Abstract
This paper examines how software configuration management (SCM) is an important discipline in professional software development and maintenance and how the importance of SCM has increased as programs have become more complex, long-lasting, and time critical. It aims to critically evaluate the evolution of SCM, as well as the obstacles and progress achieved by this particular segment of software engineering. The paper uses a column page layout.

Outline:
Abstract
Introduction
Foundation Years of Software Configuration Management
Progress and Obstacles - SCM in the Past Decade
Process Support
Versioning and Release
Change Control
The Tools - Third Party and Open-Source
Transitions
Conclusion

From the Paper
"The mid 90's paved the way for much better and more powerful SCM tools. Although much of them were still reliant on old methods, these tools had revved up their ability by nearly two folds in terms of automation from a mere cost effective in-house development. [2, 3] In the late 90's, the evolution of SCM in general was characterised mainly by technological issues, better understanding of the technology and experience acquired by the Software Engineering community towards the complexity of a complete SCM solution. On an Industry level SCM was seen largely as a mature, reliable and ideal technology for software development. "

Tags:quality, assurance, versioning, engineering

Abstract
This paper discusses the purpose of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems within an organization. The paper specifically discusses the configuration and installation of a SAP R/3 enterprise system. It discusses the challenges that would be faced and the significant contribution of order management and production planning modules in these processes.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Insights Gained From Completing an SAP R/3 Configuration
Production Planning Module
Summary

From the Paper
"The implications of streamlining manufacturing, procurement, supply chain, and the many customer-facing processes through the use of ERP systems have significant financial implications on the organizations adopting them. The many challenges of installing SAP R/3 into heterogeneous environments as discussed in this paper show that Order Management and Production Planning Modules make significant contributions to the organizations that have constructed their enterprise systems around them. The role of Production Planning specifically to align purchasing, procurement to demand management is one of the main catalysts of improved financial performance possible using an ERP system."

Tags:management, IT, ERP, resources

Abstract
The paper explains that the author's main temperament type is the Guardian and Provider, indicating a dependable person who takes responsibilities seriously. The author states that the predispositions of his ESFJ type had a strong influence in his choice for a military career. The author believes that this temperament test is a valid indicator of his predispositions.

From the Paper
"Based on this test, I also learned that I have an externally focused value system. Much of the personal satisfaction from a career in the military derives from providing public service through an important social institution. Additionally, this value system is defined by moral codes enshrined within the community. Perhaps this is also why I am attracted to the military, where a well-defined rules and codes of behavior have been developed within a democratic setting."

Tags:military, dependable, career, values, validity

Abstract
This paper explains that the hotel industry has been very dissatisfied with the current technology system being used due to its' ineffectiveness in the pursuit of satisfying future business needs in the hospitality industry because it (1) lacks effective inter-vendor cooperation and systems integration, (2) drawbacks in the current
technology financing process and (3) has poor adoption of modern technologies. The author points out that the complexity of the systems presently in use in many of the hotels do not and will not ever have the capacity to streamline the process, much less increase the ROI for the company. The paper relates that hospitality industry is seeking new information technology solutions to meet the growing demands of the high-tech business world, which interacts with the hospitality industry and counts upon services such as those provided by the Hilton and the Marriott hotels.

Table of Contents
Statement of the Problem
Objective
Introduction
History and Background
Hospitality Industry: CRM Requirements
Hospitality Industry: ERP
Requirements/Current Needs in the Industry
Limitations of the Industry and Hesitancy in Utilizing IT Systems
Changes Needed in the Industry
Case Studies in the Hotel Industry
Information Technology Solutions in the News
Summary and Conclusion
Recommendation of Technical Standards for the Hotel Industry
Technical Standards
2005 Hospitality Industry Market Reports

From the Paper
"Contractual licensing and use restrictions have led to many of the current existing restrictions of software in the hospitality industry as well as the unwillingness of the vendors in supporting the requirements of integration needed by their customers in the industry. More than the technical standards are needed as they create only the platform for open systems while business standards needed are for the ensuring of the contract right of the hotels in licensing and integration of systems. The vendors do have however, a right in protection of their intellectual property as well as the right to compete in software provision as well as provision of services for assistance with integration efforts. In order to avoid many of these limitations the HTNG White Paper suggests and even urges the adoption of the following forward-thinking business standards that respond to and answer the needs in the hotel industry."

Tags:integration, icensing, ineffectiveness, streamline, interfaces

Abstract
The following paper makes several assumptions about the company's technology that are clearly consistent with current computer uses in major companies. In addition a virtual centralized system for the organization of the IT division is discussed in detail. Lastly this paper explores how the needs of the IT division of a large and geographically spread-out company can take advantage of this particular form of network.

From the Paper
"Before beginning to explore the particular needs of our hypothetical company, it may be useful to examine in general what defines an Ethernet system as well as a Local Area Network. The Ethernet originated as a laboratory project at Xerox Corporation in 1974. It was developed as an inexpensive way of sending information quickly between office machines connected together in a single room or building - thus serving in essentially the same way that a local area network functions - but it rapidly became a standard computer interconnection method in large measure because of the speed at which it is capable of transmitting data, which is 10 megabits per second."

Tags:coaxial, cable, communications, medium, local, area, network, physical, components

Abstract
This paper uses key marketing tools such as PEST, SWOT, Ansoff Matrix, Five Forces Model and Product Portfolio Balance throughout its analysis. These tools help show where Tesco is at currently and where they will be in the future. The final section includes recommendations and cautions in making a decision to pursue investment opportunities with Tesco.

From the paper:

"Tesco has a very strong presence in the UK and is quickly expanding internationally. In fact, they recently received the distinction of being named as one of the top ten grocery retailers. With this distinction, the board decided it was worth investigating Tesco as an investment opportunity. The investigation must take a good look at Tesco?s ICT configuration. Their configuration and potentially future configuration is important due to the role technology plays in keeping a company organized and serving its customers."

Tags:profit, growth, company, case, study, supermarket, marketing, tools, investment

Abstract
This paper examines the case of Richard Speck, a convicted murderer of eight women in the United State. At Speck's trial his attorney claimed that a new theory of behavioral causality with an identifiable chromosomal abnormality represented by the XYY configuration corresponded to specific behavioral traits that predisposed individuals to violent and antisocial behavior. The author of the paper examines evidence for and against this theory in the light of Speck's childhood, research and an autopsy performed on Speck's body after he died in 1991.

Outline:
Background and History
XYY Supermale Analysis
Social Biology Analysis
References

From the Paper
"Critics of the XYY theory of criminal conduct suggest that even if XYY corresponds to higher statistical likelihood of certain types of antisocial behavior, it is not substantially different from other components of naturally evolved human behaviors. In other primate species, including those most closely related to homo sapiens, male dominance is expressed through patterns of behavior that would be considered, in human terms, criminal. According to that view, even XYY-based behavioral patterns still lie within the spectrum of normal human tendencies and that it is not particularly surprising that prisons house individuals who share behavioral traits consistent with criminal behavior (The Hastings Center 1980)."

Tags:behavioral, antisocial, violence, alcoholic, rape, murder, crime, genetics, personality, physiological, abnormality, environmental, chromosomal, criminality

Abstract
The paper commends the authors' foresightful analysis but points out that several key points are missing. The paper maintains that a progression of where their research could be applied is seriously lacking. The paper concludes that this article adds to the knowledge of readers interested in the progression of constraint-based configurators but discusses how the authors could have brought in other relevant aspects.

Outline:
Executive Summary
Critique of the Article
Future Research
Enhancements to Readers' Knowledge

From the Paper
"The authors deserve credit for their foresightful analysis of the migration from rules-based to constraint-based web-based configuration and the need for included large nested object structures corresponding to highly structured and complex, interconnected configurations. Today this is called nested configuration logic, and is critical for the development of constraint-based logic in configuration engines now increasingly being used across the Internet. The authors also accurately call out of the need for more extensive reasoning components, support for explanation generation, and the critical need for knowledge management tools."

Tags:criticism, praise, constraint-based, customization

Abstract
The paper considers the ability to manage shared voice and data, one-to-many and many-to-many configurations, availability of service, speed and cost of telecommunications and distributed technology systems. The paper shows how for global teams, ATM and frame relay are the most efficient and capable of supporting the levels of response times and collaboration necessary, while for local networks, the use of T1, ISDN and DSL are more cost-effective and capable of delivering the levels of performance necessary to ensure collaboration.

Outline:
Introduction
Ranking the Efficiency of Telecommunications and Distributed Connectivity Systems
Summary

From the Paper
"The origin of telecommunications and distributed connectivity systems that eventually grew to encompass LANs and WANs began with the Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) that enabled bidirectional communication, yet did little to nurture and serve as the catalyst for collaboration across teams either locally or globally. The growth of POTS-based systems to include basic telephone systems services to include Office Premises Extensions (OPX), Wide Area Telecommunications Services (WATS), and Private Branch Exchange (PBX) made it possible for teams to have one-to-many and many-to-many conference calls and discussions. Datasets and information that corresponded to the voice calls often traveled through manually-based approaches, from sending diskettes around to the first e-mail applications. Often conference calls were impeded by the lack of similar fluidity of data. The need for integrated voice and data became evident as WANs became the new standard for sharing data and voice communications throughout an organization."

Tags:configurations, voice, data, response, time

Abstract
The following essay attempts to prove that networking hardware are incompatible and work at different speeds. The writer contends that these factors can also slow down the overall speed of the LAN. Random Access Memory hardware systems and Central Processing Unit hardware systems are made reference to.

From the paper:

?On certain LAN configurations, such as the Bus and the Ring, an increase in the number of nodes, slows down the LAN. This is because Bus and Ring are designed in such a way that a data packet meant for a particular workstation, gets exclusive rights to the entire LAN cable. In other words, while a packet moves from its source to destination, no other packet is allowed on the network cable.?

Tags:hardware, resources, CPU, bytes, data, crunching, configurations, software, packages, installed