Documenting my typical day and the Roles of Computer Applications

 What's my typical day like as a Cyber Security student working full-time?


My day begins around 7:15 AM with a cup of black coffee in one of the mugs my kids have given me over the years like “World’s Greatest Dad” and getting a direct emulsion from the Keurig. As I let the dog out to do what he needs to do in the backyard designated area as I open the window blinds all around the house to capture the sunlight I want. I get dressed in my back office attire (AKA sweat pants and tee shirt), drink what I can of my coffee and bring the dog in for a cleanup, treat and his breakfast. I walk for half hour, take a shower, shave, redress and check out my garden for ideas on what I need to do in the evening.  I clean my mouth from the coffee and brush my teeth. 

By 8:30, I have to log in to my work system and sign into Microsoft Teams, open a Chrome browser, sign into Okta and open up all the tools I will use for the day. I make sure to sign into a VPN (virtual private network) for security of client information. By 8:45, I open up the app for our phone software and prepare for incoming client service calls where I troubleshoot their operational problems or make suggestions on how to make good use of the software package.  In between incoming calls, throughout the day I check email and texts to try to finish off any unresolved client issues. I must make sure throughout the day, that if I take a break, typically around 10:15AM when my West Coast coworkers come online, that I set my status to “Be right back” and my phone status to “break.” I also make myself some breakfast as I don’t typically eat until this time of day. After my break, it’s back to the routine until Lunch, where I spend an hour trying to find edible leftovers in the fridge and watch Youtube history videos. If the dog needs to go out, I’ll take him and then it’s back to work on the phones in my office. Another break occurs around 3:45 and then back to the phones until 5:30 or 6PM, depending on demand. I feed the dog his supper and start mowing the grass and tending the garden while my wife makes supper. 

By 7 PM or so, supper is on the table and by 7:30 PM, I’m free enough to play a quick online game and then start studying again. I end the day by brushing my teeth and going to bed.

21 Tasks (some combined):

  1. ·         I wake up at 7:15 AM and let the dog out to do his business
  2. ·         Get coffee for myself to wake me up and then open the shades of the windows
  3. ·         Clean the dog’s feet and feed him
  4. ·         I get dressed for my walk
  5. ·         Walk at a moderate pace for 30 minutes
  6. ·         After the walk, I take a shower, shave, brush my teeth and redress
  7. ·         Prepare  myself for Remote work by starting my computer up and logging in
  8. ·         Set up  my software tools to receive incoming calls, including VPN
  9. ·         Field incoming client calls and emails throughout the day
  10. ·         Take my first break to eat breakfast
  11. ·         After returning to work for a couple of hours, take lunch for one hour
  12. ·         After a couple of hours of more work, take my second break
  13. ·         End my workday and mow grass or tend to my garden
  14. ·         Feed the dog and take him out at least twice more before end of the night
  15. ·         Eat Supper with wife, help clean dishes
  16. ·         Play a short online game
  17. ·         I might have time for 20 minutes of TV or Youtube videos, but not always
  18. ·         Start reading and studying for class
  19. ·         Brush teeth and go to bed
  20. ·         Sleep for 6 hours on average

That's my day. How is yours?   

     NOW AS FAR AS APPLICATIONS GO:

There are really no greater productivity applications known to the Twenty-first Century as well-known and well-used as the Microsoft Basic Productivity Suite, otherwise known as Microsoft Office. Between the big three (Word, Excel and Powerpoint), the capacity to expand almost every office function is possible. Thirty years ago, these were app skills that would help a person get a job in a typical office because they were uncommon and a huge step up in the common practices of the day, which was mostly worked out by hand. Currently, it is not only expected that everyone know these skills, but the pressure to use shortcuts, demonstrate proficiency in advanced features and be even more efficient with the usage of the software is mounting constantly.  The practice of utilizing these three together is the subject of this paper to bring in a network externality, that is to say, a geometric expansion of the three that is greater than the sum of the parts for the purpose of creating task lists.

Word is the hallmark of word processing and facilitates the “thought-to-written word” ability when creating a discussion, such as numbering steps for a set of tasks or even creating a paper on the subject. While it was not the first (Wiley, 2003) it is the dominant player now. New entrants like free Google Workspace Apps are an interesting kind of open source playground, yet Microsoft continues to be the most powerful software, because it has built a brand that is hard to beat.

Financial Markets are a fascinating place for Excel to be utilized. “Quantifying the chances of making money in the financial markets hold enormous significance for investors, traders, experts, and analysts. Such chances are influenced by statistical randomness due to the interaction of a large number of micro and macro factors. Mathematically, such chances are estimated using probability.” (Bhardwaj, 2020)  This author used Excel to help line up and calculate the hours (and percentages of the day) that each task entailed. With Excel’s easy functions, it’s very easy to ensure the total number of hours adds up correctly, but also quickly and easily finds those pwrcentages and even more easily charts the breakdown for easy visual consumption by the reader.

What would be the point of writing out long monologues of test and crunching some numbers without an audiovisual tool to project the power of these products?  That is where Powerpoint excels (please forgive the pun). The author used powerpoint to easily and deftly demonstrate how mundane lists and data can be transformed to what the audience values most – a quick transfer of concept to audio-visual media. The power of Powerpoint is such that more is better. Keeping that transfer of enthusiasm to minimal text, some animations and visually stimulating images helps keep the attention of the audience and quickly drive home the point.

The purpose behind this entry was to describe how even powerful applications can geometrically expand in value when utilized together. Each of these applications is incomplete without the others, but individually are the right tool for the job at every tactical level. The infrastructure that Microsoft has built to integrate these (and many other apps in the greater Office expansion) is extraordinary.

References

Dictionary of E-Business, (2003) John Wiley & Sons Ltd, https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/dictebusiness/application_software/0;

Bhardwaj, S.  (2020) How to predict financial markets using MS Excel, The Economic Times,

Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd., 2020. 1 pp.



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