Online Computer Science Courses Offer Multiple Specialties within the Discipline of Computer Science 2019

Before the year 1920, the word computer referred to a person who performed calculations. Today the field of computer science has grown to include sub-disciplines such as computer graphics, computational complexity theory, and programming language theory. Many students choosing to attend computer science schools online or through some other means are attempting to streamline their entrance into this vast field by selecting a specialty within an undergraduate program. What is Computer Science? The discipline of computer science explores the theory behind information and calculation and then applies this knowledge to computer systems. Despite its relative newness as an academic field, it has already made major contributions to society, including the internet and personal computers (PCs). Depending on the sub-discipline, the study of computer science may focus on calculating specific results, solving problems, or resolving challenges in executing computations. Possible Specializations in Computer Science Computer Science and Software Design: Specializing in software design through a computer science course online is centered on the fact that software must be continually updated over time to remain useful. The online computer science program at Warren National University uses the software design specialization to teach students the intricate details of the design, implementation, and maintenance phases of software development. Kennedy-Western University students also complete online computer science courses to learn how to create efficient, useful software that produces effective results. .ue3f27966bfa1e67e05b28bc857d6f6ab { padding:0px; margin: 0; padding-top:1em!important; padding-bottom:1em!important; width:100%; display: block; font-weight:bold; background-color:#eaeaea; border:0!important; border-left:4px solid #34495E!important; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -moz-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -o-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -webkit-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); text-decoration:none; } .ue3f27966bfa1e67e05b28bc857d6f6ab:active, .ue3f27966bfa1e67e05b28bc857d6f6ab:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; text-decoration:none; } .ue3f27966bfa1e67e05b28bc857d6f6ab { transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; } .ue3f27966bfa1e67e05b28bc857d6f6ab .ctaText { font-weight:bold; color:inherit; text-decoration:none; font-size: 16px; } .ue3f27966bfa1e67e05b28bc857d6f6ab .post Title { color:#000000; text-decoration: underline!important; font-size: 16px; } .ue3f27966bfa1e67e05b28bc857d6f6ab:hover .postTitle { text-decoration: underline!important; } READ Colleges and Universities in Alberta, Canada Pursuing Online and Campus-based Education in Alberta, CanadaComputer Science and Software Development: Similar to specializing in software design, some computer science schools online offer a concentration in software development. In addition to the principles of software design, students specializing in software development learn to decipher when to sacrifice design for functionality. Students also take online computer science classes to understand evaluation tools that maximize software efficiency and allow for continued modification and development even after the original release of the software. Computer Science and Programming: In order to specialize in programming, some students choose to take a computer science course online for official certification while others incorporate the specialty into a bachelors degree in computer science. A specialization in programming teaches students how to create the instructions that tell a computer system what to do. Professionals specializing in programming create code for everything from financial development programs to flight simulator training programs. .u79a122ff6f817ce0856f146a9dfa0aaa { padding:0px; margin: 0; padding-top:1em!important; padding-bottom:1em!important; width:100%; display: block; font-weight:bold; background-color:#eaeaea; border:0!important; border-left:4px solid #34495E!important; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -moz-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -o-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -webkit-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); text-decoration:none; } .u79a122ff6f817ce0856f146a9dfa0aaa:active, .u79a122ff6f817ce0856f146a9dfa0aaa:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; text-decoration:none; } .u79a122ff6f817ce0856f146a9dfa0aaa { transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; } .u79a122ff6f817ce0856f146a9dfa0aaa .ctaText { font-weight:bold; color:inherit; text-decoration:none; font-size: 16px; } .u79a122ff6f817ce0856f146a9dfa0aaa .post Title { color:#000000; text-decoration: underline!important; font-size: 16px; } .u79a122ff6f817ce0856f146a9dfa0aaa:hover .postTitle { text-decoration: underline!important; } READ Michigan Colleges and Universities Pursuing Online and Campus-Based Education in MichiganQualities for Success in Computer Science Students pursuing a career in computer science will be most successful with strong analytical and problem-solving skills. They must also be able to communicate effectively and work within a team setting. Attention to detail is essential as computer science jobs often require awareness of multiple factors while working to solve problems. Computer programming in particular requires patience, endurance, and the ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines. Related ArticlesHow to Find a Quality Online Computer Science SchoolStudying Computer Science Through Distance LearningBusiness Associate, Engineering, Computer Science, and Education Graduates Currently in Highest DemandNever Ending Career Opportunities In ITHow to Find a Good Information Technology SchoolThe Relationship Beteween Computer Science and Engineering

A Memorable Experience Of My Life - 988 Words

A memorable experience I ve had In my life was Being pregnant and giving birth to my daughters. Being pregnant and giving birth to my daughter was one of the hardest situations in my life. I had just turned eighteen when I first found out I was pregnant. I was very terrified just knowing the fact that my baby s father was incarcerated and I was a dropout of school. so many things ran thru my head if I should keep the baby or have an abortion but I knew deep down in my family don t agree with abortions , so it was even a harder situation. A couple weeks went by and just seeing my sisters with their kids made me really want this baby. All my sisters would do is talk about how being a mom was the greatest thing that happened to them and on top of that my older sister was pregnant too. So I decided to keep my baby and decided to go visit my boyfriend and let him know the great news. A month went by and my baby s dad had finally got out. We had got our own place together. Living together was very frustrating I was always moody yelling at him. I just didn t want anyone near me. Being pregnant was so tiring, I have to admit I hated being pregnant, especially because I hated looking like a whale. During my pregnancy, I hardly ate all I would eat was oranges. That’s all I craved and it would stress me out because I always wanted to eat something better, but I couldn t take anything down but that. My twin sister has found out she was pregnant too. Being pregnant with my sistersShow MoreRelatedMost Memorable Experience In My Life1490 Words   |  6 PagesThere are many memorable critical occasions that I encountered throughout my life. However, these occasions played a great role in helping me to find what I want to accomplish in my future life. The most vivid memories I had as a child were my most traumatic. These are when my mother and grandmother were diagnosed with cancer when I was in Ethiopia. After three years, my mother suffered from a horrible headache th at sent her to the hospital and that was when she found out that she was diagnosed withRead MoreOutline of an Essay on Memorable Moments1599 Words   |  6 PagesI. Memorable Moments Essay A. Introductory Paragraph 1. Opener: A unique opportunity to meet celebrities who have influenced American culture. 2. Thesis: Meeting Berle was one of the most memorable moments of my life. a. Body paragraph reasons i I met a lot of other celebrities. ii I made a good friend in Berle. iii My career benefitted from this experience. B. First body paragraph: other celebrities 1. Mac Davis 2. Dolly Parton C. Second body paragraph: friendship connection Read MoreEssay on Event: High School and Numerous Memorable Events693 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿My Most Memorable Event Throughout my life I have had numerous memorable events. The memorable times in my life vary from being the best in my life and some being the worse. Either way these memories have become milestones that I will remember forever, which is the day of my graduation. This day is the most memorable because the enjoyment I had when I received my high school diploma. I can remember this day like it was yesterday. My uncle came into my room at seven o’clock in the morning tellingRead More Best Day of my Life Essay630 Words   |  3 Pages Throughout life I have had many memorable events. The memorable times in my life vary from being the worst times in my life and some being the best, either way they have become milestones that will be remembered forever. The best day of my life was definitely the day that I received my drivers’ license. This day is one of the most memorable because of the feelings I had when I received it, the opportunities that were opened up for me and the long lasting benefits that I received from it that stillRead MoreMemorable Experience Essay636 Words   |  3 PagesThroughout life I have had many memorable events. The memorable times in my life vary from being the worst times in my life and some being the best, either way they have become milestones that will be remembered forever. The best day of my life was definitely the day that I received my drivers license. This day is one of the most memorable because of the feelings I had when I received it, the opportunities that were opened up for me and the long lasting benefits that I received from it that stillRead MoreReflection Of Being A Teacher1098 Words   |  5 Pagescare about everyone and they want every child to succeed in life. Out of my eighteen years of school experiences, I have had a fair share of memorable ones. One example of my memorable school experiences was in seventh grade during my history class when we were learning about different countries and how they have different cultures than us. Fast forward to a month later and we were ending our chapter on the subject. So, as a reward, my teacher brought in two of her friends who lived in a differentRead MoreMusic Culture And The Music Industry1090 Words   |  5 Pages Born in the late 1950’s, my dad, Robert, has experienced, first hand, the vast changes in the music industry. The first step into the music culture was at the start of middle school when my dad joined the school band. Playing the trumpet and baritone was the bait that caused him to become immersed in music. This initial love of music led to the creation of a garage band with a group of friends adding piano and guitar to the mix. Age 13 signified the second step into the music i ndustry with the purchaseRead MoreHoliday and Comfort Zone1363 Words   |  6 Pageswas beating down on my bare pale skin, the warm light breeze gently brushed through my blonde hair and the cool, shimmery, turquoise water soothed my skin. The smell of coconuts and pina coladas whirled in from the snack bar and the fresh salty air made my whole body calm and relaxed. This is just how the vacation of my lifetime would start and It would soon be my favorite place in the world to visit. My vacation in Mexico brought many exciting adventures and new experiences that brought a positiveRead MoreMy Experience At The Multicultural Dinners950 Words   |  4 PagesGrowing up in a small mountain town there wasn’t very much diversity to be spoken of. However, thanks to my parents, I was always encouraged and raised to never judge people who may seem different from myself because no matter the race, religion, gender or appearance, we are all the same on the inside. My first memorable ex perience that opened my eyes to the diversity that this world contains was in high school during a special event called the multi-cultural dinner. The dinner consisted of differentRead MoreMy Service Learning Experience For Volunteer At Two Places915 Words   |  4 PagesFor my service learning experience, I had to volunteer at two places, due to some issues I had at one of the volunteer sites. Both sites served as a great learning experience to me and I really enjoyed what time I got to spend at each of the sites. Both sites were there to provide support to those who had some sort of disability and help them lead a more independent life. Each site did amazing work with their clients and I am exceptionally happy to see places like this in our community. The first

What Is a Syllable in the English Language

A syllable is one or more letters representing a unit of spoken language consisting of a single uninterrupted sound. Adjective: syllabic. A syllable is made up of either a single vowel sound (as in the pronunciation of oh) or a combination of vowel and consonant(s) (as in no and not). A syllable that stands alone is called a monosyllable. A word containing two or more syllables is called a polysyllable. The word  syllable  comes from the Greek, combine English speakers have little trouble counting the number of syllables in a word, say R.W.  Fasold and J. Connor-Linton, but linguists have a harder time defining what  a syllable is. Their definition of a syllable is a way of organizing sounds around a peak of sonority(An Introduction to Language and Linguistics, 2014).   Examples and Scholarly Observations A word may be pronounced [a] syllable at a time, as in nev-er-the-less, and a good dictionary will determine where these syllabic divisions occur in writing, thus providing information about how a word may be hyphenated. Syllabification is the term which refers to the division of a word into syllables.(David Crystal, A Dictionary of Linguistics Phonetics. Blackwell, 2003) A syllable is a peak of prominence in the chain of utterance. If you could measure the acoustic power output of a speaker as it varies with time, you would find that it goes continually up and down, forming little peaks and valleys: the peaks are syllables. The words lair and here form only one peak each, and so only one syllable, whereas the words player and newer are usually pronounced with two peaks and so contain two syllables. It is thus desirable to distinguish between a diphthong (which is one syllable) and a sequence of two vowels (which is two syllables).(Charles Barber, The English Language: A Historical Introduction. Cambridge University Press, 2000) Syllable isnt a tough notion to grasp intuitively, and there is considerable agreement in counting syllables within words. Probably most readers would agree that cod has one syllable, ahi two, and halibut three. But technical definitions are challenging. Still, there is agreement that a syllable is a phonological unit consisting of one or more sounds and that syllables are divided into two parts--an onset and a rhyme. The rhyme consists of a peak or nucleus, and any consonants following it. The nucleus is typically a vowel . . .. Consonants that precede the rhyme in a syllable constitute the onset . . .[T]he only essential element of a syllable is a nucleus. Because a single sound can constitute a syllable and a single syllable can constitute a word, a word can consist of a single vowel--but you already knew that from knowing the words a and I.(Edward Finegan, Language: Its Structure and Use, 6th ed. Wadsworth, 2012)The word strengths may have the most complex syllable structure of a ny English word: . . . with three consonants in the onset and four in the coda [the consonants at the end of the rhyme]!(Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck, Linguistics for Everyone. Wadsworth, 2010) Some consonants can be pronounced alone (mmm, zzz), and may or may not be regarded as syllables, but they normally accompany vowels, which tend to occupy the central position in a syllable (the syllabic position), as in pap, pep, pip, pop, pup. Consonants occupy the margins of the syllable, as with p in the examples just given. A vowel in the syllable margin is often referred to as a glide, as in ebb and bay. Syllabic consonants occur in the second syllables of words like middle or midden, replacing a sequence of schwa plus consonant...(Gerald Knowles and Tom McArthur, The Oxford Companion to the English Language, edited by Tom McArthur. Oxford University Press, 1992) [A] common syllable process, especially among the childs first 50 words, is reduplication (syllable repetition). This process can be seen in forms like mama, papa, peepee, and so on. Partial reduplication (the repetition of part of a syllable) may also occur; very often an /i/ is substituted for the final vowel segment, as in mommy and daddy.(Frank Parker and Kathryn Riley, Linguistics for Non-Linguists, 2nd ed. Allyn and Bacon, 1994) Words like matinee and negligee, introduced after 1700, are stressed on the first syllable in British English but on the last in American English.(Ann-Marie Svensson, On the Stressing of French Loanwords in English, in New Perspectives on English Historical Linguistics, ed. Christian Kay, et al. John Benjamins, 2002) Dr. Dick Solomon: I will now dispatch my foe with an elegant haiku.Dr. Liam Neesam: Five syllables, seven syllables, five syllables.Dr. Dick Solomon: I know that! ... Im so sick of you. You think you know everything. Will you stop it? Please.Dr. Liam Neesam: Well, yes. That is technically a haiku, but its a rather pedestrian one, isnt it?(John Lithgow and John Cleese in Mary Loves Scoochie: Part 2. 3rd Rock From the Sun, May 15, 2001) A slavish concern for the composition of words is the sign of a bankrupt intellect. Be gone, odious wasp! You smell of decayed syllables.(Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth, 1961)

Security Threats Of Network Security - 1412 Words

As the technology is growing the security threats are also increasing at higher rate. So, as to protect an organization from such network security threats severe actions and several steps have to be taken by network security administrators. In any large organization that is having large number of big servers, firewalls and interconnected network of hundreds of computers, security is one of the most important aspects so as to secure its network from intruders. Within the organization, all the computers and devices are interconnected in a LAN network or using a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network). So, the most important task of network security administrator to secure its internal as well as external network from intruders because there are†¦show more content†¦By sniffing a single wireless network, an intruder can access all the incoming and outgoing traffic over that wireless network resulting in heavy loss of confidential data to an organization. If any intruder able to crac k firewall and he will be able to access wireless network’s internal network and can read all the confidential data and also can inject malicious packets in the network so as to route the packets to some other destinations. There is large number of tools available in the market through which a wireless network[1] can be cracked and sniffed such as: 802.11 wireless network detector named Kismet, which is a wireless LAN detector named NetStumbler which uses 802.11b and WireShark for analyzing a network. In order to secure a wireless network from intruders several measures has to be taken care while implementing wireless network within the organization.Encryption algorithms are used to encrypt data over wireless network so that network cannot be easily read by the attackers. There are several authentication techniques that can be implemented to secure data over wireless networks such as: biometric technique, OTP method and Single Sign on techniques are used. Attackers use several methods to crack wireless passwords like brute forcing, so as to secure passwords strong passwords with special characters and keys has to be used making it difficult to crack.Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) or Wired Equivalent Privacy[4] (WEP) encryption is used by most of the

The Destructive Cross-Examination of Socrates - 2217 Words

Socrates spent most of his life in Athens. During his life he witnessed the rise and glory of Athens and the rapid decline of Athens during the Peloponnesian war. Socrates met and talked with a variety of people such as politicians, statesmen, sophists, poets, architects, and ordinary citizens. He taught philosophy to the youth of Athens, devoted friends, and pupils like Crito. Plato was one of Socrates’ students, and he is considered to be most brilliant student of Socrates. In fact, Plato is the major source of knowledge about Socrates’ life. Socrates questioned and cross-examined Athenians about their moral, religious, and political beliefs. People found it difficult to understand him. His habits were strange, and his arguments were†¦show more content†¦The speakers aim to persuade others in believing what the speaker is saying. Socrates is compelled to make speech in court to defend himself. Socrates replaces the speech that is common in Athenian courts and exercises his own kind of cross-examination, whenever law permits him to do so. He proceeds according to his method of examining by questions and answers. Also, he wishes to converse with judges for more than one day and perhaps convince them that his accusers are wrong. Socrates acquired a bad reputation because he has some special wisdom as his accusers are saying. This is based on the account of Chaerephon, Socrates’ friend. Chaerephon asked the Delphic oracle who is the wisest. The oracle’s answer was that Socrates is the wisest. When Socrates heard the story, he was perplexed how this possibly could be the truth. Socrates went and questioned poets, craftsman, and politicians. He made enemies for himself during his quest for wisdom. Socrates realized and â€Å"†¦formed opinion that, although the man thought to be wise by many other people, and especially himself, yet in reality he was not.† Through this process Socrates came to conclusion that only go d is truly wise, and Socrates’ wisdom is worth nothing. With this confession Socrates sets up tension against the absurd charge of impiety. For Socrates, piety refers to his mission based on the convictionShow MoreRelatedWorld History AP8768 Words   |  36 Pagesolder traditions. †¢ Some empires lasted for considerably longer periods than others. †¢ Some empires assimilated conquered peoples more quickly and completely than others. 3. Are you more impressed with the â€Å"greatness† of empires or with their destructive and oppressive features? Why? This question can reasonably be answered either way: †¢ Empires were impressive because of the impact they had on regions that they conquered; their sheer size and the number of subjects over which they ruled; theirRead More Emotional intelligence: The rapprochement of reason and emotion5515 Words   |  23 Pagescenturies. For centuries, efforts to understand the nature of cognition have been prioritized over efforts to understand the nature of emotion. Although the philosophical forefathers of psychology have been concerned with the nature of emotion since Socrates (469-399 B.C.), the primary focus has been the pursuit of reason. Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) argued that human intellect is â€Å"the highest thing in us, and the objects that it apprehends are the highest things that can be known† (1976, p. 328). The importanceRead MoreEmotional Intelligence: the Rapprochement of Reason and Emotion5749 Words   |  23 Pagescenturies. For centuries, efforts to understand the nature of cognition have been prioritized over eff orts to understand the nature of emotion. Although the philosophical forefathers of psychology have been concerned with the nature of emotion since Socrates (469-399 B.C.), the primary focus has been the pursuit of reason. Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) argued that human intellect is the highest thing in us, and the objects that it apprehends are the highest things that can be known (1976, p. 328). TheRead MoreContemporary Issues in Management Accounting211377 Words   |  846 PagesAccounting in 2000. Prior to joining UNSW in 1985, Wai Fong taught at the University of Sheffield (1981–2) and Sydney University (1983–5). She teaches and researches in the area of management accounting. Her current research projects include an examination of the role of financial and nonfinancial controls in the management of strategic supply relationships, knowledge management in professional service firms, and the effects of extended performance reporting on financial markets. She has publ ishedRead MoreLibrary Management204752 Words   |  820 Pageswere subjected to the â€Å"what† and â€Å"how† without understanding the â€Å"why.† Even when examples and forms, such as budgetary and personnel evaluation forms, were available, these were mostly regional or type-of-center specific and did not reflect a broad cross-section of libraries and information centers in the United States, not to mention the rest of the world. The second edition was broader in scope. While maintaining its usefulness as a basic text, it also served as a primary source of information andRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesLEARNING Key Dimensions of Self-Awareness For more than 300 years, knowledge of the self has been considered to be at the very core of human behavior. The ancient dictum â€Å"Know thyself† has been variously attributed to Plato, Pythagoras, Thales, and Socrates. Plutarch noted that this inscription was carved on the Delphic Oracle, that mystical sanctuary where kings and generals sought advice on matters of greatest importance to them. As early as 42 B.C., Publilius Syrus proposed: â€Å"It matters not what

Country music Essay Example For Students

Country music Essay America has changed drastically throughout the years, music has changed along with it. Music changed with the times and captured those moments inside them. Music lets us take a look at the past and gives us a chance to feel the emotions that were happening within those years. America was an independent notation that conformed to no one else and it showed. We as a nation had to grow and learn on our own and people expressed it in the art especially. Throughout the centuries we have evolved drastically and the music will always progress with us as it shows in the music we listen to today, even country itself. In the begging of time music was thought of as only an expression since it could not be shown to many others. In America alone, the styles that we enjoy today such as blues, rock and roll and country derive from the Native Americans who first walked this land. For these people the music was in various forms and was mostly in religious purposes. With the arrival of foreigners from different countries brought different styles with them; along with a great amount of new instruments to play. As the United States brought together so many immigrants, America incorporated their own style into the music forum. The American dream has much to do with raising yourself by your own, and that is what American music did in the 19th century. The 19th century began with mostly fiddlers, fifers and congregations while ending with brilliant opera houses and some of the best orchestras worldwide. The United States had an array of multi-ethnic styles and came out the biggest nation for variety of music entertainment with the most known musicians ever. African Americans contributed some of the most popular styles we use today, especially in country music. Country music has come a long way since the begging of time. Country music was created from African American blues with Appalachian folk. This form of music started to become popular around the sasss in the rural South. Early on country came known as hillbillys music because it took aspects of the blues and elements of the 19th century pop songs. It started with instruments such as the European fiddle and later on added the African banjo, guitar and the Hawaiian ukulele and string guitar. Country music was not nationally liked but after World War II people began to appreciate the music and a few stars shined through and shed light on the genre. Country Music from then on grew and expanded into the mainstream country we have today. Today America is the most popular country for producing music and sine we have combined and incorporated so many different styles throughout the decades other countries are begging to look up to us and find influence in our style. Music is used as the time-capsule of our history and will continue to always hold significant value in because the impact of Americas entertainment business affects the world and will continue to grow if American musicians can relate their music to the times and the citizens.

Competitive advantage free essay sample

Competitive advantage(CA) is an advantage competitors gain by providing or offering customers or consumers greater value for their money through product and service differentiation or through lower prices. Maintaining competitive advantage is crucial to many businesses or organizations success in order to survive in the market. Competitive advantage is characterized by superior performance which could be an attribute to outperform the competitors whether current or potential; or gaining a higher market share in a particular industry thereby ensuring market leadership; or ultimately, maximization of profit. This essay will critically analyze how competitive advantage is created i. e. Porters 3 generic strategies: differentiation, cost leadership and focus: giving theories and practical examples. It will examine the essence of choosing a competitive strategy that best suits a business. Furthermore, the sources of CA and how to sustain it will be discussed. A company cannot just boast of providing superior performance or quality, it has to actually deliver the said quality and the customers or consumers have to be able to perceive and see it as well, which is what sets it apart from other products. This source of finance remains available despite the tightening credit conditions. Plant operations We have comprehensive power station operational experience and skills. Through-life engineering and maintenance plans, meticulously implemented, ensure maximum availability and efficiency in the operation of our plant and are key for delivering value in both our merchant and long-term contracted markets. Effective plant operations are enhanced by ensuring information is shared across the portfolio and key operational staff are rotated to different assets on a regular basis. Safe behaviour and environmental best practice are cornerstones of International Powers operations, and we share best practices across the portfolio to ensure all of our assets operate to the highest possible safety and environmental standards. Trading We operate in a number of merchant markets. We have the skills necessary to maximise our returns in these markets, with a practical focus on closely co-ordinating trading and plant operations to optimise value. For us, trading predominately means selling the physical output generated by our plants, which we call asset-backed trading. Our traders operate within strict guidelines and risk policies to ensure our traded position is carefully monitored and managed. This includes matching fuel purchases with power sales and carrying out only a very limited amount of non-asset backed trading. Where possible we will forward sell output if we consider the return is favourable, which secures earnings and cash flow. For example, a large proportion of Rugeleys 2007 output was forward sold during the high prices of 2006, ensuring good financial returns during 2007, despite market dark spreads falling during the year. Long-term power contracts expertise We have strong commercial skills to structure and negotiate long-term power and water contracts in regulated markets such as Asia and the Middle East. Under these contracts, key cost risks such as fuel and turbine maintenance are mitigated through long-term hedging and supply arrangements. Availability bonuses incentivise us to keep the plant well maintained in order to minimise the risk of forced outages. Overall, the contracts provide visibility and stability of earnings and cash generation over the long-term.