---SAD1 Assignment #4---

We are to identify and discuss at least three system development models and discuss each phase.

Before the caterpillar will turn into a golden and beautiful butterfly it is gone through many phases, the same with software there are various processes to make it work. It passes through planning, developing, coding and many more to make it more feasible to any form of deployment. And one of these process or development is what we called system development process. Through reading different definition of system development modes I can say that system development life cycle is the process of developing information systems through investigation, analysis, design, implementation and maintenance. System development life cycle is a systems approach to problem solving and is made up of several phases, each comprised of multiple steps.

What are the different system development models?

Waterfall model

Based on my understanding waterfall model describe as an extremely valuable tool to use in the implementation or revamping of any company. The waterfall model provides a strategic foundation in which a company can either update its existing system, or a company can create an entirely new system from scratch. There are seven phases to the systems development life cycle, and each phase must be completed in order, before the next phase begins, the phase before it must be complete. If a mistake is made, it may be necessary to start from scratch all over again, or go back several phases. If the phases are completed in order you should have a great foundation and you will be on your way to building a successful information system.

It is supposed to go down through a series of steps, reminding one of the routes a natural waterfall takes over a series of rocks at different levels.

In the traditional waterfall model, the first step in the software life-cycle is requirements analysis, this is the stage where the customers are queried for their needs, and a formal description of the software requirements is created. The next step is design, where the software that is to meet the requirements is planned. The third stage is implementation, where teams of developers create the software. The fourth step is testing, at which time developers, as well as representatives of the user community, is allowed to use the software and are asked to report any bugs they find. Upon completion of this step, the software is declared operational and only maintenance tasks are required thereafter.

The traditional waterfall model is much too simplistic, however, because each of the distinct steps it asks for is really itself a broad phase consisting of many sub-steps. In the detailed waterfall model, the requirements analysis step is extremely important. It is necessary to understand the customer's needs and to translate them into appropriate desired system behaviors. Any miscommunication with the customer could be fatal to the project as a whole, as it could result in a product that does not meet the customer's expectations, thus giving the company a bad reputation, a real disaster in the competitive software vendor's marketplace. Yet, communicating with the customer is not always easy either, because the customer may have only imprecisely-formulated objectives; or may have objectives that aren't vocalized very well and remain in the background for too long; or may have unrealizable or conflicting objectives. In some cases, it is necessary for the software development team to tell the customer exactly what he wants based on his vague utterances, and also whether he can get it needless to say, this involves a fair amount of skill at diplomacy and personal communication, in addition to knowledge of software engineering. Once the customer's requirements are understood, it is then necessary to document those requirements in a formal manner and reach an agreement with the customer about them.

Rapid Application Development

Rapid Application Development (RAD) refers to a type of software development methodology that uses minimal planning in favor of rapid prototyping. The "planning" of software developed using RAD is interleaved with writing the software itself. The lack of extensive pre-planning generally allows software to be written much faster, and makes it easier to change requirements.
Below is a brief overview of the RAD process, including its advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages and Disadvantages:

The primary advantages of Rapid Application Development are speed and quality, while potentially reduced scalability and feature sets are the disadvantages.

As the name suggests, Rapid Application Development's primary advantage lies in an application's increased development speed and decreased time to delivery. The goal of delivering applications quickly is addressed through the use of computer aided software engineering or CASE tools, which focus on converting requirements to code as quickly as possible, as well as Time Boxing, in which features are pushed out to future releases in order to complete a feature light version quickly.

Requirements Planning Phase

The requirements planning phase requires that high level or knowledgeable end-users determine what the fuctions of the system should be. It should be a structured discussion of the business problems that need to be solved. It can often be done quickly when the right users and executives are involved. Requirements planning occurs in a Joint Requirements Planning workshop (JRP).

User Design Phase

The user design phase requires the users to participate strongly in the nontechnical design of the system, under the guidence of I.S. professionals. User design is done in a Joint Application Design (JAD) workshop similar to the JRP workshop. In the first two phases the users and executives should play a larger part than the I.S. professionals. Prototyping is used to aid in requirements specification and design. The user does not sign off a paper design, they sign off a CASE representation.

Construction Phase

The design created during the User Design Phase is added to using I-CASE tools. As each transaction is built it may be demonstrated to the end-users for revision. The CASE environment allows for the continuous changes in design. End-users are closely involved in the construction phase. Testing occurs throughout the process. The I-CASE toolset should generate the code as well as the database descriptions for the final product. Code optimizers may be used to improve the performance of the generated code.

Cutover Phase

When the cutover phase occurs, a variety of actions are needed, comprehensive testing, training of the end-users, organizational changes and operation in parallel with the previous system until the new system settle in.

Rapid Application Development is not appropriate for all projects. The methodology works best for projects where the scope is small or work can be broken down into manageable chunks. Along these lines project teams must also be small, preferably two to six people, and the team must have experience with all technologies that are to be used.

Scrum Methodology

It is a practice-based methodology for modeling and documentation of software-based systems. It is intended to be a collection of values, principles, and practices for modeling software that can be applied on a software development project in a more flexible manner than traditional modeling methods. The system development process is complicated and complex. Therefore maximum flexibility and appropriate control is required. Evolution favors those that operate with maximum exposure to environmental change and have optimized for flexible adaptation to change. Evolution deselects those who have insulated themselves from environmental change and have minimized chaos and complexity in their environment. An approach is needed that enables development teams to operate adaptively within a complex environment using imprecise processes. Complex system development occurs under rapidly changing circumstances. Producing orderly systems under chaotic circumstances requires maximum flexibility.

Phase Steps

Each of the phases has the following steps:

Planning

• Development of a comprehensive backlog list.
• Definition of the delivery date and functionality of one or more releases.
• Selection of the release most appropriate for immediate development.
• Mapping of product packets (objects) for backlog items in the selected release.
• Definition of project team(s) for the building of the new release.
• Assessment of risk and appropriate risk controls.
• Review and possible adjustment of backlog items and packets.
• Validation or reselection of development tools and infrastructure.
• Estimation of release cost, including development, collateral material, marketing,
training, and rollout.
• Verification of management approval and funding.

Architecture/High Level Design

• Review assigned backlog items.
• Identify changes necessary to implement backlog items.
• Perform domain analysis to the extent required to build, enhance, or update the
domain models to reflect the new system context and requirements.
• Refine the system architecture to support the new context and requirements.
• Identify any problems or issues in developing or implementing the changes
• Design review meeting, each team presenting approach and changes to implement
each backlog item. Reassign changes as required.

Closure

When the management team feels that the variables of time, competition, requirements, cost, and quality concur for a new release to occur, they declare the release “closed” and enter this phase. This phase prepares the developed product for general release. Integration, system test, user documentation, training material preparation, and marketing material preparation are among closure tasks.



Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterfall_model
http://hebb.cis.uoguelph.ca/~dave/27320/new/rad.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agile_software_development

---SAD1 Assignment # 3---

We are to interview a system analyst and discuss the role of a systems analyst as a project manager.

It was 29^th of April 2010, thursday in the afternoon when my classmates and I visited Sta. Ana Multipurpose Cooperative (SAMULCO) to interview a system analyst. Sir James Bautista who is a system analyst of the cooperative gave her answers and entertained us for about 2 hours conversation. It was exiting and full of values, for we learned various things about system analyst. It’s not just a hi and hello front act but an educational experience interviewing this person. He simply answers the questions which we asked to him.

In the organization you are now, what is your role of a system analyst as a project manager?

Sir James Bautista first distinguished the difference between system analyst and project manager, he said that as a system analyst is the one who identified the need and the system opportunity by matching need and technical feasibility or as simple as a system analyst provides solution to the problem of a project, thus he look to the overall specifications of the project including its range and cost, the system analyst also make the design modeling including the different diagrams while a project manager is the head or leader of the project, as a project manager he has the ultimate responsibility for the planning and control of everything related to the project. Sir James added that as a project manager you are the one who communicate to your client set the entire responsibility of the members and set the time and also a project manager is the one who speak a front man in behalf of the group. But mostly today, a system analyst can be a project manager or as one for the reason that system analyst can have all the abilities of a project manager and knows all

the system requirements of the project.

Can you tell us some of your experienced as a project manager in your organization?

He tells us some of his project as a project manager managing it department in SAMULCO. Every year the corporation conducted a general assembly presented by all members of the corporation and Sir James and the rest of the team was given the task to assembly and operates for about 50 computers and brought to the venue. At around 6pm all the computers were in the mood and ready to set up, before the sun will rise the team should finish all the installation process to the computers and fortunately before the break of the dawn they all made it, tiring and sleepy. But he provides solution in the next year of assembly; he listed all the employees who will work for the setting of computers including the transportation and list all the people who will install the software to the computers. And luckily with the help of trainings and seminars for the personnel added to the team of Sir James, he successfully made a plan that would minimize his time working for the installation. From 3pm in the afternoon the all finished it around 7pm which less than 5 hours which has a big impact and improvement compare form the recent year plan. This is only one of his works as a project manager, who think for the possible solutions to minimize the work of the team, segregate well the responsibility of each member and create a plan that would possibly make the team effortless.

As a project manager what are your strengths and weaknesses?

Sir James Bautista shares to us his own strength and weakness and I quote “I know what I want, I get what I want.” And his weakness is “most of the time I think like a programmer” these could be also the weakness and strength of the entire system analyst and project manager of every organization. Lucky for us because we are given a chance to interview a project manager/ system analyst that is worth to be called a “professional and good system analyst”.

Giving an analogy unto it I believe that a project manager is like a DRIVER and take all the responsibility for many diverse tasks including, leading the project team through the process of creating and executing the project plan, mold every members into the project team, obtain all the approvals for the project plan, issue status report on the progress of the project compared to the plan and of course the project manager respond to the reques ts for changes to the plan. Also as a driver of the group one should remove obstacles for the team so they can do the job they are asked to do, call and run regular project meetings.

As a whole I think over to the interview we made and it knocks my mind to come up this summary about system analyst and project manager, that a successful project has the technical leadership of a system analyst and the management guidance of the project manager.

---SAD1 Assignment # 2---

We are to interview a system analyst and ask what skills and characteristics must a system analyst develop in order to be more effective in any design modeling process.

Many temples should elapse before a successful building will completely finish. The same with system analyst, before to create and develop such a massive and extravagant system he should be able to define the range and statuesque of the system and be able to define his abilities and limitations. As what they said every move has a process, they should analyze and think well. In developing a system there are many mechanisms to consider, if how it cost, the duration of time and any more.

It was hot noon when the group decided to go to SAMULCO for the interview, it sting our ears as we listened to the loud beep of jeep, fortunately the company entertained us as we arrived to the area. It was a gloomy room full of mechanisms blunts our eyes, but just a little part of System Analyst of the Sta. Ana Multi-Cooperative or SAMULCO. What does this system analyst means? According to different writers and books, it was define that system analyst is a solution provider or a problem solver; it has its strong personality to be more effective in his fields. So knowing this definition, let us clarify and interview a system analyst who could provide skills and characteristics of a system analyst.

The question was what skills and characteristics must a system analyst develop in order to be more effective in any design modeling process?

Before Sir James Bautista answered the question, he let us first elaborate the different modeling process use by system analyst, we answered traditional and object oriented approach modeling including Data flow diagram. Out of this modeling process he define what does this “system analyst” means to him, a true system analyst should be a wide thinker of the scope of how a system must be develop and what are some details he need to put into it. Furthermore, he added that a system analyst should be careful and detailed in making design modeling process and look over the specification of the system. These are some of the examples of a true system analyst. Now moving on, he now answer the question of the different characteristic must a system should develop.

A system Analyst should be Observant:

In dealing with making the system a system analyst should be observant in all the facts and information of the system. He should be considerable of the possible output of the system; he should consider his self a flexible of some changes of the system and to different environments approach. To meet also the client’s expectation, a system analyst should be observant on to what the client wants.
A system Analyst should be good in different programming language:

Since system analyst is flexible to any environment, he should possess and learn different programming language to be able to know the flow of the system. This will help the system analyst to be more effective in developing the system for the reason that, it takes too much time to analyze and create a system, but if a system analyst is way better in coding the system, he can easily access and analyze the flow of the system, he can easily seen the error and modify it, he can easily change the command and many more.

A system Analyst should know to mingle with the team.

An effective system analyst should have a good communication skill, this will lessen the time in creating the system, and this will help minimize the misunderstanding of the group and meet the expectation of the client. It can help the team achieve the output and implement well the system.

These are some of the important characteristics of a system analyst according to Sir James. This interview gives us knowledge and adds information to our field; moreover in defining a system analyst one should be familiar with designing concepts that is appropriate for the particular development environment. This means one who is good at designing commercial buildings isn't necessarily a good person to design residential housing. Although a lot of concepts overlap, one who is good at designing mainframe system isn't necessarily a good candidate for web projects.

One should have the skills to use the tools to facilitate his/her work in designing software tools. If someone is struggling to use a hammer he is worrying about putting a nail in straight not about building a good structure. One should have the industry or business knowledge or the capacity to acquire them. System implementation is a lot like a bunch of blind people trying to figure out what an elephant looks like. Each person has his/her own field expertise. However, the more knowledge one person has would make the process easier and create better results. A good communication skill without saying is very important. It is important that system analyst has a good analytical skills and an understanding of the problems that business people face, otherwise known as the problem domain.

Choose an area of business usage, such as forms processing, on-line access, search and retrieval, or information handling in a specific industry such as government, banking or insurance, and you will be in great demand. Most people over generalize their skills and don't excel at anything. By knowing a business persons problem and understanding how software and computers can solve that problem, you are almost unique.

To sum up these characteristics, the system analyst must be able to communicate in writing and orally, the analyst must easily get along with people. The analyst must be a good listener and be able to react to what people say, the analyst must be knowledgeable of technology. The analyst is expected to know the intricacies of programming, and decent general knowledge of concepts and terms is essential, and lastly the analyst must be knowledgeable of business. The analyst is not expected to be an expert in business but a decent understanding of the client's world is required.

---SAD1 Assignment # 1---

Based on our learning’s in Chapter 1 report, we are to identify and discuss some of the characteristics we have as a good system analyst.

I never thought how tricky to be a system analyst, until the class discuss about how and what does “System Analyst” means. Yes, its ponder me of aiming all the qualities and requirements of a system analyst, but the question is Am I that capable to become one? This question knocks my mind when dreaming to achieve these necessities of system analyst. Glad that we are given the chance to listen and share some of the aspects of a good system analyst. As they said, a good system analyst is a solution provider and can cope up every little problem running inside and outside of the scope of the system.

As a student facing this futuristic generation, computers is hard to imagine without them. As a result of new technologies, our modern society has been almost deluged by a continual introduction of new products, both in computer hardware systems and software. And these things are created through also the idea and help of professional analyst. System analyst plays a very important role in producing a good, quality product either a plan, software or even hardware. An analyst can be called as a “Computer Scientist” because all of the remarkable and continuing advances in computer technology are credited to the highly trained and skilled system analyst.


“I can be a system analyst someday” a line which repeatedly comes to mind every time I think of inspiring to become one. As what I understand in the report systems analysts are in great demand, get paid well, and work in a thrilling field while enjoying many work place freedoms. The name it self is not very commonly known and the tasks are complicated but intriguing at the same time. The highlights for this job are total freedom, and a respectable salary. Many corporations would not be able to function without the assistance of systems analysts, and yet in many cases employers can't explain what it is they do, or how they do it. When new programs are not needed, a systems analyst may be required to maintain the software they have already created. It can be frustrating, not to mention financially devastating, to have computer or network crash, and no one on hand to fix it! A common cause for system crashes is pilot error, which is also easily avoided with instruction, however; glitches in programs do pop up from time to time. Such a crisis reinforces how important it is to have someone on hand to prevent, and cure problems. This area of problem solving grants him or her freedom, by having the most knowledge in crisis situations.

To be able to meet these requirements I have to set my priorities and identify some of my characteristics as a good analyst.

A system analyst should gather all information’s and a good listener.

I can make designs and implements the information gathered about the system, the first thing to do is to interview the company or any respondents which can help to our system development, this is to find out what kind of information’s do we need and improved. I should find whether the report is feasible or not. Actually, group 1 reported various tools in gathering information’s, but concisely interview is the most common and effective source of gathering information, this is to find and proved all the facts and questions left behind.


A system analyst knows how to analyze both negative and positive side of the possible outputs for the system.


As a student, I believe that I have the ability to analyze the possible different approach of the system, off course in analyzing the system I must find out where are they going to get the information, how, when is the project going to be done, the tools I need, the expense, and other related facts which talks about our project. Since system analyst has a big job to do, I know that am responsible enough to formulate design, the development, and implementation of the report, what purpose will it serve presentation, and many more. I can follow the first analysis of when the project will be finished. Basically a Systems Analyst is responsible for systems projects and from beginning to the end of a project; I can implement the system to good use. The Systems Analyst creates and helps finish the final product, making all the specifications and charts for what is to be done.

A system analyst knows how to formulate diagrams and can provide detailed documents.

They do flowcharting, specifications for the programmers of the report, and development control. They write specifications, of what is to be in the final report. The Systems Analyst then must follow up to make sure the program is running smoothly. A critical flowchart also helps the programmers along. The Systems Analyst helps to makes sure the work is done until the final report is achieved. After the development is finished and a prototype of the report is finished, the Systems Analyst helps the programmers in testing the program for bugs. The critical path also calculates how many man hours it will take to finish, enough time to prepare and many more. A critical path is like a due date, if the report is to be done in thirty days, the Systems Analyst makes sure the report is done in thirty days. Once the final report is finished and free of bugs, it is sent to the user.

These characters should attained every person specially student who aims to be a part of the group of “Professional System Analyst”.

---MIS2 Assignment #9---

In our world today, people have put reading, and books, behind them. They have lost focus on an extremely important learning method. Reading not only helps us to learn vital information, but it also allows us to use our imagination. Most of us look at computers and new technology as the latest way to spend our down time and relax. We are becoming lazy. Our whole lives have become encompassed by the world of quicker, more advanced technology. In today's world, technology is constantly changing from a new paperclip to an improvement in hospital machinery. Technology lets people improve the way they live so that they can preserve their own personal energy and focus on the really important factors in life. Some people focus their energy on making new innovations to improve transportation and the health of people that may save lives. Technology is significant in everyone's life because it rapidly changes what is in the market. But, some new innovations of technology are ridiculous because they serve no purpose in helping mankind.

Technology affects every aspect of our lives. From romance to business, it has shown its presence everywhere. But technology has had a huge impact on education that cannot be denied, and has done nothing but improve the quality and quantity of education. It is conform that we as aiming the premiere university in the Asian region should poses the facilities with highly recommended technologies, since the University of Southeastern Philippines luck of the necessary “high-tech” machineries or software that enables every work easy to make.

One of the more demanding challenges of the University is educational selection of the right combination of technology for multiple educational objectives. Every place is different. Every student has his or her individual needs and interests. Various curricula require different technological approaches. We still think that the only way to educate is to put an adult in a room with 20 or 30 students, but with educational technology a great deal can be done with machines, particularly in higher education, where students have already learned the initial, fundamental intellectual skills. For example, how do people learn? By action they themselves perform, sometimes by thinking, sometimes by practicing, often by a combination of both thinking and motor coordination. In most cases, teachers cannot perform those actions for students; students must teach themselves, and teachers can only stand by to offer assistance

Educational technologies are being utilized in every facet of school education. Increasingly, teachers are asking students to access information from technological sources. Methods of instruction must change in order to keep up with the ever-changing world and we, as teachers must cease the technological movement. There are many factors and activities that can help teachers develop an attitude that is intrepid in the use of technology, encourages them to take risks, and inspires them to involve technology in the classroom environment. In the technological society of today, is it possible that the integration of computers will change the traditional methods of the classroom?

The use of technology in USEP has a great effect on not only students, but teachers as well. Today, we mostly think of technology as computers, but it is much more than that. In fact, one of the first technologies used in the classroom was the chalkboard.

Most students today use technology throughout their school day. Uses for technology can be found for every subject matter a student has. Some of the most widely used tools are found in the English and Language Arts classes. Writing on word processors allows students to cut-and-paste, save their work, and use spell checkers and thesauruses. With technology students are also given advantages in learning how to read. Reading programs use drill-and-practice techniques to help with reinforcing young students’ reading skills.

Technology is also used in science education. Scientific hardware such as handheld computers, thermometers, and sensors allow for out of class experimentation

The flow of every transaction in the University should be automated in accordance to the demand of time and work, this would help not only to in the field of work but also in maintaining the data of every individuals. The school should provide a WIFI Zone to easily access the World Wide Web which we all know that the basic of learning’s of research today is found through surfing the net. This would guarantee a massive help to every faculty and students in getting information’s on their reports as timely as they want, provided with the WIFI area.


This and many things should consider in making such steps in improving the quality of education in the University with the help of highly technologies.

---MIS2 Assignment #8---

You need three things to create a successful startup: to start with good people, to make something customers actually want, and to spend as little money as possible. Most startups that fail do it because they fail at one of these. A startup that does all three will probably succeed. If I were hired and have been tasked to develop strategic information systems plan for a company, and asked to provide a list of questions with some explanation about the "why" of the question, I would first make questions that would financially talks about the progress or the basic needs of the company. These are the following questions I formulate with its corresponding answers:


Why is their a need to create an Idea or strategy in putting up business?

In particular, you don't need a brilliant idea to start a startup around. The way a startup makes money is to offer people better technology than they have now. But what people have now is often so bad that it doesn't take brilliance to do better. An idea for a startup, however, is only a beginning. A lot of would-be startup founders think the key to the whole process is the initial idea, and from that point all you have to do is execute. Venture capitalists know better. What matters is not ideas, but the people who have them. Good people can fix bad ideas, but good ideas can't save bad people.

What do are the costumers wanted from you?

It's not just startups that have to worry about this. I think most businesses that fail do it because they don't give customers what they want. It's the same with technology. You hear all kinds of reasons why startups failed. When most people think of startups, they think of companies like Apple or Google. Everyone knows these, because they're big consumer brands. But for every startup like that, there are twenty more that operate in niche markets or live quietly down in the infrastructure. So if you start a successful startup, odds are you'll start one of those.

What are the company’s objectives and goals?

This question is mostly asked by many interviewers, knowing that every company should possess an ideal success to the business. In making a business proper, the company should provide an objective and goal, because these two main words denote the achievement and success of the business. It would help give a direction and organize strategy to the business.

What are companies Information System Plan?

To be able that companies organize a proper or shall we say integrated system to its business, they have to create an Information System Plan. Strategic planning is very essential especially that technology evolves time to time. This would be a guideline in to maintain the duty of the system. It is not just the system involves in this plan, but also the people and the work embraces by the business.



Upon formulating these questions let us not just forget that success may be described only as the realization of an aim but hard work is essential. Hard work helps us to develop our potential to the maximum and strive for excellence in any field. Hard work makes us better prepared to face adverse situations. Hard work helps an athlete to persevere in a race and win it; it helps an average student to become extraordinary, it helps to transform destinies.

These are the following questions and answers if ever I would be hired in a certain company and invited to formulate or develop an Information System in an organization.

---MIS2 Assignment # 7---

Google the number one most viewed website last 2009. The success of this business indeed covers the whole nation. When we want to search for something, we do say, “Google It”. A proven testimony that the business has its own strategy in making the number one website in the world according to sfaranda blogsite. But what are the ingredients behind this success? Hmmmmm..Let’s have a flash back.

What is Google?

Google is a company that started six years ago when its founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin developed a new way to do online searching in a Stanford University dorm room. This new idea then spread quickly to many people around the globe seeking information. Googles’ technologies have been able to sort through a large amount of growing information on the web and deliver it to its users for free, a service which returns accurate information in a very short amount of time. They rely on the millions of people who post websites to figure out which other sites have good content. Google uses a technique called PageRank to rank every page. It figures out all of the sites linking to a web page and gives them a value, based in part on the sites which are linked to them

How does Google make money?

Google is a business. Besides trying its best to satisfy its users it has to find ways of generating the most revenue. Google does this in a few different ways. The first one is the advertising which happens on the right side of the page when you search on Google, a program called AdWords. The second is offering its search technology to others, they do this with a program called AdSense which anybody on the web can start using. The third way in which they make money is through its Google Search Appliance which they sell to their customers. This appliance delivers accurate search results throughout a number of documents. Meaning your company would have its own search engine and it would work just as well as google.com.

Is Yahoo competition?
Yahoo and Google are battling over the same Web visitors and advertising dollars. There currently is an $8 billion global search advertising business, which is expected to rise to $22 billion in five years, according to Piper Jaffray. Worldwide online brand advertising is expected to increase twenty one percent this year from $11.3 billion to $18.2 billion, according to Goldman Sachs. These two companies are using very different approaches while going after the same advertising dollars. Yahoo uses human editors or “surfers” to organize web sites into categories. However humans cannot index everything so they are partnered up with a third party search engine to provide answers when its human – powered listing do not suffice. Google is about its search engine, done only with PageRank. There is no human indexing involved. Yahoo has been using a program called the “Idea factory” to promote inventive thinking in their company, staffers are supposed to improve everything from the company’s products to its campus.

Is Microsoft competition?

Microsoft is also competing with Google because Google is now a major threat to their dominance. While Google was launching all of its products for free, Microsoft was trying to catch up in search doing a project which they spent $150 million on but Google and Yahoo keep on getting ahead with new innovations such as complete maps and satellite photos. Bill Gates wishes he could have combined software innovation with a brand new Internet business model like Google did. Gates is worried about how much Google will hurt Microsoft’s core of franchise, control of what users will do when they first turn on their computers. Microsoft was always very powerful because it had control of the Windows operating system, they would decide which products and services consumers saw first. And so Microsoft did not have to make better products than its competitors, just about equal. It won because it went after competitors’ business models, not their technology. Now Microsoft’s strong points seem useless against Google. The people at Microsoft are worried that a “Google Office” will come out. And now that Google has come up with a desktop search there is no need for the start button in Windows.
What’s in Google’s future?

Google is only becoming more powerful. It has a desktop search utility on the way, a shopping engine, news aggegrator, and webmail services. Google is also hoping to offer a new browser (GBrowser). It would include all the Google properties such as Gmail, Froogle, Google News, Picasa, and Blogger. This means that the user could get all of his or her business done without ever having to leave the Google environment. This new browser would be another way to destination Google, meaning more revenue because more ads would be looked at by more users. It would also help Google control both data and applications, surpassing Microsoft.

So why is Google so popular?

A good way to get many users interested in the search engine is making it really easy to use. Google believes they should hide the complexity of their powerful search engine from their users so that they will be left with a simple, understandable way to get the information they need. So not only is the interface clear and simple, but the pages load instantly, the way the search results are placed is not sold to anybody, and the advertising
it relevant content which does not get in the user’s way.

Google’s Infrastructure is its Strategic Advantage

Google’s supply chain is made up of fiber networks, data centers, switches, servers and storage devices. From that perspective, its business model is no different than that of Dell’s (DELL): Google has to deliver search results (information, if you want to be generous about their other projects) as fast as possible at as low a cost as possible.

To better understand Google and its business model, one needs to break it down into three data inputs.

• Relevancy of results.
• Speed of search.
• Cost of executing a search query.

While their results aren’t optimal, they are good enough. Just like Microsoft Windows was good enough to dominate the market. In other words, the company has to make sure that the speed of its search is really, really fast. Any random search on Google these days takes between 0.12 to 0.06 seconds. Now that is really, really fast. Google does this by indexing the Internet quite well. The magic is in delivering the search results from this index at lightening speed, and that requires an infrastructure — oodles of bandwidth and specialized hardware — that is finely tuned much like a Formula One Car.



Reference: http://gigaom.com/2007/12/04/google-infrastructure/