How Green is IT?

Zahl Limbuwala, Liam Newcombe: Data Centre Specialist Group (DCSG)

Abstract

The DCSG are raising the awareness of just how “Green” we are in the IT industry and it may not be a surprise to many that we are not particularly efficient in our use of energy. Come and find out the real facts and figures and what we as an industry and doing about it.

OneClick are sponsoring this event with wine, cheese & a demo

Committee owner: Sheila Lloyd Lyons / Robert Ward

Access Grid Technology

Introduction

This is a Joint Session with Chester & North Wales branch, linking Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and Daresbury Laboratory, NEWI (Wrexham) and Bangor University.

Abstract

Access Grid is an advanced collaboration environment that has been described as “videoconferencing on steroids”. It can support a huge number of sites interacting simultaneously with an emphasis on effective distributed collaboration between groups. It was invented in 1997 in order to provide a human interface to the Grid and continues to be an accessible route to Grid technologies. There are over a hundred Access Grid nodes across UK academia and thousands of users worldwide. This talk will look at the technology in more detail, describe some interesting use cases in science, social science and the arts, update the audience on current developments and look to the future of Access Grid considering similar technologies such as Skype and ConferenceXP

Committee owner: Brian Day

BrianDay /07.07.2007 11:17/

Identity Fraud – From Criminals to Consumers

Introduction

Tom Ilube, Garlik CEO confirmed speaker. CV and abstract at http://www.oxon.bcs.org/program2007-8.htm#Nov
Garlik is a new monthly monitoring service that finds, tracks and monitors your personal information online.
Technical advisers include Nigel Shadbolt, Wendy Hall and Tim Berners-Lee.
Tom spoke to the BCS Financial Services SG in January 2007 (see http://www.finsig.bcs.org/events/2006-07/200701_A.htm )
AdrianWalmsley /02.05.2007 09:30/

Committee owner: Adrian Walmsley

IT at JET – A Challenging Fusion Research Environment

Sverker Griph, Senior Software Engineer at MetaAgility Knowledge Engineering

Abstract

The fusion research environment at JET provides many IT challenges. A mission crictical real-time IT system – with high complexity and flexibility – needs to be sustained over decades, while subject to a high rate of change. These challenges are for example addressed by 
• selective adoption of and longterm ownership of IT standards,
• extensive use of data driven design,
• a pervasive use of IT engineering databases and
• an in-house high performance software component architecture.

See http://www.metaagility.com/OPEN/bcs_talk_proposal.html

Committee owner: Sheila Lloyd Lyons

Title: How Big Business learned to love Virtual Worlds

Abstract

IBM has long been recognised as an interested player in virtual worlds. Roo Reynolds will share how a handful of brave IBMers first began a foray into Second Life and other virtual worlds, and how this grass-roots interest became widespread adoption within the company. What can a corporation expect from getting involved in a virtual world? What about an employee? Expect a lively tour of what's interesting in this space, together with some real-world examples of what's virtually possible.

Speaker Info

Committee owner: Adrian Walmsley / Tim Lambertstock

What's Hot

Introduction

Using a ‘Dragon’s Den’ format, we will look at a number of emerging technologies and innovative applications. A guest panel of senior industry experts and entrepreneurs will question each presenter and, at the end of the evening, the audience will be invited to vote for its favourite. Prizes will be awarded to the winners! See website for more details.

Committee Owner: Tim Lambertstock / Geoff Stone

Annual Branch Visit: Technology in Action – Shrivenham

This year's branch trip is an afternoon visit to the Defence Capability Centre at the Defence Academy in Shrivenham.

Details are still to be finalised, but we will be hearing about the use of technology by the armed forces, from small arms to tanks and aircraft.
There is also a spendid museum: it's not every day that you have a chance to climb inside an attack helicopter or armoured fighting vehicles of various kinds.

The DCC visit is always a very popular feature of our biennial Oxfordshire Schools Web Competition prizegiving event, so we are delighted that Branch members will also have the oportunity to explore the exhibits.

Spaces will be limited so we shall ask members to book online.

Committee owner: Brian Read / Adrian Walmsley

Education in the Internet Age and Branch AGM

Abstract

Children are now living in a fully accessible, high availability and high speed internet society.

To adapt to this new age schools must be ready to embrace IT and offer services to all of its participants – the teachers, school staff, pupils and parents.

This presentation will discuss the needs of a modern school before showing examples of how RM is embracing some of those needs with its Learning Platforms suite of products.

Speaker Info

Mark Chamberlain, learning platform business manager at RM

Committee owner: Tim Lambertstock / Jenny Adcock