in this issue
Is Fairness Innate?
Perhaps you read about this recent studies where
scientists set up a controlled experiment to test
whether monkeys understand the concept of fairness.
In the studies, monkeys were asked to exchange a
small rock for a coin-sized slice of cucumber. Monkeys
were given equal pay for equal work. The researchers
then rewarded some of the monkeys with a grape
instead of a cucumber slice. Monkeys, who had eagerly
gathered rocks to exchange for cucumber slices,
deliberately slowed down their efforts. The researchers
then started distributing grapes to monkeys who
performed no work whatsoever. The monkeys who
brought rocks for cucumber pay were so upset they
would throw the cucumbers back at the researchers.
Now, I have two dogs - one I use in agility and the
other I don't. When I train the agility dog, she is
rewarded with treats. The dog who is not in training
understands - no work, no pay. However, they both
expect equal treats whenever they perform a trick. It
is also not unusual that when I am feeding my horse a
cookie or a carrot for another horse to sidle up and
request a treat as well.
Obviously, a sense of fairness is established not only
among humans, but in animals as well. But what does
this mean and how does it affect our performance in
the workplace?
Studies have shown that human workers will often
work harder if they are given praise over dollars - does
this make us more or less intelligent than the monkeys?
Read the full story
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Greetings!
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Autodesk's Developer Network is Seeking New Partners
Autodesk has a program for people who write lisp
routines or customization programs either for their
office or for a consulting business. This is called the
ADN program.
In the last year or two, the ADN has suffered some
attrition as people move out of the business due to the
slow economy and they are looking to build up their
ranks.
The ADN is going on the road with seminars in the US,
Europe and the South Pacific. Attendees will learn
about the ADN program and get a sneak peak at some
of the perks of membership. AUGI members will get a
special discount if they join.
If you join the ADN, you get access to a special
website where you can download any Autodesk product
for use in your development. You also can request
technical support if you hit a snag in your program.
Additionally, if you are planning to market your product
for sale, the ADN will help you sell it by listing you as a
partner on Autodesk's website and providing other
marketing and advertising benefits.
I was an ADN partner for a couple of years and
then Autodesk threw me out of the program and has
yet to let me back in. I'm guessing I was thrown out
because I am too "outspoken", but if I have a choice
between speaking my mind or toeing the party line, it
seems fairly clear. It also seemed to me that it was
patently unfair for Autodesk to expect someone who is
not a full-time employee to behave as if they are - not
to mention slightly unconstitutional.
Of course, they have the right to determine who
can or can not be an ADN member - however, being a
cheerleader for Autodesk is not listed as one of the
requirements for ADN membership.
As for the program itself, many people think they
can't join because they are not consultants or
developers. This is not true. If you are a CAD manager
in a company and part of your job involves writing
custom menus and routines, you can join the ADN.
ADN Membership means you can attend classes on the
API, access a special Knowledge Base, and get to
speak with some of the developers within Autodesk
which will help you be more successful in your job.
So, if you are interested in programming or
customizing your Autodesk product, ADN membership is
a great deal. As for me, while I would love to be
welcomed back into the ADN program, it hasn't hurt me
that much financially in terms of business and it saves
me the cost of the membership. I will be attending the
Developer Day in San Rafael on November 7 and I hope
to see any Bay Area folk there.
To register for a free seminar near you... »
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AUGI's website gets a new look
AUGI's website got a facelift this summer. I am sure
the burning question in everyone's mind is - how come?
Well, AUGI did some research and it turned out that the
majority of members would come to the website,
register, sign up for the desired programs, like ATP or
the guilds, and never return, or only come back every
year or so.
If you visited the website, it wasn't hard to figure out
why this was so - the website never changed. No new
content, no stuff to download, no reason to come
back. The basic rule to build website traffic is to add
or change your website at least once a month, and
augi.com was changing once a year - to update the
new list of contacts and board of directors - and that
was pretty much it.
The lack of traffic was becoming increasingly
problematic for AUGI as they needed to build revenues
by selling advertising space on the website. The new
income is to be used to pay for programs like on-line
training (ATP).
Does AUGI's new website look like Autodesk's
website to you? It does to me and I find that slightly
annoying - mostly because AUGI is supposed to be an
independent organization and users have a lot of
problems making the distinction...I have had users
assume that as an AUGI director I have some sort of
control over Autodesk policy when that is hardly the
case. Yes, some people within Autodesk will listen to
what I say and some people within Autodesk think I am
a kook. Unfortunately, the ones who think I am a kook
are usually the ones who make policy.
However, the main reason the new AUGI website
looks so much like Autodesk's website is because the
people who worked on the AUGI site also worked to
develop the Autodesk site. This also annoys
me....gosh, do all my sheet metal designs look the
same? They better not, as every customer who hires
me wants me to create a "unique" look to help them
build branding. Makes the web developers look
like "One Note Hannahs".
Turns out Autodesk loves the new AUGI site.
Reminds me of the mother who loves it when her
daughter
wears the same outfit as her. Aren't we cute? People
will think we're sisters. Gag me. I might feel differently
except 1) I don't have any daughters, only sons; and
2) the thought of dressing like my mother fills me with a
sense of great depression.
Now, after this rant, you might think I don't want
you to visit the new AUGI site...but you would be
wrong! Because the new AUGI site now has forums,
which are better than the old guild email system - in my
not so humble opinion; and it also has other pages set
up that may attract your attention, like the AUGI
Exchange and the ability to easily find and download
AUGIworld magazine.
Besides, Autodesk revamps their website every four
months or so (at least it seems that way), so the days
the websites will look like a mother-daughter flashback
may be numbered.
Check out AUGI's new website... »
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Have you filed for your Microsoft rebate?
Most of you know that Microsoft lost that large anti-
trust lawsuit last year. We may feel the fallout of this
for years to come. One big fall-out is that after this
release, you will not be able to download the latest
version of Internet Explorer. Instead, it will come
packaged with the latest operating system.
However, if you bought any Microsoft product - that is
operating system, Microsoft Office, Excel, Access,
Powerpoint, whatever, you now qualify for a rebate.
You even are entitled to a rebate if you bought a
laptop or desktop which had Microsoft pre-loaded on it.
Your claim form must be filed by March 15, 2004. You
can file a claim for more than one computer and/or
more than one application/product. If you are in
charge of the computers in your office, it probably
would be worth your while to file a claim. Filers will
probaby NOT get a check. Instead, you will get a
voucher good for $10-$25 off your next Microsoft
purchase (per claim).
Microsoft Corporation has announced that the company
will provide two-thirds of any unclaimed settlement
proceeds to California's most disadvantaged public
schools in the form of Microsoft software as well as
vouchers for the purchase of computer equipment,
software and professional development services. Public
K-12 schools where 50 percent or more of students
participate in the national free and reduced school
lunch program will be eligible for this settlement
program. This six-year program will be administered
through the California Department of Education; it is
estimated that more than 3 million students in nearly
5,000 schools and 434 districts will be eligible. So if you
decide not to file a claim, because it is too much
bother, etc., at least you can rest easy knowing the
money will go to our schools.
To download a claim form... »
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TRAYSETTINGS - NEW 2004 COMMAND
This command will bring up a dialog box where you can
set how your Communications icon is displayed (this is
the icon that looks like a satellite dish in the lower right
of your screen) and how it behaves.
If you enable Display until Closed, the pop-up
balloon will remain displayed until you select it or close
it. If you assign a display time, then it will only display
for that amount of time and then close itself.
The Communication Center replaced the Today dialog.
I have heard mixed reviews from users. I actually hear
from people who miss the Today dialog. The main
difference between the Today dialog and the
Communication Center that I can see is that you can
now get a list of the most current tutorials and tips -
usually written by Lynn Allen.
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