Archive for the ‘Free Software’ Category

Blueprint Software Systems Announces Free Trial for RPA Analytics Solution – PR Web

Organizations can now assess automations for instant, robust analytics and identify actionable ways to improve their RPA estate to reduce costs and increase returns

TORONTO, April 24, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ --Blueprint Software Systems a leading provider of RPA (Robotic Process Automation) migration and RPA analytics solutions today announced a free trial of their robust RPA Analytics Dashboards. This free trial enables automation leaders to assess a sample of their RPA bots and get instant analytics and deep insight into a portion of their RPA estate. This new offering from Blueprint aims to tackle a common challenge many RPA managers face the lack of understanding and visibility into their RPA practices.

The RPA Dashboard Free Trial offers users limited, complimentary access to Blueprint's powerful and highly esteemed RPA Analytics Dashboards. By simply completing a short form to register, users gain immediate access to a personalized trial dashboard where they can upload and analyze their RPA bots.

"The objective of the free trial is to enable RPA leaders to gain some valuable insight into their automation estate and illuminate where inefficiencies and duplicates might exist to reduce costs," explains Blueprint President and CEO, Dan Shimmerman. "This is also an opportunity for users to take Blueprint's incredibly powerful RPA Analytics solution for a test drive without pressure or strings attached. The aim is to see how it can pay significant dividends in terms of better understanding your RPA estate and where improvements can be made for higher returns."

Specifically, Blueprint's RPA Dashboard Free Trial provides users with detailed data on their automations, including size, modules, complexity, and the applications and systems they interact with. It also provides insights into the quantity and type of code blocks used and identifies any unresolved references that may affect performance.

Accessing the Blueprint RPA Dashboard Free Trial is straightforward. Interested parties simply need to fill out a brief form on Blueprint's website here. Upon submission, users are directed to their exclusive and unique dashboard, where they can immediately upload their bots for analysis and get instant analytics.

This free trial is another shining example of Blueprint's commitment to empowering RPA leaders with the tools and technology they need to reduce the total cost of ownership for their automation practice while optimizing the performance of their automated processes. With no obligations or fees involved, Blueprint's RPA Dashboard Free Trial is an essential resource for anyone looking to improve their RPA initiative and better understand their automation estate.

For more information on Blueprint RPA Dashboard Free Trial and how to get started, visit https://www.blueprintsys.com/trial/rpa-dashboard-trial.

About Blueprint

Blueprint Software Systems is a global software company that helps organizations assess and improve their process automation practice, increasing the value their automations deliver while reducing operating costs. Blueprint's platform ingests entire automation portfolios and delivers invaluable insight and analytics into those estates, indicating where there are redundancies, overly complex automations, andre-platforming opportunities to migrate entire digital workforces to new generation intelligent automation platforms at a fraction of the cost and quicker than any other option available.

For more information, visitwww.blueprintsys.com

Media Contact

CHRIS KOSMOPOULOS, Blueprint Software Systems, 1 4169868327, [emailprotected], https://www.blueprintsys.com/

SOURCE Blueprint Software Systems

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Blueprint Software Systems Announces Free Trial for RPA Analytics Solution - PR Web

Houston Police, Hyundai to host free anti-theft security event for vehicle owners – Houston Public Media

FILE: A line of 2022 Santa Fe SUVs sit outside a Hyundai dealership Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021, in Littleton, Colo.

This weekend the Houston Police Department is partnering with Hyundai to decrease Houston's rising car theft rate.

According to Dave VandeLine, Vice President of Hyundai America, Hyundai vehicles have seen a 61% increase in theft since the summer of 2021. This is mostly due to a social media trend that exposed the security flaws of Hyundai and Kia vehicles. To address these issues, the company has started a program to improve its vehicles security.

"So Hyundai set out to work on an alarm solution, kind of a basic alarm solution, a steering wheel lock distribution program, and engineering software solutions, Vandeline said.

This weekend Hyundai is hosting a free anti-theft clinic event at Greenspoint Mall. Hyundai technicians will be on-site to upgrade the security of Hyundai vehicles.

Owners of Hyundai vehicles built between 2011 and 2021 will receive software upgrades, and all Hyundai vehicles will be provided steering wheel locks. The process will take less than 30 minutes, and police officers will be present at the event.

VandeLine said the event is the third one in Texas; Hyundai previously ran the anti-theft clinic in Austin and El Paso.

The free event will take place on the west side of Greenspoint Mall, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Dana Hitzman, Commander of the Auto Theft Division, said the trend of high car theft rates across the country has affected Houston, and Hyundai vehicles are highly targeted.

"We know that auto thefts are a problem across the country. In over the last three years, we've had an increase of auto thefts, specifically in Houston, Hitzman said. Although the trend took a little time to reach the Houston area, we have since observed increases similar to other major cities.

The police department urged residents to exercise caution to prevent car theft by parking in garages when possible, using modern car alarms and tracking devices, and never leaving a vacant car running.

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Houston Police, Hyundai to host free anti-theft security event for vehicle owners - Houston Public Media

Hyundai providing free anti-theft software installation this weekend at Greenspoint Mall – KHOU.com

The free anti-theft software installation is available for people who own a 2010-2021 Hyundai.

HOUSTON The Houston Police Department said the thefts of Hyundais have been on the rise for the past few years in Houston, which is why it's partnering with the motor company to install free anti-theft software for some Hyundai owners this weekend.

Specially trained mobile service technicians will be at Greenspoint Mall, located at 12300 North Freeway, from Friday, April 19 through Sunday, April 21 to install this software for 2010-2021 Hyundais owners. No appointment is necessary.

Technicians will be on-site from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Hyundai said the installation should take less than 30 minutes.

Houston police said they first saw a spike in theft of Hyundais in 2021. That's when social media posts started to circulate about how an alleged design flaw made Hyundias and Kias easier to steal.

Hyundai said as the trend grew, it began developing engine software solutions to safeguard customers.

"Our focus is on supporting our customers, but we realize this theft ring brings a lot of impact to the community and also to the police departments," said Dave VandeLinde with Hyundai.

Police said they typically see an increase in auto thefts in the spring and summer months.

"We know that vehicles are a lifeline for everyone to get to work, to attend school, to care for our families, and this crime prevention project is an opportunity for citizens to take action," said Dana Hitzman with HPD's Auto Theft Division.

Although the event is focused on Hyundai models from 2010 to 2021, any Hyundai owner can pick up a free steering wheel lock.

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Hyundai providing free anti-theft software installation this weekend at Greenspoint Mall - KHOU.com

Ubuntu Studio in new LTS beta; still the easiest creative Linux distro – CDM Create Digital Music – Create Digital Music

Ubuntu Studio remains the quickest one-shot way to get at Linux and free software for music, sound, video, media, and 3D. And they deserve some extra love now, especially since Apple Silicon has slightly deflated desktop Linux attention. Heres a look at the long-term support version that just hit beta, due later this month.

Ubuntu Studio has its own release cadence, so yes, 24.04 the April 2024 release is an LTS (long-term support) release. 24.04.1 will then come in August 2024, with full stable support.

We can dive into various Linux distros for media work another day, but the simplest way to say this is that Ubuntu Studio is the easiest answer to the following use cases:

That last one, especially.

Theres some great stuff in this release and the most recent. Here are a few highlights:

To me, just having PipeWire (the audio engine for general use) play nicely with JACK (the multi-point audio engine we rely on in performance-dependent music applications) is a godsend. See specifically their Ubuntu Studio audio configuration. Look, the truth is, you can basically get any distro with decent package management to run anything you want. Ubuntu Studio always set itself apart by figuring out how to navigate the one area that could cause issues all the audio cruft. And theyve really made headway now, to the point that they also can recommend PipeWire for professional use. (But JACK is still there for when you need to integrate music and audio tools in creative ways.)

Now, Im sure someone will have some alternative ideas for distros to run and some are better at focusing on true free software, privacy, and avoiding proprietary tools so please, Id love to hear some discussion. Ubuntu Studio just provides a good starting place, and is often a great choice when you have a box you want to get up and running as a desktop quickly. (I also like the server Ubuntu, but thats another discussion.)

These efforts are all truly community-driven you can bet that creative video and music tools are something that get really zero private support. So they deserve some love and feedback if you find bugs or can contribute.

Also, this may not be obvious, but while downloading the full Ubuntu Studio distro and running off a USB stick is the easiest way to start an installation on an Intel-based machine from scratch, you can also get the same advantages on any Ubuntu flavor or install. That means you might:

Thats covered in the installer.

See the official site: https://ubuntustudio.org/

And check the latest news, which covers a bit more on how theyre handling communications and community support changes recently. (Im sad to see them leave Matrix; thats another topic!)

Oh yeah, and speaking of things you can now run on Linux:

See some reviews:

And the release this is based on:

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Ubuntu Studio in new LTS beta; still the easiest creative Linux distro - CDM Create Digital Music - Create Digital Music

How to get free help with income tax prep, or free software | Business | postandcourier.com – The Post and Courier

It's that time of year when many people think about getting their income tax returns filed, and once again there are several options for free preparation assistance and free software.

For those with uncomplicated returns, the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program stands out because it has no income limit for anyone in need of help.

Tax-Aide probably has locations near you, and it operates most of the federally sanctioned Tax Counseling for the Elderly programs. But it's not just for older taxpayers.

Tax-Aide volunteers can prepare your taxes in person or help you prepare them online.To find in-person hours and locations often in libraries, community centers and churches usethe site locator tool onlineat aarp.org or call 888-227-7669.

An Internal Revenue Service 2023 1040 tax form and instructions are shown on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. For many people filing U.S. tax returns especially those doing it for their first time it can seem like a daunting task.

Free software is also available for filers with an adjusted gross income of $79,000 or less.

Like many assistance sites staffed by trained volunteers, Tax-Aide said it may not be able to help with complicated returns, such as those involving businesses or rental property income.

The IRSVolunteer Income Tax Assistance program has a higher income limit for help with 2023 returns, up $4,000 from last year. It offers free basic tax return preparation for people who generally make $64,000 or less and for people with disabilities or limited English-speaking skills.

To find locations in or near your ZIP code, use the search tool online atirs.treasury.gov/freetaxprepor call 800-906-9887.

Before going to a site for in-person assistance, check on what forms and documents you'll need to bring so that you and the volunteers don't end up frustrated. Tax-Aide and other providers have lists online, but if you've ever prepared a tax return, you probably know what's involved.

Just want free software to prepare your own taxes? If your household's adjusted gross income is $79,000 or less (line 11 on last year's return), the IRS Free File Online program offers filing technology from eight different companies.

Four of those vendors 1040.com, TaxSlayer, ezTaxReturn and OLT/OnLine Taxes also offer free state income tax returns for South Carolina for users who qualify for the free federal filing. Note when choosing a software option that some providers have lower income limits than the $79,000 IRS cap.

Access these offers directly through the IRS at apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile. Otherwise, you could end up on the wrong website and be charged for the same or similar products.

In South Carolina, SC Thrive and Trident United Way are working together to help with advice and online tax filing. The income limit is $79,000, the same as for free filing software through the IRS, but the groups also offer free help from trained tax counselors.

Reach SC Thrive at scthrive.orgor 800-726-8774.

In the Charleston region, in-person tax clinics are also available. Most of them are part of the VITA program mentioned earlier, and ways to find locations include calling theTrident United Wayhelp line at 2-1-1, texting 211211 or clicking on the VITA tab at SC211.org.

The 2024 tax season officially started Jan. 29, when the IRS began accepting what's expected to be nearly 129 million individual tax returns for income last year. The deadline to file is April 15.

This year, the IRS said there will be increased help on its toll-free number 800-829-1040 which was notorious for long waits previously. A customer callback feature, it is hoped, will reduce wait times.

The agency also is experimenting with a free way to directly file federal returns, but South Carolina is not among the dozen test states forDirect File.

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How to get free help with income tax prep, or free software | Business | postandcourier.com - The Post and Courier