Social Media Project - Starbucks Is King!

                         Group 19 & Starbucks 

http://www.blonde20.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/starbucks-logo.jpg

For our final project on social media, my group chose Starbucks to research. It really didn't take a very long time to choose as most of the group seemed to be leaning towards Starbucks initially. The most difficult part of the project, in my opinion, was actually the beginning. It took a little time to figure out exactly what was the best way to communicate. Once our group members identified themselves on the discussion board, we seemed to primarily post our thoughts there too. I did use some email but the discussion boards were best suited to share our progress

I have to give kudos to Melissa Harrison. She took the reins and became the group leader. She divided up the topics to research and kept the ball moving. She was also very considerate not to assume that what she posted for tasks was in stone. Everyone, i think, was happy to have someone fill this role and she did it perfectly! Especially since working in groups can be difficult and the level of difficulty is increased when the group is online. 

Not being a coffee drinker and not understanding why anyone would pay the prices charged by Starbucks, this project gave me much insight into the Starbucks company. While not converting me to become a patron, I did gain much respect for the way Starbucks utilizes social media. Probably the most impressive point for me was the way Starbucks takes a stand on issues it believes in. It may not always be politically correct and some may say they are taking a chance at offending those who don't share that view, but they continue to be successful in spite of publicly expressing those views. Views like gun control and same-sex marriage are not subjects that you usually see a company throw their two cents into. This was quite refreshing for me to see. 


I also learned that Starbucks was rated #1 in a study of the most socially engaged companies. Here is a link to an article regarding the study: www.phaseone.net/news/starbucks. What is very interesting is that they achieved this distinction without even having a social media policy. After taking a look at their Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages, just to name a few, it is even more surprising because they do such a wonderful job of communicating to their audience. I have to say that Starbucks should be the model for any firm trying to start or improve their social media presence. 
Here is the link to my groups Wiki page: 

https://ism3004socialmedia.wikispaces.com/Starbucks 



Well, finally, this is the last blog entry for ISM3004. While I am not one to openly opine, let alone write my thoughts down publicly, I found this experience very insightful. The class material and project assignments were challenging, informative, and yes fun. I see the value in taking this course and know it will be something from which I will draw from later in my career.


And with that I'll sign off as always,
 

 GO GATORS!!!
     

Week 13 Clear Social Media

http://wemtech.wikispaces.com/file/view/web1vsweb2.png/101172389/web1vsweb2.png

This week's lesson on social media presented a variety of information and statistics regarding it's usage. One type of information that I found particularly interesting was the distinction between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0. Honestly, until this week, I never even realized there was such a difference. The difference? Our textbook defines it as Web 2.0 being about collaboration and information sharing, with Web 1.0 being mostly transaction oriented. As you can see in the illustration above, much has changed in just ten years. 

Social media, content that is peer produced and shared online, has played a significant role in that change. It has allowed many people all over the world to engage and participate with others like never in human history. Here's a video showing the impact and the variety of sources of social media.




One other aspect of interest for me was the power that these outlets have had to influence businesses, society, and even the government. Most notably is the blog or web log. Our text stated that blogs have prompted the new design of insulin pumps and have been responsible for exposing various product flaws. The authors of some blogs have been featured on major television news outlets like CNN and Fox News. The late Andrew Breitbart is a perfect example. He was really just a conservative blogger that slowly rose to political fame through the power of his readership. Breitbart is known in particular for his role in the ACORN scandal, the firing and re-hiring of U.S. Department of Agriculture official Shirley Sherrod, and breaking the news on Rep. Anthony Weiner. I'd say that's a pretty huge impact from such humble beginnings.

Finally, the biggest impact for me this week was the need for businesses to harness social media for a competitive advantage. Taking a look at the top firm's in the world, you immediately see they have immersed themselves in trying to connect to their customers. The best way is through Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. It has become a format to not only speak to existing customers but, more importantly, to speak to potential customers. 

The power of social media is best summed up by Jeff Bezos, CEO at Amazon.com. He said, " If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell 6 friends. If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends.” Now, you have to agree, there is a lot of power in those numbers!


Until next time, GO GATORS!

Week 12 Clear Internet & Web

             Think and Think Again Before Clicking!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alancleaver/4105726930/

With the advent of the Internet, a new and wondrous technology provided a growth in freedom never thought of by our founding fathers. Not only was the world now able to tap into any and all information from the comfort of their own home, we could now communicate with that world without ever needing to know a phone number. Heck, except in the beginning, we don't even need to own or have access to a phone.

http://www.facebook.com/baronacton

Decades later, we are only beginning to realize how powerful a tool the Internet is and potentially could become. In 1887, Lord Acton, an English historian, said "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely". I feel the Internet illustrates that potential to corrupt. I say this mostly due to the widespread ignorance with which users have when using their computers. 


We are just beginning to understand that, even though we are in the privacy of our homes when "surfing", posting, or searching, we really don't have any privacy whatsoever on our computers. Social media has brought this fact to the forefront. It seems everyday there is a story about someone, somewhere, posting to a blog or Facebook something that gets them into trouble. The military and, increasingly, employers are demanding access to these sites to monitor the content for any red flags they deem harmful to their organization. The reason? People are putting things on the Internet that they normally wouldn't have said out loud in public. 


From bullying to complaining about work to inappropriate jokes, privacy online is just a fallacy. Once you click the send button, your content is immortalized somewhere in the ether. It is available to anyone, forever! And, you don't have to be a bad person either. Good folks are getting caught up in situations they never would have dreamed of prior to going online. The problem is, you usually won't know it until it is too late. Think of the Rutger's University students involved in the web cam incident that resulted in a suicide. 

http://momlot.com/images/hard-working-mom.jpg

 

Finally, I'll leave you with what I think is a good rule of thumb when putting something up on the Internet. I'll call it the "Mom Factor". Whenever my sons are on the computer, I tell them that they should only be putting content up that they would not mind their mother seeing, reading, or hearing about. This is, I think, as high a standard as you can use if your goal is to not be embarrassed or ashamed. It makes them THINK before, not after, the final mouse click. The soapbox has been put away.

Until next time, GO GATORS! 

Week 11 Clear Database 2

http://www.ign.com/boards/threads/are-you-a-meat-and-potatoes-kinda-guy.250043499/

This week my confidence is riding high! Following the Access project from last week, which I feel pretty confident about too, we focused on The Data Asset. This lesson was what I'll call the meat and potatoes of data management. Here we learned about what data is and some of the ways that data is driven. 

http://www.cu.edu.ge/?i=12566&l=1

First, what is data? Data is raw facts and figures. There is structured data, data that is organized, and unstructured data, data that is, well.....not organized. In the business context, data comes from all places. It comes from suppliers, manufacturers, and most importantly, from customers. Putting data together to answer a question or make a decision becomes information. A key source for this data comes from Enterprise Software. This software makes it easier to combine data across all business units to get a more robust picture for the company. The company can formulate a plan based on this data to carry out their business objectives. So as you can see, management of data is a vital skill that is constantly being utilized as the data changes, which could be quiet often.

Next, we learned about storing data. This is done using data warehouses or data marts. This is where data gets turned into information. Data warehouses are a broad type of system where several databases are used to support decision making in an organization. Data marts, on the other hand, are a more focused system that concerns a specific problem. Since data growth is the number one challenge for IT organizations, these tools are an important asset to streamlining data into information.

As you may be able to see, having the skill set to manage all of this information is a make or break difference. It can be something that will push your firm forward to success or pull it back into the business failure abyss. Our text book did a great job of giving us successes and failures to illustrate my point. 

Addhttp://symbolphotos.blogspot.com/2008/10/danger-symbol-sign-photos.html caption

 The final point I would like to make about this week's lesson was the danger of data. Mr. Olsen's lecture concerning this topic was very important. He said that the bigger the size of the data, the bigger the problem with breaches of that data. This has been documented very well in the media with the most recent being this week with a credit card payment processing company. Advancements in technology and the enormous amount of data tracking have become a double-edged sword. This sword is wielded for just as much evil as it is for good. As keepers of the sword, managers must be diligent not only in the gathering but also in the protection of the much sought after data and information. Unfortunately, evil dates back to the Bible. So I also feel confident in saying that it will be around for a very long time to come.



Until next week, GO GATORS!
 

Database Project

Well, the Database Project is complete! I feel like I have garnered a tremendous amount of useful information regarding Microsoft Access. While I understand that there is a whole lot more to Access than what was required for this project, it was a very meaningful exercise for me. Meaningful in that I learned that playing around with this software is a very useful teaching tool. There were a couple of instances where I was presented with a problem that was not fixable by just watching the lectures. For example, when I worked on the Reports part of the project everything turned out perfect except for the zip code and left date sections. When I tried to view the report in "print preview" mode, the numbers were not displayed. There were # signs in place of the digits and I couldn't understand why that was occurring. My first thought was to use the "Property Sheet" tab on the ribbon to fix it. However, after trying for probably too long with no success, I moved on to see if there was another way. Finally, I stumbled on a way to fix it. I was in Layout View and noticed when I moved a column over a bit, I could see digits. I then realized that I just needed to add space between the columns. Upon doing so, I was very pleased to see all the data displayed to specification. So while I learned how to maneuver within Access and how to use the software to achieve a desired goal, maybe the biggest takeaway for me was to not be intimidated by the unknown and to take a relaxed approach when an unforeseen problem arises. In other words, don't panic. It can be fixed!

One way to enhance the functionality of this database would be to add a form called "Reason for Leaving". This would be something filled out by members upon termination. You could use this information to see if there is a common element as to why members are leaving. You could then create a marketing campaign to address these issues based on the feedback. This would be a great way to get former members to return and possibly retain current members, while hopefully attracting new members concerned with similar issues at the gym they currently use. Since the member mailing information is already on file, a direct mailing effort would be a perfect way to inform all current and former members of the changes being made to improve service.

That's all for this week! Go Gators!

Week 10 Muddy to Clear Skills Track

This week's lesson on Microsoft Access started off muddy but by the end it had become much clearer. The main reason I say it was muddy is mostly because my only exposure was in my introductory class. Viewing the lectures actually helped me to recall certain functions that are available in Access. So, I have to say there is great value in viewing the lectures, not just to help with the project, but to also bring to the forefront of your mind things that you remember vaguely from lack of use.

The area that was most interesting was the forms and reports sections. Most people equate Access to tables. At least that was how I viewed Access. However,  to manipulate the data and display it in a specific form or to create a variety of reports is a feature that I was very unfamiliar with initially. After being exposed to these features, through the lectures, I see what seems to be endless possibilities with regards to data sets. 

My initial feeling about the Access project was a feeling of trepidation. I have never used any aspect of Access, so the thought of  having to complete a project using it caused me to feel this way. I did find a video prior to viewing the lectures that gave me a good overview of what Access was and it's usefulness with databases. Check it out here below if your not privy to the lectures we have in class. 



Well, I hope that gave you an idea of how to use Access and the different ways to group and display all sorts of data. I particularly like the way they describe how Access understands how lists and their contents relate to each other. The video also calls this "relational databases". Here is where I began to understand how useful Microsoft Access could be in a business setting. 

It is now time to tackle this week's project. I have my "cheat sheet" from the scavenger hunt and feel a whole lot better going into this assignment. Believe it or not, I am actually looking forward to playing around with Access to get a better understanding of what it is capable of doing.  

So, until next week, happy computing!

Week 9 Clear Moore's Law

This week's lesson was very interesting and informative for me. Moore's Law definition is that chip performance per dollar doubles every eighteen months. This simply means that in eighteen months, you should pay the same price as you do today but with twice as much storage. This also means that the size of the chip will continue to get smaller and smaller, to a limit.

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/silicon-innovations/moores-law-technology.html

That was the interesting part. That eventually, Moore's Law will no longer be in existence. As the text states, nature will have to takeover at some point. Size, heat, and power will ultimately hinder the extent at which Moore's Law will prevail, as it has for decades. Which means that software will need to take the lead in contributing to the progression of computing. More specifically, Quantum Computing is the technology on the horizon. This technology uses qubits that can be one and zero instead of the computing of today that uses one or zero.

Probably the most interesting part of this week's lesson was the video by Dr. Michio Kaku on the future of technology. He has a few fascinating theories of what life in the future will be like with "smart machines". He talked about programmable matter, which he described as shape shifting or invisibility cloaks ala Harry Potter. It was enough to make me wish I could live to see all the possibilities to come. For those not in our ISM 3004 class, I have added the video below so you can have a window into the vision of our modern scientists.

The Future of Technology




The vast potential of what is to come in computing is just beginning to be tapped. Dr. Kaku stated that he felt we as a human race will reach his Type 1 Civilization in about 100 years. This will be the age where all human kind will work together for the benefit of the whole planet. This by itself is a fascinating notion and only means that the stuff of our modern science fiction movies will actually become a reality. To borrow a famous line, our future possibilities will reach to "infinity and beyond"! 

So, beam me up Scotty!

Excel Project

This week was all about Microsoft Excel. Our project involved 1000 exercise subjects with 21 different heart rate measurements and additional data like age and sex. We were to manipulate the data in various ways including using pivot tables. Not being exposed to Excel, except for my introductory computer course, I was at first a little intimidated. However, I jumped right in with both feet and started with the scavenger hunt. This is actually the best way for a novice such as myself to get acquainted with the material. It was definitely useful when it came time for the actual project because it provided a little "cheat sheet" to use throughout the process.


Once I started the project, I was surprised at how fast it went and realized that I was at the pivot table section before long. Looking back, I remembered more than I thought I would from my intro class. The biggest help feature that Mr. Olsen gave in his lecture was the F1 help key. I used this many times and I highly recommend it to everyone. I can't overstate this enough! It's easy to use and right at your finger tips. It gets you right to the information to answer your questions and is in easy to follow instructions. Again, the F1 help key is Excel-ent!


The pivot table part of the project was, for me, probably the most difficult. It definitely took the most time and that was due in part to not knowing anything about it. Also, formatting the data took several attempts. One click here, and EVERYTHING disappears! OMG! Yet, data recovery is simple in Excel. High praise to the "undo" key. Oh yea, did I mention the F1 help key? ;) Anyway, I learned a great deal from this project, especially pivot tables and their usefulness, and know it has real world use. I feel that the intimidation factor has disappeared.


Below is one of my tables. Looks good if I say so myself!

ISM 3004 Presentations Project

This week was our presentation project on a business subject of our choosing. We were given 4 different scenario's to choose from in which to base the project subject. I decided to put together a sales pitch for a pharmacy to solicit business from Assisted Living Facility and Nursing Home residents.

After looking at my final production, I feel I did a pretty good job. I feel that my presentation had a natural flow and had a sense of direction to it. I began with a picture of a jar of pills with dollar signs floating around it. It had a caption above it asking if my audience thought they didn't spend enough money on their prescriptions. That heading with the picture was intended to grab the attention of my audience. I quickly followed it up with a baby face that had an astonished look. I feel by this second slide I definitely had all eyes. Who can resist a cute baby face?!

I did try to anticipate questions by filling my presentation with subjects that matter most to seniors. Subjects like money and medications, insurance billing, and the benefits of using my service. In this format, it is difficult to know what questions would be asked if it were a live presentation. Yet, I feel I presented material on things that would have been logical to ask. For example, I made sure to cover competitive pricing, insurance billing, and most importantly the Medicare Part D prescription plan. I know the "doughnut hole" issue is very important to seniors.

I also tried to make sure that my slides were clean. I chose a stylish background and was sure to only have no more than two pictures in one slide. That coupled with a nice heading to give an overview of what that particular slide was covering. I also wrote out a script so I could give more information than what was presented on the slide. I did this, not just because it was in the directions, but because I hate when a presenter just reads from their slides. I tried to keep the wording to a minimum and hopefully to the point.

At the beginning, the project was a little intimidating. However, once I got on a roll, I started to feel a little more comfortable with how and what I was going to do. It did help to view other presentations and to critique one. I critiqued the Skittle's Travel Agency. Her presentation was very clean. I realized then that I needed to make sure I didn't overcrowd with too much information. Also, the elevator definition really helped me to focus on what I wanted to get across before the elevator stopped.

In the end, I feel I was able to present good information in a concise manner and to communicate my core message. In fact, I feel I would have had a good response if I were presenting to a live audience. Well, it is time to allow you to view my project. Just click the link below and off you will go to the world of long-term care pharmacy services.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bK1noxfMO8Y

Til next time, Go Gators!

Week 7 Muddy (Kind of) Application Software 2

                      SaaS, PaaS, DaaS, VDI, OLPC, SQL, SLA, IaaS...........................OMG!!!!!

http://trinities.org/blog/archives/category/housekeeping

Oh how things change from week to week! Riding the high from week 6 lasted as long as it took to begin this weeks lesson. Which, since I am trying to get ahead to concentrate on the presentation project, was all of a hot second.

This week's topic covered a lot of interesting material. Open Source Software was one topic I enjoyed. While I have heard of the term before, I was unaware how widespread it's usage has become. It is free software available to anyone that can download it. This is just about all I knew on the subject. That companies download it for use was a surprise to me. Yet, now that I understand that they modify it for their use makes a lot of cents. When you're competing with big companies, saving money anyway you can is key. It also allows for a firm to get their product to market considerably quicker. Below is a short video on Open Source Software to help give anyone not in this class an overview.



Another topic of interest to me was the subject of cloud computing. Again, I was familiar with the term but didn't really have a firm grasp on what it actually was. I felt a lot better while reading the textbook when Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison was asked to define cloud computing. He said, "Maybe I'm an idiot, but I have no idea what anyone is talking about." In a nut shell, cloud computing is replacing computing hardware or software resources with services provided over the Internet.

http://cloudcomputingcompaniesnow.com/

Cloud computing is the trend toward the future. However, there are two key issues of concern for programmers to consider. They are security and access and they both go hand in hand. No other time in business history has a firm considered putting their vital information on a server that also houses it's competitors vital information. Who can access that information and how are two important questions. What security measures are needed to prevent a competitor's or hackers access is also vital to address. Take a look at this video to understand a little better what cloud computing actually is.



As you can probably tell, it is the future wave to explore for business information specialists. Computer geeks are very excited about this technology and rightly so. If it is what it portends to be, business computing will forever be changed from how we currently view and use it today.

I will close this week with a quote about cloud computing from Vivek Kundra, Federal CIO of the United States Government. She said, " There was a time when every household, town, farm or village had its own water well. Today, shared public utilities give us access to clean water by simply turning on the tap; cloud computing works in a similar fashion. Just like water from the tap in your kitchen, cloud computing services can be turned on or off quickly as needed. Like at the water company, there is a team of dedicated professionals making sure the service provided is safe, secure and available on a 24/7 basis. When the tap isn't on, not only are you saving water, but you aren't paying for resources you don't currently need." 

I don't think it can be put any simpler!

Week 6 Clear Application Software 1

http://www.wetakethecake.com/9-strawberry-layer-cake.html

Finally! We have covered a topic that I get 100%!

 This week we covered Application Software and I feel Mr. Olsen's layered cake analogy was the concept that really brought it home for me. It allowed me to visualize how the user, application, operating system, and hardware were individual parts coming together to create a whole. It is easy to view the whole cake as one, but once it has been sliced for consumption you see the different sections within.

http://facultyweb.cortland.edu/connellm/cap100web/Unit4/Unit_4.htm

One area here that I didn't know anything about was the Application Programming Interface, also known as the API. This is the mechanism that allows the user, the applications, the operating system, and the hardware to communicate with each other. What I found most interesting was that each layer does not need to know what the other layer is doing. The API is in control of when and if another layer needs to be involved.

Extra Credit Avatar

Today I was finally able to get to the Avatar extra credit assignment! Never having done this before, I was a little intimidated by the thought have having to create a likeness of myself. I chose to use the Doppelme online tool. It was my first choice as a tool and I ended up staying with the avatar I created once I finished.

  So......without further ado, I present my Avatar!

Now, I must say, I think it actually looks like me. Well, close enough anyway. If you were to see me out and about, I would most likely be dressed exactly as I'm portrayed above. I may have a little gray in my beard as compared to the Avatar, but overall, I'm pretty satisfied.

Using the Doppelme tool was very easy. It immediately got me started as soon as I accessed the site. I was able to put the avatar together from a selection of facial features, eye color, and clothes. The only bit of information that I needed to provide was my email address. This was only so I could be able to customize him with extra features and also to add him to any websites or my blog.

So, for anyone still needing to create an avatar, I would immediately recommend Doppelme as the tool to use. Not only was it easy and free, but no private information will need to be transferred. And these days, that alone is a rare quality!

Week 5 Clear Presentations

 "In giving presentations, use the 10/20/30 rule....use only 10 slides, take 20 minutes maximum, and use at least 30-point fonts." - Guy Kawasaki, formerly of Apple

Well, this weeks lesson on Presentations was one that I needed. All the presentations that either I have done or seen as an audience member, have pretty much been the "standard" presentation that I now find is really an attention killer. I guess I really shouldn't be surprised by this. Looking back on those presentations, I see that I was bored right off the bat or read ahead and became bored waiting for the next slide. I won't even talk about when the presenter pretty much reads from the slides!

This weeks topic also brought to the forefront for me the over used method of cramming a bunch of PowerPoint "tricks" to give the illusion of a professional presentation. While this may have been the way of doing things previously, there is now a "less is more" kind of approach to PowerPoint presentations. The video "Life After Death by PowerPoint 2010" really showed what NOT to do in your presentations. For those of you not in this class, I have posted the video here for your viewing. It is absolutely hilarious as well informational.



One area that I was totally unaware of was the use of Storyboards. Storyboards are a layout or plan for your presentations. They include all the details of your presentation like the images, audio, and script notes. Storyboards help you organize your thoughts and give the presentation its structure. They also provide clarity to your topic while also keeping it concise. This will be much appreciated by your audience!

The biggest takeaway for me this week was a bit of  advice from Chip and Dan Heath, authors of "Made to Stick".  They said to tease your audience. Make them curious about what your presentation is about. Don't start out with a bullet list of what your topic is going to cover. Grab their attention with a story or an example. They referred to stories and examples as "the building blocks of presentations". They will enhance your presentation by forcing the audience to listen instead of expecting everything to be displayed in PowerPoint.

While I am about to step into uncharted waters with the Presentation Project, I look forward to the challenge of trying new techniques and creating a presentation very different from the old ways of bullet points and clip art.   So to borrow from an old saying, it's time to teach an old dog new tricks!

Week 4 Clear Strategy and Technology

      "Sooner or later the Internet will become profitable. It's an old story played before by canals, railroads and automobiles." 

                                                          Paul A. Samuelson

Mr. Samuelson, who has been called "The Father of Modern Economics", was able to see this statement become reality before passing away in 2009. Though, at the time he made this remark, he didn't realize how prophetic his statement would later turn out to be. 

I believe that it takes this kind of visionary to see technology as an opportunity and then to be able to formulate a strategy to use it in a business setting. This weeks lesson is really a lesson on how tricky the business environment is with regard to competitors and how easily one can fall behind without knowledge of your competitors and the technology available.

The best example of this is the story in the textbook about FreshDirect and how it became a market leader by knowing the market and understanding how technology would help position them as a leader in that market. FreshDirect didn't just become a leader, they dominated the market so decisively in such a short period of time, it left many competitors in it's wake.

While this is an extreme example, it does point out that sustainable competitive advantage comes from operational effectiveness. That is, doing the same thing but doing it better. By adding technology, you now become positioned to shape a new landscape. A landscape that many will attempt to follow, and imitate, but one that will have few successes.

As stated in the lectures and in the text, technology alone will not guarantee success. Understanding technology will also not guarantee success. Knowing how it fits into your business scheme and how/if competitors are using the same technology is the first step. This is the where a successful business owner and/or manager incorporates technology into a strategy to benefit the organization. 

Of course there are many other factors for success such as knowing your hidden and switching costs, having a solid value chain, creating networks, and having a differentiated product. These factors are not exclusive to any business but universal to the business environment. Finding that "thing" that separates you from the pack is what made companies like Facebook, Google, and Apple industry leaders. In 21st century business, technology and how it's utilized will be that "thing".

Week 3 Clear Personal Computer 2

This weeks topic, Networking, while having a tremendous amount of information, was one that seemed to flow together in a way that made it easy to understand. All of the terms, as usual, were a little bit overwhelming since most were new to me.

One concept that I needed a little clarification on was protocols. While I new what the definition of a protocol was, I found a video that helped me understand how it applied to computers and information transfers. Check out this short clip below. I found it very useful.



So in a nutshell, protocols are rules that define communication. They map out a path for the computer to move information and follow that same path in reverse to bring information back. Mr. Olsen's lecture obviously goes into more detail and fills in the technology that gets the information from the application to the physical.

One aspect of networking that I wasn't familiar with at all was peer to peer. I'm not a big media download person so I needed a little insight to what this was all about. Below is a video that explains the nature of this network in easy to understand language.


As you can see, there is a huge drawback to this type of networking and all of the potential pit falls one can land in if you are aware or even unaware of possessing copyrighted material. It is better to pay up front for music and movies than to end up paying quite a lot more in the end!

Since I am a Business major, this section in ISM3004 is one that will definitely have "real world" applications after graduation. Not only is it useful to have an understanding of how networks work, but to have the added information on how to select the best type of network for a particular business model will produce savings in time and money. Two very important areas for any business!

Week 2 Muddy Hardware

Well, I have to admit that I am not someone with a whole lot of knowledge when it comes to computer hardware. So when I started to view the lectures and read the material for this topic, I quickly realized that I knew even less than I thought! I can see that I am going to have to really go over the lectures again so as to have any idea what the difference is between a DDR and a PCI-E x16.

I'm not saying to do this, but.....I understand!



Now, that may be a little harsh, but it certainly conveys frustration succinctly. My inability to fully grasp this subject is in no way a reflection of Mr. Olsen's presentation. To the contrary, he actually shed a bit of light for me. So as with anything else, more reading, more lectures, and more reading is really what's needed for me to master, I mean understand, computer hardware.

If there is anyone else having similar feelings, I did a quick search of Youtube and was able to see a great deal of videos covering various computer subjects. Viewing these in conjunction with Mr. Olsen's lecture may help to shed even more light on, what i consider, this complicated subject. Take a few moments and check out the tutorial on how to build a computer. It not only shows you the hardware but also shows how, by building your own computer, you can also save a lot of money.


After viewing this video, I was able to visually put together how one component fits with the next component to produce the computer as a whole. I hope you can see, as I do now, how valuable this knowledge is and the money that is able to be saved. 

But, actually having the nerve to try to put my own computer together? Now that can only make me want to boot my whole system! 

Week 1- Clear (Sort of) Getting Started

While I was familiar with the Fair Use principle, I found it very helpful to use the link to the Stanford web site, http://fairuse.stanford.edu. It really clarified a lot of points. The most interesting thing I found was that there is not a concrete definition. The law leaves a lot of interpretation for the courts in deciding what is a violation and what is not. This is quite a double-edged sword. On one hand, you could be well within the parameters of fair usage. On the other, you could very well be in violation. The problem is, you will only find out after going to court. 

To be on safer ground, you should avoid using any work unless you are presenting a commentary or criticism. The safest ground of all seems to be use as a parody. There is a wide latitude available when it comes to parody. Because you have to, in a sense, recreate the work to parody it, the court would allow more use than in any other instance. This can be seen easily on any of the late night talk shows, who seem to push the envelope in their parodies.
 
This all being said, there is one thing that you can count on for sure. That is, it will be expensive no matter which side of the law you end up on. You will need to pay lawyer fees no matter if you win or lose. But, and not such a big but, if you lose, you will be responsible for damages. That expense alone is enough to make one not venture into the murky waters of Fair Use.