Module 11- Hackers

The 1995 film Hackers is based on a group of high school students who hack into a computer of a major oil company.  While the movie was filmed during the being of the internet and personal computer era, some parts of the movie are realistic to modern day computer hacking issues and includes past hacker history.

                The film starts in 1988, where a 12 year old boy is charged with hacking and crashing over 1,500 computers that disrupted production on Wall Street. He is to have no contact with computers or phones until he is 18 years old. In 1995, this boy, Dade Murphy is now 18, and spends his birthday hacking into a television station. He starts going to a new school in New York City, and meets other computer hackers.  This group hacks into a computer for a large oil company and finds that the computer has a virus that is being used as a decoy to cover a worm that is transferring millions of dollars into foreign account. The group of teenagers enlists the help of other hackers world wide to destroy the virus and expose the worm and its creator.

                When I first saw this movie a few years ago, I thought it was entirely bogus and a horrible version of Hollywood’s take on the underground life of computer hackers. I chose to review this movie because I thought it would be easy to write multiple pages as I picked out all the untruths. To my surprise, after watching it few more times, it was actually the complete opposite.  From my research I have determined that you can hack into a computer if you have the modem information and that you can use “phreaking” to make phone calls, which I would then assume would allow for internet access. Some of the pranks that the teenage hackers pulled include: setting a timer on fire sprinkler system in a school, deleting credit card information, changing a persons driving record, and changing a persons status from living to deceased. All these are plausible, but with today’s’ advanced security systems these scenarios would be highly unlikely.  What originally made me think that this film was entirely make believe where the ridiculous graphics of the interworkings of a computer,  showing that memory for this major oil company was stored in an enormous room  with towers of visible information, and file containing the worm was just a weird computer graphic.  This may have been done to help the non-computer user to better visualize how computers work, but it caused an unrealistic feeling for this viewer.

                During this film, the villain explains that major companies are looking for hackers just like him to help run their IT departments and to protect their private information. After a quick Google search, I found numerous articles about how the government is recruiting hackers to aid in national security. It appears that hackers have increased their importance by moving from simple company IT departments to several U.S. Federal agencies.   

                Hackers, whether intentional or not, was released round the same time that a computer hacker named Kevin Mitnick was arrested. H e was charged with: hacking into the Los Angeles bus system to get free rides, hacking into the FBI, hacking into and gaining administrator privileges to the Computer Learning Center (this was done on a bet), and hacking various cellular companies such as Motorola, Nokia and Siemens. Mitnick started his hacking career at the age of 16. While Mitnick’s personal story was not depicted or mentioned during this film, it was a current issue within society.

                I have watched this film now three times. Each time I watch it, I see more of the reality of the story and less of the cheesy Hollywood graphics. As Roger Ebert stating in his review of Hackers, “The movie is smart and entertaining, then, as long as you don’t take the computer stuff very seriously. I didn’t. I took it approximately as seriously as the archeology in Indiana Jones.” This film was entertaining, and after doing a little research into the probability of the ideas presented, I actually learned a little about computer hacking, the demand for hackers, and past famous computer and phone hackers.

Module 10

            The short story, “A Logic Named Joe” was written in the late 1940’s, yet it closely depicts many modern computer and internet concepts. During the time that this story was written, there were no personal computers, no internet, and no social networking, but the author was able to imagine all these things and include them in this story.

            In this story, personal computers are called Logics and described as looking like an old tube television with a keyboard where the dials are typically located. The “vision screen” is like the compute monitor where information and video calling are displayed. The description of video calling reminds me of The Jetson’s, but the cartoon didn’t air until 1962. The Logic can display television shows, current weather, game scores, as well as computing math, bookkeeping, as well as few other profession career services. At the time, gadgets and concepts in The Jetson’s were considered futurist and ahead of the times, but the ideas in “A Logic Named Joe” were presented even earlier.

            The author explains that all of the Logics are connect to each other, but at the beginning of the story, do not communicate with each other. The Logics begin to link together when one highly intelligent Logic understands how to compile and display information from all the combined Logics, and starts operating as a server. It also learns how to over ride a censor block (think parental controls). The Logic then starts its’ own version of Google and transmits it to all other Logics. Users would be greeted with a message, asking them what they would like to know. The user could then type in a question, and an answer would appear. The earliest version of Google did not exist until 1996, 60 years after this story was written.

            At one point in the story, a Logic user is trying to locate a local resident. She types in the name of the person she is looking for, and the Logic begins searching through all the connect Logics that are registered to the owners. This is now known as an IP address. In this story, though, the person that is being searched for has not registered his Logic. Today, you can find almost anyone with a computer based on their IP address, and, unlike this story, every computer is registered.

            When the Logic is unable to find who the user is looking for, it decides to ask all Logic users for their name. The logic then takes this information and links it with their address, birthday, bank information, criminal records, and anything else that might be stored on a database. While this could happen today, most people and institutions have developed software and firewalls to protect the privacy of the general public. But, with advent of Facebook and other social networking websites, some of the public has become sloppy at what they post and provide to the World Wide Web.

            There is one part in “A Logic Named Joe” that slightly resembles Facebook, and past relationships that are rekindled by using this social networking website. Once the Logics user was able to find the former flame she was looking for, she tries to reignite their relationship. The Logic makes this easier by providing her with all his information. Social networking websites like Facebook have made reconnecting with old relationships as easy as typing a name. The searcher can be provided with information such as age, martial status, location, phone number and email address. In my opinion, this short section of the story foreshadows social networking which did not start until the mid to late 1990’s.

            If I was to have read this story about five years ago, I would have thought that the author was close to predicting the future of computers and the internet, with the exception of watching this information from the comfort of your living room. Today, you can connect your television to your computer or wireless internet connection and watch various television shows, movies, and other websites. Even though this story was written almost 70 years ago, the author was able to explain the evolution of computers in a short science fiction story.

Module 9

The Dell computer company has become a model for providing products that are made per customer request, instead of mass producing one item. Any person can call the Dell phone number and place an order for a computer or laptop and have that order customized to their needs and requests. This system not only allows for a personal customer experience, it means that no product is left on the shelf waiting for sale.

This first step in building a Dell computer is knowing what the customer wants. A customer service representative can be reach by phone, and the customer places their order. This order information is then entered into the Dell order management system, along with the customer’s credit card and shipping information. Once the credit card has been verified and payment is received, the order is then send to Dell’s production system. This information is received in one of Dell’s six factories. The factory then orders the parts for the computer or laptop from their local suppliers. The parts arrive at the factory within ninety minutes. These parts are then placed into a bin where they are shipped to another area in the factory where the computer is screwed together by hand. The almost finished product then travels to another area where software is loading onto the computer. The product is then boxed, placed on a pallet, and sent to the airport. It will arrive in Nashville, TN about a day later. The computer will then be shipped to the customer’s home. This system proves to be fast and effective.

Dell is also very creative in the way they shape the demand of certain products. If Dell notices that their supplier is running low on a specific product, the customer service representative will try to pursue customers into ordering an upgrade at a discounted price. This way, the fabrication and shipping process is preformed without delay.

The internet has been used by many to operate companies more efficiently. Companies can use the internet for conducting global meetings and updating suppliers of products that need to be shipped. Freidman mentions that the Al-Qaeda also uses the internet to conduct its global supply chain, but then explains that they really use it mainly for recruitment. When I think of supply chain, I think of the examples presented earlier in Freidman’s book, like how WalMart provides information to all of the supplier of what needs to be replaced on the shelves, and then having that product shipped to one central distribution center. Recruiting new suicide bombers is only part of the supply chain. The Al-Qaeda also uses the internet to shape their image, instead of only relying on publicity from their acts of terror. This could be considered part of the supply chain, as they will only want to recruit a certain type of person. When looking at all the information that is presented, and when compared to a traditional supply chain, I think that the Al-Qaeda does not have an effective supply chain.

Counties in the Middle East that produce most of the world’s oil tend to keep the wealth within the monarchs and dictators. These select few are able to freely spend the millions they have earned just by drilling oil. Citizens of these countries do not pay taxes, and therefore this is no money going towards the betterment of the country as a whole. These counties tend to have no higher education, court systems, or general rights for the citizens. This is known as the “curse of oil”; since most of the counties wealth comes from oil and oil related sales, the rest of the population has not developed any other creative ways to make money. Once the oil runs out, there will be no more money coming into the country. There is no advanced education to provide the general public with tools to support themselves. The country will fail without the oil.

Module 8

                While many like to focus on how computers and the internet have improved the ease at which we can perform our jobs, these two inventions have helped many of us before we even stepped foot in our first jobs. The use of computers and the internet has personally helped me through my education both in high school and college by allowing me to take long distance classes, to access books and magazines through multiple sources, and by providing me with instant test results, and access to tutorial services.

                While I was in high school, one service that my school provided was the resources to take collage classes during school time. At the time, I was living in an isolated area and the nearest college campus was over an hour away. I and other students at my school were able to take these classes without traveling. Surrounding colleges would have classrooms for select general education classes wired with cameras and microphones. Our school had one classroom that was wired the same way. These college classes online, and then projected onto a large screen TV within our classroom. The students could watch and hear what was going on in each college class. If a student at the high school had questions, they could press a button on one of the microphones located through out the classroom and ask the professor their question. The professor could pull up the footage from the high school, allowing the teacher to see and speak to the student. This program not only helped to prepare me for taking classes on an actual campus, it also gave me practice taking online classes. Many colleges, like Weber  State provide online classes. Students can take just a few classes like this one or complete full degrees . In this way, computers and the internet have helped to further my education.

                Once I got to college, I was amazed at how may papers I had to write for each class. The best place to go for accurate research is the college library. While in middle school and high school, most of my research was limited to the latest copy of Encyclopedia Britannica and interviews with older adults. The library here at Weber State has the Inter-Library loan system that has expanded my research beyond what books and magazines they have currently on the shelves. I can get online and look for books and magazines that other surrounding colleges have on their shelves.  I can then look at t digital copy on line, or ask a library assistant to order the book for me that I can pick up within a few days. This system also allows me to look up articles from peered reviewed journals that would otherwise be hard to find or that would only post the article abstract online. Once again computers and the many uses of the internet have allowed me to further my education.

                One simple function that computers can do that has relieved some of my college stress is to provide me with instant results to many of my tests. Whether I am taking a test online or in the Testing Center using a Scantron sheet, I can receive instant feed back on most of my tests. This has removed the anxiety that comes with waiting a weekend or a couple of weeks for my professors to grade my tests. It also helps me to prepare questions based on my test results for my next session with my professor. So while it my not necessarily help to advance my education, receiving instant results helps to keep my sanity.

                The last way computers and the internet have helped me with my education is by providing me with access to various websites that have helped me to learn and understand difficult concepts in my math and physics classes. I have been able to find a quite a few websites (including YouTube) that have devoted much of their content to understanding math concepts for mechanical engineers.  I am sure that this area of study is not the only one that has other people willing to those within their degrees. These resources have provided students with a feeling of empowerment to take control of their learning. We no longer have to wait for the professor to have office hours to ask questions.  This has also forced many of us students to look out side the box for answers, which will carry on into our computer dominated careers.

Module 7

            For centuries, certain countries have excelled in certain areas of goods and trading. China was one of the few countries that produced silk, since the silkworm only thrived in the orient; certain spices were only grown and produced in India. Location also helped in moving products, as the European countries had the financial ability to built ships and travel to these surrounding countries. It is a different story today. Most countries can produce or import materials to make products; not longer is the location of goods limited to where their elements are grown. Location doesn’t seem to apply anymore, as Friedman pointed out when discussed the differences between Mexico and China. Ideally, one would think that Mexico would be a prime candidate for controlling cheap imports based on the fact that it is located next to the United States. The US would be a large importer of cheap Mexican goods, and in a way, is the gateway to trade throughout the world. Instead, China has become the leader in manufacturing and exporting cheap goods. This goes against all reason and logic. Friedman explains this as “intangible things”, or the ability of a society to solely focus on economic growth and to have leaders that have the drive to push for change. China has done this and has left Mexico in the dust.

                                                                                                                               

The self-directed consumer is one who creates their own shopping experience. This concept has come about thanks to the internet. Before most people had easy access to the World Wide Web and before merchants started listing their wares on-line, consumers had to settle for the price of an item that was local. It was harder to compare pricing when there was not a common place where prices were listed from competing stores. Since the rise of the Internet, consumers can now shop online and compare prices of stores not only in their local city, but across the world. This allows the consumer to pay what they want, how they want, and determine how long it will take to receive the item. This has created a competitive atmosphere amongst merchants, both large and small. The customer now feels in charge of their shopping experience, which is seen as a plus for both the customer and the merchant.

The question of “Globalization meaning Americanization” is addressed in Freidman’s book. For years, many have felt that globalization meant that the world would be taken over by America; cultures would be lost to the foods and pop culture of American traditions. For a while, this seemed true, but this was due to the fact that America was one of the first cultures to attempt to instill globalization. American also had some of the richest corporations such as McDonalds and Coca-Cola that were able to open shop and sell to other countries. I noticed this trend when I visited Japan in the late 1990’s. Many of the students in Japan wanted American goods such as Levi’s. For many years, blue jeans were not common in Japan, but as America started leading the globalization revolution, the Levi’s brand became huge in countries throughout the world. There was concerned that American and western traditions were taking over the native traditions of other cultures. This has gradually slowed, and now these cultures are getting their traditions in the mix of globalization. This can be easily seen today with the Japanese culture becoming very popular in the United States. My three year old daughter knows more about Hello Kitty than Garfield, and my thirteen year old niece is a huge fan of Japanese anime. No longer are our youth attending Star Trek conventions- they are now traveling hundreds of mile to attend Anime conventions. As more countries educate themselves in the way of the Internet and on-line communications, they too will have their culture and traditions in the lime light.

Module 6

            To be quite honest, I barely remember talking about Free Trade in 8^th grade Social Studies. Needless to say, I don’t think about it often, or really remember what it is about. I researched the term Free Trade on Wikipedia to refresh my memory. This policy prevents taxes on products and services imported and exported from various countries. The concept is that both countries will profit- one from selling goods, the other from buying the goods. Friedman asks the question if Free Trade is still working for today’s technology-based society. Countries that used to be considered poor are now becoming rich by providing services through outsourcing and offshoring. This causes a problem for some of the population in the country that is asking for these services. When products and services are outsourced or produced outside of the country, the ultimate result is a lack in employment. While the corporation has decided to increase revenue by sending these services out, and the countries receiving the requests are making money, the employee of the corporation is left without a job. So, the question is, do we charge for services that are sent out of the county. At first thought, this seems like a good idea. Charge companies a tax for sending out potential jobs, or charge for services that were outsourced or a by-product of offshoring. Upon further search, I found that most economist disagree with the idea of preventing companies from outsourcing. They state that even though the outsourcing country might not exactly come out on top of the deal, it is overall better for the country than if they decided not to outsource at all. I do not know much about economics, nor do I really pay attention to trades, stocks and the like, but I do agree with former President William McKinley when he stated “Buy where you can pay the easiest”.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_trade#cite_note-29

            As the world becomes even flatter, new jobs will be developed. Jobs that were once considered a necessity will become obsolete due to computers and advancing technology. Freidman explains that people that once held these now obsolete jobs will need to find new jobs, preferably ones that won’t be affected by outsourcing and more technological advances. These jobs are called “middle jobs”. Skills and personality traits that would be applicable to these types of jobs include: excellent communication and managerial skills (collaborators and orchestrators); creativity (synthesizers); the ability to explain complex ideas or processes (explainers); the ability to work smarter and faster (leveragers); the ability to adapt to new technology (adapters); having an understanding of “green” energy (green people); excellent customer service with attention to details (personalizers); an interest in math (math lovers); understand how to take emerging technology to benefit both company and customer (localizers). People who posses even a few of these skills should be able to land a job that is untouched by an ever changing job market due to improved technology.

            The equation CQ+PQ > IQ, simply means that curiosity and passion are more important that intelligence. Those that have curiosity and passion for a certain idea or concepts are more motivated and work harder than those that have a general intelligence in the subject. This means that even though your peer or competition may be smarter than you, you more to offer if you have a deeper interest in the company or job. Employers will be looking for this drive and motivation over someone with better grades.

Module 5

The triple convergence is a based on three ideas that further “flatten the world”. The first convergence can best be described as the ability for people near and far to communicate with each other instantly. If you had an internet connection, you could connect with anyone, anywhere, regardless of race, sex, education, or social status. The second convergence explains how businesses became “vertical” instead of “horizontal”. This means that instead of have chains of management- computers, advanced software and the internet allowed businesses to operate with fewer people, and on an even management field. Friedman again refers to Wal-Mart and how they designed a horizontal supply chain, with each link being even. The third convergence was the increase of global knowledge and global workforce. This happened when countries that were lacking in technological advances jumped feet first into modern technology. Friedman explains that some Chinese students skipped having a landline and went straight to a cell phone. These countries were hungry for education and started to advance over more modern countries like the US and various European countries. The triple convergence is important as it demonstrates how the world continued to become one in the terms of technology.

            Friedman describes a story about the state of Indiana who needed their computer systems updated. They received bids from numerous companies, (none of which being from Indiana) with a company from India winning the contract. In my opinion, Indiana was exploiting who ever won the contract. Later, Indiana was able to divide the contract into smaller contracts that companies within the state could fulfill. If Indiana was able to keep money and work within the state, then it should have been done from the beginning. Instead, they wrote the original bid in such a way that no one within the state could do it. No companies within the US were able to make the lowest bid, either. Indiana exploited the work of India to save money, instead of providing jobs to those within the state who were jobless.

            Intellectual property refers to the rights of an innovator of digital information. As more people contribute to online sharing, the idea of copyright laws becomes blurry. If someone uploads a video online, can anyone else alter the video? If the information has no legal protection, many would see it as fair game the change it and make it their own. The idea of intellectual property laws is to credit the original poster or innovator, but to allow others to make minor changes. Most digital information is accessed with the understanding that it can be used and possibly altered, as long as the original creator is credited. This concept works well with information such as open source software, photos, and clipart to name a few. Recently, the focus has been shifted to on how we should address copyrighted material such as major motion pictures, published authors and record producing musicians. While Hollywood, with the assistance of the government, wants to shut down all websites that might be breaking traditional copyright laws, websites such as Google and Wikipedia are protesting. These websites would be in violation of copyright laws due to the fact that anyone in the cyber community could post copyrighted material on their websites (or search engines). I do agree that there should be someway to regulate how information is disbursed online, (like how some DVD’s prevent the ability of  burning them to your hard drive, in turn preventing them from being uploaded) but at the same time, the internet was founded on the principal of free digital sharing. If we are no longer able to freely share this information, then the true concept of the internet has been lost.