The use of Computers at Somerfields Supermarket in Cheadle Essay Example for Free

The use of Computers at Somerfields Supermarket in Cheadle Essay Each store in the Somerfields chain uses a computer to keep track of transactions (purchases) throughout the day. The system uses real time processing so that at any time the manager of the store can check exactly how much stock there is in the shop. For example, when someone purchases something the item is passed over a bar code scanner, which records the items code number. This item is then immediately deducted from the stock held in a database. If real time processing was not used then the manager would not know how much stock he had in until the end of the day. Of course not all stock is sold. Sometimes items are damaged, or wasted (eg. they go past their sell date). In these cases the stock still needs to be deducted from the database but needs to be classified as waste so that a purchase is not recorded. Staff use a portable electronic wand to scan the bar codes of these items. The wand uses radio waves to send its data to the main computer. They also use these wands to do manual stock takes (this is used to verify that the stock held in the computer database is correct). Every night the stores main computer connects to the Somerfield main frame computer. The main frame is a very powerful computer which connects to every computer in each of the Somerfield supermarkets. This computer will check the stock in each store and then automatically order new stock if it is needed. It will also change prices of stock, update the store on special offers and what to do to promote the offers etc. Somerfield also use an Intranet to keep its staff informed about promotions, special deals, changes to policy etc. The supermarket chain uses EFTPOS (electronic funds transfer at point of sale) so that customers can use credit and debit cards. The store prefers this method of payment to cash because there is less need for security, and also most people today shop only with cards and dont use cash. The biggest problem with using all of these systems is user error e.g. not scanning all items on a stock take, forgetting to record wastage etc. Another difficulty is how to monitor short life materials or complex materials like meat (remember meat is cut before it is sold and is not always sold at the same weight). Loyalty card Some large shops such as supermarkets have introduced loyalty cards. Tesco was the first to start the ball rolling in 1995 with its Tesco Clubcard. Customers apply for a card giving their name, address, e-mail and various other personal details. In return, they are issued with a Loyalty card that resembles a credit card in size and appearance. The loyalty card contains the customer membership number. The card is swiped when the customer buys something and details of their purchases are stored on the computer system. The customer is usually rewarded with discounts or vouchers, typically 1p for every à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.00 spent. On first glance, this would only seem to benefit the customer as the entire scheme is free of charge. However, supermarkets also benefit in other ways. The loyalty card allows the supermarket to build up a very accurate picture of the owners purchasing habits. Say for example, a new gardening magazine has come on to the market and the store wants to let potential customers know about it. The loyalty card database can be used to identify customers who regularly buy other gardening magazines. A mailing list is generated and hopefully the new magazine finds many new customers. Another way the card can be used is to understand where customers come from in the local area, because the database contains names and addresses. If there appears to be a gap in the locality, then it helps work out if it is worth building a new store to cover that area. So you can see the supermarket also benefits from running the scheme. The use of ICT in supermarkets has brought about many benefits for the company. Some of them are listed below: There is much less chance of human error when performing calculations and handling money. Everything takes place much more quickly and efficiently. The price of an item can be altered at any time simply by entering the new price against its barcode on the computer database. There is no need to price goods individually so some staffing costs are reduced. Less paperwork needs to be stored and information can be retrieved more easily. Better stock control means that the manager knows which products are selling well and those that are doing poorly. The computer system will automatically re-order new stock just in time to prevent the shop selling out. This means that fresher goods are always on display and reduces the amount of money tied up in stock. On the right you can see a photograph of the stores computer system. Note the use of two mini computers for back up. If one fails the other automatically takes over. On the bottom left you can see the back-up power supplies for use in the event of a power failure. The cabinet to the right houses a modem, connecting the store s computer to the head office computer via telephone lines. The centre units are bar code label printers.

Parodies of Victorian Lifestyle Essay -- Alices Adventures in Wonderl

Parodies of Victorian Lifestyle in Adventures in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found      Ã‚     Ã‚  "It is no accident that the grotesque style in literature tends to be prevalent in eras marked by radical change and stress.   Such was the Victorian period, within which a whirl of social, economic, and religious change took place . . ." (Chang par. 2). This distorted writing can be unquestionably seen in the works of Lewis Carroll, namely his world famous pieces, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There (commonly known as "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass").   In several instances throughout the Alice books, Carroll mocks Victorian lifestyle.   These parodies can be seen in Victorian growth and self-discovery, inventions, education, nutrition and drugs, and social classes.    The Victorian times were that of self-discovery and seeking order in the universe, so naturally it makes sense when Alice is not really sure of who she is.   The Caterpillar cannot accept Alice's lack of self-awareness when she states that she is unsure of whom she is.    "Who are you?" said the Caterpillar.   This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation.   Alice replied, rather shyly, "I -- I hardly know, Sir, just at present -- at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then."   "What do you mean by that?" said the Caterpillar, sternly.   "Explain yourself!"   "I ca'n't explain myself, I'm afraid, Sir," said Alice, "because I'm not myself you see" (Alice in Wonderland ch. 5).    Alice concurs with several different characters in her two trips to wonderland.   "As Alice learns a gre... ...in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." The Victorian Web (1995): four paragraphs. On-line. Internet. 18 April 2002. Available: http://www.landlow.stg.brown.edu/victorian/carroll/polisner.html    Voughon, Wendy. "Victorian Class Prejudices in the Alice Books." The Victorian Web (1993): one paragraph. On-line. Internet. 18 April 2002. Available: http://www.landlow.stg.brown.edu/victorian/carroll/aiwl2.html    Weber, Anya. "Food, Drink, and Public Health in the Alice Books." The Victorian Web (1995): four paragraphs. On- line. Internet. 18 April 2002. Available: http://www.landlow.stg.brown.edu/victorian/carroll/weber.html    Wong, Susan. "Class in the Garden of Live Flowers" The Victorian Web (1995): four paragraphs. On- line. Internet. 18 April 2002. Available: http://www.home.earthlink.net/~ifdean/carroll/wong1.html

John F Kennedy’s Rice Stadium Moon Speech Analysis Essay

Since the industrial revolution, countries have been competing against each other to see who is the most advanced in medicine, technology, and education.In 1957, Russia successfully launched the first artificial satellite, this had started the space age and the United States of America and the U.S.S.R. space race. President John F Kennedy delivered the Rice stadium moon speech in hopes of persuading the American people to support NASA’s intention to send a space craft to the moon. Kennedy attempts to do this by the use of syntax and ethos. Kennedy begins by trying to establish credibility with his student audience by the use of ethos. Kennedy is made an â€Å"honorary visiting professor† and states that his â€Å"first lecture will be very brief†. By putting himself into the position of a professor, he tries to convey to his student audience that he will teach them something important and to open their minds to him. He then lists how humans have advanced learning to â€Å"use skins of animals to cover them† to developing â€Å"penicillin†¦television and nuclear power†. By listing these advancements in mankind, Kennedy shows the audience his knowledge and gives them another reason to trust what he is saying. In gaining the audiences trust, Kennedy can easily persuade them to support NASA’s intentions of sending an aircraft to the moon. The word choice and sentence structure Kennedy uses to deliver his speech helps to persuade American citizens to support NASA’s intentions. Kennedy uses phrases such as â€Å"10,000 automobiles†¦as tall as a 48 story structure†¦ [and] as wide as a city block†. He uses lament terms to appeal to the commons man’s ballpark figure of everyday lengths and power. With better understanding of what Kennedy is saying, his student audience can support NASA with their acquired knowledge. He then states how his surroundings are â€Å"noted for† knowledge, progress, and strength. By his word choice he helps to instill a sense of pride for the homeland. This promotes nationalism among the audience and their desire for their country to be helpful.

Naoparticles Lab Report - 803 Words

Nanoparticles show different and distinctive properties from the bulk materials and they can be incorporated in different fields such as, biomedicine, catalysis, and energy conversion, so they have gained significant considerations from the researchers in the last two decades. For example, biologist and scientists have just started to apply nano-pattering techniques to create detection systems for genomic studies. On the other hand, engineers and physicists are aiming to shrink the size of transistors and MEMS components by using the method of nanofabrication in order to make high performance electronic devices. In general, material properties are completely dependent on the structure, so changing the macroscopic bulk properties, such as†¦show more content†¦In addition, uniform inorganic nanoparticles of gold has been used extensively as drug carriers.^3 This proposal mainly seeks to discover two methods, which use salt powder as separation medium, for forming uniform inor ganic nanoparticles without the use of solvent. Innovations: The methods of hot injection and solution-based are usually used to create different types of uniform nanoparticles, such as Pd and Pt, by choosing the appropriate ligands or capping agents that lead to carefully control the size and shape of the resulting nanoparticles.^7 However, there are some disadvantages associated with using the previous methods to synthesize uniform nanoparticles because they require long time to get the resulting nanoparticles and large quantities of expensive solvent. In addition, 3D transition for metals is very difficult to be accomplished by using the previous methods. Additional annealing step also is required to get the desired crystallinity for the resulting nanoparticles, which might lead to the evaporation of the expensive solvent. Because of those disadvantages for above-mentioned methods that rely on the use of expensive or toxic solvent, solventless methods have obtained significant interest due to the fact that they are fast and they do not requ ire the use of expensive solvents. The innovation of this research will focus on the use of solventless methods to synthesize uniform inorganic nanoparticles.