Web currents [July 2003]

ADMINISTRATIVE

URTS OF GEORGIA

Web Currents OFFICEOFTHECO 1973

July 2003

A Publication of the Administrative Office of the Georgia Courts www.georgiacourts.org

Vol. 3 No. 2

Court Fee Calculator

by Sharon Evans

The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) announces the release of a web-based

Budget, Finance and Personnel, conducted an extensive analysis of court fee processing from interviews

"Court Fee Calculator." This appli-

conducted during onsite research

cation will allow the courts to accu-

throughout Georgia. It was deter-

rately assess court-mandated fees for

mined that appropriate technology

criminal fines and civil filings.

and additional training on court fee

Currently, the

assessment was

calculator is

needed, and

active for mis-

this determina-

demeanor,

tion led to the

traffic, and

development of

ordinance

the court fee

violations,

calculator.

but AOC

The courts

plans to

will be able to

include

use the infor-

felonies and

mation calculat-

civil matters

ed in many

within the

ways. After the

next few

"Calculate" but-

months.

Fee Calculator Form Page

In October

ton is clicked, a document will

2001, the

appear detailing

Georgia Department of Audits and

the fines and fees owed. This docu-

Accounts released a performance

ment can be used as a receipt or

audit on court fee assessment and

used as backup for monthly reports.

disbursement. The audit results

The calculator can also be used to

determined that several issues need-

verify the information on fine

ed to be addressed by the judicial

schedules and from computer soft-

branch. The AOC took the lead in

ware that automatically calculates

expanding the audit to determine

fees.

appropriate steps for improving the

As described by Rex McElrath,

current system. Kevin Tolmich,

AOC Network Administrator, several

assisted by Teresa Pumphrey and

actions occur once the Calculate

Ashley Garner of the Office of

button is clicked. The fee calculator

application takes the data entered on the form page and fills in the "holes" on the receipt page.
1) Logic rules in the programming function like a calculator by adding and subtracting the numbers entered on the form page.
2) The results of the calculations and the labeling information (name, receipt #, etc.) are posted into specified areas on the following preformatted page, creating a page that looks like a filled out receipt.
Even though the calculator is web-based, it can be customized for each individual court. The database function comes into play in the setup of the court's profile. The court can set up rules that change
continued page 2
Inside
WEB CURRENTS
Tools for Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 3 Have a Cookie? . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 4 The Benefits of
Technical Training . . . . . . . . pg.6 Avoiding the Pitfalls of
Spell Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 7

2

WEB CURRENTS

Court Fee Calculator continued

July 2003

the way a fee is processed, such as

Programming components of the

the development and implementa-

eliminating certain fees that only

pages are comprised of Java Servlets

tion of this application are listed

apply to one type of court. For

and business components for Java,

below:

example, if a fee applies to munici-

BC4J. The data storage and records

pal court but not to magistrate

keeping, to maintain data from page

Tresha Eaglin, Human Resources;

court, a rule can be

to page and dur-

Rex McElrath, Technology and

developed that will

ing refreshes of

Research;

apply the fee only to

the web pages, of

Ashley Garner, Office of Budget,

the appropriate

the application is

Finance, and Personnel;

court.

maintained in a

Teresa Pumphrey, Office of Budget,

Court personnel

Oracle version 9i

Finance, and Personnel;

can log in to the

database. The

Walt Hickman, Technology and

setup system using

widely varied

Research;

the court ORI num-

development

Kevin Tolmich, Office of Budget,

ber1 and adapt the

tasks were shared

Finance, and Personnel;

application to their

among several

William Lewis III, Technology and

specific needs. The court will not have

Sample Receipt Page

employees including Walt

Research.

to re-enter the information and the

Hickman, William Lewis, and Rex

New features are currently being

function is secured. After the setup

McElrath.

developed and AOC requests that

is completed, the courts can enter

The website for the calculator is

the courts provide input on what

information such as offense, fine

http://cfs.gaaoc.us/cfs or the courts

additional features are needed.

amount, offender, etc. and calculate

can link over from the www.georgia- Please feel free to contact Kevin

fees based on the fine amount.

courts.org website.

Tolmich at tolmichk@gaaoc.us or

Because courts handle sentencing of

Numerous meetings took place

404-463-3822 with your comments

offenders differently, the calculator

throughout the audit, development,

or questions.

can calculate fees in two ways: 1) if the judge sentences by giving a fine amount subject to any additional

and implementation processes inter-department, interagency, oneon-ones, and training. Workshops

1ORI stands for Originating Agency Identifier, which is a number assigned to a computer by the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC).

fees and costs or 2) if the judge sen-

on the proper calculation of court

tences a total fine amount which includes fees and costs.

fees were held for municipal court clerks.

Please

The AOC's Technology and Research staff designed the back end

The Court Fee Calculator is an excellent example of multi-depart-

Recycle

of the application. The court fee

ment teamwork. Contributors to

calculator was programmed using

JDeveloper 9.0.3 and Dreamweaver Ultradev4. The programming lan-

CTC8 Scholarships Available

guages used were Java and

Procedural Language/

Student and general registration scholarships are available for the

Structured Query Language(PL/SQL).

Court Technology Conference (CTC8) to be held on October 28-31,

The side presented to the user (such

2003, in Kansas City, Missouri.

as a store front to a customer) is

Student requests are due July 15; general registration scholarships

called the front end and runs on an

are due August 15.

Oracle application server, version 9i;

the types of web pages used are Java

Scholarship details are available at http://www.ctc8.net/scholarships.asp

Server Pages and HTML.

July 2003

WEB CURRENTS

Tools for Life
by Sharon Evans
Tools for Life serves as a resource for Georgians with disabilities who need access to technology training and equipment to enhance their work, family, and social lives. This agency was established as part of the Technology-Related Assistance for Disabilities Act of 1988, which was amended in 1994. Its mission is "to promote the independence and participation of Georgians with disabilities and their families through assistive technology for living, learning, working and playing."
Tools for Life, and other similar programs, are important resources for the Georgia judicial system. As citizens, taxpayers, and voters, people with disabilities are entitled to the same rights and privileges as people without them. Technology services such as those described below will offer greater access to government and court services by providing access to electronic documents, accommodation during jury duty, assisting with criminal and civil defense, etc.
Several services under Tools for Life combine to provide funding,

training, equipment, and referrals for the approximately 1.7 million people in the state of Georgia with varying levels of disability. These services are briefly summarized below. For more detailed information, see these websites:
http://www.gatfl.org/
Tools for Life (http://www.gatfl.org/) and Georgia Department of Labor Rehabilitation Services (http://www.vocrehabga.org/lev2f.html). Assistive Technology Resource Centers (ATRCs) The ATRCs provide interactive demonstrations, training, and testing on current assistive products

Parolee Database Unveiled
The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles has launched a website from which citizens can search for parolee information. The database of approximately 22,000 parolees can be searched by zip code, parolee name, and prison ID number. Information in the database includes the parolee's photograph, home address, physical description, parole dates, and most serious offense.
Senate Bill 23, nicknamed the "Know Thy Neighbor Act," was introduced by Senate President Pro Tempore Eric Johnson and was passed in 1997. Its purpose is to provide an "electronic neighborhood watch" in the interest of public safety.
State parole officers will update the database information daily from their laptops. The standard is that address and parole information will be no more than one day old.
Visit http://www.pap.state.ga.us/parolee_database.htm

3
and new developments. Other services include resources for legal assistance, funding, equipment acquisition, and legislative policy review.
ReBoot Computer Recycling Program ReBoot is a project that recycles technical equipment. The equipment is received, evaluated, serviced, and distributed to people with disabilities who are then trained to use it. ReBoot also designs and assembles ADA-compliant workstations.
Assistive technology accepted includes, but is not limited to, laptops, PCs and MACs, software, midrange and mainframe systems, file servers, dental and medical equipment, and cell phones. Contributions are tax deductible.
gTrade Equipment Exchange Program Through gTrade's online database, people can trade, sell, or donate assistive technology to others who need it.
Dollars and Sense Funding Guide This funding guide provides information on financial resources for acquiring assistive technology devices and services. The guide is available in three formats: online search, CD, or online download.
Learning Disabilities and Assistive Technologies This section provides detailed information about the purpose of the Tools for Life program and descriptions of learning disability and assistive technology. Briefly, a learning disability can be described as problems with understanding, retaining,
continued page 5

4

WEB CURRENTS

July 2003

Have a Cookie?

By Sharon Evans
Hello, Sharon!" always greets me on the Delta.com homepage. How in the world did the website know it was me?
Welcome to the world of cookies. Cookies are information files that are placed on your hard drive when you visit some websites. When you return to that website using your browser, the data is retrieved by the site's web server. For example, when I enrolled online in the frequent flyer program, a cookie from Delta.com, with some of the information from the form, was placed on my hard drive. When I revisit the Delta site, that cookie specifies who I am.
The list of cookies on your computer can usually be found on the "C" drive. The files can be opened in a text editor such as Notepad and in most cases you can determine what website placed it. A cookie may look like this "anything@somecompany.txt"
One of the purposes of cookies is to personalize your website visit. Along with greeting you by name, cookies can present the web site in colors you specify, maintain your online shopping cart, recall your preferred travel destinations, etc. The other more controversial purpose is to gather information about

your purchasing and web surfing habits for target marketing. A cookie CANNOT spread a virus, access your passwords, or reveal your secret identity. Also, it can only be accessed by the server that sent the cookie; anysite.com cannot use the cookie sent by delta.com
An exception to the above rule: While a web server cannot access information from another site's cookie, it can contract with the other site to get the information it wants. Marketing companies do this in order to get information about what, when, how much, and where you buy, and how you pay. They use this information to develop web marketing targeted directly to you.
There are ways to manage how cookies affect your computer use and what information they contain. You can turn off cookies or ask to be prompted when a cookie is about to be placed. However, by turning off cookies, any site that you have customized will no longer hold your settings. Because cookies are so

prevalent, if you set your browser to prompt you for cookies, you will spend a lot of time responding to the prompt to either accept or reject the cookie. Another thing you can do is -- well, lie. When filling out an online form, give a false e-mail address, income, phone number, or anything else you do not want them to know.
Cookie managers are software products that can automatically make "decisions" in the background on which ones to keep and which to reject. Freeware and shareware programs are available on the Internet. A few of these products are "Cookie Crusher," "CookiePal," and "AnalogX Cookie Wall" for PCs, and "Magic Cookie Monster" for the Mac, just to name a few.
Overall, cookies are safe. But, when accepting a cookie, your privacy takes a hit. You have to determine how important that is to you.
continued page 5

4 Theories on the Origin of the Term "Cookie"
1. Netscape invented web cookies and the word was chosen arbitrarily.

Hurst, Mark. "Can You Catch a Virus from a Cookie?" Creativegood.com 9/4/97. http://www.creativegood.com/help/ c070.html
Hurst, Mark. What's a Cookie? Creativegood.com http://www.creativegood.com/help/c012.html
Kyrnin, Jennifer. "What Are Web Cookies?" About.com http://html.about.com/library/weekly/aa082498. htm?terms=cookies
"Web Design Glossary". 2/6/97. About.com http://webdesign.about.com/ library/glossary/blglossary.htm

2. A virus created by a Unix programmer would cause a "Cookie Monster" to pop up demanding "Me Want a Cookie" until the computer user typed in the word "Cookie."
3. Unix operating systems used "Tokens" which were sometimes called "magic cookies."
4. A comic book titled Hear the Sound of My Feet Walking...Drown the Sound of My Voice Talking featured Hugh and Sam who were given magic cookies by another character who used the cookies to enter Hugh's dream.
http://www.sls.lib.il.us/reference/por/features/97/cookies.html

July 2003

WEB CURRENTS

5

Have a Cookie? continued

And, there's nothing wrong with refusing a cookie.
Where You've Been on the Internet
In addition to cookies, two other web browser features track your Internet activity: The History list is automatically created and displays the links for Web sites and pages you previously visited. The Favorites menu contains a list you create of the web pages you frequently visit or wish to return to at a later time.
Open Records Laws and Cookies Open records legislation varies widely in what types of electronic

information are covered. Accessibility of hard copy records is much less controversial than access to electronic data. Federal and state court rulings have not settled the controversies over the release of personal information in electronic databases, day-to-day computer use by government employees, private versus public content on government websites, etc.
Cookies have been caught up in the furor as well. A Tennessee court action by a newspaper publisher argued that cookie files on computers used by city employees must be released under the Tennessee Public Records Act, and that refusal to do so was a violation of the First Amendment. A federal judge ruled

that there was not a First Amendment violation, however, left in question whether or not the cookie files were covered by the open records law. The ruling is expected to be appealed in federal court and/or re-filed in state court.
In Georgia, judicial branch agencies are not subject to the Open Records Act of OCGA 50-18-70. However, where the Open Records Act applies in Georgia, it reaches certain records that are in electronic format. This area of the law has been evolving, and whether the Open Records Act applies in a particular situation would seem to depend upon the particular facts and type of record involved.

Tools for Life continued

and/or retrieving information. These types of problems are frequently confused with others such as emotional and behavior problems, retardation, and slow learning. Learning disabilities occur in people of normal and above-average intelligence levels and the problems can occur across all race, class, and cultural groups.
Assistive technology equipment is a tool that enhances the abilities of people with disabilities to live independently within their communities. High-tech and expensive items are not always the best. Depending upon the individual, a wide range of high- to low-tech and expensive to inexpensive tools are considered in order to choose that one that will produce optimum results.
Listed below are the websites and contact information for the various Tools for Life services.

General Information: Georgia/VR/Tools for Life Program 1700 Century Circle, Suite 300 Atlanta, Georgia 30345 Voice 1-800-497-8665 Toll-free TDD 1-866-373-7778, Atlanta TDD 404-486-6333 http://www.gatfl.org/
ReBoot: 4508 Bibb Boulevard, Suite B-10 Tucker, Georgia 30084 Voice 770-934-8432 carolynpphillips@mindspring.com www.gatfl.org/reboot/default.htm
gTrade: gTrade Tools for Life 1700 Century Circle, Suite 300 Atlanta, Georgia, 30345 Voice 1-800-497-8665 www.gtradeonline.org/general.htm

Dollars and Sense Funding Guide: To access the guide, http://www.gatfl.org/ds/default.htm For additional information, contact rebeccaroper@mindspring.com Subject Attn: Funding Specialist
Learning Disabilities and Assistive Technologies: www.gatfl.org/ldguide/default.htm
Accessible Technologies Unlock Potential. Solution Spotlight. Government Technology. December 2, 2003.
State of Georgia. Department of Labor. Rehabilitation Services. Tools for Life. www.vocrehabga.org/lev2f.html (3/21/03). Tools for Life. www.gatlf.org/ (3/21/03)

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WEB CURRENTS

The Benefits of Technical Training

July 2003

By Ebon N. Richardson

As the world of technology becomes more diverse and advanced, many employees may find that they are left behind due to the demands of an innovative work environment. Many of the software applications that were popular for years are now being revised or replaced with more complex, yet more efficient, programs. This office innovation, although in many ways helpful, can also be disheartening to office employees. These new applications can help employees perform their jobs more efficiently and increase the quality of their work, but many employees simply do not have the personal resources to learn the new software on their own. Because of this, employers are finding ways to keep their staff's computer skills upto-date, including bringing in technically trained staff to offer low-cost or free training classes. This is one of the best training solutions available to employees who choose to participate and reap the benefits that come with taking these classes.
The benefits that are gained from the training classes can be broken down into two categories: personal benefits and benefits to the employer.
Personal Benefits
Employer-sponsored training classes save employees the anxiety of locating and paying for classes from an outside institution. It could cost hundreds of dollars for an individual to purchase effective training software, in addition to the frustration of training themselves. The cost of paying for training from an institution is just as costly. Classes start in the mid$300 range for the same information that could be available through their employer.

Job advancement is another benefit that comes along with improving work skills. Having knowledge of basic technical concepts demonstrates the employee's competence and ability to adapt within the organization. By learning such applications as conceptual and logical data modeling, physical design and implementation, and the ability to develop and maintain databases, employees become more valuable to the success of their employer or organization.
Can your employees
hurdle today's technical obstacles?
With a little training, they can.
Benefits to the Employer
Improving the skills of office employees has proven to increase productivity. Training classes decrease on-the-job instruction and allow more time to be devoted to the operations of the organization. They give employees the ability to work independently without requiring the assistance of other employees, therefore, reducing interruptions.
Providing training enables the organization to use its time and resources in a more cost-efficient manner.
Enhancing the technical skill level in the office enhances the protection of office information.

Having skilled professionals in the office reduces the need to have complex projects completed by an outside source.
Low- to no-cost employer-provided training increases employee retention rates. Employees appreciate receiving the skills needed to perform their job functions and being given the opportunity to grow within their company.
Providing training increases employees' confidence and willingness to do their best, which in turn provides the organization with the tools to progress along with the ever-changing, technology-driven business world.
Government employers and employees must realize that technology training is not just for people working in a technological field. Office employees need to have the skills to advance and government employers must compete with the private sector. This progression is so important because day-byday the business world is growing and becoming more dependent on computers. Whether sending out interoffice memos or formal letters to government officials; whether developing budget spreadsheets or presentations; whether sending an e-mail or scanning documents to be electronically filed, computers are relied upon as a means of quality communication. The operations of all organizations -- large and small, government and private sector -- are dependent on technology on a daily basis. For this reason, all office employees need to take these training classes when made available by their employer. Taking advantage of the training classes will benefit employees and make the organization as a whole more efficient and effective.

July 2003

WEB CURRENTS

7

Avoiding the Pitfalls of Electronic Spelling and Grammar Checkers

by Sharon Evans

With just a quick glance at the following sentences, it's easy to determine what step the writers skipped during the writing process electronic spell check to catch typos and errors in grammar

What They Can Do Spell check programs catch many typos and misspellings, but don't put too much trust in them. It's only software. It needs your input to produce the desired result an accurate, professional document with credibility.

Richard Stern, a computer engineer at Carnegie Mellon, refers to the likelihood of an accurate electronic correction as a percentage less than 100%. He says, "Grammar and spelling software will never approach the complexity of the human mind."

This project seek1 to elimnate2 many of the frustrations citizens experience when attempting to contact public official.3
The staf4 meeting will be hold5 in the Superior Room; the agenda has slready6 been distributed.
However, there are subtle spelling and grammar errors that spell checkers may overlook:
The privacy legislation will effect7 many aspects of our work.
One positive affect8 of the light show will be fewer bored students.

What They Can't Do Spell checkers catch spelling errors but can be less effective at catching errors in word usage.
Also, spell checkers may identify as errors items that are actually correct. Don't set your spell checker to automatically correct a document.
You are the best grammar and spell checker There's no substitute for good, oldfashioned personal spelling skills and careful proofreading. The spell check function is only as good as its programming and no spell checkers can catch all misspellings and grammatical errors.

Common words that spell check may not distinguish. Words that have similar pronunciations, but different spellings and meanings (homonyms), slip past spell checkers with ease.

It's its except accept two too no know

who's whose hear here board bored affect effect

1Should be "seeks" (verb must agree with the subject in number and in person) 2 - 6Spelling errors 7 Should be "affect" (a verb is needed here; "effect" is a noun) 8Should be "effect" (a noun is needed here; "affect" is a verb)

Web Browser Wars

The chart below details the `90s browser war between Netscape's Navigator and Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web browsers. Between 1993 and 1995, a period during which Microsoft was keeping an eye on Apple as a potential Internet

threat, Navigator gained overwhelming market share over Internet Explorer. However, by 1999 Internet Explorer met and then exceeded Navigator's market share. Despite the huge expense of legal battles with competitors, partners, and regulators,

Internet Explorer still reigns as the most popular Web browser worldwide.
Borland, John. Browser wars: High price, huge rewards. ZDNet. April 15, 2003. http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104996866.html

BROWSER MARKET SHARE PERCENTAGES

NETSCAPE MICROSOFT OTHERS

1995
80.1 2.9 17

1996
73 20 7

1997
57.6 39.4
3

1998
54 39 7

1999
30.7 67.5 1.8

2000
17.7 82.2 0.1

2001
9.8 89.9 0.3

2002
7.2 91.5 1.3

2003
3.7 95.9 0.4

Sources: Results from 1995 to 1997 compiled by Dataquest; 1999 to 2003 findings provided by WebSideStory; 1998 figures from ZD Market Intelligence.

georgiacourts.org news
by Brian Collins

Traffic to the official website of Georgia's Judicial Branch (www.georgiacourts.org) continues to increase with over 800,000 hits in the month of February. Since its inception, traffic to the website has increased as more people hear about the website and as more people use the Internet on a regular basis.
Expect to see a new look as soon as plans for the new website design are finalized. The new look will be more intuitive and user-friendly. The Administrative Office of the Courts continues to work with Web Design Consortium partner Kennesaw State University on this project.
We are also providing several email listservs to Georgia's judiciary.

Listservs are a means of group communication for users with common interests. A listserv is based on an email address, which, when messages are sent to it, forwards the message to all subscribed members. Only subscribed members can post to the list, providing a secure means of communication that takes advantage of the ease and convenience of email as a method for group communication. If you have a group you feel could benefit from a listserv, please contact Brian Collins (collinsb@gaaoc.us) at the AOC to discuss your needs.
New websites recently developed include Georgia Commission on Interpreters, the Board of Court Reporting, the Council of Magistrate Judges, and several probate courts.

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Web Currents
Administrative Office of the Courts 244 Washington Street, S.W., Suite 300 Atlanta, GA 30334-5900

GREG ARNOLD Assistant Director Research and Technology
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