Saturday, December 29, 2007

Vocaltec, George Washington Carver Middle School Students' Intro to VoIP


Remember the Vocaltec Internet Telephone? One of my ex-students from George Washington Carver Middle School reminded me of her introduction to VoIP in my Gifted Studies and English language classes around 1995. (We had some of the best principals back then.) She's chosen Internet protocol-based communications as her career, taking classes in Telecommunications to start. She tells me that no one in her class remembers Vocaltec, Cuseeme, IRC, Buddyphone, and the other VoIP (sometimes chat, video and voice) products.

Wow, I feel great. My head is so big feeling. Lol. And to think that in a conversation in the teachers' lounge that year, a visiting school board member stated that VoIP had no place in a classroom where half the kids didn't know how to read at grade level. (I'm so used to people saying things like this to me my whole life, even now, about everything I do.)

I asked the man to visit my classroom to see us reading, writing, editing, speaking, listening, and more offline and online...

I'm not a teacher anymore. Super Technologies, Inc. and DIDX has got me nabbed now since 1999. Life is good.

Thank you, Shauna, for sharing what you're up to nowadays. See you at the Florabama Make it to the Line 4 mile race!!!!

Friday, December 28, 2007

Most Popular Linux Version Gets a New CEO

The most popular version of Linux is getting a new President and CEO on Jan 1, 2008. ...

James Whitehurst was previously with Delta Airlines, Inc.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Benazir Bhutto Died from Bombing - See on Dawn News

Some friends of mine asked me to post this.

"Today an old chapter is closed. A new one will be opened. Benazir Bhtto has been killed.

Inna li allah he wa inna ilahi rajioon.

Benazir Bhutto can be seen being hit in the middle of the bombing on live video here soon. Read and hear about her life. Watch Dawn TV Live on www.dawnnews.tv..."

You'll need a broadband connection with plenty of bandwidth, less for the audio only. Peace, not war, from Suzanne.

Friday, December 21, 2007

Remember Rich Adamson, the PSTN Guru?

Know someone you respect, admire, might even butt heads with but still kick around with in the IP world at work, at play, or both? Don't wait until after they are gone to say what you think about them.

I was browsing through family, friend, and work greeting cards and letters just now and came across Todd Adamson's (of Network Partners, Inc.) thank you note to our company Super Technologies, Inc. for an Amazon gift certificate we sent his family in memory of Rich Adamson who had left us with his memory.

Rich Adamson, President of Network Partners Inc., was noted by Tim O'Reilly "for your encyclopedic knowledge of the PSTN, and your tireless willingness to share your experience. Your generosity, even in the face of daunting challenge, is inspiring to us all.[*]

[*] In December of 2006, Rich passed away, as his two-year battle with cancer came to an unfortunate end. Rich was posting on the Asterisk Users mailing list as late as November of that year. He was giving to the community right up until the end, which is why we dedicated this book to him."

Each day, I'm going to add people to this post while they are alive and kicking to let the world know the influence they've had on me.

Yasir Munir, Arslaan Ikram, Joanna Choluj, Herman DeWitt, Arshi Masood, Israel Yanez, Mr. Loganathan, and Syed Osman... gals and guys who are the best for taking a chance with Super Technologies, Inc. as some its most successful resellers and who have gone on to their own lucrative entrepreneurial careers.

The social skills examples that I need!!!! like listening, responding, educating, leading and collaborating of Tinu Abayomi-Paul (Meme buddies), Lish Siaji (shared opinions and love of dance), Ali Hadi (example of goal setting), Randy Maygarden (full of the most creative compliments), Derek Sibilia (the nerd herder), Karen Campagna (the Gators fan from Cisco), Phil Giordano (who believed in our company and our abilities early early on when others kind of laughed at us and still my good friend), Rich Tehrani (most open to innovation leader in voIP), Valdi Tchakalsky (voIP exhibit buddies), Alec Saunders (his network gets things done, I asked him to help me with one thing, and it was done immediately), Vijay Raghuraman (calm, thoughtful collaborator), Florian Serrousi (does business so naturally, smooth), Joann Varello (dynamite conference industrialist), Ramla Aktar (word wizard), Jeff Heubo (a natural warm fun style of interacting with people), Scott Brown (who's at every voip event, educational and marketing types, inspires me to learn more... will you share with me your knowledge, Scott?), Rehan Ahmed (guts of steel, heart of gold, ideas galore), Zale Tabakman (most tolerant and helpful educator), Michael Bowen (mental/physical health mentor and sweetheart), Paul Gruber (a natural leader and facilitator), Arfeen Muhammad (calm even in the most devastating "storm"), Jose Encabo (knows how to work a conference exhibit, wow!), Muneeb Iqbal (dedication and intuitiveness that rivals everyone I know and he's a few months younger than my son!) ... not too shabby of them. ;-)

Oh, and all those guys on the Asterisk-Biz list and in the open source community that "dis" and make fun of DIDX, my colleagues and me... just the juice that pushes us to get better and never satisifed with anything else. Thank you, Asterisk-Biz, and thanks to Know someone you respect, admire, might even butt heads with but still kick around with in the IP world at work, at play, or both? Don't wait until after they are gone to say what you think about them.

I was browsing through family, friend, and work greeting cards and letters just now and came across Todd Adamson's (of Network Partners, Inc.) thank you note to our company Super Technologies, Inc. for an Amazon gift certificate we sent his family in memory of Rich Adamson who had left us with his memory.

Rich Adamson, President of Network Partners Inc., was noted by Tim O'Reilly "for your encyclopedic knowledge of the PSTN, and your tireless willingness to share your experience. Your generosity, even in the face of daunting challenge, is inspiring to us all.[*]

[*] In December of 2006, Rich passed away, as his two-year battle with cancer came to an unfortunate end. Rich was posting on the Asterisk Users mailing list as late as November of that year. He was giving to the community right up until the end, which is why we dedicated this book to him."

Each day, I'm going to add people to this post while they are alive and kicking to let the world know the influence they've had on me.

Yasir Munir, Arslaan Ikram, Joanna Choluj, Herman DeWitt, Arshi Masood, Israel Yanez, Mr. Loganathan, and Syed Osman... gals and guys who are the best for taking a chance with Super Technologies, Inc. as some its most successful resellers and who have gone on to their own lucrative entrepreneurial careers.

The social skills examples that I need!!!! like listening, responding, educating, leading and collaborating of Tinu Abayomi-Paul (Meme buddies), Lish Siaji (shared opinions and love of dance), Ali Hadi (example of goal setting), Randy Maygarden (full of the most creative compliments), Derek Sibilia (the nerd herder), Karen Campagna (the Gators fan from Cisco), Phil Giordano (who believed in our company and our abilities early early on when others kind of laughed at us and still my good friend), Rich Tehrani (most open to innovation leader in voIP), Valdi Tchakalsky (voIP exhibit buddies), Alec Saunders (his network gets things done!), Vijay Raghuraman (calm, thoughtful collaborator), Joann Varello (dynamite conference industrialist), and Ramla Aktar (word wizard).

There are more I've just met or known forever such as Jeff Heubo (a natural warm fun style of interacting with people), Scott Brown (who's at every voip event, educational and marketing types, inspires me to learn more... will you share with me your knowledge, Scott?), Rehan Ahmed (guts of steel, heart of gold, ideas galore), Zale Tabakman (most tolerant and helpful educator), Michael Bowen (mental/physical health mentor and sweetheart), Paul Gruber (a natural leader and facilitator), Arfeen Muhammad (calm even in the most devastating "storm"), Jose Encabo (knows how to work a conference exhibit, wow!), Muneeb Iqbal (dedication and intuitiveness that rivals everyone I know and he's a few months younger than my son!) ... not too shabby of them. ;-) My Dad and Millie for believing in my abilities and for being impressed like no one else. A visit with them is better than a vitamin shot. My sisters and brothers for their steady line of communication and their willingness to do any small or huge thing to help me.

Wait! Omer Azeem, thank you for turning on the light to the fact that even the negative experiences we can be thankful for. Exactly! The Asterisk-Biz list rocks in its small percentage who have "dissed" and made fun of DIDX since its inception. Just makes us care more about serving the 8000 or so "telcos" using it better than ever.
Will add more on another day... I'm honored to have met you all and want everyone to know.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Entrepreneurs Love Publically Available API

Publish yours by adding your API URL here as a comment and/or feel free to add it also to the Facebook group Web 2.0 (Entrepreneurs) at http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=2208499259&topic=4575.

Chao! Gotta run.

* Note added on Dec 21, 2007, 6:47 AM CST. Publicly is the usual spelling; publically does occur, but rarely in Edited English. Even so, I will leave the spelling as "publically."

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Your 2008 Calendar Wants You

2007 rocks! But 2008 is aching for you to create it, to make it what you want it to be. Get your calendar out because here we go...

Want to learn, share, collaborate, sell, buy, partner, develop about anything over Internet protocol? So, you've heard about voice over the net and that the quality is usually better than cellular? Rumor has it that you can get a local phone number in that city on the other side of the world... so you can finally establish a presence there and start providing to those in that local area what you have...

You are an expert. Take that expertise to where the action is at these Information Technology, Social Media, Business/Social Networking, Voice over Internet... Web 2.0 events. Some are free. Some offer great discounts, and they are all over the world. Don't waste natural resources and time...

Events that DIDXchange (wholesale global direct inward dialing phone number marketplace on the net of 7900+ traditional and web 2.0 companies providing IP communications services) sponsors, recommends, exhibits and participates in are at http://www.didx.net/events.

Specifically speaking...


1. Jan 9-11, 2008 at NTCA Wireless Symposium

Add yourself to the Facebook event next.

2. Jan 23-25, 2008 at Internet Telephony Conference & Expo East 2007
DIDX is a media sponsor and exhibitor.

Add yourself to the Facebook event next.

3. February 23-26, 2008, VON Mexico & Expo Comm Mexico 2008
Media Sponsor, Mexico City
http://www.von.com/2008/mexico/web/

4. Feb 24-27, 2008 at Comptel's Spring 2008 Convention & Expo

Add yourself to the Facebook event next.

5. Feb 27 - March 2, 2008, International SIP Conference, WIMAX Summit 2008
Paris, France
DIDX is an association sponsor.


6. Mar 12-14, 2007 at Emerging Communications (EComm) 2008

Add yourself to the Facebook event next.

7. Mar 17-20, 2008, Von.x Spring 2008 & Digium Asterisk World 2008
Enter DIDX priority code for free & discounted passes... San Jose, California.
DIDX is a supporting organization sponsor and an exhibitor.

Free expo pass

$100 off the valuable full conference pass

8. April 2-4, 2008, A conference named Bob 2.0
Social networks and open source developers mash-up, Stockholm, Sweden

9. April 23-24, 2008, Interop Russia
Interop Moscow 2008 makes you succeed!
DIDX is a media sponsor.

10. June 2-5, 2008, VON Europe
Next Generation Networking
DIDXchange is media sponsor and exhibitor, Amsterdam, Netherlands

11. June 16-19, 2008 at NXTCOMM 2008
DIDXchange: Media Sponsor and Exhibitor.
The ICET Universe Expands!
Las Vegas, Nevada.

Add yourself to the Facebook event next.


12. August 5-7, 2008 at Cluecon 2008
Open Source Telephony Developer Conference
Chicago, Illinois

Everyone has a right to be in the know about technology: government, consumer, wholesaler, provider, channel agent, you and me. Let's save a few trees and cut back on wasted fossil fuels and you and I Suzanne Bowen and the rest of the world meet all at once in the world's most exciting conferences, expos and symposiums.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

DIDX Member Needs a Hosted White Label Fax to Email Solution

A good friend of mine needs a hosted white label solution that will let him offer Fax to Email and/or Email to Fax for his customers. Please respond to me on Facebook, so I can introduce you to each other easily. The solution cannot be in alpha or beta stage. Must be ready for seamless public rollout!

Must Beat Katie Holmes' NYC Marathon Time

In my last blog post, I said am not that competitive against anyone but myself, but I must beat Katie Holmes' 5 1/2 hour New York City Marathon time.

Over salad and French fries the other day, my husband and I discussed the Jacksonville Bank Marathon coming up this weekend. Michael, I and 11 others on the Emerald Coast Racing Team are scheduled for this 26.2 miles of running. ;-) I stated that I thought it would take me perhaps 4 1/2 hours to run it. I definitely would be embarrassed if I couldn't do better than Katie Holmes' 5 1/2 hour time. Oh, that's so petty of me. Then, I thought, what a waste of time. Can't I accomplish something besides the determination to beat someone?

Here was my decision after more debate with Michael over the issue. I will donate $1 to the Multiple Sclerosis Society for every minute less than 5 1/2 hours that I take to run the Jacksonville Bank Marathon time December 16, 2007.

I'll post my time here as soon as I can lift a finger next week. I invite anyone to donate the same amount to the non-profit organization or charity of their choice. I would really like to list the names here of the individuals and companies who participate in this ad hoc opportunity I'm proposing. To start... the following have already committed.

1. Michael Bowen my husband and Emerald Coast Racing Team with their match going to the Multiple Sclerosis Society

2. VoIPFunTimes to the American Cancer Society

3. Around 8 anonymous participants (all with either social/business networking companies or voIP/anything over IP companies) who I am trying to convince to let me post their name or at least company name here! Come on!

4. Super Technologies, Inc. and I don't know the the non-profit organization or charity they have chosen

5. Lisa Johnson, professional investigator, donating to the American Cancer Society

I actually like what I know about Katie Holmes which isn't much, but anyone who can finish 26.2 miles in 5 1/2 hours and then go out in stilettos that night and dance? Whoah!

... Dec 17, 2007, the day after the marathon... my time was 5 hours and 4 minutes. Some will say I was running this recreationally, but I know better. It's difficult to walk, but thanks to all 12 companies and individuals $288 total will be donated to a few charities and nonprofit organization. Some videos that Petra Romberg took are at http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=6576DFCA9F5B8424.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Collaboration among Competitors? Why not?

Competition is that ongoing process of being doggedly determined to better my own PB. I am happier when I do not compete with anyone but myself and I am a tough critic and competitor for myself. (Sure, some of you have the same problem. ;-)

Collaboration is that ongoing process of making anything at least more satisfactory if not more wonderful than it was before with as many people as possible involved.

I prefer collaboration over competition in regards to my family, friends I have, friends I haven't met yet, colleagues, business partners, and customers. Collaboration is more of a challenge, and a challenge is what keeps me energized and happy. Collaboration forces me and you to replace some of the negative, painful emotions and judgements that often accompany competition (like jealousy, revenge, and haughtiness) with hopeful, confident, positive emotions and judgements.

Once someone asked me, "Who is your favorite person among...?"

My answer, "That just doesn't fit well on me. What's your next question?"

All of the above explains why I am fascinated with the concept and reality of DIDXchange. Thank you to the inventor Rehan. Thank you, to all the future-thinking Internet protocol communications companies and/or those who use them, for believing in the concept of collaboration among competitors.

Friday, December 07, 2007

VoIP Fans Attend Conferences & Expos to Save the Earth

So, your company is in the VoIP industry or are just interested in using Voice over Internet for its superiority over plain old telephone service in expanded free features, flexibility, scalability and great pricing. What is one of the greenest methods of finding what you need? Cut down on wasting resources. Make one trip, instead of multiple trips. Get it all done in one location.

One of the best means? Gather where the brightest minds like yours are in one geographical location where you network with others to observe/provide live demonstrations, tour pertinent websites, share the latest innovative inventions, listen to the experts, buy (yes, buy!!!!) and sell your products and services.

(Now, you know why our company sponsors and participates in so many different IT-related conferences.)

The next "Got to Be There" conference and expo is Internet Telephony East 2008. DIDXchange announces its exhibit # 934 and media sponsorship via its blogs and DIDX e-blasts, newsletters and announcements at Internet Telephony East Jan 23-25, 2008 in Miami, Florida. Representatives will be in Miami from Jan. 22 - 26. Email sales@supertec.com for meeting appointments regarding our and your exciting business development during non-expo hours.

Expo hours are...

Wednesday, January 23 Welcome Reception in Exhibit Hall
6:00 - 8:00 pm
Sponsored by: Aculab

Thursday, January 24 Exhibit Hall Open
11:30 am - 5:00 pm

Networking Reception in Exhibit Hall
4:00 - 5:00 pm Sponsored by: Ontario Canada

Friday, January 25 Exhibit Hall Open
11:00 am - 2:30 pm

*** INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & EXPO East 2008 Will Offer TMC University's SIP Certification Course for Service Providers

Aculab to present conference session titled Future Trends in IP Communications at Internet Telephony Conference & Expo East 2008

Sign up today to attend at http://www.itexpo.com.

Then, login to your Facebook account (free), go to Events and join the INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & EXPO East Jan 23-25, 2008 Miami, Florida event. This will give you exponentially more opportunities to start networking now for maximum use of your time in exciting Miami, Florida in January 2008!

It's easy being green.

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

I'm Sharing a Secret How you Can Influence Others Free

I'm dancing with joy as usual (at least in my head) but more than ever at this moment because I found a super strategy I want to share with you to influence others, publish your knowledge and views, and to collaborate with and learn from the best in your industry.

What's the secret? Blog Friends on Facebook! I added the Facebook application about two months ago, and it is one of my favorites. (Others I like are Scrabulous, Free Conference Calls, Traveler's IQ Challenge, ILike from the same guy who runs Garageband, Truphone, Myphone, FWD's Voicemail and there are more, but I'll stop there.)

Bloggers around the world, those I know and don't know, when you invite friends to add the Blog Friends application, they automatically become "Fans" of your blog and see your posts by preference in their "River." This "River" showcases your posts on their profile box for all their friends to see.

Better still than this, though, people who are "Fans" of *your* Fans will also get your posts in their "River," so you get exponentially more reads of your posts for each Blog Friend you add!

In this short period of time, I've used Blog Friends, I've got 40 "Fans." *Quantity isn't the exciting part here. It's the quality that turns me on. Every "fan" is linked to me because of shared interests. I'm also a fan of their blog.

An effective way to get new "Blog Friends" is to link to the application from your blog, along with your own explanation of why your readers might enjoy Blog Friends.

Here's the link you need: http://apps.facebook.com/blogfriends ... I believe in collaboration EVEN AMONG competitors. My company Super Technologies, Inc.'s DIDXchange is an example that proves this part of our mission.

Influence? You can all have it. I don't want to keep it to myself. ;-)

... Some of the text above I quoted directly from a Blog Friends email update.

*Note: A person can be proud to have the most friends, fans, cars, houses, etc. etc.... no problem, but but but, what is quality of those relationships, those items? Quality is what matters more to me.

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Invitation to quiet, powerful YOU: Von.x Spring Mar 17-20, 2008

The VON.x brochure is available at http://www.von.com/2008/sanJose/pdf/brochure_ent.pdf!

March 17-20, 2008 in one of my favorite cities on earth, San Jose, California, you and I will be among those focusing on the applications that are "driving the market in next generation VoIP, wireless, video and data services." We won't be left out of the best kept secrets of the real changemakers. "This year at Spring VON.x, we will analyze and talk about new developments, technologies that drive the industry and application ecosystems delivering new services, along with discussion on the open API's that set these application platforms apart."

A teleconference or video conference rocks when you and I get to be in touch over the Internet for business and social collaborations. Communities and services that encourage and provide support for mashups like Facebook, Del.icio.us, Reddit, Technorati, Digg, Blog Friends, DIDXchange, eBAY, and Linkedin are super methods of collaboration, but it rocks to sit down for a physical face to face coffee, cocktail, meal, workshop, reception or party at any of the world's most important, prestigious and relative industry conferences or expositions! And I prove it with scores of video and pictorial documentaries.

At Von.x in San Jose, "companies like Digium/Asterisk, Skype, Amazon, BEA, IBM, SUN, Google and new players from the world of Web 2.0 and mashups, have worked to create third party development opportunities that promise to disrupt current business models. These development environments and successful company models are signs of resurgence in communications services, and will only add to the value of the service providers and infrastructure players that have helped to make VON.x what it is today."

We might be quiet, you and me, but we are silently rocking the face of the net to make happen for the users what they want and need. We don't have to be rockstars or software developers to do such a thing! I want to see you at Spring Von.x March 17-20, 2008.

Enter the priority code DIDX to get free and discounted passes!

Or, to make it simpler for you...

On this page... http://www.didx.net/von2008


Please add 2 more lines under where it says...

Click here for more detail.

To register for your FREE Expo pass, click on the following link:

Expo: https://register03.exgenex.com/gcmregister/index.aspx?C=70000072&M=50000058&sc=DIDX


To receive an additional $100 off Full Conference pricing, click on the following link

Conference: http://register.exgenex.com/gcmregister/gcmregister.asp?C=70000072&M=50000059&sc=DIDX



(I have quoted directly in some sections of this post from http://www.von.com/2008/sanJose/web/.)

Saturday, December 01, 2007

Isn't there More than VoIP? How about SoIP?

What are we?
VoIP professionals?
VoIP geeks?
Professional VoIP geeks?
VoIP professional geeks?
Internet Protocol communications business owners?

During a conversation with my Dad recently he asked me how our voIP business is going. He wanted to know if I was still working 60+ hours a week and what else was I doing to stay human? I mentioned that I spread those 60 in a very creative way, here and there from Sunday through Saturday. He laughed and said, "So when are you going to start providing scent over Internet?"

...

I remember my family sprawling all over the living room or the front porch to listen to my Dad (who was an airplane mechanic in the United States Navy, had a religious degree, and was a church of Christ minister later) read or quote poems, stories, or religious scriptures. One Christmas Eve we asked him to quote the 'Twas the Night Before Christmas," with us. So he starts off...

I think that I shall never smell
A poem as lovely as my children.
My child whose sweaty palms are prest
Against their Daddy's big manly breast;
My child that smells like Koolaid all day,
And folds his grimy hands OKAY;
My child that may in reality wear
A nest of mud pies in her hair;
Upon whose snotty nose he's blown;
Where a skunk doesn't feel alone.
Poems are made by fools like Daddy,
But only peppermint and stinky shoes can make a child.

He never did quote 'Twas the Night before Christmas that night, but we did revise that poem several dozen times, laughing until we thought we'd pass out. That was also the first time I had a long conversation with a group of people about scent and its effect on others, how we come to think of a scent as good, bad or neutral. Is it learned, innate, or a combination of both? We wondered that night if we could invent a way for someone in another area of the world to experience a scent remotely, and if so, could that be used as a weapon, as a way to talk someone into doing something, as a way to change someone's opinion about a matter, as a way to share smells we've all never smelled before? (Anyone in social media interested? Google? Yahoo? IBM? Microsoft? Digium? Or is South Korea the only one working on it, and I'm the only Quixote talking about it?)

... I've got to take the eight pairs of my husband's running shoes out on the front porch to air now. Phew! The ultimate weapon of mass destruction.