April 20-22, World Trade Center, Boston, MA

http://www.bio-itworldexpo.com/Bio-It_Expo_Content.aspx?id=94022

Registration is now open for NERCOMP’s upcoming workshop:

DATE:
January 22, 2010

TIME:
9:00- 3:00 (Coffee and Registration start at 8:00)

PRICE:
NERCOMP Members: $129, Non-Members: $254

LOCATION:
Southbridge Hotel & Conference Center
Southbridge, MA.

DESCRIPTION:
Are you looking for ideas to incorporate interactivity into the classroom, a website, or your own research? Join us for this hands-on session as we explore how to create map mash-ups, geotag (adding coordinates to photos and maps), develop interactive maps, and investigate mobile mapping applications which engage your users and foster critical thinking. Bring your laptop and join us as you develop your own mash-ups from basic to impressive interactive maps all within one day.

This session is designed to appeal to participants that are interested in learning more about incorporating Geo-everything concepts within the classroom, research, and work environment. Whether you are new to these concepts or experienced, this session will provide hands-on examples which can be adapted for your own applications.

For a full schedule and registration information, please go to:
http://www.nercomp.org/events/event_single.aspx?id=5889

More with less (or at least the same).

How does a department, organization, institution provide support for the growing variety of available software, hardware, and networked solutions with the no additional staffing? It’s no secret, hiring “enough” support staff isn’t possible.  Aside from being fiscally impossible, it’s probably impractical – there are just too many needs.

We all have our favorite operating system, web browser, word processor, collaboration solution, etc.  Personally, I like the Macintosh operating system.  I use Firefox web browser and Microsoft Word as a word processor.  I prefer a Wiki over Sharepoint.  Others like Linux, Open Office, Google Web, and Google Docs.

So, how can we support this diversity?  The above examples are fairly trivial.  We should continue to provide full support for key, institutional, mission critical technology.  But when it comes to providing support for specialized software or hardware, the challenges become more complicated and diverse.

One way to do provide “support” is through the community.  In the “old days” this was done through special interest groups – “SIGS.”  The problem with SIGS was that most of the interaction was through group meetings, on a monthly basis. Over time, the interest usually waned and the topics could become irrelevant to the vast majority.  Today, technology can make it possible for any us to reach out for support 24×7 and receive relevant help through the community of interested users – all through the use of Discussion Forum technology.

I’m a member of several forums related to audio/music engineering. I used them a lot when I first opened my recording studio back in 2001.  These forums have threads on many topics with lots of good information.  Before I asked a question, I searched the forum to see if my question had ever been asked before.  If so, I had my answer.  If not, I would post my question, within a day or so, if not sooner, someone posted an answer.  What’s cool is that some questions got lots answers from various perspectives – many who contributed were from world renown audio engineers who had been in the business for 30 years.  Rarely, did I not get what I needed.  Some of the forums had threads were 3 or 4 years old that still provided value.  I got an email message every time a new post was added to a thread that I participated in or started.  In fact, I recently got an email message a couple weeks ago when someone posted on a thread that I participated in four years ago.

We can setup discussion forums with subject matter experts as forum moderators.  Forum topics can be technologies like: Final Cut Pro; Using Google Docs; Effective Ways of Using a Wiki in Teaching; Macintosh Snow Leopard; Podcasting; Creating Multimedia; Using SPSS/SAS, and many others.  Such a service can enable a student with a question about SPSS to post their question to the the forum; someone within the Northeastern community can provide an answer.  The thread is persistent and can probably help another student months and even years later.

Can we support the unsupportable?  Yes.  We just need to be creative and willing to find ways to make sure that our faculty and students can get what they need – without them having to be technical wizards.  There’s a lot of knowledge out there that can be tapped into – we just need to provide “the forum” for them to share that knowledge.

Seminar about Mac OS X Server v10.6 Snow Leopard and all its new features

Seminar Agenda

Hardware and Software Overview

A top-level introduction to Apple’s server hardware and software solutions, this overview will bring attendees up to speed on each product’s key features and capabilities.

Setup, Administration, and Integration

With Snow Leopard Server, Apple extends its legendary ease of use to the configuration, management, and monitoring of a server. This session will focus on the setup and configuration of servers and demonstrate how you can deploy powerful network services to your organization.

Collaboration and Communication with Snow Leopard Server

Snow Leopard Server offers a rich and full set of services that make it easy for users in your organization to collaborate efficiently. This session will discuss how you can use Mac OS X Server’s built-in services to: share calendars, schedule meetings, and coordinate events; access and synchronize contacts across multiple computers and devices; collaborate and communicate through their own wiki-powered intranet website; and securely send instant messages to communicate between users and groups.

Podcast Producer 2: An End-to-End Content Delivery Solution

Podcast Producer takes the complexity out of capturing and publishing professional- quality podcasts—enabling your organization to produce more podcasts with less work. In this session you’ll learn how easy it is to setup and use Podcast Producer to deliver corporate communication, employee training, and integration with iTunes U.

Scripting for System Administrators

Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server deliver the widest array of scripting technologies in a single box. And with Snow Leopard, the dramatically redesigned Services architecture lets you put management tools at the “point-of-need” where staff and managers require them the most. In this session you will learn how to use services to automate repetitive tasks for system setup, configuration, and other management duties.

iPhone Integration

Whether you use an iPhone or iPod touch in your organization, learn how Snow Leopard Server can not only assist with automatically configuring these mobile devices, but also provide access to key services such as Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Wiki, and Remote Access.

Reception with Apple and Solution Providers

Cap off the day by mingling with peers, colleagues, and seminar speakers at a casual one-hour reception. Light hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be served.

Who should attend

This seminar is ideal for business and K-12 or Higher Education IT managers, IT administrators, IS managers, IS directors, server architects, technology coordinators, and production managers, as well as chairpersons, faculty, deans, and administrators of technology for educational institutions.

Space for the seminar is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

What is an e-book?

Where We Started

The concept of electronic books is not new, but dedicated devices on which they are read are relatively new.  I remember when Adobe released Acrobat back in the late 80’s when I was at Indiana University.  I taught several classes promoting the benefits of the Portable Digital Format (PDF) and talked about how it would forever change the way we would think about documents.  Of course, this was back in the days when finding a way to publish documents that would look the same no matter what operating system was difficult.  (Don’t forget this was back in the DOS/Windows 3.1 and early Macintosh). We’ve come a long way – sharing documents across operating systems is fairly trivial.

Now we’re dealing with more than just documents, it’s books, novels, text books, etc.  Google has over 1.5 million books available online.  Amazon has millions of electronic books that can be purchased.  Publishers are making their books available both in hard copy and electronically.  Individuals are now publishing books electronically without professional publishers.

So what about the devices that we now call e-books?  There’s the Kindle, the Sony Reader, NetBooks, and some would figure the iPhone in this space.  All can read various formats.  Getting the content into these devices is different, however. The Kindle uses both USB and the Sprint network.  The Sony Reader utilizes USB and standard wireless.  The iPhone utilizes iTunes and/or an app.

• Amazon has positioned the Kindle DX for education.
• Apple has supported education for some time through iTunes U.

Advantages

I own both the Kindle 2 and the Kindle DX along with an iPhone.  I have several books and subscribe to newspapers and magazines on my Kindle.  I find that both Kindles read very well and once I got used to how the devices navigate through pages and chapters, it was very convenient to read on the train, an airplane, or in my easy chair.  No messy papers or books laying around, just a single device.

The Sony Reader and the Kindle DX can both read PDF documents without a conversion.  The Kindle 2 must go through a conversion process for $.10 per document through Amazon.  (The free converters don’t work very well).

Reading on the iPhone is a bit more difficult since the screen is much smaller.  However, I like the navigation much better.  I can zoom in on text and it’s backlit.

Pleasure reading is great on all of these devices.

Getting New Books, Magazines, and Newspapers

• The Kindle uses the Sprint network, receiving subscriptions or access the Amazon store is nearly always available.  When I first received my Kindle 2, I was accustomed to turning it on in my apartment.  I didn’t think much about it, but one day it wasn’t until I got on the the train and turned it on that I realized how flexible this device was.  I got my subscription to the Boston Globe, the NY Times, and the US Today within just a few seconds.
• The Sony Reader, I use my computer get content.
• The iPhone uses either an iPhone app or an iTunes update.  The iPhone app takes care of getting the content through the AT&T network.
• The Kindle supports voice recognition on many books.  However, some publishers have this feature blocked on their book because they already have the book published as an audio book.
• The Kindle supports saving clippings into a separate file.
• All can play MP3 audio books/music.

Disadvantages

While I really enjoy my Kindles, there are some definite disadvantages – especially in the academe.

• Highlighting and underscoring is clunky.
• PDF support is limited.  Unless the PDF is taken through the conversion process into the Kindle proprietary format, tables of contents, indices, and other linkages do not work.
• The less expensive books are flat with no navigation links.
• Neither Kindle has the ability to zoom.
• Neither the Kindle or the Sony are backlit
• iPhone screen is small and reading text can be difficult because you have to move the screen around to read the text.

Non-Technical Disadvantages

• Publishers haven’t priced e-books cheap enough to make a $400 purchase of the device worth it for most.
  • Especially in the text book purchase.  e-Books are only marginally less expensive than hard copy.  Students can’t sell the book back, like they can with hard copy.
• For educators, getting content onto student devices isn’t easy or in some cases it’s unavailable.
• The devices are subject to theft, making it difficult to take it to the beach or the park without making sure that it never leaves your possession.  If an individual book is stolen, we’re out the cost of the book.  If someone steals our Kindle, we’re out around $400.
• The device is treated like a laptop by the airlines and TSA.  In one airport, I needed to remove it from my bag like I did my laptop.

Where Is This Going?

I think we’re close, but not quite ready for education.

A great device would be a cross between my Kindle and my iPhone – without the phone capabilities.  With the Kindle, I like the size and the ability to have up to 1500 books stored on it.  But, the iPhone has superior navigation.

If this device could be integrated with something similar to iTunes U, it would make it easy for instructors to introduce new content to students enrolled in their course.  When the student turns on their device, the new content would automatically be downloaded.

Links

• Preparing to Sell E-Books, Google Takes on Amazon
• Showdown: Kindle 2 vs. Sony Reader
• Brigham Young U. Suspends Kindle-Lending Program
• Teleread: Bring the e-books Home (Chronicle of  Education Discusses Kindle)
• Kindling Changes for the Reader and the Writer
• How a Student-Friendly Kindle Could Change the Textbook Market
• Nicholson Baker on the Kindle – A Faculty Blog
• Amazon’s New Kindle Is Unveiled in Hopes of Capturing the Textbook Market
• A Kindle for Every Student
• College Bookstores Hope to Turn Their Web Sites Into E-Book Portals
• Pepperdine University – e-Books and Online Textbooks

This fall, Northeastern University is embarking on a pilot of audience response systems – aka Clickers.  EdTech and Information Systems has partnered several faculty to evaluate the best “clicker” technology for NU.  These faculty and students are evaluating two brands of clickers:  iClicker and Turning Point .

Visit the website Fall 2009 Clicker Pilot Participants.  Eventually, the website will address how and when to use clickers and how they can benefit your classroom instruction.

Once the clicker pilot is complete, we’ll make arrangements for the students to be able to purchase the clicker devices at the bookstore or to get a subscription for their smart phones.

Apple’s OS X Snow Leopard is now available for all Macintosh users with the Intel-based Macintosh.  Support for Snow Leopard is not yet available by Information Services.  An announcement will be made when support will be available.

Availability

Once support has been announced, as part of the campus license, Northeastern staff and faculty will be able to check out a copy of the upgrade CD at the InfoCommons in the Snell Library.  Even though some may be tempted to upgrade on their own by purchasing a copy from the Apple Store, I recommend that users wait until we have adequate resources to ensure a good experience.

Things to Do Before You Upgrade

Be sure that your data are backed up and you’ve checked the compatibility list.  Many vendors are still updating their software and it may not work after the upgrade.  Also, software that utilize specific drivers (sound, video, etc) may not be compatible and will either be unusable or will crash the installation.  For software that you use regularly, be sure to check the vendor’s site to see if they have an update and download and install first.

Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard Compatibility List

also see this knowledge base article for additional items – Mac OS X v10.6: About incompatible software

ALERT!

• At the time of this writing, Lotus Notes is currently NOT compatible with Snow Leopard.  Click HERE for more information.
• SPSS vs. 18 is not due out till October.

My Personal Experience

I upgraded two Macbooks, one went very smoothly but the other crashed and burned due to some software incompatibility and I had to reformat the drive.  Fortunately, I had a good backup; without it I would have lost everything.

What’s New?

Finder

• Rewritten for Snow Leopard
• Restore deleted items to original folders
• Enhanced icon view
• Larger icon sizes
• More reliable disk eject
• Change search locations
• Adjust view options
• Sortable search results
• Removable sidebar headers

Dock

• Scroll through your stacks.
• Activate Exposé from the Dock.
• Expose Dock screen
• Navigate folders in stacks.

Systemwide

• Faster shutdown and wake-up.
• Automatic updates for printer drivers.
• HFS+ read support in Boot Camp.
• New Automator templates.
• New split-pane terminal.
• Text substitution.
• Nearby printers.
• Redesigned Services menu.
• Chinese handwriting via trackpad
• Improved Chinese handwriting input.
• Pinyin Chinese input method.
• New fonts.
• Bidirectional text.
• Search iPhoto Faces and Places in Spotlight.
• Signal icon
• Faster Time Machine backup.
• AirPort menu signal strength.
• Cisco VPN.
• More efficient file sharing.
• Gamma 2.2.
• All-new thesaurus.
• Date in menu bar.

Many other changes; check out the web site.

Starting this fall, Northeastern will be piloting lecture capture/recording.  The pilot will record lectures in Bouvé, Arts & Sciences, Business Administration, and Engineering.

We’ll be using Tegrity Lecture Capture system and will record the audio and slide presentation (i.e. Powerpoint or Keynote).  We’re finalizing the list of courses and will post more information within the next few days.

Echo360 is another lecture capture system we’ll be reviewing at a later time.

Preservation and Archiving Special Interest Group

With all the new advancements in Final Cut Studio 3, Logic Studio 2 and Final Cut Server, there are even more reasons why they are the tools of choice among professional editors. And that¹s great news for creative educators.  Powerful new features and time-saving improvements help you work faster and with more efficiency.  A tighter integration among applications offer you powerful new ways to collaborate. And with literally hundreds of new innovations, you¹ll have more creative options and technical control than ever before.

Deep Cuts is a fast-moving, half-day event designed to be informative, engaging and interactive — and promises to bring your digital output to the next level of brilliance.  The leading post-production suites just got better  don¹t miss out!

Apple Education experts in digital media will provide a detailed overview of Final Cut Studio 3, Final Cut Server 1.5 and Logic Pro Studio 2.  We¹ll then demonstrate (no slides!) Final Cut Pro 7, Soundtrack 4, Motion 6 and Compressor 3.5, and leave plenty of time for Q&A.  We¹ll also cover a Final Cut Pro editor¹s workflow using Final Cut Server, illustrating the product¹s ease-of-use, technical power and range.

We¹ll also introduce Mac OS X Snow Leopard, the world¹s most advanced Operating System.  Snow Leopard utilizes barrier-shattering 64-bit computing technology that will drive your pro applications to the next level. Snow Leopard also brings us Grand Central Dispatch, empowering software developers to leverage the multiple processor cores and deliver more speed
and performance to the apps used by creative professional.

Register today.

Deep Cuts is FREE, but seats are strictly limited. Please register online today.  Continental breakfast will be made available.
All events begin promptly at 9 am and conclude at 1 pm.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Apple Boston
111 Huntington Avenue
Fifth Floor
Boston, MA 02119
To register, click here

Agenda
9 – 9:15               Welcome
9:15 – 10:00       Overview of Final Cut Studio 3, Final Cut Server 1.5 and Logic Pro Studio 2
10:00 – 10:30     Snow Leopard, taking your Apple Pro Apps to the next level
10:30 – 10:45     Break
10:45 – 12:00     Final Cut Studio 3 – Live

• No slide, just live demos of Final Cut Pro 7, Soundtrack 4, Motion 6, and Compressor 3.5.  There will be plenty of time for Q&A.

12:00 – 12:45     Final Cut Server 1.5 in action

• This session will cover a Final Cut Pro editors workflow using Final Cut Server. If your using or considering Final Cut Server, this session willhave you understand the easy of use and power of this product.

12:45 -1 – Closing

Apple, the Apple logo, Final Cut, Final Cut Pro, Final Cut Studio, Logic, Mac and Mac OS are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.  All other product names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.