PraxIS
June
2010
10-06 Contents: Excel
workshop, Eusprig Conference, XLTest 1.20 release,Rapid Software Testing Sept.
ISSN
1649-2374 This issue online at http://www.sysmod.com/praxis/prax1006.htm
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| Systems
Modelling Ltd.: Managing reality in
Information Systems - strategies for success |
|
IN THIS ISSUE
|
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
|
About this newsletter and Archives
Disclaimer
Subscribe and Unsubscribe information |
Welcome to PraxIS
My XLTest spreadsheet auditing add-in is now at version 1.2,
with many more features. .
Patrick O'Beirne
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IT Risk
Rapid Software Testing Course, Dublin September 13th
by Michael Bolton
* Date: Monday 13th to Wednesday 15th
September 2010
* Venue: Xilinx, Citywest Business Park
* In association with Testing Times and
Xilinx
* Duration: 3 day course (9.00am to
5.30pm)
* Cost to non-members: €1,700 per person
* Cost to Software Skillnet Members*
after Grant aid: €770 per person
*Membership to Skillnet is Free
The course cost is all-inclusive for the 3 day course and covers all
materials and refreshments
This event is being grant
aided by the Software Skillnet
Contact susan@isa-skillnet.com to book your place
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Rapid Software Testing is a three-day, hands-on class that teaches
testing as a sophisticated thinking art. The philosophy presented in
this class is not like traditional approaches to testing, which ignore
the thinking part of testing and instead advocate never-ending
paperwork. Products have become too complex for that, time is too
short, and testers are too expensive. Rapid testing uses a cyclic
approach and heuristic methods to constantly re-optimize testing to fit
the needs of your clients. The Rapid approach isn't just testing with a
speed or sense of urgency; it's mission-focused testing that eliminates
unnecessary work, assures that everything necessary gets done, and
constantly asks what testing can do to speed the project as a whole.
This class presents an approach to testing that begins with developing
personal skills and extends to the ultimate mission of software
testing: lighting the way of the project by evaluating the product.
One important tool of rapid testing is the discipline of exploratory
testing-essentially a testing martial art. Exploratory testing combines
test design, test execution, test result interpretation, and learning
into a seamless process that finds a lot of problems quickly. If you
are an experienced tester, you'll find out how to articulate those
intellectual processes of testing that you already practice
intuitively. If you're a new tester, hands-on testing exercises help
you gain critical experience.
ABOUT MICHAEL BOLTON
Michael Bolton is an established and recognised leading-edge expert in
the area of Software Testing. Michael has extensive experience in
delivering workshops, tutorials, and conference presentations on the
topic of Rapid Software Testing. He has over 20 years of experience in
the computer industry testing, developing, managing, and writing about
software.
http://www.isa-skillnet.com/Training_Courses/88
Software Skillnet
c/o Irish Software Association, Confederation House, 84-86 Lr Baggot
Street, Dublin 2 Phone: 086 8067200
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Spreadsheets
Draft programme for Eusprig 2010, July 15-16,
Greenwich
"Practical steps to protect organisations from out-of-control
spreadsheets"
http://www.eusprig.org/annual-conference.htm
Mary Pat Campbell, Society of Actuaries, author of several papers in
the SOA journal.
Morten Siersted, F1F9, of the FAST Modelling Standard
Simon Murphy of Codematic, author of the Smurf On Spreadsheets blog
Michael Hutchens, BPM, Best Practice Modelling Standards
Other confirmed speakers so far are: (please check back for updates)
Ozgur Ozluk and Tom Grossman, USFCA : "Spreadsheets Grow Up:
Spreadsheet Engineering"
Thomas Lemon, Protiviti : "A practical approach to managing spreadsheet
risk in a global business"
Ray Panko and Salvatore Aurigemma, University of Hawaii : "The
Detection of Human Spreadsheet Errors by Humans versus Inspection"
Sebastian Dewhurst of EASA & Nemanja Kostic, Zurich Finance :
"Transforming Critical Spreadsheets into Web Applications at Zurich
Fin."
Ruth McKeever & Kevin McDaid, Dundak Inst Tech : "How do Range
Names Hinder Novice Debugging Performance"
Andrea Kohlase, German Research centre for AI: "What we understand is
what we get: Assessments in spreadsheets"
Francoise Tort , ENS de Cachan: "Spreadsheet teaching: principles to
design a curriculum"
Angus Dunn, Consultant & Angela Collins, BDO LLP : "Spreadsheet
Compliance"
Dermot Balson: "Changing spreadsheet attitudes - a case study"
G. Croll, D. Baker & O. Lawal: "Evaluating Financial Model
Performance: An Empirical Analysis of Some North Sea Models"
Ben Rittweger & Eoin Langan of Athlone Inst. Tech.:
"Spreadsheet Risk Management in Organisations"
Ralph Baxter, ClusterSeven: "Transparency, Control and Opportunity -
The Role of Continuous Validation"
Patrick O'Beirne, Systems Modelling : "Spreadsheet Refactoring"
____________________________________________________________
UK Excel Developer Conference - Monday 12 July 2010 - London
Excel development overview and extension options
The Excel Tool Business over view
Fast User Defined functions with .net and ExcelDNA
Technology, Business, and Backoffice Considerations for FastExcel
Excel as the window to corporate data
Command extensions with VSTO and ADX
Discussion: http://smurfonspreadsheets.wordpress.com/2010/06/12/excel-dev-conf-details/
Details: http://www.codematic.net/excel-developer-conference-2010.htm
____________________________________________________________
XLTest 1.20 upgrade
XLTest is an Excel add-in that dramatically increases an auditor's
ability to test for unusual conditions in spreadsheets,
This upgrade includes:1. Detailed
listings can now list found areas separately
2. Lists macro shortcut keys and button
actions
3. Shows DV & CF formulas in A1
and R1C1 style
4. Lists formulas in charts, OLE objects
5. Adds timing estimates for bulk
operations
6. Worksheet and Workbook comparisons
show both R1C1 and A1 styles.
7. Workbook comparison includes option to
compare VBA source using WinMerge.
8. Comparison functions made available as
a public macro to your own VBA code
9. Added VB Component export and import.
http://www.sysmod.com/xltest/
Still only 99 euro!
Bonus for readers of Praxis : Download
the complete XLTest manual here (3.5MB PDF)
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ActiveData For Office / SQL is now free
http://www.informationactive.com
This was originally developed to overcome Excel's old 65,536
row limit. Since most users who deal with more than 65,536 rows of data
have moved to Excel 2007 and many more are likely to move to the new
Excel 2010, they have decided to provide ActiveData For Office / SQL as
a free download.
Spreadsheet Check and Control: 47 best practices to detect
and prevent errors
http://www.sysmod.com/scc.htm
____________________________________________________________
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FEEDBACK
Simply send your comments to FEEDBACK (at) SYSMOD (dot) COM
Thank you! Patrick O'Beirne,
Editor
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
On Programming and Attitude
http://alarmingdevelopment.org/?p=422
"...what
really matters in programming. It is not about solving puzzles and
being the brightest kid in the class. It is about realizing that the
complexity of software dwarfs even the most brilliant human; that
cleverness cannot win. The only weapons we have are simplicity and
convention."
_______________________________________________________
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Patrick O'Beirne, Editor
_______________________________________________________
ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER
"Praxis" means model or example, from the Greek verb "to do". The name
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and analysis across Information Systems".
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______________________________________________________
ARCHIVES
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DISCLAIMER
This newsletter is prepared in good faith and the information has been
taken from observation and other sources believed to be reliable.
Systems Modelling Ltd. (SML) does not represent expressly or by
implication the accuracy, truthfulness or reliability of any
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SML has no liability for any errors, inaccuracies or omissions. The
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You should consult a professional at Systems Modelling Ltd. directly
for advice that is specifically tailored to your particular
circumstances.
_______________________________________________________
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