Pines, Rowell V. Final Exam

http://www.mediafire.com/?yjd235j3fc8afo7

Report Link

This is our LINK for the report file.


http://www.mediafire.com/?0dgbsz540bbhjjs

Blog Entry 11

Ethical Dilemma: Chapter 11 – Codes of conduct

Approximately, one year ago, an editor of this book carried out an informal survey among his academic colleagues who were members of BCS. He approached each and asked if they could state two points contained within the BCS Code of Conduct. Two of these people responded by indicating that they did not know that the BCS had a professional code of conduct. Two indicated that while they knew the code of conduct existed, they never had looked at it. The remaining two – who indicated their awareness of the code of conduct and recalled having looked at it – stated that they could not recall its content.

These were clearly dismal results, particularly as the question was asked of people who had been members for some time.

In this book, we have discussed the BCS Code of Conduct in some detail – to what extent do you believe this code of conduct is important and/or more relevant? Why would YOU join the BCS? If you are a student in a university department studying Computer Science or IT, have you been offered a BCS membership application form? Are you aware of the opportunities for networking, and for joining special interest group? These are certainly good reasons to join the BCS – but on the other hand, during your professional career, do you believe that the framework defined within the BCS Code of Conduct is likely to be relevant and/or useful?

Answer:

In some manner the believed of one individual with regards to the BCS either member or not depends and on how it was being exposed to the public matter. Our point is that, the data gathered by those students response about BCS was surely enough to tell that the BCS org. itself has not completely put extra awareness to their expected viewers and followers. Hence, the level of its effectiveness differs on how they let the people know and comprehend with such codes and ethics of their published organization.

Blog Entry 10

Ethical Dilemma: Chapter 9 The use of artificial intelligence and expert systems

A couple of years ago Patricia returned to the UK to take up an academic position at a British university. She had been out of the UK for over twenty year working at universities in a number of countries, and had a good professional employment record. She decided to open a bank account with one of the large banks that had a branch on the campus.

She met the bank manager, was given the necessary forms, and duly completed them. A few days later she returned to the bank to open her account. Much to her surprise, she was told that she could only have a cash account, i.e. she would not be given any bank cards, cheque book, or the like, nor could she have any overdraft facility.

Patricia again met with the bank manager as she naturally felt there must have been some misunderstanding. Key points here are that she already had a bank account in the UK since her student days (although this had been largely unused during her year’s way), she owned no money on credit cards or the like, was a UK citizen, and had a good track record with banks overseas. In addition, her salary from the university was to be paid into her account each month.

Despite her explaining these points, the bank manager was adamant that she could only have cash account. When asked to explain this decision, the bank manager indicated that it was not in fact her decision, but a decision made by an expert system. The bank always used this computer technology when making decision about opening accounts for new clients, and in fact the bank manager could not overrule the restrictions that the expert system imposed. In short, the expert system was empowered in the decision-making process. The bank manager went on to explain that the problem was that the expert system had not previously encountered a person with Patricia’s particular background, and the key point to the computer was the extensive years of residency outside the UK.

To what extent do you think it is appropriate to replace the human decision-making process with computer technologies such as expert systems?

During the conversation Patricia asked the bank manager whether she felt that it was appropriate for the expert system to be empowered in this way. The response she obtained was that it was a great idea because computers do not make mistakes. What do you think about this comment? Do computerized system free from mistakes? Should we be educating people to believe that computers are infallible – are computers infallible? What do you think are the ultimate ramifications of believing in infallible computerized systems?

Answer:

I say it is a no! Leaving a huge task in decision making to a bunch of computer is merely an admirable act of the bank manager. By depending on the computer intelligence to replace human participation, it also covers to holds the bigger risk as the activities comes to the future. I may say, that expert system can be nearly 100% perfect for not committing mistakes but the fact is that, it is always a non logical piece of machine that can only run tasks of what they are programmed with, but what about beyond that?

As far as I remembered, systems are gradually leveled on how strong and powerful it is made of, yet still, humans created these systems which are prone to errors and also that even with just this very tiny error that he can made, it may result to system crash and other undesired outcomes as well.

Decision making for me is a matter of believing one to create decisions for them, without this perception, even how perfect your process may be, still it can’t be helped to obtain a hole to destroy all of its content. Machines are made to make the human effort less, not to replace its function as a man. I’m afraid that if the time will come that all the people are manage and being instructed by a system, that would be the time that people doesn’t care to each other and failed to act the word “unity”.

Blog Entry 8

So far in this chapter we have not paid any particular attention to the impact of ICT on older people – people who have previously lived within a fairly stable environment. Today the momentum of change (in which computer-based technologies play a pivotal role) is ever-increasing. Consequently, older people are becoming ever more concerned and bewildered by the constant alternations that are occurring in practically every aspect of their daily lives. Stability is being replaced by instability. As younger people embrace e-mail, cellular phones, text messaging and the like, the older generations see their post offices closing, no longer is there any personal contact at the bank, and who knows for how much longer they will be able to use a chequebook?

· How do you perceive the ramifications of computer-based technologies, and the current pace of change impacting on older people?

I see it as, the older people are more hard working and enthusiast on there works. The computer – based technologies affect them by the effort they used apply with than the new era of sending emails by clicking, they may hardly adapt to these changes but truly their generation at there times are more productive rather than our present times.

· To what extent are they becoming increasingly isolated?

They just missed the things they usually do at their times. Normally, they are not isolated in the first place, they just don’t like the way the present persons do tasks nowadays. They pissed on being timid of our generation and thinking the actions and tasks as business rather than a “work”.

· Is direct personal contact being gradually eroded?

Yes of course, seeing and managing with other people is the hardest part of being a human. Direct personal contact adds insecurities and low profile by one hand rather than talking to a machine. Previously, withdrawing in the banks using cheque’s is like withdrawing all of your money, I’m saying that, people are aware on insecurities that one may look down on someone withdrawing a single peso rather than taking a mallet of cash. In this scenario, by used of the ATM, people can get the exact and manage there bills accordingly on their likes and plans.

· Perhaps discuss these issues with an older person that you know, such as family members. Identify key issues.

My grandmother and even my parents are not well educated with responds to new technologies. They all look all of the machines as a toy than can be bought and easily be broken which is quite correct on their part. People as grow older are much lesser to think and work progressively so they let there young ones to teach them on some matters. Of course seniors are always be the masters as long as “respect” is present at all times.

· Have these people gained as a consequence of the proliferation of and reliance we place upon computer-based technologies and the pace of change that has ensued?

Of course! Technology must adopt on its target clients and consumers with regards on its purpose. It must change features and functions accordingly on what the majority can understand and be can be easily to adopt, it will always be depends on the client age, state, billing capacity and the place on where it is living.

Blog Entry 9

Ethical Dilemma: Chapter 8 Empowering computers in the workplace

In this chapter we have discussed the use of computer to monitor the performance and activities of employees. As we have seen, this sort of monitoring process can be carried out for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to increase productivity by enhancing the quality of work carried out by employees. Naturally, by and large the raison d’etre for increasing the quality of work is to increase profits.

In chapter 1 we briefly discussed the negative impact that the disposal of computer-based equipment can have on the environment, and here we highlight a simple situation in which computer technologies can be used to ameliote negative environment impact – specifically in relation to carbon emissions – atmospheric pollution. At the same time we illustrate frequent reluctance on the part of management to adapt their working procedures to embrace these technologies. Our simple example is as follows.

Consider Alice, who is a staff member in a computer science department in New Zealand. She applies for a job at a university in the UK and is invited to travel to the UK for a three-hour interview. Thus, Alice will have to fly some ten thousand miles each way in order to be present for three hours at the interview. Let us suppose that you are heading the interview committee in the UK, and are therefore Alice’s Primary point of contact. Alice sends you an e-mail asking whether it would be possible for her to be interviewed using videoconferencing facilities. She points out that this will not save her a huge amount of flying time (at least 20 hours each way), but also will alleviate stress, and furthermore – as she mentions – avoiding long-haul journeys that are not absolutely necessary has a positive impact on the environment. In this respect she points out the significant amount of fuel that will be burnt in transporting her from New Zealand to the UK and on her return journey. She has access to high-quality videoconferencing facilities, and so does your university in the UK.

You bring this situation to the attention of other members of the interview committee – your head of department, and the like – but find that nobody is particularly willing to make use of videoconferencing facilities. This surprises you, especially as after all you are working in a computer science/IT department and therefore had supposed that staff would have been quite willing to embrace new technologies. You mention that costs will be saved in not having to pay Alice’s airfare, and also stress that this is an opportunity to make use of computer technologies to avoid negative impact on the environment (in actual fact it is surprising how much fuel is consumed in supporting Alice’s round-the-world trip).

What are your views on this situation? Do you feel that this highlights (even in a small way) the opportunity to reduce environment damage by using technologies to support communication and therefore avoid unnecessary travel?

Do you believe that people should be willing to adapt to the use of such videoconferencing technologies – is this an ethical issue? Given a willingness to adapt, is it possible that the interview process can be carried out in such a way as to overcome the possible deficiencies of the technology – so that the candidate is not disadvantaged by not being physically present, and also provide the interview committee with the opportunity to gain a clear impression of Alice?

Finally, in the chapter we have briefly discussed the imposition of computer-based technologies to monitor the activities of members of a workforce. Do you feel that if members of a workforce are expected to adapt to the deployment of such technologies, then members of a management team should be willingness of a management team to employ even videoconferencing facilities)? To what extent to you think senior management is generally willing to accept the introduction of computer-based technologies to monitor their own activities during the working day?

Answer:

The scenario is quite merely happening on the real life. There are too much factors that to be consider in using videoconferencing as medium on the work. Maybe the seniors are thinking beyond future risks and the possibility of changing the usual routine of their company transactions.

Adopting and embracing the new era of communication technologies is not a bad act, hence many transactions nowadays are using this method to make business, but what Alice had failed to consider is that, the scene was only focus to her, I mean the situation itself has centered on her only and it may not right to engaged and change usual routines for the sake of one employee.

Citing the actual scene of the situation, it may not be balance to balance to weight the risk of everyone to the good of one but rather the reverse of it. Proposing the change of one’s company like videoconferencing may add as a debit on the bright side, however adjusting to the terms and capital of the proposed project may cause money lost and time consuming that can be converted to profit if not wasted. So, at our own opinion, the head and the seniors of the committee are always be the reliable on deciding on allowing or not the proposal of Alice.

Blog Entry 6

Chapter 5: Regulating Internet Content

What is your ethical position? Do you think this is an appropriate agenda in terms of invisibly policing the internet? Since your boss has presented you with this brief, in the case that you do not agree with the ramifications of policing the internet in this way, do you have any practical alternative but to undertake the work? (Here we assume that your boss is insistent that the work should be carried out by you.) What-if any-real objections do you have? Do you feel this is encroaching upon the liberty of the individual? Are your views influenced by the nature of the content of the website? For example, would your views be any different if the website related directly to terrorism or other forms of political extremism? To what extent do you think that the internet is currently being policed - not only in terms of monitoring those who enter particular websites or who enter contentious chat room area or the likes?

· In that case, I’d rather quit my job and find others that will fulfill my interest and mold me as a true person rather than to be made as a tool of mass destruction of mankind. My boss thinks like it’s just purely business publishing different post and articles at any topic at any costs. Well joining in the publishing type of companies like that one lies all of the consequences of to a spreader of sin and chaos, so I’d rather collect trashes of bottles and papers than working in offices that is full of stains and a drawer of waste in time.

· Like in my previous reactions about of what I think of it in ethical aspects, well for me, the act of which wrong in the first place can never be a right in the future, it may just lessen the level of it’s ethical wrongfulness.

Blog Entry 7

Chapter 6: Personal Privacy and Computer Technologies

Consider the scenario in which a group of your fellow students approach you to see whether you are interested in participating in a project that is intended to be a commercial venture. The group has come up with a novel approach to obtaining large numbers of e-mail addresses. This requires the development of some software, and once this is used it will be possible to develop a very extensive e-mail address list. Subsequently, this information is to be sold to companies involved in spam advertising. You voice some initial reservations based upon your concern that this may not be entirely legal/ethical. However, you are normally based overseas – specifically in third world countries. Since the team is to be based in the UK and the software is going to be used to locate e-mail addresses that are normally based outside the UK, you are assured that you will be breaking no UK law.

How would you proceed? Do you consider that this is a legal/ethical undertaking? In the case that you are not entirely happy with the possible ethical aspects of this venture(but are satisfied that you will not be breaking UK law), would you still be willing to participate if the level of remuneration is sufficient? At what point would personal remuneration override any ethical reservations that you may have?

Let us suppose that you do become involved in this undertaking but that you subsequently find that the software that you helped to develop is not being used to locate e-mail addresses that are normally based outside the UK, but in addition e-mail address within the UK, and these are being sold on to companies who specialize in spam advertising? Does this compromise your legal position?

Answer

For me, the wrong in the first place will still end up a wrong in the future. Considering the scenario, the actual actor in the scene is to be decided by you. Joining the team with the project will surely turn you into a non-ethically person. Law is just made by humans to protect their own premises and to conserve their belongings. Thinking like you are going to make a mistake if you join the project will end up a mess at your work. Rather than convincing the others to think like you are holy, why not consider you’re self as a sinner the moment you will sign the terms and agreement of the project.

Blog Entry 5

Chapter 4: Intellectual property rights

This raises a number of ethical issues. In the case of older books, should publishers require significant fees to be paid to them if material from one of the books is reproduced elsewhere? To what extent should this be underpinned by consideration of fair use? Is it reasonable for publishers to require significant amounts of money to be paid in relation to the reproduction of material from an old book - particularly when they know that this will not be passed on the author, or their estate? To what extent is it appropriate to simply make modifications of diagrams, and therefore avoid the payment of permissions fees? By way of a simple example, consider Figure 4.3. let us suppose that this is 'edited' by Alice and reproduced in her book in the form illustrated in Figure 4.4. To what extent (if any) is Alice guilty of plagiarism? One point to note: by not paying permissions fees, it follows that the author will not acknowledge the original source of the diagram - thus the original creative person does not receive any credit.


In the case of older books, should publishers require significant fees to be paid to them if material from one of their books is reproduced elsewhere?

• Yes, the publishers should require fees to the material being used to reproduced a book in such location, even though it’s just a part of the old book being used. the publisher before hand had a contract to the author that they will also rights in the book that will be published . so maybe that requiring fee stuff is a rights of a publisher , maybe they just follow the law of copyrights to require significant fee because of their ownership.

To what extent should this be underpinned by consideration of fair use?

• The use of fair use is that the publishers, authors or copyright owners share their ideas through their book by using the free exchange and free flow of ideas. They will give provisions to the public to use heir work in a form of Criticism, Comments, Teaching, News Reporting and Scholarship & Research

Is it reasonable for publishers to require significant amounts of money to be paid in relation to the reproduction of material from an old book- particularly when they know that this will not be passed on the author, or their estate?

• They will particularly know if there’s a book being published and relatively the same of their book they will conduct investigation if that book being published is not a plagiarized.

To what extent is it appropriate to simply make modifications of diagrams, and therefore avoid payment of permissions fees??

• It is appropriate to simply make modification of diagrams if your in a provision of fair use. When you were conducting news report, if you will criticize , if you will just comment and if your conducting a research into that diagram.

By way of a simple example, consider fig.4.3 let us suppose that this is edited by alice and reproduced in her book in the form illustrated in fig 4.4 to what extent (if any) is alice guilty of plagiarism?

• Alice is guilty of plagiarism because the diagram she edited is not his work, it’s a property of the author that she copied and just revised the structure but in the same concept.

• One point to note: by not paying permission fees, it follows that the author will not acknowledge the original source of the diagram – thus, the original creative person does not receive credit.

To what extent to such considerations apply to software ? for example , is it permissible to take another person’s code, make limited modifications to it, and represent it as ones own work?.

• This act may be considered as a bias on one side, the sin in modifying the one’s work is actually the fault of two persons, one is that, the owner (software owner) failed to apply securities and other sort of things to secure his/her work before publishing, and the other one is the modifier (the one copying the software) which is a timid person trying to impress other’s with someone’s work.

Blog Entry 4

Notorious Viruses


ELK CLONER(1972)

The computer virus has completed 25 years. The sinister computer programme that still gives computer users jitters has come a long way since the days of 'Elk Cloner', the first computer virus which started circulating in 1982. While some of the early viruses clogged networks, later ones corrupted or wiped documents or had other destructive properties.

More recently, viruses have been created to steal personal data such as passwords or to create relay stations for making junk e-mail more difficult to trace. While the earliest viruses spread through floppy disks, the growth of the Internet gave a new way to spread viruses: e-mail.

Today, viruses have found several platforms: instant-messaging, file-sharing software, rogue web sites; images etc. As these malicious programs go more sophisticated and their numbers increase on a daily basis, here's a look into some of the most notorious virus attacks over the last twenty-five years.

http://immenseknowledge.blogspot.com/2007/09/most-notorious-viruses-in-pc-history.html

Blog Entry 3

CASE1

Three years ago, Diane started her own consulting business. She has been so successful that she now has several people working for her and many clients. Their consulting work included advising on how to set up corporate intranets, designing database management systems, and advising about security.

Presently she is designing a database management system for the personnel office of a medium-sized company. Diane has involved the client in the design process, informing the CEO, the director of computing, and the director of personnel about the progress off the system. It is now time to make decisions about the kind and degree of security to build into the system. Diane has described several options to the client. Because the system is going too cost more than they planned, the client has decided to opt for a less secure system. She believes the information they will be storing is extremely sensitive. It will include performance evaluations, medical records for filing insurance claims, salaries, and so forth.

With weak security, employees working on client machines may be able to figure out ways to get access to this data, not to mention the possibility of on-line access from hackers. Diane feels strongly that the system should be much more secure. She has tried to explain the risks, but the CEO, director of computing and director of personnel all agree that less security will do. What should she do? Should she refuse to build the system as they request?”

Answer:

In my perception, I think Diane should neglect and drop the client’s request. Because it is much better to loose a client rather than betting on its own company’s integrity with corresponds on making a good decision to their customers and clients.

The one that holds the much knowledge should share it with great credibility and all. If the listener fails to accept the real fact then it has for it to face the consequences and the less by you.

Applying the 4.7.1 in standards of conduct, Diane did not failed to explained the estimated total cost with regards to the security matters, and by these it is purely an ethical act her side.

CASE2

Consider an HCI consultant with extensive experience in evaluating web sites and graphical user interface (GUI). She has just received an evaluation contract for a new accounting product made by Company A due to her prior experience with e-commerce site evaluation.

The work involves assessing the training requirements and the usability of the system. During the initial configuration of her usability laboratory, she becomes aware that the software she has to evaluate contains a GUI already patented by a rival Company B, which she evaluated several weeks before. Under her contractual arrangements, she is not allowed to discuss the evaluation of a product with anyone outside the contract. She therefore has an obligation to Company B not to provide information regarding their product to anyone else without their permission. She has a similar obligation to Company A. Can she continue with the evaluation? If she cannot continue with the evaluation, how does she inform Company A of the patent violation? Does she have an obligation to let company B know company A has copied their GUI?


Answer:

She must continue with her evaluation. As an HCI consultant, she must not say no to every client unless it is not related to her field. She must be honest in telling the company A that they have the same GUI as that of the company B to imply social protection of both companies. (According to 4.3.3 Honesty - I must be honest in my representation of skills, knowledge, services and products). Telling the truth early in time can lessen the conflict between two companies

In informing company A about the said contract, she must advise her client as soon as possible of any conflicts of interest or conscientious which face her in connection of her work. (According to 4.6.4 "I must endeavor to preserve the confidentiality of the information of others).

When you are in an evaluating contract, you must endeavor to preserve the confidentiality of the information of others. In this case, you don’t need to inform the Company B that they have similar GUI because it will just make it more complicated and by due in respecting the proprietary nature of the information of other company. She must endeavor to preserve the integrity and securities of the information of others and not discuss it outside the contract. (According to 4.6.3 "I must make myself aware of relevant standards, and act accordingly).