tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818Fri, 25 Jul 2008 03:00:34 +0000http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/noreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)Blogger1138125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-2264216656055870236Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:36:00 +00002008-07-25T09:44:18.240+10:00Web ServicesBusiness LevelsSemanticsMiddlewareAmit Sheth, from Wright State University (USA) will talk on "Using Semantics at Middleware, Web Services and Business Levels" at the CSIRO in the ANU CSIT Seminar Room, in Canberra, 11 August 2008:CSIRO ICT Using Semantics at Middleware, Web Services and Business LevelsAmit Sheth (Wright State University)DATE: 2008-08-11 TIME: 15:00:00 - 16:00:00 LOCATION: CSIT Seminar Room, N101 ABSTRACT:http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/using-semantics-at-middleware-web.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-5015676363098292062Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:35:00 +00002008-07-25T09:07:01.511+10:00IBMGreen ITsustainable developmentACSLast night (24th July 2008) Suzanne Kerwan from IBM Australia talked on "The Future of Green IT" at the ACS Young IT forum in Sydney. Suzanne emphasized that IBM is not new to green issues and had been doing it for business reasons, as well as to be a good corporate citizen. The presentation started with a statement that it was assumed the audience knew about climate change. Suzanne then http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/ibm-green-it.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-2585404127029973173Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:18:00 +00002008-07-24T16:30:31.815+10:00OBD IIOBDPopular Mechanics has a good item on "How to Use an Auto Scan Tool" (Mike Allen, July 2008). This describes how to use low cost On-Board Diagnostics (OBD-II) devices plugged into the car to report diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs): To get started, plug the scan tool into the OBD II connector under the dash. Turn the key on, but don't start the engine. The tool will ask for a number of things such http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/how-to-use-car-scan-tools.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-7125240245650434627Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:17:00 +00002008-07-24T16:12:34.181+10:00Education RevolutionArchitectureflexible learning centrefurniture designOn a visit to the Home Ideas Centre in Sydney I found they have a very good architecture and design bookstore. I asked about books for designing electronic classrooms. Jon Ruwalt, the bookstore manager, was not put off by the unusual request and suggested The Oregon Experiment by Christopher Alexander. This was the project which lead to Alexander's theory of Pattern Languages, now used for http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/experimental-approach-to-campus.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-2003102214591307025Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:19:00 +00002008-07-24T10:39:48.509+10:00GPSwireless local positioning systemPrivacyThe University of NSW, UNSW School of Surveying and Spatial Information System and Cyberspace Law and Policy Centre, hosted the seminar "You are where you've been", 23rd July 2008 in Sydney. This had researchers, industry and government people discussing the privacy issues with GPS, mobile phones and tracking via IP addresses. This was an excellent introduction to tracking technologies, the http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/location-privacy-issues.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-4756832683584480887Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:45:00 +00002008-07-25T09:15:25.511+10:00Green ITQueenslandACSClimate ChangeCarbon Tradingcarbon accountingThe Queensland ICT Industry launched a National Green IT Industry Special Interest Group and Taskforce with the ACS in Queensland on 23rd July 2008. The ACS also has a Green ICT Group. GREEN IT INDUSTRY SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP AND TASKFORCE The ACS on behalf of the Queensland ICT Industry invites you to the launch of the National Green IT Industry Special Interest Group and Taskforce. The Greenhttp://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/queensland-national-green-it-industry.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-6687202471653775360Tue, 22 Jul 2008 02:15:00 +00002008-07-22T12:18:47.004+10:00ANUBeijing 2008 Olympics2012 London OlympicsBob Buckley from the Australian Institute of Sport will talk on "Some applications of sensor devices at the AIS", in Canberra at the ANU, 2008-07-24: Some applications of sensor devices at the AISBob Buckley (AIS)DATE: 2008-07-24 TIME: 11:00:00 - 12:00:00 LOCATION: CSIRO Seminar Room S206 Building 108 (CSIT Building) ABSTRACT: The AIS currently uses a number of sensor devices in the http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/sensors-to-win-at-olympics.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-9166615277622735915Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:50:00 +00002008-07-22T10:54:37.244+10:00ICT EducationprofessionalismAIIAACSNational ICT Careers Week starts 28 July 2008. This has events about computer and telecommunications careers. It is aimed at young people and their parents. There are events across Australia. 17 July TAS Landing that job! Australian Computer Society - Tasmania http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/national-ict-careers-week.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-5993803544568623779Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:04:00 +00002008-07-22T10:26:02.065+10:00Innovation ANUANUInnovationThe ANU has been running "Innovation ANU": an education program and competition to encourage researchers to commercialize their work. Six teams will present business plans a panel of judges for the finals this week. Interestingly some of the teams chose to develop not-for-profit projects, by adapting the business skills being shown. The projects range from very technical ones (fleets of miniaturehttp://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/innovation-anu-final-round-of-judging.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-2868453781225846460Mon, 21 Jul 2008 04:37:00 +00002008-07-21T16:20:20.728+10:00open sourceCreative CommonsVictoriaOpen AccessThe Victorian Parliament is having an inquiry to see if open access/open source licensing should be used to make Victorian Government information more readily available. There is a discussion paper and submissions have been invited by 22 August 2008. The discussion paper is a well written and carefully researched document. Its dissemination as a reasonably efficient and accessible elelctronic http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/open-source-licensing-of-victorian.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-7569723478469430189Mon, 21 Jul 2008 03:01:00 +00002008-07-21T13:47:15.557+10:00Canberrae-LearningA free series of workshops on e-learning is being sponsored by the Australian Government. The next is on how to create e-learning materials using free software, in Canberra, Thursday 24 July: Do you want to learn how to convert you handouts to interactive learning objects for your learners? e-pd in the @CT In 2008, the ACT Framework Team will provide free e-learning professional development http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/how-to-convert-handouts-to-interactive.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-7101938163840223205Fri, 18 Jul 2008 04:05:00 +00002008-07-18T15:37:01.691+10:00mobile webIT Industry PolicyThe Australian Communications and Media Authority has approved the IIA code of practice for online and mobile phone content in Australia. This code has legal force under Schedule 7 of the Broadcasting Act. It replaces two previously separate codes of practice which covered internet content and mobile phone content separately. Significant features are that X rated content is completely banned, http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/new-censorship-rules-for-australian-web.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-8074125477136471119Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:22:00 +00002008-07-18T10:50:49.189+10:00Shipping Containercontainerized data centersdata centersIn 2003 I suggested to the Chinese government they could build a palletized data warehouse. This had started out as a joke. But given that major computer vendors have come out with containerized data centers, it might be time to revive the idea. Palletized Data Warehouse (PDW) The PDW would combine the space saving features of rack mounting computers and low cost of industrial pallet equipment.http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/palletized-computer-data-warehouse.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-2278399557374296117Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:48:00 +00002008-07-18T10:57:33.592+10:00Shipping Containerdata centersSun, IBM and now HP offer a data centre in a shipping container. But these are mostly marketing gimmicks. The companies offer to install rack mounted servers, disk drives and cooling in a standard steel 40 foot ISO shipping container. The idea is that this makes it easy for a company to add computing power: just take deliver of the shipping container and plug it in. But apart from the military, http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/data-centre-in-shipping-container-from.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-4343753806377971248Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:18:00 +00002008-07-17T19:08:19.679+10:00solar powerICT ResearchANURobotsChris Johnson from ANU will be talking next week about solar energy and robot research in an attempt to get New Zealand students to come and study at the Australian National University. I suggested he simply point out that several ANU students and graduates have got research jobs at Microsoft and Google. ;-) Also ANU has run an innovation course to teach researchers how to commercialize their http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/from-robot-vision-to-solar-energy-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-8597157386356656724Thu, 17 Jul 2008 06:58:00 +00002008-07-17T17:10:15.582+10:00ICT PolicylawAustralian GovernmentThe Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has issued request for expressions of interest for a Legal Knowledge System. As with recruitment, there doesn't seem to be any good reason why all Australian Government agencies couldn't use the same software, if not the same system. It seems unlikely that legal issue would be handled differently in DFAT than in other agencies. Category 43230000 - http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/one-legal-knowledge-management-system.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-866081585484804083Thu, 17 Jul 2008 03:53:00 +00002008-07-17T14:04:55.342+10:00TransportSafety Critical SystemsNICTAaircraftStephan Schulz from Comsoft GmbH, Germany, will talk about Air Traffic Control, 2008-08-06 at NICTA in Canberra: NICTA LC SEMINAR Improved Air Traffic Control with Cooperative Surveillance TechniquesStephan Schulz (Comsoft GmbH)DATE: 2008-08-06 TIME: 16:00:00 - 17:00:00 LOCATION: NICTA - 7 London Circuit ABSTRACT: Aircraft in controlled airspace are flying under the direction of air http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/improved-air-traffic-control-with.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-3969034675402724311Thu, 17 Jul 2008 03:48:00 +00002008-07-17T13:52:58.348+10:00SecurityemailANUMichael Still will give a free seminar about his research on how to protect email servers on the Internet from denial of service attacks, 2008-07-31 at the ANU in Canberra: DCS SEMINAR SERIES Measuring deployment of mail servers on the Internet Michael Still (DCS, ANU) DATE: 2008-07-31 TIME: 16:00:00 - 17:00:00 LOCATION: CSIT Seminar Room, N101 ABSTRACT: There are millions of email servers http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/protecting-email-servers-on-internet.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-6954412189269056597Wed, 16 Jul 2008 23:57:00 +00002008-07-17T10:21:42.026+10:00MalaysiaICT GovernancetraveltechnologyTurkeyGreeceFrom mid May to June 2008 I traveled to Malaysia, Turkey and Greece. Highlights were a nighttime train from Greece to Turkey, ferries to the Greek Islands, opera at the Athens Acropolis, attending a Greek wedding and visiting the new Istanbul Museum of The History of Science and Technology in Islam. This was mostly for a holiday, but along the way I attended a corporate governance conference in http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/malaysia-turkey-and-greece-technology.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-7332869266826828715Wed, 16 Jul 2008 06:08:00 +00002008-07-16T17:42:43.401+10:00Climate ChangeAustralian GovernmentElectronic CommerceGarnaut ReviewGreenhouse EffectThe Australian Government released its Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Green Paper today (Wednesday 16 July 2008). There is a Summary, Fact sheets, and media release available, as well as the Full report. The report is, in part, a response to the Garnaut Climate Change Review. The government is inviting submissions on the green paper. Too Much PDF The summary of the report is an efficientlyhttp://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/australian-government-carbon-pollution.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-7024452517047918741Wed, 16 Jul 2008 05:45:00 +00002008-07-16T16:03:52.032+10:00Walter Burley GriffinArchitectureMarion Halligan's "Capital idea" (The Australian, July 12, 2008), is not so much a book review as a review of the work of the book's subject. The book referred to is "The Writings of Walter Burley Griffin", a collection of work by the architect of Canberra edited by Dustin Griffin (Cambridge University Press, 2008). About all she says of the Griffin's prose is: "often rather claggy, but there arehttp://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/capital-idea-canberra-that-might-have.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-3378400602625938006Tue, 15 Jul 2008 23:07:00 +00002008-07-16T09:17:46.282+10:00The latest issue of Fibreculture Journal on the topic of "Convergence" is available with the full text of articles. Fibreculture is an online forum, series of conferences, books and a journal on new media arts, creative industries, education policy, culture and politics. At times I find the discussion almost incomprehensible, as the participants are talking language of the humanities, not http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/fibreculture-journal-on-convergence.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-3892820907553718603Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:10:00 +00002008-07-15T13:41:04.619+10:00solar powerANUCanberraGermanyProfessor Eicke R Weber from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems will give a free seminar at the ANU in Canberra 29 July 2008. Contact: kim.burgess(a)anu.edu.au CSES SEMINAR SERIES Solar Energy - Fraunhofer Institute GermanyProfesser Eicke R Weber (Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems)DATE: 2008-07-29 TIME: 19:30:00 - 20:30:00 LOCATION: Engineering Lecture Theatre http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/solar-energy-research-at-fraunhofer.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-8534015219461622176Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:21:00 +00002008-07-15T12:20:52.628+10:00Green ITsustainable developmentClimate ChangeCanberraGarnaut ReviewEfforts to build a data center with co-generation in Canberra have met with local opposition. The Garnaut Review interim report proposes a carbon trading scheme. The effect of this will be to increase the cost of electricity compared to that from gas (which is less polluting). But this is not as easy as it looks. As an example the proposal for a gas fired co-generation plant for the "Canberra http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/opposition-to-gas-fired-power-station.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16502818.post-99578429889693924Mon, 14 Jul 2008 10:34:00 +00002008-07-14T20:59:59.372+10:00TransporttravelSydneyWorld Youth Day 2008 (La Giornata Mondiale della Gioventù) is on across Sydney. I assumed it would only be in the center of the city, but stepping out the front door in the inner western suburbs I came across pilgrims visiting a local church and billeted at the local school. While the organizers claim this is a bigger event than the 2000 Sydney Olympics, there did not appear to be he crowds of http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/07/world-youth-day-comes-to-sydney.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tom Worthington)