Week 14: Muddy - Raid Drives

This weeks lectures were entirely based on web lectures, so we had no readings from the book to support what one was reading. Although the lecture did go through Raid drives it almost made it more confusing. After searching the internet, I came across this website: http://library.creativecow.net/articles/lindeboom_ron/how_raid_works.php. This website was a HUGE help in understanding how Raid drives worked, it provided the information on a more clear and easy to understand basis. It went into the basics of how arrays, raid drives and striping work and are utilized in a computer or network environment.

The website defines a raid drive an array as:

In a RAID system -- which stands for: Redundant Array of Independent Disks -- you can combine multiple single drives into a shared system wherein each drive carries only a part of the overall load. This allows a user to combine multiple lower throughput drives (like low-cost IDE drives) into a system that looks like a single drive to your system and has a total throughput high enough to handle video, etc. This is known as an "array" of drives."

After reading the article I am more confident in my understanding of how a RAID system works. I believe the RAID system was one of the more difficult concepts that was covered this semester. Now that I know the benefits of using a RAID system, I will be looking into incorporating one into my computer.

Secure E-mail Project

To the right is the screen capture of Thunderbird. The top two e-mails are the e-mails from the professor.

A great article regarding e-mail security can be located at this URL:http://www.net-security.org/article.php?id=816&p=2. They gave a great example of Bank of America being fined $10 million when it failed to turn over messaging data to the SEC in March 2004. The article also covers the benefits of physical storage, archiving, and properly backing up critical data. It was interesting to note that the article stated that the e-mail client is the greatest threat to businesses. The article makes an excellent point when it says "organizations must focus their attentions to not only addressing the immediate security threats of the standard mail client from viruses and the like, they also need to invest in strategies for the control of access to mail data via the internet."

Week 13: Muddy - Computer Security Risks

I found week 13's readings and lectures to be one of the more entertaining and knowledgeable readings in the course. After reading and watching the lectures I feel better informed on how to protect my computer and how to properly encrypt a message if necessary. Something I would have liked to seen better covered in lectures was the different type of computer security risks. These include a computer virus, worm, and or Trojan horse. The book does a bit better of a job describing each of the three:

1. Virus - This is a damaging computer program that affects or infects a computer in a bad way by altering how the computer was intended to work without the permission of the owner. Once the virus attacks the computer, it can spread throughout the computer damaging many files and possibly damaging the entire operating system.

2. Worm - A worm is a program that copies itself over and over again. By copying itself repeatedly, it can use of critical resources on a computer causing the computer or even the entire network to shutdown.

3. Trojan Horse - A program that hides within the computer and may look like a legitimate program. A specific condition or action triggers the Trojan horse and puts it into effect. However, in comparison to a worm or virus, a Trojan horse does not replicate itself to other computers.

In the past I have always wondered the difference between a virus, worm and Trojan horse, thankfully I can now differentiate between the three. Over the years, computer users have been suspect to many different kinds of computer security risks that have terrorized and destroyed millions of users data. With modern technology and vasts improvements in anti-virus programs, users now are much better protected from computer attacks then in the past. I believe that our society will never see the end of viruses, worms, or Trojan horses, however with a little self-awareness, users can protect their valuable data and help minimize spreading any type of virus. As technology progresses it will be interesting to see if more or less computer attacks are initiated in the future.

Week 12: Muddy - System Development Cycle

This weeks material was based on information systems development. Although the system development cycle was covered in the lecture, I was still a bit unclear of each of the different processes and exactly what each one was. Here is a brief breakdown of each of the phases:

1. Planning: This phase entails reviewing the project requests and prioritizing all of the requests.

2. Analysis: During this phase one performs a preliminary investigation which includes looking over the current syste, user needs and any possible solution.

3. Design: Acquire hardware and software, then develop the details of the system.

4. Implementation: During this phase, one would develop programs, test the new system, train users and ultimately convert to the new system.

5. Operation, Support, and Security: This includes performing maintenance activities, monitor performance and assessing system security.


Although this was not a difficult concept to grasp, I thought it was easier to understand in the book then the lecture. It is important to understand the cycle so one can effectively go through each step and make sure they are designing the system correctly.

Database Project

Unlike all the previous projects, this project was a complete nightmare. However, I did learn the most during this project as I have never used Microsoft Access before. I learned how to create a table, form, run queries and reports. Learning these different techniques was challenging and time consuming, I felt that many of the videos did not help me with my project. I learned much more then I needed to as I played with many of the different buttons trying to figure out how to properly use access. Learning the query was the most beneficial of everything as it is incredibly easy to sort through information with one simple step. This project taught me the fundamentals of Access and I believe it will be of great help in the future if I am ever required to use it.

To make the database more functional I think the owner could sort each of the id's by zipcode. This will help him sort where all of his members live and help the owner target new areas to prospect. Once he gets more members he can add them via the form button that was created and target additional areas. The owner then could sort how many family and individual membership types are in each of those areas and help upgrade individual memberships to family if available. Thus ultimately generating more profit and more revenue for the company.

Extra Credit: Avatar

For the extra credit project I used Build Your Wild Self which can be accessed at www.buildyourwildself.com. This was a great tool to use, it allowed a lot of different options to customize my avatar. From hair, to skin color to the type of shoes he wore, one could change it to their preferences. It was incredibly easy to use, a small child could use it to create their avatar. The website only took a few minutes to use and gave me plenty of options, I was very satisfied. The screen capture of my avatar can be seen above.

Week 11: Muddy - SQL

This weeks lectured covered Database's and their many functions. Something that was not fully covered and a bit confusing to me was SQL. SQL stands for Structured Query Language and the textbook defines it as " a query language that allows users to manage, update, and retrieve data." SQL can be very beneficial as many relational database products for servers, personal computer databases and mainframes use it. Object-oriented databases have several advantages compared with relational databases that include additional types of data, faster access times and you can re-use objects. Here are a few examples of applications that can be used for object-oriented databases.

A. Multimedia Database - These are databases that store different types of multimedia like audio and video or even image files. Some also may store more then one like TV files which store audio and video.

B. Groupware Database - This type of databases stores documents such as schedules, calendars, memo's and reports. One can search through these documents to make their tasks easier and more efficient.

C. Computer Aided Design Databases - Databases that store different engineering and architectural designs. These designs come from software like AutoCAD.

After digging around the internet, I stumbled across a great SQL reference website found at: http://www.sql.org/. This website has great material regarding SQL and how to properly use it and implement it with databases through tutorials and other instructional material.

Using SQL can be very important in a business environment, especially those who frequently use Databases. As one becomes more familiar with SQL it can make their daily tasks easier and more efficient which will create a better bottom line for the company.

Week 10: Clear: Communication Concepts

This weeks lecture was centered on communications and networks. A clear part of this lecture was the beginning of the lecture which was centered on different types of communication concepts. There are two types of communication channels, one which is physical and one that is wireless. The physical communication channel is a hard-wired line like fiber options, compared to a wireless channel which is infrared or radio transmitted. A network is a collection of devices connected together via communications devices and transmission media. There are all kinds of different networks which include PAN ( Personal area Network, LAN ( Local Area Network), MAN (Metropolitan Area Network) and WAN (Wide Area Network). Knowing these different types of networks can be very useful if one is trying to setup a particular network for a certain purpose.

The benefits of communications include facilitating communications, sharing hardware which increases productivity, and share software. Other benefits include sharing data and information and transferring funds. Some of the disadvantages of networks include cost, security threats, loss of user autonomy and lack of privacy. A popular network architecture is peer-to-peer where each computer has ability to share and use resources. Peer-to-peer programs have become quite popular over recent years due to sharing music and shareware. Popular peer-to-peer programs include Limewire, Napster and Ares. If one wishes to download one of these programs, they can all be downloaded at download.com or at the company's respective website. Knowing these different types of communications would prove to be very important in a business world. Computers revolve around communication with both the user and other computers. By knowing how communications and networks work, one can easily setup a network that many users can access and use. This would be great for companies around the world that have trouble communicating with employees or are having inefficient communication issues.

Excel Project

This weeks project entailed learning how to properly use Excel and its many functions. Fortunately, I have had a considerable amount of training with Excel from my previous finance internship over the summer. However, this project did teach me several new functions of Excel that I was unaware of in the past. Looking at the initial project and data, it was a bit overwhelming since the data set had over 500 entries with multiple columns. After looking at the instructions, the project did not seem too daunting in large part due to my previous Excel experience.

The first group of steps were very basic which included adding columns, cells and modifying data. An interesting item that I learned was the freeze pane option. This step required to freeze the two top rows, which allowed one to scroll down but the two top rows stayed as one scrolled down. Doing this is very useful when analyzing large amounts of data as you can see what your header is without having to scroll up. One of the steps required me to find the largest number in a set of numbers, something I haven't done before. After going through the excel help sections and using the excel book that was needed for this course, I decided to use the "large" function in helping me find the largest number. Using this function was vital for me to find the largest number which was critical for several proceeding steps. The last step was to format the excel worksheet and set it up for printing, something I was unfamiliar with as I never had to print any spreadsheets in my internship. Learning how to have the same row print at the top of each page, using headers and footers and scaling the worksheet helped me learn new tools that will help me succeed in the future.

The last two steps asked us to take the raw data that was modified and changed in the last two paragraphs and used a pivot table to organize the data. I had a little experience with pivot tables, unfortunately that was too long ago to fully remember how to properly use them. After watching the videos online on how to use pivot tables, I felt well equipped to tackle the two steps. It did require a bit of playing around with the different fields and options to get the pivot tables to work, but in the end it made it much simpler using a pivot table opposed to having count each and every data entry. The second step was a bit trickier where we were asked to organize the ages into group. This was done by using the group option and I was then able to group the ages into decades, then have the numbers be a percentage of an average. This is evident by the corresponding picture in this post. I found this project to be very useful in furthering my knowledge and proficiency of Excel. This is critical to my success in the business world and I know it will help me gain an upper hand among my colleagues who are not as familiar in Excel.

9: Clear, Absolute vs. Relative cell addressing

What does it mean for a cell to be addressed as absolute vs. relative? How can you tell the difference?

It is imperative to understand the differences between these two cell references because it is essential to properly using and understanding formulas in excel.
If a cell is addressed as absolute, when any copying is made of cells with functions using that cell reference, the part(s) that is absolute will not change with respect to which direction the formula was copied. If it is relative however, it will change.


The idea of how Absolute vs. relative works can be explained very simply by creating a simple multiplication table in excel, as shown above. No matter where in the table you look, the numbers in column D will be multiplied by the numbers in row 2.

Think you’ve got it? Try making a multiplication table for yourself in excel!

Excel bible 2007. Walkenbach, John pg 175-204

Week 7: Clear - Stand Alone Operating Systems

Week 7 covered various operating systems, system and application software. This week was very beneficial as these concepts can help develop one to become more familiar with technology that is used every day. The most clear of these topics was the different types of operating systems and the pro's & con's of each of the operating systems. I also learned of new operating systems that I was unfamiliar with in the past like Linux.

The first type of operating system that was introduced in chapter 8 was Windows XP. This OS was originally released in 2001 but continues to be the favorite over the more-recent Windows Vista due to it being more stable and having better performance. Windows XP was released in five different versions including: Home Edition, Professional Edition, Media Center Edition, Tablet PC Edition and Professional x64 Edition. Each of these editions served a specific purpose and catered to a niche market that would allow the user to use it for their own needs. The most popular of these editions is the Home Edition that came pre-installed on many computers in the early 2000's. Home edition was the easiest and most friendly to use for computer users who were using their computer for daily computing needs. It also included easy to use tools that would help address and fix computer related problems.

After the release of Windows XP, Microsoft came about with Windows Vista in 2006. Unfortunately, many users were disappointed by the error-prone Vista and converted to a Mac or went back to Windows XP. Windows Vista was also released in five editions included: Home Basic, Home Premium, Ultimate, Business and Enterprise. The new interface for Windows Vista was memory intense and older computers did not have the required performance to run Vista successfully. Microsoft's latest operating system, Windows 7 was designed to fix all of the bugs Vista had and to create a more efficient computing experience.

Windows chief rival is the Macintosh operating system which is focused on ease of use and noted for its video editing abilities. The latest Macintosh operating system is the Mac OS X and is a multitasking OS only available for computers manufactured by Apple. The war between Microsoft and Apple has been going on for decades, in recent years Apple has taken a larger market share due to a very successful advertising campaign. The new operating system has features like: desktop search technology, built-in fast web browser, 3-D personal video and an all new re-designed dashboard.

A less popular but alternative operating choice is Linux, however it has been on the rise in recent years. Unlike previous operating systems which were proprietary, Linux is open source software which means its code is provided for use, modification and redistribution. Thus ultimately meaning it has no restrictions regarding copyrights or any issue with modifying the softwares internal instructions. Linux is available in both a GUI interface and command-line, with the GUI interface being the more popular of the two. Linux can be downloaded from the web for free(www.linux.com), or purchased from distributors who bundle their software along with Linux like Red Hat or IBM.

Knowing the different types of operating systems and how to use them is critical in a business environment. It allows users the capability to diagnosis problems on their own with utilities that are readily available that they may not have had prior knowledge of. It also gives them exposure to different options opposed to only using Windows or Mac, they have other options like Linux which could be more efficient given their computing needs. In the end, it is very important for anyone in a business environment to know the different kinds of operating systems and how to use them properly.

Week 6: Clear - Web 2.0 Tools

This week presented itself with our first big project in ISM3004, it was called the web 2.0 tool project. At first glance, this project looked like a daunting task and I was confused on where to even begin. After printing and reading the instructions several times, I had a better idea on what was being asked of us and how to proceed. I then proceeded to look at different web 2.0 tool websites including ones like Joggle and ImageLoop to decide which one to use. After looking through several different tool websites I went to the course website to see what other students were using to create their slides. The majority of students were using a tool called One True Media (www.onetruemedia.com). After visiting their website, I found that tool to be incredibly easy to use with a friendly interface and the ability to easily edit ones work.

I then signed up to create my montage at One True Media and began to work on my project. However, first I needed to decide what I was going to write about. Originally I planned to write about my current girlfriend, but did not have enough photos on my computer to put together a good presentation. Then I settled to do it on my company, Rx7 Boutique which has been in business for a little bit over a year. I had a lot of photos and information I could used to make an excellent presentation. What I thought would originally only take 2 to 3 hours ended up taking over 8 hours to finalize and make everything just right. The montage came out great and does an excellent job of giving a preview of my company and a glimpse of what we are capable of doing.

This tool can be incredibly important in business. It attracts a new and diverse customer base and gives them a non-traditional way of looking at one's company. More companies should use this tool to widen their customer base and ultimately create more revenue. It is very easy to use, even for those with minimal computer knowledge, thus no one should hesitate to give the web 2.0 tool a try. I believe the future or marketing and advertising lies within the web 2.0 tools and we will be seeing much more use of the tool in the upcoming years.

Rx7 Boutique - My First Company

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

You can also leave comments and view my story here: Rx7 Boutique - My First Company.

This was my first time using any sort of Web 2.0 tools, after researching more about the concept, I was stunned to find that so many different tools existed. After going to numerous Web 2.0 design tools like Joggle, Image Loop and SlideFlickr I finally decided on using One True Media. I chose One True Media for its easy to understand interface and the ability to easily edit or change items. Looking through different Web 2.0 slides that other students created,I noticed the majority of them also used One True Media. My only gripe regarding One True Media is that a lot of the more efficient and nicer features were only available to paying customers. Only a basic "free" version was allowed to be created before you had to pay to become a premium member. I agree with Judy Riley's comment that the web 2.0 tool is great for marketing your company, I want to thank her for the kind words she left. This tool has taught me new ways to market my company and reach new customers. I learned that putting projects like these together are not as easy at it seems but can allow a unique way for customers to understand our line of business. The web 2.0 tool will help the advertisement of my business and show customers what we can offer in a non-traditional format.

Week 5: Clear - System Unit of a PC

Chapter four covers different units and processes of key components that system units like a personal computer use to properly function. The book does an excellent job of explaining each part of a PC and what role that particular part plays in the functioning of the system unit. All parts within a PC intertwine and they need each other for the computer to function as intended. The most important part of a PC is the CPU or the central processing unit. The two most popular CPU manufacturers are Intel(www.intel.com) and AMD (www.amd.com) which have been competing for market share for the past few years. The CPU interprets and carries out the basic instructions that operate a computer. Another key component of a PC is the motherboard. The mother board is the main circuit board, this is where all the key components are including the CPU, memory, graphics card and sound card. Each motherboard is designed for a specific type of CPU, thus a motherboard made for an Intel CPU can not used a AMD CPU.

Memory is also essential to the operation of a PC, the memory consists of electronic components that store instructions waiting to be executed by the processor. The memory stores operating systems like Windows, application programs like Excel or Powerpoint and the data being processed by the application programs and resulting information. When individuals discuss memory, they usually are referring to RAM or main memory. The CPU and other main processing units require RAM to properly work and help start the operating system. Several types of RAM are available including, DRAM, SRAM and a newer type of RAM called MRAM. To help power all these components, a power supply must be included with the PC. A power supply is the component of the system unit that converts the wall outlet AC power into DC power. Other key components of a PC include the hard drive, graphics card, sound card, and different ports all that help make a PC as we know it today.

This is important in a business environment because it teaches individuals the technical details of the equipment they are using. Thus, if an issues arises or a part needs to be replaced, they can do it themselves and not need a technician which ultimately saves money for the company in the long run. Users can also upgrade equipment by themselves with the proper knowledge thus leading them to a more productive PC and more efficient time spent at work.

Week 4: Clear - Application Software Categories

Week four entailed in-depth coverage over application software and the many uses it has in a business environment. The most clear and thoroughly explained part was the different types of Application software. The first type of software category is packaged software. This type of software is often mass produced and can be used in a variety of different applications. A great example of packaged software is Microsoft Office which business professionals across a wide arrange of professions can use and utilize no matter their occupation. To the contrary, custom software is application software that is specifically tailored to an industry like the auto industry. Auto-cad is an example of custom software that is mainly used in the engineering field. Web-based software is programs that are hosted by a website. This can include e-mail websites like hotmail or game programs.

Next, open source software is meant for use, modification and redistribution. This allows users to modify or edit the source code to either meet their needs or the needs of others. No copyright laws apply to this type of software since it is available for everyone to share. Shareware is a type of copyrighted software that is distributed at no cost for a trial period. After the trial period expires, the user can either purchase the software or they must discontinue use. Compared to shareware, freeware is a type of software that is free and retains all rights to the software. An example of freeware is a program like winamp which is a mp3 player that comes at no cost, it can be downloaded by anyone at www.winamp.com.

The last type of software category is public-domain software which has no copyright protection and was donated for public use. Knowing the different types of software is very important in the business environment. For example, knowing different copyright protection laws can save a company from lawsuits or understanding the costs savings of packaged software can save a small fortune.

Week3: Clear - Type of Websites

Week 3 material covered a wide array of basic web information, including how a URL works, search engines and navigating the internet. The different types of websites was very well explained and made it clear that the internet has so much to offer. The first type of website is a portal which provides services all in one place, an example of a portal is Yahoo.com. Many people are familiar with news websites, they include articles and stories much like CNN or CNBC do. Next are informational websites, they are usually government websites that can provide information of the budget, taxes, census data etc. Educational websites are also abundant on the internet, they provide structured learning like cooking a meal or learning how things work.

Entertainment websites are very popular among Americans, here individuals can get the latest gossip and news on celebrities and popular entertainment. Blog websites have taken over the internet, this is where an individual writes basically a diary or journal about his or her life. Over the past few years, wiki websites have become extremely popular. A wiki is a"collaborative website that allows users to create, add to, modify or delete web site content via their web browser", an example of this is www.wikipedia.org. The most recent craze that has taken over the internet are online social networking sites like facebook.com and myspace.com. These websites allow individuals to stay in contact with old friends, meet new friends and inform friends of whats on their mind.

Knowing the different types of websites is key in a business environment. If an individual needs to find a certain piece of information it will be much easier to find if they know where to go and exactly what they are looking for. By knowing the different types of websites, users will know what is available and exactly what each website will provide them with.

Week 2: Clear - Computer Hardware

Week 2 material consisted of an overall introduction to computers, how they work, who uses them and a brief history dating back to the origin of the computer. Having a rather detailed computer background, I found this weeks material very clear, concise and to the point. The concept that I believe is the most important to have a firm grasp on is computer hardware and how an individual can use it to improve their computing experience. Not only can people use this hardware to improve their own computing experience, it can also be vital in a business environment.

For example, take a meeting that someone has with a client over the phone and one that is done through a webcam and or conference. The client would feel more engaged in the conversation knowing that the people can see him and having a face to talk to helps secure confidence and trust in the client. A webcam is a device that one attaches to their computer that allows another individual to see them on their computer, when both parties have a webcam they can see and interact with each other. This is great for business or even for long distance relationships where the couple are not physically able to see each other. Having a microphone is critical when using a webcam, the microphone allows the other person to hear what your saying, without the microphone it would only be a video. Most desktops and laptops come with microphones already included, however they are very inexpensive if they need to be purchased separately. For those unfamiliar with a webcam, I have included a picture of one to the left.

Also, understanding the main hardware of a computer can greatly help an individual diagnosis problems that may occur in the future. Knowing the purpose of the CPU, memory, hard drive, mother board and power supply allows a person to grasp what really makes a computer tick. If one were to upgrade in the future, it would be easy for one to swap the parts themselves and avoid having to pay a professional to do it. I found the concept of hardware and devices very interesting and it amazes me how so many parts are easily intertwined. A great website that explains computer hardware is: http://www.computer-hardware-explained.com/. It gives great examples and includes pictures to help explain what the author is saying, I would recommend it to anyone with a minimal amount of computer literacy.

Week 1: Muddy - Copyright Laws and Implications

The first week of coursework was very straightforward with an introduction to search and netiquette principles that helped prepare students with using the internet. The coursework also included an overview of copyright laws and their implications towards students and society. This concept was difficult to grasp because the copyright laws are so vague that they could virtually apply to everyone. The laws are too misconstrued to allows individuals to distinguish between what can and cannot be used. While I found the articles that were posted pertaining to Copyright laws informative, they just made the concept even more difficult to understand due to being over burdened with information.

Unfortunately the line that distinguished a copyright infringement is very fine and difficult to define. In cases where a large copyright infringement has occurred it becomes easy for a judiciary system to enforce the law. For example, if an artist blatantly copied lyrics from another artist and used it in their song, it would be easy for the original artist to sue. However, in much smaller cases where a student downloads music or unknowingly copies a minimal amount of information for a paper, it is almost impossible for the author to find the violator. Besides, for the original author to take them to court over such irrelevant grounds would be a waste of time for both parties.

Through my research, I have concluded it is almost impossible to put a firm definition to copyright laws. I came across a website that dis-spelled several myths regarding copyrights: http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html. This website helped me understand and distinguish somethings that are and aren't copyright infringements. Another link, which is contained in the same website, gave an easy to understand and good introduction to copyright laws, that can be found here:http://www.templetons.com/brad/copyright.html. That website does an excellent job of introducing copyright laws by saying:"Copyright law secures for the creator of a creative effort the exclusive right to control who can make copies, or make works derived from the original work. There are a lot of subtleties and international variations but that's the gist of it. If you create something, and it fits the definition of a creative work, you get to control who can make copies of it and how they make copies, with some important exceptions."

In the end my understanding of copyright laws has dramatically improved. I feel more confident in how to distinguish what I can and can't use, and how to properly use items that are copyrighted.