Aye, Aye, Capt’n!

Since the Ancient World pirates roamed the seas, gained prominence during the Middle Ages and had the “Golden age of piracy” during the late 16^th to early 17^th century. They are often portrayed as wild, short-tempered, desperate for gold, brutal criminals, ambushing sea vessels in the open seas and stealing valuables from small villages near the shores.

                Although typically known as a criminal violence at sea, piracy may actually include acts committed on land and even on air. And in the modern world, piracy is also considered as a colloquial term for copyright infringement. It refers to the unauthorized copying, distribution and selling of copyrighted materials such as music, movies and software. The term was imposed due to the argument that copyright infringement is ethically equivalent with the actual act of piracy (attacking ships). However it’s ethicality is subjective. Pirate Party UK (PPUK) and Piratbyran (Pirate Bureau, Swedish) are two prominent groups that are fighting for reform of copyright and patent laws and support the sharing of information, culture, and intellectual properties.

                It’s undeniable that here in the Philippines pirated movies, music and computer software are sold all over, you can even see some in shopping malls. The government is not very strict with the imposition of the anti-piracy law. We cannot blame the sellers alone, users should have the responsibility to think ethically and neglect piracy. Yes, using pirated software may be a big help for individuals living in a developing and economically depressed countries, but it doesn’t make it ethical.  Big software companies might already have earned a lot from distribution and selling those programs, but neither is it a ground. Software developers deserve remuneration from their work and their property, it is a business. We might fall behind the rapidly growing world of technology, but doing illegal things just to keep up with the pace might trigger future problems such as lawsuits, and damage to the computer caused by harmful malwares, worms and viruses possibly attached to cracked files. One wrong move could make you stumble. Isn’t it nice to do things the right way? It is more likely to succeed legally and more important ethically. Sometimes, programs have alternatives like for example; Kingsoft Office is an alternative for Microsoft Office. Its basic version is free, but Kingsoft Pro (with advanced features) is also available in a cheaper price. Kingsoft Office is compatible with files created with Microsoft Office and its components include Kingsoft Writer, Kingsoft Presentation and Kingsoft Spreadsheet.

In business we invest on purchasing things that will help us to be more competitive and increase our sales, computer software are not an exception, we must pay for it as we are getting benefits from it. Purchasing licensed software may be expensive but consider it as an investment.

Software companies have been struggling to fight piracy as it is effectively hurting their sales. Here in the Philippines we have the Pilipinas Anti-Piracy Team led by the Optical Media Board, Philippine National Police, and the National Bureau of Investigation in partnership with IP Coalition and Business Software Alliance. It aims to reduce software piracy in the country. Although software companies are protected by the government, the impositions of regulations protecting software companies are not enough. Software companies do have to exert extra effort in order to combat this problem. There are some alternatives or methods that can reduce piracy without the use of punitive measures. (1) They can apply copy protection methods, such as encryption, to reduce and prevent reproduction of their software. Encryption is a method of encoding information in a certain way that only authorized users can access it. There are numbers of ways to encrypt and decrypt information, making it difficult for pirates to decrypt and copy information.  SoftwarePassport (previously known as Armadillo) is an example of copy protection software; it is specially made for software developers to prevent piracy. (2) Online installers might also prevent unauthorized distribution of software. Unlike offline installation, installation over the internet will disable pirates to reproduce installers and enable software companies to take control and monitor customers who are authorized to install and use their products.

It is difficult to combat software piracy. Efforts from companies and the government are not enough. We, as responsible citizens, should also make an effort to stop piracy and support  not only the software industry, but also the music, the movie and other industries involved in copyright infringement issues. Even the pirate Captain Jack Sparrow would never want his movie to be pirated.

“Thou shall not steal”, the 7th commandment of God. Piracy is Stealing, piracy is a CRIME, piracy is UNETHICAL.

Sources:

http://www.papt.org.ph/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_infringement

“Two merchants agreed to have a trade. They decided to exchange coins. Both of them received a coin with the same value as the one that they have traded. They realized that what happened was nonsense as they did not lose or earn anything from the transaction. So, they made another trade, this time they exchanged ideas. Both of them learned from one another and without losing the one that they have shared. The trade was beneficial for the two merchants.”

According to Robert S. Seiner, “Knowledge Management (KM) is a concept in which an enterprise gathers, organizes, shares and analyzes the individuals and groups across the organizations in ways that directly affect performance”. The very short story above shows how to effectively use knowledge sharing in a beneficial manner; it is a simple portrayal of how KM works.

As a young enterprise, D’Golz family mart is still learning things. Like a child learning how to walk, it may be difficult at first but eventually it will become normal. Applied knowledge management plays a big role in the organization’s growth and development. KM will allow D’Golz to learn not only from people within the organization but also from external individuals and groups including competitors. It allows ideas, skills and talents of employees to be dynamic and more useful both for them as individuals and for the enterprise. KM will also help preserve the expertise of retiring employees and to prevent their ideas to go to waste. I personally believe that the proper management of knowledge in general as a tactical and strategic tool, whether through the use of technology or not, will be helpful any in kind of organization.

“Knowledge is power but knowledge sharing is empowerment”.

The intellect is said to be the most powerful element that humans possess. Our brains may be the softest body part, but it is the most dangerous. Kings, generals, philosophers, inventors, politicians, activists, and all great men in history did great things because of their knowledge. But what made them great is because they empowered people, they empowered the society, like how Rizal empowered Bonifacio. Knowledge sharing empowers not only individuals; it empowers society towards a sustainable development. As the saying goes “It takes two flints to make a fire“, knowledge sharing is teamwork, it is helping one another to create a larger impact. It helps organizations to improve their quality and individuals to increase their worth. There is no doubt that the ability to process knowledge makes humanity a powerful species. But what really important is how will we apply this knowledge to help us in our decision making, how to convert these knowledge into wisdom and use it for our benefit.

Human as individuals, often make decisions based on their previous experiences with the same situation. We learn from our past, perceive possibilities for the future, and decide what actions to take. Same with businesses, data are managed and used as a foundation for forecasting and strategic decision making. It could determine whether a business will survive, excel, or fail. But, this still relies on people, and people will not be with the business forever. With the emergence of modern technology comes variety of strategic tools that aids businesses for decision making.

Business Intelligence (BI) is a general term referring to different types of software applications and programs that analyzes organization’s raw data and converts it to useful information for decision making. BI’s are commonly used by big organizations to manage bulky amounts of data. However, it is more than just about summarizing reports and forecasting, it also helps organizations to cut cost, and monitor organizational practices to easily point-out what processes needs to be restructured and improved.

The best way for organizations to encourage effective use of business intelligence tools is to identify existing problems and processes that they are having difficulties with. In this manner the organization will realize that a solution is needed, and BI is among the best.  Everybody in the organization should really understand what is, why should use, who will use, and how to use business intelligence tools. Most common misconception about BI is it makes everything complicated, when in fact it is to make things well organized and simple. Full understanding and support from everyone in the organization is the key factor to effectively utilize business intelligence tools.

On my own perspective, programs that reward employees are not only appropriate but are necessary for organizations. It brings about more positive effect and nourishes company-employee relationship. Rewards encourage and motivate employees to sustainably improve individual and group performances.  They will try to perform their tasks better and be the best among others. Those, who receive rewards, will increase their morale and motivation. Those, who don’t, will neither be demotivated or discouraged, in fact there is a probability for them to improve performance and increased desire for the reward next time around.

I personally believe that punitive programs are inappropriate. I do not see in any perspective that it could improve an employee’s performance, as well as benefit the company. Punishments will instead demotivate them and decrease their loyalty for the company. It will affect the harmony within the company, and decrease productivity. It is more than enough that an employee realizes his/her mistakes and learns lesson from it without being punished.

Pay raises based on job performance are also appropriate for employees. It may have almost the same effect with rewards, but the management should decide with precaution and ensure that the employee really deserves it. Once an employee is given a pay raise it will give him/her motivation and encouragement but pay reductions should be avoided as it may have a reverse effect.

People are the most important resource that an organization could have. They deserved to be protected and appraised. Every organization should consider it as factual and as a principle to follow. There should be a mutual relationship between the company and its people, they should benefit from one another and grow together. Business intelligence tools are made to support and not to replace intellectual skills of real people running the business. Without a good relationship with and among employees, application of BI tools is worthless and nonsense. The most important is that everyone in the organization is moving forward with the same pace and in the same direction. Business intelligence tools and human intellectual skills are not substitutes but rather are complements.

Online shopping, Internet shopping, E-Shopping, whatever you call it, it’s been a hit. Since the early 2000’s, the number of online buyers and sellers has already grown a lot. With thousands of available items for sale daily, you can now buy almost anything over the internet. One advantage of shopping online is convenience. Customers don’t have to go to malls and spend extra money, time and effort. All they have to do is open their computers, get an internet access, and then shop. They do not have to risk losing their belongings and even their own lives to some crooks lurking down the streets. There is no need to waste their time waiting for turns on long queues on check-out counters. Unlike shopping malls, online stores are open 24/7, probably will just close for 2-4 hours once or a couple of times a yer, basically for maintenance. Customers can also have lots of choices, they can search for more specific product, and transfer from one shop to another in a matter of seconds. However, in some ways online shopping could also be less convenient for buyers. One thing is, you cannot have a personal feel or you cannot examine thoroughly the product you want to buy. Products are usually delivered two days to three weeks, thus, instant satisfaction is decreased. So if product are needed momentarily, better go to the store. You might find lots of things over the internet but definitely not everything. Online payments also gives consumers a risky feeling, mostly because they do not know who are they dealing with. Reports about online scamming and internet fraud cases have also been reported already.

The decision whether to shop online or not is really up to the customers preference, what item they need or want, their willingness to take a risk, and the level of satisfaction they get. So, if given the chance, what items would I be willing to buy? what items would I hesitate to buy? and what are those that I will never going to buy online?

Items that I would buy online:

1.) Music – I prefer to buy mp3’s over the internet rather than to buy CD/DVDs in music shops. On the internet you can buy and download songs that you like individually, I mean, you don’t have to buy one the whole album. Another thing is that you only have limited choices on music stores, because most of the time they only sell fresh released albums, the popular ones, and the classic.

2.) Movies – Unlike in most video stores, wherein you will have fewer selections, on the internet you can buy from the vintage ones up to the latest films.

3.) Computer Hardware and Software – It would also be convenient purchasing computer peripherals online, because usually technicians would require me to bring my whole computer box or at least list down necessary information about its compatibility. And so with software, I would like it better to just download and install rather than having an installation CD or DVD, which can easily be damaged.

4.) Plane Tickets – Buying tickets online is much easier and convenient today. All you have to do is type in the schedule that you want on your preferred airline’s website and it will display available flights on that day including the rates. You can view a list of options where you can compare the flights, search for promos and lowest fares. You can book online and be saved from surcharges added by ticketing firms and outlets. Once your flight is booked, an email will be sent to your address (or will open a page, ready for printing, depending on the airline), containing your e-ticket which can be shown to the airport authorities through your gadgets or can be printed out as a hard copy.

Products that I would hesitate to buy online:

1.) Books – It really depends upon the situation, If I’m into specificity, online search is the best option, you can even find second hand books for a lesser price. But there are also times that I like to go to bookstores and just browse books randomly to look for something that would capture my attention and interest.

2.) Shoes – I usually keep a couple pair of shoes, one for regular use and another for special occasions. I have different considerations on buying these two shoes, appearance for the one which I use occasionally and comfort for the one that I use regularly. There is more options on the internet If I would like to look for a pair of good looking shoes, older models are also available which I would usually prefer for they are less expensive and had a classy appearance. And if I am looking for a pair of shoes for regular use, I prefer to go to the store so I can fit and test if it’s comfortable  enough for me.

3.) Toys – Sounds childish, but back in grade school I collect action figures. I usually miss out limited editions and had a hard time looking for vintage ones, in this case online shopping will be good. Like books, I also often go to toy stores and check out what is new. Even though I last updated my collection seven years ago, I still kept my collection hoping for the day I could sell it for a high price (like the $200,000.00 G.I. Joe Action Figure ha-ha).

Items that I will never consider purchasing online:

1.) Perfume – Although I have my regular perfume, I am fond of trying something else every time. It is still not possible to smell online products, so, I would still go to the store to have a try and to purchase new scents.

2.) Shirts – I would prefer buying shirts from stores rather than online. Although shirts have small, medium, large, and so on, sizes are indeterminable, one company’s size XL might be too small and another company’s XS might be too big. I would prefer going to the store personally and take my time to fit if the size is just right and if will look nice for me.

3.) Electronics – Electronics might be one of the top things that are purchased online, but I personally don’t prefer to buy gadgets over the internet. Latest gadgets are available online, but I prefer checking them out personally and with assistance from a salesperson that can explain the features to me.

So, If we will be able to list down all the reasons, advantages and disadvantages, we will see that, even though consumer decisions may vary, there will be just about a little difference between online and physical shopping. Decisions are based on consumer preferences, what items they need, the level of satisfaction and convenience they get, and other circumstances such as location and weather. Shopping online might be convenient but we should still be going to malls and stores once in awhile to keep our bodies exercised, to socialize with other people, to smell some fresh air, to have fun and to remind us that we should not left the real world and go to the virtual one.

It is really up to you!

Push the cart? or push the button?

Business process outsourcing is slowly evolving, from being merely an option to becoming a factor for survival for increasing number of organizations. The purpose is mainly to cut cost, to focus on core business processes, and to improve service quality. Outsource service providers’ offers services from janitorial to finance, human resource, research and development and a lot more. Like any other business processes, IT can be outsourced as well. Many companies have already done it for the past few decades and the contracts have been into multi-year and multimillion dollar deals. Outsourcing associated risks are high; it may include poor service quality, legal issues, and data security and integrity. Company hired employees are more motivated, passionate about doing their job, and are more in lined with the organizational goals and objectives. Workplace issues, such as misunderstanding between outsourced employees, might be difficult to resolve due to a poor communication with the management. BPO terms and agreements do not ensure a smooth relationship between the two contracting parties. Conflict of ideas may cause breach of contracts, and in some instances, to a legal case. Business continuity can also be affected by the circumstances that could happen to the outsourcing service provider, such as devastation due to natural calamities and bankruptcy. The two contracting parties have to establish and maintain a mutual relationship, and consider one another as business partners. Another risk of ITO is leakages of sensitive and relevant data. Giving outsourced employees access to such kind of information is a very risky decision. The firm contracting for service should evaluate the ITO service provider before outsourcing. Factors involving reputation, skills and knowledge, trustworthiness, efficiency and effectiveness, and experience should be checked to ensure the availability of good service. To protect both of the companies, agreements could be made. In stipulating agreements they should include confidentiality of information, both parties’ rights, terms, conditions, responsibilities, liabilities, accountability, limitations, roles and authority. The company should also be responsible for checking, monitoring and evaluating the outsourced IT services to ensure the quality of performance and is heading towards the same direction. Taking the risk of outsourcing IT security is a very difficult decision. Everybody wants to play safe as long as it is possible, but in reality leading companies made their impacts by taking risks and a quote from Mark Zuckerberg says, “The biggest risk is not taking any risk”. ITO had a lot of benefits and advantages. Expertise of the outsource service provider help organizations to avoid risks on decisions about IT. They are also aware of latest technologies and have a knowledge which of those are good and which are bad. They also tend be more skilled and experienced about IT. The management could focus more on their core processes and governance, they could control IT costs, cut labor costs and improve customer service. Generally outsourcing, if properly conducted, is to benefit organizations through improved operations and overall performance.

The progress of modern day technology was never been in a passive mode. Its pace is fast, and like a “raging bull“, it’s either you run with it or get ran over by it. New designs, concepts, features, and functions are introduced to the market almost every day. Change is constant, Ideas are unlimited, and technology is unstoppable. This is the information age where technology is almost everywhere.

Technology works for me almost 24/7, from hitting the snooze button on my morning alarm, up to setting up the wall fan to automatically switch off after a couple of hours during my sleep at night. I’m not that enthusiastic about technology, I don’t go with the mainstream and the latest trends. As long as I have the features that I need, which are actually just basics, I’m good.

The world is getting much smaller through the help of modern communication technologies. Messages today could be transmitted in just a blink of an eye to any place in the world. Through IT, I can send messages, pictures, videos, and other media to my relatives and friends anytime I want. Social networking sites enables me to socialize  even within the four corners of my room. I am able to know how my friends are doing, and I could also share my experiences, thoughts, pictures, videos and everything by just updating my status. I could get updates about the latest happenings locally and internationally by just subscribing to or just visiting the official pages/accounts or websites of news networks. In fact, The Philippine Star has free daily digital newspaper (http://digitaldedition.philstar.com) that you can read online or download as PDF. I also visit informative sites like wikihow, khanacademy, listverse, and factmonster whenever I have free time and feels like I want to learn something new.

Music is like food for me, it keeps my mood up throughout the day. The first Mobile Digital Media Player (M-DMP) I got was a Walkman from my mother during my elementary days, then eventually receiving a Panasonic Portable CD Player from my cousin after having some good grades. I was a high school sophomore when I bought my mp3 player with my own personal savings, and then switched to a phone with music player just before entering the university. It is much convenient, I don’t have to put discs in and out, I can add music that I like and delete those that I don’t, can send and receive from other phones through Bluetooth, and it is much more easier to carry and organize. Audio editing softwares installed on my PC also enables me to record, generate, and edit music. Internet also provides mp3’s that you can download for free, but of course, I still buy albums to show support to the artists.

During my spare time, I love playing games, Role Playing Games (RPG’s) are my favorite ones. I also love doing photo manipulations, memes, and personalized photo greetings (others call it phreetings) via Adobe Photoshop. Learning how to use Adobe Photoshop could be messy at first, but it is fun, and there’s a lot of things that you can do. I am also fond of making slide show movies, especially using picture and videos from my travels. Having those played on the TV with some good background music, refreshes the memories of my adventures with my family. Speaking of travel, I prefer e-ticket sent through email over ones that are printed by ticketing firms and agencies, I can print as much copy as I want so no worries putting it somewhere and then misplacing it.

Document creation and storage are also made easier by IT. I have a very bad penmanship, and that is why Microsoft Office programs are always a big help in making letters, forms, handouts, presentations and a lot more. It is more organized, neat, clean, and I can put design any way I want.

Five years ago, I have attended a six day seminar about computer hardware servicing sponsored by Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). I may just learned the basics, but it helped me save a lot of money, because hiring a computer technician to fix my PC is not very affordable these days.

Information Technology makes things a lot easier, but we must not rely on it on our everyday lives. IT can be so powerful that sometimes it can be detrimental. As a responsible netizens we should learn and must observe proper netiquette, and do not forget there is nothing better than socializing in person with our love ones. Availability of technology should not stop us from learning how to do things.