Abstract
This paper discusses performance benchmarking as it is applied in the Lenity Hospital for Advanced Care (LHAC) in an online simulation. LHAC has experienced several difficulties that can be addressed through benchmarking best practices and its executive management has acquired a consultant on staff to address these strategic solutions. One of the conclusions is the functional strategy of an organization should be based on business level strategies.

From the Paper
"LHAC has experienced an increased rate of nosocomial infections that is simply not sustainable both from a quality perspective and from a liability perspective. The identified root cause was determined to be inefficient equipment practices within the hospital. Because hospital equipment is exposed to an enormous amount and variety of diseases and environmental pollutants within the context of a medical facility, proper maintenance and procedural care for equipment is essential. Failure to adequately address these concerns not only exposes the hospital or healthcare facility to a greater degree of legal and regulatory consequences but, most importantly, exposes patients, staff, and visitors to unnecessary levels of contaminants. The general conclusion from this particular circumstance was determined to be a lack of a proper tracking system for hospital equipment."

Tags:simulation, benchmarking, hospital

Abstract
The following paper analyzes the process of adding binary numbers by making reference to an addition algorithm as an example of this process. Background information to binaries is included.

From the paper:

"The binary number system was based on the decimal system, but uses only two digits, 1 and 0, instead of the 10 digits used by the decimal system. The system was developed for computer systems because they are more economical and precise when writing code. All digital computers use binary as their primary code. Each binary digit represents either "on" or "off" to the computer."

Tags:combinations, numbers, circuits, code, decimal, system, computer, systems, hexadecimal, conversion, chart

Abstract
This paper examines what hacking is and what kind of people become hackers. It discusses the laws that exist regarding this issue and stresses the need for harsher laws to stop this types of computer crime. It gives several definitions and examples for the word "hacker". The paper goes on to give a brief historical overview of hacking and how it got started. It discusses the media's part in this growing phenomenon. It gives examples of different types of hacking attacks and studies the differences and motives behind them. Finally, it examines the law enforcement of these crimes and gives recommendations on how to solve this problem.

From the Paper
"We've all heard of it. Their crimes are almost as common as rapists and robbers. Although their crimes are often quieter and sometimes go unnoticed, hackers can cause as just as much harm as any other kind of criminal. Computer hacking and the crimes that define this type of criminal, make hacking difficult to define. According to Carter (2002), "Computer hacking always involves some degree of infringement on the privacy of others or damage to computer-based property such as files, web pages or software."
Computer hacking can range from the placing of pornographic pictures on a website to cracking a code that puts the security of millions of Americans at risk. Sometimes it involves stolen identities; other times it's just the ripping off of DVD movies and other media. Hackers themselves also come in as many forms as their crimes do. They range from bored college students to wealthy business men. Hackers are the criminals of today's technological world. This paper will attempt to illustrate just what a hacker is, what this criminal does, and how the laws need to become steeper in order to stop these types of computer crimes for causing the damage they do. "

Tags:computer, hacking, crimes, privacy, property, crack, technological, world

Abstract
A paper on accounting and tax software. The author examines the various programs available and states the functions available with each of them. He notes that although the accounting functions are good what really make these products exciting are the business management tools for creating customized reports and financial statements.

From the Paper
"Peachtree Complete offers all the standard accounting functions. It also includes a powerful job-costing function that lets you analyze job costs and track current job estimates. In addition, Peachtree offers tracking capabilities to keep tabs on back orders and partial shipments. This program can also alert you when inventory gets low or you're going over budget. The Administration section lets you manage tasks such as creating job descriptions and tracking sales reps and handling contact management. Peachtree has numerous easy-to-modify reports that let you analyze data and includes a form designer so you can create your own forms (Cavanah 1997)."

Tags:Peachtree, Quickbooks, ?, Cyma, IV, Maint, Turbotax, TaxAct, Abacus

Abstract
This paper compares and contrasts the Microsoft Windows operating systems: Windows 98, Windows, Windows CE, Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows NT, and the Open Source operating system Linux. It describes the key features of each, the system requirements, installation requirements, history, and hardware/software supported.

From the Paper
"Operating systems are the backbone of each and every computer system and the most important program that runs on a computer. Every general-purpose computer must have an operating system to run other programs. Operating systems perform basic tasks, such as recognizing input from the keyboard, sending output to the display screen, keeping track of files and directories on the disk, and controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers. webopedia.com). "

Tags:2000, 98, ce, linux, microsoft, nt, operating, system, windows

Abstract
This paper examines how SQL is designed to work with relational databases and contends that it is essential to understand the nature of relational databases to understand both the way in which SQLs work and why there is a need for SQLs to begin with.

From the paper:

"It should be noted that there are related variations on SQL statements. For example, instead of using an SQL statement, it is possible to represent queries in tabular form; this is also known as the query-by-example (or QBE) and it creates a display that is in empty tabular form, which then requires the searcher to enter the search specifications into appropriate columns. The program then constructs an SQL-like query from the table and executes it (http://cloud.al.ru)."

Tags:databases, company, algorithms, accuracy, processing, system

Abstract
This paper investigates the task of automatic recognition of film genres, more specifically the recognition and classification of theatrical movie trailers on the basis of genre.

Outline
Introduction
Background
Specification and Design
Shot detection
Feature Extraction
Classification
Implementation
Reading in a Movie File
Shot Boundaries Detection and Key Frame Extraction
Key Frame Feature Extraction Class Identification
Results and Evaluation Key Frames
Intensities and Standard Deviation
Overall Project Evaluation
Future Work
Conclusion
Appendices

From the Paper
"The use of key frame analysis will greatly reduce the computational time spent by the system obtaining feature statistics that can be used for classification. Although the computational effort is reduced the accuracy should not be that adversely affected since using one frame from each shot in the trailer will give a fairly rounded view of the content of the clip as a whole. Throughout the project every effort will be made to reduce the computational complexity of the system since Matlab is a very resource intensive environment, and a reasonable execution time is desired."

Tags:genre, image, matlab, trailer

Abstract
This paper compares these two operating systems, looking at the history of their development and what each system is able to offer. It defines what an operating system is and how the computer user can benefit from these programs.

From the Paper
"Analysts believe one operating system has a slight chance to be a success story and that system is Linux, a version of Bell Lab's Unix Operating system written for personal computer (Simnacher, 1F). Linux has a strong base and a grass roots movement, with users into the millions worldwide. The reason some industry observers think it may hurt the Windows family even though IBM could not, comes from the input and support of Linux users around the world (Simnacher, 1F)."

Tags:computer, system, user, software, application

Abstract
This report discusses how artificial intelligence approaches and solves problems, presenting a superficial introduction to the following areas of problem solving: (1) search spaces and possibilities; (2) ways artificial intelligence solves simple problems; and (3) how artificial intelligence deals with problems having infinite number of possible solutions.

From the Paper
"Artificial intelligence, also known as AI, is the branch of computer science that is concerned with the design of computer systems which exhibit human intelligence. One of the major categories of artificial intelligence is problem solving. The way AI solves a problem is by first defining the initial state and the ending state. Once this is done, it chooses one of two ways to approach the problem. The first way consists of changing the initial state into a second state, which is closer to the solution. The second stage is changed into a third stage and so on until the goal is finally reached. The second way to solve a problem is called problem reduction. This is a method in which a goal is subdivided into a set of subgoals that are easier to achieve. AI then solves these subgoals until the solution is reached. However, while solving problems, AI faces a serious impediment. This impediment is the search space it has to deal with. Many problems have an infinite number of possible solutions, and it will take a computer forever to search all possibilities before choosing the best one. To overcome this obstacle, AI selects only a subset of possible solutions. Once this is done, it then searches through these possibilities until it finds the solution."

Tags:AI, computer, final, possibilities, problems, processing, search, solution, space, state

Abstract
This paper looks at how for the past few years computer scientists, in particular those concerned with research, have been fascinated by the interaction of social insects and the way in which a community of simple single individuals can come together to perform complex tasks. It analyzes how ants, termites and bees are all simple individuals and how in order to survive the form complex communities they interact to complete certain tasks. It describes how these interactions can be useful in providing new ways of solving such computing issues as routing, robotics and security. It shows how as networks and datasets continue to increase in the future, many current systems will simply be unable to cope with the strain and demand and how swarm intelligence offers a novel way to produce low cost, easy to understand and scaleable agents and applications for the future.

From the Paper
"One of the most influential figures in the study of this behavior was the French biologist Pierre-Paul Grass. In 1959 he observed the behavior of nest building in termites and discovered the incredible way in which they achieve this complex task by working together. When termites start nest construction hundreds of individuals move around at random. At first each termite starts to drop small pellets of masticated earth which are infused with pheromones, these form slight elevations in the ground. As time goes on another termite will find these elevations by sensing the pheromones and its behavior will change, it will start to place pellets on top of these elevations. As more and more individuals start to do this a column will begin to form until it reaches a specific height."

Tags:ants, bees, networks, recurity, robots, routing, termites