Overhead Projector Rentals

Writen by Marcus Peterson

Overhead projectors are used to project transparencies. One contains a glass plate with a light source from below that reflects the image in the transparency through a lens on an arm to a screen. Transparencies are polyester films of a standard A4 paper size that allows light to pass through.

Overhead projectors are simple to use and they were the first ones to be used for business and classroom presentations. This was before the arrival of data and video projectors. The projector can be set up in 10 seconds, the arm can be bent for easy portability and weighs approximately 14 lbs. The resolution can be in the range of 4000 lumens. The OHP comes with accessories such as a portable stand so that projector can be placed in the middle of the classroom, a collapsible screen, extension cords with different lengths, and sockets.

The rental rates usually vary from $30 to $50 daily, $100 for a week and $200 for a month. Most of the university classrooms have OHPs installed. The advances in data projection for CD, DVD and laptops have reduced the demand for OHP.

Use of overhead projectors has declined with the flashy presentations of PowerPoint. Still they are occasionally used in universities, in classrooms for lectures, and job training. They are preferred over data projectors as they are simple and don't require computers for input. The transparencies can be modified during the lecture itself, which makes it versatile. The disadvantage is that OHP is fragile and bulky. Also, care should be taken to ensure that the transparencies are clear. For instance, photocopied text book pages will look bad on the screen.

Some of the important branded overhead projectors are 3M, Bell & Howell, Dukane, and High Lumens. Specific features such as built-in lamps and image magnifiers add to the higher rental rates.

Projector Rentals provides detailed information on Computer Projector Rentals: A Guide, DVD Projector Rentals, Film Projector Rentals, LCD Projector Rentals and more. Projector Rentals is affiliated with DLP Projectors.

Rfid When You Dont Even Know Its There

Writen by Andy Reed

RFID (Radio Frequency ID) enables wireless data capture and transaction processing. Our last column discussed proximity applications, used primarily for access control. This time, we'll take a look at what are broadly defined as vicinity, or long-range applications, used for product tracking, inventory control, product authentication, etc.

One of my favorite applications is in libraries. Instead of the traditional librarian checking out a book - older readers will remember the card slipped into a pocket inside the cover, on which you could read previous borrowers' names hand-written along with the check-out and return dates - or the bar-code system that replaced the cards a generation ago, RFID technology allows libraries to lend and return books and other media automatically. The authorized borrower - anyone with a library card - can take a book, video, or CD and check it out without taking the librarian's time (or your own, which in my youth was wasted standing on line every Saturday morning waiting to return last week's book and check out this week's choice). When you return it, it's automatically checked back in.

The central computer processor tracks all loans and returns, giving the library real-time knowledge of inventory. It automatically alerts staff to late returns or missing books, saving staff time and improving accuracy in tracking them. And it can disallow a borrower from taking out anything if it shows that other items have not yet been returned, whether to maintain a limit on the number of items a borrower can check out at one time, or because of overdue items still in his or her possession.

Another application, which is having a wide-ranging impact on the garment world, is the incorporation of RFID tags into clothing and accessories. With so much manufacturing having moved overseas during the past two decades, it's more important than ever to protect the integrity of product lines. Not doing so opens the door to knock-off imports that cut into the bottom line, cheap copies hurting the reputation of a well-known brand-name, and use of banned components such as toxic dyes in fabric or children's toys.

By incorporating an RFID tag into a label, or even sewing it into a suit or pocketbook, a brand owner can identify its source from among dozens of manufacturing locations, thus simplifying tracking its origins. This is especially important if a product batch is inferior, allowing the brand owner to easily locate the problem.

The tag can also certify the product as authentic to identify and control counterfeits, and simplify the process of distribution, store returns, and sales data. And, at the retail end, the ID attached to each individual product can reduce in-house theft.

In airports, according to another RFID specialist, Rafsec.com, "many airlines have run RFID trials over the past few years to prove the efficacy of the systems employed in the air transport environment. Tests have shown first-read rates of over 99% with RF tags compared to less than 90% for bar code-only tags."

One of the benefits Rafsec highlights is that the tags can be recoded (using a rewrite function) at different points in the system. "This makes it possible to hold bags for security checking and release them for loading when checked, provided the RFID system is linked to the baggage reconciliation systems. Similarly, RFID is already being used to track passenger progress through airports, reducing the number of passengers arriving late at the gate and in so doing ensuring that planes leave on time."

I anticipate a wider range of uses for RFID systems in the future. While some might cost more than the systems they replace, they should be easy enough to implement and well worth the expense. For example, police departments have long urged bicycle owners to engrave a serial number on an attached tag or on the frame itself. If the bike is stolen and turns up at a pawn shop or flea market, the registered number can help track the thief and return the bike to its owner. An RFID tag can be incorporated into each bicycle sold, and reputable pawn shops can be linked to a control system in the police department - or the police can carry a portable unit, similar to that used for writing parking tickets, to check merchandise and discover thefts.

Some school boards are issuing RFID tags to students to control access to buses and school facilities, and it would be equally simple to install RFID systems in homes, replacing traditional locks and keys and even touch-key access control systems.

One of my favorite possibilities - and one that will no doubt raise the hackles of privacy advocates - is human implants. One company in Canada has already pioneered the process, though its success and long-term value is still far from being proven. But I can envision a day when every member of a family is implanted (after all, time-release implants are already in wide use to help people stop smoking or for birth control) with an RFID chip. A central computer can control access, not just to locked doors but to other items or products in a home: computers, a liquor cabinet, dangerous tools (power saws, etc.), or even a gun cabinet. Each person's chip can be encoded to allow or prevent access, protecting the home and its occupants.

When these applications will begin to appear is a question that's impossible to answer; whether they will is easy: they will, and we should all be ready for them.

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED HERE.

Andrew Reed grew up in Asheville, North Carolina. He moved to New York in 1970, and following his undergraduate studies at Columbia University he became a marketing specialist with National Broadcasting and other companies. He returned to the WNC mountains in 1993, where he works as an editor, freelance writer, and marketing consultant. He operates a web-based editing and marketing company, http://www.myowneditor.com, and specializes in writing for web sites.

Understanding The Irmmrp Analogy

Writen by Tim Bryce

"You must first plant the seeds in order to harvest the crop. Unfortunately, most companies tend to eat the seed and then there is no crop to harvest." - Bryce's Law

INTRODUCTION

When we introduced the original version of the "PRIDE" methodology in 1971 (which is now referred to as "PRIDE"-ISEM), we were primarily concerned with developing enterprise-wide systems. Over time, it became clear to us that we needed to enhance our approach for developing the corporate data base, hence "PRIDE"-DBEM (Data Base Engineering Methodology) was born. Shortly thereafter, we introduced "PRIDE"-EEM (Enterprise Engineering Methodology) as a means to model the business and formulate an enterprise information strategy. When this was done, the last piece of the puzzle of our philosophy for Information Resource Management (IRM) fell into place. This was completed by the early 1980's.

At the time, most companies were concerned with only controlling the data resources pertaining to their Data Base Management Systems. This was a nice first step, but as it became necessary to share and re-use other resources such as software, it started to become obvious a more global perspective on managing information resources was needed, which is where IRM comes in.

DEFINITION

Information Resource Management is the design, development, implementation, and control over all of the resources needed to produce information. Its intent is to share and re-use resources where appropriate. Sharing represents the interchangeability of resources, thereby promoting the standardization and integration of parts in products. By doing so, development time and costs are reduced by simply re-using parts.

To those of you in manufacturing, this will all sound very familiar as this is the same objective of Materials Resource Planning (MRP) and, as such, IRM can trace its roots to MRP. The intent of both IRM and MRP are the same, the only difference is the types of resources being managed. Whereas MRP is concerned with tangible parts and products, IRM is concerned with resources that are more intangible. Nonetheless, both IRM and MRP are concerned with the collection, storage, and delivery of resources in the most cost effective means possible.

TYPES OF INFORMATION RESOURCES

To understand the resources needed to produce information, we must first understand the fundamental nature of information itself. We define it as "the intelligence or insight required to support the actions and decisions of the business." Further, we provide a simple formula for it:

Information = Data + Processing

This means there are two equal variables for producing information: data (representing the facts and events of the business) and, processing (representing how and when data is to be collected, stored, and retrieved). If the data is correct, but the processing is wrong, the information will be wrong. Conversely, if the data is wrong, but the processing is correct, the information will also be wrong. From this, we can deduce three classes of information resources:

DATA RESOURCES - representing the facts and events of the business, along with how they are stored.

SYSTEM RESOURCES - representing how data is to be processed.

BUSINESS RESOURCES - representing both the consumer of the information as well as the human and machine resources participating in the production of information.

DATA RESOURCES

Data Elements - individual facts and events regarding an enterprise (the basic building block of all data resources). Used to identify, describe and quantify the objects of the business; includes both primary and generated values (e.g., Net-Pay, Percent Completed, etc.).

Records - a collection of one or more data elements. Represents logical and physical storage areas within a file, input transactions, print maps and screen panels (incl. messages), and call arguments between programming modules.

Files - a collection of one or more records. Represents logical and physical storage, both computer and manual.

Data Base - all of the files either within a single application or a given enterprise, both logically and physically.

Inputs - a collection of one of more records used to collect data. Can be implemented by screens, paper, verbal, optical, etc.

Outputs - a collection of one or more records to transmit information

SYSTEM RESOURCES

Systems - a collection of one or more sub-systems. Systems can be implemented manually, in part or in full, or with mechanical support (computers).

Sub-Systems - a collection of one or more procedures within a system. A sub-system is a business process representing a flow of work within a specific time-frame.

Procedures - a collection of one or more operational steps (Administrative) or one or more programs (Computer).

Operational Step - an individual task.

Programs - a set of computer-executable instructions performing a step within a computer procedure. A program may be subdivided into modules if so desired.

Modules - compilable program source code consisting of one or more subroutines written in the same programming language. It is not executable by itself. Modules can call other modules.

BUSINESS RESOURCES

Enterprises - a defined business entity with a specific mission, whether profitable or non-profitable in intent. Enterprises take many forms, such as the conventional commercial venture, whether private or public, a government agency, etc. Enterprises consist of business functions and are implemented by Positions.

Functions - a scope of responsibilities for carrying out a specific portion of the mission of the enterprise, e.g., Marketing, Sales, Manufacturing, etc. Functions are implemented by Positions.

Positions - a prescribed set of duties and responsibilities; another name is "job." Positions implement business functions either in part or in full. Positions are implemented by Human/Machine Resources.

Human/Machine Resources - employees, part-time workers, consultants, computers, equipment, etc. Such resources possess...

Skills - specific knowledge or talent as developed by education and/or experience. Proficiency denotes level of skill.

Information Requirements - specific needs for information in order to perform actions and decisions related to the business of the enterprise

Objectives - a goal for the enterprise to achieve whether strategic, tactical, or mandatory in nature. An objective can be used to call for new development, modify or improve an existing condition (mod/imp), or to maintain or correct something. One or more objectives can be grouped into a project. An objective may relate to one or more information requirements.

Projects - a scope of work consisting of one or more phases. A project is an application of the material and human resources to a specific objective through the execution of a prescribed sequence of events. A project implements one or more objectives.

Many of the relationships between the resources are hierarchical in nature, such as Systems Resources that subscribe to a "Standard System Structure" as specified by "PRIDE." Some also have recursive relationships, such as files-within-files or modules-calling-modules. Yet, others are represented by a network of relationships (too extensive to go into here). All of these relationships ultimately represents a model of the business and provides the ability to perform an "Impact Analysis" whereby we can study the effect the change of one resource may have on another. For example, should we decide to change the length of a data element, we should be able to determine, with great accuracy, all of the other resources affected by the change, thereby providing a "roadmap" for a maintenance project.

The mapping and maintenance of these extensive relationships between information resources is the forte of an "IRM Repository" which acts as a "Bill of Materials" processor (see "Managing Design Complexity" - "PRIDE" Special Subject Bulletin #10) at: http://www.phmainstreet.com/mba/ss050207.pdf

In order to promote sharing and re-usability, resources should be uniquely identified by number and name, along with its prescribed characteristics. Such resource definition ultimately represents the rules of the business and allows us to differentiate resources. Using an automated IRM Repository, tests can be performed to check for redundancy in characteristics and, as such, the use of redundant resources can be avoided.

Also see "Establishing an IRM Repository" at: http://www.phmainstreet.com/mba/pride/spir.htm

DIFFERENT METHODOLOGIES

The three classes of resources also hints at three different methodologies for developing them:

Enterprise Engineering Methodology (EEM) - primarily concerned with developing business resources and is performed by Enterprise Engineers (Business Analysts)

Information Systems Engineering Methodology (ISEM) - primarily concerned with system resources (Software Engineering is considered a subset of ISEM), Such resources are developed by Systems Engineers and Software Engineers (analysts and programmers).

Data Base Engineering Methodology (DBEM) - primarily concerned with data resources and is performed by Data Engineers and Data Base Administrators.

Although the methodologies will define "who" is primarily responsible for their development, it is quite common for information resources to cross methodology boundaries. For example, during EEM systems and "objects" (logical files) are identified which are later implemented by ISEM and DBEM respectively. During ISEM, application logical files are identified and detailed later in DBEM. In DBEM, physical files for a specific application are designed and delivered to ISEM in Software Engineering. This means resources are initially identified and then refined in ensuing phases of the various methodologies. In this regards, an IRM Repository is used as a "scratchpad" by developers to record the specifications of information resources.

Project Management and Quality Assurance will also find information resource definition helpful in their assignments. The phases of the methodologies dictate which resources must be used and their degree of definition. For example, in ISEM, the need for specific data elements must be identified in Phase 1 (to support an information requirement), either new or established data elements to be re-used. At this time, for new data elements, only its logical definition must be supplied. The physical attributes of the data elements (e.g., length, picture, precision, scale, etc.) do not have to be defined until Phase 3 (prior to Software Engineering). By taking this approach to development, Project Management and Quality Assurance can substantiate completion of the resource definition and the phase of work (it either has been done or it has not). Such analysis of the completion of work is commonly referred to as performing a "status check."

IMPLEMENTATION

As we mentioned in our earlier article, "Managing Design Complexity," sharing and re-using resources doesn't happen by accident. It takes a premeditated effort to do so. This means we have to uniquely identify, describe, and cross-reference each resource.

Is such definition work endless? Hardly. There is a finite number of information resources in an organization. For example, there is probably no more than 500 - 1,000 unique data elements in an enterprise. Once they are documented, they can be shared and re-used over and over again. This is the real payoff of IRM, thus expediting development and simplifying change control.

Year ago there was a problem in India where people were starving to death. To help out, the United States sent seed grain to India for the local populace to plant and harvest. This was a viable long-term strategy to take. Unfortunately, when the sacks of seed were delivered to the docks, the people opened them and ate the seed as opposed to planting it. This remedied their immediate hunger problem, but ruined their long term needs. You cannot harvest a crop if you do not sew the seeds. The same is true in IRM and MRP. To harvest the crop, we must first document our resources. Only then can we realize the benefits of sharing and re-using them.

For more information on our philosophies of Information Resource Management (IRM), please see the "Introduction" section of "PRIDE" at:

http://www.phmainstreet.com/mba/pride/intro.htm#irm

Tim Bryce is the Managing Director of M. Bryce & Associates (MBA) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has 30 years of experience in the field. He is available for training and consulting on an international basis. He can be contacted at: timb001@phmainstreet.com Copyright © 2006 MBA. All rights reserved.