Trojan Horse

Basically how you get this virus is through software downloads. For example it can come attached to some pictures you want to download or a game, another one is file sharing like music. You can also get it from unsecure websites where you download something or email attachments. So don’t download stuff from an unknown source and don’t open email attachments from an unknown source. It is best to stick with well known trusted sites.


If you get one of these viruses it will allow a hacker (person) access to your computer. The hacker can perform operations from your computer, within the limits of your user privileges. Identity theft can happen, stealing credit card numbers and passwords. They can crash your computer or use your computer storage space making your computer slow.

The best way to remove a Trojan Horse is by an antivirus software. Antivirus software is designed to detect and delete Trojan Horse viruses. It is also supposed to help prevent them from being installed. AVG offers a free antivirus download from the internet if you do not have an antivirus installed. Because it is hard to tell what kind of damage could have taken place, it is best to erase all the data from the hard disk and reinstall the operating system and associated software.

Barack Obama and Network Neutrality

Barack Obama fully supports network neutrality.


Barack Obama feels that “Because most Americans only have a choice of only one or two broadband carriers, carriers are tempted to impose a toll charge on content and services, discriminating against websites that are unwilling to pay for equal treatment. This could create a two-tier Internet in which websites with the best relationships with network providers can get the fastest access to consumers, while all competing websites remain in a slower lane.”

By creating a two-tier internet it threatens the innovation of the open internet and architecture of the internet. This also allows all of the bigger companies to control the internet and its contents. By having network neutrality it will ensure that new competitors, large or small, non-profit speakers or anyone for that matter, have the same opportunities as the larger companies that innovate on the internet to reach large audiences or specifically targeted audiences.

I also support network neutrality because I feel that everyone should have the same opportunities with in the internet and that it should not be controlled by the larger companies who inovate it.  This will allow everyone the same rights and access on the internet.

Read more: http://techcrunch.com/2007/11/26/qa-with-senator-barack-obama-on-key-technology-issues/#ixzz0pcbPX2ne

Google is developing an OS to complete with windows…..

What’s it called: Chrome OS


When will it be released: Chrome OS for notebooks should be out within a year.

The majority of people have google as their home page, so from the business stand point this could be a great concept because you could own the search as well as the operating system, you will basically own the majority of the computing experience. I am sure that google is thinking that this will boost their profits, especially when all of their profits come from advertising. So by google making their own operating system they can improve the search experience therefore increasing their advertising market because more people would be seaching.

In my opinion it is very noble for google to try and compete with Microsoft, however the reality of it is, is that 90% of computers have a Microsoft OS. It will be a long and tough road to try and compete with those kinds of numbers because even when Windows was stumbling with Vista, no one was able to compete with them then or even now.

Linux

Linux is an operating system. (Microsoft Windows and Mac are also operating systems)


Linux is open source, which is basically shareware. It is free to the public, free of viruses and faster than other operating systems are. Linux is extremely reliable and does not require a lot of computing power. Linux is also very popular with notebooks because it requires fewer resources than Windows. It is also used in a number of smart phones as well as PC/notebooks. There are many applications for Windows and Mac that are also available for Linux.

I don’t think that Linux would be an operating system for me. I think it is more for the gamer or a person who does a lot of graphics; maybe auto cad and stuff like that. . I like Windows and everything it comes with, like the updates and tech support. However the big fault with Windows is that it does use a lot of your resources/memory. That is probably the strongest point that the Linux OS has is that it doesn’t take much to power it. Regardless, I just don’t feel Linux would be an operating system for me for everyday use.  Linux accounts for only 1-2% of the operating systems out there.  That leaves a high probability of having compatibility issues for the every days use.

CYBER ATTACKS

FYI-An estimated 15% of computers will be controlled externally by the end of 2009.


Joseph Menn and Barret Lyon work together to help bring cyber attacks down. Barret Lyon has helped Las Vegas with their online gambling websites when they were being extorted; held hostage in exchange for money. How the hackers were doing this was by gaining access to thousands of computers through cyber holes in the system using software. Once they gained access to the computers, the hackers would flood the website with requests using their hacked computers and shut the website down until their demands were met. Las Vegas online gambling is just one example of many types of websites and businesses that are extorted.

Joseph Menn has helped to reduce Denial of Service attacks (DoS) and track down the hackers. Some ways that they are able to do this is by a Microsoft program called SNM protocol which is used to look into the brain of a computer and see who is communicating with the computer. At this point they were able to gain access to some of the information on the hackers and pretend to be a friend and collect information from them. Another way that they gained access to the hackers’ information was through logging systems designed to send an alert when someone was logging into a system using their nickname. Often, a nickname would be connected to another information resource or source of registration that contained their real information (name, address, phone number, etc.).

Joseph Menn and Barret Lyon are claiming that a Geo Political Struggle is what is behind many of today’s cyber attacks; having the ability to shut down other political services/systems, steal commercial and military secrets, and even shut down the electrical grid. Pretty soon war will not be with guns and bombs but, it will be a cyber war.

NAS (Network Attached Stored)

NAS is a computer data storage connected to a computer network. However you do not need multiple computers to get good use of a NAS. NAS is a great multimedia storage device that can have multiple hard drives. For the i-tunes junkie you can stream music, photos, and video to network media players (xbox 360 is an example) without the computer. You can also access files from anywhere via internet connection. Most NAS have USB ports so you can connect USB hard drives, flash drives, printers, etc. When you have multiple drives your data is automatically duplicated to provide file protection and back up.


NAS installation requirements are Windows 2000 and up. NAS is easy to install using an installation CD, power cord, and Ethernet cable. The standard storage space is 1TB, but I have seen them up to 8TB.

http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/collection/1651/top_10_network_attached_storage_devices.html

http://reviews.cnet.com/best-network-attached-storage/

Week 8

System BIOS


Information

CPU Intel Celeron (R) M

CPU Speed 1860MHz

Product Aspire 3680

Manufacturer Acer



Main

System Memory 634KB

Extended Memory 1526MB

Video Memory 64MB



Terms to use…….

DMA (direct memory access) transfers data from between the hard drive and memory with out involving the CPU. It’s the same sense of a freeway that directly connects Reno to Carson, bypassing Washoe Valley.

Low level formatting is the outlining of the positions of the tracks and sectors on the hard disk. This is basically the physical format that defines where the data is stored on the disk. When it leaves the factory the disk platters (sectors and tracks) are empty.

SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Advancement) uses a serial data path instead of the parallel path. Basically the difference between SATA and ATA is the chord used, it’s like using an regular HD chord for your TV (ATA) or you can use the new HDMI chord (SATA) which gives you much better resolution. SATA is faster on how it interfaces.

ATA (Advanced Technology Advancement) is an interface(communication) used for controlling computer drives. Uses a parallel path.

IDE is a standard interface between the motherboard data paths and the disk storage devices, basically it is a connector.

Computer Memory Timeline

New Technology for Prosthetics

For people who have had a limb amputated there are many options to choose from in prosthetics. One of the most popular is electric prosthetics. Electric prosthetics is controlled by an electro-mechanical switch operated by body movement using cables and straps. However a new technology called myoelectric uses EMG signals from muscles selected therefore eliminating the use of cables and straps. Today, technology allows you to be able to create a combination of different kinds of prosthetic technology to best suite the amputee.
For more information on prosthetics technology click here:
http://www.fillauer.com/education/ED_myoelectric.html

Some new technology.....

In 2002 Roger Ebert was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. After numerous surgeries on his throat, he eventually lost his ability to speak. With the new technology by CereProc Roger Ebert has recently gained his ability to speak once again. The only way Roger Ebert was able to gain his own voice back was through prior commentaries he made for several films on DVD. This presented a challenge because CereProc was trying to stitch together his voice from audio that was limited in length and poor in quality. Regardless of this challenge CereProc was able to create his voice which was recently debuted on Oprah as a success.
How it works….
They take the audio data that they carefully recorded and send it off for transcription and then segment it into very small pieces. The technique is similar to the one used by AT&T's NaturalVoices of selecting different pieces, or phonemes, of the audio and stitching them back together in clever ways. The trick is stitching them back together so they don't sound like they came from different context and different words.
CereProc creates and sells a variety of different voices with various accents, dialects, and personalities. People use CereProc's voices and text-to-speech software for many things like to learn English or other languages and some, like Roger Ebert, that have lost their own ability to speak. Some people want to capture a local dialect before it dies out. Some people use TTS software as a proofreading and editing tool to listen aloud to your own writing.
Sources: http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-10463023-76.html?part=rss&&subj=news&&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

Computer Literate

SRAM is memory. This controls the speed you need to open up applications or programs. SRAM does not need to be refreshed as long as the computer is on and has power available.

Word Size is the amount or size of data that can be moved from the CPU to the memory (SRAM). Measured in bits.(8 bits in a byte)

Overclocking is running the processor (brain of the computer) at a faster speed than the manufacturer suggests which can damage the processor. In comparison it would be like your brain on acid.(assuming your mother was a hippie)

Processor frequency is the internal speed of the processor. Basically it is the speed of the computer, how fast it processes information/data.

Data Pathways are the pathways for various types of data. For example data goes from the CPU to the ALU and back to the CPU. It’s a process/pathway that must be taken to get a result.

Primary, external and memory cache- Primary cache is within the CPU chip and runs at the same speed as the processor also called Level 1 cache. External cache is a little bit larger than the primary cache, but it is located outside of the CPU, also called Level 2 cache. Farthest from the CPU is the memory cache also called level 3 cache. Basically these are RAM that holds data and instructions.

POWERSTAX plc

POWERSTAX plc
Product Name: A0600 1U 600W Bulk Power AC-DC
Category: AC/DC

This is a great power supply unit for a midrange computer!

Features:
· 600W (this is the actual power)
· Efficiency 80-85% (energy efficient)
· Remote On/Off (you can turn the unit on by other means, rather than an actual switch)
· Overvoltage & Overcurrent protection (the power supply will turn itself off before the voltage reaches threshold or in the event of and overload, your power supply might fry but the rest of the computer won’t)
· Over-temperature warning and protection. (this warns you when the power supply is getting too hot)
· Power fail warning and fault alarm. (an audible alarm that tells you something is not working correctly, like not enough power coming to the unit)

So for all around sizable power, this would be the power supply to go with.

If you would like a quote for a price for this particular power supply please click on the following:

sales@apcuk.com

There are also other series to choose from with a range of 400-3000W of power. When you get into the higher wattage they are used mostly for commercial use.(huge servers)

Powerstax plc have an overall rating of 4 stars :)

For more info on power supplies go to http://www.powersupplies.net/default.asp This is a very helpful website to get information on different power supplies and their manufacture.

Overseas Tech Support.....Good or Bad???

A lot of jobs are being out-sourced in the U.S. today. The reasoning behind this is to save money. It's cheap labor and as a business owner you don't have to offer insurance or have insurance liability for your employees. However, by outsourcing jobs we are hurting our economy and pretty much wiping out our middle class. Not to mention that every time I have to call for tech support I can barely understand what the customer service agent is saying.(language barrier) As if computer tech stuff isn't enough of a language barrier its even worse when I cant understand what they are saying anyway!

I don't feel that it is better to save money versus customer service. Customers are loyal to those who give good customer service and in the end if you have poor customer service, you will loose your customers and eventually start loosing money due to the customer loss from poor customer service. I would feel the same way as a business owner.

Real Problems, Real Solutions 1-1

GIM Intel Gamer's Dream System:

1. The system bus is called the front side bus. The Intel Gamers Dream has a bus of 1066 speed.

2. Frequency speed is 2.66Ghz

3. The brand of the processor is Intel.

4. The RAM that is installed is 6GB with a 1600Mhz.

5. The expansion slot used for a video card is PCI-Express Video Card.

6. The type of interface that this hard drive uses is SATA2.

7. The hard drive can store 1TB.

8. The hard drive brand is ASUS.

9. The type of optical drive installed is a blue ray burner.

10. The terms that I am not sure of their meaning are as follows:

LAN

Secondary Hard Drive Case

7 THINGS ABOUT ME!

1. I like to dip my fries in my frosty.
2. I am a total gear head. I love hot rods and working on making them go faster.
3. I read all the Twilight series of books and I am team Jakob.
4. I always seem calm, cool and collected but in reality I am freaking out inside 80% of the time.
5. I have never seen the inside components of a pc/laptop.
6. I had to research what a URL was prior to this blog.
7. I am fascinated by the different religions and why everyone thinks that their religion is the best.