The ICT A level blog

Biuilt in Validation of data input on web pages - The Struts User's Guide

2010-02-13T08:42:00.001Z

STRUTS is a way of using validation rules. You'd need to be a programmer to take full advantage, but if you're considering alternative design approaches, this might be one to think about, even if you then dismiss it.

Validator is shipped with the following set of pre-defined validation rules.

The Struts User's Guide - Validator Guide

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Google Earth Enterprise - Create a Common Operating Picture

2010-02-12T23:21:00.001Z

Google Earth Enterprise allows you to create 2D browser based maps similar to Google Maps in addition to custom globes similar to Google Earth. Mashup terabytes of imagery and terrain data with to your POI, road data and live data streams. Let novices feel like GIS experts with accessible GIS data. The same data can be viewed in multiple ways: * Google Maps API * Google Earth Enterprise Client * Google Earth API * Google Earth Enterprise Portable solution

Google Earth Enterprise - Create a Common Operating Picture

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Intute - Mathematics and computer science

2010-02-12T23:11:00.001Z

Mathematics and computer scienceMathematics and computer scienceWelcome to Intute: Mathematics and computer science, brought to you by a national team of subject specialists from universities across the UK. We find and review the very best web resources to help you with your studies and research.

Intute - Mathematics and computer science

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Beyond Google: The Invisible Web - What is the Invisible Web? - LaGuardia Community College Library Media Resources Center

2010-02-12T23:10:00.001Z

"Invisible Web" is the term used to describe all the information available on the World Wide Web that is not found by using general-purpose search engines.

Beyond Google: The Invisible Web - What is the Invisible Web? - LaGuardia Community College Library Media Resources Center

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BBC News - Wikileaks and Iceland MPs propose 'journalism haven'

2010-02-12T23:08:00.001Z

Iceland could become a "journalism haven" if a proposal put forward by some Icelandic MPs aided by whistle-blowing website Wikileaks succeeds.The Icelandic Modern Media Initiative (IMMI), calls on the country's government to adopt laws protecting journalists and their sources.

BBC News - Wikileaks and Iceland MPs propose 'journalism haven'

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The History of Backup

2010-02-12T23:07:00.001Z

Backup is the activity of copying files or databases, so that their additional copies may be restored in case of a data loss accident. Thus, we can emphasize first two aspects related to backup - storage media for data and depositories for backup media. Another important aspect is growing necessity in backup caused by development of computer technologies and data volumes expansion.In this article we will take a retrospective look at these aspects. We will examine why the need in backup appeared, expansion and development of backup, the most important events and trends in this sphere, and watch the evolution of data backup storage solutions and methods.

The History of Backup

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Goggles

2009-12-14T11:19:00.002Z

Privacy implications have Google running scared
Take a photograph, press search, and Google's new technology will put a name and biography to the face ....

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/privacy-implications-have-google-running-scared-1839884.html

History of a font

2009-10-08T23:24:00.001+01:00

See the history of Comic Sans

Backup Log example

2009-09-28T23:07:00.001+01:00

My Moodle site runs backups and other tasks when I tell it to. It keeps a log of what's happened. Here's an example:

Server Time: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:04:18 +0100   Starting activity modules Processing module function assignment_cron ...Processing assignment submission 210 Processing assignment submission 237 Processing assignment submission 239 Processing assignment submission 208 Processing assignment submission 214 Processing assignment submission 240 Processing assignment submission 201 Processing assignment submission 227 Processing assignment submission 203 Processing assignment submission 189 Processing assignment submission 196 Processing assignment submission 238 Processing assignment submission 211 Processing assignment submission 241 Processing assignment submission 209 Processing assignment submission 213 done. Processing module function chat_cron ...done. Processing module function forum_cron ...Starting digest processing... Cleaned old digest records Sending forum digests: Monday,  28 September 2009, 11:04 PM Removing old forum read tracking info... done. Processing module function scorm_cron ...done. Processing module function wiki_cron ...done. Finished activity modules Starting blocks Processing cron function for rss_client....     http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk/rss/newsonline_uk_edition/technology/rss.xml# ok 1 feeds refreshed (took 0.015044 seconds) done. Processing cron function for search....Global searching is not enabled. Nothing performed by search. done. Finished blocks Starting admin reports Finished admin reports Updating languages cache Removing expired enrolments ...none found Starting main gradebook job ... done. Running clean-up tasks... Deleted old cache_text records Emailing admin about 15 failed login attempts Notified login failured Synchronised metacourses checking for create_password Executed tag cron Cleaned up contexts Cleaned cache flags Built context paths Finished clean-up tasks... Running backups if required...     Checking backup status...OK     Getting admin info     Deleting old data     Checking courses         Skipping deleted courses             0 courses         ICT Learning             Next execution: Tuesday,  29 September 2009, 12:00 AM         INFO 1 - Practical problem solving in the digital world             Next execution: Tuesday,  29 September 2009, 12:00 AM         INFO 4 - Practical issues involved in the Use of ICT in the Digital World             Next execution: Tuesday,  29 September 2009, 12:00 AM         Year 11 2009-10             Next execution: Tuesday,  29 September 2009, 12:00 AM         Year 10 2009-10             Next execution: Tuesday,  29 September 2009, 12:00 AM         A2 ICT Projects             SKIPPING - hidden+unmodified             Next execution: Tuesday,  29 September 2009, 12:00 AM         INFO 1 Practical problem solving in the digital world copy 1             Next execution: Tuesday,  29 September 2009, 12:00 AM         Old INFO 1 Practical problem solving in the digital world             Next execution: Tuesday,  29 September 2009, 12:00 AM         Old INFO 1 Practical problem solving in the digital world copy 1             Next execution: Tuesday,  29 September 2009, 12:00 AM         Old INFO 1 Practical problem solving in the digital world copy 2             Next execution: Tuesday,  29 September 2009, 12:00 AM Backup tasks finished. Running auth crons if required... Cron script completed correctly Execution took 15.344315 seconds

User guide example

2009-09-27T21:17:00.001+01:00

The process of setting up a page hit counter is well documented at:

http://www.statcounter.com/

Virus attack

2009-09-19T10:58:00.005+01:00

A good example of trickery. Here's an email I received today - correctly filtered by the school system into Junk.

Dear Customer!

Thank you for ordering at our online store.
Your order: Sony VAIO A1133651A, was sent at your address.
The tracking number of your postal parcel is indicated in the document attached to this letter.
Please, print out the postal label for receiving the parcel.

Internet Store.

The attachment also triggered some good behaviour by our system, which replaced it with this:

PureMessage has replaced this part of your message with this text.
Incident information:
Event: Virus infection detectedLocation: nz.zipMessage ID: XXXX Junk E-mail/{EFA34491-C61F-4DD4-BB8E-E70374551FE6}.emlDate: 19/09/2009Time: 10:08:37Server: JSERVERJob: Exchange Store ScanningVirus name(s): Troj/Bredo-G

Anniversary

2009-09-15T10:22:00.001+01:00

http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2009/09/0915ACM-founded

Innovation

2009-09-02T19:55:00.000+01:00

Good item from New Scientist at:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17705-innovation-go-to-hospital-to-see-computings-future.html?DCMP=NLC-nletter&nsref=dn17705

BBC NEWS | Technology | Tech Lab: Sydney Padua

2009-07-12T23:21:00.002+01:00

BBC NEWS | Technology | Tech Lab: Sydney Padua for the full story

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Cloud computing perspectives and questions - WikiContent

2009-07-11T11:38:00.002+01:00

An interesting piece about Cloud Computing - thanks to Dr Howard Harris

Cloud computing perspectives and questions - WikiContent

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Software Evaluation Service - how good is your software?

2009-02-10T07:07:00.002Z

SOFTWARE EVALUATION SERVICE
US $ 499 .

In today's overfilled market, quality is everything. When you release your software, you have to be sure that it's ready. This is why we've launched our new Software Evaluation package.Our Software Evaluation service allows you to have your application assessed and evaluated by a professional.

The process is as follows:
* The software is installed on a basic and stable test system
* The software is given a thorough and extensive evaluation
* All experiences are recorded in detail

A thorough report is generated covering the following areas:

overview of the software
general usability
interface and product design
features and implementation
help file (overview)
marketing advice
recommendations
analysis and conclusion

For a more detailed description of these services as well as excerpts from previous evaluations, please have a look at our website:

www.software-evaluation.info

Software Evaluation Service - how good is your software?

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Employees facing redundancy are tempted by data theft - Times Online

2009-02-06T22:48:00.001Z

Employees facing redundancy are tempted by data theftGeneral view of a memory stickA memory stick can contain vast amounts of data and is easily concealedMichael HermanCompanies face a new challenge in protecting sensitive information, says Michael Herman /A memory stick can contain vast amounts of data and is easily concealed.However bad the economy gets and no matter how nervous white-collar workers become about losing their jobs, most are unlikely to sneak out of the office with a hard drive concealed under their jackets.But when it comes to pilfering the contents of their office computers, many are far less scrupulous, leaving businesses with an enormous commercial and legal headache.A recent survey from Cyber-Ark, the IT security group, found that 58 per cent of British workers would be prepared to take confidential company data if faced with redundancy. Perhaps more alarmingly, the same survey found that with job losses rising, 40 per cent of UK staff are already removing confidential data and would be willing to use it to help to negotiate a new job.Related Links * Emergency consolidation cuts competition * Bank of England can intervene to revive lending * Put transparency and trust back into banking Cyber-Ark listed client or customer databases as the most likely forms of data to be stolen, followed by business proposals and product information. The financial services sector is traditionally considered the most at risk from employee data theft, but Mark Weston, a partner at Matthew Arnold & Baldwin, the law firm, said that it was a serious issue that affected all industries. Mr Weston argues that although criminal gangs are active in data theft, the single biggest threat is from a company's own employees, a point emphasised by a recent survey by McAfee, the IT security group, which found that 68 per cent of businesses were most concerned about the “insider threat”.The opportunities for removing data discreetly have improved in recent years through the availability of memory sticks. These are small devices - often the size of a pack of chewing gum - that can store many gigabytes of data and work with most office computers.Adam Bosnian, a vice-president of Cyber-Ark, said: “The damage that insiders can do should not be underestimated. It can take just a few minutes for a database that has taken years to build to be copied to a memory stick. With a faltering economy resulting in increased job cuts, deferred promotions and additional stress, companies need to be especially vigilant about protecting data loss from nervous or disgruntled employees.”While some data can harm a business as soon as it is taken, much stolen information becomes a threat only once it is used by a competitor. So while the Cyber-Ark research found that well over half of British employees would be prepared to steal and use confidential data if faced with losing their jobs, it is perhaps more alarming that statistics from the High Court show that British workers are increasingly making good on those intentions.The number of court cases brought to stop former employees using confidential data in their new jobs climbed sevenfold between 2006 and 2008, according to Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC). a law firm. The number of cases may have increased only from three to twenty-three, but RPC says that there will have been many more similar cases that were settled privately.Cath Thorpe, an employment partner at RPC, said that the shaky economy and poor job prospects were directly to blame. “Rising job insecurity is encouraging more employees to use confidential information obtained from their current employer when they begin working for a competitor,” she said. Ms Thorpe added that with alternative jobs increasingly difficult to find, other employees are starting up their own businesses and “using confidential information in order to compete head-to-head with their former employer”.Although litigation is expensive and not guaranteed, the 23 court cases brought last year should reassure business that it does have the ability to remove or reduce problems arising from employees jumping ship with confidential information.In one recent high-profile case, UBS, the Swiss bank, sued Vestra, a start-up business formed by 78 former employees. The case settled on confidential terms, but not before a High Court judge gave an interim ruling barring Vestra from approaching any UBS clients.Fast-moving employers have a more adventurous option, in the form of a “search and seize” order. Businesses with strong evidence of a former employee removing significant information - such as CCTV footage of someone leaving a secure data area with files - can apply for a court order authorising them to search the home of a former employee and remove company data.Although the police are not involved, the former worker who obstructed the search would be in contempt of court, a criminal offence. Mr Weston warned that aside from having to get up early to catch them unaware, another downside to raiding the home of a former worker was that if nothing were found they may be able to claim compensation for the inconvenience.

Employees facing redundancy are tempted by data theft - Times Online

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When it comes to IT, big is not beautiful | George Osborne - Times Online

2009-02-06T22:46:00.001Z

When it comes to IT, big is not beautifulAgile, modern technology can transform public services and relieve taxpayers of bloated budgetsGeorge OsborneOne of the central questions we face as a nation is how, in future, we can live within our means. The next government will face the highest budget deficit in modern British history and the urgent task of delivering better value for taxpayers' money. Information technology should be at the heart of this agenda.In other walks of life, we have seen how IT has transformed customer service, expanded consumer choice and opened up new freedoms. It has driven productivity improvements and efficiency gains across industries. Unfortunately, this exciting potential has not been realised in government.We all remember the individual failures in government IT: the NHS supercomputer shambles, the SATs marking disaster, the catastrophe of the rural payments agency.But even in the light of these failures, yesterday's report in The Times that the £100 billion that the Government spends on IT is running nearly £19 billion over budget was genuinely shocking.Background * £18bn scandal of Whitehall IT projects * COMMENT: We must break this cycle of failure * Computer deals that cost taxpayers billions * CASE STUDY: Patients ‘sent to wrong hospital’ It shocked me because it showed that these failures were not just a series of individual mistakes, but also that IT incompetence in government appears endemic.That is why we have been working for some time on how we can harness the latest ideas to make government IT more efficient and effective. Here's what we need to do.First, government needs to stop thinking that when it comes to procuring IT systems, big is always beautiful. The Government runs some of the biggest IT systems in the country, covering every single citizen. Yet the very size of the projects too often makes them unmanageable and means only a handful of companies can compete to deliver them. Not only does this lead to higher costs but it means that even when suppliers let the public sector down, the Government has few options but to keep handing them new contracts. So how can we change that?We need to move in the direction of what are known as “open standards” - in effect, creating a common language for government IT. This technical change is crucial because it allows different types of software and systems to work side by side in government.At a stroke it means big projects can be split into smaller elements, which can be delivered by different suppliers and then bolted together. Because smaller projects are inherently less risky, this approach reduces the chance of cost overruns and opens up the procurement process to innovative start-ups.Second, we need to follow the example of businesses all over the world and take advantage of “open source” technology. Open source is a way of developing software so that the source code is made openly available to licensed users. It started out as a communal philosophy but it's now mainstream. It has been harnessed by companies such as Amazon and Bebo to enable them to keep down costs and more easily improve their products. Amazon, for example, estimates that using open source has slashed its IT spending by a quarter. And 20 per cent of online Europeans - including me - now use the open source Mozilla browser to surf the internet. Unfortunately the Government is lagging far behind, with open-source suppliers all too often locked out of its contracts.Last week the Conservative Party published an independent report by Mark Thompson of Cambridge University which sets out detailed proposals to create a level playing field for open source. His report showed that the Government could save more than £600 million a year if it made more use of open source as part of a competitive procurement system. That's the right way forward. We're not saying that government should not use traditional licensed software - simply that open source should be used where it makes sense and can deliver better value for money.Third, we need to see changes in Whitehall that fit the wider Conservative agenda of entrenching a new culture of financial discipline across government. Astonishingly, there is no formal approval process for government IT schemes. Too often, schemes are approved without thinking about how they will fit into wider objectives or how they will deliver value for money. Ministers are often to blame for this, by changing project specifications at the last minute, which leads to spiralling costs. That needs to change.In the 1980s a unit based in the Treasury provided expertise to departments on handling complex privatisation projects. Similar strategic leadership and advice is needed for large IT projects.Getting value for money in IT goes hand in glove with delivering value for money more broadly. At a political level that means setting clear goals and sticking to them. And it means getting the whole government machine focused on value for money.IT has the potential to transform the relationship between citizen and State, and deliver more efficient and effective public services. Our plan will help us to make the most of this potential. Under the Conservatives, government IT will be about getting value for money for the future, not adding to the bills of the past.George Osborne is Shadow Chancellor

When it comes to IT, big is not beautiful | George Osborne - Times Online

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The reality of large public sector IT projects -Times Online

2009-02-06T22:45:00.001Z

Sir, Nigel Harper (letter, Feb 4) suggests using university computer science departments for large public sector IT projects, together with a collaborative use of open source software. While this would lead to better-engineered software and a correspondingly lower risk of code failure, there are remarkably few IT projects that are simply computer code. IT systems today are a complex mix of technology, commercial principles, business processes, human nature and interactions, legal contracts, people and money. Whether in the public or private sector, these are frequently affected by politics, personal ambition, financial pressures, accountability and the desire to deliver and achieve. No amount of software engineering can address these variables.Few IT projects fail because of technology. IT falls victim to overexpectation, unco-ordinated decision making, lack of clear objectives and relentless cost paring without a corresponding and realistic reduction in the desired outcome. All these are driven by those setting out the needs for planning, managing and approving the project. Today’s IT professional has to be far more than just a computer scientist. He or she has to be skilled in psychology, business matters, diplomacy, project management and politics.Alan PollardPresident, British Computer Society

The reality of large public sector IT projects -Times Online

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Death of the Mouse ?

2008-11-25T10:06:00.001Z

Artilce and video at http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/personal_tech/article5218999.ece

When humans do it better

2008-10-23T10:59:00.000+01:00

https://www.mturk.com/

Blogging

2008-10-23T10:55:00.001+01:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7682179.stm

Open Source browser development

2008-10-23T10:53:00.001+01:00

http://www.google.com/googlebooks/chrome/

Searching for primes

2008-08-31T22:40:00.002+01:00

One aspect of mathematics in which computers are essential is finding large prime numbers.

It's two years since the last one - and we wait for confirmation that the 45th Mersenne prime (one less than a power of 2) has been found.

See The Register, at http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/29/45th_mersenne_prime_discovered_maybe/

Other peoples' blogs

2008-04-30T21:05:00.001+01:00

Ian Yorston's blog is worth reading - set up a reader such as the Google reader.
So is David Smith's blog.

Both are writing about net neutrality at the moment.

Mechanical computing

2007-11-03T10:50:00.000Z

From WIRED (http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2007/07/steampunk-scien.html)

Steampunk Scientists Plan Mechanical Chip

By Charlie Sorrel July 26, 2007 10:13:11 AMCategories: Innovations
Mechanical adding machines have given way to silicon, right? Wrong. A group of US researchers have gone all steampunk and outlined a design for a tiny nanomachine the size of a computer chip, which will contain moving parts. The chips will be slow and simple compared to their silicon brethren, but they will be a lot tougher, so they can be used in hostile conditions, like a car engine.
Mechanical adding machines are not new. Charles Babbage's Difference Engine was never built in his lifetime, but recently researchers made replicas which worked just fine. We even showed you the home made six bit marble adding machine a month ago.
The new mechanical chip uses modern manufacturing techniques to make it smaller. One of the researchers, Professor Robert Blick from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told the BBC that "It's inspired by Babbage's ideas but these days we can scale it down"

Antique engines inspire nano chip [BBC News]

Modes of Processing

2007-11-01T13:28:00.000Z

Rob L:
In today's lesson we covered modes of processing. This is the different ways data get processed so there are a few different methods like real time processing, batch processing, online processing, pseudo real time processing interactive processing and transaction processing .
All these types of modes of processing go into a greater detail on chapter 24 on pages 130-133.

A2 Project planning for November and December

2007-10-29T10:06:00.000Z

This is the rough GANTT chart which set 2 agreed this morning. Aim to move your design into reality over the next couple of weeks, and be ready for another review meeting on Monday 12th November.

In priority order: build

tables (test validation etc)
queries (test that they do what it says on the tin)
input forms (test that they work)
reports (test that printouts print, & that emails send - may be impossible on school network)
interface (switchboard, perhaps) (get your user to test this and all the functions - get them to write down comments about the system)

Do your testing as you go along - record screen shots and comments, especilly for the queries.

If you can manage to write up the evalution and user doc before the end of term, you will be free to concentrate on revision for unit 5 :)

BBC NEWS | Scotland | Edinburgh, East and Fife | Hand-held supercomputers 'on way'

2007-10-22T21:46:00.001+01:00

Hand-held supercomputers 'on way'HPCx supercomputerIt is predicted that supercomputers will shrink in sizeExperts at a Scottish university say they have paved the way for the creation of tiny supercomputers which could fit in the palm of the hand.Engineers at the University of Edinburgh studied the behaviour of wires which were 1,000 times thinner than human hair.
They then created a tool which could help develop tiny microchips.German and Italian experts also worked on the project. Their findings will be published in the journal Science.It is hoped that the discovery will eventually lead to medical advances, as well as hand-held PCs and mobile phones as powerful as laptops becoming available on the high street.
To create a powerful computer the size of a mobile phone, much smaller microchips with thinner wires are needed. This will help to make small devices much more powerful in the futureDr Michael ZaiserUniversity of EdinburghThe Edinburgh researchers teamed up with colleagues from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany and the University of Rome, Italy, to look at how tiny wires behave when they are manipulated.With the help of computers, they found that wires on a nanoscale, measured in millionths of a millimetre, behave quite differently from bigger wires.
Dr Michael Zaiser, of Edinburgh's school of engineering and electronics, said: "What we found is when we made these wires smaller and smaller they started to behave in a very funny way."The experts in Edinburgh have created a computer programme which allows engineers to predict when these problems might arise with the wires - and how to avoid them.
The discovery should help ensure that wiring in electronic devices remains effective, even in a supercomputer the size of a matchbox.Dr Zaiser said: "This will help to make small devices much more powerful in the future."Holding a supercomputer in the palm of your hand will one day be possible - and we are going to make sure all the wires are in the right place."

BBC NEWS | Scotland | Edinburgh, East and Fife | Hand-held supercomputers 'on way'

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BBC NEWS | Technology | Security service targets gamers

2007-10-22T16:29:00.001+01:00

Security service targets gamers. The GCHQ monitoring service employs about 5,000 people. A British intelligence agency has targeted a new generation of recruits by advertising in computer games.The Cheltenham-based surveillance service GCHQ hopes to attract the attention of "tech-savvy" gamers. Adverts featuring the GCHQ website are on billboards within Xbox 360 games such as Splinter Cell: Double Agent and Enemy Territory: Quake Wars.GCHQ said it hoped the campaign would "capture the imagination of people with a particular interest in IT".

BBC NEWS | Technology | Security service targets gamers

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Tuesday 9th Oct - Software

2007-10-10T11:23:00.000+01:00

Jack M:
Today we spoke about software. This included operating systems, applications software and utilities. We learnt new word such as bespoke which is the ICT version of the Tailor Made. I learnt that malware defence e.g is not an application software but is a utility software. Also we spoke about how drivers work to turn on the computer and communicate with the keyboard, screen and other cool stuff. Also for work tonight we must complete our notes/mindmaps on software.
I hope this Chronicle of today's lesson will satisfy those who are interested. No doubt that Jack Broome will something constructive to add about software as he is a pro.

Databases

2007-10-06T13:55:00.000+01:00

Sean M wrote :
Year 12 ICT Set 1 Blog

First we went through chapter 17- introduction to databases and chapter 18- relational databases, plus we checked the questions on these chapters. While doing this we looked at the schools database to use as an example.

Then we looked into the ICT website (clowndes.org.uk/moodle) which Mr Lowndes had set up and did the first set of questions.

We went to create our own wiki which is where we are going to create our own revision guide.

CAML adds:
we also talked about the importance of

making notes when reading about ICT (and this could be here, or in the course wiki)
using summaries and bullet points from the textbook
lloking up unfamiliar words, in online resources like FOLDOC and Wikipedia

The ICT Blog launches

2007-10-06T13:53:00.000+01:00

This is a place for Shiplake College ICT students, and perhaps others, to keep notes and swap ideas about their study of ICT A level topics.