Tag: <span>Variable level system</span>

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What should a chiropractic office management and billing system provide in terms of front desk processing? Since the front desk is the first point of contact with a patient, this is an important question.

First, front desk software should provide an effective, low cost way to intake existing patients. One successful approach that a software package provides is that patients are given a scanning key tag which they simply scan at a desk for entry. This scanning process automatically initiates setup and processing of the patient’s visit. The key tag is often used in other ways such as one key tag being used for an entire family. From a marketing perspective this software company provides the capability to custom imprint a practice’s key tag with a logo or important contact information about a chiropractic office.

When the patient scans his tag, if necessary, front desk action notifications occur to alert office staff of a situation that needs to be addressed. For example, if a bill is yet to be paid that can be flagged or if the patient is out of compliance with his practice plan. At the front desk, notifications can be handled as the patient stops by the front desk as instructed at the check-in station.

Other information which could be provided is the number of days left on a care plan, days left in a precertification or care plan, number of insurance visits left, number of cash visits, number of free visits. In effect with the system like this, only the patients will be stopped that actually need to see the front desk after a system checks and verifies over a hundred different variables related to a patient’s records.. This frees up staff for other work and provides for a more efficient overall patient flow in the office.

The benefits of using automated patient check in with a key tag are significant. First, less labor is required to process the patient visit. Second, there is less chance of errors that could impact collections, coding mistakes, and other problems. Third, automated check in, often not requiring office staff to be involved, reduces the labor cost associated with check in and also helps to eliminate long waiting periods for patient check in during peak hours for patients.

With a fully automated system such as the one we’ve described a practice can see anywhere from a hundreds visits a week to a thousand visits a week. The number of visits, of course, a practice sees will significantly impact profits. That’s why the payback from investing in chiropractic software can be so substantial.

If you are considering a chiropractic billing and practice management system, you should carefully consider what capabilities you are looking for, read about the features each system offers, and decide what features are important to you. This will help you select software that is a best fit for your practice and software that meets your own budget guidelines.

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Source by Frank Gordon

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Who and what is the Big Boss? Well, this exciting off-road vehicle resembling an extra-long quad-bike-with- trailer, is the latest ATV to come on to the market. Big Boss is designed and made by the manufacturing company of Polaris Industries Inc. This powerful quad-bike with a closed trailer attached to the back of it is the 2017 Sportsman 6×6 Big Boss 570 EPS all-terrain vehicle. It’s versatile enough for you to take on any demanding job in off-road conditions and also the ideal vehicle for anyone wishing to work in and experience the most remote and uneven terrains.

When wanting to spend time away from the usual city and suburban environments, and acquiring some land for escape into a forested or rocky region, you will need a vehicle that is tough enough and reliable to confront and overcome the challenges posed by nature. The Big Boss as it’s respectfully referred to, is the perfect vehicle for hauling tools and other gear necessary for working well in the toughest of outback conditions. It also offers the resiliency for exploration trips in terrain where most other vehicles cannot access. With Big Boss, the traction and payload are excellent and the versatile dump-box section large enough for packing any bulky items securely for a rough off-road experience to just “rumble on.”

The Big Boss from Rumbleon is a suitable vehicle for carrying two people, created by an extended chassis and with a raised seat, provides visibility for the passenger and safety with grips for hands and supporting rests for the feet. The 362 kg covered dump-box with integrated dividers has the advantage of two divided sections, located behind the passenger seat. In addition, there are stake pockets that increase the height for carrying any extra gear.

The advantages of a vehicle like the Big Boss are reflected in its economic fuel efficiency and its capabilities in conquering highly challenging terrains. Driver security and comfort is catered for with well-designed seating, with the level floorboard of the vehicle providing a natural position for easy operation and fatigue prevention.

The Big Boss advantages

Big Boss comes with the latest easy to use variable electronic power steering that automatically adjusts to existing conditions, making the vehicle control responsive and efficient, even at relatively high speeds. This is a particular advantage when negotiating tight trails or using the vehicle on rugged job sites. Complete with a proven and tested all-wheel independent suspension. This is enhanced with the best rear suspension travel related to this type of vehicle, namely 20.83cm front, and 24.93cm rear, with a ground clearance of 29.21cm.

The advantages provided by a 4 and 6-Wheel Drive option, utilized by the simple motion of flipping a switch. The same applies for the fast-engaging and high-performance wheel drive system, immediately available when added traction is needed. The braking system operates in conjunction with the exclusive Polaris engine. It offers an active descent controlled braking system, for best possible control and an even deceleration during a descent.

The extraordinary flexibility of the 570 EPS enables custom-design for large hunting expeditions, and jobs in the remotest and most difficult of conditions throughout the year. Added support is given with more than thirty manufacturers additional accessories.

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Source by Brett Kincaide

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The forex market has been a competitive market and has grown successful as a lot of forex traders begin to make this trade as a source of their major aspirations in taking part in the success of the forex market. How to trade forex is certainly one of the questions that beginner traders might pose as a query. This question might be simple yet; the answers should profoundly be something that will help a trader move towards his goals in doing his venture.

How to trade forex can definitely be answered by means of predominantly learning the basics of forex market. The basics of forex trade involve learning what forex trade is, what forex trade can do to you and how you can be able to start with your dealings without acquiring too much loss on your part. These are deemed as essentials of the trade and once you equipped yourself with the basics, move towards the next level. Remember not to rely on too much basic information for this will not provide you with further knowledge.

How to trade forex should also allow you to learn all the forex trading jargons and languages that you might come across with when the time comes that you take in the floor. Learning the forex language is crucial since you will be dealing with not just experienced and professional ones but also people that made forex their carrier and their lives. Make certain that you know every language from the hedge, hedging strategy, pips, bids and a lot more. You can learn a few but in the course of your trade it would be more apt to learn everything.

How to trade forex also comes with knowing how to analyze the market. As you know very well the forex market is a volatile market, it is never stable and it will never be consistent. Change is its name so you have to live with the variable state of the currency exchange. A lot of traders know this basic rule and this will be repeated even if it means having to run through the rule over again. This deals with the proper and idyllic timing when it comes to trading. First, you need to discern if it is the right time to enter the market, next you need to determine if it would be time for you to leave. Is it time for you to buy or sell or should you hold? These are some of the things that should be considered when doing the trade.

How to trade forex can also be learned through various programs online as well as the use of expert advisors and forex robots. A lot of traders even novice traders have all the positive and constructive feedbacks regarding the forex autopilot system. These programs are known to provide you with up to date forex trade signals that will also do the trade on your behalf. This does not require too much of your presence for the autopilot will take care of all the dealings for you.

How to trade forex does not merely require an experience trader, all you need to know is how to deal with a variable, erratic and changeable market.

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Source by John Callingham

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Cloud Computing, a computing paradigm is one of the easiest means of accessing and storing data over the Internet, instead of storing data in the computer hard drive. It is also recognized as a large pool of systems that helps us to remain connected with private or public networks and to provide dynamically scalable infrastructure for data, file storage and application.

With the launch of this technology, it significantly abridged the storage of content, delivery, cost of computation, and application hosting. It has a potential of transforming a data center from a capital-intensive set up to a variable priced milieu.

According to one of the research industries – Forrester, defines Cloud Computing as a pool of abstracted, highly scalable, and managed compute infrastructure capable of hosting end customer applications and billed by consumption. Whereas, the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed the definition of Cloud Computing as a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with a minimal management effort or service provider interaction.

The characteristic of Cloud Computing consists of self-service, where a customer can request and manage their own computing resources. An access to the broad network permits service to be available for the private networks or the Internet. This technology provides a pool of shared resources, where the customer draws from a pool of computing resources, usually in a remote data centre.

Cloud Computing service models

The services of Cloud Computing are clustered in three categories – Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS).

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

In this service model, the cloud based applications are offered to the customer, as a service on demand. It is a single instance of the service that runs on distant computers “in the cloud” which are owned and operated by others and gets connected to users’ computers via the Internet and, usually, a web browser. Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Google are all examples of SaaS, though users able to access the services via any Internet enabled device.

Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)

The platform-as-a-service (PaaS) model is a level above the Software-as-a-Service setup and provides hardware, network and operating system, so that a customer can design its own application and software. In order to meet the requirements of the applications such as scalability and manageability, a predefined combination of Operating System OS and application servers is offered by PaaS providers such as restricted J2EE, LAMP platform (Linux, Apache, MySql and PHP), etc., for example, at every stage of the process to develop, test and ultimately host their websites, web developers can use individual PaaS environments.

Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)

Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) is a basic computing and storage capability, which is provided by a standardized service over the network. This model has made the workload easier by pooling data centre space, storage systems, networking equipment, servers, etc. together and making them available. In addition to it, the customer can develop and install its own operating systems, software and applications.

Cloud Computing deployment models

To make available and to deploy applications, enterprises can choose Cloud Computing on Public, Private or Hybrid clouds. In order to determine the right cloud path for each organization, Cloud Integrators play a vital role.

Public Cloud

By and large, services provided by a public cloud are offered over the Internet and are operated and owned by companies, which use it to offer swift access to reasonable computing resources to other organizations or individuals. Through this deployment model, consumers don’t need to purchase supporting infrastructure, hardware or software, which is owned and managed by providers.

Private Cloud

In this deployment model, the infrastructure of the cloud is solely operated for a specific organization and is managed by the organization or a third party. While providing more control of resources and steering clear of multi-tenancy, private clouds exist to take advantage of the various cloud’s efficiencies.

Hybrid Clouds

This deployment model of Cloud Computing coalesces both public and private cloud models. A service provider can utilize third party Cloud Providers in a full or partial manner amid hybrid clouds, and thus escalating the flexibility of computing.

Hence, for the everyday computer user, this technology provides numerous options as well as to large and small businesses. And for organizations and individuals, Cloud Computing offers benefits, and the action moves to the interface flanked by multiple groups of service consumers and suppliers.

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Source by James Powell

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/*

“Terminus*Infinitus”: Beyond A to Z

Once upon a time… someone made the interpretation of the word “Mantra!”

Of course, You and I do know what that word means… don’t we? As I can recall, oh yes… literally: “speech, (an) instrument of thought, from man to think; any sacred word or syllable used as an object of concentration and embodying some aspect of spiritual power.” (As defined by the Collins English Dictionary).

Did you remember that?

A recurring conversation was rejuvenated between my friend and (former) classmate ‘William S. Brown’; class of 2004/05, The Berean Institute, College of Business Adminstration and Computer Sciences; regarding the pros and cons of formal collegiate education… “Brother Will” has attended several other colleges and/or Universities, while I have also studied via the campuses of ‘Community College of Philadelpha’ and ‘Temple University’ (Anderson Hall), via PASCEP and M. k. Enterprises.

… We do concur, the cost of education is beyond phenomenal. Why should education have to cost so much – why a cost at all?

Even though both of us have accepted employment opportunities that require(d) a certain level of techinical expertise – of course living(s) have to be earned… but do they truly have to be made at the expense of students and those seeking earnable careers at their trade of career of choice? What ever happened to the “master and the apprentice” way of teaching and learning a life-long, living-earning skill? I remember… I can truly recall when many trades and home-economics were taught not only in the home or neighborhood shops and stores, but in the public schools! Many employers/recruiters hired directly from the high schools throughout the city of Philadelphia prior to the 1980’s and 90’s…

Where did it all go?

“What’s an Algorithm?”… Is it true that it’s a line of attack; Information, (A Flow Chart)?

‘Will’ and I asked ourselves, “What Can We Do About It?”

“What Are We Going To Do… What Will We Do About It?”

“How can we change the educational venue; the equation? Is There Any Other Alternative for Students and Knowledge Seekers other than creating a great amount of debt arissing from expensive College(s) and/or Tech Schools?”

These are the kinds of questions that have prompted this author to become a stalwart writer…

“Well, I’m Here To Tell Ya… This Author Intends To Do The Best To Continually Promote And Support Educational Endeavors For All… “By Any Means Necessary!”… In This Life Or Posthumously!”

The essays, articles, books, and social media publications submitted by this author are designed to give students and education seekers a “Leg-up” on their pursuits of personal enlightenment and educational endeavors.

“It is this author’s commitment, my profound propensity to indefatigably inscribe throughout the annals of time and in the name of education and Information, my contribution(s) to the practice of “Free Education and Self-Help” Publication(s) For One And All – Across This Globe And Beyond!”

Pages 137 through 215, The Book; The 30th Chapter of…

“The One Thing I Know Is… ” ‘How To Understand Information Technology’

A Few Information Technology Definitions From A to Z:

Example(s):

ActiveX:

A loosely defined set of technologies developed by Microsoft. ActiveX is an outgrowth of two other Microsoft technologies called OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) and COM (Component Object Model). As a moniker, ActiveX can be very confusing because it applies to a whole set of COM-based technologies. Most people, however, think only of ActiveX controls, which represent a specific way of implementing ActiveX technologies.

Ad Hoc:

Description of Research Group:

An ad hoc network is an autonomous system of routers (and associated hosts) connected by wireless links–the union of which form an arbitrary graph. The routers are free to move randomly and organize themselves arbitrarily; thus, the network’s wireless topology may change rapidly and unpredictably. Such a network may operate in a standalone fashion, or may be connected to the larger Internet operating as a hybrid fixed/ad hoc network.

This group is concerned with the study of Ad hoc Network Systems (ANS). Ad hoc networks are complex systems, with cross-layer protocol dynamics and interactions that are not present in wired systems, most prominently between the physical, link and network (IP) layers. The IETF community and the wider research community could benefit from research into the behavior of ad hoc networks that would enable advanced routing protocol development. This research group will endeavor to develop sufficient understanding in topic areas of interest to enable the desired protocol specification work.

ADO:

Short for ActiveX Data Objects, Microsoft’s newest high-level interface for data objects. ADO is designed to eventually replace Data Access Objects (DAO) and Remote Data Objects (RDO). Unlike RDO and DAO, which are designed only for accessing relational databases, ADO is more general and can be used to access all sorts of different types of data, including web pages, spreadsheets, and other types of documents.

Together with OLE DB and ODBC, ADO is one of the main components of Microsoft’s Universal Data Access (UDA) specification, which is designed to provide a consistent way of accessing data regardless of how the data are structured.

Aggregate Functions:

MIN returns the smallest value in a given column MAX returns the largest value in a given column SUM returns the sum of the numeric values in a given column AVG returns the average value of a given column COUNT returns the total number of values in a given column COUNT(*) returns the number of rows in a table

Aggregate functions are used to compute against a “returned column of numeric data” from your SELECT statement. They basically summarize the results of a particular column of selected data.

AGP-Advanced Graphic Port:

Short for Accelerated Graphics Port, an interface specification developed by Intel Corporation. AGP is based on PCI, but is designed especially for the throughput demands of 3-D graphics. Rather than using the PCI bus for graphics data, AGP introduces a dedicated point-to-point channel so that the graphics controller can directly access main memory. The AGP channel is 32 bits wide and runs at 66 MHz. This translates into a total bandwidth of 266 MBps; as opposed to the PCI bandwidth of 133 MBps. AGP also supports two optional faster modes, with throughputs of 533 MBps and 1.07 GBps. In addition, AGP allows 3-D textures to be stored in main memory rather than video memory.

AGP:

What is AGP?

Short for Accelerated Graphics Port, an interface specification developed by Intel Corporation. AGP is based on PCI, but is designed especially for the throughput demands of 3-D graphics.

PCI:

Peripheral Component Inter-Connect (functionality card).

Algorithm:

A line of attack; Information (The Flow Chart).

(al´g&-rith-&m) (n.) A formula or set of steps for solving a particular problem. To be an algorithm, a set of rules must be unambiguous and have a clear stopping point. Algorithms can be expressed in any language, from natural languages like English or French to programming languages like FORTRAN.

We use algorithms every day. For example, a recipe for baking a cake is an algorithm. Most programs, with the exception of some artificial intelligence applications, consist of algorithms. Inventing elegant algorithms — algorithms that are simple and require the fewest steps possible -is one of the principal challenges in programming.

Genetic algorithms archive Repository for information related to research in genetic algorithms. Here you can find a calendar of events, back issues of the archive, links to related research sites, newsgroups, and source code.

A study on what faces people find the most attractive.

This was a study done to determine what types of faces are the most attractive. This shows how a genetic algorithm can be applied to a study of hereditary over many generations. Algorithms for common programming problems

Provides algorithms for common programming problems. It also provides pointers on how to implement those algorithms in various different languages. Demonstartion of genetic algorithm problem

This site illustrates the solution for the travelling salesman problem– what is the best, most efficient way for a travelling sales man to travel through all the states. The solutions were found by running a genetic algorithm. The problem is a classic question that is dealt with using algorithms.

Analog: (adj.)

Also spelled analogue, describes a device or system that represents changing values as continuously variable physical quantities. A typical analog device is a clock in which the hands move continuously around the face. Such a clock is capable of indicating every possible time of day. In contrast, a digital clock is capable of representing only a finite number of times (every tenth of a second, for example). In general, humans experience the world analogically. Vision, for example, is an analog experience because we perceive infinitely smooth gradations of shapes and colors. When used in reference to data storage and transmission, analog format is that in which information is transmitted by modulating a continuous transmission signal, such as amplifying a signal’s strength or varying its frequency to add or take away data. For example, telephones take sound vibrations and turn them into electrical vibrations of the same shape before they are transmitted over traditional telephone lines. Radio wave transmissions work in the same way. Computers, which handle data in digital form, require modems to turn signals from digital to analog before transmitting those signals over communication lines such as telephone lines that carry only analog signals. The signals are turned back into digital form (demodulated) at the receiving end so that the computer can process the data in its digital format.

ANSI:

Acronym for the American National Standards Institute. Founded in 1918, ANSI is a voluntary organization composed of over 1,300 members (including all the large computer companies) that creates standards for the computer industry. For example, ANSI C is a version of the C language that has been approved by the ANSI committee. To a large degree, all ANSI C Compilers, regardless of which company produces them, should behave similarly.

In addition to programming languages, ANSI sets standards for a wide range of technical areas, from electrical specifications to communications protocols. For example, FDDI, the main set of protocols for sending data over fiber optic cables, is an ANSI standard.

National Committee for Information Technology Standards (NCITS) Contains information on the efforts and involvements of NCITS in the area of market-driven, voluntary consensus standards for multimedia, interconnection among computing devices, storage media, databases, security, and programming languages.

American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Home Page Contains news, events, links to standards databases, and education and training links. Standardization – ANSI

Explains whythere is a need for ANSI and standardization.

API:

Abbreviation of “Application Program Interface,” a set of routines, protocols, and tools for building software applications. A good API makes it easier to develop a program by providing all the building blocks. A programmer puts the blocks together.

Most operating environments, such as MS-Windows, provide an API so that programmers can write applications consistent with the operating environment. Although APIs are designed for programmers, they are ultimately good for users because they guarantee that all programs using a common API will have similar interfaces. This makes it easier for users to learn new programs. DOS Protected Mode Interface (DPMI)

This is a programmer’s reference copy of the DOS Protected Mode Interface, a protected mode API specification for DOS extended applications. Microsoft Internet Server API (ISAPI) information page Provides a brief description of Microsoft’s Internet Server API (ISAPI), along with a link to information on CGI.

APM:

Short for Advanced Power Management, an API developed by Intel and Microsoft that allows developers to include power management in BIOSes. APM defines a layer between the hardware and the operating system that effectively shields the programmer from hardware details.

Applet:

An applet is a small program designed to run within another application. Applets are useful on the Web because, once they are downloaded; they can be executed quickly within the user’s browser. More than one applet can exist in a single document, and they can communicate with one another while they work. Java is one of the major languages used for creating Web-based applets.

Application:

A program or group of programs designed for end users. Software can be divided into two general classes: systems software and applications software. Systems software consists of lowlevel programs that interact with the computer at a very basic level. This includes operating systems, compilers, and utilities for managing computer resources.

In contrast, applications software (also called end-user programs) includes database programs, word processors, and spreadsheets. Figuratively speaking, applications software sits on top of systems software because it is unable to run without the operating system and system utilities.

Argument:

In programming, a value that you pass to a routine. For example, if SQRT is a routine that returns the square root of a value, then SQRT(25) would return the value 5. The value 25 is the argument.

Argument is often used synonymously with parameter, although parameter can also mean any value that can be changed. In addition, some programming languages make a distinction between arguments, which are passed in only one direction, and parameters, which can be passed back and forth, but this distinction is byno means universal.

An argument can also be an option to a command, in which case it is often called a commandline argument.

Artificial Intelligence:

The branch of computer science concerned with making computers behave like humans. The term was coined in 1956 by John McCarthy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Artificial intelligence includes

• games playing: programming computers to play games such as chess and checkers

• expert systems: programming computers to make decisions in real-life situations (for example, some expert systems help doctors diagnose diseases based on symptoms)

• natural language: programming computers to understand natural human languages

• neural networks: Systems that simulate intelligence by attempting to reproduce the types of physical connections that occur in animal brains

• robotics: programming computers to see and hear and react to other sensory stimuli

Currently, no computers exhibit full artificial intelligence (that is, are able to simulate human behavior). The greatest advances have occurred in the field of games playing. The best computer chess programs are now capable of beating humans. In May, 1997, an IBM super-computer called Deep Blue defeated world chess champion Gary Kasparov in a chess match.

In the area of robotics, computers are now widely used in assembly plants, but they are capable only of very limited tasks. Robots have great difficulty identifying objects based on appearance or feel, and they still move and handle objects clumsily.

Natural-language processing offers the greatest potential rewards because it would allow people to interact with computers without needing any specialized knowledge. You could simply walk up to a computer and talk to it. Unfortunately, programming computers to understand natural languages has proved to be more difficult than originally thought. Some rudimentary translation systems that translate from one human language to another are in existence, but they are not nearly as good as human translators. There are also voice recognition systems that can convert spoken sounds into written words, but they do not understand what they are writing; they simply take dictation. Even these systems are quite limited — you must speak slowly and distinctly.

In the early 1980s, expert systems were believed to represent the future of artificial intelligence and of computers in general. To date, however, they have not lived up to expectations. Many expert systems help human experts in such fields as medicine and engineering, but they are very expensive to produce and are helpful only in special situations.

Today, the hottest area of artificial intelligence is neural networks, which are proving successful in a number of disciplines such as voice recognition and natural-language processing.

There are several programming languages that are known as AI languages because they are used almost exclusively for AI applications. The two most common are LISP and Prolog.

Numara Software:

Neural Network Help Desk Software – Offers Track-It! help desk software for advanced problem resolution, knowledge management, and employee/customer self-help via the Web.

Artificial Intelligence Information Resource – Business technology search site offering software, service, reseller and hardware information on thousands of IT solutions and Intelligent software products and suppliers.

Searchable directory of over 700 product abstracts for AI and intelligent software products. MIT Artificial Intelligence Projects

American Association for Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) Provides links to AAAI conferences, symposia, publications, workshops, resources, and organization information. MIT’s AI Lab home page

SRI International Artificial Intelligence Center (AIC) page Home page for SRI’s International’s Artificial Intelligence Center (AIC), one of the world’s major centers of research in artificial intelligence. Here you can find information on their research programs, staff, and publications.

The Centre for Neural Computing Applications (CNCA) The CNCA is a University research group dedicated to developing neural computing and SMART software solutions to real world problems. The site provides project details, papers, extensive related links pages, and up-to-date information in the AI/neural computing world. The Outsider’s Guide to AI Contains AI history, information on the LISP language, natural language processing, hardware, expert systems, human behavior, message filtering, robotics, and an AI timeline.

AS (AS/400):

Acronym for Autonomous System

An Autonomous System (AS) is a group of networks under mutual administration that share the same routing methodology. An AS uses an internal gateway protocol and common metrics to route packets within the AS and uses an external gateway protocol to route packets to other Autonomous Systems.

ASCII:

Acronym for the American Standard Code of Information Interchange.

Pronounced ask-ee, ASCII is a code for representing English characters as numbers, with each letter assigned a number from 0 to 127? For example, the ASCII code for uppercase M is 77.

Most computers use ASCII codes to represent text, which makes it possible to transfer data from one computer to another.

Text files stored in ASCII format are sometimes called ASII files. Text editors and word processors are usually capable of storing data in ASCII format, although ASCII format is not always the default storage format. Most data files, particularly if they contain numeric data, are not stored on ASCII format. Executable programs are never stored in ASCII format.

The standard ASCII character set uses just 7 bits for each character. There are several larger character sets that use 8 bits, which gives them 128 additional characters. The extra characters are used to represent non-English characters, graphics symbols, and mathematical symbols.

Several companies and organizations have proposed extensions for these 128 characters. The DOS operating system uses a superset of ASCII called extended ASCII or high ASCII. A more universal standard is the ISO Latin 1 set of characters, which is used by many operating systems, as well as Web browsers.

Another set of codes that is used on large IBM computers is EBCDIC.

ASIC:

Pronounced ay-sik, and short for Application-Specific Integrated Circuit, a chip designed for a particular application (as opposed to the integrated circuits that control functions such as RAM in a PC). ASICs are built by connecting existing circuit building blocks in new ways. Since the building blocks already exist in a library, it is much easier to produce a new ASIC than to design a new chip from scratch.

ASICs are commonly used in automotive computers to control the functions of the vehicle and in PDAs.

ASM:

Automatic Storage Management (ASM) is a feature in Oracle Database 10g that provides the database administrator with a simple storage management interface that is consistent across all server and storage platforms. As a vertically integrated file system and volume manager, purpose-built for Oracle database files, ASM provides the performance of async I/O with the easy management of a file system. ASM provides capability that saves the DBAs time and provides flexibilityto manage a dynamic database environment with increased efficiency.

ATA:

Short for Advanced Technology Attachment, a disk drive implementation that integrates the controller on the disk drive itself. There are several versions of ATA, all developed by the Small Form Factor (SFF) Committee:

• ATA: Known also as IDE, supports one or two hard drives, a 16-bit interface and PIO modes 0, 1 and 2.

• ATA-2: Supports faster PIO modes (3 and 4) and multiword DMA modes (1 and 2). Also supports logical block addressing (LBA) and block transfers. ATA-2 is marketed as Fast ATA and Enhanced IDE (EIDE).

• ATA-3: Minor revision to ATA-2.

• Ultra-ATA: Also called Ultra-DMA, ATA-33, and DMA-33, supports multiword DMA mode 3 running at 33 MBps.

• ATA/66: A version of ATA proposed by Quantum Corporation, and supported by Intel, that doubles ATA’s throughput to 66 MBps.

• ATA/100: An updated version of ATA/66 that increases data transfer rates to 100 MBps. ATA also is called Parallel ATA. Contrast with Serial ATA.

ATA also is called Parallel ATA. Contrast with Serial ATA.

Backplane: (bak´plan) (n.)

A circuit board containing sockets into which other circuit boards can be plugged in. In the context of PCs, the term backplane refers to the large circuitboard that contains sockets for expansion cards.

Backplanes are often described as being either active or passive. Active backplanes contain, in addition to the sockets, logical circuitry that performs computing functions. In contrast, passive backplanes contain almost no computing circuitry. Traditionally, most PCs have used active backplanes. Indeed, the terms motherboard and backplane have been synonymous. Recently, though, there has been a move towardpassive backplanes, with the active components such as the CPU inserted on an additional card. Passive back planes make it easier to repair faulty components and to upgrade to new components.

Bandwidth:

(1)Arange with in a band of frequencies or wavelengths.

(2)The amount of data that can be transmitted in a fixed amount of time. Fordigitaldevices, the bandwidth is usually expressed in bits per second (bps)or bytes per second. For analog devices, the bandwidth is expressed in cycles per second, or Hertz (Hz).

The bandwidth is particularly important for I/O devices. For example, a fast disk drive can be hampered by a bus with a low bandwidth. This is the main reason that new buses, such as AGP, have been developed for the PC.

Bandwidth:

What is bandwidth?

The amount of data that can be transmitted in a fixed amount of time.

BitMap:

A bit map is a collection of pixels that describes an image, in human terms, a complete picture. A bitmap can be of various bit depth and resolution. Basically, a bitmap is an array of pixels.

A representation, consisting of rows and columns of dots, of a graphics image in computer memory. The value of each dot(whether it is filled in or not) is stored in one or more bits of data. For simple monochrome images, one bit is sufficient to represent each dot, but for colors and shades of gray, each dot requires more than one bit of data. The more bits used to represent a dot, the more colors and shades ofgray that can be represented.

The density of the dots, known as the resolution, determines how sharply the image is represented. This is often expressed in dots per inch (dpi) or simply by the number of rows and columns, such as 640 by 480.

To display a bit-mapped image on a monitor or to print it on a printer, the computer translates the bitmap into pixels(for display screens) or ink dots (for printers). Optical scanners and fax machines work by transforming text or pictures on paper into bitmaps.

Bit-mapped graphics are often referred to as rastergraphics. The other method for representing images is known as vector graphics or object-oriented graphics. With vector graphics, images are represented as mathematical formulas that define all the shapes in the image. Vector graphics are more flexible than bit-mapped graphics because they look the same even when you scale them to different sizes. In contrast, bit-mapped graphics become ragged when you shrink or enlarge them.

Fonts represented with vector graphics are called scalable fonts, outline fonts, orvector fonts. The best-known example of a vector font system is Post Script. Bit-mapped fonts, also called raster fonts, must be designed for a specific device and a specific size and resolution.

A representation, consisting of rows and columns of dots, of a graphics image in computer memory. The value of each dot(whether it is filled in or not) is stored in one or more bits of data. For simple monochrome images, one bit is sufficient to represent each dot, butfor colors and shadesof gray, each dot requires more than one bit of data. The more bits used to represent a dot, the more colors and shades of gray that can be represented.

The density of the dots, known as the resolution, determines how sharply the image is represented. This is often expressed in dots per inch (dpi) or simply by the number of rows and columns, such as 640 by 480.

To display a bit-mapped image on a monitor or to print it on a printer, the computer translates the bitmap into pixels(for display screens) or inkdots (for printers). Optical scanners and fax machines work by transforming text or pictures on paper in to bitmaps.

Bit-mapped graphics are often referred to as raster graphics.The other method for representing images is known as vector graphics or object-oriented graphics. With vector graphics, images are represented as mathematical formulas that define all the shapes in the image. Vector graphics are more flexible than bit-mapped graphics because they look the same even when you scale them to different sizes. Incontrast,bit-mapped graphics become ragged when you shrink or enlarge them.

Fonts represented with vector graphics are called scalable fonts, outline fonts, orvector fonts. The best-known example of a vector font system is Post Script. Bit-mappedfonts, also called rasterfonts, must be designed for a specific device and a specific size and resolution.

BOOLEAN: A form of algebra in which all values are reduced to either True or False.

Ex:2<5 (2islessthan5), is Boolean because the result is True.

BPDU:

Acronym for bridge protocol data unit. BPDUs are data messages that are exchanged across the switches within an extended LAN that uses a spanning tree protocol topology. BPDU packets contain information on ports, addresses, priorities and costs and ensure that the data ends up where it was intended to go. BPDU messages are exchanged across bridges to detect loops in a network topology. The loops are then removed by shutting down selected bridge interfaces and placing redundant switch ports in abackup, or blocked, state.

Understanding Spanning Tree Protocol Cisco Systems provides this technically heavy analysis of how spanning tree protocol operates.

BPM:

Short for Business Process Management it is a term that describes activities and (or) events which are performed to optimize a business process. These activities are aided by software tools. The set ypes of software tools are also called BPM tools.

Business Intelligence:

Most companies collect a large amount of data from their business operations.

To keep track of that information, a business and would need to use a wide range of software programs, such as Excel, Access and different data base applications for various departments through out their organization. Using multiple software programs makes it difficult to retrieve information in a timely manner and to perform an analysis of the data.

The term Business Intelligence (BI) represents the tools and systems that play a key role in the strategic planning process of the corporation. These systems allow a company to gather, store, access and analyze corporate data to aid in decision-making. Generally these systems will illustrate business intelligence in the areas of customer profiling, customer support, market research, market segmentation, product profitability, statistical analysis, and inventory and distribution analysis to name a few.

C:

A high-level programming language developed by Dennis Ritchie at Bell Labs in the mid-1970s.

Although originally designed as a systems programming language, ‘C’ has proved to be a powerful and flexible language that can be used for a variety of applications, from business programs to engineering. C is a particularly popular language for personal computer programmers because it is relatively small–it requires less memory than other languages. The first major program written in C was the UNIX operating system, and for many years C was considered to be in extricably linked with UNIX. Now, however, C is an important language independent of UNIX.

Although it is a high-level language, C is much closer to assembly language than are most other high-level languages. This closeness to the underlying machine language allows C programmers to write very efficient code. The low-level nature of C, however, can make the language difficult to use for some types of applications.

These examples are just a few representations of what you will find in this “Self-Help” book of Technical Information… “IT/BI!”

Within the pages of this particular book, the text therein will give the Student or Information Seeker highly valued resource(s). It is with the greatest hope that this information/data is of value to you the ‘STUDENT’ and the ‘READER’ alike.

(not quite the) End.

*/

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Source by Gregory V. Boulware

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Introduction

Trainers face pressure to demonstrate that training delivers the desired skills, knowledge and behaviours required to enable the organisation to improve its performance. Transfer demonstrates the effectiveness of a training programme and is important because, it is believed that there is a relationship between improving employee capability and achieving competitive advantage.

Training spend in the UK is approximately £23.5bn per year. Stakeholders want a return on investment (ROI) from the training delivered. However, the 2011 CIPD Survey found only 28% of organisations measure ROI and conduct a cost/benefit analysis.

Definitions and Meanings

A review of research offered a number of definitions regarding transfer:

“The degree to which trainees effectively apply the knowledge, skills and attitudes gained in a training context to the job… for transfer to have occurred, learned behaviour must be generalized to the job context and maintained over a period of time on the job.”(Baldwin & Ford)

“When the knowledge learned is actually used on the job for which it is intended… the application, generalizability and maintenance of newly acquired knowledge and skills.”(Cheng & Hampson)

“When training results can cross time, space and context.”(Vermeulen)

Transfer occurs at Level 3 of Kirkpatrick’s taxonomy of evaluation, and refers to a future point in time following training delivery where the trainee applies the knowledge, skills or behaviour to perform a task within the organisation and more specifically uses the training in a manner that positively impacts job performance.

Researchers and practitioners have struggled to find a tool to measure transfer. Different research has used different measurement tools, making it difficult to compare results, and to understand the relationship between different transfer variables. Some researchers have suggested there is no proof that transfer exists, although this view might be overstated.

Research indicates that levels of transfer depreciate over a period of time:

• 62% transfer immediately after training
• 44% transfer after six months
• 34% after one year

However, with no agreed measure it could be argued that these figures are not reliable and it may not be possible to know whether transfer has or has not occurred. Research suggests that there are three levels of human behaviour; visible, conscious and unconscious.

The semi or unconscious level is a psychoanalytic view that suggests trainees have internal forces outside their awareness that directs behaviour. At this level, a trainee may not be conscious of transfer, and therefore may not understand how training has impacted the way they perform a task. This is complicated further in adaptive transfer where transfer occurs in a different context. However, researchers argue this is only possible where tasks are similar and when trainees have developed an “abstract mental representation” of both the knowledge and the problem.

Research focuses on three key transfer areas; training design, the work environment and trainee characteristics and has demonstrated, at best, conflicting results regarding the factors that impact transfer in the organisation. The inconsistent research results could be a result of;

1. Individual Factors – Different trainees have different learning capability and therefore need different training design and different work environment factors to enable transfer.
2. Training Design – Different types of training design may be relevant to different organisational and role contexts and need different strategies to enable transfer.
3. Work Environment Factors – Each organisation is unique and therefore the training design and transfer strategies need to reflect the organisational system in which the training is taking place to enable transfer.

Most research papers focus on one type of training and in one organisation. The multi-dimensional and complex nature of transfer changes according to organisation type, organisation and training type and cannot be explained fully with such research limitations. This may explain the inconsistencies found by those using meta-analysis to develop a model of transfer.

Characteristics

Trainee characteristics considered to affect transfer include the trainee’s intellectual ability, motivational factors and their perceived confidence, or self-efficacy and the strategies they employ to use their training in the work place. Other trainee characteristics highlighted include job and career factors and personality traits of the trainee.

The need for self-efficacy to achieve transfer could create a paradox because brevity of training time may leave trainees lacking confidence in their new skills, knowledge or behaviour until they have become proficient in them, which requires transfer to have occurred.

In 2003 the CIPD developed the People Performance Model. The focus of the model is that performance is the result of three variables Ability, Motivation and Opportunity (AMO).

Ability refers not just to the skills and knowledge to do their job but also the confidence and the capability to take what they have learned back into the workplace if transfer is to occur, which aligns with the research regarding the requirement for self-efficacy.

In addition to motivation to do their job well, researchers identified that trainees must also have a willingness to learn, and the motivation to use the skills and knowledge they have learnt in the workplace. The theory of planned behaviour supports the connection between trainee intention in regards to perceived self-efficacy and their actions to control transfer back in the workplace. Other research argues that trainee motivation is enhanced where trainees have supportive managers, but that motivation doesn’t guarantee transfer.

Trainees must develop cognitive and behavioural strategies which include preparing an action plan, setting goals, getting the support they need and exploiting opportunities to apply their newly acquired skills and knowledge.

Different types of training may require different transfer strategies, which may explain why there are inconsistent results in the research regarding transfer. If the trainee has not acquired the right transfer strategy for their new learning, transfer may not be successful.

Training Design

Training design is defined as;

“a set of events that affect trainees so that learning is facilitated” and covers a number of factors, including “the content of training, the trainer, the trainees, the training methods and the program’s planning and design.” (Nikandrou, Brinia, & Bereri)

Traditionally training has been based on the four stage instructional system of design. At each stage of the ISD, trainers need to ensure that they consider how transfer can be enhanced. However training design can only impact the effectiveness of transfer in regards to the accessibility of learning to the trainees and support to develop self-management strategies.

Work environment.

Work environment factors are supported by empirical research and focuses on the alignment of training to the strategic goals, managerial and peer support, opportunities to practice learning and holding trainees accountable for practicing their new skills. Research suggests that interpersonal, collaboration practices, and social support variables may improve transfer but training design will require more transfer interventions where the work environment is less favourable.

The People Performance model emphasises the role of the line manager in creating the environment for the AMO variables to be released and for individuals to exhibit discretionary behaviour. Other research suggests that line manager support may not positively impact transfer, but that the lack of line manager support has a negative effect on transfer.

Having the opportunity to practice learning back in the workplace is important in supporting transfer but intolerance towards errors and mistakes contradicts action theory that suggests that work related action enables the trainee to build appropriate action-orientated mental models which aids transfer.

Changes in the organisation such as a new system, new ways of working or the trainee being given new role responsibilities can interrupt transfer. It could be argued that the speed of organisational change negatively affects transfer and research can only provide a snap shot in a dynamic process and cannot prove that there is a relationship between the work environment factors observed.

Trainers grasp of the importance of transfer

The 2011 CIPD Survey found that one in six organisations do not evaluate training, and of those that do the percentages against each level of Kirkpatrick’s taxonomy are;

• Reaction = 93%
• Learning = 56%
• Transfer = 48%
• Results = 42%

This means only 35% of organisations surveyed evaluate transfer. It could be argued that given these results that trainers have not grasped the importance of transfer. However, the survey also states that only 27% of trainers discuss the progress of learning at management meetings, which could suggest that the lack of evaluation is not a result of failure by trainers but because of the low priority given transfer by the organisation.

It is possible that transfer may not take place immediately, and may take months or even years to be fully utilized in the workplace. This time lag and the difficultyin attributing a financial return from transfer may diminish the perceived value of training and reduces its importance to organisations. The 2011 CIPD survey supports this view when it proposes that the lack of assessment may be as a result of a lack of awareness by the organisation of the real value of the intervention or that organisations view interventions as something that happens in the background. The shift from formal off the job training interventions to on the job learning opportunities may also affect the trainer’s ability to evaluate ‘transfer.’

The 2011 CIPD survey reports;

“practitioners are beginning to deliver differently and to link L&TD to change and organisational development. They are looking to build capability and lift performance through interventions such as coaching and leadership development.”

Sloman observed that;

“most professional developers… care about learning” and “those involved in learning, training and development are intervening to develop the knowledge and skills of the workforce to allow the organization to deliver high value products and more efficient services.”

Which suggest that trainers have grasped the importance of transfer.

The trainer’s role in transfer

Research suggests that transfer requires trainers to design training and influence the work environment factors by developing a multifaceted training process and facilitating a training experience that includes pre, during and post training elements to ensure that effective learning takes place.

The role of trainer includes internal or external professional training practitioners, but the trainer role is also used as an opportunity for career development. Many ‘subject experts’ are given the job of passing on their knowledge and skills and as many as 80% of trainers may not have had training in instructional techniques.

Individuals become trainers because of serendipity but the accessibility of entry into training does create issues in regards to transfer. Research by Roffey Park suggests that many trainers do not have the knowledge to apply learning theory in their training design, with many trainers picking up their knowledge of theory working with other trainers.

Research suggests that the interaction between the trainer and the trainee will impact transfer and that trainers who are subject matter experts do not necessarily work well with executive level trainees. This suggests that it is important that the trainer is able to connect with the trainees if transfer is to occur.

However, it could be argued that too much emphasis is placed on the role of trainers in facilitating transfer, the transfer model gives equal responsibility for transfer to the individual and the organisation, and yet in practice it is the trainer who is expected to solve the ‘transfer problem.’ To propose that the trainer should take responsibility for the whole process is a misnomer that fails to consider all the other organisational factors and influences in the process.

The training workshop is a small element in the learning process although the trainer is required to understand the role they play in the wider organisational context.

Although levels of transfer may seem low, a web search shows that the average returns on direct mail marketing (around 2%) and conversion ratios in sales calls (around 10%) may indicate training is significantly outperforming other functions. To suggest that there is a ‘transfer problem’ may represent unrealistic expectations of possible transfer levels given the number of variables involved. Although improvement is possible, it could be argued that researchers are expecting more from trainers than is expected from other organisational functions or than is achievable.

The 2011 CIPD Survey highlights that;

“the three most common tasks for learning and development specialists are management/planning of learning and development efforts, delivering courses/time in a training facility and organisational development/change management activities.”

This suggests that the trainers role has moved outside of the training room and that the responsibility for transfer has been given to those who can affect it the most; the line managers and the trainees.

Factors that ensure transfer takes place

Noe supported the development of the Learning Transfer System Inventory (LTSI), which includes 16 factors measuring the individual, training and environment factors that affect performance. The purpose of the LTSI is to measure the factors impacting transfer and provide understanding as to why training works. However, Noe criticises the LTSI for failing to provide adequate assessment in regards to characteristics relating to trainee and training design.

The Learning Transfer Model, was developed by Leimbach; Learner readiness refers to those activities which prepare the trainee for the training intervention and indicates the pre-training preparation which is required to ensure that the trainee can engage with the training, Leimbach suggests that if Learner readiness is addressed transfer could increase by as much as 70%.

Learning Transfer Design can increase transfer by as much as 37% and relates to the process implemented in designing the training and interventions around the main training event. Transfer is impacted by the alignment of the training intervention to the organisation. The importance of needs assessment in improving transfer has been well documented.

By including transfer activities into the design of the training intervention trainers can impact performance in the workplace. However, the inconsistencies in research findings suggest that different situations in which training is delivered require different solutions to improve transfer.

The Shift

Training is defined as;

“a planned intervention that is designed to enhance the determinants of individual job performance.” (Chiaburu & Tekleab)

Learning is defined as;

“a relatively permanent change in knowledge or skill produced by experience.” (Goldstein & Ford)

Cognitive theory suggests learning is a continuous process of applying knowledge and skills in the work environment, this in turn, modifies the way the knowledge and skills learnt are assimilated. Learning is important in the application phase of transfer within the work environment, and within the trainee’s own existing cognitive framework.

Transfer suggests that there is an end point to training being adopted within the workplace and limits learning to off-the-job training and transfer to knowledge or skills for a specific task. This does not allow for adaptive transfer that learning in the knowledge or skill area is used by the trainee, but in a different context or different way. However, on the job and ‘decontextualised’ learning further complicates the study of transfer.

A further definition that is worthy of consideration is that of learning capability, defined as;

“the ability of organisations to promote, continuously develop, and sustain abilities to learn and create new actionable knowledge.” (Berry & Grieves)

In the last decade there has been a shift in training practice to that of the learning process that is directed by the trainee and is based in the workplace, the purpose being to increase the individuals capacity to learn.

Responsibility for learning has shifted from the trainer to that of the individual, supported by the organisation in line with the ideas promoted by strategic human resource management. The training intervention therefore becomes the beginning of the learning process and learning transfer happening in the workplace.

Conclusion

In answer to the question as to whether trainers have really grasped the importance of transfer, it can be concluded that most professional training practitioners have grasped its importance, but that not everyone who delivers training has the theoretical knowledge or skills to understand transfer. In addition it must be emphasised that the organisation and individual trainees have equal responsibility, in partnership with the trainer, to enable transfer to take place.

There are a number of factors which trainers should be aware of to ensure that transfer takes place which fall under three main areas; training design, the organisational work environment and the individual trainee capability to learn. However, rather than focusing on transfer factors as an input to training design a more appropriate focus for trainers may be to create the learning processes required to build learning capability in response to the organisational context and the trainee population.

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Source by Carrie L Foster

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In recent years, advanced artificial intelligence has become available to the consumer, and a side effect of this is the burgeoning market for automated Forex trading software. Not all of these programs live up to their developers’ lofty claims of “easy money”, but there are nonetheless a few gems buried among the vast amounts of dross in the market. One such gem is a powerful piece of software with a fairy ridiculous-sounding name: Forex Megadroid. Now, it sounds like a children’s toy, but make no mistake: this program can be your very own digital Forex professional.

The Forex market is a fickle and vindictive beast, ever mutable and always profitable. Humans can develop expertise to master the market’s whims and recognize the ideal time to invest; however, the sheer number of variables involved means that the best market analysis happen to be computer programs, or “robots” as they’re commonly called. Unfortunately, these robots are often based on static algorithms developed with past market conditions in mind: the end result is software that has a short season of profitability before being condemned to irrelevance by the changing market. Forex Megadroid, on the other hand, is built around “market adapting intelligence” which can purportedly adjust to changes in the market, making the software indefinitely profitable. This technology has yet to be adequately tested in live market conditions, but Forex Megadroid has another feature that’s turning heads among Forex traders.

Forex Megadroid sports a system called Reverse Correlated Time and Price Analysis, or RCTPA. As the name implies, this algorithm is designed to predict market changes 2-4 hours in advance, and its performance has backed up its creators’ claims of a 95.82% accuracy rate. There is no such thing as an electronic crystal ball, but certainly Forex Megadroid appears to be close enough to one, and this level of accuracy can prove a decisive advantage in Forex trading.

Forex Megadroid has other features to help you trade. Its automatic money management system provides automatic position sizing, allowing you to control your level of risk. Its stealth mode hides T/P and S/L levels from your broker; this feature can be useful, but if your Internet connection is unreliable, it can have costly side effects if you are disconnected from the server.

Forex Megadroid trades cautiously. It won’t make you millions in the first week, but it will ensure you make money over the long term rather than lose it. Because of this, it trades only rarely: 2-3 trades per week is typical, but your mileage may vary depending on your broker options.

For less than $100, you can take your own piece of the Forex market with this software. It may seem like a sizable investment, but it won’t take long to pay for itself.

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Source by Stephen J. Lewis

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Individuals who run businesses know for a fact in order to be successful the following two variables must be present:

a) Proper management of tasks for overall operational efficiency of the business; and
b) the correct automated solution with regard to job or employee scheduling. The following content examines the advantages and disadvantages of automated employee scheduling software.

When you use an automated solution with respect to employee scheduling software the employee is able to access his or her schedule at anytime and anywhere she or he is afforded Internet access. In this light, there is no room for the employee to complain the schedule was inaccessible. The web-based scheduling solution allows management to a) initiate payrolls; and b) still maintain proper levels of security since a user login is employed using different levels as to permission. Also the software allows the manager to create detailed analytical reports. An efficient database may be created within the system customizable to management’s operational needs.

The advantages are many however disadvantages must be considered as well, especially when the manager prepares to make a buy decision. In example, employees who have slower connection speeds many not receive the same level of performance than those employees equipped with high-speed connections. It goes without saying, that certainly web based scheduling software is easy enough to use; however for those without the greater technological advantage of high speed Internet, the web based solution can also present a drawback. The software itself is set up with simple enough coding; however as such is not meant for extensive sessions. This means persons using the software may need to go through a few gymnastics in regaining their connection if their technology is less than efficient as explained above.

That said employee scheduling software offers far more benefits with regard to functionality than downsides. Implementation in using the product is easy enough and the interface with respect to functions and tasks is not difficult to understand. In other words, the automated product for the most part makes business operations much more streamlined and in turn preferably more efficient. Additionally, if there are any questions as to operation, questions may be answered readily by various means of customer support. The user never need struggle with regard to use of the automated solution. Conclusively, the software is easy enough to install; and presents a great deal of functionality.

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Source by James C F

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The origin of Islamic banking dates to the very beginning of Islam in the seventh century. The prophet Muhammad’s first wife, Khadija, was a merchant, and he acted as an agent for her business, using many of the same principles used in contemporary Islamic banking. In the Middle Ages, trade and business activity in the Muslim world relied on Islamic banking principles, and these ideas spread throughout Spain, the Mediterranean and the Baltic States, arguably providing some of the basis for western banking principles. In the 1960s to the 1970s, Islamic banking resurfaced in the modern world.

This banking system is based on the principles of Islamic law, also referred to as Sharia law, and guided by Islamic economics. The two basic principles are the sharing of profit and loss and the prohibition of the collection and payment of interest by lenders and investors. Islamic banks neither charge nor pay interest in a conventional way where the payment of interest is set in advance and viewed as the predetermined price of credit or the reward for money deposited. Islamic law accepts the capital reward for loan providers only on a profit- and loss-sharing basis, working on the principle of variable return connected to the actual productivity and performances of the financed project and the real economy. Another important aspect is its entrepreneurial feature. The system is focused not only on financial expansion but also on physical expansion of economic production and services. In practice, there is a higher concentrated on investment activities such as equity financing, trade financing and real estate investments. Since this system of banking is grounded in Islamic principles, all the undertakings of the banks follow Islamic morals. Therefore, it could be said that financial transactions within Islamic banking are a culturally distinct form of ethical investing. For example, investments involving alcohol, gambling, pork, etc. are prohibited.

For the last four decades, the Islamic banking system has experienced a tremendous evolution from a small niche visible only in Islamic countries to a profitable, dynamic and resilient competitor at an international level. Their size around the world was estimated to be close to $850 billion at the end of 2008 and is expected to grow by around 15 percent annually. While system of banking remains the main component of the Islamic financial system, the other elements, such as Takaful (Islamic insurance companies), mutual funds and Sukuk (Islamic bonds and financial certificates), have witnessed strong global growth, too. Per a reliable estimate, the Islamic financial industry now amounts to over $1 trillion. Moreover, the opportunity for growth in this sector is considerable. It is estimated that the system could double in size within a decade if the past performances are continued in the future.

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Source by Afsheen Noorbakhsh

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Human capital or human capitalism has become the explanation of the labor market and earnings inequality put forth by economists. While not a theory of racial and gender inequality in the labor market, this line of reasoning has major implications for minority and gender disadvantage in the labor market.

Human capital is the education, skill levels, and problem solving abilities that will enable an individual to be productive worker in today’s society. It contends that investment in education will improve the quality of workers and, consequently, increase the wealth of the community (Spring, 2006).

Human capital as put forth by proponents such as Jacob Mincer (1962) and Gary Becker (1964), argue that inequality exists in the labor market because some workers are more productive than others. Productive workers are more productive because they have invested more in themselves in human capital that will potentially increase their future monetary income. If everyone invested the same amount of resources in human capital, the distribution of earnings would be exactly the same.

In short, inequality in the labor market occurs because (1) some people have more education than others, (2) are willing to invest more in their human capital, and (3) choose to work in jobs that pay higher monetary incomes than those who like being on the low end of the economic totem pole.

However, this mentality is one of the many shortcomings of human capitalism. This theory does not take into account life altering variables such as racism, sexism, classism and massive amounts of inequality in the educational system. Because of these variables, Latinos and African Americans are three times more likely to live in poverty than Whites. Women account for two-thirds of the poor. Proponents of this theory would like to think that these individuals are incapable of achieving the same financial success as their better educated, wealthier counterparts and have not invested the proper amount of human capital to achieve success. This argument is aligned with social Darwinism; survival of the fittest, the notion that the poor are biologically unfit to compete and are to blame for their own poverty stricken existence.

Individuals who have not been able to accumulate large amounts of human capital are not powerless due to their lack of extraordinary ability but because of the same systematic barriers that have existed in this country since its existence: discrimination and institutionalized racism. The federal government’s continuing disregard for the overwhelming majority of its citizens has become more apparent as the incessant suffering of the working class and the abysmal excuse for an educational system are not only ignored but antagonized with rudimentary policies and expedient solutions.

This is all done at the expense of the most vulnerable members of society, the children. One of the most astonishing and under reported statistics in this country is that children are forty percent of the poor but is only twenty-six percent of the population. These children not only lack money but the opportunity for a decent education. Students upon embarking on the first day of school are immediately inundated into a government employed tracking system that has been used since the 1920s when the government decided to separate students by academic ability (Spring 2006). This system places students on predetermined paths based on subjective criteria, creating pathways that will inevitably socialize the students into their expected role in society. Infested with inequality and discrimination, this system degrades children based on their ascribed status (race, class, gender). These categorizations for the most part, will determine who will eventually succeed in society and who will not and are based on laws that riddled with negative perceptions. Children who are designated a lower track are usually minorities and from the inner cities of America.

The main shortcoming of the Human Capital Theory is the belief that education alone will end poverty. Even if there was a law that made it mandatory for every child born in America to receive a free college education, there would have to be enough jobs in the labor market for the influx of future college graduates. According to Spring, during the early 1970s, an educational inflation occurred when the labor market was flooded with college graduates and the occupational structure was not able to supply these individuals with jobs. As a result, people with doctorates were driving taxicabs and waiting on tables. In the end, the labor market proved to be the main factor in determining employment, not education (Spring, p27).

Horace Mann’s noble if misguided idea that the equality of opportunity would reduce social tensions between the poor and the rich by instilling the belief in people that everyone has an opportunity to succeed has not come to pass, at least not in minority communities. Only a ninny would believe that the educational system in this country provides everyone with an equal opportunity for advancement and potential wealth. In Jonathon Kozol’s book, Savage Inequalities, he discusses the plight of students in several cities in America such as Chicago, New York, and Camden, New Jersey who because of their caste in this society, face horrific obstacles while trying to obtain an education. The conditions these students face are discouraging, oppressive, depressing, and disheartening. It is no wonder that children in these districts drop out in such great numbers. Education should be equal, free, and offered to all, regardless of age, race, or disability.

The education gap in the U.S., like the wealth chasm, is growing ever wider, and equal educational opportunity, the perennial dream of working and progressive people, is being undermined by conservative forces. Although free universal public education was adopted early in U.S. history, equal opportunity has never been realized. Since colonial times, education has been provided free of charge for most school aged children in local communities (excluding, at various times, slaves, native Americans, migrants, pregnant girls, special-needs students, and other neglected groups), and have been primarily financed by local taxes and controlled by the ruling classes of local communities. These two features of American education: local financing and local control of schools initially established and continue to maintain inequality in American education.

These reasons are just some of the shortcomings of human capitalism. How can individuals build up their human capital when they are faced with an educational system that is inherently unequal in which wealthy communities have had abundant resources available for education while many poor communities have never had adequate funds? When welfare recipients are told to drop out of school in their final semester of college, make 10 job contacts a week, take a class on how to fill out applications and make it to work on time in order to receive cash benefits? Although education is extolled as the key to success in this society, educational opportunities for the poor are limited. It seems as if the children of the poor are considered to be nothing more than fodder for low paying jobs, unworthy of social investment, while the children of the affluent have access to unlimited educational opportunities.

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Source by Kathy Henry