Monday, July 7, 2008

Envying political advertising

Several month ago, even started last year, appears politic advertisement from several figure: Sutrisno Bachir with his adv jargon “Hidup adalah perbuatan”—“life is act”, Wiranto with his critics to demand fulfillment of president SBY promise (not raising gas price), and Prabowo with his adv serial “Dukunglah Petani Indonesia”—support our farmers. Advertisement that displayed on television of course necessitating huge budget (if estimated 1 time priced 30 mil rupiah), so in 1 day using 300 mil, and total per month 9 milliard. Its a minimal account, because there’s adv that displayed at prime time with higher price. And from 12 July 2008 we’ll see many more political adv like these, because campaign period officially started. Is people become boring and even antipathy to those adv that insist to entering daily life of Indonesian people? The answer is maybe yes. Because those adv is like temporary sweet of candy, that often only able to promise and yelling, talk big, but avoid and blunder when its time to demand to fulfill. Maybe its more wise to using that huge budget to empower grassroots people, who cant find help from official agency. But those politicians using their own money. So, what the point? Maybe we have to be more wise. And open hearted to see that money vanishing and only being enjoyed by advertising agency and broker. And hope that blind-deaf politician will hear our heart-voice.

Where you hide, demonstration of oil-rising-price?

Its have been 44 days after gas price rising in Indonesia, and now demonstration to resist that policy begin vanish from TV screen (maybe we can seldom intentionally found in streets or campus but the meaning is far from clear). Police began to arrest people who accused mastering the anarchic-chaos demo several days ago, a chief of Indonesian intelligence agency accusing ones who contrary to government as “sontoloyo” (its mean exclamation of disapproval or dislike, like damn you!). Its maybe because people became apathy and passive to face severe daily difficulty, their acute poverty, or students became weary and worried chasing target of their university deadline, abandoned thesis, or maybe student act’s image—that intentionally by certain party making anarchic image. Where you hide, demonstration of oil-rising-price? Hope this not made state feels its victory, and more confident to launch policy that blind to grassroots people, to their suffering, oh poor proletarian. We’ll wondering, if people fate will be same as mbah marhaen, that his grave neglected and forgotten?

Sunday, July 6, 2008

National Education Network, IT for Education

If we watching TV's adverstiment recently, there is a adv by Adi Bing Slamet, which describe how the headmasters needn’t meet together for meeting. They are just sit in their offices and online talking via Teleconference. All of that allowed by network technology (Intranet, Internet). That Indonesian Education network called Jardiknas (National Education Network - with website www.jardiknas.org.)
National Education Network is a network (in form of WAN-WIDE of Area Network) connective national scale education thousands of education institution in Indonesia angle. Blazed the way since September 2006, National Education Network opened by President Yudoyono on 14 March 2007. this network have 4 zona, namely National Education Network Office On duty / institution (Diknasnet), National Education Network College ( INHERENT), National Education Network Go to school the (Schoolnet), and also National Education Network Learn and Student ( TeacherNet and StudentNet). In this time, National Education Network represent the network ICT (Information And communication tecnology) biggest of Indonesia, reaching entire or town of 33 province in Indonesia.
By National Education Network, go to school and institute the other education can each other convert the data and information, and exploit the fitur like phoning free of charge via VOIP, video conference, learn the long distance, system center the data, web hosting and server, and also enamel service ( user@diknas.go.id). Each school even get to access the conducive internet always incircuit to network. Network technician in every school ( Diknas give the opportunity of student to become the network technician), teacher, student, and education mankind can access to develop the database Education. Important Resource And content like materials teach (especially which interaktif / multimedia), study method nowadays, database of number of mains of national student, database go to school and, teacher database, can be managed and exploited with. For the infrastructure of its, PT Telkom showed by Depdiknas have developed and provide the network of Virtual Private Network-Internet Protocol ( VPN-IP) in 441 town of Indonesia. Bandwith utilized for the National Education Network of equal to 200 Mbps, what its distribution to schools use the Speedy Broad-Band Access.
For the zona of college, media access used is fibre of optic and satellite, network capacities ( bandwith) 2 Mbps to 155Mbps have, technology STM-1, VSAT IP Dedicated or Leased Line. Office Zona On duty / institution, with the media of optic fibre, wireline and satellite bandwith 256 Kbps to 2Mbps have, technology to MPLS,
VPN IP, and VSAT. Zona go to school, hence wireless and wireline, by bandwith 64 Kbps to 1 Mbps, technological of AD-SL And Wireless 2.4 Ghz. While zona learn and student, using seluler and wireline, 32 Kbps to 384 Kbps by ADSL, 3G / UMPTS, GPRS,
SDMA, Dial Up.
Infrastructure and its Operational of course require the fund, what is by
Mendiknas Bambang Sudibyo allocation for the price of Rp. 42 triliun or about 11,2 percentage of APBN 2006. Headmaster, teacher, Arrange the Effort, and student have to be chummy and skilled of Information Technology ( IT), hardware good ( dekstop / laptop by various peripherial like webcam, projector, etc.) and also various application like office, internet (browsing, searching, downloading), e-mail, chatting, video chatting (telekonferensi),
milis, web / blog, network treatment, and fill the content. For that, Diknas continued to perform a the training to Headmaster, Supervisor of school, Teacher, Employees, an Iibrarian.
With the network and access this internet, school can provide to access free of charge through the computer lab or antenna; wifi. To build the lab. Computer, year 2008 government of fund allocation of Rp 1 Trillion, each Rp 500 milliard for the High School the / Vocational high school and Rp 500 milliard for the Junior High School.
Require to be blazed the way also cheap program laptop ( one example of laptop ASUS of EEE) to student and teacher so that can access the wifi provided by a school. Access to this IT of course enrich the information and technological science which is there no in textbook.
If this run better and include entire education community till cloistered, Indonesian it is not impossible will born the entrepeneur TI like Sergey Brin and Larry Page (founder of Google Ins.) its erstwhile even also early its experiment from campus duty. In consequence, constraint like electric current problem (around 30% of indonesian schools not yet been electrifying), also domination of all teacher to English which still weak, becoming our Homework.

(Ernawati Tiastiti Lupitosari, Student ID number: 200704015)
Note: it's actually my article published at Kedaulatan Rakyat (Yogya's newspaper) that have been translated by student from UNSA--all translation is translator responsibility :)).

Saturday, July 5, 2008

New Choice: Small but Cheap Laptop

For everyone who love to mobile, laptop’s size and weight become important factor. Small form factor’s laptop will easily carried with small backpack and easy to bring along. Lighter weight mean that we’ll save the energy to bring it, especially if the owner is a news reporter that have to move swiftly without burden of heavy gadget.
However, small laptop (maximal screen size 12 inch, weight less than 2 kg) commonly priced more expensive compared with bigger laptop, with same specification. But that difference (I think) justified with more difficult production process and mobility factor.
So, for you that wish a small and cheap laptop, there’s good news. Recently many small and cheap laptop emerge at the market. With 7” to 10” screen, these laptop priced 3 to 4 million rupiahs. The pioneer at the market was Asus with trade-mark eeePC, and followed by Zyrex with it’s Anoa and Ubud, and Axioo with it’s Classmate.
From OLPC to UMPC
The emergence of mini-laptop can be traced from Prof. Nicholas Negroponte—computer expert from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) idea. He propose idea called OLPC (one laptop per child), namely laptop donation program for under-developed country’s children. The aim is to enhance technology usage for poor children that unable to access technology. With cooperation with several computer vendors, he designing laptop with several characteristics: cheap, durable, mini size suitable for children, and also adapting remote area condition with no electricity, so this laptop designed with pedal-movement as a power source. Laptop entitled XO with 100 dollar price then distributed to target children with the help of donor organization.
then, Negroponte ideas get a response from other vendor for commercial market, although the price rise up to 200 dollar. One of “early bird” vendor are ASUS. Taiwan’s computer manufacturer launching eeePC, in Indonesia priced from 3 to 4 million rupiah. Product that entering Indonesia at the end of 2007 received positively by market, that stimulating other manufacturers to follow.
indeed, small form factor, previously priced expensive—example ultra mobile (UMPC) computer, prices from 7 million. UMPC’s Line product, example Kohjinsha, Fujitsu Lifebook, Toshiba Libretto, or Sony Vaio have excellent performa compared with regular laptop or high-end PC, so naturally expensive priced. The technology also contribute to this high price, for instance touch screen, rotatable screen, more strong and durable casing, shock protection mechanism, etc. so, for one who want this UMPC mobility, but price-sensitive, cheap-laptop offer ala eeePC is a great chance.
Just for Mobile User, not Power User
Beside for entry-level and children, these mini laptops are suitable for mobile user, or as second laptop. Beside small and low weight form factor (less than 1 kg), onboard wifi feature enable us to internet surfing wherever we are—as long as there hotspot wave. Its ULV (ultra low voltage) series processor that save power, so the battery can last approximately 4 hour. Its storage with NandFlash (static memory) technology, that more shock and impact resistant compare with static harddisc. Moreover Zyrex Anoa designed uniquely with carrying handle, strong and ergonomic design, equipped with water-resistant cover.
however, for power user, a.k.a. big and heavy application’s user, as graphics application (video editing, 3D, CorelDraw), these laptop unsuitable with them. first, relative small storage capacity—NandFlash 2 or 4 GB. Even is using Harddisk (example Zyrex Ubud), its capacity only 30GB. Second shortage, its processor less powerful, with speed between 900 MHz to 1,2 GHz, without L2 Cache, or when equipped only small capacity (example Zyrex Ubud 128KB). third, there’s no optical drive.
Now, if you want to chose these products, plan to preparing additional budget to upgrade RAM, buying external hardisk (via USB connection) so you ease to install more application and saving file, also buying external optical drive if you need it.

(Note: Indonesian version have been published at Kedaulatan Rakyat Newspaper -- search at www.kr.co.id)

Book-marketer (the legend continues...)

He told me that he just started book-marketing business last two weeks, entitled edu pustaka (interestingly, almost similar with my edu-laela), and he just only have one link, namely social-agency kaliurang (Kaliurang Street 13th KM). He only have a little information about book-marketing things, and when he offer books to gramed-sudirman being refused because he’s only have 2 title (minimal 10 title, he said—its because bookstore only want to receive big and serious distributors). Previously as an administrative worker on an health NGO (if I’m not wrong its hear like lehas or else, maybe lembaga studi kesehatan—institute of health studies). He said that because project or funding became less fluent, so its influencing his income cash-flow (but maybe it’s not only his reason to quit)—even work at NGO have developed-countries remuneration standard—made me recall layout project at lakpesdam, Jakarta, so, with the support from his sister that work at gramed—he entering book-entrepreneur world, that even small but have future opportunity to became bigger and better, different with if we work to a institution. He planned to marketing to semarang, because his girlfriend is from semarang, and surprisingly her house was at gergaji (balaikambang!) area behind central java police station (remembering me when several years ago there I spent a week to join university test (with my old friend saifur and one friend). He planned to offer gramed and merbabu, and I also suggest him to entering tiny bookshop ala shopping jogja, with cash-tempo-cicil-returnable system, but must selecting trust-able owner. Finally he bring 8 title with total 20 exemplars (except mufasir), he bring big black plastic bag but I think didn’t accommodate the weight, so I give him printer pixma 1600’s box (from grafindo if I’m not wrong), strapped at motor’s backside at evening time, hope this cooperation will success with win-win solution. (noting several recent-distributors that late in payment: pati (worst), suroboyo (better). And hope depok really transfer today—update: last night checking revealed that bca account still didn’t receive fresh money, hope there at BMI—to extinguish my hesitations bout his credibility.) Amien rais…

Friday, July 4, 2008

The ARRIVAL of two BOOK-MARKETING people

I think by chance, this time I receive visitation of 2 book's marketers1 almost simultaneously.
First, came (actually appointment with him was later compared with second marketer) at one o'clock was John,2 marketing from CV Langit Aksara a.k.a. Insist Press, on the occasion of picking several books that send-mistaken by bookstore and arrive at laela.3 And as a good book's marketer, he then asking several thing about my enterprise, like where distributed, have I been attending and participating at an exhibition, etc.
And I also dig up some info about what he or his publisher done: he said he canvasser or marketing the book to gramed bookstores per-shop, that is door to door to the grameds network without the intermediary distrib.4 He said that Gramed have around 40 's the shop, and in Java area only have 3 PPR (I think: West Java, Central Java-Jogja, and East Java).5
I think its worth to do (independent self-marketing). It's a kind of my wish long time ago when still with Ishmael and several friends, but still not develop till now.6 He said that "Islam Kejawen" book I just publish have chance to good sell ("cause its marketer's point of view, I should agree J). Simple chat without drink or snack,7 I asking quest about insist press is only headed by heru prasetyo8, or there's other guy? He said that there other owners, but its position on intermediate level. He also tell about book exhibition that he often participate in it, he also bring books from other publishers.9 Recently he attend exhibition at Pacitan, with pretty good result-10 so he save my phone number, to contact when there's exhibition.
Second Marketer, named Cahyo11 that several days ago-about a week-contacting me via phone, he planned to come yesterday (wed afternoon, but unfortunately one hour before I-with family-invited by m'chid to try BBQ-rice's resto, so I canceled him and we postpone the meeting to tue afternoon about four o'clock), and he came when ddx (my wife) visiting our neigbour mbak endah-bos doni that just have a baby (second kid). He strayed in this complex, but soon he phoning masmu' and finally arrive at laela's headquarter safely. He said that he know laelapublisher from annora, annora media, a.k.a bustan that cooperate with to market his 2 title books. Next time i'll continue the story about this second marketer.12


Endnote
________
1 Istilah "pemasar" ini mengandung nilai satir, sebab biasanya dipakai oleh para praktisi MLM untuk menamai diri mereka, seperti istilah "pemasar terkaya", tapi juga-maybe-dipopularkan oleh para penulis marketing seperti hermawan kartajaya or else. Kalo para tenaga pemasaran buku sih kayaknya lebih kerap menyebut diri sebagai "marketing", atau marketer (jadi inget dengan paguyuban pekerja marketing buku jogja yang dinamai JOGMART-jogja book marketer). Jadi, pemasar digunakan dengan nada lebih ngota, higher class, sehingga memungkinkan untuk menjadi "terkaya", gtu kali ya.
2 Mengenai nama John, kupikir real namenya Joko kali yo, yang mengingatkan kepada tiga inventor "energi" yang marak belakangan ini: djoko suprapto (blue energi SBY), joko susilo (jodipati vs UMY), dan joko "entah-siapa-masmu'-lali" yang membuat alat penghemat BBM from pekuncen jogja.
3 Maybe karena nama CV-nya hampir sama dengan laela, yakni CV Lancar Entitas Litera (whalah, promosi), sebab katanya buku mereka pun pernah kliru dikirim ke LKIS, yang notabene nama perusahaannya pun hampir mirip, yakni PT. Pelangi Aksara (kalo ini rodo mentereng dikit, PeTe jare, hehe, tapi LKiS memag lebih senior, masmu' aja pernah kerjo voluntir 2 books there.
4 Lha dia kan memang dstrib juga, dengan nama CV langit aksara, meski yo alamate plek-sama dengan penerbit insist press. Ada juga percetakannya, sehingga total karyawan klo g salah ingat 16 orang, marketingnya ae ono teloe.
5 Maybe utk jakarta ia lewat distrib besar? Sebab ketoke klo PPR-nya ikut jabar, rodo kecil kemungkinannya.
6 Yo kalo dicari alasan pembenaran yo karena masmu' single fighter, just dibantu ddx ae. Jadi yo memang kudu bagi2 waktu dan energi untuk berbagai hal dari hulu ke hilir, so, kanvaster menjadi hal yang nomor keberapa, saoale cukup menyita porsi energi+waktu, kecuali klo sudah merekrut tenaga marketing kali ya.
7 Ddx kayake sih di rumah-tapi maybe g tahu klo ada tamu. Yo nasib-e itu tamu, hehe.
8 Belum perna beli ato baca bukunya, Cuma baca beberapa judul karyae di gramed jaman2 dulu maybe 2 ato 3 taun lalu. Dan sekilas baca "Astagfirullah: Islam Jangan Dijual" ternyata ia lumayan produktif nulis buku, tahun 2005 ae klo ra salah ono 4 ato lima judul. Dengan ide-ide yang lumayan bagus, meski sepenangkapan my-recent-mind kesane mbulet-mbulet ala cerocosan aktivis-peneliti-hehe, jadi inget beberapa kawan yang entah kini masih di dunia ngo-an ato maybe udah mapan jadi pegawe tetap, baik itu civil servant ato lainnya. But aniway salut dengan bos Heru, secara masmu' ra kelar2 mo nulis sesuatu sing rodo ilmiah or "berat", hehe baru sejenis "bonsai"-dengan doa semoga ide-ide ora terbonsai melulu, J. Lhawong 2 novel-horor ala eny dan supersemar-an-ora kelar, mugo2 iso diteruskan.
9 Katanya diskon 50%.
10 Sewa stand katanya cuman sejuta, event organiser-e gramed, Ke pacitan tersebut sewa mobil untuk ngangkut buku sebanyak 17 ato 19 koli gitu de.
11 Edu Pustaka, Cahyono (0274) 7912967 / 08174101752, Jl. Monjali 14, Sleman YOgya 55581
12 info terbaru, barusan ia mengambil satu judul buku lagi, yakni Interlocutor, so, semuanya ada delapan judul yang ia bawa.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Readme

Hai all...!
First, I'll explain shallow-narrow bout this blog's tittle. Wiki tell me that "Insomnia is a symptom of a sleeping disorder characterized by persistent difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep despite the opportunity. It is typically followed by functional impairment while awake. Insomniacs have been known to complain about being unable to close their eyes or "rest their mind" for more than a few minutes at a time. Both organic and non-organic insomnia constitute a sleep disorder."
By the way, I never complain my insomnia, or my family never too (first maybe, but now i think they gotta used to my habit :))
So, i still can't justify my tittle here... maybe with the course of time i'll get better conclusion.
And about ndobos, it's Indonesian languange of "buzz, or chat" or in another indonesian "omong kosong". But we'll try to fill this word with useful of maybe wiser meaning, not just wasting time, but also finding some truth with shallow-narrow-relax conversation...
Oks...