Discussion Question

DQ - If someone discovers a cure for the common cold, should he or she hide it to protect the jobs of all the people who work in the huge cold-medicine industry? Identify reasons why so many people react negatively to advances in technology that eliminates some jobs.

• I think that if a cure was found then the truth should not be hidden. It does not seem ethical to feed people medicine that can cause some unpredicted health issues when there is a simple solution to the illness. But I do say that if a cure is found then before shutting down huge cold-medicine industry they should take into consideration how the job loss will affect the people. Plans should be made in order to help those people find new jobs (possibly a guaranteed new job)or even a way to support those people if they cannot get a job . I think the same should be applied to jobs that are eliminated due to technological advances. Also people who lose their jobs to this reason can be trained and allowed to work for the company (the new company that is on the rise) that replaced their jobs.

Ch. 13 4 RQs #1

1.Define the key terms.

• B2B: E-commerce transactions between businesses


• B2C: E-commerce transactions which involve businesses providing goods for consumers


• B2E: A B2B model that handles the activities that take place within an organization


• C2C: the e-commerce model which represents individuals, organizations, or companies that are selling and buying directly from each other via the internet


• Customer Relationship management (CRM): software system for organizing and tracking information on customers


• dot-com: Internet based companies


• e-commerce: business transactions over electronic networks


• electronic payment system: an online credit card transaction in which a trusted third party transfers funds from one person or company to another, thereby concealing the credit card information of the buyer from the seller.


• electronic commerce software:programs on a Web server that provide the commercial services to consumers and business partners on the Web site


• extranet: an extended intranet. It is a private interorganizational information system connecting the intranets of two or more companies in an e-marketplace


• intranet:"An intranet is a private computer network that uses Internet Protocol technology to securely share any part of an organization's information or network operating system withing that organization" (wikipedia)


• m-commerce: mobile commerce, in which workers use their handheld devices to take their office with them wherever they travel


• Virtual Private Network (VPN): A network that uses encryption to create secure "tunnels" through the internet or between intranets. it is a method organizations can use to set up extranets


• Web hosting service: a service that provide e-commerce software and expertise to run an online business

3. Describe three forms of e-commerce.

• B2B (business to business): E-commerce transactions between businesses


• B2C (business to consumer): E-commerce transactions which involve businesses providing goods for consumers


• C2C (consumer to consumer): the e-commerce model which represents individuals, organizations, or companies that are selling and buying directly from each other via the internet

5. What are three important ways companies use intranet?

• Companies use intranet to allow information access for employees, internal business transactions and in order to promote collaboration and teamwork.

6. What is the main purpose of the extranet and what are some of its characteristics?

• The purpose of an extranet is to connect the intranet of two or more companies that are partners in order to facilitate their working relationship. Some characteristics about the extranet is that it can be set up in one of three ways. It can be made a secure private network, which tends to be expensive but provides partners full extent of its access and security privileges. The seconds is a public network which is inexpensive but has a low security. The third way it can be set up is as a virtual private network which provides a secure tunnel across the network between the business partners' intranet. It is economical and very secure and therefore is the preferred method for extranets.

Ch.11 RQs #2

• 8. Why is education critical for our future as we automate more jobs?

The information revolution is taking speed and education needs to keep up with it. s more and more jobs become automated, workers need to be prepared to adjust to different jobs and skills when needed. Education will help in the transition. Also, people are going to be dealing a lot more with computers so they will need to have learned to be familiar with the technology. For the economic growth we need to have a suitably trained workforce and education is the key to a positive economic future.

• 10.) What kind of education does a student to prepare for living and working in the information age?

Students will need to be familiar with technology, be literate, able to think mathematically, have an understanding of culture, have good communication skills, and able to learn how to learn and adjust to different conditions.

• 15.) describe several ways people use home computers.

Home computers are used for household businesses , education & information, entertainment, shopping, communicating with others, and for creativity & leisure. Household business: ex. keeping track of financial transaction Education & information: ex. Online encyclopedias, dictionaries, medical references, etc Entertainment: ex. narrow casting services, computer games and simulations, Shopping: ex. EBay, Amazon and many others Communication: ex. emailing friends, chatting, Creativity & leisure: Playing music, games, reading e-books, etc.

• 16.) what are smart cards, and how are they used?

A smart card is a card that look similar to a credit card but actually has a microprocessor embedded into it and memory instead of a barcode. It can be slipped into a slot on the computer to receive most of its input. It is an effortless way to record transactions. It can also be used as a key to access sensitive data on computers, school IDs driver licenses, to pay highway tolls and more.

Discussion Question

Do computers increase or decrease efficiency? Explain. I think computers have increased efficiency because it has allowed us to do things we would never be able to. They allow us to work from home and communicate very easily.They have made it easier for us to do things that would normally take a lot of time. Opens access to lots of information by the internet and search engines .They increase accuracy and precision such as in computer making factories to make silicon chips. *we increase our efficiency when we work with computers but without them we are less efficient then those in the past

What are some fears generated by the use of tech/computers in the work place? Many people fear that computers will destroy jobs and require more skills. For example like in automated factories, computers and robots replace human workers. Computers are becoming a problem for people who are inexperienced with computers because of the growing used of technology. Older workers do not have much experience using computers since they did not need them or use them as much when they were younger. Now that they are living in changed time the y have difficulty adjusting and even learning how to use new technology. They sometimes don't even feel comfortable working with more advanced technology. Another fear is that we are becoming to dependent on computers and so if anything does happen to them or there is a massive power outage there will be much loss.

List 3 jobs/skills that have become obsolete in the 21st century and 3 jobs/skills that have taken their place Newspaper/newspaper distribution: more and more newspapers and magazines are going electronic so newspapers are in less circulation as the used to be. Hard copies are no longer needed -Automobile assembly lines: These have almost been completely taken over by robots. People no longer make them -Elevator operators: elevators can "drive themselves"

Chapter 11 Computers at work, School , & home

Alan Kay:his research team developed the first PC Computers have a bid impact on entertainment, publishing , medicine (virtual rooms used by students to as simulations) , Airline, science (gathering info, organizing,super computers, communicate with them) Robots: computer controlled machines computers help monitor may things -Engineers use CAD to design new things Automated factory: is more efficient, use less labor, reduce waste, -but affects blue collar workers During PC era : moved from using mainframes to PC Workgroup comp: Groupware, intranet, extranet The paperless office: documents stored electronically. Electronic commerce: buying and selling on internet B@B- buiz to biz B2C: buiz to consum. rules of thumb: learn touch typing -use regularly -plan for change For many people computers have caused more problems then solution Monitoring: checking up on employees electronic swear shop: mostly women, low pay, oppressive automation has destroyed jobs

Monday's 4 RQs Ch.11 Part #1

2.) What are the major components of the modern automated factory? Two major components for automated factories are computers and robots(computer-controlled machines designed to perform specific manual tasks.

6) What is de-skilling? what is up-skilling? Give examples of each. De-skilling a job means that it may be transformed so that it requires less skill. For example, the computerized cash registers in restaurants. Up-skilling means to be transformed in a way so that it requires more skill. For example, many clerical jobs become more technical as offices adopt databases,email systems, Internet, etc.

7.) Describe several controversies surrounding the electronic sweat shop. -Workers are often from minority groups and are almost always female -They are paid minimum wage -Many experience headaches,backaches,serious wrist injuries,stress, and other health problems. -Keystrokes and breaks are monitored electronically -Similar to oppressive factory sweatshops of the 19th century -pay is different for on shore and off shore workers

13.) Give several examples of ways how distance learning can enhance education. -Middle schools can use electron microscopes, telescopes, and other powerful tools around the world using real-time internet connection.High school correspondence courses can be completed by modem rather than by mail -handicapped students can do work in their place of comfort -teachers can receive additional education without leaving the district

Wednesday's 4RQs #2 from ch.10

1.)Key terms:

• Access control Software: a software that only allows users to access according to the user's needs


• active badge: a microprocessor-controlled ID badges that broadcasts infrared identification codes to a network receiver


• antivirus:a program designed to search for virus, alert the users, and destroy the virus


• authentication mechanism: a security measure that make sures only legitimate users have access to the system by asking potential users to identify themselves


• authorization mechanism: a security measure that guarantees that users have permission to perform a particular task


• autonomous system: a complex system that can assume almost complete responsibility for a task without human input


• back up:the process of saving data- especially for data recovery


• biometric: measurements of individual body characteristics


• computer crime: an crime accomplished though knowledge or use of computer technology


• computer security:protecting a computer system and information from...


• DoS attack:(denial of service) a type of computer vandalism that bombard servers and Web sites , denying service to legitimate clients and customers


• encryption: a secret numerical code that can be used to scramble network transmission


• firewall: a tool used to keep internal networks secure while enabling communication with the rest of the Internet


• hacking: electronic trespassing and vandalism


• identity theft: the crime of obtaining enough information about a person to assume his or her identity


• logic bomb: a program designed to attack in response to a particular logical event or sequence of events


• malware: malicious software (worms, viruses, etc.)


• passwords: the most common security tool used to restrict access to a computer system


• sabotage: a malicious attack on work, tools, or business

3.)Describe the typical computer criminal. How does he or she differ from the media stereotype. the typical computer criminal is a trusted employee with no criminal record who is tempted by an opportunity.Greed, financial worries ,or personal problems motivate this person to give in to temptations. This is different from the stereotypical criminal who is described as a young, bright, technically savvy,white, middle class, male who in addition to programming his computer, may break into others. The stereotype classify the criminals young, white and middle class, but that is just a generalization.

9.)Every afternoon at closing time the First Taxpayer's Bank copies all the day's accumulated transaction information from disk to tape. Why? They do this to backup their work and take precautions, data and software are backed up on to disks or tapes at the end of the day to allow them, if necessary, to go back several days weeks, or years to reconstruct files. It is also done to secure the files in case something happens.

10. In what ways can computer security protect privacy of individuals? In what ways can computer security threaten the privacy of individuals? Protect privacy: Computer security protects us from destructive viruses, illegal interlopers,crooked coworkers, software pirates, and cybervandals who can erode trust, threaten jobs and make life difficult for everyone. It also prevents our personal information from getting into the wrong hands. Threatens privacy: The complex procedures, virus protection programs, intellectual property laws and other security matter, which are used to protect our privacy , if carried to far can interfere with our work and individual human rights. Government and corporate databases gather information about us without our knowledge. In order to protect us, they invade our privacy.