Dieter Fink and Ken Stevens (sitting) of the ANU’s Department of Commerce, who have been awarded a research grant by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia to look at unsatisfactory features in financial management software and their resulting bad practices. With them (both standing) are ICAA executive director Stephen Harrison and president Peter Jollie.
The award of $4000 will help the researchers look at the most common financial and management accounting software used in Australia to be followed by a survey of major accounting firms.
The new hand-held Telxon hand-held wireless pen computer, that can send information back to a host computer by modem, cellular radio or wide-area network.
The computer, which includes bar-code reader, can be used in retailing, wholesaling a delivery industries, creating efficiencies by avoiding rekeying of data. The pen is cordless. (More info on 02 8767222).
The desktop look of Launch Pad for the Apple Mac designed for children aged three to 10. Launch Pad was developed by Berkeley Systems in the US and will probably get to Australia next year. The theory is the kids get an interactive desktop that allows them to explore the computer while locking them out of the precious program and data files used by adults.