With the ever increasing population of computer technology, it is almost impossible to find an educational establishment that does not use them in one fashion or another. Computers are becoming more important within education as a learning tool for students and educators alike.
As an IT Manager, computers serve a very useful and meaningful purpose in my career, as well as in my day to day life. As my career began about six years ago, I was but an employee, not unlike any other, who was simply doing his best to perform his responsibilities to the best of his ability. I had always had a passion for computers and networks, and desired to work in the field, but with little to no education in the field, the positions I applied for never amounted to much. After a few years of working at my present company, another employee who was primarily responsible for the IT, was let go. The day after he was let go, I was asked to step in and fulfill the void that was now there. I promptly accepted the position, and hit the ground running. It soon became apparent to me that I was truly struggling with the day to day operations that I was confronted with, and knew that I would need to gain a better understanding of the new responsibilities in order to be successful. I decided to go back to school and work towards a degree in the computer science field. I felt this would not only help me with the current challenges I faced at work, but also ensure that I would have a solid foundation for the future, and keep me in the field that I had come to enjoy so much.
As I began my education, I took classes that would prepare me for the A+ exam. These classes were entry level and taught me the fundamentals of hardware and software of the modern computer. Even though I had thought these classes were not necessary for me, I truly learned many different concepts that I might not have ever learned otherwise, and they also gave me a better understanding of troubleshooting concepts that I had been lacking up to that point. After certifying in A+, I moved on to more in-depth classes pertaining to Microsoft, the client and server relationships in Windows XP, and Server 2003. These classes taught me concepts such as implementing and deploying Active Directory policies, DHCP, DNS, FTP, TCP/IP Web Servers, file sharing, TCP/IP and much, much more. These were enjoyable classes as they really dug into the advanced management of the Microsoft operation systems.
As my education continued, I took classes to suit networking and security requirements. These classes, although difficult at times, gave me the knowledge and understanding to tackle and implement networks and security across my environment. The toughest part for me to grasp were the concepts behind symmetric-key and asymmetric-key cryptography, as there are a multitude of different algorithms, hashes involved in encrypting data, and remembering them all and how they function was a real challenge for me. In some of my more recent classes, I have been challenged with programing in C++, Visual Basic, HTML, Java and Java Script. At one point, I felt that it would be a good idea to take an in-depth course on Java, since it seems there is an ever increasing demand for Java developers. However, as one of my professors told me, there is just too much to learn and it would be best to stick with one side of the field. I completely agreed with his assessment, and quickly moved on from that thought in my mind. Even though programming is not my core course of study, I do use and continue to study HTML and Java scripting, as I develop the company's intranet site for the employees.
Up to this point, I would have to say that my favorite class has been studying the open source community, and more specifically, Linux. The class actually had to do with a kernal that I had never used before called Fedora. Although different from Ubuntu, which is the kernel I am used to using, many of the concepts and commands used in Fedora were a great benefit to me. I still refer back often to the notes and key concepts I learned from that class. Mysql, Apache, SAMBA, and SSH are all open source technologies that I have been fortunate enough to study. They have served me well since the core software my employer uses was developed and runs in these environments.
A higher education institution, such as Weber State University, is a great way to gain an education in computer science, but I have come to learn that, at least for me, even with all the education in the world, it's tough to actually implement without the day to day interaction with the terms and concepts that are taught. In this modern age where information that seems to be everywhere, it's hard to discount the opportunities to enhance one's education with books and resources across the web. I have completely taught myself many things that I use today, such as SQL, and continue to do so in other areas that I know will only benefit me down the road. I often tell my coworkers that without my decision to go back to school, I would not be able to perform the responsibilities my job places on me each day, and I am grateful I made the decision to do so.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Module 7
Friedman begins chapter 10 in reference to how once productive countries, such as Mexico, at one time had a tight lid on their exports to the United States. Since the flattening of the world, Mexico has seen a sharp decline in typical goods Americans were accustomed to being seen as Mexican imports. These have now been replaced with exports from China. The same holds true in Egypt, where the fawanis, which has long stood as a traditional lantern in that country, has now been replaced by a Chinese export that is of higher quality and cheaper price. This begs the question, why has China taken a strangle hold on exports to foreign markets? Mexican and Egyptian markets both have cheap labor, so why can they not duplicate China's success? Freidman begins by stating that countries need to be honest with themselves. It's a bit like attending an alcoholic anonymous class; they must first admit to themselves that they have a problem and that they have underperformed in the global market.
Friedman states to answer this question, it really comes down to a country's decision to develop when the world becomes flat. There are four major aspects to accomplish this. First, a county must have the right infrastructure to connect to the rest of the world. The second is the right education system to get more, and the most, out of its people. The third is the governance of the people, meaning the correct fiscal policies and the rule in law must be in place. This one actually makes a lot of sense, but at the same time, China is not a country I associate with having perfected the science of human rights, and getting the most out of its people. The fourth is having the right environment. Countries that preserve their environments, in other words lean towards being “green”, have a much higher probability of attracting knowledgeable workers who are decisive in turning around developing countries. One quote from the book that resonated well was me is “Productivity, growth and, hence, the way out of poverty, is not simply a matter of throwing resources at a problem, say Klein and Hadjimichael. More important, it is a matter of using resources well” (pg 412). I think this holds true in many aspects of a flatter world, and is a simplified answer to why some countries outperform others.
"And the big shall act small” is a quote from Friedman's rules about how companies shall cope. In this respect, companies need to be increasingly mindful about customization on the consumer's part. By “enabling their customers to act very big”, giving the consumer choice is what Friend refers to as the “self-directed consumer”. To answer the question, am I a self-directed consumer? The answer is a resounding yes. The very first thing that enters my mind when I think of this philosophy is Burger King, “have it your way”. Just the other day, I was given the assignment of purchasing some color printers for a couple of our branches. The two main things I was interested were that it could print color, and that it could scan to an FTP site. As I did some comparisons on just one brand (Brother), searching for those features I was in need of, I went through the list and there must have been 30 different models with those options. I thought to myself, why are there so many? This simply complicates my decision. Customization is found in a lot of things we buy, from computers and cars, to food at the grocery store. The options seem to be endless, and I think we, as consumers, demand these type of options in today's flatter world.
In the little bit of international traveling I have done, I did see familiar sites that resonate with American culture, such as McDonalds, Coke, and Hollywood. I would have to say at this point in time, “globalization” does mean “Americanization”. But as Friedman writes, uploading is a powerful tool, one that will continually evolve the way people interact with others at all levels, and I believe this could be a factor in changing the so called “Americanization” in global markets.
Friedman states to answer this question, it really comes down to a country's decision to develop when the world becomes flat. There are four major aspects to accomplish this. First, a county must have the right infrastructure to connect to the rest of the world. The second is the right education system to get more, and the most, out of its people. The third is the governance of the people, meaning the correct fiscal policies and the rule in law must be in place. This one actually makes a lot of sense, but at the same time, China is not a country I associate with having perfected the science of human rights, and getting the most out of its people. The fourth is having the right environment. Countries that preserve their environments, in other words lean towards being “green”, have a much higher probability of attracting knowledgeable workers who are decisive in turning around developing countries. One quote from the book that resonated well was me is “Productivity, growth and, hence, the way out of poverty, is not simply a matter of throwing resources at a problem, say Klein and Hadjimichael. More important, it is a matter of using resources well” (pg 412). I think this holds true in many aspects of a flatter world, and is a simplified answer to why some countries outperform others.
"And the big shall act small” is a quote from Friedman's rules about how companies shall cope. In this respect, companies need to be increasingly mindful about customization on the consumer's part. By “enabling their customers to act very big”, giving the consumer choice is what Friend refers to as the “self-directed consumer”. To answer the question, am I a self-directed consumer? The answer is a resounding yes. The very first thing that enters my mind when I think of this philosophy is Burger King, “have it your way”. Just the other day, I was given the assignment of purchasing some color printers for a couple of our branches. The two main things I was interested were that it could print color, and that it could scan to an FTP site. As I did some comparisons on just one brand (Brother), searching for those features I was in need of, I went through the list and there must have been 30 different models with those options. I thought to myself, why are there so many? This simply complicates my decision. Customization is found in a lot of things we buy, from computers and cars, to food at the grocery store. The options seem to be endless, and I think we, as consumers, demand these type of options in today's flatter world.
In the little bit of international traveling I have done, I did see familiar sites that resonate with American culture, such as McDonalds, Coke, and Hollywood. I would have to say at this point in time, “globalization” does mean “Americanization”. But as Friedman writes, uploading is a powerful tool, one that will continually evolve the way people interact with others at all levels, and I believe this could be a factor in changing the so called “Americanization” in global markets.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Module 6
Free trade is a policy set by governments that do not discriminate or attempt to control imports or exports to other countries. To determine if free trade is a good or bad policy, is highly dependent on one's perspective.
As an American, the cons against free trade are plentiful. First off, unemployment rates are already high in this country, and in my mind, free trade has something to do with that. Technical jobs, such as phone support, are already being sent in large numbers over to foreign markets such as India. These are American companies that could be supplying American jobs, giving back to the very people that keep them in business. Sure, the wages are much lower overseas, but that does not help a family here in America that has bills to pay. A quote from Friedman resonates with me in this chapter when he states “When you lose your job, the unemployment rate is not 5.2 percent; it's 100 percent” (pg 264). Although I myself have been fortunate enough to have never suffered such a hardship, I feel for those who have. I have had several friends and family members suffer through just an event. One was even directly related to free trade, as it was cheaper to have electrical wire made in another country, so his job was moved.
The positives I see resulting from free trade are lower overall cost for consumers, continued innovation of products, and higher exports for the United States. The increase in exports counteracts some of jobs lost to overseas companies. Free trade also helps developing countries pull out of poverty, as it brings their people opportunities and that they might not have had otherwise and improves their standard of living.
So when asked whether free trade is a good or bad policy, this is a question I have always struggled to answer. I'm not sure that I have completely made up my mind, but I would have to lean toward free trade being the best for all involved in the long run. I believe in freedom and capitalism, and those two things involve free trade.
As the world continues to flatten, free trade opens up, and the types of jobs that were once thought to be untouchable have slowly been reduced. Freidman refers to the “new middler” as the new middle class that will be less vulnerable to downward wage pressures of outsourcing, automation and technological change. He identifies eight traits that will hold up to this logic which I will briefly summarize. Great Collaborators And Orchestrators: This is defined as employees, and especially managers, who communicate well with others, and can orchestrate 24/7 supply chains. The Great Synthesizers: The next new hot selling item or product. People who innovate products or service in ways which you might not necessarily think would go together. The Great Explainers: As we gain more great synthesizers, these jobs will involve people who can explain the complexity, but with simplicity. The Great Leveragers: This refers to people who can design ways of leveraging technology to compete with cheaper foreign labor. The Great Adapters: Are employees who are willing to be adaptable and versatile. People are less likely to have one job that they are loyal to their entire career or the company loyal to the employee. People willing to adapt to change are more likely to find opportunities for success. The Green People: These jobs will involve terms such as “sustainable” and “renewable.” These jobs will become important with the amount of consumption the world experiences every day. Math Lovers: People skilled in math will be required to design and operate the technologies of today, as well as the future. The Great Localizers: This refers to businessmen who operate local small and medium size businesses. They have a major impact on the economy as a whole, and tailor to local needs of the community. Although I feel many of these jobs are an important part of the middle class today, I can certainly see Freidman's point of customizing your traits to satisfy the economies that keep one employed.
Friedman concludes that the equation CQ+PQ>IQ is important in the new flat world. Essentially spelled out, curiosity and passion surpass IQ. This is an interesting theory and one that has not really entered my mind. I would tend to agree with Freidman that curiosity and passion equal production in my mind. IQ is simply a measurement of intelligence, but that does not necessarily translate to productivity. With the wealth of knowledge that is accessible at our fingertips, new passions and curiosities are born. I can relate to this equation in my own life. I certainly do not consider myself to be as intelligent as many others out there, but my passion for my job and curiosity to learn new things in the IT world have driven my productivity and have provided opportunities with my employer which I enjoy today.
As an American, the cons against free trade are plentiful. First off, unemployment rates are already high in this country, and in my mind, free trade has something to do with that. Technical jobs, such as phone support, are already being sent in large numbers over to foreign markets such as India. These are American companies that could be supplying American jobs, giving back to the very people that keep them in business. Sure, the wages are much lower overseas, but that does not help a family here in America that has bills to pay. A quote from Friedman resonates with me in this chapter when he states “When you lose your job, the unemployment rate is not 5.2 percent; it's 100 percent” (pg 264). Although I myself have been fortunate enough to have never suffered such a hardship, I feel for those who have. I have had several friends and family members suffer through just an event. One was even directly related to free trade, as it was cheaper to have electrical wire made in another country, so his job was moved.
The positives I see resulting from free trade are lower overall cost for consumers, continued innovation of products, and higher exports for the United States. The increase in exports counteracts some of jobs lost to overseas companies. Free trade also helps developing countries pull out of poverty, as it brings their people opportunities and that they might not have had otherwise and improves their standard of living.
So when asked whether free trade is a good or bad policy, this is a question I have always struggled to answer. I'm not sure that I have completely made up my mind, but I would have to lean toward free trade being the best for all involved in the long run. I believe in freedom and capitalism, and those two things involve free trade.
As the world continues to flatten, free trade opens up, and the types of jobs that were once thought to be untouchable have slowly been reduced. Freidman refers to the “new middler” as the new middle class that will be less vulnerable to downward wage pressures of outsourcing, automation and technological change. He identifies eight traits that will hold up to this logic which I will briefly summarize. Great Collaborators And Orchestrators: This is defined as employees, and especially managers, who communicate well with others, and can orchestrate 24/7 supply chains. The Great Synthesizers: The next new hot selling item or product. People who innovate products or service in ways which you might not necessarily think would go together. The Great Explainers: As we gain more great synthesizers, these jobs will involve people who can explain the complexity, but with simplicity. The Great Leveragers: This refers to people who can design ways of leveraging technology to compete with cheaper foreign labor. The Great Adapters: Are employees who are willing to be adaptable and versatile. People are less likely to have one job that they are loyal to their entire career or the company loyal to the employee. People willing to adapt to change are more likely to find opportunities for success. The Green People: These jobs will involve terms such as “sustainable” and “renewable.” These jobs will become important with the amount of consumption the world experiences every day. Math Lovers: People skilled in math will be required to design and operate the technologies of today, as well as the future. The Great Localizers: This refers to businessmen who operate local small and medium size businesses. They have a major impact on the economy as a whole, and tailor to local needs of the community. Although I feel many of these jobs are an important part of the middle class today, I can certainly see Freidman's point of customizing your traits to satisfy the economies that keep one employed.
Friedman concludes that the equation CQ+PQ>IQ is important in the new flat world. Essentially spelled out, curiosity and passion surpass IQ. This is an interesting theory and one that has not really entered my mind. I would tend to agree with Freidman that curiosity and passion equal production in my mind. IQ is simply a measurement of intelligence, but that does not necessarily translate to productivity. With the wealth of knowledge that is accessible at our fingertips, new passions and curiosities are born. I can relate to this equation in my own life. I certainly do not consider myself to be as intelligent as many others out there, but my passion for my job and curiosity to learn new things in the IT world have driven my productivity and have provided opportunities with my employer which I enjoy today.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Module 5
Friedman defines “Triple Convergence” as the convergence of all ten previously discussed flatteners all rolled into one around the year 2000. They work in way that creates a new, flatter global playing field. Businesses and individuals adopted new skills and processes to get more out of what they had.
In convergence I, the ten flatteners had to spread out, take root and converge with others to be most effective. In Friedman's example, “Southwest Airlines realized that there were enough PCs around, enough bandwidth, enough software know-how for Southwest to create a work flow system that empowered its customers” (pg 203). You might also simulate this too home banking, where no longer do you need to visit a bank to perform a transaction. Instead, banking is available online, and can be accessed from computers and mobile devices for the same reasons Southwest was able to offer e-tickets to their customers.
Convergence II is the process of habits changing to get the most out of the new technology. Friedman points to electricity and the main frame computers as examples. Productivity did not instantly improve on either front, it took time for habits to change and old technology to wither its way out. This is a good point Friedman makes, as any time new technology comes out, it does not provide instant gratification. Time and habits must change to make the most of it.
Convergence III is the explosion of new players in the playing field. China, India, and the Soviet Union now joined North America, Western Europe and Japan on this playing field. This created new processes and collaboration that has had a great impact on the global economy.
In the story about India and Indiana, who is the exploiter and who is the exploited party? That is a tough question to answer. First off, I believe it was simply political suicide for any politician to even remotely consider the notion of awarding a huge software contract to an agency that completely owes its existence to the very act that created it in the first place. Not only was the State of Indiana and the department it needed the software for adding to their workload by awarding the contract to India based Tata Consultancy Service, it could have minimized its own cost in the size of the project by putting Indiana citizens to work. As I read the chapter, it came as no surprise to me the outrage and political wrangling that followed. If not for the death of the late Governor, he probably would have never seen another term anyway. As stated in the book, it all depends on one's perspective. From the Indian's perspective, they were simply bidding for a contract in which they were in business to perform. If you're an auto mechanic, you give bids to fix vehicle, regardless of whose car it is. This contract was to bring in new opportunities for employment for the India based company, and bring new profits for the company itself. From the perspective of Indiana state, this was only a partial win. Sure, they would have saved millions of tax dollars, but were they helping out the very citizens that put those dollars in the tax bucket, and they were serving the very people who put those state officials in office. I believe in the end, the people of Indiana were being exploited, and the government was not serving the people they were sworn to serve. The decision simply came down to the almighty dollar, and from a business perspective, that is generally what it is about, and most times rightfully so. However, from a government perspective, this can not, and should not, be top priority.
Intellectual property is the property of an individual or company that potentially requires protection for the financial benefit. It becomes important by the fact that as more and more resources become digitized, and shared across the web, ideas and innovations become exploited by others. In becomes an important question as to where the line is drawn, at what point does a an idea or invention become property of an individual, and when is it simply the open source to those who learn about it and exploit it for there own benefit. This brings to mind the story of Facebook. You may have heard about the lawsuit against Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg by three of his former Harvard classmates who accused Zuckerberg of stealing their ideas. A fourth student filed a petition with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, claiming he created an online facebook first. This sort of legal rambling will only continue to grow as the line between invention and ownership remains a gray issue.
In convergence I, the ten flatteners had to spread out, take root and converge with others to be most effective. In Friedman's example, “Southwest Airlines realized that there were enough PCs around, enough bandwidth, enough software know-how for Southwest to create a work flow system that empowered its customers” (pg 203). You might also simulate this too home banking, where no longer do you need to visit a bank to perform a transaction. Instead, banking is available online, and can be accessed from computers and mobile devices for the same reasons Southwest was able to offer e-tickets to their customers.
Convergence II is the process of habits changing to get the most out of the new technology. Friedman points to electricity and the main frame computers as examples. Productivity did not instantly improve on either front, it took time for habits to change and old technology to wither its way out. This is a good point Friedman makes, as any time new technology comes out, it does not provide instant gratification. Time and habits must change to make the most of it.
Convergence III is the explosion of new players in the playing field. China, India, and the Soviet Union now joined North America, Western Europe and Japan on this playing field. This created new processes and collaboration that has had a great impact on the global economy.
In the story about India and Indiana, who is the exploiter and who is the exploited party? That is a tough question to answer. First off, I believe it was simply political suicide for any politician to even remotely consider the notion of awarding a huge software contract to an agency that completely owes its existence to the very act that created it in the first place. Not only was the State of Indiana and the department it needed the software for adding to their workload by awarding the contract to India based Tata Consultancy Service, it could have minimized its own cost in the size of the project by putting Indiana citizens to work. As I read the chapter, it came as no surprise to me the outrage and political wrangling that followed. If not for the death of the late Governor, he probably would have never seen another term anyway. As stated in the book, it all depends on one's perspective. From the Indian's perspective, they were simply bidding for a contract in which they were in business to perform. If you're an auto mechanic, you give bids to fix vehicle, regardless of whose car it is. This contract was to bring in new opportunities for employment for the India based company, and bring new profits for the company itself. From the perspective of Indiana state, this was only a partial win. Sure, they would have saved millions of tax dollars, but were they helping out the very citizens that put those dollars in the tax bucket, and they were serving the very people who put those state officials in office. I believe in the end, the people of Indiana were being exploited, and the government was not serving the people they were sworn to serve. The decision simply came down to the almighty dollar, and from a business perspective, that is generally what it is about, and most times rightfully so. However, from a government perspective, this can not, and should not, be top priority.
Intellectual property is the property of an individual or company that potentially requires protection for the financial benefit. It becomes important by the fact that as more and more resources become digitized, and shared across the web, ideas and innovations become exploited by others. In becomes an important question as to where the line is drawn, at what point does a an idea or invention become property of an individual, and when is it simply the open source to those who learn about it and exploit it for there own benefit. This brings to mind the story of Facebook. You may have heard about the lawsuit against Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg by three of his former Harvard classmates who accused Zuckerberg of stealing their ideas. A fourth student filed a petition with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, claiming he created an online facebook first. This sort of legal rambling will only continue to grow as the line between invention and ownership remains a gray issue.
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