Chapter 13 : Copyright and Fair Use

How MegaUpload's Copyright Problem Affects You

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) issued a worrisome warning in the form of a press release on Thursday: MegaUpload used to own all of its users' data, but now the government does. Whether those users shared a family photo album through the site or pirated thousands of Hollywood movies, all of their data exists somewhere on MegaUpload's servers -- some of which are not located in the United States -- and based on the tone of EFF's formal request, it sounds like the government is considering wiping them clean.

RELATED: Hackers Plan to Figure Out How Carrier IQ Works Before the Government Does

"The government knows that Megaupload had many customers who followed the law. Yet it gave those users no notice that their data was at risk and no information about how they might be able to eventually get that data back," EFF Staff Attorney Julie Samuels wrote in a press release. "Our client, and the many other innocent Megaupload users, are entitled to a clear process for obtaining access to their own property, and the first step is to make sure that property is not deleted or damaged until the court can sort this out."

RELATED: Megaupload Founder Had Mega Swag

So far, the government's been stalling on making a final decision on whether or not to erase the data, though it did issue a warning a few days ago that it could erase the servers. Regardless of your file-sharing habits, this latest wrinkle in the great saga of MegaUpload and its founder Kim Dotcom throws more fuel on the smoldering controversy over who controls all of your Internet data and why. Obviously everyone on the Internet has been paying close attention to the state of how copyright law is enforced thanks to the overwhelming protest against SOPA, PIPA and related legislation. But as Dotcom's arrest and MegaUpload's shutdown have made very clear, the Feds don't need SOPA to go after a website. It would appear that they also don't need your permission to erase all of your files. There's probably some fine print in the terms and conditions statement somewhere, but who reads those things, anyway?

 

 

 

http://news.yahoo.com/megauploads-copyright-problem-affects-232225636.html

Chapter 12 Knowledge Management

SAIC's KM Methodology

Implementing an Effective KM Solution

Based on a methodology pioneered in British Petroleum, SAIC's approach to capturing and reusing knowledge has been refined through successful application in many FORTUNE 500® companies and government organizations over the last several years. SAIC focuses on delivering performance improvement where a business or operational imperative exists and where knowledge can make a difference to the desired performance outcome. Our approach distinguishes itself from other approaches in the following ways:

• You and SAIC design, develop, and implement the KM solution as one team enabling you to understand in depth what is done and how to do it so that you can sustain and maintain the investment you have made, creating internal ownership for the outcomes.
• You and SAIC devote an equal amount of attention to
  1. delivering specific, tangible, business or operationally driven performance improvements and
  2. embedding core KM practices and skills in the people impacted by the new practices.
• You and SAIC ensure the approach meets your people and teams "where they are" in terms of culture, process and technology.
• You and SAIC integrate the SAIC Learning and Performing Processes model, a common, set of people-facing, forward-looking, core KM practices which are easily understood, supported, and performed on the job, resulting in an embedded, sustainable way of working.
• You and SAIC leverage existing investments in your technology base while deploying only when necessary, new, scalable enabling processes and technologies at minimum risk within controlled pilot environments.

A proven pilot project approach is followed. Opportunities are assessed and prioritized against a set of proven criteria. A specific business or operational improvement is then targeted for delivery by applying the following phased approach:

• Phase 0 - Identify and Select Pilot Projects
• Phase 1 - Customize Pilot Process and Create Stakeholder Alignment
• Phase 2 - Capture Key Learnings and Good Practices
• Phase 3 - Establish and Leverage Communities of Practice
• Phase 4 - Adapt and Apply Best Practices in Pilot Operations
• Phase 5 - Train and Coach Internal KM Practitioners
• Phase 6 - Monitor, Review and Optimize Pilot Learning and Impact

Phase 0 - Identify and Select Pilot Projects

The focus of this phase is to create awareness of the possibilities of KM-based performance improvement among business or operational leaders and stakeholders, identify potential pilots, and then assess and select a pilot for delivery. You will use a set of standard KM project selection criteria customized for your context and used to rank pilots based on their potential knowledge-based business or operational benefits, leadership advocacy, transferability of learning and results, and overall project feasibility.

Phase 1 - Customize Pilot Process and Create Stakeholder Alignment

The focus of this phase is to engage key pilot project stakeholders, including the relevant leadership team, staff and other contributors to customize the KM methodology to fit the specific business improvement needs of the pilot. Necessary buy-in is created and a plan is developed and agreed to that fits both the operational tempo and needs of the participants.

Phase 2 - Capture Key Learnings and Good Practices

The focus of this phase is to elicit and capture your operational know-how to fill the knowledge gaps needed to meet the pilot performance improvement targets. The majority of knowledge generation and capture will be performed using Learning and Performing activities comprising on-the-job team learning processes before, during, and after major activities and supplemented when relevant through a series of individual interviews:

• "Learning before doing" is supported through the Peer Assist process which targets specific challenge, imports knowledge from people outside the team, identifies possible approaches and new lines of inquiry, and promotes sharing of learning with each other through a facilitated meeting.
• A U.S. Army technique called Action Reviews aims to get people to "learn while doing" by answering four questions immediately afterwards:
  1. What was supposed to happen?
  2. What actually happened?
  3. Why are they different? and
  4. What can we learn to do about it today?
• At the end of the project a process called a Retrospect encourages team members to look back at the project to discover what went well and why, with a view to helping a different team repeat their success and avoid any pitfalls-"learning after doing".
• In parallel with these learning sessions, KM support staff will perform Interviews to elicit additional know-how from key knowledge sources within, and sometimes outside, the work activities.

As part of the project team, you will capture, distill, and codify the key learnings, experience and good practices from these facilitated sessions and interviews, and package them in the form of a re-usable Knowledge Asset. This Knowledge Asset will be highly accessible and visible to others on your organization's intranet.

Phase 3 - Establish and Leverage Communities of Practice

The focus of this phase is to engage and enable relevant practitioners inside and outside your local pilot business or operational target areas to share and transfer know-how and good practices to your work teams involved in the pilot. At least one Community of Practice (CoP) will be established for subject area practitioners contributing knowledge to the pilot.

In the course of capturing this knowledge, you and SAIC will facilitate the development of a Community of Practice (CoP), a cross-organizational group of people who share common skills and practices in the business or operational processes being applied in the pilot. The initial members of this community will be the practitioners interviewed in the learning processes mentioned above, along with others applying this knowledge on the job in the pilot. You will learn the skills necessary to coach and support this Community to take on the responsibility to keep the Knowledge Asset current to help ensure the transferability of their collective know-how throughout the organization.

Phase 4 - Adapt and Apply Best Practices in Pilot Operations

The focus of this phase is to enable and ensure the know-how gained from your pilot work teams, CoP interactions, and other sources are applied on the job to improve existing processes and deliver the agreed to performance targets.

Relevant good practices and lessons learned will often be found in other practice areas. Those involved in the pilot will be coached and encouraged to take immediate advantage of this know-how and experience from outside their team and adapt and apply it to their work activities.

Phase 5 - Train and Coach Internal KM Practitioners

The focus of this phase is to transfer and embed KM competencies and techniques in your co-delivery team members participating in the delivery of the pilot effort. The lead responsibility for delivery of KM practices is purposefully shifted from the SAIC KM consultant to your team members over the duration of the pilot.

Phase 6 - Monitor, Review and Optimize Pilot Learning and Impact

The focus of this phase is to manage efficient tracking and completion of the pilot deliverables. Our results will be documented in a report and presentation that includes a review of the benefits achieved versus planned, KM strategy recommendations for broader implementation based on KM pilot learnings and practices.

Throughout the pilot process, local KM support staff participating in the delivery of the pilot will be trained and coached in the KM practices and skills used by the KM consultants. Using a phased approach combining modular training courses for each KM practice and skill-set and on-the-job coaching, the lead responsibility and delivery of KM practices is purposefully shifted from the KM consultants to local KM staff over the duration of each pilot.

A Steering Team comprised of the lead KM consultant, the local KM support team leader and the business leader for the pilot area (and business leaders of other KM pilots underway) will be established to help guide and steer the pilot effort. Critical issues and cross-pilot learning will be summarized for the Steering Team to facilitate their guidance and any decision-making required at their level.

The knowledge management experience gained from the pilot(s) will be captured in the form of another Knowledge Asset, and local KM staff will be encouraged to continuously update and maintain the organizations collective knowledge in KM. This knowledge will be used as input to support the organizations development of a broader KM strategy for post-pilot consideration and implementation.

At the conclusion of the project, performance will be assessed against the initial objectives and targets in the performance agreement. The KM pilot delivery team may also identify steps to extend the learning process into follow-on projects, ongoing activities, and other parts of the organization. This assessment will become part of a final pilot project report to the Steering Team.

The following diagram illustrates how the SAIC Learning and Performing Model delivers the performance goals of a specific operational or business team.

 

 

 

http://www.saic.com/km/methodology.html

Chapter 11: Information Systems

Toyota is all about the customer. We hear a lot — and I’ve written a lot on this blog — about the Toyota Production System, anglicized in the United States as Lean, but we haven’t known much about the role of Information Technology at Toyota.
Baseline Magazine has a great article on Toyota; specifically, the role of technology at Toyota¹:

And behind TPS is information technology—supporting and enabling the business processes that help Toyota eliminate waste, operate with virtually no inventory and continually improve production.
Technology does not drive business processes at Toyota. The Toyota Production System does. However, technology plays a critical role by supporting, enabling and bringing to life on a mass scale the processes derived by adhering to TPS.

And more,

Over the years, Toyota refined a number of other concepts and production methods that support the two central TPS pillars. And behind each of those pillars are information systems, supporting and enabling the processes:

• Just-in-time: Toyota employs one of the most sophisticated supply chain systems in manufacturing, working closely with suppliers to ensure that parts arrive just when needed. For example, when a car comes out of the paint shop in Georgetown, the system sends seat supplier Johnson Controls an electronic message detailing the exact configuration of the seats required (leather upholstery, bucket seats, etc.); Johnson Controls has four hours to ship those seats to the plant in the exact sequence required. The instructions are provided by Toyota’s proprietary Assembly Line Control System (ALCS) software.

• Jidoka: At every stage of the assembly line, Toyota employs devices allowing workers to stop production to correct defects. Such devices may be as simple as a rope strung above the assembly line, or a button that can be pushed. In other cases, it is sophisticated monitoring software such as Activplant’s Performance Management System, which can alert operators to problems with equipment or robots in real time.

• Kaizen: This is a system for continuous improvement. Toyota constantly looks to improve its business processes by finding ways to take Muda (waste) out of the system. It can be as simple as moving a tool to an assembly station so a worker does not need to waste time walking to get the tool. Or it may involve technology, such as allowing dealerships to swap car inventories using the Dealer Daily, an Internet portal, so customers are not left waiting longer for the vehicle they want.

• Andon: Wherever possible, Toyota uses visual controls, or Andons, such as overhead displays, plasma screens and electronic dashboards to quickly convey the state of work. On the assembly line floor, for example, overhead Andons tell a supervisor with one glance whether the station is functioning smoothly (a green light), whether there is a problem being investigated (yellow light) or whether the assembly line has stopped (red light). Newer plasma screens, tied into assembly line equipment, provide even more information such as which machine malfunctioned, the operator and the exact conditions (speed, temperature) when it broke down.

• Poka Yoke: Toyota uses a range of these low-cost, highly reliable devices throughout its operations to prevent defects. A PokaYoke may be something as simple as a tool holder with an electronic sensor, or it may be a light curtain, a beam of light that sends a signal to a computer when a hand or some other object interrupts its flow. The curtain can signal a warning if, for instance, a worker fails to pick up a cotter pin, bolt, nut or some other required part.

• Genchi Genbutsu: The literal translation of this term is, “Go and see for yourself.” Rather than hear about a problem, Toyota requires its workers, team leaders and executives to go and see a problem directly and to work collectively on a solution. At least 50% of Toyota’s information systems workers are stationed at plant sites to work directly with operations.

A case in point in how technology supports TPS and the customer:

In all, the Dealer Daily [Toyota's application for car dealers] incorporates more than 120 business applications, and like all Toyota initiatives, it is constantly undergoing Kaizen to look for more improvements and opportunities to remove Muda. Case in point: Toyota recently added the capability for dealers to find out which vehicles it has in the production pipeline, and make changes such as switching a cloth interior to leather. (Dealer Daily is integrated into Toyota’s mainframe systems through file transfer protocol and System Network Architecture [SNA], IBM’s proprietary networking architecture, although Web services are now being explored.) By logging in the next day, the dealer can find out if the changes were received in time and accepted. This allows the dealers to more closely customize orders to actual customer demand.

Here’s a look at the current proprietary technologies at Toyota, all modified to support the business:



Source: http://www.shmula.com/information-technology-at-toyota/205/

Chapter 10 Pros And Cons of Information Technology

Information Technology Pros
1. The world got flexibility
What we think, do or plan must be shared with our co-workers, colleagues and friends. The internet technology has advanced this system to a great extent. The telephone idea (by Alexander Graham Bell) has been modified and made as Cell Phones to increase more flexibility in communication and talk to our dear fellows whenever we require!
2. The sense of responsibility has increased
Let us take ‘Barack Obama- USA President’ as the figure. With the use of networking sites (Twitter and Facebook), blogs, social bookmarking, the leader can approach to the world whenever necessary and we can receive the news and updates which he has done (or wants to be done by us) within a very short period.
3. Easy thinking & evolution in transportation

To think and to research, we need resources to find what our past people has thought, what quotes they have left for us (+information + theory). We can find them by a single click in Search engines (specially Google, Yahoo!). By getting a clear cut idea, we get the chance of contributing the world with new technological ideas and inventions and share what we have learnt throughout our lives.
And throughout the ages, it helped us to evolute the transportation strategy which helps us to visit from a place to another by (Roads, highways, air, water and in the skies!)
4. Saves thousand of lives daily
So, by the point heading I hope you understand I am referring towards Medical Sector development. Each day people are getting relief by the perfect use of Medicine, Hospital Technology with addition of (X-Rays, Laser Treatments) and more on the queue. By the combination of the World Health Organization, various fatal diseases can be overcome and just expelled from specified countries by quick plans and ideas.
5. Increase the sense of Human Rights
The technology can remind of our human rights, basic needs and give updates where relief or worldwide help is necessary. During earthquakes, terrible floods, while co-operation is necessary the World Wide Web can help us to collect the donation by a desired amount.
It is not possible to just figure out everything about the good and bad sides of Information and Technology within a page and article as because it has mixed with every aspects and corners of our lives. Rather, let us look at the side effects, bad sides (cons) which IT-sectors have brought to the Human Society
Information Technology Cons
It has taken away people’s Privacy
As IT-Sectors have wined the people’s heart worldwide. People are here to share and store any kind of information, private date in their hard drives and private online databases. But due to some Cyber-Criminals, nothing is SO Safe both online and offline. If someone becomes a bit careless, s/he may needs to pay high for it. (It’s serious).
The online community is not safe for Family anymore
Children under age may often share Cell Numbers, Private Email Address which can be hacked by people and can pass it to the criminals who have a blue-print to harm the society. And people are loosing credit card privacy and other payment processing options. Again, there are some sites created by Nasty Guys, which can lead under eighteen teenagers to a different path – That Is Going To Bring Harms To The Nation.
It is going to damage a Human’s Natural Power
We can think, gather human principles (ethical knowledge) and make co-operative relationships between friends and families. But due to harmful aspects of (IT) people are becoming fully technological based. And it can bring huge damage to the society as its taking away the natural thoughts and organic ideas.
It can bring World Destruction without Efficient Administration
This is an extra point which I am writing by remembering various Science Fictions. Great scholars have though about the matter wisely. Til now, we (humans) are possessing the leading place in the world and administering the computer technology. But a day MAY come when the technology is going to administer us in all aspects. It may probably happen that we are converted to the slaves of Technology.
So, by this cons I am not trying to tell that Technology is here to bring harms only, because I myself is a technological man who passes 24 hours browsing computer and talking on phones. But as a part of human society we need to give up a look at the both sides of IT.

referance:http://113tidbits.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-information-technology/3696/

Chapter 9 : Good Website and Bias information

                                                      

        Twitter is an online social networking service and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, known as "tweets". It was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July. The service rapidly gained worldwide popularity, with over 300 million users as of 2011, generating over 300 million tweets and handling over 1.6 billion search queries per day. It has been described as "the SMSof the Internet."

Key Elements of an Effective Website

1. Appearance
2. Content
3. Functionality
4. Website Usability
5. Search Engine Optimization
Information bias is a type of cognitive bias, and involves e.g. distorted evaluation of information. Information bias occurs due to people's curiosity and confusion of goals when trying to choose a course of action
Bias information(Example)
Global warming
See Examples of Bias in Wikipedia: Global warming

Homosexuality

See Examples of Bias in Wikipedia: Homosexuality

Liberal Politicians

See Examples of Bias in Wikipedia: Liberal Politicians

Obama

See Examples of Bias in Wikipedia: Obama

Science and Evolution

See Examples of Bias in Wikipedia: Science and Evolution

Conspiracy Theories

See Examples of Bias in Wikipedia: Conspiracy theories

      

Exercise 8 How do search engines work?

    Search engines are basically computer algorithms which help users find the specific information they’re looking for. With literally trillions of pages of information online, without effective search engines, finding anything on the Internet would be almost impossible. Different search engines work in different specific ways, but they all utilize the same basic principles.
The first thing search engines have to do in order to function is to make a local database of, basically, the Internet. Early search engines just indexed keywords and titles of pages, but contemporary search engines index all of the text on every page, as well as a great deal of other data about that page’s relation to other pages, and in some cases all or a portion of the media available on the page as well. Search engines need to index all of this information so that they can run searches on it efficiently, rather than having to run around the Internet every time a search query is sent.

1. Bing

Bing is Microsoft's attempt at unseating Google. Bing used to be MSN search until it was updated in summer of 2009. Touted as a 'decision engine', Bing tries to support your researching by offering suggestions in the leftmost column, while also giving you various search options across the top of the screen. Things like 'wiki' suggestions, 'visual search', and 'related searches' might be very useful to you. Bing is not dethroning Google in the near future, no. But Bing is definitely worth trying.

2. Mahalo

 

Mahalo is the one 'human-powered' search site in this list, employing a committee of editors to manually sift and vet thousands of pieces of content. This means that you'll get fewer Mahalo hit results than you will get at Bing or Google. But it also means that most Mahalo results have a higher quality of content and relevance (as best as human editors can judge).
Mahalo also offers regular web searching in addition to asking questions. Depending on which of the two search boxes you use at Mahalo, you will either get direct content topic hits or suggested answers to your question.
Try Mahalo. You might like it enough to even become a editor there.

3. Dogpile

Years ago, Dogpile was the fast and efficient choice before Google. Things changed, Dogpile faded into obscurity, and Google became king. But today, Dogpile is coming back, with a growing index and a clean and quick presentation that is testimony to its halcyon days. If you want to try a search tool with pleasant presentation and helpful crosslink results, definitely try Dogpile

4. Webopedia

Webopedia is one of the most useful websites on the World Wide Web. Webopedia is an encyclopedic resource dedicated to searching techno terminology and computer definitions. Teach yourself what 'domain name system' is, or teach yourself what 'DDRAM' means on your computer. Webopedia is absolutely a perfect resource for non-technical people to make more sense of the computers around them.

 

5. Google

 

Google is the undisputed king of 'spartan searching'. While it doesn't offer all the shopping center features of Yahoo!, Google is fast, relevant, and the largest single catalogue of Web pages available today. Make sure you try the Google 'images', 'maps' and 'news' features... they are outstanding services for locating photos, geographic directions, and news headlines.

Chaper 7 Suggest the ideas to help and support the flooding

   In tough times, the traditional Aussie values of mateship and lending a helping hand will always come to the fore. When people are suffering from natural disasters such as the 2011 Queensland Floods  the majority of Australians are very keen to help out wherever they can. The problem though is  working out the best way to help flood victims – without causing more problems, or getting in the way of the relief effort.
A natural first reaction for most people, is to think about the types of things that flood victims might need, then consider what things they themselves have (and could do without), and then wonder how they should go about getting their stuff to the places they are really needed.
Undoubtedly many of these donated items would be useful, but unfortunately, even though it may initially seem to be a great idea, the donation of  items or goods, is rarely a practical solution.  Unless you are located in or very near to the flood affected areas, the costs associated with receiving, storing, transporting and distributed donated items are very high, and typically it could end up costing significantly more to pass on donated items than it would to provide new items  purchased in the local community.

When to make Financial Donations

Unless you live in or near affected communities, the best way you can help is very likely going to be to make a financial donation to the Disaster Relief Appeal.  This fund is managed by the Red Cross and used to help fund the most appropriate support in the areas where it is needed most.

When to Offer Items / Services

Floods have an impact on entire communities, however , many people (living or working on higher ground) may not be directly affected, and would LOVE to be able to help, but are not sure how.
HelpOut is an online service aimed directly at people living or working in or near to flood affected  areas who are wanting to help, and also those needing help.  If you are part of a local community, and are living or working in or very near a flood affected area, then with HelpOut, the donation of items, goods or services could become a viable options.
HelpOut allows people to list the types of items or services that they can help out with, in the specific area or community that they are able to assist.
If you need help, or could do with a helping hand, you can also create a Help Wanted listing – which specific what you need, and where you are located.
Note: HelpOut is not able to coordinate or be involved directly with individual offers or requests for Help or assistance, the service simply allows people offering help to get in touch with those needing help  – and let them sort out the details between them.

What types of things could I offer?

There are many many thing that could be assistance to the Qld flood victims – many communities have been devastated and some have lost everything, so pretty much anything which might help them get started on the road back to a normal life could be of benefit.  It’s not only goods and items that are of help though.  offers of a helping hand, a bit of a break, or even a shoulder to cry on can help a lot.  Often very simple things can make a big difference as it reminds the flood victims that they are not alone, people really do care, and that their lives will return to normal even if it takes time.
Outline below are a few suggestions for simple, but practical, hands on thing that you may not have considered, but if you have any other ideas, please feel free to leave a comment below.

• looking after a pet or caring for livestock
• offering a home cooked meal
• washing and drying a load of laundry
• inviting them around for a DVD and popcorn (a taste of normality)
• and many more..

Help by Spreading the Word

Even if you live elsewhere in Australia, you can help spread the word about HelpOut – particularly if you know someone or have contacts in those parts of Queensland that are being affected by flood.   If you let people within these local communities know about the HelpOut service they may be able to create their own listings.
Also, clearly people who have been affected by the floods are likely to have little or no access to the internet.  If you have friends or family who are suffering form the flood, and have some specific needs, you could consider creating a listing on their behalf – outlining what they need a hand with (make sure that you specify their location though – not your own).