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The article presents information on the lessons learned from the use of Virtual Commerce (VCommerce) in graduate courses at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, Hawaii and Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan during semesters of 2000. VCommerce offers a framework for students to develop Internet-based business. VCommerce is a simulation game that belongs to the process of new venture creation. The strength and weakness of the VCommerce approach are illustrated in the lessons. A rich educational environment is offered by VCommerce to facilitate a more sophisticated understanding of technical management. The pace of software-based product development is reflected by VCommerce.

Software review encompasses a broad spectrum of activities, from informal, individual desk checking to review using computer-mediated groupware environments with built-in process models. Formal technical review (FTR) is an umbrella term for review methods involving a structured encounter where a group of technical personnel analyzes an artifact in order to improve both the quality of the product and the review process. Despite a consistent stream of positive findings over 20 years, industry adoption of inspection appears to remain quite low, although no definitive data exists. This article combats a myopia that has developed within the review community, where inspection is often viewed as not only effective, but optimal. This myopia prevents those afflicted from seeing the inspection glass ceiling that circumscribes the potential application and effectiveness of FTR to software development. This article supports such reengineering of FTR by articulating seven guidelines for next generation, breakthrough approaches to FTR.