lev_lafayette's blog

"Big data" requires processing. Processing requires HPC. Increased processing results in increased research output. Research organisations that do not increase HPC usage will fall behind. HPC requires either 'dumb down the interface or skill up the user'. Making "user friendly" interfaces may not be the right path to take as HPC use will always have a minimum level of complexity. Training courses that use andragogical technqiues correlate with increased HPC use.

Recently a simple statement of PRINCE2 governance structures was provided. From this it is possible to derive a checklist for project managers to tick off, just to make sure that everything is done. Please note that this checklist is tailored and combines some functions. For example, there is no Business Review Plan as it is argued that any sensible project should incorporate these into the Business Case and the Project Plan.

A simple graphic is provided to assist with this process

Linux offers most of the expected file attributes from the command line, including the owner of a file, the group, the size, the date modified and name. However often users want find out when a file was created. This requires a little bit of extra investigation.

As regular readers would know, I make some effort to avoid using closed-source and proprietary software. This includes that popular operating system common on laptops and servers, MS-Windows. However there are a small number of reasons why this O.S. is required, including life-saving medical equipment hardware which, for some unfathomable reason, has been written to only interface with proprietary operating systems. Open source developers?

Free and open source software is based on key principles that are firmly grounded in instrumental advantages and ethical principles. It is heavily used in infrastructure and in new hardware forms; it is less used in user-end applications and traditional forms (laptops and desktops); however there is a good range of mature and feature-rich business applications available. The development of increasingly ubiquitous and more powerful computing is particularly well-suited for FOSS and workplaces that make use of such software will gain financial and positional advantages.

Presentation to Young Professionals CPA, October 8, 2014

Pre-Project and Start-Up (SU)

A project is defined as a temporary organisation created for the purpose of delivering business products with a degree of uniqueness according to an agreed Business Case.

A project mandate must come from those managers and those authorised to allocate duties and funds, subject to delegated authority ("corporate /programme management").

Authorised individuals must raise a Project Mandate. This should state the basic objectives, scope, quality, and constraints and identify the customer, user, and other interested parties.

Presentation to Software Freedom Day (Melbourne), September 2014

LUV annual general meetings are typically our smallest meetings of the year. It is a bold and few technically-inspired individuals who wish to sit through the necessary administrivia that keep the organisation alive in a formal sense, and the lack of an advertised speaker does suggest the possibility of ad-hoc pot-luck when it comes the short, technical lightning talks. However, I would like to make a special plea for LUV members to attend this agm. The reason being is that, after four years as president of LUV, I am going to step down from this position.

GNU zip is a compression utility free from patented algorithms. Software patents are stupid, and patented compression algorithms are especially stupid.

Presentation to the La Trobe Valley Linux Miniconference, Saturday July 19, 2014