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Sunzi’s Art of War , HKBU Smart Cards System, and Innopac
4th Annual Hong Kong Innovative Users Group Conference
9 Dec 2003
Lingnan University
Li Yiu OnAssistant Librarian (Systems)HK Baptist University
HKBU Library
As it is suggested in the title, my presentation
contains the following three main components:
1. Sunzi’s Art of War ( 孫子兵法 )
2. HKBU Smart Card Systems
3. Innopac System
The order is arranged by their significance in the
HKBU Smart Cards Project
HKBU Library
Outlines
1. HKBU Smart Card System: Two Development
Proposals
2. Role of the Innopac System in the HKBU Smart
Cards System
3. Sunzi’s Art of War ( 孫子兵法 )
4. Conclusion
5. Bibliographies
HKBU Library
1. HKBU Smart Card System: Two Development Proposals
HKBU Library
1.1 What is a Smart Card
A smart card has an intelligent, single
computer chip embedded within a plastic
card.
Personal data can be securely written or
updated to the card after it has been issued.
Now, most of universities in Hong Kong have
developed their own smart cards systems.
HKBU Library
1.2 Functions of Smart Cards System
Although different smart cards systems are
used in different universities, the functions
provided by these systems are similar.
Basically, there are two major functions:
• Access control
– user authentication
– generate usage and entrance statistical reports
• Electronic purse (similar to Octopus)
HKBU Library
1.3 First Smart Card System Proposal
The idea to implement a smart card system in HKBU
was first suggested in 2000
A Steering Committee was formed to study the
feasibility of implementing a new Smart Card
system for the University and consider funding
arrangements
A Proposal was submitted by the Committee to the
University in Feb 2001 (i.e. the 1st Proposal)
HKBU Library
1.3 First Smart Card System Proposal
To implement a new university smart card
system in HKBU, a centralized database
model was suggested by the 1st Proposal:
A central smart card database has to be
designed and developed to store all
university staff and student records
Two additional computer officers have to be
employed to monitor the central database
HKBU Library
HKBU Library
1.3 First Smart Card System Proposal
Estimated Startup Cost:
HK$3.2 million, including
• Central database program design,
development and implementation fees
• Hardware costs (server, printers, and smart
card readers)
• Issue new smart cards for all university staff
and students
HKBU Library
1.3 First Smart Card System Proposal
Estimated Annual Recurrent Cost:
HK$1.6 million, including
• Central database program maintenance fee
• Salaries of 2 computer officers specially for
monitoring the central database
• Hardware maintenance fee (server, printers, and
smart card readers)
• Issue new smart cards for all new university
staff and students
HKBU Library
1.3 First Smart Card System Proposal
The feasibility study by the 1st proposal was
very comprehensive, however, the University
was unable to implement it due to a high
estimated startup cost (HK$3.1 million) and
annual recurrent cost (HK$1,6 million)
HKBU Library
1.4 Second Smart Card System Proposal
The access control function provided by the smart
card system is vital to the Library
Thus, the University Librarian asked me to study
the 1st Proposal to see if it is possible to reduce
the cost
The 2nd Proposal for development of University
Smart Cards System was completed in Sep
2001
HKBU Library
1.4 Second Smart Card System Proposal
The 2nd Proposal aims to suggest a new database
infrastructure of the University Smart Cards
system.
It is suggested to adopt a co-operated,
decentralized, and distributed database model
HKBU Library
1.4 Second Smart Card System Proposal
The advantage of adopting a decentralized database
model is to recognize that different
departments/offices maintain their own databases (i.e.
student record database by AR, staff records by
Personnel Office and the Library patron database by
the Library)
It will also avoid duplicate and extra workload of
creating and maintaining a new centralized Smart
Cards database on the top of various departmental
databases
HKBU Library
HKBU Library
1.4 Second Smart Card System Proposal
Estimated Startup Cost:
HK$0.76 million, including
• Hardware costs (printers, and smart card
readers)
• Issue new smart cards for all university staff
and students
HKBU Library
1.4 Second Smart Card System Proposal
Estimated Annual Recurrent Cost:
HK$0.14 million, including
• Hardware maintenance fee (printers, and
smart card readers)
• Issue new smart cards for all new university
staff and students
HKBU Library
Proposal Startup Cost
HK$ (Million)
Annual Recurrent
Cost
HK$
(Million)
4 Years Recurrent
Cost
HK$
(Million)
4 Years Recurrent
Cost / Startup Cost
(%)
1st
Proposal (central db)
model)
3.2 1.6 6.4 200%
2nd Proposal
(de-central db model)
0.76 0.14 0.56 73.6%
A Cost Comparison of Two Proposals
HKBU Library
1.5 HKBU Smart Card System Implementation
As the startup and annual recurrent cost had
been greatly reduced based on the new de-
centralized model of the 2nd Proposal, the
University thus finally approved to develop
the smart cards system
New smart cards were issued to students and
staff on Sep 2002
HKBU Library
2. Role of the Innopac
System in the HKBU Smart
Cards System
HKBU Library
2.1 Innopac in the Smart Cards System
Macro Magic + Window Time Schedule Program
To use the Macro Magic to write a macro which contains the
following steps:
1. Export student and staff records from the AR and Personnel Section
databases respectively
2. Upload the above records to Innopac system
3. Export valid patron records from the Innopac system
4. Upload the above Innopac patron to the Library electronic turnstile
system
To use the Window Time Schedule Program to call and run the
macro every night
HKBU Library
3. Sunzi’s Art of War
(孫子兵法 )
HKBU Library
3.1 Sunzi’s Art of War
Sunzi’s Art of War, written in 2000 years ago in
China, is the earliest known text on the strategies of
war.
At the present time, Sunzi is still regarded as a
military classic around the world
In the 1st Gulf War in 1991, it was reported that the
US Marine Corps had issued a copy of Sunzi to
each of its members
HKBU Library
3.1 Sunzi’s Art of War
In addition to remain as a military science classic,
Sunzi strategies have now been expanded and
applied in various studying areas and fields, e.g.
politics, management, business…
Konosuke Matsushita ( 松下幸之助 ), a famous
Japanese businessman and founder of Matsushita
Electronic House, said, “All our staff members
must read Sunzi’s Art of War, and apply its
teaching flexibly so that my firm will flourish.”
HKBU Library
3.2 Sunzi’s Strategies Applied on System Analysis Development
In this section, I will try to introduce three
Sunzi strategies to explain why the database
infrastructure suggested by the 2nd Proposal
is better than that of the 1st Proposal
HKBU Library
3.3 Winning without Fighting
Sunzi said “Hence to win one hundred
victories in one hundred battles does not
indicate excellent wisdom. To suppress the
enemy without fighting is the supreme
excellence”
孫子曰:”是故百戰百勝,非善之善者也 ;
不戰而屈人之兵,善之善者也”
HKBU Library
3.3 Winning without Fighting
Art of War is a book to study and analysis war
systematically. It easily gives an incorrect impression
to readers that Sunzi likes wars and enjoys fighting
Nevertheless, it must be emphasized that war, from
Sunzi’s point of view, is only a tool not an end
End (One) to achieve total victory, i.e. win the enemy
without lose and destroy on both sides
Tools (Many) politics, diplomatic alliances, use of
spies, wars
HKBU Library
3.3 Winning without Fighting
War is not an effective tool to achieve the total
victory because:
– War is a matter of life and death, a road to
win and also a road to lose
– War, even win, will inevitable brings destroy
and loses to both sides, i.e. to the enemy as
well to the home country
HKBU Library
3.3 Winning without Fighting
To achieve total victory, Sunzi’s highest maxim, is
not “know how to fight and win” rather it should be
“winning without fighting”
In system analysis and development, I believe, the
highest maxim is not something “know how to
design a new database to satisfy new information
needs”, rather it should be “satisfying new
information needs without implementing new
databases”
HKBU Library
3.3 Winning without Fighting
This can be proved by the cost effectiveness of the 2nd
Proposal over the 1st Proposal
Centralized database model
vs
Decentralized database model
The centralized database suggested in the 1st Proposal is
indeed a redundant database
NOTE: the new smart card system can function properly
without a central database
HKBU Library
3.3 Winning without Fighting
A good general must be very careful to start a war
War should be the last resort when there is no other
alternative
Sunzi said, “Thus, unless you know all the
disadvantages of the prosecution of a war, you
cannot fully grasp the advantages of war”
孫子曰:”故不盡知用兵之害者 , 則不能盡知用兵之利也”
HKBU Library
3.3 Winning without Fighting
Again using Sunzi’s strategy, a good system
analyst must be very careful to implement a
new database
To implement a new database should be the last
resort when there is no other alternative
Unless you know all the disadvantages of
implementing a new database, you cannot
fully grasp the advantages of it
HKBU Library
3.3 Winning without Fighting
The disadvantages of implementing a new
database include
– New hardware and software cost
– Annual maintenance cost for new hardware and
software
– Additional staffing cost to monitor the new
hardware and software
HKBU Library
3.3 Winning without Fighting
In an information system
End satisfy user’s information need
Means many ways to achieve the above end
• Create a new database (1st Proposal)
• Make use or expand the existing systems (2nd
Proposal)
HKBU Library
3.3 Winning without Fighting
A question to information analysts:
How can we satisfy new information needs of our
clients without implementing a new database?
This may be answered by the following two
Sunzi strategies:
• Reduce Redundant Data
• Divide and Conquer
HKBU Library
3.4 Reduce Redundant Data
Sunzi said, “Hence a wise general is sure of getting
provisions from the enemy countries. One ton of
grains obtained from local area is equal to twenty
tons shipped from the home country; one pound of
fodder in the conquered area is equal to twenty
pounds from the domestic store”
孫子曰:”善用兵者……因糧於敵,故軍食可足也……故智將務食於敵。食敵一鍾,當吾二十鍾;芑稈一石,當吾廿石。”
HKBU Library
3.4 Reduce Redundant Data
Sunzi calls attention to the dependence of war
upon the provisions of food and materials to
an army
Getting provisions from the enemy countries
(near or inside the battle fields) is much
more beneficial than transporting supplies
over long distances from the home country
HKBU Library
3.4 Reduce Redundant Data
The importance of providing data to an
information system is similar to supplying of
food and materials to an army
Different ways of data supply have different
cost implications
HKBU Library
3.4 Reduce Redundant Data
1st Proposal transport data from various
department databases to the central database:
– High transportation cost (network and staffing
costs)
– Redundant data created (duplicate copies of
records stored in department databases and central
database)
– Additional server to store redundant data
(hardware and software costs)
HKBU Library
3.4 Reduce Redundant Data
2nd Proposal data required by the smart card
application systems are provided and stored
in the department databases:
– No redundant data
– No additional server
– Low transportation cost
HKBU Library
3.5 Divide and Conquer
Some of you may say that it is necessary to install a
central database because
“Big tasks can only be processed by a big and
powerful server”
A university smart card system is a big system which
deserves a big and powerful central server
(database)
Is this idea correct? NO
HKBU Library
3.5 Divide and Conquer
Algorithms are a central field of computer science
One of the famous algorithms is divide-and-conquer
We all know that it is much easier to solve a small
problem than solving a big problem
This algorithm thus suggests a big problem can be split
into roughly equal size sub-problem
The sub-problems are solved in the same way – by
splitting, solving, and combining – and this can be
done recursively
HKBU Library
3.5 Divide and Conquer
Sunzi has already expressed the similar thinking 2000 years
ago
Sunzi said, “We can keep our forces concentrated , while the
enemy’s must be divided. We can form a single united
body at one place, while the enemy must scatter his forces
at ten places. Thus, it is ten to one when we attach him at
one, which means we numerically superior.”
孫子曰:”我專為一,敵分為十,是以十攻其一也。則我眾敵寡,能以眾擊寡者,則吾之所與戰者約矣。”
HKBU Library
3.5 Divide and Conquer
A smart card system is a big information system which
generates huge data transactions and requires data
storage and transportation
Such a “big” task can easily be processed by a big and
powerful server Central database in the 1st Proposal
Yet, a “big” task may be splitting, solving, and
combining by a number of “small” servers working
together various department database servers in the
2nd Proposal
HKBU Library
4. Conclusion
HKBU Library
4. Conclusion
Here comes to the end of my presentation.
After listening to my presentation, do you have a feeling
that
• Sunzi’s strategies are indeed something easier say
than done
• the ideas and algorithms that I have suggested to
develop the HKBU Smart System may only be
applied to a simple environment and may probably
not be intelligence adequate to cope with a more
complex organization
HKBU Library
4. Conclusion
In short, do you think that my explanation is too SIMPLE.
I am very happy if you have that feeling. I totally agree with
you if you say my presentation is simple.
Indeed, I originally thought I had discovered something new
and created some complicated theories when my paper on
Sunzi strategy was completed.
However, since then, I read my paper many times again.
Every time I read it, I have a feeling that my paper is of
nothing new and contains some very simple ideas only.
HKBU Library
4. Conclusion
I felt very uncomfortable, finally, until one day after
reading a book on Korea War by Bevin Alexander,
a famous American professional military historian,
I suddenly come to recognize that
SIMPLE implies the application of Sunzi strategies
on the development of HKBU Smart Card Project
is successful
Let me quote Bevin Alexander’s words to end my
presentation
HKBU Library
4. Conclusion
“Of course, all great ideas are simple.
The trick is to see them before anyone else.”Bevin Alexander. Korea: The First War We Lost. New York : Hippocrene Books, 2000, p. 149.
“當然 , 所有絕妙的主意都是 簡單 的 , 關鍵在於要比任何人都先想得出來 .”
[ 美 ] 貝文‧亞歷山大 : 《朝鮮 : 我們第一次戰敗 》 , 北京 : 中國社會科學 , 2000, p.177.
HKBU Library
5. Bibliographies
《孫子校釋》 . 北京 : 軍事科學出版社 , 1990. ISBN:7800212572. [Sunzi. Text in Chinese, English,
French, Italian, Japanese, and Russian]
魯玉瑩 . 《活學活用孫子兵法》 . 臺北 : 先智出版事業股份有限公司 , 2001. ISBN: 9570482532.
李耀安 . 〈《孫子兵法》與現代信息系統開發原理〉 , 《圖書情報工作》 , 2003(9):14-18, 28. [Li, Yiu On. “Sunzi’s
Art of War as Principle of Systems Analysis and Design.”
Library and Information Services, 2003(9): 14-18, 28.]