new phone seamlessly in the background. This has proven my bet was right!

This blog post was also posted on my personal blog, click here to read.)

6 reasons why Google Wave is likely to be successful.

2009-06-16T11:01:00.000-07:00

Last week I was introducing Google Wave in an executive lunch to someone with an IT and Business Consultant background. He did not know of Google Wave until I introduced to him over the lunch (read my last blog post if you don't know Google Wave : Click Here). After listening to me for a few minutes, he suddenly said that Google would not be successful in launching Google Wave. His immediate and raw reaction actually reinforces my post’s title "the most ambitious communication product by Google”. It is indeed ambitious. The chance of success for such a comprehensive product to be launched to the mass market is low; thus the description “ambitious” was craved into my blog post title.

I am more positive becuase Google Wave fits the 6 characters that I have observed in the last decade from web applications that have made it big (at least once). I call them 6 Es. More will be covered in this post later.

I am slightly more positive in this case, also, because I believe the general user of web communication has been trained by Facebook, Twitter, Forums, Chat and hundreds of other Internet communication products. "Timing is right" in a nutshell. I believe the market (at least a significant portion of the web user) will understand and be able to use complicated product like Google Wave. These people are likely the online marketing evangelists like me. On the other hand, I think the product looks simple enough in its user interface. It looks reasonably simple that it will not scare people away. Chances are that people just use the basic function of Google Wave first when their feet just get wet. There is no need to use all functions inGoogle Wave. They can simply use it as a e-mail alternative.

Google Wave is more sustainable because of proven online advertising business model. Google will have to educate the market. However, give it some times and people will gradually get comfortable with the new interface and learn to use the advance functions. People will be “educated” by their friends when being prompted to read information pushing by their friends. Given the market share and financial power of Google, it will have enough resource to sustain the time needed by the market. Also, Google has already established it’s Online Advertising business model, it’s not going to have the pressure to quickly look for revenue stream to sustain the product or business development. Chances are that Google will use Google Wave to capture users who did not use Gmail but like to use it’s social networking and email integrated function. More users and more traffic will means more content to help distributed Google’s Adwords’ advertisements.

Another reason I think Google is going to be successful in long run is that with the protocol, extension and API setup, Google is going to gain cost efficiency in future application developments. It’s simply the backbone of the future communications. Google Wave is a new product but it is also a very strategic building component for future roadmap. As more applications are developed for Google Wave, the more successful Google Wave will be. So other new venture of Google's product will add weight and sustainability to Google Wave.

Having said that, of course it’s just very new and nobody can truely assess the chance of success. We are all making wild guesses. My guess is based on a simple score aginst the 6 characteristics to make it a really big scale killer app. Well, like other who’s trying to make my point across, I shall call them the 6 Es. They are:

Everyone - Can be used by almost everyone on the net – male, female, old, young, you, me ….
Everyday - Can be used everyday – just like your e-mail today.
Every device - Can be used by any device (PC, notebook and mobile device)
Every friend - Has the viral and networking effect – the user will introduce the product to other users
Every partner - Extension / API to further build niche applications and a large network of value-added software solution provider.
Every topic – Unlimited content with unlimited number of topics as people use it to discuss various topics. There is no cost to buy or to “write” content. Users simply supply unlimited amount of content to make the product ever interesting.

Google Wave fits them all.

Finally, many successful products come and go in the past becuase they were just one product. Google Wave will sustain longer because it is really not a product but a protocol standard. The real challenge to Google is whether other software partners will play along Google’s rule of games. If they have enough partners they will be successful. Like Windows’ success in having the most compatible software solutions, Google Wave’s success will depend on how well Google promote and support this new product to other “partners”.

By Stanley Suen
President,
E-Business Association

This article is also posted on Stanley Suen's personal blog. Click here to read.

The most ambitious communication product by Google

2009-06-16T11:00:00.001-07:00

In my previous blog post, I have written my opinion about Twitter and why it would be successful in making it big (read the post here) becuase it is an Internet Communication application with an API for unlimited appliations to be developed on top. Today I have learned about another even more powerful and ambious product to be launched by Google. It will be one that embrace almost all forms of communications on Internet today that I can think of today. If you are the user of this product in future, consider it as if you are sitting in your own military headquarters controlling all communications on the IP based internet. You will use this product as your strategic and be-all communication control console. This is because you will use it to send and receive information like:

e-mailing
real time chatting,
forum discussion,
social networking,
blogging,
tweeting,
photo sharing,
video sharing,
opinion and data collection,
application sharing and collaboration and

a lot more depending on the application to be developed in future, limited only to our imagination. Since almost all intelligent electronic device is building upon Internet these days, to have an Internet Communication Center means you are going to manage ALL your communications through ALL your electronic communication devices.

This product is called Google Wave.

However, to say that it is a communication product by Google is a very large understatement. It is really a “Communication Protocol”, a centralized information switch and a set of API for new applications to be built upon. Based on these rules of communications (protocol) and core information switching services, another layers of interactive server and client software can be developed for various purpose or business application. The “product” of Google Wave to be launched to the mass public soon is really, just one of many to software applications built upon the Google Wave Communication Protocol and API.

It looks to me that Google is not launching a product but launching a new era of integrated communications with a vision to get many online company to adapt it’s communication standard. If everybody is to build their application base on the way of Google Wave, the internet world will have a more or less standard language amongst different applications to interact and share information. So it’s like reinventing Telephone back in the old days.

Google Wave is “Open Source” too. Being open source means they are trying to push it to the rest of the world in mass scale. Google has openly admitted that Google not only wanting to share it with the world but need the people to help developing the products. I think the “sharing” part of Open Source also strategically means Google wants to lead the mass market by contribution and influence to application developers and not by forces. Nothing’s wrong with that but it does have a lot of business implication. For end user like me, we don’t mind having a “unified” communication system that seriously simplified our communication in a one-stop-shop fashion. It simply means a lot of time savings in our communication in personal level or even for our work. However, it does mean that the world is going to be “Populated” with the same server applications. Since they are the same applications that are decided to communicate with each other, that means cross servers (or cross companies/organizations) communications is not only at the design of the product but also on how to promote the mass adaptation of the product through the way of Open Source. In a nutshell, through the freely distributed open source application, the market will adapt and eventually it will become a dominate market standard or defactual standard.

What does it mean to us as an individual with Google Wave? As I said in the first paragraph, we are going to have a one centralized communication console for all our electronic communication. You are going to save a lot of time from switching amongst communications (like Twitter, Facebook, E-mail, Forum, Blogging and so forth). In theory you will be able to see all incoming content and you should be able to dispatch your messages (not just text but photo and videos) back to all these sites. It will means that you will be seeing more new web sites that are “Google Wave” connected in future if they play the game correctly. On a social level, I think people are going to be very very addicted. However, people get addicted to things anyway like they do too much gaming, too much TV or too much social networking. If we are to be addicted we might as well do it time efficiently.

What does it mean to business? I think many web sites with their stand alone business models (like Forum, Blog, E-mail, Video Sharing, Photo Album, and Social Networking) will see their users being drawn away to use Google Wave. This is because they can setup their own Forum Thread. They no longer need to have a separate Video Service like YouTube. Many sites will be at risk. And then there are other opportunities for individual. Anyone with good content to show to the rest of the world will be able to use the comprehensive set of integrated services to connect to the rest of the world. He shall focus on his own content and leave the application part to Google Wave and it’s integrated web services.

For example, a person with good Stock Investment Tips can easily setup his own Forum by opening his “Wave” (or thread) to the rest of the world and people will participate in his Wave. So this person may not have to go to a specific forum site. In fact it’s like a centralized Forum Site broken down to individual people’s publicized mail thread. The value of a “centralized” site will be replaced by the “Google Search”. People will find their interested discussion thread. With the way the Google Wave Open Sourced server is setup, these forum threads can be hosted by any number of servers on the Internet. So the value of a centralized “Forum” will very much not needed.

Google’s benefits, other than the unlimited potential once the world is communicating its’ way, is a competitive application that keeps Gmail alive. And Gmail’s business to google is one of the largest publishing network for Google’s Keyword Ad to be distributed. With Google Wave it’s like Gmail the Next Generation. As long as people use Google Wave, there will be unlimited topical keywords embedded in people’s discussion thread to help Google to match relevant ad.

Most business will simply be a user of the Google Wave. Some highly related industry such as Newspaper company will have to think hard on how they will dispatch their news and content through the system and still find how to make money. Many “database” companies who will find hard time to get members’ contact info (such as e-mail address and telephone number) since people can “follow” and “unfollow” just like Twitter or “Make Friend” or “Break Relationship” like Facebook. The other side cannot hold on to the contact inform and forcefully “spam” them. Perhaps I am being a bit too futuristic but there is no harm just to dream a little on a lazy Saturday afternoon when I write this blog.

Have a good weekend.

By Stanley Suen
President,
E-Business Association

This article is also posted on Stanley Suen's personal blog. Click here to read.

Twitter the new hot property on the web

2009-06-16T10:56:00.000-07:00

Twitter is the latest hot property which is making to the top of talk list for the Gold Rush of Internet. People call it the "MicroBlogging" service. Frankly, I think it's NOT blogging at all. It's just a "text" based communication channel which allows users to freely connect or disconnect (by following and unfollowing) each other. To me, it's the "SMS" of Internet. Of course thanks to the power of Internet, this new "SMS" is born with the Yellow Pages to enable networking of people and businesses. With 3G and mobile Internet access and rapidly development mobile internet device, Twitter is going to be "smater" SMS communication core that bridges all kinds of "newsfeed" across devices. It will NOT be the ultimate content hosting platform like Blogger but it will be the "Carrier" that brings people to the ultimate content page, be it text, images or video.

It has a lot of potential to be further developed despite that people are unclear how they will make money of this system. However, my guess is that they will make money by the applications that are built around Twitter as a communication platform. How Twitter will be used really depends on the future of the Client Software' business application.

How Twitter will help you really depends on what you want to tweet (broadcast) to the world and how attractive you are to grow the number of followers. The actor Ashton Kutcher, the guy married Demi Moore) has just reached 1.9 million followers as I am writing this blogpost. He has creatively used Twitter to connect to his followers. His real content are posted on Intenret Video services, NOT on twitter. He uses Twitter to broadcast the topic and link to the content. It's like he has his very own free broadcasting channels and TV studio with just Twitter and other web services.

Twitter matches my memory of "Made It Big" internet stories. If there is anything I have learned about the successful (or once successful) stories about Internet, it would be the Internet as a "Search and Communication Platform". The stories (in my rough memory order) of Hotmail, Yahoo Mail, ICQ, Google Search Engine, Gmail, MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, Skype, Blogger and many others who has made it big basically falls into the category of "Applications". They are NOT content based. They are all Web Applications. And they do mostly 3 things:

Search - Google search, Yahoo Search
Connect - MySpace, Facebook, Match.com, LinkedIn
Communicate - ICQ, QQ, Skype, Gmail, YahooMail, Hotmail

Twitter does all these.

Search - Twitter let you find people (or twitter member to be precise, does not have to be a person)
Connect - With a press of a button, you can follow just about anyone who is open to be followed by public.
Communicate - You can easily broadcast your short message or send private direct messages to anyone.

Twitter has smartly kept itself extremely simple and avoid the potential press to have a highly complicated user interface as business grows. Unlike Facebook with it's ever growing complicated and hard to use interface, Twitter is not going to have the trouble of facebook's pressure to find ways to host all the applications on the facebook platform. Instead, the applications will simply build their own interface freely but at the back end they will tap into Twitter as the communication core service. Like Facebook, Twitter offers API for application development. And this API is the key for future success. Anyone can develop an appplication riding on Twitter as a communication channel and there is no need to comply to the Facebook like rigid interface. This will open up a whole new galaxy of applications riding on Twitter. If Twitter wishes to force any kind of community "standard" structure, it can be done on the future applications to be developed. It's like another "layer" of application wrapping around Twitter. And there can be many differnt layers limited only to applications to be developed in future. So in theory one can use Twitter API and add enough stuff to it that it will be come Facebook. In a nutshell, Twitter has a highly flexible architecture designed for all kinds of applications.

If you are a computer programmer, you can easily associate Twitter as the "kernel" of an operating system. On top of the very basic Kernel, we can create "System Services". On top of the "System Services", we can create "Applications". On top of Applicatons, we can create Associated Applications. And the list goes on!

Twitter is only at it's beginning. Many people have some doubt about Twitter's business model. I think Twitter's business model is simply NOT on the very Twitter itself. It's going to be the venture capture and angel investor of many "To Be Developed Applications" accross all kinds of businesses and industries. With the control of the "military communication channel" Twitter can promote or demote any businesses.

We are going to have fun watching how Twitter will grow.

By Stanley Suen
President,
E-Business Association

This article is also posted on Stanley Suen's personal blog. Click Here to read.

Watch out for hidden cost of Open Source software

2009-03-23T10:30:00.001-07:00

Many businesses get attrached by OpenSource software to build their corporate applicaitons. It's great if you can manage the software at the source code level. Or else you will have a lot of fustration with "customizing" the software for your business' requirements or getting supports.

To me, OpenSource for business is equal to talents in your company. You have to have the right talents to manage and use the OpenSource software. Unless you have very low requirement for yoru applications or find a perfect fit, chances are that you will spend a lot of manpower money on managing and customizing OpenSource software.

Therefore, first think about your company before you are attrached by the "free" offer of OpenSource software.

Presentation - Free Resources

2009-03-23T10:19:00.001-07:00

PowerPoint Presentation is one of the most used applications. You can find a lot of free resources on the net to spike up your presentation.

A) You don't need to use PowerPoint, Open Office or other "Desktop Software". You can use Gmail's web abased presentation. You' get it for free with a gmail account. The benefits of puting your presentation on gmail's documents is that you can share it with other people on the net. You can "permit" your presentation to be seen by people you invite or make it public.

If your Microsoft PowerPoint or OpenOffice Powerpoint presenation is not too complicated, you can simple develop your presentation with the desktop software and upload to gmail. Google's document will automatially convert your Powerpoint presentation to Google's format.

B) Free Powerpoint templates. Just go the net and search with key words "Free PowerPoint Templates". You will find a lot of web sites offering free Powerpoint Templates download just to attract your eyes to the online advertisement.

I have found one: www.templateswise.com. It offers more than a hundred PowerPoint Template all for free. I have tested one or two, it seems fine to me. My free personal anti-virus software have not picked up any virus with the couple of downloads. Give it a try. Use this site or try to search your own favourable sites.

Public web-mail often more powerful and flexible than your corporate mail server.

2009-03-23T09:42:00.000-07:00

Electronic Mail is the single most powerful application on the net. It's obvious and I'll skip the obvious. Let's talk about an ideal e-mail configuration I am using today. I am using gmail for my business and personal needs with some complicated setup. Here are the special benefits I am getting out of my current "configuration" of using gmail:

I use my own domain name "xxxx@stanleysuen.com" (never publish your e-mail address on the net or you'll get a lot of spam mail) but, really, what's behind the fancy domain name is nothing more than a free "gmail" account. (The domain name, however, cost me US$9.95/yr)
Read and write e-mail on PC with a browser 24x7 anywhere on Earth connecting with Internet.
Read and write e-mail on PC with Microsoft Outlook, a traditional desktop software for e-mail, contacts and appointments. However, we can use just about any e-mail client software like Outlook Express, Netscape or Firefox.
Read and write e-mail on Mobile Phone with a browser interface ( I use a Windows Mobile PDA)
Read and write e-mail on Mobile Phone with build-in E-mail application, which is much better than using a browser on Mobile Phone for such a small screen format.
Backup e-mail with Outlook.
I don't use PushMail like BlackBerry but I can potentially set up my mobile with gmail to do push mail if needed. On this note, I believe Microsoft Live (hotmail) is a more "responsive" push mail platform as the Windows Mobile is built to work with Live for PushMail speed.

You don't need to buy your own domain name, as in point 1 above, to use gmail but it certainly looks better to your business partners and friends. It is also transparent when youj switch e-mail in future.

To set up the gmail for point 2 to 7 on my top list, most IT support guy knows how to set it up. Just let them know your objectives.

You can even setup your gmail to "represent" your corporate e-mail address so you can write, receive and reply e-mail using your corporate e-mail id but on gmail account. In fact your gmail account can "represent" as many e-mail id as possible once you go through the proper authentication exercise. So you can have "one" single e-mail inbox for both business and personal stuff. Not everybody can do this with their company's e-mail policy but it's possible. This is complicated and advance. I don't think everybody needs to do so but I certainly enjoy using it very much.

eBa supports TechMatrix Seminar: "Equip yourself for a rewarding career in Finance sector"

2008-06-16T11:29:00.000-07:00

eBa supports TechMatrix Seminar: "Joining the elite IT community in HK Science & Technology Parks"

2008-06-10T11:32:00.000-07:00

eBa support IT Career Seminar by TechMatrix

2008-05-20T11:09:00.000-07:00

Contact Us

2006-07-01T11:19:00.000-07:00

Contact Details:

Person:
Stanley Suen, President
Telephone: +852 2117 2263

Address:
1/F Park Hovan commercial Building,
18 Hillwood Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong

EBA's Facebook’s Group
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4859319372

About Us

2006-07-01T10:32:00.000-07:00

About EBA

The e-Business Association (EBA) was founded in 2006 as a non-profit organization to provide a platform for the e-Business industry to collaborate and to benefit the industry development and growth. The members of EBA come from diversified industries related to e-Business. EBA promotes e-Business through trainings, seminars, exhibition and other activities.

The association is registered under the societies ordinance (Section 5A(1), chapter 151) under the formal name “E-BUSINESS ASSOCIATION”.

Vision

e-Business is our future!

Mission

Help the company in Hong Kong and Mainland china enhance competitiveness through facilitating business transactions and affairs conducted electronically.

Objective

Drive more government initiatives and policies in favor of the companies adopting electronic form of business.

Establish an alliance among the e-business related industry players in Hong Kong and Mainland china for the benefit of the industry.

Promote the development, usage and awareness of e-business application in Hong Kong and Mainland China through education and training.

Maintain a high level of business practice in the e-business industry.