1. What are some benefits of joining (IT) professional organizations? What might be some disadvantages? In your discussions mention at least three (3) local or regional, two (2) national, and five (5) international IT professional organizations including their brief profile.
answer: Professional organizations allow for a congregation of intelligent, like-minded professionals that are immersed in the inner workings of the industry to gather and provide participants with access to a variety of opinions and ideas.
Disadvantage would be if you are put on the wrong organization thus, making your skills stagnant.
LOCAL/ REGIONAL:
AFTERFIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Afterfive is a solutions provider based in Davao City, Philippines. It offers services such as the design and integration of local and wide area networks, configuration of network services (firewall, email, voip, thin clients, etc. ), software programming, and web development specializing in Plone. Afterfive also conducts trainings on various Free/ Open Source Software for end users and developers.
ICT DAVAO INC. (PHILIPPINES )
ICT Davao Incorporated, also known as ICT Davao and IDI, is the umbrella organization of all information and communication technology groups hosted by Davao City. Like many multi-stakeholder organizations, ICT Davao has evolved a history of its own. With the assistance of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the ICT Council of Davao was born in 2002 to champion the needs of the industry. It adopted its new name ICT Davao in 2006 and has revitalized its membership which now includes the ICT educational and technical training institutions, the sub-sector association of various IT-enabled and BPO services such as contact centers, transcription providers, FOSS users, IT software and hardware vendors, i-Café operators and inventors.
DABAWEGNU, INC. (PHILIPPINES )
DabaweGNU, Inc., is a non-stock, non-profit organization registered with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission on December 5, 2003. Its primary aim is to provide its members a venue for technical growth in "Free/Open Source Software" (FOSS) technologies and to advocate the use of this technology to the rest of the community.
NATIONAL:
1. CYBERPRESS
CyberPress, also known as the IT Journalists Association of the Philippines, is the pioneering organization of IT writers in the country established in 1996.
The Information Technology Journalists Association of the Philippines or CyberPress saw its official birth in mid-1996 with then- President Fidel Ramos inducting in Malacanang the Charter members and officers led by founding president Sam Jacoba.
2. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES (ITAP)
The Information Technology Association of the Philippines (ITAP) is a private, independent and non-profit association formed in 1984 primarily to promote the interest of its members, who are leading product and service providers of Information and Communication Technology.
ITAP has established guidelines for the standardization of the accreditation of IT professionals. They help provide the best job opportunities available to IT practitioners by participating in job fairs. Their skills training helps the employee upgrade and make the Filipino IT professional more competitive globally.
INTERNATIONAL:
ASSOCIATION FOR COMPUTING MACHINERY (ACM)
ACM serves more than 75,000 computing professionals in more than 100 countries, with special interest groups (SIGs) on topics ranging from computer architecture to e-commerce. SIGs often sponsor conferences and produce e-newsletters.
ASSOCIATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONALS (AITP)
With local chapters everywhere from Birmingham to Milwaukee, AITP helps IT executives, academics and students expand their industry knowledge and connect with peers.
ASSOCIATION OF SHAREWARE PROFESSIONALS (ASP)
For software developers creating products for use on a "try-before-you-buy" basis, ASP offers members-only newsgroups, help with development and marketing, and ways to connect with shareware brethren.
ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN IN COMPUTING (AWC)
AWC emphasizes professional growth through networking and career-oriented events, all in an effort to advance the role of women in computing. Local chapters offer guest speakers, technical and motivational seminars, and educational programs.
COMPUTER PROFESSIONALS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CPSR)
CPSR is an alliance of computer scientists concerned with technology's impact on society. The group provides politicians and the public with assessments of the "power, promise and limitations" of computer technology.
2. Should an IT Professional either be licensed or certified? Why or why not?
answer: I think he/she must have a certificate because this will prove his capability and creditability in his/her field. Certificate is important followed by experience, so I consider the certificate as a plus factor.
3. As an IT graduating students of the College, what Certification or Licensing you are aiming for? Why?
answer: I’m aiming for a certificate in Microsoft if possible. It will be an honor having that certificate because it a big name in IT world. I might as well include the certificate from SunMicrosystem.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
Google in China: My Point of View
More to the Point
Google and Skype
By DR. FLORANGEL ROSARIO BRAID
January 26, 2010, 4:29pm
Google's recent decision to withdraw from China on account of what is described as continuing “Chinese cyberoppression” was received by “netizens” all over the world as a positive development. Columnist Nicolas Kristof of International Herald Tribune hailed it, saying that Google had shown spine. This was prompted by China’s hacking of Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists. In fact, there is speculation that the assault on the computers of the Dalai Lama, and foreign embassies which extended to more than 100 countries all over the world was started by China or havens where it had control. In the beginning, Google tried to cooperate with its Chinese partners by censoring search results. But finally, it said, that enough is enough, and that it would back out of China unless the latter allowed it to run its search engine without censorship(Braid F.R. February 2010).
This “turnaround” elicited from the young, as well as, online human rights activists praises who commended Google for its defense of freedom of expression. Most of last year, Google was under attack for disregarding intellectual property rights of authors when it started building a digital library and bookstore(Braid F.R. February 2010).
It was heavily criticized for its privacy practices and even the federal government began anti-trust investigations into its business(Braid F.R. February 2010).
Today, more than a million people in China are using special software to circumvent the nation’s complex online censorship system, described as the “Great Firewall” so that they can visit Web sites like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. It is reported that more and more people not only in China but also in the United Arab Emirates, Iran, and Australia, are using proxy servers, virtual private networks and similar computer tools to skirt restrictions to banned online information(Braid F.R. February 2010).
According to Reporters without Borders, 60 countries today censor the Internet in comparison with 37 in 2008. In addition to child pornography, legal pornography, anti-government material, and some Wikipedia entries have also been banned(Braid F.R. February 2010).
Having demonstrated the economic and political implications of Google, let me now turn to Skype, a technology software that allows one to make calls from his computer to that of another. It enables individuals and business enterprises to make free video and voice calls, send instant messages, and share files with other Skype users. Founded in 2003, it is now responsible for eight percent of global international calling minutes. The people behind it say that its primary goal is economic – to educate and attract large organizations to improve their organizational productivity by enhancing the way they communicate through an inexpensive medium. But Joel Stein, in his column in the January 18 issue of Time Magazine, asks why some people do not use it more often, considering that it is for free(Braid F.R. February 2010).
In my own point of view that was the right decision to pursue the withdrawal of the operation of Google in China. Clients or Internet users must have privacy from unauthorized disclosure of personal accounts.It only emphasizes that right to privacy must prevail.
Google and Skype
By DR. FLORANGEL ROSARIO BRAID
January 26, 2010, 4:29pm
Google's recent decision to withdraw from China on account of what is described as continuing “Chinese cyberoppression” was received by “netizens” all over the world as a positive development. Columnist Nicolas Kristof of International Herald Tribune hailed it, saying that Google had shown spine. This was prompted by China’s hacking of Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists. In fact, there is speculation that the assault on the computers of the Dalai Lama, and foreign embassies which extended to more than 100 countries all over the world was started by China or havens where it had control. In the beginning, Google tried to cooperate with its Chinese partners by censoring search results. But finally, it said, that enough is enough, and that it would back out of China unless the latter allowed it to run its search engine without censorship(Braid F.R. February 2010).
This “turnaround” elicited from the young, as well as, online human rights activists praises who commended Google for its defense of freedom of expression. Most of last year, Google was under attack for disregarding intellectual property rights of authors when it started building a digital library and bookstore(Braid F.R. February 2010).
It was heavily criticized for its privacy practices and even the federal government began anti-trust investigations into its business(Braid F.R. February 2010).
Today, more than a million people in China are using special software to circumvent the nation’s complex online censorship system, described as the “Great Firewall” so that they can visit Web sites like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. It is reported that more and more people not only in China but also in the United Arab Emirates, Iran, and Australia, are using proxy servers, virtual private networks and similar computer tools to skirt restrictions to banned online information(Braid F.R. February 2010).
According to Reporters without Borders, 60 countries today censor the Internet in comparison with 37 in 2008. In addition to child pornography, legal pornography, anti-government material, and some Wikipedia entries have also been banned(Braid F.R. February 2010).
Having demonstrated the economic and political implications of Google, let me now turn to Skype, a technology software that allows one to make calls from his computer to that of another. It enables individuals and business enterprises to make free video and voice calls, send instant messages, and share files with other Skype users. Founded in 2003, it is now responsible for eight percent of global international calling minutes. The people behind it say that its primary goal is economic – to educate and attract large organizations to improve their organizational productivity by enhancing the way they communicate through an inexpensive medium. But Joel Stein, in his column in the January 18 issue of Time Magazine, asks why some people do not use it more often, considering that it is for free(Braid F.R. February 2010).
In my own point of view that was the right decision to pursue the withdrawal of the operation of Google in China. Clients or Internet users must have privacy from unauthorized disclosure of personal accounts.It only emphasizes that right to privacy must prevail.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Online Defamation
If you call someone a scum-sucking, slimeball, swindling pimp, even if this is fairly accurate, and post it online, you may be sued for making libelous statements.
Defamatory words are those calculated to induce the hearers or readers to suppose and understand that that the person or persons against whom they were uttered were guilty of certain offenses, or are sufficient to impeach their honesty, virtue or reputation, or to hold the person or persons up to public ridicule. Philippine law also presumes every defamatory imputation to be malicious, even if true, if no good intention and justifiable motive for making it is shown (Article 254 of the Revised Penal Code). Malice exists when there is an intentional doing of a wrongful act without just cause.
The libel must be given publicity, circulated or publicized. Postings in a forum, message board or blog can certainly be considered as publication. Lastly, the victim or offended party must be identifiable.
Given the volume of online content, and the highly personalised and damaging nature of some of this content, it is seen as inevitable that more defamation cases will be taken.
Whether the plaintiffs go the distance to a full court hearing is less certain, given that many online publishing ventures are not well funded.
Next time you’re thinking of taking a pot shot at someone in your blog, through Facebook or through an online forum, think twice about what you write.
Defamatory words are those calculated to induce the hearers or readers to suppose and understand that that the person or persons against whom they were uttered were guilty of certain offenses, or are sufficient to impeach their honesty, virtue or reputation, or to hold the person or persons up to public ridicule. Philippine law also presumes every defamatory imputation to be malicious, even if true, if no good intention and justifiable motive for making it is shown (Article 254 of the Revised Penal Code). Malice exists when there is an intentional doing of a wrongful act without just cause.
The libel must be given publicity, circulated or publicized. Postings in a forum, message board or blog can certainly be considered as publication. Lastly, the victim or offended party must be identifiable.
Given the volume of online content, and the highly personalised and damaging nature of some of this content, it is seen as inevitable that more defamation cases will be taken.
Whether the plaintiffs go the distance to a full court hearing is less certain, given that many online publishing ventures are not well funded.
Next time you’re thinking of taking a pot shot at someone in your blog, through Facebook or through an online forum, think twice about what you write.
Professionalism
What is Profession?
A profession is a vocation founded upon specialised educational training, the purpose of which is to supply disinterested counsel and service to others, for a direct and definite compensation, wholly apart from expectation of other business gain"
What is Professional?
A professional is a member of a vocation founded upon specialised educational training.Traditionally it means a person who has obtained a degree in a professional field. The term professional is used more generally to denote a white collar working person, or a person who performs commercially in a field typically reserved for hobbyists or amateurs.”
Am I an IT Professional?
IT professionals perform a variety of duties that range from installing applications to designing complex computer networks and information databases. A few of the duties that IT professionals perform may include data management, networking, engineering computer hardware, database and software design, as well as the management and administration of entire systems.
I will be an IT Professional after graduation when given the chance to work at computer network companies. Probably perform my knowledge on what i have learned in my studies.
A profession is a vocation founded upon specialised educational training, the purpose of which is to supply disinterested counsel and service to others, for a direct and definite compensation, wholly apart from expectation of other business gain"
What is Professional?
A professional is a member of a vocation founded upon specialised educational training.Traditionally it means a person who has obtained a degree in a professional field. The term professional is used more generally to denote a white collar working person, or a person who performs commercially in a field typically reserved for hobbyists or amateurs.”
Am I an IT Professional?
IT professionals perform a variety of duties that range from installing applications to designing complex computer networks and information databases. A few of the duties that IT professionals perform may include data management, networking, engineering computer hardware, database and software design, as well as the management and administration of entire systems.
I will be an IT Professional after graduation when given the chance to work at computer network companies. Probably perform my knowledge on what i have learned in my studies.
Types of Attacks
There are too many types, methods and mechanisms of attack to provide a comprehensive description of all of them. New attack techniques and exploits are constantly being developed and discovered.
Ultimately all attacks are originated by people with a motivation to steal, cause vandalism, prove themselves to be elite hackers, or just for the thrill it gives them. Most attacks are actually performed by automated tools that such people release on the Internet.
• Virus
Computer viruses have a long history. A virus attempts to install itself on a user's system and to spread directly to other files on that system with the aim that these infected files will be transferred to another machine. The payload of a virus can range from 'comical' pranks to destruction of the system itself.
A virus relies on users to spread by sharing infected files either directly or via email. Once launched, a virus is completely independent of its creator.
Although the most common threat to security, the traditional virus does not attack other systems directly and so is unlikely to be detected by KFSensor.
• Worm
A worm is very similar to a virus. The key difference is that a worm attempts to propagate itself without any user involvement. It typically scans other computers for vulnerabilities which it is designed to exploit. When such a machine is identified, the worm will attack that machine, copying over its files and installing itself, so that the process can continue.
KFSensor excels at detecting worms as they scan and attempt to attack very large numbers of systems at random.
• Trojan
Trojans take their name from the trojan horse of Greek mythology.
Computer trojans work in the same way. A game, screen saver or cracked piece of commercial software is given to a victim. The software may appear to work as normal, but its real purpose is to deliver a payload, such as a virus or a root kit.
Denial of Service (DoS)
A denial of service attack is a simple, but often extremely effective, attack that is difficult, if not impossible, to prevent. The goal of a denial of service attack is to deny access to your particular services, effectively preventing your organization from operating. A denial of service could be launched against any part of your Internet connectivity and network infrastructure.
Mail Bombing
Another type of Denial of Service attack can be caused by mail bombing, in which an attacker targets your email system by sending overly large email messages to users such as postmaster or Webmaster. This not only affects your Internet connection bandwidth, but also your mail server's capability to handle other email. An attack such as this could easily fill up your mail server's mail store drive, preventing you from sending or receiving new email.
Ultimately all attacks are originated by people with a motivation to steal, cause vandalism, prove themselves to be elite hackers, or just for the thrill it gives them. Most attacks are actually performed by automated tools that such people release on the Internet.
• Virus
Computer viruses have a long history. A virus attempts to install itself on a user's system and to spread directly to other files on that system with the aim that these infected files will be transferred to another machine. The payload of a virus can range from 'comical' pranks to destruction of the system itself.
A virus relies on users to spread by sharing infected files either directly or via email. Once launched, a virus is completely independent of its creator.
Although the most common threat to security, the traditional virus does not attack other systems directly and so is unlikely to be detected by KFSensor.
• Worm
A worm is very similar to a virus. The key difference is that a worm attempts to propagate itself without any user involvement. It typically scans other computers for vulnerabilities which it is designed to exploit. When such a machine is identified, the worm will attack that machine, copying over its files and installing itself, so that the process can continue.
KFSensor excels at detecting worms as they scan and attempt to attack very large numbers of systems at random.
• Trojan
Trojans take their name from the trojan horse of Greek mythology.
Computer trojans work in the same way. A game, screen saver or cracked piece of commercial software is given to a victim. The software may appear to work as normal, but its real purpose is to deliver a payload, such as a virus or a root kit.
Denial of Service (DoS)
A denial of service attack is a simple, but often extremely effective, attack that is difficult, if not impossible, to prevent. The goal of a denial of service attack is to deny access to your particular services, effectively preventing your organization from operating. A denial of service could be launched against any part of your Internet connectivity and network infrastructure.
Mail Bombing
Another type of Denial of Service attack can be caused by mail bombing, in which an attacker targets your email system by sending overly large email messages to users such as postmaster or Webmaster. This not only affects your Internet connection bandwidth, but also your mail server's capability to handle other email. An attack such as this could easily fill up your mail server's mail store drive, preventing you from sending or receiving new email.
The Ethics of Employee Monitoring
Employers are concerned with proper employee behavior and Code of Conduct compliance in relation to their industries and related organizations. While more and more employers are using monitoring devices to check or keep track of their employees’ actions, some employees feel that too much monitoring is an invasion of their privacy.
Employee monitoring has emerged as a necessity and yet as a very controversial issue due to the complexity and widespread use of technology. Employee monitoring is the act of watching and monitoring employees’ actions during working hours using employer equipment/property (Raposa & Mujtaba, 2003). Employers are concerned with proper employee behavior and Code of Conduct compliance in relation to their industries and related organizations. While more and more employers are using monitoring devices to check or keep track of their employees’ actions, some employees feel that too much monitoring is an invasion of their privacy. Thus, the ethics of monitoring employees is explored and ethical dimensions of this issue are presented in order to provide a full picture of this practice. Furthermore, throughout the document there are discussions about future evolvement of employee monitoring with the emergence of new technology.
Employee monitoring has emerged as a necessity and yet as a very controversial issue due to the complexity and widespread use of technology. Employee monitoring is the act of watching and monitoring employees’ actions during working hours using employer equipment/property (Raposa & Mujtaba, 2003). Employers are concerned with proper employee behavior and Code of Conduct compliance in relation to their industries and related organizations. While more and more employers are using monitoring devices to check or keep track of their employees’ actions, some employees feel that too much monitoring is an invasion of their privacy. Thus, the ethics of monitoring employees is explored and ethical dimensions of this issue are presented in order to provide a full picture of this practice. Furthermore, throughout the document there are discussions about future evolvement of employee monitoring with the emergence of new technology.
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