Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Risks and Consequences of Non-Compliance

Risks and Consequences of Non-Compliance Our group have been presented with the data set: Road Collision Casualties in Camden. This data is published by the London Borough of Camden which is licensed under the Open Government Licence. All data on road collisions are provided by TfL (Transport for London), who present the data in three parts on an annual basis. The data set contains information on the casualties where some information has also been added from attendants. The attendants and vehicles are recorded as separate data sets and are available on an open platform, as a result they can be joined together by the use of a reference column. If joined together the data will show accidents where multiple casualties, attendants and vehicles were present. In the reference there will be several records for the same incident. It is suggested that data analysis should be undertaken which uses three years of data in order to avoid any anomalies. The statistics in the data set displays personal injuries which have taken place on public roads which were reported to the police. The police note down the information using a STATS19 form and this is how the data is recorded. While it is not possible to predict every potential legal issue that the application may face, both during development stage and in use, utilising the Road Collision Casualties in Camden data set, the most common pitfalls can easily be avoided. Implementing a proactive legal compliance strategy, during the early part of the development process, will help to minimise the legal risk and strengthen the protection of application itself. Introduction Risks and consequences of non-compliance Failure to design the software in accordance with the various legislative and industry constraints, may result in a product that will attract, in the worst case scenario, legal action and/or make the product difficult to sell. Also, it may be incompatible with other software or data formats. Research into the various standards, industry codes and relevant legal obligations will allow the design to progress with clarity regarding these requirements. Standards, codes legislation The particular items that are relevant to this project are as follows: -The British Computer Society Code of Practice -The Open Government Licence for Public Sector Information Data Protection Act 1998 It is considered that this Act is not applicable for the data accessed by the software, as it contains no personal information. However, it is likely to be applicable to data being held regarding the users of the application in terms of their logging into the system and the history of their use of the data, so we have to be in compliance with Data Protection Act 1998(DPA). Because we will be storing and handling personal information, small errors and inaccuracies can lead to severe data protection breaches and give rise to serious consequences. Compliance with data protection legislation is not just a matter of good practice, it is a legal requirement and, as the penalties for nonfulfillment are extremely serious, especially nowadays in an environment of increasing focus upon data protection, it goes without saying that for this application that we are creating, we need to take great care to protect personal information. The Data Protection Act 1998 is enforced by the Information Commissioners Office (ICO), which has considerable powers when it finds an organisation to be in breach of the data protection principles in the way data is handled. The Information Commissioner has historically shown he is ready and willing to take action, and in extreme circumstances, to bring criminal proceedings with respect to mishandling of personal information. The consequences and penalties which may follow breach of data protection obligations are varied, and in most cases very serious. The ICOs action can include:   Ã‚   Monetary penalty notices; (For serious breaches of the DPA the fines could reach up to  £500,000). Criminal Prosecutions; (Deliberately breaching the DPA can lead to possible prison sentences). Undertakings; (Organisations have to commit to a particular course of action to improve their compliance and avoid further action from the ICO). Enforcement notices; ( Organisations in breach of one or more of the DPA principles are required to take specific steps in order to comply with the law). Audit; (The ICO has the authority to audit government departments without consent to check organisations are complying). Disability Discrimination Act 1995 This would apply in terms of the presentation of the user interface with reference to, for example, colour contrast and legibility. Add compliance with the DDA to the project requirements. Analyse the range of user types and identify any persons likely to fall under the DDA that would use the system. Look at the human interfaces that the system will employ and ensure that all projected users can utilise the application. Demonstrate that the application has been designed to meet these needs in terms of, for example, character/font/ size/colour/contrast or in terms of any audible or spoken interfaces. Display Screen Regulations 1992 The user interface should not compromise an employers ability to comply with this legislation. For example, repetitive strain injuries or eye strain. There is also a Human Factors consideration here in terms of optimising user performance by maintaining concentration, thereby reducing errors. This is unlikely to have a direct impact on the designer/supplier of the software but may have a reputational impact if the product is problematic in the workplace. Intellectual property Before we started our project it was essential for us as a group to have a firm grasp of intellectual property rights and how they apply to the software industry, as protecting our software application would make it easier to take legal action against anyone who steals or copies it. Computer software law is distinguished from most other intellectual creations protected by intellectual property law in that different aspects of the software is eligible for protection by patent, copyright and trade secret laws. Each type of protection has advantages and disadvantages under the current laws. Historically its been quite hard to get software application approved for patent from UK Intellectual Property Office. This means that UK software developers have been left to rely on copyright to protect their work. This was something we had to take into consideration because copyright only offers protection against being copied. However, the Patents are an absolute right against unauthorised use of the patent holders invention, and can protect the underlying/original ideas and processes of our application. So with a patent, it does not matter whether a competitor has copied the program or developed an identical program or indeed a different program which uses the same ideas or process steps on their own, it still breaches the patent and us as patent holders can claim damages and/or an injunction to enforce their rights. In the case of our application, copyright law would protect the source and object code, as well as certain unique original elements of the user interface. While the patent can protect the novel ideas embodied in our application which copyright cannot. However, as I already mentioned, historically its been shown it is quite tough to get software application approved for patent and there is no guarantee that the UK Intellectual Property Office will grant a patent for our software invention. Moreover, the costs for obtaining a software patent are significantly higher, so we as a company have to weigh our options and go with the best possible. Furthermore, the terms of use for the application itself are provided by us who designed the application, but also it should be noted that the data being accessed by the application is also subject to conditions of use by the data owner. This data is published by the London Borough of Camden which is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These conditions should also be provided to the end user and embodied in suppliers terms of use. The Licensor grants us a worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, non-exclusive licence to use the Information subject to the conditions like: acknowledge the source of the Information in your product or application by including or linking to any attribution statement specified by the Information Provider(s) and, where possible, provide a link to this licence This means we are obligated by the Open Government Licence to provide a link for our end user or let the end user know that applications contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence. This is one of the most important conditions of this licence and if our company fails to comply with them the rights granted to us under this licence, or any similar licence granted by the Licensor, will end automatically. It is also important to note that this is version 3.0 of the Open Government Licence. The Controller of this licence may change the licence itself from time to time and issue new versions of it. And if that happens the terms of that licence will continue to apply from the previous version (current version which is 3.0). Software licensing A software license is a document that provides legally required guidelines for the usage and sharing of software. A software licensing agreement will protect our copyright and IP rights by placing restrictions on the end user in relation to how the software can be used. The software licence will allow the end users to have one or more copies of our software, without violating copyrights. When we publish our end product it is critical that we licence our software very carefully to retain the IP rights and to ensure we are able to generate revenue from our work. A software licence usually comes in one of three major forms: Proprietary licence Free licence Open software licence User requirements Consultation with the user of the software and the client, for whom the work is being undertaken, will enable a full and clear understanding of their expectations to be captured in the form of a User Requirements Specification. In particular, the types of users, how the data will be accessed and used should be sought from client and fully understood. This, combined with any legislative, industry or standards requirements, will form the overall Project Requirements Specification. Specification/requirements Taking all of the above a definitive set of Project and Technical requirements can be developed. These will enable the project to proceed from a clear and common understanding. All Stakeholders should sign the requirements and any subsequent changes should be avoided, but if necessary, undertaken in a controlled process. This is important in controlling cost, programme and avoiding differing expectations. Verification It is important to continually check back against the requirements as the design develops. This can be done in the form of a requirements matrix and recording evidence (links to docs/specs) that each requirement is being met.

Monday, January 20, 2020

Ebonics Essay -- essays papers

Ebonics Ebonics, which stands for Ebony + Phonics is a new term that Linguistics use to describe Black Dialect or Black English or many of the other names that it has been given for more than 350 years. Ebonics is a "language" that is a combination of "proper English" and a combination of African languages. This combination pattern was formed on how certain words are pronounced such as, this and that, would be pronounced dis and dat in Ebonics. In most Ebonics words with the "Th." sound has an "D" sound. These are just some of the many patterns that were created when Africans were forced to learn the English language. History states that around 1619, during the slave trade, ships collected slaves not just from one nation but from many nations. Some Africans spoke different languages like Ibo, Yoruba and Hausa. They were then separated from each other and had to travel with people whom the could not understand. Captain William Smith (A slave ship owner) wrote, â€Å"There will be no more likelihood of their succeeding in a plot†(lee, 1994,msn). The slaves then had to learn English so that they could have some form of communication with their masters. Their native language and English would be combined and they would speak African-English pidgin. As the slaves began to learn how to communicate with each other, their words would merge into one common word that they could all understand. This is one of the ways that the language became mixed with English. When the African slaves had children they talked to them in African English pidgin. The slaves taught the children both languages so that they could communicate with the slave owners and to other slaves. As each generation went on the Africans began to speak bette... ...tion to generation. Ebonics has improved from the early 1600's to now but some of the improper English still stands today. Bibliography: Fisher, Julene E "Don't Be a Geek; Learn How Black English Has Enriched The Language" The Salt Lake Tribune www.MSN.com Internet (1996) Lee, Felicia R "Lingering Conflict in the Schools: Black Dialect vs. Standard Speech," The New York Times www.MSN.com Internet (1994) Lewis, Brian C. " Black English: Its History and Its Role in the Education Of Our Children" The Three Twelve Group www.MSN.com Internet (1996) North Carolina Discovers, The Origin of Black Folk Music Snow Camp Historical Drama Society (1994) Smitherman, Geneva, "Talkin and Testifyin†: The Language Of Black America. Detroit; Wayne State University (1986) Stoller, Paul ed. Black American English. New York; Dell Publishing (1975) www.MSN.com

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Dome of the Rock

The Dome of the Rock Dennis Stoneman The Dome of the Rock is located in Jerusalem, and is one of the biggest temples in the Islamic religion. It has been a very important spot for thousands of years, and seems that it will remain so for a very long time. Because of the religious beliefs, there are also a lot of conflict that surrounds the temple. Both the Jews and the Muslims lay claim to the site, saying it is the most important spot in their religions. The importance of the rock itself dates back to the very inceptions of the two religions.Today it is under scrutiny, as to who has actual claim of the area, and of course which religious claim is the true one. The Jews and Muslims have been feuding for centuries, and I don’t see any stop to it any time soon. With all of the claims between the two parties, I have my own theory. The dome itself is covered with 900 gold plates. Some have called the Dome of the Rock a Muslim masterpiece. There are 17 cisterns, each with its own si gnificance, and style.The Dome of the Rock tells a story about why it is there. One of the most elaborate temples in existence. I think it is very elegant, and distinguished. It took many years for the Dome of the Rock to turn into the magnificent religious structure it is today. The Dome has even undergone several makeovers, has had visitors who are and are not Muslim. At times non Muslims were not permitted. http://www. cyberistan. org/islamic/domerock. htm http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Temple_Mount

Friday, January 3, 2020

Hydraulic Fracturing And Its Effects On The Environment

Hydraulic Fracturing Maya Murray Mr. Iwasaki Chun MYP Chemistry Essay 3 May 2015 Maya Murray Mr. Iwasaki Chun MYP Chemistry 3 May 2015 Hydraulic Fracturing â€Å"Our country will have drilled and fracked our way down a blind alley for a short lived energy boom† (qtd. In †¦). Hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, is the process of drilling and injecting fluid into the ground at high pressure in order to fracture shale rocks to release natural gases inside. Many people are referring to fracking as an energy revolution that will last America at least 100 years. What they don’t know is that at the rate we are going, it wont last us 40, and the effects that it has on the environment will make earth’s lifespan shorter too. We need to stop hydraulic fracturing because it is wasteful, harms water reservoirs, and is hazardous to people and the environment. North America has never been one to boast of rich oil reserves, but we have an abundant amount of natural gases. Until recently these natural resources have been unobtainable and untapped. But thanks to technological advancements, we are n ow able to exploit these rich gas reserves. Hydraulic fracturing has revolutionized the production of energy in the United States as well as other places in the world. In 2011, shale gas made up 25% of American gas supply. We depend on these natural resources to fuel our everyday lives. Without them, what would we use for water heating, cooking, or anything else that reliesShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Hydraulic Fracturing On The Environment1695 Words   |  7 PagesDangers of Hydraulic Fracturing Despite its many advantages, hydraulic fracturing poses serious threats to the environment. Some of the commonly identifiable effects of hydraulic fracturing include water pollution, over depletion of water resources, noise pollution, air pollution as well as contributing to land movements such as tremors and earthquakes (Boudet et al. 57). According to Boudet et al. 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