Assignment #6

1. Many games that children used to play on boards with dice, cards and plastic pieces are now available as computer games . Is this an example of unnecessary use of the new technology just because it is there? Describe some advantages and disadvantages of replacing a board game by computer version.

Answer:

Technology has been an effective tool in providing entertainment especially now that more and more features are being discovered to enhance it. Varieties of games being employed to computer technology had captured the attention of many. There are even computer games that got their origin in a real human-to-human interaction.
The deployment to computer of games which are originally played with a real human opponent, as with games on dice, cards and plastic pieces had changed the trend on playing these traditional games. I believe that this deployment is an example of unnecessary use of the technology just because it is there. Since in computer you are playing with the computer itself, you are isolated from the crowd of real people or players thus it prevent social interaction. Also since computer games are made in a pattern of codes, after a long time of playing, the game will be so predictable that the level of excitement will diminish. Other than the two disadvantages mentioned, another disadvantage is that playing computer games is not economical nor practical. On the other hand, computer games also got some good points. You can play anywhere you want as long as there is a computer at your own convenient time. You don't have to look or even wait for an opponent or other players to start the game, thus you are saving time.


2. Suppose an employee uses computer time, services and storage on an employer's computer for the employee's own business. Can you consider such action as a theft? Why or why not?

Answer:

As an employee, there is a difference between you and your employer's access and use of resources. He/She can use /access resources more than you can and as an ethical employee you should live or work by the ethical rules. Using computer time, services and storage on employer's computer for your own personal gain is an act of theft for me. I believe that theft doesn't refer only to money stolen but to things that negatively affects the person from whom those things were stolen. It could be in any form and using computer time, service and storage of employer's computer is already a way of stealing. The time, service and storage you used for your own gain could have been used exclusively for your job and could have maximized the productivity and profit of your company or employer and will definitely benefit you as well. I f the employer pays you right, then it is not morally and ethically accepted for you not to work and use the resources right.

Assignment5

Intellectual Property Rights

Question 1

Your uncle owns a sandwhich shop. He asks you to write an inventory program for him. You are glad to help him and do not charge for the program. The program works pretty well, and you discover later that your uncle has given copies to several friends who also operate small food shops. Do you believe you should be paid for copies?

Answer:

Given that situation, I believe I should have been paid for the copies given to other shop owners. Excluding the original program I gave willingly to my uncle, I deserve a payment from those who copied copied my program for my effort, time and skill in making the system. Though it is possible that my uncle assumed that the program is for free, that assumption is only true to him and not to other shop owners. The payment that should have been given to me could be in the form of money but necessarily. It acceptably be in the form of respect and acknowledgment. My uncle and those who copied the program could have at least informed me first and asked permission from me on copying the program and should have not simply invited themselves and copy my program.


Question 2

Read articles by Esther Dyson and Lance Rose from Wired (http://www.wired.com/wired.archive/3.07/dyson/html and http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/3.02/rose.if.html). Write a short essay telling which author's view about the future of intellectual property in "digital age" are more convincing to you and why.

Answer:

Reading the article of both Esther Dyson and Lance Rose, the idea and concept of Esther Dyson about the future of intellectual property in digital age convinced me more than the view of Lance Rose did.
I agree with Esther Dyson's view that gradually the contents in the Net will become free of charge and that IT companies will make money not out of the content itself but out of the follow-up products and services to the free product initially released . Other than that, her ideas about the business strategies on the Net holds true to the present state of e-commerce. Even software developers today tend to follow the trend of giving out their softwares and yet they still make some profit out of it. Big profit actually.
Esther Dyson seems to imply also that information security in the Net cost high and even higher in the near future. Complete confidentiality, copyrights and intellectual property will take so much time, money and effort to implement and maintain and on which I agree.