Monday, August 30, 2004

資訊科技業納入CEPA之後

IT is finally included in CEPA 2, but will be mean beef for the industry? [From The Sun, Aug 30, 2004]

http://the-sun.com.hk/channels/fina/20040830/20040830020013_0002.html

Thursday, August 26, 2004

選舉論壇可有網上版!

選舉論壇可有網上版!


824日傍晚,雷暴警告生效中,室外傾盆大雨,而室內正舉行由兩個資訊科技界別專業學會所主辦的立法會候選人選舉論壇。

隨着「九一二」日漸接近,這些辯論也一次比一次激烈,幸好幾位候選人都很理性,反而台下發問者卻有點忘形,圍攻之情,令筆者感到有些唏噓,正是「本是同行(業),相煎何太急」,這就是政治。

眼看這情景,離開容易,留低是難的,筆者就舍難取易,半小時後就走了。走了去藝術中心,因為早已與另一行家相約,看進念二十面體的「開咪封咪」的演出,總算找回一個歡笑的晚上

「開咪封咪」的宣傳說,投票之前必看,筆者實在認同;選議員時,大家知道立法會的職能是甚麼?基本法第七十三條說,包括依法制定、修改和廢除法徨律,審核、通過政府提交的財政預算,批准稅收和公共開支等,觀都可以在開心歡笑歌聲之中,得以温故知新。

劇名叫「開咪封咪」,宣傳標語說「天地有泠氣,夏天冚棉被」,內容當然與傳媒有關。中一段把工商科技局對台、電視、印刷傳媒電訊的發牌和監管機制,風趣地介紹出來之餘,更把業內的問題一針見血地指出來,例如電訊商多為地產商控制電台電視發牌限制多數目少,小眾內容沒有着落之處落後於如台北等地;傳媒運作保守,甚麼都說沒有市場,結果全無多元化;沒有公平競爭法,基建和傳媒都為大財,消費者沒有選擇;但流動容傳送未來將取代電視和電腦,帶來全新局面

唉,這真比那些候選人講的更直接了當,與其選舉論壇,可能資訊科技界選民去看看「開咪封咪」,說不定會更獲益良多,也可以快樂地思考一下社會面對的問題。到小眾內容,業內人士有否留意,近期藝術發展局之藝術文化網上頻道的計劃邀請?

事源藝發局與香港寬頻達成協議,推出這藝文計劃,由香港寬頻提供播送平台(寬頻及電視)、製作節目、人及技術支援等,而藝發局會與香港寬頻共同釐定藝文定位、內容方向及發展策略。香港寬頻將讓所有寬頻用户經網上免費收看節目,而該公司的用户亦可於其電視頻道觀看這些節目。

但甚麼才是藝術?藝發局將委任專業機構作執行機構,管理藝文,但又有何保障創作自由的機制?要求節目以廣東話為主,這又是否與推動自由創意、多元並存這些目標,自相矛盾?

但無論如何,計劃應該是個很好的新嘗試,電視內容,比較網台,主要困難在於製作;只有聲音的台,有些在完全缺乏外間資源情况下,竟然能達到十多位主持,每天數小播節目製作之勢。可能,下次資訊科技選舉辯論,或選後的定期業界論壇,如能「身體力行」地在網上理性舉行,應該是件好事,引導我們這些「專業人士」上收聽,以ICQ提問,卻恐怕有點挑戰。

刊載於《信報》 2004年8月26日

Saturday, August 21, 2004

IT Matters for Hong Kong

On Aug 17, 2004, the Hong Kong Computer Society, Hong Kong Information Technology Federation, Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association, and Information and Software Industry Association, supported by seventy-seven associations and organizations from the IT and other industry, and six universities in Hong Kong, jointly launched the "IT MATTERS FOR HONG KONG" campaign.

The campaign will aim to improve the image of IT and improve its usage level among the public and commercial sectors through various activities targeting all levels of society, as well as the industry itself.

Here is the communal statement of the campaign, endorsed by all 37 parties.


"IT MATTERS FOR HONG KONG"


Professionals and organisations in the IT industry are increasingly concerned with the lack of awareness and recognition, among the Hong Kong community, of the importance of IT as an essential enabler in our economic transformation and the enhancement of our quality of life. Mounting evidence include:

§ The persistent unemployment and under-employment of seasoned IT professionals
§ The bursting of the dot-com bubble a few years back which has severely tainted the professional and social image of the IT sector
§ The slow adoption of IT by our small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the backbone of our economy, despite well-intentioned efforts by the Government and other relevant organisations
§ IT-related studies at our universities, once immensely popular among matriculating students, now experiencing a draught of applicants

In view of this predicament, which if persists would lead to dire consequences for our economic transformation and global competitiveness, four representative organisations in the IT sector, have recently come together to formulate a communal statement on IT and prepare an action plan to revitalise the image and perception of an industry and profession vital to our economy and to our vision to be the leading digital city in Asia. This Statement has received the endorsement and support from six universities and more than twenty trade and professional organisations.



Information technology is the strategic asset to create societal wealth through supporting and gearing our economic transformation for Hong Kong to compete effectively in the global market.


IT is a strategic asset creating societal wealth

That IT is the strategic asset to create societal wealth in any economy is universally recognised. In Hong Kong, the Government’s Digital 21 Strategy aims to exploit and realise the full potential of IT to accelerate our transition to a knowledge-based economy, to provide the impetus to economic growth and prosperity, and to improve the quality of life for all.

In Mainland China, to meet the challenges of the rapidly changing technological, social and business environment of the 21st century, the Central Government has decreed IT as a strategic, leading and pillar industry to improve the national economy, fortify national security, enhance citizens’ livelihood and foster societal progress, and the core industry able to accelerate the national economic transformation, and to speed up the national informatization programme.

Societal wealth created by the effective application of IT extends beyond the economic benefits of revenue and profit growth for Hong Kong enterprises. There would be more quality job opportunities at all levels. Customers and consumers would be able to make more informed choices through ready access to relevant information via an innovative variety of multimedia channels. The integration of IT in the full spectrum of our education system would induce a high degree of IT literacy within our community, which is essential to realise the full potential of the electronic delivery of public and consumer services in a digital society. Bridging the digital-divide would bring forward a better quality and a higher standard of living for our citizens.





IT Gears our Economic Transformation

That IT supports and gears our economic transformation is prominently promulgated in the Government’s Digital 21 Strategy. Apart from the digital-divide in our society, today there exists a significant digital-divide among businesses, specifically between large enterprises and small/medium-sized businesses (SMEs). SMEs are missing out on the advantages of IT-enabled process improvement with ready and wider access to value-added information and services. In Hong Kong’s economy where SMEs’ role is so critical, productivity and efficiency enhancements for the SMEs through IT would be essential to accelerate our economic transformation. A major reason for the sub-optimal adoption of IT among the SMEs is the misconstrued view of IT as an optional and relatively expensive cost item rather than as an essential and value-adding operational and informational tool for business successes.

Therefore, a campaign should be conducted to propagate and instill this pertinent concept of the ‘value’ of IT among the SMEs, together with a more creative and productive approach coordinated by the Government to encourage the wider adoption of IT by these organisations.


IT Enables Hong Kong to Compete Effectively in the Global Market

That IT is the strategic asset for Hong Kong to compete effectively in the global market is supported by our excellent IT-enabled infrastructure and the expertise and quality of our IT professionals.

We have one of the most advanced telecommunications networks in the world, offering innovative and reliable multi-media services. Our mobile phone penetration is over 100%; our broadband network reaches all commercial buildings and virtually all residential buildings. Cyberport, with the recent installation of the Wireless Development Centre and the ultra-modern Digital Media Centre, is making steady progress to fulfill its objective to promote IT development through the creation of high value-added industrial clusters, That our Chep Lap Kok International Airport, our container ports, and other business services are consistently achieving the highest rankings in the world owe much of their successes to our IT-enabled infrastructural facilities. That we have world-renowned IT applications, e.g. the versatile OCTOPUS Card, comprehensive logistics support systems for our multi-modal transportation facilities, the Government-supported ESDlife portal to facilitate access to public services, and many others is the fruitful culmination of the creative design, in-depth technical expertise, project management skills and multi-disciplinary teamwork of our IT professionals working hand-in-hand with other stakeholders.

To strengthen our capabilities to compete effectively in the global market, we need to leverage and further enhance our infrastructural facilities to support our economic transformation, and to align with the needs of the technology focus areas already identified for the development of innovation and technology. It is heartening to learn that, of the thirteen strategic technology areas identified for future development in the Government’s consultation paper “New Strategy of Innovation and Technology Development” issued in June 2004, at least 10 are intimately linked to or enabled by IT.

Furthermore, to maintain our competitiveness, and as acknowledged in the Government‘s Digital 21 Strategy document, “we must have adequate and quality human resources in IT to meet the demand of a knowledge economy and specifically that of commerce and industry”. Towards this objective, we must formulate effective plans to attract quality newcomers to be trained in IT courses, the curricula of which should be relevant to the prevailing needs of our commerce and industry. Together with our seasoned and experienced IT professionals, they would fuel our much-needed human capital in IT for the sustainable development of our economic transformation.



Thursday, August 19, 2004

專業人士回流再回流的啟示

專業人士回流再回流的啟示

上星期的一天,筆者在四十八小時之內,巧合地有位朋友說,即將要「回流」加拿大,再加上其他近期曾表示要返加的朋友,情况實有點令人担心,香港現在表面上的經濟復甦,是否只是個假像,實情是另一個即將爆發的移民潮?

筆者所識這些要回流再回流的離港人士中,大部份都擁有一份安定的專業工作,包括教育、會計、資訊科技、電訊等,所以,離港並非因為工作或失因,當中除了一位是因為家庭理由,及一位是屬於退休之外,其他都是青年專業人士,正是所謂的中產階級。如果不是因為工作原因而要離港,今時今日移民也不是因為回歸前的恐懼,那麼,是甚麼令他們對香港失去希望,要去別生活?

傳媒經常報導,專業和管理人員北上發展,但從筆者個人接觸,這數目遠不及越洋去加拿大的,即使要去大陸工作的,也是以短暫停留,經常「出差」性質為多,大概,真正肯改收大陸工資的中產專業人士,為數不多。所以,我們常常在講中國的發展的機會,包括在資訊科技界,未必是適合所有人士的,有選擇能力者,可能趁機市小陽春平反負資產,不少都乘機以「飛機票」作投票。

如果香港失去更多的中產專業人士,而每天卻要在無選擇權了接收從大陸以單程証來港人士,此消彼長,情况堪慮。香港社會現正陶醉於自由行帶來的快感之中,連政府也樂於自欺欺人,之前還說要討人口政策,結果依然捨難取易,試想,中國這麼大,自由行地區逐個開放,香港要真正把握自己未來命運,難道就此一拖再拖?國家為的是香港的好,但如果我們的領導不知爭取我們所需,國家也幫不了我們,香港的經濟轉型只會依然迷失方向,結果如果香港流失了更多我們所倚賴的人才,未來真更令人担心。

再講自由行,雖然為香港確實帶來不少好處,但真正受惠的,只局限於幾個行業、幾個地區的零售、旅遊服務及相關行業,同樣地,經濟學者估計即將重返的通貨澎漲,看來也只以地產帶動;如果經濟復甦不能廣泛地惠及更多行業,有通漲無薪加,普通市民怎能受惠?政府有否經濟發展的全盤政策,還是打算順其自然?

任何的政策都必須能達致平衡,否則好的也會物極必反,自由行也不例外;自由行所惠及的零售類別,如消費電子、化妝品、金飾等,已經把一些旺區的鋪租甚至賣價瘋狂地推高,這變相把不少中小企的生存空間收窄,難道我們希望見到這些行業,變成香港超級市場的競爭情况之翻版?

再要說清楚的,是自由行雖好,但只能為香港「止痛」,不能治本,為香港帶來的是基層服務性,低技術、低增的職位,雖可短暫為失業率降温,但卻不是幾年前特首、司長們掛在口邊的高科技、高增值、知識型經濟,難道他們又以捨難取易為本,當自已「交了功課」作罷?錯了的當然要改,但說對了,未能做到的,卻不可放棄;香港仍要向內投資教育及產業發展,向外取市場及國家政策配合,否則,我們真的不願意看見我們人才的流失

刊載於《信報》 2004年8月19日

Wednesday, August 18, 2004

布殊與克里科技政策異同

A comparison of the IT related policies from the platforms of Bush and Kerry. [From The Sun, Aug 17, 2004]

http://the-sun.com.hk/channels/fina/20040817/20040817010121_0002.html

Thursday, August 12, 2004

Presentation to Chinese delegation on e-Government in Hong Kong

At the invitation of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, I made a keynote presentation today on Hong Kong's e-Government development to a delegation of senior managers of government and private enterprises from China, as part of the week-long training program in Hong Kong. Click here to download my presentation in Chinese. (Large: 2MB)

航空業應用RFID勢在必行

航空業應用RFID勢在必行

筆者昨天參加了一個名為「全球航空RFID論壇」,這活動是由二大飛機生產商波音和空中巴士聯辦,香港是亞洲唯一舉行地點,另外論壇地點為美國亞特蘭大和德國慕尼黑。在港的與會人士來自航空公、機場、空運、維修工程、零件供應者、應用軟件商,甚至航空監管機構及國防部門,當中大部份由海外參加,如台灣、新加坡、日本、韓國等。

波音和空巴合作為客户與合作伙伴主辦活動,就像百佳與惠康一齊招待供應商,本來有點不可思議,但當細看RFID(射頻識別)為行業帶來的機會和挑戰,一切都變得不難理解。雖然二家公先表明暫時不會强制推行RFID,也不會向供應商改變合約要求,但所表達的方向明確得很,事在必行。

原來波音和空巴早在十年前已共同推行一個名為SPEC 2000條碼標準,而達致的目標,在於改善有關零件的數據管理,需知道航空業在零件方面的總庫存額高達450億美元,大部份都是價值高、體積小、壽命長,常經更換維修再用,而非即棄的零件,故此如果能改善供應鏈流程,對降低成本以至增强安全性,都大有幫助

空巴表示,五年前他們在毫無商業理由之下,憑着對RFID未來的信念而開始了研究,從而發現不能單單着意於技術層面,反而應集中於數據處理,向客户(航空公司)、供應商及監管者推廣,更重要的,是訂立數據標準,所以就承繼着SPEC 2000在條碼方面的業界合作基礎,與波音及其他業者合作。

航空業RFID應用所要解决的主要問題,是如何制定數據標準,和對付一系列的技術難題,把永久性的條碼及RFID晶片,放入數以千萬計的不同零件中。過去,不同的生產商、零件商維修商、航空公司等,甚至同機構的不同部門,都在同一件零件上加上不同的部件號碼,加上其他的倉存、維修紀緣等編號,多不勝數,零件上貼上一個個的貼紙,甚至手寫上各種號碼,不要說要把一件零件找出來有困難,就是要訂購新組件,也常出現雞同鴨講,浪費人力和時間。

RFID自動化的一大優勢,是系統的準確性,話說原來受過訓練的打字員的30個字母會打錯一個,條碼閱讀錯誤約分之一,而RFID將會更加準繩。SPEC 2000在十年前開始訂立航空業條碼標準時,對象是可維修、有時間性(如限時要更換或維修)的零件,設立永久性的編碼,目的包括配合航空規管監察要求、保險核對、保存維修紀綠、飛行等,遠超一般倉存要求。

發展至今,在服務中飛機數目或型號,都愈來愈多,新型號飛機零件數目可以高達6百萬以上,而適合以上條件而要加入條碼或RFID晶片的,也選出了五、六千種,新型號飛機可能一架已有二千件這些零件。

從條碼到RFID,重要解決的是通訊干擾的問題,航空監管當局也有嚴格要求,但RFID比較條碼也有很多優勝之處,例如:無需視線接觸,連金屬隔開都可以,能多次讀寫晶片上5KB以上記憶;以後,維修人員只要拿着RFID閱讀器,在機倉行一轉,就能把要更換的組件發現,不用擒高擒低,逐個組件拿來撿看。

除此之外,未來航空業零件數據標準化後,這些資料會在全球一個安全的网絡上給業者分享,一方面改善現時過於分裂的供應縺,又可以進行更多數據分析,以暸解零件性能及表現,對航空安全也有幫助。

論壇在香港舉行,証明香港在航空業仍佔一重要席位,而筆者所見來自台灣的與會者更似是各地之最多,則可能反映香港現時仍擁有的獨特優勢。

香港作為國際城市,中台樞紐,正是最具客觀條件在所有行業及技術標準化爭取地位,這令筆者想到,近期香港創新科技署諮詢成立研發中心,以技術範圍作出發點,未必適合「港情」,如果行業更多參與,可能應以政府引導行業組成,包括中港台、亞洲及歐美企業,發展支援共同標準的技術,而非一如既往地以大學及技術研究主導。好像空中巴士公司,RFID都用了不少德國研究中心,但項目都是由公司提出,不是讓教授們想出來。

刊載於《信報》2004年8月12日


Thursday, August 05, 2004

Internet radio and digital broadcasting

Published on August 5, 2004, this article looks at Internet radio as a forum for voices shut out by the mainstream media. Indeed, net radio is already the first manifestation of "digital broadcasting."


本港數碼廣播發展首站-網上電台
莫乃光

近期電台名嘴的封咪風波,令社會上部分人士擔心大氣電波的自由已受限制,恐怕言論空間將逐漸收窄;但筆者並不認同,因為,科技將解決這些問題。

去年底開始,港府就數碼廣播的諮詢中指出,數碼廣播能更有效利用頻譜,提供更多的電台及電視頻道、更佳的音質和視像素質,甚至更多的多媒體功能;港府表示與電台業者達成共識,數碼廣播的引入將以市場主導,不過,在香港政策語言中,「市場主導」往往就是代表沒有政策,即實現無期。事實上,在諮詢文件中,政府清楚指出數碼聲音接收器價錢較高,價錢雖然正下降至「可負擔水平」,但最便宜的都要約一千元-總之,數碼聲音廣播的可行商業模式並未成立,數碼電視廣播的技術標準、發牌方法和引進安排,也同樣仍在諮詢中。

英國BBC已訂全盤計劃

雖然香港的官方及商營電台至今仍未就數碼廣播定下藍圖,還在等價格下降和生意模式出現,在其他地方,例如英國的BBC(英國廣播公司),就已經為未來的自選式(on-demand)、可式(portable)和個人化的數碼廣播服務,定出全盤計劃。BBC正在重新訂立發展及營運目標,目標是在2006年完成創造一個全面數碼化的英國,其計劃包括:

BBC現有八條數碼電視及十四條收音頻度,再加上網站和互動電視;例如用戶今天已能透過數碼收音機、數碼電視或互聯網(www.bbc.co.uk/digitalradio)收聽數碼廣播;

超過一千人將測試一個利用寬頻傳播的互動服務,把加密內容傳送至用戶電腦;

將推出讓付費用戶下載超過一萬個圖像及三十五萬小時錄像的資料庫,包含自1934年以來的內容;

在五至六十地區推出本地化的數碼製作電視新聞;

製作在2010年前達致全面數碼化;傳送方面,數碼化也要在2012年前完成。

反觀香港,雖然電訊寬頻基建比英國好,寬頻用戶比英國多,但數碼廣播依然只聞樓梯響,未見蹤影;BBC在英國不見得有很便宜的數碼收音機,或賺大錢的生意模式,但若不投資先行一步,又怎能領先創新,創出更多大氣空間?

香港無疑面對的另一個問題,是香港電台私營化與否的不明朗因素,在財政資源有限時,他們卻受到各種「一刀切」式的限制,例如網站或多媒體服務亦不可接受廣告或收費,加上商營電台不進取投資,結果數碼廣播只好等了又等。

網上電台「開咪」簡單

不過,幸好有互聯網,也有熱愛互聯網的年輕人,他們是不會「等」的一群。筆者不久之前有機會參觀了一個網絡電台的廣播,才發現原來今天提供廣播,不論在成本、器材、技術和人力等方面,相對的門檻是這麼的低和如此容易達到目的。基本上只要安裝接駁一些錄音室儀器如咪高風、混音器等,接入寬頻網絡傳上互聯網上放置在公共網絡上的串流伺服器(streaming server),一個網上電台就可「開咪」了!香港較受歡迎的網絡電台廣播,實時收聽往往有數百人之多,再加上數以千計的事後下載,現時數目好像未算多,但切勿低估其潛力和年輕人對新事物的接受能力!

試想一下,如果今天因為各種原因不能在大氣電波佔一席位的內容或人士,以及其他小眾興趣的內容或社區,能集中資源利用網絡電台廣播,潛力可有多大?就是以現有技術,用戶除了可用電腦上網收聽之外,亦能輕易地以眾多流行市面的GPRS或3G手機,實時或下載收聽,這豈不是每人身上的多媒體收音機?唯一問題是流動數據收費在香港暫時仍然偏高;不過較合理收費,相信指日可待。試想:名嘴網上每天開咪,網絡電台則與電訊商分賬,這會否正是業界正在尋找的流動數據「殺手應用」?

刊載於《信報》 2004年8月5日

Sunday, August 01, 2004

內地經營互網注意法規變化

Changes in the Mainland's policies in Internet business are often, and may affect new business areas like digital entertainment, online gaming, etc. Hong Kong companies entering the Mainland market must be careful. [From The Sun, Sep 14, 2004]

http://www.the-sun.com.hk/channels/fina/20040914/20040914005052_0002.html

-->