Linux, the Operating System of Choice

Linux, the Operating System of Choice Introduction In recent years, the global marketplace has witnessed an enormous rise in the use of computers and ultimately the software used in them. Computers have principally made their mark in almost all the spheres of mankind (Kirby, 2000), and with this growth the softwares required for them have also grown at an exponential rate (Kumbhar et al., 2011).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Linux, the Operating System of Choice specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With an abundant rise of the computer industry, new software products keep on creeping in the market, adding more capabilities as well as complexities to the assiduous and conscientious end users. Now, more than ever before, customers or end users have a wide range of software options available at their disposal which can be used for their requirements and/or business purposes (Lone Wani, 2011). As acknowledged by Kumbhar et al (2011), the development of high quality software has followed two main trajectories, namely open source and closed source softwares. A recent trend in the field of software is the open source genre, and it can rightly be said that the Linux operating system has become the embodiment of this genre (Kirby, 2000). The present paper purposes to argue that Linux has not only emerged as a competitor to both Microsoft Windows and Macintosh operating systems, but is a better choice than the other two. Overview the Linux Operating System The history of the Linux operating system can be traced back to 1991 when Linus Torvalds, a student at the University of Finland in Helsinki, decided to develop a UNIX-type operating system called MINIX (McLaren, 2000). Available literature demonstrates that the MINIX platform was initially developed by university student Andrew S. Tannenbaum, but Linus decided to add more functionality into the system than originally proposed by Tannenbaum (Delozier, 2009). As acknowledged by Bala krishnan (1999), Linus â€Å"†¦released version 0.02 of the operating system in 1991 and worked steadily on till 1994 when he released version 1.0 of the Linux Kernel† (p. 3). Eventually, according to this particular author, more and more programmers around the world came together and decided to give a Portable Operating System Interface for Computer Environments (POSIX) compliant UNIX-like system hinged on the founder’s operating system to global users under the GNU General Public License (GPL). Technically, according to MacKinnon (1999), â€Å"†¦Linux just refers to the core of the operating system, the so called kernel, which interacts directly with the hardware and supervises the operation of other programs† (P. 2). However, it is imperative to underline the fact that a fully functional Linux system includes many other components, without which the system would not be of much use. The important fact that makes Linux more appealing than Windows or M ackintosh operating system in this context is that most of these components are entirely non-commercial, and are developed and maintained by thousands of volunteers across the world (Delozier, 2009).Advertising Looking for research paper on computer science? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Growth Trends of Linux Operating System The popularity of Linux, the open source operating system originally developed and launched by Linus Torvalds, has grown noticeably over the past decade, (Delozier, 2009) and even more tenaciously over the past three years (Hong Rezende, 2011). While some sources cited in McLaren (2000) now claim that millions of end-users have already installed Linux on their computers, a report released by the International Data Corporation (IDC) and cited in Kirby (2000) point to a â€Å"†¦rapidly increasing usage of the Linux operating environment among a large sampling of organizations† (p. 85). In 2006, the IDC projected that Linux-based server shipments would reach 25.7% of total shipments by 2008, and that Linux-based packaged software was expected to surpass $14 million the same year (Economides Katsamakas, 2006). In 2006 some studies suggested that the market-share of Linux operating system was around 3% though it was largely anticipated to rise to 7% by 2007 (Economides Katsamakas, 2006). As acknowledged by these authors, the slow growth of Linux in these formative years was largely â€Å"†¦attributed to lack of ease of use, small variety of applications and problems with drivers that [enabled] users to connect other devices to their computing systems† (p. 210). Many of these challenges have been adequately solved by the open source community, making Linux to become the operating system of choice as we progress deeper into the 21st century (Hong Rezende, 2011). Statistics released in 2011 by the IDC demonstrated that Linux server demand was increas ingly growing and represented â€Å"†¦18.4% of all server revenue, up 1.7 points when compared with the fourth quarter of 2010† (Vaughan-Nichols, 2012, para. 2). It is important to note that while the market share for Windows and UNIX-oriented software shrank in 2011, the demand for servers running on Linux open source software grew due to high performance computing (HPC) as well as cloud infrastructure deployments (Vaughan-Nichols, 2012). Available literature demonstrates that â€Å"†¦with a reputation for speed, reliability, and efficiency, GNU/Linux now has more than 12 million users worldwide and an estimated growth rate of 40% per year† (Lone Wani, 2011, p. 166). The market threat of Linux to Microsoft’s and Apple’s proprietary software (Windows and Mackintosh) is becoming more evident because more that 50% of Fortune 500 companies has already made the big switch to GNU/Linux (Lone Wani, 2011).Advertising We will write a custom re search paper sample on Linux, the Operating System of Choice specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Linux: Why it’s a better Choice than Windows or Mackintosh A strand of existing literature (e.g., Hong Rezende, 2011; Lone Wani, 2011) demonstrates that with the recent surge in the use and adoption of Linux operating system by individuals and organizations, it may be just a matter of time before users of Linux eventually outshine those using Microsoft’s and Apple’s proprietary software. This section attempts to demonstrate why Linux is a better choice than Windows or Mackintosh by analyzing several issues, including: code accessibility; cost concerns; security issues; distrust of monopolies; functionality and features; applications; support availability; as well as ease of use and quality. Code Accessibility A predominant attribute of the Linux operating system that differentiates it from Windows, Mackintosh, and other propri etary software is that it is one of the few feasible operating systems whose source code is also easily obtainable as free software under the protocols of the GNU GPL. According to Balakrishnan (1999), â€Å"†¦the GNU GPL is intended to safeguard and guarantee the freedom of any user of free software to share, modify and also share the modified software† (p. 1). This view is reinforced by Mackinnon (1999), who argue that open-source software such as Linux â€Å"†¦is free in the sense that it can be obtained without payment, and it is free in the sense that users are allowed to modify it, but it is not free in the sense that anyone can do whatever they want with it† (p. 2). This orientation, according to Balakrishnan (1999), is in sharp contrast to the authorization agreements given for Windows and Mackintosh commercial software that forbids customers or end-users to distribute or adjust the software without seeking express permission from the parent companies . It can be remembered that â€Å"†¦Apple pioneered the home computer, only to pay the penalty for steadfastly refusing to make its Mackintosh operating system available to users of other PCs† (Daisy, 2004, p. 12). In sharp contrast, Linux software code is freely available online and thus holds the advantage of being entirely customizable to cater for the unique needs and demands of different customers and end-users (Delozier, 2009). According to Daisy (2004), this is precisely the reason why Linux is increasingly becoming the operating system of choice for government-sponsored institutions within emerging countries like China and India who are also using a Sun Systems package instead of the well known Microsoft Office operating system.Advertising Looking for research paper on computer science? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Cost Concerns As noted by McLaren (2000), â€Å"†¦the most obvious way in which Linux differs from Microsoft Windows is in its price: Linux is free† (p.82). Indeed, Linux and many of its components can be downloaded from hundreds of FTP sites on the internet for free because it was developed, and continues to be developed and fine-tuned, by a huge number of hobbyists and enthusiasts from all over the world (Kumbhar et al., 2011). The difference in cost between Linux and other proprietary software such as Windows and Mackintosh makes Linux operating system a very serious contender in the home, business, government, and academic domains (McLaren, 2000). The cost consideration seems to put Linux squarely ahead of other operating systems, including Microsoft’s Windows and Apple’s Mackintosh. Security Issues Security challenges and risks are hurting windows operating system, thereby giving millions of computer users a reason to migrate to Linux (Schryen, 2011). An independent study cited in Economides Katsamakas (2006) demonstrates â€Å"†¦that Linux kernel has 0.17security flaws per 1,000 lines of code, compared to average 10-20 flaws of proprietary software† (p. 211). According to Schryen (2011), the Linux open source software development is credited for preventing extremely bad patching behavior that is repeatedly accused of leading to potentially harmful security vulnerabilities in Windows and Mackintosh operating systems. The way the account privileges are assigned in Linux makes it impossible for users to be given administrator access by default as is the case with Windows (Kumbhar et al., 2011). In Windows, users have access to everything on the system, making it vulnerable to attacks from viruses and worms. However, due to the incapacity by users to get ‘root’ privileges in a Linux system, the viruses and worms are denied access to critical system resources, implying that only a few user local files and pr ograms are damaged in the event of an attack (Noyes, 2010). This in effect means that Linux has more efficient security features than either Windows or Mackintosh and therefore is a better choice. Distrust of Monopolies One of the reasons that continue to draw more customers into the Linux fold is the modicum of distrust associated with Microsoft. As noted by McLaren (2000), Microsoft is viewed by many enlightened software consumers as an undemocratic organization because it has â€Å"†¦too much money, too much control, [and] too much industry influence† (p. 82). This author bravely contend that monopolies are not good for consumers and Microsoft is a monopoly in the software market due to too much control and too much influence on the industry. In sharp contrast, there is no â€Å"corporation† or â€Å"influence† behind Linux as it is a grassroots operating system that has the interests of customers and end-user organizations at heart (McLaren, 2000). Func tionality Features Theoretically, the fact that Linux is a fully-fledged operating system makes it â€Å"†¦a viable alternative to any other operating systems, including DOS, Windows, UNIX, NetWare, and so on† (McLaren, 2000, p. 82). Extant literature demonstrates that â€Å"†¦Linux does true multitasking and includes virtual memory, shared libraries, demand loading, memory management, TCP/IP networking and other features that are available with current full featured commercial operating systems† (Balakrishnan, 1999, p. 1). In multi-tasking, the Linux operating system allows manifold programs to share a computer system that give the end-user the illusion that the programs are running simultaneously either preemptively or cooperatively (Schryen, 2011). Virtual memory, according to Balakrishnan (1999), â€Å"†¦is a scheme employed by the operating system to provide means of executing programs whose code occupy more space than the size of the on-board sem iconductor memory† (p. 2). The Linux operating system is capable of accomplishing this important function by provisionally managing recently used constituents of a program from memory into the system’s hard disk and replicating them back on demand (Delozier, 2009). When combined with Linux’s low initial purchase price and an ever-increasing number of enterprises willing to provide fee-based technical support for Linux, these two features provide a compelling reason for customers and end-user companies to consider Linux as an effective and efficient alternative to commercial operating systems such as Windows and Macintosh (Kirby, 2000). Moving on, it is imperative to mention that shared libraries are used with dynamic linking in the Linux open source software not only to distribute commonly used routines but also to achieve efficiency and reliability. As suggested by Balakrishnan (1999), â€Å"†¦each reference to a library routine is replaced with a stub tha t indicates how the appropriate routine can be located in memory† (p. 2). A stub primarily executes/implements and substitutes itself with the signature of the suitable library schedule, meaning that the next time round a similar code fragment is triggered the library schedule is executed/implemented directly with no additional outlay of situating the memory-resident sector of the library (Balakrishnan, 1999). The overall effect of this functionality is that Linux operating system is efficient in optimizing resources and therefore runs faster on slow computers (Kirby 2000). Proprietary software such as Windows has this functionality but is expensive to purchase and heavy on slow computers, ultimately affecting efficient optimization of resources (Loni Wani, 2011). Additionally, The Linux operating system has the demand loading functionality, which is basically â€Å"†¦a method of loading only parts of the program that is currently being executed into primary memory (RAM ) from secondary memory (disk)† (Balakrishnan, 1999, p. 2). In memory management, the Linux operating system bears the capability to share â€Å"†¦the memory in a computer system among several programs or several programs or several modules of the same program† (Balakrishnan, 1999, p. 2). Applications Many computer users all over the world think that the most obvious drawback for Linux operating system must be the sustained lack of software applications that run on the system. However, this belief is further from the truth as â€Å"†¦there are thousands of applications that will run on Linux, and most of these are also free, from Web browsers to word processors to spreadsheets† (McLaren, 2000, p. 83). The OpenOffice.org, which is an office software suite incorporating word processing, spreadsheet, presentation and drawing applications, runs well on the Linux platform and has inherent advantages when compared to the Windows Microsoft Office package not o nly because it utilizes XML file formats, but also because it is open source and multiplatform (Wusteman, 2004). Additionally, while it is often difficult for users to read a document using a previous version of Word software because Microsoft is yet to provide filters on its Web site, the OpenOffice.org appears to have no difficulty in availing filters for all versions of Microsoft’s Word currently in use (Wusteman, 2004). This predisposition, in scope and context, implies that Linux is a better choice than Windows. Other end-users believe that although Linux is supported by many applications, it is incredibly hard to use these applications and probably this is the sole reason why the operating system is being held back by Microsoft Windows in terms of competition (Karimi Noori, 2011). However, as noted by McLaren (2000), â€Å"†¦Linux has a number of GUI shells that can be loaded over the top of the command line interface (just as Windows 98 was loaded over DOS) that will give it a Windows look and feel† (p. 83). Two of the most recognized shells used by Linux, according to this author, include the K Desktop Environment (KDE) and Gnome, not mentioning that Linux has an actual Windows emulator available called WINE. This view is reinforced by Economides and Katsamakas (2006), who observe that â€Å"Linux has been mostly an operating system for power-users who have Unix-like skills but this may change since the open source community is developing several friendly user interfaces such as KDE† (p. 210). These applications, it is argued, make Linux unbelievably easy to use for computer amateurs (Loni Wani, 2011). Extant literature demonstrates that Linux operating system has in recent years emerged as a viable competitor to other proprietary operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows, Mackintosh and other commercial implementations of UNIX, primarily due to its solid support systems (Choi et al., 2007), as well as multifaceted functi onalities (Delozier, 2009). Indeed, as postulated by Kirby (2000), â€Å"†¦Linux provides a robust, stable computing environment on a variety of architectures including Intel X86, SPARC, and Alpha† (p. 85). Overall, these capabilities have made it possible for a substantial number of desktop and server applications to be ported to Linux (Kirby, 2000), making it the operating system of choice in the 21st century. Support Availability McLaren (2000) is clear in his analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of Linux that â€Å"†¦it will fail precisely because it does not have the one characteristic that causes so many to hate Microsoft Windows: a huge corporation backing it up† (p. 83). Microsoft Windows users can escalate challenges discovered at their workstations or mission-critical servers to Microsoft technical support on a 24/7 basis, but it may not be possible for Linux users to receive immediate support to deal with their challenges because the system is developed by a global team of enthusiasts and lobbyists who appear thrillingly uncontrolled and unregulated (Schryen, 2011). It may take a while for Linux users to get the kind of guarantees of system compatibility and stability provided by Windows and Macintosh operating systems (Apple Computers, Inc., 1997; Daisy, 2004), but this incapacity does not necessarily implies that Linux is simply inoperable due to support hitches (Economides Katsamakas, 2006). On the contrary, millions of users across the world are making the switch to Linux operating system due to small startup companies like Red Hat and Caldera that are beginning to get into the support act for Linux for a small fee (McLaren, 2000). More importantly, according to McLaren (2000), â€Å"†¦is the interest that industry juggernauts like IBM and Hewlett Packard are starting to pay to Linux support† (p. 84). It has been reported in the literature that multinational computer company IBM is investing billions of dollars in Linux operating system and backing its distributors/ suppliers such as Red Hat and Novell (Moranda, 2005). Available projections indicate that Linux may have a global support platform by 2015 (Delozier, 2009), further demonstrating that it is increasingly becoming the operating system of choice due to a multiplicity of variables that put Windows and Mackintosh operating systems at a distinct disadvantage, such as cost overruns and limitations of use (Hong Rezende, 2011). Even so, users must be cautious that it may take a very long duration of time before these companies demonstrate any support capabilities which may be equated to Microsoft’s or Apple’s knowledge base (Weber, 2007). Ease of Use Quality Extant literature demonstrates that Linux is â€Å"†¦far easier to use out of the box than any proprietary version of UNIX, partly because it comes with so many useful programs already installed† (MacKinnon, 1999, p.3). It is noted in the liter ature that most of these programs, including the comprehensive GNU tool kit, can be easily downloaded and installed on any adaptation of UNIX but fulfilling this command would generally consume time and effort (Delozier, 2009). Additionally, it is important to note that â€Å"†¦commercial training and support are available for most widely used OSS [open source software] such as Linux and Apache† (Wusteman, 2004, p. 232). In terms of quality, extant literature demonstrates that the approach used in the development of Linux â€Å"†¦can result in software of higher quality and greater stability than that of many commercial rivals† (Wusteman, 2004, p. 232). Additionally, according to this particular author, the Linux operating system avail a Web site and discussion lists for users and programmers, as well as other documentation which assists to improve the quality attributes of the open source software when compared to either Windows or Mackintosh. Conclusion Fro m the ongoing, it is indeed clear that Linux has gained much acceptance from users for a number of reasons. Indeed, the growth of Linux operating system in the global marketplace augurs well when factors such as code accessibility, cost concerns, security issues, functionality and features, as well as applications, ease of use, and quality issues are concerned. Although Microsoft has evolved to become the dominant force in the computer software sector for almost a generation (Moranda, 2005), a sense of their decimation of the competition in the operating systems sector tends to be the prevailing feeling among mainstream commentators due to the increasing use and adoption of Linux by individuals and organizations across the world. While Microsoft and Apple face challenges of their own and their dominance even in operating systems business seems not secure, Linux is increasingly becoming popular among users and governmental organizations in the developing world not only due to its low cost solution, but also its efficiency, security and enhanced functionalities. Indeed, it is now correct to say that Linux has not only emerged as the new threat to Microsoft and Apple in developing markets, but will soon surpass them and become the incumbent operating system of choice. Reference List Apple Computer, Inc. (1997). 75 Mackintosh advantages: Why mackintosh computers are better than PCs running windows. Retrieved from 13idol.com/mac/75reasons.pdf Barakrishnan, S. (1999). The Linux operating system. Retrieved from ias.ac.in/resonance/Apr1999/pdf/Apr1999Balakrishnan.pdf Choi, C.J., Millar, C.J.M., Chu, R.T.J. Berger, R. (2007). Increasing returns and marketing strategy in the twenty-first century: Nokia versus Microsoft versus Linux. Journal of business Industrial Marketing, 22(5), 295-301. Daisy, L.M. (2004). What does the future hold for Intel, Apple and Microsoft? Big three face new challenges ahead. Strategic Direction, 20(11), 10-13. Delozier, E.P. (2009). The GNU /Linux desktop: An open source primer for libraries. OCLC Systems Services, 25(1), 35-42. Economides, N Katsamakas, E. (2006). Linux vs. Windows: A comparison of application and platform innovation incentives for open source and proprietary software platforms. Journal of Econometrics 85(2), 207-217. Hong, S.H., Rezende, L. (2011). Lock-in and unobserved preferences in server operating systems: A case of Linux vs. Windows. Journal of Econometrics, 167(2), 494-503. Karimi, A., Noori, A. (2011). Threads in the operating systems. International Journal of Academic Research, 3(2), 1008-1013. Kirby, S. (2000). Free to Choose: The real power of Linux. Library Hi Tech, 18(1), 85-88. Kumbhar, S.S., Ghotkar, S.N., Tumma, A.K. (2011). Appraisal and dissemination of open source operating systems and other utilities. Trends in Information Management, 7(2), 154-162. Lone, M.I., Wani, Z.A. (2011). Analysis of operating systems and browsers: A usage metrics. Trends in Information Management, 7 (2), pp. 163-175. MacKinnon, J.G. (1999). The Linux operating system: Debian GNU/Linux. Retrieved from http://qed.econ.queensu.ca/faculty/mackinnon/linux-review.pdf McLaren, S. (2000). Linux: A viable alternative or direct mirage? Library Hi Tech, 18(1), 82-84. Moranda, M.I. (2005). Microsoft’s fighting future: software giant’s dilemmas and lessons in ring craft. Strategic Direction, 21(10), 5-8. Noyes, K. (2010). Why Linux is more secure than Windows. PC World. Retrieved from pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/202452/why_linux_is_more_secure_than_windows.html Schryen, G. (2011). Is open source security a myth? Communications of the ACM, 54(5), 130-140. Vaughan-Nichols, S. (2012). Linux servers keep growing, windows UNIX keep shrinking. Retrieved from zdnet.com/blog/open-source/linux-servers-keep-growing-windows-and-unix-keep-shrinking/10616 Weber, R.M. (2007). I (mostly) love my Mac. Journal of Financial Service Professionals, 61(2), 34-36. Wusteman, J. (2004). Poten tially ridiculous. Library Hi Tech, 22(2), 231-237.

The Good Earth by Pearl S Bucks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Good Earth by Pearl S Bucks - Essay Example As with the ox, Wang Lung is reduced to a passive role, burying the infant and contemplating, in so far as hes able, his wifes striking drive to live (Baw 16). This is actually one of the more tragic events that occur in this book. After the birth of her latest child in this chapter, when Wang Lung goes into his wifes room to see how she is and how the baby is, O-Lan tells him that the girl child has died, with the simple word "dead"(Baw 24) However, Wang Lung heard the baby cry after it was born, and so he is somewhat suspicious. When he takes the babys body and sees two â€Å"dark, bruised spots" (Baw 24) on the neck of his daughter, he understands that his wife, driven by desperation of the poverty and want that his family were facing, actually killed her own daughter to spare her a life of starvation and slow, grinding death. Wang Lungs response to this is a sign of the depth of his despair (Baw 23). During the period of the devastating drought and famine, the family has to flee to the south in a large city to find work for them to survive. Wang Lung’s uncle, for significantly lesser value, offers to buy his possessions and land. Expect for the house and land, everything else is sold by the family (Baw 17). Wang Lung later found out that O-lan had a bundle that contained many jewels that were very precious. She had come by the jewels when she, together with her husband, happened to be in a house of a rich man. Wang Lung used the jewels to buy more land (Baw 16). Then there came successive prosperity years and Wang Lung became very rich landowner and farmer. He then decided to educate his sons, ware of the disadvantages of his illiteracy. He now had a boy and girl- twins, apart from the daughter and two sons they had before they went south (Baw 18). Much of Wang Lung changed after he got rich- his attitude, his personality as well as his family life. He started having affairs. He was

Strategic human resource management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Strategic human resource management - Essay Example The organisation boasts over an employee population of 1,000 head tally. Its top management and specifically the human resource management department ensure that the employees deliver their obligations in accordance to the set goals and objectives. The following questionnaire is central to the company’s strategic human resource management (SHRM) practices in ensuring cohesion and integration of Emaar’s labour force and its long-range plans (Armstrong, 2000). Emaar’s SHRM guarantees its employees a health workplace through teambuilding and encouragement of teamwork, a factor that serves to ease the threat of conflicts and other differences, which may harm the employees’ worthwhile coexistence in the organization. Further, the SHRM provides necessary training and provision of information on any changes in the industry to acquaint the employees and stakeholders with up to date skills and knowledge (Perkins, Shortland & Perkins, 2006). The Emaar’s human resource management team executes relevant and appropriate plans concerning the chain of management, and decision-making with acknowledgement of the open door policy to ensure that all groups in the organisation undertake the obligations in accordance to the long-term goals (Dhar, 2008). The human resource management also offers rewards and incentives, which serve to motivate the employees who in turn perform their duties competently thus enabling the organisation to achieve its goals at the long run. Emaar’s human resource management group ensures that the employees have competence abilities and skills. This enables the organization to achieve a competitive advantage that its competitors cannot initiate (Armstrong, 2000). Through the process of vetting and evaluation, SHRM is capable of enrolling the competent staff to deliver quality service hence growing competitively in the UAE construction and building market. Summative surveys also serve as beneficial staffing style since they

Review the Laws Related to Security and Privacy of Data Essay Example for Free

Review the Laws Related to Security and Privacy of Data Essay Computer Misuse Act 1990  This act was introduced to prevent users hacking. This also stops them entering a computer, programs or files without authorisation, this act is in place to prevent users to use the internet without permission to cause an act of crime and also prevents unauthorised modifications to a computer. This act does not allow any attacks on a server as this is illegal. Hacking into a computer is not allowed as it can disrupt the business as personal information can be stolen and also be used in crime, this can cause a problem in the businesses finance sector. Anyone who knowingly hacks into a computer with intent to steal information is going against this act. Anyone who misuses the computer in this way is going against the law as they are using it for criminal acts. This act also does not allow anyone to use a fraudulent credit card or any other card to make a purchase via the internet. Hackers who overload networks with data to intently disable them can face a prison sentence for up to 10 years. This act makes it illegal for users to upload pornography of someone and children as people will find the offensive, having possession or viewing these types of materials could get the user in to trouble by the law. Users must not use the computer to harass or stalk a particular person, it is also the same when making telephone conversations as the user can not use offensive or threatening language they can face a sixth month imprisonment. This allows the organisation to take action and take back whats rightfully there and also punish the hacker as they are covered by this law, this bring a sense of security as this law ould put the hackers from obtaining information wrongly. Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 This is the current UK copyright law which has been created since 1988, it gives artist and creators of, musical and dramatic or any other artist have the right to control their work, this allows them to have control over how their material is used, this right covers broadcast and public performance, copying, adapting, issuing, renting and lending copies to the public. It is not what has been created it’s the details within what has been created to be protected, for example if you have a idea for a book that would not be protected however the information and content within the book that is written will be protected. So someone else can write a book around your idea but they cannot copy your book or adapt your book to do so. This helps to protect security and privacy of data as it protects the effort money and time someone has put in to create their content, if this content is being copied the organisation will lose potential customers as someone is using their content to sell another product. Privacy and compensation requirements of Data Protection Act 1984 1998 2000 This legislation first was written in 1984 there are updated version of this data protection act and the one that is used and most updated is the 2000 version, the 1998 version was a broadened and replaced the data protection act 1984, the main purpose for this law is that it gives rights and privacy of individuals, this ensure that their data is not processed without the creators knowledge and is only process with the consent of the artist. This act covers personal data relating to living individuals and protects sensitive personal data of that individual. This act covers data held in electronic formats. This has been changed as over time new technology and items are able to store data this is now updated so that it can cover these items as they will contain sensitive and personal data to an individual. The 2000 version of this act contains added laws and have been updated. This protects the security of the individual as no one should be allowed to take private and sensitive data without the individual being aware of this. Copyrights This exclusive legal right that is given to the original artist to print, perform film, publish or record literary and authorize others to do so for heir material. This protects a physical expression of ideas , for example someone has an idea to write a book the content that is written in that book is covered by the copyright act as it will be unique to the creator. You do not need to register or claim copyright, this protection is automatic as soon as it is created. If someone steals information or wrongly sells other work or creation for their own financial benefit then this copy right act will protect the original creator and he can claim back the money that has been gained by the person who has taken the material without permission. This protects security and the use of private data as it does not allow anyone to take data or material without the author permission, if this does happen the user who has taken this material can be fined and prosecuted as the products does not belong to them, the author can also decide how his material has been used and if someone breaks his restriction they can also be prosecuted. Open Source  This is software or material that is available with the source, this allows users to copy the material and modify the material, the reason for this is because the creators would believe that if someone can edit the material for themselves it will be more useful to another persona and will also allow less problems to occur if the source is available, so organisation believe that it should not be given and source should not be shown, they usually give the compiled version this is so others cannot copy their material and modify this. Open source means that it is available to any one and they can modify it however they want, doing this will improve the security for a material such as software as this source code has been given to the users it will be less likely that someone would want to hack it and modify the code as it is already available. This does have some restrictions as it would like to preserve the name and authors of the material. Freeware  This is software that is offered free of charge and is downloadable off the internet, freeware is different to shareware as shareware would require payment. Even though freeware is available it does have a license this would have restriction as some freeware would not want the user to alter the program, repackage it or sell the freeware, redistribution is allowed of freeware but cannot be distributed for money purposes. The creators want to ive something to the community but want to retain control of any future development of the software, this allows users to have the material without making changes and is free to the users, this makes there coding private and cannot be used however as it is free hackers would not bother to steal or resell this type of material as anyone can get it online for free, this makes the software more secure as there is no risk as it does not hold any value. Shareware  This usually is software that is distributed, this allows users to use the product and then pay for the product after the trial version has finished, you can then only continue to use the full version if you feel like the product is good to use but will have to pay to get the full version, the user will then be covered for registration and then support for the software if they purchase, once purchased additional features are usually given as only who pay can have these. This is been protected under copyright, even though you are able to use this software without payment you are still restricted to what you are allowed to do with it which is selling this software or adding it to another. This allows users to use expensive and powerful software for free and a short period of time however will later need to pay as the trial reaches to its end. This relates to security and privacy as the creators do not mind users having a full version for a short period as they may see as an advantage to sell their product later, copyright protects shareware as users cannot manipulate or sell their product. Commercial Software This is a software that is designed for sale to meet a commercial need for a user, this type of software is only allowed to be used for commercial purposes, this is software that you would usually see in the retailers in a physical box and requires payment before it can be used, commercial software usually contain a registration key and when you purchase this you will acquire a licence to use it. You are still able to download commercial software and this can be often seen in sharewares. These are usually made available directly from the organisation website. This relates to security and privacy of data as the user has to purchase the software before they can use it as they will not receive a registration key not allowing them to use the software, this does make it a security risk as hackers will try to steal a registration key but the copyright act protects the organisation and can prosecute the hacker for stealing data from the organisation.

Essay --

Tricked by Inferno (A critique on how Dante’s Inferno can make you do the morally correct thing) As the great Francois de La Rochefoucauld, â€Å"The intellect is always fooled by the heart.† When it comes to doing the morally correct thing, Dante’s Inferno is the text that scares people to do what they are supposed to do. By saying what will happen if a person were to go to hell, this will scare people into doing the right thing. As Tim Keller said, â€Å"Sin removes us from that aspect of his power that sustains and supports us. It is to us as water is to a fish-away from it our life slowly ebbs away.† In Dante’s Inferno he uses many tools to scare people into acting as they morally should, three of these critiqued tools include: pain, suffering, and misery. To begin, pain is an ideal threat that Dante provides in the idea of hell. When the thought of hell arises, one of the very first things that comes to mind is pain. The pain of realization that you are going to spend the rest of eternity in purgatory is very excruciating. â€Å"May you weep and wail for all of eternity.† (pg.81) This quote from Dante’s Inferno states just what kind of pain there will be if a person went to hell. Weeping knowing that for the rest of eternity there will be only pain, and heartache. â€Å"Heartbreak is like one big emotional pain but it also seems to spark off hundreds of other emotions. We hate the feeling of heartbreak, and yet we find ourselves compelled to go over and over memories, ideas or fantasies which make the feeling worse. â€Å" As Dr. Edward E. Smith states, heartache is one of the worst feelings that a person can face. After realizing the kind of heartache and pain that going to hell can cause, people will be more tempted to act morally correct. Hell has... ...for no reason, but to bring themselves up they deserve to be punished. Hurting people is no way to make you feel better. Therefore they should get a taste of their own medicine. The people in this circle will be stomped on by a giant, over, and over, for all of eternity. They will be â€Å"be-littled† literally, after lifting the egos of all of the people that they were mean to during the time that they were alive. Circle 6 (Rapists and Murders) This is the worst crime that person could ever commit. These people will be shot over and over for the rest of eternity. They did the worst thing humanly possible. Raping someone and or murdering them is the worst thing a person can do. Taking everything that person has is the worst thing that someone could do. By being shot repeatedly they will be able to feel the pain that they have caused other people while they were alive.

Starbucks Facing Brand Culture Devaluation and Massive Layoffs

Starbucks facing brand culture devaluation and massive layoffs To: Howard Schultz, Starbucks From: Yang LU, Aspire CC: Rui DONG Xiaochen DONG Vanessa BAXTER Pushpak BERIWAL Executive summary The aim of this report is to find out the deep-seated reason for this depression of Starbucks and give a recommendation to the firm to deal with it. Furthermore, this report also suggests solutions to dismiss the panic of the staff and remains the excellent performance.The key findings include: Finding 1: The over-expansion made Starbucks’ unique culture of the â€Å"Starbucks experience† devalued and seemed no difference with other fast food restaurants. This caused employees’ less well performance and therefore it lost customers’ loyalty as well. Finding 2:The employees felt dissatisfied with the rewards and treated customers with less effort while the unacceptable massive layoffs made a panic. The recommendations suggested by this report include:Recommendation 1:â⠂¬Å"Decentralization†Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Remove number of outlets away from each other and slow down the pace of opening new stores in the US or concentrate on the unexploited market space in other countries. Recommendation 2:Increasing the compensation given to the members asked to leave and suggesting them do some other suitable jobs. The firm can also make a promise that these employees would be considered first when hiring candidates in the future after the most difficult times. Furthermore, keep the employees’ payment stable and hold some activities inspiring to promote people to tide Starbucks over difficulties together.This report describes the findings after applying theories to analyse the issue which claimed the trouble that Starbucks was facing. For years, Starbucks was famous for its consistent growing and expansion. However, the both share price and sales fell even three times than before since 2008. The â€Å"Starbucks experience† (Michelle, 2007) was widely s upposed to have been diluted and the customers complained that the staff seemed to be less complaisant since they found Starbucks Ubiquitous.A resource from MarketWatch: Global Round-up (2008) reported that Starbucks had been forced to close 600 US stores and axe 12,000 jobs which took almost 7% of its global workforce which had made negative effect on other employees. The aim of the report is to find out the deep-seated reason for this depression and give a recommendation to the firm to deal with it. Furthermore, this report also suggests solutions to dismiss the panic of the staff and remain the performance. Key issues identified by Aspire | Key issue| Champion| | Over-expansion caused Starbucks’ brand devaluation and massive layoffs. | Yang Lu| 2| Starbucks' two non-payment methods of motivating employees. | Rui Dong| 3| Starbucks changed people-oriented culture into profit-oriented culture. | Xiaochen Dong| 4| Kraft foods taking Starbucks to court over the planned termina tion of its contract to distribute Starbucks packaged coffee. | Vanessa Baxter| 5| Starbucks is a very command and control driven company which leads to very little flexibility and decision making power at certain regional stores. Pushpak Beriwal| Justification of key issues over-expansion caused culture devaluation and massive layoffs Fast-forward 20 years, Starbucks had more than 10,000 American outlets till 2008 from only 84 US stores in 1990 (Smale, 2008). This sharply increased number made Starbucks seem to be omnipresent like other fast food stores. As a result, this change took a negative effect that the members in this group feel less proud of their jobs in Starbucks which was famous for its unique culture and therefore had less passion to satisfy the customers.From Schein’s (2004) theory of culture components, Starbucks fell to the basic level of culture instead of the highest one it got before. Starbucks finally cut over 10,000 jobs which were most in the US in the last two years during the reforming and also cut the employees' compensation and holiday (Kiley, 2009). By Maslow’s (1970) â€Å"a hierarchy of needs†, Starbucks could not make staff satisfied by the physiological needs and de-motivated other members. The dissatisfied emotion would reflect on their performance.Findings from analyzing issue over-expansion caused brand devaluation and massive layoffs Starbucks was famous for the unique culture that to give all the customers the relaxed feel and atmosphere as a third place out of home and office which called â€Å"Starbucks experience†. This culture is in the second and near the third level of the â€Å"components of cultures† with espoused beliefs and values and basic underlying assumptions which was identified by Schein (2004).Starbucks published its beliefs and values to make the members love their jobs and enjoy the experience in Starbucks to treat customers with their heart and satisfy them and to attra ct new members or partners to join in the group through the unique brand culture. Guided by market, Yang (2010) has provided evidence that brand culture was aims at achieving the maximization of organizations’ profits obtained and customers’ loyalty by establishing common values which could influence the movements and behavior of the members within a company based on the amalgamation of consumers’ value and company.However, the expansion without limitation made a trouble. Although the purpose at first was to make the â€Å"Starbucks experience† penetrate everywhere through the expansion, the company was making stores feel more like hip neighborhood coffeehouse which deviated from its original intention. Starbucks had lost it focus and made a dilution of the â€Å"Starbucks experience†. For the reason that the worth of a thing is best known by the want of it, the value of the culture and brand image went down.The â€Å"cannibalising† (Smale, 2008) sales between branches only a short distance from each other made employees feel less honored to work in this firm or group and the less enthusiasm to satisfy the customers came as a serious consequence. According to Schein’s (2004) theories on culture components, Starbucks only reached the first level of the components â€Å"artefacts† which observed the decorative style and visible products to survive the situation with ubiquitous competition instead of making the ustomers always come first. The â€Å"Starbucks experience† was viewed same as McDonald's and other fast food stores who also sold coffee through such a market saturation. Organizational culture sees culture comprising a number of variables, the combination of which lead to observable differences between organizations so that a company can have power to compete with others (Barry et al. 2000). To get back what made Starbucks successful Starbucks cut a great number of stores and announced massiv e layoffs for reforming.However, this would make the employees undertake the responsibilities and suffer the pain. At the same time, the sudden occurrence as the adjustment in the contract with the employees is both inevitable and a source of trouble, especially it made employees feel that they expected far more than they got and worse off (Kolb et al. 1991, p. 6). According to the theory â€Å"a hierarchy of needs† which developed by Maslow (1970), individuals experience a range of needs and will be motivated to fulfill need which is most powerful at that time.The first level is physiological needs and if this need is dominant for a person they can satisfy it by having a regular job which can keep consistent. But the employees forced to leave Starbucks could not be satisfied by the basic needs. Furthermore, the firm de-motivated the left members at the same time by cutting the employees' compensation and holiday. Vroom’s (1964) expectancy model theory of motivation ex plicitly recognized that outcomes with high expectations and neutral or even unsatisfied achievements would reduce the amount of effort the staff is going to invest.By understanding Vroom’s theory, the firm would get less contribution from its employees by the lower reward, which would reflect the staffs’ less enthusiasm when treating the customers. This also made every member in the firm feel upset and panicky. When the employees believed that they were not receiving payments commensurate with their performance, effort or ability then they worked less hard (Hauenstein and Lord, 1989), and became more selfish (Harder, 1992) and felt dissatisfied with their jobs in this firm (Carr et al. 1996). ConclusionTo sum up, Starbucks faced the trouble that the unlimited expansion has made its famous experience culture diluted and lost a number of customers’ loyalty. To make the matter worse, a great number of layoff was claimed so that the firm also lost the loyalty of it s members. The main aim of the report is to help Starbucks to revalue the culture and put Starbucks’ unique image back to high position into customers’ heart. In addition, suggestions are given to motivate employees. Culture is the soul of a firm which gives the company power to survive and compete with other business. RecommendationsFor the first finding that the over-expansion made Starbucks devalue the unique culture of the â€Å"Starbucks experience†, a suggestion of â€Å"decentralization† can be given. Remove number of outlets away from each other and slow down the pace of opening new stores in the US or concentrate on the unexploited market space in other countries. The other finding that the employees felt dissatisfied with the rewards and treated customers with less effort while the unacceptable massive layoffs made a panic can be solved by increasing the compensation given to the members asked to leave and suggesting them some other suitable job s.The firm can also make a promise that these employees would be considered first when hiring candidates in the future after the most difficult times. Furthermore, keep the employees’ payment stable and hold some activities inspiring to promote people to tide Starbucks over difficulties together. Reference list MICHELLI, J. A. (2007) The Starbucks experience: 5 principles for turning ordinary into extraordinary. New York: McGraw-Hill MARKETWATCH: GLOBAL ROUND-UP. (2008) Starbucks: hoping store cuts will reinvigorate US business. WWW] MARKETWATCH. Available from: http://ehis. ebscohost. com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer? hid=109&sid=30997753-d45f-4afd-bfc9-6c6be4a48faa%40sessionmgr111&vid=4 [Accessed 30/11/10]. SMALE, W. (2008) Why Starbucks' sales have gone cold. Business reporter, BBC News, 1st Feb. SCHEIN, E. (2004) Organization Culture and Leadership. 3rd ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. KILEY, D. (2009) Starbucks Cuts More Stores and Workers Amidst Recession and Lower Ea rnings. Bloomberg Businessweek, 28th Jan. MASLOW, A. 1970) Motivation and Personality. 2nd ed. New York: Harper ;amp; Row. YANG, Y. K. (2010) The Construction of Brand Culture Based on Corporate Culture. International Journal of Business ;amp; Management, Vol. 5 (4), pp. 223-226. BARRY, J. et al. (2000) Organization and management: a critical text. London: Thomson Learning. KOLB, D. , RUBIN, E. and OSLAND, J. (1991) Organizational Psychology. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. VROOM, V. H. (1964) Work and Motivation. New York: Wiley. HAUENSTEIN, N. M. and LORD, R. G. 1989) The effects of final offer arbitration on the performance of major league baseball players: a test of equity theory. Human Performance, 2 HARDER, J. W. (1992) Play for pay: effects of inequity in a pay for performance context. Administrative Science Quarterly, 37 CARR, S. C. et al. (1996) Effects of unreasonable pay discrepancies for under and overpayment on double demotivation. Genetic, Social and General Psychol ogy Monograpghs, 122 (4). BELBIN, R. M. (1993) Team Roles at Work. Oxford: Butterworth/Heinemann. Word count: 1332 words

Judith Jarvis Thomsons Defence on Abortion - 2268 Words

Judith Jarvis Thomsons defence on abortion Most arguments concerning the abortion issue hinge on the moral status or standing of the fetus with respect to the rights it possesses and the obligations that are directly owed to it. These arguments typically fall into two commonly termed categories: pro-life and pro-choice. Pro-life advocates tend to place the status of the fetus first. They argue human beings including a fetus, have an intrinsic value that confers them the right not to be unjustly killed. Conversely, some pro-choice advocates argue the fetus lacks a virtuous characteristic that affords it any rights or significant morals, this is usually termed the personhood argument. Other pro-choice advocates such as Judith Jarvis†¦show more content†¦Here Thomson assumes that both scenarios will reveal the same conclusion. Just as the reader (1) is under no moral obligation to use his body to support the violinist, a woman (2) is under no obligation to support a human fetus. So Thomsons analogy has directed the reader to the conclusion, that abortion as in the case of unhooking oneself from the violinist is sometimes morally permissible. Pro-life apologist Gregory Koukl (2003) declared when first hearing the argument â€Å"it shock me up so much I almost had to pull over† he continued â€Å"The reasoning in the violinist illustration is very tight† prima facie â€Å"Thompson accurately represents firstly the pro-life position and then offers a scenario for consideration. Thompsons analysis also employs two powerful techniques of argumentation: a moral example followed by a logical slippery slope. The logical slippery slope works like this. When one thing is immoral, and the second is logically similar in a morally relevant way, the moral quality of one slips over into the other. For example, it is immoral to murder and some think that capital punishment is similar enough to murder to make capital punishment immoral too†. Thomsons analogy aimed for the response that Koukl conferred. Thomson aimed to sway, if only for a brief moment, the moral intuition of the reader, theShow MoreRelatedA Defense O f Abortion By Judith Jarvis Thomson1549 Words   |  7 Pagesto self-defence but only in certain cases, for example, rape or where the mother’s life would be at risk if she did not have an abortion. In such circumstances, the woman’s right to self-defence outweighs a fetus’ right to life, however I would not allow that the mother’s right outweighs the fetus’ if the mother wanted to have an abortion of convenience because this denies the child of possible future experiences. Firstly, I will outline Judith Jarvis Thomson’s argument for self-defence. In her articleRead MoreEssay about Is Abortion Ever Justfied?2400 Words   |  10 Pages Is abortion ever justified? If not, why? If it depends, then on what? It is not unreasonable to suggest that the vast majority of people consider it morally wrong to kill other persons. There may be examples of situations where the killing of a person may be justifiable, although they are by no means universally consented to, such as killing in self defence or as a form of capital punishment, but taken in isolation it is generally accepted that to kill is wrong. Therefore in the debate betweenRead MoreA Modern Controversy: the Case of George Tiller Essay8892 Words   |  36 Pageswomen in need of help. For two decades, Dr Tiller spent his life looking over his shoulder. He had become a lightning rod for anti-abortion activists and in 1993 survived an attempt on his life. He rarely talked about his work for fear of attacks against himself or his family. Dr Tillers clinic was one of three in the US that offered what are known as late-term abortions. WHAT IS LATE TERM?Late term mostly centres on the notion of the viability of the foetus - this is widely interpreted as whenRead MoreAbortion : A Feminist Polemic4215 Words   |  17 PagesAbortion: A Feminist Polemic Bioethics is the study of widely disputed ethical issues that stem from the contentions brought about by modern advancements in biology and medicine. The field’s focus on ethical healthcare and life sciences is specifically relevant to the vehement polemic regarding abortion. This argument has amassed a vast and varied following of individuals and groups, motivated by feminism, religious ethics, politics and medical ethics. I have chosen a feminist focus for my inquiry