Membership
Congratulations to winning Spidery IIA Members
Last week saw the announcement of this year’s eircom Spiders awards at a star studded event in Dublin’s Burlington Hotel. Okay there was one celeb, Alan Carr, but many stars of online but I’m biased! I couldn’t make it this year: I was meeting with some rising stars at a Fingal County Enterprise Board Networking Event and giving them the skinny on Twitter for Business.
I was delighted when I got home and checked through my twitstream to see that some IIA members were among the winners this year. Congratulations from all of us here in the IIA to:
- Pay Less Tax won the Best Financial Services Website Category sponsored by CMC Markets;
- Hostelworld won in both the Best e-business Website (sponsored by WebFactory) and in the iPhone App category (sponsored by Arekibo);
- EventElephant were joint winners with Hostelworld in the Best e-business Website category with HostelWorld;
- Strata3 went home with the Spider for Best Web Design & Development Agency sponsored by Independent Trustee Company.
Check out the complete listing of winners on the eircom Spiders website.
Uncategorized
Bonkers about Dialogue: New IIA Board Members appointed
The two new board members are David Kerr of Bonkers.ie, and Jermain Williams of Dialogue.
David Kerr is the founder and Managing Director of Bonkers Money Ltd which runs personal finance & price comparison website www.bonkers.ie.
David has 15 years experience working in high technology businesses, and has worked for the past 11 years in the price comparison space in the Ireland, the UK & mainland Europe. Prior to founding bonkers.ie, David was CEO of Xelector plc, a supplier of white-label price comparison software & services to leading UK price comparison brands, newspaper groups, internet portals and retailers. Previously David was a Lead Researcher at Broadcom Eireann Research Ltd specializing in distributed systems for telecommunications network management.
David holds an MSc from Chalmers Technical University in Gothenburg, Sweden and a BSc from University College Dublin.
Jermain Williams or Jazz (as he is known to his friends) is Director of Digital with Dialogue has over fifteen years’ experience both in design and IT including hardware/software consultancy and project management.
After receiving a B.A. in computer aided design, Jazz began his career as a creative working with a number of large comic book clients including Marvel, Valiant and DC Comics.
After a short period in IT he moved into Web Development. He has since then worked with a number of well-known clients including Apple Computers, Lifestyle Sports and 98FM.
He has been directly responsible for many of the new initiatives Dialogue Interactive has brought to the Irish market and has worked with clients including Microsoft, EA, Universal, Nokia and Xbox.
Maeve Kneafsey of Elucidate, IIA Chair, thanked retiring board members, Eoin Kennedy of Slattery Communications and Shenda Loughnane of Aegis, for their service to the IIA.
Reports were also delivered at the AGM by the Chair, the Treasurer, Maurice Mortell of Data Electronics and the CEO, Joan Mulvihill. Minutes of the meeting will be made available to members on IIA.ie.
blogging, social media
A Conversation with Mark Zuckerberg at Web 2.0 Summit 2010
If you’ve got an hour to spare on your way to or from work, it’s worth watching this Web 2.0 Summit conversation with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
His interrogators were Tim O’Reilly and John Battelle. He spent a good portion of the discussion talking about the new Facebook Messages, which I spoke about on the blog on Tuesday.
Watch it if for no other reason that to judge how well Jesse Eisenberg played him in the Facebook movie, The Social Network.
podcast, events
Andrew Draper, Co-founder Manpacks.com keynote speech (Podcast)
In October we held a conference specifically aimed at online retailers called “8 Ways to Sell More Stuff” (read a review here). The feedback was very positive and we hope to produce more events in this style in 2011.
In the meantime here is the first of some of the presentations that I recorded on the day. I didn’t manage to record them all (sorry Michael Kane!) and it may be a while before I have an opportunity to tidy the other few up but there should be plenty for you to mull over in this podcast below.
This is Andrew Draper, Co-founder of Manpacks.com sharing his experience of launching not only a new online business in the last year but a business with a unique business model.
[podcast]http://blog.iia.ie/wp-content/uploads/adraper8Ways.mp3[/podcast]
The headline sponsor of “8 Ways to Sell More Stuff” was An Post and one way you could sell more stuff is by checking out their new site ILoveShopping.ie.
Uncategorized
Eight IIA Member companies honoured in Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Awards
The IIA would like to congratulate the eight member companies who made this prestigious list and wish them all the best in the EMEA Fast 500. The Fast 500 pools all Fast 50 winning companies from Europe, Middle East and Africa and ranks them accordingly.
Congratulations to Software Asset Management Ireland, winners of the Technology Fast 50 Awards 2010. View all the winners here.
The programme ranks the 50 fastest-growing technology companies in Ireland based on percentage revenue growth over a five-year period. This year the following eight IIA Member Companies were honoured. (Position in brackets):
- Roomex (3)
- Daft.ie (4)
- Avvio (7)
- Cartrawler (15)
- Espion (36)
- Newsweaver (41)
- Texthelp (44)
- Arekibo (49)
Deloitte is a member company of the IIA also.
Uncategorized
Sharpen up on the latest trends at BarCamp Cork
BarCamp is an ad-hoc "un-conference" born from the desire for people to share and learn in an open environment. It is an intense event with discussions, demos and interaction from attendees. Anyone with something to contribute or with the desire to learn is welcome and invited to join.
What makes this event different is that those who attend are welcome to contribute to the day; you can chose to speak on a particular topic of expertise – sign up on the day or contact us in advance if you want to be prepared. Four sessions will run simultaneously, you can decide on the day what to attend. Refreshments will be available and it is an excellent opportunity to network. This is what attendees said of last year’s event…
BarCamp Cork is fun while you dunk yourself in the cooking pot. This is where you catch up on the future – get a good view on what’s coming over the horizon – and new ways of using stuff you thought you knew.
Treat yourself to a day that’ll sharpen you up on the latest trends.
To register your attendance or sign up to speak to go http://www.barcampcork.com
marketing, Online Marketing Working Group
Need an online marketing refresher?
While I was on leave* the IIA Online Marketing Working Group produced a series of guides to Online Marketing and they are well worth a look for the both the new business owner and the seasoned marketer. The guides are easy to read and to the point and I, for one, have a little refresher course planned.
Here’s a listing of what’s on offer from the Online Marketing Working Group:
- Content is Still King
This article provides you with the fundamental guidelines for writing for the web, enabling you to take control of your company’s online content and communicate your brand more effectively. - Digital Marketing Strategy & Planning
A framework to help align and structure your digital marketing strategy and planning. - Tips for eNewsletter Content
A guide to creating and writing great email newsletters. - Tips for Video Content
How to create compelling & successful videos as part of your digital marketing strategy. - Web Content Inverted Pyramid
Guidelines for writing for the web.
Check them out now in the Resources section of the IIA website. These resources are member only: if you would like to join and get immediate access to these resources please do!
Also remember as a member of the IIA you can approach any of our working groups with queries on their chosen specialised subject as Magnus Magnusson would have called it.
If you find however that you are the type of learner who needs instruction an upcoming IIA event might be just the ticket for you. On 3 December the IIA in association with Irish Times Training are running Twitter and Facebook for Business. This day long seminar will help you learn how to build the visibility, reputation and profits of your business online using Facebook and Twitter. This seminar takes an in-depth look at case studies of Irish and global businesses using Facebook and Twitter effectively to enhance customer service, attract more business and boost bottom line profits. This seminar is being delivered by Krishna De who regularly shares Facebook tips on her blog.
*By the way I am full time again since Monday so don’t be a stranger!
Uncategorized
Time to renew your IIA Membership for 2011
Your membership affords you the very best value for money. Here is a reminder of that value:
Professional Services
- Professional Services: Support on specific legal queries could save you €300 per query;
- As an IIA Member, you can approach our working groups for advice relating to a range of issues from legal queries to web development;
Training and Education
- You can save up to €1,035 on training costs this year as an IIA Member. With an average satisfaction rating of 85% for IIA training events, they are well worth it;
- You have access to course materials and Case Studies valued at €4,200;
Research and Consultancy
- Development guides and White Papers valued at €3,600 are at your disposal. This ever growing range of business intelligence resources is developed for the Irish market and includes "Cloud Business: Assessment of the risks versus the benefits" and many others;
Marketing
- All members have an opportunity to raise their company profile by participating as a speaker, in a working group, as a guest blogger or simply by adding company news or company feeds to IIA.ie;
Member Offers
- You can avail of or make special offers that will help grow and expand your business.
How to Renew
You can renew your membership online. Log in to www.iia.ie/login, using your username and password. Email members@iia.ie if you need a username and password reminder.
If you wish to cancel your membership of the IIA, please notify Roseanne by emailing members@iia.ie or give her a call on (01) 542 4154 within 30 days.
If you require a receipt upon payment of the pro-forma invoice, please email members@iia.ie. If a Purchase Order number is required please log in to www.iia.ie, select Invoice as payment method and include PO Number in Step 2 of 4.
Looking forward to working with you again in 2011.
Guest Blogger, rights, compliance, legal
Website Terms of use: Jurisdiction clauses
Thanks to Paul Foley of IIA Member Company McKeever Rowan for the following overview of a case where a company’s website terms of use saved the day.
In providing a service over the internet into other EU countries, from a website hosted in Ireland, an internet service provider will typically want to ensure that if there is a dispute with a user of the service, that the dispute can be litigated in Ireland.
Photo owned by walknboston (cc)
The Brussels Regulation (which determines which courts have jurisdiction in civil and commercial disputes between companies and individuals) at article 2 provides (subject to some exceptions including that set out in article 23) that a person (legal or natural) may only be sued in the member state in which he or she is domiciled.
Billigfluege.de Gmbh ( “defendant”) a German service provider was engaged in screen scraping of Ryanair’s web site, (gathering flight data from the Ryanair site and reproducing it on their price comparison site and selling it for a fee) a practice which Ryanair alleged was in breach of the site’s terms of use, clearly accessible through a hyperlink on the front page of Ryanair’s website.
One of the terms of use (clause 7) provided that the courts of Ireland were to have exclusive jurisdiction in any dispute involving the terms of use. This was consistent with article 23 of the Brussels Regulation, which allows as an exception to article 2 for parties to a contract to agree that a particular EU member state court would have jurisdiction in the event of a dispute.
Ryanair took proceedings for breach (under a number of headings) of their terms of use in the Irish High Court against the defendant.
The defendant argued that Ryanair’s terms of use could not form the basis of a contract because all of the traditional features of a legally binding contract were absent including that there was no consideration and accordingly Ryanair could not rely on article 23.
One of the issues that a previous decision of the European court of justice had argued, was that an EU member state court could have exclusive jurisdiction where there was a validly concluded jurisdiction clause, even where there was a dispute as to the validity of the agreement in which the clause was included.
In a decision of the Irish High Court (which is the subject of an appeal to the Irish Supreme Court, which is imminent), the judge decided that i) the Ryanair terms of use had been fairly brought to the attention of defendant (they were clearly accessible through a link on the front page of the site ); ii) the provision of information by Ryanair through their terms of use policy, which offer of information was accepted by the defendant when accessing the site and lifting the information, constituted valid consideration; and iii) the defendants had used the site and made a profit on the information obtained and by doing so had clearly assented to the terms of use. Accordingly the judge found that the exclusive jurisdiction clause in the terms of use had contractual effect and that the Irish courts had authority to determine the dispute. The judge did not go so far as to declare the remainder of the terms of use legally valid.
The judgement provides some encouragement to web site owners, that if their web site terms are sufficiently well drafted (including incorporating a home state jurisdiction clause), and are brought properly to the attention of site users, that the onerous provision of article 2 of the Brussels Regulation can be avoided and home state jurisdiction maintained. It remains to be seen whether the Supreme Court will uphold this decision.