John Sall, founder SAS AND JMP , has released the latest blockbuster edition of flagship of JMP 9 (JMP Stands for John’s Macintosh Program).
To kill all birds with one software, it is integrated with R and SAS, and the brochure frankly lists all the qualities. Why am I excited for JMP 9 integration with R and with SAS- well it integrates bigger datasets manipulation (thanks to SAS) with R’s superb library of statistical packages and a great statistical GUI (JMP). This makes JMP the latest software apart from SAS/IML, Rapid Miner,Knime, Oracle Data Miner to showcase it’s R integration (without getting into the GPL compliance need for showing source code– it does not ship R- and advises you to just freely download R). I am sure Peter Dalgaard, and Frankie Harell are all overjoyed that R Base and Hmisc packages would be used by fellow statisticians and students for JMP- which after all is made in the neighborhood state of North Carolina.
Best of all a JMP 30 day trial is free- so no money lost if you download JMP 9 (and no they dont ask for your credit card number, or do they- but they do have a huuuuuuge form to register before you download. Still JMP 9 the software itself is more thoughtfully designed than the email-prospect-leads-form and the extra functionality in the free 30 day trial is worth it.
R is a programming language and software environment for statistical computing and graphics. JMP now supports a set of JSL functions to access R. The JSL functions provide the following options:
• open and close a connection between JMP and R
• exchange data between JMP and R
•submit R code for execution
•display graphics produced by R
JMP and R each have their own sets of computational methods.
R has some methods that JMP does not have. Using JSL functions, you can connect to R and use these R computational methods from within JMP.
Textual output and error messages from R appear in the log window.R must be installed on the same computer as JMP.
though probably they are not creating a movie on Jim yet (imagine a movie titled “The Statistical Software” -not just the same dude feel as “The Social Network”)
Here is the software matrix that I am trying to develop for analytical software- It should help as a tentative guide for software purchases- it’s independent so unbiased (hopefully)- and it will try and bring as much range or sensitivity as possible. The list (rather than matrix) is of the format-
Type 0f analysis-
Data Visualization (Reporting with Pivot Ability to aggregate, disaggregate)
Reporting without Pivot Ability
Regression -Logistic Regression for Propensity or Risk Models
Announcement from Code Ninjas at Document Foundation
10 years after the StarOffice code has been opened as OpenOffice.org, The Document Foundation is proud to announce the availability of LibreOffice Beta 2 for public testing. Please, download the suitable package(s) from
This beta release is not intended for production use!
There are a number of known issues being worked on:
The Windows build is an International build – you can choose the user interface language that is suitable for you, but the help is always English. We are currently working on improving the delivery mechanism to be able to provide you with the localized help. We are also working on smaller problems like wrong description of several languages.
The Linux and MacOSX builds are English builds with the possibility to install language packs. Please browse the archives to get the langugage pack you need for your platform.
The LibreOffice branding and renaming is new and work in progress. You may still see old graphics, icons or websites. So please bear with us. This also applies to the BrOffice.org branding – applicable in Brazil.
Filters for the legacy StarOffice binary formats are missing.
I tested it- it seems okay enough. Once again Open Source tends to underplay expectations (when was the last time you saw that in enterprise software?)
China could be the biggest threat to India in next five years, positioning itself as the lowest-cost manpower supplier in the IT sector by 2015, according to Mr Vineet Nayar, CEO, HCL Technologies.
“I believe it (China) is the biggest threat in the next five years that we are going to face…So India will have to up its game,” he told reporters on sidelines of ‘Directions’, the company’s annual town hall.
Terming China, as both “threat and opportunity”, Mr Nayar said that India will have to find alternate “differentiators” than the ones it currently has. Despite issues of language and the purported inability to scale-up, China has sharpened its technological and innovation edge, he added.
“Look at the technology companies from China…how does that fit in with the assumption that they (China) do not understand English or technology. They are producing cutting edge technology at a price which is lower than everyone else,” he said.
Manpower
By 2015, Mr Nayar said, China will be the lowest cost manpower supplier in IT sector to the world
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I wonder how he did his forecast. Did he do a time series analysis using a software, did he peer into his crystal ball, or did he spend a lot of time brainstorming with his strategic macro economic team on Chinese threat.
China has various advantages over India (and in fact the US)-
1) Big pool of reliable scientific manpower
2) State funded education in higher studies and STEM
3) Increasing exposure with the West-English speaking is no longer an issue. Almost 50 % of Grad Students in the US in STEM and certain sectors are Chinese and they not only retain fraternal ties with the motherland- they often remain un-assimilated with American Culture mainstream. or they have a separate interaction with fellow American Chinese and seperate with American Americans.
Chinese suffer from some disadvantages in software-
1) Communism Perception- Just because the Govt is communist and likes to confront US once a year (and India twice a month)- is no excuse for the hapless Chinese startup guy to lose out on software outsourcing contracts. unfortunately there have been reported cases where sneak codes have been inserted in code deliverables for American partners, just like American companies are forced to work with DoD (especially in software, embedded chips and telecom)
If you have 10000 lines of code delivered by your Chinese partner, how sure are you of going through each line of code for each sub routine or call procedure.
2) English- Chinese accent is like Chinese cooking. Unique- many Chinese are unable to master the different style of English even after years (derived from Latin and Indo European class of languages)
Sales jobs tend to go to American trained Chinese or to Westerners.
In Indian software companies, accent is a lesser problem.
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The biggest threat to Indian software in 5 years is actually Indian software itself- Can it evolve and mature to a product based model from a service only model.
Can Indian software partner with Chinese companies and maybe teach the Indian government why friendship is more profitable than envy and suspicion. If the US and China can trade enormously despite annual tensions, why cant Indian services do the same- if they lose this opportunity, US companies will likely bypass them and create the same GE/McKinsey style backoffices that started the Indian offshoring phenomenon.
3) Lastly- what did the poor American grad student do to deserve that even if devotes years to study STEM (and being called a Geek and Nerd) his job will get outsourced to India or China (if not now- in his 30s or worse in his 40s). Talk to any middle aged IT chap in the US who is middle class- and India and China would figure in why he still worries about his overpriced mortgage.
Unless the US wants only Twitter and Facebook as dominant technologies in the 21 st century.
Here is an interview with John F Moore, social media adviser,technologist and founder and CEO of The Lab.
Ajay- The internet seems to be crowded by social media experts with everyone who spends a lot of time on the internet claiming to be one? How does a small business owner on a budget distinguish for the correct value proposition that social media can give them.
John- You’re right. It seems like everytime I turn around I bump into more social media “experts”. The majority of these self-proclaimed experts are not adding a great deal of value. When looking to spend money for help ask the person a few questions about their approach. Things you should be hearing include:
The expert should be seeking to fully understand your business, your goals, your available resources, etc..
The expert should be seeking to understand current management thinking about social media and related technologies.
If the expert is purely focused on tools they are the wrong person. Your solution may require tools alone but they cannot know this without first understanding your business.
Ajay- Facebook has 600 million people, with people preferring to play games and connect to old acquaintances rather than use social media for tangible career or business benefit..
John- People are definitely spending time playing games, looking at photos, and catching up with old friends. However, there are many businesses seeing real value from Facebook (primarily by tying it into their e-mail marketing and using coupons and other incentives). For example, I recently shared a small case study (http://thejohnfmoore.com/2010/10/07/email-social-media-and-coupons-makes-the-cfo-smile/) where a small pet product company achieved a 22% bump in monthly revenue by combining Facebook and coupons together. In fact,45% of this bump in revenue came from new clients. Customer acquisition and increased revenue were accomplished by using Facebook for their business.
Ajay- How does a new social media convert (individual) go on selecting communities to join (Facebook,Twitter,Linkedin,Ning, Ping,Orkut, Empire Avenue etc etc.
How does a small business owner take the same decision.
John- It always starts with taking the time to define your goals and then determine how much time and effort you are willing to invest. For example:
LinkedIn. A must have for individuals as it is one of the key social networking communities for professional networking. Individuals should join groups that are relevant to their career and invest an hour a week. Businesses should ensure they have a business profile completed and up to date.
Facebook can be a challenge for anyone trying to walk the personal/professional line. However, from a business standpoint you should be creating a Facebook page that you can use to compliment your other marketing channels.
Twitter. It is a great network to learn of, to meet, and to interact with people from around the world. I have met thousands of interesting people, many of which I have had the pleasure to meet with in real life. Businesses need to invest in listening on twitter to determine if their customers (current or potential) or competitors are already there discussing them, their marketplace, or their offerings.
In all cases I would encourage businesses to setup social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr. You want to ensure your brand is protected by owning these accounts and ensuring at least the base information is accurate.
Ajay- Name the top 5 points that you think make a social media community successful. What are the top 5 points for a business to succeed in their social media strategy.
John-
Define your goals up front. Understand why you are building a community and keep this goal in mind.
Provide education. Ideally you want to become a thought leader in your space, the trusted resource that people can turn to even if they are not using your product or services today.
Be honest. We all make mistakes. When you do, be honest with your community and engage them in any fall-out that may be coming out of your mistake.
Listen to them. Use platforms like BubbleIdeas to gather feedback on what your community is looking for from the relationship.
Measure. Are you on track with your goals? Do your goals need to change?
Ajay- What is the unique value proposition that “The Lab” offers
John- The Lab understands the strategic importance of leveraging social media, management and leadership best practices, and our understanding of local government and small and medium business to help people in these areas achieve their goals. Too many consultants come to the table with a predefined solution that really misses the mark as it lacks understanding of the client’s goals.
Ajay- What is “CityCamp in Boston” all about.
John- CityCamp is a FREE unconference focused on innovation for municipal governments and community organizations (http://www.citycampboston.org/what-is-citycamp-boston/). It brings together politicians, local municipal employees, citizens, vendors, developers, and journalist to build a common understanding of local government challenges and then works to deliver measurable outcomes following the event. The key is the focus on change management, driving change as opposed to just in the moment education.
Biography-
John F Moore is the Founder and CEO of The Lab (http://thelabinboston.com). John has experience working with local governments and small and medium business owners to achieve their goals. His experience with social media strategies, CRM, and a plethora of other solutions provides immense value to all of our clients. He has built engineering organizations, learned sales and marketing, run customer service teams, and built and executed strategies for social media thought leadership and branding. He is also a prolific blogger as you can see by checking out his blog at http://thejohnfmoore.com.
Keynote
Predictive Analytics and Business Performance
In this session, Bruno Aziza will discuss the challenges organizations face with Analytics and Performance. This participative session will provide first-hand accounts from Fortune 500 companies who are winning by building accountability, intelligence, and informed decision-making into their organizational DNA.
Speaker: Bruno Aziza, Director, Worldwide Strategy Lead, Business Intelligence, Microsoft
Bruno Aziza, Director, Worldwide Strategy Lead, Business Intelligence,Microsoft
Bruno Aziza is a recognized authority on Strategy Execution, Business Intelligence and Information Management. He is the co-author of best-selling book, “Drive Business Performance: Enabling a Culture of Intelligent Execution” and a Fellow at the Advanced Performance Institute, a world-leading and independent advisory group specialized in organizational performance. Drs. Kaplan & Norton, of Balanced Scorecard fame, praise Aziza for moving “the field of performance management forward in important new directions.”
Aziza’s work has been featured in publications across North America, Europe and Asia such as Business Finance magazine, Intelligent Enterprise, CRM magazine and others.
Aziza has held management positions at Apple Inc., Business Objects (SAP), AppStream(Symantec) and Decathlon SA. He currently works on Microsoft Business Intelligence go-to-market strategy and execution for partners, services, sales and marketing. Aziza lives in Seattle with his family and enjoys sports and travelling.
He regularly provides views on leadership and performance on the SuccessFactors thought leader Network , the CIO Network and Forbes Magazine. Aziza is the host ofBizIntelligence.TV – a leading weekly show on Business Intelligence and Analytics. An award-winning speaker, Aziza frequently keynotes international events and has shared the stage with executives and thought leaders such as Dr. Kaplan. Aziza’s biggest crowd to date is 5,000 people.
Bruno Aziza is a recognized authority on Strategy Execution, Business Intelligence and Information Management. He is the co-author of best-selling book, 
DECISION STATS 