Free Map Tools
This site has some super Google Map tools – including Meeting Centre Of Gravity by Postcode and Map Tunnelling.
WordPress 2.7.1 auto upgrade fix
I discovered last night that the auto-upgrade function to take WordPress 2.7 to 2.7.1 failed – or rather it sat at the “downloading wordpress-2.7.1.zip” message indefinitely.
At the auto-upgrade is a new feature of 2.7, I had never been able to test this functionality, although I had high expectations of it since the plugin upgrade has worked so well.
After searching the forums and Google for a while I found bassmadrigal’s solution – modify .htaccess for the WordPress installation in question and add:
AddType x-mapp-php5 .php
Works fine, and the auto upgrade of plugins stills works too.
The science bit
Using 1and1 as a host requires this directive in .htaccess as detailed in the WordPress codex. It forces the 1and1 server to parse .php files as php5 files (instead of, presumably, php4).
I had this before my upgrade to 2.7 (OK, technically a re-installation) and unfortunately the baby got thrown out with the bathwater.
1and1 contract secret
Shhh, 1and1 don’t want you to know this, but…
… you can cancel or amend contracts at
contract.1and1.co.uk
As far as I can tell, this information is not to be found on the admin.1and1.co.uk FAQ or Help pages. I had to complete an online support request to find this info.
Once you are in, it’s easy – so I have started the process of releasing four unwanted domain names.
Update 2nd December 2010: the URL has changed to cancel.1and1.co.uk – still not well documented.
GS1 Prefixes
GS1 is the organisation which deals with retail barcode number range issuing; they publish a handy table showing prefix codes.
Train and Certify staff certified as TPMA assessors
Train and Certify Limited is delighted to announce that four members of its professional services team have now been certified as TPMA assessors by the IITT.
Following a rigorous three day programme with the Institute, Tahir Zubair, David Levey, Stewart Dawes and Adrian Ince have each been trained and approved to assess the TPMA qualification on behalf of the IITT.
Tahir Zubair, Training Director, today said “This is great news for Train and Certify and affirms our commitment to the TPMA programme. We will be offering assessment sessions with immediate effect, and our Train the Trainer course, specifically written for and mapped to the programme, will be available from February.”
Further information about Train and Certify Limited and their training and assessment programme can be found on their website, www.trainandcertify.co.uk
Smoke free signage
Premises in England are required to display an A5 no smoking sign at all entrances (roundel only for staff only entrances).
Here is a PDF containing the sign.
IITT appoints first TPMA authorised centres
The first organisations to be approved IITT Authorised Qualification & Assessment Centres have been announced by the Institute of IT Training today.
Train and Certify Limited is one of the first companies to gain approval to become an IITT Approved Centre.
The Trainer Performance Monitoring and Assessment Service, which is authorised, governed and monitored by the IITT, is a record of the training professional’s quality of performance in a live environment aligned to national standards – a real quality benchmark of your trainers.
Adrian Ince, Managing Director of Train and Certify Limited commented “We are pleased to be able to demonstrate our 100% commitment to the Trainer Performance Monitoring and Assessment programme by being one of the first centres appointed.”
Train and Certify will identify four assessors to be certified by the IITT, and have specifically written a Train the Trainer course to map onto the TPMA standards. Training will include assessment of all delegates, and assessment only sessions will also be scheduled.
You can read the full IITT press release here.
UKCES chairman warns “Slash training at your peril”
In an open letter published in the national press today a coalition of the UK’s most senior businessmen and union leaders called on UK employers not to slash staff training in a bid to cut costs as the effects of the recession are felt.
The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) chairman Sir Mike Rake together with Sir Stuart Rose, Chairman of Marks & Spencer and Business in the Community, Mervyn Davies, Chairman of Standard Chartered plc, Richard Lambert, Director General of the CBI, and Brendan Barber, General Secretary of the TUC, urge employers to sustain or even increase their investment in training, saying: “Now is precisely the time to keep investing in the skills and talents of our people. It is the people we employ who will get us through. When markets are shrinking and order books falling, it is their commitment, productivity and ability to add value that will keep us competitive. Investing now in building new skills will put us in the strongest position as the economy recovers.”
You can read the UKCES press release here.
IITT launches new TPMA programme
The Institute of IT Training today announced the launch of its new Trainer Performance Monitoring & Assessment Service (TPMA) programme.
‘The role of the trainer is constantly changing and evolving,” explained the IITT’s chief executive Colin Steed.
‘The Institute of IT Training has recognised the need for training managers to become empowered to assess, monitor and benchmark the performance of their own trainers, the outcome of which is contributory to the achievement of an accredited qualification, as recognised on the Qualifications and Credit Framework.”
Trainers will be assessed in a live environment by organisations appointed by the IITT.
Trainers are scored using Key Performance Indicators against each of the 10 Competency Measures. This allows measurement of each trainer’s performance and development, setting benchmarks for trainers and highlighting areas for development. Key Development Indicators outline areas for improvement, and can be used as part of an organisation’s appraisal process.
The assessors report can be used to obtain the IITT Certified Trainer Certificate and an optional National Award (PTLLS). This nationally-recognised Award, through the Qualifications Credit Framework, is portable.
To find out more, read the full IITT press release.
Magento
Since I last looked (around 9 months ago, I think) the Magento web store project seems to have shaped up nicely. It is certainly prettier than OSCommerce, but more importantly they have kept the code and the presentation separate using – of course – CSS.
It is written in PHP, and has a growing collection of add-ins, so I’ll be seriously evaluating it as an alternative to OSC for the Oriental Food Shop.
