The Visio Lab

Unlike the stuff from some of the other labs, I can actually see a real use for Visio. Have you ever tried to create a flowchart? On the computer? Without a flowcharting program? All I'll say is: trying to flowchart in Adobe Photoshop is a pain and a half.

I'm not to sure why our lab was about database E/R diagrams instead of flowcharting. Flowcharting is tedious but useful. E/R diagrams can be done by hand in no time flat - at least, simple ones like the one we did in class can. Plus, as long as you can read your own writing, it's less time-consuming to do by hand, and just as convenient when using it to create a database in Access. Ah, well. Maybe I'm a tad old-school.

Edit: 10-21 10:31 AM:
Well, I suppose it is a good idea to get the basics down, since those E/R diagrams can get insanely complicated in big projects. But I still would have preferred flowcharting.

The MS Project Lab...

IMHO, a rather pointless lab. Yes, we learned to use MS Project... well, sort of. But from what I can tell, the little tutorial bobber on the WebCT assignment page was exactly the same as what we did in class. Why couldn't we have just worked on our own and just asked questions if we ran into trouble? Or, better yet, make this an optional lab for people that couldn't manage to work the tutorial? Even though I've never used MS Project in my life, I could have had this lab done a lot faster just following the tutorial, if only because I would have been able to go straight through without interruptions. Ah, well. At least I got done fast enough to update the infamous blog lab. (Insert ominous sound effect here)

MIS and Work

So... yesterday we talked about databases of the personal and PC variety. Well, I work for an independent financial consultant. He's in the market for new clients, so we're using a (purchased) Client-Relationship Management Database to handle our (read: my boss's) marketing program. The database program keeps track of the name, address, phone number, &tc. of each of the prospects my boss has decided to go for. The program lets us generate letters to prospects that fit a given set of qualifications based on the data we (read: I) input into the system. So, we're essentially using a database to generate paper spam in the hopes that it will pull people to the "firm".

I feel like CitiBank now... yuck.


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The Wiki Lab

The Wiki lab... was not as fun as the blog lab (which, as you can see, I'm doing right now). Wiki was a real let-down.

The prof says: "It's just like html." Only... not. It's nothing like html. Html is way harder.

---We're being told to "get out of the lab," so I'll finish updating later---

Edit (18:20 ish)

Well, at least I got the nifty icon that I wanted to put on this blog put on my wiki.

Anyway, lab was kinda fun, relatively speaking. I got it done pretty fast, which was good because some of the people near me were having problems getting theirs to work. I helped them with their code, getting pics to post, logging in... which most the class had problems doing. Kinda freaky how half the class was having problems with their passwords; I didn't, but I did the lazy thing and copy-pasted mine from the email. ^.^;

I'm not sure why this wiki thing is important. I think actual html would be more useful than this pseudo stuff wiki uses. Oh well.

Today in MIS: The RFP

Well... today in MIS, after we breezed through the latest chapter of the textbook, we did a grading of the RFPs that we turned in today. Sadly enough, that makes today's class the second most fun one we've had yet. I'm not too sure that the groups we graded will be too terribly happy; we were pretty harsh with our grading. To be fair, the papers kinda deserved the grades we gave them, but they were harsh.

Anyway, the cool part was looking at the computer. I hopped over to the tower at the end of class and tried to identify all the parts. I think I was only about 90% successful. ~.~ I think I need to practice...

First Post to MIS Blog

So... The first post to the MIS 301 Blog. Do I have to avoid saying anything incriminating? Yes? Ah well...

So, we are supposed to write on a given category for this assignment... Ah, what the heck. I'll just post up the assignment here so that I won't forget about it. I know I will if I don't do something like that. So, the assignment is as follows (in summarized form):

1. Write at least 4 entries in the blog.
2. Write on one or more of the following topics for each entry:

• Something we learned in class and why it's important
• How work is relating to class
• Something the prof says that I disagree with and why
• Additional thoughts about class
• Exams and grading issues (no more than 1 post)

Well, if the lab had USB ports (like the BB post on WebCT implied), I'd edit the template. I had a nifty-keen picture all picked out, and a nifty icon I made, and everything. Ah, well. I found the simplified version of my icon (my brother uses it as one of his blog icons) and posted that. I guess I'll fix this up later.

Edit (13:42): Got the pics uploaded through AS 214.