Nexus 2007

Like-minded techies and Google-Apple-OpenSource oriented geeks together, got funding and asked a bunch of famous internet gurus, technology experts and inspiring technopreneurs people from around the world to come visit lala-land. They came to enlighten us and find out what we thought. The Digital Movement organised the first ever Nexus event in Singapore last Saturday.

Here's my rundown on the interesting bits from the whole day event:
1. Web 2.0 (did you know there were versions of the web?)
- applications are going on the net. No more CDs to install.
- richer interfaces are coming
- everything will connect to the Net
- everyone's data is going on the Net
- open source work is important because young entrepreneurs have no money
- the Internet population will grow according to Moore's Law, the same law that Intel and AMD apply to predict how small chips will get to achieve the same computing power
- Nathan Torkington is very funny, extremely perceptive and is from New Zealand. Baaa!

2. What's happening on the mobile scene
- the phone networks fall behind the technology that inventors want to put onto phones
- the next big thing is convergence of enterprise and consumer applications on phones
- one day you'll be able to jump phone networks seamlessly, from home, outdoors and office, with your numbers changing automatically but routed to the same device
- location-based services might take off
- location-based sensing of your buddies is the next big thing too

3. The long tail (of the Internet business animal)
- Amazon.com makes most of its money from the long tail phenomenon. That’s why Tower Records is out of business.
- people use the Net to maintain contacts and discover new ones
- people love to contribute and eventually become important when they build credibility with their contributions. The 'egosystem'.
- metadata is important
- the currency of revenge is a driver e.g. bad restaurant experiences can have devastating consequences if many people in a shared network learned about it
- the first few reviewers are important. They set the tone for the type of contributions to a site.
- the masses have implicit power or can gain that power from information on the Net e.g. www.theyworkforyou.com
- the world is not flat. It is spiky, with people on the same spike level sharing similar interests.
- it's ok to have multiple personalities on the Net.
- in the future, online services will come together like Amazon and FedEx did; broadband mobile is gonna be big; and location-based services will become important too.

4. Being an entrepreneur
- do not be afraid to try
- ensure your T&Cs match your product
- don't let your investors interfere with your vision
- be ready to attack problems with no solutions
- passion married with incompetence leads to funny
- think about your market
- stick together as a team
- keep to your grand plan. Don't bail out on your vision when something unexpected happens, good or bad.
- if Plan A doesn't work, think about a Plan B
- you need to keep learning, else you die
- to keep your people happy, don't hire bad people
- if someone works more than 45hrs a week for more than a few weeks, he/she becomes less productive
- businesses are in a marathon, not a sprint
- entrepreneurship is an attitude. Cory from Linden Labs interviewed 100 people in SG and took 3 because they had the right entrepreneurial attitude. The one who impressed him was a girl from Nanyang Poly.
- one person no matter how smart can make bad decisions
- intuition is important. You won't have all the information you need to make the best decision.
- think about how your idea can turn into a viable business before you go too far
- surround yourself with like-minded people
- you need 3 types of people to succeed - the tech guy, the business guy and the human interface design guy
- Cory from Linden Labs which made Second life is funny too.

The words 'ecosystem' and 'traction' were used many times by many speakers.

The food was ok. You had to fill out a form to get espresso coffee. Hmmm. I met Todd, Van Tan and Pedal Ubin Siva there. We had lunch at Han's at the Arcade - the best fish & chips for $5! They had beer at the end - I had some and left. That was Nexus, an enjoyable hotchpotch of tech and tidbits.

The Last Union Party

All Good Things Must Come To An End

It isn't easy to let of go a good thing. Especially one you have no control over. Well, there nothing left to do but let go and wish everyone well.

16 March was the last working day for Union Bar. The placed was abuzz with patrons, some unaware of the impending end. I put in some effort in getting folks down to celebrate the end of an era. The staff was reserved half the place in my name, for the 30-odd friends I promised were coming to have a good time. Indeed there were that many, but mostly from the office (Thanks!). We talked, laughed, imbibed and repeated the process many times.

The staff turned on the hip-hop and rock after midnight, taking one final charge of a Friday night after-party. The light grew bright and we knew it was time to go. No tears, just quizzical wonder on what would happen next for the nice people who made and brought us excellent concoctions. I wish them all the best. Three cheers for Union Bar.

Thanks to Noor, Rahmat, Valerie, Elvis, Peter, Sandra, Faizal, Ramdan and Yong Li.

A New Old Home

Georgina and Choon Keat got married on my birthday last year. In that time, they secured a lovely flat in old-world Tiong Bahru. We did the tour, stained the couch, complained about the heat, ate like ravenous panthers, made a glorious mess, drank and drank, played insane forehead-signage games and left past midnight. It was awesome. The child in the photos was unharmed and well-fed.

Rose's Farewell

Rose is going off to work in Hong Kong. She threw a song and dance at No.5 a week before she put herself on a plane with packed bags and memories. It was eventful to say the least - that's worth a lot more explanation. Maybe later.

Rose is an independent wild one. No holds barred and in your face. It has done in her well in standing up to MCPs and shallow people. On the other hand, her frank attitude puts some people at unease. Rose doesn't care. Haha.

(It's interesting to see what happens when you set the Night mode on your camera. The Canon Ixus 40 I have and love captures the foreground in good clarity and does psychedelic, kaleidoscopic wonders with the background. Points of light are swirled in anti-gravity digital photography. The camera's like all-high, just like we were. Haha, it's crazy dude! )

Still Life

Sorry and a post-leave sigh

12 days have gone by since I last posted anything. It seems like the Internet didn't exist eh? That nothing would inspire me to write and write away? I should apologise to my faithful few who enjoy my mutterings.

I think I got too lazy when I was on leave. That was 2 weeks ago, a whole week when
- I didn't get on a plane and got flak for not leaving the country from my colleagues
- attempted at cleaning my room. It is still in a semi-complete state. I have opened Pandora's vacuum cleaner - the mess gets worse the more I try to improve hygiene standards
- I went to Cuba Libre with Kim. We had Sangria and talked and took pictures. Then it was off to Balcony at the Heeren to repeat the feat.
- I visited the National Museum with Wendy. It was my first time there in about 20 years. It was Primary 6 when Mrs Lui brought her bad bunch of pre-pubescent boys and girls to savour in the arts. It was pointless. Our priority was playing hide and seek in the many nooks instead of appreciating the stuff on the walls and pedestals. It is now beautiful. I was el-cheapo and did the free family photographs exhibit. Go visit, please. We ate char kway teow and ngor hiang at a coffeeshop opposite the Substation. Sedap. Apparently a legendary foodie haunt that escaped moi. Shame.
- I didn't swim. I so wanted to but somehow woke up too late and went out too often.
- I went to the IT show. Seemed like the whole planet was there to jostle. I got a laptop drive and many brochures to assist in my future purchase of a personal computing device. Mac I am considering.
- I went to go to No.5 at Emerald Hill to participate in Rose's going-away-to-work-in-HK party. There I discovered I have anger management issues. Long story for the few to know. Not good, soul-ripping.
- (To cap the impending end of holiday week) I went to Georgina and CK's housewarming. It was an office affair with good food and mad fun.
- I watched a lot of TV. Woo hoo. The ass reads couch potato while the eyebags crave cucumber.

Sigh. The pixes follow.

Movie Inspirations

Pursuit Of Happyness - Run, but go to work. Make that change.
- The higher powers listen and send help when you ask. Just be awake when the opportunity arises.
- No matter how high up you rise in the office, always pay back the $5 you borrowed.
- Try and try again.
- Smart parents treat their kids smart.

300 - Bloody beautiful film. Mostly shot in sepia, b/w and red. Gory, with nipples. Skin flick for some.
- Societies can be born of the conviction of the bravery and also the sword.
- Strength of a man is perhaps more mental than physical.
- Behind a strong man is a strong woman. (She might be your mother!).
- Tell your parents/kids you love them.

Hey, Lo Hei!

It's tradition to toss the salad. We toss and we slosh. Hic! Damn the good white wine.

Time Of The Year

I haven't been at this for a while. If you notice a pattern here, it'll be posts that happen on weekends. Well, then I'm home and less occupied. With more time to put thoughts and images together, the blog of my life gets updated.

Apparently, it looks like I should be a photographer.

Yeah, 'should be', another one. There are a lot of 'should be's and 'should have's in my life. Hindsight often rears its head, often the precursor of depressive episodes on this journey we call life. A lot of us do that too, wondering what could have been. Despite all we've been told about living for today and looking into the future, we inherently can't abandon our historical baggage.

Our regrets do also spur us to look beyond. Some get a new hobby, some decide to have a kid. Others start to exercise. Many also start looking for 'greener pastures'. After all, it is the time of the year when many do. Ah, the bonus cushion. We're all keeping our fingers crossed.

Gambling,Tis The Season

Just as caroling is to Christmas, gambling is to the Lunar New Year. Each year millions of Chinese, or those partaking upon the festivities, exchanges angpows and oranges, and sit down to good food, drink and many, many rounds of gambling. Over the years, my Chinese friends have welcomed me into their evil circle of sin. Evil because I generally lose. The house always wins.

The game of choice is generally Blackjack. Sometimes we submit to in-between. Either way it's mad. But fun, haha. This year I have exposed the Braun Buffel to the gamblers at Chee Chong's home, the office (sssh!), the company lo-hei dinner and Serene's place.

I think I may have neutralised my losses this year. Zero sum.

One funny thing about gambling is the gamut of superstitions that dictate around each game. One's performance in Blackjack is dependent on
- one's position among the players
- if the deck is cut
- who cuts the deck
- history of the dealer's luck
- unholy partnerships (dealers and their silent partners)

In-between players need to
- not listen to your friends
- not touch the money when it's your turn
- not let anyone else touch the money when it's your turn
- the dealer's spite at others

Oh dear, oh dear, the secrets are out.