That was Then... This is Now

Spent the last few days at Belterra Resort and Casino near Madison, Indiana . Lots of fun things to do down here and the weather has been beautiful. It has been quite a while since I have been to a casino, either in Vegas or locally. The quality of the machines has really improved during that time. Much of the improvement is due to the development of high definition screens--the same as we use to watch TV. Using these HD displays, developers can create almost an infinite range of possibilities for each game--far surpassing the old “one armed bandit” reel type slots of yesterday. Modern slot machines are more like high-end personal computers than anything else. Programmers can control virtually all aspects of the game: cost, payout, even the images on the payline. Casino operators can also make changes in real time through back-end servers that communicate with the slot machines. In essence, the casino becomes a big network of PC’s. But thinking of it that way takes all the fu...

Recently, I was asked to write a short "Q&A" summary on Marian's Business Technology Minor for our Adult Program. The link between technology and business is undeniable. I advise anyone majoring in a field such as Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or Marketing to take as many computer courses as they can. I often tell my students that you never know when something that you learned somewhere may come in handy. Also, working with computers teaches a way of thinking that can be a great asset in business problem solving. You don't have to have an "IT" degree but you should understand the basics and be able to apply them to your discipline. The more experience the better! Why pursue a concentration in Business Technology? Employers increasingly are demanding graduates that understand and can effectively apply technology to business problems. No matter what your profession, you should consider using computers and information technology part ...