My Technology Addictions

Enviro Health Manager

We were all told that as technology advanced we would have more leisure time, time to spend with loved ones and pursuing our recreational desires. So why do I now find that I need a 10 day week so that I can get through all my work and still end up working most weekend?

Well in my case I can’t really blame anyone else for my need of more days in the week or working through the weekend. I have been in the last stages of software development for the Mobile Audits program that I have developed in my business About Data to be used by Environmental Health Officers of Local Governments.

This enables them to complete audits of Food Premises, Lodging Houses, Public Buildings and General Premises all through a PDA. The information is collected in the field and then on return to the office the PDA is connected to the desktop computer and then all data is synchronized to a SQL Server database.

My business partner Sandra Morley from Sanmor Computing has developed the desktop component of the software. The Enviro Health Manager system that is on the desktop is very complex and includes, Health Notice, Pest Management, Unit Cost and Waste Management.

The software with the PDA component has been tested in the field by the City of Kalgoorlie Boulder over the past two years.

On October 4th and 5th we visited the City of Kalgoorlie Boulder and installed the latest version of the software. It has been upgraded to now include:

: Property based data

: SQL Server data file

: PDA component to manage in the field audits

: Proprietor/manager signature capture

: Fully compliant with the new legislation

: Health Notice, Pest Management, Unit Cost and Waste Management

: Onsite Training

: Ability to integrate the EHM application with LGA’s financial management system

It has been a massive project, and we encountered several hurdles but in the end we have come through it all with a solid product that allows Local Government to manage their data in an efficient and effective manner.

So now all the hard work is done we are on the marketing trail, flyer’s have been produced and are in the process of being sent to all Local Governments in Western Australia. This will be followed by information packs to be delivered in early 2008.

So now you know why I haven’t been around online, and may not be around much in the nest few months. I will now start working on Swimming Pool audits and the list goes on, but I do really enjoy my work so it is all worth it in the long run.

e-consultation

The Australian Federal Government is preparing itself to enter the blogging realm. An article in the online Australian IT titled Canberra plans citizen sample blog yesterday states “FEDERAL plans to enter the world of blogging are well under way, with a discussion paper due soon on the proposed “rules of engagement”.”  The blog will be up and running by March and will be a place that the public can comment on policy, it wont be a free for all and genuine and constructive comments would be welcomed!

They have concerns that the lobby groups or other anonymous identities may infiltrate and manipulate the blog. Will this just be another place on the web that the government places information for us to read and if we wish to place a  positive/constructive comment then that comment may appear on the blog? Censored comments - that’s an interesting concept, we have the ability to censor, delete and even change comments that are placed on our blogs but most of us would only use these options if we get comments that detail illegal activities, pornographic, spam or are racist and discriminatory.

At the end of the day a blog provides a place for conversation and I would have thought that e-consultation would benefit from conversation not censorship, will we see a spin off of blogs that will continue the conversations? Just by denying it they will in fact make it flourish elsewhere way. I suppose that is just another case of  ”not in my backyard”.

The article states that a spokesman for Special Minister of State Gary Nairn said ….”genuine and constructive comments”,  I could not find another mention of this, a speech delivered by Mr Nairn in August mentions the possible introduction of blogs and talks about the things like the need for  moderation of comments would need to be looked at. I hope they do look at this and not take the Big Brother attitude and take the time to consult with people from the blogging communities both users and readers, not people who “know” about these things about do not “participate” in them.

I have tried to stay pretty much on track with this blog and that hasn’t been too hard as technology is a wide and varied field. I don’t want to get into political discussions (am I now censoring?) but as this does loosely relate to technology I thought I would place it here.

Well I have done it now, I have registered to be part of BarCamp Perth

I am going along to the BarCamp in Perth on Saturday June 30th and will meet up with my friend Sue, who sort of “suggested” we go, and then we dobbed ourselves in for a couple of presentations. A BarCamp is described as an unconference where  you can share and learn in an open environment with lots of demos, discussions, presentations and interaction. Among some of the rules of a BarCamp are:

That you do talk about the BarCamp -( the reason for this post)

You do blog about BarCamp - ditto

That if it is your first time at a bar camp you are supposed to present…So I will be involved in the presentations on

Podcasting 101 & Learning Systems / Design for eLearning / Education and web apps

I think Sue and Kate who are also part of these presentations are more expert on these particular topic but I will tag along and put in my two cents worth. I have even talked my teenage son who is studying Computer Science at Murdoch Uni to come along for the day. he can decipher some of the Open Source stuff that I am not up on.

so if you are free on Sat June 30 between 9am and 5pm, interested in web development, web 2, elearning, Open source and more have a look at the Barcamp wiki and register and come and join us in what looks like a great day of interaction for all

I have just read a post on Probable Distractions blog about an really cool workplace that is fitted out to look like the Nautilus from Jules Verne?s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Just imagine how inspiring it would be to work in a place like that.

This got me thinking about what other great workplaces there must be. I remembered seeing a  documentary on The Googleplex  that showed bright colours fun  games and  staff moving around on scooters

so I decided to “Google” fun workplaces and I found some really cool places to work and some fun ways to organise your office space. I also found some cool desktops at nownow.com.au , I did note that they seem to be predominantly macs!

Red Bull in London has a 29 foot slide that staff can use to go between floors

 We mere mortals can but dream

Cartoon by Dave Walker.

Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

I started this post to create a set of links for How To’s and interesting articles about Blogs, Wiki’s and all things related. I had a list of links that I have emailed to others when asked and thought I would add to this and that is when the trouble started. The more I looked the more I found. So I just kept adding and adding links. Sometimes I would stop and read articles and even found a comic that certainly rings true with me and I was very restrained and only added one comic. This post was getting very large so I decided to add a Resources page and have placed all the information there.

So go have a look, any additions welcome.

Cartoon by Dave Walker.

Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.