Giving Thanks

Indulge me for a few moments, will you? I write this column just as we approach the Thanksgiving. You will read it having spent the last few weeks recovering from the Christmas Holidays. It seems appropriate at this time, even conventional, to spend a few moments looking at what we all have to be thankful for, even joyous about. All too often the quotidian cares of life weigh us down unceremoniously, and we forget that we have much to be thankful for.

Setting up Multilingual Information Repository: A case Study with EPrints.org Software

Today 80 % of the content on the Web is in English, which is spoken by only 8% of the World population and 5% of Indian population. There is wealth of useful content in the various languages of the world other than English, which can be made available on the Internet. But, to date, for various reasons most of it is not yet available on the Internet. India itself has 18 officially recognized languages and scores of dialects. Although the medium of instruction for most of the higher education and research in India is English, substantial amount of literature by way of novels, textbooks, scholarly information are being generated in the other languages in the country. Many of the e-governance initiatives are in the respective state languages. In the past, support for different languages by the operating systems and the software packages were not very encouraging. However, with the advent of Unicode technology, operating systems and software packages are supporting almost all the major languages of the world that have scripts. In the work reported in this paper, we have explained the configuration changes that are needed for Eprints.org software to store multilingual content and to create a multilingual user interface.

Geology alive. GeoBizirik.org

Geology is the science that studies the Earth, its composition, structure and origin in addition to past and present phenomena that leave their mark on rocks. So why does society need geologists? Some of the main reasons are listed below: - Geologists compile and interpret information about the earth’s surface and subsoil, which allows us to establish the planet’s past history, any foreseeable changes and its relationship with the rest of the solar system. - Society needs natural resources (metals, non-metals, water and fossil fuels) to survive. The work of geologists is therefore a key part of finding new deposits and establishing a guide for exploring and managing resources in an environmentally-friendly way. - The creation of geological maps allows us to identify potential risk areas and survey different land uses; in other words, they make an essential contribution to land planning and proposing sustainable development strategies in a region. - Learning about Geology and the proper use of geological information contributes to saving lives and reducing financial loss caused by natural catastrophes such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, flooding and landslides, while also helping to develop construction projects, public works, etc. Through the proposed activities we aim to explain some of the basic elements of the different specialities within the field of Geological Sciences. In order to do this, four sessions have been organised that will allow for a quick insight into the fields of Palaeontology, Mineralogy, Petrology and Tectonics.

Geología en acción. GeoBizirik.org

La Geología es la ciencia que estudia la Tierra en su conjunto, su composición, estructura y origen, así como los fenómenos que han tenido lugar en el pasado o que se producen en la actualidad y que han dejado sus huellas en las rocas. Pero, ¿por qué necesita la sociedad a los geólogos? A continuación se citan algunas de las principales razones: - Los geólogos recopilan e interpretan información de la superficie terrestre y del subsuelo, lo que permite establecer la historia pasada del planeta, sus cambios previsibles y su relación con el resto del sistema solar. - La sociedad requiere para su subsistencia recursos naturales (metálicos, no metálicos, hídricos y combustibles fósiles). La labor de los geólogos es determinante para la localización de nuevos yacimientos y para establecer las guías de una explotación y gestión respetuosa con el medio ambiente. - La elaboración de cartografías geológicas permite identificar potenciales zonas de riesgo y acotar distintos usos del suelo; es decir, es esencial para la planificación del territorio y para proponer estrategias de desarrollo sostenible en una región. - La educación en Geología y el buen uso de la información geológica contribuye a salvar vidas y a reducir las pérdidas económicas originadas por catástrofes naturales tales como terremotos, tsunamis, erupciones volcánicas, inundaciones y desprendimientos, así como a desarrollar proyectos de construcción, obras públicas, etc. Con las actividades propuestas se pretende dar a conocer algunos aspectos básicos de distintas especialidades de las Ciencias Geológicas. Para ello se han organizado cuatro sesiones destinadas a realizar una pequeña inmersión en el campo de la Paleontología, la Mineralogía, la Petrología y la Tectónica.

Geology alive. GeoBizirik.org

Geology is the science that studies the Earth, its composition, structure and origin in addition to past and present phenomena that leave their mark on rocks. So why does society need geologists? Some of the main reasons are listed below: - Geologists compile and interpret information about the earth’s surface and subsoil, which allows us to establish the planet’s past history, any foreseeable changes and its relationship with the rest of the solar system. - Society needs natural resources (metals, non-metals, water and fossil fuels) to survive. The work of geologists is therefore a key part of finding new deposits and establishing a guide for exploring and managing resources in an environmentally-friendly way. - The creation of geological maps allows us to identify potential risk areas and survey different land uses; in other words, they make an essential contribution to land planning and proposing sustainable development strategies in a region. - Learning about Geology and the proper use of geological information contributes to saving lives and reducing financial loss caused by natural catastrophes such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, flooding and landslides, while also helping to develop construction projects, public works, etc. Through the proposed activities we aim to explain some of the basic elements of the different specialities within the field of Geological Sciences. In order to do this, four sessions have been organised that will allow for a quick insight into the fields of Palaeontology, Mineralogy, Petrology and Tectonics.

Geologia bizirik. GeoBizirik.org

Geologia Lurra aztertzen duen zientzia da: lurraren osaera, egitura eta jatorria, eta bai arroketan aztarnak utzi dituzten iraganeko edo gaur egungo gertaerak ere. Baina, zergatik du gizarteak geologoen beharra? Hona hemen zenbait arrazoi: - Geologoek lurrazalari eta lurpeari buruzko informazioa bildu, eta interpretatu egiten dute. Informazio horrek guztiak ahalbidetzen du planetaren iraganeko historia, Lurrean aurreikus daitezkeen aldaketak eta gure planetak Eguzki-sistemarekin duen harremana finkatzea. - Gizarteak beharrezkoak ditu baliabide naturalak (metalikoak, ez-metalikoak, ura eta erregai fosilak). Geologoen parte-hartzea erabakigarria da hobi berriak aurkitzeko eta ingurumena zaintzen duten baliabide naturalen ustiapen eta kudeaketarako irizpideak ezartzeko. - Kartografia geologikoen bidez arrisku-eremuak identifikatu eta lurzoruaren erabilerak mugatzen dira. Geologoak beharrezkoak dira, beraz, lurraldearen planifikaziorako eta garapen iraunkorrerako estrategiak garatzeko. - Geologiaren ezagutzak eta informazio geologikoaren erabilera egokiak laguntzen dute bizitzak salbatzen eta lurrikarak, tsunamiak, erupzio bolkanikoak, uholdeak eta lurjausiak bezalako katastrofe naturalek eragindako diru-galerak murrizten. Halaber laguntzen dute eraikuntza-proiektuak, herri-lanak eta abar garatzen ere. Proposatutako jardueren bitartez, Zientzia Geologikoen adar desberdinen oinarrizko zenbait alderdi ezagutzera eman nahi ditugu. Horretarako, lau saio antolatu ditugu Paleontologia, Mineralogia, Petrologia eta Tektonika arloetan murgiltzeko.

OpenOffice.org对非BMP平面字符支持的实现

Unicode标准中的非BMP平面字符多用于古籍研究或者少数民族语言文字,由于这些字符的使用面特别窄,多数软件系统包括办公软件都不支持对这些字符的处理。本文以开源办公套件OpenOffice.org为基础,分析了它对非BMP平面支持的现状,然后着重探讨了实现对非BMP平面字符的全面支持所需要解决的一系列问题,并分别给出了合理的改进方案,最后以CJK和藏文为例展示了改进后的效果。

基于OpenOffice.org蒙古文办公套件的设计与实现

作为蒙古文信息处理的重要组成部分,开发符合蒙古文应用习惯的办公套件产品对于传承民族文化具有重要意义。开源项目OpenOffice.org的不断发展和日益成熟,为蒙古文办公套件的研制开发提供了有利的契机。该文讲述了以OpenOffice.org为源代码基础,实现基于蒙古文编码国际标准而研制的蒙古文办公套件的实现方案,并为开发其他复杂文字的少数民族语言的办公套件提供了很好的借鉴作用。

藏文基本字符集的支持在OpenOffice.org中的实现方法

以开源项目OpenOffice.org为基础,针对藏文基本字符集在OpenOffice.org办公套件本地化的过程中出现的技术难点,根据藏文自身的特点结合OpenOffice.org中文本显示模块Icu的结构,解决了藏文小字符集在OpenOffice.org办公套件中显示、排序和转写等和文化与文字紧密相关的问题。该本地化软件可以跨Windows和Linux平台运行。

基于OpenOffice.org的民文办公套件的实现

OpenOffice.org作为当前最为活跃的办公套件开放源码项目,因其完成了MS Office近乎相同的功能,良好的兼容性,日益受到人们的关注并衍生出5个著名的中文办公套件发行版本。以OpenOffice.org为基础,以藏文为例,详细讲解了民文办公套件的实现方案。

蒙古文显示在OpenOffice.org办公套件中的实现

蒙古文是一种复杂文字,目前操作系统和办公套件都还不支持蒙古文的显示.OpenOffice.org是可以运行在Linux和Windows上跨平台的办公套件,它分别使用ICU LayoutEngine和Uniscribe进行复杂文字处理.本文以支持蒙古文处理的Linux版本OpenOiffice.org为基础,详细分析了OpenOffice.org在Linux和Windows系统上的复杂文本处理过程,采用Uniscribe与ICU相结合的方案,实现了OpenOffice.org在Windows平台上对蒙古文的显示.

藏文支持在OpenOffice.org办公套件中的实现

办公套件是人们日常应用最为广泛的信息处理软件之一,但真正意义的藏文办公套件至今都尚未问世,成为藏文信息技术发展的“瓶颈”.开源项目OpenOffice.org的不断发展和日益成熟,为藏文办公套件的研制开发提供了有利的契机.以OpenOffice.org为源代码基础,采用藏文编码字符集（扩充集A）国家标准,研制的藏文办公套件可支持藏文排版习惯和藏文本地环境,着重解决了藏文文本自动断行的问题,能够满足藏语文用户日常办公需要.

巢湖沉积物δ^13C（org）和δ^15N记录的生态环境演化过程

通过对巢湖2处柱状沉积物样品中δ^13Corg、δ^15N、C/N比值、TOC和TN含量的测定,分析了近百年来巢湖沉积物有机质的来源,探讨受人类活动影响的湖泊生产力变化和富营养化过程.结果表明,巢湖沉积物有机质的主要来源是水生藻类,陆生有机质的输入量较少,但是城市污染物的输入与农业面源污染的影响是不可忽视的.巢湖沉积物剖面上,δ^13Corg、δ^15N、TOC和TN含量变化按沉积深度可以明显划分为2个阶段：①10 cm以下,H3点δ^13Corg波动在-21.74‰- -19.34‰的范围内,其余数据表现相对平缓,湖泊内的生物物种是固氮植物和非固氮植物共存,2个采样点具有不同的湖泊营养化进程;②10 cm至表层段,2个剖面的δ^13Corg迅速减小,δ^15N、TOC和TN则是显著增大,巢湖闸的建成使得内源营养物质快速积累,湖泊初始生产力水平迅速提高,富营养化加剧.

Utilização de aplicativos Base e Calc do pacote BrOffice.org para criação de Sistema de Suporte à Decisão.

Neste trabalho, tem-se uma proposta de mostrar como se constrói um sistema de apoio à decisão de pequeno porte, usando-se os aplicativos Calc e Base. O aplicativo Base será usado para armazenar dados que estão em suas tabelas ou para importá-los a partir de uma outra fonte, isto é, a partir de um outro banco de dados (MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc.) ou de arquivos. Com os dados no aplicativo Base, o Calc irá acessá-los e manipulá-los para, finalmente, mostrar os resultados de apoio à decisão do usuário.