Week 14, Blog 10
A software repository is simply a place software is stored for safekeeping, where it may be retrieved and reinstalled on a computer. A Linux software repository is one the stores Linux programs. Most Linux software companies have many widely scattered depositories, which may be fee based or free. They may be devoted to particular programs, or for operating systems, the intent is to safeguard the software.
There are 2 main types of Linux software repositories; management systems or development systems. The management systems are used to store and integrate already developed code for public use. The development systems are used more for experimental code that is still under development, and not ready for public use.
These repositories make it easy to re-install corrupted programs, or to install new programs, for users worldwide, over the internet. They also provide high security for everyone using and developing the programs.
Ubuntu software repositories are divided into 4 main types, based on the level of support offered. They are:
(Quoted from https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories/Ubuntu )
1. Main - Officially supported software.
2. Restricted - Supported software that is not available under a completely free license.
3. Universe - Community maintained software, i.e. not officially supported software.
4. Multiverse - Software that is not free.
SOURCES:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_repository
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories/Ubuntu
http://fedora-commons.org/
http://www.eprints.org/software/
http://rubric.edu.au/repositories/choosing_a_repository.htm
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Kinect driver, Blog 9, Week 13, Curtis Klein, CIT173
Kinect, or more specifically Kinect for the Xbox 360, is a controller free gaming system originally designed by Microsoft. It utilizes a webcam to utilize facial recognition, motion sensor, and voice recognition software to interact with the user (think HAL from 2001 a space odyssey). It is currently capable of tracking up to 6 people, but Microsoft claims this limit is only due to the limitations of the camera used. Microsoft released Kinect at the end of 2010, and it immediately sold incredible amounts. Far more amazing to me, is that the major controversy surrounding Kinect is not its revolutionary advancements and potential, but its profit potential.
In 2010 Adafruit Industries offered a reward to whoever developed an open source version of Kinect, which eventually reached $3,000.
In November 2010, Hector Martin was announced the winner, and received the award. It was revealed later that Johnny Lee, part of Microsoft’s Kinect development team, actually financed the award.
Due to the technicality that Microsoft utilized an open USB connection in their design, their patents may not be enforceable, but I foresee a long court battle before this is decided. I can not imagine Microsoft what appears to be a fairly clear case of reverse engineering, patent, and copyright infringement, without a battle.
SOURCES:
http://nuigroup.com/forums/viewthread/11249/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinect
http://www.technollama.co.uk/kinect-licensing-implications-of-open-hardware-projects?wpmp_switcher=mobile
http://openkinect.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://www.adafruit.com/blog/2010/11/10/we-have-a-winner-open-kinect-drivers-released-winner-will-use-3k-for-more-hacking-plus-an-additional-2k-goes-to-the-eff/
In 2010 Adafruit Industries offered a reward to whoever developed an open source version of Kinect, which eventually reached $3,000.
In November 2010, Hector Martin was announced the winner, and received the award. It was revealed later that Johnny Lee, part of Microsoft’s Kinect development team, actually financed the award.
Due to the technicality that Microsoft utilized an open USB connection in their design, their patents may not be enforceable, but I foresee a long court battle before this is decided. I can not imagine Microsoft what appears to be a fairly clear case of reverse engineering, patent, and copyright infringement, without a battle.
SOURCES:
http://nuigroup.com/forums/viewthread/11249/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinect
http://www.technollama.co.uk/kinect-licensing-implications-of-open-hardware-projects?wpmp_switcher=mobile
http://openkinect.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://www.adafruit.com/blog/2010/11/10/we-have-a-winner-open-kinect-drivers-released-winner-will-use-3k-for-more-hacking-plus-an-additional-2k-goes-to-the-eff/
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Net Neutrality, Week 1, Blog 6, CIT 173
Let me state right out front that I am in favor of the principles of Net Neutrality, and I do not see any way to enforce it other than government action. It is important to realize that in almost all parts of the world (including the U.S.) ISP providers have a virtual monopoly, and due to the technology of the internet, it is impossible to enforce competition through antitrust laws. When there are at most 2 or 3, and often only 1 ISP provider available, competition simply can not regulate the marketplace. If ISP providers have the ability to deny or degrade service for any company, and those companies have no recourse, than the principle of an open marketplace and open internet is destroyed. ISP companies have more in common with public utilities than with competitive private companies. ISP companies already make a very good profit of what they charge us all for internet access, to make additional profits by denying us access unless the organization we are looking for pays what amounts to blackmail, is simply unfair.
Having said this, I must admit to being very uncomfortable with the FCC using its power to regulate the airwaves to get around the courts and laws. Television and other broadcast information sources are already not covered by the freedom of the press clause, as they are licensed by the FCC, and these licenses can be revoked at any time. For the FCC to make link licenses for the airwaves to ISP providers willingness to obey whatever rules the government wants to impose (as below) is a frightening precedent.
2008 the FCC auctioned a portion of the publicly owned airwaves to Google under the terms that Google would:
• Open applications: Consumers should be able to download and utilize any software applications, content, or services they desire;
• Open devices: Consumers should be able to utilize a handheld communications device with whatever wireless network they prefer;
• Open services: Third parties (resellers) should be able to acquire wireless services from a 700 MHz licensee on a wholesale basis, based on reasonably nondiscriminatory commercial terms;
• Open networks: Third parties, such as Internet service providers, should be able to interconnect at any technically feasible point in a 700 MHz licensee's wireless network.
Quoted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_neutrality
The following is a dirct quote from ^ "Policy statement". Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
In 2005, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a Broadband Policy Statement (also known as the Internet Policy Statement), which lists four principles of open Internet,[16] "To encourage broadband deployment and preserve and promote the open and interconnected nature of the public Internet, consumers are entitled to:"
• access the lawful Internet content of their choice.
• run applications and use services of their choice, subject to the needs of law enforcement.
• connect their choice of legal devices that do not harm the network.
• competition among network providers, application and service providers, and content providers.
The whole Net Neutrality issue arose when the company Level 3, owner of Netflicks, sued Comcast for raising their rates. Level 3 said this was an unfair business practice, and Comcast claimed that level 3 itself was using unfair practices, and should be charged more for the extra bandwidth the required. Comcast won the law suite, however later the FCC ruled against Comcast, and required them to stop this practice.
In April, 2011 a Federal court ruled that The FCC does not have the authority to make this ruling. Now it is in the hands of Congress to change the law, and give The FCC the right to regulate ISP providers. Where this will go is anyone’s guess.
SOURCES
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_neutrality
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2374638,00.asp
http://gigaom.com/2010/11/29/forget-net-neutrality-comcast-might-break-the-web/
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/07/technology/07net.html
http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/court-rules-039net-neutrality039-comcast-atampt-win-google-amazon-lose
Having said this, I must admit to being very uncomfortable with the FCC using its power to regulate the airwaves to get around the courts and laws. Television and other broadcast information sources are already not covered by the freedom of the press clause, as they are licensed by the FCC, and these licenses can be revoked at any time. For the FCC to make link licenses for the airwaves to ISP providers willingness to obey whatever rules the government wants to impose (as below) is a frightening precedent.
2008 the FCC auctioned a portion of the publicly owned airwaves to Google under the terms that Google would:
• Open applications: Consumers should be able to download and utilize any software applications, content, or services they desire;
• Open devices: Consumers should be able to utilize a handheld communications device with whatever wireless network they prefer;
• Open services: Third parties (resellers) should be able to acquire wireless services from a 700 MHz licensee on a wholesale basis, based on reasonably nondiscriminatory commercial terms;
• Open networks: Third parties, such as Internet service providers, should be able to interconnect at any technically feasible point in a 700 MHz licensee's wireless network.
Quoted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_neutrality
The following is a dirct quote from ^ "Policy statement". Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
In 2005, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a Broadband Policy Statement (also known as the Internet Policy Statement), which lists four principles of open Internet,[16] "To encourage broadband deployment and preserve and promote the open and interconnected nature of the public Internet, consumers are entitled to:"
• access the lawful Internet content of their choice.
• run applications and use services of their choice, subject to the needs of law enforcement.
• connect their choice of legal devices that do not harm the network.
• competition among network providers, application and service providers, and content providers.
The whole Net Neutrality issue arose when the company Level 3, owner of Netflicks, sued Comcast for raising their rates. Level 3 said this was an unfair business practice, and Comcast claimed that level 3 itself was using unfair practices, and should be charged more for the extra bandwidth the required. Comcast won the law suite, however later the FCC ruled against Comcast, and required them to stop this practice.
In April, 2011 a Federal court ruled that The FCC does not have the authority to make this ruling. Now it is in the hands of Congress to change the law, and give The FCC the right to regulate ISP providers. Where this will go is anyone’s guess.
SOURCES
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_neutrality
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2374638,00.asp
http://gigaom.com/2010/11/29/forget-net-neutrality-comcast-might-break-the-web/
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/07/technology/07net.html
http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/court-rules-039net-neutrality039-comcast-atampt-win-google-amazon-lose
Friday, April 8, 2011
Week 11, Blog 7, Jobs in the Linux field, Curtis Klein
Week 11, Blog 7, Jobs in the Linux field, Curtis Klein.
I searched a large number of different sites to get these results, and they are not reassuring for new graduates with an associate’s degree. Almost all of the initial jobs require at least Bachelors degree and a number of years experience. These job ads are quoted in section 1 of the job descriptions below.
To find something more appropriate I narrowed the search to entry level Linux jobs. Once again there were very few advertised positions that did not require at least a few years working experience; however the educational requirements were a lot less stringent. One of the jobs that initially looked most promising turned out to be located in Ahmadabad, Gujarat, India. If you have ever worked in India (as I have), you know how desperate one would have to be to take this job. These job ads are quoted in section 2 of the job descriptions below.
Finally, I looked for entry level positions in Hawaii, simply because Hawaii would be a very nice place to live (no snow), and the economy is supposed to be very good. I did find a very few jobs, but they all require higher degrees and job experience. However there were a very large number of positions that are being offered by the National Security Agency (in the Hawaii section below). None of the ads go into details of what security requirements are required.
The job market today is difficult for everyone, and the toughest part is always to not get discouraged. The advantage modern job seeking is that is possible to send out hundreds of resumes every week, without exhausting yourself. Unlike most other industries, the high tech field interviewers expect initial inquiries to be via e mail. This gives us a great advantage when job hunting.
The pay was usually not shown, however Dakine Software was offering $30,000 to $60,000 per year.
The Linux Foundation has organized a Web site specifically for people looking for positions in the Linux field. It is the Linux Jobs Board. http://jobs.linux.com/ .
Due to the fact that there following are copies of employment ads, they are quoted directly from the websites.
JOB DESCRIPTIONS:
Section 1.
Linux Media Engineer Posted Feb 23
Intel Corporation , Hillsboro, OR
You must possess a Master's degree or a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field with 7+ years of applicable experience in a combination of the following:
Red Hat Linux Systems Administrator Posted Mar 23
Quotient, Inc. , Suitland, MD
The Linux system administrator will perform all administration and
maintenance tasks for approximately 200 Red Hat Linux servers
7 years experience performing system administration
responsibilities for Red Hat Linux Servers.
Linux Systems Engineer Posted Mar 11
Susquehanna International Group , Bala Cynwyd, PA (Philadelphia Metro Area)
Required / Preferred Qualifications:
Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering or a related Science degree required
Minimum of two (2) years of Linux infrastructure management and operational experience in a medium to large environment required
Section 2.
Linux Administrator
Install, configure and support Red Hat Linux enterprise-class server configurations
Required Skills:
Install, configure and support Red Hat Linux enterprise-class server configurations.
Linux *Pro Validation Engineer
Are a Linux networking Guru who is looking for a 6-12 month contract with one of Oregon's premier employers? If so, Kelly IT Resources wants to talk with you!
Required Education: Not Specified
Entry Level System Administrator - Linux
Location
New York, NY
Job Description
FXDD seeks a Junior System Administrator to join the team responsible for supporting and maintaining the FXDD Trading Systems. This is a hands-on role and will require supporting a 24x5 high availability Production Environment.
Job Requirements
Common Linux server administration skills
Shell/perl scripting, OS tuning, TCP/IP services configuration (apache, dns, etc)
Sound decision making and critical thinking skills
Organization and prioritization skills
Team/results oriented, flexible, proactive, self-starter able to work in a cross-functional team environment
Good written and verbal communication skills
Undergraduate degree in Computer Science/Math/Engineering preferred
Entry Level System Administrator - Linux
FXDD is a fast growing leader in online forex trading dedicated to providing superior customer service and powerful technology. Competitive compensation and benefits package is available for qualified employees including medical, dental and 401k.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
FXDD seeks a Junior System Administrator to join the team responsible for supporting and maintaining the FXDD Trading Systems.
India.
Entry Level Linux System Administrator - view or apply
Gloscon Solutions Pvt. Ltd. - Ahmadabad, Gujarat
We are looking for 2 entry level Jr. Linux System Administrators who will manage our web servers. Knowledge of Linux Admin and LAMP stack configuration, tuning, DNS, Server Hardening would be critical. Desired Candidate Profile Good command over Linux Administration Passion for Linux Good English and Entrepreneurial Traits Local to Ahmedabad only Experience Required : 0 - 2 Years Education Required : UG - Any Graduate - Any Specialization,Graduation Not Required PG - Any PG Course - Any Speciali
From spanjobs.com - 30+ days ago
Hawaii.
http://www.intelligencecareers.com/jobs_nl/jobview.cfm?jobid=3368327&jsc=d012345&refsrc=juju
NSA - National Security Agency
Operational Computer Systems Analyst
Daily management of site computer systems such as user administration, backup and user account management.
ualifications: Entry is with a High School diploma with ten (10) years experience, an Associate's degree with seven (7) years experience, or a Bachelor's degree with five (5) years experience. Qualifying degree, if any, must be in Computer Science or Information Systems.
Dakine Software
1481 S. King Steet
Suite 225
Honolulu, HI 96814 (map it!Map it! )
Base Pay:
$30,000 - $60,000 /Year
Other Pay:
Performance bonus
Employee Type:
Full-Time
Industry:
Computer Software
Computer Hardware
Consulting
Manages Others:
No
Job Type:
Information Technology
Professional Services
Education:
4 Year Degree
Experience:
At least 1 year(s)
Verison
Network Control - Entry LevelDegree LevelHigh SchoolClearanceTop Secret/SSBICityMililaniStateHawaiiCountryUnited StatesJob Responsibilities / QualificationsTechnician works in a 24x7 (including weekends and holidays) environment performing monitoring and surveillance for customer data backbone and edge network infrastructure.
Additional Qualifications: Associates degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Business, or other scientific or technical discipline directly related to the labor category + two (2) years experience in the information technology field is required.
SOURCES:
http://www.careerrookie.com/jobs/keyword/Linux/
http://jobs.linux.com/
http://blogs.computerworld.com/15407/linux_foundation_helps_linux_job_hunters
http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Entry_Level_System_Administrator_Linux/Job-Listings
http://www.fxdd.com/en/about-fxdd/jobs/entry-level-system-administrator-linux.html?
http://www.intelligencecareers.com/jobs_nl/jobview.cfm?jobid=3368327&jsc=d012345&refsrc=juju
http://www.job-search-engine.com/keyword/entry-level-linux-administrator/
http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker
http://www.careerjet.com/entry-level-technician-jobs/hawaii-376.html
I searched a large number of different sites to get these results, and they are not reassuring for new graduates with an associate’s degree. Almost all of the initial jobs require at least Bachelors degree and a number of years experience. These job ads are quoted in section 1 of the job descriptions below.
To find something more appropriate I narrowed the search to entry level Linux jobs. Once again there were very few advertised positions that did not require at least a few years working experience; however the educational requirements were a lot less stringent. One of the jobs that initially looked most promising turned out to be located in Ahmadabad, Gujarat, India. If you have ever worked in India (as I have), you know how desperate one would have to be to take this job. These job ads are quoted in section 2 of the job descriptions below.
Finally, I looked for entry level positions in Hawaii, simply because Hawaii would be a very nice place to live (no snow), and the economy is supposed to be very good. I did find a very few jobs, but they all require higher degrees and job experience. However there were a very large number of positions that are being offered by the National Security Agency (in the Hawaii section below). None of the ads go into details of what security requirements are required.
The job market today is difficult for everyone, and the toughest part is always to not get discouraged. The advantage modern job seeking is that is possible to send out hundreds of resumes every week, without exhausting yourself. Unlike most other industries, the high tech field interviewers expect initial inquiries to be via e mail. This gives us a great advantage when job hunting.
The pay was usually not shown, however Dakine Software was offering $30,000 to $60,000 per year.
The Linux Foundation has organized a Web site specifically for people looking for positions in the Linux field. It is the Linux Jobs Board. http://jobs.linux.com/ .
Due to the fact that there following are copies of employment ads, they are quoted directly from the websites.
JOB DESCRIPTIONS:
Section 1.
Linux Media Engineer Posted Feb 23
Intel Corporation , Hillsboro, OR
You must possess a Master's degree or a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field with 7+ years of applicable experience in a combination of the following:
Red Hat Linux Systems Administrator Posted Mar 23
Quotient, Inc. , Suitland, MD
The Linux system administrator will perform all administration and
maintenance tasks for approximately 200 Red Hat Linux servers
7 years experience performing system administration
responsibilities for Red Hat Linux Servers.
Linux Systems Engineer Posted Mar 11
Susquehanna International Group , Bala Cynwyd, PA (Philadelphia Metro Area)
Required / Preferred Qualifications:
Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering or a related Science degree required
Minimum of two (2) years of Linux infrastructure management and operational experience in a medium to large environment required
Section 2.
Linux Administrator
Install, configure and support Red Hat Linux enterprise-class server configurations
Required Skills:
Install, configure and support Red Hat Linux enterprise-class server configurations.
Linux *Pro Validation Engineer
Are a Linux networking Guru who is looking for a 6-12 month contract with one of Oregon's premier employers? If so, Kelly IT Resources wants to talk with you!
Required Education: Not Specified
Entry Level System Administrator - Linux
Location
New York, NY
Job Description
FXDD seeks a Junior System Administrator to join the team responsible for supporting and maintaining the FXDD Trading Systems. This is a hands-on role and will require supporting a 24x5 high availability Production Environment.
Job Requirements
Common Linux server administration skills
Shell/perl scripting, OS tuning, TCP/IP services configuration (apache, dns, etc)
Sound decision making and critical thinking skills
Organization and prioritization skills
Team/results oriented, flexible, proactive, self-starter able to work in a cross-functional team environment
Good written and verbal communication skills
Undergraduate degree in Computer Science/Math/Engineering preferred
Entry Level System Administrator - Linux
FXDD is a fast growing leader in online forex trading dedicated to providing superior customer service and powerful technology. Competitive compensation and benefits package is available for qualified employees including medical, dental and 401k.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
FXDD seeks a Junior System Administrator to join the team responsible for supporting and maintaining the FXDD Trading Systems.
India.
Entry Level Linux System Administrator - view or apply
Gloscon Solutions Pvt. Ltd. - Ahmadabad, Gujarat
We are looking for 2 entry level Jr. Linux System Administrators who will manage our web servers. Knowledge of Linux Admin and LAMP stack configuration, tuning, DNS, Server Hardening would be critical. Desired Candidate Profile Good command over Linux Administration Passion for Linux Good English and Entrepreneurial Traits Local to Ahmedabad only Experience Required : 0 - 2 Years Education Required : UG - Any Graduate - Any Specialization,Graduation Not Required PG - Any PG Course - Any Speciali
From spanjobs.com - 30+ days ago
Hawaii.
http://www.intelligencecareers.com/jobs_nl/jobview.cfm?jobid=3368327&jsc=d012345&refsrc=juju
NSA - National Security Agency
Operational Computer Systems Analyst
Daily management of site computer systems such as user administration, backup and user account management.
ualifications: Entry is with a High School diploma with ten (10) years experience, an Associate's degree with seven (7) years experience, or a Bachelor's degree with five (5) years experience. Qualifying degree, if any, must be in Computer Science or Information Systems.
Dakine Software
1481 S. King Steet
Suite 225
Honolulu, HI 96814 (map it!Map it! )
Base Pay:
$30,000 - $60,000 /Year
Other Pay:
Performance bonus
Employee Type:
Full-Time
Industry:
Computer Software
Computer Hardware
Consulting
Manages Others:
No
Job Type:
Information Technology
Professional Services
Education:
4 Year Degree
Experience:
At least 1 year(s)
Verison
Network Control - Entry LevelDegree LevelHigh SchoolClearanceTop Secret/SSBICityMililaniStateHawaiiCountryUnited StatesJob Responsibilities / QualificationsTechnician works in a 24x7 (including weekends and holidays) environment performing monitoring and surveillance for customer data backbone and edge network infrastructure.
Additional Qualifications: Associates degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Business, or other scientific or technical discipline directly related to the labor category + two (2) years experience in the information technology field is required.
SOURCES:
http://www.careerrookie.com/jobs/keyword/Linux/
http://jobs.linux.com/
http://blogs.computerworld.com/15407/linux_foundation_helps_linux_job_hunters
http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Entry_Level_System_Administrator_Linux/Job-Listings
http://www.fxdd.com/en/about-fxdd/jobs/entry-level-system-administrator-linux.html?
http://www.intelligencecareers.com/jobs_nl/jobview.cfm?jobid=3368327&jsc=d012345&refsrc=juju
http://www.job-search-engine.com/keyword/entry-level-linux-administrator/
http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker
http://www.careerjet.com/entry-level-technician-jobs/hawaii-376.html
Saturday, April 2, 2011
SCO v. Novell, Blog 6, CIT 173
SCO v. Novell was a Federal (U.S.) lawsuit concerning the ownership of the Unix O.S. The battle was between the companies SCO and Novell. It originated with SCO suing IBM for royalties after IBM used a copywritten Unix version obtained from SCO to develop their software. Novell then got into the act, claiming that SCO’s Unix actually belonged to Novell, and all the proceeds that SCO had made rightfully belonged to Novell.
Does this seem convoluted? Wait, it gets worse.
After a few years of litigation in state (Utah) and federal courts, and even the International Chamber of Commerce's International Court of Arbitration in Paris, France getting involved, Novell won their suite in U.S. court, and was awarded $2,547,817. Personally, I doubt that they will be able to collect much, after SCO declares bankruptcy. This is, however, a large victory for the open source community, for SCO was stopped from charging royalties for open source software that they did not actually own, and paid a severe penalty for trying. Novell has publicly stated that they will not sue anyone over the use of Unix.
SOURCES:
http://blogs.computerworld.com/16304/ding_dong_scos_trial_is_dead_linux_is_free
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCO_v._Novell
www.novell.com/prblogs/?p=2153
www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20100309181439569
Does this seem convoluted? Wait, it gets worse.
After a few years of litigation in state (Utah) and federal courts, and even the International Chamber of Commerce's International Court of Arbitration in Paris, France getting involved, Novell won their suite in U.S. court, and was awarded $2,547,817. Personally, I doubt that they will be able to collect much, after SCO declares bankruptcy. This is, however, a large victory for the open source community, for SCO was stopped from charging royalties for open source software that they did not actually own, and paid a severe penalty for trying. Novell has publicly stated that they will not sue anyone over the use of Unix.
SOURCES:
http://blogs.computerworld.com/16304/ding_dong_scos_trial_is_dead_linux_is_free
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCO_v._Novell
www.novell.com/prblogs/?p=2153
www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20100309181439569
Friday, March 11, 2011
CIT 173, week 7, Bog 5, FredNet
Team FredNet, the open source project to win the 20 million dollar Google X Prize, is a wonderful idea. If colonization of space is ever to get off the ground as anything other than a government or corporate experiment, private individuals must become involved in exploration. Team FredNet is making space exploration literally open to the masses. Anyone can now actually participate in the design of spacecraft, instead of just watching on the TV. Although this project will probably turn out to be somewhat pricey, with 6 to 10 million dollars just for the lift to Earth orbit, it is something finally within reach of a private, non-profit organization.
Team FredNet also clearly shows that the open source community can compete with major corporations on major physical projects, and not just information systems (as major as the Linux project is). This will open space travel to all kinds of unimaginable private pursuits, and provide competition to the military and industrial development of space. I can easily imagine a time in the not too distant future when the idea of Team FredNet has inspired the imagination of millions, and open source space exploration becomes the first public sector, open exploration project on the scale of the Apollo program.
Team FredNet is an inspiration for anyone who believes that space colonization is the destiny of a free humanity.
Team FredNet also clearly shows that the open source community can compete with major corporations on major physical projects, and not just information systems (as major as the Linux project is). This will open space travel to all kinds of unimaginable private pursuits, and provide competition to the military and industrial development of space. I can easily imagine a time in the not too distant future when the idea of Team FredNet has inspired the imagination of millions, and open source space exploration becomes the first public sector, open exploration project on the scale of the Apollo program.
Team FredNet is an inspiration for anyone who believes that space colonization is the destiny of a free humanity.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Blog 4, Linux kernal numbering
The Linux kernel is constantly in a state of development. Because of this there are many different versions of the Linux kernel in use today. If you are going to be working with Linux, or even discussing Linux with someone, it is very important to know which version of the Linux kernel you are working with. Additionally, knowing which version you are currently using allows you to determine if it is necessary to upgrade your kernel to a newer version.
There are 2 basic types of Linux kernels available: a production version, that is ready for general use, and an experimental version, which is still under development. If you are upgrading your personal Linux kernel, you would want the production version. For versions released prior to 2004, which version you are downloading could be determined by the second number in the kernels 4 number numbering scheme. If the second number (the number of the revision: the first number is the version) is even it is a production version. If it is odd it is an experimental version. For current versions of the Linux kernel 9version 2.6.0 or later) the letters "rc" are added after he numbers to indicate a version under development.
You can easily determine which kernel version is on your computer by using the uname command.
This numbering scheme does not seem to have any real disadvantages, as long as you are very careful not to mistakenly download a developing version of a kernel.
SOURCES:
http://www.linfo.org/kernel_version_numbering.html The Linux Information Project
http://www.lanana.org/docs/device-list/devices.txt
http://tldp.org/LDP/lame/LAME/linux-admin-made-easy/linux-kernel-upgrades.html Linux Administration Made Easy
http://www.lockergnome.com/linux/2002/04/09/kernel-numbering/ Linux Fanatics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_kernel
There are 2 basic types of Linux kernels available: a production version, that is ready for general use, and an experimental version, which is still under development. If you are upgrading your personal Linux kernel, you would want the production version. For versions released prior to 2004, which version you are downloading could be determined by the second number in the kernels 4 number numbering scheme. If the second number (the number of the revision: the first number is the version) is even it is a production version. If it is odd it is an experimental version. For current versions of the Linux kernel 9version 2.6.0 or later) the letters "rc" are added after he numbers to indicate a version under development.
You can easily determine which kernel version is on your computer by using the uname command.
This numbering scheme does not seem to have any real disadvantages, as long as you are very careful not to mistakenly download a developing version of a kernel.
SOURCES:
http://www.linfo.org/kernel_version_numbering.html The Linux Information Project
http://www.lanana.org/docs/device-list/devices.txt
http://tldp.org/LDP/lame/LAME/linux-admin-made-easy/linux-kernel-upgrades.html Linux Administration Made Easy
http://www.lockergnome.com/linux/2002/04/09/kernel-numbering/ Linux Fanatics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_kernel
Thursday, February 10, 2011
An explanation of The Cathedral vs. the Bazaar.
The following is an explanation of The Cathedral vs. the Bazaar.
The Cathedral vs. the Bazaar (or Cathedral and the Bazaar, abbreviated CatB), is an essay by Eric S. Raymond about methods of software engineering, based on his experiences developing the Linux kernel and managing the open source project, fetchmail. It contrasts the Cathedral and Bazaar models of software development.
The Cathedral method is where a small number of developers wok to develop a program in private. This process is not very efficient, however its advantage is that it allows a company to develop a product, market it, and make a profit, keeping their code proprietary. The profit motive encourages the development of limited use programs, which might otherwise never get written.
The Bazaar model is where a large number of programmers work together, publicly, to develop programs solely out of their own interest in doing so. The only way to do this is to use open source freeware. All of the programming is by necessity available to anyone, and none can be proprietary. The essay's argument is that "given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow" (Linus's Law). This simply means that the more programmers working on developing a certain program, the more efficient will be the development of the program.
One of the side effects of the Bazaar model is that it will almost certainly eliminate many private companies from the field, with the resulting economic effects. As Microsoft's "Halloween Document" illustrates, even the industry giant is worried about this. It will also greatly expand the library of free software, and make it impossibly for companies to charge excessive prices, or use monopolistic practices, for their software.
According to Eric Raymond there are 19 guidelines for creating open source software:
(Quoted from Eric S. Raymond (1999). The Cathedral & the Bazaar. O'Reilly. ISBN 1-56592-724-9. http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/cathedral-bazaar/: )
1. Every good work of software starts by scratching a developer's personal itch.
2. Good programmers know what to write. Great ones know what to rewrite (and reuse).
3. Plan to throw one away; you will, anyhow.
4. If you have the right attitude, interesting problems will find you.
5. When you lose interest in a program, your last duty to it is to hand it off to a competent successor.
6. Treating your users as co-developers is your least-hassle route to rapid code improvement and effective debugging.
7. Release early. Release often. And listen to your customers.
8. Given a large enough beta-tester and co-developer base, almost every problem will be characterized quickly and the fix obvious to someone.
9. Smart data structures and dumb code works a lot better than the other way around.
10. If you treat your beta-testers as if they're your most valuable resource, they will respond by becoming your most valuable resource.
11. The next best thing to having good ideas is recognizing good ideas from your users. Sometimes the latter is better.
12. Often, the most striking and innovative solutions come from realizing that your concept of the problem was wrong.
13. Perfection (in design) is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but rather when there is nothing more to take away.
14. Any tool should be useful in the expected way, but a truly great tool lends itself to uses you never expected.
15. When writing gateway software of any kind, take pains to disturb the data stream as little as possible—and never throw away information unless the recipient forces you to!
16. When your language is nowhere near Turing-complete, syntactic sugar can be your friend.
17. A security system is only as secure as its secret. Beware of pseudo-secrets.
18. To solve an interesting problem, start by finding a problem that is interesting to you.
19. Provided the development coordinator has a communications medium at least as good as the Internet, and knows how to lead without coercion, many heads are inevitably better than one.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_Documents
The Cathedral and the Bazaar: Musings on Linux and Open Source by an Accidental Revolutionary (O'Reilly Linux) (Hardcover) by Donald Mitchell
http://www.ite.poly.edu/chapel_printable.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/cathedral-bazaar/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cathedral_and_the_Bazaar
Eric S. Raymond (1999). The Cathedral & the Bazaar. O'Reilly. ISBN 1-56592-724-9. http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/cathedral-bazaar/
The Cathedral vs. the Bazaar (or Cathedral and the Bazaar, abbreviated CatB), is an essay by Eric S. Raymond about methods of software engineering, based on his experiences developing the Linux kernel and managing the open source project, fetchmail. It contrasts the Cathedral and Bazaar models of software development.
The Cathedral method is where a small number of developers wok to develop a program in private. This process is not very efficient, however its advantage is that it allows a company to develop a product, market it, and make a profit, keeping their code proprietary. The profit motive encourages the development of limited use programs, which might otherwise never get written.
The Bazaar model is where a large number of programmers work together, publicly, to develop programs solely out of their own interest in doing so. The only way to do this is to use open source freeware. All of the programming is by necessity available to anyone, and none can be proprietary. The essay's argument is that "given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow" (Linus's Law). This simply means that the more programmers working on developing a certain program, the more efficient will be the development of the program.
One of the side effects of the Bazaar model is that it will almost certainly eliminate many private companies from the field, with the resulting economic effects. As Microsoft's "Halloween Document" illustrates, even the industry giant is worried about this. It will also greatly expand the library of free software, and make it impossibly for companies to charge excessive prices, or use monopolistic practices, for their software.
According to Eric Raymond there are 19 guidelines for creating open source software:
(Quoted from Eric S. Raymond (1999). The Cathedral & the Bazaar. O'Reilly. ISBN 1-56592-724-9. http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/cathedral-bazaar/: )
1. Every good work of software starts by scratching a developer's personal itch.
2. Good programmers know what to write. Great ones know what to rewrite (and reuse).
3. Plan to throw one away; you will, anyhow.
4. If you have the right attitude, interesting problems will find you.
5. When you lose interest in a program, your last duty to it is to hand it off to a competent successor.
6. Treating your users as co-developers is your least-hassle route to rapid code improvement and effective debugging.
7. Release early. Release often. And listen to your customers.
8. Given a large enough beta-tester and co-developer base, almost every problem will be characterized quickly and the fix obvious to someone.
9. Smart data structures and dumb code works a lot better than the other way around.
10. If you treat your beta-testers as if they're your most valuable resource, they will respond by becoming your most valuable resource.
11. The next best thing to having good ideas is recognizing good ideas from your users. Sometimes the latter is better.
12. Often, the most striking and innovative solutions come from realizing that your concept of the problem was wrong.
13. Perfection (in design) is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but rather when there is nothing more to take away.
14. Any tool should be useful in the expected way, but a truly great tool lends itself to uses you never expected.
15. When writing gateway software of any kind, take pains to disturb the data stream as little as possible—and never throw away information unless the recipient forces you to!
16. When your language is nowhere near Turing-complete, syntactic sugar can be your friend.
17. A security system is only as secure as its secret. Beware of pseudo-secrets.
18. To solve an interesting problem, start by finding a problem that is interesting to you.
19. Provided the development coordinator has a communications medium at least as good as the Internet, and knows how to lead without coercion, many heads are inevitably better than one.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_Documents
The Cathedral and the Bazaar: Musings on Linux and Open Source by an Accidental Revolutionary (O'Reilly Linux) (Hardcover) by Donald Mitchell
http://www.ite.poly.edu/chapel_printable.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/cathedral-bazaar/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cathedral_and_the_Bazaar
Eric S. Raymond (1999). The Cathedral & the Bazaar. O'Reilly. ISBN 1-56592-724-9. http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/cathedral-bazaar/
Friday, February 4, 2011
CIT 128, Blog # 2, This is a short description of the Linux kernel.
This is a short description of the Linux kernel.
The Linux kernel is the core of the Linux operating system. It is an enormous mass of software (over 6,000,000 lines of code), that allows different applications to be run at the same time, on the same computer. Although the Linux kernel can be considered one large system, and does occupy a single address space on the hard drive, in reality it is made up of many subsystems that manage different processes, such as memory management, communication management or device drivers. Before the development of the Linux kernel (or similar operating systems) it was necessary for programmers to develop only in the particular machines language, with only one user or application being run at a time. This was particularly cumbersome, difficult and inefficient.
The Linux kernel is the core of the Linux operating system. It is an enormous mass of software (over 6,000,000 lines of code), that allows different applications to be run at the same time, on the same computer. Although the Linux kernel can be considered one large system, and does occupy a single address space on the hard drive, in reality it is made up of many subsystems that manage different processes, such as memory management, communication management or device drivers. Before the development of the Linux kernel (or similar operating systems) it was necessary for programmers to develop only in the particular machines language, with only one user or application being run at a time. This was particularly cumbersome, difficult and inefficient.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Cit 114 Blog #1
Hi Kathy,
This is Curtis Klein. I am using the same blog I used for the last class I took with you. I hope this is OK. I look forward to studying with you again. Below are 7 things you do not need to know about me.
1. I am rapidly going bald.
2. I am a Real Estate Broker.
3. I greatly prefer warm weather to cold weather.
4. I have worked in Thailand, I India, and Honduras.
5. I do not like peas.
6. I am a very good cook.
7. I like hiking, but not driving.
This is Curtis Klein. I am using the same blog I used for the last class I took with you. I hope this is OK. I look forward to studying with you again. Below are 7 things you do not need to know about me.
1. I am rapidly going bald.
2. I am a Real Estate Broker.
3. I greatly prefer warm weather to cold weather.
4. I have worked in Thailand, I India, and Honduras.
5. I do not like peas.
6. I am a very good cook.
7. I like hiking, but not driving.
Monday, May 10, 2010
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
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
Sunday, May 2, 2010
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
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
Sunday, April 25, 2010
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.
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.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
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.
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.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
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.
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.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
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.
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.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
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.
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.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
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?
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?
Sunday, February 28, 2010
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.
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.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
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.
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.
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