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PraxIS newsletter contents for 2007-10

Index to current year issues is at http://www.sysmod.com/praxis/index.htm - this page

Contents for 2005-2006 are at http://www.sysmod.com/praxis/archive0506.htm

Contents for 2003-2004 are at http://www.sysmod.com/praxis/archive0304.htm

Contents for 2000-2002 are at http://www.sysmod.com/praxis/archive.htm

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Patrick O'Beirne, Editor

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July/Aug 2010

Excel developers' workshop London July 12

Summary of 11th EuSpRIG conference, Greenwich, 15-16 July 2010

June 2010

Risk and Quality
      Michael Bolton in Dublin Sept 2010

Spreadsheets
     Excel developers' workshop London July 12
     Eusprig Conference Greenwich July 15-16
     XLTest 1.20 update released
     ActiveData For Office / SQL is now free

Off Topic
     On Programming and Attitude

May 2010

Risk and Quality
Conferences in Dublin for May & June

Spreadsheets
What not to do in Excel

Off Topic
What not to do in Powerpoint

April 2010

 Risk and Quality
     Data Protection Commissioner 2009 report
     and further resources on the topic
     New book: A pocket guide to risk mathematics
    
     Spreadsheets
     Medical errors and their prevention
     How to write a successful EuSpRIG paper
     Resources for the change from Excel 2003 to  2007

Mar 2010

 Risk
      Hack attack on SMEs demands $700 to unlock data
 Spreadsheets
     Spreadsheet Pitfalls, Best Practices, and Practical Tips
     If a spreadsheet were music...
     Spreadsheet error stories seen in the news
     EuroCACS Spreadsheet Auditing workshop March 21, Budapest
     Test your VBA knowledge
 Off Topic
     Trompe l'oeil 3D street art
 

Mar 2010
Risk
Hack attack on SMEs demands $700 to unlock data

Spreadsheets
Spreadsheet Pitfalls, Best Practices, and Practical Tips
If a spreadsheet were music...
Spreadsheet error stories seen in the news
EuroCACS Spreadsheet Auditing workshop March 21, Budapest
Test your VBA knowledge

Off Topic
Trompe l'oeil 3D street art

Feb 2010
1) Risk
   Consumer password worst practices
   IDQ Seminar 22-23 Feb 2010 - Dublin

2) In Other news
   Social Media, Networking, Twits,etc
   Free Accounting software

3) Spreadsheets
   EuroCACS Spreadsheet Auditing workshop March 21, Budapest
   XLTEST special offer held open

4) Off Topic
   LinkedIn group for Haiti Earthquake Disaster relief

Jan 2010

1) Risk
     Y2K+10
     Irish Hospital Data Protection problems

    2) Quality
      SoftTest Ireland events February 16-18
      Irish Computer Society - 6 months free membership

    3) Spreadsheets
     XLTest enhanced with VBA export to folders for Diff

    4) Off Topic
    

December 2009

November 2009

1) Risk
      IRISS Conference 19th November 2009, Dublin
      LinkedIn group Critical Infrastructure

2) Quality
      Nov 11 is World Quality Day

3) Spreadsheets
     New: Spreadsheet Safe group on LinkedIn
     XLTest: Spreadsheet testing and quality check add-in

4) Off Topic
     Sharpeye OMR Music scanner software

8 Web links in this newsletter
 

October 2009

1) Risk
      Fraud check list
      "What am I supposed to do with this security prompt?"

2) Spreadsheets
     Guidelines for Spreadsheet Development
     Excel User Conference UK Oct 7,8

3) XLTEST Spreadsheet Checking Add-In
     Version 1.09 released

5 Web links in this newsletter

September 2009

Excel Development Guidelines
Named Ranges are being talked about
Eusprig 2010 Conference theme
Two MS employees want your help in making Office Better
Spreadsheet.com auction
Spreadsheet and other Tech Cartoons

August 2009

1) Risk
      Hackers unmask fake ATM
      450 year old document control processes
      McAfee data loss

    2) Software Testing
      Salesmanship

    3) Spreadsheets
     Antipodean Spreadsheet Gurus
     LinkedIn proliferates Excel groups

    4) Off Topic
     Holidays

    20 Web links in this newsletter
 

July 2009

1) Spreadsheet risk
      Report from Eusprig conference in Paris

2) Excel
     Hotfix for vanishing range names bug in Excel 2007
    
3) Off topic: LOL

June 2009

1) Risk
     ISSA Ireland open event on Microsoft Security 10th June
     Google Books Settlement Class Action

2) Quality
     Softtest Ireland : Professionalism
     CSE  / ICS free event on Agile
     SoftTest free events June 16-18

3) Spreadsheets
     Eusprig 2009 registration open
     Excel 2007 unpredictably losing defined names

4) Off Topic
     Double-take exteriors of buildings by a trompe l'oeil artist

15 Web links in this newsletter
 

May 2009

1) IT
     Java upskilling in Dublin for only 45 euro
     The end of the e-Voting Saga

2) Research
     Online Meeting Rooms
     DropBox

3) Spreadsheets
     Eusprig 2009 Conference
     Framework Development Project
     Can you describe a financial model as a city?

4) Off Topic
     H1N1

19 links in this newsletter

April 2009

1) IT Risk
      EuroCACS 2009 Frankfurt

2) European research
      EuroAfriCa ICT Forum
      The Informatics Development and Social Research  Institute

3) Spreadsheets
     Plus Prefix entry weirdness
     Plus wait, there's more...
     XLTest 1.06 beta version available

4) Off Topic
     April Fool stories

March 2009

1) IT Risk
      Survey on risk and rationality

    2) Quality
      SQC Conference Report

    3) Spreadsheets
     Ray Butler and Patrick O'Beirne at EuroCACS Frankfurt 15 March 2009

    4) Off Topic
     Graphing website structure

    8 Web links in this newsletter
 

February 2009

1) IT Risk
      The Financial Modeler's manifesto

2) Quality
      20% Discount on Software Testing Conference Dublin 4 March

3) Spreadsheets
     Thirty Years of spreadsheets
     Ray Butler and Patrick O'Beirne at EuroCACS Frankfurt 15 March 2009
     VBA + Excel Performance: MS asks for your Feedback

4) Off Topic
     Michigan man freezes to death after electric company cuts power

10 Web links in this newsletter
 

January 2009

1) IT Risk
EuroCACS 15-18 March Frankfurt
Software & Systems Quality Conference 3-4 March Dublin
2) Euro
Slovakia Enters Euro Zone
European art and culture archives online
Unfair commercial practices: advice to consumers
3) Spreadsheets
Tips for cleaning up sloppy spreadsheets
4) Off Topic
14 links in this newsletter

December  2008

1) IT Risk
   Redaction Redux
   Irish Reporting and Information Security Service
2) Euro debates
   In or out?
3) Spreadsheets
   The Daily WTF on the Uncertainity Principle of Spreadsheets
4) Off Topic
   Office Offline web comic
14 Web links in this newsletter

November 2008

IT Risk
Barclays plead lawyers' mistake in Lehman purchase
Spreadsheet Safety

October 2008

1) IT Risk
    See no risk...
    Euro conversion in Slovakia Jan 2009

    2) Quality
     Bleak Vista

    3) Spreadsheets
     Recession bites
     Auditors: What do you look for first

    4) Off Topic
     US Presidential Candidates and spreadsheets

    7 Web links in this newsletter
 

September 2008

1) Software Testing
     SoftTest Ireland events with Lee Copeland 15-17 Sept.

    2) An appalling Vista
     Vista gets my back up
     The cult of statistical significance

    3) Spreadsheets
     XLTest nears release

    4) Off Topic
     Holiday snaps
    12 Web links in this newsletter
 

August 2008

1) Risk & Security
     Security flaws plague majority of e-banking sites
     The risks of marketing your marketing
     The $100,000 keying error
     The risks of hacking

2) ICT for Development
     IEEE Computer Journal on Computing in Developing Economies

3) Spreadsheets
     Eusprig 2008 conference report
     More spreadsheet error stories in the news

4) Off Topic
     Ecological Holidays

15 Web links in this newsletter
 

July 2008

1) Risk & Security
What to do if you suspect or discover fraud

2) Quality
Presentations available on Software Testing

3) Spreadsheets
Eusprig 2008
XLTest: A New Addin for Spreadsheet Checking

4) Off Topic
Don't blame me, I voted ...

5 Web links in this newsletter

June 2008

1) Risk & Security
     E-Voting Banned by Dutch Government
     Medical IT risks

2) Quality
     June SoftTest Ireland events

3) Spreadsheets
     Eusprig 2008 programme announced
     Another Excel problem solved
     ICAI Spreadsheet Risk briefing

4) Off Topic
     Quotes

8 Web links in this newsletter
 

May 2008

1) Risk & Security
Aer Lingus 5-euro flights to the US from test data leaked to web
Data Protection Commissioner Unprotected
Irish Computer Society Privacy Forum Launch
ICS Security Professionals Network presents ISO27001

2) Software Industry
SoftTest Ireland for software testers
Accounting for nothing

3) Spreadsheets
Eusprig 2008
Safety in Numbers
The bigger picture

4) Off Topic
$5/hr for Excel skills?!

 

April 2008

1) IT news
     Heathrow Terminal 5
     Irish Microsoft Technology Conference

2) Software Testing
     SQC Dublin conference
     SoftTest Ireland events

3) Spreadsheets
     Presentation

4) Off Topic
     The Voice of the Tube

18 Web links in this newsletter
 

March 2008

1) Risk & Security
171,324 Irish blood donor records stolen
Followup to l'affaire Kerviel

2) Quality
Software & Systems Quality Conferences Dublin, 5th March 2008
SoftTest Ireland events April 1,2,3

3) Spreadsheets
Jim Kaplan's AuditNet newsletter features spreadsheet tools
OSU Spinoff RedRover launches its Excel audit product

4) Off Topic
Interesting Photos of the day
13 Web links in this newsletter

 

February 2008

1) Risk & Security
Societe Generale

2) Bank Direct Debit fraud
Jeremy Clarkson's challenge taken up

3) Spreadsheets
New certification on safe spreadsheeting being tested

4) Off Topic
    Schadenfreude
15 Web links in this newsletter

 

January 2008

1) IT Risk & Quality
Bad Health Informatics can Kill
HMRC manual on data protection was protected data
Frequently Avoided Questions about IT auditing
15th EuroSPI Conference, Dublin, Sep 2008

2) Euro Changeover
Cyprus and Malta switch to euro cash

3) Spreadsheets
Office 2003 update quietly zaps older file formats
Seattle Accountant offers free book on Excel for MBA
Dave Hawley's Golden Rules for Excel Development

4) Off Topic
My 2008 photo calendar

13 Web links in this newsletter

 

December 2007

1) Risk & Security
    The biggest data loss in history ... so far
     and more...

2) Quality
    Software Test Process Improvement

3) Spreadsheets
    Excel User Conference
    Excel tips & tricks
    Manager and Auditor perspectives

4) Off Topic
    A friend passes away

14 Web links in this newsletter
 

November 2007

1) Risk & Security
Standard of Good Practice for Information Security
Cyber Security Awareness Resource Center
Pirate copies of books
Audit Technology Conference, London 20-21 Nov

2) Irish news
Ireland Corporate Enforcer impatience
ICS Security Professionals' Seminar, 5 Nov
SoftTest: Presentation by O2 and AGM, 8 Nov

3) Spreadsheets
Excel User Conference Cambridge, Nov 29 - Dec 1
SPRIG sleepless at INFORMS, Seattle, 5 & 7 Nov
Did you spot a spreadsheet error from a mile away?
Excel oddities, annoyances, quirks
ScanXLS continues to be enhanced
VBA Code Quality - Project Analyser

4) Off Topic
Giveaway of the day freeware
13 Web links in this newsletter

 

October 2007

1) Risk & Security
     Nedap voting machines de-certified in The Netherlands
     Phishy education

2) Testing
     Holistic Test Analysis and Design
     Software & Systems Quality Conferences in London and Dublin

3) Spreadsheets
     65535 calculation bug in Excel 2007 cell display

4) Off Topic
     Mnemonics and pangrams

21 Web links in this newsletter

 

September 2007

1) Irish Computer Society 50 years awards
     Your vote is wanted!

2) Software Testing
     Free Software Testing Seminars in Ireland

3) Spreadsheets
     Apple Numbers introduced

4) Off Topic
     Tech Gripes

5 Web links in this newsletter
 

August 2007

1) IT Risk & Security
Risks from untested medical spreadsheets
Spreadsheets latest spam message carriers

2) Quality
Spreadsheet & Data Quality

3) Spreadsheets
Report from Eusprig 2007 conference
The Bug Hunt results

4) Off Topic
Spreadsheets considered harmful :-)
11 Web links in this newsletter

July 2007

1) Risk & Security
Global Technology Audit Guide (GTAG)
Guidance to ISO 27K Information Security Management Standards

2) Software Testing
Automated Scripts push my buttons

3) Just read these a second time

4) Spreadsheets
Eusprig 2007 in Greenwich July 11-13

5) Off Topic
'Canada' explained to foreigners

10 Web links in this newsletter

 

June 2007

1) Risk & Security
     Quality Schadenfreude
     Bogus reports of Canadian 'spy coin'
     Ryanair check-in site exposes data
     US Director National Intelligence embeds spreadsheet in Powerpoint

2) Software Testing
     SoftTest Ireland member survey

3) Web Content
     How does your site look to a spam sniffer?
     What visitors to your web site care about

4) Spreadsheets
     Tip: Converting text numbers to values
     New companies enter the crowded Spreadsheet Control market
     Eusprig 8th Annual Conference
     Excel User Conferences this Autumn (Fall)

5) Off Topic
     How to write a scientific paper ( ...not)

May 2007

1) IT Risk & Security
Raising awareness of Information Risk
Profile of a Fraudster
Oxley Unhappy with SOX
Hidden in plain sight

2) What does the data say?
Social Statistics blogs

3) Ireland
Irish Computing History: the Digital Media Archive

4) Spreadsheets
MS Excel Quality Wish List
On Error GoTo @##^! - sample chapter for VBA developers
Training course, software, book

5) Off Topic
Two stories of customer service

19 Web links in this newsletter
 

April 2007

1) Risk & Security
     Biggest credit card theft - so far
     Consequences - the stick
     Human Error

2) ScanXLS version 3
     List all your spreadsheet files with an overview of their contents

3) Spreadsheet Best Practices training course
     Learn how to detect and prevent errors

4) Spreadsheet news
     New products, free downloads

5) Off Topic
     Photos and short video clips from Iceland

20 Web links in this newsletter
 

March 2007

  1) Risk & Security
     German Federal Spyware ruled illegal
     Teacher unable to stop indecent adware faces prison

2) Tech Tip
     Prevent PDF files hanging Internet Explorer
     PrimoPDF: an alternative to Adobe PDF Writer

3) Europe
     EMU reconsidered
     Volcano, earthquake and glacier monitoring in Iceland

4) Spreadsheets
     Spreadsheet addiction?

5) Off Topic
     Iceland visit

17 Web links in this newsletter

February 2007

1) Risk & Security
    The ISSA / UCD Irish Cybercrime Survey
    'Certified' Cheque Scams
    DST March 11 = Y2.007K ?

2) Quality
    Fourth Information Quality Forum, Dublin

3) ICS News
    When Irish I.T.s are smiling

4) Spreadsheets
    Free contributions to the Eusprig yahoogroup

5) Off Topic
    Google Map Trek
    Solzhenitsyn's advice for life

16 Web links in this newsletter

January 2007

1) Risk & Security
     Resource websites on risk management
     The risk of not reading flight reservations closely

2) IT Tech
     Wireless Internet Connection Sharing

3) Europe
     Slovenia joins the Euro zone
     Bulgaria and Romania join the EU

4) Spreadsheets
     Data processing optimization

5) Off Topic
     Robert Fisk on the Middle East

11 Web links in this newsletter


Contents for 2005-2006 are at http://www.sysmod.com/praxis/archive0506.htm

Contents for 2003-2004 are at http://www.sysmod.com/praxis/archive0304.htm

Contents for 2000-2002 are at http://www.sysmod.com/praxis/archive.htm

You can receive this by email via YahooGroups: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/EuroIS/ 


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Patrick O'Beirne
Copyright © 2000-2006 Systems Modelling Ltd. All rights reserved.
Revised: July 30, 2008 .