I Heart Google

Best search engine in the history of the Internets?
There can be only 1 answer: GOOGLE.

It has saved the lives of desperate students in search for answers and meaning to life; it has entertained the ignorant and procrastinating employees at work; but most importantly, it has brought Internet browsing to a whole new level.

Google is the God of all search engines that the World Wide Web has to offer. Not only does it allow searches based on percentage of relevancy on all websites, but furthermore, it offers other alternative searches for all kinds of information and formats:

1. Image search- displays searches of different formats of images/pictures/gifs, etc.

2. Google Maps- illustrates the roads and territories of countries and cities all over the world!

3. Google News- brings frequently updated important news coverage from all over. (Includes sports--essential stuff).

4. Google Video- much like YouTube, this video search engine offers video streaming that Google users can independently upload and share. Also like YouTube, viewers aren't allowed to download any of the content. A Google video player can be downloaded to a computer to conveniently watch the videos.

5. Gmail- Google mail which frequently upgrades its storage space to allow for larger files and lengthy emails to be saved without the account user having to frequently delete and clear their inboxes. Users of Gmail started off as an 'invite only' standard: people could only be 'invited' to obtain a Gmail account through a friend or acquaintance. With the ever-growing popularity of Google and Gmail, now almost everyone who has access to the Internet has a Gmail account. YEH.

6. Google Shopping- Shop online through Google! Search by category or price range. Very simple and easy to use, with great images for customers to see the products before they buy it.

7. Google Groups- Everyone wants to be a part of something--and now with Google Groups, everyone is making up their own clubs...about a certain hobby, interest, company, class (a.k.a. COM 125's Google Group created by our beloved Mr. Abel Choy), or even about themselves. Talk about narcisistic.

8. Google Books- much like a Google version of Amazon.com or Barnes&Noble, yes, of course google has to have their own online book reference center. Search for keywords that you want to find in a book, and it will automatically show it to you; be it the relevancy of the entire book, or just a single chapter or sentence in it. Innit?

9. Google Scholar- useful database for Graduates and Undergrads to find relevant secondary sources of information to use for their research, projects and assignments. Swim through oodles and oodles of dull-lookin boring, so-called, Scholarly journals and articles just to find that single reference to a desired topic. Excellent stuff, but might not quite reach up to Ebscohost's standards just yet...

10. Google Earth- This is probably one of the most advanced and enjoyable programs that Google has EVER come up with. Fly over the clouds and visit destinations that you've always wanted to visit, or see again. Periodically updated satellite images of Earth are shown to the viewer, and can even zoom up close enough to see single buildings or structures. Bored of our planet? Look to the skies--go stargazing through Google Earth, and don't forget to check your horoscope if you can even decipher what all the alignments are...Perfect for Subterranean homesick aliens--I like.

11. Blackle- The environmentally-friendly, energy-saving, hippie-like version of the Google web search engine that claims to save 1,095,896.547 Watt hours. Do your part; it's time to switch.

12. Elgoog- Google Mirror developed by a company called All Too Flat that was kind bored and severely confused. They decided to mirror the search results and words and everything they can think of and show it all in reverse. Use it only if you have time on your hands--or else everything looks like Finnish.

Google offers so many useful programs and search engines that make my life so much easier. I would like to give my sincere gratitude to the creator(s) of all these programs and software. Keep it up!
Hint: You guys should make a Google Recipe database for all the wannabe cooks out there.

!THANK YOU GOOGLE!

And now, for the final act of the night, here is a video that I have created a couple of years back. It is a short slideshow of the Singapore Baha'i Summer School back in 2006.



Thank you very much! I'll be here 'til Thursday!

Digital classroom

When I was a kid, I went to school where the teachers used chalkboards and posters, crayons and paints, colorful shapes and blocks to illustrate the lesson. Despite the simple resources we had, my experience in kindergarten and primary school had been thoroughly enjoyable.

It was only during secondary school that my classmates and teachers began to use computers as a tool for learning. Soon, all of our research for projects and essays were conducted through encyclopedia software programs and the internets. During exam time, all the students went online to study.

Some of our teachers recommended websites and online texts to help us study for their subjects. One of these websites included a tutorial study guide with multiple choice practice quizzes, flash-animation flow charts and diagrams and other interactive stuff to help us understand the content.

This definitely made our lives (including the teachers') easier.

On the other hand, I really hope that people don't forget how to use a normal dictionary and encyclopedia--I must admit that I haven't borrowed a book from the library for over 6 years now...If people were to spend every living minute of their lives on the computer and electronic media, we would all become lethargic and obese. IF we were to exercise only our minds and not our body, the idea presented in the movie, Wall-E, might come true.

The convenience that computers and online information brings us is definitely an advantage to learning. However, we shouldn't be too dependent of it--there is a certain skill in utilizing the traditional classroom. Hopefully we won't lose it.

10 Ways to Prevent E-Commerce Failure

What's the easiest way of making money (without selling drugs)? E-commerce! Sure some people would stick to their lemonade stands or play their guitars on the side of street, but e-commerce has definitely revolutionized how organizations do their business, and created a new channel of connecting and sharing their products and services across borders.


If you don't do your research, and don't watch your step, things can go terribly wrong. Here are the top 10 reasons why companies MEGA-FAILED at e-commerce:

1. WEAK SITE DESIGN:
Gaining trust and assuring your customers that this isn't a gimmick or a scam to get your money or sell them Viagra is the first lesson to learn when you create your website. Make sure that the first impression you create won't make people return to the google search page and click on the next available website. The elements of your web page should look as professional and appealing to visitors as possible; if not, change or arrange your navigational structure, product presentation, proof of security and company mission statement and all that is adequately stated.

2. INADEQUATE SITE USABILITY:
A good-lookin site invites good-lookin people and promotes a good-lookin business. As mentioned above, the first impression of the site once the page finishes loading should appeal to the site-visitors. This is the first real step to building support and trust. Ensure that you state the purpose of the site in clear and concise words so that customers won't get the wrong idea. Tell the lovely people who you are, and what you want to do for them. Help them out if they have any comments, questions or suggestions>>this is all part of customer service relations. Extremely important in any business. Reveal the site content in neat and unconfused formats (web design & layout organization). Use visual design to ENHANCE, not define, interaction design. This means that you shouldn't define your website, product or service by the way your website looks. Of course looks matter, but your company shouldn't be dependent on the prettiness of your color scheme (with exception of graphic design, fashion brands and other art-focused companies), layout and butterflies fluttering around the web window. The images you create should reflect the intentions of your company, and the needs of your customers.

3. OBSTACLES TO SHOPPING:
If your webpage takes 90 million years to load, if you have too many pop-ups and prompters asking your customers for their personal information and how many pets they have, if you have too many pictures of every angle of the product, and if you don't inform them about the shipping and delivery costs beforehand, guess what? Your customers will be gone in a blink of an eye, leaving behind their loaded shopping carts. What to do? Apply the KISS rule: Keep It Simple, Stupid. Don't let all those unnecessary forms and obstacles get in their way, and of course, make sure they are not mistrusting of filling in their credit card information.

4. LACK OF A COMPREHENSIVE MARKETING PLAN:
Have a plan to market your product or service. Keep in mind and plan your business based on who your target audiences are, how you can find them, what are their preferences and how you will seduce them to marry you/buy your product.


5. POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE:
You don't need to run a company or be a business to know that this is one of the basic components of running a successful business. By building rapport between you and the good samaritans out there, you can persuade them to do anything you wish them to do--just like hynosis. Cater to their needs, understand their wants, take action on what can be changed, bat your eyes and give them your best smile--and they will be at your knees.

6. WRONG PRODUCT FIT:
Some things can be sold on the internet, and some just won't get along with it very well...before you start your e-business, make sure that your e-products won't be too expensive to ship (such as heavy furniture and elephants), won't wither away or spoil during the shipment (flowers and cheese), won't break or be damaged during delivery (winebottles, glasses, mirrors), and of course, make sure your products ACTUALLY EXIST. Don't try to sell people ligers (half lion/half tigers) or any magical creatures or items from Harry Potter.

7. FAILURE TO PREPARE FOR SUCCESS:
Hopefully at one point of your business, you will face a high demand for production with the increasing support of customers lining up at your doorstep. Just not ready for commitment? Feeling anxious about interacting with others? Well, you don't need a dating service or a psychiatrist to tell you how to reach out to others. With thousands of people visiting your page everyday, what you will need is to upgrade your bandwith and edit your plans for growth to accommodate your new followers and idolizers.

8. SLOW AND FAULTY FULFILLMENT:
Another great way to destroy trust and loyalty from your customers is to promise to deliver something by a certain date, but it arrives 3 years later. Unfortunately, these people don't appreciate the effort of even sending the product, and they want it ON TIME. Clearly state on your site when exactly they would expect the package to arrive, and take extra measures to ensure that it does arrive on the day you agreed on>>We don't want that clown in the birthday cake to jump out gasping for air!

9. FAILURE TO SPECIALIZE:
We all want to be special, we want to be RICH, we want to be FAMOUS for what we sell. Good luck if you have everything in the universe in stock; some people might have better deals or items than you. Just keep within your means and area of specialization. Keep it real. At the same time, keep your eyes out for competition, and market your deals appropriately to keep everyone happy.

10. FAILURE TO CONSIDER SECURITY AS A TOP PRIORITY:
Ok, so what if you have the best products and services, web layout and color scheme on the internet...so what if you have a grammy-winning theme song? "It don't impress me much." (Shania Twain, 1998). What you need to maintain the relationship between you and your buyers is SECURITY and a diamond ring. People want to feel safe when they order something from you, and if everything goes smoothly, you gain their trust and they will keep coming back for more.

Reference:
http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol87/ecommerce2.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That_Don%27t_Impress_Me_Much