Personality and intrinsic motivational factors in end-user programming

We explore the factors that determine whether individuals are likely to experience intrinsic motivation in end-user programming (EUP). We report two experiments: one that tests whether there are reliable psychometric constructs that describe different aspects of intrinsic motivation, and one that tests whether these constructs are successful in predicting individuals' own self-reported intrinsic motivation after using a popular EUP product. We conclude that there are identifiable and distinct motivational factors in EUP, and that these are associated with particular psychometric personality traits. We offer several suggestions for future research that could apply these findings to improve uptake and quality of user experience for educational and general-purpose EUP applications

Agriculture Extension Service Delivery in a Semi-Arid Rural Area in South Africa: The Case Study of Thorndale in the Limpopo Province

Poverty, geographical isolation and being poorly served by agricultural workers, education, health, transport, communication and other services characterise the rural environment in most developing countries. Agricultural productivity and its associated agricultural extension services are important to the livelihood activities of rural communities. For rural communities to fulfil their respective roles, they require access to productive services information on input supply, new technologies, early warning systems for drought (pests and diseases), credit, and market prices. Agricultural extension service has been identified as an important part of the intended transformation of the agricultural sector. In South Africa, farmers consider the effectiveness of extension services in relation to receiving technological information and advice for purposes of crop and livestock production. The paper discusses the role of agricultural extension services in agricultural production in Thorndale, situated in the Savannah biome of the Bushbuckridge region in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. A questionnaire survey was used in the collection of data. The results indicated that the majority of the farmers do not have access to the services of extension officers. Yet, some farmers have infrequent contacts with extension officers and information, and the magnitude of extension services have been restricted to verbal instructions rather than demonstrative, innovative and hands on practical guidance to farmers. The majority of the respondents approximately 97% are farmers who engage in agricultural production, consisted of small-scale approximately 97% and commercial 3% farmers. The approximately 38% of households who have had contacts with extension officers indicated that the advice and assistance they received entailed farming practices such as buying seeds needed for crop production and storage of the produce harvested for eventualities such as drought or famine. Others include nursery making, correct crop spacing and fertilizer application, planting, transplanting, herbicide application, timely planting and early weeding. The study concluded that extension officers need to visit and guide rural farmers regularly with improved farming technologies and services. Further, capacity development and logistical assistance should be strengthened towards improving the current extension services to the rural communities.Key words: Farmers, underserved, extension, drought, productivit

Research in advanced formal theorem-proving techniques

The results are summarised of a project aimed at the design and implementation of computer languages to aid in expressing problem solving procedures in several areas of artificial intelligence including automatic programming, theorem proving, and robot planning. The principal results of the project were the design and implementation of two complete systems, QA4 and QLISP, and their preliminary experimental use. The various applications of both QA4 and QLISP are given

Automated Visual Basic Application for Zipping and Backup

This study focuses on the visual basic zipping and backup application to improve and develop the way of life to a more convenient style. This approach can be applied to various areas such as different working platform or environment to develop a more secure project. The main target is to design an application to interface between the VBPZip with the visual basic project files working on the Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 and Microsoft Access 2002 terminal with data compression and backup functionality. The dictionary data compression technique and LZW method used to zip the project files before backups. It will act as a synergy between user and application with the server that complies with the overall application. The VBPZip application development involves several stages. Defining the methodology, there will be four phrases, which are analyzing, designing, coding and testing. The cores of the project are the data compression and backup functionality in the VBPZip source code, database development and its interface design. Data structure of the application is obtained through research and detailed assessment. Entirely the back end of the application is concerning the source code and its interface. To achieve those with fine results, there are tool required during the whole process. Thus, the result will be concluded based on the objective set. The application comprises of several form which will act as the interface between the user and database. The form encompass the VBZipping, File Type Options, Auto Zipping, date and time setting and related project files data. All of them have the same purpose which is to ease and create simplicity for the current visual basic platform applied at most development areas. Suggested works for further enhancement and realization are also stated. v

How Well Do Service Concepts Apply to Digital Services and Service Digitalization?

This paper explores the extent to which typical service concepts apply to digital service (DS) and service digitalization. It defines service, service systems, digital, digitalization, digital objects, digital agents, digital service, and service digitalization. Application of those definitions to four real world cases explores how well concepts from the service literature describe DS and service digitalization