Mohammad A. Rob

The rise and fall of an e-commerce program

E-commerce may be here to stay, but how to teach it is still up for debate at many institutions.

Limitation of a wedged etalon for high-resolution linewidth measurements.

The finesse of a wedged etalon is calculated numerically and is found to be approximately half that of a Fabry–Perot etalon. The calculated finesse agrees well with the experimental values obtained by using pulsed and cw CO2 lasers. It is also concluded that the wedged etalons may not be used for high-resolution linewidth measurements.

Dilemma between the Structured and Object-Oriented Approaches to Systems Analysis and Design

In recent years, there has been a surge of interest in adapting object-oriented (OO) concepts, UML, and Unified Process of system development in the Systems Analysis and Design texts. However, there is a question of how to best fit these concepts with the existing coherent discussion of structured approach. This paper addresses some of the intricacies of OO concepts such as complexity of diagrams and models, weak links between phases, and lack of support for designing system components. We would like to recommend that there should be a separate text for the OO methodology and it should not present various OO models according to the phases of the traditional structured approach, rather it should focus on the evolution of the models leading to the design of the system components. Furthermore, there should be a standard set of models for the OO methodology as well as a clear definition of steps as an analyst moves from one set of models to the next.

Some challenges of integrating spatial and non-spatial datasets using a geographical information system

Geographical Information Systems or GIS are becoming useful tools in making strategic decisions in a variety of government and business activities in areas such as housing, healthcare, land use, natural resources, environmental monitoring, public health, transportation, retail, and routing. This usefulness emanates from the capability of GIS to present a large amount of data in a short period of time on a map, using a geographical coordinate system. In most cases, spatial datasets required for GIS mapping are already available free from many governmental agencies. GIS use more of computing technology than geographical concepts, however, the capabilities of GIS software did not reach the level of simplicity encountered in most software used on a daily basis. Most organizations perform GIS analysis on their data without getting involved with the mapping technology. A typical GIS analyst faces various challenges while incorporating non-spatial dataset to spatial dataset in order to present resulting dataset on a geographical map. In this paper, we present some data manipulation complexities that are encountered while using a GIS software to provide spatial twists to a large user dataset. We also provide ways to facilitate the data manipulation process through a practical example of asthma epidemiology. The solutions will be beneficial to many GIS users in varieties of industries.

Project failures in small companies

The author relates his experiences in a small software development company. These experiences show that project management is challenging and if the project manager is an obstacle, the project is bound to fail. When it does, it can spell disaster for the manager and anyone who accompanies him or her on a software development journey.

Intermodal tuning behavior of an etalon-tuned three-mirror TEA CO/sub 2/ laser

The detailed tuning behavior within a single ro-vibrational line of a TEA CO/sub 2/ laser was studied by using a wedged etalon and a pyroelectric array. The fine tuning of the laser was performed by using a temperature controlled etalon inside a three-mirror resonator. As the laser wavelength was scanned at a constant rate, single-longitudinal-mode pulses were observed approximately 82% of the time. Two-mode operation occurred over a narrow tuning range near the midpoint between successive cavity modes. The detailed structure of the staircase-like mode-to-mode tuning curve and the corresponding output intensity variations are explained using a simple theoretical model. >

Student Perceptions in Teaching Principles of Management Information Systems

Teaching concepts of information systems to general business students through a course such as management information systems (MIS) can be challenging in todays fast-changing environment of information technology (IT). Such a course must provide not only an understanding of the development, applications, and management of information systems, but also some experience on these concepts taught in the classroom. The latter requires innovative ideas and changing modes of instruction, which may include activities for students such as hands-on practice with common IT tools and technologies, case studies, group projects, and group presentations. Engagement of students through various course activities is the key factor in creating a suitable learning environment for students. The authors focus on finding a suitable mode of instruction for a graduate-level MIS course that would provide necessary knowledge to future managers in a changing IT environment. Their results, based on the statistical analysis of an in-class survey, show strong preference toward learning MIS concepts, integrated case studies, and teamwork; and low preference toward Microsoft Office productivity tools and presentations. However, there is a strong preference toward learning database and spreadsheet applications that are part of Office productivity tools.

Absorption studies and minimum detectable concentration of ethylene by using a room-temperature HgCdTe detector.

The usefulness of a room-temperature HgCdTe detector in a simple air pollution detection system with a CO(2) laser has been investigated. The results show that the detector responsivity is flat in the frequency range 200-400 Hz and the minimum detectable concentration of ethylene is ~2 parts in 10(6)-meter (ppm-m). The estimated sensitivity is comparable with the values obtained by using liquid-nitrogencooled HgCdTe detectors.

Double-grating transversely excited atmosphere CO 2 laser as a narrow-band pumping source for far-infrared lasers

The practical application of the narrow-band transversely excited atmosphere CO(2) laser, which uses a double-grating cavity, is demonstrated by pumping spectrally pure farinfrared lines in a CH(2)OH laser.