Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Vincent van gogh Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Vincent van gogh - Term Paper Example In 1877, Van Gogh arrived to Amsterdam to study theology, but failed the exam; he entered the missionary school in Brussels and became a preacher in Borinazhe, the mining district of Belgium. During this time he began to draw. Van Gogh held the winter of 1880-1881 in Brussels, where he studied anatomy and perspective. Meanwhile, his younger brother, Theo went to the department of â€Å"Goupil† in Paris. Vincent received from him not only a modest content, but also moral support, despite their frequent differences of their opinions. At the end of 1881 after a quarrel with his father, Van Gogh went to the Hague. For a time he studied at prominent landscape painter Anton Mauve. Van Gogh's eccentric behavior which was compounded by shyness, pushed away those who wanted to help him. He lived with a woman named Christina, who was from the lower strata of society, and he often depicted her on his paintings. When she left him, an artist in late 1883 returned to his parents, which live d in Nuenen. In that period (1883-1885) he began to show the originality of his creative manner. The master wrote with dark colors, subjects of his work were monotonous, they felt sympathy for the peasants and compassion for their hard life. The first large painting, created in nyuenensky period – â€Å"Potato Eaters† - depicts the peasants at dinner. Van Gogh went to Antwerp in 1885-1886. He attended classes at the Art Academy. The artist led a meager and half-starved existence. In February 1886, in a state of physical and mental exhaustion, he moved from Antwerp to his brother in Paris. Van Gogh entered the artist and academics Fernand Cormon studio, but more importantly for him was to become acquainted with the painting of the Impressionists. After two years, which he spent in Paris, Van Gogh could not bear the strong emotional stress; in February 1888 he went to Arles. In this Southern French city, he found an abundance of rural scenes which he liked so much. In th e summer of 1888 the artist created some of his most tranquil works. Van Gogh lived in solitude, eating only bread and coffee, and drank a lot. In these circumstances, the visit of Paul Gauguin in October 1888, which Van Gogh was waiting impatiently, has ended tragically. Gauguin’s Aesthetic Philosophy was not acceptable to Van Gogh; their disputes became more intense and fiercer. On 24 of December, Van Gogh, lost the ability to control himself, pounced on Paul Gauguin, and then cut off his ear. In May of 1889 he stayed in a psychiatric hospital in Saint-Remy voluntarily. Over the next year his mind cleared from time to time, and then he threw himself to write, but those periods were followed by depression and lethargy. During this time he wrote the famous landscapes of cypress and olive trees, still lives with flowers and pictures and he copied his favorite artists Millet and Delacroix from reproductions. In May of 1890 Van Gogh felt better, left the shelter and returned to the north, he settled in Auvers-sur-Oise at Dr. Paul Gachet, who was interested in art and psychiatry. In Auvers artist wrote his last works - two portraits of Dr. Gachet, the scenery of wheat fields under the hot disturbing sky, in which he tried to express ‘sadness and extreme loneliness.’ Finally, Vincent Van Gogh died on July 27, 1890. I think that I will not be wrong if we call Starry Night of Van Gogh the most popular canvas. This picture is recognized instantly. Its style is unique. Starry night inspires poets and the books are

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Using Computer Forensics to Investigate Employee Data Theft

Using Computer Forensics to Investigate Employee Data Theft Introduction Over 25 percent of employees steal proprietary data when departing a company or organization.[1] To that end, our experience shows that departing employees have a sense of ownership over the data that they copy. Intellectual property commonly stolen includes customer lists, secret formulas, source code, strategy documents and other trade secrets. The information is often used against the organization when the former employee goes to work for a competitor or decides to start a new company.   Ã‚   When suspicions of employee data theft arise, it is important to engage a computer forensics expert to perform a theft of IP analysis in order to preserve electronic data and uncover important evidence. Using specialized software, the expert can reveal digital footprints such as: USB activity Files recently opened Cloud storage usage Files sent to personal email accounts Recently printed documents The results of the analysis can provide the foundation for legal action such as a temporary restraining order, permanent injunction, subpoena of personal devices, or other litigation to prevent the misappropriation of company data. When Employee Data Theft Is Suspected Employee data theft occurs most frequently just prior to, or immediately after, an individuals termination or resignation from an organization. Telltale signs that an investigation is warranted include unusual activity by the employee, such as: Plugging a personal USB thumb drive or hard drive into a computer Coming into work at odd hours or establishing remote desktop connections during off-hours Transferring large amounts of data on the company network Visiting file sharing sites like Dropbox or Google Drive Sending emails with attachments to personal accounts If there are concerns that a departing employee has stolen proprietary data, then it is important to take steps not to delete important electronic evidence located on his or her computer. If the computer is powered on, then leave it on, because important evidence may be stored on the computers random access memory and could be deleted if the computer is powered off. Also, ensure the computer cannot be accessed remotely by disconnecting it from the network. If the computer is already turned off, then place it in secure storage. Furthermore, confirm the employees login credentials are disabled or have been changed, but do not let the IT staff reinstall the operating system or reassign the computer to another employee. Such actions could destroy or overwrite any evidence of wrongdoing. Finally, resist the temptation to take a peek at what is stored on the computer by turning it on and accessing files because this could alter the data, thereby making the investigation more complex. If the suspected employee had a company-issued cell phone, then place it in secure storage as well. Smartphones hold an abundance of useful information such as text messages, emails, call logs, internet activity and more. The simple act of resetting the phone, however, can permanently destroy this data. IP Theft Investigations Preserving and Analyzing Electronic Evidence The first step in a theft of IP investigation is to forensically preserve the data on the employees device(s). The computer forensics expert will create chain of custody documentation, photograph the hardware, and verify the integrity of the preserved data, among other things. These steps ensure that the electronic evidence will be admissible in court. Once the data is preserved, the next step in the investigation is to perform an analysis to identify software and artifacts that may be indicative of IP theft. These areas on a typical Windows installation include: USB activity Files recently opened or deleted Cloud storage Personal email accounts Internet history report Printed documents USB Activity Analysis Many of todays USB devices, such as thumb drives and external hard drives, have enough storage capacity to save an entire copy of a users hard drive. As such, they are one of the most common tools used to steal data. The good news is that using a USB device leaves behind a trail of digital evidence that can prove invaluable to an investigation. Analyzing a users USB activity can reveal several key facts regarding what was connected to the computer and when. In most cases, forensic experts can determine the serial number and/or brand of the USB device, as well as the first and last time the device was connected to the computer. In some instances, they may also be able to verify each time a specific USB device was connected. Oftentimes, the analysis will reveal that an external USB hard drive or flash drive was connected for the first time during an employees last week of employment. While most analyses reveal a new USB connection, it is also possible that a device used throughout the duration of the suspects employment was never returned. A device such as this would likely contain numerous documents and files that were related to the employees day-to-day activities and could contain value to a competitor. If it is a requirement that employees return company-owned USB drives at the end of their employment, forensic experts have the ability to verify whether or not that policy was upheld. Files Recently Opened While confirming that a USB device was connected to a computer is significant, it is even more important to know what files were accessed and potentially transferred to the device. The Microsoft Windows operating system creates various artifacts when a user opens a file or folder. These artifacts indicate what was opened, when it was opened and where it was opened from. A classic red flag is if the employee was opening files during the last week of employment that were not related to the work being performing during that time. Another consideration is the organizations data access policy. If data access restrictions are not in place, then the employee may be able to access company files unrelated to current work that are stored on the network. The existence of these artifacts when combined with a USB activity timeline can indicate a high probability that data was copied off the system. Lastly, the artifacts can also contain specific information about where the file existed. If a file was opened from a USB drive, the artifact will indicate this, providing factual evidence that the suspect is in possession of a USB drive that contains specific files. For example, combining a USB analysis and files recently opened analysis could show that on October 7, 2016, at 7:22:08 a.m., a non-company-issued SanDisk thumb drive with serial number 851450 was plugged into the computer for the first time and a file titled Client Contact List.xlsx was opened. Cloud Storage If the analysis shows that certain files were accessed but no USB activity was detected, the next step in the investigation is to identify evidence that a cloud storage provider such as Dropbox, Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive was accessed. The purpose of these applications is to share and sync data across multiple computers. For example, Dropbox may have been surreptitiously installed on the employees work computer as well as his or her home computer. Consequently, the simple act of syncing a company file to Dropbox will instantaneously also make that file available on the employees home computer. The good news is that cloud storage applications often have corresponding log files and databases that record what files the user accesses and what activities are performed. These logs can signify files have been uploaded to the cloud in the past even if they have already been deleted from the shared folder. Some of these applications even save deleted data in a separate hidden folder on the computer itself that users typically are not aware of. As a result, a theft of IP analysis may show that Dropbox was installed on the users work computer and that early in the morning on October 7, 2016, fifty files were deleted and the hidden folder reveals these were company files. Personal Email Accounts Some individuals may use their company email to send attachments to their personal email account such as Yahoo or Gmail. In these cases, forensic experts are able to perform a preservation of the employees work email to identify and document the evidence of misconduct. Internet History Report An Internet history report can be generated that shows, inter alia, recent Internet searches, web sites and pages visited, cookies from websites, and Internet downloads that occurred. Such information is helpful in establishing what an individual thought was important or even their state of mind. For example, analysts have discovered that individuals have searched on how to delete data or copy data surreptitiously and that they reviewed websites that were in essence how to manuals to perform certain deleterious acts. Paper Documents Finally, individuals who are a little less aware of more modern techniques to copy data will simply print the documents they wish to take out the door. In these cases, forensic experts are able determine the last known print date of Microsoft Office documents. Deliverables and Project Timeframe The turnaround time for a theft of IP analysis performed by an analyst is typically one week. Deliverables provided will be easy to understand in the form of spreadsheets, html reports, and written reports containing the findings of the analysis. A forensic expert should also spend time with the client either over the phone or in person to discuss the reports in detail so that they know exactly what a report contains and the assumptions and opinions of the forensic expert. If necessary, an expert will also provide depositions or expert witness testimony regarding the authenticity of the evidence and their findings. Authors Timothy M. Opsitnick, President, JURINNOV, LLC, Joseph M. Anguilano, Director of Operations, and Trevor B. Tucker, Forensic Analyst. JURINNOV, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Technology Concepts Design, Inc. (TCDI), is a technology company that provides cybersecurity and eDiscovery services. Cybersecurity consulting includes investigating accidental or malicious data breaches as well as providing security strategies and assessments to prevent such occurrences. eDiscovery consulting includes computer forensic investigations and ASP ESI hosting. JurInnov news and information is available at www.jurinnov.com. For over 25 years, TCDI has been providing technology solutions through partnerships with large corporations and law firms. These solutions include advanced litigation support software and services for electronic discovery, hosted review and production, and large-scale litigation case file management. TCDI news and information is available at www.tcdi.com. [1] Biscom, Employee Departure Creates Gaping Security Hole Says New Data, December 23, 2015; https://www.biscom.com/employee-departure-creates-gaping-security-hole-says-new-data/.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Joyces Clay an Explication Essay -- essays papers

Joyces Clay an Explication Maria is a humble woman leading a life tinged with longing. She recognizes and values her independence, yet at the same time moves in a tide of inevitability towards the place molded out for her within the relatively staunch social caste system of Dublin. The substance of her individuality is put in jeopardy by is plasticity to external forces; she is a woman made of clay. It seems her calling within society is that of a nun, however it is evident that still flickering insider her is the dream to escape this imposed destiny, to live a life like the one depicted in the song she sings, I Dreamt that I Dwelt. The fundamental conflict between Maria's individuality and the pigeon holing forces of society is the underlying tension of the story. Joyce makes us feel that her chances are slim in standing against the currents leading her towards life in a convent. However, Maria's destiny is far from written, both literally and metaphorically, and so we are left with the esperance, however sm all, that she may break of the manacles of her born position and dare to lead a truly independent life. Maria is all things of a woman predestined to enter a convent. Even her name, meaning Mary, points to this ecclesiastical inertia. Early in the story it is Joe who says of her, "Mamma is mama but Maria is my proper mother." (Joyce, 96) Joyce knows in writing this the probability that all our minds will immediately spring to the a likely connection: that of the Mother Mary. Adding to this composite portraiture are Maria's tendencies of phrase, "Yes, my dear and No, my dear" (Joyce, 95) which, in our minds, easily adapt to the cliches of the convent Yes, my child and No, my child. Further, Maria is regarded as a "ver... ...use of selfless and humble nature of Maria, to wish for her the life she sings of in I Dreamt that I Dwelt. We fear however, that the likelihood of her ever leading a life so full of freedoms is made slim by her tragic inability to assert herself. Joyce forces the attentive reader to consider her place in society, and to examine how the balance plays out between the inner forces of self and the outer forces of society. In the end, after Maria has omitted the second verse of her song, the narrator tells us that "no one tried to show her her mistake." We are left to wonder if this instance is to be understood as representative of what the future holds for her. Will Maria ever be shown her mistake? Will she come upon it herself in a moment of introspection? Joyce is only mute to these queries, leaving us gently where he picked each of us up, to our own imaginations.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Comparing Beowulf with the Green Knight

When it comes to groundbreaking, classical literature, not many works can trump what Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight have done. Although similar through importance, readers would be hard pressed to discover any more similarities between the two. Beowulf is an epic poem from the Anglo-Saxon period, while Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a tale from the medieval period. The main characters of each novel, Beowulf and Sir Gawain, each endure personal struggles in the â€Å"problem of pride. In completely separate fashions, both of them lust for domination (libido dominandi) throughout each of their respective stories. Beowulf, the earliest of epic heroes, was significantly known for his bravery. With his lack of fear for death, he without a doubt was known as the greatest warrior at the time. However with great skill and the constant appraisal from fellow warriors, Beowulf becomes very boastful in his continued desire for dominance. In fact, his first words of the tale were, â€Å"When I was younger, I had great triumphs. Then news of Grendel, hard to ignore, reached me at home. Off the bat, he introduces himself as an accomplished warrior who felt it was his duty to slay the monster Grendel the minute he heard about his destruction. Beowulf revels in his decision to come over from Geatland to protect King Hrothgar and his people. He feels that this is his opportunity to come and â€Å"protect the thrown† in a God-like manner. Furthermore, in Beowulf’s quest, he completely ignores the medieval warfare’s protocol on weapons. While warriors typically use weapons in battle, Beowulf disagrees with this approach, risking his humanity while stepping outside of his human limits. He decides to fight Grendel on his own terms, and this over prideful, â€Å"superheroesque† mind frame (first interpreted as heroic) would come back to haunt Beowulf in his eventual death. As the story of Beowulf continues, Beowulf’s pride wears him down in his lust for domination. King Hrothgar, at one point, even warns a younger Beowulf to not let libido dominandi occur. Hrothgar proclaims, â€Å"He covets and resents; dishonors custom and bestows no gold; and because of good things that the Heavenly Powers gave him in the past he ignores the shape of things to come †¦ O flowers of warriors, beware of that trap. Choose, dear Beowulf, the better part, eternal rewards. Do not give way to pride. † However, Hrothgar’s advice doesn’t seem to help in Beowulf’s clash with the dragon towards the end of the tale. Beowulf was praised for his nobility when he was younger, but his aging only increased his lust for domination. He simply doesn’t care about the repercussions of his death, and how leaving them unprotected would severely impact his people. In conclusion, Beowulf recklessly battles this dragon to the death. He praises God before his death as he states, â€Å"To the everlasting Lord of all, to the King of Glory, I give thanks that I behold this treasure here in front of me, that I have been allowed to leave my people so well endowed on the day I die. † This ending, going out in a blaze of glory, was exactly what Beowulf wanted to happen. It was not exactly his fate, but his desire for glory was simply too strong, thus neglecting what should have been most important to him: the safety of his people. If he was truly a great hero, he would put the well being of others before his desire for dominance. In the case of Sir Gawain, his libido dominandi was enigmatic. Personal honor and valor seemed to be the two most important aspects of his life. Differing from Beowulf, Sir Gawain’s quest is a moral epic, and not one of physical attrition. However, Sir Gawain’s libido dominandi stems from his false humility, or in other words, his refusal to accept human failure. In the introduction of the story, the Green Knight travels over to King Arthur’s castle and demonstrates his Christmas game. At first, Arthur is asked to be put to the test, but in an act of chivalry, Sir Gawain (Arthur’s nephew/right hand man at the knight’s roundtable) steps up. He explains, â€Å"While so bold men about upon benches sit, That no host under heaven is hardier of will, Nor better brothers-in-arms where battle is joined; I am the weakest, well I know, and of wit feeblest; And the loss of my life would be least of any. † It is almost as if Sir Gawain undersells himself so much, to only further enhance his heroism. During his travels the corresponding winter season, Sir Gawain’s internal conflicts continue. He is fighting against his own demons; there is no Grendel (or any other physical monster for that matter) in this story, just a desire for moral reformation and satisfaction from others. In his stay at the Bertilak of Hautdesert’s castle, Sir Gawain’s morale is only further boosted. Bertilak states, â€Å"As long as I may live, my luck is the better that Gawain was my guest at God’s own feast! † In response, Sir Gawain quickly deflects the compliment and explains that the honor is his. Furthermore, after Gawain’s final interaction with the Green Knight, he flinches when the axe is first wielded towards his neck. This of course is a normal human reaction. But to this noble knight, it is completely unacceptable. This corresponds with his problems of Pride; Sir Gawain wears the green girdle around his arm given to him by Bertilak’s wife to constantly remind him of his wrongdoings (slightly giving into her seduction). After returning to a hero’s welcome, Sir Gawain’s false humility continues as he sulks about his minor faults and lives in shame. However, as those who surround him maintain their commemoration of him, his libido dominandi clandestinely grows. Throughout the text, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a common theme of â€Å"doubleness† is used effectively to portray the complexity of medieval life. In other words, there was never just one, blatant solution to courtly issues. In the case of chivalry, Sir Gawain was faced with social courtesy (secular) versus Christian courtesy (religious). In the case of the Green Knight, two separate images of positivity and negativity were deliberated. And in the case of the girdle, the knotted belt and open belt showcased two different connotations. During the medieval period, the policy of chivalry to the aristocracy ruled above all. It was a code of conduct developed from warrior knights. The debate between religion versus politics was significant during the â€Å"High Middle Ages† as personal morality became a big issue in 1400’s English literature. When Sir Gawain is first introduced to Sir Bertilak’s wife, â€Å"he politely approached; to the elder in homage he humbly bows; the lovelier he salutes with a light embrace. He claims a comely kiss, and courteously he speaks; they welcome him warmly, and straightaway he asks to be received as their servant, if they so desire. Honor, graciousness, and respect marked the typical knight’s introduction. However, Sir Gawain begins to question his honor when Bertilak’s wife begins her seduction tactics. Gawain is faced with the â€Å"doubleness† issue of doing what is right as a Christian versus doing what is right in knighthood. Should he deny the sexual advances because it was another man’s wife, therefore it was a sin against God, or should he accept the lady’s wishes out of honor and respect. The theme of temptation becomes the heart of this tale, as Sir Gawain’s adherence to the code of chivalry is constantly put to the test. After rejecting the first two advances, Sir Gawain begins to crack a little during the third and final bedroom scene. Bertilak’s wife changes her evasive language to a more assertive style, and her attire (moderate in earlier scenes) suddenly becomes risque and revealing. He declares, â€Å"My body is here at hand; your each wish to fulfill; your servant to command I am, and shall be still. † Gawain gives in due to the laws of chivalry, where knights are required to respect the set of laws concerning courtly love, and do whatever a damsel asks. The Green Knight also plays a huge role in continuing with the â€Å"doubleness† theme. This character is extremely difficult to interpret as some view him as a devilish figure whose only purpose is to tempt Gawain into sin, while some view him as a holistic figure whose purpose is to build Gawain into becoming an improved knight. In the Green Knight’s introduction to the Christmas party, he arrives with a holly branch and an axe. The holly branch represents peace and happiness, while the axe is supposed to represent violence and death. Furthermore, he states, â€Å"Not all, I think, for dread, but some of courteous grace let him who was their head be spokesman in that place. He immediately references God, but then counteracts that with his threats of beheading someone. To the reader, these two polar opposites begin to question what the Green Knight’s true intentions are. In addition, even the color green goes along the lines of the â€Å"doubleness† theme. During the medieval ages, the color green was conveyed as life, love, hope, and the birth chamber to some; while to others it provoked thoughts of jealousy, death, and sometimes the color of the devil. Towards the conclusion of the tale, the Green Knight’s true persona becomes revealed as he turns out to be the host, Sir Bertilak. This plays on with the theme of temptation, as this was all set up to test Sir Gawain’s honor and virtuosity. The girdle, which is the third theme of â€Å"doubleness,† contains a symbolic meaning that has been interpreted in a variety of ways. The girdle can be viewed as sexual or spiritual. Accordingly, the knotted belt of the girdle represented chastity, good faith, and virginity while on the contrary, the open belt represented sexual advances and poor faith. This girdle is very lavish, as it is made out of green silk and embroidered with gold thread (colors that link it to the Green Knight). Sir Bertilak’s wife claims that it possesses the power to keep the wearer of it away from harm. However, it is deciphered towards the end of the story that this girdle indeed has no magical properties, and was simply another experimental tactic used against Sir Gawain. While Gawain is able to resist the brunt of Bertilak’s wife’s sexual advances, he is unable to resist the powers of the girdle. When Bertilak returns home from each of his hunting trips, Gawain does not reveal the girdle and instead hides it in shame. This showcases the spiritual interpretation; his acceptance of the girdle is a sign of his faltering faith in God. After the Green Knight reveals his identity as Sir Bertilak/the host, Gawain curses the girdle for he believes it represents his cowardice. He states, â€Å"But your girdle, God love you! I gladly shall take and be pleased to possess, not for the pure gold, nor the bright belt itself, nor the beauteous pendants, nor for wealth, nor worldly state, nor workmanship fine, but a sign of excess it shall seem oftentimes when I ride in renown, and remember with shame the faults and frailty of the fresh preserve. Yet, the others celebrate him during his return from the quest. To show their support, Arthur and his people wear green, silk baldrics that appear just like Gawain’s girdle. The double interpretation of the girdle corresponds with its complex, multi-faceted symbol. This theme of â€Å"doubleness†, the constant use of temptation with more than one side, bec omes the main driving point in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Data Analysis and Data Modeling in Visio

Lab – Data Analysis and Data Modeling in Visio Overview In this lab, we will learn to draw with Microsoft Visio the ERD’s we created in class. Learning Objectives Upon completion of this learning unit you should be able to: ? Understand the concept of data modeling ? Develop business rules ? Develop and apply good data naming conventions ? Construct simple data models using Entity Relationship Diagrams (ERDs) ? Develop entity relationships and define various types of attributes Lab Goals Our lab goals are to: 1. Learn to build conceptual models in Microsoft Visio. 2. Create the 5 ERDs from class in Microsoft Visio. You will accomplish this by drawing the 4 diagrams from the class exercise. You will have to hand in all 4 diagrams by FTPing them to your account space on the IST-S-STUDENTS server and then pasting the url to the diagram in the text boxes for this week’s learning unit assessment. What you will need to begin 1. A copy of Microsoft Visio 2003 (or higher) 2. The Visio Conceptual Modeling Stencil conceptual modeling. vss (should be with the other files from this week’s lesson) 3. The class exercises from this week (should also be with the other files from week’s lesson. ) Part 1: Getting Ready for Using Microsoft Visio for Conceptual Modeling Overview This section will explain how to use Microsoft Visio to create conceptual Entity-Relationship data models. Microsoft Visio has built-in database tools for creating logical data models (those that apply the relational database theory to your entity-relationship diagrams), and not very good at conceptual modeling. As a result, using the MS Visio database tools to create the conceptual model diagrams can sometimes feel like trying to jam a round peg into a square hole. Since not many people are into shoving round pegs into square holes, this guide will explain how you can maximize the Visio database tools for creating conceptual models. For those of you familiar with Visio, here are the heuristics we will follow to make Visio conceptual model friendly: †¢ Use Database Model Diagrams †¢ Modify the settings to be more user-friendly †¢ Do not use the relationship tool – use my stencil instead Step 1: Create New Document The first step is to create a new document. From the Visio Menu, choose: File ( New ( Software & Database ( Database Model Diagram [pic] This will create your blank Visio page, and load the default database toolset. IMPORTANT: The default Visio stencils are for logical modeling. I’ve created a custom stencil for conceptual modeling. Step 2: Load the Conceptual Modeling Custom Stencil Download the stencil file from our learning management system and save the conceptual modeling. vss somewhere on the local computer. From the Shapes Bar, select Shapes ( More Shapes ( Open Stencil Use the Open Stencil dialog to browse for the conceptual modeling. vss and open it. You should see the following: [pic] Step 3: Configure Default Settings This is the most important step. In this step we will tweak the database document settings so that they are favorable to conceptual modeling. The benefits of doing this are there will be very little reworking of the document at the logical modeling step. From the Visio Ribbon, choose: Database ( Display Options The Database Document Options Dialog will appear. From this dialog, select Relational symbol set, and Conceptual Names visible on the diagram, as displayed in this dialog: [pic] Next, Click on the Table tab: From this section of the dialog, display everything except annotations and vertical lines, do not show data types, and place primary keys at top, as displayed in the following dialog: [pic] When you’re finished click ok. This will close the Database Document Options dialog. NOTE: You might want to save your document at this time. Now that you’ve got things set-up this file can serve as a template for future conceptual modeling diagrams. AS A MATTER OF FACT, YOU CAN DOWNLOAD A PRE-BUILT VISIO TEMPLATE FROM THE CLASS WEBSITE WITH THIS WEEK’S MATERIALS. Part 2: Microsoft Visio for Conceptual Modeling Walk-Thru Overview In this section, we will walk-through creating a conceptual data model with Microsoft Visio. We will use the vBay! (E-bay â€Å"like† website case study as an example for conceptual modeling. ) To Create an Entity: Drag the [pic] icon onto the page and drop. Name the entity in the database properties window: [pic] YOU DO IT: Now add these 4 Entities to your diagram: [pic] To Add Attributes to the entity: To add attributes to your entity, simply click on the columns section of the database properties window, and enter in your column names. Be sure to include the appropriate attribute descriptors [rucdm] with the physical name. Ignore the data type Req’d and PK columns. Those are used in logical modeling. [pic] YOU DO IT: Now add attributes to all 4 entities, like this: [pic] To Add Relationships among the entities: To Add Relationships, simply drag the appropriate relationship cardinality (for example: [pic]) onto the page and connect the ends to each entity. To â€Å"snap† the line to the entity drag the line end onto the box until it turns red, like this. Red symbolizes the shapes are glued together: [pic] After to glue both ends of the line to an entity, you can double-click on the line to assign it a label. For example: [pic] YOU DO IT: Now add all the relationships to complete the conceptual model, like this: [pic] Note: You might have to juggle the shapes and lines around to achieve a best fit. It takes time and a whole lot of patience! Other Tips You can place multiple diagrams in one file! Just keep adding pages. To add a page, from the menu select: Insert ( Blank Page [pic] To rename a page, right-click on the page and choose Rename You can add text to your diagram! Use the Text tool in the ribbon. Home ( Text. When you’re finished, be sure to select the Pointer Tool again. [pic] Part 3: Creating the 4 diagrams from class exercise & handing it in. Take the 4 diagrams from class and draw them in Microsoft Visio. †¢ Place one diagram on each page. †¢ Label the pages accordingly †¢ Save the document †¢ Upload the document to blackboard