The LBS stream
It’s integral to the day-to-day functioning in the developed world.
In Asia, Japan and Korea lead the way.
The undercurrents are becoming visible in India.
First, it was the state-owned BSNL to join the LBS bandwagon.
Later, the private player Bharti Airtel followed suit.
Market dynamics indicate positive trends for LBS.
With the mobile phones holding the pulse of …

According to various reports, a significant number of graduates
in India are not suitable for employment.
This is not a happy state of affairs;
We have an education system that is inadequate for skill development.

Last month, New York witnessed cab drivers’ strike.
A protest against a city rule that cabs be equipped with GPS.
Popular contention among others is that GPS is overly intrusive.
It might be possible that such protests are driven by vested interests.
Nonetheless, the privacy issues cannot be ignored.
Many feel that technology is spilling into the zone of …

It is not just having computers in offices or creating websites, but it involves the creation of systems; integrating technology with administrative processes; human resources and dispensing information and services faster to the citizens. e-Governance offers a number of advantages for the government as well as the public. It shifts the centre of power from human agencies to technology, which is easier to deal with. For example, if a citizen wants some information on building codes, he/she has to go to the office of the local authority to get it, often shuttling from one table to another. If such information is made available on websites, it makes things easier for the citizens as well as the authorities.

It is not simply a project.
It is an ambition.
An assertion of technology.
And taking the technology beyond the realms of monopoly.
There are hurdles. Political and economical.
But stronger is the will to overcome them.
There are confl icts. On approach and interest.
There are frustrations on the delay. And, at stake is the credibility.
Still, there is a resolute to …

India celebrates 60 years of independence.
We are happy once again.
A celebration for democracy and democratic values.
On the occasion, we take a look at two movements.
National Spatial Data Infrastructure and Sustainable …

LAND forms important part of development activity. Land revenue is one of the sources of income for state governments. It may come from land holdings by private individuals, real estate transactions or other natural resources being tapped by various sections of the society. Hence, creation of a Land Information Management System involves

We published a circular by Central Board of Excise and Customs, Government of India that came out in April (Coordinates, May 2007).
The circular classifies high technology featured mobile phone including GPS as a secondary feature as mobile phone.
That implies four per cent custom duty rather than 34 per cent as applicable to …

Greece has suffered many times from big earthquakes that caused human victims as well as big damage to public and private infrastructure. However, the 1978 earthquake in Thessaloniki (Mw = 6.5) motivated the beginning of a more systematic confrontation of the impact of such phenomena. This happened because it was the first time that a powerful earthquake affected a big modern city of roughly one million of residents. Thessaloniki presented the formal characteristics of Greek urban built environment: buildings with 4 to 8 storeys, large population in numbers and density, mixed land use, traffic problems and lack of effective planning of management of natural catastrophes. After the Thessaloniki earthquake, a situation of chaos was created due to the panic, the destructions, the lack of information and the innumerable calls on help, but also on control of static condition and damage of buildings. By that time, there was no specific procedure for the inspection of buildings and infrastructure. However, after the first period of embarrassment, the state agencies reacted. Inspection forms were designed, printed and distributed during the first days after the earthquake. The buildings were inspected by two-member teams of civil engineers in order to be classified in categories with regard to their damage and usability. These paper inspection forms constitute a valuable database concerning the impact of the earthquake to the buildings of Thessaloniki.

Two years ago, we had a dream.
We started on a mission.
With con? dence and conviction.
Set out on a journey of positioning, navigation. And beyond.
Discussing, deliberating and debating
We navigated through technology and took a position.
This month, the 25th issue, it is time for us to think
What we have achieved. what more could have been accomplished.
It is …