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Carbon Matters Print
July 2008

Carbon Zero is a newly coined phrase to describe the situation that a particular business or activity does not release carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, or that the release is offset by buying carbon credits.  Before we look at the trading of carbon credits, we attempt to collect some information below to build up a better perspective on matters related to the release of carbon dioxide in the PC and IT industry.

Climate Savers Computing Initiative (CSCI)- An IT industry effort
http://www.climatesaverscomputing.org

By 2010, CSCI expects to achieve a 50% reduction in power consumption by computers. We can reduce global CO2 emissions from the operation of computers by 54 million tons a year; that’s like taking 11 million cars off the road each year.

Some facts and figures for building up a more complete perspective:

 - 1KWh = 1.43 lbs of CO2 based on fossil power plant
 - One car produces 11560 lb per year
 - One acre of trees absorb 7333 lb per year (les than produced by one car)
 - Global servers consumed 123 billion KWH in 2006 and produced 176 billion lb of CO2
 - Global Temperature went up 0.7C over the last century
 - All data centres collectively consumed less than 1% of total US electricity in 2000 and will rise to 2.3% by 2010
 - Producing a kilogram of beef is responsible for greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those emitted by an average European car driving for 250km and uses energy equivalent to lighting a 100W bulb for 20 days.  Source: Engineering & Technology 21 June Page 18
 -  Homes collectively account for 27% of carbon output of UK total currently.  Source: Engineering & Technology "chasing the dream" July 2008

Nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) which is a gas used in the making of flat screen televisions is being blamed for damaging the atmosphere and accelerating global warming.  Almost half of the televisions sold around the globe so far this year have been plasma or LCD TVs.  The gas is estimated to be 17,000 times as powerful as carbon dioxide.  Source: The Main Report Business 14 June 2008 page 3

 
Effects of Electro-Magnetic Fields on Humans Print
July 2008

Update in July 2010

This article pertains to Low Level Radiation (and non-ionising) that emanates from electrical power lines, industrial heating, radio, television, mobile phones, and wireless (Wi-Fi) devices that most of us expose to in our daily live.  The article is based on a briefing published in the June 2010 edition of the Institution of Engineering and Technology Members News.

Is there an authority in the world that provides an official statement if any of the above low level radiation is adverse to health?  Yes, there is one group within the Institution of Engineering and Technology called the Biological Effects Policy Advisory Group.  The group was first set up in 1992 and its scope was extended to include electromagnetic spectrum up to 300GHz in 1998.

The group consists of 6 scientists and engineers with expertise in fields related to the subject matter.  The group does not carry out its own experiments.  Instead it assesses each month the global-published peer-reviewed literature on the subject and forms the evidence for reporting every two years on trends.

What does the latest position statements tell us?  There is the reassurance that there is still no unequivocal and repeatable laboratory evidence that low level Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) cause any adverse health effects.   Oh, thanks!

That said, science can never prove that EMF cannot cause adverse health effects.  We would be wise to adopt precautionary exposure avoidance measures if practical and economically justifiable.

Original Post in May 2008

The following is an abstract from a positioning statement issued by the Institution of Engineering and Technology in UK in May 2008.  The statement is entitled "The possible harmful biological effects of low level electromagnetic fields of frequencies up to 300GHz".  The range of frequencies covers computers, mobile phones & radio uses. The full statement can be downloaded at www.theiet.org/factfiles/bioeffects/.  The abtract is replicated here for the convenience of Compucon user community members only and it should not be relied upon as an official guide.  Compucon does not own the copyright of the abstract.


The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has a special interest in any possible health effects of occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) as well as in any due to exposure of the population at large. The IET remains determined to be at the forefront of rigorously examining the scientific evidence for any such effects and identifying any hazards as early as possible. To this end it maintains its Biological Effects Policy Advisory Group on low-level electromagnetic fields (BEPAG).

BEPAG has concluded that the balance of scientific evidence to date still does not indicate that harmful effects occur in humans due to low-level exposure to Electro-magnetic frequencies. This conclusion remains the same as that reached in its previous position statements, the last being in May 2006, and has not been substantially altered by the peer-reviewed literature published in the past two years.

BEPAG regards the replication of experimental studies as essential in order to improve the quality of the existing literature at both low and high frequencies. It recommends that isolated reports of biological effects or epidemiological findings should be treated with caution, until confirmed by independent groups.

In summary, the absence of robust new evidence of harmful effects of EMFs in the past two years is reassuring and is consistent with findings over the past decade. The public availability of electricity and the widespread use of telecommunications both have many demonstrable benefits to society, including health benefits. BEPAG is of the opinion that these factors, along with the overall scientific evidence, should be taken into account by policy makers when considering the costs and benefits of both the implementation of precautionary approaches to public exposure and also in the development of exposure guidelines.

 
eProManager for Thin Terminal X1000 Management Print
July 2008
ePro-Manager is a solution that address technology management needs. The ePro-Manager software is a server-based application, providing sophisticated centralized administration capabilities for monitoring and managing the business critical software, hardware and operations in your environment, enabling you to proactively track and respond to any changes. It is supplied with Compucon Thin Terminal X1000 solutions.

Key Features:
  • Automatically locate and view the specifications of thin client appliances on your network
  • ePro-Manager allows the user to create, select, group, import and export lists thin client appliances for easy remote management
  • Centrally manage security on thin client appliances anywhere on your network, including remotely wake up, reboot, shutdown appliances
  • Selectively system software updates thin client appliances running Microsoft® Windows® CE, Windows® XPe, or Linux
  • Remotely create and modify server connections on thin client appliances such as add, edit, and delete XDM, VNC, RDP and ICA connections
  • Copying or cloning the connections, appliance properties, and security settings from one thin client appliance to other thin client appliances
  • Automatic updates of software, properties, and connections for thin client appliances
  • Remotely configure any appliance located anywhere on your network
  • Monitor the progress of updates as they occur, and schedule your updates for the most convenient date and time
  • Scheduling of Shutdowns, wake up or reboot any thin client appliances located in the network
  • Allow authorized System Administrators to access with a password to ePro-Manager
Important Note: eProManager capabilities is not available on Windows CE version of Compucon Thin Terminal X1000.

Old / Original version:
Software Download: eProManager.exe
Software Manual: eProManager Manual.pdf

New version:
Software Download: eProManagerV4.1 0617.exe
 
Remote Server Health Monitoring Service Print
July 2008
We reported at the Tech Briefing Seminar on 25/6/08 that 13 channel partners have bought IPMI card with the server hardware up to June 2008 and only one partner has worked jointly with Compucon for the remote server health monitoring task.  There are 2 messages here. 

First, IPMI is a very powerful tool for us to support the customer.  IPMI works as long as there is electricity supplied to the server.  This capability matches well with a customer’s expectation that the computer should work as long as there is power supply.  Many channel members have used 3rd party software for remote monitoring or management but those require the OS to be running whereas IPMI does not. 

Second, the monitoring service being provided by Compucon to channel members is free of charge for the first 12 months and will cost something like $10 per month thereafter.  This offering is aimed to help raise our channel partner’s service capabilities.  Obviously, there may be practical issues to address and we should not waste time to address them now.  Feel free to contact us to discuss further.
 
Channel Members Assessed Compucon Performance Print
July 2008
Those peer members who filled out the performance survey in the technology briefing event on 25 June 2008 have collectively given the Compucon team a vote of confidence. 

(a) In particular, members think there is no better Customer Service in New Zealand than in Compucon House.
(b) Product quality, product range, technical support and communication effort are outstanding. 
(c) Even price competitiveness is rated at 4.6 out of 5.0.

This situation leaves marketing and brand awareness under the spot light.  These 2 fellows did not do well and they were told to get their acts together.  We have planned to employ a marketing student shortly to add capacity and capability to our team.  We will do some wonders in the next 6 months
 
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