Computer Systems: Prospects for a Public Information Network

“Perhaps the very concept of equal access to information deserves examination. Is democracy literally the sum of informed choices by its citizens?”     

Process mapping: one of three, new, special quality tools for management, quality and all other professionals

What is process mapping? Is it identifying, documentation, analyzing and developing an improved process. To use process mapping methodology, a completely new, different thought pattern occurs when the process is focused upon. Management's obsession with the outcomes must be abandoned and replaced with a focus on the process. A process map is used to understand your business and improve the performance of your processes. Why improve and manage processes? Processes produce an organization's products and/or services. Processes are critical to seizing and maintaining a competitive advantage. Processes are the vehicles for exceeding customer expectations and achieving organizational goals. The performance of individuals is only as good as the process will allow it to be. Processes, especially cross-functional business practices, are usually not documented, not standardized, not measured, not systematically and continually improved and not managed by the micro-process doer or owner. A process map is a visual aid for picturing work processes which shows how inputs and tasks are linked. A process map prompts new thinking about how work is done. It highlights major steps taken to produce an output, who performs the steps, and where these (major) problems consistently occur. Process mapping alerts one to areas in which a change in processes will have the greatest impact on improving quality. An excellent analogy of a process map is a `road map'. Teams become an important aspect of developing and using process maps. Very often, several functions, working separately and independently, are involved in a successful process.     

Table of Contents

• ADR 360° ‐ Parts 1 & 2
  • The ADR Field and Marketplace: Evolution, Growth, Taking Stock, and Where To From Here
  • By David Plimpton
• CPR News
  • February/March Meetings & Events
  • Featured Panels: Technology Panel ‐ By Mara Weinstein
• Arbitration Process
  • Comparative Chart of Domestic U.S. Arbitration Rules
• The Master Mediator
  • Looking My Way: It Is What It Is! Really?
  • By Robert A. Creo

     

Trends in network and service operation for the emerging future Internet

Recent advances in disruptive technologies, such as P2P content distribution, and research in high-speed optical and wireless transmission and in the virtualization of systems have sparked fundamental discussions about how to design the future Internet: Is a clean-slate approach mandatory? Would an evolutionary process be more appropriate? What kind of network and application features will drive the design of the future Internet? The aims of this position paper are to outline the technological trends and challenges for the emerging future Internet and to discuss the requirements and implications.     

Computer Systems: Power for Whom and for What?

Is what's good for IBM good for the world? The answer may depend on the kind of world that's envisaged.     

Whose story is it, anyway? An ethnographic answer

The time has come to look beyond the usual systems approach of multimedia productions and ask an ethnographic question: where is the real story? Is the story in the mind of the reporting “authors” as they create these productions? Is it located in the production (often referred to as the text or document) itself? Or, is it in the minds of “readers” as they sew together fragments of the story using sound, video and text? The author believes multimedia ethnography is a platform for multiloguing that acts as an electronic forum for discussion and social intercourse among multiple users. This platform encourages a shared vision that enables multimedia stories to become more valid accounts. Thus, multiloguing plays two roles: dialogue is replaced by many people engaging in multiple levels of conversation; and the process of reaching conclusions includes logging (selecting, coding, and analyzing) parts of stories from multiple perspectives     

Latin America goes wireless via satellite

The authors address the following questions. What does the current growth of the satellite market really mean for Latin America? What are the plans to cover the region with satellite systems? How will they impact the Latin American economy and more particularly its satellite industry? Is Latin America going satellite by itself and is it managing wireless implementation via satellite to the best of its interests? Is Latin America looking for its role in the globalization of the world? Is it possible and healthy to think about regional or subregional models to lead Latin America wireless via satellite as well as its own means? Should Latin America be considered only a market, and nothing more? How will these questions be answered? To deal with these issues, currently “fashionable” satellite applications such as direct to home (DTH) and direct broadcast satellite (DBS), as well as rural and mobile communications, are approached from the marketing, legal, and regulatory points of view, including the “sleeping” plan for the broadcasting satellite service in Region 2     

Framing,Motivated Reasoning,and Opinions About Emergent Technologies

How do individuals form opinions about new technologies? What role does factual information play? We address these questions by incorporating 2 dynamics, typically ignored in extant work: information competition and over‐time processes. We present results from experiments on 2 technologies: carbon‐nanotubes and genetically modified foods. We find that factual information is of limited utility—it does not have a greater impact than other background factors (e.g., values), it adds little power to newly provided arguments/frames (e.g., compared to arguments lacking facts), and it is perceived in biased ways once individuals form clear initial opinions (e.g., motivated reasoning). Our results provide insight into how individuals form opinions over time, and bring together literatures on information, framing, and motivated reasoning.     

Cyclic Vector Multiplication Algorithm Based on a Special Class of Gauss Period Normal Basis

This paper proposes a multiplication algorithm for , which can be efficiently applied to many pairs of characteristic p and extension degree m except for the case that 8p divides m(p–1). It uses a special class of type‐?k, m? Gauss period normal bases. This algorithm has several advantages: it is easily parallelized; Frobenius mapping is easily carried out since its basis is a normal basis; its calculation cost is clearly given; and it is sufficiently practical and useful when parameters k and m are small.     

Responses to 9/11 reveal opportunities— and barriers—for commercial ADR

The fallout for conflict resolution professionals from the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, strikes at the core of their existence: What do they do? What do they provide? Maria R. Volpe and Staci Strobl, of New York, have been looking broadly at the question of “deliverables” since 9/11. They discuss the business ADR aspects of that research, and provide lessons the profession should have learned.     

Research reality check: introduction to the special issue

Research into subjects of concern to technical communicators is occurring with increasing frequency. But as it increases, we must ask ourselves: Is the research serving its purpose? What should researchers be doing? These are the questions that underlie the articles in this special issue.     

Au Catalyzed Carbon Diffusion in Ni: A Case of Lattice Compatibility Stabilized Metastable Intermediates

Nickel is a crucial catalyst for its excellent performance in active carbon atom–related catalysis such as hydrocarbon steam reforming and 1D carbon nanostructures preparation. The carbon diffusion activity in Ni is of critical importance in understanding the catalytic behavior and thereby the performance optimization. However, the carbonization process is still vague because of the hardly identified intermediates. In this paper, the metastable intermediates of nickel carbonization process are successfully stabilized by taking advantage of the epitaxial growth to elevate the structure transformation energy barrier. X‐ray diffraction, high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy, and synchrotron X‐ray absorption near edge structure data evidence the face‐centered cubic (fcc)? Ni _x C nature of the intermediates and thus an fcc? Ni _x C‐intermediated nickel carbonization process from fcc? Ni to hexagonal close‐packed (hcp)‐Ni₃C is revealed, which is also confirmed by the Vienna ab initio simulation package calculation from the viewpoint of energy evolution. To the best of the knowledge, it is the first time to report the identification of the fcc? Ni _x C. More importantly, the introduction of Au is found promoted the catalytic growth of graphitic carbon using either oleylamine or C₂H₄ as carbon resource. The Au@Ni‐based hybrid catalysts exhibit lower reaction temperature and much higher carbon output than pure Ni.     

An experimental evaluation of rate-adaptive video players over HTTP

Adaptive (video) streaming over HTTP is gradually being adopted by content and network service providers, as it offers significant advantages in terms of both user-perceived quality and resource utilization. In this paper, we first focus on the rate-adaptation mechanisms of adaptive streaming and experimentally evaluate two major commercial players (Smooth Streaming and Netflix) and one open-source player (Adobe's OSMF). We first examine how the previous three players react to persistent and short-term changes in the underlying network available bandwidth. Do they quickly converge to the maximum sustainable bitrate? We identify major differences between the three players and significant inefficiencies in each of them. We then propose a new adaptation algorithm, referred to as AdapTech Streaming, which aims to address the problems with the previous three players. In the second part of the paper, we consider the following two questions. First, what happens when two adaptive video players compete for available bandwidth in the bottleneck link? Can they share that resource in a stable and fair manner? And second, how does adaptive streaming perform with live content? Is the player able to sustain a short playback delay, keeping the viewing experience “live”?     

The important stuff-what really matters in design

What do you think is the most important issue in designing electronic instruments? Is it optimizing a circuit for low power consumption, minimal cost, or fewer components? Or writing bug-free code quickly? But these issues deal with the “how” of design. They are application-specific techniques. I believe that the “what” of instrument development takes precedence over the how of design. Understanding the what of design and development will give you consistent direction in every project. The what transcends applications and provides a framework for the how of application-specific techniques. What are the whats of instrument development? At least six issues are important: user-centered design, the human interface, packaging, reviews-testing, debugging, inspections, documentation, integrity. I will introduce these subjects in this article and address each in more detail     

Table of Contents

• Law Practice Management
  • Promoting Alternative Dispute Resolution: What's the ROI on ADR?
  • By Erin Gleason Alvarez
• CPR News
  • Details on Next Month's Annual Meeting/Training
  • Featured Panels: Technology & Trademark Panels
  • By Russ Bleemer and Mara Weinstein
• Worldly Perspectives
  • Schooled in Litigation, Austria Works to Step up Its ADR
  • By Giuseppe De Palo and Mary B. Trevor
• The Master Mediator
  • Looking My Way: The Brain Is Not a Computer
  • By Robert A. Creo
• ADR Brief
  • Special Arbitration Report: Employment ADR's NLRB Class Waiver Battleground
  • By Russ Bleemer

     

Magnetic microscopy for 3D devices: Defect localization with high resolution and long working distance on complex system in package

As microelectronic technologies continue to develop according to the More than Moore’s law, so that full systems can be confined inside one assembly, failure analysis must take this into account. Magnetic microscopy has achieved successful failure analysis of standard ICs but now it faces new challenges related to the lack of resolution triggered by the long working distances necessary when working on complex 3D architectures. Our new approach can push the present scope of the technique further by using a simulation approach, and by measuring not only the z component of the magnetic field but also the x and the y by tilting the sample. We will show how we can map and localize defects with an increased resolution taking into account three-dimensional geometries.     

The U.N.'s Latest Moves on Cross‐Border Mediation and Arbitration Practices

Editor's note: From June 27 to July 15, the U.N. Commission on International Trade Law, best known as UNCITRAL, held its 49th session at the United Nations. The International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution, which publishes Alternatives, has been active in UNCITRAL's dispute resolution work over the past five years. The CPR Institute was invited to become an official NGO Observer to UNCITRAL Working Group III (Online Dispute Resolution) in Spring 2011. In Fall 2011, the author was invited to serve as a member of the U.S. Delegation to Working Group III, and she has served on the U.S. delegation to the UNCITRAL Commission beginning with the 45^th Session in 2012. Below is an account of the key conflict resolution issues addressed earlier this summer.     

Highly Stretchable,High‐Mobility,Free‐Standing All‐Organic Transistors Modulated by Solid‐State Elastomer Electrolytes

Highly stretchable, high‐mobility, and free‐standing coplanar‐type all‐organic transistors based on deformable solid‐state elastomer electrolytes are demonstrated using ionic thermoplastic polyurethane (i‐TPU), thereby showing high reliability under mechanical stimuli as well as low‐voltage operation. Unlike conventional ionic dielectrics, the i‐TPU electrolyte prepared herein has remarkable characteristics, i.e., a large specific capacitance of 5.5 µF cm^?2, despite the low weight ratio (20 wt%) of the ionic liquid, high transparency, and even stretchability. These i‐TPU‐based organic transistors exhibit a mobility as high as 7.9 cm² V^?1 s^?1, high bendability (R_c, radius of curvature: 7.2 mm), and good stretchability (60% tensile strain). Moreover, they are suitable for low‐voltage operation (V_DS = ?1.0 V, V_GS = ?2.5 V). In addition, the electrical characteristics such as mobility, on‐current, and threshold voltage are maintained even in the concave and convex bending state (bending tensile strain of ≈3.4%), respectively. Finally, free‐standing, fully stretchable, and semi‐transparent coplanar‐type all‐organic transistors can be fabricated by introducing a poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonic acid layer as source/drain and gate electrodes, thus achieving low‐voltage operation (V_DS = ?1.5 V, V_GS = ?2.5 V) and an even higher mobility of up to 17.8 cm² V^?1 s^?1. Moreover, these devices withstand stretching up to 80% tensile strain.     

Table of Contents

• ADR Skills
  • Whose Trial Is It Anyway? Using Improv To Help Lawyers ‘Present’ More Effectively
  • By Jeffrey Krivis and Brian Breiter
• CPR News
  • The Honorees and the Date: The 2010 CPR Corporate Leadership Award Dinner
  • By Russ Bleemer
• Worldly Perspectives
  • Algeria: A Free‐Market Embrace for Arbitration … With Indifference Toward Mediation Development
  • By Giuseppe De Palo and Mary B. Trevor
• ADR Procedures
  • With Arbitration Facing Restrictions, It's Time To Look at a U.K. Solution for Consumer Disputes
  • By Adam Samuel
• ADR Brief
  • N.J. Court Committee Proposes Removing Representation Requirement
  • By Russ Bleemer