Software

“Hello darkness, my old friend.” That's the first line of Paul Simon's 1964 hit, “The Sound of Silence.” Recently, the phrase “Dear Emptiness” appeared on my computer screen as I tried to compose a message to a friend. No, I wasn't trying to add a new verse to the iconic song. The young man's name is Antonis - not emptiness. I was trying to thank him, my computer scientist adviser, for recommending that I upgrade my laptop's operating system so that I would have access to built-in voice recognition.

Three Washington County Commissioners on Tuesday expressed frustration about not being told a $2.8 million software package they approved last week was almost $1 million more than another proposal. [cont. from front page ] At an April 20 meeting, Commissioner John L. Schnebly voted against a $2.8 million contract for a package to bring the county's payroll and other financial systems into Year 2000 compliance. He said at the time that he wanted the cost estimates of the six other proposals.

lizb@herald-mail.com In keeping with a continuing effort to help children acquire reading skills, the Greencastle-Antrim School District will begin using new language-processing software in September, according to Superintendent P. Duff Rearick. Called Fast ForWord, the CD-ROM application identifies children in need of reading assistance, Rearick said. Second-graders at Greencastle-Antrim Primary School will pilot the program. "If a kid can read by third grade, you're in business," Rearick said.

HAGERSTOWN -- The Hagerstown City Council is to vote March 25 whether to approve spending about $900,000 to replace the city's software system. On Tuesday, Information Technology Manager Scott Nicewarner told the council that the MUNIS software package offered the best option from a short list of three other systems, which ranged in price from $800,000 to $1 million. The new system would replace an outdated one the city has used since the early 1980s, he said. Nicewarner said with the new software, residents would be able to accomplish several tasks, including applying for permits and paying bills.

HAGERSTOWN - The Hagerstown City Council is to vote March 25 on whether to approve spending about $900,000 to replace the city's software system. On Tuesday, Information Technology Manager Scott Nicewarner told the council that the MUNIS software package was the best option from a short list of three other systems, which ranged in price from $800,000 to $1 million. The new system would replace an outdated one the city has used since the early 1980s, he said. Nicewarner said with the new software, residents would be able to do tasks, such as applying for permits and paying bills.

ANNAPOLIS - The Maryland Department of Agriculture and University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources) have announced the release of a new software program that is designed to make annual nutrient management implementation reporting easier for farmers and farm operators. Nutrient Management Reporter for Maryland (NuMan Reporter) is a Windows-based software program that ties in closely with the reporting requirements of the Maryland Nutrient Management Program.

Washington County Hospital has received an award for saving $1 million in transcription costs. The Million Dollar Savings Award is from eScription Inc. The eScription software used at Washington County Hospital sets up a unique profile for each physician by the type of report he or she is dictating and the vocabulary used in that report. After the initial training period, the software can understand the physician's dictation and will create a complete typed document. The hospital's 16 medical transcriptionists then use the software to edit the document using shortcuts and command keys.

The $2.1 million would buy: $338,000 - 73 computers and software for classrooms and computer lab at Smithsburg Elementary School. $405,000 - 101 computers and software for classrooms and computer lab, Lincolnshire Elementary School. $490,000 - 175 computers and software to update the seven high school business labs. $336,000 - 120 computers and software to update the computer labs at Hancock, Clear Spring, Williamsport and Boonsboro high schools. $55,000 - 30 computers and software to update the computer lab at Smithsburg High School.

The Washington County Commissioners agreed to spend $2.8 million Tuesday to make the county's payroll and other financial systems Y2K compliant. [cont. from front page ] The contract for software, hardware and training went to Carrera Consulting Group of Sacramento, Calif., and PeopleSoft USA of Atlanta. The vote was 4-1, with Commissioner John L. Schnebly voting no. He said he wanted to see cost estimates from other proposals first. Seven proposals were reviewed by a committee, which made the final recommendation to the commissioners.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - The Franklin County Sheriff's Office will use $11,790 in federal grant money to upgrade its communications system and bench warrant software, according to Sheriff Robert Wollyung. Wollyung's office will have to provide a 10 percent match for the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant, bringing the total to $13,100. The sheriff told the Franklin County Commissioners Tuesday during a public hearing on the grant that he intends to buy 10 cellular phones with two-way radio capability.

Brian Ansel and Kris Pearl thought they were going to spend Tuesday morning observing and helping another teacher work with her students at Bester Elementary School, but the pair was surprised when a group of people walked into the classroom with balloons. Schools Superintendent Clayton Wilcox and officials from the Washington County Public Schools Education Foundation then presented Ansel and Pearl with a large ceremonial check for $1,000. “I was amazed. I was astonished. I was overwhelmed.

“Hello darkness, my old friend.” That's the first line of Paul Simon's 1964 hit, “The Sound of Silence.” Recently, the phrase “Dear Emptiness” appeared on my computer screen as I tried to compose a message to a friend. No, I wasn't trying to add a new verse to the iconic song. The young man's name is Antonis - not emptiness. I was trying to thank him, my computer scientist adviser, for recommending that I upgrade my laptop's operating system so that I would have access to built-in voice recognition.

Washington County Public Schools Superintendent Clayton Wilcox's proposed $254.4 million budget includes 10 contingency teaching positions, a lead teacher for a virtual high school project, and $828,000 in additional teacher pension costs as the state continues to pass along teacher pension costs to local governments, according to the proposed budget and school system spokesman Richard Wright. The proposed budget also includes $1.5 million toward new business software and calls for eliminating several Central Office positions due to reorganization and vacancies, according to the proposal and Wright.

Starting next fall, parents of Washington County Public Schools students will be able to get timely e-alerts with information about their child's grades and notifying them if their child didn't show up for school, according to the school system's director of information management and instructional technology. Parents can access their children's past report cards and school system benchmark assessment results online through a laptop or desktop computer now, Arnold Hammann said. Once the new, almost $1.2 million student information software is installed, parents can choose to be alerted instantly about grades - as soon as a teacher enters them in an electronic gradebook - and school absences with attendance information entered electronically, he said.

Hours of testimony were offered Wednesday during a public hearing about a recycling center proposed at 206 Madison Ave. in the Borough of Waynesboro. Redemption Recycling, which would be part of the Kaimon Group, would offer recycling of nonferrous materials like aluminum, brass and copper. The recycling center also is asking permission to handle appliances. Classified as a junkyard under local ordinance, the recycling center would be a “conditional use” on the industrially zoned land that used to be The Lumber Yard.

It was the late 1970s. People listened to music on vinyl records, cassette tapes or eight-track cartridges. “Space Invaders” was in the arcades, but hadn't yet hit the home video-game market. And Apple Inc. was still producing text command-based computers. It also was a time when Washington County Public Schools installed Pearson's CIMS software to handle student information, business, accounting and purchasing. Although technological and software advances have led to downloadable music files, video games with realistic graphic detail and hand-held computers, the school system is still using an updated version of CIMS software, said Arnold Hammann, the school system's director of information management and instructional technology.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. -- A "potentially devastating situation" unfolded Wednesday when the Jefferson County Clerk's Office realized that a new online records search program begun last Friday gave Internet access to individuals' Social Security numbers and other personal information, Jefferson County Clerk Jennifer Maghan said. Maghan said Wednesday afternoon she did not know how many Social Security numbers were accessible online, but she said a software program was being run to redact, or remove, Social Security numbers and that it would take about a month for the software to scan "millions of documents.

Washington County Hospital has received an award for saving $1 million in transcription costs. The Million Dollar Savings Award is from eScription Inc. The eScription software used at Washington County Hospital sets up a unique profile for each physician by the type of report he or she is dictating and the vocabulary used in that report. After the initial training period, the software can understand the physician's dictation and will create a complete typed document. The hospital's 16 medical transcriptionists then use the software to edit the document using shortcuts and command keys.

HAGERSTOWN - The Hagerstown City Council is to vote March 25 on whether to approve spending about $900,000 to replace the city's software system. On Tuesday, Information Technology Manager Scott Nicewarner told the council that the MUNIS software package was the best option from a short list of three other systems, which ranged in price from $800,000 to $1 million. The new system would replace an outdated one the city has used since the early 1980s, he said. Nicewarner said with the new software, residents would be able to do tasks, such as applying for permits and paying bills.

HAGERSTOWN -- The Hagerstown City Council is to vote March 25 whether to approve spending about $900,000 to replace the city's software system. On Tuesday, Information Technology Manager Scott Nicewarner told the council that the MUNIS software package offered the best option from a short list of three other systems, which ranged in price from $800,000 to $1 million. The new system would replace an outdated one the city has used since the early 1980s, he said. Nicewarner said with the new software, residents would be able to accomplish several tasks, including applying for permits and paying bills.