TechWire

How many people really use Twitter for Irish political debate?

Is Twitter overblown as a mass medium? An analysis of Irish Twitter users indicates that there may be far fewer people using the medium for political discussion than has been commonly portrayed.

A Dublin-based research company, Knexsy, analysed tweets over seven days (October 20th to October 26th) to try and gauge the scale of commentary relating to the Irish presidential election on Twitter.

The company measured three ‘hashtag’ topics: #aras11 (the tag most commonly used in discussions about the election), #vinb (used for discussions relating to TV3’s Tonight With Vincent Browne programme) and #rtefl (used for discussions relating to RTE’s The Frontline programme).

The company found that there were 10,200 individual accounts that used the #aras11 hashtag between October 20th and October 26th. It also found that there were just over 60,000 tweets using the same hashtag in the same period.

10,200 people over a seven-day period is a relatively tiny number of people. It is equal to about 0.5 per cent of the national population and is a small fraction of the million people who, for example, buy a newspaper (or several newspapers) over the same seven-day period.

Knexsy also found that the number of individual accounts using the #vinb and #rtefl tags was less than 10,200. And it found that there was a “high incidence” of individual accounts using both #aras11 and either #vinb or #rtefl.

In other words, there were probably no more than 15,000 people engaging in discussions about the presidency using those tags.

This does not, of course, mean that the only people discussing the presidential contest were using those tags. Nor does it mean that the reach of those discussions was confined to 10,200 people or 15,000 people -- it is possible that many more people passively engaged with those discussions by reading tweets instead of writing them.

But it also opens the possibility that there really are not that many people tweeting at all.

Officially, Twitter does not disclose how many Irish user-accounts it has. But a conservative estimate would be at least 250,000 (more likely closer to 350,000 or even 400,000).

Those who laud Twitter’s influence say that it is not the overall numbers, but the profile of the users that gives Twitter its power. Editors, journalists, celebrities and other ‘influencers’ are fascinated by the medium and use it every day. Broadcast media, in particular, are enthralled by its detail.

There certainly could not have been a more effective demonstration of this than last Monday’s Frontline programme, when a tweet read out by Pat Kenny (about a press conference purportedly to be given by a Fianna Fail donor) set about a process that may cost Sean Gallagher the presidency.

Nevertheless, Knexsy’s analysis is timely and welcome. Maybe it’s time we reconsidered how important -- or not -- Twitter is to the national debate.

Dear BlackBerry, Bubble Bash 2 isn't compensation for a week's email disruption

 

That’s it? You cut off our email and our web-browsing for three days and you offer us Angry Birds (or Bubble Bash 2, pictured) as compensation?
There must be some mistake here, Rim.
Offering a few BlackBerry apps for a day’s lost email is like offering me a ferry ticket to Swansea in exchange for a cancelled flight to Paris. I just don’t want the freebie.
Neither, I suspect, will many of the other millions of annoyed customers, whose email and internet business were seriously disrupted last week.
But don’t just take my word for it about the undesirability of your crappy offer. A BlackBerry owner is about ten times less likely to download an app to their device than an iPhone or Android owner is.
And it’s no mystery why. You, Rim, have a fraction of the number of apps that either Apple or Google have in their App Store and Market store, respectively. Those that are there often cost at least €5 each, way more than the 80 cents you spend on thousands of usable iPhone apps.
Even when you find something that looks interesting, the best you have to use it on is a small screen with a fiddly keyboard.
So you’ll forgive us, Rim, if we can’t help suspecting that you’re trying to kill two birds with one stone, here. You’re ‘apologising’ by trying to subsidise an unarguably lame part of your business.
Seriously? This is not a great way to win back friends. Especially seeing as many of your customers are on the cusp of leaving you anyway.
In the last six months alone, your BlackBerry market share in the US smartphone market has dropped from 24 per cent to 19 per cent (with Android market share going in almost exactly the opposite direction).
The same trend can be detected here in Ireland. Androids and iPhones are now becoming the default smartphones, even in conservative companies.
So spare us your mediocre apps offer, Rim. Give us a week’s free credit with our operator, instead. Better still, give us a month’s credit. It’s about the only shot you have of retaining business in the long run.

 

 

Why can't Irish education produce a Nobel laureate?

It's sad. There is little or no debate about quality in third-level education. It's all about access and free fees.

For example, how many patents do we file? How many world-class scholars do we produce? Any Nobel laureates? (And no, neither Seamus Heaney nor Brian Friel are products of the Irish education system.) How many students from abroad aspire to come to an Irish university as opposed to a British, American, French or Belgian one?

Think this doesn't matter? Tell me this, then: what university did Mark Zuckerberg go to? (Yes, that would be the guy who's increasing employment from 300 to 400 in his Dublin office.) Think someone from an Irish university is likely to found a world-beating company based on the creative/innovative environment there?

The lack of any interest in this area of Irish education -- both from political parties or from our 'sophisticated electorate' -- is a shame. But it probably reflects voters' priorities accurately. Ireland is not really ambitious. Sure, we're 'well-educated' compared to Romania and Albania. But we're not compared to Holland, Belgium and Denmark. And that doesn't even bother us: we're still kind of proud that we're not really poor and scraping and bowing before someone.

So a 'debate' on education is purely about fees and classroom sizes; it's not about producing world-class scholars, innovators or thinkers; it's about making sure middle-income people can afford two cars and two holidays because they've no third-level fees.  It's also about staving off illiteracy. (Reducing illiteracy is a proper goal, but surely not the totality of an education policy.)

What a shame.

Anyhow, here are four basic questions (to keep it simple) about education, technology (the broadband one I'm throwing in just because I'm curious) and industry I have for political parties. In a truly developed country, there would be someone running for office who would feel it's worth their while having genuine answers to these questions.

Education

1. How are colleges to improve standards (recruit top people, attract best students, create the best research) without the reintroduction of student fees or additional exchequer funding?

Avoiding-the-question answer: "We need a system that provides access to all, regardless of background." [Access to education is a different issue.]

2. At a more general level, Irish third level institutions currently trail their counterparts in leading European and US cities in innovation and achievement. Is this of concern and, if so, how can it be reversed?

Avoiding-the-question answer: "Education is a key human right for all Irish citizens. If elected, we intend to ensure that Irish students have the best facilities possible." [That wasn't the question.]

Broadband

3. Eircom wants the state to help fund a new fibre network. Do you intend to do that? (Note: that's a spending commitment.) If not, do you have a plan (or any thoughts whatsoever) on how high speed broadband should be rolled out nationally outside urban centres?

Avoiding-the-question answer: "It is our intention to ensure that all citizens have access to modern communications. [Our party] will end the digital divide." [99% of citizens already have access to modern communications, final 1% next year. That wasn't the question asked.]

Industrial priorities

4. If elected, what kind of industry development would you prioritise, and how?

Avoiding-the-question answer: "The first question we have to answer is how to get our 400,000 people working again, And that's *our* priority." [Complete avoidance of question.]

 

Why Steve Jobs doesn't have the same right to privacy as the rest of us

Steve Jobs, the corporate world's most important chief executive, has taken medical leave from Apple for the second time in two years.

Today, he circulated this email:

Team,

At my request, the board of directors has granted me a medical leave of absence so I can focus on my health. I will continue as CEO and be involved in major strategic decisions for the company.

I have asked Tim Cook to be responsible for all of Apple’s day to day operations. I have great confidence that Tim and the rest of the executive management team will do a terrific job executing the exciting plans we have in place for 2011.

I love Apple so much and hope to be back as soon as I can. In the meantime, my family and I would deeply appreciate respect for our privacy.

Steve

So that's that, yes? Just leave the man alone and let him get on with whatever is ailing him, right?

Wrong. Apple is the second biggest company in the world. Expecting investors not to enquire as to the nature of Jobs' health concerns is like asking an audience to overlook David Letterman's absence from the David Letterman Show.

Is Jobs out for a month? For 3 months? For good?

Sure, Apple has Tim Cook and Jonathan Ive, but no-one is under any illusions: Apple is the success it is because of Steve Jobs. And him alone.

A counter-argument might be: "why should investors have a right to know? If they're so worried, just sell the stock."

But Jobs uses the press ruthlessly to suit Apple's purposes. So asking it not to enquire as to the cause of his absence of the world's most important chief executive is just nuts.

The real reason Irish kids don't do science in college

Why are there so few prominent Irish tech, science or engineering firms? Why do 95 per cent of those who work in the 'tech' sector here work for companies imagined, founded, created and built by people from other countries? Are we Irish simply culturally unattuned to maths, science and engineering?

One of the oft-touted arguments for the lack of our ability in manufacturing, engineering, technology and science is that there isn't enough emphasis on maths or science in school. Therefore, goes the argument, there is a dearth in applicants for engineering, maths and scientific pursuits at third level. And thus, we have few significant Irish tech, science, manufacturing or engineering firms.

This argument is half-correct, in my view. It is missing one key component: the lack of actual interest of Irish people in these pursuits. In particular, the lack of interest of Irish parents.

The fact is that few Irish parents actually value science or maths. When push comes to shove, they steer their kids into areas such as law, arts and 'business' (ie marketing). True, many hope their kids might show an interest in medicine. But that is as close as it gets to the sciences. And even here, with the exception of Elan, can you name a prominent Irish bio-science or medical device manufacturing firm?

It's largely the same in engineering. Sure, we give out gigs to Irish firms to flatten roads or build council estates. But what happens when we need a really key piece of infrastructure, like the Luas, Port Tunnel or Metro? We simply don't have the skills. Because so few are actually interested in pursuing a career in these disciplines. And even fewer of their parents are keen.

So the next time you want to have a moan about it being someone else's fault that we have such little indigenous manufacturing, technology and science firms, ask your parents why they didn't really steer you in that direction.

Cloud computing waffle from EuroCloud Ireland

What, exactly, is EuroCloud Ireland?

Apparently, it is an organisation that has been set up by 'cloud computing' specialists to talk about cloud computing. It will also generate policies on cloud computing, advise the government on cloud computing and publish white papers on cloud computing.

There's only one thing missing: any kind of detail as to what the hell they're talking about with regard to cloud computing.

Hotmail is mentioned, but the rest of this 800 word press release is completely devoid of any actual substance.

Perhaps I'm being harsh: here's the press release for you to decide.

[BEGINS]

Dublin, Ireland: Europe's first ever cloud computing organisation has commenced operations in Ireland. EuroCloud Ireland was formed on the 1st Feb 2010 and forms part of the first European network of cloud computing communities. Eurocloud has currently been launched in 15 other European countries and is expected to be in all 27 EU states by the end of 2010. 

According to Noel Shannon, EuroCloud Ireland's Chairman, "EuroCloud Ireland aims to be a leading representative body in Ireland for the cloud computing community as a whole while working with the public to enhance its understanding of the role, capabilities and importance of cloud technologies. With an improved understanding of cloud technologies, including the various implementation models e.g. Software as a Service (SaaS), EuroCloud Ireland hopes to ensure a greater take up of cloud technologies in Ireland which in turn will improve Ireland's position as one of the world's leading smart economies.''

EuroCloud Ireland will seek members from the broad spectrum of the cloud community which will include users and product/service providers. EuroCloud Ireland hopes to position its members to be fully informed on all aspects of cloud computing usage, standards, and delivery, so they are best placed to effectively deliver strategic, high value cloud computing solutions to their clients and the public.

The growing importance of cloud computing was highlighted during a recent UK parliament sponsored debate in Westminster, Stephen McGibbon, regional technology officer in Europe for Microsoft, revealed huge figures from Microsoft's own cloud offerings - 1.3 billion Hotmail mailboxes or 40 million people logged onto Windows Live Messenger at one time.

With this huge shift to cloud technology in mind EuroCloud Ireland plans to, among other things, provide policy statements on cloud computing best practice, conduct periodic surveys to gauge how the industry in Ireland is competing effectively, use sub-groups to research specific topics and issue white papers and provide a framework where service providers can benchmark themselves against industry best practice. 

Vice Chairman of EuroCloud Ireland, Dave Feenan, is fully aware of the challenges and obstacles which face the roll out of this technology and acknowledges that "while the security and legal environment in Ireland are adequate to foster the growth and roll out of cloud based technologies, steps need to be taken to ensure that cloud technologies are deployed in a manner to ensure that our customers' security and legal concerns are catered for."

The Interim Board appointed to EuroCloud Ireland comprises:

Chairman                Noel Shannon (SiliconCloud)
Vice-Chairman            Dave Feenan (ASPEON)
Treasurer                Joe Haugh (Productful)
Legal Advisor            Philip Nolan (Mason Hayes+Curran)
Membership            Cairin O'Connor (Bolton Trust)
Standards & Compliance     John Abbott (Abbott Consulting)
Working Group Co-ordinator     Richard Bowdon (RB Consulting)
Administration            Sarah Dallaghan (Hi-Sales)

EuroCloud Ireland forms part of EuroCloud, a European network of cloud computing communities, which includes vendors and industry experts and has a presence today in 15 other European countries including: Finland, Denmark, Sweden, UK, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany and Spain.  Pierre-José Billotte, the President of EuroCloud has said that "something new is really happening in Europe. We are looking forward to supporting and accelerating the growth of cloud computing and SaaS in Europe, by providing this powerful tool called EuroCloud to our members and partners." Noel Shannon, Chairman of EuroCloud Ireland, has also been appointed as a Director to the EuroCloud Board.
Gartner, the world's leading information technology research and advisory company, in a recent study of global CIOs, found that while budgets are not really changing, technology and business priorities are, with business process improvement and reducing enterprise costs making the two top spots in terms of business focus, while virtualisation and cloud computing hog those places from the technology side.
Noel Shannon, Chairman, also notes that "EuroCloud Ireland further aims to enable and enhance the development of the next generation of added value applications by promoting cloud computing in Ireland as well as contributing to the promotion of cloud computing across Europe through its membership of EuroCloud. This will include input into the current state of the markets and future innovations, and membership of EuroCloud will become a critical exchange platform for EuroCloud Ireland across the different continents."

The problem with RTE's news website (for other news sites)

[Forgive the length of this post: it is about the future of newspapers, news websites and the increasing anomaly of RTE's online news service.]

What is the point of RTE's news website?

What is its aim? Why was it created? I ask these questions as it is RTE's commercial spin-offs, more than any other entity, that are behind the demise of newspapers' potential survival. Basically, as long as RTE puts up a news and sport website, it is very, very difficult for private sector rivals to create any kind of business model.

I should qualify this statement with two caveats.
(i) As a punter, I like RTE's website. I use it fairly regularly. I'm delighted that there is a free, well-resourced, authoritative news and sport website up there for me to look at.
(ii) I also do not think that private sector media institutions have any 'right' to exist, any more than another private sector entity. Mostly, the private sector media exists to make money. For all the fine words about ethics and standards, that takes precedence. So I shed no tears for the 'rights' of private sector newspapers, including my own.

That being said, we all need to re-examine what it is we want from a free media. do we want less newspapers, less media organisations, less diversity?

If the answer is yes, I have no problem with that. It is an entirely fair position. Arguably, there are far too many newspapers at present. In Ireland, for example, we have nine national daily titles. Nine! For a population of four million, that's probably too many.

However, we need to get this out in the open. And know this: the fewer newspapers there are, the more powerful the remaining few become. For all the bumbling and crass stories that newspapers -- especially tabloids -- produce, there is a balance struck in the competition between them.

For all the titles he owns, Tony O'Reilly is nowhere near as powerful in Ireland as Rupert Murdoch is in Britain or Silvio Berlusconi is in Italy. That is largely down to the diversity of the press and the number of titles.

But back to RTE.ie. Many people might assume that RTE's website is part of the broadcaster, funded by the licence fee. It is not. It is, in fact, a commercial spin-off of RTE. In essence, it is little difference from a private company that has won a franchise to use RTE's brand.

Why is that significant?

Because it creates a crucial difference between a public service broadcasting ethic, which is the purpose of RTE and the BBC, and just another private company trying to make as much money as it can. RTE's website arguably falls into the latter category.

What's wrong with that, you might ask?

This: the website is constantly promoted on RTE news bulletins, TV and radio shows. If you were to put an advertising value on the plugs that the commercial, non-public service RTE website gets, it would surely run into the tens of millions, annually. What is more, no other media website would be allowed even to pitch their website being plugged on the Nine O'Clock News.

Then there is the issue of the vast resources given -- for free -- to this private sector, commercial spin-off.

The RTE website runs stories, video clips and bulletins created by the licence-fee resourced public service wing of RTE. It takes some €300,000 of your licence-fee money to pay Ryan Tubridy's salary. And millions more for the news staff. This commercial entity -- RTE's website -- gets all of it for free. The vast sums that are required to fund a correspondent going to Haiti (amounts beyond the wildest dreams of any private sector entity) are written off as freebies to RTE's site.

Remember: the website is not part of RTE's public service; it is a commercial spin-off, created to make money. Keep that in mind the whole time.

At this point, you're probably thinking: yeah, yeah, we see your point. But who cares? At least we're getting some decent quality stuff online for free…
I can understand that. And, as a punter, I think it's a big benefit. But surely RTE needs to either:

(a) Subsume the website into its main organisation properly
or
(b) start asking the commercial spin-off website to pay for the astounding advertising and resources it currently gets for free, to the huge competitive disadvantage of other media organisations.

I would be happy with either outcome. However, I do not think that there is a hope hell of either happening.

One of the reasons that options (a) won't happen is that RTE would have to start paying online staff similar rates as the offline radio and television staff. At present, RTE, like some other large media institutions, classifies this work on its website as 'kind of' journalists. Despite the fact that hundreds of thousands of people read and see their work, they 'only' work for the interweb product. Which, as I have pointed out, is not 'really' RTE. It's the commercial spin-off thingy.

If you asked most people, they would probably say that they imagine that the website is "part of RTE". In other words, it is a public service, run for the benefit of the country. If it were a public service, run for the benefit of the country, no private sector could have any complaints. But it is not. Sooner or later, this is going to become an issue.

Here is the CRO News: we're working to rule

The Companies Registration Office puts out a monthly 'ezine' outlining various issues, upgrades and resolutions.

Increasingly, it seems to be more about the things it can't do than the things it can. In particular, it has begun to note all of the disruptions that will occur because of the ongoing unrest in the civil service.

Guess they're showing us private sector muppets how crucial they are to the economy by preventing us setting up new companies (which will ultimately pay their salaries).

Why Irish bloggers and Tweeters swoon when celebrities look their way

Two cases in point: George Hook and Ryan Tubridy.

1. George Hook
George is an ego-centric man who presents radio items as if he himself is part of the story. (Never more so than at Barack Obama's inauguration, where at least half of the show was about how he, himself, was feeling about it all.)
He is also fond of berating the little or the powerless guy (as I have personally witnessed). He rarely takes on powerful figures. In other words, he is a bit of an ass. Twitter-folk can see this. And they used to comment accordingly. Until, that is, George entered Twitter. Then, would-be critics started to fawn at his feet. Imagine! A celebrity! And he's talking to me!

2. Ryan Tubridy
In a fairly brutal profile piece (can't find link) last Sunday, Liam Fay described Ryan Tubridy as a "facsimile" of the talkshow presenters he aspires to imitate. In doing so, Fay concluded, Tubridy was not the new Gay Byrne, but the new Marty Whelan.
Whether this is an accurate description or not, Tubridy is clearly a bright, witty man. He is also hard-working and capable. But he plays to the mob (which is grey-haired, as he sees it) in a cringing way. Part of this act is to be sceptical of technology. Handily, this suits his audience, the majority of which are most likely over 45.
Another part is to protest about celebrities' privacy, in particular his own. He often says that  he cannot understand why anyone would be interested in his private life. The fact that he spends half his shows asking people about their private lives is, presumably, beside the point.
But sometimes, this mask slips and the act falls flat on its face. For example, I will never forget the moment where, upon learning that Amy Huberman's ancestors were Jewish, his first question to her was: "have you been to Auschwitz?" Nor the time when he asked a group of former anorexics why they couldn't have "taken up a hobby" instead of anorexia.
Many on Twitter see this side to Ryan. And they talk about it. But they won't anymore. That's because Ryan has started to tweet himself.
Yes, having spent over a year rubbishing the forum, claiming it was purely for trivia-obsessed narcissists, he has jumped on the bandwagon.
And how Irish Twitter will love it.
Now, there'll be little criticism. Only fluttering eyelashes. And claps on the back.
Bloggers and Twitterati, for all their pretensions, are no different from the rest of the mob. Thrilled when a celebrity spits on them.

How to annoy business contacts: hide your email address

Today, I attempted to email someone in the tech industry. Knowing his company website's URL, I assumed that if I simply put his first name in front of it (eg Sean@company.ie), that this would do the trick. Wrong.
"UNDELIVERABLE," tutted my 'system administrator'.
Okay, I thought, let's try firstname.lastname @ his URL. That's a format sometimes used.
"UNDELIVERABLE," shouted the sys admin, getting irritable now.
Cursing lowly under my breath, I went to the company's website to look for the email address.
30 seconds in, I realised my mistake -- this is an Irish website! There is no section on 'Who We Are', let alone individual contact details!
Off to Google, then, to search for his email address. Nothing in the first 20 results, despite plenty of mentions in associations, organisations and other vanity projects.
In the end, I had to do what thousands of Irish people end up doing: I rang the company, spoke to a receptionist and asked for his email address.
"Hold on a minute, I'll just see if I can give that out," said the receptionist. One minute on hold. Two minutes on hold.
Finally: "yes, hello? Yes, his email address is…" And I got it.
(And the combination? It was firstname_underscore_lastname @ URL. Pathetic.)
This person represents himself as an up-and-coming technology industry player. Yet he's not on Twitter. He's not on Facebook (that I can find). And his email address is not on his company's website. And his email address cannot be guessed according to the usual rules.
My advice to him? Put your damn email address on your website.

Websites' search facilities: #fail

Go into O2.ie. Search for 'Aino', which is Sony Ericsson's new phone.

Nothing there, the site tells you. Okay, search for 'Satio', another new Sony Ericsson phone. Again, nothing returned. Now go into the 'shop' section. Scroll down and what do you see? The Sony Ericsson Aino. Scroll further and there's the Sony Ericsson Satio.

Honestly, what is the point of having a search box if it doesn't work?

This is not limited to O2. Many, many times I have tried the search box on Vodafone's website to be told that they have no listings for the item I requested. Two minutes of manual searching myself and I find the item. It's a crock of crap.

And it's not just phone operators. When looking for info about Canon's new P-150 scanner (below), I went to Canon's website and entered 'P150'. No listings. Obviously the hyphen is CRUCIAL.

Why do SO many consumer/retail websites have search functions that just don't work?

"Is there anything else I can do for you today?" Grrrr...

What is the most annoying phrase that companies' telesales agents use? My vote goes to: "is there anything else I can do for you today?"

It is used by companies who want something from you, but then add this trite catchphrase at the end of their spiel to try and make out like it is they who have been doing you a favour all along (and not the other way around).

Viz:

Hello, is that Mr Weekler?
Yes.
Hello, I'm ringing to tell you that your ESB bill is now overdue.
Is it? When was it due?
It was due last week.
Oh. Okay, sorry. I'll sort it out this evening.
Fine, Mr Weekler. Is there anything else I can do for you today?
Er, no.

Hello, is that Mr Winkler?
Yes, this is Adrian Weckler.
Hello, I ringing about the collection of a Dell computer.
Yes.
Can I confirm collection tomorrow morning at 9am?
Yes.
Thank you Mr Winkler. Is there anything else I can do for you today?
No.

Hello, is that Mr Whackler?
Yes.
Hello, I'm answering your customer query regarding your domain name.
Oh yes.
What seems to be the problem?
I keep trying to log in but your site won't let me.
Ah. Have you tried the top of the page?
Yes.
And it doesn't work?
No.
Okay, we'll have a look for you.
But…
Is there anything else I can do for you today?
Hang on, I…
You're welcome. Bye.

Time to scrap local and European elections

There is one incontrovertible conclusion that can be drawn from the local and European elections: nobody took the purpose of the elections seriously.

Not the candidates, not the parties, not the public, not the media.

Consider:

1. The public, who ignored local and European issues when voting
2. The candidates, who ignored local and European issues when campaigning
3. The media, who ignored local and European issues when reporting and analysing the campaigns
4. Party political leaders, who ignored the local and European issues when giving post-election analysis (Labour leader Eamon Gilmore described the elections as a "referendum on the government" and "nothing to do with local or planning issues" on Prime Time last night).

Some media commentators have suggested that these elections should be scrapped. They are right. In my view, we should:

(a) scrap county councils or have them selected by TDs. (After all, a TD is the only category of elected person that the public, the media and the political establishment cares about.) The only exception would be if we make them much stronger, such as giving them the power to raise significant taxes locally (which they do not want).

(b) scrap elections for MEPs and have them selected by the Dail, based on party strength. If independents want to have their day, run for the Dail.

The electorate, the media and the political establishment have passed their verdict on these elections: they neither want nor care about elections about councils or the European Parliament.

Creating the next Alan Sugar is not an economic plan, Mr Cowen

Yesterday, Brian Cowen attended an Intel event. He gave the same waffley, banal speech about "the genius of our people" and "entrepreneurship" that now passes as analysis of our economic future.

"Ireland's best asset is its people," he said. "We have a younger and better-educated population than most other countries – better even than the United States. It is the creativity and ingenuity of people and their ability to invent new products and services that will drive Ireland's future growth."

Yawn.

"Entrepreneurial activity in Ireland is well above the European average, with as many as 2,800 people setting up businesses every month. As a Government, we will do our utmost to create the best possible environment for these entrepreneurs."

2,800 setting up 'businesses'? And how many of these 'businesses' are service-sector jaunts? (I'd say it's most of them.)

But here's the worst bit...

"We need to develop an enterprise culture from school children upwards, and right through the universities and institutes and throughout our companies. It should be a reasonable aspiration of all children born in this country that they might, one day, start their own business."

This sums up everything that's ill-informed about our current thinking. The challenge isn't about becoming the next Apprentice or Dragon's Den winner. Nor is it about showing that you have the toughest neck, the most persistent sales tack or the ballsiest tactics. What good is a future generation of salesmen and SME chief executives?

The goal is to produce people who can -- from their own resources -- create top-class products that other people can't create. (Then let the salesmen sell away.)

That has nothing to do with "creating an enterprise culture in school". It has more to do with rejecting the short-cuts, flash aspirations and hard neck approach that "entrepreneurship" has become shorthand for in this country.

Cowen's approach is to create the next Alan Sugar. What we should be concentrating on is creating the next James Dyson.

Just what exactly does Sogeti do?

This came in on a press release today. If anyone can decipher it, or understands what the hell the product/service is based on this description, drop me a line...

"Selected as a winner of the Outstanding Solution by a Systems Integrator (SI), awarded for excellence in the implementation of an effective and innovative customer solution enabled by IBM Rational Software, Sogeti’s Business Driven Test Management approach integrates world-class Sogeti testing services and structured methodology, together with industry-leading IBM Rational tools. This collaborative solution for quality software delivery enables clients to reduce software development costs, risks and time.  The solution is focused on the incremental benefits of industrialisation, automation and a consistent engagement approach."