Re: [SLUG] Re: Strawpoll on Roles in the Governance of ICT

[david . lyon]

Quoting Marghanita da Cruz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:


You probably need to trawl through the ALP policy to figure out what the new
federal government is planning but they seem to share your thoughts on
efficencies if not industry development.



I don't think they are my thoughts

IT across government is very complex and diverse. For example, the  
computing systems used within a Health Department (including  
hospitals) bear no resemblence to what might be needed within the  
Roads or Fisheries Department. There is no real opportunities for  
standardisation.


The article is just rhetoric. It could mean anything.

This is just gossip but what the heck. Whilst I was in Germany  
there was a lot of talk over beer at the decision in the UK to cut out  
(razor) all German software from the new Heathrow airport system. They  
did that and went for a more expensive solution from another continent  
- the one across the Atlantic..


Only problem was there was still German contractors working around on  
key bits of the system. I was told that some razoring of the code in  
the stored procedures was then done in retribution and eventually the  
Heathrow baggage system came to a complete halt.


:-)

Not funny if you are flying via Heathrow who knows if it is true  
but that is what some in Germany were claiming :-)


Domestically, people in Germany are having other issues with their software..

like in their new cars.. of various known luxury brands...

A new generation of software is coming out in all the embedded devices  
within the car...


I was told of one old lady who bumped a flowerpot low down on the  
bumper below the sensor. That bumped a wire that damaged some bit with  
a computer in it. When the sensor was replaced, it was replaced with a  
slightly different version. That caused the main computer to shut down  
- necessitating the replacement of the main computer. Total damage  
bill came to 3,500 euro ($AU5000) - not because of parts - but because  
of software incompatibilities - for bumping a flowerpot. Hardware  
component was maybe $20. Car was only worth 9,000 euro.


Another car/software problem I was told about was a guy who had some  
problem with his airconditioner.


After several attempts to fix whatever the problem was with the  
climate control - he gave up. He got the mechanic to disconnect the a/c.


Only problem was, the service computer dialed into the car-maker and  
rejected the modification and decided to shut the car down - rendering  
it inoperable. Lucky he was a lawyer and sued - he got a new car - but  
normal people are rarely so lucky.


The lesson in these new cars - if something goes wrong - chances are  
getting higher that the whole car will need to be replaced.


There is a real push over there to shorten the operating life of cars  
to about 3 years (down from about 8 years currently).


Fortunately, in Australia, we don't have any locally owned car  
industry. So we don't have to worry about this kind of thing. :-)


It is staggering traveling in Asia and Europe to see how low the  
technological bar has been set for Australia ... ok - we are slightly  
above africa... but not much..


well ho ho ho - long live the banana republic.

I'll drink to the the seriousness of the Governance thing...

David





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[SLUG] Re: Kubuntu & webcam

[elliott-brennan]

I second Amos' comment. I use one at the moment 
(Dapper Desktop, Heron Laptop) and after 
installing qc-usb-source from either synaptic or 
the CLI it works fine in everything I've tried it 
with, including Skype.


Let me know if you need to test it out.

Regards,


Patrick

Amos wrote:



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