WP-09-Diplo [The Programmer]: Development of the code.... Date:Thu, 15 Apr 2010 12:45:40 +0000 To reply, log in at http://www.websofpower.com/?Page=Login or use your newspaper form. Direct email replies do not go to the sender. (This is intended to protect the privacy of other players.) ====================================================================== It is difficult to move from alpha code to beta in such a hostile environment! While the core is indeed ready for hostile environs, the subroutines that make up the majority of the code require risks to be taken. Seemingly inconsequential decisions may effect the development cycle. Aggressive coding techniques may require more time to implement the beta program, but rewards are rarely without such risk. Mapping of the code in this Universe is progressing, and choices may end in dead ends - the Code continues.... [Ivan - hop into character guys, have something to say! This is the Final Battle, let's have fun with it! While not giving details, my message is accurate and revealing.... There was WAY more diplomacy going on when I was attempting a new style with the EXP personality; even though EXP got the crap kicked out of him, I was having fun with it - the Programmer is getting bored with the diplomacy! (smilie) For what it's worth, I'm still working on what I going to do this turn, but my thoughts are all indicative in the message; offence or defence, I will be taking a risk this turn!!! It's up to you to get the right actions to take advantage of it.... (BIG smilie) P.S. - I have to go pick Derek up at University this weekend, so I'll be mostly offline from tomorrow until Monday, but I hope to pick up the diplomatic efforts again then....] WP-09-Diplo [Adam Smith]: Quarterly Earnings Report Date:Sat, 17 Apr 2010 05:31:38 +0000 To reply, log in at http://www.websofpower.com/?Page=Login or use your newspaper form. Direct email replies do not go to the sender. (This is intended to protect the privacy of other players.) ====================================================================== Letter to Shareholders for Q1 of 2010: Our Capitalist Enterprises remain in excellent shape, despite a harsh business climate in the first quarter. A harsh recession beset our enterprises, with market capitalization declining from 1632 units to 1121 units. But despite considerable fluctuations, capital deployed into merger-and-acquisitions, combined with activating poison-pill defenses against hostile takeovers, resulted in maintaining our start-of-quarter total of 38 business units, and factory capacity also remained nearly constant. Indeed, we netted a slight increase after integration of some formerly independent small businesses. Business conditions improved in the second half of the quarter, but competition is expected to get tougher in Q2, especially if we gain further market share. -- Adam Smith First Quarter Report to the Board of Directors (Corporate Confidential): Fierce competition with the other two major multinationals continues. The coders in Programmer's empire have gone viral on us in several business lines, and we are still working to bring the associated factories back online. The agriculturalists in Sunshine's empire have also seeded themselves aggressively into some of our regions. On the positive side, we have also picked up one or two very productive facilities of our own, albeit at high costs. At Corporate, the CEO's strategy team has recommended buying up Symantec, to acquire the Norton product line for better protection against Programmer's malware attacks, and either purchasing Monsanto or licensing production rights for Roundup for better protection against invasive floral species. Corporate security has also advised that we boost the skills of our front-line teams, to increase the barriers-to-entry of competition seeking to enter our business lines. This will require increased deployment of increasingly scarce capital. The Strategic Expansions Team reports that on the one hand, the Programmer's coding legions have proven themselves far more troublesome, whereas, on the other hand, Sunshine's nearby fields of flowers are not nearly so well defended. If we engage with programmer, our costs per unit gain are quite low. One the other hand, if we fail to engage him, he inflicts costs upon us which it is disproportionately expensive for us to clean up... Meanwhile, if we engage in "green field" factory construction in the fields of flowers, we might gain production at lesser expense, but it will take time for the new enterprises to pay for their costs of construction. And such an approach risks disrupting the global ecosystem to the point where the Programmer's codes replicate unchecked. We will decide upon the next phase of Corporate activities at the next Board Meeting in early May.