Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society

Category: blog

  • Security update for Adobe Flash Player (APSB11-12)

    Adobe has updated its Adobe Flash Player to version 10.3.181.14 to address a vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player v10.2.159.1 and earlier versions (Adobe Flash Player v10.2.154.28 and earlier for Chrome users) for Windows, Macintosh, Linux, and Solaris and Adobe Flash Player 10.2.157.51 and earlier
    versions for Android.

    You can read the Adobe Security bulletin at
    http://www.adobe.com/support/security/bulletins/apsb11-12.html

    To determine what version of the Flash player you have on your system, visit http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/
    and to install the latest Flash player go to http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/

    Windows users should note that the Flash Player in their Microsoft Internet Explorer browser and the one in web browsers like Opera, Mozilla Firefox and Safari are separate installs. You should install and update both versions, by visiting http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ in Internet Explorer and then with your other web browsers.

    Google Chrome browser users has Adobe Flash Player built-in and users should update the Google Chrome browser to the latest version. See http://www.google.com/support/chrome/bin/answer.py?answer=95414 on how to do so.

    Android users, To verify the version of Adobe Flash Player for Android, go to Settings > Applications > Manage Applications > Adobe Flash Player 10.x .
    Android users can update can update to Adobe Flash Player 10.3.185.21 by browsing to the Android Marketplace on an Android phone

  • updated #Trinidad #Tobago Computer Society byelaws for comment until May 23 2011

    Dear current and potential Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS) members,

     
    In an effort to allow the TTCS to take advantage of the opportunities being presented to us more often now,
    the Directors of the TTCS have undertaken an exercise to update the TTCS bye-laws. We had the bare minimum before, but in order to get more involved in some of the areas that you, the membership, are suggesting, we need to be more structured.

    This process is not meant to change the essential character of the TTCS, but rather to make sure that we can move forward with projects that have been suggested.
    The updated bye-laws can be found at
    https://files.ttcs.tt/Trinidad-and-Tobago-Computer-Society-Bye-laws.pdf
    The main additions and changes to the previous byelaws are:

    • Official definition of membership (and the ability to charge fees, if the executive committee decides to do so)
    • An official Executive Committee – to be nominated and voted into positions by the Membership (we need this in order to have an official Chairman etc to be able to apply for grant funding and to take advantage of other opportunities as they are presented)
    • Official Terms of Office
    • Conflict of Interest
    • Standing Committees

    Looking forward to your comments and suggestions over the next two weeks. We will close comment on May 23 2011 and have our first official meeting on May 28 2011, at which these byelaws will be adopted, and the first TTCS Executive will be voted into office.
    We hope that you approve of the steps we are taking to move the TTCS to the next level.

    Kind Regards,
    The Directors of the TTCS,
    Anil Ramnanan,
    Cintra Sooknanan
    Dev Anand Teelucksingh

  • #Trinidad #Tobago Court dismisses TSTT’s application for judicial review of TATT’s Determination that TSTT is dominant in the domestic fixed line telecommunications market

    Via http://tatt.org.tt/Judgementredominance.aspx :

    In March 2010, The Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) published a report titled "Final Determination: Dominance in Retail Domestic Fixed Telephony Markets" which concluded that that Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) "..is a dominant operator in the retail fixed narrowband markets for access and domestic calls" in Trinidad and Tobago.

    On July 5 2010, TSTT applied for judicial review to the High Court of Trinidad and Tobago of TATT's Determination on the basis, among other things that TATT's Determination was procedurally irregular and/or unfair.

    On May 4 2011, in a 31 page judgement by the Hon. Madam Justice C. Gobin, TSTT's application for judicial review was dismissed and was ordered to pay costs . An excerpt from Paragraph 18 of the judgement :

    "….I am more certain that the actions of the claimant [TSTT] in relation to its Single National Rate Proposal in mid 2007 were more than sufficient to provoke the defendant [TATT] to move to consider a determination of dominance. When in its insistence on imposing a rate change in the face of the defendant's concerns, it waived the absence of a determination of dominance to justify its conduct and to flaunt its intention to do as it pleased without regard to the statutory powers of the defendant and to the public interest, it must have been clear to the claimant that it was inviting if not goading the defendant to activate a process to declare dominance. It was manifestly demonstrating that it enjoyed a position of strength which afforded it the power to behave independently of competitors, customers, and consumers. This conduct could not have been erased by any subsequent position taken in litigation or otherwise. The defendant would have been justified in taking the action that it did, indeed, it could have exposed itself to a complaint of dereliction of its duty if it had chosen to simply ignore it."

  • TTCS tech meeting on Wednesday 27 April 2011 from 6pm – Wii Remote Whiteboard

    The Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS) will be having a tech meeting on Wednesday April 27 2011 from 6pm to 9pm at Engineering Consultants, at 112A Edward Street, Port of Spain (corner of Oxford and Edward streets).

    At this meeting, we will be attempting to update the Nintendo Wii Remote Interactive WhiteBoard setup that we demonstrated in 2008. In 2008, the TTCS had a tech meeting to 
    to try Johnny Chung Lee's project "Low-Cost Multi-point Interactive Whiteboards Using the Nintendo Wii Wiimote". Visit Johnny Lee's website at http://www.johnnylee.net/ for more details.

    This TTCS meeting was recorded and is on YouTube in three videos:
    • Part I (this video) is a presentation by Mike Tikasingh showing how the infra-red pens were made – [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs-Vwj6hnow?wmode=transparent]
    • Part II is a presentation by Paul Worswick showing how the Nintendo Wii Remote was connected to a Windows PC wirelessly using Bluetooth. He then showed how to use the infra-red pen to turn a computer screen projected on a wall to create a interactive whiteboard. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0eF-ejMXOI?wmode=transparent]
    • Part III shows the practical use of the infra-red pen and the Wiimote to create a interactive whiteboard from the computer screen projected on a wall and then on a computer screen projected on a table. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT_HkU_jAIk?wmode=transparent]

    There is a possibility that we may be asked to setup a demo of such a project within the next two weeks (hence the sudden announcement of this meeting) so we are attempting to test how to repeat the setup but with using two Wii Remotes instead on one for better tracking and to test on both Windows and Mac machines.

    Anyone interested in attending this meeting is welcome to do so. Please email us at admin at ttcsweb.org if you are attending.

     
     

  • Security updates available for Adobe Reader and Acrobat

    Adobe has updated its Adobe Reader software (primarily used to view PDF files) and Acrobat software to address a vulnerability in versions 9 and 10

    of such software for Windows and Macintosh operating systems.

    You can read the Adobe Security bulletin at

    Adobe recommends users of:
    • Adobe Reader X (v10.x) for Macintosh to update to v10.0.3
    • Adobe Reader 9.x for Windows and Macintosh to update to v9.4.4.
    See the Adobe Security bulletin at http://www.adobe.com/support/security/bulletins/apsb11-08.html for download links.

  • TATT issues statement on issue of a third mobile operator in #Trinidad & #Tobago

    The Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) has issued a statement on the issue of a third mobile operator in Trinidad and Tobago, in response to an editorial by the Trinidad Guardian newspaper on 

    recent remarks by the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago on this issue. 

    The Honorable Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago said in her speech at the Public Sector Leaders Forum, Latin America and the Caribbean in Washington DC on April 6 2011: 

    "…..Government is currently exploring the possibility of going beyond this and increasing the level of competition in these fields, particularly the introduction of a third mobile operator to the market. We believe that a truly competitive telecommunications environment will stimulate innovation while benefiting the consumer as service providers will have to maintain their competitive edge, constantly improving on their services….."

    The Trinidad Guardian newspaper published an editorial "Third mobile operator too much?" on April 8 2011 asking
    "….does the local mobile telephony market need the increased level of competition that will come with the arrival of a third mobile operator?" and giving an opinion that Government should not look to introduce a third mobile operator in Trinidad and Tobago.

    The TATT's statement in response to the Trinidad Guardian's editorial, clarifies the likely impact of introducing a third mobile operator in Trinidad and Tobago.

  • Security update for Adobe Flash Player (APSB11-07)

    Adobe has updated its Adobe Flash Player to address a vulnerability in
    Adobe Flash Player 10.2.153.1 and earlier versions (Adobe Flash Player
    10.2.154.25 and earlier for Chrome users) for Windows, Macintosh,
    Linux, and Solaris and Adobe Flash Player 10.2.156.12 and earlier
    versions for Android.

    You can read the Adobe Security bulletin at
    http://www.adobe.com/support/security/bulletins/apsb11-07.html

    To determine what version of the Flash player you have, visit
    http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/
    and to install the latest Flash player go to http://www.adobe.com/go/getflash

    Windows users should note that the Flash Player in their Microsoft
    Internet Explorer browser and the one in web browsers like Opera,
    Mozilla Firefox and Safari are separate installs
    You should install and update both versions, by visiting
    http://www.adobe.com/go/getflash in Internet Explorer and then with
    your other web browsers.

    Google Chrome browser users has Adobe Flash Player built-in and users
    should update the Google Chrome browser to the latest version. See
    http://www.google.com/support/chrome/bin/answer.py?answer=95414 on how
    to do so.

  • #Trinidad #Tobago PayPal users can receive money from other PayPal users & withdraw to a credit,debit or prepaid card

    Via the Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS) email discussion list, comes news that PayPal, a popular online payment provider has expanded its offerings to Trinidad and Tobago PayPal users.

    Previously, PayPal users in Trinidad and Tobago could only send money to other Paypal users.

    Paypal-services-for-trinidad-t

    Now, PayPal users in Trinidad and Tobago can receive payments from anyone with an email address via PayPal and credit cards like Visa, MasterCard and American Express. 

    Futhermore, PayPal users in Trinidad and Tobago can withdraw funds from their PayPal account to a U.S Bank Account or to a local credit, debit or prepaid card issued by Visa in Trinidad and Tobago.

    Here’s a screenshot from https://www.paypal.com/worldwide/ : 

    Paypal-send-receive-payments-c

    Questions on the TTCS discussion list continue as to how money on your credit card can be transferred to your local bank account (short answer: doesn’t appear to be a way)

    Regardless, this is an opportunity to allow persons in Trinidad and Tobago with a PayPal account to easier attempt to run a e-commerce site as they can receive payments online to their PayPal account. At least, Trinidad and Tobago PayPal users can keep any funds received to buy items online.

  • TTCS Pizza Lime on Thursday April 14 2011 at Pizza Hut, Roxy Roundabout from 6-9pm

    The Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS) will be having its pizza lime on Thursday April 14 2011 at Pizza Hut, Roxy Roundabout from 6 to 9pm.

    Come join us as we discuss various computing and ICT topics including :
    Anyone interested in computing and ICT are welcome to attend. A contribution of $40 is expected towards the food bill.

    See you there!

  • TATT ICT Open Forum “The use of ICTs in combating the effects of climate change” on April 20 2011

    The Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) will be having its 7th ICT Open Forum 

    at its office at #5 Eighth Avenue Extension, off Twelfth Street, Barataria on Wednesday 20 April 2011 from 3 to 6 pm.

    The topic of the ICT Open Forum is "The use of ICTs in combating the effects of climate change" 

    According to TATT's press release :

    "The United Nations Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimated that global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions had risen by more than 70 per cent since 1970, having an effect on global warming, changing weather patterns, rising sea-levels, desertification, shrinking ice cover and other long-term effects.
      
    Information and Communication Technologies  (ICTs) are now embedded in almost all sectors of global society and economy and have proven to play a key role in assisting society in mitigating effects of and adapting to the climate change.  

    This ICT Open Forum will provide a platform  for these and other related issues to be raised. 

    The keynote presenter,  Mr. Richard Labelle, is an independent consultant based in Canada and is President of The Aylmer Group which is based in Ottawa. Mr. Labelle has 29 years experience on issues related to the use of ICTs."

    Persons wishing to attend this TATT forum should register on or before 4pm on Friday 15th April 2011 by contacting Mr. Rawle Harvey or Ms Ingrid Gittens at 675-8288 or 221-8288 extensions 349 or 332 respectively or via email at openforum [email protected] tatt.org.tt