Palm Pilot Developers

Re: [spiers] Palm Pilot Develoers

John-

Your proposal of a business to provide data on int'l trade in services,
intrigues me. You have given a clue as to the source for this data (ICC).
I see that the supply-side of the business would be to buy data from ICC,
then provide the "collection and distribution" function (computer back-end
work to import the data and web pages to allow customers to query/report it).

Since the trade associations would be contacted to ask the "does it exist?"
question, are you suggesting that they would be the marketers and retailers
of the data? I extrapolate, then, that the paying customer is the importer
who would learn about the service through the trade association?

I have a proposal for you. If you, as a typical customer, can assist me in
identifying specific features of this service that would be useful to you
(so I know what to ask the ICC), and identify the retailers where you would
go to find this service (so I can determine if anyone will buy it), then I
will take it from there. If I can get paying customers and turn it into a
business, then I'll give you free access to the service.

(I hope I am not handicapped by the fact that one of the things I get paid
to do, is import data from companies into a database, reformat it, and
create web pages to access the data. Having said that, I would probably
outsource some of these tasks. Now, if I could only use an int'l trade in
services database to find the outsource providers... )

Regards,
Paul


At 01:38 PM 6/14/2003 -0400, you wrote:
>Folks,
>
>here is one of those "why don't they just..." moments. the problem here
is although imports and exports of goods are declared and tabulated, and
availble to consult by oone and all, in part at least to get a bead on what
country is the best supplier of a given item; or what country is the prime
buyer of a given item... there is no such corresponding list of int'l trade
in services.
>
>Law work, architectural designs, education, research, investigations,
software coding... all sorts of services are traded import and export, and
all are required to be declared, but almost none are.
>
>I've contacted the various government agencies and they all tend to shrug
their shoulders and say "what can we do?" of course, there is not much
they can do without the budget to do so.
>
>Now one common thread almost all of these transactions have is they do
involve a bank transaction, money going from buyer to seller.
>
>So, if someone could convince the banks to sell the information on who is
exporting what services worldwide, that info could be collated and resold
to buyers of services.
>
>When someone desperately ants Palm Pilot software written, one might be
willing to pay $500 to know that there are eight active providers of palm
pilot software applications in the Soviet union, charging and average
of...etc...
>
>The crucial parts of int'l trade, that is info and logistics and payment
mechanisms (letters of credit) are all in private hands, and developed by
private entities. Governments need not apply for this kind of work. The
ICC in Paris, essentially an association of banks, would be an excellent
clearing house source for the info..., and of course you could ask all
sorts of trade associations if they think it is a good idea and if it exists.
>
>Of course, who is trading what services for what money where in the world
is being tracked, but as deep secret intelligence work as part of the "war
on terror," so we won't get access to that.
>
>So if someone loves this kind of work, compiling data on trade in servcies
worldwide and selling it, I would be customer #1 for this service.
>
>John

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