Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Wendsday 27, 2011

1- Is the Turing test a valid test of intelligence? Why or why not?
2- List several mental task that people do better than computers. List several mental tasks that computers do better than people. Can you find any general characteristics that distinguish the items of the two lists?




The Turing test is not a valid test of intelligence. A computer is not thinking, rather it is accessing the huge store of information that is available to it, and gives the "best" response.


Humans do it better
Book Writing
- Theories of knowledge




Computers do it better
- Arithmetic
- Information processing
- Logic Problems

Friday, April 15, 2011

Class DQ

You are planning on starting your own business selling clothes. Discuss pros and cons for starting an e-business.


A pro here is that I can reach a wider audience. People from all around the world can see and buy clothes without actually physically coming and buying them. In this way I could make much more money, and probably expand my business much further.


A con here is that because the item in question is clothes, I might lose customers if I am an e-commerce or online only store. This is because often times people want to try their clothes on before they buy them. As a result, I might actually lose profit, than make it.

Ch. 13 RQs

2. E-Commerce is possible without internet. E-Commerce, or ELECTRONIC Commerce, can use other devices such as the fax machine or phone to electronically conduct business.


3. There are three forms of E-Commerce
- B2B - business to business
- B2C - business to consumer
- C2C - consumer to consumer



4. The purpose of an intranet is to connect computers, printers, and other hardware on a network. The main characteristic of an intranet is that it actually connects the computers physically.


5. Companies use intranet to distribute information, allow for easy collaboration between employees, and have transactions within the company itself.


6. The purpose of an extra-net is to connect the intranets of two or more companies in an e-marketplace. Its main characteristic is that it connects multiple businesses.


7. 
- Flashy Advertisement needed
- Shipping Prices
- Shipping Tracking
- Payment Conformation 
- Must be easy to use


8. 
- Commercial Services
- Access to business information
- Support Transaction processing


9. 
- Trust between people engaging in transactions
- Privacy
- Identification
- Security of one's financial information

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

DQ 4/13/2011

If someone discovers a cure for the common cold, should he or she hide it to protect the jobs of allt he people who work in the huge cold-medicine industry?
Identify reasons why so many people react negatively to advances in technology that eliminates some jobs.



If someone does discover a cure for the common cold. they should publish it. It is something important that would really benefit people in general. The jobs of the people in the cold-medicine industry wouldn't be too affected as the companies that do make cold-medicine often have other products too. 


People would react negatively if something else was advanced that would eliminate jobs. For example if an entire factory, including the operators, was mechanized. This would unnecessarily eliminate jobs that have no need to be eliminated. Also, by mechanizing everything. there are many mistakes that can be made that wouldn't be made had there been a human operator.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Mock Exam

a) - Eye Scanner
    - Face Recognition

b) A person first matches their Eyes or Facial features with their profile on a computer. Now that a computer has that person registered, the next time that person comes in, the computer will simply scan that person, and pull up the relative profile, and give access if warranted.

c) Biometrics  could be considered better because of the more personal/unique aspect that is required to identify a person. Credit cards and  I.D.s are very easily forged, whilst biometrics aren't

d) There is a large cost to biometrics. The items are expensive, and this would pass on to the user, which would inspire protest. Also, the time it would take to register everyone would be enormous and it would be a hassle.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Ch.11 RQs

2. What are the major components of the modern automated company?
-Robots
-Computers
-Web Cameras
-Web Displays


3. How has the evolution of the automated office paralleled the evolution of the computer?
As the evolution of computers developed to a point where there were personal computers, the automated office grew to include these computers, thereby making it more efficient.


4.What are the advantages and disadvantages of telecommuting from the point of view of the worker and management?


Worker
Advantage
-More flexible schedule
-Saving time in commuting
-Saving commuting costs
-Increase of productivity


Disadvantage
-Distractions
-Lack of communications between co-workers
-Lack of proper office equipment


Management
Advantage
-Can hire a wider range of suitable employees
-Don't have to worry about being sued for office injuries 
-Don't have to pay as much for office equipment


Disadvantage
-Hard to manage the output of a worker
-Hard to hold meetings
-Hard to give deserving personnel promotions if they are not visible to them


6. What is de-skilling? Up-skilling?
De-Skilling is when a job is transformed so that it requires less skill.
Ex: Cash registers in fast-food restaurants placing labeled buttons that automatically calculate price of desired item.


Up-Skilling is when a job is transformed so that it requires more skill.
Ex: Clerics who have to become more technical as offices adopt spreadsheets, databases, email systems, etc.


7. List several controversies surrounding the electronic sweatshop.
- Workers experience health problems 
- Wages are low
- Poor working conditions
- Female Minorities are taken advantage of as they make up the largest employee base in sweatshops


8. Why is education critical to our future as we automate more jobs?
In today's jobs nearly always require computer education, and computer use is further increasing. If the future workers don't have any computer education, the country will be surpassed by all other countries who have workers who do have the education, as they will be more productive.


15. List several ways people us home computers.
-Research for school essays
-Running home businesses
-Home Management
-Entertainment


16. What are Smart-Cards? How are they used?
A smart card is a plastic card with a built-in microprocessor, used typically for electronic processes such as financial transactions and personal identification.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Students use of laptops at school

People and Machines: Some students may have physical difficulties that are addressed by their laptops. If they aren't able to use their laptops then it is harder for them to use any IT systems at school.

Globalization: By using their own computers, students have easier access to communication. For example, if a student is working on a project and they need to contact an outside source, it is a lot easier to just their own laptops then for them to have to go and jump through all the hoops that school computers require.

Control: Students have more control over their work when they use their own laptops. If they have to use the school computers then there are always problems with file compatibility and the transferring of information that the student needs. If the students have use of their own laptops, they can rely on their technology more.

Pg. 355-268 RQ

1. Active Badge - A microprocessor-controlled ID badge that broadcasts infrared identification codes to a network receiver that updates a badge-location database.
    Antivirus - A program designed to search for virus, alert the users, and destroy the virus
    Backup - The process of saving data- especially for data recovery
    Biometrics -  Measurements of individual body characteristics
    Encryption - A secret numerical code that can be used to scramble network transmission
    Firewall - A tool used to keep internal networks secure while enabling communication with the rest of the Internet
    Hacking -  Electronic trespassing and vandalism
    Mal-ware - Malicious software, especially destructive programs such as the viruses, worms, and Trojan horses devised and spread by computer saboteurs.
    Spyware - Technology that collects information from computer users without their knowledge or consent.
    Virus - Software that spreads from program to program, or from disk to disk, and uses each infected program or disk to make copies of itself.



7. - Computers do exactly what they are programmed to do, and if some one knows how to bypass the protections made by these programs than there is no security in a computer.
    - Computers can't decide who to give access to and who not to give access if two people have a password.


9. Because a tape cannot be hacked through a network. This way if their system failed they would have a back-up that would definitely work.


10. Smart weapons are missiles that use computerized guidance systems to locate their targets. They are different from conventional weapons because they do not require direct input from humans to be launched. 


Advantage - Can be used to exactly pinpoint enemy locations so that there wouldn't be any missing.


Risk - There is a smaller amount of decision time which increases errors.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Pg. 345-350 RQ

2. It is hard to estimate the extent of computer crime because a lot of it goes undetected. And often times, what is found, is often unreported because businesses and other companies fear that they will lose their reputations.

3. The typical computer criminal is often times a trusted employee with no criminal record who is tempted by an opportunity, or a normal someone who happened to run across a loop hole or the such. The media stereotype is different as it portrays computer criminals as young, bright, technologically smart, white, middle-class, and male.


4. The most common type of computer crime is theft. It is committed by many people, and often times, those who are also thieves of tangible things. In order to stop this crime, many agencies such as the FBI are beginning to come down hard on these thieves.


6. There are four general types of programs that can be used for software damage, which are viruses, worms, trojan horses and spyware



Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Pg. 314-330 RQ

1. Cyberspace - A term used to describe the internet and other online networks
    Cookie - Small files deposited on a user's hard disk by websites, enabling sites to remmber what they know   about their visitors between sessions.
    Cable Modem - A type of broadband Internet connection that uses the same network of coaxial cables that delivers TV signals. 
    Packet-switching - The standard technique used to send information over the internet
    Plug-in - A software extension that adds new features 
    IP address - A string of 4 numbers separated by periods or dots that serves as an address for computers on the internet.
   Static IP address - An IP address that is permanent
   Dynamic IP address - An IP address used for computers that are temporarily connected to the net, such as with dial up connection.
  Domains - A class of internet addresses indicated by suffixes such as .com, .net, .gov, .co, .edu, etc.
  DNS - Domain name system: A system that translates a computers numerical address into an easier to remember string of names separated by dots



3. TCP/IP Protocols are important because it is a programming language that allow many different types of computers to have network communication. 

11. Push technology is different delivers specifically to the needs of the client.

12. New Services
- Online buying and selling websites.
- Video-Sharing
- Instant Messaging
- Video conference
- Shipment tracking

    New Problems
- Spam
- Scams
- Identity Theft
- Money thefts

Top-Level Domains

1. .org (Organization)


2. .com (Commercial)


3. .edu (Education)


4. .gov (Government)


5. .info (Information)


6. .mobi (Mobile Device)


7. .biz (Business)


8. .asia (Asia-Pacific Region)


9. .mil (United States Military)


10. .net (Network)

Monday, March 21, 2011

4RQ 302-306

2. - The internet is growing to fast to track
    - There is no internet central which keeps track of activity
    - There are no hard boundaries on the internet. One can connect to the internet in multiple methods


6. Email addresses and URLs  both use the domain naming system

9. File compression is important on the internet so as to make file transfers faster and more efficient. Also, for those with a limited bandwidth, it is a way to get more with less.

4. Internet connections influence whether or not you have to dial in, how fast your data transfer is, and what files you can transfer.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Pg. 280-287 RQ

9. What can you do with email that you can't do with mail.
With email you can send things instantaneously. Also, you can send however many pictures, music files, and even movies, that you want, free of charge

13. Netiquette
Netiquette is important because it is the new way to communicate. Every one uses it. Speaking on the internet today is like speaking face to face today. What you say online affects people's view of you. Also, through the last couple years, many people have been fired from their workplaces because of their lack of netiquette on the web.

5. Modems
A modem is necessary when connecting computers to networks through telephone lines. Modems convert digital signals into analog signals, and analog signals into digital signals.

11. Money is just another form of information
Money is just like any other piece of information. It is just bits on server. People exchange this information for other bits like music, or something real like a book. Because it is a piece of information, it can be transfered from many devices using communication technology such as Internet, or the telephone.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

DQ 2

the telephone, email, real-time teleconference, fax, or overnight mail service. 


Each of these methods had an important role in communication today. People generally use the telephone as main means of communication today. It has the advantage of a person being able to heard another person instantly. But it also has the disadvantage of the users not being able to see each other. 


And this is where real-time teleconference comes into play. This allows you to be able to see the other person. A disadvantage of this is that people such as sex offenders can abuse. 


Fax and email are similar means of communication. They both allow typed messages to be sent. An advantage of fax, is that it allows a person to scan anything and send it. This is also true for email. A disadvantage is that fax requires a phone line. Email can be access from anything that can access internet.


Overnight Mail Service is an extremely useful service meant mainly for getting items from point A to point B as soon as possible. This advantage is slightly marred by the fact that this service is fairly expensive. Minimum prices are approximately thirty dollars.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Pg. 262-272 RQ

6. Communication Softwares
TCP/IP- A protocol that controls information exchange for computers on the internet

2. Give three general reasons for the importance of computer networking
a. Hardware- People are able to share resourses for hardware which allows more efficiency in both performance and cost.
b. People- People are able to communicate with each over large distances, which saves a lot of time. It allows people to do things everyday, such as an online business meeting, which would otherwise be impossible.
c. Software- The Internet allows the sharing of software. In this way, people can sell their softwares online. This allows for a larger range of consumers for a business.

9. What are the differences between email and instant messaging systems?
An email is more of a 'letter'. One sends it, placing in it what they want, like a picture. The receiver then gets the letter the next time he/she checks their email/mail. An instant messenger is like talking to a person face to face. The other person has to be there (or online) and it is harder to transfer files, or show the person picture.

10. Potential problems with email and teleconferencing.
Viruses can be sent through email, which could cause a system failure.
Teleconferencing doesn't allow for the users to revise what they are going to share before they do so.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Chapter 7 Beyond the Basics

Batch Processing: Users accumulate transactions and input them into the computer in large batches
Real-time Computing: Allows instant access to information

Data Mining: The discovery and extraction of hidden predictive information from large databases
Uses statistical methods and artificial intelligence technology.

HTML: The language used to construct most web page
XML: A newer, more powerful data description language. Its designed with industrial-strength database access in mind.

-Web database strategies revolve around directories.
-Directories are at the heart of many customer relationship management (CRM) systems—software systems for organizing and tracking information on customers.

Object Oriented Database


-Make database construction and usage more flexible
-Store software objects that contain procedures (or instructions) along with data
-Are often used in conjunction with object-oriented programming languages

-A database of images, containing a class for photos
-One instance of this class – one object for every photograph in the database
-Data associated with this object: photographer’s name, description of photo, copyright status, and the image    itself
-One operation for the class – producing a thumbnail


This type of data base allows

-Easy manipulation of various types of data
-Saves time by reusing objects
-Associates actions with the data


Relational Databases

-Not good with unstructured data (audio, video clips)
-Will still be used in combination with object oriented databases – as hybrids

Multimedia Databases
-Serve as indexes for art, photographs, maps, video clips, and other media files

Natural Language Databases

-Allow users to ask for data using the same language used to address humans (natural language queries)
-Future databases will undoubtedly incorporate more artificial intelligence technology




-Database programs enable users to quickly and efficiently store, organize, retrieve, communicate, and manage large amounts of information.
-Database programs enable users to view data in a variety of ways, sort records in any order, and print reports, mailing labels, and other custom printouts.
-Database management systems (DBMSs) can work with several data sources at once, cross-referencing information among files when appropriate.

Article Link

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/mobile/03/08/android.top.smartphones/index.html

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Pg. 237-245 RQ

1. What are the advantages of personal information management software over paper notebook organizers? What are the disadvantages?

Management software allows you to keep your information more organized. Also it takes up a lot less space.
A disadvantage is that a power outage, virus, etc. might cause you to lose your information.

2. Do we have a legal right to privacy? On what grounds?

Technically we do not have a right to privacy for everything we do on the internet. Information cannot be collected for those who are 12 and under. Also privacy of financial, eduction, and health records is a right. However, many other things do not require a company/business to hold back information.

3. Describe how record matching is used to obtain information about you. Give an example.

Record matching is used to obtain information about someone by entering one piece of information about that person, and have the software cross reference all the files they have for that piece of information. Then it pulls up all information that have something to do with it.

For example, someone enters my name, then the computer pulls up all the information that is attributed to the name.

4. What is the difference between a file mangaer and a DBMS?

A DBMS manipulates a large collection of files, often cross-referencing them. A file manager simply works with one file at a time.

4.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Page 224-232 Review Questions

1.What does it mean to sort a data file?
To sort a data file means to arrange records in alphabetic or numeric order based on values in one or more fields.

2. What is a query?
A query is an information request. An example of a question that might be answered by a query is, who the author of a book is.

3. Describe the structure of a simple database.
A databases are made up of tables. These tables contain records which are composed up of fields.

4. Why are computers important in discussions of invasion of privacy?
Computers are important in discussions of invasion of privacy because of the information people can obtain from them. In todays world, people can look up personal details of another individual with ease on computer.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Chapter 6: Graphics, Digital Media, and Multimedia

Computer Graphics

What are object oriented drawings?


What do CAM, CAD, and CIM stand for?
*CAD - Computer Aided Design
*CAM - Computer-Aided Manufacturing
*CIM - Computer- Integrated Manufacturing

How to create a powerful presentation?
-Remember your goal
-Remember your audience
-Outline your ideas
-Be stingy with your words
-Keep it simple
-Use a consistent design
-Be smart with art
-Keep each slide focused
-Tell them what you're going to tell them, then tell them, then tell them what you told them.

What is a video digitizer?
A video digitizer is a software that takes an analog video still frame and converts it to a digital still image.


Whats the benefit of non-linear drawing?
Better quality



What is the difference between drawing and painting modules?
Painting modules create bitmapped graphics whilst drawing modules create vector graphics



Advantages of computer graphics are
-Better for creating printed graphs, charts, and illustrations
-Lines are cleaner and shapes are smoother

Some Integrated programs contain both drawing and painting
     -Allows you to choose the right tool for each job

Some programs merge features of both in a single application
      -Blurs the distinction between types
      -Offers new possibilities for a amateur and professional illustrators

Computer Aided Design (CAD) Software
-Allows engineers, designers, and architects to create designs on screen for products ranging from computer chips to public buildings
-Can test product prototypes
-Cheaper, faster, and more accurate than traditional design-by-hand techniques

Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) is the process by which data related the product design are fed into a program that controls to manufacturing of parts.

Computer-Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) refers to the combination of CAD/CAM and is a major step toward a fully automated factory.

Presentation Graphics: Bringing Lectures to life
-Automates the creation of visual aids for lectures, training sessions, sales demonstrations, and other presentations.
-Creates slide shows directly on computer monitors or LCD projectors, including still images, animation, and video clips.


Modern media contains dynamic information, which is information that changes over tiem or in response to user input.
- Animation
- Desktop Video
- Audio
- Hypertext and Hypermedia

Animation: Graphics in Time
- Each frame of computer-based animation is a computer-drawn picture, the computer displays these frames in rapid succession
- Tweening: Instead of drawing each frame by hand, the animator can create key frames and objects and use software to help fill in the gaps

Analog and Digital Video
-A video digitizer can convert analog video signals from a television broadcast or videotape into digital data

Dynamic Media: Beyond the Printed Page
-Many video digitizer can import signals from televisions, videotapes, video cameras, and other sources.
-Digital video cameras capture footage in digital form
-Digital videos can be copied, edited, stored, and played back without any loss of quality
- Digital video will soon replace analog video for most applications.

Video Production goes digital
-Today most video editing is done using nonlinear editing technology.
-Video editing software, such as Adobe Premiere, makes it easy to eliminate extraneous footage, combine clips from multiple takes, splice together scenes, create specific effects and perform a variety of other activities
-Morphs are video clips in which one image metamorphoses into another
-Data compression software and hardware are used to squeeze data out of movies so that they can be stored in smaller spaces.

The synthetic Musician: Computers and Audio
-Audio digitizer - captures sound and stores it as a data file
-Synthesizer - an electric instrument that symbolizes sounds using mathematical formulas
-MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) - Standard interface that allows electronic instruments and computers to communicate with each other

Dynamic Media: Beyond the Printed Page
- Music is digitized on audio CDs at a high sampling rate and bit depth - high enough that its hard to tell the difference between the original analog sound and the final digital recording.

Samplers, Synthesizers, and Sequences: Digital Audio and MIDI
- Multimedia computers can control a variety of electronic musical instruments and sound sources using MIDI
- MIDI commands can be interpreted by a variety of:
    *Music Synthesizers
    *Samplers

-A piano-style keyboard sends MIDI signals to the computer
    * Computer interprets the MIDI commands using sequencing software
- Sequencing software turns a computer into a musical composing, recording, and editing machine
- Electronica - Music designed from the ground up with digital technology.
    * Some of the most interesting sequence music



Hypertext refers to information linked in non-sequential ways.
Hypermedia combines text, numbers, graphics, animation, sound effects, and other media in hyper-linked documents.
     - Useful for on-line help files
     - Lets the user jump between documents all over the Internet


Hypermedia documents can be disorienting and leave the reader wondering what they've missed.
     - Documents don't always have the links readers want.
     - Authors can't build every possible connection into documents.
     - Some readers get frustrated because they can't easily get "here" from "there"


Virtual reality combines virtual worlds with networking
     - It places multiple participants in a virtual space
     - People see representations of each other, sometimes called avatars
     - Most avatars today are cartoonish, but they covey a sense of presence and emotion


Tele-Immersion
     - Uses multiple cameras and high-speed networks to create a videoconferencing environment in which multiple remote useres can interact with each other and with computer-generated objects
     - Combines the display and interaction techniques of virtual reality with new vision technologies that allow participants to move around in shared virtual spoaces, all the while maintaing their unique points of view.


Augmented Reality (AR):
-The use of computer displays that add virtual information to a person's sensory perceptions.