Thneed Digest

Thneed Digest – Week 2017 – 11.1

Just a heads up to all.  The Penguins in the office got an email from FBRI (we think although the Board policy is that all messages come from the main mailing list not individuals) today that stated don’t install FPS 7.5 at all costs and uninstall it.  Seems that in the process of adding more legitimacy to the software (the stated reason for adding the 12 digit secret code to be more like Microsoft and ESRI products) they have also added the ability to BORK your computer.  AGAIN.  Remember 7.0

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Thneed Digest – Week 2017 – 09

Just a quick update so that people know that a last minute FBRI workshop is happening.  Sounded like the release of the new software… But we have been expecting the new release next week for the past several years.  If it is being released not a moment too soon based on the bugs that people have been telling us about the current version.  While we have only recently started this take a look at the FPS Wiki.  As bugs and other information surfaces we will try to keep you up to date.  This Wiki/FAQ is not a priority for FSD so if you want to join and help out use the contact form at the end of this post to request an account.

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Thneed Digest – Week 2017 – 04

Everyone got the new FPS updates right…  Ya FSD didn’t either so you’re not alone.  Looks like it will still be a few years off or maybe months.  No one knows.  After all we still get to watch the same power point presentations dated 2014 about all the results of the work we have not seen.

Having spoken with several contributors it was brought to my attention that none of us recall from the annual meeting any hint of training.

Finally the latest is the announcement for a biometrician position and grad student scholarship.

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Thneed Digest – Week 2016 – 43

An update on what FSD knows…

Well not much is new.  I know that this may come as a shock to some but no updates were released at the previous workshop as it had been hinted.  The latest is that “Sometime early next year” a new library will be distributed.  This has been the response for the past several years.  One more reason that Endowment Contributors shouldn’t change to Annual Contributors.

Speaking of the last workshop the Penguins from the office here attended the event.  As you can see from the lack of post here it was not terribly remarkable.  The agenda would be a good place to start talking about all that we learned but the office Penguins here don’t want to have to rewrite the agenda since the distributed one was barely addressed in its distributed form.

The FBRI Annual Meeting is on the horizon.  YOU SHOULD ATTEND!!  While another mock Board Meeting will happen this is your best opportunity to interact with other Contributing Organizations and the Board of Directors.  This is the only time that anyone can publicly ask the “Hard questions”.  FSD will be there will you or your organization?  Shoot me a note at the bottom of this post if you think you will be there.

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Thneed Digest – Week 2016 – 35

An update on what FSD knows…

Based on the latest FBRI email it looks as if the much awaited library updates are on the way.  The only word on release is “mid-September”.  No year was listed.  However, if this is true that means that the analysis has passed the Best Biometrics Practices Review Committee.  This is a required step for all library releases! While FSD did not hear a call for people to join the committee to review the analysis we are sure that it must have happened as the Board of Directors and the President have stated publicly that all libraries WILL be reviewed this way and that it doesn’t matter who did the analysis.  Also no word on the numerous reported FPS bugs.  Will they be patched at this time no one knows.  Some scheme to “protect” the library was said to be implemented in the software so it seems that priority should have been given to fixing the bugs over spending excessive amounts of time “protecting” the libraries.

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Thneed Digest – Week 2016 – 28

An update on what FSD knows…

This is kind of important.  Recently FBRI mailed out letters to all supporting organizations (because remember there are no members that has a different legal meaning).  The focus of this letter was to promote Endowment Contributing Organizations to terminate in favor of yearly payments.  Full disclosure Free State Drivers is an Endowment Contributing Organization and FSD will NOT be terminating the contract in favor of receiving the promised benefits when FSD paid its original fees.  Why is FSD making this decision?

  1. We entered into a contract and expect it to be fulfilled.
  2. The yearly fee keeps going up but the benefit keeps going down
    • No new library contrary to presentations dated 2012 and 2014 that say it is done.  Plus this new library is password protected or some nonsense.  How many hours did it take to implement this?
    • No new software with meaningful fixes in years.
    • No new documentation that hasn’t been put out in some other form in the past several years.
    • Likely no TRS (calibration tools) to be provided
  3. Most Endowment Organizations do NOT use the majority of the resources
  4. As a consultant FPS is not my only choice for my clients.  For the ones that we do use FPS for they are already annual contributors or are urged to become annual contributors.
  5. A “carryover” of nearly 1/4 million USD for a 501c3 organization.
  6. Finally what about building the endowment? Making the resources free as promoted when organizations joined.  No one has seen the efforts taken in the past to reach the goal.

PLEASE if you are an Endowment Contributing Organization think long and hard before making this choice.  Hold FBRI accountable for the agreement that they made with us all.  I strongly urge people not to terminate the contracts.  Perhaps a voluntary additional contribution is reasonable but don’t lose the benefits that many of you all signed up for and can never be resumed.

What are your thoughts? Read the rest and send us an email on your thoughts.

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