Software

When are we going to learn that government can't procure custom-designed software the same way it procures plumbing supplies or paving stones? Reading of the suspension of Anne Arundel County's multimillion-dollar emergency dispatch system due to "software problems," I couldn't help but shake my head ("Anne Arundel suspends use of new emergency dispatch system," Dec. 23"). This was yet another example of a government bureaucracy that stubbornly insists that it can procure custom-designed software the same way it procures plumbing supplies or concrete for paving.

Micros Systems Inc., a maker of software for the hospitality and retail industries, reported third-quarter net income of $44.3 million Thursday, a 2.4 percent increase compared with the same period in 2013 and a record for a third quarter. The Columbia-based company said it also set third-quarter records for earnings per share and sales. Diluted earnings per share rose 3.8 percent to 55 cents per share, the company said. Sales grew 13.3 percent to $315.1 million for the quarter that ended March 31. "We continue to execute in a difficult environment and I am confident in our ability to meet not just the challenges but the opportunities which lie ahead," Micros CEO Peter A. Altabef said in a statement.

Deborah A. Rice, a former software designer and volunteer, died Monday of head and neck cancer at her Timonium home. She was 42. Deborah A. Budacz, the daughter of a steamship executive and a homemaker, was born in Baltimore and raised in Towson. After graduating from Towson High School in 1985, she earned a bachelor's degree in computer science from Loyola College. Mrs. Rice went to work for Century Computing, a Laurel software development company, as a member of a team that developed software for certain control systems used on the NASA space shuttles.

The State Archives had inadequate procedures to prevent loss or employee theft of its $31.4 million art collection, and outdated software left its computers vulnerable to attack, an audit released Tuesday found. The Department of Legislative Services audit did not find evidence that computers had been hacked or art lost or stolen, but recommended the State Archives improve its oversight. State Archives officials agreed with the auditors' findings and said they have put into place the recommendations or will soon do so. The State Archives, with a $8.7 million annual budget, keep historically significant documents and art, as well as certain government and private records.

Last year, Baltimore court officials sent a quarter-million summonses to potential jurors, culled from driver's license and voting records, knowing that only a fraction — about 27 percent — of those called would show up. The city has tried offering restaurant coupons, parking discounts and a "Juror Appreciation Week" to bring in more people over the years — threatening some of the worst truants with jail time — but the efforts have...

The computer industry has a knack for creating big solutions to big problems. But what about the little problems, like printing addresses on envelopes?It seems that most offices I visit, no matter how computerized, have at least one typewriter around for typing on envelopes. Traditional PC printers and software make the job too cumbersome, but there are some solutions.Most laser printers, for example, have a tray where you can feed in envelopes and other odd-sized documents. However, your word processing program may not have any idea where to put the information.

If you're setting up a home or small business computer, chances are you'll need word processing software, along with spreadsheet, data base, graphics program or possibly all three.A few years ago, you would have had two choices: an inexpensive, integrated program that provided basic functions in most of these categories but fell short for serious business use, or an expensive investment in heavy-duty software that might well have totaled over $1,000.Thanks to the marketplace, you're much better off today.

Chris Ashworth had studied computer science but never written an entire piece of software when a North Carolina theater production company asked for his help. What he came up with would be a huge hit with creative professionals who design elaborate stage productions across the world. The theater company needed software that could help manage sound effects for a play while running on an Apple computer. Ashworth was a computer science graduate student in North Carolina, and he and a friend built one for them in a little over a month.

Intersolv Inc., a Rockville-based software development firm, said yesterday that it has acquired SQL Software Ltd.Intersolv took over SQL in return for approximately 1.3 million shares of Intersolv common stock. The deal was valued at about $20 million.Intersolv, which was founded in 1982, helps companies develop specialized software.SQL, based in Hertford, England, crafts customized software assembly processes."It's an area we were not involved in, and the market's really young," said Intersolv President and Chief Executive Officer Gary Greenfield.

Girding for the next salvo in the personal computer wars, area software retailers already are receiving calls for Microsoft's Windows 3.1, a program that makes IBM-style computers appear more like friendly Apple computers.Users who want to communicate with their IBM and IBM-compatible machines using the easily understood icons made famous by rival Apple can buy Microsoft's Windows program, scheduled for release Monday. Or they can turn to IBM's new version of OS/2, which was released Tuesday.

Stephen R. Krause, a software designer and inventor, died Friday at Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital from respiratory failure on his 76th birthday. Mr. Krause was born in Baltimore and raised in Forest Park. He was a 1955 graduate of Park School and attended the University of Maryland, College Park. Since he was a child, Mr. Krause demonstrated a profound interest in electricity and electric devices. He designed an automatic inventory control system that he called Epic for his father's uniform business.

The issues described in the article "Troubled transition shuts down city speed cameras" (Jan. 23) reveals gross mismanagement and poor judgment by the city in its awarding of the speed camera contract. Furthermore, Baltimore City officials repeatedly are quoted with more regret for the shortfall in ticket revenue than for their oft-stated purpose that the cameras are for children's safety. First, the request for proposal required that the awarded vendor must supply all software required to run the equipment.

More than three years ago, I was just a newly minted tech reporter at the Baltimore Sun when I met Bill Anderson, who demo'ed some software and hardware that blew my mind. At the time, in the spring of 2009, Anderson was still prototyping his Chameleon software but already it could work magic. He could use software to direct a computer to identify a user's eye gaze, and scramble the screen for anyone else who tried to steal a look. I wrote about Bill's efforts here , and blogged about it here . A video we produced at the Sun actually went viral on all the tech blogs, including Gizmodo, which featured it . (The video was watched nearly 100,000 times and was the most successful online video I ever produced.)

Vocus Inc. is hiring hundreds of people, betting big that it will become a leading digital marketing firm for small and medium-sized businesses. The Beltsville-based technology company is on track to hire around 500 people this year at its headquarters and other locations. And it intends to hire at least 200 more next year, company officials said. Vocus CEO Rick Rudman calls online and social media marketing a multi-billion-dollar opportunity, as businesses shift spending from traditional media, such as television and print, to digital.

Tenable Network Security Inc., an information security software developer based in Columbia, said Wednesday that it had received $50 million in funding from the venture capital firm Accel Partners. The round of funding, the first in Tenable's 10-year history, will allow the firm to expand offerings, accelerate growth and enhance its research into evolving threats, the company said. Tenable recently doubled its number of workers to 200 and said it expected to hire another 200 employees over the next two years.

MICROS Systems Inc., a Columbia-based provider of software for the hospitality industry, reported Thursday its profit in the fourth quarter rose 16 percent on higher sales revenues. The company, which makes point-of-sale software for hotels, restaurants and retailers, said its revenues climbed more than 10 percent, or $28.4 million, to $303 million in the quarter ending June 30. The higher revenues helped the company earn a profit of $48 million — an increase of $6.7 million, or 16 percent, over the similar period last year.

The Obama presidential campaign is debuting its latest online campaign organizing tool for the 2012 election, one that is expected to be use by volunteers across the country to connect with voters. The Wall Street Journal had a report on the tool -- called Dashboard -- that the Obama campaign is unveiling today. President Obama ran an aggressive online campaign back in 2008. Expect more online blitzes this year. Meanwhile, Mashable reports Mitt Romney has his own online social network for volunteers, called MyMitt . I'd love to hear from volunteers in Maryland who are using these online tools to help these campaigns with organization.