All Kinds of Model Trains Equipment

Ajax, Lizard Brain Web Design, Jsf, Struts, Javascript, Mobile Web, Flash, Jquery, Gwt, Harmony At India's No.1 Software Developer Conference

Great Indian Developer Summit 2010 – India's Biggest Polyglot Conference and Workshops for IT Software Professionals

Bangalore, April 9, 2010: The GIDS.Web Conference and Workshops has announced the complete program of over 30 sessions on how browser and rich web technologies such as AJAX, DHTML, Mashups, Web 2.0, Enterprise 2.0 technologies, and Rich UI technologies are making money and gaining market-share for some of the leading businesses in the world. The GIDS.Web track at Great Indian Developer Summit takes place 21 and 23 April 2010, at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. To register or for more information visit: www.developersummit.com.

As one of the longest running independent developer conferences in India, GIDS.Web at the Great Indian Developer Summit 2010 is uniquely positioned to provide a blend of practical, pragmatic and immediately applicable knowledge and a glimpse of the future of technology. During 21 and 23 April 2010, GIDS.Web offers a multi-track conference, workshops, expo show floor, and networking opportunities.

The first keynote at GIDS.Web is led by the leading Java EE and Ajax developer, speaker, and author Marty Hall. The best of India's Java and RIA programmers have learnt the subject from Marty's seminal books Core Servlets and JavaServer Pages (first and second editions), More Servlets and JavaServer Pages, and Core Web Programming (first and second editions) from Prentice Hall and Sun Microsystems Press. Marty's keynote address is a comparison of approaches to building rich Internet applications with Ajax.
Marty says Ajax development is difficult, and there are several fundamentally different strategies to building Ajaxified Web applications. The keynote address will survey the three most important of these approaches: using an Ajax-enabled JavaScript library such as jQuery, Prototype, Scriptaculous, Dojo, or Ext/JS; using a Web framework such as JSF 2.0 or Struts 2 that has integrated Ajax support; using the Google Web Toolkit (GWT) to build "pure Java" Ajax applications. The talk will compare and contrast these three approaches, discussing the types of applications that fit best for each option.

Over the course of the summit Marty will conduct several more sessions on "Choosing an Ajax/JavaScript Toolkit: A Comparison of the Most Popular JavaScript Libraries", "Pure Java Ajax: An Overview of GWT 2.0", "Integrated Ajax Support in JSF 2.0" and "Ajax Support in the Prototype JavaScript Library".

The second keynote by the head of Adobe's Flash initiative in India, Ramesh Srinivasaraghavan, explores the state of art in web application development and identify trends that could transform the way we create and use web applications. The talk explains how the Adobe Flash Platform has fuelled this revolution with an integrated set of technologies for delivering the most compelling applications, content and video to the widest possible audience. The Director of Forum Nokia will explain how cloud computing coupled with mobile applications enable consumers to have access to powerful services and improved user experiences never before thought possible. IEEE's 2010 President-Elect Sorel Reisman's afternoon address steps to improve the IT profession in India.

Featured talks at GID.Web also include:

* Web 2.0 Checklist - Deconstructing Modern Websites, Scott Davis
* Choosing an Ajax/JavaScript Toolkit: Comparison of Popular JavaScript Libraries, Marty Hall
* Lizard Brain Web Design, Scott Davis
* Effective Design Processes and Resources for Mobile Web Development, Arabella David
* NoSQL: The Shift to a Non-relational World, Nosh Petigara
* Open Source Web Debugging Tools, Matthew McCullough
* Building Line of Business Applications with Silverlight 4.0, Stephen Forte
* Hadoop - Divide and Conquer, Matthew McCullough
* Adobe Flash Catalyst for Agile Interaction Design, Harish Sivaramakrishnan
* Using jQuery and AJAX to Build Front-ends for ASP.NET and ASP.NET MVC, Pandurang Nayak
* First Steps to IT Heaven Through the Cloud. Part II: .WEB, Simone Brunozzi
* Building Rich Internet Applications with SL RIA Web Services, Pandurang Nayak
* Enriching Cloud Applications with Adobe Flash Platform, Ramesh Srinivasaraghavan
* Payments for the Web.future, Khurram Khan and Praveen Alavilli
* Longevity of Scalable Systems, Nishad Kamat
* Transform yourself into a Mobile App Developer Using Web Run Time, Balagopal K S
* Developing Multi Screen Applications on Adobe Flash Platform, Hemanth Sharma
* Why Harmony and For Whom?, Himanshu Goyal
* IIS Hosting Solution for ASP.net and PHP Web Sites, Nahas Mohammed
* Building Pluggable Web applications using Django, Lakshman Prasad
* Workshop: The 180-min AJAX and JSON Spike Class, Scott Davis
* Workshop: Essence of Functional Programming, Venkat Subramaniam
* Workshop: Agile Development, Tools, and Teams and Scrum Certification, Stephen Forte
* Workshop: PHP + Adobe Flex = Killer RIA, Shyamprasad P
* Workshop: Cloud Computing Boot Camp on the Google App Engine, Matthew McCullough
* Workshop: Building Data Centric Applications using Adobe Flex and Java, Prashant Singh
* Workshop: Building Your First Amazon App, Simone Brunozzi
* Workshop: Windows Azure Deep Dive, Ramaprasanna Chellamuthu
* Workshop: Monetizing your Apps with PayPal X Payments Platform, Khurram Khan, Praveen Alavilli
* Workshop: User Expereince Evaluation Model Walkthrough, Sanna Häiväläinen

Sponsors of Great Indian Developer Summit 2010 include: Platinum sponsors Microsoft, Oracle Forum Nokia and Adobe; Gold sponsors Intel and SAP; Silver sponsors Quest Software, PayPal, Telerik and AMT.

To learn more about the 2010 Great Indian Developer Summit or register visit: www.developersummit.com

About Great Indian Developer Summit

Great Indian Developer Summit is the gold standard for India's software developer ecosystem for gaining exposure to and evaluating new projects, tools, services, platforms, languages, software and standards. Packed with premium knowledge, action plans and advise from been-there-done-it veterans, creators, and visionaries, the 2010 edition of Great Indian Developer Summit features focused sessions, case studies, workshops and power panels that will transform you into a force to reckon with. Featuring 3 co-located conferences: GIDS.NET, GIDS.Web, GIDS.Java and an exclusive day of in-depth tutorials - GIDS.Workshops, from 20 April to 24 April at the IISc campus in Bangalore.

At GIDS you'll participate in hundreds of sessions encompassing the full range of Microsoft computing, Java, Agile, RIA, Rich Web, open source/standards, languages, frameworks and platforms, practical tutorials that deep dive into technical skill and best practices, inspirational keynote presentations, an Expo Hall featuring dozens of the latest projects and products activities, engaging networking events, and the interact with the best and brightest of speakers from around the world.

For further information on GIDS 2010, please visit the summit on the web http://www.developersummit.com/

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Silver Flex Track

Agencies challenge employees to lead a healthier lifestyle

From early in his term, President Obama emphasized his commitment to improving the health and wellness of federal employees. And it wasn't an empty promise.

The first family already is leading by example: The president is a dedicated runner and avid basketball player, and the first lady has involved students in cultivating a vegetable garden at the White House to promote healthy foods. Most recently, Michelle Obama oversaw the opening of a farmers market just minutes from the White House, and the Treasury and Veterans Affairs departments.As an employer, we are looking for ways to create a healthier workforce, because we know that if you all are healthy and happy and moving, you'll come to work and you'll work really hard," the first lady said to the market's customers on opening day. "And as many private companies have demonstrated, making employee wellness a priority can save health care costs down the road and make for a stronger workplace."

The president met with industry leaders in May to discuss strategies for improving employee health, and he directed the Office of Personnel Management to develop wellness best practices and a plan for the federal workforce. In response, OPM this summer announced its work-life campus initiative, a joint effort with the Federal Reserve Board, General Services Administration and Interior Department. The four agencies, located within blocks of one another, will develop and share facilities, possibly including green space and a healthy cafeteria.

The initiative is just one of several demonstration projects that will unfold nationwide. The campus concept allows agencies to experiment with cost-effective solutions to making the workplace healthier and to gather feedback from employees.

"We will work hand in glove over the next year to review and improve the services and facilities available to the more than 6,000 federal employees that comprise our campus," OPM Director John Berry said in a statement announcing the program. "By combining our efforts, we can more adequately and economically address the issues of wellness and employee satisfaction."

The administration also has asked agencies as part of the fiscal 2011 budget process to take inventory of their health and wellness programs. In a June memorandum, Office of Management and Budget Director Peter R. Orszag required all agencies to catalog their ongoing efforts with the aim of establishing a baseline of current offerings and helping OPM develop a comprehensive program. The goal is to see 75 percent of employees participating in health and wellness initiatives by 2010.

Agency leaders will be integral to the success of this effort. To set the tone and encourage some healthy competition, Orszag recently introduced an OMB pedometer challenge. Employees can log their steps and other health information on an internal Web site, where they can see how they stack up against the director and colleagues in other OMB divisions. Each month the top employee will be treated to lunch with the director, and the divisions with the highest average steps and the most improved average will receive a "healthy happy hour" of vegetables and red wine. In practicing what they preach, the Obamas and other administration officials are reinforcing the notion that a healthy workplace is a happy one.

A Healthy Investment

Worksite wellness programs have been shown to benefit both employees' health and employers' pocketbooks. In a 2008 review of 50 wellness interventions, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Task Force on Community Preventative Services found that office health programs reduced tobacco use and fat consumption, improved blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and increased productivity. The task force develops a guide to help communities tailor their own health programs and policies.

Many private sector companies already have invested in such initiatives. A 2009 survey by consultancy Watson Wyatt and the National Business Group on Health found nearly 80 percent of large employers offered health risk assessments, 60 percent had lifestyle improvement programs and 52 percent had weight management programs.

Aetna, a health benefits provider, has developed a broad wellness initiative aimed at keeping its own medical costs down. The program begins with a health risk assessment, which allows employees to get a physical and learn their body mass index, cholesterol levels and other vital numbers. Employees then can participate in Wellness Works, an incentive-based fitness initiative that awards points for physical activity and healthy food choices, and earn up to $600 annually in additional pay or premiums. Nearly 60 percent of Aetna employees nationwide participate in the program; many, including company president Mark Bertolini, take part in competitive team fitness challenges. Several Aetna locations also have onsite fitness centers with extended hours and a variety of cardio and strength classes.

Wellness Works serves as a model around which Aetna can design programs for its clients. "We are able to demonstrate to potential customers that there is a benefit to this," said Fred Laberge, a company spokesman. Aetna's annual increase in medical costs is about half the nationwide average of 8 percent to 9 percent per employee.

The goals of lower medical costs and healthier, more productive employees also drive Dell Corp.'s investment in wellness initiatives, said Tre McCalister, senior manager for global benefits. The technology company offers onsite fitness centers, local gym discounts and healthy café choices. In 2004, it launched Well at Dell, a customizable health improvement program that incorporates cash incentive-based exercise and nutrition tracking programs; telephone coaching for smoking cessation, weight and stress management, and physical conditions; and access to a nurse line. Dell also offers monthly webinars on such topics as cancer prevention, travel fitness and "deskercise." Well at Dell has increased employee health and productivity and has reduced medical costs significantly since its inception five years ago, according to McCalister.

Federal agencies also have targeted employee health with a range of initiatives, giving the administration a head start as it develops a governmentwide wellness strategy.

Options, and More Options

Fitness centers and exercise classes already are common across agencies, particularly in areas with large concentrations of federal employees. Many offer basic equipment, aerobics classes and extended hours to accommodate work schedules.

For instance, as part of a comprehensive lifestyle and health program that began in 1978, CDC has professionally staffed fitness facilities on its six largest campuses, as well as smaller gyms in satellite offices. These centers offer instruction ranging from Pilates, tai chi and yoga to spin and body sculpting classes. Employees also have access to softball, basketball and volleyball facilities and measured walking trails.

Program fees vary. CDC appropriates funding for its facilities and classes so it can offer them free of charge. The Environmental Protection Agency, which has fitness centers at its headquarters in Washington and all regional offices, subsidizes memberships. Federal employees in the San Francisco area can join a central gym where rates vary according to pay grade, starting at $85 for GS-6 and below, and reaching $210 annually for GS-14 and above. Some agencies, including the State Department, partner with area fitness clubs to provide discounted membership rates. Fifteen gyms in the Washington area offer such deals to State employees, and participation ranges from three to 40 people, depending on the club.

Where gyms are not cost-effective, agencies have developed innovative alternatives. The Defense Contract Management Agency has a virtual fitness program employees can access by phone, Internet and e-mail. Components include workout planning and weight management tools, attendance logs, risk assessments, an incentives program and fitness center reimbursement.

To encourage physical activity, some agencies allow employees to visit fitness centers during work hours. CDC employees can negotiate flex time with supervisors. Coast Guard military personnel and Secret Service law enforcement officers are allowed three hours per week for physical activity and DCMA employees can use duty time to exercise.

Though fitness is a key feature of overall employee wellness, agencies also are developing facilities and programs to address other aspects of health, such as nutrition, stress relief and access to "green" space.

The Interior Department is revitalizing its headquarters, which includes a new cafeteria. "We want it to feature a variety of foods in a range of economical prices -- especially organic, nutritional food from local sources -- and we will work to make the facility itself green," said Rhea Suh, assistant secretary for policy, management and budget. "The work-life campus initiative also ties into broader federal efforts on healthy food choices and reducing the carbon footprint of federal facilities."

The Agriculture Department is making strides toward a greener workplace with the inaugural People's Garden, a project to turn paved surfaces to grass, plant trees and promote energy efficiency. The goal is to build similar gardens at USDA facilities worldwide.

CDC hosts rotating farmers markets on its campuses and encourages employees to bring only healthy foods to meetings. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's headquarters in Silver Spring, Md., offers a meditation group with nearly 70 participants monthly, as well as chair massage appointments and holistic nutrition lunch seminars. And in July, State began a six-month trial providing 10 bikes at its headquarters in Washington for employees to check out during work hours. According to officials, more employees than expected have taken advantage of the program and often ride between buildings in suits and loafers.

Raising Awareness

Part of the challenge in fostering a healthier workforce is making employees aware of their unhealthy habits and motivating them to change their behavior. To create a culture of wellness, agencies reach out to employees through educational activities. A number have onsite clinics that offer health services, allowing employees to minimize time and resources spent seeking basic care and to learn about disease prevention and treatment.

The State Department's Office of Medical Services coordinates a health program for domestic and overseas offices. Employees can participate in smoking cessation programs, and breast cancer and bereavement support groups. The office organizes monthly programs on topics such as travel medicine, meditation and arthritis, posting videos of the sessions on the department's intranet. The office also offers day-long health fairs in Washington with yoga classes and health screenings. State maintains primary care and health screening facilities and programs for employees posted abroad as well.

Other agencies offer health classes, screenings and immunizations free of charge to employees. The Securities and Exchange Commission hosts nutrition seminars and osteoporosis checks, and CDC organizes first aid, CPR and ergonomics courses.

A number of special events governmentwide aim to increase interest in health and fitness. EPA hosts an annual "Walk to Wellness," a two-mile summer event in the Washington area. The agency plans to sponsor the walk quarterly and expand it to other regions. At the Homeland Security Department, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center sponsors a weight-loss competition among its offices, based on the TV program Biggest Loser, and Customs and Border Protection organizes a "HealthierCBP" fitness challenge.

In fall 2008, State's Office of Medical Services/Health Promotion sponsored a series of four free hour-long nutrition and cooking seminars. The sessions, held over lunch and organized by The Cancer Project, a nonprofit for cancer prevention and health promotion, focused on incorporating low-fat foods, fiber, dairy alternatives and antioxidants into meals. Employees participated in discussions about nutrition, observed a cooking demonstration and sampled healthy dishes.

Recently, OPM launched FedsGetFit, a wellness campaign focused on fitness, nutrition, making healthy choices and prevention. The first event will be a fitness expo on Oct. 27, where agency leaders will join Congress members and National Football League players to promote work-life programs and participate in a one-mile walk.

In implementing new initiatives or growing current ones, agencies will face funding challenges. Work-life programs receive money directly from agency budgets, but agencies have made varying commitments to these initiatives. In the private sector, best practices suggest that comprehensive wellness programs cost $500 to $800 per employee annually.

As they determine the best places to make investments, agencies are looking for feedback and ideas from employees at all levels. "Not every idea is one you decide to implement," said Mike Weber, an official at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards. "But the tensions [among competing ideas] help channel enthusiasm."

In July, OPM outlined elements agencies should include in their wellness programs. Designated points of contact will report on agency health and wellness programs, services, costs and participation through an online WellCheck system. The goal is to bring agencies up to the standards outlined in July, while allowing them flexibility to tailor their offerings based on employee needs. Many programs are administered by human resources staffs, and OPM's Berry chairs monthly meetings with the Chief Human Capital Officers Council to facilitate communication and cross-agency initiatives.

According to Wesley Carpenter of EPA's Office of Administration and Resources Management, the administration's involvement in employee health is an important promotional tool. "The [OPM] initiative is a catalyst and a great opportunity to expand our tentacles and reach more people," he said.

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