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PraxIS newsletter contents for 2003-2004
Index to current year issues is at
http://www.sysmod.com/praxis/index.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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December 2005
1) Risk & Security
US Military removes Word documents from the Web?
2) ICT and Development
ICT for Poverty Reduction: Necessary but Insufficient
$100 laptop: hope or hype?
Jhai PC and Communication System
3) Euro
Preparations in the new EU member states adopting the euro
4) Spreadsheets
David Heiser's analysis of Excel statistics & mathematics
5) Off Topic
'Not Valid in Kansas' poster
'God's Debris' free ebook
13 Web links in this newsletter
November 2005 1) Risk & Security
Secret tracking codes in laser printers cracked
Security Awareness - survey and measurement
2) Quantitative Ecommerce
Amazon Sales Rank tracking and estimation
The Long Tail of markets
Used books, Amazon marketplace, special offers
3) European & Irish news
SoftTest Ireland half day conference software testing case
studies
Irish subsidiary lets Microsoft slash taxes in U.S. and
Europe
Euro convergence
4) Spreadsheets
Training course in spreadsheet auditing methodology - Dublin,
London
'Spreadsheet Check and Control' book reviews
Free MS Office certification tests
SCANXLS listed on Microsoft Marketplace
5) Off Topic
Pakistan appeal
The laws of Murphy and others
Use MS Maps for your mileage allowance calculation 30 Web
links in this newsletter
October 2005
1) Risk & Security
How to break software security
Mail loop
2) IT quality
pPARs for the course in IT project oversight
3) Irish Computer Society
Events for October
4) Spreadsheets
Spreadsheet Check and Control - book launched
David Gainer's blog on the new Excel 12
5) Off Topic
Hippo, birdie, two ewes
14 Web links in this newsletter
September 2005
1) Risk & Security
Lessons from Hurricane Katrina
Global Security Week & Security Awareness
2) Software Testing
James Whittaker talks to SoftTest Ireland on Breaking Software Security
Cracking good books
3) Mobile Spammer fined
Fined for deceptive calls
4) Spreadsheets
Audit Course
Book Launch
5) Off Topic
Auction sites and academic studies
9 Web links in this newsletter
August 2005
1) Risk & Security
Companies unclear on credit-card security requirements
Hold off on ZoneAlarm 6.0 for a while
European Spreadsheet Risk Interest Group 2005
conference
2) Spreadsheet Check and Control
Magazine and Journal Reviewers wanted
3) Training course in how to audit spreadsheets
4) Off Topic
Fun with numbers
7 Web links in this newsletter
July 2005
1) Risk & Security
40M Credit cards security breached
Indian call centre fraud
Forensic Acquisition Utilities
Bug Me Not
Passwords stronger than pAsSwOrD or 0qww294e
2) Tech stuff
PC remote control, remote desktop access
A telephone gizmo
3) Europe
UK Govt factsheets 'The euro: it's your business' updated
What the French and Dutch really think about the European Constitution
4) Spreadsheets
European Spreadsheet Risks Interest Group conference
Spreadsheet Check and Control book
Excel User Conference Sep 16-17, Fort Worth, Dallas, Texas
ScanXLS spreadsheet catalogue utility
5) Off Topic
Eudora time machine broken
Project Awry: a list of all the risks
19 web links in this newsletter
June 2005 1) Risk & Security
The watchdogs nod
2) Software Development and Testing
Agile & Evolutionary, rights and responsibilities of testers
Project Intelligence
CSE Software Engineer's Seminar Series at ICS 3) Eusprig 2005 Draft Programme
Register now! 4) Spreadsheet Check and Control
New book due September 2005 5) Off Topic
Spoofs 20 Web links in this newsletter
May 2005
1) Risk & Security
Spoof and mail list vulnerability
2) Spreadsheets
Best practice - range names?
3) Business
The publishing business
4) Off Topic
Universe to subatomic in powers of ten
15 Web links in this newsletter
April 2005
1)
Risk & Security
Compliance: SOA, SOX, COSO, CobiT, ITGI, FDA, ODCE, FEE, SLAs, FLAs, TLAs...
2) Data quality
IQ conference presentations available 3) Search
Engine Optimisation
The not so obvious stuff 4) Spreadsheets
Course in Auditing Spreadsheets May 17-18 5) Off
Topic
April Firsts
24 Web links in this newsletter
March 2005
1) Risk & Security
New Information Quality Special Interest Network Launched
UK Public Virus Alert web site launched
Wanna be president of Microsoft?
The Weakest Link
2) Web researching
Test their Y!Q
3) Europe
EU Constitution newsletter
Cyberlaw: EU Law on Spam
4) Spreadsheets
Course on auditing spreadsheets, Salford, May 17-18
5) Off Topic
Philology and Numerology
16 Web links in this newsletter
Feb. 2005
1) Risk & Security
Microsoft AntiSpyware free beta
Spam or scam from Invitation.sms.ac
2) Software Quality
Bug collection
Yahoo Desktop Search (YDS)
3) Europe
EU to equip parents with internet safety tools
UK Draft Managed Transition Plan
Eurobarometer survey: "The Euro, 3 years later"
EU Eighth Directive on statutory audit
EU couldn't make it up (straight bananas etc)
4) Spreadsheets
Eusprig's 65 stories of embarrassing spreadsheet moments
ScanXLS spreads in the marketplace
5) Off Topic
Haugesund to Trondheim, the scenic route ;-)
How To Sleep in an Airport
22 Web links in this newsletter
Jan. 2005
1) Risk & Security
The Information System Security Assessment Framework Draft
Rice University computer scientists find a flaw in GDS
A chess-playing "bankomat"
Security Books
2) More Internet Tools
MSN desktop search
Google Suggest
Babelplex - searching in tongues
What's in those pesky Winmail.dat files?
3) Europe
UK Euro preparations updated Dec. 2004
TRY, try again...
4) Spreadsheet Quality
SCANXLS spreadsheet inventory utility now available
Spreadsheets with more than 256 columns?
5) Tsunami
21 Web links in this newsletter
Dec. 2004
1) Risk & Security
Home PC Security
End of the domain name hostage saga?
Should European companies pull up their SOX?
2) Software quality
The D-word: Documentation
Software testing presentations downloadable
3) Information science
Book: 'Web Search Garage'
Speegle im Speegle
Google Scholar
4) Spreadsheet Quality
EuSpRIG Annual Conference July 7/8 2005
Auditors: "Spreadsheet controls not sufficient"
Agile Spreadsheet Development
30 Web links in this newsletter
Nov. 2004
1) Risk & Security
'Make IT Secure' initiative launched in Ireland
Checklists for Technology Risk
'Spitzer risk'
Google Mail Insecurity
Google Desktop Search Insecurity
2) Searching your desktop and the web
Google Desktop Search enhancements
User-Guided Search Refining in Google
Unsure about web searching? Use your Noodle...
3) Europe
EU presses newcomers to work harder to join euro
Dot-eu Domains
I say eiro, EU say euro
4) Spreadsheet Quality
Spreadsheet SOX
XLSpell - spreadsheet style checker
Foundations of Spreadsheets (FoS'04) Papers available
5) Off Topic
DotCom, DotOrg, what a difference.
You don't want to see this (any more)
33 Web links in this newsletter
Oct. 2004
1) Risk & Security
End user computing risks
Hacking into online photocopiers
CyberSecurity Awareness Month
Culling unpopular colleagues?
2) Quantitative methods
My recommended course book
3) Euro
Faint stirrings of interest
4) Spreadsheets
New Statistics on Model Error Rates
5) Off Topic
Actuary jokes
14 Web links in this newsletter
Sept 2004 1)
Risk & Security
Open Source IS Security body of knowledge
ICS CPD autumn lectures on Risk Management
2) Local disk drive index/search utilities
Blinkx
Copernic Desktop Search
3) Will (does?) the Real Economy Stand Up?
Job search - networking drying up?
4) Spreadsheets
Foundations of Spreadsheets: Workshop, Rome
Excel range name curiosity
Spreadsheet Control and Sarbanes-Oxley
5) Off Topic
Business Books
Explorer error message ;-) Software
Project Cartoons
18 Web links in this newsletter
August 2004
1) Risk & Security
Are P2P networks leaking military secrets?
Audit programs - freely shared
Newsletter on risk management
2) Another Government IT project story
$500 million and counting
3) European affairs
The PetroEuro?
Eurobarometer - the future European Constitution
4) Spreadsheets
Eusprig 2004 Conference report
5) On the lighter side
Inspirational posters
Preparing for emergencies - the unofficial guide
14 Web links in this newsletter
July 2004
1) Risk & Security
IT Governance document available from ITGI
Business Continuity Maturity Model
2) Sites of interest
Amazon's A9 search service
The Irish inventor of the ISBN scheme
3) Ageism in IT
Silicon.com's discussion for the older IT professional
4) Spreadsheets
My talk to ISACA on Spreadsheet Quality
My article on Agile Spreadsheet Development (ASD)
Last reminder: Spreadsheet Risks Conference July 15-16 2004
5) Review
Spreadsheet Detective auditing add-in
6) On the lighter side
Correspondence from the taxman
14 Web links in this newsletter
June 2004
1) Risk & Security
Gathering forensic computer evidence
Morality, Ethics, and Corporate Governance
Weak and Strong Passwords
2) Emergent Design Seminars
June 1,15,29, Dublin, free to ICS members
3) Euro Archives DVD
Links to massive archive of legacy euro websites
4) Spreadsheets
EUSPRIG 2004 provisional programme
Free spreadsheet software and templates
5) Auditing
Financial Literacy Quiz
Review of ActiveData Excel analysis toolkit
6) On the lighter side
Pagina quam tu quaeris abest.
15 links in this newsletter
May 2004
1) Risk management
Sasser worm update
The Challenges of Complex IT Projects (BCS paper)
2) Electronic Voting
Commission on E-Voting report: "unable to
recommend"
3) EU Enlargement
Celebrations, and a challenge for readers
Euro Conversion Calculator updated for new EU member
currencies
4) Spreadsheet Testing
Typo costs University $2.4M
"Testing Spreadsheets" presentation available for download
Review of XLSior, Excel testing and auto-documenting add-in
5) On the lighter side
Annals of Improbable Research
James Joyce - Bloomsday centenary
21 Web links in this newsletter
April 2004
1) Risk management
Irish Computer Society submission to Commission on E-Voting
Security awareness and training materials
2) Internet and e-business
Eurobarometer Survey: Issues Relating To Business And Consumer
E-Commerce
3) Contractors talk about rates
What's the average rate for contract IT work?
4) The Devil's guide to spreadsheet creation
5) On the lighter side
Euro myths and European stereotypes
14 Web links in this newsletter
March 2004
1) Risk management
Irish Computer Society favours e-Voting review
OCTAVE Catalogue of good security practices
2) Internet and e-business
Skype Launches Free Conference Calling
3) Software Quality
Software bug contributed to US Aug-03 blackout
Worst run software project of 2003?
Computer Weekly's campaign against government incompetence
4) Excel add-ins freeware
XLAnalyst, Master Tool, Navigator Utilities, Excel Utilities
Range Name curiosities
Beta testing auditors for ActiveData by March 5th
5) On the lighter side
Programmer's Drinking Song
26 Web links in this newsletter
February 2004
1) Risk management
Irish Citizens for Trustworthy E-Voting
2) Internet and e-business
W32.Novarg.A@mm (aka MyDoom)
Gone Phishing
3) Software Quality
SoftTest Ireland Quarterly Event: 9th Feb, Dublin
Disk full on Mars
4) European affairs
Eurobarometer : The €uro, two years later
Italians sue over cappucino euro conversion
UK Treasury publishes euro compatibility guidance
5) On the lighter side
Marvin can't find the page
20 Web links in this newsletter
January 2004
1) Risk management
Benford's Law - detecting fraud in invented numeric amounts
Phone Fraudsters exploit a developing country's dialing code
2) Internet and e-business
Enterprise Ireland OpenUp campaign to promote e-business
3) Software Quality
Lee Copeland & David Parnas presentations now online
Excel 2003 RAND() bug
Powerpoint considered harmful to communication?
4) European affairs
Ireland's presidency
News sources on the Euro
5) On the lighter side
A model view of life
Pictures from Mars Rover
25 Web links in this newsletter
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December 2003
1) Risk management
EuSpRIG 2004 Call for Papers
Spreadsheet risk stories
Security awareness resources
Electronic Voting risks
2) Internet issues
Privacy and Electronic Communications EC Directive
3) Software Quality
Lee Copeland & David Parnas To Address Irish Software Testers
4) The Euro and the UK
UK Treasury's seventh report on euro preparations
5) On the lighter side
Virtual Economy - Story Games
11 Web links in this newsletter
November 2003
1) Risk management
Spreadsheet risk stories
Building Integrity In Business
2) e-Voting questions
Labour party proposes audit trail for e-voting
3) Software Quality
Recommended: James Bach Rapid Software Testing Workshop
4) Internet
Anti-virus favourites
Skype free internet teleconferencing
5) On the lighter side
Choral humour
24 links in this newsletter
October 2003
1) Risk management
Stupid security
Swen mail clogging up my inbox
Spam fighting by robots?
2) The Euro
Silly mistakes still
3) Software Quality
How to make money from bad quality
4) Web marketing
Google Adsense
5) Irish news - SoftTest event
Two presentations and an AGM
6) On the lighter side
Truth Picks
The Office
15 Web links in this newsletter
September 2003
1) Risk management
Emergency Planning Society of Ireland inaugural meeting
2) The Euro and pre-Euro countries - a question for readers
What countries have heavy cents?
3) Course in spreadsheet auditing/testing Sep 26, Dublin
For auditors and end-user trainers and developers
4) Weblog for more frequent PraxIS updates
My new "best practice" blog launched
5) Irish Computer Society: refurbished PCs for charity
6) On the lighter side
7 Web links in this newsletter
August 2003
1) Risk management
Windows Password cracker
Windows XP Product Activation - what it tells MS
2) UK & The Euro
Another news service
3) Eusprig 2003 conference report
The best European Spreadsheet Risks Interest Group conference yet!
A short "best practice" spreadsheet guide from NZ Treasury
4) Paris holiday apartment website
5) On the lighter side
12 Web links in this newsletter
July 2003
1) Internet and risk management
Patenting Software
Online VAT
2) Euro & UK:
'£700 per household gain by joining the euro'
3) $24-million spreadsheet "clerical error"
Transalta's cut-and-paste cut $24m and pasted the shareholders
Eusprig 2003 discusses methods and tools for auditing spreadsheets
4) Holiday travel
Web sites to find an apartment in Paris
5) On the lighter side
On the difference between Marketing and Spam
20 Web links in this newsletter
June 2003
Internet and risk management
Viruses
Security
'419' scams punished
10 Risk Management tips for professionals
Euro notes
Extra security RFID speculation
Spreadsheet testing and auditing
James Bach course on "Exploratory Testing" Report
On the lighter side
14 Web links in this newsletter
May 2003
Strategies for coping with burnout
European Research Projects Mail List
ICT Development and Africa
Internet and risk management
Breakfast Seminars on legal issues with spam and online selling
Online Precedents for Domain Name Disputes
Honeypots reveal what attracts Spam
A free email address obscuring script
Tarpits for Spammers
Risk and Fraud Management of Internet Payments
Technical stuff
Linux for Windows users
Disk usage charting utility
An old Word trick: the =rand() function
Project Management
Cost overruns
Local news for Ireland
Irish Computer Society (ICS) ICT Stakeholders Group
ICS Skills Framework for IT job descriptions
Software Testing free half day seminar
James Bach course on "Exploratory Testing"
Inaugural Agile Special Interest Group
On the lighter side
Y2K bug alive and working for Macdonalds (Risks Digest)
Stress causes strong language
"Thirty Signs That Technology Has Taken Over Your Life"
24 Web links in this newsletter
April 2003
The Business case for I.T.
Finance and I.T. should be friends
Internet - Spam avoidance
Double wrapped for double protection
Safe Surfing - a guide for parents
Software Testing
Testing resources for free download
Euro news
BBC helps UK viewers make up their
mind.
On the lighter side
Microsoft and the "hackers"
13 links in this newsletter
March 2003
Internet Security
ISSA talks by Winn Schwartau and Lance Spitzner
Software Quality
A report on XP Pair Programming productivity improvements
EURO news
Malta says yes
On the lighter side
Is this an error?
15 Web links in this newsletter
February 2003
Internet
Prizewinning browser from a 16-year old
Almost cost-free email for Africa
Software Quality
Getting back to basics
EURO
UK Treasury select committee euro inquiry
Risk Management
The first Shuttle tragedy
Slam the door on Slammer
And finally .. some good news on fighting
SMS Spam!
On the lighter side
If Microsoft had been the first to invent
books
17 Web links in this newsletter
January 2003
Internet
Practical EBusiness guide
Web site usability counterexample
Software Testing
SoftTest Ireland Quarterly meeting 27 Jan
2003 18:30
EURO
Before corporate memory fades
completely...
Analysts question Ireland's EMU entry
The Marta Andreasen saga rumbles on
A long bet ... your starter for 2003
Risk Management
Change management
On the lighter side
The @ sign around the world
Christmas Quiz answers
10 web links in this newsletter
Contents for earlier years are at
http://www.sysmod.com/praxis/archive.htm
You can receive this by email via YahooGroups:
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/EuroIS/
Patrick O'Beirne
Copyright © 2000-2004 Systems Modelling Ltd. All rights reserved.
Revised: January 09, 2006
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