Copyright Law And Music Piracy

Copyright Law And Music Piracy In order to understand what music piracy is one must first define it. According to Piracy (2001), music piracy is when a person utilizes copyrighted music without either purchasing it, or petitioning the songwriter, or singer for permission to use the music. In the late 20th and early years of the 21st century, this has most often occurred over the internet when a person downloads an MP3 off of the internet off of a website that does not charge the user for music downloads. Prior to the music industry and the Recording Industry, and Artists of America (RIAA) choosing to prosecute internet users who download pirated music this most frequently occurred on sites such as Napster and Kazaa (both of whom now charge for downloads). Sites such as the ITunes store that have always charged for music and video downloads have remained free of prosecution as they pay a fee to the record companies for use of the songs. The music industry has chosen several different routes in their attempts to control music piracy and copyright law violation. First, they have chosen to sue file sharing websites such as Kazaa and Napster in order to ensure that these sites are charging for music downloads. The second method they have used to stop music piracy has been to monitor internet users, and prosecute those users that download pirated music. Finally, many record companies have begun to release copyright protected music that cannot be uploaded onto computers, or file sharing networks.

Information Systems Development Methodologies Essay

This purpose of this paper is to give an understanding of the information systems development methodologies available. A software development methodology or system development methodology in software engineering is a framework that is used to structure, plan, and control the process of developing an information system. Here are some iterative methodologies that can be used especially for large projects and some of their characteristics. Spiral Model The idea is evolutionary development, using the waterfall model for each step; it’s intended to help manage risks. Don’t define in detail the entire system at first. The developers should only define the highest priority features. Define and implement those, then get feedback from users/customers (such feedback distinguishes â€Å"evolutionary† from â€Å"incremental† development). With this knowledge, they should then go back to define and implement more features in smaller chunks. Each iteration of the prototype represented as a cycle in the spiral. The Spiral software development model is a risk-oriented. Use the spiral model in projects where business goals are unstable but the architecture must be realized well enough to provide high loading and stress ability. Recognizing: 1. Focus is on risk assessment and on minimizing project risk by breaking a project into smaller segments and providing more ease-of-change during the development process, as well as providing the opportunity to evaluate risks and weigh consideration of project continuation throughout the life cycle. 2. Each cycle involves a progression through the same sequence of steps, for each portion of the product and for each of its levels of elaboration, from an overall concept-of- operation document down to the coding of each individual program. 3. Each trip around the spiral traverses four basic quadrants: (1) determine objectives, alternatives, and constraints of the iteration; (2) evaluate alternatives; identify and resolve risks; (3) develop and verify deliverables from the iteration; and (4) plan the next iteration. 4. Begin each cycle with an identification of stakeholders and their win conditions, and end each cycle with review and commitment. Phases: 1. Project Objectives. Similar to the system conception phase of the Waterfall Model. Objectives are determined, possible obstacles are identified and alternative approaches are weighed. 2. Risk Assessment. Possible alternatives are examined by the developer, and associated risks/problems are identified. Resolutions of the risks are evaluated and weighed in the consideration of project continuation. Sometimes prototyping is used to clarify needs. 3. Engineering & Production. Detailed requirements are determined and the software piece is developed. 4. Planning and Management. The customer is given an opportunity to analyze the results of the version created in the Engineering step and to offer feedback to the developer. Variations. Win-Win Spiral Process Model is a model of a process based on Theory W, which is a management theory and approach â€Å"based on making winners of all of the system’s key stakeholders as a necessary and sufficient condition for project success.† Incremental Development Here the project is divided into small parts. This allows the development team to demonstrate results earlier on in the process and obtain valuable feedback from system users. Often, each iteration is actually a mini-Waterfall process with the feedback from one phase providing vital information for the design of the next phase. Recognizing: 1. A series of mini-Waterfalls are performed, where all phases of the Waterfall development model are completed for a small part of the system, before proceeding to the next increment; OR 2. Overall requirements are defined before proceeding to evolutionary, mini-Waterfall development of individual increments of the system, OR 3. The initial software concept, requirements analysis, and design of architecture and system core are defined using the Waterfall approach, followed by iterative Prototyping, which culminates in installation of the final prototype (i.e., working system). Phases: 1. Inception. Identifies project scope, risks, and requirements (functional and non-functional) at a high level but in enough detail that work can be estimated. 2. Elaboration. Delivers a working architecture 3. Construction 4. Transition Variations . A number of process models have evolved from the iterative approach. All of these methods produce some demonstrable software product early on in the process in order to obtain valuable feedback from system users or other members of the project team. In some, the software products which are produced at the end of each step (or series of steps) can go into production immediately as incremental releases. Prototype Model The prototype model is used to overcome the limitations of waterfall model. In this model, instead of freezing the requirements before coding or design, a prototype is built to clearly understand the requirements. This prototype is built based on the current requirements. Through examining this prototype, the client gets a better understanding of the features of the final product. The processes involved in the prototyping approach are shown in the figure below. Recognizing: 1. Not a stand alone, complete development methodology, but rather an approach to handling selected portions of a larger, more traditional development methodology (i.e., Incremental, Spiral, or Rapid Application Development (RAD)). 2. Attempts to reduce inherent project risk by breaking a project into smaller segments and providing more ease-of-change during the development process. 3. User is involved throughout the process, which increases the likelihood of user acceptance of the final implementation. 4. Small-scale mock-ups of the system are developed following an iterative modification process until the prototype evolves to meet the users’ requirements. 5. While most prototypes are developed with the expectation that they will be discarded, it is possible in some cases to evolve from prototype to working system. 6. A basic understanding of the fundamental business problem – necessary to avoid solving wrong problem. Phases: 1. Requirements Definition/Collection. Similar to the Conceptualization phase of the waterfall model, but not as comprehensive. The information collected is usually limited to a subset of the complete system requirements. 2. Design. Once the initial layer of requirements information is collected, or new information is gathered, it is rapidly integrated into a new or existing design so that it may be folded into the prototype. 3. Prototype Creation/Modification. The information from the design is rapidly rolled into a prototype. This may mean the creation/modification of paper information, new coding, modifications to existing coding. 4. Assessment. The prototype is presented to the customer for review. Comments and suggestions are collected from the customer. 5. Prototype Refinement. Information collected from the customer is digested and the prototype is refined. The developer revises the prototype to make it more effective and efficient. 6. System Implementation. In most cases, the system is rewritten once requirements are understood. Sometimes, the Iterative process eventually produces a working system that can be the cornerstone for the fully functional system. Variation. A popular variation is called Rapid Application Development (RAD). It introduces strict time limits on each development phase and relies heavily on RA tools (allow quick development). Comparison of models * Involves higher cost – needs to be iterated more than once * Not suitable for smaller projects * Project success depends on the risk analysis phase – hence, it requires highly specific expertise in risk analysis * Limited reusability * No established controls for moving from one cycle to another cycle, no firm deadlines, lack of milestones * Management is dubious | Incremental| * Potential exists for exploiting knowledge gained in early increments. * Moderate control over the life of the project through the use of written documentation and the formal review and approval/signoff by the user and information technology management at designated major milestones * Stakeholders can be given concrete evidence of project status throughout the life cycle. * Helps to mitigate integration/architectural risks. * Allows delivery of a series of implementations that are gradually more complete and can go into production more quickly as incremental releases * Gradual implementation provides the ability to monitor the effect of incremental changes, isolate issues and make adjustments before the organization is negatively impacted| * Very rigid and do not overlap phases * Not all the requirements are gathered before starting the development; this could lead to problems related to system architecture at later iterations. * The user community needs to be actively involved throughout the project – time of the staff, project delay. * Communication and coordination skills take central stage in the development. * Informal requests for improvement after each phase may lead to confusion – controlled mechanism for handling substantive requests needs to be developed. * Possible â€Å"scope creep (user feedback on each phase increases customer demands. * Errors and risks can be detected at a much earlier stage, as the system is developed using prototypes * Addresses: inability of many users to specify their information needs; difficulty of systems analysts to understand the user’s environment * Can be used to realistically model important aspects of a system during each phase of the traditional life cycle * Improves user participation in system development and communication among project stakeholders Documents * Increases complexity of the overall system * Involves exploratory methodology and therefore involves higher risk. * Involves implementing and then repairing the way a system is built, so errors are an inherent part of the development process. * Can lead to false expectations and poorly designed systems. * Approval process and control is not strict. * Requirements may frequently change significantly.| Here is another table that consists of the situations where each model is the most appropriate for applying. The data is based on my previous analysis and additional data collected from the internet. Conclusion Why there are so many System Development Methodologies is because all projects and systems require its own road to run. And not each method will be suitable for another one. Selecting the correct software development methodology with a proper cost-benefit analysis for a project can help projects to release successfully, on time, and within budget. Once an organization has determined which methodologies will work best for its projects it can ensure that there is a repeatable process established that will ensure successful projects. Tackling a project blindly with no process defined will result in undesirable product. Errors in the products are common, yet if the process is utilized properly, they can be eliminated quickly. Choosing the better approach or simply understanding the methodologies is important to ensure the right project/product is a result from the hard work.

What Is a Refugee and Why Are There so Many

Although refugees have been a constant and accepted part of human migration for centuries, the development of the nation-state and fixed borders in the 19th century caused countries to shun refugees and turn them into international pariahs. In the past, groups of people facing religious or racial persecution would often move to a more tolerant region. Today, political persecution is a major cause of out-migration of refugees, and the international goal is to repatriate refugees as soon as conditions in their home country become stable. According to the United Nations, a refugee is a person who flees their home country due to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion. Refugee Population There are an estimated 11-12 million refugees in the world today. This is a dramatic increase since the mid-1970s when there were less than 3 million refugees worldwide. However, it is a decrease since 1992, when the refugee population was nearly 18 million high due to the Balkan conflicts. The end of the Cold War and the end of regimes that kept social order led to the dissolution of countries and changes in politics, which subsequently led to unbridled persecution and a huge increase in the number of refugees. Refugee Destinations When a person or family decides to leave their home country and seek asylum elsewhere, they generally travel to the closest safe area possible. Thus, while the worlds largest source countries for refugees include Afghanistan, Iraq, and Sierra Leone, some of the countries hosting the most refugees include countries like Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, Iran, and Guinea. Approximately 70% of the world refugee population is in Africa and the Middle East. In 1994, Rwandan refugees flooded into Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Tanzania to escape the genocide and terror in their country. In 1979, when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, Afghanis fled to Iran and Pakistan. Today, refugees from Iraq migrate to Syria or Jordan. Internally Displaced Persons In addition to refugees, theres a category of displaced people known as internally displaced persons who are not officially refugees because they have not left their own country but are refugee-like inasmuch as they have been displaced by persecution or armed conflict within their own country. The leading countries of internally displaced persons include Sudan, Angola, Myanmar, Turkey, and Iraq. Refugee organizations estimate that there are between 12-24 million IDPs worldwide. Some consider the hundreds of thousands of evacuees from Hurricane Katrina in 2005 as internally displaced persons. History of Major Refugee Movements Major geopolitical transitions have caused some of the largest refugee migrations in the twentieth century. The Russian Revolution of 1917 caused approximately 1.5 million Russians who opposed communism to flee. One million Armenians fled Turkey between 1915-1923 to escape persecution and genocide. Following the establishment of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949, two million Chinese fled to Taiwan and Hong Kong. The worlds largest population transfer in history occurred in 1947 when 18 million Hindus from Pakistan and Muslims from India were moved between newly the created countries of Pakistan and India. Approximately 3.7 million East Germans fled to West Germany between 1945 and 1961, when the Berlin Wall was constructed. When refugees flee from a less developed country to a developed country, the refugees can legally remain in the developed country until the situation in their home country has become stable and no longer threatening. However, refugees who have migrated to a developed country often prefer to remain in the developed country since their economic situation is often much better. Unfortunately, these refugees often have to remain illegally in the host country or return to their home country. The United Nations and Refugees In 1951, the United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Status of Refugees and Stateless Persons was held in Geneva. This conference led to the treaty called the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees of 28 July 1951. The international treaty establishes the definition of a refugee and their rights. A key element of the legal status of refugees is the principle of non-refoulement -- a prohibition of the forcible return of people to a country where they have reason to fear prosecution. This protects refugees from being deported to a dangerous home country. The United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) is the United Nations agency established to monitor the world refugee situation. The refugee problem is a serious one; there are so many people around the world who need so much help and there are just not enough resources to help them all. The UNHCR tries to encourage host governments to provide assistance, but most of the host countries are struggling themselves. The refugee problem is one in which developed countries ought to take a greater part to reduce human suffering worldwide.

Analysis of the movie Seven Years in Tibet Free Essay Example, 1250 words

\Camp, traveling on foot for hundreds of miles in severe weather conditions, injuries and frostbite- are accepted into the home of a high government official. The draw of the Tibetan culture and the Holy City is so strong that Heinrich and Peter decide to stay there, and Peter even ends up marrying the town seamstress or tailor, as she so unequivocally points out, after both men compete for her affections and Peter ends up winning. They come to refer to the city as Paradise, and indeed after the invasion of the Chinese under the command of Mao Tse Tung, one has a definite feeling of Paradise Lost. The remoteness and mystery of the city are a key part of the movie, and appear to be part of the director s intention of showing Tibet as an almost otherworldly place with a moral fiber that most people can only hope to aspire to, a place of true holiness, and not just a rigidity based on routines and rituals with no real substance to it. The young actor playing the part of the Dalai Lam a child owns the role, masterfully conveying a ruler who, despite himself and the regal demeanor expected of him, shows a playful innocence typical not only of a child, but also of a true spiritual leader capable of teaching and guiding, as so often observed in other Holy Men who have gone down in history and who we have been fortunate enough to learn about through books and the personal accounts of those who knew them. Another important scene that so eloquently speaks of the nature of the people and the city is when Heinrich talks about the preparations for defending the city from the Chinese invasion, saying, The spectacle of a peace-loving nation, vainly attempting to create a military! while watching the men attempt to gather weapons and organize themselves. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of the movie Seven Years in Tibet or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page