The Professor's Notes

Online web spreadsheets – iRows

Those of you that actually know me, know that I spend a good bit of time encouraging students to learn Excel. It’s a tool that is almost guaranteed to be on your computer whereever you work, and let’s you do some very powerful things.

For instance, in the Logistics and Supply Chain area (my specialty) you can use Excel to compute inventory levels and reorder points, transportation costs, break even points, and the like. With Solver, you can optimize transportation network flows, evaluate more complex inventory models, and assess various production level alternatives. I also like that VBA is embedded, allowing all sorts of neat and cool tricks (we can talk about those some other time!)

That being said–you are tied either to your computer’s hard drive, or to a thumbdrive for data storage, and you will have to have access to the office suite on every computer you intend to use. That can get quite expensive, if you have several computers at home, for instance.

Now along comes this site. iRows.com provides you the opportunity to develop spreadsheets online, and store the data online as well. Is it as robust and feature rich as Excel? Apparently not, but hey, that’s for us to request from them later!

The creators of iRows have laid their philosophy out:

* Software should not be installed. Everything should be web based. Well, maybe not 3D games, but most desktop software can and should become web based. * Cool and intuitive software. Software should be easy to use, without a need for a manual. User interfaces should be cool, the cooler the better.

So my questions for you, dear class, are these:

1. Should software migrate to a web-based delivery system?
2. If so, what software would you like to see made available in this way?
3. Would you want to store your data on their server?

I look forward to hearing from you all! (yup…both of you! LOL)

Man Is Charged $4,300 for Four Burgers – Yahoo! News

This story is interesting on many levels. Of course, there is the obvious “Boy meets King, King shafts Boy” angle to the story. Or perhaps “Fast Food forces Diet” as an alternative headline.

What intrigues me is that an average person (the BK Cashier) made such a significant mistake. This cashier isn’t some government employee somewhere, she isn’t working for NASA, or DoD. Nope, and every day person made a mistake that could happen to any of us, at any time–and it had a near-catastrophic effect for the Beane family. Mistakes aren’t limited to the government, and while we should all work to improve the “quality of service” we need to recognize that mistakes will happen (no matter how good an organization you are)–it’s what we all do after those mistakes that tends to separate the high quality organizations from the poor ones.

What is most difficult is that the provision of a “service” is not as simple as delivering a product. One cannot establish “The” process that will deliver a high quality good. We cannot sample the product to ensure the process is “in specification” since each delivery of the service is unique. Oh–and we expect everyone, from the High School kid at the fast food counter, to the introverted engineer, to be an expert at providing quality service.

So my challenge today is two-fold: First, insist (politely) on high quality service. And second: when you don’t receive it, work with the people who are there, not against them–and constructively let them know how they could improve.

The Prof(f)

PS: Does anyone else think that, perhaps, BK should have provided something above and beyond the meal for free?

Americans at “tipping point” about energy-poll – Yahoo! News

The phrase “tipping point” has been around for a while, but was certainly made more popular with the release of the book by the same name. I wonder if this author was intending a reference to the book.

I am intrigued that this issue of dependence on foreign oil has reached this point. What does this mean? The article points out that the “political complexion of that issue is about to change considerably…” If the complexion changes significantly (relating to dependence), are we now going to see a shift in opinions? which ideas will shift? Here’s a few that could prove interesting:

1. More interest in hybrid vehicles. This doesn’t actually shift our dependence, but it does lessen the amount consumed. Perhaps the “American mind” will see this as the same thing.

2. Exploring alternative energy sources, such as wind. This seemed to be gaining traction, and then the animal right’s groups got involved. Yup–being green was a good idea, until the windmills started taking out the birds!

3. Allow for more drilling in Alaska. Perhaps the easiest solution–and it doesn’t have to result in the destruction of the desolate wilderness. This is one of those issues that is so easily couched in the faulty “either/or” logic–”either” we protect the wilderness and don’t drill, “or” we destroy nature. Technology and social conscience have come a long way since the early days of drilling. I have faith that “win-win” solutions truly are achievable.

4. Elect new leaders. This of course won’t actually DO anything–and we will complain about these folks soon enough, but it makes “most Americans” feel good about themselves.

So–We have reached a tipping point. The question is, which direction we will tip. Thoughts, anyone?

60GB iPod “at risk” — new video model coming? – Engadget

For those that like rumors, and are tired of political rumors, here’s a good one. Anyone else think that the virtual scroll wheel is “cool?”

Now, to just convince the family that I “need” one of these as a gift!

The Prof(f)

NASA – NASA’s FY 2007 Budget and Planning Documents

(Cross posted from “the Lobby“) Okay, since we seem to have a strong interest in budgets, and federal tax dollars, I thought I would provide a link to the NASA Budget request for 2007. If you download the “full” budget request document, a 5.1 mb pdf file, that the total budget request is 16,792.3 million, or 16.9 Billion dollars. Now, we might be concerned about how effectively they use their dollars, the total request is barely more than half of the money apparently lost to rebuild Iraq. Hmmmm… Perhaps, if NASA was a tad bit more enterprising, they would offer to help find the money, and seek a 10% finder’s fee. What could NASA do with another 3 Billion?

I also would recommend that the interested reader go through the budget, as well as the various performance and accountability reports. Admittedly NASA, like and good agency, is in “salesman” mode, but they have done great things with their dollars, and are planning greater things further down the road.

I, for one, am excited about the CEV, and the “Moon, Mars, and Beyond” effort.

Oh, and while I mentioned it in a comment, I wanted to be sure to put the plug in here as well for the Planetary Society and their podcast. Always interesting, and if you make it to the last 5 minutes of each podcast, quite educational AND entertaining!

The Prof(f)

Flash » Epic 2015

Care to know what the future holds, for news agencies, google, Amazon, and Microsoft? This is an interesting look into the future of media convergence, done in documentary style. Of note is that it must have been created in 2004 since the timelines (predictions) begin diverging in 2005.

I particularly like the fact that this actually has Google Ads running at the bottom–real ads, I believe!

Language Log: Freedom of speech: more famous than Bart Simpson

I believe I have mentioned here my affinity for stories about surveys, and how we report and interpret them. remember my blogging about the Lt Col who incorrectly talked about speeding, or even my referring you, dear class, to the book Freakanomics? Or perhaps, you remember my discussing The Numbers Guy at the Wall Street Journal?

Well, this story is, as my brother points out, right up my alley.

This “language log” tackles the all important nature of spin, asking essentially how one can spin a story to get the most effect. While I appreciate everything the author puts forward, what the two greatest contributions, in my mind, are the a) point the author makes about how people, including other reporters, will easily mis-understand what is meant and then report it incorrectly, and b) how positive stories are passed for negative ones.

It’s a good read. Go check it out!

The Prof (or, if you are from London– The Proff. Don’t ask ME why–ask her! LOL)