Copyright Essays - Computing, Law, File Sharing,

Copyright Copyright Current copyright and patent laws are inappropriate for computer software; their Imposition slows down software development and reduces competition. From the first computer as we know them, the ENIAC, computer software has become more and more important. From thousands of bytes on miles of paper to millions of bytes on a thin piece of tin foil sandwiched between two pieces of plastic, software has played an important part in the world. Computers have most likely played an important role in all our lives, from making math easier with calculators, to having money on the go with ATM machines. However, with all the help that has been given to us, we haven't done anything for software and the people who write it. Software by nature is completely Defenseless, as it is more or less simply intellectual property, and not a physical thing, thus very easily copied. Copied software does not make money for its creators, and thus they charge more for whats Not copied, and the whole industry inflates. There are two categories of intellectual property. The first one is composed of writing, music, and films, which are covered by copyright. Inventions and innovations are covered by patent. These two Categories have covered for years many kinds of work with little or no conflict. Unfortunately, it is not that easy when dealing with such a complex matter as computer software. When something is typed on A computer, it is considered writing, as it is all written words and numbers. However, when executed by the computer, it functions like an invention, performing a specific task as instructed by the user. Thus, software falls into both categories (Del Guercio 22-24). Copyright laws, for most mass-market software, generally cover it today at least. More advanced software or programming techniques, however, can be patented, as they are neither obvious nor old. This results In many problems which I will go into later. Copyrights last the lifetime of the author, plus 50 years, and can be renewed. Patents last only 17 years, but cannot be renewed. With technology advancing so quickly, it is not necessary to maintain The protection of the software for the length of the copyright, but also, it is sometimes necessary to renew them (Del Guercio 22-24), say, for a 10th sequel in a video game series or version 47.1 of Bob's Graphic Program. With copyrighted material, one is able to write software similar to someone else's, so long as the programming code is their own, and not borrowed from the others (Del Guercio 22-24). This Keeps the industry competitive, and thus results in better software (because everyone is greedy, and they don't want to fall behind). With patents no one is allowed to create software that performs a similar Functions. Take AutoCAD and True Space 2, two 3D modeling programs. True Space 2 would be a violation of patent laws, as it performs a very close task to AutoCADs, which came first. Luckily for us, CAD programs are not new; they have been around for more than 10 Years, and no one thought to patent them. Thus, you can see the need for change in the system. The current laws regarding the protection of intellectual material cannot adequately protect software; they are either too weak or too strict. We Need a new category of protection. The perfect protection law would most likely last for 10 years, renewable. This is long enough to protect a program for as long as it is still useful, and allows for Sequels and new versions just in case. It would also have to allow for others to make similar software, keeping the industry competitive, but it would have to not allow copying of portions of other software (Because you can't 'quote' something from someone elses software like you can with a book). However, there are many who dispute this, and I can see their point. Current copyright laws have and will protect Software effectively, it can be just as protected as other mediums (Cosgrove). This is true sometimes, however, to copy a book would take time. You would have to type up each page to make a copy of it, or at least photocopy or scan each page,

Understanding and Using Stipulative Definitions

Understanding and Using Stipulative Definitions A stipulative is a  definition that assigns meaning to a word, sometimes without regard for common usage. The term stipulative definition is often used in a pejorative sense to refer to a definition that appears to be deliberately misleading. Stipulative definitions are also known as Humpty-Dumpty words or legislative definitions. Examples and Observations Michael Ghiselin A lexical definition, such as one that occurs in a dictionary (a lexicon), is a kind of report on how language is used. A stipulative definition proposes (stipulates) that language shall be used in a given way.–Metaphysics and the Origin of Species. SUNY Press, 1997 Trudy Govier Words in a language are public instruments for communication in that language, and a stipulative definition is useful only if it sets out predictable and comprehensible standards of use that are workable for the purpose at hand. If a stipulated definition becomes popular, the word defined in its new sense then becomes part of public language, and it is open to changes and variations in use just as other words are.–A Practical Study of Argument, 7th ed. Wadsworth, 2010 Patrick J. Hurley Stipulative definitions are misused in verbal disputes when one person covertly uses a word in a peculiar way and then proceeds to assume that everyone else uses that word in the same way. Under these circumstances that person is said to be using the word stipulatively. In such cases the assumption that the other person use the word in the same way is rarely justified.–A Concise Introduction to Logic, 11th ed. Wadsworth, 2012 Jon Stratton Stipulative definitions that slant or bias meanings are called persuasive definitions. They are meant to persuade and to manipulate people, not to clarify meaning and encourage communication. Persuasive definitions are sometimes encountered in advertising, political campaigns, and in discussions about moral and political values. For example the definition, A caring mother is one who uses Softness brand disposable diapers, is persuasive because it unfairly stipulates the secondary designation Softness user. The term caring mother is much more significant than that!–Critical Thinking for College Students. Rowman Littlefield, 1999 Use in Literature â€Å"There’s glory for you!† â€Å"I don’t know what you mean by ‘glory,’ Alice said. Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. â€Å"Of course you don’t–till I tell you. I meant ‘there’s a nice knock-down argument for you!’† â€Å"But ‘glory’ doesn’t mean ‘a nice knock-down argument,’† Alice objected. â€Å"When I use a word,† Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, â€Å"it means just what I choose it to mean–neither more nor less.† â€Å"The question is,† said Alice, â€Å"whether you can make words mean so many different things.† â€Å"The question is,† said Humpty Dumpty, â€Å"which is to be master–that’s all.† Alice was too much puzzled to say anything; so after a minute Humpty Dumpty began again. â€Å"They’ve a temper, some of them–particularly verbs, they’re the proudest–adjectives you can do anything with, but not verbs–however, I can manage the whole lot of them! Impenetrability! That’s what I say!† â€Å"Would you tell me, please,† said Alice, â€Å"what that means?† â€Å"Now you talk like a reasonable child,† said Humpty Dumpty, looking very much pleased. â€Å"I meant by ‘impenetrability’ that we’ve had enough of that subject, and it would be just as well if you’d mention what you mean to do next, as I suppose you don’t mean to stop here all the rest of your life.† â€Å"That’s a great deal to make one word mean,† Alice said in a thoughtful tone. â€Å"When I make a word do a lot of work like that,† said Humpty Dumpty, â€Å"I always pay it extra.†Ã¢â‚¬â€œLewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass, 1871 Use in Film Nancy: Can you, like, define the meaning of love? Fielding Mellish: What do you... define... its love! I love you! I want you in a way of cherishing your totality and your otherness, and in the sense of a presence, and a being and a whole, coming and going in a room with great fruit, and love of a thing of nature in a sense of not wanting or being jealous of the thing that a person possesses. Nancy: Do you have any gum?–Louise Lasser and Woody Allen in Bananas, 1971

Steam Reforming and the Production of Hydrogen Gas Essay

Steam Reforming and the Production of Hydrogen Gas - Essay Example About 50% of the global production of Hydrogen is produced by this process(www.getenergysmart.org/Files). eg. activated carbon filters, pressurisation and depending on the reformer design, either pre heated and mixed with processed steam or directly injected with the water into the reformer without the need for an external heat exchanger. The water is normally demineralised using appropriate water conditioning systems. Two options are available for reforming one option is high pressure reforming at a working pressure upto 16 bar. The other option is to use low pressures (1.5 bar) with increased conversion ratios (www.global-hydrogn-beus-platform.com). 2.2 Steam Methane Reforming: The process involves the use of high temperature steam (700C) which is reacted with natural gas( primarily methane) to produce Hydrogen. Methane reacts with steam under 3- 25 bar pressure in the presence of a catalyst to produce Hydrogen, Carbon Monoxide and a relatively small amount of Carbon Dioxide. This process is endothermic and hence heat must be supplied to the process to proceed. (www1.eere.energy.gov) The methane steam reforming reaction is endothermic. Hence this reaction requires a high process temperature to proceed. As the number of moles also changes for the reaction, the reaction is facilitated by as low a pressure as possible to maximise the Methane conversion rate. Another way to shift the equilibrium to the right side is to increase the ratio of steam to methane. Overall, the conversion rate of methane is a function of pressure, temperature and steam/ Methane ratio. The reformer reactor consists of catalyst filled tubes surrounded by a fire box that provides the heat for the reaction as shown in the process flow diagram ( Fig.3) Water Gas shift Reaction: CO + H2O CO2 + H2 (H = - 41.2kJ/mol) (2) The water gas shift reaction is exothermic and needs as low a temperature as possible to proceed. Based on Le Chatelier's principle, the WGS reaction rate: (1) Increases with increase in steam fraction in the inlet gas (2) Decreases with increase in Hydrogen in the inlet gas (3) Decreases with increase in temperature The reactor temperature influences the flame temperature of the reactants. Hence at higher temperature more Methane is converted and less Hydrogen. The presence of a catalyst such as Nickel helps in the formation of Hydrogen rich reformate. The heat required for the first reaction is obtained by the combustion of fuel gas and/ or purge tail gas from the PSA system. Following the reforming step, the synthesis gas is fed into the CO conversion reactor to produce additional Hydrogen. This process occurs in two stages consisting of a High Temperature Shift ( HTS ) reactor at 350C and a Low Temperature Shift ( LTS ) at 190 to 210C.High temperature shift catalysts have an Iron Oxide-Chromium Oxide basis while LTS catalysts consist of Copper Oxide. 3.0 Gas Purification: Hydrogen purification by means of pressure swing adsorption (PSA). The PSA units reach hydrogen

The Value of Biodiversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Value of Biodiversity - Essay Example However, this aspect is projected to slow down in future (Primack, 2012). Biodiversity values are generally classified into two different categories thus the direct and the indirect values. The direct values in this case include food resources such as vegetables, grains and fruits that are obtained from plantations (Primack, 2012). It also includes animal resources such as milk and milk products, eggs and fish. The direct values are further divided into the productive and consumptive values. On the other hand, the indirect values are the values, which tend to provide benefits, which are indirect to human beings. In most cases, they support the biological life existence. They include the ethical values, cultural values, environmental service values, aesthetic values and option values (Primack, 2012). As part of the indirect biodiversity values, the existence value entails the benefit, which is often reflected as a well-being sense whereby one simply knows and acknowledges that marine biodiversity exists. Hageman (1985), states that it does not matter if the marine biodiversity that exists is never experienced or utilized, people tend to benefit from its existence in a certain way. In simple terms, existence values are generally unusual and slightly controversial economic value class that reflects on the benefits in which people receive from the knowledge of an environmental resource (Primack, 2012). Some of the common examples of the existence values include Grand Canyon, Antarctica, endangered species and some of marine existence. In biodiversity values, the existence value remains the most prominent example of the non-use value. This is because the value does not need that utility be derived from direct resource use. The existence value is the utility, which comes from simple knowledge about the existence of a certain resource (Primack, 2012). The existence value remains a

MACROECONOMICS Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

MACROECONOMICS - Assignment Example In economics, the guiding principle is to never lose, every amount of money leaving ones coffers must always earn more to the business. This increased influx of money is likely to lower the interest rates in the current market. Interest refers to the additional value that money earns especially from debtors. Money lending is a big business opportunity for banks; they give out money and retain a security which could be in the form of a motor vehicle logbook or a land title deed. When the debtor pays the money back to the bank, he pays a little more, the additional amount is referred top as the interest and is the profit that the banks get from such risky undertakings. Incase the debtor fails to re-service the loan; the security is sold to meet the defaulted amount. The policy is aimed at making the bank having more capital base and liberalizing ther money market. By increasing the amount of money the economy becomes more stable, however, this must be done very cautiously to avoid instances of devaluation. Devaluation of currency is a case in which the value of an amount is lowered. This is different from recession in which more money equally purchases very little in that this is done by the government knowingly with an aim of later strengthening the economy from some of the benefit it tags along. Recession has no benefit whatsoever and is in fact a portrayal of an economic crisis (Miller 133). The figure represents some miss-measurements since just as stated; the resultant figure should be zero. The economies in the world are self fulfilling, some could be very poor like that in Zimbabwe while others could be very strong such as the American but when al these are totaled up, the resultant figure is a zero and a failure to get a zero reflects discrepancies. The pattern is very clear, the developed countries are lending while the developing countries are borrowing. Borrowing is a sign of weakness and plays an integral role in the

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Fiber Optics

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Fiber Optics This paper looks at fiber optics as a technology that has been developing and improving the way the world communicates for more than two centuries. It examines its origins from 1790, when a French engineer Claude Chappe invented a system for sending messages using a series of semaphores mounted on top of two towers. This paper examines the advantages and disadvantages of fiber optics and describes some of the uses of fiber optics in our everyday lives. It analyzes the manner in which fiber optic technology has revolutionised and advanced the field of telecommunications, imaging and data transmission. Modern information systems handle ever-increasing data loads, processor speeds and high-speed interconnection networks, thus impacting our world and expanding the boundaries of our technological development in all spheres of life. INTRODUCTION Nothing in the world gives us more power and confidence than having information. The ability to communicate information is essential to achieve the successful advancement of humankind. Transmission of information is imperative to the expansion of our horizons. What does this all have to do with fiber optics? This research paper will cover the basis of fiber optics in terms of its transmission, communication, origin, uses and applications. Fiber optics transports light in a very directional way. Light is focused into and guided through a cylindrical glass fiber. Inside the core of the fiber, light bounces back and forth at angles to the side walls, making its way to the end of the fiber where it eventually escapes. The light does not escape through the side walls because of total internal reflection. Why is fiber optics so important? Besides being a flexible conduit that is used to illuminate microscopic objects, fiber optics can also transmit information similarly to the way a copper wire can transmit electricity. However, copper transmits only a few million electrical pulses per second, compared to an optical fiber that carries up to a 20 billion light pulses per second. This means telephone, cable and computer companies can handle huge amounts of data transfers at once, much more than conventional wires can carry. Fiber optic cable was developed because of the incredible increase in the quantity of data over the past 20 years. Without fiber optic cable, the modern Internet and World Wide Web would not be possible. Origin of Fiber Optics Even though it may seem new, the origin of fiber optics actually that dates back several centuries. This is a brief timeline illustrating the history and discovery of fiber optics. 1790 French engineer Claude Chappe invented the first optical telegraph. This was an optical communication system which consisted of a series of human operated semaphoresmounted on top of a tower. 1870 Irish philosopher and physicist, John Tyndall, demonstrated to the Royal Society, that light used internal reflection to follow a specific path. This simple experiment marked the first research into the guided transmission of light. 1880 Alexander Graham Bell patented an optical telephone system called the photo phone. The photo phone was an optical voice transmission system that used light to carry a human voice. This unique device used no wires to connect the transmitter and the receiver. William Wheeler invented a system of light pipes lined with a highly reflective coating that lit up homes. He used a light from an electric arc lamp placed it in the basement and directed the light around the home with the pipes. 1888 Dr. Roth and Prof. Reuss of a medical company in Vienna used bent glass rods to illuminate body cavities. 1895 The French engineer Henry Saint-Rene designed a system of bent glass rods. 1898 David Smith, an American from Indianapolis, applied for a patent on a dental illuminator using a curved glass rod. 1926 John Logie Baird applies for British patent on an array of parallel glass rods or hollow tubes to carry image in a mechanical television. Bairds 30 line images were the first demonstrations of television using the total internal reflection of light. During the same year, Clarence W. Hansell outlined principles of the fiber optic imaging bundle 1930 Heinrich Lamm, a German medical student, was the first person to assemble a bundle of transparent fibers together to carry an image. During these experiments, he transmitted an image of a light bulb filament through the bundle of optical fibers. His attempt to file a patent is denied because of Hansells British patent. 1931 Owens-Illinois invented a method to mass-produce glass fibers for Fiberglas. 1937 Armand Lamesch of Germany applied for U.S. patent on two-layer glass fiber. 1939 Curvlite Sales offered illuminated tongue depressor and dental illuminators made of Lucite, a transparent plastic invented by DuPont. 1951 Holger Moeller applied for a Danish patent on fiber optic imaging in which he used cladding on glass or plastic fibers with transparent low-index material. This patent was also declined because of Hansells patents. In October of that same year, Brian OBrien, from the University of Rochester suggested to Abraham C. S. Van Heel of the Technical University of Delft, that applying a transparent cladding would improve transmission of fibers in his imaging bundle. 1954 The Dutch scientist Abraham Van Heel and British scientist Harold H. Hopkins separately published papers on imaging bundles. Hopkins delivered his paper on imaging bundles of unclad fibers while Van Heel reported on simple bundles of cladded fibers that greatly reduced signal interference. American Optical hired Will Hicks to implement and develop fiber optic image scramblers, an idea OBrien proposed to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). 1955 Hirschowitz and C. Wilbur Peters hired an undergraduate student, Larry Curtiss, to work on their fiber optic endoscope project. 1956 Curtiss suggested making glass clad fibers by melting a tube onto a rod of higher-index glass. Later that year Curtiss made the first glass-clad fibers using the rod-in-tube method. 1957 Hirschowitz was the first to test fiber optic endoscope in a patient. The Image scrambler project ended after Hicks tells the CIA the code was easy to break. 1959 Working with Hicks, American Optical drew fibers so fine they transmitted only a single mode of light. Elias Snitzer recognised the fibers as single-mode waveguides. 1960 Theodore Maiman demonstrated the first laser at Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu. 1961 Elias Snitzer of American Optical published a theoretical description of single mode fibers. A fiber with a core so small it could carry light with only one wave-guide mode. 1964 Charles Kao and George Hockham, of Standard Communications Laboratories in England, published a paper indicating that light loss in existing glass fibers could be decreased dramatically by removing impurities. 1967 Corning summer intern, Cliff Fonstad, made fibers. Loss is high, but Maurer decides to continue the research using titania-doped cores and pure-silica cladding. 1970 Corning Glass researchers Robert Maurer, Donald Keck and Peter Schultzinvented fiber optic wire or Optical Waveguide Fibers capable of carrying 65,000 times more information than copper wire. These optical fibers could carry information in a pattern of light waves and could be decoded at a destination a thousand miles away. The Corning breakthrough was among the most dramatic of many developments that opened the door to fiber optic communications. In that same year, Morton Panish and Izuo Hayashi of Bell Laboratories worked with a group from the Ioffe Physical Institute in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) and made the first semiconductor diode laser capable of emitting continuous waves at room temperature. Telephone companies began to incorporate the use of optical fibers into their communications infrastructure. 1973 Bell Laboratories developed a modified chemical vapour deposition process that heats chemical vapours and oxygen to form ultra-transparent glass that can be mass-produced into low-loss optical fiber. This process still remains the standard for fiber-optic cable manufacturing 1975 First non-experimental fiber-optic link installed by the Dorset police in UK police after lightning knocks out their communication system 1977 Corning joined forces Siemens Corporation, to form Corning Cable Systems. Cornings extensive work with fiber, coupled with Siemens cabling technology, helped launch a new era in the manufacturing of optical fiber cable. General Telephone and Electronics started to send live telephone messages through underground fiber optic cables at 6Mbit/s, in Long Beach, California. Bell System started to send live telephone messages through fibers in underground ducts at 45Mbit/s, in downtown Chicargo. 1978 Optical fibers began to carry signals to homes in Japan AT T, British Post Office and STL pledge to develop a single mode transatlantic fiber cable to be operational by 1988. 1980 Graded-index fiber system carries video signals for the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. 1981 British Telecom transmits 140 million bits per second through 49 kilometers of single-mode fiber at 1.3 micrometers 1982 MCI leases the right of way to install single-mode fiber from New York to Washington. The system will operate at 400 million bits per second at 1.3 micrometers. 1984 British Telecom lays the first submarine fiber to carry regular traffic to the Isle of Wight. 1985 Single-mode fiber spreads across America, carrying long distance telephone signals at 400 million bits per second. 1986 The first fiber optic cable begins service across the English Channel. In the same year, ATT sends 1.7 billion bits per second through single-mode optic fiber 1991 Masataka Nakazawa of NTT reports sending soliton signals through a million kilometres of cable 1996 Fujitsu, NTT Labs and Bell Laboratories all report sending one trillion bits per seconds through a single optical fiber. They have all used separate experiments and different techniques to achieve this. APPLICATIONS OF FIBER OPTICS As the popularity of optical fibers continue to grow, so does their applications and practical uses. Fiber optic cables became more and more popular in a variety of industries and applications. Communications / Data Storage Since fiber optics are resistant to electronic noise, fiber optics has made significant advances in the field of communications. The use of light as its source of data transmission has improved the sound quality in voice communications. It is also being used for transmitting and receiving purposes. Military Optical systems offer more security than traditional metal-based systems. The magnetic interference allows the leak of information in the coaxial cables. Fiber optics is not sensitive to electrical interference; therefore fiber optics is suitable for military applications and communications, where signal quality and security of data transmission are important. The increased interest of the military in this technology caused the development of stronger fibers, specially designed cables and high quality components. It was also applied in more varied areas such as hydrophones for seismic and sonar, aircrafts, submarines and other underwater applications. Medical Fiber optics is used as light guides, imaging tools and as lasers for surgeries. Another popular use of fiber optic cable is in an endoscope, which is a diagnostic instrument that enables users to see through small holes in the body. Medical endoscopes are used for minimum invasive surgical procedures. Fiber optics is also used in bronchoscopes (for lungs) and laparoscopes. All versions of endoscopes look like a long thin tube, with a lens or camera at one end through which light is emitted from the bundle of optical fibers banded together inside the enclosure. Mechanical or Industrial Industrial endoscopes also called a borescope or fiberscope, enables the user to observe areas that are difficult to reach or to see under normal circumstances, such as jet engine interiors, inspecting mechanical welds in pipes and engines, inspecting space shuttles and rockets and the inspection of sewer lines and pipes. Networking Fiber optics is used to connect servers and users in a variety of network settings. It increases the speed, quality and accuracy of data transmission. Computer and Internet technology has improved due to the enhanced transmission of digital signals through optical fibers. Industrial/Commercial Fiber optics is used for imaging in areas which are difficult to reach. It is also used in wiring where electromagnetic interference (EMI) is a problem. It gets used often as sensory devices to make temperature, pressure and other measurements as well as in the wiring of motorcars and in industrial settings. Spectroscopy Optical fiber bundles are used to transmit light from a spectrometer to a substance which cannot be placed inside the spectrometer itself, in order to analyse its composition. A spectrometer analyses substances by bouncing light off of and through them. By using optical fibers, a spectrometer can be used to study objects that are too large to fit inside, or gasses, or reactions which occur in pressure vessels. Broadcast/CATV /Cable Television Broadcast or cable companies use fiber optic cables for wiring CATV, HDTV, internet, video and other applications. Usage of fiber optic cables in the cable-television industry began in 1976 and quickly spread because of the superiority of fiber optic cable over traditional coaxial cable. Fiber optic systems became less expensive and capable of transmitting clearer signals further away from the source signal. It also reduced signal losses and decreased the number of amplifiers required for each customer. Fiber optic cable allows cable providers to offer better service, because only one optical line is needed for every  ± 500 households. Lighting and Imaging Fiber optic cables are used for lighting and imaging and as sensors to measure and monitor a vast range of variables. It is also used in research, development and testing in the medical, technological and industrial fields. Fiber optics are used as light guides in medical and other applications where bright light needs to shine on a target without a clear line-of-sight path. In some buildings, optical fibers are used to route sunlight from the roof to other parts of the building. Optical fiber illumination is also used for decorative applications, including signs, art and artificial Christmas trees. Optical fiber is an essential part of the light-transmitting concrete building product, LiTraCon which is a translucent concrete building material. ADVANTAGES OF FIBER OPTICS The use of fiber optics is fast becoming the medium of choice for telecommunication systems, television transmission and data networks. Fiber optic cables have a multitude of advantages and benefits over the more traditional methods of information systems, such as copper or coaxial cables. Speed One of the greatest benefits to using fiber optic systems is the capacity and speed of such a system. Light travels faster than electrical impulses which allow faster delivery and reception of information. Fiber optic cables also have a much higher capacity for bandwidth than the more traditional copper cables. Immunity to electromagnetic interference Coaxial cables have a tendency for electromagnetic interference, which renders them less effective. Fiber optics is not affected by external electrical signals, because the data is transmitted with light. Security Optical systems are more secure than traditional mediums. Electromagnetic interference causes coaxial cables to leak information. Optical fiber makes it impossible to remotely detect the signal which is transmitted within the cable. The only way to do so is by actually accessing the optical fiber itself. Accessing the fiber requires intervention that is easily detectable by security surveillance. These circumstances make fiber optics extremely attractive to governments, banks and companies requiring increased security of data. Fire prevention Copper wire transmission can generate sparks, causing shortages and even fire. Because fiber optical strands use light instead of electricity to carry signals, the chance of an electrical fire is eliminated. This makes fiber optics an exceptionally safe form of wiring and one of the safest forms of data transmission. Data signalling Fiber optic systems are much more effective than coaxial or copper systems, because there is minimal loss of data. This can be credited to the design of optical fibers, because of the principle of total internal reflection. The cladding increases the effectiveness of data transmission significantly. There is no crosstalk between cables, e.g. telephone signals from overseas using a signal bounced off a communications satellite, will result in an echo being heard. With undersea fiber optic cables, you have a direct connection with no echoes. Unlike electrical signals in copper wires the light signals from one fiber do not interfere with those of other fibers in the same cable. This means clearer phone conversations or TV reception. Less expensive Several kilometers of optical cable can be made far cheaper than equivalent lengths of copper wire. Service, such as the internet is often cheaper because fiber optic signals stay strong longer, requiring less power over time to transmit signals than copper-wire systems, which need high-voltage transmitters. Large Bandwidth, Light Weight and Small Diameter Modern applications require increased amounts of bandwidth or data capacity, fiber optics can carry much larger bandwidth through a much smaller cable and they arent prone to the loss of information. With the rapid increase of bandwidth demand, fiber optics will continue to play a vital role in the long-term success of telecommunications. Space constraints of many end-users are easily overcome because new cabling can be installed within existing duct systems. The relatively small diameter and light weight of optical cables makes such installations easy and practical. Easy Installation and Upgrades Long lengths of optical cable make installation much easier and less expensive. Fiber optic cables can be installed with the same equipment that is used to install copper and coaxial cables. Long Distance Signal Transmission The low attenuation and superior signal capacity found in optical systems allow much longer intervals of signal transmission than metallic-based systems. Metal based systems require signal repeaters to perform satisfactory. Fiber optic cables can transmit over hundreds of kilometres without any problems. Even greater distances are being investigated for the future. To use fiber optics in data systems have proven to be a far better alternative to copper wire and coaxial cables. As new technologies are developed, transmission will become even more efficient, assuring the expansion of telecommunication, television and data network industries. DISADVANTAGES OF FIBER OPTICS Despite the many advantages of fiber optic systems, there are some disadvantages. The relative new technology of fiber optic makes the components expensive. Fiber optic transmitters and receivers are still somewhat expensive compared to electrical components. The absence of standardisation in the industry has also limited the acceptance of fiber optics. Many industries are more comfortable with the use of electrical systems and are reluctant to switch to fiber optics. The cost to install fiber optic systems is falling because of an increase in the use of fiber optic technology. As more information about fiber optics is made available to educate managers and technicians, the use of fiber optics in the industry will increase over time. The advantages and the need for more capacity and information will also increase the use of fiber optics in our everyday life. Conclusion From its humble beginnings in the 1790s to the introduction of highly transparent fiber optic cable in the 1970s, very high-frequency optic fibers now carry phenomenal loads of communication and data signals across the country and around the world. From surgical procedures to worldwide communication via the internet, fiber optics has revolutionised our world. Fiber optics has made important contributions to the medical field, especially with regards to surgery. One of the most useful characteristics of optical fibers is their ability to enter the minute passageways and hard-to-reach areas of the human body. But perhaps the greatest contribution of the 20th century is the combination of fiber optics and electronics to transform telecommunications. Fiber optic transmission has found a vast range of applications in computer systems. As we move towards a more sophisticated and modern future, the uses of fiber optics are increasing in all computer systems as well as telecommunication networks. As new optical fibers are being made, many telecommunication companies are joining forces to share the cost of installing new network cables. In July 2009 and underwater fiber optic cable was put down along the East African coast by Seacom. New technologies are constantly being invented and video phones and video conferencing such as Skype are becoming an everyday occurrence in many businesses and households. Shopping from home via the internet and online stores such as Amazon.com and Kalahari.net are making many peoples lives easier. Even television on demand, such as being offered by DSTV, will replace the current cable television systems of today. We live in a technological age that is the result of many brilliant discoveries and inventions. However, it is our ability to transmit information and all the media we use to achieve this that is responsible for this evolution. Our progress from using copper wire a century ago to modern day fiber optics that can transmit phenomenal loads of data over longer and longer distances at ever increasing speed has expanded the boundaries of our technological development in all spheres of life.

Knowledge Is Power: How To Buy A Computer :: essays research papers

Knowledge is Power: How To Buy A Computer Buying a personal computer can be as difficult as buying a car. No matter how much one investigates, how many dealers a person visits, and how much bargaining a person has done on the price, he still may not be really certain that he has gotten a good deal. There are good reasons for this uncertainty. Computers change at much faster rate than any other kind of product. A two-year-old car will always get a person where he wants to go, but a two-year-old computer may be completely inadequate for his needs. Also, the average person is not technically savvy enough to make an informed decision on the best processor to buy, the right size for a hard drive, or how much memory he or she really needs. Just because buying a computer can be confusing does not mean one should throw up his hands and put himself at the mercy of some salesman who may not know much more than he does. If one would follow a few basic guidelines, he could be assured of making a wise purchase decision. A computer has only one purpose; to run programs. Some programs require more computing power than others. In order to figure out how powerful a computer the consumer needs, therefore, a person must first determine which programs he wants to run. For many buyers, this creates a problem. They cannot buy a computer until they know what they want to do with it, but they cannot really know all of the uses there are for a computer until they own one. This problem is not as tough as it seems, however. The consumer should go to his local computer store, and look at the software that's available. Most programs explain their minimum hardware requirements right on the box. After looking at a few packages, it should be pretty clear to the consumer that any mid-range system will run 99% of the available software. A person should only need a top-of-the-line system for professional applications such as graphic design, video production, or engineering. Software tends to lag behind hardware, because it's written to reach the widest possible audience. A program that only works on the fastest Pentium Pro system has very limited sales potential, so most programs written in 1985 work just fine on a fast '486, or an entry-level Pentium system. More importantly, very few programs are optimized to take advantage of a Pentium's power. That means that even if the consumer pays a large premium for the fastest

BIO refining

Over the last 35 years Presidents have promised to make sure that America would not have a future energy problem. Yet concern for oil and energy has also grown over the decades as the economies for both the united States and other countries have expanded. On April 28, 2010 in Macon, Missouri, President Obama gave a short speech at the POET BIO refining plant where he talked about the subjects of foreign oil dependency. The environmental costs of relying fossil fuels, and clean and alternative energies.Not o mention al the new Jobs that he believes will be created by following his energy security plan. Obama was honest in talking about how moving forward clean energy is a long-term plan that could take decades to come to fruition. In searching the University Library I did not discover any articles that openly opposed investing In alternative energies. Even though I was hoping to find at least one that was strongly opposed to Investing In clean energy to use as an opposing viewpoint. I have become somewhat of a conservationist.I am a strong supporter of recycling, and reducing what ends up in the landfills. I believe that we do need to invest in renewable energy, and that changes do need to be made to protect the environment and reduce global warming. In the end more drilling is only a temporary solution to reducing America's dependency on foreign OLL regardless of what country the OLL comes from. I was Door In ten Mont AT January, wanly makes me a Capricorn. I nouns I ah not put much faith in astrology I do find that I possess many of the Capricorn traits.I have often been labeled as being negative, but I defend myself as being a realist. My biggest peril is locking myself into Just one way of thinking. While writing this essay about drilling for more oil I found it to be a much more complex issue. There are some extremist organizations like Greenback (mm. ‘. Greenback. Org) that would have all the oil exploration immediately halted. While I understand the ir viewpoint, I do not often approve of their methods.

Celebrating New Years Eve in France

Celebrating New Years Eve in France In France, the New Years celebration begins on the evening of December 31 (le rà ©veillon du jour de l’an) and carries through January 1 (le jour de l’an). Traditionally, its a time for people to gather with  family, friends, and community. New Year’s Eve is also known as La Saint-Sylvestre because December 31 is the feast day of Saint Sylvestre. France is predominantly Catholic, and as in most Catholic or Orthodox countries, specific days of the year are designated to celebrate specific saints and are known as feast days. Individuals who share a saints name often celebrate their namesakes feast day like a second birthday. (Another noted French feast day is La Saint-Camille, shorthand for la fà ªte de Saint-Camille.  Its celebrated on July 14, which is also Bastille  Day.) French New Years Eve Traditions There arent too many traditions specific to New Years Eve in France however, one of the most important ones is kissing under the mistletoe (le gui) and counting down to midnight. While theres no equivalent to the ball dropping in Times Square, in larger cities, there may be fireworks or a parade and theres usually a big variety show on television featuring France’s most famous entertainers. New Years Eve is most often spent with friends- and there may be dancing involved. (The French like to dance!) Many towns and communities also organize a ball which is often a dressy or costumed affair. At the stroke of midnight, participants kiss one another on the cheek two  or four times  (unless they are romantically involved). People may also throw des cotillons (confetti and streamers), blow into  un serpentin (a streamer attached to a whistle), shout, applaud, and generally make a lot of noise. And of course, the French make les rà ©solutions du nouvel an (New Years resolutions). Your list will, undoubtedly, include  improving your French, or perhaps maybe even scheduling a trip to France- et pourquoi pas? French New Years Meal Theres no single food tradition for the French New Years celebration. People may choose to serve anything from a formal meal to something buffet style for a party- but no matter whats being served, its sure to be a feast. Champagne is a must, as are good wine, oysters, cheese, and other gourmet delicacies. Just be careful not to drink too much or you may end up with a serious gueule de bois (hangover). Typical New Years Gifts in France In France, people dont generally exchange gifts for the New Year, although some do. However, its traditional to give monetary gifts to postal workers, deliverymen, the police, household employees, and other service workers around Christmas and the New Year. These gratuities are called les à ©trennes, and how much you give varies greatly depending on your generosity, the level of service you got, and your budget. French New Years Vocabulary Its still customary to send out New Years greetings. Typical ones would be: Bonne annà ©e et bonne santà © (Happy New Year and good health)Je vous souhaite une excellente nouvelle annà ©e, pleine de bonheur et de succà ¨s. (I wish you an excellent New Year, full of happiness and success.) Other phrases youre likely to hear during New Years celebrations: Le Jour de lAn- New Years DayLa Saint-Sylvestre- New Years Eve (and the feast day of Saint Sylvester)Une bonne rà ©solution- New Years resolutionLe repas du Nouvel An- New Years mealLe gui (pronounced with a hard G ee)- mistletoeDes confettis- confettiLe cotillon- a ballLes cotillons- party novelties such as confetti and streamersUn serpentin- a streamer attached to a whistleGueule de bois- hangoverLes  Ãƒ ©trennes- Christmas/New Years Day present or gratuityEt pourquoi pas?- And why not?

Free Essays on Alexander Calder

Alexander Calder’s â€Å"Ghost† in Relation to his Life and his Art Alexander Calder’s â€Å"Ghost† conspicuously hangs above the Great Stair Hall at the Philadelphia Museaum of Art. The gigantic mobile is dwarfed by its surroundings, and seemingly defies gravity as it floats and spins high above the heads of the museum’s visitors. It is surprisingly ambiguous for its size and its enormity (though it is not at all his largest work). Calder, in the early thirties, created the mobile (PBS ONLINE), an ever-changing sculpture that dances and spins by no more than a breath of air (Baal-Teshuva 5). Although he is predominately famous for his moving sculptures, in his lifetime Calder did produce more than 16,000 catalogued works (5). He primarily worked with wire and metal, but also experimented with wood, paint, gouache, paper and just about anything he could find. But it was Calder’s mobiles that changed the face of plastic art, which for centuries had been considered static and motionless. Sculpture was, consequently, the opposite of the mobile, which is fleeting and naturally changeable. Alexander Calder was a founder and a pioneer of kinetic sculpture (5). â€Å"Ghost,† the work, is as curious as the artist himself. With unlimited energy, Calder experimented with every kind of material capable of being sculpted. Working in the third dimension (with mostly primary colors or black and white) Calder was able to bring joy and fun into his artwork (6). Although his mobiles are merely metal plates attached to moving wires, he was able to create complex, endlessly fascinating kinetic sequences through the use of balance and abstraction (PBS ONLINE). In a time of relentless artistic upheaval, Alexander Calder’s vision of modern art concerned itself with a somewhat taboo topic in the world of art – fun. Calder ignored the formal structure of art, and in doing so, redefined what art could be (PBS ONLINE). His muse was the ... Free Essays on Alexander Calder Free Essays on Alexander Calder Alexander Calder’s â€Å"Ghost† in Relation to his Life and his Art Alexander Calder’s â€Å"Ghost† conspicuously hangs above the Great Stair Hall at the Philadelphia Museaum of Art. The gigantic mobile is dwarfed by its surroundings, and seemingly defies gravity as it floats and spins high above the heads of the museum’s visitors. It is surprisingly ambiguous for its size and its enormity (though it is not at all his largest work). Calder, in the early thirties, created the mobile (PBS ONLINE), an ever-changing sculpture that dances and spins by no more than a breath of air (Baal-Teshuva 5). Although he is predominately famous for his moving sculptures, in his lifetime Calder did produce more than 16,000 catalogued works (5). He primarily worked with wire and metal, but also experimented with wood, paint, gouache, paper and just about anything he could find. But it was Calder’s mobiles that changed the face of plastic art, which for centuries had been considered static and motionless. Sculpture was, consequently, the opposite of the mobile, which is fleeting and naturally changeable. Alexander Calder was a founder and a pioneer of kinetic sculpture (5). â€Å"Ghost,† the work, is as curious as the artist himself. With unlimited energy, Calder experimented with every kind of material capable of being sculpted. Working in the third dimension (with mostly primary colors or black and white) Calder was able to bring joy and fun into his artwork (6). Although his mobiles are merely metal plates attached to moving wires, he was able to create complex, endlessly fascinating kinetic sequences through the use of balance and abstraction (PBS ONLINE). In a time of relentless artistic upheaval, Alexander Calder’s vision of modern art concerned itself with a somewhat taboo topic in the world of art – fun. Calder ignored the formal structure of art, and in doing so, redefined what art could be (PBS ONLINE). His muse was the ...

The Banqiao Reservoir Dam Failure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

The Banqiao Reservoir Dam Failure - Essay Example This essay discusses that the collapse of the Banqiao and Shimantan Dams together with a several dozen much smaller dams in the Zhumadian Prefecture of Henan Province in China in August 1975 is among the world’s most devastating dam failures. Initially, it was reported that the dam failure was attributed to a natural disaster. However many years later and after considerable research, researchers have come to the conclusion that the Banqiao Reservoir Dam’s design and the design of the other reservoirs, together with the standards associated with containing the river are partly responsible for the dam failure.   In essence, it is now generally accepted that the Banqiao Reservoir Dam failure was due to both man-made error/engineering failure and a natural disaster. Zhumadian is situated in the Southern region of Henan Province with Hong and Ru Rivers running east through Zhumadian converging upon the Huai River.   The Banqiao Dam was constructed on the Ru River in 1952 as part of the flood control programme for the Huai River.   In 1956, the Banqiao Dam was reconstructed elevating the dam height and improving the capabilities of the reservoir.   The Banqiao Dam was constructed so that it could withstand â€Å"1-1in-1,000 year flood (306mm rainfall per day)†. The Banqiao Dam was described as a â€Å"clay-core earth fill dam† measuring 24.5 meters in height with the ability to store up to 492 million meters and with a further 375 million cubic meters â€Å"reserved for flood control†.... The parapet walls elevation was 117.64 meters. The discharge capacity was built for 3,092 cubic meters with 1,800 cubic meters accounting for the main spillway, 1,160 cubic meters were designed for the supplementary spillway and 123 cubic meters designed for the conduit (Xu, et. al., 2008). The Disaster The collapse of the Banqiao Dam began on the evening of August 7, 1975 when a large storm became stationery over the Henan Province. As a result the deluge sustained over a foot of rain daily for a period of three days (Chiles, 2001). The rainfall dumped by the storm amounted to 1005 mm of rain in a day’s time and 1605 mm of rain over a three day period. In one hour, flooding overtopped the Banqiao and Shimantan dams leading to their collapse (Eliasson & Lee, 2003). In all, over 60 smaller dams collapsed because â€Å"dikes and flood diversion projects further downstream could not resist such a deluge† (Eliasson & Lee, 2003, p. 620). Land measuring over one million hecta res also sustained flooding, more than 100 km of the railway line connecting Guangzhou to Beijing sustained damages, many villages and towns were either entirely or partly submerged in water and several million residents became homeless. Conservative estimates report that some 26,000 persons drowned in the flood directly linked to the failed dams and an additional 145, 000 eventually died as a result of causal famines and epidemics in the weeks that followed (Eliassin & Lee, 2003). Evaluating the Engineering Failures of the Banqiao Dam Collapse Becker (1998) puts the construction of the Banqiao Dam and the associated dams in its proper perspective. According to Becker (1998) the Banqiao Dam was constructed around a time where irrigation was a prime agricultural policy. At the

STRATEGIC PLANNING AND CHANGE Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

STRATEGIC PLANNING AND CHANGE - Assignment Example consider conscious involvement of all employees and key stakeholders as well as the application of the right tools so as to realize positive responses. The management need to ask themselves a number of questions based on how they can make the change process motivating to employee, how they can achieve clear understanding of the process among the employees and how to extend the knowledge to the staff. In order to successfully realize the benefits expected from the change process, managers must embrace the four engagement tools or benchmarks namely learning, involvement, rewards and communication. Effective communication of the tenets of the change initiative offers guidelines and direction to the employees so that they are well informed of their roles in the process. When change is properly communicated, the employees will feel some sense of ownership and control during the process (Freytag and Hollensen, 2001). The inclusion of the learning process through proper training enables employees to gain confidence and realize how real and serious are the changes. The creation of a learning environment is of great importance to the change process owing to the fact that changes within organizations need new skills and attitudes towards their implementation. Training help in minimizing the anxieties associated with the change process as well as granting the employees sufficient time to adjust and progress to the point where threats linked to the change process are no longer felt. According to Fairbairn the learning theory proposes that employees are motivated to respond by physiological demands that are based on the competency, self-sufficiency and understanding. Competence occurs when people develop a feeling that they are very important in the realization of the components of a given change process (Dube, et. al, 2005). Full involvement of employees in the work process is another are that managers must focus on for in-depth realization of the change process