Case Study #3

What cell phone infrastructure exists in East Africa? Which nations have poor or no cell service? Which have poor or no cell service? Which have good cell service? How does "good" cell service in East Africa compare to cell service in the US?


The cell infrastructure in East Africa is very limited. Ethiopia, one of the more developed East African nations, has a mere 5 of every 100 persons using a cell phone, and the resulting infrastructure is weak. Somalia, on the other hand, has virtually no infrastructure. The capital, Mogadishu, is just now receiving local cell phone infrastructure, as well as other population centers, but the majority of the country is without it. Good cell service in East Africa is terrible compared to bad service in the US, yet they are making inroads in countries like Ethiopia.



How does telemedicine treatment work in theory? Find an example of the real world, and explain how the reality compares to the theory. Discuss whether current telemedicine is feasible in East Africa. Discuss the feasibility of future telemedicine practices in East Africa.

Telemedicine works by having the data relayed to another doctor, having that doctor diagnose it, and have the on-site people treat it. Current telelmedicine is maybe possible in a limited amount in East Africa, but overall, it would seem to be relatively unreliable in relation to the poor infrastructure in East Africa.


Discuss the feasibility of telemedicine for training purposes.

Telemedicine for training purposes may be slightly more feasible, as the unrealiblity would not threaten the patient's well being, and they can train whenever there's a good connection.

Gift of Fire 4.8, 4.10

4.8) Consider the case descirbed in section 4.1.2 in which a boy was assumed to be a drug abuser because schools used two different disciplinary codes in thier computerized records.
a.) Is this kin d opf problem more likely to occur with computerized records than with paper records? Why or Why not?
This kind of problem is not more likely to happen with computer records, as the possibility of two different databases using different codes is just as likely in paper records.
b.)Solutions?
A standardized code system to be used in every school would solve this problem and prevent any future confusions.
4.10)No, I don't think the schools would have reported the scores had been higer- they would have welcome it, because it would have improved thier standings in respect to other schools.

Portfolio Check #2 Part 2

The problem is clear, as the http protocol does work sufficiently now, and if the newer protocol has any significant progress, it could have adverse effects on any businesses that have gone completely online, and any services that rely on the web would also be crippled.
One possible solution would be to simply not change the protocol, while another solution would be the possiblitiy of further testing of the protocol, and very gradual introduction of this protocol. And I do have access to a number of sources to research this topic; New York Times, BBC News, Wall Street Journal and Wired News, as well as having access to HTTP: the definitive guide, via Google Books.

Portfolio Check #2 Part 1

Portfolio Article:
SPDY: Google wants to speed up the web by ditching HTTP
http://arstechnica.com/web/news/2009/11/spdy-google-wants-to-speed-up-the-web-by-ditching-http.ars By Iljitsch van Beijnum. November 12, 2009.

Portfolio Check:
The area of impact fpr this article is this time is arts, entertainment and leisure, as the majority of liesure time for some people is spent on the internet, and is one of the largest entertainment providers that exists. I have already done the politics and government are of impact. This article was published November 12, 2009, which is more than a year into this course. This article does raise a social issue; which would be the reliability of the new protocol.

3 ATM Advantages

There are many advantages to using an ATM. One advantage is convenience, because you can retrieve funds without having to go to a bank and visting a bank teller's window. This cuts down on the time that it takes to retrive funds and helps you accomplish tasks more quickly than it would tyake you to do so if you had to go into the bank and retrieve your money. Another advantage is its ease of use. It is realitivly simple to use, which makes it even more convient, as it takes more time and is easier to do than going into the bank to request your funds. A third advantage would be the sense of security it seems to promote. It seems to be more secure than a bank teller because there is no one watching you, and though the bank teller may seem trustworthy, you never know if they'll snatch some money from you.

Case Study Problem #2

An EMR management system is a system employed by hospitals to manage and store their electronic medical records (EMR). They typically include software that manages the actual records as well as organizing the records in the system. As the records were automated, the efficiency of the hospital would be greatly improved, as they would be more easily organized and it would be easier to find the records of a specific patient, and therefore would both improve the hospital's efficiency and the patient care, as well as the accuracy, as there would be less potential for human error. These could probably be available in East African countries, as there are software programs available for this purpose online and they can be used to manage their EMR, but there is no way to know for sure.

There are systems that can be downloaded from the Internet and completely supported via the Internet. This may make the employment of this in Africa easier for them to achieve. The software would run on normal operating systems, and would prevent the need to buy pre-built hardware to support the software system, when it could be run off of normal operation systems. Although there are operating systems which can be bought with pre-manufactured systems, it may be cheaper for the African countries to go with the Internet supported systems. The advantages of getting a pre-built system would be the fact that they would be abler to get consistent support and possible on site backup, with personnel training and the actual systems at hand, and close by. A disadvantage would most likely be that a pre-built system would have components that are designed to work with more advanced technology than they might have.

Custom systems on the other hand, may be a very useful for the East African clinics. These systems are specifically designed for the clinics, and would have none of the compatibility issues that the pre-built systems would have. The prices for this would be predictably higher than pre-built systems as would the maintenance costs, but at least it would be capable and easier to use with what the countries have at the location. The advantages of this system would be that the technology would be specifically designed for them, and would therefore be compatible with the tech they already have, and any they are planning to buy. Though the disadvantages would be the fact that it is much more expensive than prebuilt systems.

I would recommend that the government of the western province spend the extra money and purchase a custom built system, as this would have greater capatability would be easier to use, as well as the fact that they would have more back-up and will be able to use easier with thier current technology.

FBI fingerprint database

This article raises one very prominent social issue; the privacy of the general public. Many people find the concept of the government being able to instantly identify you and locate you to be a violation of their privacy.



The IT development emerged through the application of the biometric technology that already existed by the FBI.



This technology gives the FBI many advantages over the old system, one of the main ones being speed. The computer can compare data much faster than a human, which allows the criminal to be caught much faster. There is also the advantage of the computers having more data for to compare (capacity), as they will be expanding the database, making the comparisons more capable as they can now compare more people, allowing them to search a larger pool of persons, which is also a more thorough search, as there are more persons who can be searched. The system is also more accurate, as the computer is able to eliminate bias and find the match to the data they are given, which allows the FBI to more accurately track down and arrest the actual criminal, though there is the potential that an error, or the corruption, as well as possible hacks into the database.

Portfolio Topic Check Part 2

There is a clear problem and it arises from the idea that the computers will be able to imitate human behavior. There are concerns that the computers will surpass humans and be able to interact with us without our knowledge. this could be used to gather data or keep tabs on people for governments, buisnesses or other enterprises without our knowledge.

Two viable solutions would be a nuetral agency to keep track of all the computers capable of imitating humans and to prevent them from gethering info or tracking people. Another would be a law requiring a warrant before a government agency could use the computer to track citizens.

Three possible resources to conduct further resources are potentially Wired News, the New York Times technology section, as well as the BBC technology section.

Portfolio Topic Check Part 1

My portfolio news story is from the economist and is titled "Fighting it out." It relates to ITGS as it deals with the programming of computers to appear to be human, and the use of this program to actively fool humans into thinking their versing other humans.

The area of impact that this would fall into would be politics and the government as the success of this endeavour would allow various governments and enterprises to gather information on people without there knowledge.

Yes, it was published after I started this course. It was published on September 9th 2009.

This article definitly raises social and ethical issues. One of these would be the "risk" in giving computers the ability to behave like humans; ie. you could no longer tell who was human and who wasn't without seeing the actual computer.

Vocab Products #1

Backup Software: DT Utilities PC Backup 10, Price: $47.99
Capabilities: Backs Up to hard drive, CD/DVD, and to tape.

Broadband Wireless Providers: Verizon Wireless Broadband with Verizon Wireless USB Mobile Broadband 5GB Monthly Allowance, Price: $59.99

Firewall/security: ZoneAlarm Pro, 39.99
Capabilities: Email, file, registry, personal info protection, port and network traffic monitoring, Intruder alert, id lookup and tracking log, popup and cookie blocking, and password protection

Case Study Problem #1

What is the most apporpriate IT system that would allow data to be accessed and transferred between the hospital and the village clinics?

The most feasible IT system that would allow data to be accessed and transferred would be the internet, but, with the exception of village A, the outlying villages do not have internet access. One way to solve this would to get both villages connected to the internet via a new line from Oobunta to both villages B and C, and to upgrade village A's connection, as it is intermittent at best. The most reliable connection would probably be a fiber-optic cable from Oobunta to each village, but that may be too expensive, in which case they should go with a regular cable connection to Oobunta. As for each village it may be beneficial to give each a Wireless network, instead of wiring every computer. There is another option to connect the villages to Oobunta via the internet that is potentially the most appropriate; as they all have access to a cell network it is possible they coulb utilize USB Modems to access the internet using the already present cell networks in the region. This would be both cheaper and more reliabe, as the land lines could become damaged wheras the USBs are much easier to maintain and to replace.

I searched through Cape Cod Hospital's web site, as well as the web sites of Jordan Hopital and Mass General, and none of them mention the computer network supporting thier hospitals. When I searched more broader most of the articles I found were debating the importance of computer networks in hospitals, not actually informing about the hospitals use of information technology.

The stakeholders in this situation are the villagers, the hospital personell and the local government. The villagers would have the advantage of gaining better care, but if the local doctors come to rely on the internet to mucha nd end up misdiagnosing, a villager could die. As for the doctors, they may gain the ability to treat more diseases, but could also misdiagnose if they could become too dependent on the internet. If the program succeds the local government could gain prestige, but if it fails, heads could roll. The doctors on the ground would be responsible for the treatment of patients, but the local government would be responsible for the actual network implimented. The doctors and local government should be held accountable, but a scapegoat may end up taking the fall. Any laws that govern the medical community in the country they are in would apply, as would any policies regarding the treatment of patients, as well as conduct online.

Case Study Vocab Part 3 of 3

Hardware: A computer and the associated physical equipment directly involved in the performance of data-processing or communications functions.
Software: The programs, routines, and symbolic languages that control the functioning of the hardware and direct its operation.

LAN (Local Area Network): A system that links together electronic office equipment, such as computers and word processors, and forms a network within an office or building.
LAN Hardware: Hardware specifically designed to allow LAN networks to function.
LAN Software: Programs that govern the LAN and runs the hardware needed for the LAN to function.

Network Server: A computer system that server as a central repository of data and programs shared by users of a network.

Peer-to-Peer Network: A local area network in which there is no central controller and all the nodes have equal access to the resources of the network; A network of computers configured to allow certain files and folders to be shared with everyone or with selected users.
Nodes: destinations or intersection points which are part of a network.

Security software: Software that is connected to the Internet that protects the computer from viruses, identity theft, hacking and various other threats to the computer's security.
Security hardware: Hardware that works in conjunction with the software to protect the computer and any stored data.

Server: A computer that processes requests for HTML and other documents that are components of webpages.
HTML (HyperText Markup Language): A markup language used to structure text and multimedia documents and to set up hypertext links between documents, used extensively on the World Wide Web.

VPN (Virtual Private Network): A wide-area network whose links are provided by a common carrier although they appear to the users to behave like dedicated lines, and whose computers use a common cryptographic key to send messages from one computer in the network to another.

WiFi: The popular term for a high-frequency wireless local area network. The consumer-friendly name for the 802.11b engineering standard. It lets home and office users create wireless local networks, which connect two or more computers to each other and a faster Internet line. This way there is no more poking holes in walls or tripping over bulky Ethernet cables. The Wi-Fi technology is rapidly gaining acceptance as an alternative to a wired local area network (LAN).

Case Study Vocab Part 2 of 3

Internet: A standardized, global system of interconnected servers and computer networks that utilizes the Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP) rules for data transmission, signaling, authentication and error detection.
ie. A system that interconnects millions of servers and networks which utilizies the TCP/IP to govern transmissions.
TCP/IP: A set of communication protocols used for the internet and similiar networks named for the two major protocols in it, the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and the Internet Protocol (IP) while it also contains various other protocols.
ie. A package of protocols that governs trnasfer of data packets and other transfers on the internet.
IP: A protocol used for the communication of data across a packet-switched internetwork. Rules to govern delivery of information packets from the source host to the designation host.
ie. The basic internet protocol that governs the majority of transfers online.
TCP: Protocol that governs delivery of info. pack. from one computer to another.
ie. governs the transfer of information packets

Intranet: A private network that uses internet protocols to securely share information or systems. Sometimes refers to an internal website.
ie. A private network using internet protocols to govern information transfers.

Case Study Vocab Part 1 of 3

Backup Software: A computer program used to perform a complete back up of a file, data, database, system or server. The back up software enables you to make an exact duplicate of everything contained on the original source. This software must also be used to perform a recovery of the data or system in the event of a disaster.
ie. Software that allows you to recover data or files stored on your system in the event of a computer crash or other event that corrupts data on your computer.

Broadband and Wireless Access:

Broadband Access:

• A high data rate Internet access—typically contrasted with dial-up access over a 56k modem. Dial-up modems are limited to a bit-rate of less than 56 kilo-bit/s (kilobits per second) and require the full use of a telephone line—whereas broadband technologies supply more than double this rate and generally without disrupting telephone use.
• ie. A alternative to dial up access over a phone line, broadband uses a different line and has a speed twice as fast as dial up.
  
• Bit-rate:
• The number of bits that are conveyed or processed per unit of time.
• Bits:
• a binary digit, taking a logical value of either "1" or "0". Binary digits are a basic unit of information storage and communication in digital computing.
• ie. the standard unit of data storage and it transfer rate
  
• Modem:
• A device that modulates an analog carrier signal to encode digital information, and also demodulates such a carrier signal to decode the transmitted information.
• ie. A device that regulates the encoding and decoding of transferred data.
  
• kilo-bit; one thousand bits

Wireless Access:

• Wireless Network:
• Any type of computer network that is wireless, and is commonly associated with a telecommunications network whose interconnections between nodes is implemented without the use of wires.
• ie. A network using wireless technology allowing you to log into the internet wirelessly.


• Node:
• an active electronic device that is attached to a network, and is capable of sending, receiving, or forwarding information over a communications channel.
• ie. A device that can send, recieve or forward data.


• Wireless Access Point:
• device that allows wireless communication devices to connect to a wireless network using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or related standards
• ie. Using a wireless network to connect to a network

Client/Server Network: Distinguishes client systems from server systems, which communicate over a computer network. A client-server application is a distributed system comprising both client and server software. A client software process may initiate a communication session, while the server waits for requests from any client.
ie. A network in which a server provides services and acts as a central server for (client) computers.

CT Scanner: A medical imaging method employing tomography. Digital geometry processing is used to generate a three-dimensional image of the inside of an object from a large series of two-dimensional X-ray images taken around a single axis of rotation. Tomography: Imaging by sections or sectioning.
ie. A imager that uses X-rays to build a three dimensional image of an object by sections.

Data Redundancy: A property of some disk arrays (most commonly in RAID systems) which provides fault tolerance, so that all or part of the data stored in the array can be recovered in the case of disk failure.
ie. A process in which if a computer crashes; some of the data can be recovered.

RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) systems: A technology that allowed computer users to achieve high levels of storage reliability from low-cost and less reliable PC-class disk-drive components, via the technique of arranging the devices into arrays for redundancy.
ie. Computers that are able to recover data after crashing.

Disk Arrays: A disk storage system which contains multiple disk drives. It is differentiated from a disk enclosure, in that an array has cache memory and advanced functionality.
ie. multiple disk drives that store data in various forms.

Disaster Recovery: The process, policies and procedures related to preparing for recovery or continuation of technology infrastructure critical to an organization after a natural or human-induced disaster.
ie. Steps that are taken following a disaster to restore normal life and repair any damage sustained during the disaster or event, in this case the recovery of computer data and the repair of IT systems in the region.

Embedded IT systems: A special-purpose computer system designed to perform one or a few dedicated functions, often with real-time computing constraints. It is usually embedded as part of a complete device including hardware and mechanical parts.
A system designed to perform only a few dedicated tasks, the system usually being included in a device containing hardware and other mechanical parts.

EMR- Electronic Medical Records: A medical record in digital format.

Failover Systems: The capability to automatically switch to a redundant or standby system, following the failure of the previously active system.
ie. Ability to automatically to a standby sytem following the crash of the active system.

File Server: A computer that is attached to a computer network and provides a location for shared files on a specific network, which can be accessed from any computer on said network.
ie. A computer in a network that offers a location for shared files to the rest of the computers on the network.

Firewall: A part of a computer system or network designed to block unauthorized access to the system or network. It is a set of devices programmed to permit, deny, encrypt, or decrypt computer traffic between different domains.

ie. A program/system design to block unauthorized acces to the computer or network it is protecting.