Maintaining secure, convenient administration of the PC system environment can be a significant drain on resources. Deskside visits can greatly increase the cost of supporting a large number of computers. Even simple tasks, such as tracking inventory or updating software, quickly become expensive when they require physically visiting every…

Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) applications meet many of the software needs of high school science classrooms. In spite of the availability and quality of FOSS tools, they remain unknown to many teachers and utilized by fewer still. In a world where most software has restrictions on copying and use, FOSS is an anomaly, free to use and to…

Prague, as many people will know, is a beautiful and very accessible city with many architectural gems. One of its lesser-known features is its architectural link with cubism. These include a remarkable streetlamp hidden in a small square, Jungmannovo namesti, just a stone's throw from the main Mustek metro station at the top of Wenceslas Square…

This article discusses different types of literacy software and provides an annotated list of recommended software packages. Guidelines for previewing and selecting software are given, and short reviews of 17 programs are included along with contact information for their publishers, suggested age and ability levels, and details of hardware…

Discusses issues to consider in selecting a CD-ROM network solution, including throughput (speed of data delivery), security, access, servers, key features, training, jukebox support, documentation, and licenses. Reviews software products offered by Novell, Around Technology, Micro Design, Smart Storage, Microtest, Meridian, CD-Connection,…

Addresses questions concerning the selection and use of specialized child care administrative software packages. Examines the timing of the purchase, uniqueness of packages, selection considerations, long-term features, indicators of flexibility, cautions, technological change, and future trends. (SD)

Ideas are presented for identifying, evaluating, and selecting instructional software for children with special needs. The article notes several library research tools as sources of information and lists specific questions to consider when evaluating software. (JDD)

Examines the use of computers, strategies for using packaged software and the use of multimedia in the elementary school classroom. Information on telecommunication software and examples of its use are also provided. The article includes addresses and phone numbers for acquiring product information. (GLR)

Reviews five CD-ROM products: (1) "Our Earth," part of the National Geographic Wonders of Learning series; (2) "New Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia"; (3) "The Lost Tribe," a simulation game where players lead a prehistoric people to a new homeland; (4) "PilgrimQuest," a simulation game recreating the settlement of Massachusetts in the 1620s; and…

Built on the foundation of four years of research and implementation of mobile learning projects (m-learning), this paper provides an overview of the potential of the integration of mobile Web 2.0 tools (based around smartphones) to facilitate social constructivist pedagogies and engage students in tertiary education. Pedagogical affordances of…

Performance is a critical factor hindering the use of object-oriented databases (OODB). This article proposes a new and uniform indexing scheme for enhancing OODBs with advantages for small range, clustered sets queries. Reviews several other indexing schemes; presents the U-index scheme; discusses its performance; and presents experimental…

Suggests that, in reviewing software, educators should apply the following criteria within the context of their objectives and the students' needs: content; instructional presentation; demands placed on the learner; technical features; and documentation and management features. Concludes that integration of computer software with traditional means…

Argues that the development of software documentation should be fully integrated with the overall development of new software products. Suggests that, when technical communicators become full members of the development team, they will not cease to communicate but will be able to add communications value to the product as well as to the…

Discussion of middleware focuses on the Internet 2 Middleware Initiative. Topics include a description of middleware as a layer of software in a distributed system; middleware characteristics, including transparency, portability, reliability, scalability, and interoperability; and the Internet 2 Middleware Initiative which is focused on research…

This article illustrates that not all statistical software packages are correctly calculating a "p"-value for the classical "F" test comparison of two independent Normal variances. This is illustrated with a simple example, and the reasons why are discussed. Eight different software packages are considered.