WhirCat – Page 98 – Puttin' on my work hat

Future Information Environment

Post author By Chris Janton
Post date February 10, 2003

From John Wilson –

This could be a chance to put the “I” in CIO in a meaningful way. To do so, we need to address real Information issues, not just technology and transaction systems issues. These might include, in increasing order of complexity and scope:

Addressing the real overlaps on information providing among DAPS, UIS, PSOS, HR, FRS, etc. (essentially an expansion of the Sander memo idea to where there is duplication and confusion as distinguished from ignorance).

Addressing the real information needs of the management of the institution and what to do about them. DAPS began a series of interviews with deans and other administrators but it kind of got side-tracked by events.

Addressing the lack of a university sense of what is required to have an effective information environment for management, process improvement (e.g., determining the key factors in student success by discipline), etc.

Technology

XML — Where Do We Go From Here?

Post author By Chris Janton
Post date February 10, 2003

XML — Where Do We Go From Here?

Jon Bosak – What XML cannot do is to magically solve the problem of data interoperability. XML just provides a framework within which interested groups can work out agreements about the vocabularies and data structures to be used in a given domain. The widespread adoption of XML has created a wonderful infrastructure of standardized tools and products to support the creation and implementation of such agreements, but deep down, the job of semantic definition requires the same grinding committee work that standards groups have been engaged in for more than a century.

Given that as a caveat, analysts, marketeers, and engineers talk about XML after 5 years.

General

Transforming IT

Post author By Chris Janton
Post date February 8, 2003

Transforming IT

An article I found thought-provoking.

A start to a discussion about transforming how we provide Information to the community.

There are many parts of this article that I find uncomfortable (anything that spends more time measurning results than creating products).

There are a number of points that I find interesting and thought provoking. If we change a word here or there we get some starting points for a UDAP initiative.

Read…Comment…Think out loud…I am

If you don’t like the format try this printer-ready version of the article.

http://www.optimizemag.com/printer/015/pr_management.fhtml

I particularly like the words “transforming while performing” – it describes the way I feel about what I do.

AppleScript Notes Unix Notes

Scripting Terminal.app

tell application "Terminal"
 do script with command "top -u -s10 10"
 set number of rows of window 1 to 18
 set number of columns of window 1 to 80
 set background color of window 1 to "black"
 set normal text color of window 1 to "yellow"
 set custom title of window 1 to "Top"
 set miniaturized of window 1 to true
end tell