I had to have my DVDRW drive replaced today. Acutually, I should have done it more than 6 months ago but was really going all over the place plus I had an external DVDRW drive as a substitute. Thus, it wasn’t so crucial to replace the one that I have onboard my XPS 1330.

What I can say is that although my warranty expires in less than a week (which I am planning to extend for another whole year at a RM 700 price tag), the DELL Service team outdid themselves once more. They could have however made my experiece a lot sweeter if I had not have to wait about 20 mins on the phone in queue for their technical reps to assist.

Once all was set in place, a professionally trained service engineer was despatched right tomy doorstep and armed with a screwdriver and hundreds of hours of onsite training, he replaced my DVDRW drive in less than 20 minutes, a process that might take competitiors such as ASUS, ACER, HP or any other major brands a day or 2  to solve. On top of that, you would have to go through jams and pay parking fees, toll and hours of precious time to visit their service centres.

While I was doing all this, I took the opportunity to purchase a new battery as mine was only lasting 30 mins these days. A new once costed me RM 320 but it will surely be worth the money as I need that mobility, on the go. It says ‘Made in Japan’ on the back but that could be just a piece of the plastic

Thank you DELL Malaysia !

I was in one of my offices today & waiting for me to be sorted out was a huge pile of documents ! I’d say nothing less than 500 pages. And to think that with all the technology we have today, it would all be overcome. Maybe I need to attend a ‘Document Management Course’.

Sounds funny but I am sure that many other people would also have some benefit by attending such a thing. The course must be based on a proven system that already works. Here is an article on this matter :

While the totally paperless office is a vision that has yet to be achieved, integrating paper into electronic business processes is an attainable accomplishment that can improve operating efficiency and deliver profit to the bottom line.

Small-and-medium-size businesses in particular are well positioned to take advantage of technology that can move paper into the digital mainstream. Unencumbered by corporate IT departments and lacking excess resources to mask operational problems, smaller businesses have the agility to respond quickly to challenges. So while the paperless office remains a myth, eliminating paper from business processes to create a seamless digital workflow is a definite reality.

For a look at how to incorporate “paperless” practices into your businesses, we spoke with Bill Brikiatis, director of corporate marketing at document imaging and distribution software company eCopy, Inc.

Why should a paperless office be on IT’s agenda?

“Businesses that excel at managing information will see increased productivity from office professionals, improved workflow efficiencies, better customer service, and lower overall expenses. Since business processes almost always involve paper, the challenge is to merge parallel work flows—an electronic process and a manual paper-based process—into a single, efficient work stream. The solution is to develop information management strategies that manage and control for both electronic and paper-based processes. That is where IT can take a leadership role, “said Brikiatis.

What steps should IT take to pull paper into electronic processes?

“The first step is to consider the types of documents being used. For instance, are they used in high-volume, repeatable transactions or in ad hoc business processes? That will dictate whether you need a specialized, production-focused scanning operation or if you can distribute document imaging capabilities at multiple points in an organization.

Next, evaluate document imaging solutions with your office environment in mind. Look at your office workflows and how your company is organized—for instance, single site or multiple sites.

Finally, consider the user experience. If you plan to distribute document scanning capabilities to 20 or more people across the organization, look for applications that are easy to use and readily adopted. Avoid solutions that require on-going user training and IT support,” said Brikiatis.

Will opening up document scanning to a large community of users create security concerns?

“No, it won’t. Even though scanning capabilities are distributed throughout an organization, IT managers can deploy document imaging applications that are protected by the existing security processes that safeguard intellectual capital and conform to government and corporate compliance programs. This means that businesses of any size can implement a document imaging application without requiring additional IT resources.

The document imaging software should allow IT to leverage existing network connectivity to require user authentication, so that access destinations and other security rights are all enforced at an individual-user level.

With this approach, companies can maintain document audit trails, logging which documents were scanned, when they were scanned, who scanned them, and to whom they were distributed,” said Brikiatis.

What administrative and support considerations should an IT manager be aware of when considering distributed scanning technology?

“By managing scanning capabilities centrally on the network, IT managers can make available only the features and settings they want users to access—on an individual basis.

IT managers will want to deploy scanning software that connects directly to the network’s e-mail address list. This will enable authorized users to scan and e-mail documents without delay from any networked MFP without entering individual e-mail addresses.

The software should increase productivity by giving IT managers the ability to create one-step processes, so that repetitive tasks—such as scanning a document to a specific repository location—can be executed automatically, This includes, for example, a scan-to-HR button to manage resumes or a scan-to-Finance button for invoice processing. The IT team should be able to deploy these applications without writing programs that require on-going maintenance,” said Brikiatis.

What should an IT manager look for when integrating document imaging with existing business applications?

“Document imaging software needs to provide IT with API-level integration to the applications that are core to running the business—such as e-mail and content management. [Editor’s note: this means your imaging software needs to connect to your existing applications]

This will allow scanned information to be available immediately, so that users can participate fully in a business workflow by introducing high-value documents at the point of their choosing,” said Brikiatis.

Have small businesses successfully integrated scanning with their important business processes?

“Consider Minuteman Group, an insurance firm with about 20 employees based in Nashua, NH. Every piece of paper—insurance policies and revisions, applications, and more—that comes into their office is scanned and electronically routed to the staff—ready for use in customer accounts.

Minuteman integrated eCopy document imaging software into its IT infrastructure that included Microsoft Office and Outlook, Facsys, a fax server system, and AfW software, an insurance agency automation package.

Employees now have all of the data they need to do their jobs available electronically and ready to go. They no longer need to search for documents, and they can attach documents to a record in their AfW insurance system or e-mail policies to customers for their signature,” said Brikiatis.

How has the addition of document imaging affected Minuteman’s business?

“Their entire service process is more efficient. Tasks that used to take 15 minutes are now completed in less than 60 seconds at a desktop. Employees no longer spend time at fax and copy machines or waste time searching for missing paper documents, giving them more time to spend with customers.

Since every document can be accessed on the server, it is much easier for agents to work remotely. They can manage their schedules more efficiently and complete important tasks even if they are away from the office—and they no longer return to piles of paperwork on their desks,” said Brikiatis.

How can an IT manager assess all the different offerings?

“Your tactical goal is to convert paper documents into electronic images and integrate those images into digital workflows. But you should begin with a clear understanding of the objectives your business wants to achieve. In that way, your evaluation of solutions from different vendors will be grounded on your criteria,” said Brikiatis.

Source :  http://smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2008/05/is-the-paperless-office-a-drea.html

Since the topic of ‘working in Brunei’ is top of the charts of this blog recently, here is another site I came across which is full of pics from this Royal Kingdom.

Here is the address & a simple screenshot :

http://www.tourismbrunei.com/

I’ve spent the last 30 mins looking for the cheapest option for the above iternery. Does anyone out there have any idea? Departure date is 6 JUL 2009 & return on 1 OCT 2009.

So far, I have found out that Emirates price tag is the cheapest at around RM 3,048 while Singapore Airlines quoted about RM 800 more. MAS does not fly to Cairo and as for Air Asia, even if the did do this route, I don’t think I could ever remain cramped in my seat for a period of more than 3 hours, whatmore if it was more than 12 hous including transit as this route.

A friend suggested Qatar Air. Maybe I should look them up too. Who knows I could save a few hundred more RM ?

I have been on Wimax for the past few days.  So far, what I can summarize is that performance of the network depends on where I am and by performance, I am referring to download speeds and surfing time as in how long do I need to wait before a whole page is completely loaded to my browser.

My summary so far, Kajang area : 5/10, Kota Kemuning : 7/10, KL : 9/10

So, I am waiting to see how P1 is going to change Kajang’s network performance from a mere 5 to a 9 or a 10 because the Internet has changed and today, we are mostly on Web 2.0 !

I had the opportunity to revisit Brunei last weekend on a short businesstrip. Life in Brunei has not changed much but I do believe there will be upcoming infrastruture in the near future.

In my opinion, due to the traffic jam near the Gadong Mall, the locals or foreign investors might want to come up with building an even bigger mall featuring boutique shops like that of Pavillion in KL or maybe a model similar to Sungei Wang as it might be able to increase tourism.

Another aspect might be to enrich the local dining options as there is currently not much to choose from if you just happen to be Malaysian or visiting from any part of the world.

more info on Brunei here : http://clickandrender.blogspot.com/2009/04/some-famous-landmarks-of-brunei.html

Every day, in dozens of different ways, you’re sending a message out to the world… a message that determines whether or not people are going to like you, help you, work with you, respect you, hire you, promote you, and more. Now, discover the simple secrets to making that message exactly the one you want to be sending – so that you can use it to achieve exactly the outcomes you’re looking for: at home, at work and in every other area of your life.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how much of a role does communication play in your everyday happiness, peace of mind, and success? Most people who’re asked that question put the number somewhere between zero and 5.

So consider these questions:

Do you ever talk to your spouse or kids?
Do you ever attend a meeting at work?
Do you ever send an email?
Do you ever need the help of a sales clerk or repair person?
Do you ever eat out at a restaurant?
Do you ever leave voice-mail messages?
Do you have a website?
Do you ever go shopping?
Do you ever have to make a decision about what to wear?
Do you ever have to deal with a customer service rep on the phone?
Do you ever need somebody else to do something for you?
Do you ever need someone to agree with you, or see things your way?

For the rest, go to http://TonyJeary.YourSuccessStore.com

Have a great weekend!

Please Read all the way to the bottom:  If you will take the time to read these. I promise you’ll come away with an enlightened perspective. The subjects covered affect us all on a daily basis:

They’re written by Andy Rooney , a man who has the gift of saying so much with so few words.Enjoy…….

I’ve learned…. That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I’ve learned…. That when you’re in love, it shows.

I’ve learned…. That just one person saying to me, ‘You’ve made my day!’ makes my day.

I’ve learned…. That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

I’ve learned…. That being kind is more important than being right.

I’ve learned…. That you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I’ve learned…. That I can always pray for someone when I don’t have the strength to help him in some other way.

I’ve learned…. That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I’ve learned…. That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.  

I’ve learned…. That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

I’ve learned…. That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I’ve learned…. That we should be glad God doesn’t give us everything we ask for.

I’ve learned…. That money doesn’t buy class.

I’ve learned…. That it’s those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I’ve learned… That under everyone’s hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I’ve learned…. That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I ‘ve learned…. That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I’ve learned…. That love, not time, heals all wounds.

I’ve learned…. That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I’ve learned… That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I’ve learned….. That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I’ve learned… That life is tough, but I’m tougher.

I’ve learned…. That opportunities are never lost, someone will take the ones you miss.

I’ve learned…. That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I’ve learned…. That I wish I could have told my Mom that I love her one more time before she passed away.

I’ve learned…. That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I’ve learned…. That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I’ve learned…. That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you’re hooked for life.

I’ve learned…. That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it.

I’ve learned…. That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

It’s National Friendship Week. Show your friends how much you care. Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND, even if it means sending it back to the person who sent it to you. If it comes back to you, then you’ll know you have a circle of friends. HAPPY FRIENDSHIP WEEK TO YOU!!!!!! YOU ARE MY FRIEND AND I AM HONORED!

Now send this to every friend you have!! And to your family. This was sent to me by a friend.

Reading through The Star today, I found this article.

It looks like times are tough these days when new schoolbags are a rare commodity. I would say that when I was in primary school, a new bag, shirt, shoes and stationary were always a motivator to attend the 1st day of the school year.

As the people of Negeri Sembilan mourn the demise of their ruler, many might wonder, what kind of life did he live after 41 years at the throne.

Here is an article I came across from The Star by Kee Hua Chee which depicts a short walk through memory lane of who Tuanku Ja’afar was.

May he rest in peace, Al Fatihah.