Friday, November 28, 2008
Computer Architecture Week 5
This week had us all take a component of computer hardware and research it and present the basic facts of each. The question posed to us is: What were the most valuable pieces of information that you learned from presentations in class tonight? At face value, this is difficult to answer because I feel well versed in all areas that were presented. New information includes the advent of PCI-E slots for video cards. I was not alert to the newest and fastest card types. When putting together a new system I will make sure I give attention to ones that have the newest type. Learning more about flash drives was beneficial. I never realized they can only be rewritten over so many times before failure. Makes me wonder why they don't have come type of counter attached to give the user more info pertaining to this aspect. I really learned the most from my own research about BIOS. I took this on so I could learn more about it, rather than choose something I already understood. The most interesting part of the research centered around the advent of EFI as a replacement for BIOS and how Apple has it easy because they control every facet of the production. PC makers need to come to come type of consensus regarding a coordinated effort to standardize hardware from their manufacturers. Until this happens Microsoft will be at their mercy, mush to Apple's delight.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Computer Architecture Week 3
This week had us examine Operating Systems.
OS Activities—Ron Mork
2pts - Install an OS:
I have installed several operating systems. They are all Windows systems. I upgraded my hard drives on my old IBM several times and with each one I installed Windows 98. These installs were easy and effortless. There was never a problem doing so. I have also installed Windows XP twice. One time was when replaced a hard drive. This install went 95% fine. I could not get all the drivers to work, especially the NIC driver; the system was not fully functional, so I switched it and used it as a slave drive. Then I had a hard drive crash and I needed to install a new one anyway. I ran into the same problems. I was unable to get a few of the drivers to work. However, this time I was more diligent and after an afternoon of trial and error, along with searching help forums, I was able to track down the missing drivers through the system information directory and activate all the hardware on the computer. As much as it was a pain in the backside, I was gleeful in my ability to not give up and call overpriced support and solve the problems myself.
1pt - Upgrade or install an OS patch, Service Pack or Upgrade for your OS:
I can only say that I have received updates from Microsoft and I oversee the process of installing updates. I do not allow my system to automatically install them. I want to know what is being installed and perhaps why. The latest SP3 from Microsoft for Windows XP was a disaster for me. There were stories circulating that the install of the OS Service Pack caused problems for a few individuals. Well I was one of them. I decided to install the SP3 to my desktop last August and was trapped in an endless loop while trying to reboot. My computer was inoperable. One thing I like to do is to try and solve my own problems on the computer. Well I spent the better part of 6/7 hours scouring the help forums for an answer to my problem. I tried several methods before realizing that I needed to disconnect all my USB connected devices, well that includes keyboard, mouse , and just about everything on a new computer. Most new computers so not have PS/2 ports for mouse and keyboard operation, everything is USB. The long and short of it was I needed to get into a SAFE mode on startup and I did but couldn’t navigate without a mouse and keyboard (USB), so I ended up rigging them through my USB ports on my monitor and getting in through the side door. Once there I was able to restore my system to a time before the SP3 install and repair all the damage. My desktop still doesn’t work properly and I am re-imaging to a factory state over Christmas break. I will not install SP3. I can’t wait for the next OS by Windows. As Bill said in Pirates of Silicon Valley…we need to make people need us…well I need Bill and MS.
2pts - Pirates of the Silicon Valley:
To me it was a real treat watching this movie. Truthfully, I never knew it existed. I thought it quite interesting how these two individuals and their respective companies were so intertwined, yet so distinctly different, just as they are today. The thing I liked about it was that I was alive and kicking during this whole process. I was 18 in 1976. I thought back to what I was doing during this time and how the elements of the growth of both companies triggered memories. As far as the two men involved, Steve and Bill, well the movie seemed to paint them as synergistic opposites. Steve in his god-like nirvana and Bill in his nerd-like egoism almost seem to be yin and yang; both having a narcissistic drive to propel their companies toward success. I do not know how totally accurate the portrayals were but the seemed to peg the individuals fairly accurately. I thought it interesting that Steve seemed to reject his daughter Lisa, being that he was adopted himself; if this rejection is true at all. My favorite part was when Steve and Bill confronted each other after the Super Bowl commercial and Bill telling Steve that he just stole first; they both realized that they were guilty of stealing ideas together from Xerox. Once again, how true this is I don’t know. I do remember the commercial though. The movie left me wondering that with Steve’s intense loyalty-seeking drive toward a cult-like family would mean that Apple’s employees would have drank Jonestown Kool-Aid for him. I did like watching this movie after watching Triumph of the Nerds. The factual documentary really filled in the content needed to truly understand what was happening. Great movie!
OS Activities—Ron Mork
2pts - Install an OS:
I have installed several operating systems. They are all Windows systems. I upgraded my hard drives on my old IBM several times and with each one I installed Windows 98. These installs were easy and effortless. There was never a problem doing so. I have also installed Windows XP twice. One time was when replaced a hard drive. This install went 95% fine. I could not get all the drivers to work, especially the NIC driver; the system was not fully functional, so I switched it and used it as a slave drive. Then I had a hard drive crash and I needed to install a new one anyway. I ran into the same problems. I was unable to get a few of the drivers to work. However, this time I was more diligent and after an afternoon of trial and error, along with searching help forums, I was able to track down the missing drivers through the system information directory and activate all the hardware on the computer. As much as it was a pain in the backside, I was gleeful in my ability to not give up and call overpriced support and solve the problems myself.
1pt - Upgrade or install an OS patch, Service Pack or Upgrade for your OS:
I can only say that I have received updates from Microsoft and I oversee the process of installing updates. I do not allow my system to automatically install them. I want to know what is being installed and perhaps why. The latest SP3 from Microsoft for Windows XP was a disaster for me. There were stories circulating that the install of the OS Service Pack caused problems for a few individuals. Well I was one of them. I decided to install the SP3 to my desktop last August and was trapped in an endless loop while trying to reboot. My computer was inoperable. One thing I like to do is to try and solve my own problems on the computer. Well I spent the better part of 6/7 hours scouring the help forums for an answer to my problem. I tried several methods before realizing that I needed to disconnect all my USB connected devices, well that includes keyboard, mouse , and just about everything on a new computer. Most new computers so not have PS/2 ports for mouse and keyboard operation, everything is USB. The long and short of it was I needed to get into a SAFE mode on startup and I did but couldn’t navigate without a mouse and keyboard (USB), so I ended up rigging them through my USB ports on my monitor and getting in through the side door. Once there I was able to restore my system to a time before the SP3 install and repair all the damage. My desktop still doesn’t work properly and I am re-imaging to a factory state over Christmas break. I will not install SP3. I can’t wait for the next OS by Windows. As Bill said in Pirates of Silicon Valley…we need to make people need us…well I need Bill and MS.
2pts - Pirates of the Silicon Valley:
To me it was a real treat watching this movie. Truthfully, I never knew it existed. I thought it quite interesting how these two individuals and their respective companies were so intertwined, yet so distinctly different, just as they are today. The thing I liked about it was that I was alive and kicking during this whole process. I was 18 in 1976. I thought back to what I was doing during this time and how the elements of the growth of both companies triggered memories. As far as the two men involved, Steve and Bill, well the movie seemed to paint them as synergistic opposites. Steve in his god-like nirvana and Bill in his nerd-like egoism almost seem to be yin and yang; both having a narcissistic drive to propel their companies toward success. I do not know how totally accurate the portrayals were but the seemed to peg the individuals fairly accurately. I thought it interesting that Steve seemed to reject his daughter Lisa, being that he was adopted himself; if this rejection is true at all. My favorite part was when Steve and Bill confronted each other after the Super Bowl commercial and Bill telling Steve that he just stole first; they both realized that they were guilty of stealing ideas together from Xerox. Once again, how true this is I don’t know. I do remember the commercial though. The movie left me wondering that with Steve’s intense loyalty-seeking drive toward a cult-like family would mean that Apple’s employees would have drank Jonestown Kool-Aid for him. I did like watching this movie after watching Triumph of the Nerds. The factual documentary really filled in the content needed to truly understand what was happening. Great movie!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Computer Architecture Week 2
Just a short blog this week. This week had us examine how long different computers and/or operating systems take to boot up. I have a PC with Windows XP Pro. The boot up time is fairly quick, I think, 63 sec. the full load of the OS with all the programs is 120 seconds. I have quite a few programs that need to load. Overall, to me, this is acceptable.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Computer Architecture Week 1
My life first...class stuff last!!
PERSONAL
Well, I sit here at the Wisconsin Dells, in a room at Chula Vista while my son sleeps. We are in town for a Youth Championship Football Tournament. I just realized that daylight savings time has occurred and it is really 7:15, not 8:15. This is both a blessing and a curse. You see his team won, which for all involved is good. It was a close game with both teams evenly matched. That was the blessing. Now the curse. Had they lost we would be playing at 10 this morning, done by 12 and home around 2. We don't play until tonight at 6, done by 8 and home by 10; which with daylight savings time will seem like 11. It is not easy getting my son up at 5:30 am for school on a normal night let alone add in all of the above. Yikes! Oh well lets hope they win so the ride home is more joyful than not. The good thing is he will be beat and most likely will sleep. As for me, well...it is what it is!! Any other parents feel the same way about these sports tourneys? Blessing vs. Curse??
The other thing is we need to be out of the room by 10:30. The game is at 6 so it will be a long afternoon. I suppose I could find out if we could stay in the water park, but the team needs to be out of the water by 1 so not much leeway there. I may drive a bit to get into town but not sure how much is open on a Sunday in November. Oh well it may just be a time killer.
Ahhh.....the life of a devoted parent. At least I brought my laptop and have taken the opportunity to work on my portfolio stuff albeit with a 1Mbps connection. We are at the end of the complex so I assume the signal has really faded down here. Boy to think that I was used to dial up connectivity and I thought that was great; then to be spoiled, somewhat, by a cable connection, I feel like I have reverted back to the stone age. But at least I have a connection!!
Oh yeah, we had a great buffet dinner last night and I had way more than my share of King Crab legs....so tasty!!
CLASS
Anyway, I should blog a bit about the class. A new class brings a new blog. This class is all about "how a computer works--from the inside". Class 1 had us look at various components of computer hardware as well as watch a movie exploring the innards of a computer by following a group of students through large oversized pieces representing computer parts. This was both fun and interesting. The visuals helped with a few explanations and understandings. Overall I think it was worthwhile. The most interesting part was the computer simulation where we illustrated the operation of a computer without actually being a computer. We followed a path that added two numbers. It was a lesson in logic, really. I did find it interesting that the number of steps necessary to add two numbers, quite a few for such a simple step.
I am PC person. As far as navigating through the inside of a computer I do that quite a bit more than the normal person , I think! I am always opening up my computer to clean it of dust. My 7 year old loves to watch and I point out the parts. In fact, we recently, literally, tore apart our first computer, an IBM Aptiva from 1999. I explained the parts to him and he seemed to really enjoy it. He refers backs to it and wants to tear apart another one. I would actually like to build one with him. My only regret is not saving the parts. I have upgraded my computers with hard drives, memory, ZIP drives (on the Aptiva). I have reinstalled operating systems after severe crashes. Just for fun at times too just get a nice new clean running computer again. Last August after updating my XP to service pack 3, I got caught in the endless reboot loop that had plagued many people. I spent hours searching the forums looking for an answer and a way to bring it back to life. I finally did and still don't have perfect running system nor do I have service pack 3. I plan on doing a re-image this Christmas break after grad school ends. I don't like problems but I love the challenge of conquering them and winning. I will spend an awful lot of time trying to fix a problem myself before just giving up and doing an OS reinstall, although I have done that many times.
Well enough babbling.
Later!
PERSONAL
Well, I sit here at the Wisconsin Dells, in a room at Chula Vista while my son sleeps. We are in town for a Youth Championship Football Tournament. I just realized that daylight savings time has occurred and it is really 7:15, not 8:15. This is both a blessing and a curse. You see his team won, which for all involved is good. It was a close game with both teams evenly matched. That was the blessing. Now the curse. Had they lost we would be playing at 10 this morning, done by 12 and home around 2. We don't play until tonight at 6, done by 8 and home by 10; which with daylight savings time will seem like 11. It is not easy getting my son up at 5:30 am for school on a normal night let alone add in all of the above. Yikes! Oh well lets hope they win so the ride home is more joyful than not. The good thing is he will be beat and most likely will sleep. As for me, well...it is what it is!! Any other parents feel the same way about these sports tourneys? Blessing vs. Curse??
The other thing is we need to be out of the room by 10:30. The game is at 6 so it will be a long afternoon. I suppose I could find out if we could stay in the water park, but the team needs to be out of the water by 1 so not much leeway there. I may drive a bit to get into town but not sure how much is open on a Sunday in November. Oh well it may just be a time killer.
Ahhh.....the life of a devoted parent. At least I brought my laptop and have taken the opportunity to work on my portfolio stuff albeit with a 1Mbps connection. We are at the end of the complex so I assume the signal has really faded down here. Boy to think that I was used to dial up connectivity and I thought that was great; then to be spoiled, somewhat, by a cable connection, I feel like I have reverted back to the stone age. But at least I have a connection!!
Oh yeah, we had a great buffet dinner last night and I had way more than my share of King Crab legs....so tasty!!
CLASS
Anyway, I should blog a bit about the class. A new class brings a new blog. This class is all about "how a computer works--from the inside". Class 1 had us look at various components of computer hardware as well as watch a movie exploring the innards of a computer by following a group of students through large oversized pieces representing computer parts. This was both fun and interesting. The visuals helped with a few explanations and understandings. Overall I think it was worthwhile. The most interesting part was the computer simulation where we illustrated the operation of a computer without actually being a computer. We followed a path that added two numbers. It was a lesson in logic, really. I did find it interesting that the number of steps necessary to add two numbers, quite a few for such a simple step.
I am PC person. As far as navigating through the inside of a computer I do that quite a bit more than the normal person , I think! I am always opening up my computer to clean it of dust. My 7 year old loves to watch and I point out the parts. In fact, we recently, literally, tore apart our first computer, an IBM Aptiva from 1999. I explained the parts to him and he seemed to really enjoy it. He refers backs to it and wants to tear apart another one. I would actually like to build one with him. My only regret is not saving the parts. I have upgraded my computers with hard drives, memory, ZIP drives (on the Aptiva). I have reinstalled operating systems after severe crashes. Just for fun at times too just get a nice new clean running computer again. Last August after updating my XP to service pack 3, I got caught in the endless reboot loop that had plagued many people. I spent hours searching the forums looking for an answer and a way to bring it back to life. I finally did and still don't have perfect running system nor do I have service pack 3. I plan on doing a re-image this Christmas break after grad school ends. I don't like problems but I love the challenge of conquering them and winning. I will spend an awful lot of time trying to fix a problem myself before just giving up and doing an OS reinstall, although I have done that many times.
Well enough babbling.
Later!
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