Nobody really knows what the name means. We do however know the release date of this so called "Facebook Killer"... sometime in September. Now I am an open-source advocate myself and I appreciate anyone trying to support the freedom of software and the net. An open source platform like Diaspora* is clever in its design that the initial developers may never have to continue to develop after the product is released... because the open-source developers will do it for free. But can it really beat Facebook? Now, I'm not much a fan of Facebook trying to rule the web in it's own right, but Diaspora and it's cute little asterisk logo *, will not make a dent. Just like the $.75 mystery flavor Mountain Dew you buy at the grocery store, people will try it, then discard. Why? Primarily because there is no current need to switch social networking sites. Facebook already has hundreds of your friends, so why would anyone want to start all over? I am interested in seeing what kinds of technologies are going to be incorporated. Other than that, can't wait till September to see how these guys do. They seem to have some serious funds and some decent publicity, lets hope its worth the $200k people donated to fund it.
EAVB_JLLKUJBYTJ
Friday, May 21, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
Spring Cleaning
So everyone is cleaning their houses/apartments/computers. So here are a few tips I use when trying to refresh that 5 year old computer.
Rebuild the OS: Now often, most people are reluctant to take their computer refresh this far. But it is BY FAR, the best way to bring back your computers potential. Saving all of your videos, pictures, documents aside and reinstalling the Operating System is typically the best way to go. If your computer is 10 years old, consider a Linux distribution, otherwise stick with Windows XP (32-bit only), or try upgrading to Windows 7 (if newer than 5 years old with at minimum 1GB Ram). Rebuilding the OS will wipe the entire hard drive and make your computer act as if it were brand new again.
Remove Bloatware: Bloatware is the software that typically comes with a computer for promotional purposes. This often includes the free trial of Macafee and AOL on your desktop when you started your computer up for the first time. Uninstalling bloatware will also remove start-up items allowing your PC to load the Operating System Faster.
Modify Start-up: Click on 'Start' and then 'Run'. Now type "msconfig" without quotes. A box will pop up. Click the start-up tab. Now remove items that correspond to programs you would like not to start up when Windows boots. If you are unsure of the item, then leave it be, or feel free to check the filepath to see what program it belongs too.
Clean the Registry and Temp Files: Download and run CCleaner , possibly the best PC maintenance tool I've ever used.
Check your Virtual memory: Virtual memory is used by your computer when regular physical memory comes in short supply. Right click on My Computer, click Advanced, click performance, click Settings, click Advanced, click Virtual Memory. I usually set a minimum of around 1024MB and a max of around 2048MB. Older PCs tend to benefit more from Virtual Memory than newer ones.
Upgrade Hardware: I would typically ask someone with a general knowledge of PC components before attempting this one. Purchasing upgrades can get confusing if you do not have a general knowledge of the parts. The most basic upgrades include RAM and possibly a processor upgrade.
Malware Checking: Run an anti-virus check, also consider a Spyware tool. I recommend Advanced Spyware Remover. Its free and very fast.
Defragmentation: Under 'Start', click 'Programs', then 'Accessories', then 'System Tools' then Defragmentation. Run the the defrag on your Hard drive, typically the 'C' drive.
Dust: Go to your local PC or Office Supply store and buy a can of compressed air. Blow out all of that dust!!! (inside and out) Do NOT turn the can upside down when you spray however. Do this in a well ventilated area as it can cause asphyxiation if you breath in too much. Wipe down keyboards, blow out crumbs, clean up the case with a wet paper towel.
Enjoy your computer for another couple of years!!!!
Rebuild the OS: Now often, most people are reluctant to take their computer refresh this far. But it is BY FAR, the best way to bring back your computers potential. Saving all of your videos, pictures, documents aside and reinstalling the Operating System is typically the best way to go. If your computer is 10 years old, consider a Linux distribution, otherwise stick with Windows XP (32-bit only), or try upgrading to Windows 7 (if newer than 5 years old with at minimum 1GB Ram). Rebuilding the OS will wipe the entire hard drive and make your computer act as if it were brand new again.
Remove Bloatware: Bloatware is the software that typically comes with a computer for promotional purposes. This often includes the free trial of Macafee and AOL on your desktop when you started your computer up for the first time. Uninstalling bloatware will also remove start-up items allowing your PC to load the Operating System Faster.
Modify Start-up: Click on 'Start' and then 'Run'. Now type "msconfig" without quotes. A box will pop up. Click the start-up tab. Now remove items that correspond to programs you would like not to start up when Windows boots. If you are unsure of the item, then leave it be, or feel free to check the filepath to see what program it belongs too.
Clean the Registry and Temp Files: Download and run CCleaner , possibly the best PC maintenance tool I've ever used.
Check your Virtual memory: Virtual memory is used by your computer when regular physical memory comes in short supply. Right click on My Computer, click Advanced, click performance, click Settings, click Advanced, click Virtual Memory. I usually set a minimum of around 1024MB and a max of around 2048MB. Older PCs tend to benefit more from Virtual Memory than newer ones.
Upgrade Hardware: I would typically ask someone with a general knowledge of PC components before attempting this one. Purchasing upgrades can get confusing if you do not have a general knowledge of the parts. The most basic upgrades include RAM and possibly a processor upgrade.
Malware Checking: Run an anti-virus check, also consider a Spyware tool. I recommend Advanced Spyware Remover. Its free and very fast.
Defragmentation: Under 'Start', click 'Programs', then 'Accessories', then 'System Tools' then Defragmentation. Run the the defrag on your Hard drive, typically the 'C' drive.
Dust: Go to your local PC or Office Supply store and buy a can of compressed air. Blow out all of that dust!!! (inside and out) Do NOT turn the can upside down when you spray however. Do this in a well ventilated area as it can cause asphyxiation if you breath in too much. Wipe down keyboards, blow out crumbs, clean up the case with a wet paper towel.
Enjoy your computer for another couple of years!!!!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Opening a door with code
On my drive home from work, I started to think about how programming syntax can be used in applications that apply to everyday life. The concept of everything has a purpose or function was something I read about in Language and Myth by Ernst Cassirer. This concept easily applies to object-oriented programming. Weird, huh? For this explanation I will use some VB pseudo code. Syntactically, when a program is written, it is written in the order in which the events should occur. All objects have methods or actions in which they can perform. For instance, a door can open and close. The door also has properties associated to it. For instance the door is wood, closed, 6ft tall. So here is how to open a door in code:
If Door.closed = "true"
Call Door.OpenDoor
Else
Output "The Door is Already Open!"
End If
If User.Height < Door.Height
User.GoThroughDoor
Else
Call User.Duck
Call User.GoThroughDoor
End If
Friday, April 23, 2010
The Facebook Conundrum
Sitting back, enjoying my Blue Shadow (tea), I surfed the net trying to keep up with the latest tech headlines. Between CNN, ZDNet, and HackADay, I tend to get my daily fix. The caffeine soaks into my brain, making every story about the big three (Microsoft, Apple, and Google) that much more invigorating. I tend to be somewhat (very) bias against some companies when news hits. But in a recent news, Facebook was the headliner company. Facebook gets quite a few hits, and at what point even surpassed Google.com in a single day. So when Mark Zuckerberg announced some new spiderweb-ultra-web-collaborative-web-web-web tool for people to "like" stuff anywhere on the web, well... I couldn't believe that someone would think that it's starting to cramp Google's style.
THIS JUST IN! Facebook has become the new MySpace! Should we expect it's death in the coming years? Stay tuned to find out!
Facebook users are happy they no longer have a MySpace account. But wait, doesn't that mean...YES! The MySpacers have arrived and are slowly depriving Facebook of everything great that it could have been. Originally founded as a way for college students (ONLY) to meet and greet, it has turned into a giant Farmville, cultivating a generation of minds that only know how to tell people what they are doing today. As I seek alternatives to Facebook, I ponder what will happen to the future of Facebook after people, like I, decide to move on to something more intellectual.
The new "like" buttons added to millions of websites around the web are only the start of Facebook's collapse. As information shared across the net skyrockets, the security risks tend to increase as well. Companies are already able to access personal information via your profile. And if they can't, what's to stop them from creating a bogus profile of their own with an attractive girl wanting to be your friend? MySpace spammers figured it out and a caffeinated dude at a desk in an Omaha software shop figured it out, so who's next?
Sites like these have a life expectancy. Facebook has grown up and is ruling the web (not really, they aren't even close to Google). We've seen it before and it won't be too long before it will be another web fad that CollegeHumor.com decides to poke fun at. The MySpace fad lasted a few years and died due to security issues and profiles that nobody wanted to visit unless it was their own. AOL had a good run, until ISPs figured out that they could create a faster internet that isn't dependent on a client application (beyond the browser) for service. MSN still has this problem. So when should we expect the initial decline of Facebook? I would give it anywhere from 1 to 2 years. Add another 1 or 2 to that for its eventual death.
Why will Facebook die, everyone is on it, right? Yea, everyone, and their mother, and their grandparents, and their unborn children. User activity on Facebook is generated by people from 12-40 years old. It's a big population. Nothing changes on Facebook. People update their statuses and post pictures and add videos. The limits have been set, and people will naturally move on to something more entertaining and/or something that actually brings a new idea to the table. You can't sell a 10 year old computer to a nerd and tell them it's good enough. They want NEW!
In the meantime, I'm looking for something new that I can drag my real 20 of 220 friends to.
THIS JUST IN! Facebook has become the new MySpace! Should we expect it's death in the coming years? Stay tuned to find out!
Facebook users are happy they no longer have a MySpace account. But wait, doesn't that mean...YES! The MySpacers have arrived and are slowly depriving Facebook of everything great that it could have been. Originally founded as a way for college students (ONLY) to meet and greet, it has turned into a giant Farmville, cultivating a generation of minds that only know how to tell people what they are doing today. As I seek alternatives to Facebook, I ponder what will happen to the future of Facebook after people, like I, decide to move on to something more intellectual.
The new "like" buttons added to millions of websites around the web are only the start of Facebook's collapse. As information shared across the net skyrockets, the security risks tend to increase as well. Companies are already able to access personal information via your profile. And if they can't, what's to stop them from creating a bogus profile of their own with an attractive girl wanting to be your friend? MySpace spammers figured it out and a caffeinated dude at a desk in an Omaha software shop figured it out, so who's next?
Sites like these have a life expectancy. Facebook has grown up and is ruling the web (not really, they aren't even close to Google). We've seen it before and it won't be too long before it will be another web fad that CollegeHumor.com decides to poke fun at. The MySpace fad lasted a few years and died due to security issues and profiles that nobody wanted to visit unless it was their own. AOL had a good run, until ISPs figured out that they could create a faster internet that isn't dependent on a client application (beyond the browser) for service. MSN still has this problem. So when should we expect the initial decline of Facebook? I would give it anywhere from 1 to 2 years. Add another 1 or 2 to that for its eventual death.
Why will Facebook die, everyone is on it, right? Yea, everyone, and their mother, and their grandparents, and their unborn children. User activity on Facebook is generated by people from 12-40 years old. It's a big population. Nothing changes on Facebook. People update their statuses and post pictures and add videos. The limits have been set, and people will naturally move on to something more entertaining and/or something that actually brings a new idea to the table. You can't sell a 10 year old computer to a nerd and tell them it's good enough. They want NEW!
In the meantime, I'm looking for something new that I can drag my real 20 of 220 friends to.
Monday, April 12, 2010
The Death of Apple
The Mac. Known for it's sleek, simplistic designs and media capabilities, the Mac may see its last days within the next decade. Picking a fight with HTC over copyright several months back, created an almost unbeatable alliance. HTC is not a large enough company to survive any attack by Apple. But when Google's android platform and Microsoft's Windows Mobile platform are attacked by copyright infringement, Apple started a war it cannot win. The latest story is about Adobe, however. Apple stated it will no longer support some of the cross-compiler tools from Adobe. BIG MISTAKE!!! People buy Apples for multimedia purposes. With Adobe out of the picture, Apple users will be left in the dust. The Alliance is already starting to form and Apple simply cannot win this war. Adobe looks towards development on the Android and Ubuntu platforms, which could dramatically increase the number of Linux converts. All of this comes only a week after the iPad was released, without Adobe Flash...
Apple FAIL!!!
Apple FAIL!!!
Monday, April 5, 2010
Sapphires are forever...
SO , the weekend is over. My mouse died yesterday. Poor little Logitech Optical... Going hunting for a new one over lunch today. Over the past few weeks, (post Startup Weekend), I have been working on some graphic design. Being the poor college student / Linux nut that I am, I sought out some open-source alternatives to create some sweet graphics. GIMP is by far the most popular open-source graphics editor/creator available. Many even compare it to Photoshop. Never using Photoshop, I assume most features are the same, with a few odds and ends left out of GIMP. But if you are used to paint, and have never used Photoshop, and have never taken a graphic arts design course... even GIMP can be someone complex to use. It is a very powerful tool, but I passed it on by to look and see what other free tools are available. After a quick search of Adobe Illustrator on OSalt.com , I found a tool that blew my mind. Inkscape is a free vector graphics tool that offers the simplicity of MSPaint, with a powerful graphics editing tool. It has become my favorite graphic design tool, and is able to create 3D vector graphics as well as produce some pretty bad-ass logos and designs.
Anyway , I have used my graphic design tool to start building a collection of logos and hopefully some sites in the future... all under the name "Sapphire Digital Studios". Here are a couple of samples I did over the past few days.
Anyway , I have used my graphic design tool to start building a collection of logos and hopefully some sites in the future... all under the name "Sapphire Digital Studios". Here are a couple of samples I did over the past few days.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Definition of a Hacker
After reading through a CNN article today revolving around "hacking", I figured I would clarify the true definition of a hacker.
When people misuse the term "Hacker", I cringe. The term hacker has come to mean the evil persons in the world attacking websites or shutting down servers. This, by NO means, is the definition of a hacker. The true definition of a hacker is someone who analyzes and utilizes various forms of knowledge to solve a common problem. This doesn't even have to be computer related! Finding loopholes in internet security is known as a cracker. Crackers are commonly mistaken for hackers. Where as all crackers are hackers, not all hackers are crackers. Even when the term "hacker" or "cracker" is used, it is most often used to label what are known as "Black Hats". Black Hat Hackers are hackers whom use their hacking/cracking ability and knowledge to bypass security for destructive/intrusive purposes. The "White Hat" hacker is the security administrator who uses their hacking knowledge to protect a network from malicious attacks by Black Hats.
CNN Hacker Article
When people misuse the term "Hacker", I cringe. The term hacker has come to mean the evil persons in the world attacking websites or shutting down servers. This, by NO means, is the definition of a hacker. The true definition of a hacker is someone who analyzes and utilizes various forms of knowledge to solve a common problem. This doesn't even have to be computer related! Finding loopholes in internet security is known as a cracker. Crackers are commonly mistaken for hackers. Where as all crackers are hackers, not all hackers are crackers. Even when the term "hacker" or "cracker" is used, it is most often used to label what are known as "Black Hats". Black Hat Hackers are hackers whom use their hacking/cracking ability and knowledge to bypass security for destructive/intrusive purposes. The "White Hat" hacker is the security administrator who uses their hacking knowledge to protect a network from malicious attacks by Black Hats.
CNN Hacker Article
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Why the iPad will Fail...
The iPad, announced back in January has received some good and bad press over the last few months. So what makes this device so controversial. It's sleek, shiny, and has support for millions of apps already available via the App Store. So what are we missing here? It's thinner than any notebook and has the largest touch screen of almost any device... but for the $500+ price tag, it lacks in some very important features. The iPad has no room for expansion, no USB available, is still running the same Safari from the iPod touch prevents any flash sites from being viewed, and in the end, it doesn't bring anything new to the table. The oversized iPod Touch is simply that... an oversized iPod Touch. For anyone interested in tablet computers, there are a few Android-based devices going to be available soon. Expect them to be cheaper and have the standard expansion you would expect from a non-Apple device.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Life Goal: Grad School
Nothing says "I'm smarter than you," than attending MIT, the most prestigious school in the U.S. Thus, I have decided as a Life Goal, to do everything in my power, to attend MIT. Grades are important, but doing something outside of school is the real trick to achieving my goal. Yes, I can build computers and write code in a half dozen languages, but I must master something or create something that could change the IT world. I would enjoy making advancements in the programming field, creating ubreakable algorithms, or inventing something amazing. Challenge accepted!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Masamune v1.7
Masamune v1.7 Specs:
*Asus M4A785-M
*AMD Phenom X4 9750
*2GB G.Skill DDR2 PC6400
*Seagate 300GB ATA100 with 16MB Cache
*Sapphire Radeon HD 3870 with 512MB GDDR4
*Buffalo Evercool
*DVD/RW with Lightscribe
*Acer 19" 1680x1050
*480watt PowerColor
*Asus M4A785-M
*AMD Phenom X4 9750
*2GB G.Skill DDR2 PC6400
*Seagate 300GB ATA100 with 16MB Cache
*Sapphire Radeon HD 3870 with 512MB GDDR4
*Buffalo Evercool
*DVD/RW with Lightscribe
*Acer 19" 1680x1050
*480watt PowerColor
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
The Perfect Laptop?
Did ASUS just release the perfect laptop? The New ASUS G Series G73JH-X1 is a gaming powerhouse with a low price tag. For the price of $1499, you get a Core i7 720QM running at 1.6GHz with 6MB L2 Cache, 8GB DDR3 RAM, an ATi Mobile Radeon HD 5870 with 1GB GDDR5 graphics card, 500GB HDD, a 17.3" 1920x1080 Monitor, a DVD Super Multi drive, a 2.0MP built-in webcam and Windows 7 Home Premium. It's a bit heavy, as it's designed for gaming, but the sleek matte black styling and simplistic design, put it way beyond those cheesy Alienware computers. And since it's and Asus, you know your motherboard isn't going bad anytime soon.
Monday, February 8, 2010
PC Collection
When you start working on computers, parts tend to gather from all sorts of places. People give them to you like candy. I have decided to compile a list of all of my working and in progress computers, just for kicks.
Victoria
-2.5 GHz Athlon 64 X2
-2GB RAM
-300GB HDD
-Radeon HD 3870 512MB GDDR4
-Windows XP 64-bit (Uprading to Windows 7)
Lucy
-Dell Inspiron 6000
-1.5GHz Celeron M
-2GB RAM
-80GB HDD
-Ubuntu 9.10
Zen TV
-1GHz Pentium III
-256MB RAM
-10GB HDD
-Zenwalk Linux
Dell Dimension 2350 (in progress)
-Pentium 4 (unknown GHz)
-512 MB RAM
-80GB HDD
-Windows XP Pro
iMac G3 (in progress)
-333MHz PPC
-288MB RAM
-6GB HDD
-Slackintosh 12.0
BP6 (in progress)
-Dual Celeron (Unknown MHz)
Sunday, February 7, 2010
A killer combo
So I've been looking for projects to work on lately. Many of them involve programming and a few entail hacking apart some hardware. My newest project, if I can get it off of the ground, is working on an open-source application to store patient information which can then be used for reporting. To accomplish this, I will have to learn how to combine too of my favorite programming tools, C++ and MySQL. Both powerful in their own right; together they could create some killer applications. Here is a snippet of code I grabbed from Suite 101, a C++ programming website with lots of tasty articles for cooking up some sweet code. This is the required header information. Enjoy :)
#include
#include
using namespace std;
MYSQL *connection, mysql;
MYSQL_RES *result;
MYSQL_ROW row;
int query_state;
int main() {
return 0;
}
You can go to Suite 101 to find more information about how to do this.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Atom
Trying out a new template. The new header image is another of my Apophysis creations from a while back I named Atom. If you have never tried out Apophysis, I highly recommend the download. It's a completely free fractal flame creation tool, that can blow your mind if you know what you're doing. I'm still fairly new at the whole fractal thing, but I try. Give it a shot and link me your creations. :)
Canon SX20 IS
So lately, with the diminishing battery life of my Kodak Z740, I've been looking at cameras. Today I discovered one by Canon that caught my eye. The SX20 IS is a 12mp camera just shy of the DSLR Rebels. It features a super zoom of 20x and a flip-out LCD. I will let the pictures speak for the rest of it. $359 on Amazon
Monday, February 1, 2010
Zen TV
Update on Puppy TV:
Puppy Linux ran smooth even on an incredibly slow CD-Rom drive, however, it has some major wireless connection issues in which I prefer not to go into detail about beyond not being able to connect to a wireless network. I then tried gOS, the Ubuntu-based distrobution that is designed specifically for Google gadgets. After multiple restarts, I soon was able to determine that it just wasn't fast enough. So I decided to move on. My next distribution I chose was ZenWalk. ZenWalk is a Slackware based distribution designed orginally as a mini-Slack. After dropping a DVD drive into my Dimension L550R, I was able to fully install and begin using ZenWalk on my HD tv. It looks great and runs good enough.
Puppy Linux ran smooth even on an incredibly slow CD-Rom drive, however, it has some major wireless connection issues in which I prefer not to go into detail about beyond not being able to connect to a wireless network. I then tried gOS, the Ubuntu-based distrobution that is designed specifically for Google gadgets. After multiple restarts, I soon was able to determine that it just wasn't fast enough. So I decided to move on. My next distribution I chose was ZenWalk. ZenWalk is a Slackware based distribution designed orginally as a mini-Slack. After dropping a DVD drive into my Dimension L550R, I was able to fully install and begin using ZenWalk on my HD tv. It looks great and runs good enough.
I can now say that I have truly Zen Computed.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Puppy TV
Back in November, I paid $5 for a Dell Dimension L550R. It came with Windows 2000 Professional, a 550MHz Pentium III processor, and 256MB of memory. Basically, it was good enough to surf the Internet, type some documents, or run a lightweight programming IDE. With only 85 watts of power, I was able to boot it up after dropping in faster CD-Rom and 1GHz Pentium III. The problem arose that the new system would be running on a TV and I wanted it to be fast since I wouldn't be doing any hardcore gaming or software development. So I chose Puppy Linux v4.3.1. So i leave you with a quote that takes after the old Life cereal commercials, "Puppy eats anything. He Likes It! Hey Puppy!"
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Pentax Optio I-10
As I was scrounging through the Awesomer yesterday I came across a camera that caught my attention. The Pentax Optio I-10, is a compact DSLR with retro styling. It features a 5x wide angle zoom lens and houses a 12.1MP sensor for extreme detail. There are tons of included modes including my favorite P/A/S/M mode for manual operations. It comes with image stabilization on multiple levels and is able to record in 720 HD video! The shutter speeds and ISO levels are great for both low-light situations and enormous panoramic views. It was supposed to have been released yesterday at $299 but it seems to be delayed till next month. Oh, and it also comes in white.
http://hypebeast.com/2010/01/pentax-optio-i10/
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
OMA Lab
Looking for a location to start and host an Omaha hackerspace. Despite the word hackerspace, they are actually more for projects involving technology. Programming projects, hardware projects, anything tech that thinks outside the box is what I'm interested in.
*Note: I do not intend to hack networks or write viruses, if that's what you are looking for, look elsewhere.
*Note: I do not intend to hack networks or write viruses, if that's what you are looking for, look elsewhere.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
New Computers
8GB of RAM... really? Someone told me they wanted this as the minimum amount of memory in their new computer. A few notes on what computer companies think you need and what you really need. Memory is good. The more the better. 8GB of RAM, however, is way more than the average user needs. 2GB may even be high for the "average" user. When I define the "average" user, I am defining the average Joe whom sits at home and surfs the Internet, maybe watches a movie, and occasionally does some work with Microsoft Word. Now lets break it down. Video games are about the highest CPU and memory usage you can put your computer, a benchmark if you will as to what your computer can handle. The only exception would be 3D rendering (which is based strongly on your graphics card), software development tools (Visual Studio) which rely on an under-laying framework, and servers that undergo loads of stress. Chances are, you will not be multitasking to this extent... ever.
On to processors. Quad Core Processors such as the Phenoms, Core 2 Quad, and i7 processors are fast and powerful. But are they necessary? They have shown a fairly nice gain in performance over the older Dual Core processors when it comes to multitasking and gaming. So what is Joe Average missing? Currently, there are no games that can utilize all four cores. Secondly, there is no software besides server and rendering software that can utilize all four cores.
My point is, Joe Average will be paying a price way beyond what he needs to for hardware he most likely cannot use to its fullest extent. He would be much better off with a low end Quad Core or High end Dual Core with 2 to 4 GB of memory and a decent graphics card.
My Computer:
-AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ @ 2.5GHz
-2GB G.Skill PC6400 @ 5-5-5-15
-Sapphire Radeon HD 3870 512MB 256 bit GDDR4
-Seagate ATA100 300GB HDD
On to processors. Quad Core Processors such as the Phenoms, Core 2 Quad, and i7 processors are fast and powerful. But are they necessary? They have shown a fairly nice gain in performance over the older Dual Core processors when it comes to multitasking and gaming. So what is Joe Average missing? Currently, there are no games that can utilize all four cores. Secondly, there is no software besides server and rendering software that can utilize all four cores.
My point is, Joe Average will be paying a price way beyond what he needs to for hardware he most likely cannot use to its fullest extent. He would be much better off with a low end Quad Core or High end Dual Core with 2 to 4 GB of memory and a decent graphics card.
My Computer:
-AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ @ 2.5GHz
-2GB G.Skill PC6400 @ 5-5-5-15
-Sapphire Radeon HD 3870 512MB 256 bit GDDR4
-Seagate ATA100 300GB HDD
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Innovation
UNO has a new program of study within the Information Technology department called the "IT Innovation Degree." Essentially this allows entrepeneurs to create their own program of study based on a solid core of Information Technology classes. The reason I'm looking into this, is that I like innovation yet I like customizing things the way I use them. So after a little while, going through the course catalog, I put together a list of classes proposing the concept of a Data Analysis and Programming degree. This is very, very strong on database technology as well as multiple development languages including C++ and Java. Someone at work told me the order in which people move while in the Information Technology department. The students in Computer Engineering that can't make it, switch to Computer Science, which in turn switch to MIS, which in turn now have the opportunity to fill whatever stupidity they want into the Innovation degree. From my point of view, I can see the chain of events, however, I don't want the accounting and minor business requirements associated with MIS. I would rather have a degree based upon solid programming and data analytics.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Golden Orbs
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