The Effects of RFID in Modern Life (Final)

        After climbing a long stairs, we finally get to the 5th floor in this building. Wait, an automatic door blocks our way to the classroom. The only way to make the door open is not saying the secret password loudly, but showing our student ID cards instead. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is now widely used in transportation payment, identification, and object-tracking, etc. around the world. And it has changed our lives tremendously: it’s changing our lives, and it will change our lives further. RFID has made our daily living issues easier, and also brought about some controversies which can not be neglected.

        First of all, RFID has made the way we take massive transportation system more efficiently. In Taipei, the necessity we have to bring with us when we want to take a bus or an MRT is neither coins nor the monthly-ticket, it is Yo-yo card. While we are out of the balance, we would not look for the service-window. We would rather consult an Add-Value Machine. At the time we arrive at an MRT station, we do not go to a tickets-machine or a booking clerk. On the contrary, we just go through the gate and board the train, and the payment will be deducted automatically as we are leaving the destination station. RFID saves our time of picking coins from our pocket, counting the sum of them, and furthermore purchasing the tickets.

        The second most important change made by RFID is the identification method. In the past, if we want to pass a restrained door or gate, we have to enter passwords into a machine, show our identification to the guards or barcode readers, or find the key for the lock. There are many companies that deploy RFID technology to prevent unauthorized persons from accessing the rooms, equipments, or resources that are supposed to be accessed by their staffs only. For more instance, our student ID card is embedded with RFID tags. We can have the authority to hang around on campus by putting our ID cards in front of the sensors. RFID has made the process of identifying more speedy and convenient.

        Another effect made by RFID is object-tracking. A lot of libraries deploy RFID technology to replace the traditional barcodes for tracking books, and the library of the NTUST is not an exception. Stores, shopping malls, and supermarkets also use RFID to track objects. They put a sensor-gate at the exit, if someone brings a good which is not paid or a book which is not checked out, the siren will alarm loudly. Thus they can protect their merchandises and collections from being stolen. RFID tags are also embedded into pets. The pet-owners can find their most-loyal-friend easily when they lose their partners. The identification code is much more recognizable than face, and easier to track back to the pet-owner when the database is set well. RFID has made the approach of object-tracking more reliable and fast.

        However, the most concerned controversy is privacy. "How would you like it if, for instance, one day you realized your underwear was reporting on your whereabouts?", said California State Senator Debra Bowen, at a 2003 hearing. The above quote concludes that privacy is risked by RFID. First, we have to have the prerequisite knowledge that the security is not absolutely guaranteed. It is possible to be read and decrypted by an unauthorized reader or sensor. Another prerequisite knowledge is that in some extreme cases the signals can be received from tens of kilometers away. Therefore, a well-known concern in turn comes up. The concern is that the owner of a RFID-tagged item and the tag can be read at a distance without the knowledge of the individual, and it is possible to gather sensitive data about an individual without consent. Think about this, how horrible it could be if a group of adversaries can get our identification card numbers or credit card numbers at a distance and forge them! Moreover, RFID tags can be attached to everything – clothes, foods, pens, etc, and thus can be used for surveillance, someone has the suitable equipment can know how we interact with those stuffs, when we go to bed, when we leave home, and so forth. As if we enjoy our lives in our personal spaces which are actually no longer personal. RFID surveillance is most welcomed by totalitarian countries and the governments that are interested in controlling every person. In other words, we gain the convenience and efficiency, but we are prone to lose privacy.

        RFID has made our lives easier, and it is still changing our lives. Overall, I very enjoy the advantages it has made. But if it is used in an unlimited way, it could risk and bother our lives. If it is used in library books, stores’ goods, Yo-yo cards, which do not contain the owners’ sensitive information, I am for it. On the other hand, I am against it in being used in civilian ID card or credit card. I do not want to risk my privacy nor life for little convenience, as if a person unclothes him or herself for walking faster nakedly in a city.

The Effects of RFID in Modern Life (2)

        After climbing a long stairs, we finally get the 5th floor in this building. Wait, an automatic door blocks our way to the classroom. The only way to make the door open is not saying the secret password loudly, but showing our student ID cards instead. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is now widely used in transportation payment, identification, and object-tracking, etc. around the world. And it has changed our lives tremendously, it’s changing our lives, and it will change our lives further. RFID has made our daily living issues easier, and also conducted some controversies can not be neglected.

        First of all, RFID has made the way we take massive transportation system more efficient. In Taipei, the necessary we have to bring with us when we want to take a bus or an MRT is neither coins nor the monthly-ticket, it is Yo-yo card. While we are out of the balance, we would not look for the service-window. We would rather consult an Add-Value Machine. At the time we arrive an MRT station, we do not go to a tickets-machine or a booking clerk. On the contrary, we just go through the gate and board the train, and the payment will be deducted automatically as we are leaving the destination station. RFID saves our time of picking coins from our packet, counting the sum of them, and furthermore purchasing the tickets.

        The second most important change made by RFID is the identification method. In the past, if we want to pass a restrained door or gate, we have to enter passwords into a machine, show our identification to the guards or barcode readers, or find the key for the lock. There are many companies that deploy RFID technology to prevent unauthorized persons from accessing the rooms, equipments, or resources that are supposed to be accessed by their staffs only. For more instance, our student ID card is embedded with RFID tags. We can have the authority to hang around on campus by putting our ID cards in front of the sensors. RFID has made the process of identifying more speedy and convenient.

        Another effect made by RFID is object-tracking. A lot of libraries deploy RFID technology to replace the traditional barcodes for tracking books, and the library of the NTUST is not an exception. Stores, shopping malls, and supermarkets also use RFID to track objects. They put a sensor-gate at the exit, if someone brings a good which is not paid or a book which is not checked out, the siren will alarm loudly. Thus they can protect their merchandises and collections from being stolen. RFID tags are also embedded into pets. The pet-owners can find their most-loyal-friend easily when they lose their partners. The identification code is much more recognizable than face, and easier to track back to the pet-owner while the database is set well. RFID has made the approach of object-tracking more reliable and fast.

        However, the most concerned controversy is privacy. “How would you like it if, for instance, one day you realized your underwear was reporting on your whereabouts?” — California State Senator Debra Bowen, at a 2003 hearing. The above quote concludes that privacy is risked by RFID. First, we have to have the prerequisite knowledge that the security is not absolutely guaranteed. It is possible to be read and decrypted by an unauthorized reader or sensor. Another prerequisite knowledge is that in some extreme cases the signals can be received from tens of kilometers away. Therefore, a well-known concern in turn comes up. The concern is that the owner of a RFID-tagged item and the tag can be read at a distance without the knowledge of the individual, and it is possible to gather sensitive data about an individual without consent. Think about this, how horrible it could be if a group of adversities can get our identification card numbers or credit card numbers at a distance and forge them! Moreover, RFID tags can be attached to everything – clothes, foods, pens, etc, and thus can be used for surveillance, someone has the suitable equipment can know how we interact with those stuffs, when we go to bed, when we leave home, and so forth. As if we enjoy our lives in our personal spaces which are actually no longer personal. RFID surveillance is most welcomed by totalitarian countries and the governments that are interested in controlling every person. In other words, we gain the convenience and efficiency, but we are prone to lose privacy.

        RFID has made our lives easier, and it is still changing our lives. Overall, I very enjoy the advantages it has made. But if it is used in an unlimited way, it could risk and bother our lives. If it is used in library books, stores’ goods, Yo-yo cards, which do not contain the owners’ sensitive information, I am for it. In the other hand, I am against it being used in civilian ID card or credit card. I do not want to risk my privacy nor life for little convenience, as if a person unclothes him or herself for walking faster nakedly in a city.

The Effects of RFID in Modern Life (1)

        After climbing a long stairs, we finally get the 5th floor in this building. Wait, an automatic door blocks our way to the classroom. The only way to make the door open is not saying the secret password loudly, but it is showing our student ID cards instead. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is now widely used in transportation payment, identification, and object-tracking, etc. around the world. And it has changed our lives tremendously, it’s changing our lives, and it will change our lives further. RFID has made our daily living issues easier, and also conducted some controversies can not be neglected.

        First of all, RFID has made the way we take massive transportation system more efficient. In Taipei, the necessary we have to bring with us when we want to take a bus or an MRT is neither coins nor the monthly-ticket, it is Yo-yo card. While we are out of the balance, we would not look for the service-window. We would rather consult the Add-Value Machines. At the time we arrive an MRT station, we do not go to tickets-machine. On the contrary, we just get into the gate and board the train and the payment will be deducted automatically as we are leaving the destination station. RFID saves our time of picking coins from our packet, counting the sum of them, and furthermore purchasing the tickets.

        The second most important change made by RFID is identification method. In the past, if we want to pass a restrained door or gate, we have to enter passwords into a machine, show our identification to the guards or barcode readers, or find the key for the lock. There are many companies that deploy RFID technology to prevent unauthorized persons from accessing the rooms, equipments, or resources that are supposed to be accessed by their staffs only. For more instance, our student ID card is embedded with RFID tags. We can have the authority to hang around on campus by putting our ID cards in front of the sensors. RFID has made the process of identifying more speedy and convenient.

        Another effect made by RFID is object-tracking. A lot of libraries deploy RFID technology to replace the traditional barcodes for tracking books, and the library of the NTUST is not an exception. Stores, shopping malls, and supermarkets also use RFID to track objects. They put a sensor-gate at the exit, if someone brings a good which is not paid or a book which is not checked out, the siren will alarm loudly. Thus they can protect their goods and books from being stolen. RFID tags are also embedded into pets. The pet-owners can find their most-loyal-friend easily when they lose their partners. The identification code is much more recognizable than face, and easier to track back to the pet-owner while the database is set well. RFID has made the approach of object-tracking more reliable and fast.

        However, the most concerned controversy is privacy. “How would you like it if, for instance, one day you realized your underwear was reporting on your whereabouts?” — California State Senator Debra Bowen, at a 2003 hearing. The above quote concludes that privacy is risked by RFID. First, we have to have the prerequisite knowledge that the security is not absolutely guaranteed. It is possible to be read and decrypted by an unauthorized reader or sensor. Another prerequisite knowledge is that in some extreme case the signals can be received from tens of kilometers away. Therefore, a well-known concern in turn came up. The concern is that the owner of a RFID-tagged item and tag can be read at a distance without the knowledge of the individual, and it is possible to gather sensitive data about an individual without consent. In other words, we gain the convenience and efficiency, but we probably prone to lose privacy.

        RFID has made our lives easier, and it is still changing our lives. Overall, I very enjoy the advantages it has made. But if it is used in an unlimited way, it could risk and bother our lives. If it is used in library books, stores’ goods, Yo-yo cards, which do not contain the owners’ sensitive information, I am for it. In the other hand, I am against it being used in civilian ID card or credit card. I do not want to risk my privacy nor life for little convenience.

Compare and contrast living at home and in the dormitory (Final)

There are a lot of differences between living at home and in the dormitory. I have not lived at home for more than 6 years, and I enjoy it! According to my experience, I think the most concerned distinctions between living at home and in the dormitory are expense, commuting, privacy, and freedom.

Living at home has the advantage of lower expenses. The rent of living at home is much cheaper than living in the dormitory, zero compared to thousands per semester, but the expense of commuting between home and school may exceed the rent for a bed in the dormitory. However, living expenses– meals, night snacks, fruits, washing liquid, shampoos, etc. – could be saved up a lot if we live at home, or at least we do not have to expend our pocket money, salary, and scholarship at living expenses too much.

If we live at home, it costs us some amount of time to commute to school, no matter by walking, scooters, or transportation system. A student who lives at home may be having his or her breakfast on a bus while another student is still snoring in the dorm. Then the former jumps off the bus, rushing into the classroom whereas the latter may just finish a sandwich, sipping his or her coffee. Commuting could be time-consuming and life-wasting, or could help us steal more leisure time, that depends on the way we think. Although we could have more sleep if we do not have to commute, it could give us more chances and leisure time to listen to music, watch the city changes, indulge into our thoughts, or whatever we do not do if we do not have leisure time. However, most people are more charmed by their dreams than the way to school, and I am not an exception.

Privacy is nearly impossible to have if we live on campus while freedom is much easier to obtain than living at home. If we have to share a room with 5 people, to have privacy tends to be a dream, and a noiseless personal space is likewise unreachable as we have to share a floor with more than one hundred people. In contrast, we have freedom in hand. Living in the dormitory, we do not have to worry about that our parents will worry us when we are hanging out outside at midnight, or staying up all night for homework, exams, or chatting with friends.

Living at home might be cheaper than in the dorm, but the extra commuting time is required. Living in the dorm sacrifices privacy, but freedom is more available. I had lived in the dorm for 6 years, and I enjoy it much more than living at home. However, now I live in a studio. One reason is that it is worth to trade money for privacy and freedom.

Compare and contrast living at home and in the dormitory (2)

There are a lot of differences between living at home and in the dormitory. I have not lived at home for more than 6 years, and I enjoy it! According to my experience, I think the most concerned distinctions between living at home and in the dormitory are expense, commute, privacy, and freedom.

Living at home has the advantage of lower expenses. The rent of living at home is much cheaper than living in dormitory, zero compares to thousands per semester, but the expense of commuting between home and school may exceed the rent for a bed in dormitory. However, living expenses– meals, night snacks, fruits, washing liquid, shampoos, etc – could be saved up a lot if we live at home, or at least we don’t have to expend our pocket money, salary, and scholarship at living expenses too much.

If we live at home, it costs us some amount of time to commute to school, no matter by walking, scooters, or transportation system. A student who lives at home may be having his or her breakfast on a bus while another student is still snoring in the dorm. Then the former jumps off the bus, rushing into the classroom whereas the latter may just finish a sandwich, sipping at his or her coffee. Commute could be time-consuming and life-wasting, or could help us steal more leisure time, that depends on the way we think. Although we could sleep later if we don’t have to commute, it could give us more chances and leisure time to listen to music, watch the city changes, indulge into our thoughts, or whatever we don’t do if we don’t have leisure time. However, most people are more charmed by their dream than the way to school, and I am not an exception.

Privacy is nearly impossible to have if we live on campus while freedom is much easier to obtain than living at home. If we have to share a room with 5 people, to have privacy tends to a dream, and a noiseless personal space is likewise unreachable as we have to share a floor with more than one hundred people. In contrast, we have freedom in hand. Living in the dormitory, we don’t have to worry about that our parents will worry us when we are hanging out outside at midnight, or stay up all night for homework, exams, or chatting with friends.

Living at home might be cheaper than in the dorm, but the extra commuting time is required. Living in the dorm sacrifices privacy, but freedom is more available. I had lived in the dorm for 6 years, and I enjoy it much more than living at home. However, now I live in a studio, one reason is that it is worth to trade money for privacy and freedom.

Compare and contrast living at home and in the dormitory (1)

There are a lot of differences between living at home and in the dormitory. I had lived on campus for 6 years, and according to my experience, I think the most concerned distinctions between living at home and in the dormitory are expense, commute, privacy, and freedom.

Living at home has the advantage of lower expenses. The rent of living at home is much cheaper than living in dormitory, zero compares to thousands per semester, but the expense of commuting between home and school may exceed the rent for a bed in dormitory. However, the food expense– meals, night snacks, fruits, etc – could be saved up a lot if we live at home, or at least we don’t have to expend our pocket money or salary at food too much.

If we live at home, we have to commute to school, no matter by walking, scooters, or transportation system. A student who lives at home may be having his or her breakfast on a bus while another student is still snoring in the dormitory. Then the former jumps off the bus, rushing into the classroom whereas the latter may just finish a sandwich, sipping at his or her coffee. Commute could be time-consuming and life-wasting, or could help us steal more leisure time. Although we could sleep later if we don’t have to commute, commute could give us more chances and leisure time to listen to music, watch the city changes, indulge into our thoughts, or whatever we don’t do if we don’t have leisure time.

Privacy is nearly impossible to have if we live on campus while freedom is much easier to obtain than living at home. If we have to share a room with 5 people, to have privacy tends to a dream, and a noiseless personal space is likewise unreachable as we have to share a floor with more than one hundred people. In contrast, we have freedom in hand. Living in the dormitory, we don’t have to worry about that our parents will worry us when we are hanging out outside at midnight, or stay up all night.

Living at home may be cheaper than in the dormitory, but the extra commuting time is required. Living in the dormitory sacrifices privacy, but freedom is more available.

Why Did You Choose Your Major (Final)

   I used to major in Electrical Engineering (EE) when I was a high school student at the Ming-Chi University of Technology. However, now I am a computer science major at the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST). The change I made and the major I chose are based on practical reasons: my interests, my character, and love for freedom.

   First, during my five years at Ming-Chi, I found that I was better at computer-related courses than electrical or electronic-related courses. If I spent the same amount of time at different courses, the outcomes of computer ones were always more satisfying. Besides, I won an award in a nationwide game and two awards in two collage-wide games; when I was in my internship at Formosa, I even volunteered to develop a database application which drew a lot of admiration from my supervisors. Those rewards tremendously enhanced my confidence in computer. I thought I should put myself in a right spot to make my talent be well developed. Also, according to the rate of return on investment, I thought I might have a gift for computer.

   Secondly, I was interested in computer science more than others, and I felt computer was friendlier than oscilloscope; if I had to choose something for company for eight hours per day, I’d rather choose computer. Moreover, abstractions and symbols were more charming to me. I loved to use logic and concept to construct a program or understand a system. To derive equations and to use mathematics to analyze a system also interested me. Most of all, there is no physics in computer science, which gave me much comfort.

   Furthermore, computer major would give me more freedom. I knew there were some SOHOs and LOHAs working at coffee shops, at their houses, or even traveling around the world for their jobs. It could prevent me from being imprisoned in an office or a laboratory because it gave me more choices of life styles.

   Considering the efforts that I put and what I gained from them, my interests, and the life styles I could choose, I chose to be computer science major.

Why Did You Choose Your Major (2)

My choice of my major is base on practical reasons, my interests, and my character. I used to major in electrical engineering of the junior-collage department at the Ming-Chi University of Science and Technology and now I am computer science major at the NTUST. First, in the 5 years at Ming-Chi, I found that I was better at computer related courses than electrical or electronic related courses; if I spent the same amount of time at different courses, the outcomes of computer ones were always more satisfied. I thought I should put myself in a right spot to make my talent be well developed, and according to the rate of return on investment, I thought I might have a gift for computer. Second, I was interested in computer field more than others, and I felt computer was friendlier than oscilloscope; if I had to choose one of them for company for ten hours per day, I’d rather choose computer. Moreover, abstractions and symbols were more charming to me. I loved to use logic and concept to construct a program or understand a system. Furthermore, computer major would give me more freedom, I knew some SOHOs and LOHAS who were working at coffee shops, at their house in the country, or traveling around the world. It could release me from being imprisoned in an office or a laboratory, it gave me more choices of life style. Considering my efforts and what I gained, my interests, and the life styles I could choose, I chose computer science major.

Why Did You Choose Your Major (1)

My choice of my major is base on practical reasons, my interests, and my character. I used to major in electrical engineering of the junior-collage department at the Ming-Chi University of Science and Technology and now I am computer science major at the NTUST. First, in the 5 years at Ming-Chi, I found that I was better at computer related courses than electrical or electronic related courses; if I spent the same amount of time at different courses, the outcomes of computer ones were always more satisfied. I thought I should put myself in a right spot to make my talent be well developed, and according to the rate of return on investment, I thought I might have a gift for computer. Second, I was interested in computer field more than others, and I felt computer was friendlier than oscilloscope; if I had to choose one of them for company for ten hours per day, I’d rather choose computer. Moreover, abstractions and symbols were more charming to me. I loved to use logic and concept to construct a program or understand a system. Moreover, computer major would give me more freedom. It released me from being imprisoned in an office or a laboratory, it gave me more choices of life style. Considering my efforts and what I gained, my interests, and the life styles I could choose, I chose computer science major.