Module Two

            Software that allows employees within a company to have the ability to connect to the company’s data base remotely and conduct business from almost anywhere is work flow software.  This software allows the work to continue to flow day or night, from home, a hotel, or even a coffee shop.  Business can occur at a moment’s notice and from any place that wireless internet is available.  Access to the software is governed by a sign-in and password.

            I work for the State of Utah and we have a software program, VPN, that allows the IT department to connect to a computer state wide from their location at the Matheson Building in Salt Lake City to diagnose and fix computer and printer problems.  There was a time that the only way a computer or printer problem could be fixed was by IT sending a technician to your location to make the necessary repairs.  Now this can be done in a matter of minutes instead of a matter of hours.  This has decreased not only the costs in travel time for IT, but the cost of having a computer or printer inoperable for an extended period of time.  I for one am a huge fan of this software.  Sitting around watching your work pile up while your computer is inoperable was extremely painful.  This software is simply amazing.

            Open source software is both a cost saving and valuable resource.  Designing a program and then putting out on the internet for the other computer geeks to refine and expand upon is a concept of forward thinking.  There is no cost to download the software and if you use it as base for a product that you create to sell, all they ask is that they are given credit for their originating product.  Why wouldn’t you want your product improved upon for free?  The value of using the intellect of someone else for free is invaluable.  The perspective and ideas that another person can bring to a project is eye opening.  The other person is coming at it from a different direction and can add so much to a program.  I really like this idea of involving many programmers on the development of a software program.  This also shows to me that not everyone out there is greedy and that people do have the ability to share something amazing and not just be thinking of all the profits that will be gained.  It gives the intelligent, motivated individuals an opportunity to be a part of something that they may not otherwise have a chance to be a part of.  The end result is a much more powerful operating system for little to no cost.

            The use of skilled individuals across the world to complete tasks at a much lower cost is called out sourcing.  The idea that a business can employ someone from a remote country such as  India or China to complete a project at a much lower cost is a concept that many businesses here in the United States are starting to grasp.  The cost of living in other countries compared to the United States is much lower giving American businesses a chance to employ cheap labor and save money.  The fact that these countries are also in another time zone is time saving and cost savings for American businesses.  The projects are being completed in those countries while the American businesses are fast asleep.  Projects are able to be completed in a very timely manner with the collaboration of the employees here in the United States and the employees in other countries.  Our use of out sourcing not only strengthens the economy of the country that is being employed but increases the profits for the American businesses.  Although the use of out sourcing is a major benefit to the America, I can’t help but wonder just how it will impact the next generation.  Will out sourcing be the downfall of the blue-collar worker?  If we continue to out source work we consider to be boring and mundane, what type of work is left for the next generation?  What changes to our society as we know it, will come of out sourcing?  What image does this give the American people?  Are we too good to work for lower wages and that is why we have to out source jobs?  I guess when I sit and analyze this our children will just have to learn a new and different set of job skills.

            Although there are many questions for me about the use of out sourcing, the strides that have been made with the internet and all of its abilities are mind boggling.  It has only taken a few years for the world of computers to expand and grow to the level that it is currently at with more growth inevitable.  A person cannot just sit on their laurels and not expect to be left behind in the wonderful age of computers.