Intro to Linux

I thought this article was great because I have never really been exposed to Linux, even though I know people who use it on a regular basis. What I found to be most interesting is that Linux is becoming more and more user friendly and is beginning to emulate Windows based programs to make it easier for people who don't have a programming background (such as myself) to use it. I have been considering installing it on my laptop, so reading this article has given me enough confidence that this could be a good option for me.

muddiest point

I am still confused about the use of a "system clock." What happens if a system clock stops ticking at the regular intervals (that I'm assuming are required) for adequate and successful processing of information? Does a system clock that ticks faster create a more effective processing speed?

my Comments from week 1

I'm not sure where I'm supposed to post these, so I guess I will post them everywhere. :0)

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5418895447708724556&postID=4680827847227097250

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1306183455487090817&postID=4323509044503807600&page=1

Computer History Museum

Wow! I had no idea there was a computer history museum...
A quote on the web site: "Like no industry before, technology thrives on a torrent of revolutionary thinking. The incredible improvements in human living and changes in social thought are born from groundbreaking ideas." This really epitomizes the capabilities of technology to influence our lives in a positive way. This really goes hand-in-hand with Kuhn's book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Technology has the ability to affect so many other sciences. As technology advances, our ability to understand every other aspect of science as well.
A museum covering the history of technology really contributes to our appreciation of what it has done for us as a society and what it can, and hopefully will do, in the future.

Moore's Law

Moore's law: the # of transistors that can be placed on an integrated circuit is increasing exponentially.
--More transistors can be placed on a chip, but as the # of them on the chip increases, the chance of defects ALSO increases.
--rate of increase in hard drive is similar to that of transistors
--this trend is expected to continue for the next few years (as of 2001)
--Moore stated that this law cannot be sustained indefinitely
--Wirth's law: "Software gets slower faster than hardware gets faster".
--exponential processor transistor growth does NOT equal exponential processing speed growth

I definitely agree with Moore's statement that this kind of growth cannot continue forever. The article mentioned that with this kind of growth, the size of transistors will approach that of atoms. There's only so far we can go at that point. Depending on how fast we get there, in my opinion, will affect how long this pattern occurs.

wikipedia--computer hardware

This was a good review of basic hardware information. I had no idea that firmware existed! Does anyone know of any examples of firmware? I was also unaware of the fact that personal computers are such a small portion of the market-- .2 % (as of 2003).

Muddiest Point

Here's the muddiest point I found in the lecture for week 1:

It was mentioned that many people are against IT because it seems to affect whether or not people utilize the resources in the library. I'm not sure whether or not this a valid point. It seems to me that, like most other publicly offered institutions, IT is becoming increasingly important. I see this more as an opportunity for libraries to step up to the challenges associated with retaining patron usage, rather than as a threat.