Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Puja Religion and Deity Free Essays

Puja which literally means worship is performed before the deities’ images by both priests and laypeople in temples and homes throughout India. Puja in a large temple, especially in the blackness enveloping the innermost shrines, has a powerful sensual impact, often amplified by the press of a large crowd of devotees in a hot, confined space (Fuller, 57). The image in front of which puja is carried out can be natural like a tree, plant, rock or can be manmade such as constructed out of concrete, wood, brass etc. We will write a custom essay sample on Puja: Religion and Deity or any similar topic only for you Order Now Frequently picture of deity also substitute the image of particular deity (Fuller, 59). Worship is addressed to a deity whose powers are considered to be in an image and also to a deity as an image (Fuller, 61). It is quiet arguable that how these sources describe images or artefacts as the deity and how they play an important role in the worship process? Hindus perform puja in broad range of settings. In temples, where priests are usually responsible for performing it before the images or artefacts of deities, puja should be carried out regularly (Fuller, 62).Besides temples, puja is performed in many other institutions, such as monasteries, as well as in Hindu homes, normally at the household shrine where images or pictures of deities are kept. Worship at home is done regularly, daily or perhaps weekly. In puja image or artefact of deity is offered a meal, fruit, flowers, and entertained by music, singing and dancing; incense is wafted over it and decorated lamps are waved before it. Naturally, puja can also vary enormously in its elaborateness and correspondingly with the quantities of time and money spent on it (Fuller, 63).According to Shaiva ritual texts known as the Agamas, â€Å"only Shiva can worship Shiva. †Plainly, the formula that the only perfect worship is the one performed by the god for himself, but here on earth it is commonly taken to mean that priest must become, at one level, Shiva himself. In general terms, the same applies to anyone identified as divine, whether it is someone possessed by a village goddess, or a holy man widely revered as a living god.In all these cases, to identify a person as a form of a deity also implies that person is an â€Å"image† of deity (Fuller, 61). Acquiring status same as God by human is highly questionable. God has strength which cannot be attained by a mere human being. When it says priest possesses the power of Shiva does that mean that the priest possesses the ability of destructing the whole world? It is certainly not clear which deity’s power are in that â€Å"human† image of deity.As a conclusion, assuming that deity images or artefacts have powers of god is clear superstition. The deity images only serve the purpose of identification for certain deity. Image worship has been increasingly criticized by reformist Hindu intellectuals as a superstitious deviation from the true, original religion of the Vedas, which only marginally refer to the ritual use of images (Fuller, 62). Participating of puja expresses the relationship between the deity and their devotees.Gods and Goddesses do not actually need offerings and servings (given to their imager or artefacts) because they are never dirty, ugly, hungry or unable to see the world. The purpose of worship should be to honour the deities and show devotion by serving them (Fuller, 70). This way human can achieve true love and respect towards the deities.Work Cited 1. Fuller, C. J. The Camphor Flame : Popular Hinduism and Society in India. Princeton University Press: 2004. Page 57-70 How to cite Puja: Religion and Deity, Papers

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Death Of A Salesmsan Essay Example For Students

Death Of A Salesmsan Essay A large controversy that revolves around the play â€Å"Death of a Salesman† is whether or not Willy Loman was actually a hero or a villain in the story. It certainly cannot be said that he is really one or the other because of the evidence that is given throughout. At some times he seems the pitiful victim of other people’s actions but at others he seems to have only himself to blame. Most don’t know whether to feel sorry for him or to hate him. Although there seems to be evidence to support both ideas, there seems to be more pointing in the direction of the latter. Willy’s first fault concentrates around the affair that he had. Maybe when it first started he had only intended it to be a business relationship, but it didn’t end up that way. Somewhere along the line he let it go further and then didn’t break it off. Many things came of that one affair, that only he caused. First, is the fact that his son, Biff, caught him doing it, and was basically scarred for life from it. It was Willy’s fault that Biff didn’t attend summer school and, as a result, didn’t graduate from high school. Second, is the fact that he was cheating on his wife, therefore being dishonest with her. Along with that, was how he treated her all the time at home, almost like she was incredibly inferior to him. Part of it had to do with the fact that he was having an affair, which made him ashamed, the other part was sheer ignorance. He felt that he couldn’t face her because of what he was doing behind her back. The affair that he created was a large part of why Willy could not possibly be thought of as a hero. The second reason why Willy Loman cannot be considered a hero was that he basically encouraged lying. He set the example by doing it himself and also by coming right out and telling his boys that sometimes it was okay to. Willy lied to his wife about the affair, never actually saying that he wasn’t having one, but never telling her that he was. He also lied to his whole family about his business. He bragged constantly about all of the people he knew and the contacts that he had made throughout the years, as a salesman. When actually, he wasn’t a great salesman and had no contacts anywhere. Willy’s habitual lying to his family was another one of his major faults. Any man who lies to his family and cheats on his wife can certainly not be considered a hero. Villain may be a strong word but, it fits Willy Loman much better that hero. He seemed like he want to do right by his family but he never seemed to do it, always falling short somehow, mostly through no one’s fault but his own.

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Labor Unions And Nursing Essays - Trade Unions In The United States

Labor Unions And Nursing The American Labor movement in the United States has a history dating back to the beginnings of the industrial revolution. Its existence is due to poor working conditions and exploitation during the beginning of that time. Labor unions have had a long history of using their most powerful weapon, strikes, to fight their battles. Even today, with the diminishing numbers of union members, strikes appear in the news sporadically. History of Labor Unions The first strike is thought to be by printers in Philadelphia in 1786 (Maidment, 1997). Working conditions, pay and benefits were so poor, leaders in the southern United States used them to justify slavery. Their contention was that slaves were treated better than the workers were in the North. (Maidment, 1997) Unions attempt to rectify poor working conditions, pay and benefits through collective bargaining. An individual has very little power when negotiating with an employer, however many individuals, collectively have the power to achieve results through bargaining and negotiating. The ultimate bargaining tool that the collective bargaining unit has is the right to strike. Strikes The United States has the most violent and bloodiest labor history of any industrialized country (Foner, Garraty, 1991). In 1850, police killed two New York tailors while attempting to disperse strikers. These were the first of over seven hundred documented caused by strike-related violence. In 1913, National Guardsmen attacked striking Colorado miners known as the Ludlow Massacre. In 1937, police killed Ten Chicago steelworkers during a strike, which came to be known as the Memorial Day Massacre. More commonly, though, strike related deaths are attributed to lessor known confrontations. Strikes in the United States are generally linked to the business cycle. Strikes are more common when unemployment is low with the lowest strike rate being during the Great Depression. The first American strikes in the late 1700's and early 1800's were by shoemakers, printers, and carpenters led by their trade societies and were generally effective because of the limited labor pool skilled in those trades. The strikers simply refused to work until their pay demands were met. The strikes were generally short, peaceful and successful. Successful litigation by employers inhibited the spread of these strikes and the trade societies. After an economic upturn in the 1820s, strike activity was revived. Throughout the 1800s, strike activity continued to wax and wane based on economic conditions. Women participated in strikes as early as the 1820s. After the Civil War, the labor movement started to more closely resemble today's labor movement. In order to discourage strikes, instead of unilaterally setting wages and striking, unions started negotiating with employers, addressing wages, work rules, hours and grievances. This method of ?arbitration? led to binding contracts between the collective bargaining units and the employers. The Knights of Labor, the most important labor organization of the 1800s, discouraged strikes. Mediation Union leaders, particularly those in the craft unions affiliated with the American Federation of Labor (AFL), continued to question the efficacy of strikes in the early 1900s. Instead of strikes, the craft unions turned to private mediation groups to help settle disputes. In mediation, ?the third party assists the negotiators in their discussions and also suggests settlement proposals.? (Mathis, Jackson, 2000) An expansion of the union movement was created by four years of depression in the 1930s. The violent strikes by autoworkers, truckers, longshoremen and textile workers in 1934 sparked the passage of the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 (NLRA). The NLRA is the law governing relations between unions and employers in the private sector. It guarantees the right of employees to organize and to bargain collectively with employers. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is an independent federal agency created by Congress, which administers the NLRA. Under the direction of the NLRB, strikes continued in the 1940s (after WWII) and while some were very long, most were peaceful. The NLRB saw to it that employers who were legally obligated to bargain with unions, did so. In addition, strikers were given legal protection. In the 1950s the number of strikes dropped sharply, as the relationships between unions and employers became more predictable. The 1960s saw a rise in public employee strikes (teachers, transit workers and other local government workers) and in 1970,

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Beginning a Sentence with And or But

Beginning a Sentence with And or But Beginning a Sentence with And or But Beginning a Sentence with And or But By Maeve Maddox Several opinions about what is permissible in writing have acquired an almost religious authority with some English speakers. One of these opinions is that beginning a sentence with the coordinating conjunctions and and but is an unpardonable breach of usage. Here are some typical reader attitudes: I almost fainted when I read [a post] about the acceptability of beginning sentences with â€Å"and† or â€Å"but†. [How can anyone] justify the use of conjunctions to begin a sentence? It simply drives me crazy! Writers of English have been beginning sentences with and as long as English has been written. The Venerable Bede (672-735) did it. King Alfred (849-899) did it. You’ll also find examples in Swift (1667-1745), Johnson (1709-1784), Austen (1775-1817), Dickens (1812-1870), Orwell (1903-1950), and Roth (1933-). According to The Chicago Manual of Style, the belief that beginning a sentence with and, but, or so is an error â€Å"has no historical or grammatical foundation.† Not only that, but â€Å"a substantial percentage (often as many as 10 percent) of the sentences in first-rate writing begin with conjunctions. It has been so for centuries, and even the most conservative grammarians have followed this practice† (CMOS 5.206). Authors capable of â€Å"first-rate writing† are one matter. Teachers, on the other hand (and editors working with grammatically challenged adults) are wise to advise against it. Writing is a craft. Every craft demands that beginners learn in stages. A rule against beginning a sentence with a conjunction has pedagogical usefulness. Beginning writers benefit from being guided. They don’t need to have all the rules and exceptions dumped on them at the outset. My London headmistress forbade the use of semicolons. She said that semicolons could wait until students mastered the use of commas and periods. Her rule was intended to be transitional. Beginning writers overuse the conjunction and. Giving inexperienced writers permission to begin sentences with and is asking for trouble. Here, for example, is an excerpt from the writing of nine-year-old Daisy Ashford: Mr Salteena had dark short hair and mustache and whiskers which were very black and twisty. He was middle sized and he had very pale blue eyes With this style of writing, a rule against beginning a sentence with and can only be a blessing. In my teaching days, I forbade students to begin a sentence with because, not because I didn’t know about complex sentences, but because inexperienced writers tend to begin sentences with because and never get to a main clause. A practice that exacerbates this tendency in high school students is accepting sentence fragments as answers to essay questions on tests. For example: Question: Why did Silas put Eppie in the coal hole? Answer: Because she kept wandering away. Teachers of every subject could contribute to a higher standard of student writing by requiring students to rephrase the question in the answer: Question: Why did Silas put Eppie in the coal hole? Answer: Silas put Eppie in the coal hole because she kept wandering away. When students have learned to distinguish between a main clause and a dependent clause, they can progress to the use of because to introduce a subordinate clause. When they have learned to control their use of coordinating conjunctions, they can use them at the beginning of a sentence from time to time. Here are two examples from the work of writers known for â€Å"first-rate writing†: Besides, another purpose of the enlarged armywas to minimize the ever-present possibility of sedition. And with this purpose once again in mind, [Septimus Severus] took a number of steps to make the officers of the legions a privileged class and tie them firmly to his own person. –Michael Grant, History of Rome. If he charged, I could shoot; if he took no notice of me, it would be safe to leave him until the mahout came back. But also I knew that I was going to do no such thing. –George Orwell, Shooting an Elephant Like any stylistic device, beginning a sentence with and or but may be overused or used incorrectly. A common fault with but is to use it where and is required. But is an â€Å"adversative conjunction.† It introduces a contrast. Some writers tend to begin a sentence with but when and is the appropriate choice. Here’s a revision suggestion from The Chicago Manual of Style: Evaluate the contrasting force of the but in question, and see whether the needed word is really and; if and can be substituted, then but is almost certainly the wrong word. Bottom line: Beginning a sentence with and or but is a common stylistic device used in English by the best writers of every century. Writers who dislike the device are free to avoid it. Forbidding it to inexperienced writers has pedagogical value, but condemning it out of hand is to set a fetish above English idiom. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What Is Irony? (With Examples)Homogeneous vs. Heterogeneous15 Idioms for Periods of Time

Thursday, February 20, 2020

The Safety and Reliability Issue of Robotic System with Artificial Research Paper - 2

The Safety and Reliability Issue of Robotic System with Artificial Intelligence - Research Paper Example It is a fact that robots need human supervision or intervention for safe functioning. However, current robots need less supervision from human elements and they are intelligent enough to make necessary changes in its functioning based on the changes in the environment. Robots are currently used for people to conduct remote controlled videoconferencing, navigation, rescuing, assisting and lifting of soldiers in the war fronts etc. It is difficult to define artificial intelligence or AI in few words. Generally speaking "Artificial intelligence is the science of making machines do things that would require intelligence if done by men" (Artificial intelligence (AI)). The history of artificial intelligence started along with the discovery of computers in by Charles Babbage. Even though the possibilities of using artificial intelligence or robots are infinite, still people have many concerns about the reliability of using robots for artificial intelligence purposes. After all, robots are machines and machines cannot think as human does. It should be noted that even well experienced individuals are struggling to take appropriate decisions in this ever changing world. Under such circumstances, the reliability of depending artificial intelligence for executing complex jobs which need logical and quick decision making is highly questionable. This paper analyses the Safety and Reliability issue of Robotic System with Artificial Intelligence. Incredible speed in execution is the major advantage of robots controlled by artificial intelligence. Moreover, robots exhaust much slower than humans and therefore it can perform huge volumes of works compared to humans and that also within no time. In manufacturing units, robots can perform complicated works with utmost precision so that manpower requirements can be reduced considerably. Robots with artificial intelligence can handle million of calculations within seconds and therefore, it can perform

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

King Saud University Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

King Saud University - Essay Example They offer a complete free tuition in addition of providing scholarships to both the International and Saudi Arabia students. The university is situated in vast state of modern art campus in addition of being equipped with the modern technological instructions. For Internal audit to remain important to the King Saud University management then it must always adapt to the ever changing expectations of the seven universities in addition of maintaining alignment with the objectives of the university. There should be a systematic and a structured process for developing the internal audit strategic plan for the university; the strategic plan will include the following in addition to the mission and vision of the university; For the three years strategic plan, the initial step should be â€Å"Planning to plan† it should represent the necessary work before the beginning of primary planning process. The university internal management should agree on the efforts of overall strategic planning and the significant planning steps that will be undertaken. The university organization should also consider, evaluate and review the legislative/constitutional mandate since this will determine their future as well as daily academic business. The mission and vision of the university should also be its considerations before coming up with strategic planning. For the three years strategic planning, the university should identify its purpose and mandate of existence to avoid unnecessary conflict that might arise, which can also help in channeling a productive discussion and activity. The vision statement will make the university identify how it will appear in the future after successfully implemented its strategies as well as achieving its full potentiality. The three year strategic plan should also include a developed internal audit’s strategic vision. It should identify the responsibilities functional roles, mandates, stakeholders’ needs and

Monday, January 27, 2020

Application of Database Developmental Cycle

Application of Database Developmental Cycle Task 1: Apply the database developmental cycle to a given data set or a case of your own Myreadingroom[1.1] details that the database development lifecycle, DDLC, contains six phases: the initial study, the design, implementation and loading, testing and evaluation, operation, and maintenance and evolution. The first phase of the DDLC is the initial study. This involves investigating the companys current solution, determining what is causing it to fail and providing a future solution to resolve the issues, whilst ensuring that it is in the companys capabilities. This can be achieved in four stages: analysing the company, defining the problems and constraints, defining the objectives, and defining the scope and boundaries. To analyse[1.6] is to examine something methodically and in detail. An understanding of what is currently in place helps to decipher the problems and constraints of the current way of working, whilst helping to determine what the companys objectives are. Whilst developing a database there is always an objective[1.7], something planned to be achieved, or there can be several, depending on the requirements. During the initial study consideration should be made as to what the the desired outcome is, as well as the scope and boundaries of the solution. The issue I have been asked to resolve is that there is no way for my client to determine if they have, or want to purchase, a dvd, blu-ray or tv series. The objectives they have defined for the outcome is a fully functional system which allows a users to view and update a media. My client also requires the ability to generate a wish list, as well as view a list of all current media. The solution I have proposed is a Microsoft Access database as there are minor limitations to the system. The only limitation I believe may occur is that the data held may grow to be astronomical so a desktop database application may not be sufficient in the long term. A review should be undertaken throughout the lifecycle of the application to determine if it needs to be transferred to a relational database, hosted on a server. As Access allows you to customise the database to your requirements, my understanding is that there will be no limitations of the data stored. The second phase is the design[1.1]. This is defined as the most crucial phase in the database development lifecycle as this phase revolves around ensuring that the users requirements and objectives are met. If they are disregarded by the system developer, it would ultimately be deemed a failure and the DDLC should commence again. The implementation and loading phase of the database development lifecycle consists of installing the database management system, creating the database and loading, or converting, the data. Installation of the database platform should only occur if it is required. If the platform is already existent, or the install of the database has taken place, creation of the database can occur. The proposed design of the application is a main table which is essentially based on a series of lookups from other tables within the application. This is to ensure data integrity and remove any duplication that may otherwise need to occur. As part of the proposal for the table layout and relationships, consideration should be made as to the performance of the system. Due to Microsoft Access being preinstalled as part of Office, an installation does not need to occur, however creation of the database, designed in the previous phase, is required. The proposed solution for the application is as follows, with each relationship defined utilising a one-to-one relationship[1.8], where a row in one table is linked to one and only one row in another. From there the data needs to be loaded, and possibly manipulated, into the database. As there is no current solution in place a request has been given to my client in order for the main core data to be imported. Once this has been completed, data should be added through the application itself. The third phase, testing and evaluation, consists of testing the solution, tuning the database and finally evaluating the database and its application program. Testing is often referred to as User Acceptance Testing, UAT, in Yorkshire Coast Homes and involves both yourself and the superusers reviewing the system to determine if it is fit for purpose and if navigation throughout is fluid. From there, the system needs amending to introduce any of the anomalies found as part of UAT. My client will undertake the testing of the application which involves ensuring that data is able to be added to system, without any errors or having to go back to any previously accessed fields. In addition to this, they should also review if the application performs adequately and transactions are easily completed without delay. The penultimate phase is operation, which is essentially making the system live and operational. This involves the superusers training any users, within their department, how to use the system to undertake their job role. This results in the application moving from a project state to becoming part of the day to day workings of a department. As my client is going to be the only user of the database at launch, no training needs to occur; and the transition to live should have minimal impact to them as they have worked alongside myself to deliver the application. Throughout the lifecycle of the application being used, maintenance needs to occur and the application needs to evolve as the industry does. This phase is known as maintenance and evolution. Google[1.2] informs that the purpose of system maintenance is to sustain the capability of a system to provide a service. This phase consists of four maintenance types, which will occur as regularly as required. They are periodic, corrective, permissions and adaptive. Periodic maintenance refers to something of a regular occurrence. For example, in Yorkshire Coast Homes, the main housing system has a regular nightly queue which imports any monies received from customers and processes each night, alongside abandoning any no longer required repairs. Another example of periodic maintenance, which should occur in any organisation, is a backup[1.3], the copying and archiving of computer data so it may be used to restore the original after a data loss event. These can occur as regularly as an organisation requires. Periodic maintenance is partnered with corrective maintenance. This is most commonly known as recovery[1.4], the process of salvaging inaccessible data which has been lost, corrupt, damaged or formatted. As a database administrator you must always be prepared to restore any loss of data for any user, however this form of maintenance should only occur as and when required. The permissions element of maintenance consists of three aspects: adding, amending, removing and reviewing. Each aspect of the permissions are closely linked as a user may change job roles, requiring the adding or removing of permissions, or a third party decision may require a change. An example of where this has occurred in Yorkshire Coast Homes is access to tenants rent accounts. As part of a historic decision, everyone within the organisation had access to the rent account. Following a change in the law, users permissions were removed so that those who can access it are only those who require it within their job role, whether it be for informing a tenant of their rent, chasing any arrears or for IT to support any technical issues. The final maintenance type is adaptive. This is the process of adding features to the current system, or enhancing it. This can also be referred to as evolution. This is the process of the system evolving throughout time as either an organisation, or the technology utilised, advances. An example of where this has occurred in Yorkshire Coast Homes is our Total Mobile solution[1.5], a digital workforce management solution. We recently upgraded to the latest version of software, as the version we were previously running was old technology, which didnt support Android. Through the final phase of DDLC for the Media Database, the periodic maintenance that should occur is the copying of the database. This is to provide a recovery point in the event of data corruption or loss of data. Both the permissions element and adaptive maintenance have limited impact on the application. Currently only one user accesses and updates data, however periodic reviews should be undertaken to determine if my client requires further users to have access. From there, adaptive maintenance may need to occur to lock down certain parts of the system my client may not want users to access. In addition to this, Microsoft may upgrade the Access application which may potentially corrupt or remove a functionality currently used within the application. Reviews should be undertaken to determine if an upgrade to a new version of Access may corrupt the application. If a decision is made to undertake an upgrade, the DDLC lifecycle should commence again. Task 2b: Evaluate the effectiveness of the database solution and suggests methods of improvement My client asked me to produce a fully functional system which allows users to view and update a media. The solution I proposed was a Microsoft Access database which utilised relationships and joins, rather than duplicating data. The first objective, a fully functional system which allows a users to view and update a media, has been achieved utilising the Media Information form. As you can see from the screen print below the form details the title of the media, the media type and category. It also includes the purchase information and the genre(s). The second and third objective are closely related as my client requested the ability to generate a wish list, as well as view a list of all current media. This information can be accessed from the main form, as you can see from the print screen below. When selecting either the Wish List or Purchased icon the following report appears, detailing the information. As each of the objectives have been achieved, with the addition of my client being able to access sold media, I would deem the development of the database a success. One factor within applications that should always be considered is performance[2b.2], how well something works. There are three elements that I would deem beneficial to the applications performance. These are the storing of data, the navigation and functionality. When defining the tables and relationships in the design phase of the database development lifecycle, I ensured that the data is stored with a series of joins, rather than duplicated data. This data is then collated in a query and presented in a form to provide the information required to my client. This ensures data integrity[2b.1], the assurance of the accuracy and consistency of data. It also enables the end user to access the information required without having to navigate throughout the whole of the system. The application also benefits from having a limited number of ways to access the data. Providing the information required in one form, and a few reports, provides consistent information. As well as all of the information being provided, the inputting of information is simplistic as when entering data and moving through each field, it navigates in a top to bottom method rather than a muddled method. In addition to navigation through the form, navigation through the application is simple also. Each report and form has been provided with an exit icon, as well as the form having a create, save and delete button. These are controlled by macros. The macros have also been created in a managed way as rather than having multiple macros in one location, they are all their own macro. This removes the need for a triggered action to search a long macro before undertaking it, saving time and increasing performance. As well as successes in the system there are also failures[2b.3], the state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended object. There are two failures which have simple resolutions. There are inputting data into the data dictionary form and the search functionality. In order for information to be entered into the data dictionary, the superuser must bypass the initial launch to display the tables. From there information can be entered into both of the data dictionary tables in order to update the related query. There are two issues with this method: firstly, having to enter data in both tables separately, and secondly, there is no password protection so anyone can update the tables. The solution for this issue would be to create an input form which its sole purpose would be to update the data dictionary. In addition to this, the form can be password protected so that only users with the password can update information. The second, and final issue, is the search functionality. As the database has minimal information currently, the only search available in the system is the one provided by Microsoft Access. As more information is entered, the harder it will be to locate the required media. The recommendation for this issue would be to provide a search option on the home screen with the ability to query any value within the database which may need to be updated, such as returning a list of wish list items. Although there is currently a report in the system available, this does not provide the ability to update the data. A form would be required for this. To conclude, the application is fit for purpose and meets the objectives defined by my client. However, there are some minor failures of the system which can be easily addressed. Task 2c: Provide supporting user and technical documentation Supporting your system The Media Information database is a desktop application database developed within the application Access, which is both provided and supported by Microsoft. Any issues relating to the core application is supported until Microsoft decide to cease cover, which is currently set to be October 2020[2c.1]. In the event support has expired, you can quite simply convert to the latest version of Access. In order to do this, make a copy of the database so you dont corrupt the information. With the copied database open, select File, Save As. Select the Save as type drop down menu and change it to the latest version. Ensure full testing is undertaken so that you know that functionality has not been lost, including adding new media types or genres. From there, you are able to delete, or archive, the previous database version. **Please note: DO NOT delete the previous database until testing has been completed, as it may result in corruption of your data** Overview The database provided is referred to as the Media Information database. It is a series of tables which logs whether a media type is owned, the format, genre, and many other things. Upon launch of the application, the following screen is displayed: This screen allows the user to navigate through the system. An exit application button is also provided to close the database. Upon selecting the Media Information icon the following screen is displayed: The main screen details the media title and any information held regarding it, including the status of purchase. Along the bottom pain, there is the ability to navigate throughout the records. In addition to this, the user has the ability to create, save and delete records. A Close button is also provided to return to the home screen. A number of blue boxes open the listed report for the user to peruse. Each report which opens correlates to the title detailed on each icon. The report displayed will look similar to this: As you can see from the screen above, there is also a Close button provided. This is available on each report to navigate back to the home screen. The final icon on the home screen is Data Dictionary. This report details, the table name, a description, what fields are included and the data type. The information is displayed as follows: Maintaining the database Throughout the lifecycle of a database, review and development must occur to determine if it is still fit for purpose. As a result, additional fields or tables may be added. If this is required there are a few things which need to be considered or remembered: The database is currently set up to provide lookups rather than having to manually enter information. This is the preferred method for data integrity. There are multiple relationships defined, detailed below You must remember to update the Data Dictionary tables Adding fields or tables is easily achievable through the backend, which can be accessed from the left hand panel of the application. The current tables in use are as follows: The core tables begin with Media, whereas those which help provide the Data Dictionary, begin with Data Dictionary. If you want to add additional tables into the system, try to add tables with a lookup to the original database. In order to do this, create your table with a primary unique key and the columns required. Then add the lookup column into the required table. For future reference, the database as it currently stands is configured like this: The main tables included and the relationships defined B) The data dictionary tables and the relationships defined Functionality help As part of the configuration for the forms and reports, there are a series of macros enabled which allow fluid interactions throughout the application, without having to exit it completely. These are the macros that are currently in use: When creating macros, ensure that a user friendly name is assigned to enable yourself, and support, to easily determine what it is for as a later date. This can easily be done by selecting the Properties of the tab and creating a description in the Caption field. This will ensure that it is displayed correctly in the macro overview window. In some instances, there may be things you dont know. As Office is one of the market leaders, there are many forums and online help sites available for use. The sites I would recommend are https://support.office.com/en-gb/access and https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/msoffice_access?auth=1. If these sites do not provide the solution, Youtube is always an alternative or a Google search. References: [1.1] http://www.myreadingroom.co.in/notes-and-studymaterial/65-dbms/506-database-development-life-cycle.html [1.2] https://www.google.co.uk/search?ei=QbCXWN_AL4vQgAaC57GQDAq=system+maintenanceoq=syatem+maintenancegs_l=mobile-gws-serp.1.2.0i13k1l5.11736.12598.0.14403.8.8.0.0.0.0.149.897.1j6.7.0.01c.1j4.64.mobile-gws-serp..4.4.54735i39k1j0i7i30k1.g8bS8KwNeBs [1.3] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backup [1.4] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_recovery [1.5] https://www.totalmobile.co.uk [1.6] https://www.google.co.uk/search?client=tablet-android-googleei=ZOaYWMLKJcLCwATvz5bwDAq=analyseoq=analysegs_l=mobile-gws-serp.3..0l5.14074.14927.0.15108.8.8.0.3.3.0.149.769.6j2.8.0.01c.1.64.mobile-gws-serp..1.7.466.3..41j0i131k1j0i67k1.uUVjfA3KtLw [1.7] https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/objective [1.8] http://www.databaseprimer.com/pages/relationship_1to1/ [2b.1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_integrity [2b.2] http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/performance [2b.3] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Failure [2c.1] https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/lifecycle?p1=13615