Abstract. . The proliferation of ERP systems naturally leads to an intriguing question of products classification. In this paper, a framework for analyzing ERP systems is proposed. This framework includes various IT infrastructures that can be incorporated in the ntier architecture. By using cluster analysis, different groups of ERP systems are classified to verify the correctness of the framework. The results may be useful for ERP vendors to improve their products strategy and help companies to evaluate most suitable ERP products to satisfy their requirements.

Abstract. This paper set out to use a camera attached to a mobile terminal in order to inquire a car and track its location anywhere. The technology based in the research is to automatically recognize and verify license plates on the front and back of a car. The plates are input through a camera attached to a mobile terminal. The technology enables us to detect a car registration number and to transmit it along with the location of the terminal to a server through a wireless communication network. The information of a car obtained through the terminal is encoded and transmitted to a server in a remote place through a wireless communication network. The car registration number and its location information are decoded and transmitted as a text to the server in a remote place. In order to track a user's location through spatial relative distance estimated in real-time, the server uses the spatial and attribute information which are the most prior to the desired data value. With this property information, the right location can be calculated.

Abstract. Locking schemes for an advanced database management system such as object-oriented database system are complex and difficult to implement. Many interesting locking schemes are investigated and examined in depth in this paper. The Two Phase Multi-granularity Locking Protocol proposed by Won Kin (1992) and many improved locking schemes proposed by other researchers to manage simple object, composite objects and dynamic methods invocation involve a large variety of lock modes and utilises a fairly complex algorithms. This paper examines these locking schemes and look

Abstract. Managing an organization requires access to information in order to monitor activities and assess performance. Trying to understand what information an organization has can be challenging because the information systems collect and process vast amount of data in various forms. To flow in the running stream of rapidly changing, increasingly competitive global market scenario and increasingly volatile consumer and market behavior and rapidly shortening product life cycles, business enterprises today are necessary to analyze accurate and timely information about financial operations, customers, and products using familiar business terms, in order to gain analytical insight into business problems and opportunities. Enterprises are building business intelligence systems that support business analysis and decision making to help them better understand their operations and compete in the marketplace. This paper describes the life cycle comprising various phases in the development of a BI system. The paper elaborates the implementation issues of BI in an organization focusing a case study.

Abstract. This work describes a set of modules for distance education. These modules have been developed by students as professional applications, and some of them are tested in the technical office. Modules can work as independent applications, but also can work connected and in this case they tend to make a system that enables users to elaborate, publish and exchange documents simultaneously with users communication, write and execute program code on-line, and to have knowledge testing - WEB exams.

Abstract. This paper examines the positive and negative effects of online learning in creating an effective virtual learning community, based on communication, cooperation and equality. On the basis of a project called "Online support for language and cultural studies for refugees and foreigners in the Czech Republic", tested in a pilot run in the fourth quarter of 2003, the author suggests some observations relating to her personal experience with building a virtual learning and social community in refugee (foreigner) education. Finally, the author discusses the challenge of implementing online forms of education into traditionally face-toface language education for refugees, asylum seekers, and people who have been granted asylum in the Czech Republic.

Abstract. We conducted a usability study comparing three different browser alternatives (iconic, zoom-and-pan, and fisheye) for an electronic bulletin board containing thumbnails of notes. The iconic browser behaves in the manner of a standard windowing system. The zoom-andpan browser allows the user to pan over a note and zoom to a readable size. The fisheye browser was an implementation of the bifocal view. We conducted an experiment where 21 subjects performed browsing tasks with each browser. We found that users performed best with the iconic browser and that young people (20-25) were significantly faster than

Abstract. During the last several decades, the keyboard has proved to be the most important computer input device. It was inherited from the mechanical typewriter from whom computer keyboards inherited a suboptimal key layout. Better solutions have been kept out of use by economic pressure. An arguably optimal layout for the English language is the Dvorak layout. This article discusses the possibility of applying the same guidelines and ideas that shaped the Dvorak layout on keyboards used in other languages. Some of the questions answered are how good the Dvorak layout is in English, how good is it in other languages and how a language specific version would look like.

Abstract. Information Systems are continuously evolved for a very long time. Problems with evolving such systems stem from insufficient or outdated documentation, people no longer being available, different (often old) hardware and software technologies being interconnected, and short-term solutions becoming permanent. Crucial for successful evolution of Information Systems is to understand the data and information of the system. This paper argues that some of the fundamental concepts and consequences of the General Definition of Information (GDI), presented by the field of Philosophy of Information, can be a complement to approaches such as "data mining" and "data reverse engineering". By applying GDI it becomes possible for the maintainers of Information Systems to ask important questions about the system that can guide the work in a pragmatic way. GDI can become a useful tool that improves the evolution process.

Abstract. Embedded systems such as handheld devices don't have the direct printing facility. Whenever a new system is build it should have a provision to connect to the various devices. Device driver is a program to control a particular device that is connected to your system. This paper presents a complete description of the printer driver for the handheld device, focusing mainly to write a generic printer driver so that the data in the device is sent directly to the printer through Universal Serial Bus. However, it is possible to address a whole family of USB printers (such as HP, Epson, Canon and Lexmark).. Previously handheld device had to connect to the printer through personal computer. Now, the device can connect directly to the printer. Mobile Printing is the term used for printing from mobile devices such as a Palm handheld, a laptop, a Pocket PC or similar device, directed towards any USB printer. With mobile devices having smaller footprints of memory, display and other resources, the size of the printer driver should be small. To enable quick deployment on all kinds of devices, it should support for portability. The driver must be extensible to allow for future enhancement. The paper covers the complete design aspects and the implementation of the device driver for ARM based devices.