Wednesday 31 December 2008

Launching of Chinese version !!! - 中文化計劃始動!

First of all, Happy New Year~

After a deep consideration on the blog development, I have finally designed to launch a Chinese version in parallel to the development of this English site on the very first day of 2009. Well, for the reason, it's actually a short story:

Thanks Google Analytics, I have found that after I have submitted my blog to a Taiwan blog tracking service, it did bring some visitors to this site (by checking the referral sites dimension), yet they have a 100% bounce rate with at most 5 sec staying... That's really upset me. Yet I don't know if it due to the fault of dump-and-dull content on my blog, or the fault of poor keywords management, or the fault of Chinese, like me, tends to read Chinese and leaving those English behind.... Whatever it is, I have to test it. And the most obvious way to see this is to launch a Chinese version.

In addition, there are not many entries talk about Web Analytics in Chinese, plus, the culture of Chinese companies (like mine) seem to have a lagging-phased mindset on such area, hence I would like to give it a shot.


Though this blog does not store so many entries like others, the convertion of English entries to Chinese ones still need a plan, even it is small in scale.


Phase 1. Converting all W.A. related entries.
Phase 2. Converting all other entries except the story-telling ones.
Phase 3. Converting all the remaining ones.


Throughout the phases, the follow task will be operated in parallel to the convertions:

Task 1. New entry posting. (I shall not make my blog dead, right?)
Task 2. Some tiny look-and-feel enhancement (you know, I do love drawing)
Task 3. Interface reconstruction. (still thinking but keep going)
Task 4. Whatever comes to my head.


So, bare with me. I promise I will not turn my little planet into a dead one. =)


Cheers & Happy New Year,
Dickson W.

Friday 26 December 2008

Excel Progress Monitoring System - A "Should-be" Handy Excel Toy

Here's a new tool for me to monitor my task and sub-tasks progress (oh yes I am well-organized. =) ). Have fun. =)


Screenshots:



^~ (my list. Too many To-Do.s.... sigh....) Name: Progress Monitoring System v0.8

Description: A small tool for office people to monitor all his/her tasks (and sub-tasks) progress with ease (and fancy looking! XD)

Download Here: Click Me

Origin: As multi-tasking is becoming more significant during my work, I need to have something to keep track on my little task in details, especially for those requiring a link-by-link checking during UAT. An Excel-based non-macro tool is thus developed for such dirty task.

Good:
- Excel-based without any embedded macro script, perfectly fits those business PC with MS Office + high security check
- The appearance is designed to be similar to a reporting tool, fairly easy to present to your boss if he/she would like to "learn" more about your progress (kind-of show-off to me. =P)
- Support maximum a four-level-depth task description (i.e. a 1.3.2 level task .... etc.)

Bad:
- May not be user friendly enough (as lack of support of macros)
- Not easy to start without manual (Personally, I prefer no-manual-and-no-experience-required tools =) )
- Difficult for maintenance due to heavy usage of cell referencing and conditional formatting.


Simple Tutorial: (it's simply too large to fit in here, so please click to enlarge if necessary)



Further To-Do:
- May convert to Google Excel program.
- User Manual will be created in a day or two. (Done!~)


Feel free to let me know what do you think.

Dickson W.



P.S. This is also the first entry for "A.I. Eve's Toys Collection" label, a portion of my blog that stores mainly my "little toys", plus, a portion of Nekotopia's story. We shall see. =)

Saturday 20 December 2008

Yeah! Finished Derren's book! - Finally.



So finally finished Derren's book Tricks of the Mind.

Rarely I would re-read any books (even lecture notes btw), yet this one is simply too innovative for being read once only. As long as you are interested in social psychology, or social science, or NLP, or magic tricks, or his shows, or, his belief and belief on others' believes, you should definitely give it a shot.

I would like to type in some of his content later (for some reason), sometime when I have mood, and spare time.




Gonna try the Fooled by Randomness, again. After three years of abandonment, as well as completion of some other English books, well, I think I should be ready for this tough little one....... (my English was bad, and it is still no good at all.....)


===

Still waiting for the arrival of my Christmas present, the Web Analytics : An Hour a Day written by Avinash Kaushik. =)

Thursday 18 December 2008

A Youtube for All of Us - Oh, Really?

Nay, it’s Google’s. =P

Announcement of algorithmic demotion in Youtube has caused lots of voice in the community. Well, pretty negative though.

It happened on 2nd December 2008, an entry with a header “Youtube for All of Us” was written, showing a very positive intention that Youtube really wants to keep its community clean and healthy for everyone, however, maybe, in a wrong way. As quoted in the entry, “Demotion of sexually suggestive content and profanity - Videos that are considered sexually suggestive, or that contain profanity, will be algorithmically demoted ....” What?! Algorithmically?!... It may be relatively-easier to seek for sexually suggestive post automatically (well, maybe), yet I really don’t know how such in-human method can search for clues to proof for profanity… Yeah, I did once-upon-time hate people playing around with my nickname Dickson (I do believe in you that you are a good person, aren’t you?), but I think that I might need to start worrying if I use my “censored” name as an username on Youtube, or whatever post crediting my name will simply be demoted, algorithmically, by our lovely bots on Youtube, because of having something that Youtube doesn’t what to see. If so, then it’s really not that difficult to understand why so many Youtubers have posted numerous of videos with long *beep* sound and censored words. Really, I do understand their anger.

“Oh honey, be cool, Youtube isn’t really that bad, they are for Us, aren’t they?” True, especially when the Us means only Goolge. (And that’s why they can come up with those not-so-human-friendly complex automated demoting bots to handle such dirty task.)

A Chinese quote 成事在人, means “People is a matter of Successes”, well, correct, and so does failure.

The Web 2.0 generation is a internet generation that treats people in its highest priority. (as they DO matter). Although I am interested in how the algorithmic demotion functions (and implemented), I do also want to see the Blackout event on Youtube, hosted by Youtuber, started on 19th Dec (should be lasted for a few days, correctly me if I’m wrong). Participants will not enter Youtube for days (not even browse) and thus cases a shape drop on Youtube’s traffic-metter. You know, traffics mean LOTS of money on the net. Oh, that’s REALLY hurt.


Be understanding and concerning for your visitors, you may not need to create everything that they desire, but just be respectful, and you will still survive or even earn some pocket money for being yourself and having some uniqueness.


Cheers,
Dickson



P.S. You can now easily find those angry video on Youtube, or you may go to Youtube's blog for more details of the announcement.

Tuesday 16 December 2008

Google Analytics vs WebTrend - Do you really know what your boss wants?

Not the functionality, not the efficiency, not the convenience, not the cost - this entry talks only about feeling.

Humans have feeling, so does your boss (I know some of you may not think so). Do you know what he really wants? It may be difficult to convince your traditional boss to use web analytics tool (when he had none), it may be more difficult to convince him to use a tool that really fits the company.

Personally, I favor in Google Analytics. Not counting the fact that it cost nothing (not really, as it takes time to learn, right?), it has Google, a giant that dominating the 0/1 information on the Earth, as its backup (no, this' not an ad.), and surely GA has the greatest potential in utilizing all those bits in its future expansion (I really don't get paid, really.), even though it may not be too convenient for in-house enhancement, like reporting, when comparing it with WebTrend. It seems good to have GA in a long run, well, maybe just too-good. Ever think of what's your boss attitude towards GA, and WebTrend?

It may be the responsibility of the proposal (and the ones who write it) to demonstrate about the profitability that brought to the company, yet it is the responsibility of us, the Web Analysts to convince those business people to use certain tool (which fits them). In the business point of view, no one-time and annual payment is surely an advantage, yet having all the information (here we have the sites' traffics and other metrics) storing on an external domain and may be (with very high chance) shared among other entities (individuals, companies, and Google) in the world, such decision will definitely turn into the least priority.

Why? Every business has secrets, and it should have. Sharing confidential information simply implies that your competitors can easily find a way to beat you down (that's why Coca Cola has kept its formula that long... ). WebTrend does provide a very convincing approach on this matter: every client of WT has to build a server for the storage of their traffics analytics information (correct me if I am wrong, since that's what I have heard in my company, a bank that seeking for usage of web analytics tool). While GA brings the fear to the management, WT shows its concerns, caring and professions to their customers, who care any more about that 7-digits-a-year one-time payment! (and don't forget the maintenance annual fee and the consultant fee...)

Web analyst is a bridge between IT and Business. We connect the business people to the IT world, lead them to the 0/1 digital sea, and explain to them how those floating bits can assist their decision making process. Fear causes you struggle and sink; only people with braveness and courage can enjoy the happiness of swimming. Comfort them, before convince them to do anything, anything silly.



Have only join the e-banking team for a few weeks, I shall learn more about these two lovely tool on the web. And I shall share more on this blog in the future, too.


Cheers,
Dickson W.



P.S. I like GA, but I don't know whether GA or WT will fit well for any company (in my case, it's a traditional bank). Every company has its own culture and management, analyze the situation well, and you should come up with the best idea. That's what a Web Analyst need to do, right?

Thursday 11 December 2008

The Experiement in Vault - Purpose of this blog and other blogs

Have been "playing around" with Google Analytics for 2 months already.

Originally, the blog was created with certain "value", aimed to attract traffics and thus provides sufficient data for the Google Analytics fun. The Good thing is, while I was creating those "valuables", yes, that's the theme and appearance, and I do really enjoy; the bad thing is, others DON'T seem to enjoy it as much as I do. Painting non-commercial goodies for self and wait until someone love and start talking about his "art", after his death.... what a life of an artist!

And that's what really happening on most of the other blogs, too.

Creating fancy-looking blogs will rarely attract a long-term traffic, especially when visitors are getting bored with your fanciness....



The above graphs show the visitor of this blog since it's founded (you may click to enlarge). Obviously, visitors get bored.... (properly due to my laziness .......) Anyhow, that's the fact: No value, no visitors.

Regarding the "value for visitors", many bloggers have already spent bottles of ink on it, so I better not to repeat. Yet among all, most of them do mention a successful blog (a noun) should blog (and a verb) about what your visitors want. Being an artist-like creature-on-Earth, I hold a totally different point of view. Instead of serving the majority, squeezing the minority that interests in your very-narrowly-targeted market segement should also rewardable. Those who have heard of the "long-tail" will understand.


So, my blog is suffering, what should I do now?

Well, maybe just blog more then.


Yeah, just blog whatever you want to, and you will find your audience some day. (or your audience find you!)



Cheers,
Dickson




P.S. I may have a chance in using Google Analytics for working in the coming future. And I shall write more on my experiences in using such handy tool for e-commerce system. (Oh, btw, I have just found my grad. work in a bank. =) )

Saturday 22 November 2008

Busy life on Earth

Life becomes busy since the beginning of my second job, as well as switching my 2nd job to a 3rd one after 2 weeks of working. Abandoning the blog for weeks seems "no good", but as a novice blogger, it's always a good sign for him or her to "tune" for the balance between his / her life and this only-share-for-fun blog, right? Anyhow, will keep updating the blog, especially I DO treat this WHOLE blog as one of my largest artwork.


Based on Google Analytic, this blog has experienced a hard time - without a single visit - after it has been visited by friends-of-mine. Search engine seems having no success in querying this blog, and bounce rate from visitor referred by Google SEO is almost 100% on average..... Which means, I really need to work harder.


You will see the blog running soon (it's just "walking", anyway).


Dickson W.

Thursday 30 October 2008

Excuse me, what time is it now?



"Excuse me, what time is it now?" This' one of the toughest questions I have ever been asked. Yeah, that's especially true when we haven't invent watches or clocks on this lovely Planet, yet. Well, it's no longer an issue any more. After days and days of hard working, our R&D team (in fact it's a complex computational matrix installed in our only-PC on the planet) has finally invented a creative device to show the flow of time on Nekotopia. And it is my pleasure to announce to you this advanced time-measuring machines called PeriodMeter 1.0!!


Ever heard of sundial (on Earth)? Our PeriodMeter 1.0 does the same, but with more innovative and attractive features! Sundial measures time by shadow under sun-light, our PeriodMeter 1.0 shows different period on Nekotopia by tracking the rotation of the planet! That's cool, isn't it? By tracing the rotational angle, the meter will scroll itself simutaneously and shows you the current period of the day ! Rather than using shadow as an indicator like sundial, the meter actually demonstrates with well-drawn pictures for ease of understanding as well. Hopefully we can teach our children, if any on Nekotopia, about the concept of time much easier!



(click for better viewing)


I was thinking to show you the blue print of the design, yet I am afraid it is too difficult for far-Earth-inhabitant to understand our great intelligence, I have attached an instruction of using the PeriodMeter 1.0 for you instead.


The product is currently on-sale on Nekotopia, you may come along to the R&D HQ, simply the only-building with electrical wire connected, and get one for yourself and your famiily. Anyhow, currently we do not accept order from the far-Earth. I know there are quite a numbers of mailing services, like DHL, Fedex, or whatever-you-name-it, on Earth, you should better seek for their assistance in getting this product if you really want it.

Oh one more thing, the meter shows the period on Nekotopia only. Not the far-Earth. Sorry for my dearest far-Earth friends.


Cheers.
Your Almighty Creator from the Helpful Customer Service

Sunday 26 October 2008

Okay, let's take it SERIOUSLY.




Hi there, this is the author of the blog (yeah, the Real One on Earth). =)


This is the first entry I type as Myself, and, in this entry and the entries with the same label, there will be no more "Your Almighty Creator", instead, its creator. Yeah, that's Me.


Nekotopia was an idea that I have had for years, and is finally "visualized". The goal of this project is three-folded:

1) Find somewhere-else that is fancy enough for blogging my boring-and-repeating-and-sometime-meaningless daily life events. (I used Xanga btw.)

2) Instead of a "dead" blog, somehow the blog itself is "alive".

3) It should be a place for storage of my "random" artwork. (they are "random" because they won't be created if I have no inspiration anyway.)


Before playing Spore (you know, the DRM-cursed game from EA), I have no idea to design the blog with a theme of a Planet. Yet after the inspiration, it seems that it is a very good theme to bring the blog to live. Here's the "mapping" between the theme and the ideas/issues above.

a) The blog is designed as a planet which stimulate days & nights cycle, weather & climate changes, living creatures, even planet rotation & orbitting (thus the days and seasons), in a "virtual" way. Thus the blog looks alive. (pt.2)

b) Instead of scripting-oriented design, the blog focuses primarily the art-works with the usage of newbie-level programming skills for necessary effect. With the help of the theme, my design found its ground, and become the source of inspiration. (pt.3)

c) With a little help of role-playing entries, the blog is designed as a far-away planet with living creature(s), who observes lives on Earth continuously. Obvious enough, one of their observing subject is Me (on Earth). Thus my daily-life entries, without breaking the coherent of the theme of blog much. (pt.1)


The blog is thus created with partial storying-telling and realistic -tuned entries. I hope you won't be confused by the organization of this blog, I just want you to enjoy what you can enjoy most: me enjoys my dairy, my girlfriend enjoys my dairy (yeah, that's girls), my friends (may) enjoy my dairy, but my Dearest Cacual Blog Reader, yes You, can enjoy the virtual reality of the Planet Nekotopia.


Oh, I tend to type lengthy entries. =P
I better stop here, and I will demonstrate more ideas behind the creation of the blog.


Cheers,
Dickson W.

Saturday 25 October 2008

Sunrise, sunset, and the complete day cycle

Skelneko, the currently only creature on the planet, enjoys watching "sequences of pictures in motion" (or simply called "film") of Earth. Isn't Nekotopa far away from that blue-planet? How can it do that? Does it have long-sighted? Well, as a professional Creator, I am afraid I can't disclose my clients' privacy, yet (at least not now. XD). Anyhow, this little one does love the moment when the actor and actress are romancing under the beautiful sunset or sunrise, and he did propose to me about his wants in experience somethings similar.

"I feel lonely." It prayed in one of the nights. (Yeah I "listen" to prays as well.)

Well, although I feel sorry for him, I have no actual plan or schedule to give/bring/create him a soul-mate to spend time with... But, as the sunset and sunrise are part of the plan, I design to advance the schedule a bit, so that the creatures can at least enjoy the beauty of the nature.

Here's the new cycle of different periods in a day that you may experience when visiting Nekotopia.




Having Skelneko as the only creature on the planet is cruel? Nay, I am just busy anyway.


Cheers.
Your Almighty Creator

Friday 24 October 2008

Day and Night (when Planet starts its rotation...)




After hours of fine configuration of the Planet physical behavior, it can now rotate similar to the far-away-blue-planet called "Earth". And thus, finally, we now have days and nights in our Planet Nekotopia! Bravo!

In terms of Earth timing unit, our Planet takes 8 Earth-hours to have a complete rotation, meaning that it takes 8 hours on Earth to finish a day on Nekotopia. Currently both day-time and night-time share same amount of Earth-hours, i.e. it takes 4 Earth-hours to switch from day to night and vice versa. It's lovely, isn't it?

Oh, for those who don't understand. or just don't want to understand astronomy, here's a duty-shift schedule memo distributed "internally":




So now the Planet inhabitants can have chance to say "Good Morning" and "Good Evening" to each other, what's next? Hm.... how about a beautiful Sunrise / Sunset for them to enjoy, or maybe a snow-covered Winter for them to go skiing, or some rainy day so that the plants will not be thirsted or even dehydrated?

Anyhow, you know, painting the sky is simply too tiresome for a new Creator like me. The God-on-Earth took a rest at the seventh day of the Earth creation, well, I think I shall do the same on my third day then.


Cheers,
Your Almight Creator

Hello, World !



Planet Nekotopia is now born !!

While "The Creator" is still busy for the painting of the night sky and the colors tuning for sunrises, how about you leave a comment here for the only-and-lonely adorable creature, Skelneko, who is fishing at the beach, in this lovely planet?


Cheers.
Your Almighty Creator.