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At a recent meeting of the MIT Open Source Planning Tools Group, I had the pleasure of hosting Zak Rogoff campaigns manager at the Free Software Foundation for an open-ended discussion on the potential for free and open tools for urban planners, community development organizations, and citizen activists. The conversation ranged over broad terrain in an exploratory mode, perhaps uncovering more questions than answers, but we did succeed in identifying some of the more common software (and other) tools needed by planners, designers, developers, and advocates, and shared some thoughts on the current state of FOSS options and their relative levels of adoption.

Included were the usual suspects LibreOffice for documents, spreadsheets, and presentations; QGIS and OpenStreetMap for mapping; and (my favorite) R for statistical analysis but we began to explore other areas as well, trying to get a sense of what more advanced tools (and data) planners use for, say, regional economic forecasts, climate change modeling, or real-time transportation management. (Since the event took place in the Department of Urban Studies & Planning at MIT, we mostly centered on planning-related tasks, but we also touched on some tangential non-planning needs of public agencies, and the potential for FOSS solutions there: assessors databases, 911 systems, library catalogs, educational software, health care exchanges, and so on.)

Importantly, we agreed from the start that to deliver on the promise of free software, planners must also secure free and open data and free, fair, and open standards: without access to data the raw material of the act of planning our tools become useless, full of empty promise.

Emerging from the discussion, moreover, was a realization of what seemed to be a natural fit between the philosophy of the free and open source software movement and the overall goals of government and nonprofit planning groups, most notably along the following lines:

Added to all this, recent government software challenges hint at the potential benefit of a FOSS development model. For example, given the botched rollout of the online health care insurance exchanges (which some have blamed on proprietary software models, and/or the difficulty of building the new public system on top of existing locked private code), groups like FSF have been presented with a teachable moment about the virtues of free and open solutions. Of course, given the current track record of adoption (spotty at best), the recognition of these lines of natural alignment begs the question, Given all this potential and all these shared values, why havent more public and non-profit groups embraced free and open software to advance their work? Our conversation began to address this question in a frank and honest way, enumerating deficiencies in the existing tools and gaps in the adoption pipeline, but quickly pivoted to a more positive framing, suggesting new and, potentially, quite productive fronts for the campaign for free and open source software, which I will present in part two. Stay tuned.

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The public front of the free software campaign: part I

Alexandria, VA (PRWEB) December 10, 2013

TransVoyant today announced the release of new data visualization toolkit, GeoMapper, which is being offered for free public download at http://www.transvoyant.com. GeoMapper helps software developers integrate large amounts of static and dynamic data into a single map from dynamic data sources and layers such as weather, aircraft and traffic.

The easy-to-use web mapping and visualization tool has the ability to display various real-time data feeds and fuse them into one common operating picture. Map objects can move and dynamically change symbols or colors to reflect real-time conditions utilizing GeoMappers server-based architecture.

Software developers that need to build secure, web-based applications that integrate imagery, maps and data elements from multiple online sources will benefit from this release, stated Dennis Groseclose, President of TransVoyant. The tool can handle substantial amounts of dynamic data including geospatial and location-based information, and is easily integrateable into existing and new visualization web applications.

TransVoyant Vice President of Software Development Kirk Bloomquist, explains that, Displaying imagery, maps and a myriad of data elements from multiple sources is challenging. Displaying large amounts of data in a web application is even more difficult. Large, highly dynamic data sets bring traditional mapping technology to its knees. To meet application demands like these, TransVoyant created GeoMapper.

GeoMapper Benefits:

To learn more and to download a complimentary copy of GeoMapper, visit http://www.transvoyant.com/technology/geomapper.

About GeoMapper GeoMapper arms software developers with an embeddable visualization toolkit they need to build state-of-the-art web-based applications that integrate imagery, maps and data elements from multiple sources. GeoMapper is a scalable web mapping and visualization toolkit that gives users the ability to display various real-time data sources and fuse them together into one common operating picture. Use GeoMapper to visualize complex maps, combine imagery and vector formats, integrate dynamic data, rapidly refresh views, and display large numbers of query results efficiently (and in near real-time) for insight into vehicle locations, network traffic, troop deployments and the status of geographically dispersed projects. Learn more at http://www.transvoyant.com/technology/geomapper.

About TransVoyant LLC In our high-volume data-driven world, TransVoyant delivers real-time intelligent decisions to global customers. TransVoyant employs a team of cleared analysts, consultants and technologists to assist clients in designing, implementing and managing solutions for outcome-focused intelligence. TransVoyant solutions are used by business and government customers to make real-time decisions with high-velocity live location, time, context and preference information. Our decision and predictive analytics technologies and proven value-focused methodology, combined with our long history of on-time and on-budget solution delivery, improve outcomes for intelligence, defense, supply chain and risk management customers. For more information, visit http://www.transvoyant.com.

Continue reading here:
TransVoyant Releases GeoMapper™ Data Fusion and Visualization Toolkit

Dedham, MA (PRWEB) December 10, 2013

ShoeBar Associates announces the availability of a no-cost resource "Thoughts for Developing Software Quality Procedures," intended to aid FDA-regulated companies which need to set up a formal software quality infrastructure.

Though the same quality requirements apply everywhere, every organization manages its software development differently. This guide, distilled from years of SOP development and refinement for medical device and related companies, provides a standard SOP structure, but within that asks the questions needed to tailor SOPs to a company's unique organization and needs. According to Brian Shoemaker, Principal Consultant at ShoeBar Associates, "The one-size-fits-all approach to these SOPs isn't useful. Template SOPs are available elsewhere, but these never fit what a specific company needs."

In contrast, "Thoughts for Developing Sofware Quality Procedures" outlines the topics and asks the questions necessary for a company to develop its own SOPs for regulated medical product software development. All standard procedure topics are addressed, from software quality planning and software development processes down to issue tracking, configuration management, and software release. Thoughts for each document are organized according to a typical SOP outline, but this outline is not mandatory.

To download this valuable free white paper, please visit our website at http://www.shoebarassoc.com.

About ShoeBar Associates

Headquartered in Dedham, Massachusetts, USA, ShoeBar Associates is a consultancy focused on software quality and software validation related services for regulated healthcare products companies.

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ShoeBar Associates Releases White Paper on Software SOPs

"It is very hard to know the race of a person doing an FTP/HTTP/Git transfer," blogger Robert Pogson pointed out. "Race wasn't in any User-Agent string I have ever seen. So, claiming FLOSS is more racist than non-Free software is rather silly. I would bet Linus has no clue of the race of his ~10K contributors, and perhaps only a guess about location."

FOSS fans are no strangers to difficult topics, and for proof one need look no further than the ongoing sexism controversy that has been debated so many times in every bar and watering hole of the Linux blogosphere.

Recently, however, one came up that's enjoyed far less prominence -- at least since Linux Girl began keeping track lo these many years ago.

"Why Isn't Open Source a Gateway for Coders of Color?" was the title of the provocative post that brought the issue to light last week in an NPR blog, and it's generated more than a little discussion among Linux fans.

The weather may be icy outside, but the debates have been nothing but heated down at the blogosphere's Broken Windows Lounge.

'I Wish I Had a Good Answer'

"This is tricky," began Slashdot blogger yagu, for example. "Without overgeneralizing, many people of color are fighting issues bigger than open source, at least for their personal reasons. As a demographic economically depressed, working for 'free' probably doesn't light a fire for those trying to earn a baseline living."

Add to that the cost of equipment, software and easy Internet access -- things that are not as expensive as they used to be but are still factors to be considered when resources are modest, yagu pointed out.

"Ironically, in Open Source we're talking about 'free' software, but it's not free to have a starter kit," he concluded. "Open Source couldn't be more color-blind; socioeconomics, not as forgiving. I wish I had a good answer to this. I don't."

Go here to read the rest:
Open Source, Closed Doors? FOSS and the Racial Divide

Were all for free software, but some apps are definitely worth paying for and giving as gifts. Here are five apps any Mac owner would be happy to find in their virtual stocking.

Apps in the Mac App Store are particularly easy to give as gifts, since theres a built-in process for it.

Parallels is a useful program for all types of people. If you know someone who recently switched from Windows to a Mac, its our favourite virtualisation software because it makes it possible to run any version of Windows right inside a Mac. Its also ideal for students who occasionally need to run a piece of Windows software, or anyone else on your list who has been stockpiling Windows apps even though they primarily use a Mac. Simply put, its a great gift for anyone new to a Mac, or for anyone who just needs to occasionally use a Windows machine.

Okay, $20.99 for a Twitter client is an insane price, but Tweetbot is seriously good. With Tweetbot, your recipient will be able to manage lists, fine-tune what they see on Twitter, and make custom timelines, amongst other features. If you have a Twitter junkie on your gift list, theyll definitely appreciate Tweetbot and theres a good chance they wont buy it themselves.

Downcast is a pretty pricey podcatcher. That said, its still a fantastic app, and if you have a podcast-lover on your gift list it makes for a great choice. Just like the mobile version, theyll be able to subscribe to podcasts, create playlists, and plenty more. The really nice thing is that this all syncs up across devices, so if theyre using Downcast on their iPhone or iPad, everything they do will be in sync with the desktop version

At $20.99, its hard to really justify buying the great calendar app, Fantastical for yourself. Despite the price, its still an awesome calendar that stuffs a lot of information into the menu bar so you dont need to bother actually opening a calendar app just to figure out whats going on. A solid choice for organisational fanatics.

If price isnt really an issue and you have a creative type on your list, then a 12-month subscription to Adobes Creative Suite complete with full versions of PhotoShop, Premiere, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, After Effects and Muse will make you very popular on Christmas morning. If $49.99 a month seems a little extravagant for your gifting budget, the Creative Cloud version of Photoshop is a little cheaper at $19.99 a month.

Originally posted here:
Gift Guides: Mac Apps