Operating System failure

                Even though most of the time we only think of Computers consisting of a keyboard, a mouse, a monitor and tower, there are many numerous other aspects of a computer that can go wrong and be harmed. Some of these less thought of computer parts are what makes up the computers operating system. Whether it is just due to a part failing or a virus attacking the operating system, it becomes a real hassle when it occurs. This problems can sometimes be easily fixed by a computer professional, but in my personal experience, it can also put the computer beyond repair.

                Whenever I was younger, my family had a HP computer that we ended up using for probably about 5 years, but it wasn’t without a few issues with the operating system. I don’t remember what website or download that caused it, but after about 2 or 3 years the computer got a virus and it slowly ate away at the speed of the computer until it finally came up with an error code saying it was unusable. Before this happened, we had McAfee antivirus-software which we thought would prevent a virus, but obviously it didn’t. In order to fix the computer to get it back to being operational, we took it to a computer repair shop and had them erase the virus (along with all our files and photos). After we got it fixed, we purchased a different antivirus software from Norton, and we didn’t have any problems for a few years. Whenever the computer had operating system issues for the second time, it had nothing to do with a virus getting past an antivirus software. A couple of years later, the computer didn’t show any warning and just quit and wouldn’t even turn on. Once again we took it to the computer repair man and hoped for an easy fix just like the last time, but instead he said it wasn’t a virus and we would have to get a new computer.

                After encountering these issues, I’ve found that not just any antivirus software is capable of keeping a computer virus-free, and it takes some research and sometimes a little more money to make your computer less likely to get a virus. But even if your computer stays virus-free, it is still prone to just completely failing for no good reason at all and sometimes even the best computer repair shop can’t fix everything.

New Input Devices

                As increases in technology become more rampant and more frequent, the range of options for input and output devices for computers becomes much greater. Rather than just simply using a keyboard and a mouse for input and a printer for output, there are now much more complex devices such as voice recognition, touch screen tablets, and 3D printers. The most interesting new input device I have seen is the Tobii PCEye Go which allows the gaze of an eye to replace the function of using a mouse.

                This piece of technology works very similar to motion recognition software that is used in videogames such as a Wii or Xbox Kinect except it focuses on just the eyes. The PCEye Go allows the items on the screen to be moved and opened based on the gaze of your eyes as an input device, instead of having to use the mouse. The product is easy to be set up, as it only requires a connection to a USB port (like a mouse), and then it only needs to calibrated on the screen before use. This input device is not a product that the general public would probably find to be of much use, but it does have its intended audience. This eye gaze technology is extremely beneficial to people who suffer from spinal cord injuries and ALS (Lou Gehrig Disease) that don’t have the physical capabilities to operate a computer with the standard input devices. For example, Steve Gleason a former NFL player who suffers from Lou Gehrig Disease uses the built-in keyboard feature on his PCEye Go to tweet and do other daily operations on the computer and was recently featured in a Microsoft commercial during the Super Bowl highlighting technology. While it may not be practical for everyone I think it is a really cool idea that opens the door for many people to continue to communicate despite physical difficulties. This idea is something that I can see be put in to wider use in the future, as it can help people who suffer from strokes and that are paralyzed to use a computer for personal use or even for work.

                As technology continues to improve and become more sophisticated it is refreshing to see it be used for purposes that improve the quality of lives for people. The use of the Tobii PCEye Go is just one example of an input device that has made it capable for people with disabilities to be able to connect to and use the Web.

   Here are the sources I used:

http://www.tobii.com/en/assistive-technology/global/products/hardware/pceye/

http://mashable.com/2013/02/15/steve-gleason-tweets-with-eyes-als/

Internet Hoaxes

As technology has greatly improved throughout our generation, the internet has become a mega hub for information. With access to information so easy that just a key word ran through a search engine can result in thousands and even millions of hits. This way of getting information has become one of the most popular ways to gain information for a topic whether it be academic related or just for useless trivia. But unfortunately, reading something on the internet doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s accurate.

            While the vast majority of the internet is used for good reliable information, there are a small percentage of sites that just specialize in providing false content. Just recently as I scrolled through my newsfeed I noticed an article that said the Super Bowl was rigged and the Broncos got paid to lose. Personally, as soon I saw it I was like that’s got to be fake, but it soon became apparent that more and more people actually believed it and was sharing them to their walls. This websites are to look official just like any other accurate media outlet so I can see how someone could just automatically think that it’s a real news story. In that specific article, it had a quote from the Commissioner of the NFL and false facts which made it seem even more like a real credible news story. After I read that article I decided to go to the website’s homepage to see what the deal was and what kind of website it was. On its homepage it stated that huzlers.com is a combination of real shocking news and satire news to keep its visitors in a state of disbelief. While to some, this could be looked at as a website to just get a good laugh from, others could view it as 100% factual.

            Websites such as Huzlers.com are the reason why a site’s credibility has to be put in question before it can be used in an academic manner. It’s really sad that a few bad eggs have to spoil the whole bunch, as there are numerous factual websites out there that have good information but are times not allowed because of the internet’s bad reputation. If the internet didn’t have a credibility issue, it would be much easier for the public to be fully informed about what is going on throughout the world and the country without wondering if what they’re reading is really true.

http://huzlers.com/
http://huzlers.com/superbowl-xlviii-believed-to-have-been-rigged-and-currently-under-investigation-by-nfl/

Targeted Advertising

The use of targeted advertising by companies and search engines is a result of our lives becoming more centered on the internet than other advertising mediums. Being able to track and advertise to a consumer specifically is much more economical and efficient for companies than spending money on billboards and TV commercials that people may not see, but it is dangerous for the consumer.

            While it is just “business as usual” for companies, targeted advertising can be a very disturbing thing for consumers to be involved in. The scariest thing about being tracked online is its unbelievable accuracy, such as on YouTube during election campaigns there are advertisements specifically for your congressional districts. Regardless of the intent, it’s not a good feeling to know that there are databases out there that have information about your online viewing history, which could also be very personal. If the information from these companies gets hacked or sold to the wrong person, a person’s privacy could easily be compromised. Situations and potential mistakes such as these are why targeted advertising is dangerous to the everyday consumer. It’s not easy to be able to avoid being targeted, as just about everything that is sold in stores can be found cheaper online which makes the audience at risk even greater.

            Being targeted by online advertisers and potentially losing our sense of privacy is just a price that we as a society have paid in order to become more connected and more efficient. Buying products from Amazon and online just in general has become much cheaper and convenient as those packages can just be sent to our houses instead of having to go physically buy them. With technology also advancing to the stages where more and more people spend time online reading newspapers and watching TV shows instead of paying outrageous bills, it just makes it that much more appealing to spend time online. With fewer people watching TV and reading newspapers it just makes sense for companies to advertise more online through targeting consumers. By targeting and tracking people online it allows companies to get almost a sure thing by advertising only to people that are actually interested rather than just advertising to everyone like they do TV. While it’s just good business for them, it is a dangerous habit that really runs the risk of invading people’s privacy.    

            Targeted advertising is an evil that we as a society have brought on ourselves by spending more time online. Having our information tracked and saved puts our privacy at great risk without us even knowing.

           

Computers: For better or worse?

Whether we like it or not, computers make up a huge part of our everyday lives. Our use of computers are not only limited to laptops or desktop computers, but also in our smartphones and televisions. All of these forms of computers are so widely used; they can either made our lives better or even worse.

            There are numerous different aspects of our society that have been made significantly better due to the use of technology and more specifically computers. With the use of computers and its ability to have access to such a high volume of information through the internet, it has made it easier for the general public to search for information they previously wouldn’t have been exposed to. With people being able to gain accurate information on a topic so quickly, it has made our society as a whole more educated and more open to new ideas. Computers have also made it easier to get a formal education by creating access to online classes such as this one, and also being able to get degrees from online universities such as the University of Phoenix that can be earned while still working a job or raising a family. The use of computers has made our lives significantly better by allowing us to become better educated individuals through easily accessible means.

            While there are many good aspects of using technology and computers, there are also a few downsides to its use. One of the greatest results of increased technology has been the smartphone, which allows users to text, call, surf the web, play games and just about anything you can think of. The downside to this technology is that it has become such an important part of our lives, we feel like we have to check it periodically at all times, even if that means while we are driving down the highway. The use of cell phones behind the wheel has become such a big problem, that at least 23% of traffic accidents involve the use of a cell phone. While we as a society have become so enamored with the benefits of technology, sometimes we just need to think about the possible consequences.

            The impact that technology has had on our lives has become so enormous, that there is now literally no where we can go to escape it. Wherever we go we always have our cell phones, TVs, and computers so naturally our lives have become centered around it.

Link: http://www.textinganddrivingsafety.com/texting-and-driving-stats/

Hi my name is Nick Clark, I’m from here in Hickory and I have lived here my entire life. I’m currently a sophomore and this is actually my third semester here at Lenoir-Rhyne. I am currently majoring in Accounting, which is actually the third different major I’ve declared. My experience with computers beyond using the internet and word processors is pretty basic as I’ve only just taken the required computer classes I’ve needed to graduate high school and now college. Based on my light dose of using different computer programs, I feel like my comfort level using programs like Excel will be good at first, but as we get more complicated I will have to focus more to learn the more specifics. The most recent computer class I took focusing mainly on programs such as Microsoft Excel was my freshman or sophomore year of high school. The most recent computer class I took was CSC 115 online here at Lenoir-Rhyne in the fall semester, where we just covered the basic computer operations since it was only a Mini-term course. In CSC 115 we covered the basic parts of computers, threats to computer systems, and how to write an APA style paper. Although that class didn’t deal with Microsoft programs I feel like it will help me some in this course because it gave me a chance to get used to an online course. My main goals for this course are to become proficient in Microsoft programs and also to be able to make an A while learning how I can use these programs in a variety of different work environments to illustrate many different ideas. While I am really only taking this class because it is required, I realize being proficient in Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access are valuable skills I need to have in order to enter the real world. In my free time outside of going to school, I really enjoy being outdoors any time of the year. Some of favorite hobbies include hiking, hunting, and watching or playing any type of sport. In the spring and the summer months I mow grass and do landscaping work for several clients but that shouldn’t affect my ability to find time to do assignments for this class. I am really looking forward to this semester and particularly this course because it gives me the opportunity to learn and master a skill that I’m really not good at.