Module 13

By

Hunter DeVries

            “A man is like a novel: until the very last page you don't know how it will end. Otherwise it wouldn't be worth reading.” -Yevgeny Zamyatin, It is time to say our goodbyes but let’s remember that we learned about a story that is unfolding, not one that is finished.   But I would like to take a moment and review over the information that stuck out to me and what I would recommend to make the class better.

            History I believe is a mere glance at our past and an opportunity to learn from our mistakes and repeat our successes. Funny enough that is the constant that we have in history, that there are ups and downs. We learned many things about the technological advancements that were made put I believe that it didn’t focus very strongly on the challenges and sacrifices that were made to create our present times. It seems that what makes it so fun to watch and see these fictional creations of Jules Verne, Leonardo da Vinci, and Thomas Edison come alive in our days. It seems that we as a society are starting to be more of demanding society, instead of a society that is amazed at each advancement. My hope is that we continue to be innovative, but we don’t sacrifice our common courtesy to others and be understanding.

            Connections are made that throughout the world can help create a more interconnected society. I think that is what is helping the consumer receive their product at a more affordable rate, which helps us save. I love Amazon because I can get good merchandise and typically very quick at an affordable rate. How just creating that certain kind of company created a massive change to how online shopping had to be modeled.  I also personally enjoyed learning about how Dell Laptops are assembled and the logistics that goes into making them. I think that it has been fascinating learning about the ins and outs of online business, especially since I work in that business.

            Overall, I think the class was perfect and it really gave us the time to get the assignments done and learn at the same time. I have and will continue to recommend this class to everyone that I come in contact with. I am going to end with a good quote that I think accounts for journey that we will continue to go on in this ever learning technology world.  It's time to say goodbye, but I think goodbyes are sad and I'd much rather say hello. Hello to a new adventure. -Ernie Harwell. 

Module 12

By

Hunter DeVries

           

            Your intellect may be confused, but your emotions will never lie to you. –Roger Ebert. I believe this is the motivation of the author towards his paper. I would like to explain a bit about “Why the future doesn’t need us” by Bill Joy, explained by some of the emotions or feelings, which drove him to write this paper.      

            Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. – Ralph Waldo Emerson. The imagination is a feeling of wisdom that leads great men and women of the world to the technological advancements such as genetics, nanotechnology, and robotics. These have unleashed a whole new universe of scientific exploration. The results thus far have been incredible on one side but have been destructive on the other. From the medical advancements that have been able to help millions if not billions of people, to the atomic bomb which did the opposite of help, it created devastation and fear.

            The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown – H. P. Lovecraft. I think that this quote explains exactly how the author feels towards the future of technology. Now don’t get me wrong I believe that Bill Joy is a genius and he is very persuasive in his essay, but it motivated by fear of what may or may not happen. But fear shouldn’t hold us back from what can help people for generations to come. There will always an opposition to all things, and that is why it’s worth taking the risk.

The biggest risk is not taking any risk…. In a world that's changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks. – Mark Zuckerberg. Fighting to make something happen is worth the risk in my opinion. I think that when you have the opportunity to make a positive difference in the world, it is worth the risk. Imagine if we would not have taken the venture into cancer treatments that have helped numberless amounts of people. This article was written back in 2000, which means if we would have taken his advice we wouldn’t have anything that we typically use on a daily basis.

Overall, I am not convinced by the evidence that he presented in the article, because even though the past can teach us doesn’t mean it always applies. I admit that he contributed to many of the foundational parts and principles of the technology that we have today, but he shouldn’t be afraid of the opportunity for technology to grow. None the less a great article which has some real depth to his argument, like the depth of our future, phenomenal. 

Module 11

By Hunter DeVries

            Funny what a kid with a passion for always trying to raise the bar can do. The only thing is the higher you climb up the ladder in intelligence, the harder the impact will be once you fall. For example when an extra intelligent kid decides to break a code on a very private server because he already had hacked the school’s computer system, little does he know the code he is breaking would be War Operation Planned Response.  This is the control center for all nuclear weapons in the United States arsenal. If you haven’t guessed already, I am talking about War games.

            Don’t count out the little guys, and especially those that can hack the United States Military system, and start a nuclear war competition instead of a game of chess. Thanks to a super cool 80’s technology filled man cave, and the idea to download a new video game before it is released, this teenage prodigy really gets himself in some trouble. But luckily he is able to receive some help from some friends and deescalate a nuclear war. Today these threats haven’t gone away, but simply have continued in different ways and forms.

            Throughout the year, we have seen many reports that the Chinese have attacked our Nations networks or in other words the Chinese Cyber Attacks. The purpose of this attacks is to immobilize our nation’s defense, which are dependent upon the finest technology. But when you are in a war against the country that manufactured a good portions of the technology that you have, you have to wonder, is it secure?  We have created a great and resourceful way of living with technology, but it does have an Achilles heel. The question is when will it be exploited? And how much damage will be done? We don’t have the answer for that, but rather the passing of time will tell that unpredictable answer.

 As of right now we have to recognize that we carry powerful computers in our pockets, and that makes life scarier for all of us. We have taught ourselves to be dependent on this small technology. Dependence is something that can cripple us as society, because how private are we when we surf the internet? Stealing someone’s identity within seconds of just passing by someone, or just tracing the “cookies” that comes with using public wifi. Dangers come with any endeavor, but at this time we believe the benefits out weight the risk. The advancements of security procedures and systems come with the millions of failures, which are found on the way to the finished product.  That being said, I think we just need to use common sense and take the proper precautions to stay technology safe.

It's just a game, right? Not in the least, we need to take serious precautions to be able to keep us from the dangers of technology. But once we identify the dangers and use the steps necessary to keep us technology safe, we can enjoy the conveniences that it can provide while remembering the guidelines.  Technology provides us with fun and exciting games, but the safety of technology is no game.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

MODULE 10

By Hunter DeVries

            Wow. The imagination is thought of once to be impossible is actually a gateway by which many people will endeavor to make a reality. From the once “mythical” flying machine which was turned into our modern airplane, or even the “horseless” wagon or in other words the automobile. In this essay, it really brings that idea full circle. I would like to take the time to comment on the interesting and almost frightening things that I was able to find in “A Logic named Joe.”

            “Let’s go invent tomorrow instead of worrying about what happened yesterday.” – Steve Jobs. But sometimes technological advancements hinder the way society should be. Much like any great idea, it is typically made to help the common good. Rather most of the time it makes compromises that we don’t often realize. In this story, the Logics are known for performing a variety of tasks that were once commonly performed by humans. After a period of time this convenient computer became something that all humans started to depend on the Logics. Much like in our days, we are very dependent on our technological advancements. Like how our phones are able to answer problems that we only found on computers, or before that in a book or at the local library. This convenience is something that we hold dear and wouldn’t be able to let go easily. The thing is though, Easy Street isn’t as easy as it sounds.

            Everything comes at a price. In the story one of the Logics was manufactured with a defect which can bypass the security protocols which protects any harm to human kind. This defective Logic is called “Joe”. The defects start to effect other Logics which creates a great and unlimited knowledge given to all people. To which ends you could know how to murder someone without being suspected, or know how to find someone who doesn’t want to be found. To be able to fix issue, Ducky a maintence man from the company that manufactures Logics, needs to find the source of the defect or system issue and remove it.

            Luckily in this story it has an ending, in which Ducky identifies the faulty computer and removes it to bring balance back to the story. Now take a step back and look at our society that we live in now. We are constantly seeing newer and newer gadgets to help us improve as society but we created many weapons in the process. Unlike the story, it doesn’t end now but rather continues to get worse and worse.  The home in which use to be a refuge for the family, now has the options of letting outside voices dictate how it should live. Thanks to social media such as and not excluded to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and/or Snapchat. There is a lot of great methods such as Public Education through media or up to date news to keep us prepared for anything in our way. How we use technology is a personal decision on a daily basis, the question is do we always make the correct one?

            I was very impressed by how this story has come to life in our own days, from WikiLeaks to Cyber Attacks between countries. Will it stop? Who knows, but in the mean time we have such a great opportunity to help one another through the means of our technology advancements. I believe if we were able to think of this great technological advancement, we can also create a great solution. The question isn’t if we can, but rather “by when will we have it?”

Module 9

By

Hunter Darren DeVries

            All good things must come to an end. The last nine weeks have helped to open my eyes to a few of the recent business advancements. It has been a great educational experience, and I would like to take the time to explain a few of the key concluding arguments or finds from Thomas L. Friedman. I will take the time to explain about the process of building a Dell Laptop, the Al-Qaeda supply chain, and the curse of oil.

            “The keystone of successful business is cooperation.” – James Cash Penny. I believe this quote definitely encompasses what Dell does in the way they make their own laptops. From the time that you make an order (whether over the phone or online), is the “first step” of many towards the finished product. This process includes processing the order with any credit card service and then from their Dell orders all the parts from their supplier logistics centers or SLC’s. These centers then make and ship out the parts to one of Dell’s facilities which puts together all the parts from its suppliers. Now when I talk about suppliers, I speak from everything from the Intel processor to the touchpad. Each of the parts come to make the product that actually wrote this paper. Funny what happens when you cooperate and schedule with other businesses.

            When we are so focused on making something for the common good, it is then opening the gate for those opposed to the common good. Unfortunately when you “flatten” the playing the ground, you also make it easier for people to use that playing ground against you. That is what Al-Qaeda did. They were able to basically mimic the same kind of evolving system of communication to be able to fuel their cruel war desires. This “fuel” is other people that think the same as Al-Qaeda, which creates a variety of options to create their acts of terror. Thankfully, the counterfeits are never as good as the originals.

            Greed is something that is a never ending plague and we see it constantly in the business world. It is something that can drive a business into the ground instead of the fast lane. One of the many resources in the world that makes any country go crazy, is oil. It is this resource that was able to make the major countries in the world what they are today. Oil is one of the many resources that in some ways can make or break a country’s economic system. That is why I believe it is a curse because you can’t live with it and can’t live without it. The power struggle will continue for as long as oil exists, but that will be a long while.

            Although these past few chapters have come to an end, it doesn’t apply to our business world. Business is business and it doesn’t matter who thinks they are on top, the fight will always continue to be better, faster, and more consumer loved. Now I know that I don’t know everything when it comes to business but I do know, the information is just a click away thanks to a “flat” and information driven world. 

Module 8

Technology stimulating the success of education

by Hunter DeVries

            Just being a click away from learning is something that we take for granted in our days. Imagine the magnitude of just taking away the capability to edit a paper, look up information for a class, or even create a presentation. I can remember having specific computer classes to teach us how to type and use basic Microsoft programs. Now my 12 year old sister is using more complex programs on a daily basis to be able to complete her homework assignments. I would like to explain some of the important things I have been able to do thanks to modern computers systems and internet capabilities.

            First off, I am grateful for the grammar check. Since taking an honors English class in 9^th grade I have loved writing papers. I have loved it so much, that I starting writing articles for my high school newspaper by the time I was a junior in high school. From there I wrote for the Standard-Examiner for the TX section for my senior year. I can guarantee that it wouldn’t have been possible for me to complete all those assignments on top of my school work, if they never would’ve created the writing programs for computers today.

            Second, computers have given us the greatest gateway to any information used for research on any subject, that gateway is called Google. Honestly, Google is the reason why students all over the world can have a resource to complete almost any project. The thought of not being able to cross reference any project without Googling the information is as crazy as making chocolate cookies without chocolate. Luckily two men named Larry Page and Sergey Brin were creative enough to create that now household name, Google.

            Now finally, I appreciate the great job that Robert E. Kahn and Vint Cerf were able to do by making the Internet.  The internet is an ever connecting and forever evolving space to the business and education world. It allows us to access things that can come from your local library or even information stored on the other side of the world. The accessibility that the internet has given me to be able to study whenever and where ever I want, has been an indescribable freedom and convenience, I don’t know what I would do without.

“The goal of education is the advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of truth.” Stated by John F. Kennedy. I believe the advancements that have been made thanks to technology completes John F. Kennedy desires. The list can go on and on but overall the impact that technology has been in my life is limitless. But I can say one thing, the advancements today have set us up for a great chance for educational success tomorrow. 

MODULE 7

CHAPTERS 10-13

BY HUNTER DEVRIES

            It’s funny what competition does to us. It can bring out the most creative and most ingenious ideas, businesses, and cutting edge innovations. Then there is the other side of the coin, it can bring out the most difficult law suits, corrupt business deals, and the ever difficult system malfunctions. In this article I will be focusing on the positives and negatives of the following topics: Globalization, Self-directed consumer, and the competition of comparative advantage.

            Comparative advantage is something I like to call, “First come. First serve.” It is a dog eat, dog world out there and it is constantly changing. So when changes happens, you have one of two choices, either adapt or be yesterday’s news. Now when talking about business you have to recognize that all of this applies. For example, different countries make different consumer products, but it doesn’t mean that specific country will always lead the pack in making that product. China and India are constantly changing the status quo because they have their minds set on being big and better at making certain products. It not only helps other countries step up and create better products but also helps make countries strive to dominate specific fields. The key to being on the top, is staying there through constant effort, creativity, and passion to be number one.

            We as consumers like it easier, faster, and more convenient, or in other words a self-directed consumer.  Self-directed consumers are those that take shopping into their own hands. People who like to be self-driven and take the initiative, and just shop from the convenience of typically their own household. I for one, am a self-directed consumer. I enjoy having the ability to shop within the push of the button. To have the items specifications, reviews, price checks, and then click checkout, all at the tip of my fingertips. I am a big fan of Amazon, it gives me all the tools and information to look at previous purchases, wish list items, and to simply make a purchase online. Thus by creating a comfortable environment to make purchases, the customer continues to feel confident about buying with that company through their website. Well played Amazon, well played.

            The key to any business is working at a worldwide level to better your company, country, or your own business and endeavor to be able to interact and integrate with the other businesses at a global level. This process is called Globalization. By which your target segmentation increases which typically increases your revenue. Now some companies have gotten to that point like McDonald’s, Facebook, or Wal-Mart and they are successfully recognized at a global level. These type of companies are also considered part of Americanization. Which is basically American companies, who influence different countries to buy their products. Some oppose the thought of American companies being successful in different parts of the world, but there is only one answer to that. “It’s nothing personal, just good business.”

            Progression is the key to making a business successful at any level but especially on the global scale. If you don’t adapt you will end up like AOL.com, Blockbuster, or Saturn Car Company. If I learned anything from these chapters it is that dedication to detail and ambition to grow, makes the true advantage to a spinning business world.