Week 4- Computer Forensics and Hardware

This week in class we learned about computer hardware (the system unit) and computer forensics. Aside from the obvious need to know and understand the hardware and workings of one's computer, there isn't much more about computer hardware that can be applied to my grocery app, but computer forensics and how to protect your personal information is very applicable to my idea.

In a world where the internet has become a necessity in one's everyday life, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to protect one's personal information. Most websites/apps require some amount of your personal information such as a password, credit card number, birth date, etc. Some sites may even ask for your SSN. It's hard to determine whether a site really needs all of this personal info or if it just a scam. My website and app will require minimal personal information; protecting you from potential spyware or hackers. This app would only require a password and username, and possibly a credit card number if you aren't paying with cash. Debit card numbers will not be accepted due to the risk that comes with disclosing one's card number and/or pin number.

Computer hardware on the other hand won't have much impact on the use of this app and website. At least not on the customer's end. I, along with staff members, will obviously have to understand the workings of the system unit and know how to use and potentially improve components of the hardware. For example if I need more RAM or a new graphics card, I will need to know things like compatibility, price, brand quality etc.

That's all for this week!

Week 3-Excel

This week in class we discussed Social Media Privacy and Excel spreadsheets. Although Social Media Privacy is important, I think that the use of Excel spreadsheets is more helpful to my entrepreneurship idea than Social Media Privacy. Excel is a very useful program in any business and even for personal use. Not only can it organize any data such as prices, amounts, etc, but it can simplify or even completely eliminate one's calculations or formulas.

With my idea of the grocery app/website, Excel would be a completely necessary tool. Like I explained before, it would be able to organize any and every piece of data that came through an order being placed. Once programed, it can calculate prices, take sales/coupons into account, and factor in taxes. That of course would all take place on the business end of the app.

The customer, on the other hand, could use Excel via the app in a much simpler fashion. The user could create shopping lists, organize needs VS wants, and even incorporate friends' and family members' grocery lists. All in all, Excel would be a detrimental tool to the success of my idea.

Week 2-Social Media

Hi guys! This is my first blog...ever, so excuse me if it isn't up to par with the avid bloggers out there. This blog is basically going to to discuss what I learn in IST-195 and how it relates to my entrepreneurial idea. My idea is something that could make everyone's everyday life much simpler. I want to create an app/website that can ease the stress of going to grocery store, making shopping lists, etc. 

This will be a website, also accessible via smart phone app, that takes care of your everyday shopping needs. The website and app will be capable of the following:
-viewing grocery store inventory
-creating a shopping list
-calculating costs using store sales, coupons, clearance items
-allowing you to pick your items and place them in an order
-processing your transaction and having your items available for pick up when you arrive at the store

All in all I want this website and app to be an automated and efficient grocery shopping process, where everything is done with the touch of a finger. This will make shopping painless, stress free, and instantaneous.

This website and app would work very well with all the social media networks out there. Not only could I use social media such as Twitter and Facebook to promote this product, but once the program is up and running, I could use YouTube to show a tutorial on how to use the app. I could even eventually use social networking sites as a way of accessing friends' or family members' grocery lists/needs; making this already useful app even more efficient. Social media would be a huge asset to the success of this product.