Getting Into IT - First Steps

 As someone who spends their days working with numbers, spreadsheets, and financial reports, I never thought I would develop such a deep interest in IT and programming languages. But the more I learned in this course, the easier the IT side of my career I understood. Especially when dealing with scripts for excel automation, and dealing with other systems to manage data flows. Programming languages are essential because they allow us to give computers clear instructions to perform specific tasks and produce the outcomes we need. In the early history of computing, programs were written using simple binary code just 1s and 0s which controlled hardware directly. One early example was software developed to calculate Bernoulli numbers, laying the groundwork for future advances. Since then, programming languages have evolved dramatically, supporting everything from business applications to complex algorithms used in modern AI systems. Programming languages at its core still relies on har...

In Week 3, we worked with ping and traceroute commands to get a better understanding of how information travels across the internet. I used the Guide to Ping and Traceroute Command sheet to guide me in this exercise see below for the results provided by Command Prompt. I tested Google US/Japan and Amazon US/Japan. Notably all 4 sources had 4 packets received/sent without any packet losses. Google US/Japan had avg. of 4 ms and 6 ms respectively. Amazon US/Japan had avg. of 10 ms and 67 ms respectively. For Google, the traceroute results were fairly consistent between both countries. However, on Amazon Japan, hops 10 and 15 showed significantly higher response times compared to the U.S. version. Additionally, there were several timeouts observed on the Amazon website. I conducted ping/traceroute tests to analyze how network performance varies when accessing websites hosted in different regions of the world. To maintain consistency and control, I focused on testing two websites: Google an...

 For week 4, we took a deep dive into cyber security crimes and explored the potential risks that come with using the internet. The internet has significantly improved our world by making it easier to access information, stay connected with friends and family, and work with organizations without needing to visit brick and mortar locations. While these advancements offer numerous benefits, they also introduce new risks. Cybercriminals can exploit our online presence to gain access to sensitive information such as passwords, personal documents, and financial data. One way they do this is through cyberattacks that used tactics like phishing/smishing, and social engineering. These methods rely on human error and the the natural tendency to trust, making them specially effective and dangerous. My family and I have been victims of both phishing and social engineering attacks. While the incidents were not severe, we have experienced firsthand how these types of cyberattacks can target eve...

In week 4, our discussion focused on how IT plays a role in our specific industry. For me, it’s a big part of my career right now, technology is everywhere and super important in what I do. As an corporate accountant, information technology is essential in my daily tasks. We rely on various software systems to manage financial data, perform calculations, generate reports, and even automate journal entries. Tools like Power BI, Power Automate, VBA scripts, SAS, and TM1 help streamline our work, making processes faster and more accurate. These systems enable us to analyze financial data, create real-time reports, reconcile, audit, and improve efficiency by automating repetitive tasks like invoice processing and data entry. In an environment so dependent on technology, being computer literate is crucial. Understanding how financial data flows through different systems and how they generate reports or journal entries helps accountants spot errors and troubleshoot issues when they arise...

          For our week 2 assignment, we had to figure out which app would work best for a scenario where we wanted to showcase our daily lives. We looked at the pros and cons of different apps within the Office 365 suite to see which one fit the situation best.           Today’s world is heavily reliant on technology, most people who own a computer have at least used Word, Excel, and/or PowerPoint once in their life. Whether it was for school or work most people will use these for their distinct purposes and functionalities. Word Processors, Spreadsheets, Presentation Software, and Database management systems are some of the most common applications used. Each type of software has its own use cases, with distinct advantages and disadvantages depending on the specific scenario. Furthermore, the paper will recommend the most suitable software for the assignment provided in part 1,2, and 3 and explore additional scenarios where th...

 Usability & Design & Functionality Analysis On week 2, we had a discussion post relating to the usability, design, functionality of an app from our choosing. I decided to choose one of the apps I use daily as go to navigation guide called Waze. Unlike other GPS applications, Waze takes a unique approach by relying on user-generated data to improve its navigation experience. This crowdsourced data allows users to contribute real-time information about traffic conditions, accidents, road closures, potholes, obstacles, and even animals on the road features that set Waze apart from other apps. For me, this real-time input from users is one of the main reasons I choose Waze over other GPS apps. Usability Upon startup, Waze allows users to quickly input their desired destination and begin their journey right away. The app also offers easy access to saved locations such as home, work, school, and other frequently visited addresses. Additionally, Waze tracks your travel patte...