When it comes to making a living online, the chances have never been brighter! You already see that there are plenty of people who are seeing a great deal of success when it comes to making money online, but what might not be immediately apparent is how you can join them. Search engine marketing, particularly through pay per click services, is becoming quite popular when it comes to earning a living from the comfort of your own home, but remember, you need to be critical of the opportunities that you will find. Take a look below for some tips that will steer you towards the right opportunity, and don't go forward until you can tick every single one off of your list.
Find out how much time you can devote to this opportunity.
The best opportunity for you will be one that will fit into the time that you have slotted for it. It doesn't matter how great an opportunity is if you are constantly trying to get more work, or it constantly expects more from you than you can give.
Think about the salary.
What are your current needs? Do you have a job that you are looking to get rid of, but does it currently pay the bills? Are you unemployed and need a situation fast? There is often a time period when search engine marketing opportunities and pay per click services will need to wait before they pay you. Ask how long it will be before you receive your first pay check and how much they think it will be.
Do you have the capabilities to do the job?
Think about your internet set up at home. Do you have a reliable connection and can you clock time on your own on the computer? Too many people need to fight for a turn to use the computer, and this can be quite detrimental to your plans. Take some time to really sort through your resources and what they will be for the foreseeable future. Think about any disruptions (visits, vacations, the busy time at your other job) and make sure you take them into consideration.
Do your research!
What do you know about the company that is hiring you? Do they have a good reputation online and what do people who have worked for them in the past say? Take some time to find out what people are saying in reviews and on forums about your new company. How much did the other people make, and were they paid in a regular and timely fashion? There are many points to consider when you are starting a new job, and you want to make sure that your newest opportunity is a good one.
By keeping to a checklist, you can make sure that you have criteria for judging the opportunities that you come across. This is a good rubric to use when you are choosing between pay per click opportunities because it gives you a place to start from. Take some time and make sure that this opportunity is the one that helps you succeed!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
SEO Training – How to Get the Most Out of It
Let’s set the stage…
You’ve just invested valuable time and money by completing your hands-on SEO Training. You are now sitting back in your office contemplating all the wonderful information you just gathered, but you’re really confused on where to start. You pick up your notes leafing through them hoping something will inspire you to know what to do next. You start to drift back to class wishing you where still there. You hated to leave, you didn’t want it to end, you silently wish your instructor was there telling you where to begin.
Good news! I am going to share with you a detailed search engine optimization and internet marketing plan to get the most out of your seo training and to get you started today.
Step #1 – Setting Goals
Before you can really get started you have to know what you want to achieve with your Web site. There could be a number of goals that you have in mind but your first step is get a clear picture of what you want the outcome to be. It could be:
• To gain higher rankings.
• To redesign your Web site to be more user friendly.
• To implement SEO basics throughout your site to make it search engine friendly.
• To increase your visitor response online.
• To open additional windows to your site through social media marketing.
• To launch an article marketing plan.
• Or all of the above.
What ever your goal is it is important to write it down and post it where you can see it every day. “Goals that are not written down are just wishes.”
Step #2 – Keyword Research
Any new project should always include this step. Keyword research is the basis for any successful page on your site. Let’s take the goals above and see how the keyword research you learned to perform in your seo training can be used.
• Higher rankings can be achieved by finding those keywords in your industry that have a high KEI (Keyword Effectiveness Index) and low competing pages. You should concentrate on finding five phrases that you can work on simultaneously.
• By redesigning your Web site you can be including your new found phrases and work them into your sales copy. If you are creating a new site this is the ideal time to make sure you are concentrating on your visitors experience while on your site.
o Include a call to action above the fold
o Contact information above the fold in straight html including area code and zip code.
o Only use Flash in small elements and not as the whole page.
o Include something that will grab your user’s attention. Something out of the normal that will make your visitor stop and take notice of your page.
• Implementing SEO basics can be a daunting task if your site is large or it is many years old. Tactics that where used years ago are no longer useful and most times are being flagged as spam. Depending on how many elements need to be addressed you need to determine if it would be better to start with a fresh page or redo the existing page. A determining factor would be if the current page is already indexed. If this is the case then it would be best to fix the existing page. If the page has too many errors and creating a new one would be wiser be sure to name the new page the same as the old one or do a 301 redirect to the new page. Include your keyword phrase when implementing your basic search engine optimization.
• Visitor response will increase if you are giving your visitors exactly what they are looking for. Only your keyword research will help you with this. We are in an instant gratification world and your visitor will only give you a few seconds to answer their search, so make sure it exactly what they are looking for.
• Open additional windows into your site by using your keyword phrases in your social media avenues. A couple great places to include your keyword researched phrases would be in your blog post and creating a lens in Squidoo around your researched phrase.
• Article marketing is not for everyone but it does allow you to open multiple windows into your site but writing articles around your phrase and submitting them to places like Scribd, ArtcileFactory.com and EzineArticles.com.
Step - # 3 – Which one to choose?
I know you want to implement each and everyone of those goals into your site and you still don’t know where to start.
Stop here and go find five phrases to work with and don’t even think about anything else at this point.
After you find those phrases refer back to your SEO training notes and refresh your memory on how to create a search engine friendly Web page and create content for each of the new keywords you found.
It is going to be hard not to get side tracked but stick to the project at hand. Your only concern is finding 5 phrases, creating content and designing five search engine friendly pages.
Once that is done go ahead and publish the five pages to your Web site. Include each page on your site map, link it from and to relevant pages on your site and include keyword rich link text within the body of the page.
Make a note of the day you added the new pages to your site for later use.
Now that you have the first three steps under your belt you are ready to move onto step four.
Step #4 – Addressing Existing Web Site Issues
Now that you have gotten a good start with the above steps, you can start working on bringing your current Web site up to par while you are actually waiting for indexing on your 5 optimized pages. Your next plan of attack would be working on existing pages within your site. You may not be able to change every issue with your site but remember every small change could result in increased ranking for your site. You may only be able to change your title and Meta tags and not be able to change your corporate sites navigation so tackle what you can and don’t worry about the rest. Each and every issue is just one of the over 200 factors so learn to pick your battles and fix what you can.
Step #5 – Social Media and Article Marketing
Your whole goal is to open as many windows into your site as possible. You have already started this by creating 5 new pages into your site now it is time to open the windows even further. Whether you decide to use article marketing or all the endless possibility of social media marketing now is the time to concentrate on one or both of these window opening wonders.
You can use the five phrases you found in your first step or you can find 5 new ones but at this stage you are creating content to be used in articles, on blogs or bookmaking pages within the many social media avenues. Your title is the most important element when tackling this step. Make your title keyword rich, compelling and deliver what your title describes in the article or blog post.
If you are not quite ready to dive into social media start at least with adding a blog to your Web site. Your best results will come from the blog residing on your server and not one that is hosted on a free blogging site. Make a commitment to blogging regularly and always about your industry so your site and your blog are industry related.
Step #6 – Tracking Your Progress
Web analytics can show you information about all of your optimization projects. Not only will it show you your results for the 5 keyword phrases you are working on but it will open your eyes to how your visitor is moving through your site. Record your results on a weekly or daily basis. This step will help you in testing each one of your projects and help you decide which one you should concentrate more on. Usually I find 2 or 3 phrases that are really performing and those are the ones I concentrate on blogging and adding it to the social media venues.
Step #7 – Keep Up With the Changes
There is no other step as important as this one. The internet changes its landscape on a daily basis so it is imperative that what you learn in your SEO Training is always the latest information. Your Web site and or clients are depending on your expertise so don’t let them down by applying out of date or useless techniques. There are many places you can turn to for guidance.
The first place would be Google, Yahoo! and MSN’s Webmasters guidelines. Each is posted on their site and is updates each and every time they have made changes to them.
Another place would be to subscribe to one of many search engine optimization and marketing blogs created by industry leaders. Your instructor should be able to point you in the right direction to their most trusted resources.
Continue learning by attending your favorite SEO Training provider’s courses on a yearly basis. Principles and techniques change often so always keep on top them.
Often students are overwhelmed with the amount of information they are given at class but if you learn to take them in small steps starting with setting your goals you will find that your seo training is working for you and your Web site.
You’ve just invested valuable time and money by completing your hands-on SEO Training. You are now sitting back in your office contemplating all the wonderful information you just gathered, but you’re really confused on where to start. You pick up your notes leafing through them hoping something will inspire you to know what to do next. You start to drift back to class wishing you where still there. You hated to leave, you didn’t want it to end, you silently wish your instructor was there telling you where to begin.
Good news! I am going to share with you a detailed search engine optimization and internet marketing plan to get the most out of your seo training and to get you started today.
Step #1 – Setting Goals
Before you can really get started you have to know what you want to achieve with your Web site. There could be a number of goals that you have in mind but your first step is get a clear picture of what you want the outcome to be. It could be:
• To gain higher rankings.
• To redesign your Web site to be more user friendly.
• To implement SEO basics throughout your site to make it search engine friendly.
• To increase your visitor response online.
• To open additional windows to your site through social media marketing.
• To launch an article marketing plan.
• Or all of the above.
What ever your goal is it is important to write it down and post it where you can see it every day. “Goals that are not written down are just wishes.”
Step #2 – Keyword Research
Any new project should always include this step. Keyword research is the basis for any successful page on your site. Let’s take the goals above and see how the keyword research you learned to perform in your seo training can be used.
• Higher rankings can be achieved by finding those keywords in your industry that have a high KEI (Keyword Effectiveness Index) and low competing pages. You should concentrate on finding five phrases that you can work on simultaneously.
• By redesigning your Web site you can be including your new found phrases and work them into your sales copy. If you are creating a new site this is the ideal time to make sure you are concentrating on your visitors experience while on your site.
o Include a call to action above the fold
o Contact information above the fold in straight html including area code and zip code.
o Only use Flash in small elements and not as the whole page.
o Include something that will grab your user’s attention. Something out of the normal that will make your visitor stop and take notice of your page.
• Implementing SEO basics can be a daunting task if your site is large or it is many years old. Tactics that where used years ago are no longer useful and most times are being flagged as spam. Depending on how many elements need to be addressed you need to determine if it would be better to start with a fresh page or redo the existing page. A determining factor would be if the current page is already indexed. If this is the case then it would be best to fix the existing page. If the page has too many errors and creating a new one would be wiser be sure to name the new page the same as the old one or do a 301 redirect to the new page. Include your keyword phrase when implementing your basic search engine optimization.
• Visitor response will increase if you are giving your visitors exactly what they are looking for. Only your keyword research will help you with this. We are in an instant gratification world and your visitor will only give you a few seconds to answer their search, so make sure it exactly what they are looking for.
• Open additional windows into your site by using your keyword phrases in your social media avenues. A couple great places to include your keyword researched phrases would be in your blog post and creating a lens in Squidoo around your researched phrase.
• Article marketing is not for everyone but it does allow you to open multiple windows into your site but writing articles around your phrase and submitting them to places like Scribd, ArtcileFactory.com and EzineArticles.com.
Step - # 3 – Which one to choose?
I know you want to implement each and everyone of those goals into your site and you still don’t know where to start.
Stop here and go find five phrases to work with and don’t even think about anything else at this point.
After you find those phrases refer back to your SEO training notes and refresh your memory on how to create a search engine friendly Web page and create content for each of the new keywords you found.
It is going to be hard not to get side tracked but stick to the project at hand. Your only concern is finding 5 phrases, creating content and designing five search engine friendly pages.
Once that is done go ahead and publish the five pages to your Web site. Include each page on your site map, link it from and to relevant pages on your site and include keyword rich link text within the body of the page.
Make a note of the day you added the new pages to your site for later use.
Now that you have the first three steps under your belt you are ready to move onto step four.
Step #4 – Addressing Existing Web Site Issues
Now that you have gotten a good start with the above steps, you can start working on bringing your current Web site up to par while you are actually waiting for indexing on your 5 optimized pages. Your next plan of attack would be working on existing pages within your site. You may not be able to change every issue with your site but remember every small change could result in increased ranking for your site. You may only be able to change your title and Meta tags and not be able to change your corporate sites navigation so tackle what you can and don’t worry about the rest. Each and every issue is just one of the over 200 factors so learn to pick your battles and fix what you can.
Step #5 – Social Media and Article Marketing
Your whole goal is to open as many windows into your site as possible. You have already started this by creating 5 new pages into your site now it is time to open the windows even further. Whether you decide to use article marketing or all the endless possibility of social media marketing now is the time to concentrate on one or both of these window opening wonders.
You can use the five phrases you found in your first step or you can find 5 new ones but at this stage you are creating content to be used in articles, on blogs or bookmaking pages within the many social media avenues. Your title is the most important element when tackling this step. Make your title keyword rich, compelling and deliver what your title describes in the article or blog post.
If you are not quite ready to dive into social media start at least with adding a blog to your Web site. Your best results will come from the blog residing on your server and not one that is hosted on a free blogging site. Make a commitment to blogging regularly and always about your industry so your site and your blog are industry related.
Step #6 – Tracking Your Progress
Web analytics can show you information about all of your optimization projects. Not only will it show you your results for the 5 keyword phrases you are working on but it will open your eyes to how your visitor is moving through your site. Record your results on a weekly or daily basis. This step will help you in testing each one of your projects and help you decide which one you should concentrate more on. Usually I find 2 or 3 phrases that are really performing and those are the ones I concentrate on blogging and adding it to the social media venues.
Step #7 – Keep Up With the Changes
There is no other step as important as this one. The internet changes its landscape on a daily basis so it is imperative that what you learn in your SEO Training is always the latest information. Your Web site and or clients are depending on your expertise so don’t let them down by applying out of date or useless techniques. There are many places you can turn to for guidance.
The first place would be Google, Yahoo! and MSN’s Webmasters guidelines. Each is posted on their site and is updates each and every time they have made changes to them.
Another place would be to subscribe to one of many search engine optimization and marketing blogs created by industry leaders. Your instructor should be able to point you in the right direction to their most trusted resources.
Continue learning by attending your favorite SEO Training provider’s courses on a yearly basis. Principles and techniques change often so always keep on top them.
Often students are overwhelmed with the amount of information they are given at class but if you learn to take them in small steps starting with setting your goals you will find that your seo training is working for you and your Web site.
Touched By A Tablet - Choosing The Right Graphics Tablet For You
There you are: you have finally decided to purchase a graphics tablet. Whatever your reasons may be for purchasing one, you are now faced with a very major decision: amongst all the numerous graphics tablets out there, which one would best suit your needs and your budget ?
Wacom is without any doubt, a genius when it comes to graphics tablet (also known as pen tablet) technology and is continually improving their products. Due to these frequent upgrades, this article will only touch the following Wacom models: Bamboo, Bamboo Fun (a successor and an improved model over the Graphire series), Intuos3 (the 3rd generation of Intuos) and Cintiq.
The basics
All Wacom graphics tablets are easy to install and use, thanks to Wacom’s Plug & Play technology. Every Wacom tablet is compatible with Macintosh and Windows, supports widescreen format, offers application and tool settings, provides a comfortable design and comes equipped with a detachable USB cable, and a programmable, cordless and battery free ergonomic pen. Therefore, your decision will be based on the main differences between these major models. Those include: pressure sensitivity, resolution and size.
• Pressure sensitivity of the pen tip and its eraser( when present) is measured in levels: 512 levels for the Bamboo line and 1024 levels, the highest thus far, for the Intuos3 and Cintiq models.
• Resolution, measured in lines per square inch, is marked at 2,540 for the Bamboo series and 5,080 for the Intuos3 and Cintiq models. Based on these two differences alone, if one needs or desires more precision and sharper results, the Intuos3 or the Cintiq are by far the better choices.
• Size relates to the active area of the graphics tablet, which is the drawing/writing area and not the actual size of the tablet. If space is really a tight issue, make sure you take into consideration the actual dimensions of the graphics tablet. Since the active area of a tablet matches your computer screen no matter what size it is, don’t let a smaller sized Wacom tablet fool you: the smaller sizes offer just as many features as the larger ones. Size becomes a concern when considering desk space, laptop use, portability, and user preferances. Bamboo, Bamboo Fun Small and Medium, Intuos3 4x6 and 6x8 are all wonderful options for small working environments.
Bringing pen to tablet: beginners
Let’s start by comparing the three Bamboo models.
• Bamboo standard (4x6 approx.) with its sleek black piano finish, is a wonderful improvement over the past Wacom models. It is perfect for any office, be it at home or at work and a perfect travelling companion. Specified mostly for office work rather than artistic tasks, it performs very well by working with your computer’s existing software for marking up documents, jotting down notes and writing your signature. So if you do not need any extra art related software, and the budget is as tight as your desk space, this is the perfect graphics tablet for you.
(Bamboo standard is the only Wacom tablet, of the newer models, which does not come with a matching mouse, or any software. The accompanying Bamboo pen does not have an eraser which could prove to be inconvenient.)
• Bamboo Fun (Small) (4x6 approx.) is terrific for children and beginners with creative minds. With four colors to choose from, (Blue, White, Black and Silver) you can personalize any office, home or at work, with your preferred color. However, despite the great Wacom quality and advantages, the active area might prove to be too small for elaborate projects.
• Bamboo Fun (Medium) (5x9 approx.) which also comes in the same 4 different colors as the Small version, is ideal for beginners and excellent for young students, digital photographers and more creative users. The new possibilities range from personalizing your work with your signature or other creations to touching
Wacom is without any doubt, a genius when it comes to graphics tablet (also known as pen tablet) technology and is continually improving their products. Due to these frequent upgrades, this article will only touch the following Wacom models: Bamboo, Bamboo Fun (a successor and an improved model over the Graphire series), Intuos3 (the 3rd generation of Intuos) and Cintiq.
The basics
All Wacom graphics tablets are easy to install and use, thanks to Wacom’s Plug & Play technology. Every Wacom tablet is compatible with Macintosh and Windows, supports widescreen format, offers application and tool settings, provides a comfortable design and comes equipped with a detachable USB cable, and a programmable, cordless and battery free ergonomic pen. Therefore, your decision will be based on the main differences between these major models. Those include: pressure sensitivity, resolution and size.
• Pressure sensitivity of the pen tip and its eraser( when present) is measured in levels: 512 levels for the Bamboo line and 1024 levels, the highest thus far, for the Intuos3 and Cintiq models.
• Resolution, measured in lines per square inch, is marked at 2,540 for the Bamboo series and 5,080 for the Intuos3 and Cintiq models. Based on these two differences alone, if one needs or desires more precision and sharper results, the Intuos3 or the Cintiq are by far the better choices.
• Size relates to the active area of the graphics tablet, which is the drawing/writing area and not the actual size of the tablet. If space is really a tight issue, make sure you take into consideration the actual dimensions of the graphics tablet. Since the active area of a tablet matches your computer screen no matter what size it is, don’t let a smaller sized Wacom tablet fool you: the smaller sizes offer just as many features as the larger ones. Size becomes a concern when considering desk space, laptop use, portability, and user preferances. Bamboo, Bamboo Fun Small and Medium, Intuos3 4x6 and 6x8 are all wonderful options for small working environments.
Bringing pen to tablet: beginners
Let’s start by comparing the three Bamboo models.
• Bamboo standard (4x6 approx.) with its sleek black piano finish, is a wonderful improvement over the past Wacom models. It is perfect for any office, be it at home or at work and a perfect travelling companion. Specified mostly for office work rather than artistic tasks, it performs very well by working with your computer’s existing software for marking up documents, jotting down notes and writing your signature. So if you do not need any extra art related software, and the budget is as tight as your desk space, this is the perfect graphics tablet for you.
(Bamboo standard is the only Wacom tablet, of the newer models, which does not come with a matching mouse, or any software. The accompanying Bamboo pen does not have an eraser which could prove to be inconvenient.)
• Bamboo Fun (Small) (4x6 approx.) is terrific for children and beginners with creative minds. With four colors to choose from, (Blue, White, Black and Silver) you can personalize any office, home or at work, with your preferred color. However, despite the great Wacom quality and advantages, the active area might prove to be too small for elaborate projects.
• Bamboo Fun (Medium) (5x9 approx.) which also comes in the same 4 different colors as the Small version, is ideal for beginners and excellent for young students, digital photographers and more creative users. The new possibilities range from personalizing your work with your signature or other creations to touching
Statistical Process Control (SPC) Software: The Past, Present and Future
Remember the first time in school you used a calculator instead of paper and pencil to add, subtract, multiply or divide? It made the job so easy, it almost felt like cheating. The technology freed you to focus on the problem rather than the mechanics of arithmetic.
Statistical process control (SPC) methods have been applied in manufacturing process control since the early 1930s. Over the decades, countless hours were expended plotting charts with pencils on graph paper. Then computers arrived and, like the calculator did for the schoolboy, freed the engineer to spend time analyzing the process instead of focusing on the formulae.
Over the years SPC software has matured in functionality, making statistical analysis quicker, more powerful and more flexible. The driving force has made the software easier for the practitioner to use. SPC software will continue to develop in ways that eliminate unnecessary steps, freeing quality practitioners from rote tasks and enabling them to focus efforts on improving the manufacturing process.
The Past
SPC software can show real-time control status of all data collection stations plant wide. As access to computers in the manufacturing environment grew, along came the first wave of products that automated the tasks associated with statistical analysis. Although they provided the tools for engineers to analyze the manufacturing process, these systems were difficult for many practitioners to use. They required tedious data entry and a Ph.D. statistician's knowledge to configure the software and analyze the data--a combination of tasks and abilities not easily married. Furthermore, obtaining interpretable results was a process completed long after the production run being analyzed had finished. This delay complicated the task of addressing process problems that continued to change--and probably resulted in additional process variation--in the interim.
The Present
Many timesaving features have since been added to advance SPC software usability. These software systems leverage other technologies such as automation standards and Internet access to simplify and integrate tasks--making administration, data collection, statistical analysis and reporting easier for today's practitioners.
Administration
Today's SPC software is designed to make the setup of parts and processes easy to accomplish. Common graphical user interface features such as tree views with drag-and-drop functionality dominate the market. These features reduce the repetitive tasks of separately creating items with only minor differences and instead allow for copying and duplicating similar components and then assigning unique parameters.
The introduction of communication standards across various platforms takes this ease-of-administration approach even further. Now SPC software can be configured to automatically obtain and update parts, processes, specifications, nominals and other pertinent information from values stored in other enterprise software systems such as manufacturing resource planning, manufacturing execution systems and human machine interface. Not only does this eliminate the effort spent re-entering and updating configuration information in multiple packages, it saves the effort expended tracking down entry errors that occur when the process is done manually.
Data Collection
Today's SPC software can automatically collect data from other enterprise software systems. As with the time-saving benefit for administrative tasks, this capability reduces the need to configure and maintain separate data collection interfaces and eliminates re-entry errors.
Current SPC software also has used communication standards to simplify the time-consuming job of connecting the system to data collection devices. Advances in software masking functionality permit out-of-the-box connection to a wide range of digital devices. And with dynamic masking capabilities, SPC software can automatically react to changes in device output and adjust to collect the specified data. This flexibility frees the practitioner from the tedious chore of administering SPC software every time there is a change to a device's output.
Real-Time SPC Analysis
Today's SPC software products are designed to collect data, produce charts and alarm in real time. This enables shop-floor operators to receive statistical feedback as close as possible to the point of production. Alarming capabilities include notification of supervisors, managers and other personnel responsible for maintaining and improving the production process. Immediate feedback and alarming enable all parties to begin problem solving and root causes analysis immediately. Eliminating the delay between a special cause and detection can reduce the investigation and corrective action effort by empowering quality practitioners with useful production feedback at the moment of a problem's inception.
Current development in SPC software includes the ability to provide supervisors with dashboard-style status indicators of all collection operations in the plant. Snapshot views of production status on a single screen allow busy supervisors to manage by exception instead of manage by walking around. Such SPC software systems aggregate and prioritize production information for the supervisor, reducing data-gathering demands.
Reporting
One of the most time-consuming tasks in applying statistical methods to a manufacturing process is developing relevant and understandable reports to form the basis for decision making. Modern SPC software makes the job easier by providing built-in report templates that can organize and deliver reports focused on the key characteristics of a process. Moreover, reports that are needed on a regular basis can be scheduled and automatically generated based on then-current production information. This is a time saver for those responsible for communication among quality team members.
Finally, the effort previously expended producing and distributing charts to various users and locations is reduced by leveraging the Internet. A Web-based SPC report with hyperlinks to various types of analyses can easily be distributed to multiple persons, teams or facilities.
The Future
Future SPC software development will follow the trend to eliminate cumbersome, low-value tasks and generally make SPC systems easier to administer and use. Describing the particular form such future development will take is speculative, but the combined capabilities of intelligent and expert systems is one possible way SPC software could evolve to address new challenges.
Intelligent systems emulate the human ability to learn from past experience and to make reasoned decisions and take action based on those experiences. Expert systems rely on a knowledge base to build models to diagnose, advise and act on real-world problems. Intelligent and expert systems are already deployed in control technology for manufacturing processes. It is not a great leap to believe that these technologies will profoundly change the nature of SPC software.
There are many ways in which intelligent and expert SPC systems would enhance the effectiveness and simplify the work of quality practitioners. On the most superficial level, these systems would learn from previous SPC configuration to logically reorder the system to make future administration easier. For instance, such systems could recognize which devices are being deployed and suggest effective collection methods and preferred connection approaches based on past experience.
But the administrative assistance offered by intelligent and expert SPC systems would run much deeper than that. Such systems could save countless hours helping determine how to monitor the process. Building on the history of previous production successes and failures, SPC software could select key parameters to track when to set up new parts or processes, and determine the most effective way to chart and report on those parameters. The software itself could anticipate problems and alter monitoring methodologies to adapt to changes in the manufacturing process.
The impact of intelligent and expert systems would perhaps be greatest when it comes to interpreting process statistics and acting on that analysis. There is not enough time in the day for the quality practitioner to thoroughly analyze the mountain of information generated from each production run. SPC software with learning and knowledge-based capabilities, coupled with computational power, will provide insights into the process beyond what the practitioner alone could achieve. With the advent of intelligent and expert SPC systems, the computer can transcend the earlier comparison made to a calculator. Such systems could not only assume or simplify menial tasks currently performed by the quality practitioner, but will also become a readily available and trusted source of expert guidance and advice.
Of course, the future developments suggested here may never come to pass. Nonetheless, it is almost a foregone conclusion that the SPC software of tomorrow will be more intelligent and capable of simplifying many jobs that burden today's quality practitioner. The future of SPC software is what frees those practitioners from time-consuming, low-value tasks and enables them to more easily obtain the analytical results that inform business decisions.
Statistical process control (SPC) methods have been applied in manufacturing process control since the early 1930s. Over the decades, countless hours were expended plotting charts with pencils on graph paper. Then computers arrived and, like the calculator did for the schoolboy, freed the engineer to spend time analyzing the process instead of focusing on the formulae.
Over the years SPC software has matured in functionality, making statistical analysis quicker, more powerful and more flexible. The driving force has made the software easier for the practitioner to use. SPC software will continue to develop in ways that eliminate unnecessary steps, freeing quality practitioners from rote tasks and enabling them to focus efforts on improving the manufacturing process.
The Past
SPC software can show real-time control status of all data collection stations plant wide. As access to computers in the manufacturing environment grew, along came the first wave of products that automated the tasks associated with statistical analysis. Although they provided the tools for engineers to analyze the manufacturing process, these systems were difficult for many practitioners to use. They required tedious data entry and a Ph.D. statistician's knowledge to configure the software and analyze the data--a combination of tasks and abilities not easily married. Furthermore, obtaining interpretable results was a process completed long after the production run being analyzed had finished. This delay complicated the task of addressing process problems that continued to change--and probably resulted in additional process variation--in the interim.
The Present
Many timesaving features have since been added to advance SPC software usability. These software systems leverage other technologies such as automation standards and Internet access to simplify and integrate tasks--making administration, data collection, statistical analysis and reporting easier for today's practitioners.
Administration
Today's SPC software is designed to make the setup of parts and processes easy to accomplish. Common graphical user interface features such as tree views with drag-and-drop functionality dominate the market. These features reduce the repetitive tasks of separately creating items with only minor differences and instead allow for copying and duplicating similar components and then assigning unique parameters.
The introduction of communication standards across various platforms takes this ease-of-administration approach even further. Now SPC software can be configured to automatically obtain and update parts, processes, specifications, nominals and other pertinent information from values stored in other enterprise software systems such as manufacturing resource planning, manufacturing execution systems and human machine interface. Not only does this eliminate the effort spent re-entering and updating configuration information in multiple packages, it saves the effort expended tracking down entry errors that occur when the process is done manually.
Data Collection
Today's SPC software can automatically collect data from other enterprise software systems. As with the time-saving benefit for administrative tasks, this capability reduces the need to configure and maintain separate data collection interfaces and eliminates re-entry errors.
Current SPC software also has used communication standards to simplify the time-consuming job of connecting the system to data collection devices. Advances in software masking functionality permit out-of-the-box connection to a wide range of digital devices. And with dynamic masking capabilities, SPC software can automatically react to changes in device output and adjust to collect the specified data. This flexibility frees the practitioner from the tedious chore of administering SPC software every time there is a change to a device's output.
Real-Time SPC Analysis
Today's SPC software products are designed to collect data, produce charts and alarm in real time. This enables shop-floor operators to receive statistical feedback as close as possible to the point of production. Alarming capabilities include notification of supervisors, managers and other personnel responsible for maintaining and improving the production process. Immediate feedback and alarming enable all parties to begin problem solving and root causes analysis immediately. Eliminating the delay between a special cause and detection can reduce the investigation and corrective action effort by empowering quality practitioners with useful production feedback at the moment of a problem's inception.
Current development in SPC software includes the ability to provide supervisors with dashboard-style status indicators of all collection operations in the plant. Snapshot views of production status on a single screen allow busy supervisors to manage by exception instead of manage by walking around. Such SPC software systems aggregate and prioritize production information for the supervisor, reducing data-gathering demands.
Reporting
One of the most time-consuming tasks in applying statistical methods to a manufacturing process is developing relevant and understandable reports to form the basis for decision making. Modern SPC software makes the job easier by providing built-in report templates that can organize and deliver reports focused on the key characteristics of a process. Moreover, reports that are needed on a regular basis can be scheduled and automatically generated based on then-current production information. This is a time saver for those responsible for communication among quality team members.
Finally, the effort previously expended producing and distributing charts to various users and locations is reduced by leveraging the Internet. A Web-based SPC report with hyperlinks to various types of analyses can easily be distributed to multiple persons, teams or facilities.
The Future
Future SPC software development will follow the trend to eliminate cumbersome, low-value tasks and generally make SPC systems easier to administer and use. Describing the particular form such future development will take is speculative, but the combined capabilities of intelligent and expert systems is one possible way SPC software could evolve to address new challenges.
Intelligent systems emulate the human ability to learn from past experience and to make reasoned decisions and take action based on those experiences. Expert systems rely on a knowledge base to build models to diagnose, advise and act on real-world problems. Intelligent and expert systems are already deployed in control technology for manufacturing processes. It is not a great leap to believe that these technologies will profoundly change the nature of SPC software.
There are many ways in which intelligent and expert SPC systems would enhance the effectiveness and simplify the work of quality practitioners. On the most superficial level, these systems would learn from previous SPC configuration to logically reorder the system to make future administration easier. For instance, such systems could recognize which devices are being deployed and suggest effective collection methods and preferred connection approaches based on past experience.
But the administrative assistance offered by intelligent and expert SPC systems would run much deeper than that. Such systems could save countless hours helping determine how to monitor the process. Building on the history of previous production successes and failures, SPC software could select key parameters to track when to set up new parts or processes, and determine the most effective way to chart and report on those parameters. The software itself could anticipate problems and alter monitoring methodologies to adapt to changes in the manufacturing process.
The impact of intelligent and expert systems would perhaps be greatest when it comes to interpreting process statistics and acting on that analysis. There is not enough time in the day for the quality practitioner to thoroughly analyze the mountain of information generated from each production run. SPC software with learning and knowledge-based capabilities, coupled with computational power, will provide insights into the process beyond what the practitioner alone could achieve. With the advent of intelligent and expert SPC systems, the computer can transcend the earlier comparison made to a calculator. Such systems could not only assume or simplify menial tasks currently performed by the quality practitioner, but will also become a readily available and trusted source of expert guidance and advice.
Of course, the future developments suggested here may never come to pass. Nonetheless, it is almost a foregone conclusion that the SPC software of tomorrow will be more intelligent and capable of simplifying many jobs that burden today's quality practitioner. The future of SPC software is what frees those practitioners from time-consuming, low-value tasks and enables them to more easily obtain the analytical results that inform business decisions.
Friday, April 4, 2008
How To Cope When You Are Surrounded By Idiots
Are the idiots in your life driving you crazy? Do you often feel like you are surrounded by idiots? Have you ever wondered if YOU are an idiot? Do the idiotic C.Y.A. instructions on the packaging of most products you buy these days make you feel like the world must think you are an idiot?
The following article contains lessons on stupidity. They cover things you should pretty much never do. There are many, many more lessons we could add, such as not floating face down in the septic tank or not applying your own tattoo with a wood burner and lead-based house paint, but these are normally material for a post-graduate stupidity course. You probably shouldn't attempt to comprehend these high-level concepts until you have mastered the more basic skills.
Experience has shown that the louder you yell the principle to the idiot pupil in question the better the procedure works. (OK, a little honesty here would probably be good. The truth is, shouting the lessons probably won't have much of an effect on the idiot, because as we all know, he/she is an idiot, but it will probably make you feel a little better).
Here are a few suggestions that could change your life if you are someone who is struggling with idiots in your life. If you are an idiot, try to find someone to read these principles to you and then apply them. If you are surrounded by idiots or if you have a loved one who has idiotic tendencies, you will probably want to teach these principles to the idiots in your life. You never know. It might just help.
1. You should never try to lick the bottom of the blender while the blades are still turning.
2. Never drink quarts of vinegar while eating boxes of baking soda.
3. Never clean up nitro-glycerin or unstable nuclear waste with a vacuum cleaner.
4. Never let friends hit you over the head with a baseball bat unless you are wearing a good helmet.
5. Never adjust your TV antenna during a lightening storm.
6. You shouldn't smoke while siphoning gasoline.
7. Don't microwave dynamite.
8. Never dry your hair with a blow torch.
9. Never pick your scabs while swimming with sharks.
10. Never hang glide during a hurricane.
The following article contains lessons on stupidity. They cover things you should pretty much never do. There are many, many more lessons we could add, such as not floating face down in the septic tank or not applying your own tattoo with a wood burner and lead-based house paint, but these are normally material for a post-graduate stupidity course. You probably shouldn't attempt to comprehend these high-level concepts until you have mastered the more basic skills.
Experience has shown that the louder you yell the principle to the idiot pupil in question the better the procedure works. (OK, a little honesty here would probably be good. The truth is, shouting the lessons probably won't have much of an effect on the idiot, because as we all know, he/she is an idiot, but it will probably make you feel a little better).
Here are a few suggestions that could change your life if you are someone who is struggling with idiots in your life. If you are an idiot, try to find someone to read these principles to you and then apply them. If you are surrounded by idiots or if you have a loved one who has idiotic tendencies, you will probably want to teach these principles to the idiots in your life. You never know. It might just help.
1. You should never try to lick the bottom of the blender while the blades are still turning.
2. Never drink quarts of vinegar while eating boxes of baking soda.
3. Never clean up nitro-glycerin or unstable nuclear waste with a vacuum cleaner.
4. Never let friends hit you over the head with a baseball bat unless you are wearing a good helmet.
5. Never adjust your TV antenna during a lightening storm.
6. You shouldn't smoke while siphoning gasoline.
7. Don't microwave dynamite.
8. Never dry your hair with a blow torch.
9. Never pick your scabs while swimming with sharks.
10. Never hang glide during a hurricane.
Fun Outdoor Games To Enjoy
In areas of the country that enjoy a moderate climate, and it less moderate areas during specific times of the year, many individuals enjoy fun outdoor games. There are a lot of different games that can be played outside, depending on the skill level of the players, how old they are, and the options that they have available to them for where to play. If they have enough room, for example, they can play Frisbee. However, this is not usually a game for the very young (too dangerous), or the very old (too physically demanding). If it is played gently, though, most people can enjoy it. For more aggressive Frisbee games, a higher level of skill and physical fitness, as well as more space, is needed.
Another game that can be played outdoors, and that is easier for all ages, is the beanbag toss. This game is also sometimes called cornhole, and it is played in virtually all areas of the country. It consists of a board with a hole in it, and that board is placed a specific distance from the players. They then throw the beanbags at it, in an attempt to place one or more of them into the hole. Because the beanbags are soft and there is no difficult physical activity, virtually anyone of any age can play this game. It is often very enjoyable, and tournaments have also been organized for this game, turning it into a sport in some areas.
Frisbee and the beanbag toss are not the only two games that are played for fun outdoors, however, many individuals also enjoy badminton, horseshoes, and other games such as hide-and-seek. Badminton requires a net and some space, but it can usually be played by most people without any problem. Horseshoes can also be played by most people, as it is generally not that physically demanding. The possibility for injury does exist, though, so very young children should be watched closely if they are playing the game or playing nearby. Hide-and-seek does not have as much injury potential, but allowing young children to run off and hide is also a bad idea, so parents should monitor these games closely so that they are able to remain fun for everyone.
Another game that can be played outdoors, and that is easier for all ages, is the beanbag toss. This game is also sometimes called cornhole, and it is played in virtually all areas of the country. It consists of a board with a hole in it, and that board is placed a specific distance from the players. They then throw the beanbags at it, in an attempt to place one or more of them into the hole. Because the beanbags are soft and there is no difficult physical activity, virtually anyone of any age can play this game. It is often very enjoyable, and tournaments have also been organized for this game, turning it into a sport in some areas.
Frisbee and the beanbag toss are not the only two games that are played for fun outdoors, however, many individuals also enjoy badminton, horseshoes, and other games such as hide-and-seek. Badminton requires a net and some space, but it can usually be played by most people without any problem. Horseshoes can also be played by most people, as it is generally not that physically demanding. The possibility for injury does exist, though, so very young children should be watched closely if they are playing the game or playing nearby. Hide-and-seek does not have as much injury potential, but allowing young children to run off and hide is also a bad idea, so parents should monitor these games closely so that they are able to remain fun for everyone.
The Indian Cricket League (ICL) Another Kerry Packer?
"Discovery" "Diligence" "Display" is a 3D strategy of the Indian Cricket League (ICL)!
Will it work? Or die as many hypes end? Million dollar questions need historic answers.
But there is no doubt that the ICL has played another Kerry Packer. You know the sports are a multi million dollar enterprise all over the world. Sporting activities also much verified channels for advancing business interests. Keeping in mind the lucrative advantages, the Indian Cricket League (ICL) has invited acquaintances to go forward in this direction. Moreover sports are an area where diligent performance and achievements create an international image of success .The ICL wants to attain this status for India .It wants India to be a global giant in the field of cricket. The authors of the Indian Cricket League (ICL) claim that they are striving to get the superman status for Indian cricket. This aim has urged them to establish an independent and free organization to develop cricket.
Motto of ICL
Discovery, Diligence and Display is the slogan of the ICL and it is the ultimate aim of its creation too. Indian Cricket League (ICL) aims at discovering a pool of such cricketers who are able to become champions through diligence and display of good aggressive cricket. Cricket is a national obsession and has achieved the eminence of a religion in India. It has become a symbol of national pride. Cricket is the only sport where India has the prospective to become a champion of the world. So many former cricketers laid heads together to sort out a device to obtain supremacy in this field and they created ICL or the Indian Cricket league the first private professional international cricket league.
Why ICL?
ICL Claims following reasons of its creation:
• About only 20 players are on the contracts of BCCI and these are not enough to produce high quality cricketers. Reserve bench production is the main problem. The solution to this problem is only possible by upgrading the domestic cricket. The ICL will help the youngsters to bear the rigors of cricket world.
• There is a wide chasm between the facilities provided to the national and local players. To minimize the wide difference in facilities provided to the national team and the local or regional teams will be very useful for reaping the crop of good cricketers. These differences are a major hindrance in the way of the youngsters to show their real worth. The regional players lack facilities and chances to become tycoons of cricket only due to lack of funds and guidance. The Indian Cricket League (ICL) will fill up this gap.
• The regional cricket boards only have the BCCI as a provider of funds, infrastructure and nursery. That is why the regional players are devoid of all the benefits in spite of possessing extraordinary talent. The ICL would start developing cricket from grass root level.
• Performance of the Indian team in the recent past was not up to the mark. The proponents of the Indian Cricket League (ICL) claim that it was only due to the non availability of the proper resources and facilities to the players. The private league would provide the players with all the possible resources and would try to boost up their performance.
• For Indian fans who worship their heroes and especially the cricketers the poor performance are only due to the political influence .The ICL promises to keep the politics and cricket wide apart.
Conspiracy theories?
The antagonists are not of the same opinion as is put forwarded by the officials of the Indian Cricket League (ICL). They have their own arguments. The first and foremost argument in this regard is that:
o Essel group wants to exploit the Indian fans who are disappointed by the performance of the board and infrastructure of the BCCI.
o Essel group is the partner of the ZEE telefilms and wanted to take revenge from the BCCI of denying the rights to telecast the previous world cup. The BCCI denied them the cricket content so they had to create their own content.
o The ICL has planned to utilize the opportunity to make both ends meet. Indian team's failures have led to minimum earnings to the broadcasters, advertisers, sponsors and travel & tour operators.It is the best time to fish in the troubled waters.
o The Essel group pecuniary aims only and has taken these initiatives to establish ICL.
What the cricketing world thinks about the ICL
ICC
The International Cricket Council (ICC) which is the governing body of world cricket has not accepted or rejected the ICL eyt. It says that it would follow the footsteps of the Indian cricket board.
BCCI
BCCI the board of control for cricket in India has taken harsh steps to prevent the success of the ICL. It has decided to ban the players as well officials who would take any part in the management of the league. Kapil Dev was their fist victim. On the contrary they have launched the Indian premier league with pomp and show. The BCCI says that it would use all its resources to stop the progress of the ICL.The BCCI has taken many parallel steps to mitigate the effects of the Indian Cricket League (ICL). It is offering very warm welcome to the IPL while denying and hindering the ICL. ICL filed a petition against BCCI in the Delhi High Court and the Delhi High Court ruled in favor of Indian Cricket League ICL directing that players should not be suffered in this battle of giants.
PCB
Pakistan cricket board has also decided to oppose the involvement of its players in the ICL.It has also announced many stringent measures for the players who would participate in the ICL.
Public opinion
The lovers of the cricket in India and all over the world have appreciated the formation of ICL. They are of the view that it would free the cricket from the clutches of mafias and monopolistic attitude of the officials. Various government bodies have supported and boosted the league. Many states and their Chief Ministers are also in favor of the ICL. The cricketers themselves have welcomed its creation and have shown great interest for its success. Damien Martyn, Brian Lara, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Imran Farhat, Abdul Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood, Chris Read, Darren Maddy, Vikram Solanki, Paul Nixon, Chris Harris, Chris Cairns, Hamish Marshall, Nathan Astle, Lance Klusener, Nicky Boje, Boyd Rankin, Niall O'Brien and Dinesh Mongia are a few names that have registered themselves in the ICL. A lot of others are in the waiting line.
Format of ICL
The ICL was set up with Rs. 1 billion, and has prize money of $ 1 million for the winner. Initially the ICL would be comprised of six teams. The number of teams would be increased to sixteen in next three years. Each team will be coached by an international cricketer and will be consisted of four international, two Indian and eight blooming domestic players. BCCI has been told that it is free to hire from ICL's talent pool. The league was materialized in November 2007 with matches in the Twenty20 format.
Board of ICL
An expert panel of ex-cricketers headed by Kapil Dev has been appointed as the board of ICL. The other members include Tony Greig, Dean Jones and Kiran More. The board positions will be paid position. A lucrative package has been announced for them. An ombudsman has also been appointed to look into the grievances of the players.
Conclusion
ICL announced its expansion, with a fifty over tournament in February 2008, and then the ICL Indian Championship with eight teams in September and October 2008. Subhash Chandra the owner and the maker of the ICL had vowed that the ICL will go ahead in spite of all the oddities. Though many government bodies have opposed ICL, the players of international repute have joined it, "Mayajal" a private Indian sector has provided infrastructure.
Yet future of ICL brings many speculations. Would it be able to sustain the official pressure of different boards? Or it would die like many other private cricket leagues? Is a big question. Would it last for few years like the league of Kerry Packer of Australia or other such leagues or it would be a forerunner for the other cricketing countries as a success story. Time is the best judge!
Will it work? Or die as many hypes end? Million dollar questions need historic answers.
But there is no doubt that the ICL has played another Kerry Packer. You know the sports are a multi million dollar enterprise all over the world. Sporting activities also much verified channels for advancing business interests. Keeping in mind the lucrative advantages, the Indian Cricket League (ICL) has invited acquaintances to go forward in this direction. Moreover sports are an area where diligent performance and achievements create an international image of success .The ICL wants to attain this status for India .It wants India to be a global giant in the field of cricket. The authors of the Indian Cricket League (ICL) claim that they are striving to get the superman status for Indian cricket. This aim has urged them to establish an independent and free organization to develop cricket.
Motto of ICL
Discovery, Diligence and Display is the slogan of the ICL and it is the ultimate aim of its creation too. Indian Cricket League (ICL) aims at discovering a pool of such cricketers who are able to become champions through diligence and display of good aggressive cricket. Cricket is a national obsession and has achieved the eminence of a religion in India. It has become a symbol of national pride. Cricket is the only sport where India has the prospective to become a champion of the world. So many former cricketers laid heads together to sort out a device to obtain supremacy in this field and they created ICL or the Indian Cricket league the first private professional international cricket league.
Why ICL?
ICL Claims following reasons of its creation:
• About only 20 players are on the contracts of BCCI and these are not enough to produce high quality cricketers. Reserve bench production is the main problem. The solution to this problem is only possible by upgrading the domestic cricket. The ICL will help the youngsters to bear the rigors of cricket world.
• There is a wide chasm between the facilities provided to the national and local players. To minimize the wide difference in facilities provided to the national team and the local or regional teams will be very useful for reaping the crop of good cricketers. These differences are a major hindrance in the way of the youngsters to show their real worth. The regional players lack facilities and chances to become tycoons of cricket only due to lack of funds and guidance. The Indian Cricket League (ICL) will fill up this gap.
• The regional cricket boards only have the BCCI as a provider of funds, infrastructure and nursery. That is why the regional players are devoid of all the benefits in spite of possessing extraordinary talent. The ICL would start developing cricket from grass root level.
• Performance of the Indian team in the recent past was not up to the mark. The proponents of the Indian Cricket League (ICL) claim that it was only due to the non availability of the proper resources and facilities to the players. The private league would provide the players with all the possible resources and would try to boost up their performance.
• For Indian fans who worship their heroes and especially the cricketers the poor performance are only due to the political influence .The ICL promises to keep the politics and cricket wide apart.
Conspiracy theories?
The antagonists are not of the same opinion as is put forwarded by the officials of the Indian Cricket League (ICL). They have their own arguments. The first and foremost argument in this regard is that:
o Essel group wants to exploit the Indian fans who are disappointed by the performance of the board and infrastructure of the BCCI.
o Essel group is the partner of the ZEE telefilms and wanted to take revenge from the BCCI of denying the rights to telecast the previous world cup. The BCCI denied them the cricket content so they had to create their own content.
o The ICL has planned to utilize the opportunity to make both ends meet. Indian team's failures have led to minimum earnings to the broadcasters, advertisers, sponsors and travel & tour operators.It is the best time to fish in the troubled waters.
o The Essel group pecuniary aims only and has taken these initiatives to establish ICL.
What the cricketing world thinks about the ICL
ICC
The International Cricket Council (ICC) which is the governing body of world cricket has not accepted or rejected the ICL eyt. It says that it would follow the footsteps of the Indian cricket board.
BCCI
BCCI the board of control for cricket in India has taken harsh steps to prevent the success of the ICL. It has decided to ban the players as well officials who would take any part in the management of the league. Kapil Dev was their fist victim. On the contrary they have launched the Indian premier league with pomp and show. The BCCI says that it would use all its resources to stop the progress of the ICL.The BCCI has taken many parallel steps to mitigate the effects of the Indian Cricket League (ICL). It is offering very warm welcome to the IPL while denying and hindering the ICL. ICL filed a petition against BCCI in the Delhi High Court and the Delhi High Court ruled in favor of Indian Cricket League ICL directing that players should not be suffered in this battle of giants.
PCB
Pakistan cricket board has also decided to oppose the involvement of its players in the ICL.It has also announced many stringent measures for the players who would participate in the ICL.
Public opinion
The lovers of the cricket in India and all over the world have appreciated the formation of ICL. They are of the view that it would free the cricket from the clutches of mafias and monopolistic attitude of the officials. Various government bodies have supported and boosted the league. Many states and their Chief Ministers are also in favor of the ICL. The cricketers themselves have welcomed its creation and have shown great interest for its success. Damien Martyn, Brian Lara, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Imran Farhat, Abdul Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood, Chris Read, Darren Maddy, Vikram Solanki, Paul Nixon, Chris Harris, Chris Cairns, Hamish Marshall, Nathan Astle, Lance Klusener, Nicky Boje, Boyd Rankin, Niall O'Brien and Dinesh Mongia are a few names that have registered themselves in the ICL. A lot of others are in the waiting line.
Format of ICL
The ICL was set up with Rs. 1 billion, and has prize money of $ 1 million for the winner. Initially the ICL would be comprised of six teams. The number of teams would be increased to sixteen in next three years. Each team will be coached by an international cricketer and will be consisted of four international, two Indian and eight blooming domestic players. BCCI has been told that it is free to hire from ICL's talent pool. The league was materialized in November 2007 with matches in the Twenty20 format.
Board of ICL
An expert panel of ex-cricketers headed by Kapil Dev has been appointed as the board of ICL. The other members include Tony Greig, Dean Jones and Kiran More. The board positions will be paid position. A lucrative package has been announced for them. An ombudsman has also been appointed to look into the grievances of the players.
Conclusion
ICL announced its expansion, with a fifty over tournament in February 2008, and then the ICL Indian Championship with eight teams in September and October 2008. Subhash Chandra the owner and the maker of the ICL had vowed that the ICL will go ahead in spite of all the oddities. Though many government bodies have opposed ICL, the players of international repute have joined it, "Mayajal" a private Indian sector has provided infrastructure.
Yet future of ICL brings many speculations. Would it be able to sustain the official pressure of different boards? Or it would die like many other private cricket leagues? Is a big question. Would it last for few years like the league of Kerry Packer of Australia or other such leagues or it would be a forerunner for the other cricketing countries as a success story. Time is the best judge!
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