Blog 14

Blog 14

Your mother has written you an email wondering about viruses. Search the Internet to find a "new" virus you wish to warn her about. Tell her about the virus, what is does, and more importantly, how to remove it. Don't use technical terms, she won't understand it. Tell her what to watch out for in general and how to prevent getting any type of virus.

Hi Mom;

Ther is an update to a “Conficker”, a virus that first appeared in November 2008. Conficker, also known as Kido, Downadup, Downadup, and Downup, has gotten its latest upgrade in April 2009, to make it much more dangerous. Conficker works by infecting websites, and then passing itself on to computers when they connect to the website. The new version checks out 5000 website addresses at a time, instead of the 500 that the old version did. This greatly increases the chance of finding a website that is not as fully protected as it should be. Microsoft has designed a fix for the problem in its Windows programming, but it has to be used by the web hosts, and with this many targeted it is likely some will not get the upgrade. McAfee (the anti-virus company) has also released a fix for this virus for home computers, so make sure to keep your virus protection up to date!

Conficker will cause Windows to continually restart, lose internet connections, and drop your toolbar.

With more than 7,000,000 computers now infected, Microsoft is offering $250,000 for information leading to the arrest and convictions of the people who wrote or use Conficker. It is believed that the origin of Conficker is probably the Ukraine.


Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conficker
www.microsoft.com/security/worms/conficker.aspx
www.symantec.com
vil.nai.com/vil/content/v
http://www.thetechherald.com/article.php/200911/3157/Conficker-Worm-fighting-back-a-new-variant-discovered-disables-security-measures

Blog 13, Curtis Klein

Pick a legislator, a govenor, a vice president, a senator,a president, or someone in power and tell me where they stand on technology.

Harry Reid does not seem to be extremely technology oriented, although he does claim to be. I say this because there is not much he actually does with it. He is a member of the Congressional Internet Caucus, which is a group of 150 Congress people and Senators trying to educate each other about using the internet, and promoting growth and use of the internet.(1) He was also instrumental in getting 122 acres of land for UNLV to be used for their Harry Reid Research and Technology Park.(2) UNLV has a research center on the park to support technological and economic growth.
Senator Reid recently said that with its climate “Nevada is poised to be a leader in the clean energy revolution.”(3)
In what is probably Harry Reid’s strongest stance on any technology issue, he came out very adamantly in favor of stem cell research. The following is a direct quote from Harry Reid’s website (or at least what appears to genuinely be his website.
“Democrats will not give up the fight for stem cell research. It is a fight America must win. We're going to press Republicans to override this veto--just as we pressed to get it to the Senate floor and just as we pressed to get this bill passed.

This should have been a day of hope for millions of Americans. Democrats listened to the American people, and through our persistence overcame Republican delays to pass critical stem cell legislation.”(4)

Personal note: Although I tried to keep this essay as non-political as possible, it is impossible to write about any political figure without reflecting their views

References:
(1)http://www.harryreid.com/page/community/post_group/VIPs/Vjxhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Harry_Reid
(2) http://www.unlvresearchpark.com/park-
(3) history.htmlhttp://www.ontheissues.org/Background_Technology.htm
(4) http://www.ontheissues.org/Economic/Harry_Reid_Technology.htm

Google’s new operating system

This is an essay on the NPR speech about Google’s new operating system.

Google’s new OS “Chrome” is coming to market next year. Google already has an operating system for smart phones called “android”, however moving into the PC operating field will pt them in direct competition with Microsoft. Whether Google will be successful may be in doubt, due to Microsoft’s advantage in already providing OSs for 90% of the worlds PCs. There is always inertia that helps prevent companies that have a system that works move to another system.

Goggle may counter this by making their profit off the added value having their own operating system will give advertising on their search engine. However if they give away their system entirely, or undercut Mycroft’s price too drastically, I would expect some lawsuits concerning antitrust violations and unfair business practices.

It will be nice to see a bit more competition in the OS field.

Blog 11, Curtis Klein

What is Linux and who would use it? Would you? Keep in mind this is worth 10 points so it will be graded accordingly. Also, remember to use your own thoughts and ideas.
The following is a direct quote from http://www.linux.org/ :
“Linux is a free Unix-type operating system originally created by Linux Torvalds with the assistance of developers around the world. Developed under the GNU General Public License , the source code for Linux is freely available to everyone.”

What this means is that Linux is an operating system for computers (or computer like devices) similar to Windows, however it has some important differences from windows. Probably the most important difference is that Linux is free and Microsoft charges fees for using Windows. This makes a big difference if you are writg a program for your own use, running a business and need to watch your bottom line, or simply a philanthropist who wants to give away his work. Also: Microsoft has a very bad reputation for limiting it’s applications to working only with Microsoft products, a policy that many consider an antitrust law violation. As nothing is ever perfect it is necessary to keep in mind that Linux also has some problems. There are often compatibility problems between Microsoft products and programs written in Linux: for instance you may not be able to copy and paste from Microsoft Word to a Linux based system. Also there are license based rule that apply to those using Linux. For instance: If you are a company writing proprietary software for your products in Linux, you are required to release your source code to anyone that asks for it. This leaves you open to having your work copied, and knockoffs sold. Technically speaking, software is not written in Linux. Linux is the operating system, and UNIX is the programming language it is written in.

Blog 10, Curtis Klein

On your blog write a synopsis of what you heard on this NPR interview.

There is a new (or what seems to be new, but is really an expanded old problem) threat to computer security called “denial of service attacks”. It is caused by “gangs” that operate over the internet for extortion, political, malicious, or other reasons. They can use banks of computers to send thousands of contacts to a company’s server over the internet, and overload the company’s ability to operate their computers and internet access. One example is offshore internet gambling companies that were forced to pay extortion to prevent this action, which would have put them out of business. Because this is done over the internet the organizations who do this can be anywhere in the world, along with fact that these peoples skills are often very useful to their governments, makes law enforcement extremely difficult, if not impossible. This is not only a problem for businesses; put is also a serious threat to national security and anyone else using the internet.

Do to the ability of these organizations to control thousands of computers remotely; these gangs do not even need to be that large. They can access innocent people’s computers, and use them to act as “robots”, without the owner’s knowledge. To add to this vulnerability: many developing countries use pirated software and operating systems, which can not get the upgrades that would help protect them.

One of the ways to prevent this is to have a protection of very large capacity computers that can handle more traffic than the criminals can send, and have them act as buffers. Barrett Lyon and Joseph Menn, the interviewees in this NPR interview, have managed to track some of the perpetrators be determining which of the corrupted computers used in the attacks had their SNMP (A remote viewing protocol) enabled, access the computer, and backtrack the hackers. He was able to contact them, gain there trust, and over a period of time get enough information to physically track them down. However legal action was not applied, because they are in Russia, and Russia uses them for political and military purposes, as China is also well known for.

blog 9

The assignment is to find a multimedia device or software that I have not used before.
I found the ipad, a tablet computer I have never used before. It is lightweight an easy to carry: 9.56 inches x 7.47 inches, with a depth of ½ inch. It weighs 1.5 pounds. The basic model uses wi-fi, however a 3 G model is available. The display is 9.7-inch diagonal, touch screen display. The battery will last for up to 10 hours. The ipad is available with a16GB, 32GB, or 64GB flash drive. The price starts at $499.00. So far this may sound like an advertisement, which is not surprising as I got this information from apples website at http://www.apple.com/ipad/ .
There is a review at http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2010/01/ipad-first-impressions-review.html , where they basically rave about it. Another reviewer at http://gizmodo.com/5458382/8-things-that-suck-about-the-ipad really did not like the ipad. It seems that the only serious drawback the author found is that it does not allow multi-tasking. On of the things I was surprised to find is that the ipad 3G can be connected by any phone company and the monthly prepaid cost runs as low as $15 a month.

Blog 8, Curtis Klein

1. What is the price of an internal floppy drive?

I found an internal floppy drive for $15.00.

2. What types of connections do external floppy disc drives use? What is the price of an external drive?

The external floppy disc drives I saw use UB connectors. The lowest cost I found for an external floppy disc drive is $20.00.

3. Why do you think external drives cost more than internal drives? What are the advantages of external drives? Internal drives?

I believe there are several reasons why external floppy disc drives cost more than internal floppy disc drives. The external drives come with connectors, a more durable case because it will not be protected by the computer case, and must be of the shelf user ready because it will be used by ordinary users and not installed by computer professionals. Also: because an external floppy disc drive can be used by ordinary users and not installed by computer professionals there is more demand for external floppy disc drives, which drives up the price. People would also be willing to pay more for a drive that they do not have to pay a professional to install. The advantages of external drives are that non-professionals do not have to pay to have one installed; they do not take up space or add heat to your computer (especially laptops). Internal drives are more convenient if you are in the currently very rare position f using a floppy drive often. It is more convenient than digging out the drive all the time and connecting it, there is less chance of a mishap (such as dropping it) damaging the drive, you will not use up the limited number of US ports, and cost.

Define these terms:

DMA is “Direct Memory Access”. It is a shortcut for moving data to and from a device or memory that does not involve the processor. It uses a number to identify a channel that can directly pass data from a device to memory.

Low level formatting is the process that creates the hard drive formatting and tests the disc. It is usually done at the factory.

SATA is Serial ATA. It is advancement over Parallel ATA, the older standard. Serial ATA is much faster, may be used internally or externally, and uses more compact cables to improve cooling

ATA is the most used standard for connecting hardware and software to the motherboard. There are 2 types of ATA standards: the older Parallel ATA (EIDE), and the currently used SATA.

IDE is “Integrated Device Electronics”. It is when the disc controller is integrated into the drive or device. This increases the sped and lowers the price of the system.

Blog 6 Curtis Klein, Tools for people with disabilities

Tools for people with disabilities:

There are many adaptive devices for handicapped computer users. There are also many devices for the handicapped that use computers to control the actual device. The most fascinating one I saw was the “Brainfingers” ( http://www.brainfingers.com/ ). Using this device a person can control their computer totally hands free. If you can control your face, you can use a computer! The following is a quote from their website:
You wear a headband which detects electrical signals from your facial muscles, eye movements, and brainwaves. The software decodes these signals into virtual fingers or Brainfingers which trigger mouse and keyboard events to control third party software such as Ezkeys, Reach, IntelliTools, Dynavox Windows software, The Grid, Gaze Talk, etc. The Brainfingers Solution can include Head-Tracking devices such as SmartNav.
There is also a video of it being used on their website. The total cost, excluding shipping is $ 2,100.00.
There are also many less comprehensive systems for people who do not need as much help. There is literally a device that enables some with any disability short of being in a coma to use a computer, and the prices range accordingly. Who would have imagined 30 years ago that someone as severely handicapped as Stefan Hawking would have been able to accomplish what he has?

blog 5, Explain the following terms to your mother

Explain the following terms to your mother (she is not very computer literate)

The processor frequency is the speed at which the central processor operates internally. It is measured in Milihertz (MHz), which is 1,000,000 beats per second, or Gigahertz (GHz), which is 1,000,000,000 beats per second, and faster is better. It is figures by multiplying the multiplier by the bus frequency. The multiplier is figured by the ratio of the speed (frequency) of the central processor operates internally with its external speed. For instance: If the central processor’s internal speed is 10 times that of its external speed, the multiplier is 10.
The word size is the largest amount of information, measured in bits; the central processor can process at one time. The word size used by today’s processors is generally 32 bits; however there are some very advanced and more capable processors that can operate a 64 bit word size. The processor with the larger word size would be faster and more capable than one with a smaller word size.
Overclocking is when the computer user or administrator speeds the central processor frequency up beyond the manufacturer’s recommendation. The manufacturer recommends a top frequency because running the central processor faster can cause overheating, which can result in damage to your computer. The higher speed may also be unstable.

The data path is the part of the system bus that communicates with the central processor. The word size is limited by the data path; however the data path may b larger than the word size. For instance you can run a 32 bit word size on a 64 bit data path.

SRAM is a static memory cache. It is much faster than the rest of the memory in a computer’s system, due to it’s retaining its memory without having to be constantly refreshed, and the very limited amount of memory it uses. SRAM is used to store data that the central processor is going to be using immediately, saving the central processor from having to search the entire RAM store every time it performs an operation. This greatly improves the speed of the central processor.
An SRAM cache actually on the central processor chip is called the primary cache, or level one cache.

An SRAM cache outside the central processor is called an external cache, or a level two cache. A level 2 cache may, or may not, be inside the central processor housing. A memory cache is an SRAM.

Blog 4, Curtis Klein

Find the power supply Powerstax plc. Tell me any information you understand about it, but tell me in laymans terms (pretend I am your mom wanting to know). Also tell me where I could purchase it and see ifyou can find out the approximate cost. What types of power supplies do they have, how many different series? How are they rated? You may need to do a little research for this information.
How helpful would this website be if you needed information about your power supply?

Powerstax plc. has a very high rating overall: 4 out of 5 stars according to the Power Supplies Manufacturer database, also getting 4 out of 5 stars for customer satisfaction. Their products may be purchased online, over the phone or in person at one of their distributors. A full list of distributors is available at http://www.powerstaxplc.com/sales/sales-partners-north-america/ , however the closest location to Reno is at:
E Purchasing Solutions Inc.
48521 Warm Springs Blvd. Suite 313
Fremont, CA 94539
Phone (Toll Free): 866-413-0012
Phone: 510-413-0012
Fax: 510-413-0013
E-mail: sales@epurchasingsolutions.com
www.epurchasingsolutions.com
Powerstax plc. has 13 different power supplies that can be used with wall (AC) power, along with many other types of power supplies and power products that have more specialized uses. They are rated at up to 1450W and have a 5W/in3 power density. Or, as I would say to my mother; “They carry the power supply you need, we just have to find the right one”. Although it is difficult to get the prices, I located a website, http://www.peaktopeakpower.com/ac-dc-power-supplies , that does have prices listed. They range from $14.00 and up. I was surprised at how cheap they are, but that is the quoted price (plus S&H of course). The other websites will only send prices upon a specific quote request, and powerstaxplc.com does not list any prices at all. So far they none of the distributors or powerstaxplc have not answered any of my phone calls.
This website, along with their distributor’s websites, would be very helpful in finding the correct power supply needed. They give a lot of detail about their power supplies, however if you do not already know what you need, this website will probably be of little use in determining your needs. Due to the fact that they do not post their prices in an easily comparable form, and that their customer service departments are not very responsive, I get the feeling that dealing with them could become a very frustrating experience.

Answers to questions 1-8 of "Real Problems, Real Solutions"

Below are the answers to questions 1-8 of "Real Problems, Real Solutions":

1. What is the system bus called? What is the system bus frequency?.
The system bus called the Memory and its frequency is 1600 MHz.

2. What is the frequency for the processor?
The frequency for the processor is 2.66 GHz.

3. What is the brand of the processor?
The brand of the processor is Intel

4. How much RAM is installed?
There is 8MB of RAM installed.

5. What type of expansion slot is used for the video card?
A PCI slot is used for the video card.

6. What type of interface does the hard drive use?
The hard drive uses SATA2 as its interface.

7. How much data can the hard drive store?
The hard drive can store 1 TB of data.

8. What is the brand of the motherboard?
ASUS is the brand of the motherboard.

Note: All of the questions were copied directly from A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 7th Edition, by Jean Andrews.

7 things about me.

Kathy;

Here are 7 things about me.

I have somewhat grey, brown hair.
I love to cook (and eat good food).
I just went cross country skiing for the first time.
I am a Real Estate Broker.
During the summer I usually go hiking at least once a week.
I was born and raised in Massachusetts.
I worked overseas, in Thailand, India, and Honduras for 3 years.

I Tried to meet you last Thursday after I did the first lab. Unfortunately I wasn't able to locate you and I had to leave for work. I will try again the next time I am on campus. I look forward to meeting you.

Curtis

Seven things you don’t know about me

Seven things you do not know about me:

Hair color
Eye color
Height
Weight
Fathers name
Mothers name
My favorite food

I am not sure if you wanted 7things you do not know about me or 7 things that I do not know about you, but these will apply either way.
Curtis Klein

new blog for TMCC

Hi;
I just created this blog fo my TMCC coursework.
Curtis Klein