New Hire Communication Essay Example for Free

New Hire Communication Essay Welcome to Apple, as a new hire I would like to introduce you to our Company culture and our process. As the new manager at Apple, you’re expected to follow our rules and regulations and train new employees according to the regulations enforced by the company. Company Culture At Apple, we are innovative, futuristic, high-tech, and terminated to reach our business goal of $10,000 sales per week. Our high-tech products are unique from cellphones, laptops, watches, and robo-pets. Our company is unique because we allow our employees to be creative and productive, we give them an opportunity to flourish with the company. Company Process Our Company Process to reach our sales goal of $10,000 per week is to have 90% close ratio. We have the most top selling products for the past three quarters, it’s important that we keep our numbers up and ask our customers what they like about our products and what else would other products that they would be interested in purchasing. Once finalizing a sale the customer is to receive a coupon book of various other products that we sell with the company. All sales are documented in our systems and a second receipt is kept within the register. Company Procedures Depending on the product the customer purchased, at Apple we show the customer how to use their device and to maintain it for a long life span. For instance, if the customer purchases an Iphone we show them how to  operate the device and downloads any apps they may be interested in and show them how to setup their emails, contacts, and etc. We show clients how to search and download apps that help them maintain their lifestyle. We help the client login in to their emails so they have them on hand without the use of a computer. If the customer had another phone we help them retrieve their contacts without the hassle of reentry. The iphone also comes with Siri who helps the user navigate through the phone or any question the researcher may have. Siri can call your contact, research information, and even offer the client a weather update. As our new manager at Apple, you are expected to follow our procedures and regulations and train all new employees to do the same. Our company is innovative and unique we offer our clients the best products available to them and build client relationships for future business with them.

Downloading And Copyright Laws

Downloading And Copyright Laws Illegal downloading also known as file sharing enables people throughout the world to share information such as movies, music and documents. Music artists around the world were losing out on thousands if not millions of dollars worth of profit from CD sales. The biggest offender was the newly software called Napster developed in 1999. In the past decade governments have become more and more involved into combating this form of distribution. This essay looks into how appropriate governments alongside ISPs operate against combating this type of crime. Net neutrality is a major theme, that in my opinion forms a barrier. The constant updating of laws and overwriting of laws has caused an overwhelming amount of confusion, and with the development of ACTA it only causes more confusion. During my research, I have used and referred to internet on many occasions as I felt that this was the most updated form of information on this topic. Books and reports to gain an understanding surrounding technological aspects as well as sociological aspects into this ever-growing problem of copyrighted file sharing. Introduction to Illegal Downloading and Copyright Laws The illegal downloading of copyrighted material is probably one of the most common and easiest things we can do on a computer today. It doesnt take a computer expert to do so. All this was made easier by a program called Napster, which was released before the millennium, by Shawn Fanning, a college student. He had developed a way which would revolutionize the way data was sent across computers systems. It was just about two years ago, where the French government suggested and passed a law stating that the downloading and uploading of copyrighted material would be seen as a criminal offense and that action would be taken. Soon enough, after years of discussion the offenders would receive their warning letters this year. The French government claiming that over 100,000 letters were sent. However as many other journalists believe, this does seem a bit exaggerated and used a scare tactic. This investigation looks at whether it is justified for the French authorities to cut someones internet connection. The law was highly controversial as it affected internet privacy, and it was soon brought to my awareness that it didnt follow the philosophy of the World Wide Web. The idea behind the set up of the World Wide Web, was net neutrality. The ideas are simple. That governments or ISPs should not intervene with any of the content being distributed, and allow free communication between the computer systems. This being said, it doesnt appear to be the case, and governments have become more involved. The origins of copyright law date back to the 16th and 17th century, were different acts were made for printing and pressing. The Licensing Act of 1662 which protected printers against piracy. The breaching of this act, would lead to high fines and possible imprisonment. The first known law of copyright originated in Britain and was primarily there for the protection of literary works. The Fair Use Copyright has derived itself from the Statute of Anne. We move on again to the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, which is an international agreement where governments around the world joined forces to protect intellectual property. The history and development of copyright laws is described in further detail in the History of Illegal Distribution of Copyright Material of this essay. The topic of net neutrality is one of great importance in todays society in the case of authorities becoming involved into the case of potential illegal downloading and uploading. Regulations vary in countries, however the essence of net neutrality should never have changed. To what extent are governments allowed to access our computers or intercept data packages destined for personal computers. The contrast between telephones will be interesting to mention, as telephones require court orders for data to be intercepted from a phone. Isnt this a paradox? ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement) is the new hype surrounding intellectual property. ACTA is a highly secretive treaty between developed countries who are keen on creating even stricter intellectual property laws, and add them into free trade agreements. It is important to note what type of agreement this is. It is not a law, which means it doesnt have to pass parliament. This is an easy way for countries to overcome so many issues surrounding copyright laws. Due ACTAs secrecy, information available is limited and I have attempted to get as much as I can, as I feel that this agreement will bring a lot change to the role of governments in controlling their copyright laws as well as bringing up new ethical issues. With all of this combined, its evident that with recent developments in the world and the way it will affect how we use computer systems, I can follow up on an investigation of the question: To what extent are the responsibilities of governments and ISPs in harmony in the case of copyright laws? Availability of Copyrighted Material As mentioned in my introduction, over the past few years technology has advanced so rapidly, from tape recorders to CDs to portable digital media players. These transitions have brought in different factors along with it, such as different ways of formatting music files and videos, as well as being able to access them on multiple devices. Hence making copyrighted material more vulnerable as it became so easy to transfer. The general public started to see that music, videos and software were becoming free, as computer intellectuals started cracking and hacking this basic form of protection that was implemented on copyrighted material. Napster was set up in June of 1999, and was a massive hit among college students. Rumor has is that over 2 million downloads of Napster occurred in the first 6 months of its launch! Soon enough word reached the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) and various artists and the challenges of this new digital revolution would begin. This social a nd ethical battle still continues today, is it right to download copyrighted material freely? There are so many ways to find and record music, and laws that have been written arent updated enough to keep up with the general level of advancement in technology. The issue of laws not being updated at a faster rate is touched upon in History of Illegal Distribution of Copyright Material. Shawn Corey Carter also known as Jay-Z, one of worlds most successful artists said in an interview with the well respected Forbes Magazine that the record industry had made a mistake and should have embraced the technology and worked with it, rather then going against it. In the past couple of years, the music industry is attempting to embrace this new digital revolution. Since then results have proven that he was correct. In 2004 digital sales had increased by over 940%! In reply to this surge and the increase of downloading, big artists and bands have released free tracks. The arrival of iTunes by Apple would also give more people access to music and within 7 years iTunes sold over 10 billion songs! Steve Jobs described this development as This has been the birth of legal downloading, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said of iTunes when it first launched in 2003. Were going to fight illegal downloading by competing with it. Were not going to sue it. Were not going to ignore it. Were going to compete with it. This is an effective statement is a prime example of where most governments should be at today, however this is not the case. iTunes is a great example of how it can work, as well as other various examples such as Spotify as well as Beatport. In a survey I conducted among twenty individuals asking; If you knew how to download music and videos illegally, would you? 60% of people said Yes. Its been evident that downloading music is a very lucrative market, and this is shown by the as data from the IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) suggests that the combined figures of sixteen countries over a three year period leads to 40 billion illegal downloads! The last few years have been referred to as the digital revolution, however I think we are entering a new age of digital amelioration. History of Illegal Distribution of Copyright Material The distribution of copyrighted material has been a problem since the 17th century and the free content across the World Wide Web has only been a problem for just over a decade. The introduction of Napster in 1999 would be the start of a new era. However the sharing of data had been going on long before Napster. This data was of a different kind, and of a different purpose, yet its philosophy is similar today in the case of To what extent are the responsibilities of governments and ISPs in harmony in the case of copyright laws?. The philosophy of net neutrality is based on freedom of speech, and people operating beyond the jurisdiction of any authority or any countrys authority. Soon after Napster was set up, different methods evolved, such as other P2P software sharing such as Limewire, Kazaa. Torrents have become popular in recent years. A new era was born, and digital media was widely available. During my research I decided to find out how long and how many clicks are needed to find a song using various methods. This table is listed below: Method As can be seen above through my research, the simplicity of dowloading music, is done in less the ten clicks! This also depends upon whether or not you use keyboard shortcuts. The origins of copyright law date back to the 16th and 17th century, where different acts were made for printing and pressing. The Licensing Act of 1662 stating An Act for preventing the frequent Abuses in printing seditious treasonable and unlicensed Bookes and Pamphlets and for regulating of Printing and Printing Presses. Even though these acts and laws existed, printers were given exclusive rights to be able to print a certain document. Religious establishments were keen on getting the bible printed, as it was a way of spreading ideas. The breaching of this act, would lead to high fines and possible imprisonment. The first known law of copyright originated in 1907 in Britain. This was known as the Statute of Anne, it stated An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by vesting the Copies of Printed Books in the Authors or purchasers of such Copies, during the Times therein mentioned. As we can quickly establish, the first instance of copyright law, came from a position of authority, Queen Anne of Britain. During my research it became very apparent that nearly all copyright laws were related to literature work. Over time the laws and statutes have adjusted themselves to certain situations. The Fair Use Copyright has derived itself from the Statute of Anne. It can be compared to freedom of speech. Fair use has never been given limits by its lawmakers. It allows people to make a fair use is any copying of copyrighted material done for a limited and transformative purpose such as to comment upon, criticize or parody a copyrighted work. This law doesnt allow copyright holders to over exaggerate the unlawful use of their work, as well as allowing the public to use the work fairly. The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, is a international agreement which was signed in 1886, and currently has 164 members. This was the first step where governments around the world joined forces to protect intellectual property. The law abolished the requirement to register foreign works and introduced an exclusive right to import or produce translations. It has come to my attention that the issue of controlling the distribution of ideas and copyrighted material has been a social and ethical issue not for the past decade, but in actual fact for approximately three centuries, yet still today governments lack behind and still havent found a solution. The evolution of the World Wide Web has only made this a harder task. Net Neutrality The definition of Net Neutrality is unclear, as there are many different interpretations, fundamentally it means the access to the internet without restrictions. Tim Berners-Lee once said that Net Neutrality is a principle proposed for user access networks participating in the internet that advocates no restrictions by Internet Service Providers and governments on content, sites, platforms, the kinds of equipment that may be attached, and the modes of communication allowed Net neutrality is the reason the internet has become such an important and powerful way of bringing messages across, and has had such an influence on world affairs. A great example is the affect of Wikileaks, and how governments attempt to remove them. The educational value it just as important, as it enables old and young generations to share ideas and learn from each other. In the case of music, it can be argued that their definition for music is very different, and indeed the definition of music is still today a matter of discussion. Record labels obviously feel that it is a source of income. Some people feel that it is a way of expressing emotion. The sharing of music allows inspiration for others to follow, and I think it can be widely agreed on. If people did not have access to as much music as they do, the music industry wouldnt be as alive as it is today. It would appear that copyright laws established by government are actually inhibiting new artists, instead of blossoming t heir growth. ISPs and Governments appear to be receiving pressure from the creative arts industry internationally. This is slightly ironic as it is primarily the music industry that have such issues with the current state of their market. The International Chambers of Commerce states the significant volume of digital and fake products being distributed via the Internet, and the loss of economic development, harm to heath safety, reduced technology transfer, and innovation, the total magnitude of counterfeiting and piracy worldwide is well over US$ 600 billion. France has been the center of government and ISP regulation, as its said to be the number 1 country in illegally accessing movies and music. In 2005 the DADVSI was voted through by both houses of the French Parliament. DAVSI was a proposed law based on reforming the French copyright laws, which forbid the sharing of copyrighted material through P2P networks. This was probably one of the most understood laws implemented. The law has had its fair amount of modifications since its implementation, as well as new laws overwriting the DAVSI law as new technological and social issues kept arising. The example of this is the new controversial HADOPI law, which was implemented after a previous failed attempt in early 2009. After its first year of running, and still uncertainty on what these laws exactly are. The French President Sarkozy, has announced that the HADOPI agency has warned over 100,000. Although experts say that the real figure is approximately 30,000. The ways these warnings are received, touch upon the essence of net neutrality. International Press as well as computer experts have suggested French ISPs have been reluctant to identify and email customers, yet have been forced to do so under government pressure. Our discussion, is to determine the right idea for third parties such as ISPs to get involved for an issue that isnt theirs but that of the record labels. This makes legislation a lot harder, and it requires constant updating. The Chinese government is an example of how a government controls the internet, shutting down sites that could show information which could potential bring vast amounts of criticism from other countries. However the US has criticized this thoroughly, recently there have been government proposals for wire tapping the internet, to allow national security agencies to track and look at your personal computers data through the internet. In the western world, where people are often critical of Eastern policies, we are now moving to similar policies that we criticize to this day. ISPs shouldnt be allowed to packet sniff to investigate our activity. This brings in the whole issue of privacy. There are another few examples which can be shown as why net neutrality should be enforced further. In 2007 Federal Communications Commission advised the US government to vote for the implementation of a law for net neutrality as it is only a morale and not an actual law. -Telephone companies connect phone lines together to allow people to communicate easily, but dont tap them to listen to what is being said. Wire tapping requires judicial warrants, and is seen as a huge privacy matter to tap into someones phone. Where do we cross the line? I believe that is a question that nobody can agree upon, from a political as well as a illegal downloader perspective we would receive biased opinions. The willingness for concessions appears to be 0% from both parties. ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement) ACTA is a plurilateral agreement between 10 countries and the European Union , which is attempting to set out authoritative measures on intellectual property rights. This idea was developed by America and Japan back in 2006 and the first conference was held in 2008, where soon countries New Zealand to Mexico would join. These talks have been held at a very low level, which has raised suspicions from computer experts, and leaked documents have only increased the fears of the effects that this treaty could have to the public. This agreement gives government authorities rights such as: -The right to search through personal computers, when under the suspicion that illegal copyrighted material might be contained inside. (Border Search Possibilities) -Track internet user behavior -The close cooperation between ISPs and copyright holders in removing infringing material. -Network filtering by ISPs (DPI)) These are an example of the problems that face this agreement, even though ACTA allows countries to set up their own punishment. Some of the suggestions put forward to combat the illegal distribution of copyrighted materials are not in line with privacy laws set out by certain governments, or certain international treaties. Which of course, leads to further complications. The Effects of Illegal downloading Internationally Illegal downloading has been on the agenda of international politics for the last couple of years, and it has become a growing problem for governments, and a global interest for youngsters in that same period. The spread of material through the Internet has grown drastically since the introduction of the World Wide Web. According to the University of Minasotta around 675 petabyes per a day of data crosses between computer systems a day, and an approximated 21 exabytes a month. Its estimated that the internets total data is about 500 billion gigabytes of data back in 2009 . Thanks to all the advancement in technology, and new security concerns, the saving of data has been essential. Multimedia has become a big part of daily life, and it is estimated that on average U.S. children spend almost 8 hours a day using media, such as TV and computer. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry(IFPI) it is estimated that over 95% of all music downloads are illegal (2009). However over the last decade, the music industry has had to adapt to the new demands of the consumer. The digital era has also affected the music industry, and companies such Apple Inc. are selling music at an unbelievable rate from their online music store. The big four Universal Music Group (UMG), Electric Musical Industries (EMI), Warner Music Group (WMG) and Sony Music Entertainment, have developed 360 deals where they fund marketing and promotion for an artist. In return the artist will share his profits from concerts and sales with his record label. Big artists such as Robbie Williams and Jay-Z are attached to such contracts. The digital market, and revenues have increased dramatically in this area. (IFPI report). It shows that the music industry is capable of adapting to new circumstances. Yet feels that is it missing revenues. Although this assertion is correct, the nature of the problem has grown to an extent where it is impossible to reverse, and only minimize damage. I believe a distinction must be made between the music industry and artists, some artists choose to post their work for free as that is their way of marketing it. It changes the discussion point which links in with my research question. To what extent has the distribution of copyright affected the music industry. A wide conception is made when thinking of the music industry as a group of multinationals, however I believe that this is a misconception that shows another complexity on the issue of copyright law. The music industry also consists of the small artists that havent achieved fame. Kate Nash provided her music for free on myspace, and eventually her popularity increased and gaining herself a deal. Overall the effects of illegal downloading has caused some change, instead of actually combating the issue. Conclusion I have attempted to show the consequences of illegal downloading, and future problems caused by it. Copyright law, has evolved thoroughly throughout the past century. Yet the development of technology and the introduction of digital media have only increased this evolution to a rate where it is impossible to overcome the impact. This is reflected in the limited range of sources, as the Internet has proved most updated. When Napster started the idea wasnt embraced but attacked upon, which I believe was a very fundamental error as they could have used this type of technology to their advantage. The music industry has seen a new way of spreading their product and this has shown as from 2004 to 2009 there was a 940% increase in digital sales! Ironically in the same source its stated that in P2P sharing (largest piracy method) 76% actually spend money on music, yet still claim that the net effect is still negative. The development of Copyleft and Creative commons is in my opinion the future. The music industry is like any industry, they have their cycles. It is unfortunate that file sharing was easily dismissed between computer systems. As for ISPs becoming involved, it really relies on governments and in a recent report by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) ¸ they stated The music industry and other creative sectors around the world are seeking to engage ISPs in curbing digital piracy on their networks. In most countries, this requires help from governments in establishing a consistent and effective response from the entire ISP communityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..IFPI first called for ISPs to cooperate in a graduated response system in 2005. Five years later, voluntary means have largely failed to progress. This failed progress is evident from the reluctant ISPs to forward information, as they feel that they are betraying the privacy of their clients. A majority of governments around the world have set themselves a major task, reforming the way digital media is distributed. The development of ACTA has only made the combination of copyright law, intellectual property law and international treaties a immensely and unimaginably complex process. The laws and treaties to overwrite and conflict each other, and complicate the process of reform further. Reviewing the laws and treaties in different countries, just makes me think what on earth are governments attempting to do. Governments are attempting to work in harmony with copyright laws, yet ISPs are becoming increasingly resilient to co-operating with governments but have no choice as laws have been designed which require information about customers to be shared. Another question that arises is to what extent will these measures go, in the Net Neutrality part of this essay. If the government succeeds in forcing ISPs or enabling co-operation between the two. How far will this go with other means of communication? Privacy will be a major social issue. The defending of net neutrality will be difficult as it is a principle and nothing more. Yet it still maintains a status of etiquette among society which is now slowly being broken. The ability of hackers is a force to be reckoned with, they always appear to be one step ahead. Governments and ISPs will always be behind no matter what situation they find themselves in. This is a big social and ethical issue plaguing the World Wide Web. Steve Jobs set an example that many governments must follow, and its too late too combat, so the only way is too compete. The question here is, what will it take to compete? Many lawyers, computer science experts, music businesses and governments have spent years attempting to solve this issue, but to what extent it will ever be gone for good, will be hard. As a concluding statement, I

Software Piracy From An Islamic Perspective Information Technology Essay

Software Piracy From An Islamic Perspective Information Technology Essay Software piracy is considered to be unethical as such act may hugely affect the right of ones ownership towards his/her products and piece of works. However, statistics (refer:http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_sof_pir_rat-crime-software-piracy-rate) indicate that the rate of software piracy is high especially among the developing nations, in which majority of them are Muslims. In fact, this problem seems to have no ending point despite all the efforts and initiatives done either at the individual, group, national or international levels. Discuss this critical issue of software piracy in the light of Islamic point of view on ethics and ownership. Everywhere in the face of this earth, the issue of using pirated software is widely talked and discussed by people. However, do people really understand and know what is the meaning of software piracy, the copyright infringement of software (often referred to as software piracy) refers to several practices which involve the unauthorized copying of computer software. Copyright infringement of this kind is extremely common. Most countries have copyright laws which apply to software, but the degree of enforcement varies  [1]  . There are several reasons not to use pirated or pirate software. Firstly, it is illegal and there is liability on your part. Its risky. If the software is from an unauthorized source, you could be getting a program that is not fully functional. Secondly, there wont be another version of the software if there is no revenue to put back into research and development. This revenue has made the product affordable to legitimate users. Thirdly, it is totally not eth ical. Or we like to say doing the right thing when no one is looking. Ask yourself how you would feel if your lifes work went without compensation? Start now and be an ethical professional.  [2]   Software piracy refers to the act of copying different computer software without having to pay for them. This is a form of stealing intellectual property. Intellectual property and copyright fall under the same area which declared that copyright provides legal rights exclusively given for a definite periods to the creators of an intellectual work, e.g. literary works (anything in writing), artistic works (drawings, maps, plans etc), musical works, films, sound recordings, computer programs (source and object code) for sale or any other use. It is, in principle, not concerned with things that are not perceivable, such as abstract ideas, concept, and the like. Copyright protection begins when works are actually created and fixed in a tangible form. the emerging digital technology, increasing use of computers, communication technology and their convergence into an integrated information technology, have given rise to challenging legal issues for copyright and many mire are expected in t he future, the ease of distribution, altering digital information and proliferation of computer networking, raise concerns about copyright. Copyright was designed for three basic reasons: to reward creators for their original works: to encourage availability of the works to the public; and to facilitate access and use of copyrighted works by their public in certain circumstances.  [3]   As mentioned before, software piracy is illegal. Sarcastically, many who are practicing and involving in pirate software are fully aware of the legalities, though they are able to reduce continuing the practice. Some think about the only solution that works without splurging too much money on purchasing the product. Around the world, authorities are already enlisted and stated the laws regarding software piracy, these are some of them:  [4]   Counterfeit Copies Producing counterfeit copies and selling them to other consumers is a grave offense. There are different punishments in different countries but all are in agreement that making money off of someone elses intellectual property is an offense. This includes making copies of different software, such as games, video games and other software that is used for the computer. Distributing Counterfeit Copies Creating counterfeit copies and giving them away is also a form of piracy. Even if the person does not charge anything for these copies, it is considered an offense as the person is not the owner of the copyright or does not have the consent of the copyright owner to distribute the copies. This is one of the most rampant piracy practices that the anti-piracy association is trying to fight. Selling Computers with Pre-installed Pirated Software Although the item for sale here is the computer, this is considered an offense as the computer for sale is loaded with different pirated programs. This act is also known as hard disk loading. This is considered an offense because the consumer who will buy the computer does not receive the copy of the original program and the other items included with it, including the CDs or license agreements. Online Sharing Sharing of software online is prohibited. Freeware and shareware programs are the only programs that can be distributed online. Other software is not allowed to be shared with other people over the Internet. This also includes piracy music. The Internet can be used as a means of transmitting illegal software to different people around the world. This is the case for plenty of copyright software. Shareware with No License Although shareware can be legally distributed over the Internet, it becomes illegal when the license for use has already expired. This works for software that can be downloaded for a free trial. Using this software after the free trial has expired is considered software piracy. Software licensing must be acquired before these shareware programs can be shared with anyone else. Islam is supposed to be a complete way of life. A Muslim is bound by Islamic rules and hence is obliged to follow the instructions as prescribed in the Quran and Hadiths. Islam is a religion based upon the surrender to God (Allah). The very name of the religion, al-Islam in Arabic, means submission and peace, for it is in submitting to Gods will that human beings gain peace in their lives in this world and in the hereafter. Islam is considered to be a comprehensive religion and its ethical system is considered to be one of the major ethical systems. Owing to the importance of establishing an ethical system in the field of IT, especially at our present time which is witnessing an ever increasing ethical problems, several specialist organizations have prepared codes of ethics to be complied with by members of those organizations.  [5]   The main agendas which can be recognized to ethics in relation to information technology can be tied down to hacking, privacy, software piracy and IT personnel work ethics. By taking into deeper look, we begin to realize that ethics and information technology involve more issues which on the whole are just as worst. These are some issues related: Computer professionals responsibilities towards their employers and their clients; Proper documentation of software by designers and developers; Proper testing of software by designers and developers; Handover of systems to clients; Designers and developers leaving a computer project mid-stream; Providing maximum security of software to clients; Computer professionals honoring the proprietary issues relating to the algorithms, procedures and data; Computer professionals working towards accurate systems with the aim of Complete data integrity; and Computer professionals involvement in developing systems aimed at unethical ends. In defining the concept of harm that can be done by an IT professional or just normal people and civilians, harm can be defined as the undesired effects to individuals or organizations resulting from any task or system (software) used. In order to avoid the harm Allah has warned us to be honest and trustworthy through his word of wisdom which is Al-Quran in Surah 13, Ayah 119: O ye who believe! Fear Allah and be with those who are truthful. And Prophet Muhammad (saw) has said: The trader must avoid five qualities, otherwise he should not buy or sell: Usury, swearing by God that the merchandise is good, withholding the defect, commending (the commodity) when selling and belittling (it) when he is buying (Tahtheeb al-Ahkam Ch. 7).  [6]   The verses above clearly emphasize the importance of telling the truth and how God perceives those who tell the truth and how they are rewarded. The first verse encourages people to be in the group of those who are honest and only tell the truth whilst the second verse portrays the great reward of those who were truthful on earth. Suggest potential solutions to at least minimize the act of software piracy among these societies. Before we can move on to the deeper solutions, why not we discover what the real are cause the occurrence of software piracy. Causes of piracy and counterfeiting may include rising cost of original software, making them unaffordable to a large segment of the population, advances in technology (tools for reproduction of copyright product) making piracy an easy task, low starting cost for pirating, absence or lack of enforcing copyright laws, huge profits can be made easily by pirates and weak deterrent (fines and prison sentences are minimal). The literature suggests that many factors explain the software piracy phenomena. These factors are grouped into four categories: first is an economic factor; suggest that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita is inversely related to software piracy level. Given the decrease in software prices, it may be that a countrys GDP has a less effect on piracy than it did some years ago. Second is ethnical factors; software piracy is assumed to be more prevalent in nations with a weak IT infrastructure since the quality of available software is lower. Thus, people often copy and work with pirated software. The problem is compounded as software revisions occur. While the need to remain competitive through upgrades is important, it is worthwhile only when affordable. Thirdly is regulatory factors; developing countries may unintentionally encourage software piracy by imposing high tariffs, hence increasing the cost of software. It is also believed that lack of penalties for buying pirated softw are are also reasons for piracy growth. And lastly social/cultural factors; these factors refer to the prevailing social and cultural attitudes shared by members of a society. Many studies have indicated that the culture factor influences a countrys software piracy rate.  [7]   Getting through with the causes, the disadvantages are seen to come along due to lack of public awareness of in third world countries. There is probably the lost revenue to the companies and countries involved, the increased prices by software companies to compensate for losses, lost jobs wherever software companies have plants, lost domestic and foreign investments, lost trust in the ability of some countries to protect intellectual property, immoral activity condemned by all religions, illegal activity leading to prosecution and increased international pressure at the economic, financial, Political level. According to Robert Hollyman, BSA president and chief executive officer, software piracy robs the global economy of hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in wages and tax revenues.  [8]   Given the situation of software piracy in campus since it is a small community yet has quite big of potential software piracy practice. Software piracy on college campuses may be generally divided into two categories. The first occurs when the institution itself is violating copyright law. This results when installations of software programs are in excess of the terms stated in the licensing agreement or under law. For example, software that is licensed for use on a single machine is installed on many computers or on a network server, allowing unlimited access. Oftentimes, the school is unaware of the problem as a result of poor or no software management. In other instances the school simply cannot afford to buy software and chooses to risk the infringements. Students more commonly conduct the second type of piracy. In this scenario the piracy often takes place on the Internet where students trade or simply give away software programs as one would trade. If the students are using the schools network or computers to facilitate their illegal activity, the college itself may be held liable. All members of the campus community can take steps to prevent such illegal activity and minimize misuse of computer resources. It is important to promote an understanding of the law and to ensure that specific procedures and protocols are implemented to establish a foundation on which illegal activity may be prevented.  [9]   Discussing these two issues, there are five solutions offered to enable schools to be software legal: Appoint a software manager. Create and implement a computer usage policy, including software and Internet access. Conduct periodic software audits. Establish and maintain a software log of licenses and registration materials. Teach and promote awareness of software compliance. It is stated above that in the case of school, college or university software piracy where some solutions are proposed but, generally these are some more solutions and tips to prevent or lessen the software piracy. The first tip is by applying the code key For the past 5 to 7 years, software developers have devised a plan to lessen or prevent software piracy. This is by using a code key. A code key comes with the software that you buy. Before fully installing the software on your computer, you must provide the specific code key that came with the software. After providing the code key, you can run the software on your computer. The code key also locks after it has been used. This is so that the software cannot be installed on other computers after it has been installed on one. You will have to call the manufacturer of the software to be able to use the code key again. This is not good news to people who pirate software. Secondly is the introduction of open source; described as free software that anyone can download from the Internet. A lot of different software can are licensed as open source. Open source software is under the license free software license. There are also different upgrades for these open source software that can also be freely downloaded from the Internet. By using open source software, people dont need to worry about spending a lot of money for original copies of software. This will also lessen the number of people who are using pirated software as there are alternative programs that can be used and they do not have to pay fines when they are caught. Third is the hardware key; a hardware key is a device that is used for anti-piracy. This tool prevents software vendors to distribute their products or use them without authorization from the copyright owner of the software. The hardware key works when it is attached to a computer. It monitors software licensing and enforces licensing of the protected software that is detected on the computer. This tool will lessen software vendors from illegally distributing the software that they have and is a good prevention measure for piracy. And lastly is anti-piracy software; there are different types of anti-piracy software that are available for free. Anti-piracy software is used to prevent illegal duplication or illegal use of copyrighted software. There is also an anti-piracy software that prevents hackers from getting into the software and copying it without consent from the copyright owner. Some of them are also already integrated on the disks of the software that contains the program. This may also be for piracy music. The anti-piracy association is also looking for other ways to prevent software piracy. Reporting anti-piracy may prevent it from happening.  [10]   These are some of the measures that have been implemented or created to stop and prevent software piracy. With the improvement of technology, there are a lot of things people can use to bypass these piracy measures but there are always new and effective things to use against piracy. The issue of software piracy seems to remain a permanent feature of the marketplace. It is a problem that will not go away, but it can be controlled or curbed to reduce its negative effect on the companies and countries involved. There are some measures that can be taken to reduce piracy acts and the losses associated with them. Piracy is not going to be eliminated or eradicated from the world, but it sure can be curbed and reduced to its minimum activities with the cooperation of the developed and the developing countries in taking these drastic measures to make the world a better place to live.

Child Labor :: essays research papers

Christopher Hibbert’s The English: A Social History, 1066-1945, harshly reflects child labor. The author uses graphic details to portray the horrible work environment that the children, sometimes as young as four and five, were forced to work in. Hibbert discusses in much detail the conditions the children work in, the way they are mistreated, and what was done to prevent child labor.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The children work in various conditions, suffering numerous injuries. In boot factories, children are forced to sit so close together that they poke each other with needles: â€Å"many have lost an eye in this way† (595). The children work â€Å"unreasonably long hours† (595). Chimney sweepers in particular work long hours, starting at about four a.m. and working for twelve hours. These chimney sweepers sleep in bags of soot, wrapping themselves in the bags and straw. They are subjected to suffocating steam, heat, flying hot metal, and the â€Å"unhealthiest kind of grinding known† (595). Those who are employed in mills endure lung problems, scrofula, mesenteric diseases and asthma.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Taking into consideration the conditions these children work in, they are obviously mistreated. They are not washed, fed or clothed, resulting in malnutrition and children â€Å"clad in rags† (597). Employers even use mistreatment to teach the children how to do their jobs. Hibbert describes that â€Å"you can’t be soft with them, you must use violence† (595). Chimney sweepers can sometimes go â€Å"fifteen months without being washed except the rain† (595), wearing the same shirt until it is worn thin. To harden the flesh of the sweepers, their elbows and knees are rubbed profusely with the strongest brine, leaving their limbs â€Å"streaming with blood† (596). Workers sometimes found themselves caught in a machine, crushed by a machine, or swung by a machine. They suffered multiple injuries that were always ignored, most of the time consequently becoming fatal. The workers were not only subjected to poor working conditions, but being mistreated within them. It wasn’t for long after laws were made that treatment of children laborers improved.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many felt strongly opposed to child labor but assumed nothing could be done. However, working conditions slowly but surely improved. Their diets became better. It became illegal to employ children in certain circumstances. Laws were passed so children were not working such long hours. They were even given off for holidays.

Beauty of God and the Holy Cross Essay -- essays research papers

Suppose that you were standing by a beach at sunset and you become deeply moved and utter the words, "This is beautiful, this is glorious." You are ultimately pleased by a feeling that we as a culture refer to this response as, beauty. A feeling that possesses an enormous power to touch us deeply while holding a tremendous potential to grip and transform us. For beauty stirs and satisfies our deepest longings as well as attracting us, provoking our adoration, and inviting us to adorn ourselves with its luster. Indeed, our society naturally celebrates beauty automatically through experiences that arouse affections for that which we find attractive. But what is it that poses us to allow us to obtain such a feeling? The reason for this, I think, is that there is in every person a God given sense that beauty must have meaning that is larger and more enduring than short felt satisfaction. That this urge for ultimate meaning is evidence of God’s creation of beauty. Therefore, if God has created all things and has given everything its form and its purpose, then I define beauty as a relation to God. For to know God is know beauty, to know beauty is to know God. Just as God is the source of all truth and goodness, God is also the source of all beauty. God is the Supreme Artist – the Creator of all. Thus, everything that is beautiful reflects God’s artistry. The Church Father, Hilary of Poitiers, wrote: â€Å"Surely the author of all created beauty must himself be the beauty in all beauty.† -2- Born and raised a strong Catholic, I feel God’s presence in my everyday life and I am blessed to be encompassed with this company. His power in my life allows me to unquestionably declare him as the sole individual who most ... ...s ago has opened the path to eternal life for all who believe in him. In every human sole there is a place where we yearn for beauty’s power and presence. We need beauty. We need to be overwhelmed by it and drawn into its inexplicability that arouses our desire and captivates our affections. For I believe that we all want to be moved by some rare glimpse of greatness. We long for a vision of nirvana, something that endures our soul and bring peace to our hearts. I am persuaded that the reason it is there is because God is the ultimately beautiful one and he made us to long for himself. And we can know that our desires are remnants of this urge for God because everything less than God leaves us unsatisfied. Only one vision will be sufficient for our avid hearts, the glory of God. For that we have been made, and it is for this we long, whether we know it or not. Beauty of God and the Holy Cross Essay -- essays research papers Suppose that you were standing by a beach at sunset and you become deeply moved and utter the words, "This is beautiful, this is glorious." You are ultimately pleased by a feeling that we as a culture refer to this response as, beauty. A feeling that possesses an enormous power to touch us deeply while holding a tremendous potential to grip and transform us. For beauty stirs and satisfies our deepest longings as well as attracting us, provoking our adoration, and inviting us to adorn ourselves with its luster. Indeed, our society naturally celebrates beauty automatically through experiences that arouse affections for that which we find attractive. But what is it that poses us to allow us to obtain such a feeling? The reason for this, I think, is that there is in every person a God given sense that beauty must have meaning that is larger and more enduring than short felt satisfaction. That this urge for ultimate meaning is evidence of God’s creation of beauty. Therefore, if God has created all things and has given everything its form and its purpose, then I define beauty as a relation to God. For to know God is know beauty, to know beauty is to know God. Just as God is the source of all truth and goodness, God is also the source of all beauty. God is the Supreme Artist – the Creator of all. Thus, everything that is beautiful reflects God’s artistry. The Church Father, Hilary of Poitiers, wrote: â€Å"Surely the author of all created beauty must himself be the beauty in all beauty.† -2- Born and raised a strong Catholic, I feel God’s presence in my everyday life and I am blessed to be encompassed with this company. His power in my life allows me to unquestionably declare him as the sole individual who most ... ...s ago has opened the path to eternal life for all who believe in him. In every human sole there is a place where we yearn for beauty’s power and presence. We need beauty. We need to be overwhelmed by it and drawn into its inexplicability that arouses our desire and captivates our affections. For I believe that we all want to be moved by some rare glimpse of greatness. We long for a vision of nirvana, something that endures our soul and bring peace to our hearts. I am persuaded that the reason it is there is because God is the ultimately beautiful one and he made us to long for himself. And we can know that our desires are remnants of this urge for God because everything less than God leaves us unsatisfied. Only one vision will be sufficient for our avid hearts, the glory of God. For that we have been made, and it is for this we long, whether we know it or not.

Company Evaluation Essay

A: Evaluation: Company Q is a small grocery store chain working on being profitable in a large city. Company Q had a couple of stores that were not profitable and were in an area rated for higher crime, so they chose to close these two stores. The social responsibility choice by Company Q was abatement, choosing to remove the stores from the negative environment (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2008). Company Q has by request, been offering high margin items, specifically organic products which are considered a health conscious choice for customers concerned with the environment. These items have to be fresh and being perishable after being displayed for the day result in discarding or wasting by throwing the food away, which is of concern to the community. The community has a food bank which asked for donations of this organic food hoping to help those in need, but Company Q turned them down and showed no real interest in helping the community with the excuse for concern over possible fraud or empl oyees stealing the food that was claimed to be for donation. The social responsibility for helping those in need is being avoided by Company Q simply because they claim concern over fraud by employees. This choice by Company Q may give them a negative reputation for the community (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2008). Job seekers may not want to work for Company Q if they see it as not being socially responsible and the possibility of being stereotyped as a possible thief just because you work for Company Q. The employees may have lower morale because of the negative reputation and disgust towards management for the lack of trust as an excuse for being socially irresponsible towards those in need. This choice may also cause a drop in current shoppers and a choice by possible new shoppers to choose to shop elsewhere. Recommendations: 1. Regarding the stores that were closed in the higher crime rate section of the city due to loss in revenue, the employees and customers or primary stakeholders would be negatively affected. These individuals might not be able to find employment elsewhere and the customers may not be able to travel to another store to remain satisfied customers. This likely being  the case, Company Q has a social responsibility to improve this situation. They can reopen the stores, hire security employees, and install security cameras to discourage the theft problem. This will restore the positive attitude with the employees and customers. This will restore relations with the community and the suppliers. 2. Company Q by request has made a good choice to offer the health foods, though they are high margin products. However, the customers have been asking for years for healthy foods, so the responsibility of Company Q remains that they should sell much more in the health food line. They should choose to sell as much of the lower priced items in the health food line as possible. The community wants the healthy food and it is an important step for Company Q to care about the health of the community as well. Taking care of the community from a healthy standpoint is an important social responsibility that reaches out to the health and mental attitudes of all those who chose to take advantage of a healthy diet. The next step is to choose an ethical way to give back to the community as a social responsibility for the unsold perishable items. To relieve the concern of employee bad behavior, Company Q could draw up an agreement with the local food bank such that they would have to pick up the day-old products and sign a check sheet list of items that were accepted on the given day date. This would create accountability by the food bank personnel and eliminate the possibility for employee theft. It also would yield a positive attitude in the community for Company Q and possibly increase their bottom line making it attractive to shareholders. 3. Company Q has a responsibility to their employees to restore relations with them, as well. Company Q might explore the possibility of donating their time through volunteerism with employees who are willing to sign up for a given number of hours per week at the food bank. Therefore, Company Q would be showing their concern for the community and persons who are less fortunate. This will restore employee trust to know that they work for a company who is socially responsible by giving back to the community and employees would appreciate the opportunity to participate in a volunteer outreach to the food bank. These changes would improve the employee morale. This will get some recognition by the community and likely, some of the secondary stakeholders including media may want to air Company Q on TV relating the donation to the food bank of the day-old food and may film the  employees donating their time to the food bank. This could help Company Q with their interest in the community and shareholders by possibly making their stock go up and increase their sales in all of their stores. References Ferrell, O., Fraedrich, J., & Ferrell, L. (2008). An Overview of Business Ethics; Ethical Issues and The Institutionalization of Business Ethics. In O. Ferrell, J. Fraedrich, & L. Ferrell, Business Ethics Ethical Decision Making and Cases (pp. 4-85). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Othello: a noble character who loses but ultimately regains our sympathy Essay

Othello is most definitely an imperial character who gets assassinated by his â€Å"trusting friend† Iago. We see his nobility from the beginning, Othello is being accused of all sorts of things, still he doesn’t hide and wants to clarify the situation and even lets his wife speak for herself; he continues to prove that he is a right and just character when he is put into the position of breaking the rules to help his friend or to do what is right, which means he had to fire his own friend. From here on Othello’s behaviour is utterly despicable. However I an abundance of sympathy for him, as we know Iago’s plan however Othello can’t help but lose his peace of mind and his personality completely changes. This leaves me with deep sympathy for his human nature of getting jealous so easily. He treats Desdemona appalling and rules over without giving her an opportunity to prove herself; Othellos behaviour is reprehensible and crashes to a new low when he strikes his wife, calls her a whore and goes to the extreme of killing her. Here I have a small amount of sympathy as he is being tortured by Iago. At the end he realises what he has done and tries to redeem himself by doing the noble thing and killing himself as well. However I have no sympathy for him at this point he should have never let it come this far, he had the ability to stop it. In the opening act we immediately see the racism towards Othello. Iago proclaims to Desdemona’s father Brabantio â€Å"even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe†. Brabantio is outraged by this proclamation and doesn’t believe his daughter would be capable of such betrayal. Iago adds â€Å"You’ll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse; you’ll have nephews neigh to you† and the final comment that pushes Brabantio to go in search of Othello â€Å"your daughter and the Moor are now making the beasts with two backs†. I have great compassion for Othello as in the first act without yet meeting him, we are led to believe that he is some animal that has put Desdemona under â€Å"spells and medicines bought of mountebanks† When Brabantio confronts Othello, his nobility shines through . Othello shows us that he is brave and calm. Othello doesn’t run away, he stands up for himself and refuses to fight without good reason â€Å"Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them.† Othello is definitely respectful and could almost be called a feminist. Instead of  speaking on behalf of Desdemona he â€Å"send(s) for the lady to the Sagittary, and let her speak of me before her father† In Shakespearian times was an unheard of thing to do yet it was incredibly noble and respectful. Othello continues to be a model character when he chooses to do the right thing over choosing what is easy. Othello was faced with the decision to fire his close friend Cassio. He values his reputation and if he was to over look Cassio’s mistake, Othello’s professionalism would be questioned. â€Å"Cassio, I love thee; but never more be officer of mine.† I have deep sympathy for him at this point as we, the audience, know that this is all part of Iagos wretched plan to ruin Othellos life. Othello is clueless as to what â€Å"honest Iago† has in store for him. It is not until the temptation scene until Othello’s nobility immediately gives way. At this point, Iago has a heist on Othellos life. Othello has lost the ability to sleep; his peace of mind is ruined along with his nobility and his confidence in his own opinions and beliefs. As I mentioned already, Othello used to treat Desdemona with the upmost of respect and dignity, however Othellos kind and gentle personality have been drastically altered. Othello no longer gives Desdemona the opportunity to defend herself. In fact she is so clueless and confused, she doesn’t know why her loving husband has taken such a turn, she then blames his erratic behaviour on work stress saying â€Å"something sure of state†¦. hath puddled his clear spirit† Othello also calls Desdemona a â€Å"whore† when he asks â€Å"Are you not a strumpet?† I must admit I have a bit of sympathy for Othello here because he is not in his proper state of mind. However he strikes her in front of her friend and family â€Å"I (Desdemona) never gave him cause† She is in disbelief that her husband would be capable of such a thing. After this I have absolutely no sympathy for him; it is completely unacceptable to hit a woman, regardless of the circumstance. In the final scene Othello crashes to an all time low. Othello stands over his sleeping wife, preparing to kill her. Desdemona attempts to plead with Othello â€Å"And have you mercy too! I never did offend you in my life†. She asserts her innocence, but Othello smothers her. Again, I have no compassion for this act whatsoever. Desdemona did not deserve to die â€Å"a guiltless death†. After realisin the truth, Othello is crushed â€Å"Are there no stones in heaven but what serve for the thun  der? Precious villain!†. Othello then makes a speech about how he would like to be remembered, and begs for punishment, he pleads â€Å"Wash me in steep-down  gulfs of liquid fire!† He then does the somewhat noble thing and kills himself with a sword he had hidden â€Å"Killing myself to die upon a kiss.† It is clear to be seen that Othello is a noble character however Iago does everything he could possibly do to ruin Othello’s marriage, career and ultimately his life, which conclusively deteriorated his nobility as the play developed. I feel that he did not regain my sympathy as I feel that he took the easy way out by killing himself. Even though he was severely manipulated by Iago, the way he dealt with the situation was too harsh and if he kept a level head and addressed the issue differently, so many lives could have been saved.