Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society

Category: blog

  • Steelpan featured in Wii Music

    Nintendo Wii Music for the Nintendo Wii will be available at Amazon.com on October 23rd, 2008. Available in Japan last month, part of the advertising was the variety of instruments available.

    Instrument # 29 : the steelpan! (30 second youtube video)

    The steelpan is also featured in the video trailer/ad for Wii Music on Amazon.com (1 minute and 5 seconds in). Nintendo has probably done more to popularise the steelpan, using it in Super Mario World (youtube video : 32 seconds in) for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in the early 1990’s.

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLLwd1hO38c]

  • Adobe Flash Player 10, Java 6 Update 10 and Silverlight 2 available

    There have been several updates to popular plugins recently :

  • Computers for communities launched

    Not much was heard about the Computers for Communities announced by the (then) Ministry of Public Administration and Information (MPAI) last year. See

    for more background information. However, the project has now been launched according to a Newsday newspaper article dated Thursday, October 2 2008 :

    PUBLIC Administration Minister Kennedy Swaratsingh has urged further collaboration between private and public sector entities to ensure citizens have access to computers in the near future.

    He was speaking at the launch of the Computers for Communities programme at the Hilton recently. The programme is a pilot project done by the Ministry and the Commonwealth Secretariat. The project is part of a Commonwealth initiative called the Connects Programme and will eventually affect the entire region.

    Microsoft Corporation has agreed to assist the initiative by providing knowledge and experience regarding the implementation of the first refurbishment centre. Swaratsingh, at the launch, commended Microsoft’s participation in the project.

    “Computers for Communities, as it is being called, primarily seeks to develop and implement a national and sustainable system for collecting, upgrading and repairing used computer equipment for distribution to communities across Trinidad and Tobago,” a release issued by the ministry stated.

    Read rest of Newsday article.

  • Trial for Trinidadian charged for turning off computer set for November 11, 2008

    An update to the Trinidadian charged for turning off the computer as spotted in the Newsday newspaper dated September 20 2008 :

    A TRIAL date was set yesterday by a Port-of-Spain Magistrate, hearing the case of a former employee of the Land Registry Division, who is accused of tampering with a company computer.

    Avinash Bahadoor was told by Magistrate Cheron Raphael, presiding in the Third Court, that the trial will start on November 11, at 10.30 am. Bahadoor is charged with causing a computer to temporarily cease functioning and interfering with the lawful use of a computer sometime in August 2006. He was formally charged by PC Matthews on May 11, 2007.

    Sushma Goopiesingh is Bahadoor’s counsel, while Randall Hector is prosecuting. Three witnesses are expected to testify against Bahadoor when the trial commences.

    The wording “causing a computer to temporarily cease functioning and interfering with the lawful use of a computer” is from the Computer Misuse Act, which would make this case the third time someone was charged in Trinidad and Tobago under this act.

  • Trinidad and Tobago Software Freedom Day 2008

    The Software Freedom Day 2008 event at the Old Fire Station, Port of Spain on September 20th, 2008 was well attended with estimates between 200 and 300 persons attending. All 200 TTCS OSSWIN CDs and 150 Ubuntu CDs were given out. A detailed writeup is in the works but you can take a look at :

  • Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society celebrates Software Freedom Day on September 20th

    The Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS), will be celebrating Software Freedom Day (SFD) 2008 on Saturday September 20th, 2008 from 9am to 5pm at the Old Fire Station Building, National Library, Port of Spain. Everyone is welcome to attend this Software Freedom Day event.

    We will be having scheduled presentations with giveaways and booths showing various aspects of free and open source software. Admission is free and while stocks last, attendees will receive free software CDs.

    View Scheduled Presentations at SFD 2008 :
    http://www.ttcsweb.org/articles/sfd/ttcs_sfd2008_presentation_schedule.pdf

    For more details, visit the SFD website at
    http://www.ttcsweb.org/sfd

    If you are attending SFD 2008, complete the TTCS SFD attendence form :
    http://www.ttcsweb.org/sfd2008attendence

    About Software Freedom Day

    Software Freedom Day (SFD) is a global, grassroots effort to educate the public about the importance of software freedom as well as the virtues and availability of Free and Open Source Software. The non-profit company Software Freedom International (http://www.softwarefreedomday.org/) coordinates SFD at a global level. Volunteer teams from all over the world organise the localised SFD events for the third Saturday in September.

    The Software Freedom Day event in 2007 hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society received a “highly commended” award out of 200 international teams from the Software Freedom Day organisation.

    Additional information about the Trinidad and Tobago Software Freedom Day event in Port of Spain can be found at http://ttcsweb.org/

  • Trinidad and Tobago Broadcast Code

    The Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) has published a draft Broadcasting Code  containing rules for regulating the content of programmes and material transmitted by radio and TV broadcasters (specifically the free-to-air radio, free-to-air TV and the basic (or general audience) package of subscription TV broadcasters).

    According to the document :

    “the principles which inform the Code are respect for the right of adults to choose the programming they want, while protecting children and young persons from unsuitable
    material through appropriate scheduling and, the need to protect persons from harm or
    unnecessary offence.”

    The Code prescribes specific standards for the broadcast of free-to-air radio and television programmes in relation to a number of issues including the following :

    • Protection of children and young persons
    • Harm and offence
    • Crime
    • Race
    • Due Impartiality and due accuracy in the reporting of news
    • Election coverage
    • Fairness and privacy
    • Right of reply
    • Information and warnings
    • Advertising and sponsorship
    • Religion

    The Code also outlines procedures for receiving complaints and for redress.

    TATT will be holding public meetings (not announced as of August 10th, 2008 ) at locations throughout Trinidad and Tobago between 18th August 2008 and 29th August 2008. Persons may also submit comments in writing to the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago at 76 Boundary Road, San Juan, Trinidad or by email to legal@tatt.org.tt.

    The deadline for the receipt of written comments on the Code and the Guidelines to TATT is
    August 29, 2008    .

    Download :

    Also, see Presentations from TATT’s seminar “Balance on the airwaves ; free speech and responsibility”

  • Software Freedom Day 2008 event planning for TTCS

    Software Freedom Day (SFD) 2008 will be on September 20th, 2008 and the Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS ; http://ttcsweb.org/ ) needs your help.

    What is Software Freedom Day?

    Software Freedom Day (SFD) is a global, grassroots effort to educate the public about the availability and benefits of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). Local teams around the world organise and have events
    on the third Saturday in September.

    Software Freedom Day is on September 20th, 2008. We need to plan now and

    • decide what to do
    • locate a suitable venue
    • promote the meeting once the venue and format of SFD 2008 is confirmed

    The TTCS wiki page is available to assist with planning at https://files.ttcs.tt/ttcs-wiki-sfd2008-planning.pdf

    Local Linux users, Windows users, Mac users, fans of open source software, everyone is welcome to assist with this project.

    If you :

    • can help us with these tasks
    • have ideas and suggestions
    • would like to volunteer to help with planning SFD 2008 in Trinidad
    • would like to volunteer to help on the actual day(s)

    please go to the planning page for further information and/or to add your contribution : the TTCS SFD 2008 wiki page at https://files.ttcs.tt/ttcs-wiki-sfd2008-planning.pdf and email admin at ttcsweb.org. Notes of meetings will be posted to the planning page with the first virtual one scheduled for July 27, 2008.

    Further details will be posted to the SFD2008-planning page as well as via email to those persons interested in helping with SFD2008.

    In 2007, the Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society’s entry for SFD 2007 received a “highly commended” award from the Software Freedom Day organisation! Information about that event can be found here:

  • Fix found for net security flaw in DNS ; multiple DNS implementations vulnerable ; DNS testing tool available

    From the BBC News Article : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7496735.stm :

    Computer experts have released software to tackle a security glitch in the internet’s addressing system. The flaw, discovered by accident, would allow criminals to redirect users to fake webpages, even if they
    typed the correct address into a browser. Internet giants such as Microsoft are now distributing the security patch. Security expert Dan Kaminsky said that the case was unprecedented, but added: “People should
    be concerned but they should not be panicking.”

    “We have bought you as much time as possible to test and apply the patch,” he said. “Something of this scale has not happened before.”

    Mr Kaminsky discovered the error in the workings of the Domain Name System (DNS) about six months ago.

    Other links :

  • MPA releases Draft National Policy on Electronic Business For Trinidad and Tobago

    The Ministry of Public Admin (MPA) has released a “Draft National Policy on Electronic Business for Trinidad and Tobago” (PDF ; 648K). According to this 23 page document, the aim of the policy is :

    To develop a vibrant and sustainable e-Business industry that will contribute to the
    transformation of Trinidad and Tobago’s economic paradigm towards one that has a
    significant knowledge base, through:

    • Strengthening the Nation’s infrastructure;
    • Clarifying market place rules;
    • Developing networks;
    • Increasing participation;
    • Developing the Nation’s human resources; and
    • Developing the Nation’s R&D and Innovation Capacity.

    The objectives :

    This policy paper intends to identify actions that the Government of the Republic of
    Trinidad and Tobago (GoRTT) will need to take in collaboration with the private
    sector and academia, in order to create an economic, infrastructural and human
    resource environment in which e-Business opportunities are relatively easy to take
    advantage of by businesses and individuals.
    In this regard, the proposals herein are structured to minimize the direct intervention
    of Government in taking these proposals forward; this is to encourage increased
    competitiveness of the ICT sector in Trinidad and Tobago.

    The document also gives a glimpse of planned government policies :

    • Fastforward II Trinidad and Tobago’s National ICT Plan, 2008–2013
    • Government of Trinidad and Tobago e-Legislative agenda
    • Hosting policy (presumably related to the Internet Bandwidth Management policy)
    • e-Payments position paper
    • National Broadband Action Plan

    The deadline for comments has not been announced as yet but the TTCS will update this entry along with a link to where we can co-ordinate our response to this policy.

    Download :