Software

Glendale-based inventor Gilbert Yablon is well aware that available phone numbers in the 818 area code, which spans the San Fernando Valley, are forecast to be exhausted in fall 2009. It’s a numbers crisis that Yablon is fixing to help with new software that he says will minimize disruption for confused dialers should the California Public Utilities Commission overlay the new 747 area code. The California Public Utilities Commission is looking to solve the number problem by either splitting the region into two area codes, letting one half keep the 818 area code and switching the other half to 747, or keeping all existing numbers intact but applying 747 to all new numbers, commission spokeswoman Susan Carothers said.

I echo Robert Morrison on Herbert Molano's many recent contributions to these pages ("Overkill continues on Forum pages," Mailbag, Wednesday). Isn't anyone else writing? And speaking of competition, shouldn't there be more of it for space in the opinion section? Hopefully this commentary will get chosen. It addresses the Glendale Unified School District-related issues discussed by Molano, Glendale Teachers Assn. President Allen Freemon and others. First, Molano is right to argue for keeping up to date on software ("District needs closer look at suppliers," Community Commentary, Jan. 27)

New version of software used by area schools brings up questions of its compatibility.GLENDALE -- A Glendale Unified School District board member has asked the district's lawyers to review a contract with a software company after it announced it would no longer offer technical support for the district's student information database. Virginia-based Maximus' dropped support means the district is forced to either purchase a new version of its SchoolMax software or find a different software to manage information about its 28,000 students, said Scott Price, the district's administrator for Educational Technology and Information and Services.

Getting a new computer or a new software upgrade is like getting your cook to learn new dishes or getting married the second time around ("Schools facing software dilemma," Tuesday). Should the Glendale Unified School District upgrade to a new system? This may seem like a distant subject to those not involved with computers directly, but you should know more than you know now. It should matter to you. If you are retired and on Medicare, you know by now the confusion on the prescription drug problem faced by many who could not get their medicine recently.

School district left to choose new system or retraining after firm cuts tech support.GLENDALE -- The supplier of the Glendale Unified School District's student information software plans to cut its technical support, forcing district officials to decide on a new version of the software or take up to two years to learn a new program to store grades and disciplinary information. The board will discuss the issue during its 4 p.m. meeting today at 223 N. Jackson St. Maximus, the supplier of SchoolMax 4.1, has notified the district that it will discontinue software support in 18 to 24 months.

Panda Software earns accolades for identifying computer maladies before they infect.GLENDALE -- Panda Software is the scourge of computer viruses and digital Trojan horses, the electronic versions of pestilence -- malevolent, invisible yet highly destructive and even lethal. Panda Software, whose U.S. headquarters are in Glendale, earned accolades from customers and industry experts because its software can identify such computer maladies -- known as malware -- before they infect computers.

FileNet buys Canadian software company FileNet Corp., a Costa Mesa business software company, announced Sept. 19 that it has made a deal to purchase Yaletown Technology Group Inc. Yaletown, based in Vancouver, Canada, makes software designed to aid businesses in their compliance with regulatory requirements. FileNet announced plans to integrate Yaletown software into its own product line. FileNet stated it paid about $11 million in cash for all of Yaletown's stock.

Seventeen Glendale middle school teachers this year will pilot new grading software that is designed to help teachers assess their students' performance based on state standards. By using the Edusoft software, teachers will have access to more than 10,000 state standards-based questions for classroom assessments. Teachers who serve on the district's Middle School Grading and Reporting Committee recommended to board members last month that Edusoft's Benchmark Module be implemented in Glendale.

School-vending initiative unveiled GLENDALE -- Nestle USA has introduced an initiative that would have its vending machines in schools nationwide. Nestle USA is based in Glendale. The Nesquick Milk Vending Initiative would provide campuses with machines that would carry Nesquick's flavored milks. The program would provide a beverage alternative to regular school-vending choices such as water, milk and other beverages, officials said. New travel software program touted MONTROSE -- A new software program designed to provide more detailed travel data on corporate credit-card purchases for travel has been created by Montrose Travel.

Janine Marnien A new program at Clark Magnet High School will let kids pick the projects they want to work on and maybe even help out the local community at the same time. It's called EAST -- Environmental and Spatial Technology. Its students use software like Geographical Information Systems and Global Positioning Systems and then decide on a project with which to apply their new knowledge. "The kids go out and do community service programs looking at the environmental issues in the community," Principal Douglas Dall said.