antoniomcx

[antoniomcx]

xLog 1

So first of all, an update. Last June 14, 2019 I've finally graduated from my Master’s of Science in Information Technology Degree. Thank God!

A week after my graduation, here I am facing the world again with a new degree and a huge question of “What’s Next”. 

My friends and I recently had our get together and talked about not only our personal lives but also our professional careers. I’ve realized that we are not fresh grads any more. We are now Young Professionals (Yuppies) and in few years time will be a full pledge adults.

Adulting is really hard. Gone are the days that we can do things irresponsibly. We need to be mature enough to handle wise decision making and actions. And when I say wise decision making, I say mainly, wise Financial decision making. 

This really hit me hard. I really what to retire early and I will never hit my goal as long as I am dependent to my current existing job. I’ve watched many financial advices and the gurus always say that we need MULTIPLE FINANCIAL STREAMS or SOURCES. I tried to this with my sideline of designing and printing certificates, tarpaulins, and many other related print jobs. Unfortunately this kind of side business is really just a side business: seasonal and low profit.

Going back to our friends get-together, we've briefly discussed the possibility of starting a start-up. But there is just one hurdle that we keep on facing: connections or lack of clients that can and are willing to pay us. I’ve tried to create a start-up before when I was in my last year in college. Enlisting my classmates as developers, we seek our first clients. After a month or so the idea died with many different reasons but mainly because the clients that we’ve met don’t took as seriously and even asked for a free website. 

Learning from my past attempts in creating a start-up company, I will start again fresh. Documenting my inner thoughts, processes, learnings, and struggles that I am facing. I am hoping that by this time, with a new degree and years of experience in the professional world, people will now take us seriously eliminating at least the last issue that we faced.

[antoniomcx]

Learning Log 5.2 Ethics Final Thoughts

So last Monday I finished my Case Study and a few minutes ago are my Final Paper. So what did I learned? Well, ethics is complex. As what I’ve said in my first log, ethics are set of rules and norms of a person’s behavior that are acceptable to the society. To further explain this, ethics tried to define, to box out, or even encode an organization or the society’s collective moral beliefs and virtues. An organization that is diversely composed of a number of people who has different perspectives.

In the world of globalization, we, the people, already come up with a universal ethics which some key ideas and beliefs are common to every society for every country. These universal ethics enable us to conduct ourselves in a manner that is generally accepted by almost everybody. These universal ethics enable organization of different nationality, ethnicity, background, and perspectives to work together in a harmonious relationship with respect to each other. Good examples of universal ethics at work are multinational companies and business process outsourcing.

But not all things are settled, there are still some issues that are needed to be addressed and still argued upon. Good examples of these issues are the ethical acceptance of the following topics such as gay marriage, abortion, euthanasia and many more.

Again, ethics is the reflection of the society itself. Any ethical acceptance of an issue is based on the morality and perspective of the individual unit of the society. As time flows, society’s perspective change and with the ever increasing interconnected of people, ethical acceptance will easily be universal.

[antoniomcx]

Learning Log 5.1 Ethics

Here is an excerpt from my very own definition of Ethics written as a part of our exercise:

“Ethics are set of rules and norms of a person's behavior that are acceptable to the society. Ethics determine what are acceptable and deem to be polite and correct. Ethics are made and used by an external entity usually connected to religion, government or business and are observed by individuals belonging to these organizations.” For many millennia, we are pondering on the ethical principles and theories. Looking for the universal truth and universal good determining the human understanding and societal norms and accepted behaviors.

Though morals, ethics, and laws are intertwined with people usage, the 3 are different. Morals are more focused on the individual perspective, own virtues and beliefs. Ethics are organization or society's set of guidelines which are deemed accepted by the organization or society where the person belongs. Laws are different field thus resulting in a debate regarding the legality but ethically soundness of the laws.

And based on the discussion we had, we can attest that there are some laws that are unethical and some ethical but illegal.

[antoniomcx]

Project Management Take Away

Here I am again in the last week of the month, looking back on the things I realized and learned in a month of learning a new subject. For the month of love, I will be talking about Project Management.

Ah! The position of Project Manager. A very enticing job that can be both a blessing and curse to whoever assigned to this position. A job that requires a balancing act of both technical hands-on knowledge and soft interpersonal skills. Knowledge that is technical which is job-based and theoretical such as the PMBOK’s 9 knowledge areas and 5 phases of project management.

So what I did learn from Project Management? Here are the key points.

Project Management is about delivery.

Projects are short endeavor with a limited budget, time constraints, and deliverables.  This means Projects must be delivered in a timely manner with the accepted scope and budget. Any projects which go beyond this agreed constraints could be considered a failed or failing project. 

Project Management is also about People.

Considering the 9 Knowledge Areas based on PMBOK, Human Resource is also important that should be managed accordingly by the project manager. Your team can make or break your project. Having the right people at the right time in the project development could propel you to success or bogged you down in achieving your milestones.

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

Based on our research about the world’s top IT failures, there is always a trace of Project Manager’s failure to communicate with the project sponsors and development team about certain realities of the project. Like any relationship, the moment you failed to communicate this is the start of failing relationship.

At the end of the class, my final thoughts are Project Management is all about being a Good Leader and Planning to Success. 

[antoniomcx]

The Project Manager

The Project Manager. An enticing position. A dream job for others, hell for some. 

In my almost 6 years of work experience (Yes, I still consider myself a newbie in the corporate world compared to the decades-long experience of others), I’ve worked with different kinds of Project Manager and based of my experience Project Managers can make a developer’s life easier or miserable.

There was a time when I worked with an experienced PM with almost 5 years of company knowledge under his belt. Working with him is a breeze. Based on my observation he is very good in Communication, Scope and Time Management. He himself a front-end developer before was able to put himself on the shoes of the developers. Negotiating the right time span and scope for each project iterations. He is also good at communicating concerns from the client to the developers. This paved a way for a smooth development and clear perspective. Unfortunately, like other things, this good thing also didn’t last as he found a better opportunity outside the company. 

Here comes the bad PM. I don’t know too much about her. All I know is she was hired without prior experience with the position. All I can say is what is the impact of having a bad PM to the team based on my experience. Here are the following: 1. The team doesn’t have a clear view of what to do. 2. The developer will take the extra load of the miscommunications and project incorrect handling. 3. Constant friction between the team. 4. Unsatisfied clients / management. and the list goes on. So what am I saying here? Knowing the PM knowledge areas are essential in handling Projects. Project Managers either accidental or with experience has a crucial role within the company that will determine the success and failure of a project. .

[antoniomcx]

Learning Log 3.4 - BCP

BCP or Business Continuity Planning is a creating a long-term strategy for the company to follow in order to make sure that workers and company assets are protected and in shape when an untoward incident occurs. BCP is created in consideration of the possible risks and dangers that it might face.

In the cyberspace in order make sure that data is available, confidential and with integrity, different IT companies employ different BCP plans in case of disasters. One good example of this the use of Data Centers that are located in different parts of the world making your data not vulnerable to a single location. Another method is creating scheduled backups of the current system. This will ensure that the system can be restored on a certain instance in case of system failure.  

[antoniomcx]

Learning Log 3.3 - Managing Risks

In a corporate world, everything costs money: time, raw materials, manpower, processes. In order to increase profit margin, the company tries to eliminate costs or if not lessen it. Risk Management is identification, assessment and prioritization of risk. The idea is the decrease the chances of something “bad” to happen. 

[antoniomcx]

Learning Log 3.2 - Law Enforcement and Ethical/Moral vs. Legal

On our not so recent discussion regarding Laws intended for cybercrimes one of the key points of the debate is the enforcement. In the Philippines particular there are a lot of laws governing the cyberspace. Though these laws are intended to serve the public interests, the government implementing these laws are not equipped or capable to thoroughly execute the law. Another concern is the morality of the laws. There are many laws that are against the morality of the people. One good example of this is Cybersex which is my group’s topic in the class debate. There are pros and cons on the issue but in general, the idea is not yet welcomed and accepted by the Filipinos unlike to any other Western countries.

[antoniomcx]

Learning Log 3.1: The Security Patch

I am baaaaccccckkk! Risen from the dead. Awaken by a new challenge brought by a new subject in my pursuit of my Master’s Degree. 

A review. This blog has been in unofficial hiatus for almost a month and now I am bringing it back alive. So before I start a  new discussion, let me review my past entries.

In my Learning Log version 1, I share many insights in regarding Advance Operating Systems. At version 2, I’ve posted 3 logs regarding Information Systems. For version 3, I will be sharing my personal input and ideas regarding Information Security.

The Security Patch Information has been a crucial part of every businesses today. Organizations spend Billions of dollars in acquiring, gathering and securing information to gain competitive advantage from competitors. Information Security plays a role in providing the confidentiality, availability and integrity of the information. When we say we need to provide Information Security, we always go with the software side stating many expensive technologies to provide top level encryption and protection against potential threats. This is a misconception, Information Security does not begin with IT security but begins with simple policy making. Security is not provided by hiring or acquiring expensive improvements on the current system but  changing the mindset. Change of mindset to implement the correct prevention, detection and response to threats. Security can be in conflict with a constitutional right of privacy of every individual. This kind of scenarios between security and privacy encompass the legal and ethical issues of providing security without over stepping to the boundaries of privacy intrusion. 

[antoniomcx]

Learning Log 2.3 - Pain Points

“What is the benefit in terms of monetary value does this kind system can bring to our organization?” “Our manual process works fine, this system is just a waste of money.” “Your System would not pay for itself.”

These are common scripts of top management when the IT department are proposing improvement or change. Though as IT professionals, we know that improvements on the IS infrastructure is beneficial to the company in the long run all we have to do is support our claims with data.

Here come the pain points. We know what is the issue with the business process all we have to do is support it with cold hard numbers. What do I mean with numbers? Caching! Yes monetary numbers! We have to prove that this Pain Points means money leaking from the company coffers. And we don’t only need to prove there is a leak, we have to prove that the leak is to big to ignore. Big enough that it is troublesome not to fix it. Big enough that the fix we are offering can be paid by this leak.

So how do we come up with correct fix? We have a lot of tools such as SWOT analysis, value chain analysis, and gap analysis that will step by step lead us to the right solutions by evaluating the business process and pain points.

At the end of the month, Information System is not only implementation based on what they said they need. Information System is implemented based on financial capabilities of the business and analyzation of business processes: its strengths, issues and possible improvements. Information System are implemented not because they said need it but must be justified on every point.

[antoniomcx]

Learning Log 2.2 - Reporting Day

Day 3 of MIS Class is Reporting Day. We had a lot of topics covered today but they are all connected to each other.

To summarize everything in today’s class, I could say that the main driver in the advancement in Information Technology is Businesses. The push of businesses for a competitive advantage, higher market share, less margin, and more profit propels the hunger for advance information systems.

Information systems helps businesses by automating manual business processes, provide storage for collected data of the system, and assist in decision making by providing the right data analysis and information for the decision makers. Though IS are considered to be expensive, businesses understand that IS is a tool that will later on pay for itself considering its benefits that it will bring to the company.

I also would like to stress out relevant information in the right time is critical to every business. Time means money thus every second counts. In a globalized free market economy with every competitors from old rivals and entrants try to overtake everybody’s market share, Information is prime and knowledge across the organization is maintained. Information gives a business a huge competitive advantage to other. Information enables intelligent and well informed business decision by the management who steers the company’s direction and a sense of purpose and understanding to all of the workers.

[antoniomcx]

Learning Log 2.1 - MIS

We’ve just ended the AOS class last week and for the month of October we will be working with Management of Information Systems.

So we begun the class with the requirements for the subject and boy oh boy it is not just a walk in the park. What you do in groups in bachelors degree, we do it individually in Graduate Studies. And that is what you expect on a higher level of learning.

Well what can we say about grad school? As a student you are expected to deliver in manner that are way beyond the specs of a Bachelors student. Graduate School focus on creating managers not ordinary worker or office employees. Managers that are capable of critical thinking and analysis.

Regarding MIS subject I think we are in good hands considering that we do have an experienced MIS professor to teach what industry practices are. 

Going back to the topic...

In our short lecture regarding the introduction to MIS, what really struck me is differences of DATA and INFORMATION. This two words are commonly misunderstood, misused and interchanged by different people. As “Information Technology” people we are responsible for handling important, confidential and sometimes sensitive kind of information. As IT experts and MIS personnel we are tasked to support systems that are capable of processing data into meaningful information that enables intelligent business decisions by top management.

[antoniomcx]

Learning Log 10 - AOS all the way!

With a teary eye (haha), I have to say that today is our last day at our Advance Operating System class. As a part of the requirement, I need to make this final log as an overall review of the subject matter and of course the class itself.

Initially I really thought that at the Advance Operating System will only take the key differences of the common Operating Systems such as Linux, MacOS and Windows. Boy o Boy! I was wrong. This subject is technical as it could get. There is nothing depth as the Advance Operating System subject could get.

As we go back in the past, the operating system we have today is a far improvement of what we have in the past. From operating systems who can only handle one process at a time to today's multi tasking processes. From computers which took a day to run a single mathematical computation to computers today that has Artificial Intelligence. Advance Operating Systems class enables me to understand how computer theories and algorithms connects with the hardware of a computer. How multi-core processors , RAM and storage devices works with the Operating System. I can now explain thoroughly how the number cores in a processor can correlates with faster computing and not just telling that it only means it can process faster.

Overall we can say that the Advance Operating System course is about Optimization. How the processes are run through the system and how modern advancements in computer science was able to run processes faster and simultaneously like today’s computers.

[antoniomcx]

Learning Log 9 - Analytical Modeling

The word Analytical comes with an impact to our understanding that somehow it requires a mathematical computation or equation to work. Nosebleed agad unang word palang.

In Operating Systems Analytical Modeling is the process where the behavior of the computer system is predicted in a mathematical way. On this way, the computer predict the resources needed in relation to the workload and other factors. Though there are many other modeling techniques available, the Analytical Model is becoming more cost effective than other modeling techniques.

Analytical Modeling again is a way where designers can develop systems in order to better manage resources and loads to maximize or optimize output.

[antoniomcx]

Learning Log 8 - HRRN and Paging

Here comes the scheduler! HRRN - Highest Response Ratio Next is a policy where the longer the process is stalled the higher the priority it gets in running next. The idea is to avoid the process to be stalled definitely due to higher priority processes are keep on pushing it back in the line. 

I think we need this HRRN in a human relationship. The longer you wait, the higher the chances of winning!? 

Paging - A page is a data in a secondary memory storage of the System. Paging is the process of reading and loading data from the secondary storage from and to the main storage. Paging innovates the memory management of an operating system compared to the old systems for it is more efficient and enables faster use of storage

[antoniomcx]

Learning Log 7 - Performance, Co-Processor, RISC and Data Flow

Woaaah! Four topics in one Learning Log. I will try to give my take on each topic as brief and simplest way possible.

Performance. Operating Systems has a built features to monitor the performance of the system. Ever since we started this Learning Logs we aim to have higher level of performance by employing different technologies from the smallest level of thread to highest level like OS distributions.

Co-Processors - A co-processor is a special chip in a microprocessor which has a specialized function beyond the microprocessor.

RISC - RISC stands for Reduced Instruction Set Computer. RISC is first conceptualized by John Cocke in IBM Research. This states that 20% of the instructions in the computer do the 80% of the work. My take on that is that RISC is like the Pareto Principles which employ also the 80-20 rule.

Data Flow - a computer architecture different to the one created by Von Neumann Flow. Based on its name, Data Flow is a data driven flow.

[antoniomcx]

Learning Log 6 - Threads

Thread the lightweight compared to its heavyweight counter part the processes. It is kinda weird to talk about things that are small things when we are accustomed that the bigger is better.

A little bit history, threads are called process before until it was coined in 1965 when developers are working at the Berkeley Time Sharing System.

Multi-threading is when two or threads are run achieving parallelism. Process can also be divided into many threads in order to be run simultaneously. At the end of the day, threads and multi-threads are used to optimize again the running of processes in a system. Multi-threading could be maximize if the CPU has multiple number of cores, thus running more thread.