ইভিএমে সন্তুষ্ট ভোটাররা | বাংলাদেশ | bdnews24.com

ইভিএমে সন্তুষ্ট ভোটাররা | বাংলাদেশ | bdnews24.com:

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SMEs find value in the cloud

Small and mid-sized companies are increasingly using cloud computing to transform the way they operate, research has shown.

The research of 400 SMEs, by global IT trade association CompTIA, shows that 18% of UK SMEs are using cloud-based products, while a further 30% plan to introduce them over the next year. Almost all (93%) of those using them found the transition easy and 79% found results positive. Furthermore, 81% expect toincrease their cloud usage over the next two years.

The research offers insights into the huge business opportunities for IT solution providers and the new challenges that IT departments will face as IT becomes a more critical part of running the business.

However, SMEs are concerned about security (50%), reliability of cloud providers (30%), and internet connectivity (27%), and lack understanding of the cloud model (26%).

According to CompTIA, part of the move to the cloud will be driven by the uptake of tablets, which benefit from the remote access that cloud provides. The survey found that 37% of SMEs already have tablets and another 37% plan to purchase them.

While tablets are predominantly used for convenient access, some SMEs are looking at using them for specific business purposes, such as demonstrating a product (34%) or point of sale transactions (32%).

Seth Robinson, CompTIA's director, technology analysis, who conducted the research, said: "Tablets will open new challenges for IT staff, as employees use them outside work. Tablets can get infections from home networks, which can spread to the corporate network. Support for tablets' closed hardware system is different to that of PCs or laptops. These and other issues will need to be considered by the IT department in building a mobile device management policy."

The full report will be presented at CompTIA's upcoming Emea Member Conference on 9 November in London at the session "Technology Trends that are Shaping the IT Industry". The report is also available at no charge to members.

The advantages of integrating technology across the school curriculum with Wi-Fi

What does ubiquitous broadband coverage mean for the education environment and what challenges and opportunities do schools face in adapting to this?

• Integrating technology across the school curriculum with Wi-Fi
• Monitoring and filtering content to manage risk
• Budget restrictions affect schools' technology investment
• Schools struggle to engage social networking

Integrating technology across the school curriculum with Wi-Fi

The UK's IT education system came under fire from Google supremo Eric Schmidt in a recent speech, when he damningly described the country as wasting its technological talents due to an inadequate IT curriculum. But as the flight to all things digital continues at breakneck speed, what do technological developments mean for the school environment? Are we future-proofing the next generation's education?

Tom Paes, network manager at Tomlinscote School & Sixth Form College, recently rolled out Wi-Fi at his school, after implementing a policy to allocate one laptop per child last year. As there was no longer a computer room, this was the logical move, he says. "I like to think that made a very positive impact, for the first year we got an outstanding grade from Ofsted," says Paes.

For Paes it's not so much about having a strong IT curriculum - although he says this is important - but effectively incorporating IT across subjects.

"The aches have mainly been with staff, who have to change the way they teach. All our education material is on the virtual learning environment, which is the key to ensuring the use of wireless," says Paes.

"We set ourselves targets after two terms that 20% of lessons would involve the full use of laptops and 30% of homework would be handed in online. The latest target is to see 50% of lessons using IT in some manner."

All students must come into class with their laptops fully charged, as trailing leads across the floor is a health and safety hazard. If they don't then it's an instant detention, he says.

Saverio Romeo, senior industry analyst of mobile communications at Frost and Sullivan, says Wi-Fi is the most popular internet solution in schools because it tends to be more cost effective and provides better connectivity between campus buildings.

The model is to use a Wi-Fi router to a fixed infrastructure that spreads the signal inside the school with Wi-Fi repeaters, he says.

Public Sector Networks (PSNs), which connect and redeploy internet networks in regional areas, are also helping to bring increased connectivity, says Brown. "Some of the problems are being answered by PSNs. That seems to be pushing connectivity in rural areas," says Brown.

"Last year, when BT cut through a line, we had no e-mail for three days. Hopefully we shouldn't be getting into that situation again. That has been an issue in the past," he says.

Monitoring and filtering content to manage risk

But with ubiquitous internet coverage comes a host of distractions. Paes says his school banned Facebook and MSN, which can only be used by the sixth form. Mobile phones are also not allowed. YouTube is accessible as an aid to teaching, but the site is banned for under 13-year-olds, he says.

Monitoring the internet is not difficult, adds Peas. "We have a central feed from out ISP that has a high-level filter disc, we also have a separate filter box on site which we can put additional things on - we have about 90 sites on that, including Facebook. And we have software which gives us snapshots of the students' screens. Porn, or other pernicious material gets blocked at high level on the schools internet feed," he says.

Alan Brown, head of college ICT at Thanet College, takes a slightly different approach to regulating the use of social networks. His college caters for students over 16-years-old and students are also allowed to bring in mobiles, with text tools used to remind them of exams.

"I very much believe in what Einstein says - that any teacher who could be replaced by technology probably ought to be," Brown says.

"If students are on Facebook rather than concentrating on lessons it means we are not engaging them. We should be using technology to make lessons more interesting, rather than using it simply as a sophisticated note-taking device."

"If you say you can't use Facebook, students will just find holes and breaches. Instead we need to educate students and staff on how to use it," he added.

Cyber bullying has been an issue in the past, he says, but by stepping in quickly the school has been able to nip it in the bud. Paes says his school has also had to take a hands-on approach to cyber bullying, despite the fact that it does not allow social networks.

But both Paes and Brown agree the bigger problem facing schools lies not so much in the challenges the technology throws up, but whether they will have the future funds to utilise its full benefits in the future.

Budget restrictions affect schools' technology investment

Under the Lisbon Treaty, all schools in the EU must have a connected network by 2015. Simon Hollister, regional director at education Wi-Fi specialist Xirrus, says most schools already have some form of wireless with first-, second- and third-generation users: "The real issue is being able to have more capability going forward," he says.

Romeo agrees the main challenge for schools is money, and how the government will support the implementation of high speed connectivity. "I have a bit of doubt about that, despite the Lisbon Treaty," he says.

"The investment on ICT infrastructure in schools is very important, we cannot allow ourselves to have schools where there is not appropriate connectivity," he says.

"The key aim for education policies is how they will do that with money going down. Why not, for example, interact with technology companies and bring companies in to schools in form of co-operation."

The government's slashing of the technology grant by around 50% has created some major problems for schools, says Paes. His school was lucky as it was able to implement its one laptop per child policy and Wi-Fi rollout before this happened, he says.

"This will almost definitely impact on Wi-Fi at other schools. Fortunately our capacity should be enough to last for the next four to five years," he says.

"I feel that schools have suffered the brunt [of cuts] in terms of IT. There is the E-learning foundation which offers more for children from a deprived background, but if you don't come into that very narrow group then you don't get funding at all. It's a good scheme and all very well but we haven't got any money from them."

Romeo agrees that not focusing resources on this area could be detrimental. "The dynamics of mobile space is decided in Silicon Valley, and that's partly because IT education in Europe is behind on educating kids in a digital environment," says Romeo.

He says the biggest thing that needs to change in Europe is the distinction between humanities and technology. "People in Apple for example have diverse backgrounds. Technology and arts are interrelated - a point which Eric Schmidt made in a recent speech.

"Today the European schools system does not give a strong importance to digital technologies as America. IT is important because it connects schools to the digital society and enables the next generation to transform society," says Paes.

Schools struggle to engage social networking

According to one expert on IT in education, local education authorities and schools still seem to be struggling to engage social networks and education.

He says: "It is a disciplinary offence in most areas for teachers and pupils to have 'contact' outside of the teaching environment - for obvious reasons. However, increasingly it is hard for the two groups to be kept apart. Naturally pupils make social groups and comment on staff, schools and policies."

Teachers, parent and governors and anyone else are unable to really respond or contribute ethically. Moreover, there are a large number of academics who are not very IT literate.

Source: Web-Site

‘ডার্ট’ নামের একটি প্রোগ্রামিং ভাষা আনছে গুগল। জাভার বিকল্প হিসেবে ব্যবহার করা যাবে ডার্ট। গুগল কর্তৃপক্ষ জানিয়েছে,  ডার্ট নামের প্রোগ্রামিং ল্যাঙ্গুয়েজ ওয়েব অ্যাপ্লিকেশন প্রোগ্রামারদের কাজে লাগবে এবং জাভায় যে ঘাটতি রয়েছে সেটি ডার্ট পূরণ করতে সক্ষম হবে।

ডার্ট-এর প্রোগ্রামার এবং প্রকল্প পরিচালক লার্স বাক ডেনমার্কে অনুষ্ঠিত গোটু কনফারেন্সে ডার্টের বিস্তারিত জানিয়েছেন।

বাক জানিয়েছেন, ‘আমরা যদি সময়ের সঙ্গে ওয়েবকে আরো উন্নত করতে চাই, আমাদের নতুন কিছু উদ্ভাবন করতে হবে, যার মধ্যে নতুন প্রোগ্রামিং ল্যাঙ্গুয়েজও রয়েছে।’

গুগল কর্তৃপক্ষ ডার্ট ল্যাঙ্গুয়েজ সাইট নামে একটি ওয়েবপেজও খুলেছে; যাতে ওপেন সোর্স টুলভিত্তিক ডার্ট প্রোগ্রাম লেখা, কোড স্যাম্পল, টিউটোরিয়াল, সফটওয়্যার লাইব্রেরিসহ ফোরাম রাখা হয়েছে।

বাক আরো জানিয়েছেন, ডার্ট জাভার বিকল্প হলেও জাভাকে একেবারেই বাদ দেয়া যাচ্ছে না। এখনো জাভাই ওয়েবের প্রাণ এবং এটি এখনো অনেকদিন টিকে থাকবে।

২৫ বছর আগেই স্টিভের হাতে ছিলো আইপ্যাড!

মোবাইল কম্পিউটিংয়ের জগতটাকে পাল্টে দেওয়া আইপ্যাড ২৫ বছর আগেই অ্যাপল সহ-প্রতিষ্ঠাতা স্টিভের হাতে দেখেছিলেন বলে জানিয়েছেন তার প্রতিবেশী এবং প্রযুক্তির ভবিষ্যতবক্তা রে হ্যামন্ড। খবর টাইমস অফ ইন্ডিয়া-এর।

রে দাবি করেছেন, আইকনিক উদ্ভাবক স্টিভ জবসকে অ্যাপল থেকে তখনকার দায়িত্বপ্রাপ্ত সিইও জন স্কালি ‘তাড়িয়ে’ দেওয়ার আগেই স্টিভ জবস আইপ্যাড নিয়ে কাজ করছিলেন।

রে হ্যামন্ড ১২ অক্টোবর ভারতের পুনেতে অনুষ্ঠিত ন্যাসকম ইঞ্জিনিয়ারিং সামিটে এ তথ্য জানিয়েছেন। ১৯৮৪ সালে হ্যামন্ড ‘দ্য অনলাইন হ্যান্ডবুক’ নামে ই-কমার্সের ওপর বিশ্বের প্রথম বই লিখেছিলেন। প্রযুক্তি বিষয়ে তার অনেক অনুমানই সঠিক হয়েছে। ফলে প্রযুক্তির ভবিষ্যতবক্তাই এখন তার পরিচয়। এ ছাড়াও তিনি একসময়ে স্টিভের প্রতিবেশী ছিলেন।

রে হ্যামন্ড জানিয়েছেন, স্টিভ জবসই আমাকে প্রযুক্তির সঙ্গে পরিচয় করিয়ে দিয়েছিলেন। ঘটনার দিনটিতে আমি আমার গাড়িটি পরিষ্কার করছিলাম। একটু দূরেই আরেকটি লোক তার গাড়িতে কি জানি করছিলো। আমার সঙ্গে জানাশোনা অতোটা ছিলো না। আমার দিকে এগিয়ে এসে একটি স্প্যানার চাইলো। এর কিছুদিন পর সে একটি কম্পিউটার তৈরি করেছে বলে আমাকে দেখালো। তার সে কম্পিউটারটি দেখেই আমার প্রযুক্তির প্রতি আগ্রহ বেড়ে গেলো। এ ঘটনার দশ বছর পর আমি যখন অ্যাপলের হেডকোয়ার্টারে গেলাম তখন জানতে পারলাম প্রতিবেশী সেই লোকটির চাকরিই চলে গেছে!’

‘এরপর দায়িত্বপ্রাপ্ত সিইও স্কালি আমাকে একটি ভিডিও দেখালেন এবং বললেন, স্টিভ অ্যাপল থেকে চলে যাবার সময় এ ভিডিওটি তৈরি করে গেছে। বিশ্বাস করবেন কিনা জানিনা, সে ভিডিওটি ছিলো এখনকার আইপ্যাডের।’

হ্যামন্ড আরো বলেছেন, ‘স্কালির সঙ্গে ভিডিওটি দেখার পরে স্কালি আমাকে বলেছিলেন ২০১০ সালে ডিভাইসটি বাজারে আসবে।’

উল্লেখ্য, ২০১০ সালের ২৭ মার্চ বাজারে আসে আইপ্যাড। আইপ্যাডের দ্বিতীয় সংস্করণ বাজারে আসে চলতি বছরের মার্চে। বর্তমানে এর তৃতীয় সংস্করণটি তৈরি করছে বলেই বাজারে খবর রয়েছে।

European Commission approves Skype's acquisition by Microsoft

The deal will not significantly impede effective competition in the EEA, believes the EC

The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of the Internet voice and video communication provider Skype by Microsoft.

The EC believes that the deal will not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it.

The commission found that the parties' activities mainly overlap for video communications in the area of consumer communications, where Microsoft is active through its Windows Live Messenger.

The commission, however, considers that there are no competition concerns in this growing market where numerous players, including Google, are present.

According to the EC, Skype has a limited market presence for enterprise communications products, and does not compete directly with Microsoft's enterprise communication product Lync, mostly used by large enterprises.

The Commission assessed the possibility for Microsoft to degrade Skype's interoperability with competing services and/or to tie its own products, in particular its leading Windows operating system, with Skype, thereby limiting other players' ability to compete.

The commission also found that Microsoft will not have an incentive to degrade Skype's current interoperability as it is essential for Microsoft that Skype's services are available on as many platforms as possible in order to maintain and enhance the Skype brand.

The Commission was notified about the transaction on 2 September 2011 for regulatory clearance in the EEA.

Source:

http://unified.cbronline.com/news/european-commission-approves-skypes-acquisition-by-microsoft-101011