Last Blog: Perspective

So, the overview of the course...and my opinion of it. Well, I actually feel as though I learned a great deal from the course. I went into IT 101 thinking I'd learn most of what I already knew. Things that would bore me to tears: Powerpoint, excel, etc. Basics. But, after getting into the curriculum, IT seemed to be alot more interesting than my preconceived notions on the subject. I really enjoyed learning how to use skype, podcasts, videogames, and my pocket pc. I had no idea social networking was alot more than just facebook and myspace.

Knowledge of blogs and wikis have made me far more technically savvy. The use of wiki was really useful with the editing feature: Surveys, links, tests, etc....editing made it all possible. Collaboration with classmates made the course easier and utilized skills that will probably make me a more valuable employee in the future....Although VB might not exactly count as a IT skill....Video games!!! Haha...But, actually...VB is probably a very useful programming tool. Not only for video games but for applications too.

This class made me do alot of my own groundwork and actually use my tech skills. It was alot more hands on, than most other classes. And since I had to the work, rather than memorize a bunch of facts, I'll probably remember these skills father down the road with better clarity.

So, if I were asked to recommend this course to another student, it would be a resounding yes. Unless they enjoy learning what a hard drive is, and what Microsoft Word can do....

Blog 6: Linux

SimplyMepis is kinda cool in regards to its interface. But, it seems to lack the conformity and professionalism I’ve come to associate with the Windows Operating System. And it doesn’t liken to a Mac’s white bubbly Operating System either. It seems sort of a jumble of useful applications and systems to me. Yes, I am be slightly handicapped in the realm of technology but the advantages of the Linux system don’t escape me completely.

Free for the most part, and stable. And okay, open source code. Great, super, everyone working toward a better world sort of super. Updates and improvements are ever coming through the network of programmers out there who are technologically very literate (aka more literate than me). That’s pretty neat, but it seems that a lot of programs that run on the Windows and Mac OS s don’t have a solid base in the Linux OS, thus making it a less convenient system to use.

Other than that, I liked the many games, but the speed was a little slow (because it was running off a disk). And the lots of “K” programs that emulated “I” in Mac systems seemed to have lots of useful features. The “Kontact” program found in the taskbar or whatever bar, had most of the utilities found in Outlook but had an additional feature for Feeds which was awesome. And the internet browser was Firefox by default which was a total plus too.

The system button, and the window that popped up seemed to have all the necessaries and the usual bits like documents, bookmarks, etc.. That was nice and all, but what really made me like the Linux OS was the atypical icons and the fun fish at the bottom of the screen. Yes, that does make me a shallow OS user but what can I say.

CIS Presents 2: Electronic Voting

Well the presentation by Coralee Whitcomb was pretty interesting. Electronic voting is probably the next logical step from paper ballots. There however, are flaws and bugs. But, that is always an issue with new technology or with new systems in general.

The newest system for electronic voting is called the DRE machine or the "direct recording electronic voting machine." One has a smart card designated to vote for a certain ballot or area that gets inserted into the DRE machine, then the machine records it onto a hard drive, which then is sent to get tallied on some huge server somewhere. Also these smart cards are reusable by voters.

There are many pros and many cons that are pretty consistent with an electronic voting system.

Pros
1. Accessibility to those who aren't in their voting district (College students)
2. Easy to use interface
3. Guidance via electronic instruction
4. Audio aid to those who aren't literate
5. Different languages programed in to help those who don't speak English well.

Cons
1. Need knowledgeable technicians to maintain machines
2. Can be easily hijacked
3. Software bugs
4. Cannot verify with paper backup
5. Scale of electronic voting errors could be immense due to conformity of machines and programs.

So, although electronic voting is very much the future of voting there are still many risks involved. Risks that could in fact, jeopardize national security.

Blog 5: Project PC Applications!

I love music so I decided to download the Mundu Radio. The only minus I had from being deathly ill on the presenting day, besides from being deathly ill, was not being able to stay for the other applications' evaluations. I have a bunch of gripes for this app, and want to compare to the presenting teams results.

I wish I had been there for the installation part (looked on the wiki for the power point to follow, not there), because even though I reinstalled the program twice through cab, it still looks like some kind of mini thumbnail of a program. I could scarcely see any of the stations. I'm pretty sure it was only me, though. But searching through the options, I saw nothing that could increase the size, so I suppose I'm stuck.

So, tapping the small corner of my screen, I started browsing music. It's not that great, quality wise, compared to today's mp3s that run between 192 mbs to 256 mbs or more impressively 320. The mundu radio is playing at 64 to 128 at best.

Even worse, it only plays in mono. Ahhhhh, that was a shock when I jacked in with my headphones. At first, I thought it wasn't plugged in correctly but the connection was fine. Then, I thought it might be my jack, (not 5 minutes ago the headphones were working fine with my laptop), but it wasn't. I had to play an mp3 to make sure. So, just to make absolutely sure I plugged in my second pair of earbuds. Again, I felt the unpleasant sensation of being deaf in one ear.

Older model radios are often times only in mono, but I've been spoiled by the mp3 players and ipods of today. I suppose I wouldn't use the radio app. often because of the superior quality and personal selection, and other neat features found within my ipod. Too bad I don't have the latest version of the ipod, then I'd even get videos and the ability to view photos. But, then again I have my pocket pc.

Nonetheless, like the TV, the radio has it's place. Why would people want to watch TV if they have all their favorite shows on DVD? The same reason people who have favorite artists listen to the radio, to find new stuff. New music, shows, and novel entertainment in general is the main reason radio is still around. It allows for exposure to new genres and new styles. Music is always evolving just as technology is. So as technology moves forward, the radio will advance and has advanced with podcasts and web radio. New websites have developed, to share certain music like myspace, which was originally a website dedicated to expanding the spotlight to encompass new bands and share them with the world, through the web.


Even though after using the mundu radio and finding it lacking, I still found a great Indian station that I listened to through the morning.

CIS Presents 1: Data, Dollars, and the Unintentional Subversion of Human Rights

The presentation of the unethical consequences of well-intentioned but unimaginative business conduct was an interesting argument made by Thomas White, the guest speaker known for his work in ethics. His arguments ranged from the petroleum industry to the technological realm. All of them, in the end were realizations of the shortsightedness of business in the realm of ethics. Dr. White had two main causes for these unwanted penalties, which were the “poverty of the imagination” and the “faulty perception of business.”

The “poverty of imagination” was dubbed ethical illiteracy by Dr. White because most in the business world fail to grasp the complexity of certain choices and fail to recognize the global implications of many actions. The second downfall, the “faulty perception of business” criticized the ingrained GB101 doctrine that the main objective of business was to “increase shareholder wealth.” Wealth as a part of society, as quoted by Dr. White, was “self-indulgent with narrow financial interest meeting material needs,” and unfortunately this idea of wealth causes businesses to choose the wrong path ethically in many cases.

Later on, he goes on to speak about the matters of information technology and the positives and negatives of having such a global and highly efficient means of business and communication. On one hand, the benefits of having such a convenient, effectual, and vibrant market are almost immeasurable for the businesses of today. However, there is as Dr. White states, “subversion of human rights” by the same technology that helps businesses into the future. Tracking ISP addresses and monitoring what people do on the web is a serious invasion of privacy. But to various companies the knowledge of what countless internet users do and like is almost undeniably tempting. The marketing strategies that could be created around the tracking of people’s online habits could be so very effective. However, again the invasion of privacy is too large to ignore, yet there are scores of programs and spyware designed to do just that.

Even intentionally there is a huge threat to human rights by business and the technological world. In China recently; Microsoft, Google, Yahoo, and Cisco all made business deals with the country in order to sell their services there, still, there was again compromise in ethical standards. The search engines come up with nothing when you search for “freedom” in China. Why would these large well-known corporations make such an error in ethical conduct? Again, it is the lack of imagination, which fails to grasp the distant and complex consequences of the decisions at hand and the faulty perception that no matter what, wealth must be the forefront of all that is business. These companies wanted more money and the fresh market that is China was an excellent source of capital, and if they had to eliminate some words like “liberty” and “freedom” from their services in order to gain access to that potential wealth, then so be it.

Unfortunately, it is not the companies or the governments that suffer, it is the people. These companies had a hand in taking away fundamental rights that all people should have, and it was for the sake of business. The Chinese now can point to the US in helping their government in suppressing their rights and their freedoms.

Also, there is the threat of radio frequency id chips. Light, tiny, passive, and can monitor what you bought, where you are, and what your past buying history is. They can be placed anywhere, and are already in use. You can see them in credit cards or even in clothes. In an age of endless technological advancements, when does it go too far? If personal information was completely available to everyone by the use of invasive technology, there unquestionably would be abundant criminal activity by a myriad of people who discard all ethical behavior in favor of making money, the supposedly elementary purpose of business. This country and other counties around the globe, will in all probability, take advantage of technological systems that could prevent criminal activity and illegal wrong doings. When such a “surveillance society” is established, the question remains, what is the cost? The cost is human rights.

Blog 4: Spyware!

My goodness, spyware. Oie. Downloaded AVG Anti-Spyware. Okay. So, updated it, and scanned with it for about a week. Okay, where is my computer off to when I'm not using it. What in the world! Gosh 123 tracking thingies, on the first scan. Whyyyyy?! Okay, so people are tracking me. I wonder what they do with my information. WOW! So I go to boston.com, alot of different weather websites, online comics, astrology.com, bentley.edu, facebook, I don't knoww!! Where did all these tracking thingies come from?


Like I care about my privacy? Duhhhhh! I do, of course. Although, I don't know what kind of dirt they're looking for, I kinda don't care. But, still. I took to clearing my cookies, and destroying my history, and taking away anything that would reveal my love of weather. The index is a big deal, however, I find it somewhat convenient for finding what I'm looking for. But, really, what are they looking for when they track my online exploit?

TERRORISM! ROAAR!! Watch out! WEATHER!!!!

Oh wells, hey look at my most recent spyware scan! Alot better than the last scan only 30 this time. Oh well, track away. Track away.

Blog 3: Wireless Outside the Box

Look at my mad artistic skills! My yummy hot chocolate, my delicious muffin with cinammon, glaze, and raisin goodness, add online fantastic free wifi and good company. GREATNESS!

So, me and Anne Marie went PANERA and it was lots o' fun!! Do you know how delicious it was in comparison to campus food? But, yeah it was kinda funny because we were all dorky and funny with snapping off photos, with our Bentley bags, uniform laptops, and matching ppcs.

But yeah the SSID is PANERA! Hollar! Who could tell? But yeah the wirless took us automatic page requesting our consent and then our ppc's worked!! Woah! Check it out!

No WEP (web encryption protocal) , I don't think so because well why would you need one if it's free to any customers. Which is great! It's a really good business ploy to lure in any workaholics for maybe a bit of lunch in between crazy spreadsheets and alot of email. Or IT students who want to find free WiFi. We had fun with internet, email, and being kinda dorky.

Ohhhhh, how is email useful at lunch or on the go? Example?

"Don't come back to work yet, the boss is still out for another hour!" - from helpful coworker.

Hurray!

Well, anyway for all our trying we really couldn't get a stranger to take our picture, so we set the timer and tada dorky cute pic at panera! Hurray!