How Geekineers Celebrate Christmas?

Merry Christmas! At 8layer Technologies, Inc., when we work, we work. And when it's Christmas time, we have a Geekineer's way to celebrate it. Real Christmas for Geekineers means giving thanks to Jesus, Family Bonding, Celebrating with friends and loved ones, Time to have Fun and to bring back to community. 

Giving thanks to Jesus 
Remember to appreciate and thank God and Jesus for all the blessings and all the challenges that made us stronger. 

Family Bonding
With the whole family, let us make the most of our time through conversations and bonding activities. No gadgets for now! 

Celebrate with Friends 
Find time meet friends, especially those you haven't met in a long time. 

Entertainment and Have some Beer 
Some of us will simply play their Wii +Booze Conversations, music, good food, great company, and of course, booze! 

Bring back to Community 
There is no greater pleasure than knowing that you helped put a smile on someone's face. Let us remember our less fortunate brothers and sisters during this time.

In addition to that, let's say a simple prayer so that our critical project will be stable and that there won't be any downtime during the holiday season. 

Again, Merry Christmas to all Geekineers and your loved ones!

8 Cool things about DLSU HackerCup 2015

8 Cool things about DLSU HackerCup 2015
By:Meric B. Mara



November 21, 2015
@Henry Sy Hall,DLSU

Today is the official day for the DLSU HackerCup 2015 where students/developers/hackers gather together to have fun and to make a working software that will be beneficial for the country. This year's theme is “Open Data”. For more information about the event, please visit the ff URLs.

http://hackercup.co/
https://www.facebook.com/dlsuhackercup2015/?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/my8layeracademy/?fref=ts

What are the benefits?

1. FREE Mentors
-You can ask questions regarding concepts of your preferred software. You can ask for guidance for your project too. The mentors come from different community and they will be willing to share their knowledge with you.

2. Collaborate with other hackers
*This is a good venue to meet and collaborate with other hackers and to expand your network. This is also a good place to meet new friends in the IT industry.

3. Code, Eat & Play - Just code and showcase your talent in coding! Eat freely and play to relax. Hackathons are cool! There's Virtual Reality and Kinect that you can try and experience.


 
 

4. Freebies - Who doesn't love freebies? Get freebies from sponsors like shirts, pens and more!

5. Photobooth--An event will not be complete without a souvenir! Have your coolest and wackiest shots taken as remembrance for being a part of HackerCup event. It's FREE!

6. Ambiance — The venue is very nice! The hackers will surely be comfortable in making applications. It's very spacious and there's even an entertainment room so you all can relax and play!


7. Learn about some products from sponsors
-Network,Connectivity,Software ,Hardware and software applications. Just ask and you'll definitely learn!

8. Apps Demo is something to watch out for. You'll surely learn a lot from the product demos and presentations of the participants. Watch out also for the comments of the judges. They will help you in becoming mature hackers and in building more softwares in the future.

The clock is still ticking and we can't wait to see who will emerge as the winner for this year's Hackathon!

A Geekineer's Blueprint to Success

Christmas is just around the corner and I'm just in front of my Playbook and doing “A Geekineer's Blueprint to Success” which includes the lessons I've learned from PED and a few lessons that I've learned from my experiences, all of which are included in my Personal Action Plan. 

 In this blueprint, there are 4 questions that need to be answered. Then after, you will have a good view of your personal roadmap to success. 

First Question, Hu u? —This is where you describe yourself and your roles that should be guided by your PECS and Typology. i.e. I'm an Open Source Advocate, Social Entrepreneur/Geekineer and a Community Volunteer. 


1. Open Source Advocate I consider myself being an Open Source Advocate as my number 1 priority. My passion for anything Open Source is the reason why I’m here doing what I love. I continue to get motivated by simply being an ambassador to increase awareness and improve the perception of open source software in the Philippines and all over the world. 

2. Social Entrepreneur/Geekineer More than being a business entrepreneur, being called a social entrepreneur gives me more pride. This way, I understand that I'm not only working for myself and for a few people who work with me. Rather, I believe that what I am doing affects far more people that I can even imagine. Achieving social change will always be an important mission of my life. 

3. Community Volunteer “To provide service and make a difference in the community” will continue to be my battle cry. When you volunteer, you not only develop and strengthen your skills, you also help improve human quality of life. What greater reward could there be? 

 
Second Question, Y u?—Your essence and your vision, short term and long term, that should be SMART driven together with your strategy plan that is SCIENCE. 

“I'm an Open Source advocate and I want to spend most of my time teaching and sharing my Open Source knowledge to students and professionals. As a Social Entrepreneur, I want to architect and build software that will help my community and country to act responsibly and with sense of urgency. I want it to be the de facto or standard in research tool, feedback mechanism and incident reporting. I also want to promote geekineering which is focusing with great attention to detail on the creation, organization and management of a working software that is robust, efficient and useful to everyone.” 

 Third, What are u?—Create a framework that will describe what your passions are. Explain your attributes that will showcase where you're best at and what drives your economic engine that will make you happy and finding unutilized capacity around you. 

And Lastly, When will u?—This is your aspiration and success that is executed with LEAN and SIX SIGMA discipline and methodology. 


Here is the Infographics to summarize all of these. 

Shy

I think everyone has experienced being shy at one point in their lives. I, too, am shy at times. However, this is one effective tool that I use to overcome this. 

" I just make sure that I study the products and services that we offer by heart. This is so that I can answer any question confidently and assertively because I have mastered everything there is to know about our products or services." -mbm

Lessons that Start-ups can pick up from Rosing and Cita's Chicken Bacolod

Lessons that Start-ups can pick up from Rosing and Cita's Chicken Bacolod
By: Meric B. Mara

Best tasting barbeque chicken I have ever tasted! The best!
-Paul Tolentino

Last September 24-28, I visited Bacolod and met new friends, Government officials and Entreprenuers there. Our team was very busy presenting our Aksyon Sentral Software. The most important experience for me there was that I surely learned a lot from that visit.

I want to share the story of one entrepreneur that I met and interviewed. She is Ms. Vicvic Capote. She is one of the owners of Chicken Inasal House called "Rosing and Cita's".  Every night, once we finish our presentation, we always go to Manokan Country, a famous place for good Bacolod Chiken Inasal and have a good dinner there. I decided to interview Ms. Vicvic because I want to learn more about the  food industry and I also want to learn from their experiences and probably someday, I can also have a food business too.

Company Background:
Company Name: Rosing/ Citas
Description: A Chicken Bacolod house that is located in a famous Manokan Country of Bacolod.
Owner: Ms. Vicvic Capote/30 Years old
Number of Year in the Business: 45years
Price: Inasal is 70 Pesos
       (SET) Inasal,Rice and Softdrinks is 100 Pesos    



I asked Ms. Vicvic what drives her in doing the business? She just simply said to me that she wants to continue the legacy of her Lola (Lola Rosing Logador) who is famous in raising and selling poultry. She is  a very passionate cook . She believes that their recipe is very unique and that her persuasion skill and self-confidence will bring her and her family to success.

I also asked her the most important insight about entrepreneurship that she can share with aspiring entrepreneurs. And this is what she said.

Dapat focused ka, full time ka at confident ka sa tinitinda mo. Dapat magaling ka din na magkumbinsi - Ms. Vicvic Capote
(It is very important to stay focused. Make sure that you exert time and effort in everything you do. Be confident in your product because it will help you convince your customers.)

*I believe Ms. Vicvic Capote is a very confident entrepreneur. That is one of her investments and strengths. When I talked to her, I was easily convinced why their business has been going on for years. She still has a lot to learn but the eagerness is there and that is very admirable too. I believe that her strong faith, focus and determination are the factors that made her succeed. She strongly believes in herself, her abilities and products to achieve her goals. Being open to feedback is another great quality of an entrepreneur that I saw in her. It made her want to serve her customers better which will also help her with product development too.

Here are some of the lessons leaned from our interview.

=======
Opportunity-seeking
Ms. Vicvic Capote: Our store is strong especially during the time of Maskara Festival. So, for days that are not as busy, we earn money through catering. I also add other menu items such as Sizzling Dishes so we’ll have additional income. We add items that are not normally seen in an Inasal restaurant such as oysters.
Lesson: She actively looked for other opportunities that will benefit her business in periods where she knew they need it most.

Persistence
Ms. Vicvic Capote: I value our customers so I always give out free soup, atsara and discounts to my regular customers. I give 5% discount if they order food worth P1000 and up. For students, I give them special discount for set meals (from P70 to P60). And of course, senior citizens enjoy their mandatory discounts as well.
Lesson: Giving out incentives is an indicator that proper persistence is at play. Freebies and discounts are a sure way to entice customers, old and new.

Commitment to Work Contract*
Ms. Vicvic Capote: I always tell my customers that the taste of our chicken is guaranteed and that they do not need to pay if they are not satisfied. It is so heartwarming to know that they will readily pay for our food because they are sure that it is delicious and that they will have a wonderful meal in the restaurant.
Lesson: She is committed in making sure that the customers will enjoy their dining experience. This also shows her passion in the business and in growing her relationship with customers.

4. Demand for quality/efficiency
Ms. Vicvic Capote: I sometimes ask colleagues and a few students who are my customers if they are satisfied with the food. I believe that this is an important aspect in making sure that you give your customers their money’s worth. I value their opinions and suggestions so that I can improve our products and services. I would like to have proper mechanism for this so that I can fully implement a feedback system.

Lesson: Talking to your customers is an essential part of growing your service company. It will help you to assess your performance and continue the things you are good at and improve your weaknesses.

5. Risk-taking
Ms. Vicvic Capote: I always try to provide our customers with better dining experience through renovation, better equipment and others. In order to do this, we have to check our resources and the day to day operations of the restaurant so right now, we are doing it at a conservative pace.

Lesson: As per her example, she tries to counter the risk moderately in growing her business. Even if this is the case, she is aware that any business endeavor has risks and that she takes these risks seriously.

6. Goal-setting
Ms. Vicvic Capote: We set a specific goal per day. Right now, we are quite happy to reach that goal everyday. We also make sure that the rent is settled without any problems. (They need to sell 40 sets of Inasal+Rice+coke in a day)

Lesson: It is always a good idea to have a goal and look at it as inspiration. This enables the whole team to stay focused. Although they are currently not thinking their business a BIG business,  they have their own simple SMART metrics that help their business survive.
.

7. Information-seeking
Ms. Vicvic Capote: Knowledge is power so I take advantage of programs that I know I can benefit from. Currently, I attend seminars sponsored by the Cityhall concerning business matters that will help us grow and expand as well as to properly manage business operational requirments.

Lesson: At this age, information can be easily accessed. It is up to us to take advantage of it. I am happy that even at small events and seminars at Cityhalls, we can all learn new skills and knowledge.

8. Systematic planning/monitoring
Ms. Vicvic Capote: I am a very organized person. I take pride in seriously planning and managing our business. I take the lead in making sure that the place , the products and the service are in order. I have 3 professional staff who assist me in this area.

Lesson: This shows that it is always best to plan ahead. Your team will appreciate it because they know that you are meticulous and you know what you want for your business.

9. Persuasion and networking
Ms. Vicvic Capote: I listen to other professionals within the same industry. I have friends and relatives who are also in the same line of business and they tell me suggestions that will improve our food and service.
Lesson: Interacting with other professionals and colleagues is very important. This is a good opportunity to meet new customers and partners.

10.Self-confidence
Ms. Vicvic Capote: I believe in our product and so I am 100% confident that if I offer it to customers, they will enjoy it tremendously. I think this is very important because if you show trust in what you are offering, the customers will know and they will try your product and will keep coming back for more.
Lesson: Being confident will make you a good leader. It will reflect in your products, your service and how you relate to your employees.

Creativity and Innovation

For me, creativity and innovation are both great values that any organization should cultivate.. When you have the ability of thinking out of the box, it gives you the artistic freedom to create and introduce something extraordinary.

09.07.2015 #8layerMondayReminer

A Startup Guide to Entrepreneurship...the 8layer way!

A Startup Guide to Entrepreneurship...the 8layer way!
Meric B. Mara

A lot has already been said about startups and its continuing rise in numbers and how they became integral players in the tech industry and business in general today. Being a startup company years before, 8layer has something to say as well. It was said that one key attribute of a startup is its ability to grow. We are proud to say that yes, we have grown amidst difficult challenges along the way. We feel that with everything we've been through as a company, and as an advocate of knowledge sharing, it is just right that we help other startups know a few lessons we have learned.

1. LIVE AND BREATHE YOUR VISION BY HEART

The vision you have for your company is something that flows in your blood. What you see and aspire for in the future should come to you naturally, letting you act out of passion and not by force. These everyday moments fuel the dream and enhance the idea that started it all. As you try to proceed with this vision in mind, be weary of those who will not believe in you and do not be afraid to fight for what you think is right. Lastly, as we live in this fast moving world, remember to update your knowledge to continue fulfilling that vision.

2. EAT THAT FROG

“Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”

― Mark Twain

This is the quote that gave an idea to a best selling book, Eat That Frog, to end procrastination. How do we exactly stop procrastinating? I think everyone is guilty of this, at least a few times in our lives. This is a wonderful take on overcoming this bad habit. By dealing and focusing on the most difficult thing first, all other tasks would seem so much easier and you'll be able to accomplish more. Then, reward yourself after completing these tasks.

3.SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF PASSION 

When hiring people for your team, be sure to hire those who are as committed as you and who will lift you higher. Being with positive people will give you the confidence and boost to make right decisions. Developing programs and team building activities will also secure the bond of your organization as a whole.
 
4. MAKE YOURSELF VISIBLE

It has never been more important than it is today for entrepreneurs to be visible, physically and online. There are a lot of ways this could be done. Being visible and "putting yourself out there" doesn't come easy to everyone. We, ourselves, learned the importance of this relatively late. Know your strength and determine the ways you can push your limits. Pitching your business/products, attending seminars, sharing your knowledge and conducting training are just a few examples on how to make this possible.

5. MIND YOUR ATTACHMENT TO PEOPLE

I believe it is natural for us to be attached to people such as our family, friends, people we work with and admire. However, in the work environment, it is important to tread carefully and know that nothing is permanent. As entrepreneurs, it is our duty to determine if the people in our team do not fit the company and its vision and if they pull you down. We should set an example by setting them free and supporting everyone's growth. Remember to conduct a proper exit interview. 


6. SYSTEMATIC PLANNING & MONITORING

As a pioneer in Open Source in the Philippines, we pride ourselves for demonstrating strength in the areas of planning and monitoring through the use of proper tools. This enables us to measure our capabilities and make adjustments in our activities if necessary. This is also another way of tracking whether we are satisfying our customers, which is our number 1 goal.

7. MAKE PROFIT

This is the foremost consideration for most people in putting up a business. Does it come easy though? Without hard work, just like everything in life, it does not. Our idea, to become a reality and for it to continue to fuel the organization, needs to be enhanced by innovation. This is the only way for the company to grow and achieve what you have set out to do in your vision. Hiring the right people will make you go there faster. Always have an eye for expansion when the opportunity presents itself.

8. CUSTOMER IS KING

Customer is King and as such, customers are very hard to please. It is our responsibility to know and understand them so that we can give them the product and service they want and need. By fulfilling projects and exceeding their expectations, it will make them happy and they will continue to give you long-term support .

Batangas State University (BSU) FOSS Seminar

Last August 28, 120 students from Batangas State University (BSU) visited our Open Source Museum and to attend seminars about FOSS, Career in IT and Raspberry Pi.

I shared with them how Raspberry Pi is good in prototyping projects and how incredible it is to have a pocket-sized laboratory .
Aside from that, I also shared with them the Internet of Things (IOT) which I believe can be the next exciting arena these next coming months and years.

After the event, a group of students approached me if I can be their speaker for their next seminar. Of course, I said YES!

Teaching Technology and Open Source software to students is something that 8layer-Geekiners & I love to do!

Human Capital

One of the best assets of our country is the Human Capital. In the age of technology, there are lots of Filipinos that are very talented in programming, project management, security, innovation and more. Plus, the fact that there are lots of positive attributes that will help us to succeed. Doing the businness operation in the Philippines can be an advantage because we are very resourceful and there are other instututions that are willing to collaborate and help us.

HAPPY 10th ANNIVERSARY 8layer Technologies, Inc.

To competent, mature and innovative geekineers who do not break the chain. Thank you very much! I'm proud to know you and learn from you.

Happy 10th Year Anniversary to all of us!

/mbm

Happy Raspberry Pi Day!

Raspberry Pi is something very addictive. Imagine having a "pocket sized laboratory" that is very affordable, and bacause of that, fun innovation can now be limitless.

This March 14, 2015 is Rpi Day! Let's go out and celebrate with other Rpi geeks out there. Here are some points you may consider in celebrating your Rpi day.

8 ways to celebrate Rpi day!

1.Hacking Rpi & DYI- Buy or get your Rpi and start your hacking activity. If you can create your own hackathon program, that would be great. Also, if you can get some Rpi accessories, that will be a good addition for your work.

2.Share your Rpi project at Rpi Philippines https://www.facebook.com/groups/raspberry.ph/ and other Rpi community- If you have already created something that is very useful and interesting, why not share it with others? They can promote your project as well as you can get feedbacks that will be very useful for your prject enhancement.

3.Make you own Rpi Case http://elinux.org/RPi_Cases - this can be a simple and fun way to showcase your creativity.

4.Create Rpi music and share it to the public - Rpi needs an official soundtrack. Maybe you can be the "musikero" they are waiting for.

5.Teach kids basic programming with Rpi or create MINECRAFT PI http://www.raspberrypi.org/learning/getting-started-with-minecraft-pi/

6.Conduct Rpi Training to schools - Sharing what Rpi is to students can be fun and fulfilling. You can start on sharing what Rpi is and what awesome projects have been made already for Raspberry Pi.

7.Visit the Open Source Museum https://www.facebook.com/opensourcemuseum and share your rpi experience. Team geekineers have showcased an Rpi board as part of their museum. They can  also share with you some of their projects they have done with Rpi and you can collaborate with them if you have something in your mind.

8.Create an Rpi article on how you celebrated Rpi day with your friends and share it to open news and other online magazines. 8layer Open News is a good place for your article. Visit http://newsletter.8layertech.com/. They can also share your articles to some open source friends and other networks.


That's it! Happy Rpi Day!

Tools for Small Teams with Fast Moving Projects

I guess these tools will be very effective for a small organization especially if you are doing fast-moving projects that need a good management system.

1. Trello can be a good front-end tool to management TODOs https://trello.com/
2. Code Version and Control, http://git-scm.com/ or https://bitbucket.org. Branching model are something to consider and are both important. Either tool can also make dev life easy (NO USB Please)
3. Mark Down Editor- http://remarkableapp.net/ This is a good writing software documentation. It will also help you when taking lecture notes.
4. For data visualization

• http://www.dbvis.com/ 
• http://www.mysql.com/products/workbench/ 
• http://www.phpmyadmin.net/home_page/index.php --Can be good once we Enable PhpMyAdmin’s Extra Features 

5. Kill the bugs with this tracking tool. Flysprapy - The Bug Killer!  http://flyspray.org/.

Important Note: The tools will ONLY work if the team has "DISCIPLINE" and is "PASSIONATE" to make Development or Technical thing to work properly. NO Alibis!

Let's start implementing this NOW!

PS: Showcasing technical talents with modules and codes to github https://github.com will be a plus for the team.


Good Read!(Thanks to Agi)
http://simpleprogrammer.com/2011/01/08/solving-problems-breaking-it-down/
http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Time_management_for_programmers
http://agileupgrade.com/stop-wasting-time-trying-to-get-estimates-right-and-what-to-do-instead

Kasosyo POS

Free screening of the movie Blackhat starring Chris Hemsworth at Greenbelt 3 MyCinema this January 23. A special program has been prepared by 8Layer Technologies Inc. and EPSON Philippines to launch the newest POS for all of our SME and Entrepreneur friends. Learn how the next generation POS powered by EPSON's hardware can integrate your inventory, invoice and cashflow in a seamless and hassle-free system.