Week 13: Clear

Software Piracy is also known as copyright infringement of software. It is a common practice of copying or distributing unauthorized computer software. For example, making more copies of software than the license allows, or installing software licensed for one computer onto multiple computers or a server. If accused of piracy, then someone is claiming that you have violated their copyright by copying part or all of their work without authorization, or have enabled other people to make such copies. Since copying software is an act or copyright infringement, it is subject to civil and criminal penalties.

Software Piracy is extremely important to businesses because they can be held liable for a software copyright infringement whether or not they know their conduct violates federal law. According to bbb.org, criminal penalties include fines of as much as $250,000 and jail terms of up to 5 years. Software piracy costs the software industry over $10 Billion in lost revenue each year and costs U.S. businesses millions in fines and legal fees. It is highly recommended that businesses adopt a software policy to help avoid any violations of software licensing.

I found great resources at Better Business Bureau.
http://www.bbb.org/us/article/computer-software-piracy-406

Week 10: Clear

A firewall is a great device that is designed to block any unauthorized access entering a computer system. It acts as a boundary between networks to prevent unauthorized Internet users from accessing a private network. Firewalls are also used to examine all messages coming in or out and blocks any that doesn’t meet the security criteria. According to the lecture, they are the FIRST line of defense in protecting your network from viruses, DOS (Denial of Service) attacks, hacking, and worms. Most importantly, firewalls will help protect your identity as an individual or business.

Firewalls are extremely important in the business environment. Businesses need to protect their computers from danger with a firewall because most rely on their computer system on a daily basis. The internet is a large network of computers, making it easy for virus to spread. If your computer is connected to the internet, you are at risk and need the right security software. Also, if your computer is not connected to a firewall, hackers can gain access to personal information and destroy all your businesses important files. I’d rather be safe than sorry.

A great computer source where I got my information is SpamLaws.com. They explain thoroughly and share the benefits of using firewalls.
http://www.spamlaws.com/firewall-importance.html
I also found the illustration of how a firewall works at Wikipedia.com.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Firewall.png

Week 7: Clear

Have you ever worked really hard on a project and right before you hit the save button, the computer crashes? Well, it’s not just your luck. Data loss is very common; 66% of all Internet users have experienced some sort of data loss. That’s a high percentage considering all you have to do is backup.
Backup?!?!?!?
Backup is a term used for making copies of important data that can be restored if any data is lost. Backups are not the same as archives. An archive is a primary copy of data used for future use and a backup is a secondary copy of data used to replace the original item. As long as new data is being created and changes are being made, backups will need to be updated.
Computer Backup is especially important in the business environment because most companies store their important information onto a computer. Without this data, some companies could simply not exist. It’s recommended that every business perform weekly or daily backups depending on the amount of information being stored. Several ways to backup information are hard disk imaging, online backup, and external storage devices.

For more information regarding backup, I found Spam Laws Online to be the best resource.
http://www.spamlaws.com/business-backup.html

Week 6: Clear

The most clear concept this week is definitely the CD-ROM.
A CD-ROM, Compact Disc Read-Only-Memory, is a pre-pressed disc capable of storing large amounts of data. They are mass-produced by manufacturers where a glass master disc is created and used to make "stampers", and then multiple copies of the final disc are created. Once stamped by the vendor, they cannot be erased nor filled with new data. Also, CDs come in recordable (CD-R) and rewritable (CD-RW) discs, where a laser changes the properties of the dye called “burning”. To read a CD you need a CD-ROM player which all come in a standard size and format so you can load any type of CD-ROM into any CD-ROM player.
As CD-ROMs are rapidly growing, they are becoming very important to the business environment mainly because they can store large amounts of important data. A single CD has the capacity of storing the amounts of 700 floppy disks, or about 300,000 text pages. Not only has the CD-ROM replaced the floppy disk drive, it has allowed us to use our computers in ways that we never used them before with multimedia.It also works as a back up and optical storage device for your computer and they are relatively low in cost and size.

Wikipedia offers a great website for references because they explain all the aspects of a CD-ROM. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CD-ROM

I also found PcGuide.com to be a great resource primarily because it explains the importance of a CD-ROM. http://www.pcguide.com/ref/cd/index.htm

Week 2: Clear

The most clear concept this week, was definitely the advantages of using a computer found in chapter one. As computers become more accessible, the greater society relies on them. I can’t imagine going a day without signing on; especially since I have access on my phone. Computers are used in almost every field and are use by millions of people around the world. They are so important because they have allowed us to accomplish many tasks faster and easier. Can you imagine completing those tasks manually? How time consuming that would be.

Computers are particularly important for businesses because they can accurately keep record of important business transactions. They also make it accessible to buy and sell things online causing expansion for a business. More importantly, Computers have impacted the medical field, allowing access for research so diseases can be easily diagnosed. Computers have truly changed the world.

This article “Impact of Computers” is a great reference because it explains in detail the history and major impacts of computers.
http://tatooine.fortunecity.com/vonnegut/320/history.htm