Mediaboss Marketing

COAST analyzes costs and benefits of protections in Connecticut harbor.

----- Advertising -----

Coastal communities pondering adaptations to climate change and sea level rise now have new software for weighing the costs and benefits of various mitigation strategies.

COAST (Coastal Adaptation to Sea level rise Tool) is free software built on six years of research led by Sam Merrill, director of the New England Environmental Finance Center at the University of Southern Maine's Muskie School of Public Service, in partnership with Blue Marble Geographics, a vendor of geospatial data conversion software. Downloads of COAST are available from the Blue Marble site.

COAST is a proprietary tool built on Blue Marble's Global Mapper Software development kit that works as a stand-alone product. It helps answer questions about actions and strategiesincluding the probable cost of inactionto avoid damage to assets from predicted sea level rise or coastal flooding. It overlays geospatial data with the protective effects of measures such as moving or elevating structures or building seawalls, and analyzes the losses prevented compared to cost of implementation. Outputs can be viewed in Google Earth.

"It's an important tool," says Sacha Spector, director of conservation science at Scenic Hudson, a non-profit that advises towns on waterfront issues. "Coastal adaptation is going to be an ongoing challenge throughout this century."

See original here:
New Software to Weigh the Costs and Benefits of Flood Risk Mitigation Strategies

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp's forthcoming update to its personal computer operating system will be called Windows 8.1 and will be available later this year free to existing Windows 8 customers, the marketing chief for the Windows unit said on Tuesday.

The world's largest software company has been touting the update, previously code-named 'Blue,' as a series of improvements to the Windows 8 software, launched in October, which has not been as popular as it had hoped.

Microsoft has sold 100 million Windows 8 licenses in the six months since launch, roughly in line with the previous version, but wants to combat sputtering interest in its flagship software with a substantial update to make it easier to use and compatible with smaller tablets.

"Windows 8.1 will be delivered as a free update to Windows 8 and to Windows RT and it will be easy to get right from the Windows start screen through the app store," said Tami Reller, head of finance and marketing at Microsoft's Windows unit.

A preview version of Windows 8.1 will be made available at the start of Microsoft's annual developer conference on June 26, Reller said, with the finished update released later this year.

(Reporting by Bill Rigby; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick and Richard Chang)

More here:
Microsoft unveils free Windows 8.1 update

SAN FRANCISCO, May 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Security Development Conference --The Software Assurance Forum for Excellence in Code (SAFECode), a non-profit organization exclusively dedicated to increasing trust in information and communications technology products and services through the advancement of effective security assurance methods, today announced the launch of a new community resource for software security training and released its first set of free online security engineering training courses. The program aims to help address gaps in security engineering knowledge among the software engineering workforce, a key challenge facing organizations working to improve software security.

Security engineering training by SAFECode is a new online community resource offering free security training courses delivered via on-demand webcasts. Covering issues from preventing SQL injection to avoiding cross site request forgery, the courses are designed to be used as building blocks for those looking to create an in-house training program for their product development teams, as well as individuals interested in enhancing their skills. SAFECode intends to add additional courses and resources to the site, including training program implementation advice based on the real-world experiences of SAFECode members, with the goal of creating an accessible and practical industry resource to support and promote software security training.

The collective experience of SAFECode's member companies has shown that software security is most successful when it is treated as a process that reflects an individual company's culture and unique development needs. Supporting this process through software security training is essential. In fact, an analysis of software security programs of SAFECode members revealed that each successful effort included internally developed security engineering training directed at those responsible for the development of the software they produce, including product managers, project managers, architects/designers, developers, and testers. Building on this observation, SAFECode's new training program is designed to support the training framework outlined in its earlier paper, Security Engineering Training: A Framework for Corporate Training Programs on the Principles of Secure Software Development.

"Ensuring that everyone touching the product development lifecycle has the knowledge they need to support an organization's software security process is a fundamental challenge for any organization committed to software security success. While SAFECode's analysis has shown that security training is most effective when aligned to an organization's unique culture and security development process, we recognize that not every organization has the resources required to develop custom training," said Howard A. Schmidt, Executive Director of SAFECode. "This seemed an obvious area where SAFECode members could use their internal resources to make a positive industry impact. By providing free training courses in a modular fashion, we hope other organizations can pick and choose the ones most relevant to their needs to either supplement an existing program or build the foundation for a new one."

The initial set of courses released today covers introductory level topics and are based on training materials donated to SAFECode by Adobe after successful use in its software security program. A team of technical contributors from the SAFECode member companies reviewed and supplemented the course materials to ensure broad applicability across diverse development environments. Additional courses are already in the review process and will be added to the site on an ongoing basis. It is SAFECode's goal to create a diverse catalog of security engineering training courses for all expertise levels as a community resource. In that spirit, comments on the course materials are encouraged so that the program and its materials can be evolved over time to best meet the needs of the community it aims to serve.

"The lack of security engineering awareness and education among the software engineering workforce can be a significant obstacle to organizations working to implement software security programs," said Schmidt. "While not a replacement for formal security engineering education at the college and university level, nor a one-sized fits all curriculum, SAFECode hopes that this new program is a step forward in addressing that knowledge gap and promoting the broad application of secure development practices."

Visit https://training.safecode.org today to learn more about the program and participate in its free courses. To learn more about SAFECode and SAFECode membership, as well as additional training benefits available to SAFECode members, please visit http://www.safecode.org.

About SAFECodeThe Software Assurance Forum for Excellence in Code (SAFECode) is a non-profit organization exclusively dedicated to increasing trust in information and communications technology products and services through the advancement of effective software assurance methods. SAFECode is a global, industry-led effort to identify and promote best practices for developing and delivering more secure and reliable software, hardware and services. Its members include Adobe Systems Incorporated, CA Technologies, EMC Corporation, Intel Corporation, Microsoft Corp., SAP AG, Siemens AG and Symantec Corp. For more information, please visit http://www.safecode.org.

Media Contact:Stacy Simpson SAFECode stacy@safecode.org 781-876-8833

Read the original here:
SAFECode Launches Software Security Training Program

Bernhard Kreuzer is a leather goods designer, applying his mechanical engineering skills to turn a hobby into a new business venture supported by MEDUSA4 Personal and the eSERVICES portal for commercial users.

Cambridge, UK and Pittsford, NY Bernard Kreuzer, former army captain and leather goods designer, studied mechanical engineering. He discovered CAD Schroer's free mechanical design software, MEDUSA4 Personal, about two years ago. Today he uses it to design unique leather goods, with patents pending.

When Bernhard Kreuzer attended a MEDUSA4 training course, supported by a government skills scheme, he was keen to share his story with CAD Schroer staff.

A mechanical engineer by trade, he started using MEDUSA4 Personal to design high quality, made-to-measure leather goods, including belts, handbags, custom sheaths for knives, mobile phone cases, and archery accessories. Initially sales came through word of mouth, but as orders increased, he needed to create more accurate designs to waste less material and work more efficiently.

Custom leather: http://www.bkreuzer.de Combining Engineering, Creativity and CAD

"It all started when I couldn't find a decent sheath for a specialty knife I made. So I ended up making one out of leather," he explains. "I started reading about leathercraft, learning as I went. The hobby developed into a small sideline. I wanted to approach the design from an engineer's perspective, and use CAD to perfect my ideas. I prefer Linux, so when I found out about MEDUSA4 on Wikipedia, I gave it a go. I'm really pleased about the opportunities the free CAD software affords me to improve my business without big costs."

MEDUSA4 Personal is free for individuals and businesses. A pay-per-use eSERVICES portal converts any final drawings for unlimited commercial use.

CAD Schroer's eSERVICES portal and free MEDUSA4 Personal 2D/3D CAD download: http://eservices.cad-schroer.com.

Intelligent Tools for Custom Products Mr Kreuzer uses MEDUSA4 Personal's intelligent 2D drafting tools to design the separate pieces. Printed custom drawings serve as templates for cutting the leather. He then uses a unique hand stitching method to create the final piece, often embossing the leather with special designs or initials. The resulting items are beautiful and much more hard-wearing than those produced conventionally by machine. Mr Kreuzer also uses MEDUSA4 Personal for designs in wood and metal, and the software is helping to document an invention, for which he is currently seeking a patent, hoping this will pave the road to independence.

Sharing a Love of Leathercraft and CAD Mr Kreuzer is keen to share his enthusiasm for leather design and MEDUSA4 with anyone who is interested, and regularly conducts basic leather design workshops in Austria: http://www.sattlermuseum.at/seminare/.

Read the rest here:
Creativity in CAD: Free Software Supports Leather Venture

By Shira Ovide

Microsoft announced Tuesday the updated version of its Windows 8 operating systemwhich had been code-named Windows Bluewill be called Windows 8.1, and it will be available for free to encourage as many people as possible to take up the new software.

The software expected in coming months will effectively be a second launch of Windows 8, the operating system that debuted last October to great fanfare but fairly tepid sales. But the Windows 8.1 name underscores that Microsoft considers the revised software a relatively minor update and not a do-over, which would point to fundamental problems with the original product.

Tami Reller, chief marketing officer and chief financial officer of Microsofts Windows division, offered details about Windows 8.1 at a J.P. Morgan investor conference Tuesday morning. She earlier had discussed the plans in an interview on Monday.

It is an update, which is why its called Windows 8.1, Reller said at the Boston conference, which was available via a Webcast.The operating system just keeps getting better and better every day, she said Monday.

Executives at Microsoft, PC makers and other allies have said Windows 8 hasnt sparked a hoped-for sales surge for Windows-powered computers, tablets and new kinds of in-between devices called convertibles that could exploit its touch-based interface. Microsoft, PC makers and chip company Intel each is tinkering to make the software and Windows-powered hardware more appealing.

Microsoft executives have acknowledged missteps with Windows 8, and the company has said it is working hard to encourage hardware companies to offer more devices with touchscreens, which Microsoft and others say is a better experience than computers operated with a keyboard and mouse. Microsoft also is pushing changes to the retail-shopping experience, offering price breaks on software for smaller computer devices and pushing hard to convince more companies to write apps tailored for Windows 8.

Both Windows 8 and Windows RTa variant designed to run with ARM Holdings chip designs used on iPads and Android-powered tabletswill get the Windows 8.1 update, Reller said. She said its important that people feel confident buying Windows computing devices now knowing fresh software is coming soon, even as Microsoft and PC makers have promised a wave of improved and new types of Windows-powered PCs and tablets later this year.

We dont want customers to hesitate in any way, Reller said in the interivew.

Reller reiterated that a test version of Windows 8.1 will be released to the public in late June, as Microsoft hosts a major event for software developers. Windows 8.1 is slated to be rolled out before the holiday shopping seasonin time for a planned wave of new touchscreen Windows computers that Microsoft and its allies hope will be more appealing than the current offerings.

Follow this link:
Microsoft to Name New Software Windows 8.1, and It’s Free