How to build GNUmed packages for Ubuntu from Debian

Packaging for multiple distributions and operating systems is quite some work. Our Ubuntu packages are based on the fine work of the Debian-med team.
I order to attract contributors to the GNUmed project (and to get some work off our backs :-) we have published a guide on how to build GNUmed packages for Ubuntu. Anyone willing to help us out is welcome to take a look at our Wiki.

GNUmed EMR client has been updated

The client for the electronic medical record GNUmed has been updated to version 0.4.6. There are no database fixups to apply for this release. Packages are available through the Launchpad PPA at:

https://launchpad.net/~gnumed/+archive/ppa

Feedback is always welcome.

GNUmed update tricks

Hi all,

Every so often a new GNUmed series is released. This time it changes from the 0.4.x series to the 0.5.x series. This involves two major changes. The client has new features and possibly regressions. But more important is that a new database might be needed. In this case there is a major version change in the database version.

This involves a database upgrade during the installation process and is described at http://wiki.gnumed.de/bin/view/Gnumed/ServerUpgrade2. Last but no least it involves upgrading you client config file so it will let you select the new database at client startup.

More info on how to edit your config  files can be found at: http://wiki.gnumed.de/bin/view/Gnumed/ConfigFiles

So after upgrading to client 0.5.x you will need to select version 11 of the GNUmed database.

GNUmed 0.4.6 and 0.5.rc1 released

As announced on the mailing list GNUmed Updates have been published. The stable 0.4.x series is now at version 0.4.6.

Futhermore the first release candidate of the 0.5.x series is out. This series brings new features and hopefully no new bugs. We need help to test these release candidates.

Packages for OpenSUSE , Fedora, Mandriva are available from the OpenSUSE Build service at http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/SebastianHilbert:/GNUmed/

Installation instructions are available from http://wiki.gnumed.de/bin/view/Gnumed/InstallerGuideHome

Please report any problems to gnumed-devel@gnu.org or forum.gnumed.de

OpenPhysio für die Physiotherapie

Es scheint als gäbe es noch einen zweite Bestrebung eine OpenSource Software für die Physiotherapie zu entwickeln. DIe Lösung findet sich als Alpha-Version unter www.openphysio.de. Die Macher von Thera-Pi.org sind darüber informiert.

Obwohl Konkurrenz das Geschäft belebt ist es im Anfangsstadium extrem schwer ein Projekt auf die Füsse zu stellen. Vielleicht finden beide Projekte ja zusammen und schaffen eine knackige Alternative.

Mindestens zwei Physiotherapiepraxe nutzen GNUmed. Da stellt sich die Frage ob man nicht alle Projekte irgendwie vereinen kann.

www.openphysio.de
www.thera-pi.org
www.gnumed.de

Dicom viewer (X)medcon packaged for Linux

Xmedcon has been packaged in its latest version 0.10.5. Apart from providing the latest version there now is a packages for OpenSUSE 11.1 as well which previously did not build.

Get it from via 1-click installation from http://software.opensuse.org/ymp/home:SebastianHilbert:GNUmed/openSUSE_11.1/xmedcon.ymp

When overengineering fights getting things done

When I had some days off from work a few weeks ago I started to hack on a GNUmed plugin for cardiac device management. The idea was simple. Avoid all the mistakes done by the software I currently use and make it even better (TM). Back then I decided to document my steps toward the goal. Those of you having followed the series are aware that the planning stage went well. Having ideas and putting them on paper or mindmaps is the easier part. When the coding started it became quiet.

Let me explain why I think that is quite natural. One has to learn new tools. In my case that means learning python and wxglade. One has to learn about the existing code. In my case that is learning about database connections and getting patient information from the database. The single most critical issue howerver is the overengineering disease.

I work with a system that takes on pacemaker management. It has some flaws. Some of them I consider serious. Producing a new system involves finding and avoiding those flaws. I got trapped however by the desire to handle every use case in the first iteration of the plugin.

The only solution is to take a step back and reduce the initial feature set without cutting down on the possibilities. The plan is to get a working version out and enhance it gradually.

Another round of ICU shifts is coming up so this will have to wait for two weeks or so.