Article Name: The Apple-FBI Fight Isn’t About Privacy vs. Security. Don’t Be Misled
Link: http://www.wired.com/2016/02/apple-fbi-privacy-security/
Summary
“You must surrender a little privacy if you want more security” the news about Apple and FBI has continuously grew attentions among the public. In this case, FBI has asked Apple to create a tool so that they were able to access two terrorists’ phone without delete all the information after 10 failed password attempts. In fact, there is no backdoor for anyone or any organizations to decipher anyone’s encryption. The government has conducted an argument about security and privacy to the people. According to the article, in fact, the real reason that FBI insisted to burden Apple was not about to get access for this one phone but to go beyond the boarder – they will get authority to everyone’ iPhone. FBI is asking for a software tool that can unlock every phone. Additionally, the reason this dispute is happening is that there is no legislative guidance about encryption and decryption. In the end, the author repetitively emphasize that ensure the public are not misleading by bifurcation like “privacy vs. security”.
Relevance
I chose this article not only because the news is hot trending but also it relates to some of the courses that I have taken. The definition for security today is no more like the narrow definition about physical security but more about security in the digital world. We are trained as system manager and we all know the importance for information security, and there should not be any competition between privacy and security because they are coexisting with each other in most of the cases. As the article states, the real concern of the public is about once there is a software tool can be utilized to unlock phones, ultimately, the case will fall into a more unethical and unconstitutional circumstance.
Thoughts
The news is a hot topic in China also, and the Chinese government will be more concerned if Apple concedes in this case since the iPhone is the most popular smart phone in China’s market. Ultimately, Apple will encounter more strict regulation by the Chinese government because of any future concession in this argument. From the perspective of my view, as MIS professionals we should be more aware about these kinds of issue not only because of the topic, but also because of the technology. I don’t think there is any compulsory requirements for creating a “backdoor” to the phone, however, keeping our devices secure is most important among the public.
Monday, February 29, 2016
How long can IT outsourcing deliver more for less?
Summary: IT and
business process outsourcing deals have seen an interesting shift in 2015 – the
duration of contracts have decreased by roughly 15% and annual contract values
were down 8%. However, the raw number of outsourcing contracts hit an all-time
high. This is possible due to the increase in digitization and the greater need
for flexibility. As businesses need new, creative IT providers, they have been
shying away from long-term contracts where they can be stuck with a single IT
provider. Additionally, the increasing popularity of AWS, Microsoft Azure, and other
on-demand, dynamically priced and highly flexible IT infrastructure services,
businesses have been opting to ditch the traditional physical hardware.
However, with the dynamic nature of cloud-computing services, there is a higher
potential or complete reinvention of a company’s IT infrastructure, which lends
itself to shorter, more flexible contracts.
Relevance: In our
class, we have the changing face of IT and the increasing need for high
flexibility, such as in Lean or Agile development. It appears that our society
as a whole is moving toward the trend – everything needs to be able to easily adapt
to changing requirements and needs or unexpected problems. This is also
outlined in the idea of DevOps, which emphasizes small, quick changes to
software rather than slow, large developments. Because companies are realizing
that the pace of growth itself is increasing, there is merit in having IT
providers for shorter periods of time who can adapt as quickly as the industry.
Importance: This
greatest significance of this article is that it shows how the nature of
in-house IT support and IT outsourcing is changing because of rapidly changing
technology. As MIS professionals, IT will be a large part of many of our
careers, and we must stay knowledgeable with the current trends in the
industry. Understanding these trends will help us better prepare for our
careers as real MIS professionals after graduation because we will have a
better idea of what to expect and what to focus on. Companies are looking for
IT providers that will be able to satisfy the information systems needs of
their organization on a short-term basis, and this trend is expected to
continue well into the future.
Tech Musing #2
Site: http://www.informationweek.com/devops/project-management/best-agile-method-for-your-team-scrum-vs-kanban/a/d-id/1324164?
Summary
The article, “Best Agile Method For Your Team: Scrum Vs. Kanban” is about how to bring agile to your company. The article talks about two different approaches companies can take which are Scrum and Kanban. As a result, many companies nowadays are switching over to agile more and more every year from their traditional Waterfall approaches. Waterfall has been around since the 1950s and is linear, rigid, and very documentation based. Changes cannot be made once a spec has been completed which means many errors are prone to happen. In addition, this is why Scrum and Kanban seem lucrative to companies. Scrums principles consist of rapid iterations with constant communication. Scrums also have time boxes which are called sprints and usually do not last over 30 days. The sprints consist of the details, expectations, and requirements of the projects. Unlike Waterfall the sprints can be changed if necessary. In addition, Kanban is more of a visual management process. The differential between Scrum and Kanban is that Kanban really emphasizes the importance of the project and its requirements. They are the heart of process. With that being said the article goes on to say that choosing the appropriate method depends on the company. Kanban fits companies that are more linear and Scrums fits companies that are multi-threaded and ready to begin working on the next sprint.
Relevance
This article is related to the class for many reasons. We spent the first five weeks learning about Waterfall and Agile approaches. The class really emphasized how Waterfall is an approach that should not be used in this day and age and that companies should pursue more of an agile approach. When reading this article a lot of the information was similar to what was shown in class. Agile allows for better system development and also results in less errors. Waterfall is too outdated and more prone to mistakes and errors. It is hard to believe the majority of companies still use Waterfall but according to the article many companies are starting to switch over every year.
Important
The information from the article would be significantly helpful for me as an MIS professional for many reasons. For example, if I was working with a company who has a Waterfall method implemented then I could see more in depth all the flaws associated with it. As a result, I could look more into Agile approaches and possibly bring it up to management to inform them of the benefits. Consequently, upper-management could possibly implement it and this could result in better system developments and less error. It would also allow us to go back and fix or change specs on previous parts of the project that Waterfall would not allow.
Summary
The article, “Best Agile Method For Your Team: Scrum Vs. Kanban” is about how to bring agile to your company. The article talks about two different approaches companies can take which are Scrum and Kanban. As a result, many companies nowadays are switching over to agile more and more every year from their traditional Waterfall approaches. Waterfall has been around since the 1950s and is linear, rigid, and very documentation based. Changes cannot be made once a spec has been completed which means many errors are prone to happen. In addition, this is why Scrum and Kanban seem lucrative to companies. Scrums principles consist of rapid iterations with constant communication. Scrums also have time boxes which are called sprints and usually do not last over 30 days. The sprints consist of the details, expectations, and requirements of the projects. Unlike Waterfall the sprints can be changed if necessary. In addition, Kanban is more of a visual management process. The differential between Scrum and Kanban is that Kanban really emphasizes the importance of the project and its requirements. They are the heart of process. With that being said the article goes on to say that choosing the appropriate method depends on the company. Kanban fits companies that are more linear and Scrums fits companies that are multi-threaded and ready to begin working on the next sprint.
Relevance
This article is related to the class for many reasons. We spent the first five weeks learning about Waterfall and Agile approaches. The class really emphasized how Waterfall is an approach that should not be used in this day and age and that companies should pursue more of an agile approach. When reading this article a lot of the information was similar to what was shown in class. Agile allows for better system development and also results in less errors. Waterfall is too outdated and more prone to mistakes and errors. It is hard to believe the majority of companies still use Waterfall but according to the article many companies are starting to switch over every year.
Important
The information from the article would be significantly helpful for me as an MIS professional for many reasons. For example, if I was working with a company who has a Waterfall method implemented then I could see more in depth all the flaws associated with it. As a result, I could look more into Agile approaches and possibly bring it up to management to inform them of the benefits. Consequently, upper-management could possibly implement it and this could result in better system developments and less error. It would also allow us to go back and fix or change specs on previous parts of the project that Waterfall would not allow.
Sunday, February 28, 2016
TopCoder Case Response & Tech Musing #2 (Kevan Mann)
1. A senior manager as TopCoder would have to have a unique set of capabilities that would undoubtedly be different from a senior manager at, say, a traditional software development firm. First, let’s take a look at what a senior manager would need to be capable of in the traditional firm scenario. When doing software development at a firm like Google, Microsoft, or Apple, you would likely need a combination of software engineering technical expertise, project management skills, and systems analysis and design abilities. In the traditional firm, combining all of these skills would allow a senior manager to have complete start-to-finish control, management, and visibility of his/her software projects.
Flipping this notion completely on its head is the TopCoder senior manager’s responsibilities and capabilities. Since at TopCoder you’re crowdsourcing your development staff for each of your client’s projects, you will likely only need some of the abovementioned skills from the traditional senior manager. According to TopCoder’s website, they crowdsource every role within the software development process from systems analysis and design, UI/UX/Graphic design, coding, and data science/architecture. With that being said, it’s clear that senior manager at TopCoder would need to oversee these projects differently. Project Management skills are one thing I would imagine to be universal in both of these management types, for in both the traditional and TopCoder cases you would need a Project Manager to just oversee progress and keep things on track in these projects. However, you would likely not need as much the engineering technical expertise or systems analysis and design abilities, because these are the very things you would be crowdsourcing. Instead, a senior management position at TopCoder would likely involve lots of consulting work with the main client. A senior manager here would kind of act as a mini-CEO of the project wherein constant communication with the client would be necessary. The senior manager would learn the client’s needs from start-to-finish and convey these requirements to his/her crowdsourced team. Changes along the way would also need to be passed down to the development team. This whole transferring of information responsibility of the TopCoder manager’s job seems like it would be the most important aspect of their job. Since your entire development team is not located in house, the most important tool you have to keep development humming along is communication. Without constant sharing of information between client, TopCoder manager, and crowdsourced development team, the project would undoubtedly see failure along with the entire TopCoder business model. So in summary, it seems that the TopCoder senior manager would have to take on much more of a management/consulting role rather than all the technical/engineering responsibilities you would have as a traditional software development senior manager.
4. Tech Musing #2
Site: https://www.coursehero.com/
CourseHero is an online educational resource and platform that enables students and prospective learners alike to find, create, and get help with all their education needs. CourseHero uses collective action and crowdsourced information gathering in a few ways. Much like competitor site Quizlet, CourseHero allows users to search for study resources that have been made in the past and shared by other users. In addition, users of CourseHero can create their own study resources by searching for flashcards, practice problems, homework help and more. This pillar of CourseHero’s business model has enabled them to create a massive database of educational resources that are currently being used millions of students across the globe. However, CourseHero’s offerings don’t end there.
CourseHero also has a Tutoring program that is structured very similarly to the way TopCoder’s crowdsourced software developers are. CourseHero allows people to sign up to become a tutor for users of CourseHero. These CourseHero-employed tutors are said to be “available 24/7”, which must mean they have a large base of tutors working different shifts to cover all of those hours. Users can “summon” a tutor at any time to help them work through an assignment, course concept, or set of practice problems. In many ways, this business model of on-demand tutors really is a revolution to the way we deliver education. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve been working on a homework assignment and have had absolutely no idea how to solve a particular problem. There are definitely times where the book provides no answers and neither do the lecture slides. A tool like these CourseHero tutors could definitely be of help to someone like me in these circumstances.
This crowdsourced-education business model seems to be working out pretty well for CourseHero. To date, the company has a total of 7.6 million educational resources spread out among study documents, question and answer forums, and flashcards. 5 million members are registered with the site. All of them are incentivized to contribute to the site’s resources because CourseHero will pay contributors and (of course) the tutors who help users. All in all, CourseHero seems to be doing a pretty good job at revolutionizing the way we deliver educational resources.
Flipping this notion completely on its head is the TopCoder senior manager’s responsibilities and capabilities. Since at TopCoder you’re crowdsourcing your development staff for each of your client’s projects, you will likely only need some of the abovementioned skills from the traditional senior manager. According to TopCoder’s website, they crowdsource every role within the software development process from systems analysis and design, UI/UX/Graphic design, coding, and data science/architecture. With that being said, it’s clear that senior manager at TopCoder would need to oversee these projects differently. Project Management skills are one thing I would imagine to be universal in both of these management types, for in both the traditional and TopCoder cases you would need a Project Manager to just oversee progress and keep things on track in these projects. However, you would likely not need as much the engineering technical expertise or systems analysis and design abilities, because these are the very things you would be crowdsourcing. Instead, a senior management position at TopCoder would likely involve lots of consulting work with the main client. A senior manager here would kind of act as a mini-CEO of the project wherein constant communication with the client would be necessary. The senior manager would learn the client’s needs from start-to-finish and convey these requirements to his/her crowdsourced team. Changes along the way would also need to be passed down to the development team. This whole transferring of information responsibility of the TopCoder manager’s job seems like it would be the most important aspect of their job. Since your entire development team is not located in house, the most important tool you have to keep development humming along is communication. Without constant sharing of information between client, TopCoder manager, and crowdsourced development team, the project would undoubtedly see failure along with the entire TopCoder business model. So in summary, it seems that the TopCoder senior manager would have to take on much more of a management/consulting role rather than all the technical/engineering responsibilities you would have as a traditional software development senior manager.
4. Tech Musing #2
Site: https://www.coursehero.com/
CourseHero is an online educational resource and platform that enables students and prospective learners alike to find, create, and get help with all their education needs. CourseHero uses collective action and crowdsourced information gathering in a few ways. Much like competitor site Quizlet, CourseHero allows users to search for study resources that have been made in the past and shared by other users. In addition, users of CourseHero can create their own study resources by searching for flashcards, practice problems, homework help and more. This pillar of CourseHero’s business model has enabled them to create a massive database of educational resources that are currently being used millions of students across the globe. However, CourseHero’s offerings don’t end there.
CourseHero also has a Tutoring program that is structured very similarly to the way TopCoder’s crowdsourced software developers are. CourseHero allows people to sign up to become a tutor for users of CourseHero. These CourseHero-employed tutors are said to be “available 24/7”, which must mean they have a large base of tutors working different shifts to cover all of those hours. Users can “summon” a tutor at any time to help them work through an assignment, course concept, or set of practice problems. In many ways, this business model of on-demand tutors really is a revolution to the way we deliver education. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve been working on a homework assignment and have had absolutely no idea how to solve a particular problem. There are definitely times where the book provides no answers and neither do the lecture slides. A tool like these CourseHero tutors could definitely be of help to someone like me in these circumstances.
This crowdsourced-education business model seems to be working out pretty well for CourseHero. To date, the company has a total of 7.6 million educational resources spread out among study documents, question and answer forums, and flashcards. 5 million members are registered with the site. All of them are incentivized to contribute to the site’s resources because CourseHero will pay contributors and (of course) the tutors who help users. All in all, CourseHero seems to be doing a pretty good job at revolutionizing the way we deliver educational resources.
The Next Wave of Software Delivery – Integrating Agile and DevOps for the Digital Enterprise
http://devops.com/2015/07/09/the-next-wave-of-software-delivery-integrating-agile-and-devops-for-the-digital-enterprise/
Summary
As the competition across industries intensifies creating what is called a digital “survival of the fittest”, enterprises are now dependent on the rapid implementation of new digital technology and software solutions to remain competitive. The current methodology in accomplishing these rapid technical changes is Agile development and DevOps. Adobe is currently following the principles of the CloudMunch DevOps platform which has led to a 60% increase in the pace of application development.
However, the article mentions a three barriers of disconnection between traditional IT process and new Agile and DevOps delivery processes:
Hybrid cloud computing is becoming increasing useful in the migration of essential business operations to the cloud. Adobe is using CloudMunch, a DevOps platform to automate delivery of software. Hybrid consists of on-premise and cloud systems (off-premise). Businesses need to integrate their developers’ chosen tools into a single workspace to apply Agile development to a DevOps environment with a single dashboard.
Why is it important?
It is important to know the issues facing the integration of Agile and DevOps. Companies must emphasize the need for collaboration and address the disconnection that exists between the old and new worlds of IT. Agile and DevOps implementation methodologies not only affect business technical infrastructure, but affect company culture and how management styles are developed. All of this is an effort to accommodate the ever changing customer expectations. Professionals are being pressured to seek new development methods and utilize the cloud to continuously adapt in an ever-changing technical sphere.
[SPW - Adding the video of CloudMunch from Adobe. This pretty much explains why it's different from other technologies that Adobe was using. I'm not sure the "old world" of IT is the issue (e.g., Amazon Web Services and Chef), but Adobe wants to do it differently, since most of their tools are in the Cloud.]
Summary
As the competition across industries intensifies creating what is called a digital “survival of the fittest”, enterprises are now dependent on the rapid implementation of new digital technology and software solutions to remain competitive. The current methodology in accomplishing these rapid technical changes is Agile development and DevOps. Adobe is currently following the principles of the CloudMunch DevOps platform which has led to a 60% increase in the pace of application development.
However, the article mentions a three barriers of disconnection between traditional IT process and new Agile and DevOps delivery processes:
- Traditional IT processes are longer than Agile. So most IT organizations do not have the capabilities and not prepared in conducting rapid implementations.
- Supporting software ecosystems are very complex
- Agile teams have autonomy in the use of development tooling. This results in a number of different and disconnected development tools being used.
Hybrid cloud computing is becoming increasing useful in the migration of essential business operations to the cloud. Adobe is using CloudMunch, a DevOps platform to automate delivery of software. Hybrid consists of on-premise and cloud systems (off-premise). Businesses need to integrate their developers’ chosen tools into a single workspace to apply Agile development to a DevOps environment with a single dashboard.
Why is it important?
It is important to know the issues facing the integration of Agile and DevOps. Companies must emphasize the need for collaboration and address the disconnection that exists between the old and new worlds of IT. Agile and DevOps implementation methodologies not only affect business technical infrastructure, but affect company culture and how management styles are developed. All of this is an effort to accommodate the ever changing customer expectations. Professionals are being pressured to seek new development methods and utilize the cloud to continuously adapt in an ever-changing technical sphere.
[SPW - Adding the video of CloudMunch from Adobe. This pretty much explains why it's different from other technologies that Adobe was using. I'm not sure the "old world" of IT is the issue (e.g., Amazon Web Services and Chef), but Adobe wants to do it differently, since most of their tools are in the Cloud.]
Saturday, February 27, 2016
Tech Musing #2 - The Investigatory Powers Bill (The British Spy Law)
Article name: The UK’s Proposed Spy Law Would Force Apple to Secretly Hack its Phones Too
Article link: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/02/investigatory-powers-bill-and-apple
1) Briefly describe the main point or contribution of the article.
So you thought the FBI’s demands of Apple here in the United States was bad? Well in the United Kingdom, the British Government has proposed a new law known as the Investigatory Powers Bill. This law would permit the British government to force companies like Apple to re-engineer their own technology so that various authorities could have complete access to all data and information stored on devices. Unlike the FBI case here in the U.S., this bill would be accompanied with a gag order, which in the Apple case, would permit Tim Cook from even telling the public it was happening! This bill would apply to all “telecommunications operators” (very broad in scope) and it would apply to all matters which the British Government deem “interests in national security” (even broader). The author of was not afraid to denounce this potential law, and said it could potentially “legitimize such powers for the rest of the world.”
2) Show how it is related to the class and topics we have discussed.
While we have not covered much about information security in class, this has been a hot topic everywhere and it garnered a lot of discussion on our MIS 441 Facebook group page. Many people (particularly millennials) get very heated about privacy issues like this and consider this to be totally unconstitutional and unethical. I have a problem with this myself, but I think I have slightly different feelings on this issue than most of my peers. Personally, I don’t really care if the government has access to information on my phone, I don’t have anything to hide from the government. My problem is that if this technology is created, it WILL eventually fall into the wrong hands and be used maliciously.
3) How or why this information is helpful to MIS students and/or professionals.
This is not just about MIS students or MIS professionals. This is something that all citizens need to be aware of. Period. This is a ground-breaking issue that would affect everyone. It would be one thing for the FBI to publicly force Apple or other companies to create a “backdoor” on all of their devices and have citizens be aware of it. However if this law in the United Kingdom gets passed, we wouldn’t even know about a potential backdoor. This is something everyone should be aware of when using smartphones and other devices.
Article link: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/02/investigatory-powers-bill-and-apple
1) Briefly describe the main point or contribution of the article.
So you thought the FBI’s demands of Apple here in the United States was bad? Well in the United Kingdom, the British Government has proposed a new law known as the Investigatory Powers Bill. This law would permit the British government to force companies like Apple to re-engineer their own technology so that various authorities could have complete access to all data and information stored on devices. Unlike the FBI case here in the U.S., this bill would be accompanied with a gag order, which in the Apple case, would permit Tim Cook from even telling the public it was happening! This bill would apply to all “telecommunications operators” (very broad in scope) and it would apply to all matters which the British Government deem “interests in national security” (even broader). The author of was not afraid to denounce this potential law, and said it could potentially “legitimize such powers for the rest of the world.”
2) Show how it is related to the class and topics we have discussed.
While we have not covered much about information security in class, this has been a hot topic everywhere and it garnered a lot of discussion on our MIS 441 Facebook group page. Many people (particularly millennials) get very heated about privacy issues like this and consider this to be totally unconstitutional and unethical. I have a problem with this myself, but I think I have slightly different feelings on this issue than most of my peers. Personally, I don’t really care if the government has access to information on my phone, I don’t have anything to hide from the government. My problem is that if this technology is created, it WILL eventually fall into the wrong hands and be used maliciously.
3) How or why this information is helpful to MIS students and/or professionals.
This is not just about MIS students or MIS professionals. This is something that all citizens need to be aware of. Period. This is a ground-breaking issue that would affect everyone. It would be one thing for the FBI to publicly force Apple or other companies to create a “backdoor” on all of their devices and have citizens be aware of it. However if this law in the United Kingdom gets passed, we wouldn’t even know about a potential backdoor. This is something everyone should be aware of when using smartphones and other devices.
Friday, February 26, 2016
Tech Musing 2
Summary
Docker is a company that has become popular among developers
by making containers easier to access and use during application development.
It is now making strides to becoming a stronger DevOps enterprise by focusing
on the value of the operations side of containers. Earlier this week, Docker
announced the new Docker Datacenter (DDC), which is an on-site platform for
both agile development and management. This solution will provide IT developers
with an environment to create and deploy applications on their own. The DDC platform contains three different
aspects that help improve lifecycle management of applications, as well as
improved security, orchestration, and container runtime. To help enhance the
understanding and management of applications, a graphical user interface (GUI)
has been provided. In terms of security, a multitude of new features have been
released, including security of container runtimes. Docker prides itself on its
flexibility, as “Dockerized” apps can be operated on any infrastructure and
depends only on a Linux kernel. The DDC can also be run on cloud platforms such
as Microsoft Azure, further solidifying its flexibility. Overall, the new DDC will provide IT
professionals with improved tools to help manage its applications, which should
convince other administrators to adopt Docker’s services.
Relevance
In class, we had a guest speaker named Nicole Forsgren talk
to us about DevOps. She explained that DevOps built off of agile development
principles to embrace a new methodology that revolves around improved communication
between software developers and operations personnel. Adoption of this movement
requires a top-down cultural commitment, in which successful implementation
should result in a quicker and more reliable release of software. She talked
about how many companies were hesitant to commit on a DevOps deployment because
of how much time and effort needs to be committed to the practice. The above
article shows how Docker is recognizing the benefit of being a leader in DevOps
and how the company envisions the new commitment to operations will help their
services be used by more organizations.
Importance
It is important for MIS professionals to know and understand
DevOps because this movement is only gaining traction. More and more
organizations are realizing that DevOps is a great way to improve software
development, as evidenced by the success of companies like Flickr. Through
adopting DevOps, Flickr was able to meet a requirement of ten deployments per
day. The idea of continuous deployment has helped companies operate in a leaner
manner. Finally companies are realizing that the waterfall model is not the
best choice and that strategies built off of agile methodologies will help
increase communication, efficiency, reliability, and security.
Tech Musing #2/Question 4 of Top Coder
9 of the best apps for sharing files between devices and friends
By ABHIMANYU GHOSHAL
Summary
As mobile devices continue to become a part of every aspect of life, information sharing has become more desired and useful than ever before. Outlined in article "9 of the best apps for sharing files between devices and friends" by Abhimanyu Ghoshal, are the top 9 apps for information sharing and the reasons that make them attractive downloads. In this post, it is my aim to communicate the relevance of each app through a summary and connecting them to class content.
Relevance
This article relates to class by showcasing some of the best ways to share information among each other. It directly relates to the TopCoder case as the 4th discussion questions asks about other ways to share information and how they work.
Importance
As mentioned in the introduction, the reliance on mobile devices to complete more and more everyday tasks is increasing. Information sharing is becoming a more desirable and useful feature of mobile devices. As an MIS student, it is easy to say that applications such as these could definitely be relevant with the amount of information that is shared between students. Group projects, study guides, and class notes can all be more accessible to students through apps such as these.
Source: http://thenextweb.com/apps/2015/07/10/9-of-the-best-apps-for-sharing-files-between-devices-and-friends/#gref
By ABHIMANYU GHOSHAL
Summary
As mobile devices continue to become a part of every aspect of life, information sharing has become more desired and useful than ever before. Outlined in article "9 of the best apps for sharing files between devices and friends" by Abhimanyu Ghoshal, are the top 9 apps for information sharing and the reasons that make them attractive downloads. In this post, it is my aim to communicate the relevance of each app through a summary and connecting them to class content.
- AirDroid - With a built in file manager, AirDroid is a one-stop shop for viewing photos, playing music and sharing files between your desktop computer and your mobile device. One of the interesting things about AirDroid is that once files are ready to share, you may transmit them over your local WiFi network or over a data connection if you have a premium account. It is free on your local network or $1.99/month for remote access.
- Superbeam - For both Android and iOS, Superbeam allows two users with the app to trade files simply throught the scanning of QR codes or pairing them through NFC. Their are some restrictions based on the device, but even if a file is not compatible with your device such as MP3 files on iOS, the files can still be saved on your cloud and transferred elsewhere for use. This app is free on your desktop computer, but will cost you $2.00 on mobile platforms.
- Pushbullet - Pushbullet is also available on Android and iOS devices. Pushbullet is an app designed around improving the convenience of information sharing. With features that allow quick-sharing of your current browser page and easy sharing between users that have the app, Pushbullet is for consumers that look for intuitive, functional apps. It does, however, limit the user to sharing on file at a time, which may be a deal-breaker for heavy users.
Portal - Portal is the Android-specific version of Pushbullet (same developers), and strives to make sending files even easier. Drag and drop files or scan QR codes to transfer files without putting the stress on your internet plan. This app most likely appeals best to a consumer that needs to send files quickly and doesn't want to learn a new system to do so - Xender - this app is comparable to AirDroid with features like a full file manager, image/video viewer, music listener, document viewer, and other file storage. Xender grants users the ability to send multiple files at once, simply by dragging and dropping the files from your device into the app. After turning your device into a mobile hotspot, files can be transferred to up to four devices.
- BitTorrent Sync - This app is described as a more secure form of transfer with the ability to use the BitTorrent protocol, 128-bit encryption. That said, this is more of a sync between users, rather than simply sending files to a certain destination. In fact, files are almost transferred in a quicker fashion, the more devices that are synced. This fancy service doesn't come without a fancy price tag; BitTorrent Sync will cost you $39.99 annually.
- BitTorrent Shoot - This app functions off the generating and scanning of QR codes, but only works with photos and videos. Shoot is best utilized by users that like to frequently share photos with several people. That said, users may be able to these features and more with one of the above apps. The first three transfers are free and then there is a one-time $2.00 fee to earn unlimited transfers.
- WeTransfer - If you want to send up to 10GB at once, WeTransfer is the app for you. Not only can you send a large amount of data, but you may send it to multiple users! And it doesn't even require a pesky login! Anything that is uploaded is available to your recipients for up to 7 days. This is avoidable with a "plus" plan, which will run users $10.00/month.
- Infinit - This app was built upon its desktop counterpart that functioned off of sending files via the cloud. After creating an account, Infinit users will be able to use email or contacts in Infinit. This app supports muilti-recipients and allows users to send files from their local storage. Although there is no limit on file sizes to send, Infinit limits users to 1 GB of storage unless you pay the $10.00/month "Professional" plan fee to increase storage to 100 GB. This also has additional options such as password protection and expiring the files that you send.
Relevance
This article relates to class by showcasing some of the best ways to share information among each other. It directly relates to the TopCoder case as the 4th discussion questions asks about other ways to share information and how they work.
Importance
As mentioned in the introduction, the reliance on mobile devices to complete more and more everyday tasks is increasing. Information sharing is becoming a more desirable and useful feature of mobile devices. As an MIS student, it is easy to say that applications such as these could definitely be relevant with the amount of information that is shared between students. Group projects, study guides, and class notes can all be more accessible to students through apps such as these.
Source: http://thenextweb.com/apps/2015/07/10/9-of-the-best-apps-for-sharing-files-between-devices-and-friends/#gref
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Tech Musing #2: Google’s City-Fixing ‘Sidewalk Labs’ Is Finally Getting to Work
Summary
The article, “Google’s City-Fixing ‘Sidewalk Labs’ Is Finally Getting to Work” was an interesting piece written by Alex Davies, which explains Google’s recent endeavors to help create a “smart city”. In fact, this article talks about how Google plans to help solve urban cities biggest problems like congestion, housing, energy, and much more. Davies goes on to elaborate how Google has assembled an extraordinary group of individuals, highlighting Dan Doctoroff (former deputy mayor for economic development under Michael Bloomberg) to help “close the gap between traditional urban policy and the latest technology”. They plan to start working with 10 cities on proposals for the Sidewalk Labs citing their work in New York as an example of what they want to accomplish.
The Sidewalk Lab’s only public project has been referred to as LinkNYC. This project takes payphones and replaces it with a kiosk giving citizens the ability to use wifi, free local calls, and Internet browsing. This not only gives individuals without the disposable income exposure to the latest technology, it also gives Google the capabilities to collect data on traffic patterns, noise levels, and air quality.
Why Is This Important?
Being MIS professionals our jobs, more likely than not, will deal with using technology to create a competitive advantage. However, we don’t just want to give a competitive advantage, but to help apply the technology to set up customers for long-term success. For this particular case were not just seeing this philosophy being implemented for customers so to speak, but to help better prepare the community for the future by creating an extensive data sharing network.
Class Relation
Even though the article may not highlight any project management practices, I couldn’t help but wonder what approach Google was using to prepare for a massive project like Sidewalk Labs. Going back through the text, I couldn’t help but notice that they must be implementing some sort of adaptive SDLC due to complex, fast paced, and rapidly changing environment cities create. To be more specific, I believe that Google is using the Spiral Life Cycle model so they can continuously make refinements to their services while using information they’ve gathered from the previous project LinkNYC.
Thoughts
As we move into the future people are becoming more and more dependent on technology. From what you’ve read, do you see this as a good thing, or possibly a security/privacy risk for individual personal data? Also, where do you think Google stands in regards to SDLC? Do you agree or disagree with my assumption? Comment and let me know.
Source: http://www.wired.com/2016/02/googles-city-fixing-sidewalk-labs-is-finally-getting-to-work/
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Tech Musing 2: Microsoft Buys Xamarin to Expand its Empire Beyond Windows
Summary
Today, Microsoft announced its plan to buy Xamarin. Xamarin is a company that makes it possible for developer’s to use C# (Microsoft’s programming language) in order to develop applications that are compatible with Windows, Android, iOS, Linux, and OS X. Although Microsoft has engaged in several partnerships with Xamarin, this acquisition has been seen as Microsoft’s indication that it is serious about cross-platform support. Over the past few years, it has also stared supporting Linux on its cloud, open sourced its .NET framework, and released a free version of Vision Studio, which runs on Linux, OS X, and Windows.
One of the concerns with Microsoft’s plans, which was outlined by this article, is that this could be an “acquihire.” An acquihire occurs when a larger company buys out a startup in order to gain their talented engineering, not their products. However, Microsoft has insisted that this is not the case and they intend to utilize Xamarin in order to work toward their goal of standardizing its software.
Relevance
This article relates to our class because it discusses Microsoft’s strategy to innovate its technology in order for its code to be compatible across several different operating systems. This will allow programmers the ability to share their applications on a much wider scale and reach more users.
Importance
This article is helpful for us as MIS professionals because this step towards cross-platform support is breaking down the walls that have kept various technologies from working cohesively together. As technology develops, it is important that we find ways that allow users to efficiently connect without being inhibited by incompatible code.
Source: http://www.wired.com/2016/02/microsoft-expands-empire-beyond-windows-xamarin-buy/
Today, Microsoft announced its plan to buy Xamarin. Xamarin is a company that makes it possible for developer’s to use C# (Microsoft’s programming language) in order to develop applications that are compatible with Windows, Android, iOS, Linux, and OS X. Although Microsoft has engaged in several partnerships with Xamarin, this acquisition has been seen as Microsoft’s indication that it is serious about cross-platform support. Over the past few years, it has also stared supporting Linux on its cloud, open sourced its .NET framework, and released a free version of Vision Studio, which runs on Linux, OS X, and Windows.
One of the concerns with Microsoft’s plans, which was outlined by this article, is that this could be an “acquihire.” An acquihire occurs when a larger company buys out a startup in order to gain their talented engineering, not their products. However, Microsoft has insisted that this is not the case and they intend to utilize Xamarin in order to work toward their goal of standardizing its software.
Relevance
This article relates to our class because it discusses Microsoft’s strategy to innovate its technology in order for its code to be compatible across several different operating systems. This will allow programmers the ability to share their applications on a much wider scale and reach more users.
Importance
This article is helpful for us as MIS professionals because this step towards cross-platform support is breaking down the walls that have kept various technologies from working cohesively together. As technology develops, it is important that we find ways that allow users to efficiently connect without being inhibited by incompatible code.
Source: http://www.wired.com/2016/02/microsoft-expands-empire-beyond-windows-xamarin-buy/
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
TopCoder: Overview of Competitions
Before you begin to post your comments about the TopCoder case, you might find this 6-min video an interesting overview of the kinds of competitions clients request. You'd be surprised at the variety - and might even be interested in a challenge or two.
Tech Musing 2: MasterCard unveils 'selfie' security checks
I just read an
article called “MasterCard
unveils 'selfie' security checks, says heartbeat authentication could follow”
in the Verge today. I have to say that
the title of this article catches my attentions in the first place. People who have iPhones probably already get
used to the fingerprint technology to authenticate your identity. You can use your fingerprint to access
accounts, make payments and do various other actives. The key reason behind this technology is that
everyone has his or her own unique fingerprint.
However, I am curious to know how “selfie” can be used to giver user the
authentication. As we all know that
makeup can totally change the look of a person.
In order to
use selfie pay, users need to download MasterCard’s app and enter credit card
information. When they make payments, users will hold the device up to their
face and take a quick photo. The key point is that users have to blink to prove
that they’re not holding a photograph in front of the camera. Also, the algorithms can identify whether the
person is using a video or not. Besides
the facial recognition, the MasterCard company also looks into heartbeat
recognition: a sensor can read the unique electrical signal produced by their
heat. Based on the words from MasterCard’s president of enterprise security
solutions, the facial recognition will roll out in next 12 months.
The idea of
facial recognition was seen in different movies and fictions. I also have heard about the facial recognition
is used in Arizona’s border control office to identify any suspicious person. But this is my first time to see the
comprehensive used of facial recognition.
Although the actual selfie pay does not come out yet, I believe it will
lead a new trend of identity authentication.
However, I
do feel like there are couple weakness or bugs may involve in this
technology. First, the accuracy of the
facial recognition is a problem. As I mentioned earlier, makeup can totally
change a person’s appearance sometime.
Also, twin even siblings may be a problem. Second, the article said that
the algorithms could tell when someone is trying to fool the system by using a
video. I am not sure what kind of algorithms is that. But if the engineers can
create the algorithms to distinct the video, there is a possibility that
someone can create different algorithms to mass up the exiting algorithms or
fool the camera.
I like this
article is because it is a new technology and can help the company to create a different
value proposition. If the customer
feedback for this technology is great, I can image the facial recognition will
be used in so many other areas.
Monday, February 22, 2016
Tech Musing #2: Some Comments from Tech Musing #1
For Tech Musing #2, you will post your articles on this blog (not a comment to this post), or on VoiceThread. No submissions on Blackboard.
Before Tech Musing #2 gets underway, you should read the comments I posted on your blogs and on Blackboard for Tech Musing #1. Yes, I re-read those, too. Sometimes your grade changed; sometimes it didn't. Here are some lessons to keep in mind:
Stop googling and read the blogs and links provided here, or find it on other links. Teach us something. Be entertaining. Stop worrying about the perfect rubric. Follow these steps and you'll be just fine. Comment here if you have other questions about this post.
Before Tech Musing #2 gets underway, you should read the comments I posted on your blogs and on Blackboard for Tech Musing #1. Yes, I re-read those, too. Sometimes your grade changed; sometimes it didn't. Here are some lessons to keep in mind:
- Provide a link. Points deducted for not having a link that is readable from the beginning to the end of the article (without having to join a website to read the full article).
- Make sure the article is current! This wasn't explicit in the description, but I'm making it explicit now.
- Provide a sufficient summary of the article. I read them, too. If the article has detail, provide that in the summary.
- Make sure your implications actually fit the article you just read. For example, don't assume that everything has project management implications, if the article doesn't mention it.
- Read what others have posted, so you don't use the same blog post. Points go to the first blog. Also, comment on what others have posted. You get credit for commenting, too.
- Some of you followed up on my comments, but not many. I am willing to be convinced about your points, if you want to offer them, or answer my questions.
Stop googling and read the blogs and links provided here, or find it on other links. Teach us something. Be entertaining. Stop worrying about the perfect rubric. Follow these steps and you'll be just fine. Comment here if you have other questions about this post.
Saturday, February 20, 2016
Tech musing #2 - Project Management as a Security Touch-Point
Article: Project Management as a Security Touch-Point
Link: https://www.cisohandbook.com/Publications/Project-Management-And-Security
Besides commonly emphasized benefits of project management such as the ability to providing a structured way of implementation, project management also benefits security. CISO points out that project management will often create a touch-point with security issues. It comes down to the analysis conducted as part of a project management effort often leading to the discovery of security vulnerabilities prior to this issue becoming a security risk. It is also not uncommon that vulnerabilities in a test system are revealed before going live as result of diligent testing as part of project management.
Additional benefits associated with project management is the framework it provides with clearly defined responsibilities. It will help an organization to allocate specific responsibilities to a specific person or group within the organization. This will reduce the response time to a security incident greatly. Project management also promotes interaction between members of the organization. This ultimately leads to better understanding of each other’s work and promotes cooperation in an effort to mitigate security vulnerabilities.
This article made me realize that project management is not only beneficial for creating a particular system or software. Project management can increase productivity by bringing people together as this article states and might help bringing to light issues with the system or software worked on. Cyber security has become a major issue within the last decades with potential security treats increasing in both numbers and costs. I found it very interesting to discover a link between project management and security risk; something noteworthy for sure.
Link: https://www.cisohandbook.com/Publications/Project-Management-And-Security
Besides commonly emphasized benefits of project management such as the ability to providing a structured way of implementation, project management also benefits security. CISO points out that project management will often create a touch-point with security issues. It comes down to the analysis conducted as part of a project management effort often leading to the discovery of security vulnerabilities prior to this issue becoming a security risk. It is also not uncommon that vulnerabilities in a test system are revealed before going live as result of diligent testing as part of project management.
Additional benefits associated with project management is the framework it provides with clearly defined responsibilities. It will help an organization to allocate specific responsibilities to a specific person or group within the organization. This will reduce the response time to a security incident greatly. Project management also promotes interaction between members of the organization. This ultimately leads to better understanding of each other’s work and promotes cooperation in an effort to mitigate security vulnerabilities.
This article made me realize that project management is not only beneficial for creating a particular system or software. Project management can increase productivity by bringing people together as this article states and might help bringing to light issues with the system or software worked on. Cyber security has become a major issue within the last decades with potential security treats increasing in both numbers and costs. I found it very interesting to discover a link between project management and security risk; something noteworthy for sure.
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