“Open Commons Region Linz” is an innovative project for the city of Linz to make public data freely available. Whether station information, travel timetables, event dates, places of interest or photos – the information is made available to all interested people via the internet. In order to increase the amount of data available to the users, the city of Linz has introduced the competition “apps4Linz”. The aim is to process the city’s data and to offer an online application that anyone can use for free on mobile devices.

Fabasoft donates €3,000 prize money

Creative and successful implementations are rewarded: The developer of the best app receives €3,000 from Fabasoft! As well as sponsoring the main prize, Fabasoft is also making its platform Folio Cloud available for free for the implementation of applications. Furthermore, the free of charge Fabasoft Cloud Developer Conference 2011 Winter, which tooke place at the Fabasoft HQ in Linz from December 14 – 16, 2012, offered the perfect opportunity for developers to inform themselves about developing mobile apps and Cloud Apps. The Fabasoft CDC 2012 Summer is scheduled for June 20 – 22, 2012.

Information is the Key to Success

More transparency and community participation: These are the results that the competition organizers are hoping for. Participants are free to use any means necessary. Whether they offer apps that make finding certain hotspots easier or deliver information for tax returns – their creativity should know no boundary. Prerequisite for participation is the use of the public data made available.

Participation

Individuals, groups, companies and institutions can all take part. A specialist jury with experts from technology, business and culture will check all submissions and decorate the six best applications. The winner will receive the €3,000 prize money donated by Fabasoft. Special prizes will be awarded for the categories tourism, public space server, best idea and companies. The deadline for submission of your ideas and applications is April 2, 2012.

Further Information

Open Commons Region Linz

Apps4Linz

My name is Mario Batusic. I come from Banja Luka in Bosnia. I’ve been blind from the age of eight due to a congenital glaucoma.

I went to primary school in Sarajevo, at a specialist boarding school for blind and partially sighted children. Then I went to a grammar school in Banja Luka, where I was the only blind pupil. I studied hard and passed all my exams with distinction. In Bosnia that then means that you are exempt from the final exams – because you’ve already proven what you know, so to speak. I think that’s only fair! *laughs*

After my time at grammar school I studied philosophy and theology in Zagreb. Then I came to Austria to become a monk. But I was warned away from this fate by God. *laughs* I was in noviciate for 9 months and then met my wife. I had already been deliberating whether I should stop the noviciate because life as a monk was too unworldly for me. Brigitte was then the dot on the i. *laughs*

I spent the next four years in Eisenstadt and worked for Caritas. Then I found out that they were starting a pilot scheme IT course for blind people at the university in Linz. So in 1993, together with our three year old son Felix, we moved to Upper Austria.

After two semesters of studying I was offered a job by Dr. Klaus Meisenberger, the leader of the project. In 1996 this turned into a full-time position. From then on I worked at the university, mainly on EU projects.

How did you come to join Fabasoft?

During the past two years I have done a lot of consulting for Fabasoft together with the institute regarding usability and accessibility. On the basis of this successful collaboration, Fabasoft asked me if I would like to join the Fabasoft development team in Linz as an accessibility expert.

What do you want to achieve at Fabasoft?

My aim is sustained accessibility in all Fabasoft products and web offerings. This is of course a perpetual process, requiring constant further development. I work in close collaboration with the product owners and software engineers. We determine which measures are the most important and then work through them in order. In this way we hope to be able to quickly achieve an unbeatable level of accessibility and usability for Fabasoft products.

How do you use Folio Cloud?

I can use a lot of things normally – via the keyboard. Not yet everything – but that’s why I’m here! *laughs* I want to be able to use the screenreader’s mouse emulation to navigate difficult scenarios. Screenreaders are programs that enable blind people to work with computers. They prepare the user interface for braille and audio output devices. The aim of fully accessible software is to be able to operate all functionalities with the keyboard and to make sure that all elements of the graphic user interface are recognizable and comprehensible for users with disabilities. Over the past two weeks I have been on tour with the Fabasoft egovdays 2012 demonstrating these operation possibilities live as part of my presentation. There’s a short video summary of this demonstration:

Video in German with English subtitles

You also use mobile devices. In terms of accessibility what do you find better, Android or iOS?

Apple iOS is significantly better. That’s why I have an iPhone. With iOS I buy the device and instantly have support for all disabilities included – I don’t need any additional products. I just need to switch on the device and activate the relevant assistive technology in the settings – in my case the screenreader VoiceOver.

Open Source is always good for products that are used by millions, since there are enough programs and voluntary programmers. But for smaller minority groups, such as people with disabilities, there just aren’t enough fully developed products. There have been several attemps, for example, to develop a Linux screenreader but to date there is still not one single viable solution.

What does accessibility demand from software products and Cloud services?

The same as it does in the web, since nowadays the two can be equated to each other. The W3 Consortium’s WAI Group (Web Accessibility Initiative) has drawn up many guidelines for the web which can also be applied to software. Additionally, there’s the ISO Standard ISO/DIS 9241-171: Ergonomics of human-system interaction, which governs software accessibility.

You can say that in principle it’s about the user interface – it has to be perceptible, usable and comprehensible. Three demands. Sounds easy but in practice it’s incredibly complex.

1. Perceptibility: For example, content must not be linked to just one sensory channel. As a blind person I can’t perceive visual things. I need an equivalent, such as an audio track or alternative text.

Furthermore, a semantic correlation should exist between two elements that belong together. If I have to enter my surname into a contact form then there should be a programmatic label “Surname” connected to this field. Otherwise an assistive program can’t produce this correlation.

The optimization of visual and audio content is just as important. Such things as ensuring that a website has a good contrast between the foreground and background. There are guidelines for these things – you should never place green on red, for example, because of people with color blindness. In the web you should always use a minimum font size of 14, otherwise people aged 50+ are often hardly able to read it. During presentations, background noise should be kept to a minimum so that people who have problems with hearing can understand better.

2. Usability: Software should be usable. It’s not enough if everything can be operated with the mouse. Every functionality should be able to be operated with the keyboard – this is particularly important for blind or partially sighted people and for people with motor disabilities.

3. Comprehensibility: You should try and stay in one language. Use as little passive as possible, no long sentences. Don’t cover more than one topic in one sentence. The content language should be programmatically labelled. Labelling the main language of a document is important for screenreaders and search machines.

I could talk about all of these points and more for hours but hopefully this is enough for a quick overview.

Without a screenreader a blind person can’t really do anything with a computer – this is the interface. The most commonly used screenreader is Jaws, followed by Cobra but there are many others – for example a first open source screenreader for Windows: NVDA. The screenreader takes the content from the visual interface and prepares it as braille or audio output.

In Austria there are several laws governing that at least administration sites have to be accessible (since 2008 according to the WAI guidelines for web content). The question is to what degree this is implemented. In general it can be said that the situation in the public domain is significantly better than in private companies.

Mario, thank you very much for talking to us!

Further Information

Web Accessibility Initiative

ISO/DIS 9241-171: Ergonomics of human-system interaction

Fabasoft Folio Cloud

Software Advice article by Derek Singleton It’s Time for a Cloud UI Standard

Latest Web Technologies: HTML5 and CSS3

Faba5 enables the implementation of websites with the latest web technologies such as HTML5 and CSS3. www.fabasoft.com is therefore at the cutting edge of technology!

New Fabasoft Group Website with Faba5

New Fabasoft Group Blog

Via the website you can also access the new Fabasoft Group blog. Here you can keep yourself informed and up to date with everything Fabasoft.

Mindbreeze - so that you can find what you need – quickly!

On www.fabasoft.com Mindbreeze is integrated as an intuitive high performance search. The particular advantage: the search is conducted across all the Fabasoft Group websites. Product-specific search results are displayed in tabs within the results list. This saves you having to change from one website to the next and back again looking for the relevant information:

Mindbreeze InSite on New Fabasoft Group Website

Incidentally, the web content management system Faba5 also integrates the new Fabasoft Cloud service Mindbreeze Insite for the intuitive high-performance search in your website. This makes this feature available for your websites within a matter of clicks!

Your Feedback is Important to us!

Your feedback on our websites is very important to us! With the new website your input lands directly with our marketing team: Click on the feedback button and let us know what you think:

Feedback Button Powered by app.telemetry

The web content management system Faba5 also integrates the new Fabasoft Cloud service app.telemetry cloud for feedback management and user experience monitoring on websites. So this feature is also available for your websites within just a few clicks!

IT Europe, the leading provider of strategic business intelligence, news and analysis on the European IT marketplace announced the finalists for the European Software Excellence Awards 2012. Fabasoft is one of the finalists in the supplier category “Application Development Platform”. This category highlights companies which afford an application development platform that enables Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) to rapidly develop solutions. With the nomination, Fabasoft already provides one of the top 4 application development platforms in Europe.

Fabasoft’s robust and secure application development platform is specially designed for the rapid development of business applications. Using straightforward domain-specific languages of Fabasoft app.ducx, developers can implement sophisticated functionality with minimum effort. A neat integration of a cloud-based continuous integration system and the testing tool Fabasoft app.test provides the optimum foundation for the quick and successful implementation of business applications.

Reference Project: Cloud App for Certificates Management

Fabasoft submitted its application development platform  for the award with a reference project focusing on certificates management in the automotive industry. To comply with extensive customs regulations of important markets such as China, increasing emphasis needs to be placed on the international management of certificates.

Until now, suppliers provided scanned certificates e.g. for tires by using multiple file shares. The metadata of each tire was included in the file name of each certificate – resulting in very long and confusing file names and an excessive manual effort to keep these documents compliant and up-to-date. To enhance the collaboration between automobile manufacturers and suppliers, it was decided to develop a Cloud App based on Folio Cloud.

“Fabasoft implemented a Cloud App for the management of certificates based on their development platform quickly within a few weeks. We received the first version after just 5 days – immediately available for global use, without investment costs or project effort. The app’s usability and the user interface convinced us and our partners completely”, tells the Independent Software Vendor SSC-Services.

Now, all involved companies manage delivery-relevant certificates via “team tooms”. The team room is the central element in Folio Cloud. Companies can organize their teams and invite employees and business partners to collaborate. They decide who has read-only access rights and who is allowed to make changes. This gives all authorized employees from specialist areas access to the most up-to-date version of these documents. Furthermore, workflows in the Cloud ensure that the documents go through the necessary business processes.

Due to the generic design of the Cloud App, it is instantly possible to manage certificates of every assembled part of a car.

A total of 36 companies from 14 European countries have made the finals. The winners will be announced at the European Software Excellence 2012 Awards Dinner at the Grand Hyatt, Berlin on 1st March 2012.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with our “What’s New” webinars, each month we present the new Cloud features from the latest Folio Cloud update with live Cloud demos. You have the chance to ask questions and it’s free of charge – you just need an internet connection and a computer!

We will be covering the highlights of the latest Folio Cloud update.

Topics include…

• News Feed optimization
• Mindbreeze Search optimization
• New Cloud Apps
• Usability and detailed improvements in “Did you know that…?”

Register now for free here

Apps for productivity and collaboration…

Cloud Connect

Do you want to be able to conveniently invite your Facebook friends to the Cloud? Cloud Connect is the solution!

Activate Cloud Connect for free in the App Store. The new menu point “invite Facebook contacts” is now displayed if you open the context menu with a right click on a team room. This allows you to share collaboration invitations with your Facebook friends.

Find Cloud Connect in the Cloud App Store here.

Transmittal Management

Do you often send project documents as e-mail attachments? Always having to ask for receipt confirmations? Left frustrated by file size limits and inbox limits? Then Transmittal Management is the right app for you!

With the Cloud App Transmittal Management you can bundle together documents as a package in the Cloud. With one click you can send a business partner a link to the transmittal. The recipient can view the data directly in the Cloud and confirm that they have received the link so that you always know the status of your transmittals.

Find Transmittal Management in the Cloud App Store here.

Contract Manager

Contract Management is a cornerstone of business trading and a key function of a company.

With the Cloud App you can organize your contracts and manage the resulting dates/meetings. You have a complete overview at all times of both current and expired contracts.

Find Contract Manager in our Cloud App Store here.

…and 3 brand new Cloud Games!

Solitaire

The popular card game is now available in the Cloud. Sort the cards until you’ve got rid of all the piles. Different play modes and card styles ensure longlasting game fun!

Find Solitaire in the Cloud App Store here.

Sokoban
Help the Cloud warehouseman to push the boxes into the right position. But watch out: this game is tricky. Be as quick as you can and work your way through all 196 levels!

Find Sokoban in the Cloud App Store here.

Sliding Puzzle

Experience the classic game of patience in the Cloud. Slide the individual puzzle pieces until they fit the correct pattern. You can also choose to use your own pictures for the game.

Find Sliding Puzzle in the Cloud App Store here.

The Cloud Apps from the January update 2012

The first update of 2012 brought 4 new Cloud Apps – and the iOS app “Driver’s Logbook”. Read more in this blog article.

More information in our Cloud App Store!

Browse our Cloud App Store and find more information about our new and existing Cloud Apps.

Activate the Cloud Apps in our Cloud App Store. And benefit from individual applications in the Cloud!

Did you know that…

… our webinar offers the perfect opportunity to inform yourself about our Cloud updates?

Don’t miss our free monthly What’s New webinar – in a compact 45 minute online session we demonstrate and explain the new functions and features of the latest Cloud update. It’s also the perfect opportunity to ask direct questions to our Cloud team.

Our next webinar will be taking place on Tuesday, March 1, 2012 at 4pm (CET). Register for free here.

… Folio Cloud users in Austria shouldn’t miss out on the following offer?

As a Folio Cloud user in Austria you have the opportunity to use the Folio Cloud edition allegro free of charge until 31.12.2012 – all you have to do is pair your account with mobile signature.

This promotion is shown in the welcome screen. Simply click on the link to pair your account with your mobile signature and enjoy the advantages of digital ID, the current highest form of security in the Cloud.

Fabasoft is also now a certified registration point for the Austrian Citizen Card and Mobile Signature. A select group of Fabasoft employees are now qualified to be able to activate both the Citzen Card and the Mobile Signature.

… Fabasoft is taking part in the Austrian Chamber of Commerce’s E-Day 2012?

Let us show you at our booth how you can log in to the Cloud securely with the Austrian Citizen Card and Mobile Signature for your online collaboration with business partners, customers and suppliers. Activate your Austrian Citizen Card with Mobile Signature and claim your free Foli Cloud allegro package.

In his presentation, “As a business in the Cloud: the top five criteria for business Cloud services” DI Karl Mayrhofer, Managing Director, Fabasoft Distribution GmbH, talks about what you should be aware of on your way into the Cloud. You can further information here.

… the Folio Cloud website is now also available in Turkish?

The Folio Cloud website can now add Turkish to its ever growing list of linguistic talents. Our website is currently available in 7 languages (German, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Turkish) and we’re not done yet – since Folio Cloud is an international tool for online collaboration, we want to make our internet presence accessible to as many different people as possible.

… access rights can be granted even more easily?

A user is now only displayed once in the list of access rights within a team room. The highest level of access that they have been granted for the team room applies. If for example, a user is entered with both read only and change access, the user will only be displayed as having change access.

… standard logos and themes can now be saved to organizations?

Organizations can now save logos and themes. These logos and themes are then displayed as standard if no other image is selected.

… we’ve improved the Cloud App Scrum even further?

Defects with the status „Released“ or “Not Released” can now be set back to „In Progress“ within the current sprint. Furthermore, when creating a story or defect in the project inbox, the owner is added to the list of users wioth change access. If a defect isn’t accepted into the backlog or if a story isn’t directly releases, these are then moved to „Backlog Done“. So that there are no problems with revision the owner remains in the list of users with change access. If the story or defect is accepted into the backlog, the owner is removed from the list of users with change access.

… News Feed has been optimized?

The News Feed now allows the pasting of links in posts and comments. These are then changed into clickable hyperlinks and open up in a new window when clicked upon. Links beginning with http://, https:// and ftp:// are recognized.

… you can activate free apps directly in the Cloud?

Free Cloud Apps can now be licensed and activated directly in the Cloud. This saves you having you go to our online shop if you receive an invitation to a team room for which you need a free app that you don’t have activated.

… CRM is now also available for the primo edition?

Primo users can now also purchase the Cloud App CRM. All leggero users who have already activated the CRM app for free can of course continue to use it.

… the Mindbreeze search has been optimized?

Optimization measures have significantly increased the performance of search inquiries in Mindbreeze.

Mobile Award Austria 2012 Logo

As part of E-Day 2012, the Austrian Chamber of Commerce will be honoring Austria’s most outstanding mobile applications which offer genuine added value to the user – and Folio Cloud is amongst the finalists. The winning apps and mobile sites from six categories will be awarded the Mobile Award Austria 2012 at a gala on Thursday March 1, 2012 at 19:00 at the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (Wiedner Hauptstrasse, 1040 Vienna).

A Management Head Start in the Cloud

We’re pleased to have made it through the three-stage selection process, conducted by 15 independent experts, from 179 entries to the final of MAwA12. The project “A Management Head Start in the Cloud” impressed the MAwA12 jury and was unanimously selected as one of three nominations in the category “Business Solutions & mGovernment”. For the Folio Cloud team this is a particular proof of excellency.

Folio Cloud - the European business Cloud for smooth secure colaboration with business partners via the internet. This nomination confirms that Folio Cloud is the perfect tool for the preparation and secure storage in team rooms in the Cloud of presentation and company documents for meetings. These documents can be accessed anywhere and anytime to present on mobile devices. With Folio Cloud the paperless office becomes a reality!

EuroCloud Austria is an association for the Austrian Cloud computing industry and represents the industry in the pan-European EuroCloud network. In collaboration with EuroCloud, Fabasoft would like to increase the acceptance of Cloud computing in Austria and achieve a functioning market place for Cloud computing and SaaS solutions.

EuroCloud Brunch on 26.04.2012

Within the framework of the collaboration, Fabasoft will be sponsoring a EuroCloud Brunch on 26.4.2012 during which, alongside current innovations and interesting case studies, a new EuroCloud motto will be presented: “Cloud services – public awarding of contracts”. The motto will be presented by RA Mag. Martin Schiefer and RA Mag. Ralf Blaha. Karl Mayrhofer, Managing Director at Fabasoft Distribution GmbH, will cover the burning topic of security in the Cloud. As co-initiator of the “Digital ID” initiative – in collaboration with the Austrian Federal Chancellery’s platform “Digital Austria” and the company A-Trust – Fabasoft offers secure authentication in Folio Cloud with the Austrian Citizen Card and Mobile Signature.

CLOUDkongress 2012 on 5.11.2012

Fabasoft will be taking part in the CLOUDkongress 2012, being hosted by EuroCloud Austria on 5.11.2012 for the second time. Here the EuroCloud’s new Cloud computing book will be presented, featuring Folio Cloud as a case study.

Fabasoft is looking forward to a year of intensive collaboration and networking with other providers and users, with the aim of providing more transparency for Cloud usage.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with our “What’s New” webinars, each month we present the new Cloud features from the latest Folio Cloud update with live Cloud demos. You have the chance to ask questions and it’s free of charge – you just need an internet connection and a computer!

We will be covering the highlights of the latest December and January Cloud updates.

Topics include…

• Bringing your Organization into the Cloud
• “Digital ID Initiative”
• New Cloud Apps
• Team Room Improvements
• Usability and detailed improved under “Did you know that…?”

Register now for free here