Chapter 13 Copyright and Fair Use

The problem with copyright and property law? It can stifle innovation

This is from James Surowiecki, who writes the “Financial Page” for The New Yorker. This week, he writes about something called “the gridlock economy” — when there’s so much ownership of various parts of an industry that laws protecting innovation and investment actually end up stifling both. We’re seeing this happening right now in the fields of technology, science, and culture.
This cropped up last week when a musician named DJ Girl Talk continued to challenge copyright law by stringing together a huge assortment of pop songs and then charging people for the CD. He’s claiming protection under the “fair use” clause of copyright law, but some legal experts challenge that claim.

From The New Yorker: The point isn’t that private property is a bad thing, or that the state should be able to run roughshod over the rights of individual owners. Property rights (including patents) are essential to economic growth, providing incentives to innovate and invest.But property rights need to be limited to be effective. The more we divide common resources like science and culture into small, fenced-off lots, Heller shows, the more difficult we make it for people to do business and to build something new. Innovation, investment, and growth end up being stifled.Opportunities forgone aren’t always easy to see. The effects of overuse are generally unmistakable—you can’t miss the empty nets of fishing boats working overfished oceans, or the scrub that covers an overgrazed field. But the effects of underuse created by too much ownership are often invisible. They’re mainly things that don’t happen: inventions that don’t get made, useful drugs that never get to market.

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Chapter 12 Knowledge Management

Starbucks Knowledge Management

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
Starbucks Success in Innovation

José Alfonso Espinosa Galnares

Jones International University

September 25th, 2010



The research and development department is an area of the company that is considered really important in companies especially in global business. In globalized businesses R&D is something that should really be considered in order to be successful in any country. Starbucks has been developing different R&D strategies in the countries in which they have settled. For example in Starbucks China they have created different strategies in order to become successful in which drinking coffee is still seen as an event and not as a necessity (Bardsley, 2010). Also they have to put emphasis in that development because Chinese population is more a tea drinking society rather than a coffee drinking population (Starbucks).

The main Starbucks R&D units are located in their principal headquarters. This office is located                               

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Chapter 11 Information System

Starbucks launches 2D bar code payment system



              Starbucks Coffee Co. has launched a trial of a 2D bar code payment system for customers to pay via their iPhone or iPod touch.
             The coffee giant launched two new applications. Starbucks Card Mobile has a 2D bar code system testing in 16 retail locations in Seattle, Cupertino, CA, and Mountain View, CA. The myStarbucks application is a store locator that lets users search by amenities or get directions to the nearest retail location.

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Chapter 10 Information Technology

Some of the advantages of information technology

 

Globalization - IT has not only brought the world closer together, but it has allowed the world's economy to become a single interdependent system. This means that we can not only share information quickly and efficiently, but we can also bring down barriers of linguistic and geographic boundaries. The world has developed into a global village due to the help of information technology allowing countries like Chile and Japan who are not only separated by distance but also by language to shares ideas and information with each other.

Communication - With the help of information technology, communication has also become cheaper, quicker, and more efficient. We can now communicate with anyone around the globe by simply text messaging them or sending them an email for an almost instantaneous response. The internet has also opened up face to face direct communication from different parts of the world thanks to the helps of video conferencing.

Cost effectiveness - Information technology has helped to computerize the business process thus streamlining businesses to make them extremely cost effective money making machines. This in turn increases productivity which ultimately gives rise to profits that means better pay and less strenuous working conditions.

Bridging the cultural gap - Information technology has helped to bridge the cultural gap by helping people from different cultures to communicate with one another, and allow for the exchange of views and ideas, thus increasing awareness and reducing prejudice.

More time - IT has made it possible for businesses to be open 24 x7 all over the globe. This means that a business can be open anytime anywhere, making purchases from different countries easier and more convenient. It also means that you can have your goods delivered right to your doorstep with having to move a single muscle.

Creation of new jobs - Probably the best advantage of information technology is the creation of new and interesting jobs. Computer programmers, Systems analyzers, Hardware and Software developers and Web designers are just some of the many new employment opportunities created with the help of IT.

Some disadvantages of information technology

Unemployment - While information technology may have streamlined the business process it has also crated job redundancies, downsizing and outsourcing. This means that a lot of lower and middle level jobs have been done away with causing more people to become unemployed.

Privacy - Though information technology may have made communication quicker, easier and more convenient, it has also bought along privacy issues. From cell phone signal interceptions to email hacking, people are now worried about their once private information becoming public knowledge.

Lack of job security - Industry experts believe that the internet has made job security a big issue as since technology keeps on changing with each day. This means that one has to be in a constant learning mode, if he or she wishes for their job to be secure.

Dominant culture - While information technology may have made the world a global village, it has also contributed to one culture dominating another weaker one. For example it is now argued that US influences how most young teenagers all over the world now act, dress and behave. Languages too have become overshadowed, with English becoming the primary mode of communication for business and everything else.

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Chapter 9 Information Evaluation Assessment

Good Website

1) a clearly identified objective
2) compelling content
3) ease of navigation
4) visually appealing

Example of Good Websites:

www.thetrip.com

www.bluefly.com

www.gap.com

www.netgrocer.com

Bias Information

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           Bias includes racism, sexism, classism, elitism, favoritism and of course ethnic discrimination. It includes discrimination based a criminal record or being underrepresented in the justice system.  Intelligence, beauty and physical ability are also some other factors regarding bias. Religious bias exists as well. Bias can also be part of a “point of view” that includes personal preference, politics, and simple likes and dislikes. There is a whole spectrum related to bias.What is important to recognize; the vast majority and positively most information is biased.

 

Example

          Looking through the newspaper most people think that their getting reliable information. It’s not until critical thinking is introduced; that the information sparks what the particular individual’s beliefs are. Words are very powerful when the proper scenes are set, its like making a puppet dance to music.

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Chapter 8 ( Search engines )

            Search engines are the key to finding specific information on the vast expanse of the World Wide Web. Without sophisticated search engines, it would be virtually impossible to locate anything on the Web without knowing a specific URL. But do you know how search engines work? And do you know what makes some search engines more effective than others?
When people use the term search engine in relation to the Web, they are usually referring to the actual search forms that searches through databases of HTML documents, initially gathered by a robot.

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5 search engines on the Internet

1. Altavista
2. Google
3. Lycos
4. Mediconsult
5. Search.com

Chapter 7

Inspiration for Flooding Crisis in Thailand 

  

  Recording to the news and my own exprience, I saw most of the stores or hourses have sand bages and some are putting up small concrete block walls. They are saying that we will getting hit by flood. This situation never happened before in Thailand. We are having the worst flood in like 50 years.

    The several things that we can do to help people that are getting affected by flooding are providing them some food, go help packing food ( if you are convenient ), donate some money, and pray for them.

    This flooding crisis will pass away fast just like a nightmare, woke up in the moring with the brighter day Thai people!. It's just a dream we all will get over it. Keep fighting and we will be rising when the sun brights.
 
  I hope my words can inspire them to fight! and won't give up.

Weena S. Wiley

Citation

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Chapter 6 ( How to write a report )

Computer systems computer systems

 Topic: scanners

Abstract

• Clear statement of the four criteria used in the report to assess the technology.
• Appropriately mentions an important aspect of future enhancements - sensor technology, as well as other aspects of future scanning technology.
• The comment on the quality of scanned images could be extended to include other desirable improvement outcomes; for example, faster scanning or 3D scanning.

      This report investigates the current state of scanner technology and examines the predicted future advancements of scanners. A brief history of the scanner and its operation is initially outlined. The discussion then focuses on the advantages and limitations of the five main types of scanners in common use today: drum, flatbed, sheet-fed, slide, and hand held scanners. The performance of these scanners is examined in relation to four main criteria: resolution, bit-depth, dynamic range and software. It is concluded that further technological advances in these four areas as well as the deployment of new sensor technology will continue to improve the quality of scanned images. It is also suggested that specialised scanners will increasingly be incorporated into other types of technology such as digital cameras.
Introduction
    The purpose of this report is to survey the current state of scanner technology and to briefly discuss predicted advancements in the field.
By examining a range of recently published journal articles, magazine articles and internet sites on the topic of scanners this report describes the main types of scanners in common use today and examines their performance in relation to four criteria: resolution, bit-depth, dynamic range and software. The report then considers the effect of further technological advances in these four areas, as well as the deployment of new sensor technology on the future development of scanners.
The first scanner, initially referred to as a 'reading machine', was developed in 1960 by Jacob Rabinow, a Russian born engineer. The device could scan printed material and then compare each character to a set of standards in a matrix using, for the first time, the "best match principle" to determine the original message (Blatner, Fleishman and Roth 1998, p.3). This reading machine was to form the basis for the development of current scanning, sorting and processing machines.
Body
    A scanner is a device that uses a light source to electronically convert an image into binary data (0s and 1s). This binary data can then be used to store the scanned image on a computer. A scanner recreates an image by using small electronic components referred to as the scanner's 'eyes' (Scanner tips 2000). The type of 'eyes' used in today's scanners are charge-coupled devices (CCD) and photomultiplier tubes (PMT). These electronic eyes measure the amount of light reflected from individual points on the page and translate it to digital signals that correspond to the brightness of each point (Englander 2000).
To create a file on the computer that represents a colour image, the scanner divides the image into a grid with many individual points called pixels or picture elements (Scanner tips 2000). A scanning head, termed a row of 'eyes', reads over the grid and assigns a number to each pixel based on the main colour in that pixel, using green, blue and red. For example an aqua pixel would be saved as a number to represent the proportion of blue, green and red which represents the colour aqua (Scanners, digital cameras and photo CDs 2000).
    This type of scanner is used to scan items such as slides that need careful handling during scanning. Unlike other scanners, the scanning heads in slide scanners do not reflect light from the image, but rather pass light through it. This enables these scanners to produce superior results without distortions caused by reflective light. To be able to scan small and detailed items, these scanners have a large number of eyes on the scanning head which produces a high quality result. Slide scanners tend to be more expensive and less versatile than flatbed and sheet-fed scanners as they are limited to only scanning slides and film. These scanners, however, are well suited to users requiring high quality scans of large numbers of slides (Scanner tips 2000).
Conclusion
    This report has identified five types of scanners currently available. Some are primarily used for professional purposes such as the drum scanner; others are used more broadly in the workplace and home such as flatbed scanners and to a lesser extent sheetfed scanners. Scanners for specialized purposes have also been identified such as slide and handheld scanners. The performance of these scanners is dependent upon their resolution, bit-depth, dynamic range and software. Scanners have improved significantly in recent years in terms of weight, size, price and speed, and the replacement of CCD technology with CIS technology is anticipated to produce further benefits to these areas as well as to scan quality. The impact of these improvements is expected to increase the accessibility of scanner technology to a wider range of users and its suitability for a wider range of purposes. In relation to this, the future of scanner technology seems to point to the convergence of different technologies. Specialized scanners are currently being incorporated into other types of technologies such as digital cameras, printers, and photocopiers. This can be expected to continue with other forms of technology in conjunction with further improvements to image quality, speed, price, size and weight.
Reference list
Anderson, D. The PC Guide. [http:www.pctechguide.com/18scanners.htm].
Blatner, D., Fleishman, G. Roth, G. (1998) Real world scanning and halftones 2nd edition, Peachpit Press, USA.
Englander, I (2000). The Architecture of computer hardware and systems software. John Wiley, USA, p272.
Figeiredo, J. McIllree, J. Thomas, N. (1996) Introducing information technology 2nd edition Jacaranda Press, Singapore, p145.

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Chapter 5 ( Online Catalog and Databases )

Example of Journal Databases

Useful Links of the Libraries

The Library of Congress Website

British Library

Thai National Library

Sripatum - University Library

ASEAN Community Website

Chapter 3 Source of Knowledge : Libraries

Library of Congress Classification System (L.C.)

The Library of Congress Classification System (LC System) is used to organize books in many academic and university libraries throughout the United States and world.

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Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC)

The Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC, also called the Dewey Decimal System) is a proprietary system of library classification developed by Melvil Dewey in 1876.
It has been greatly modified and expanded through 23 major revisions, the most recent in 2011. This system organizes books on library shelves in a specific and repeatable order that makes it easy to find any book and return it to its proper place. The system is used in 200,000 libraries in at least 135 countries.

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Chapter 2 (Objective & Subjective)

Definition of Objective and Subjective      
      Objective is a statement that is completely unbiased. It is not touched by the speaker’s previous experiences or tastes. It is verifiable by looking up facts or performing mathematical calculations.

       Subjective is a statement that has been colored by the character of the speaker or writer. It often has a basis in reality, but reflects the perspective through with the speaker views reality. It cannot be verified using concrete facts and figures.

Examples of Objective and Subjective     
      Objective : scientific facts are objective as are mathematical proofs; essentially anything that can be backed up with solid data.

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      Subjective : opinions, interpretations, and any type of marketing presentation are all subjective.

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Summary:
     1.Objective and subjective statements are used by speakers to get their points across.

     2.Objective statements are facts that can be verified by third parties while subjective statements may or may not be entirely true as they are colored by the opinions of the speaker.

    3.Objective statements are most commonly found in the hard sciences, whereas subjective statements are generally used to describe the arts.

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Information source

       "Source" means the origin of something. An information source is a source of information for somebody, i.e. anything that might inform a person about something or provide knowledge to somebody. Information sources may be observations, people, speeches, documents, pictures, organizations etc. They may be primary sources, secondary sources, tertiary sources and so on.


      Primary Sources

      Academic research is based on primary sources: original 'material' from the field one is studying, including books, articles and letters written by the people or in the field one is studying, interviews with persons involved in the field, speeches and lectures which they delivered, diaries they kept, etc. Scholars consult primary sources in search of new material and/or insights that have not previously been reported by other scholars, or have been reported differently or perhaps even 'mis-reported' by other scholars.

       Secondary Sources

      Secondary sources are accounts of events which were created well after the event occurred. Secondary sources are based on primary sources — they are usually studies which analyze, evaluate, interpret, or criticize primary sources. By assessing, repackaging and distributing information, secondary sources make the information more accessible.

       Tertiary Sources

In addition to primary and secondary sources, there are also tertiary sources. These are sources that compile or digest other sources. Some reference materials and textbooks are considered tertiary sources when their chief purpose is to list, summarize or simply repackage ideas or other information. Tertiary sources include dictionaries and encyclopedias, Wikipedia and similar user-contributed online 'encyclopedias' and reference material, as well as various digests (including the Reader's Digest and similar) and schoolbooks.

Generally, tertiary sources are not considered to be acceptable material on which to base academic research. However, this depends on the topic being covered and the reason the source is used. If a language scholar is comparing different definitions of terms in a selection of contemporary dictionaries, or describing different shades of meaning of the translation into Finnish of a term from English on the basis of available dictionaries, the use of these dictionaries as sources would not only be entirely appropriate and essential to the research, but also take on the status of primary sources.

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Good and Poor Information

There is a tremendous amount of useful, factual information available online. Unfortunately, it's also very easy to find incorrect or misleading information when searching online.
It can be quite difficult to determine whether the information you find on the internet is good or bad. Lots of incoherent information is posted every day by people simply looking to jump ahead in the search engine rankings.

Have you ever read through an entire article or website, only to realize that you have more questions than you did when you started? You've probably stumbled upon some poor information in your time using the internet. There are different kinds of incorrect information available online; read on to find a description of these different types.

Intentionally Misleading Information - If you've browsed Wikipedia for a fair amount of time you've probably came across a page that was locked. This happens often when celebrities are are involved in scandals or when they pass away. Some of the comments you may encounter are totally inaccurate, while others might be controversial and subject to argument on both sides of the issue.

Wikipedia's administrators lock pages when there are too many edits coming in that present false information. This is especially common for the pages of celebrities with poor reputations, which often have derogatory information posted on them. Visit the page of a controversial celebrity and look at the edit history; you'll almost definitely see some of these edits. This is one of the negatives that come with user contributed sites, and these things must be screened carefully when the open source frameworks permit such easy access by the general public.

Unintentionally False Information - Everywhere you look online, you'll find someone claiming to be an expert and sharing his or her secrets. While they may not be trying to intentionally mislead you, they're often not 100% correct.

Always question the claims of any self-proclaimed experts online. You can double-check the facts behind their statements to be sure that what they're saying is truthful. Most of these people are simply trying to make money, and even though they may not have any malicious intent, the end result still has you believing false information.

Despite all of this, don't be scared to find information online. There's still a huge amount of useful information that can be found on the internet; you just have to do a little extra research sometimes and try to stick to reputable sources. Stick with these sources and more likely than not, you won't be mislead.


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Chapter 1

       The Information Society is a multidisciplinary journal intended to answer questions about the Information Age. It provides a forum for thoughtful commentary and discussion of significant topics in the world of information, such as transborder data flow, regulatory issues, the impact of the information industry, information as a determinant of public and private organizational performance, and information and the sovereignty of the public and private organizational performance, and information and the sovereignty of the public. Its papers analyze information policy issues affecting society. Because of the journal's international perspective, it will have worldwide appeal to scientists and policymakers in government, education, and industry.

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What is Information?
    
      According to Russell Ackoff, a systems theorist and professor of organizational change, the content of the human mind can be classified into five categories:

1. Data: symbols
   
   
2. Information: data that are processed to be useful; provides answers to "who", "what", "where", and "when" questions
   
   
3. Knowledge: application of data and information; answers "how" questions
   
   
4. Understanding: appreciation of "why"
   
   
5. Wisdom: evaluated understanding

Data... data is raw. It simply exists and has no significance beyond its existence (in and of itself). It can exist in any form, usable or not. It does not have meaning of itself.

Information... information is data that has been given meaning by way of relational connection.

Knowledge... knowledge is the appropriate collection of information, such that it's intent is to be useful. Knowledge is a deterministic process.

Understanding... understanding is an interpolative and probabilistic process. It is cognitive and analytical. It is the process by which I can take knowledge and synthesize new knowledge from the previously held knowledge. The difference between understanding and knowledge is the difference between "learning" and "memorizing".

Wisdom... wisdom is an extrapolative and non-deterministic, non-probabilistic process. It calls upon all the previous levels of consciousness, and specifically upon special types of human programming (moral, ethical codes, etc.).

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