Author Archives: Robert McKay Jones

Robert McKay Jones

I have spent more than 25 years working hand in hand with clients in creating custom software applications that improve and enhance their operation, productivity and visibility.

What is a TRIF?

November 5, 2010 by Robert McKay Jones · Leave a comment

TRIF; trĭf, –noun (origin: 1175–1225; (n.) ME tru(f)fle idle talk, deceit < OF, var. of truf(f)e mocker)

1) A mammal like creature which would fly if it could. But can only fly a few feet at a time – basically jumping from point to point. Usually hides in cave-like dwellings for much of the day. Feeds on sweet objects that present themselves without hunt or chase. 2) A simulator, one who sets forth a claim, especially a claimant to a throne.

But really, it represents the three aspects of TRI, design, build and support. Just like constructing a building, you have a design-build team that takes your ideas, hopes, wishes and dreams and brings them into reality. Then a support team takes over to make sure the building stands tall and strong. Our team of experts works in the same way to create an application that fulfills your desires, performs as expected and we stand behind that application with dedicated support. That’s what TRIF stands for. Send an email to info@trif.com if you would like more information.

Posted in TRI.

Virtual Art – Is it Real?

November 2, 2010 by Robert McKay Jones · Leave a comment

Is it really art if it wasn’t created in 3-dimensions? Is it any the less creative? Creating art virtually or otherwise is all about what the minds eye can do with the tools and canvas provided.

Pumpkin Pottery

The inset pictures a creation of pottery which I suspect many would purchase at Pier One given the opportunity. Alas, it was created virtually with an amazing pottery creation tool on an iPad. This Halloween surprise was created by an esteemed artist using an iPad application called let’s create Pottery written by company based in Poland called Infinite Dreams. The application is a clever combination of tools for artistically creating pottery and a community web portal that allows the sharing of the creations so that members of the community can review the works of others.

So click on the pumpkin and take a look at the 200+ original works of art brought to us by the artist who created this piece and feel free to scan the gallery of the 16,875+ creations from other artists around the world.

So is it art if it wasn’t created in 3-dimensions? Of course it is. Is it any less creative? Absolutely not. It requires the same instinct, eye, talent, dedication, expertise and mastering the available materials and tools. See for yourself.

Posted in iPad.

Changing Your Perspective

October 6, 2010 by Robert McKay Jones · Leave a comment

The Path Less Traveled

When was the last time you visited with nature, all by yourself. To walk, sit, watch, hear and most of all empty your mind of the clutter. I know, it’s harder than cleaning the basement. But it’s a powerful and rewarding experience. This time of year especially. Sounds seem to travel farther. Colors are more brilliant. Air seems fresh and clean.

The birds are transients this time of year, gathering, singing and nervously flittering as if something was beckoning them. Leaves rustle from the footsteps of chipmunks or squirrels or maybe some larger creatures. Ponds are full of ducks and geese catching their breath before they once again begin the arduous journey south.

So why wouldn’t you spend some time pondering. Calm yourself. Take a moment to consider….. nothing. And if you do it once, why wouldn’t you do it again and again? Think about making a change in your schedule. Think about calendaring an hour to have a meeting with nature. Combine it with a walk or a jog. Breathe the air deeply. Look past the trees in front of you. Find water. Puddles, ponds, lakes or oceans. Look for small creatures moving in the water. Consider how nature works. How water flows. How the wind blows. How the trees sway. How the clouds move. How the rain falls. How the leaves fall. Just spend some time contemplating the things you don’t spend time contemplating every other day. It does change your perspective.

Posted in Uncategorized.

Climate is Changing, So is Our Business

October 1, 2010 by Robert McKay Jones · Leave a comment

The climate is changing and so is business worldwide. It might be inevitable, but we need to look at the way we do business. Technology has become a major aspect of our day-to-day lives and it’s affect is exponentially growing. It is matched only by our carbon emissions.

So do we go along the way we have been going or do we change our path now? Do we adjust our consumption? Do we need to look at our use of technology differently? It seems obvious we need to make changes and we need to make them quickly. So how do we go about steering our ships to more productivity, less consumption, greater cooperation, compassion and teamwork?

We don’t know all the answers, but we can help you come up with options. We can provide insight on new technologies, new collaborative tools, new ways of linking data, voice, images and actions so you can be as productive and efficient as possible. We do this while considering the shrinking budget. If you believe ‘times are a changing’, consider how a conversation with us might impact the curves in the road ahead. Give us a call or send me an email (rmj@trif.com).

Posted in business climate.

The Best iPad Application Ever!

September 13, 2010 by Robert McKay Jones · Leave a comment

This weekend, I used the iTunes Genius function to select some new applications on my behalf. It suggested I buy Let’s Create! Pottery. The purchase price was $4.99 which is par for an iPad application. You can find out more information at their website: http://www.potterygame.com/.

Well, it took me a while to figure out that you really can’t do much with it until you create some pieces and sell them. So I did. And before you sell your piece, you can share it by sending it into the web site. It all takes place with the press of a finger. And I did some more. And some more. I have created and posted some 35 works of art to date and can’t wait till I can create some more. The capabilities to create unique pieces are astounding. Take a look at the gallery available on their website and you will see a wide variety of pottery.

Create anything from the simple to Aztec to Chinese pottery. Use your hands (fingers) without getting dirty. If you don’t have an iPad, this is a very good reason to run to the Apple store and pick one up. It is rewarding, meditative and fun. Unfortunately, it is a bit addictive, so be wary. Time seems to literally slip through your hands.

Posted in iPad. Tagged with addicitve, create, fun, game, iPad, iPad App, pottery.

Freight Rate Discounting

August 11, 2010 by Robert McKay Jones · Leave a comment

Earn an extra penny with Net Rate Tariffs.

Discounting the rate prior to rating versus discounting the extension results in differing amounts. Which works out better for the carrier? Here are 3 examples. In ALL cases, it works out better for the carrier to discount the rate first. It is pennies on every transaction, but might result in hundreds or thousands of dollars over time. The example shows 3 shipments of different weights and different rates. The discount applying to the shipments is 66%. Discounting the extension versus discounting the rate always results in a lesser amount.

It is because applying a discount to a lessor amount (the rate) results in smaller discount than applying the discount to the larger amount (the extension).

For more information, please contact rmj@trif.com

Posted in Freight Discounting, Freight Rate Discounts, Freight Rating, Transportation Discounts.

BNI Nashoba Networking Slideshow.mp4

July 27, 2010 by Robert McKay Jones · Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized.

Why Us?

July 20, 2010 by Robert McKay Jones · Leave a comment

Starting in 2012, all business payments or purchases that exceed $600 in a calendar year will need to be accompanied by a 1099 filing. That mean all. Not just contract labor or sole proprietor vendors. It means restaurants, car rental companies, conference centers. It means obtaining the taxpayer ID number of the individual or corporation you’re making the payment to — even if it’s a giant distributors like CDW or Newegg — at the time of the transaction, or else facing IRS penalties. In essence, the 1099-Misc is having its role changed from a form for tracking off-payroll employment to one that must accompany virtually any sizeable business transaction.

The 1099 changes were attached to the health care reform bill. They change the requirements for filing the “1099-Misc” form. Until now, payments to corporations have been exempt from 1099 rules, as have payments for the purchase of goods. Eliminating the 1099 exceptions for corporations and goods was seen as an easy way to bring in more cash without raising tax rates.

Our politicians at work! Next year, we need to take a close look at how 1099’s are prepared.

Posted in 1099, 1099-Misc, 2012 Tax Law change.

Document Imaging – Legalities

June 9, 2010 by Robert McKay Jones · Leave a comment

I am not a lawyer. I don’t pretend to be a lawyer. And therefore I take no responsibility for the legal validity of this blog entry. If you need a legal and absolute opinion, please consult with an attorney. That said, the question has come up, can original paper documents be shredded if they were optically scanned and saved as document images during the normal course of doing business. The answer is probably, or better yet, maybe. Actually it depends. What state do you live in? How were the documents stored? When was the image taken? How was the image archived?

Is that clear? No? I understand. Let me clarify. Document images have been accepted in courts for many years. For example, microfilm has been accepted in courts as a substitute for the original document certainly since the 1950’s. Laws exist in nearly all 50 states covering the use of electronic, optical or magnetic media as a substitute for original documents. The basic question generally comes down to, are they accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Well, are they?

So here are some of things you should consider BEFORE you shred your originals. Your documents should be regularly and consistently scanned as a normal course of day-to-day operations. The document images are verified prior to destruction of originals – that is, they are viewed on screen as they are scanned to verify the image exists. They have been stored on media which is read-only. This adds to the trustworthiness of a document image. Images stored on magnetic media, like disk drives can be modified and overwritten with ease. Document images archived on read-only optical disks are very difficult to modify and then re-save in place.

The final answer is check your local state laws and check with your attorney. Then give us a call for a solution.

Posted in document imaging, legality of document images, reliability of scanned documents, scanned documents.

The Infrequent Traveler

May 11, 2010 by Robert McKay Jones · 1 Comment

Is it right that managing a big chunk of time – off – requires a Herculean effort in planning, preparation, notification, organization and contingencies? No matter how organized you are, you need to plan for not being around. So this trip was no different. But it was. It was going to last for more than two weeks. A feat not experienced in more than 35 years.

The nervous stomach was just beginning to wane after the planning, packing, repacking, and the struggle with security at the airport. Which is always tense. It would be different if you travelled all the time. You get accustomed to tense situations when they occur regularly. But this is not a regular situation. We aren’t commuting to work, we are flying in an iron tube designed for falling from the sky. Add to his the desire some extremists have to see this tube driven into very large buildings and all that causes and we have a pretty abnormal circumstance.

But off we go, rallied into our quarters like cows to their milking machines. Why do we do this to ourselves. Are we not in charge of our own lives? Do we not control our own destiny? Why does man put such constraints on other men? Why do we not provide ourselves with the same freedoms as say an eagle. Why don’t we deserve the same majesty and freedom? Oh, I know you’ll say because we can’t fly. We weren’t designed to soar freely from place to place. We were created for other great things. So we suffer these indignations so that we might achieve things more important.

Posted in fly, flying, time off, travel, travelling.