Vandetta534

Reply to To Brad Wardell: Enterprising Small Company to a Larger Bureaucracy - how to ensure quality in PC Gaming Elemental Forums

On a completely unrelated note, here is one of the reasons I still love Stardock: https://www.stardock.com/press/CustomerReports/Stardock2010.pdf It is the only company I can think of that recognizes its customers as stakeholders.

Reply to Im sure no one really cares but... in PC Gaming Stardock Forums

Whats SCII? ...oh wait! Star Craft 2? I was thinking Star Control 2 for some reason, lol

Reply to Co-Op RTS Games in PC Gaming Stardock Forums

I think rise of nations had this kind of co-op experience, it was a lot of fun.

Reply to To Brad Wardell: Enterprising Small Company to a Larger Bureaucracy - how to ensure quality in PC Gaming Stardock Forums

[quote who="jwdR1" reply="29" id="2894239"]Pssst! Brad! RUN!!!!!! HIDE!!!!!! Just some free advise from a software engineer trapped somewhere in the mid-west, buried in a quagmire of TQM processes, forms, meetings, process improvement reviews. Who watches helplessly as innovative ideas of fellow engineers die a tedious and slow death because they don't fit within the TQM framework imposed upon them (i.e. you have to rewrite too many TQM documents

Reply to To Brad Wardell: Enterprising Small Company to a Larger Bureaucracy - how to ensure quality in PC Gaming Stardock Forums

[quote who="StevenAus" reply="22" id="2892886"]I can see where you're coming from now, and I could certainly understand that principles such as you've described could help transition Stardock to a larger company/bureaucracy (even though in layman's terms "bureaucracy" has a very negative connotation ). What do people from Stardock think of the ideas raised in this thread? Brad, what do you think? Best regards, Steven.[/quote] Thats actually a really go

Reply to To Brad Wardell: Enterprising Small Company to a Larger Bureaucracy - how to ensure quality in PC Gaming Stardock Forums

[quote who="Heavenfall" reply="15" id="2892278"] Vandetta534, reading your posts it is difficult to get a grasp of the book because you appear "sold" on it. We understand that you perceive it as helpful, but - in your opinion - what is not so great with the book? What is missed or skimmed over? You told us what you think is good about it - now tell us what you think is bad about it. [/quote] I should address this comment. The largest issue I have with the book is that it is

Reply to To Brad Wardell: Enterprising Small Company to a Larger Bureaucracy - how to ensure quality in PC Gaming Stardock Forums

[quote who="Tydorius" reply="14" id="2892250"] However, with the release of Elemental it seems Stardock is beginning to transition from a small firm, that can be easily managed from the top-down by a single individual, to a much larger bureaucracy. How so? The company is small and housed out of a single building, and it is privately run. Brad even showed us a standard chart for each development team, and the teams have only necessary pieces, and sometimes those pieces are in m

Reply to To Brad Wardell: Enterprising Small Company to a Larger Bureaucracy - how to ensure quality in PC Gaming Stardock Forums

As I mentioned above, I did not stumble upon the conceptual framework of TQM from a class. Also I think I might need to reiterate my intentions of this post: A. Stardock has always been synonymous with quality products, however, I think the release of Elemental was a large first bump along the road as Stardock expands its business. B. Customer's are stake holders of Stardock too. Before the release of Elemental I would not have hesitated to purchase any of

Reply to To Brad Wardell: Enterprising Small Company to a Larger Bureaucracy - how to ensure quality in PC Gaming Stardock Forums

[quote who="Lord Xia" reply="9" id="2892205"] Quoting LightofAbraxas, reply 3Advice from you is exactly what this multi-million dollar yearly profit company needs. Holy crap, this was my exact thoughts![/quote] I think to look at profit alone is a mistake, and have time and time again been a major contributing factor to what has undone many firms. In 2010 Microsoft posted $18.76 billion in after tax profits. However, from reading Brads post I highly doubt he wou

Reply to To Brad Wardell: Enterprising Small Company to a Larger Bureaucracy - how to ensure quality in PC Gaming Stardock Forums

None of what the OP wrote about has any relevance without knowing the company. It's just text book dogma, that may be extremely unsuitable for any given company. It would be far more interesting to talk about how stardock has solved each of these basic issues that any company with a need for managers face. Agreed! 3. Cease dependence on inspection to achieve quality. Eliminate the need for inspection on a mass basis by building qualit

Reply to To Brad Wardell: Enterprising Small Company to a Larger Bureaucracy - how to ensure quality in PC Gaming Stardock Forums

I think that this is great. Advice from you is exactly what this multi-million dollar yearly profit company needs. Do you have any other sage advice for the UN or perhaps the United States, too? What is your opinion of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? What about the rising economic power of China? How exactly does their difficulty with inflation influence their standing as an export based economy? Maybe I can get in touch with Dr. Ki-Moon or President Obama? Per

Reply to To Brad Wardell: Enterprising Small Company to a Larger Bureaucracy - how to ensure quality in PC Gaming Stardock Forums

Anyone know how I can edit my follow up post, I seem to be able to edit the first post, but not the one with the picture... Ok...maybe I can't get a direct link to the image with google docs, so hopefully this works: Most firms vs. TQM <img src="https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B2ucXLx99UWCODEyNjc5OTMtNTQ1NC00MGU3LThhOGQtOTI4NjVlZDJiYWQy&am

Reply to To Brad Wardell: Enterprising Small Company to a Larger Bureaucracy - how to ensure quality in PC Gaming Stardock Forums

I just wanted to add a little picture I threw together in MS Paint, so you'll have to forgive it being so crude. But, anyways I drew it to illustrate one of the benefits that a successful implementation of TQM can have on large bureaucracies. One overarching feature of TQM is constant feedback and cyclicality, which can lead to progressive adaptation and constant improvements in total quality even as the firm constantly grows

To Brad Wardell: Enterprising Small Company to a Larger Bureaucracy - how to ensure quality in PC Gaming Stardock Forums

Hi Brad, and also anyone on the forum please feel free to comment, Anyways, I just wanted to say I discovered Stardock when you guys were still working on the original Galactic Civillizations - and I must say I fell in love with the company. However, I do have some concerns going forward. I think it might be easy to manage a small firm and ensure good quality products. However, with the release of Elemental it seems Stardock is beginning to transition from a small firm,

Reply to The Future of Social Networks and Web 3.0 in Everything Else GalCiv2 Forums

Really? No one is interested in this subject? Well maybe I should go about this a little bit different way. Im curious what does everyone think social networks need to evolve? What can make them practical and useful tools in the real world? What is needed to take them to the next level beyond entertainment?

Reply to Will Thermobaric weapons replace nuclear weapons? in Everything Else GalCiv2 Forums

One thing you might all find interesting is that there is actually a hobby of making real working fusion reactors. Take a look at [link="http://www.fusor.net/"]Fusor.net[/link]. Believe it or not you can actually make real fusion reactors in your basement with a relatively cheap price tag as well. I stumbled across the hobby while researching an article about a high school kid who was actually able to make his own fissionable breeder reactor, much much much more dangerous than fusor hobbyists.<b

The Future of Social Networks and Web 3.0 in Everything Else GalCiv2 Forums

I wanted to start a discussion on how people think social networks can be practically applied and used for human advancement and as tools, rather than just entertainment. I'm currently developing a social networking project primarily geared towards business, professional, and entrepreneurial networking and cross-cultural exchange. One goal I have in mind is to attempt leveling the playing field for big and small players. Pretend you are just out of college and have a fantastic idea that

Reply to Will Thermobaric weapons replace nuclear weapons? in Everything Else GalCiv2 Forums

[quote]Please...The MOAB was just recently developed. The US did not abandon this research. Obviuosly. Or MOAB wouldnt currently exist. See my above post. The bomb was SPECIFICALLY designed for use in the iraq theatre. WHICH LAST TIME I CHECKED...WAS A DESERT. CNN released this report on 4-23-03...[/quote] These weapons are also more commonly known as fuel air bombs and they actually have been around for a while. 2003 may have been the first time any were actually used, I'm not sure. B

Reply to Could we get a basic/simple guide to installing Mods? in Sins Modding Sins Forums

you should consider also describing how to install mods on Vista

Reply to Redion-MOD in Sins Modding Sins Forums

I cant seem to download your mod