Guild of Project Controls: Compendium | Roles | Assessment | Certifications | Membership

Tips on using this forum..

(1) Explain your problem, don't simply post "This isn't working". What were you doing when you faced the problem? What have you tried to resolve - did you look for a solution using "Search" ? Has it happened just once or several times?

(2) It's also good to get feedback when a solution is found, return to the original post to explain how it was resolved so that more people can also use the results.

Spider Project deserves a place in PP

36 replies [Last post]
Rafael Davila
User offline. Last seen 11 hours 34 min ago. Offline
Joined: 1 Mar 2004
Posts: 5229
To PP Board of Directors,

I would like for Spider Project to have a thread of its own in Planning Planet.

To discuss issues about Spider Project I have no other option than issue all my questions through a single topic "Lets Challenge Spider" or invade other software topic locations.

The absence of a Spider Project thread makes it impossible to communicate with other Spider Project Users; it does not allow Spider users to place their questions and answers. It makes all others to believe there are no other users.

I have noticed TILOS do have only 17 topic titles in 40 months; this is less than 1 new topic every two months. I believe TILOS do belong to PP, but why Spider Project does not? Let’s give Spider Project a fair chance; it will take some time until others do know.

Please do not group Asta or Primavera products in a single thread to make space, I would prefer it to be an addition and not a substitution; I like the idea of being able to see all the headlines on the main page.

Best regards,
Rafael

Replies

Marcus Possi
User offline. Last seen 8 weeks 2 days ago. Offline
Joined: 27 Feb 2010
Posts: 71
Hi folks,

As I am a beginner here I ask for some help to create a specific Spider discussion. (Vladimir ?!!)

The Spider Book Forum would be an excellent way to improve the contents or details it will have in future editions.

Reading some old post I found a lot of Devaux’s ideas, and I must report that we do present this DRAG duration feature in Spider Project application in the book besides the old and traditional CPM ("merely more of the same medicine we have seen for decades without any substantial improvement" D’Ávila).

tks,

marcus possi





Hi Marcus,
congratulations and thank you.
I think that this news deserves a separate discussion topic.
I am afraid that here it can be missed by those who did not follow Spider discussions.
Besides it may be useful to have a special place for book discussions.
Best Regards,
Vladimir
Samer Zawaydeh
User offline. Last seen 5 years 4 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 3 Aug 2008
Posts: 1664
Dear Marcus,

Congradulations on this accomplishment. I am sure that it will benefit many.

With kind regards,

Samer
Rafael Davila
User offline. Last seen 11 hours 34 min ago. Offline
Joined: 1 Mar 2004
Posts: 5229
Marcus,

Congratulations, I am sure this will expose to a big audience the advanced resource modeling concepts nowhere else available. Spider Project is unique in this regard and therefore there is no other literature on the English language that discuss these novel functionalities. Spider Project is not merely more of the same medicine we have seen for decades without any substantial improvement, it is a new modern way that simplifies modeling of real jobs, this reference will be of invaluable help.

A thousand thanks to you and your team.

Best Regards,
Rafael
Marcus Possi
User offline. Last seen 8 weeks 2 days ago. Offline
Joined: 27 Feb 2010
Posts: 71
Hi Planning Planet followers.

As I have told the book we have published here in Portuguese by Ciencia Moderna Publisher (e-book) 1st edition, came in its second edition finished in June and its translation into English occurred as planned by PMI a volunteers work in Rio de Janeiro finished by June 30th.
In July the 9th we officially presented them here in Rio de Janeiro.
I say them because we are speaking of the Portuguese and English edition together.
The volunteers’ efforts were well succeeded to make the first 8 chapters into a different language - chapter 1 to 8 refers to physical and economic planning. The Portuguese edition covers also the 9 to 12 chapters showing the project controlling and monitoring processes.
You can find then in <> as an e-book (adobe format). Its price was lowered to 25$ in order to fulfill our partnership with PMI chapter Rio de Janeiro, making available and easy the Project Management News and Techniques for their members and professionals everywhere. A significant part of it will help to budget the PMIRIO’s ordinary expenses.


Some information about the project (translating into English):
1 – We started a 30 days, 410 pages book translation with seven different volunteers, coordinated by another one who checked the execution every three days;
2 – Two other guys presented themselves and hold the previous work in a minored time;
3 – We used the Distance Learning System to keep the team in contact and synchronized;
4 – A week before the target date we discovered that the introduction was not produced in English as planned, and an extra effort was necessary to complete the work in date;
5 – The work consisted not only to translate the text but also to keep the page numbers and pictures place in every page;
6 – We had a delay of 5 days in the project schedule, and a buffer of 10 days (the team did not know that );
7 – According with the final meeting (July the 9th), everybody got a great experience with the “endeavor”

Visit: http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/spider-project/11720795

Author: Marcus Possi
PMIRIO Volunteers Coordinators Mendel Luiz Pencak,ITIL
PMIRIO Volunteers Translators: Mendel Luiz Pencak,ITIL; Sergio
Balbino França Ribeiro, PMP; Marcelo Magnus Antunes de Oliveira, PMP, ITIL; Ivan Dutra,PMP; Julio Véras Neto, MBA; Luiz Angelo R. Merino, PMP ; Jorge Luciano Gil Kolotelo, MSc, IPMA-C.
Samer Zawaydeh
User offline. Last seen 5 years 4 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 3 Aug 2008
Posts: 1664
Dear Marcus,

Welcome to PP. I hope that you find great value here. When Mike used the term "Egg head" it was meant with good intentions. I feel that everyone has mutual utmost respest to everyone else here.

With kind regards,

Samer
Gary Whitehead
User offline. Last seen 4 years 42 weeks ago. Offline
Hi Marcus,

Thanks for your post and welcome to PP.

Us moderators do not have the ability to add software to the profile section as you have requested, PP admin will have to do that.

Please post your request in the "Improving Planning Planet" forum. PP admin are more likely to read that forum than this one.

Cheers,

G
Marcus Possi
User offline. Last seen 8 weeks 2 days ago. Offline
Joined: 27 Feb 2010
Posts: 71
Hello PP writers,

I am new on this "Planet" and feel almost as an alien. But I really liked the high level of the arguments and discussions I saw. I got known this “place” by Mr. Liberzon and I am must thank him by this and his patience with my constant questions. The spider project grows almost dainly in features and useful (not graphical) results.
I was filling some of my profile information and I noticed that Spider Project is not included among the “PM softwares” available in the (basic-advanced-expert) list yet.

I dare to ask the moderators to include it soon because here in Brazil people are understanding the real value of it, and of course its results in PM.
After using MSproject 1998-2000-2002-2003-2007 and :( 2010; besides some studies with Primavera P3 (3.1 and 5), I have no doubt that spider project deserves a place on that list.

To help our project management courses here in Brazil, particularly refereeing to Spider Project application as a PM solution we wrote a specific book called “Spider Project – Metodologia e Qualidade em Gerenciamento de Projetos” (Spider Project- Methodology and Quality in Project Management) for our students.
It is being translated into English this semester and it will be available as an e-book (just on the second edition) by July 2010.
The local PMI branch (Rio de Janeiro Brach – PMIRIO) is working in an effort to help us to reach the “target date” with some volunteers.

I promise to study a way of facilitating a special free copy of it to 10 (ten) member of “Forum Categories > Spider Project “ that are most present until its publish date. I don’t know any other literature about this software so I consider it will help to understand the extension of the power of planning this application has.

I beg you do not consider this post an add but a contribution to elucidate some questins and discussions I have read here.

Remember, I am still reading everything. By the way Mike Testro (our stand by moderator) :

From Wikipedia: "Egghead: A person of spurious intellectual pretensions, often a professor or the protégé of a professor. Essentially confused in thought and immersed in mixture of sentimentality and violent evangelism. A doctrinaire supporter of Middle-European socialism as opposed to Greco-French-American ideas of democracy and liberalism. Subject to the old-fashioned philosophical morality of Nietzsche which frequently leads him into jail or disgrace. A self-conscious prig, so given to examining all sides of a question that he becomes thoroughly addled while remaining always in the same spot. An anemic bleeding heart.

A PM software that does not support resource constraint features does not work on a limited resource planet like ours, and projects demanding for limited and difficult resources as we are suffering now. Remember we (in Brazil) will have to support the “2014 World Football Cup” and the “2016 – Rio Olimpic Games”.

So let stimulate Samer, Rafael and Vladimir discutions, we are not in 1960’s in the old golden years. :)

Best regards,

Marcus Possi, SpP
Dear Samer and Rafael,
Thank you for reminding.
I will prepare necessary information next week.
I am leaving in two hours to our new project in Saint Peterbourg and will return on Sunday.
Best Regards,
Vladimir
Rafael Davila
User offline. Last seen 11 hours 34 min ago. Offline
Joined: 1 Mar 2004
Posts: 5229
Don’t forget the links page.
Samer Zawaydeh
User offline. Last seen 5 years 4 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 3 Aug 2008
Posts: 1664
Dear Vladimir,

Any plans to list your software on the PP Partners list. Seems like the right place to be.

With kind regards,

Samer
Thank you, Santhosh.
I hope for a lot of interesting discussions.
Best Regards,
Vladimir
Santhosh kumar
User offline. Last seen 14 years 7 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 20 Sep 2008
Posts: 29
Great!!! Finally we got it.Thanks PP admin.

Congrats Vladimir & Rafael.



Best Regards,

Santhosh
Thank you, your support is never late.
Best Regards,
Vladimir
R. Catalan
User offline. Last seen 12 years 4 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 15 Aug 2005
Posts: 314
Groups: None
Dear SP, Rafael and Vladimir,

I know this is a bit late, but I want you to know that you have my support.

Best regards,
R. Catalan
Rafael Davila
User offline. Last seen 11 hours 34 min ago. Offline
Joined: 1 Mar 2004
Posts: 5229
Thanks Samer, PP Admin and all who gave support.
Samer Zawaydeh
User offline. Last seen 5 years 4 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 3 Aug 2008
Posts: 1664
Dear PP Admin,

Thank you for your positive response.

Congradulations Rafael, you got your wish within 75 days. Seems that the question was raised since 2006.

With kind regards,

Samer
Rafael Davila
User offline. Last seen 11 hours 34 min ago. Offline
Joined: 1 Mar 2004
Posts: 5229
Thanks PP Admin,

I was a SureTrak user; I had no other place to look for knowledge, my experience at PP for years proved useful because SureTrak as part of the Primavera family of products works in similar ways to other Primavera products. On the other hand Spider Project is unique. As a new Spider Project user I have a need for such a forum.

You not only learn from the discussion specific to your software but also from the discussion at other forums. Issues are not always limited to the intricacies of any software but often extend to methodologies that can be adapted to other software. This is precisely what makes PP of so much value, my mind keeps telling me to stay here. I have no doubt the discussions at this new forum will also be of value to others.

Best regards,
Rafael

Share the knowledge.
Thank you and everybody who supported the creation of Spider Project forum.
I hope for fruitful discussions not only on the software features but also on methodology and approaches to project planning and control.
Best Regards,
Vladimir
Forum Guest
User offline. Last seen 2 years 24 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 28 Jan 2009
Posts: 1
Groups: None
Dear All,

Please be advised that a new forum category is in the pipeline for our friends at Spider Project, so watch this space.

Regards...PP Admin
Rafael Davila
User offline. Last seen 11 hours 34 min ago. Offline
Joined: 1 Mar 2004
Posts: 5229
Perhaps the appearance of new logos means that instead of a Monopoly it is more like an Oligopoly or a Free Trade Region where protectionism against those not included is still an option. Products of those not included can be banned by any or all of those belonging to the group.

Whats the point of having a little bit of influence if you can’t abuse it occassionally.
Carlos Arana
User offline. Last seen 5 years 29 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 6 Jun 2009
Posts: 178
Mike,
That’s not fun to hear to someone living in a country in the middle of an accumulated economic crisis made out of little abuses of influence.

With Great Power comes Great Responsibility.

Thanks for your vote on the Spider Topic.

Regards,
Carlos A. Matus
Mike Testro
User offline. Last seen 1 week 4 days ago. Offline
Joined: 14 Dec 2005
Posts: 4418
Hi Carlos

Whats the point of having a little bit of influence if you can’t abuse it occassionally.

I agree with you that there should be a Spider topic.

Maybe Admin will get round to it.

Best regards

Mike Testro
Carlos Arana
User offline. Last seen 5 years 29 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 6 Jun 2009
Posts: 178
Hello there! Well it has been months since I was at PP. There were lots of work at the end of the year. I lost sight of my favorite "Let’s challenge Spider" post, I found a "Trivia & non-planning discussion", I was hoping that there would be an Spider category, but I found nothing.

I can go anywhere else to share my thoughts on trivia and non-planning.

Now, think this:
In this hand we have Rafael talking about Spider all over Planning Planet, and requesting for a category for this tool. In the other hand we have a "trivia" section where 7 out of 10 topics are from Mike Tiestro.

Count me 1 vote more for creating a Spider Project Discussion category.

Regards,
Carlos A. Matus
Samer Zawaydeh
User offline. Last seen 5 years 4 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 3 Aug 2008
Posts: 1664
Dear All,

This is a very good and postive suggestion. It is a postive step foward and will create a good source of knowledge for planners.

With kind regards,

Samer
Scarllet Pimpernel
User offline. Last seen 12 years 39 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 19 Jul 2009
Posts: 152
Dear PP Admin,

I second the motion of Mr. Safak Vural.

The planning community needs to be open to alternative software that gives meaning to construction project management.

Oracle should not be worried about this since if Spider Project will become a success story 25 years hence, Oracle will just buy Spider Project, same what they did to Primavera.

but at least we have twenty five years of future benifits and alternative to Primavera P6.

Thank you,
Scarlett
Safak Vural
User offline. Last seen 3 years 41 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 12 May 2008
Posts: 117
Dear PP Moderators,

I kindly request implementation of seperate section for Spider Project if possible. I am not using it proffessionally but I am using demo and reading papers about it to learn. I will appretiate if I can follow this software(maybe we can call it project management package with critical chain philosophy)through this forum.

Regards,

Safak VURAL
Gary,
I want to remind that Challenge Spider thread was created for hard questions like how to model something that may be needed but is not supported by the software people use.
Did you meet something like this?
Best Regards,
Vladimir

Gary Whitehead
User offline. Last seen 4 years 42 weeks ago. Offline
I agree,

If enough people are interested, I see no reason why not.
I myself have followed with interest the current ’challenge spider’ thread, and would certainly dip into a Spider forum if it existed. I rarely dip into TILOS.
Gary,
I don’t expect that the decision will be made fast.
There were other posts also, but the number of Spider Project users among PP members is not large. Though I agree with Rafael that the number of Tilos users may be even smaller.
Why not if people are interested?
Best Regards,
Vladimir
Gary Whitehead
User offline. Last seen 4 years 42 weeks ago. Offline
Vladimir,

You are quite right -the post you refer to was before my time, hence I wasn’t aware it existed.

I think if enough people respond to this thread saying they would like a separate forum for Spider, PP Admin will respond.

Though as note of caution, it seems over the last 6 months or so that PP Admin have had little spare time to spend on these forums, so it may be a while before it gets noticed / acted apon.

Gary,
you are right that 5 days is not enough for the decision.
But you are not right that this request was the first.
There were many of them earlier. Look for an example: http://www.planningplanet.com/forum/forum_post.asp?fid=&Cat=3&Top=23456&...
There are few Spider Project users among PP members. Most Spider Project users do not speak English. But I expect that PP may attract new members if Spider Project thread will be created.
Best Regards,
Vladimir
Rafael Davila
User offline. Last seen 11 hours 34 min ago. Offline
Joined: 1 Mar 2004
Posts: 5229
Gary,

Of course they did occur to me, I was looking for a response from someone, and you being a moderator this response expressing your dislike on the tone of my post is welcomed.

Anyway it is good to know the true expectations so users of Spider Project in the USA can make a decision on making their own web site to discuss their issues with the software.

It is at a cost, but I will ask my brother who has a site of his own for software he developed for the banking industry. I believe there is also the possibility Google and Yahoo hits in USA will be more for USA users if the site is based in the USA.

Yes we do have our particular needs but I have heard of Vladimir in PP for over eight years, I need assistance with Spider Project now, not in another eight years.

Best regards,
Rafael
Gary Whitehead
User offline. Last seen 4 years 42 weeks ago. Offline
Rafael,

The tone of this post seems quite predjudiced to me.
Did the following reasons really not occur to you?

7 -A thread for Spider was only requested (by you) 5 DAYS AGO! It seems quite unreasonable to expect a (free & run by volunteers) website to make content & structural changes so quickly
8 -Only 1 PP user (you) has requested a thread for Spider. It seems quite reasonable for PP admin not to make such changes on the whim of a single (albeit highly respected) member.
9 -With all the development work occuring on the new site, adding a new forum may be considered a low priority by PP developers

Cheers,

G
Rafael Davila
User offline. Last seen 11 hours 34 min ago. Offline
Joined: 1 Mar 2004
Posts: 5229
Well it seems like PP will not respond my question but maybe brainstorming why Spider Project is denied the space with other members I could get a better understanding or even figure it out.

Maybe some of you can provide me with your opinion.

For the moment I have the following possible reasons I would like you to select one or more and let me know, add and make your own comments.

1-PP favors British software and uses other established American software as a catapult to promote British software.
2-PP does not want Russian software because of origin. Same would apply to software from other nations. It would be hard to me to believe it is against a single particular origin.
3-There are other economic interests such as Oracle that do not allow PP to open the space.
4-PP is a private club and someone with his own agenda is black-balling Spider, something like an elitist sorority.
5-Spider Project value is in question, all others are better so there is no place for such software.
6-Any other, please expand.

Thank you in advance to all of you who take the time to reply my question.

Cordially,
Rafael Davila
Rafael Davila
User offline. Last seen 11 hours 34 min ago. Offline
Joined: 1 Mar 2004
Posts: 5229
Is it that maybe there are fees required? Same for a Logo on the page heading next to ORACLE? Why the others do not have the logo?

To me it is obvious, got to be a money matter. There is nothing wrong with it, even if ORACLE and others are controlling club membership or someone is profiting, it is just that we should know the rules.

Is there a black-ball rule?