Infosys v1n051 (December 23, 1994) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/infosys/infs-v1n051 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * IIIII N N FFFFF OOO SSSSS Y Y SSSSS * * I NN N F O O S Y Y S * * I N N N FFF O O SSSSS Y SSSSS * * I N NN F O O S Y S * * IIIII N N F OOO SSSSS Y SSSSS * * * * INFOSYS: The Electronic Newsletter for Information Systems * * Volume 1, Number 51 December 23, 1994 * * * * Editor: Dennis W. Viehland, Massey University, New Zealand * * Guest Editor: Ake Gronlund, Umea University, Sweden * * Listowner: Greg Welsh, American University, Washington DC * * * * Current Subscribers = 3,457 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TABLE OF CONTENTS * * * * * * * * * * * * * GUEST EDITOR'S NOTE - Merry Christmas (approximately) * * NEWS - From EDUPAGE * * ANNOUNCEMENT - Best of 1994 Internet Info.Systems Nominations * * ANNOUNCEMENT - Call for Participation * * ANNOUNCEMENT - Test Your Pentium * * CONFERENCE - ETHICOMP'95 * * CALL FOR INTEREST - Organisational Semiotics * * CALL FOR PAPERS - Cross-Cultural End User Computing * * CALL FOR PAPERS - The Teaching of Computing * * POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT - Lectureship in Information Systems * * POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT - MIS Chair at Univ. of Pittsburgh * * POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT - Assistant Professor, Information Systems * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 0456* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GUEST EDITOR'S NOTE - Merry Christmas (approximately) * * Ake Gronlund, Umea University * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * This is the Christmas edition of INFOSYS. Dennis and I wish all of you who celebrate Christmas a merry one. Here in Umea, we're not going to have a white Christmas this year, even though we are at N 63.8, a latitude at which you should be guaranteed snow for Christmas. But then, in these days when computers are not even capable of computing who can be certain about anything? Luckily, humans are oh so adaptable - I picked up the following "Pentium-processed" greeting on the net in the wake of the discussions about the unreliable chip: "Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New 1994.996092939". INFOSYS is back next week with No 52 (exactly), bringing you an AIS update, pointers to new information sources, and new job offers. \EOA 0457* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * NEWS - From EDUPAGE * * Ake Gronlund, Umea University * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * INFORMATION WEEK'S TOP 10 Information Week magazine has selected the top 10 products or enhancements it feels have "had the broadest impact on how technology managers help organizations meet their goals": Mosaic; Microsoft's Windows NT; Apple's PowerMac; Network Notes (the Lotus-AT&T service); ForeRunner (a network switch that provides ATM networking to workgroups by Fore Systems, Inc.); IBM's ThinkPad; IBM's OS/2 Warp 3.0; Iceberg (a mainframe-based disk array storage subsystem by Storage Technology Corp.); Pretty Good Privacy; and Compaq's Proliant line (servers in modular, stackable racks). (Information Week 12/19/94 p.34) LAN DOWNTIME COSTS BIG BUCKS The December CompuServe Magazine reports a Gallup survey of the top 1,000 firms in the country shows almost half of their local area networks were down at least one hour a week. Four percent said their LANs were down at least five hours during one week of the year. The magazine noted that downtime can cost a minimum of $500 an hour, and much more in some cases, while another study shows the "average corporate LAN goes down 27 times a year, costing its owner nearly $3.5 million in lost productivity and about $600,000 in vaporized revenue." (Telecommunications Policy Review 12/11/94 p.6) MICROSOFT BUSTS CYBERPORN DISTRIBUTOR When Microsoft learned an Arizona bulletin board was illegally distributing its Mouse Driver software, it put its resident piracy expert on the case, and came up with pornographic images available for downloading as well. Th company alerted the Maricopa County Department of Public Safety, which found that the BBS was run by one of its own employees. The employee has since been suspended. (Information Week 12/26/94 p.8) "HELP DESK, HELP THYSELF" Increasingly complex software and a trend toward mix-and-match computer components are generating an avalanche of calls to customer service departments at computer hardware and software companies. Symbologic Corp. is responding with smart software designed to make it easier for companies to respond to problems. Resolve uses a natural language interface to guide support technicians through a problem solving sequence. The steps are saved in a database, so when a similar call comes in, the program searches for key words or phrases to find the solution that worked before. Next year the firm plans to post a do-it-yourself repair kit on the Internet. SolutionNet will make Resolve's database available to anyone online. (Tampa Tribune 12/19/94 Business & Finance p.3) WIRELESS CONNECTION TO DESKTOP Zenith has developed a wireless remote system (CruisePad) that duplicates the image of the user's desktop on its own 8.5-inch display and allows the user to open programs and documents remotely. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution 12/18/94 P2) MANAGING TECHIES A communications gap between information systems people and the rest of the world is causing headaches at the executive level, says Forbes ASAP (Dec. 5). Corporations need to cross-train their systems employees, and centralize application programmers while paying special attention to the problems caused by technologically mismatched departments. (Investor's Business Daily 12/19/94 A4) MCI'S WWW MALL BOASTS SECURE TRANSACTIONS A feature of MCI's WWW shopping mall will be its ability to conduct purchasing transactions within a secure environment provided by the encryption technology that NetScape Communications is building into its software. MCI hopes its mall will capture a significant portion of the 50 billion dollars consumer now spend each year on catalog shopping, by making online purchases easy and safe. (Internet Business Report, Dec.'94 p.2) Editor's Note: Edupage, a summary of news items on information technology, is a service of Educom. This is an abbreviated list of news items of interest to the IS community from the December 18 & 20, 1994 issues. \EOA 0458* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ANNOUNCEMENT - Best of 1994 Internet Info.Systems Nominations * * Matthew Ciolek * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Coombs Computing Unit at the Research Schools of Social Sciences & Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University, Canberra, calls for nominations for the "Best of 1994 Social Sciences & Humanities Internet Info.Systems". For results of the "Best-of-94" Internet contests and information about nomination and voting procedures, see http://coombs.anu.edu.au/SpecialProj/QLTY/BEST/Best94.html Nominations and votes are invited for the following 7 categories of networked facilities: --Best overall SocSci/Humanities networked information system --Best SocSci/Humanities FTP system --Best SocSci/Humanities Gopher system --Best SocSci/Humanities WWW system --Best SocSci/Humanities Electronic Journal --Best SocSci/Humanities Electronic (Email) Forum/List/Discussion Group --Best SocSci/Humanities On-line Database Participation in the Best of 1994 Social Sciences & Humanities Inf. Resources poll is open to all people and all Internet sites. Any person may nominate (or vote for) more than one site in a given category. The "Best-of-94" nominations and voting close on 31 January 1995. The results will be published in the first days of February 1995. (Note: The deadline for the "Best-of-94" nominations and votes is now moved by a month, that is, to the last day of January 95). Dr T. Matthew Ciolek ANU Social Sciences Information Systems Administrator, Coombs Computing Unit, Research School of Social Sciences, http://coombs.anu.edu.au/CoombsHome.html Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia email: tmciolek@coombs.anu.edu.au ph +61 (0)6 249 0110 fax: +61 (0)6 257 1893 \EOA 0459* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ANNOUNCEMENT - Call for Participation * * Donald Day Pennsylvania State University * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * "User Responses to Constraints in Computerized Design Tools" Department of Management Science & Information Systems Pennsylvania State University Respondents are sought in a study of user perceptions of constraints in CASE tools, and contrasts between tool users and tool builders in term of necessary and appropriate constraints. Subjects should be (a) current or former CASE users, (b) current or former CASE builders, or (c) current or former professional application developers who have not used CASE (a control group). Participants are asked to complete a six-page questionnaire, which will be sent by fastest means upon receipt of respondents' intent to participate. Paper copies will be sent to respondents in the United States or Canada. Electronic copies will be sent to others, if desired. Distribution of the questionnaire is underway currently. Responses are sought by mid-January, if possible. The conceptual foundations of the study were presented at a NATO Advanced Study Institute in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, a year ago. A complete citation for that publication will be provided, upon request. Also, a summary of study findings will be sent to all participants who request it. Please direct inquiries to Donald L. Day, Pennsylvania State University. E-mail: dld9@psuvm.psu.edu. Voice: +1-814-865-6861. Fax: +1-814-863-2381. \EOA 0460* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ANNOUNCEMENT - Test Your Pentium * * John E. Hankwitz * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * (Guest editor's note: I picked this conversation up on the net....it received many grateful comments, so I though it might be useful for more people) "MCopela wrote: > Divide 4,195,835 by 3,145,727 then multiply your answer by > 3,145,727. > The answer should be 4,195,835. An errant Pentium will return an > answer of 4,195,579. (Information found on "The Bart Stop BBS") Well, if you're running Windows, launch the built in calculator and calculate the following: Subtract 2.00 from 2.01. The answer should be 0.01 but the calculator returns .00. \EOA 0461* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * CONFERENCE - ETHICOMP'95 * * Simon Rogerson * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ETHICOMP'95 - An international conference on the ethical issues of using Information Technology March 28-30, 1995 Queen's Building, De Montfort University, Leicester UK The programme of events for ETHICOMP'95 provides an excellent forum for stimulating debate on fundamental issues relating to the development and use of Information Technology and Information Systems. There will be an opportunity to consider approaches based on the different cultures and countries of both conference presenters and conference delegates. The three-day conference consists of three parallel themes. Each theme will comprise a series of papers and workshops. There will be three broad themes within the conference programme: --Ethical development. This is concerned with the use of development methodologies and the consideration of ethical dilemmas, user education and professionalism. --Ethical technology. This is concerned with the advances in technologies and the likely ethical issues they raise as they are applied to business and societal problems. --Ethical application. This is concerned with developing ethical strategies which allow technology to be exploited in an ethically acceptable way. Conference attractions include: --Keynote presentations --Presentation of refereed papers --Interactive workshops --Information stalls and interactive demonstrations --Bookstall with books and journals on Computer Ethics --Conference dinner at the prestigious location of Bosworth Hall Key benefits: --An update of the current and future ethical dilemmas facing IS/IT --An opportunity to exchange ideas on ethical practices with colleagues from different work environments and cultures --Guidance on how to develop and implement more acceptable systems --Research-oriented and practically-oriented sessions providing a unique opportunity for knowledge dissemination Who should attend? --Educators, researchers and practitioners in the field of IS/IT --Decision makers in industry and commerce responsible for the application of IS/IT Registration and further information: Sue Colledge ETHICOMP95 External Relations De Montfort University The Gateway Leicester LEI 9BH UK Tel: (+44) 533 577354 Fax: (+44) 533 577533 \EOA 0462* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * CALL FOR INTEREST - Organisational Semiotics * * Doede Nauta * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * International Symposium and Conference on Organizational Semiotics Friday 10 - Thursday 16 February 1995 University of Twente, The Netherlands In that period we shall be visited by some colleagues from other European universities and from Australia and South East Asia. As there is growing interest in the topic, this seems a good opportunity to bring together more members of this interest group in order to establish a network of contacts for further collaboration. We should like to know the possibility of your participating in this small meeting. But first let us explain the plan: --The main activity, the symposium, will be a series of meetings to discuss theories, methods and practical work in the field. The aim is to allow the core of participants to treat ideas in reasonable depth and form working relationships. --The conference will be an occasion for a number of half-hour papers, with questions, addressed to a larger audience. (The final choice of date will be fixed on the basis of your responses.) --The contributions to the conference we should like to circulate as working papers to all those who indicate their interest in the field, to provide a second line of contacts. --Finally, we hope those authors (with others) will be willing to offer their revised paper for inclusion in a book, a proposal for which is being submitted to a publisher. For further details, please contact Doede Nauta Prof. of Automation and Meaning or Ronald Stamper Prof. of Information Management email: r.k.stamper@sms.utwente.nl d.nauta@wmw.utwente.nl m.c.p.hafkamp@sms.utwente.nl fax: +31 53 339 885 \EOA 0463* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * CALL FOR PAPERS - Cross-Cultural End User Computing * * A K. Aggarwal, Univ. of Baltimore * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Journal of End User Computing, special issue on Cross-Cultural Issues and Implications for End User Computing Deadline: January 20, 1995 JEUC invites submission of papers for its special issue on "Cross- Cultural Issues and implications for End User Computing". Though much has been written about cross-cultural issues in the context of social sciences, much remains to be studied regarding diversity as it relates to end user computing. With the changing nature of the work force and a move towards borderless organizations, this diversity is becoming important. It has major implications in terms of group and individual decision making, IS planning and end user computing. A lack of research in this area has hampered our understanding of how to plan and provide information technology both locally and globally, for end users with different ethnic backgrounds. All papers related to cross-cultural issues and their implications for end user computing will be considered. However, due to limited space, priority will be given to papers that focus on end users from different countries. Topics may include (but are not limited to): --Decision-making in multi-cultural environment --Training/Implementation Approaches used in multi-cultural environments --Developing Teams with members from diverse cultures --Policies regarding end-user computing for multi-nationals. --Extrapolation from social-sciences cross-cultural research to the end-user workplace. --CASE studies involving cross-cultural end-user computing All papers will be reviewed according to the standard JEUC review process. The special issue will be published in the spring or the fall of 1995. Please send four copies of your manuscript to: Dr. A K. Aggarwal IQS Department University of Baltimore 1420 N. Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21201, USA e-Mail: aaggarwal@ubmail.ubalt.edu Deadline for submission is January 20, 1995. \EOA 0464* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * CALL FOR PAPERS - The Teaching of Computing * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 3rd Annual Conference on the Teaching of Computing 29 August - 1 September 1995 Dublin City University The Centre for Teaching Computing, in conjunction with the Computers in Teaching Initiative Centre for Computing at the University of Ulster is hosting the 3rd Annual Conference on the Teaching of Computing at Dublin City University from Tuesday 29 August to Friday 1 September 1995. This conference is the only European forum to bring together computer science teachers and researchers from both the further and higher education sectors who are concerned with the effective teaching and assessment of their subject. The pressures of increasing student:staff ratios and the introduction of teaching quality assessment, mean that a sharing of experiences between academics is more urgent than ever. The format of the 1995 conference will be similar to the previous conferences, including keynote addresses, parallel paper sessions, hands-on workshop sessions and curriculum discussion groups as well as poster demonstrations. The conference should be of interest to anyone teaching computing science in Universities or Colleges of Further Education, who wish to share their ideas with others and to gain an insight into alternative methods for the development and delivery of computing curricula. Full proceedings will be published as a special edition of 'Monitor', the CTI Centre for Computing newsletter. Key topics: Although contributions on any area of computer science education will be considered the organisers are particularly interested in receiving contributions in the following areas: --Delivery mechanisms --Curriculum issues --Assessment --Authoring and courseware development --Models for computer science education --Supporting aids --New technologies --Evaluating teaching and assessment methods --Peer tutoring --Computing science for non-specialists --Computing for those with physical disabilities Submission deadline: Friday 27 January 1995. All enquiries or submissions should be send to: Ms Sylvia Alexander CTI Centre for Computing Faculty of Informatics University of Ulster at Jordanstown Co Antrim BT37 0QB Tel: +44 232 365131 Ext: 3020 Fax: +44 232 352859 E-mail: CTIComp@uk.ac.ulster.ujvax \EOA 0465* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT - Lectureship in Information Systems * * Matthew Jones, Univ. of Cambridge, UK * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Applications are now invited for a University Lectureship or Assistant Lectureship in Information Systems in the Judge Institute of Management Studies University of Cambridge. This is a similar post to that recently advertised in Management Science or Information Systems in the Management Studies Group, Department of Engineering, but is funded from the MBA budget. While it is hoped that candidates will be able to contribute to MBA, teaching needs in the Information Systems area run across the full range of the Institute's programmes. The person appointed will also be encouraged to supervise PhD students. Candidates should have a strong research background in some aspect of Information Systems, preferably in an area related to those of existing staff. These include: --social and organisational aspects of information system design and use; --computer-mediated communication and other communications media; The successful applicant for this post will have a good first degree and a demonstrated record of research excellence. A higher degree is also highly desirable, but not essential. Information Systems is one of seven subject areas in which applications are being sought to fill four new lectureships. The other subjects currently being advertised are: Organisational Behaviour, Strategic Management, Management Accounting, Corporate Finance, International Business, and Management of Technology and Innovation. A University of Cambridge Lectureship is a tenure-track appointment, equivalent to both Lecturer/ Assistant Professor and Senior Lecturer/ Associate Professor grades at other Universities. Assistant Lecturer is a fixed-term, 5-year post for relatively junior appointments, which may be upgraded in during that time to a Lectureship. Closing date for applications: 13 February 1995. For further information contact: John Hendry, Director of the MBA Course Tel +44 (0)1223 337051, Fax +44 (0)1223 324009, email jh@eng.cam.ac.uk or Matthew Jones, Lecturer in Information Systems Tel +44 (0)1223 338188, Fax +44 (0)1223 338076, email mrj1@eng.cam.ac.uk For a copy of the further particulars contact: Michelle Hillier Tel +44 (0)1223 337051, Fax +44 (0)1223 324009, email mjh@eng.cam.ac.uk \EOA 0466* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT - MIS Chair at Univ. of Pittsburgh * * Dennis F. Galletta * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh is pleased to announce the establishment of the David Roderick Chair in Management Information Systems. The School is seeking an individual to fill this newly created chair beginning September 1995. The successful candidate should possess a strong record of scholarship in MIS, a demonstrated capacity for teaching, and an ability to communicate effectively with corporate executives. The Katz Graduate School of Business offers a unique, intensive 11- month MBA program in addition to evening and executive MBA programs, and a PhD program. It also offers a unique double degree MBA-MS in MOIS program that gives students the opportunity to pursue an internship in industry and obtain a combination of business and technical skills highly regarded by employers. In addition, the School offers a PhD with IS major and minor; an MBA with IS concentration; and an MS in Telecommunications. Please forward statement of interest and vita to: Lawrence Feick, Associate Dean, Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260. Fax: (412) 648-1552; email: Feick@vms.cis.pitt.edu; phone: (412) 648-1562. The University is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer. Minority candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Please send an e-mail message to Associate Dean Feick at the above address as soon as possible stating your intention to apply. \EOA 0467* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT - Assistant Professor, Information Systems * * Gus Gassmann, Dalhousie University * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The School of Business at Dalhousie University is recruiting to fill a tenure-track position in Information Systems. Candidates for this position must have a PhD (completed or near completion) in MIS and a strong commitment and demonstrated ability in both research and teaching. Of special interest are applicants whose research and teaching interests include one or more of: group support systems, expert systems, decision support systems, end user computing, human-computer interaction, and business process reengineering. Industry experience would be an additional asset. In addition to teaching and research, candidates should be capable of participating in curriculum innovation and developing relationships with the business community. The School of Business Administration (SBA) has an enrolment of 800 undergraduate (co-operative) students and 200 MBAs. It offers general and specialized courses in information systems at both levels and supervises students in the University's Interdisciplinary PhD program. The IS group maintains close links focussing on information management with Dalhousie's School of Library and Information Studies. The SBA is a leader in the use of teaching technologies. Halifax offers seven universities, a growing IT sector, and numerous easily accessible cultural and outdoor activities. Further information on the University and the SBA may be found on the world wide web at http://quasar.sba.dal.ca:2000/sba.html. The appointment will be effective 1 July 1995. Applicants should send a complete CV (education history, teaching, research and other pertinent work experience, list of publications and presentations, and the names, addresses and telephone numbers of three referees) to: H. I. Gassmann Area Coordinator, Management and Information Sciences School of Business Administration Dalhousie University 6152 Coburg Road Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 1Z5 Voice: (902) 494-1844 Fax: (902) 494-1107 Email: gassmann@earth.sba.dal.ca Consideration of applications will begin 10 January 1995 and will continue until the position is filled. Applications can be interviewed at ICIS in Vancouver, December 15-17, 1994. In accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Dalhousie is an employment equity/ affirmative action employer and encourages applications from qualified women, aboriginal peoples, visible minorities and persons with disabilities. \EOA * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ABOUT INFOSYS * * INFOSYS is an electronic newsletter for faculty, students, and * * practitioners in the field of Information Systems. INFOSYS * * publishes news items, requests for assistance, calls for papers * * announcements of professional meetings and conferences, position * * announcements, journal table of contents, and other items of * * interest to the Information Systems community. * * * * INFOSYS is published biweekly, more frequently if volume requires * * it. INFOSYS operates as an electronic mailing list on listserv * * software at American University in Washington, DC. The editor is * * Dennis W. Viehland . Guest editor during * * December '94 and January '95 is Ake Gronlund * * * * * * To subscribe to INFOSYS send the following one-line e-mail * * message to listserv@american.edu: subscribe infosys yourfirstname * * yourlastname (e.g., subscribe infosys John Smith). You will * * receive a welcome letter that will tell you more about INFOSYS * * and listserv. To cancel your subscription send the following * * message to listserv@american.edu: unsubscribe infosys * * * * Guidelines for submitting articles to INFOSYS are published in * * the Welcome message each new subscriber receives (or e-mail "get * * infosys welcome" to listserv@american.edu). Send articles to * * infosys@american.edu or d.viehland@massey.ac.nz. * * * * The INFOSYS Calendar of Upcoming Events is updated fortnightly * * and can be obtained in the following ways: * * --E-mail: send the following one-line message to * * listserv@american.edu: get infosys calendar * * --FTP: anonymous FTP to ftp.american.edu; file is \infosys\ * * infosys.calendar * * --Gopher: gopher to auvm.american.edu; choose INFOSYS * * --WWW: forthcoming * * * * INFOSYS Back Issues are archived by Robert McArthur at: * * http://www.fit.qut.edu.au/~mcarthur/infosys/ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *