I've Just got back in from a event called 3 1/2 minutes, organised by Bath Spa University and the FSB. I have to say it was a very enjoyable evening and really great to see the enthusiasm of the Students, I have to say its hard to make Telephony exciting but they did show interest and hopefully some of what I said was of interest, From my point of view I was really interested to hear what they were interested in and what they were doing as We are always looking for new ideas for products and solution. 

I was most pleased to hear that some are using the available technology to allow absent students to see lectures by connecting to Skype and using the webcam so the missing Student could watch at home, Its innovative thinking like this that seems to get lost over time, or squashed as impractical.

Oh and finally they have  more eye catching business cards than many business people do.

Hi

I thought I had to share these with you all:

comments found recently on the internet...

"Why would I want to check a voicemail on my phone? People who want to talk to me, call again. If I want to talk to you, I'll answer."

and

"I flush the toilet and the shower burns you, yes, I get it... No, I'm not gonna stop, I'm just saying yes, I get that concept."

:-)

Well its finally winter and the leaves are falling, wind is blowing and new operating systems are launched.

In the last couple of weeks there has been two major launches, one from Microsoft and one from Canonical. I can hear you saying "Who are they ? I don't see their adverts on the tele being told by some smug gym type that he invented it" Well no you haven't and you wouldn't, But if you look at the BBC website or any of the Tech press you will know its the company behind Ubuntu and they have released 9.10 other wise known as Karmic Koala .

So what you may say, Well I'm not going to go on about which one is better etc, I know which I like and use every day in the running of my business and anyone who knows us will as well. What I am going to talk about is release names and time-lines. As this is interesting and goes someway into seeing the methodology of both companies.

As many of you will know we are advocates of opensource software, Last year we donated to the OLPC G1G1 scheme and our daughters are the proud owners of a XO laptop. Which is a great laptop and has some cool software one it.

I was realy please to read the following article on the BBC recently, and seeing that the scheme is still going strong.

BBC article follows

====================================

Uruguay has become the first country to provide a laptop for every child attending state primary school.

President Tabaré Vázquez presented the final XO model laptops to pupils at a school in Montevideo on 13 October.

Over the last two years 362,000 pupils and 18,000 teachers have been involved in the scheme.

The "Plan Ceibal" (Education Connect) project has allowed many families access to the world of computers and the internet for the first time.

Uruguay is part of the One Laptop Per Child scheme, an organisation set up by internet pioneer Nicholas Negroponte. His original vision was to provide laptops at $100 (£61) but they proved more expensive.

The Uruguay programme has cost the state $260 (£159) per child, including maintenance costs, equipment repairs, training for the teachers and internet connection.

The total figure represents less than 5% of the country's education budget.

Around 70% of the XO model laptops handed out by the government were given to children who did not have computers at home.

"This is not simply the handing out of laptops or an education programme. It is a programme which seeks to reduce the gap between the digital world and the world of knowledge," explained Miguel Brechner, director of the Technological Laboratory of Uruguay and in charge of Plan Ceibal.