The release of concrete5.3.0 Japanese, and the launch of its web site

Usagi Project is pleased to announce the released of concrete 5.3.0 Japanese version, and the launch of our web site on April, 17, 2009 (JST).

http://concrete5-japan.org

Due to the language barrier between Japanese and English, Usagi Project made a decision to distribute the package separately from concrete5's SourceForge account but through our SourceForge.jp account.

If you are interested in using concrete5 Japanese, please visit our web site.

We, Usagi Project, will closely keep in touch with the concrete5 core team to make sure that Japanese users continue to benefit from this wonderful CMS.

We hope that we can make the world the better place together with the concrete5 core team!

We, Usagi Project, are also an Open Source group, and keep looking for new members. If you can read both English and Japanese, and have extra time to help us, please visit our web site and submit your membership request.

http://concrete5-japan.org/usagiproject/



Kuniharu Tsujioka & Katz Ueno
Usagi Project

Usagi Project がオープンソース CMS ソフト「concrete5.3.0 日本語版」をリリース。初心者に本当に優しい無料ホームページ運用システム

Usagi Project は 4月17日、オープンソース CMS ソフトウェア「 concrete5 」の最新安定版である「concrete5.3.0 日本語版」をリリース、同時に日本語公式サイトを開設致しました。


■ concrete5 日本語公式サイト
http://concret5-japan.org


■ concrete5 動画デモ
concrete5 を紹介するために動画ビデオのデモを作成致しました。
http://concrete5-japan.org/about/screencast


■ concrete5 とは
concrete5 は、アメリカで開発されているオープンソース CMS ソフトウエアです。元は商用ソフトとして、130万円で販売されていましたが、昨年、オープンソース化、無料となりました。

concrete5 はアメリカの公共広告機構である AdCouncil が制作した「ルイス＝クラーク探検隊200周年記念祭」のサイトのために生まれ、秒間1万ヒットにも耐えうる設計となっています。

Usagi Project では、アメリカの開発元、 Concrete CMS, inc. の協力の元、日本語版の翻訳と普及活動を担当することになりました。

concrete5 は、 HP 作成ツールを必要とせず WEB サイトへアクセスするだけでページ編集・追加・削除ができ初心者でも直感的に HP がつくれる画期的な CMS ソフトです。管理画面での操作も最小限に押さえ利便性が向上してます。

また、グループ管理機能も充実。企業やお店のホームページのみならず、学校のサークル、社内サイトなどに最適のシステムです。

前述の「ルイス＝クラーク探検隊200周年記念祭」のサイトは、サイト更新者が90名にのぼりましたが、3ヶ月で完成する事が出来ました。



特徴
・管理画面を介さずに、直接ページを編集
・コンクリートブロックを積み上げるようにサイトを構築
・自由自在にレイアウトを変えられる
・ユーザーごとに編集や公開権限の設定が可能

主な機能
・画像を直接編集(picnik.com のサービスを利用)
・グループ編集・権限機能
・ファイル履歴管理機能
・簡単スライドショー作成機能
・YouTube ビデオ
・アンケート機能
・RSS 表示

ターゲット
・情報サイト
・政府・地方自治体
・企業
・NPOなどのグループ
・クラブ、趣味サークル
・キャンペーンサイト
・学校、大学
・社外・社内サイト
・その他「ホームページ」と呼ばれるもの全て



■ concrete5 使用条件
・Web サーバー (Apache 等)
・PHP バージョン5
・MySQL4.1 以上



■ Usagi Project について
Usagi Project は、オープンソース SNS ソフトウェアを開発するために生まれたプロジェクトです。日本全国にいる沢山の開発者や開発協力者が、利用ユーザたちの満足度向上や新しい付加価値を求めて日々開発を行っております。また2009年2月からは、concrete5の日本語サポートを行うことになりました。

Usagi Project はボランティアグループです。メンバーを随時募集しております。



■ concrete5 資料リンク

concrete5 の紹介
http://concrete5-japan.org/about/readmefirst

concrete5 の歴史（開発秘話）
http://concrete5-japan.org/about/readmefirst/history-of-concrete5

Usagi Project と concrete5 、 MyNETS の紹介
http://concrete5-japan.org/usagiproject/about-usagi-project

Usagi Project メンバー 一覧
http://concrete5-japan.org/usagiproject/members

Usagi Project メンバー募集要項
http://concrete5-japan.org/usagiproject/wanted

concrete5 Member of the Month!

Yay~!

I was selected as the member of the month of concrete5 Community in April, 2009.

http://www.concrete5.org/community/



Thanks, concrete5 team and Franz (CEO of concrete5)~!




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Teigaku Kyufukin Letter has arrived

Today, my family received the letter from Yokkaichi City regarding Teigaku Kyufukin.

The letter consists three materials

1. Return envelop
2. English and Chinese instruction
3. The Form which accept or deny your Kyufukin per household member, and where to fill out you bank account

English instruction letter followed by Chinese

The actual form where you check your household member and fill out your bank account.

For more information about Teigaku Kyufukin （定額給付金）, read my related posts.

"FREE" 12000 YEN to ALL Registered Foreigners in Japan

http://katz515.blogspot.com/2008/12/registered-foreigner-will-receive-12000.html

How to Claim your 12,000 yen and Highway Holiday Discount

http://katz515.blogspot.com/2009/03/how-to-claim-your-12000-yen-and-highway.html

Softbank: iPhone Discount for Existing Users

Since February, Softbank began their huge discount of iPhone 3G. Now you can buy iPhone 3G 8GB model for almost free (with 2 years contract) called "iPhone for Everybody Campaign"

iPhone for Everybody - Softbank

http://mb.softbank.jp/mb/iphone_en/everybody/

"iPhone for Everybody" for Existing iPhone Users in Japan

But this is also a good news for existing Softbank's iPhone users in Japan. I called Softbank customer support to confirm, and I did renew my contract to reduce my monthly data plan today.

Effective on April 1st through May 30, 2009, the existing Softbank iPhone heavy data users will be able to benefit from this campaign.

If you are

1. Bought iPhone 3G from Softbank in Japan
2. You subscribe Softbank's White Plan
3. You spend more than 5,000 yen per month for data charge
4. You think you will be using iPhone in Japan for another year.

And then, you should definitely consider to renewing your contract.

If you are NOT existing iPhone users who spend more than 5,000 yen for data plan, just don't waste your time reading this post. It'll just add some more headache :-p

Detail of The Data Plan Discount

This campaign is not really advertised much.

But if you renew your contract now, Softbank will reduce the maximum data fee from 5,985 yen to 4,410 yen.

You need to know:

1. You renew your contract (for another 2 years)
2. Your data plan max charge will be reduced to 4.410 yen (1,500 yen/mo discount)
3. You need to pay 9,975 yen cancellation fee if you decided to terminate your account within 2 years.

But 1,500 yen discount per month will add up to 18,000 yen per year.

As I am heavy iPhone App users, I've always maxed out the data fee to 5,985 yen every month. It's a no brainer. I went to Softbank today, and made the switch.

How to Join "iPhone for Everybody Campaign"

1. Bring your iPhone, your valid Japanese ID (like Alien Regist. Card).
2. Go to your local Softbank Service center
   
3. Just tell them that you want to join "iPhone for Everybody Campaign"
4. Fill out the form, your Softbank's cell phone number, name, Date of Birth, and show them your ID (Driver's License or Alien Registration Card which shows your address in Japan)
5. They will renew your contract.

WARNING: This contract will renew your status after two years AUTOMATICALLY, so if you want to quit Softbank in two years, you have to show up BEFORE your contract expires and tell them to cancel when the contract ends.

Canceling This Contract Without Termination Fee

[UPDATED on 4/7/09]

So if you are ready to pay 9975 yen, you don't have to read this section.

But shibuya246 from JapanSoc,com asked me a question about Softbank's two-year contract. So I called Softbank customer center to find out.

http://www.japansoc.com/Technology/softbank-iphone-discount-for-existing-users/

According to their explanation, this "iPhone for Everybody" contract is AUTO-RENEW at every two years.

If you don't make any action on 25th month, you will be stuck for this contract for another two years. And you will have to pay 9975 yen termination fee if you want to cancel between 26th~48th month of your contract.

OK. So this adds to more headache... so let's take my case as an example.

I signed up for this "iPhone for Everybody" contract on 4/6/2009, and my billing cycle starts on every 11th day of the month.

If I want to cancel my contract without paying the termination fee (9975 yen), I will have to call Sofbank on 25th month which is between 4/11~5/10/2011....

But since I'm already saving 18,000 yen for a year.. I am ready to pay 9975 yen. So I won't care about the termination fee at all.

Japanese for Dummies

For those of who cannot really speak Japanese, I am just leaving this text for you. You are welcome to print this out and bring it to Softbank store to show it to them.

*DISCLAIMER:  You understand that I, Katz, will not be responsible for any of loss by using this examples.

(Although I am 100% sure that you can use my Japanese, I still need to protect myself :-))

• 既存のiPhoneユーザーですが、iPhone for Everybodyキャンペーンの定額データプラン割引に加入したいと思って来ました。
• I am an existing iPhone user, and I would like to renew my contract to reduce my maximum charge of the data plan

• 私は、再び、今日から2年間の契約を締結する事を了承しています。
• I understand that I am making another two-years contract starting today.

• 今日から2年以内に回線を解約する場合、9975円の契約違約金が発生する事も理解しています
• I understand that I will pay 9,975 yen penalty fee when I terminate the contract within two years.

----------

Save your money~.

BANDAI is planning to hire more foreigners for its worldwide expansion

From today's (Monday April 6) news of TV Tokyo, "E Morning".

BANDAI, the one of the major toy and TV game company, is looking to hire more foreigners.

According to TV Tokyo, BANDAI is seeking to expand their toy and TV game business towards international market more, and they think that hiring more foreign people is one of their plan.

The news did not say any details such as what department, what nationalities, or which regions.

 

They might have wanted to announce their plan only.

But this could lead to a good news for those of who love Japanese toys and games under this recession economy.

BANDAI - Corporate Page Explaining their Worldwide Expansion plan (Japanese only)

http://www.bandai.co.jp/corporate/world.html

DISCLAIMER: No other online news sources reported this, but only TV Tokyo, as on 4/6/2009 12pm (JST)