Business Iformation Systems

Mary Ann Smith

Business Information Systems

Professor Richard Harris

April 12, 2013

Paper 1 for Business Information Systems

1. Read Closing Case Study 1 at the end of Chapter 3. Answer questions 1 - 4, page 90 and justify your ranking.

1. Let's separate the two issues. First, law enforcement agencies frequently publish the location of red-light camera programs and speed traps. Should that published information be made available through an app to help drivers avoid getting a ticket? If it is already public knowledge than why not put it into an app? Why or why not? It is just a quicker way to the information that is already out there. That would be like saying stop selling guns just because something bad is out there on the market doesn't mean it is going to be used for bad necessarily.

2. Second, let's consider location information for DUI checkpoints. If law enforcement agencies publish this information, is it ok to have an app for drivers? I don't see why this would be a problem. Why or why not? Why not have this as I stated above if this information is already available why not just make it more assessable to the people. Nine times out of ten if they are too drunk to be driving then they are too drunk to use an app as well. Some people just don't like the hassle checkpoints cause and just don't want to deal with it. If law enforcement agencies do not publish DUI checkpoint information, is it okay to have app that alerts drivers to those locations? I still don't see why this is such a problem, and I don't detour my answer still, but how would they get the information for these apps if the police don't post it? In order to use information it has to be information calculated first. Why or why not?

3. Many people believe that drivers should not use a smartphone at all, even for making phone calls, while operating a vehicle. What kind of potential danger does this added distraction create? I don't think this adds anymore of a distraction than any other phone unless you are using it for other things such as music, but that would be the same distraction as a radio really. How often do you drive and use your phone? Not at all after I almost got into a wreck while trying to text and drive. It really opened my eyes to the danger of using a cell and driving. So I just don't do it anymore. For what purpose do you use your phone? I don't I wait until I am completely stopped to use it, and for everyday use such as making and receiving calls, texting, and that's basically it. I don't have a high tech phone so it limits my capabilities.

4. Isn't the sharing of information, such as the location of a DUI checkpoint, protected freedom of speech by the constitution? If the information is out there than why can't it be used? Can the government really create laws to prohibit this? The government can do whatever they see fit!! We really have no freedom in America everything is messed up it's all about how much money you have. They say money talks and I believe it!! On the other hand is it ethical for drivers to share this type of information so that drunk drivers can avoid being caught? I remember when I was younger and if there was cops up ahead when we were driving then some drivers would blink their head lights as fair warning to let us know they passed cops. This isn't ethical, but who doesn't like a fair warning? When you're a child you get warned and told not to do something and then if you do it you get in trouble its basically the same thing.

Part 2 of the Assignment

2. Complete Discussion Questions 1, 4, and 6 from Chapter 3 (page 93) Include references used, if any.

1. For this question we were to connect to www.happyhacker.org/ then we were to find an article where systems were being hacked and prepare a short report on what it talks about. My article was found directly on this link http://www.happyhacker.org/defend/index.shtml and was written by a guy named Matt Smith. The article was titled Self Defense against computer crime with the subtitle securing Your Home Computer-The basis. It talks about the, "Running malicious files - Computers can be infected when malicious files are run or viewed. These files can be received though removable media, such as floppy disks, CDs, DVDs or flash drives. Malicious files can also be received via Instant Messenger file transfers or files attached in an email. Now, you may say to yourself "I only have to worry about executable programs - EXE files." Years ago it used to be this way. However, this is no longer the case. There are many types of files to worry about and the list is growing every day. Malicious Websites - This is the newest and most prevalent method of spreading malware. A website is altered to contain scripts - small programs that are designed to force your computer to download and run malware. Often when this type of malware attack occurs the user does not realize it until the computer has been infected. It is also very common for malware that is spread in this manner to instantly cripple your computer."(1) It also talks about how to protect your computer from these threats but it is just the first of his articles he said he was going to write more because it's a long process to protecting your home computer completely.

4. DBMS is "Database Management System." In short, a DBMS is a database program. Technically speaking, it is a software system that uses a standard method of cataloging, retrieving, and running queries on data. The DBMS manages incoming data, organizes it, and provides ways for the data to be modified or extracted by users or other programs."(3) And databases are, "Databases are designed to offer an organized mechanism for storing, managing and retrieving information. They do so through the use of