| LED Digest 2094: Outsourcing Yourself, plus 2nd Life |
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================================================== The LED Digest Moderated Discussion List "Effective Online Advertising, Since 1997" pair Networks: The LED's Web Host Hosting and Domain Reg. from a Trusted Leader pair.com for Hosting | pairNIC.com for Domains ================================================== List Moderator: Published by: Adam Audette LED Digest adam, led-digest.com http://www.led-digest.com .............................................. February 10, 2006 Issue #2094 .............................................. .....IN THIS DIGEST..... ==== CONTINUING ================= --== Outsourcing ==-- ~ Robert Bass "I spent a year in China teaching C++ to college students." ~ David Swiggum "Well, I have outsourced myself. I mean physically." --== Shopping Cart Abandonment ==-- ~ Valerie Beeby "Surely a basic price can always be given..." --== A Thriving Second Life ==-- ~ Nathan Brings "...it's too easy to cheat in these kinds of things!" ==== BILLBOARD =================== --== Phish Spam ==-- ~ Scott Marino ~ Steve Pronger ======== CONTINUING =============================== From: Robert Bass Subject: Outsourcing > We have done a couple of different projects > with overseas programmers... however, the > language barrier is frustrating on larger projects. > We found ourselves typing two page email messages... - Gordon Moe, LED 2092 It is no surprise to me that it takes you two pages of emails to explain to a foreigner what you want when a single sentence will do the trick with an American programmer. For my money I would never outsource software design and I will tell you why. I speak five languages fluently and I have a working knowledge of six more. I can tell you now that the way we say things in English is totally different in concept and structure than the way things are said, and viewed, in other languages. Some of the simplest phrases we utter everyday, when translated into a foreign language, make absolutely no sense to the native speakers of those languages. This is due to extreme differences in culture and how they see the world as opposed to how we see the world. Foreign programmers do not speak English as well as we do no matter how long they are speaking it, yet they must learn programming in our language because all software design programs are done in English. Software languages often follow obtuse routes to achieve results, the logic of which is difficult enough for native English speakers to follow but almost impossible for foreigners to follow. I spent a year in China teaching C++ to college students. Although C++ is a fairly straight forward programming language if you are fluent in English, it becomes ridiculous to the Chinese due to the language / culture barriers. Out of 35 students only 7 actually passed the course and the headmaster told me that this was a wonderful record as usually in a class of 35 only one or two will get a passing grade. The problem easily traced to the fact that simple two word programming statements become whole sentences when translated into Chinese and they had extreme difficulty grasping the meanings. For instance, the common C++ command, "Do While.." becomes "When you are doing this do that at the same time" in Chinese. There is no other way to translate it, you can see where the confusion would set in. Multiply that times a thousand other commands and it boggles the mind. If you pay three times the rate for a local programmer as an overseas programmer but you have to spend hours in emails back and forth trying to get your ideas across in a way they will understand, where is the economy? I write my own code for my website but on occasion have had some coding done on the outside, I am glad to pay whatever the local rate is and have the job done in a matter of hours rather than weeks. In the overall of it, it comes out a lot cheaper in both terms of money and aggravation. What is that saying? "Penny wise and pound foolish". Robert Bass, Webmaster www.jewelex.com ------- new post - same topic ------ From: David Swigggum Subject: Outsourcing Well, I have outsourced myself. I mean physically. Long time webmaster and SEO in Northern California, now living on the island of Leyte, Philippines 100 yards from a black sand beach. A little tricky setting up microwave broadband, designed my own bamboo tower (had to get above the jungle canopy), and linked with a local university for access. But the lifestyle is fantastic. A former one man operation, I am slowly educating future employees, very eager to learn. So, in the next couple of years I hope to offer an American supervised outsourcing asset, no language barrior involved. It has been quite the experience. From an LED'er since issue 113, Mambuhay (similar to Aloha) from Caridad, Leyte, Philippines! David Swiggum http://www.stargatekennels.comm http://www.equiview.com ------- new post - new topic ------ From: Valerie Beeby Subject: Cart abandonment > Sites should get smart. When the customer goes to store their > shopping basket there are numerous options that can be taken. - Rick Gortatowsky LED 2093 I'm a pretty seasoned online shopper by now, but I well remember my fears when I first started out. I'm sure there are many shoppers still at that early stage. If I couldn't find the price of an article I was interested in, I was scared to press the 'Buy Now' button in order to find out. Irrational maybe, but I was afraid I might be let in for actually making the purchase. Result: the store owner probably didn't even know I was interested in their goods (unless they gauged how long I spent on the site, and logged my clicks as I desperately hunted for any clue of a price.) If I had to enter my credit card number at the start, let alone be threatened with a penalty if I didn't buy, you wouldn't see me for dust even now! Surely a basic price can always be given, with a note that shipping costs (specified) and taxes (specified, if necessary on a separate page) may be added? Valerie Beeby http://www.purple-owl.com ------- new post - new topic ------ From: Nathan Brings Subject: Second Life Adam wrote, > Members of Second Life... create avatars, homes, and > even stuff to sell to other Second Lifers. What do you > think of evolving new "virtual markets" like this? This actually interests me. As you say, virtual worlds like this aren't new... but virtual markets like this sure are. But let me ask LEDers something: if Second Life is as successful as Wired reported, can they still be called a virtual market? Sounds like some pretty damn real money to me. I wonder if this is a sign of things to come. Markets like this were first seen in Neverwinter (I think). More of a "grey market" thing though. This on the other hand is very legit. The ramifications may be pretty interesting: - International virtual markets mean all sorts of opportunity and complexity. - Whenever a market consists solely of trading "virtual goods" -- read un-real, non-existent -- it doesn't exactly breed confidence. - I'm committing a serious stereotype here, but these sorts of things generally attract two kinds of people: a) those who need to escape from something, are unhappy with their lives, have suppressed desires, etc and b) those who are "rats" in the sense of they will scramble for money no matter what, are opportunistic, entrepreneurial, sometimes shady, and may incorporate all sorts of illegal things (software related). - Which brings me to the last point: it's too easy to cheat in these kinds of things! I for one will stay away! Nathan Brings (site not fit for public viewing... ever) ==== BILLBOARD =================================== From: Scott Marino Subject: Phish spam > If they are the targets of crooks, then it is likely that > their security is not as good as the other banks. - James Miller, LED 2093 The assumption is not necessarily correct. The banks are not the target, the general public is the target. The larger banks are the ones used by the phishers simply because they increase the odds that someone would respond. The phishers are not geo-targeting their e-mails, they are broadcasting them by the millions. They increase their odds by using the most popular banks. A hacker (much different than phisher) would likely target a small local bank for attack rather than a large national one as the large bank would likely have a larger security budget and staff. Scott Marino www.webundies.com -------- new post - same topic -------- From: Steve Pronger Subject: Phish spam > You ask why I would never bank with a company > that gets lots of phishing e-mails. If they are the targets > of crooks, then it is likely that their security is not > as good as the other banks. - James Miller, LED 2093 I think you're overlooking one thing, James. A phishing e-mail directs recipients, who by chance have an account with the bank being impersonated, to a fake website which the bank do not own or have any control over. The bank have no involvement with the process at this point. Once the fraudster has all the pertinent details which the target has unwittingly divulged, he can login to that bank account. How is a bank to know that the person logging in is not their customer? However robust a bank's online security system is, if I have every detail you need to access your account, then I can become you and the bank will never know the difference. Ithink any bank or financial institution can be the subject of a phishing e-mail. It doesn't really reflect on the bank's security systems, other than the fact that their website might be easier than others to copy. All banks can really do to combat phishing is to educate their customers on how to detect fake e-mails. All a customer has to know really, is to never click on a link in an email to logon to their account. Steve Pronger http://www.stevepronger.com ------------------------------------------------------- The LED Digest is sponsored by pair Networks: pair.com for Hosting | pairNIC.com for Domains Copyright 1995-2006 Orange Wheel, LLC. All Rights Reserved. ----------------------------------------------------------------- "Each bird loves to hear himself sing." - Arapaho |
