I’d like to complain about this software…

Software is often frustrating. You need only walk past a group of users to hear exclamations of annoyance as the users’ expectations and the software interface clash head on

Dual cycle aircraft turbine engine

A method and apparatus are presented for improving operating efficiency over broad ranges of flight conditions and for reducing jet engine noise output in takeoff and landing by controlling the airflow entering and exiting the engines. A turbojet engine apparatus is described which operates efficiently at both subsonic and supersonic speeds and a method is described which enables a turbofan with an associated satellite turbojet or turbofan to operate more efficiently at both subsonic and supersonic speeds. In both cases, takeoff and landing noise is reduced substantially. The apparatus consists essentially of arranging for two separate portions of an engine to act upon one airstream or, alternately, to operate on independent airstreams

Designing Interfaces to Support Collaboration in Information Retrieval

Information retrieval systems should acknowledge the existence of collaboration in the search process. Collaboration can help users to be more effective in both learning systems and in using them. We consider some issues of viewing interfaces to information retrieval systems as collaborative notations and how to build systems that more actively support collaboration. We describe a system that embodies just one kind of explicit support; a graphical representation of the search process that can be manipulated and discussed by the users. By acknowledging the importance of other people in the search process, we can develop systems that not only improve help-giving by people but which can lead to a more robust search activity, more able to cope with, and indeed exploit, the failures of any intelligent agents used

Bibliography on aerodynamics of airframe/engine integration of high-speed turbine-powered aircraft, volume 1

This bibliography was developed as a first step in the preparation of a monograph on the subject of the aerodynamics of airframe/engine integration of high speed turbine powered aircraft. It lists 1535 unclassified documents published mainly in the period from 1955 to 1980. Primary emphasis was devoted to aerodynamic problems and interferences encountered in the integration process; however, extensive coverage also was given to the characteristics and problems of the isolated propulsion system elements. A detailed topic breakdown structure is used. The primary contents of the individual documents are indicated by the combination of the document's title and its location within the framework of the bibliography

Mandatory and affordable health insurance

This paper asserts that America's health care system is broken and cannot be repaired with timid half-measures. It suggests that we need both universal coverage and a more efficient delivery system and that these are not competing objectives: Each is necessary to make the other possible. It further states that if we do not make health care more affordable and our delivery system more efficient and sustainable, a majority of Americans will be uninsured in short order. And the persistence of millions of uninsured impairs the efficiency we need to make health care and insurance affordable for all. Thus, contrary to conventional wisdom, this paper asserts that both universal coverage and delivery system reform must be pursued simultaneously.Insurance, Health ; Medical care

Aerodynamics of airframe-engine integration of supersonic aircraft

Aerodynamics of airframe-engine integration of supersonic aircraf

Baylor Health Care System: High-Performance Integrated Health Care

Describes the organization's implementation of a quality infrastructure and its strategies, interventions to improve clinical preventive services, training, and adoption of electronic health records and other quality innovations. Outlines lessons learned

Hill Physicians Medical Group: Independent Physicians Working to Improve Quality and Reduce Costs

Describes how a group of independent physicians improved clinical outcomes through an innovative incentive system -- combining pay-for-performance and fee-for-service -- implemented with quality improvement processes. Discusses lessons learned

Usability discussions in open source development

The public nature of discussion in open source projects provides a valuable resource for understanding the mechanisms of open source software development. In this paper we explore how open source projects address issues of usability. We examine bug reports of several projects to characterise how developers address and resolve issues concerning user interfaces and interaction design. We discuss how bug reporting and discussion systems can be improved to better support bug reporters and open source developers

Recommendation, collaboration and social search

This chapter considers the social component of interactive information retrieval: what is the role of other people in searching and browsing? For simplicity we begin by considering situations without computers. After all, you can interactively retrieve information without a computer; you just have to interact with someone or something else. Such an analysis can then help us think about the new forms of collaborative interactions that extend our conceptions of information search, made possible by the growth of networked ubiquitous computing technology. Information searching and browsing have often been conceptualized as a solitary activity, however they always have a social component. We may talk about 'the' searcher or 'the' user of a database or information resource. Our focus may be on individual uses and our research may look at individual users. Our experiments may be designed to observe the behaviors of individual subjects. Our models and theories derived from our empirical analyses may focus substantially or exclusively on an individual's evolving goals, thoughts, beliefs, emotions and actions. Nevertheless there are always social aspects of information seeking and use present, both implicitly and explicitly. We start by summarizing some of the history of information access with an emphasis on social and collaborative interactions. Then we look at the nature of recommendations, social search and interfaces to support collaboration between information seekers. Following this we consider how the design of interactive information systems is influenced by their social elements