USeP: A stepping stone towards success

Labels: , by florenzie
Saturday, July 25, 2009

“Freedom of inquiry, freedom of discussion, and freedom of teaching - without these a university cannot exist” Robert Maynard Hutchins


Learning institutions were promulgated, primarily to help students to achieve their long term goals and guide their constituents to their career track. But how the academe can help the students thrive in their chosen career?


Apparently, the university sets standards and formulates different strategies in producing productive and globally competitive individuals. In addition, the academia must provide a conducive and good learning haven that will motivate the students to strive harder in studying. Also, the state of the art facilities, infrastructure, information powerhouse, equipments and other things are necessary so that the students can recuperate their skills and capabilities in their field of specialization.


More to the point, the professors has also a factor in molding us cogently. They must have effective teaching strategies and must be innovative in teaching; not only embracing theoretical approach but also they must integrate application of theory. Discipline and moral amalgamation are beneficial for the holistic development of the students.


However, the above-mentioned factors are useless without the cooperation of the students itself, what matters most is the willingness and determination of an individual to succeed. They must possess desired demeanor and appropriate values in order to achieve the glowing torch of victory.


Undeniably, the university is lacking of material resources such as computers, classrooms, chairs, reference books, and many others, which makes an impediment to the totality and betterment of learning. The students find a hard time making projects, assignments, and researches and even during laboratories due to the dearth of materials.


Moreover, there are also superfluous rules mandated in the school which makes it as a barrier in effective learning, such as the prohibition of plugging-in the laptops inside the university premises. In my own notion, these rules must be expunged and put into amendments. As an alternative, it must allow the students to avail the electric power, since it does not consume a large amount of electricity, why not the students can benefit out of it?

This is not a protest against the university, instead this is just only an avowal to the management and administration of the university to make them conscious and invite them to cultivate facilities that university lacks.


Despite of the scarcities, it can still manufacture and mold globally competitive students and help them achieve what they want to be. On the Inaugural Address of John F. Kennedy dated January 20,1961, he stresses out that “Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.” My fellow USePians: ask not what the university will do for you, but what together we can do for the success of the university to produce globally competitive and morally upright graduates.


I had also discovered that the teachers in this university were guided by different teaching principles and strategies and acquired varied degrees and programs but they were join by one similar objective: a prudent crystallization of smart and brilliant USePians.


Truly, they are the pillars working for the success of every student, who, at their perspective, have the right to access a quality of education to their beloved USePians. If I will be a triumphant of I what I want to be, whether a “web developer” or a “web designer”, still I am proud that I am a true-blooded USePian.



“No man should escape our universities without knowing how little he knows.” J. Robert Oppenheimer

Ever- G R E E N

Labels: by florenzie
Sunday, July 12, 2009
For this assignment i have searched some URL's which can be applied and exercised by the university to apply the "Green Campus Computing" concept.

 bounce Idea bounce http://searchdatacenter.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid80_gci1246959,00.html

Green computing is the environmentally responsible use of computers and related resources. Such practices include the implementation of energy-efficient central processing units( CPUs), servers and peripherals as well as reduced resource consumption and proper disposal
of electronic waste (e-waste).

One of the earliest initiatives toward green computing in the United States was the voluntary labeling program known as Energy Star. It was conceived by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1992 to promote energy efficiency in hardware of all kinds. The Energy Star label became a common sight, especially in notebook computers and displays. Similar programs have been adopted in Europe and Asia.

Government regulation, however well-intentioned, is only part of an overall green computing philosophy. The work habits of computer users and businesses can be modified to minimize adverse impact on the global environment. Here are some steps that can be taken:

* Power-down the CPU and all peripherals during extended periods of inactivity.
* Try to do computer-related tasks during contiguous, intensive blocks of time, leaving hardware off at other times.
* Power-up and power-down energy-intensive peripherals such as laser printers according to need.
* Use liquid-crystal-display (LCD) monitors rather than cathode-ray-tube (CRT) monitors.
* Use notebook computers rather than desktop computers whenever possible.
* Use the power-management features to turn off hard drives and displays after several minutes of inactivity.
* Minimize the use of paper and properly recycle waste paper.
* Dispose of e-waste according to federal, state and local regulations.
* Employ alternative energy sources for computing workstations, servers, networks and data centers.


 bounce Idea bounce http://www.it.utah.edu/leadership/green/basics.html


Green Computing Best Practices for End Users

With thousands of desktop computers in, there is a great amount of power used and a great amount of both paper and electronic waste produced. Some simple solutions can help to reduce the impact of these deployments. Please make use of these best practices in order to develop a practice that best fits your individual needs. These suggestions are intended for users who manage their own computer. If you have a computer administrator, you will want to discuss these practices first on order not to interfere with any automated processes that may be running on your computer.


 Embarassed Power Management

Important steps toward green computing include modifying paper and toner use, disposal of old computer equipment and purchasing decisions when considering new computer equipment.

 Embarassed Paper Waste

* Print as little as possible. Review and modify documents on the screen and use print preview. Minimize the number of hard copies and paper drafts you make. Instead of printing, save information to disks, or USB memory sticks.
* Recycle waste paper, have a recycle bin at each community printer and copier location.
* Buy and use recycled paper in your printers and copiers. From an environmental point of view, the best recycled paper is 100 percent post-consumer recycled content.
* Save e-mail whenever possible and avoid needless printing of e-mail messages.
* Use e-mail instead of faxes or send faxes directly from your computer to eliminate the need for a hard copy. When you must fax using hard copies, save paper using a "sticky" fax address note and not a cover sheet.
* On larger documents, use smaller font sizes (consistent with readability) to save paper.
* If your printer prints a test page whenever it is turned on, disable this unnecessary feature.
* Before recycling paper, which has print on only one side, set it aside for use as scrap paper or for printing drafts.
* When documents are printed or copied, use double-sided printing and copying. If possible, use the multiple pages per sheet option on printer properties.
* When general information-type documents must be shared within an office, try circulating them instead of making an individual copy for each person. Even better, make the document electronically available to the audience and display it on a projector.

 Embarassed Electronic Waste

* Use the campus network where possible to transfer files. This avoids the need to write CDs or DVDs or use floppy diskettes.
* Use USB memory sticks instead of CDs, DVDs, or floppies.
* Use re-writable CDs and DVDs.
* There are hopes of the University Recycling program addressing e-waste in the near future
o Until then The Recycling Coalition of Utah has resources for e-waste
o Also check the calendar for free e-waste collections

bounce Idea bounce http://ecenter.colorado.edu/energy/projects/green_computing.html

The growing use of computers on campus has caused a dramatic increase in energy consumption, putting negative pressure on CU’s budget and the environment. Each year more and more computers are purchased and put to use, but it’s not just the number of computers that is driving energy consumption upward. The way that we use computers also adds to the increasing energy burden.

Research reveals that most personal desktop computers are not being used the majority of the time they are running and many personal computers nationwide are needlessly left on continuously. Every time we leave computers or lights on we waste electricity. Burning fossil fuels
generates most of our electricity and it also emits pollutants, sulfur, and carbon dioxide into the air. These emissions can cause respiratory disease, smog, acid rain and global climate change.

 drunken Computer Operating Costs

Over the last fifteen years, computers have transformed the academic and administrative landscape at the University of Colorado. There are now over 18,000 computers on campus. Personal computers (PC) operation alone may directly account for nearly $550,000 per year in University energy costs.

Computers generate heat and require additional cooling which adds to energy costs. Thus, the overall energy cost of CU’s personal computers is more likely around $700,000.

Meeting computer cooling needs in summer (and winter) often compromises the efficient use of building cooling and heating systems by requiring colder fan discharge temperatures. In the summer, these temperatures may satisfy computer lab cooling needs while overcooling other spaces.

Given CU’s commitment to energy conservation and the environmental stewardship, we must address the issue of responsible computer use. By adopting conserving practices, annual savings of $300,000-400,000 are possible.

 cyclops Shocked How Much Energy Does Your Computer System Use?

A typical desktop PC system is comprised of the computer itself (the CPU or the “box”), a monitor, and printer. Your CPU may require approximately 100 watts of electrical power. Add 50-150 watts for a 15-17 inch monitor, proportionately more for larger monitors. The power requirements of conventional laser printers can be as much as 100 watts or more when printing though much less if idling in a “sleep mode.” Ink jet printers use as little as 12 watts while printing and 5 watts while
idling.


 drunken Energy Efficient Computing

Here are some tested suggestions that may make it possible for you to reduce
your computer energy consumption by 80 percent or more while still
retaining most or all productivity and other benefits of your computer
system, including network connectivity.

 drunkenScreen savers save no energy

If screen saver images appear on your monitor for more than 5 minutes, you
are wasting energy! Screen saver programs may save the phosphors in
your monitor screen, but this is not really a concern with newer
monitors, especially LCD screens. And they do not save any energy.

A screen saver that displays moving images causes your monitor to consume
as much as electricity as it does when in active use. These screen
saver programs also involve system interaction with your CPU that
results in additional energy consumption. A blank screen saver is
slightly better but even that only reduces monitor energy consumption
by a few percent.

 drunken Enable power management features

Thanks to the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA), personal computer
systems purchased today can be easy on energy. These “Energy Star”
computers and monitors can be programmed to automatically “power-down”
to a low power state when they are not being used. These efficiency
gains can be achieved without any sacrifice in computing performance.

The EPA has estimated that providing computers with “sleep mode” reduces
their energy use by 60 to 70 percent – and ultimately could save enough
electricity each year to power Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, cut
electric bills by $2 billion, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by
the equivalent of 5 million cars.

 Arrow Follow these simple steps to access computer and monitor power management features for Macintosh and Windows.

Macintosh:

* From any application select the Apple menu
* Select “System Preferences...” (OS X) or “Control Panels” (OS 9) and then click on “Energy Saver”

Windows:

* Point your cursor at the desktop background and right-click
* Choose “Properties” from the pop up menu
* Go to the “Screen Saver” page; in the lower right-hand corner near
the ENERGY STAR® logo click the “Settings” button. This brings up
another dialog box where you choose power management settings.

The recommended settings are 20 minutes for monitor sleep and 30 minutes
for system sleep. Remember that to save energy with your monitor’s
built-in power management system, your monitor must go to sleep (shut
itself down).

For more conservation tips and PC power options visit Facilities Management’s Resource Conservation news page, and then click on “PC Power Options.”


 drunkenWhen not in use, turn off the juice

This is the most basic energy conservation strategy for any type of equipment. Consider the following:

* Turn off your computer and/or peripherals when they are not in use. Turning on and off will not harm the equipment.
* Don’t run computers continuously unless they are in use continuously.
* Turn off at night and on weekends
* Look for ways to reduce the amount of time your computer is on without adversely affecting your productivity.

 drunken You Can Turn Your Computer Off!

The common misconception that a computer’s life is shortened by turning it
on and off has led some to leave computers on all the time. Others are
reluctant to switch their computers on and off a couple times during
their workday despite only using this equipment for a fraction of that
time.

Desktop computers are designed to protect the internal
circutry from power damage from on/off switching. Turning PC equipment
off at night or on and off a few times a day will not appreciably
affect its useful life. Electronic equipment life is a function of
operating hours and heat — both these factors are reduced when
equipment is switched off. Modern hard drives are designed and tested
to operate reliably for thousands of on/off cycles.

Thus, you CAN turn off your computer (and monitor and printer)! The inconvenience
of waiting a minute or two for a computer to reboot or peripheral to
come on line may be trivial compared to the energy savings achieved by
keeping computer equipment off when not in use.

 drunkenSome specific suggestions

* Unless you require immediate access to e-mail or other Internet
services, break the habit of turning on all your computer equipment as
soon as you enter the office each day.
* If practical, informally
group your computer activities and try to do then during one or two
parts of the day, leaving the computer off at other times.
* Avoid using the switch on a powerstrip to turn on all your equipment.
* If you use a laser printer, don’t turn your printer on until you are ready to print.
* Turn off your entire computer system (CPU, monitor and printer) or at
least your monitor and printer when you go to lunch or will be out of
office for a meeting or an errand.
* For “computer servers” which must be on to serve network functions, explore ways to turn servers off at night.
* If monitors are not needed for “servers” to operate, keep server
monitors off. If server monitor is needed during the day, at least turn
it off at night and weekends.

While the energy saving suggestions listed above is appropriate for many campus PC users, some
of the suggestions may be inappropriate for certain computer
applications or work situations. When in doubt, discuss possible energy
conservation measures with your colleagues, supervisor, or computer lab
director to determine which steps can be taken without harming
productivity.

Our energy conservation program will not work without your help. Be an energy educator and gently remind your co-workers and colleagues to save energy by changing their computer
habits. Circulate this booklet among the members in your office or
department. Gain the support of your supervisor and set up a brief
meeting to discuss how to implement energy saving strategies.

drunken Other Green Computing Practices

You can take a giant step toward environmentally responsible or “green”
computing by conserving energy with your computer. But green computing
involves other important steps as well. These pertain to paper use,
toner cartridges, disposal of old computer equipment and purchasing
decisions when considering new computer equipment.

 drunken Reducing Paper Waste

Rather than creating a paperless office, computer use has vastly increased
paper consumption and paper waste. Here are some suggestions for
reducing waste:

* Print as little as possible. Review and modify documents on the screen and use print preview. Minimize the number of hard copies and paper drafts you make. Instead of printing, save information to disks.
* Recycle waste paper.
* Buy and use recycled paper in your printers and copiers. From an environmental point of view, the best recycled paper is 100 percent post consumer recycled content.

* Save e-mail whenever possible and avoid needless printing of e-mail messages.
* Use e-mail instead of faxes or send faxes directly from your computer to eliminate the need for a hard copy. When you must fax using hard copies, save paper using a “sticky” fax address note and not a cover sheet.
* On larger documents, use smaller font sizes (consistent with readability) to save paper.
* If your printer prints a test page whenever it is turned on, disable this unnecessary feature.
* Before recycling paper, which has print on only one side, set it aside for use as scrap paper or in printing drafts.
* When documents are printed or copied, use double-sided printing and
copying. If possible, use the multiple pages per sheet option on
printer properties.
* When general information-type documents must
be shared within an office, try circulating them instead of making an
individual copy for each person. This can also be done easily by e-mail.


How can the university adopt these different techniques in green campus computing?

When I was still a neophyte in USeP-Tagum Campus, I have noticed in our
school computer laboratory that every after our class laboratories we
didn’t turn off or even stand-by the computers. We just only let it
turn on and wait for the class to use it. Thus, we are not practicing
“green campus computing” in the institution of higher education.

To apply the concept of green campus computing in our academia, the first step we should take is to get the support and cooperation of the administration, faculty and staff of the university. They must be totally aware of the perception of green campus computing, particularly, its advantages and its effects in the society and to the environment as a whole. They must be the paradigm in manifesting the green campus computing. They must undertake a proper education or they
must have a further study and attend symposiums and seminars regarding on this subject matter to have know-how and to broaden their ideas and knowledge on green campus computing.

Second, the student must be also be oriented and be sensitive about this concept. Predominantly, on its effects, purpose and the advantages it brings to the society and especially to our mother nature. More to the point, they must be participative and their full cooperation is highly needed upon the execution of the act.

Student leaders may also lead their constituents in implementing and achieving a greener computing environment. Imposing strict policies inside the laboratories must be
implemented and be taken into action. Persons in authority must formulate the said policies to guide the users in the usage of the computer facilities.

Therefore, if we cooperate and help hand-in-hand in following the steps towards green computing, we can achieve our objectives and at the same time we are building a better
environment towards the next generations to come.We are all imputable on every actions we take. Remember we are all caretakers of our mother EARTH.

EXPOSE, EXPLORE, EXPERIENCE

by florenzie
Thursday, July 9, 2009



It was already 12:45 when I arrived at my boarding house from a very exhausting class. I have to fast-track my actions in order to cope up and not to be late in the COMPUTER MANUFACTURERS DISTRIBUTORS AND DEALERS ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES (COMDDAP) Expo.


We took a jeepney and arrived 1:30pm at the Apo View Hotel. The ambiance is filled with many people and it makes me feel uneasy, for the fact that we are registered in a 1-2pm session. As we go inside the exhibit area, we noticed that many of our co-USePians were not yet in the seminar area, so I and my colleagues opt to wait the session to start and decided to roam around and observe some of the exhibits.

Majority of the spectators were students coming from different schools in the city. There were also businessmen and visitors who were present in the exhibit. I was amazed by the state-of-the-art gadgets that have been put on display such as computers, printers, cameras, notebook computers, motherboards and etc. Moreover, some freebies and souvenirs have been given away to the spectators.

The clock strikes 1:45pm and its time for the session which is the ERIC DMS - Dealer Management System. We hurried up and find our most comfortable place in the session room. As the session started we noticed that the speaker Mr. Celmer Santo was attractive and a candy in the eye, which motivates us to listen to his deliberation. His topic was attention-grabbing because it talks about their database system which is also tackled in our previous database subjects.

bounce bounce ERIC DMS - Dealer Management System is under the Jupiter Systems which is a Philippine based IT Services company dedicated to delivering solutions for medium to large companies. We offer services covering the entire range of business activities- from marketing and promotion, procurement/supply chain management, manufacturing, distribution, financial reporting, business intelligence, and even IT infrastructure security and maintenance.


A keen understanding of business and operational objectives, two decades experience in industry best practices, creative talent, and the technology/skills to implement winning solutions for:


• ERP/Business Software Development
• Business Intelligence
• Web Design and Development
• eCommerce and Internet Media/Internet Marketing
• Network, Server and Storage Infrastructure Services
• Telephony Infrastructure Services


Furthermore, he elaborated about The ERIC Dealer Management System (DMS) which is an end-to-end software solution for automotive sales, parts and service businesses. ERIC DMS covers the full range of dealer activities-from marketing to sales and services.


Aside from core business operations, DMS includes a full ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and completely automates and integrates back office operations all the way to financial reporting.


In addition, with ERIC DMS, you can have full visibility over all operations. Achieve total control over your car dealership business today.


• Schedule prospects for test drives and follow up on appointments
• Monitor and increase sales
• Delight customers with gentle reminders for appointments
• Manage vehicle inventory
• Deliver impeccable service
• Control parts & consumables cost
• Monitor and correctly implement warranty for parts & service
• Report your financial bottom line


DMS Process Flow



ERIC Dealership Management System (DMS) A complete, end-to-end solution for vehicle dealers, distributors, and service providers


ERIC DMS is composed of three core modules to manage dealer Operations. These modules are:

• Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
• Vehicle Sales and Administration (VSA)
• Service Management (SVM)


silent Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

ERIC CRM captures and tracks information for sales and marketing from walk-in prospects to sale, and even post sales appointment scheduling. All appointments are visible to the appropriate account manager- from sales to follow up calls and service.


silent Vehicle Sales Administration (VSA)

With VSA, dealers will be able to automate the business cycle of vehicle selling: customer quotations, sales ordering, vehicle allocation, invoicing, vehicle purchasing, and vehicle receiving. The system also keeps track of vehicle inventory.

Manage your inventory of vehicles. Powerful import shipment features keep track of shipping costs as you order from your manufacturer.

silent Service Management (SM)

The Service Management module records and controls the full range of operations when delivering service requests. This includes:


• Booking and creating repair orders (ROs)
• Approval and assignment of ROs to a mechanic
• Parts and materials request
• Mechanic's time monitoring
• Final control quality checklisting
• Service operations monitoring for efficiency and materials consumption


All of the above capabilities depend on ERIC SVM's integration with the core ERP modules for purchasing, crm, inventory, and accounts receivable.
Develop a reputation of reliability by keeping track of warranty and applying these to the appropriate repair orders.



After he talk about and present his product, he entertained some of questions regarding on the system. He ends the session with footprints of knowledge on the young intellectuals.


Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes Immediately, the next session proceeded which is the HP Thin Client. He start the conference with announcing that he will be giving some gifts such as 2G and 8G flash drives, t-shirts, and optical mouse to those who can answer the questions after his presentation, which gives an adrenaline rush to listeners and induce them to listen.




I am captured by the tag-line of HP Thin Client which is “Think big- Go thin” which also catches the attention of everybody.


I have noted some of the important keywords about his product the HP Thin client. It comes from a variety of HP thin clients which includes the HP t5145, HP t5540, HP t5545, HP t5630 and HP t5630w models which offers the customers a range of performance options and choice of Windows® CE, Windows Embedded Standard and Linux operating systems.

Thin clients are computing devices that function as an access device on a network. These solid-state devices connect over a network to a server where the bulk of the processing takes place. Thin clients have no hard drive, allowing for more secure storage of data and applications on the server. In fact, keystrokes, mouse events and screen images are all that is sent between the client and server. This makes the device much more secure than a standard desktop or notebook computer.


With no hard drive, fan or other moving parts, thin clients have a much longer lifespan than standard computers and use significantly less power. Lower maintenance costs are another benefit as software application updates, virus scanning and patches can be executed on the server. Deployment costs are also reduced as thin clients can be remotely configured and do not need to be set up individually. Break-fix simply requires replacing the thin client.

Why should I consider a thin client solution?

You need to learn more about the HP thin client solution if your business is faced with issues such as:

• Desktop replacement costs
• Network security
• Data access to mobile or remote workers
• Supporting application software on diverse hardware, or
• Ensuring your data remains accessible and secure


Thin clients are ideal solution for today's healthcare, industrial, retail, financial and education industries offering a number of benefits to your business.

Embarassed Enhanced security

Unlike a traditional desktop or notebook computer, no applications or data are stored locally on the thin client. This makes them easy to replace if lost, stolen or damaged. Thin clients are an ideal choice for businesses that are facing increased regulatory compliance laws such as HIPAA or Sarbanes-Oxley.


Embarassed Easier manageability

Thin clients are managed at the server, located within the data center. The client hardware has fewer points of failure and lacks a hard drive for storage providing protection from viruses and malware. Thin clients connect to servers via web browsers or remote desktop software. Depending on the functionality the user needs, client desktops can be very simple single-application kiosks or a flexible and familiar Windows environment.

Thin clients can be set up out of the box in less than 10 minutes allowing easy deployment to new users or remote locations. HP thin clients can be remotely configured and managed via management software included at no extra charge.


Embarassed High reliability

With thin client access devices, business continuity is a given in the event of a natural disaster, as the data and applications are not resident on the client device. Because of their solid state design, thin clients have an extended product life of up to 5 years and can be cost effectively replaced if needed.

Thin clients are ideal for environments unsuited for traditional desktop computers like dusty, remote or space-constrained environments. They can be mounted invisibly behind a flat panel monitor, under the desk or just about anywhere with the optional VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association)-compatible HP Quick Release.


Embarassed Increased energy efficiency

Thin clients offer significant savings in power usage over traditional desktops. This is realized not only in energy costs but reduced air-conditioning costs in some cases. With their long lifecycle thin clients allow companies to achieve energy savings targets and reduce the need for replacement equipment.


Embarassed Lower total cost of ownership

The increased security, reliability and ease of management contribute to a lower total cost of ownership for your client computing devices. With a longer useful lifespan, thin clients contribute to cost savings.


According to a study by Gartner (TCO Comparison of PCs with Server-Based Computing, June 2006) thin client TCO annual savings have been measured as high as:

• 79% less downtime cost per user
• 16% capital cost savings
• 34% less in maintenance
• 19% less to operate
• 48% overall lower total cost


HP's Client Virtualization Solutions

HP offers a complete solution of thin client devices for essential, mainstream, flexible or specialized computing. HP can also provide all the related products and services for remote client computing or desktop virtualization including blade PCs, storage, networking and servers.


The HP Thin Client is a leading server-based computing solution designed to make business leaner and more efficient. Centralized management means new applications and upgrades need only be installed once. Deployment is cheap, quick and easy. Users will enjoy more desk space, not to mention the terminal’s sleek looks and agile performance. And the speed, flexibility and security of your network is guaranteed.


Microsoft® Windows® XP Embedded and CE.NET combined with HP t5000 Thin Clients result in a true end-to-end Terminal Services installation for a truly end-to-end Terminal Services installation for Server Based Computing and cost-effective enterprise integration.


If your business is thinking big, it's time to go thin.


After the presentation, everybody was eager about the question and answer portion. Everyone is very attentive and animated because they don’t want to squander the opportunity. Unfortunately, I don’t have any of the gifts but what matters most is the learning and knowledge that I gained which cannot be replaced by any material thing.


I have been EXPOSED on the variety of topics in the areas of technology, trends, applications, and information management which gives me understanding and awareness of the up-to-date devices and paraphernalia’s.

I have EXPLORED the diverse and dynamic world of technology. and...

I have EXPERIENCED to go beyond, not only dependent on the teacher’s knowledge nor confined to what is available inside the classroom.


Idea Idea References: Idea Idea
http://www.jupitersystems.com.ph/product.aspx?prod_id=1#
[url=http://www.jupitersystems.com.ph/sm.aspx]http://www.jupitersystems.com.ph/sm.aspx
[url=http://www.jupitersystems.com.ph/itservices/about.aspx]http://www.jupitersystems.com.ph/itservices/about.aspx
[url=http://blogs.zdnet.com/virtualization/?p=974]http://blogs.zdnet.com/virtualization/?p=974
http://h20426.www2.hp.com/campaign/thinclients/au/en/





My thoughts on Automated 2010 National Elections

by florenzie
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Looking back December 22, 1997, marks and signals the ratification of the law specifically "AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS TO USE AN AUTOMATED ELECTION SYSTEM IN THE MAY 11, 1998 NATIONAL OR LOCAL ELECTIONS AND IN SUBSEQUENT NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECTORAL EXERCISES, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."



However, this law was not implemented for two reasons. One the requirement that the counting machine to be used must be an “optical scanning/mark-sense reading device” unduly limited the technology to be used. Two, the Supreme Court scrapped the billion-peso automated election contract awarded to Mega Pacific Consortium due to anomalous bidding, rendering the counting machines useless. Consequently, the May 2004 elections were done manually, from the voting to the canvassing of the results. Gordon recalls that the process “was slow, tedious, and subject to criticism since the security of the electoral process and its capacity to preserve the sanctity of the ballot and the will of the electorate was put to question.”


But, an amendment was made that blow-up the Filipino people, “AN ACT AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8436, ENTITLED "AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS TO USE AN AUTOMATED ELECTION SYSTEM IN THE MAY 11, 1998 NATIONAL OR LOCAL ELECTIONS AND IN SUBSEQUENT NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECTORAL EXERCISES, TO ENCOURAGE TRANSPARENCY, CREDIBILITY, FAIRNESS AND ACCURACY OF ELECTIONS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE BATAS PAMPANSA BLG. 881, AS AMENDED, REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7166 AND OTHER RELATED ELECTIONS LAWS, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES". Some of the provisions of R.A 8436 were expunged and amended and it was ratified last January 23, 2007, now the Filipino people will surely vote electronically.


The Senate approved on the evening of March 5 the P11.3-billion budget that the Commission on Elections needs to fully automate the May 2010 presidential elections. Independent Senator Richard “Dick” Gordon, principal author of RA 9369, lauded the Senate’s approval of the budget, saying
that it “sends a strong signal that the Philippines stands firm in protecting and safeguarding the sacred votes of its people.” The House of Representatives had passed its own bill the previous evening. There was no joint bicameral committee to reconcile the House and Senate bills. Since there were no conflicting provisions between the two bills, the House passed on third and final reading the P11.3-billion supplemental budget. Now there is no reason for the COMELEC not to implement a fully automated election in 2010. Gordon must be commended for his dogged determination, his persistence and commitment to have the law passed.


In his privilege speech before the Senate, Gordon said the Automated Election System (AES) proposed uses “appropriate technology for voting, counting, consolidating, canvassing, transmission of election results, and other processes in the conduct of electoral exercises.”


AES also assures electronic transmission of electoral results from the precinct level to Congress, the various board of canvassers, the parties, the accredited citizens’ arm, and the media. “This prevents wholesale cheating because tampering with the Certificates of Canvass will no longer be possible. The election returns and certificates of canvass transmitted electronically and digitally signed shall be considered as official election results and shall be used as basis for the proclamation of a candidate.”


cyclops Winning bidder for the 2010 election automation project cyclops



SMARTMATIC INTERNATIONAL CORP./TOTAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT CORP. (Smartmatic/TIM) is one of seven bidders for the 2010 election automation project.


All seven bidders, including Smartmatic/TIM, were initially declared ineligible to bid by the Comelec Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC). The seven bidders filed motions for reconsideration, and the SBAC reconsidered the bids of four consortiums subject to verification of submitted documents.
Only Smartmatic/TIM passed the SBAC's eligibility, technical and financial requirements. Based on SBAC's recommendation, the Comelec en banc awarded the poll automation contract to Smartmatic/TIM on June 9, 2009.

cyclops About Smartmatic/TIM cyclops



Smartmatic International Corp. (Smartmatic) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Smartmatic International Holding, BV, a company organized under the laws of The Netherlands. Smartmatic has organized elections using its electronic voting solutions in Latin America, the Carribean, the United States, and Asia.


Total Information Management Corporation (TIM) is a domestic corporation registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission in 1981. The corporation is engaged in the business of information technology and service provider.


The two corporations entered into a joint venture on April 23, 2009.


Idea In jeopardy cyclops



The automation project was put in jeopardy after TIM announced last Monday that it was withdrawing from its deal with Smartmatic. TIM had dragged in signing the incorporation documents to be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.The incorporation of the joint venture

is one prerequisite before the Comelec enters into a contract with Smartmatic and TIM. The documents are required by the Comelec as proof of the joint venture’s legal personality for the contract signing.


TIM, which would have a majority or 60 percent stake in the venture, had wanted more control in the financial and technical aspect of the automation project. TIM officials had alleged that despite Smartmatic’s minority, or only 40 percent, stake in the venture, the foreign partner would

have more control over the partnership’s affairs.


Without the proper check and balance, the groundwork for a possible electronic fraud is laid out, TIM sources said.


Smartmatic had insisted that the core issue is money. Lawyers of Smartmatic told Makati Rep. Teodoro Locsin that TIM’s Antuñez had demanded P500 million from Smartmatic.


Idea TIM had denied the allegation. cyclops



But as far as the poll body is concerned, it was TIM that

was the guilty party. It threatened to file criminal and civil charges against

TIM for backing out of the landmark project.


cyclops AUTOMATED ELECTION SYSTEM cyclops



According to R.A 9369, Automated election system (AES) is a system using appropriate technology which has been demonstrated in the voting, counting, consolidating, canvassing, and transmission of election result, and other electoral process. It is primarily made to ensure free, orderly, honest,

peaceful, credible and informed elections, plebiscites, referenda, recall and other similar electoral exercises by improving on the election process and adopting systems, which shall involved the use of an automated election system that will ensure the secrecy and sanctity of the ballot and all election, consolidation and transmission documents on order that the process shall be transparent and credible and that the results shall be fast, accurate and reflective of the genuine will of the people.


Many people screaming for “CHANGE” and I think automated election are one of the stepping-stones towards absolute change. Partly, it has a good outcome in the upcoming 2010 elections. Somehow it will reduce the guns, goons, and gold during the said event. In principle, election automation will

remove the potential for human error/cheating from the ballot review and ballot counting. It can give near instant feedback of the election results. As soon as voting closes, it should be technically possible to get the election results within an hour.


Exclamation Some of its advantages are as follows: Exclamation


1. Remove the potential for human error and cheating at ballot reading and tallying
2. Remove the delay and potential for cheating between ballot tallying and preparation of election returns

3. Remove the delay and potential for cheating during tallying of election returns
4. Make elections much cheaper to execute

5. Reduce election violence significantly.

Exclamation Conversely, it will also lead to some disadvantages such as: Exclamation


1. Quick counts will become obsolete. If the results can be reported on the same day, there will be no market for quick counts. (NAMFREL has recently announced no quick counts for 2010 -Editor)

2. Labor will no longer be needed for several days/weeks to manage and monitor elections. The resulting creative destruction will affect teachers, poll-watchers, men of arms, media people, advertising, and the peripheral economy that they patronize during election period.

3. Guns and goons will give way to geeks and gold. Attempts at cheating will shift to hacking the transmittal of election results from far flung areas to Manila, as well as hacking the tallying of results in Manila. this could have the happy side-effect of pushing the computer and internet revolution into far flung provinces, as money flows to reward technical know-how every six years.


4. Quick direct from population feedback will become a viable option—referendum questions like charter change can be realistically executed in a short period of time if elections become so cheap and quick to do.


In other words, automating elections in the Philippines will have far-reaching effects. At least if and when the entire country’s elections are automated. Conceivably, less people will need to watch over the process, so that means fewer customers for any nearby vendors or establishments in each area’s election stations.


Most exciting is the prospect of unscrupulous candidates starting to rely on geeks, aside from their goons, to affect the vote. Cheating attempts may actually give more people throughout the country more incentive to learn techie stuff like programming, network management, etc.


Of course, no one wants to see fraudulent elections. But what if Filipinos in the most remote areas of the Philippines suddenly learn computer programming? That’s a possibility, especially if candidates are willing to pay good money for results.


Exclamation There are Risk Factors Exclamation




I love you 1. Software -
The software used all throughout the process, from ballot reading all the way

to returns tallying, must be open for public scrutiny. It may not be

proprietary and secret.



I love you 2. Devices -


Ballots and computers used throughout may fail. Backup/contingency plan must

exist and be robust. Sabotage could be the way cheating will be introduced, in

order to force reverting to manual process.



I love you 3. Architecture



- Transmittal and reporting of results could be susceptible to hacking. Instant

public visibility of results as counted at source and as transmitted at receipt

will mitigate threats of hacking.



I love you 4. User -


Voting needs to be simple and straightforward. Many Filipinos are not computer

literate, and barely literate. PEBKAC errors can lead to many spoiled ballots,

which may either be invalidated like in the US, or can be used as a pretense to

revert to manual.



Very Happy As an IT student Very Happy


We can’t deny the fact that we are now living in a digital and high-tech world. Different technologies have invented every now and then which can affect our daily living. It can bring us comfort but sometimes leads to problems.


In my own notion, through automation we can ensure a credible transition of power and have clean, honest and orderly 2010 elections. Moreover, setting up the country's automated electoral system is a crucial step toward clean and honest elections. While it will not be a cure-all for the country's electoral problems, automating the polls will eliminate a lot of the human intervention that has made vote-rigging possible.


I am very optimistic that an automated electoral system will facilitate fair and honest elections, provide a new set of government leaders with an unquestionable authority, and unite the country in facing the challenges ahead of us. The heart of a true democracy lies in achieving clean and honest elections which provide mandate and authority to elect public officials. Our laws mandate the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to use an automated election system in the conduct of national and local elections to encourage transparency, credibility, fairness and accuracy of elections.


More to the point, the R.A 9369, sec. 4 states that:


"Information Technology Support for the Board of Canvassers. - To implement the AES, each board of canvassers shall be assisted by an information technology-capable person authorized to operate the equipment adopted for the elections. The Commission shall deputized information technology personnel from among the agencies and instrumentalities of the government, including government-owned and controlled corporations. The per diem of the deputized personnel shall be the same as that of the members of the board of canvassers."


Therefore, IT persons are also one of the active-ingredient in the 2010 elections. They take the lead. Laughing Laughing Laughing




afro References:





http://www.gmanews.tv/story/164584/Smartmatic/TIM-Backgrounder

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Welcome

As I was walking I stop for awhile and thought of the things that resemble these true verities of existence. I bow down, close my eyes and try to pick the pieces of memories of this broken wholeness. A man that could launch a thousand smiles.

More on the Author

My photo
I have climbed high mountains, survived high waters and have been through lowest spirit. my faith in Him guided me through those difficulties, and the love of family strengthen me. my story and the stories i read that inspired and inspires me, will surely inspire people who is going through the path i have been through, and had survived.

Total Hits

Blog Entries

Followers

Copyright Black Silhouette | Designed by WPThemesExpert | Blogger Template by Blogger Template Place