ღ۞.Altius, Citius, Fortius.ღ۞

The class is advised to attend the COMDDAP seminar at the Apo view hotel. COMDDAP stands for Computer Manufacturers, Distributers and Dealers Association on the Philippines, Davao City on July 2-4, 2009. This event is allowing consumer and businessman to converge on the new and more innovative technologies and gadgets that are available in the market. The seminar invited everyone. Setting aside the purpose of marketing and profit, they indulged public awareness that technologies is only at hand. They looked forward on inviting students for the benefit of spreading around shrewdness to new and up coming individuals that will governs to the society in coming years, and it is us! Indeed.

The event has attained the purpose of public awareness, but for some who’s most likely the same as me that knows nothing it really screwed up. It triggered me that the world is now competes what the best, most expensive and efficient technologies the worlds introducing us. I found out it is not precisely the latest of today if give emphasizes on global aspects but still is new to us, for the factor of belonging on being on the third-world country. But still, the seminar was good and nice.

However, the set-up about the venue is not conducive for me, lack of marketwise for having difficulty on recognizing their products because unmanaged and unwise disseminating and allocating their individual booth for displaying. Somehow, other booths lack of good personnel that could helped in communicating and accommodating students like us, to explain and extend student awareness of how and what the gadgets all about and how to deal with it. It was on the display area.

The following are some company ventures and products display in the COMDDAP:

1. LCD monitors Shootout. Exposing top LCD monitor brands in the world in a showdown of their most brilliant features in terms of graphics, photo and video display.

2. Adobe for network publishing software with tools that help users create, manage and deliver graphics.

3. Corel which produces full-featured, easy to use productivity, graphics and digital imaging software.

4. The Canon Marketing Philippines Incorporated introduced their newest cutting edge imaging products, solutions and services to aid its customers in producing superior quality graphics and prints for more than a decade.

5. Ng Khai Development Corporation which provides ICT infrastructure, solutions and digital lifestyle products and services Exposing their partnership with as IBM, Microsoft, HP, Lenovo, Cisco, Intel, Imation and Symantec. Ng Khai Development is authorized reseller of top brands of projectors, surveillance equipment and PABX systems.

6. Smart Communications Incorporated showcased their wireless broadband service the SmartBro. It is a high-speed broadband internet connection that wirelessly delivers internet service to your PC. It runs on Smart’s newest and fastest mobile network and is available in Postpaid Plans and Prepaid Units.

7. Autodesk, Fox chit Business Systems, Symantec, Trinity Marketing, Word text Systems Incorporated, McAfee and etc.



Meanwhile, weary feet needs some rest, in this moment we decided to precede in the main course which the seminar itself. Though, not really conducive because of the small size of the venue it still did not disturb on the intention of the spectators. The discussion that retained on my mind and lesson learned were the following:

The Jupiter Systems, Incorporated was the host of the 1-2pm exposition. It told and discussed about Enterprise Resource Information and Control (ERICDMS) Brilliant Dealer Management System which involves car dealerships and service transactions. Jupiter Systems, Inc., is a 24- year old software company and one of the members of the ERP systems of the Philippines. Mitsubishi, Honda, Mazda, Volvo, and Nissan are some of the car companies that are using their system. Their Database Management Systems process flow starts with the pre-sales, then the vehicle sales and last is the after sales. The Jupiter Systems Service Management General Features are Advance bookings or Customer appointments, Operation maintenance or FLAT rates, Repair orders, Repair Estimates, Customer Service History, Technician Time-in or Time-out, Parts requisitioning and picking, Service invoicing, Warranty claims and processing and Field Service Actions(Campaigns).


The next host shared and exhibited was the Thin Client computing introduced by the representative from HP company with tag line HP: Think Big; Go Thin” .Simply tackled about how efficient having this computer than a desktop. They boastfully credited their product as the best and somewhat nicer than the others. Thin Client is of small packages but with great benefits like efficient design and longer life span.

Research from WIKIPEDIA.COM
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"Thin clients are computing devices that function as an access device on a network. These solid-state devices connect over a network to a server where the bulk of the processing takes place. Thin clients have no hard drive, allowing for more secure storage of data and applications on the server. In fact, keystrokes, mouse events and screen images are all that is sent between the client and server. This makes the device much more secure than a standard desktop or notebook computer. A thin client is a computing device without a hard drive, which displays data and applications from remotely located servers, blade PCs, and virtual desktops. As the speaker discussed about the features of the HP Thin Client, we couldn’t help but be overwhelmed of its capabilities as a device. The thin client is primarily designed for task-based users, or those who only had 1 or 2 applications running on their machines, such as ticketing offices, internet kiosks, and the like. It is also to address the concern of IT professionals who are faced with challenges in providing information security (i.e. loss of data due to hardware/software failures, virus and malicious attacks, theft and natural disasters), deployment and maintenance, and total cost of ownership (TLO).
With no hard drive, fan or other moving parts, thin clients have a much longer lifespan than standard computers and use significantly less power. Lower maintenance costs are another benefit as software application updates, virus scanning and patches can be executed on the server. Deployment costs are also reduced as thin clients can be remotely configured and do not need to be set up individually. Break-fix simply requires replacing the thin client."






Comment:

During all the exposition I attended it was all boring for I’m not familiar with all of these but I still managed to comprehend due to the classmates I asked and I thank them, and further readings…My only regrets is not being attended on the last exposition that involved the issue of proprietary and open source…Don’t cry over spilled milk right?! My only consolation was just my classmates attended with that seminar told us something about the discussion and shared their knowledge…Lesson learned aside from stated above is that grab the opportunity of free seminars and symposiums…hehehe

What are the possible risks if you have a system change?

Changes is a completely or partially migrating or transforming from old one into a new one. Everything is changing even people change, no one is exempted. Changes is inevitable. Only thing that doesn't change is changes itself. Change is important, but change must be controlled so risk does not escalate to unacceptable levels. Because more change may mean more opportunity but also more risk. Not only do different parts of the enterprise maintain different views and definitions of risk — within the IT department a fragmented approach to defining and managing risk exists. This does not only involve IT but also involve the company. And it is very important to be aware of it because this can affect the organization.


System change for good of the company to improve accounting, finance, operations management, marketing, human resource management, or any other major business function. The blending of technologies and traditional business concerns is impacting all industries and is really the latest phase on the on going evolution of business. All companies need to update their business infrastructure and change the way the work to respond more immediately to customer needs.

Common Risk in the Company.

1. Lack of top management commitment to the project - employers shifting system for the improvement of their company but forgot to consider some requirements. Employer involvement is not that strong to address the new uprising problem while dealing the new technology. Employer cut down their support because limited management commitment.

2. Lack of adequate user involvement- in newly introduce system only few may know that the company has already shifted to a new system in which few users have been train for it. The possibility that some user may have difficulty in analyzing and dealing with the new system for lack of adequate user involvement and may lead to misinterpret.

3. Failure to manage end user expectations- end-user are important factor to be considered if there will be a shifting of system cause they are the responsible of manipulating transactions. Failure to manage end user expectations may cause downfall of the company in which before implementing new it must see to it that it fits on the end-user and end-user must properly be oriented the new produce system.

4. Lack of required knowledge or skills in the project personnel- this problem maybe address through prover training and assistance.

5. Introduction of new technology- In introducing the new technology to the end-user it might that easy or it needs time for adjustment in which some might can't go after it. Some personnel might become hard for them to shift from the system that they were being comfortable with.

6. Insufficient or inappropriate staffing- some staffs like oldies personnel that fun of using manual operation might not be capable on using the new implemented technology which leads to failure to gain user commitment.

7. Conflict between user departments- the conflict may be visible in every department lead by Misunderstanding the requirements and unclear requirements.

8. LOSS. The risk of loss resulting from inadequate or failing internal processes, people, and systems, or from external events.” While the potential for loss is the centerpiece of risk, some organizations have broadened the scope of their risk definitions to including the loss itself. By coupling the loss with the risk, risk becomes more urgent and quantifiable. In addition, an impact assessment becomes the natural output of an identified risk.



9. UNCERTAINTY. Uncertainty, so often tied to events or forces outside of the organization’s immediate control, opens a Pandora’s box of risks that organizations must recognize and mitigate. By acknowledging the importance of uncertainty and planning for it, firms convert a risk management strategy from the defensive to offensive. The COSO framework describes this as enterprise risk management.
1. Loss of Integrity. System and data integrity refers to the requirement that information be secured from inappropriate alteration. Integrity is lost if unauthorized changes are made to the data or IT system by either intentional or accidental acts. If the loss of system or data integrity is not corrected, continued use of the contaminated system or corrupted data could result in inaccuracy and incorrect decisions. In addition, violation of integrity may be the first step in a successful attack against system availability or secrecy. For all these reasons, loss of integrity reduces the assurance of an IT system.
2. Loss of Availability. If a mission-critical IT system is unavailable to its end users, the organization’s mission may be affected. Loss of system functionality and operational effectiveness, for example, may result in loss of productive time, thus impeding the end users’ performance of their functions in supporting the organization’s mission.
3. Loss of Confidentiality. System and data confidentiality refers to the protection of information from unauthorized disclosure. The impact of unauthorized disclosure of confidential information can range from the jeopardizing of national security to the disclosure of Privacy Act data. Unauthorized, unanticipated, or unintentional disclosure could result in loss of public confidence, embarrassment, or legal action against the organization.


10. SERVICE DISRUPTION. Service disruption approaches the issue of risk from effect rather than cause — forcing IT to recognize the consequences of service disruption on non tangibles such as its reputation and business expectations.


11. Job loss- it is really possible that many may loss their jobs if new technology be introduced for machine may manage and take place the task which was worked by the workers. Employer may favor on the machine for machine for it do task faster and more efficient. This is might unfair but still being practice in business firm.

These presented above risk are just the common and easy detected ones. In the long run many problem may arises but it can be minimized if it will be address as early as possible and find the best suitable solution for the problem. These risk must taken by granted cause it can be reason for company's downfall. It arises in any form of business firms it might be a small enterprise or the giant one.


Reference:
http://mariechelleit.blogspot.com/2008/09/what-are-risks-associated-with-business.html
http://ladyinstinct.blogspot.com/2008/07/it-risks-know-them.html

August 15, 2009

It was our second interview with the corporation. Before the interview had done we already forwarded our questions via email and do updating with their system. We asked about the Information System that the company had.

Green Campus Computing? Does it familiar to you? if not read this and get learned!.


Green campus computing is a study based on how you can conserve energy and resources but still using the gadget or technologies, practically green campus computing refers to proper ways of using computers.

Some tips to reduce energy consumption:

1.PUTTING YOUR COMPUTER TO SLEEP

When you're not using your computer, you can save energy by putting it to "sleep." When your computer is in sleep, it's turned on but in a low power mode. It takes less time for a computer to wake up from sleep than it does for the computer to start up after being turned off.
You can put your computer to sleep right away by choosing Apple menu > Sleep. You can also choose to put the computer to sleep automatically when your computer has been inactive for a specified amount of time. You can also set only the display to sleep. If your computer is in the middle of a task that you want to let finish while you are away (for example, burning a DVD), you should set only the display to sleep.

2. PRACTICE TURNING OFF YOUR DEVICE
Do not leave the computer running when no one is using it. Turn off your computer when not in use. But if, you still want to relax after a long period of research (and still not yet done) put off your monitor or put it into standby mode. You may also turn off your hard disk before your computer goes on standby, select a time in Turn off hard disks.It is monitor or computer you may turned off to reduce energy consumption other device may have be turned off like speakers when your in silent mood, printers when your not ready yet to print your documents or enhancements when not in use.

3. REVIEWING YOUR ENCODED DOCUMENTS BEFORE PRINTING

It is like hitting two birds in one stone, you will conserve energy at the same time bond papers and ink.Besides electricity and paper, computers use diskettes and printers consume toner. Both of these items are mostly plastic, so throwing them away is wasteful. For rewritable compact disk, instead of buying more you can just reformat and reuse old ones. Most offices have drawers full of old disks, used for either archival backups or containing old versions of software. All they need is a new label and a reformatting; this can save your office money and landfill space simultaneously.

4.INK REFILLING

Toner cartridges, both for laser printers and ink jets, can be easily refilled and reused. Several local vendors and national manufacturers will pick up your used cartridges, refill them and sell them for half the price of a new one, and remanufacture them if necessary. A growing number of campus offices are using these recycled cartridges, with excellent results. Further, printer ribbons, for those people with dot matrix printers, can be re-inked for a small price. For more information, call Campus Recycling at 346-1529.

]5. E-MAILING AND FAX
Use e-mail as an alternative communication (whether you want it to pass documents to your friends etc.) instead of printing them out. E-mail and fax is efficient and environment friendly because you don't have to write downs bulk mails just to inform others. If you have a fax modem, its even easier to tell your representatives how you feel, either by E-mail or fax. In fact, a fax costs less than a letter! A one page fax takes about a minute to send, which costs about 20 cents for the phone call, while a letter takes 32 cents for the stamp, as well as paper and an envelope. And of course you can do a phone list and fax as many as you like.


6. BE RESOURCEFUL TROUGH UPDATING YOUR PC

In this generation all kinds of changes is translucent. It is easily be spotted everywhere you take your sight changes is there. In field of technologies it is a pretty obvious for changes is just a matter of seconds, the accordance of the transformation is the cosmic amount of waste. Eventually, gadgets are easy be changed depending on what technology trends available in the market. There's a enormous waste in the matter of dumping the older gadget and adapting the newest one. In these situation, people become unreasonable for longing to be accepted by the crowd. It is undeniable.
So you want the latest technology. Your 2400 baud modem isn't fast enough, and your 80 megabyte hard drive is full, and your 386 processor can't run the latest software. In this modern, disposable society, you would normally just throw the old out and get a whole new computer. But we now know that such behavior is wasteful and foolish.
Instead, you can just upgrade your computer or peripherals as necessary. Anyone, and I do mean anyone, can install a new modem or motherboard. It just takes some patience and a good set of instructions. Alternatively, you can have a professional do it for a lot cheaper than a whole new computer.


The mother earth is shouting us to wake us that shes slowly ruin. Everyone can have done something to help the environment in your own simple way by conveying the above tips. This can be applied to us students. Please be vigilant enough by doing something to save energy use by simply practicing this tips. Please be guided and convey this message to all your friends and let us work hand-on-hand solving environmental problem.

Helping mother earth will never be too late if we all will join hand-on-hand working to find solution on the problem and find alternatives to rebirth the earth again. It is not impossible if we believe and with proper and enough assistance. Thus, if people is discipline enough and with concern to the devastating condition of our beloved mother earth destruction would never be happened. But is still it is not late but we have to work it now before it becomes too late and nothing will left to us.

Be aware!!! Do something!!! Join Green Campus Computing!!!![/color]



Visit these sites for more information regarding the topic or article about Green Campus Computing:

http://chronicle.com/free/2009/01/10296n.htm
http://greencampus.winserve.org/greencampus/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23&Itemid=40
http://www.uoregon.edu/~recycle/Conservation_computing_text.htm[/color]

What is Automated Election?


Automated election system — a system using appropriate technology for voting and electronic devices to count votes and canvass/consolidate results.


What are the essential benefits?


1. User-friendly and need not require computer-literate operators.

2. The machine security is a built-in and multi-layer existent on hardware and software with minimum human intervention using latest technology like encrypted coding system.

3. The security key control is embedded inside the machine sealed against human intervention.

4. The Optical Mark Reader (OMR) do have a built-in printer for numbering the counted ballots and also for printing the individual precinct number on the counted ballots.

5. The ballot paper for the OMR counting machine have the quality that passed the international standard like ISO-1831, JIS-X- 9004 or its equivalent for optical character recognition.

6. The ballot feeder is automatic.

7. The machine is able to count from 100 to 150 ballots per minute.

8. The counting machine is able to detect fake or counterfeit ballots and do have a fake ballot rejector.

9. The counting machine is able to detect and reject previously counted ballots to prevent duplication.

10. The counting machine have the capability to recognize the ballot's individual precinct and city or municipality before counting or consolidating the votes.

11. The System have a printer that has the capacity to print in one stroke or operation seven (7) copies (original plus six (6) copies) of the consolidated reports on carbonless paper.

12. The printer have at least 128 kilobytes of Random Access Memory (RAM) to facilitate the expeditious processing of the printing of the consolidated reports.

13. The machine have a built-in hard disk to store the counted and consolidated data for future printout and verification.

14. The machine is temperature-resistant and rust-proof.

15. The machine is not be capable of being connected to external computer peripherals for the process of vote consolidation.


16. It provide the shortest time needed to complete the counting of votes and canvassing of the results of the election.

17. The machine is enable to generate consolidated reports like the election return, statement of votes and certificate of canvass at different levels.

18.While RA 9369 provides for the printing of up to 30 copies of ERs and their posting at the precinct, the single transmission and canvassing system can move much faster.

19.While RA 9369 provides for the printing of up to 30 copies of ERs and their posting at the precinct, the single transmission and canvassing system can move much faster.

20.Some vendors claim that national candidates could be proclaimed in less than 48 hours.




The Disadvantage of Automated Voting

It is interesting that while it was said that the slow transmission and canvassing in the old manual system created many opportunities for fraud, in the new automated system, very fast transmission and canvassing in 2010 may lead to massive fraud, frustrating the true votes of our nation.
"Automated election fraud By Manuel A. Alcuaz Jr. of Philippine Daily Inquirer"



1. In the new OMR system voters will feed the ballot into the machine the next thing we will see is the printed election return. Whether our votes were properly counted we will not know.

2.Transparency at the precinct level is gone.

Fraud can take place and the voters and watchers at the precinct will not know if fraud has taken place.

3.It is not free from Hacking.

4. The Comelec AES has no safeguards against insider-initiated fraud. It assumes that the Comelec and the vendor officials, managers and staff are absolutely honest. It assumes that an automated system will not commit mistakes or fraud.

5.Counting tables can be changed. Since the OMR machines are connected to the Internet, it is possible for an outside party, in connivance with Comelec or system vendor people, to enable an unseen computer to load the fraudulent table.

6.There is no provision for audit.



How do we safeguard our vote?



In order to prevent automated election fraud, certain safeguards have to be instituted. These include:

1. The OMR machines should not have any network connection. The election results should be copied to USB memory sticks, which can subsequently be loaded to a separate PC that will transmit the results to the Comelec canvassing system at the municipality and to the dominant majority and minority parties, as well as to the citizens arms such as PPCRV and Namfrel.

2. The above parties should be provided with their own PCs to be able to produce their own COCs. If the Comelec COC does not match the COCs produced by other parties, a careful review should be done prior to transmission to the provincial level.

3. The verified municipal COC should then be transmitted to the multiple groups defined above. Again, the Comelec COC should be compared with the other COCs and the reason for discrepancies should be determined.

4. The verified Provincial COC should again be transmitted to multiple parties.

The Comelec and Congressional Canvass should again be compared to the parallel canvasses to assure that fraud is minimized as much as possible.

5. Each of the concerned groups should make their results available on their websites for the public to access.

6. It is your honesty that be practiced because if we want a change it depend on us. Listen to what is proper and what must you need things to do to help to have a clean and peaceful election this coming 2010 election.


Own point of view

In my own perception having an automated election is good for us. Nowadays, technology grow faster and bigger and its demand is continuously growing so fast. Third world country like us is really far behind compare to the giants and tiger countries in terms of technology. In these case our prior concerned must be how to compete with this fast changing technology and it must start by having an automated election this coming 2010 election. I do believe that It is not wrong nor destructing if we go with the flow on the new technology that the world offers us like having an automated election. Changes is not soon but it is now let it start on this coming election.

Some may not satisfied about the Automated election for some circumstances that may come along the way. I instantly understand them, but why adapt the new technology it is still the same that fraud and cheating still be encountered its unstoppable unless diminishing all those wicked soul. I stand to have an automated election cause i believe why prolonging the agony about the election credibility if it still fraud prevailing. In automated it gives the result in less than 48 hours, in this short span of time we will have the evil elected in his respective throne.

Changes come from us if all people stand in one philosophy of having a clean and peaceful election it can be it might be not this 2010 election but i know it will come. I don't really closing my doors to a miracle that we will be having a fair and election. In my heart the hopes for electing the right people is at near.

That's it! That is how election must be!


references:
http://www.chanrobles.com/republicactno8436.htm/
http://business.inquirer.net/money/columns/view/20090706-214009/Automated-election-fraud/

June 25, 2009

This is the day of submission of the assignment 1 in MIS on the forum. It is also the time that we look for an interview company. Along with our letter without the signature of our teacher we still go visiting the company we chose praying that they may allow us to have an ambush interview with them..

Before starting our journey, we first give a call into the company and asked for approval if they will allow us to have an ambush interview with their IS/IT personnel in their MIS department. We decided that our first destination would be at Lanang in the Phoenix Petroleum company.

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Company Profile:



History


Incorporated in May 2002 in Davao City, Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc. has grown from a simple family venture to one of the most successful businesses in Davao and the Southern Mindanao area.

The company, then under the name Davao Oil Terminal Services Corporation (DOTSCO), began operations in its current form in January 2004, distributing petroleum products to various commercial entities in Mindanao. In August 2006, the company was officially renamed to Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc.

Today, Phoenix Petroleum is engaged in the business of trading refined petroleum products, lubricants and other chemical products, operation of oil depots and storage facilities, and allied services, mainly in Southern Philippines. Its products and services are distributed and marketed under the "Phoenix Fuels Life" trademark.

______________________________________________________________________________________________


We come up with the idea of going there because of the suggestion of one of our colleagues. But sad to say, we haven't the opportunity to have an interview with them for they need to see our letter for formality and confidentiality. They said that we can e.mail them our letter along with purpose for the interview. It is unsuccessful journey because we failed.

" Paconsuelo de bobo sa self"

As the saying goes, “Try and try until success is achieve”. Don't give up halfway for there is always a new day tomorrow. Who knows? It may not happen that day but perhaps the next day and so on.

Success is not earned in just one day but the capacity of the heart to wait & go on to survive is what matters most. Success is not by fate or luck but it is made by diligent and good hearted man just like us!!! Just continue living and strive to be happy always. They said tomorrow is another day and yet life is worth living!!! See you aroung bloggers!!!

Journal 2
July 3, 2009

Weeeeeeew after a week of waiting!

After receiving the confirmation we immediately formulated related questions. We arrived at the Lapanday Foods Corporation at 3:00pm and ended the interview at 5:00pm. We met the MIS Manager and started interview with him. We have a nice conversation with him.

This conversation was like acquiring about the project and collecting necessary information for the proposal...Aside from the motives of going there, we also wanted to know our interviewer and find out who is he and we earn a good and civil relationship with them. People on the adopted company are approachable and a good interviewee as well..WE have a really god time while we took information and photo in regards to the company...It was really a great time being in their company, they are all nice!!!I supose!