Saturday, February 26, 2011

Virtualization

Imagine how is it if to be if our computer can only able to run one software program at a time. That meant in order to check our mail, we need to turn off Microsoft office application, or we have to turn off movies just to use the Internet. Luckily, we can use more than one software application at a time, but we seldom think of running more than one operating system at once. Actually like software program, we can also run more than one operating system simultaneously. Here, the technology of virtualization has been created. It allow us to run multiple operating system at one time on single computer. Virtualization is a technology which achieve higher server density. However, it does not increase much computing power.

There are various uses of virtualization that aids human endeavor:

1. Run old application

The application that does not work well in Window 7 or Vista can be opened by Window Xp and install it within a virtual machine (VM). Then install your application.

VMware Player features Unity mode, which allows applications running in the virtual machine to appear as if they're running natively on the host computer. They have their own taskbar buttons and their own program windows, making for a seamless experience. For this to work, however, you'll need to install the VMware Tools program on the virtualized operating system. You're usually prompted to do this after installation of the OS has finished.

2. Access Virus-Infected Data

If you have ever sent a file that your antivirus program has alerted, but it contains important data you just have to view? Most virtualization software includes snapshot functionality, which means you can create a "saved state" of the virtual OS and its entire hard disk. It's a little like travelling back in time.

You could create a snapshot in the virtual machine, open the infected file within the VM to access the data and, if the virus causes chaos, simply click to restore the VM snapshot.

3. Browse in Complete Safely

Why not install Windows on VMware Player, then install Firefox, and run it in Unity mode so it appears to run natively on the host computer?

Essentially Firefox will be running in a sandbox meaning that should it one of its plugins get hacked while you're online, there'll be no absolutely no risk to your actual operating system. You could create a snapshot once everything's been configured in the virtual machine in order to get things back up and running quickly, before anything go wrong.

4. Test Software, Upgrades, or New Configurations

You could use your virtual computer not only to test malware but new software, updates, or even new configurations of software before you roll them out for real on your main OS.

5. Back Up an Entire Operating System

Because the virtual OS is entirely contained within a series of files, backing it up is as simple as backing up any other files. It's the same with virtualized server installations too. If you're running a virtual machine on a server to host your mail server, and it's brought down by a hack attack, then bringing things back to working order is as simple as restoring the backup files.

7. Create a Personal Computer

If you're out of the office, there's no need to take your laptop with you. Just leave it running (with power saving turned off!), or tablet computer instead, and access the laptop via a Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) connection over the Internet. This will let you access the same desktop environment you're used to, although there'll be no fancy graphics.

8. Develop a Project or Website in Virtual Space

Virtualization makes it easy to create new development environments, or maintain staging environment that synchronize with your live servers.

Author: Keir Thomas

Retrieved from:

http://www.cio.com.au/article/378008/10_cool_things_virtualization_lets_do/






Input and Output Devices


At the beginning the input and output devices has been introduced until nowadays, there is a lot of evolution on it. The more obvious changing that we can found or see in the input and output devices now is the COMBINATION.
What i mean in combination? Let's me give an example, long time ago, we are using scanner as the input devices to scan image into the computer. Besides that, we are using printer to print out the document or photo that we want. But what we can see now is, these items is not long stay alone anymore.

Input devices + output devices = All in one

By these combination, it not only help user to save their money (even by these devices one by one), but it also make the user working in more effective and efficiency situation (help user to save their time, using same devices to do all that thing).

Others than fax machines or all in one printer, can you give me another examples^^

If you have follow the IT recent information, i think you will know about the Pen Computer. Actually it's an devices that the Japan IT researcher believe that it will fully replace for computer that we are using everyday now. The pen computer prototype has been develop in 2003 and been create by the Japan Technology Company but until now it's still under the development and improvement. Here i provide you a video regarding the computer in a future live (Pen Computer)


Sources retrieved from www.youtube.com and http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_pen_pc3.htm.

What i want to discuss with you here is, will the input devices, output devices, or even combination (input + output) devices will disappear in the future IT field? The reason why i saying like that is, since the IT researcher can create an idea about the Pen Computer, then people still using input and output devices for what purpose? Screen monitor and keyboard can be replace by the laser and infrared technology. Human biology devices that use to verify the user identification can be replace by E- finger printing. All these thing is able to use me that, people now is tend to using something to replace for the input and output devices already. How do you think? It's only my own imagination or opinion? Or you think so? Share with me^^

The second think that i want to discuss regarding the Pen Computer is, what computer you want for for future? In my opinion, it's better if all the input and output devices can replace by some item that are able to do everything. For the video above we can see that the laser and infrared technology is able to replace for the keyboard devices and monitor screen that we are still using now. I think that, if all these devices can be combine into one item, it will give a lot of benefits for the users. Time and money of course is the most obvious benefits that we able able to relate. But others than that, by the combination all the input and output devices it can make users more convenient. Users can do anything , anywhere and anytime. For examples, we no need to bring a printer when we want to print a document. By the way, i believe, these advance technology is able to increase the productivity for not only normal users, but it will also increase the productivity of the organization.

What you want for your computer in your future? And how you think about the input and output devices in the future? Share it~~

Virtual Memory

Virtual memory is the common part of most operating systems on desktop computer.It had become so common because it provides a big benefit for users at a very low cost.

Most computers today have something like 32 or 64 megabytes of RAM available for the CPU to use. Unfortunately, that amount of RAM is not enough to run all of the programs that most users expect to run at once.

For example, if you load the operating system, an e-mail program, a Web browser and word processor into RAM simultaneously, 32 megabytes is not enough to hold it all. If there were no such thing as virtual memory, then once you filled up the available RAM your computer would have to say, "Sorry, you cannot load any more applications. Please close another application to load a new one." With virtual memory, what the computer can do is look at RAM for areas that have not been used recently and copy them onto the hard disk. This frees up space in RAM to load the new application.

Because this copying happens automatically, you not even know it is happening, and it makes your computer feel like is has unlimited RAM space even though it only has 32 megabytes. Because hard disk space is so much cheaper than RAM chips, it also has a nice economic benefit.

The read or write speed of a hard drive is much slower than RAM, and the technology of a hard drive is not geared toward accessing small pieces of data at a time. If your system has to rely too heavily on virtual memory, you will notice a significant performance drop. The key is to have enough RAM to handle everything you tend to work on simultaneously - then, the only time you feel the slowness of virtual memory is when there is a slight pause when you are changing tasks. When that is the case, virtual memory is perfect.

When it is not the case, the operating system has to constantly swap information back and forth between RAM and the hard disk. This is called thrashing, and it can make your computer feel incredibly slow.

The area of the hard disk that stores the RAM image is called a page file. It holds pages of RAM on the hard disk, and the operating system moves data back and forth between the pages file and RAM. On a Windows machine, page files have a .SWP extension.

                          

 



Friday, February 25, 2011

windows 7

Windows 7 is the latest release of Microsoft Windows, a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, netbooks, tablet PCs, and media center PCs. Windows 7 was released to manufacturing on July 22, 2009, and reached general retail availability on October 22, 2009, less than three years after the release of its predecessor, Windows Vista. Windows 7's server counterpart, Windows Server 2008 R2, was released at the same time.

Unlike its predecessor, Windows Vista, which introduced a large number of new features, Windows 7 was intended to be a more focused, incremental upgrade to the Windows line, with the goal of being compatible with applications and hardware with which Windows Vista was not at the time. Presentations given by Microsoft in 2008 focused on multi-touch support, a redesigned Windows shell with a new taskbar, referred to as the Superbar, a home networking system called HomeGroup, and performance improvements.

The first aspect which can simply decide the fate of a particular product. Well, Microsoft has worked a lot on this part it seems. Windows 7 uses the concept of jumplists, to organize recently used files as well as webpages. Windows 7 also presents to the users a new improved taskbar - an interactive taskbar that allows you to align the objects on the taskbar of your own accord and with more functionalities. The three new features, Aero Shake, Aero Peek and Snap provide very simple ways to get yourself out of the clutter on your desktop.

Media sharing is another aspect which any common user would find a very much enhanced and improved factor in Windows 7. Technology has kept on changing over the ages and media formats have not been an exception. Windows 7 provides much better enhancements and drag and drop features which were not available with the previous Windows Media Player. TV tuner cards can be used with much more ease, making the media viewing experience a much more lively utility of the Windows 7 operating system.

Windows 7 has made home networking a much more easy to use feature. The interface for connecting the machines to a home network has been made much more lively and easy to use. Setting up a few computers in a network is a much more easier task and sharing information is also relatively easier, not that it was much complicated in the earlier versions. It has also provided better features for network security making a small home or office network less vulnerable to hackers. Read more on computer networking.

Windows 7 SP1 update




Unless you belong to one of Microsoft’s secret clubs, in which case it’s already been made available to you, the very first service pack for Windows 7 should be popping into your Windows Update right around now. For many system administrators out there, this news marks the start of a very long week. A week in which typically work must be interrupted, machines must be individually updated, and of course being ready in case anything goes wrong (my condolences you are also running a Windows Phone 7 network).

One really notable feature to this update isn’t even in the update, but rather its deployment. Microsoft has made it easy(er) for system administrators to manually apply the Service Pack 1 update.
By making available a single massive file (2GB) with install capabilities for all versions and options within Windows 7, Microsoft has created an opportunity for both time and resources to be saved. No untimely network strain, no complicated set of installation instructions, no installing the wrong version accidentally. Just load the file onto a flash drive or compile an autorun CD and you are good to go. It’s an important step for Microsoft to achieve their goal of making sure that as many computers as possible are at the current version.
So for you home users why should you grab the SP1 update today? As always the service pack is, first and foremost, a compilation of the security updates that have been released up until this point. Additionally new stabilization methods have been implemented allowing for smoother function of features such as window recovery, designed to make sure your open folders are still there even if your computer powers down. Microsoft has also implemented a new licensing system for remote desktop, allowing for more secure remote computing experience.
To download SP1, simply go to the Windows Update icon in your control panel, and install the most recent updates. This initial process is brief, though will require a system restart. The total time for the update is estimated at 15 min. Good luck!

Monday, February 21, 2011

What is a computer bus?

Introduction to the concept of a Bus

A bus, in computing, is a set of physical connections (cables, printed circuits, etc.) which can be shared by multiple hardware components in order to communicate with one another.

The purpose of buses is to reduce the number of "pathways" needed for communication between the components, by carrying out all communications over a single data channel. This is why the metaphor of a "data highway" is sometimes used.











If only two hardware components communicate over the line, it is called a hardware port (such as aserial port or parallel port).


Characteristics of a Bus

A bus is characterised by the amount of information that can be transmitted at once. This amount, expressed in bits, corresponds to the number of physical lines over which data is sent simultaneously. A 32-wire ribbon cable can transmit 32 bits in parallel. The term "width" is used to refer to the number of bits that a bus can transmit at once.

Additionally, the bus speed is also defined by its frequency (expressed in Hertz), the number of data packets sent or received per second. Each time that data is sent or received is called a cycle.

This way, it is possible to find the maximum transfer speed of the bus, the amount of data which it can transport per unit of time, by multiplying its width by its frequency. A bus with a width of 16 bits and a frequency of 133 MHz, therefore, has a transfer speed equal to:
16 * 133.106 = 2128*106 bit/s,
or 2128*106/8 = 266*106 bytes/s
or 266*106 /1000 = 266*103 KB/s
or 259.7*103 /1000 = 266 MB/s

Bus Subassembly

In reality, each bus is generally constituted of 50 to 100 distinct physical lines, divided into three subassemblies:

• The address bus (sometimes called the memory bus) transports memory addresses which the processor wants to access in order to read or write data. It is a unidirectional bus.
• The data bus transfers instructions coming from or going to the processor. It is a bidirectional bus.
• The control bus (or command bus) transports orders and synchonisation signals coming from the control unit and travelling to all other hardware components. It is a bidirectional bus, as it also transmits response signals from the hardware.

The primary Buses

There are generally two buses within a computer:

• the internal bus (sometimes called the front-side bus, or FSB for short). The internal bus allows the processor to communicate with the system's central memory (the RAM).
• the expansion bus (sometimes called the input/output bus) allows various motherboard components (USB, serial, and parallel ports, cards inserted in PCI connectors, hard drives, CD-ROM and CD-RW drives, etc.) to communicate with one another. However, it is mainly used to add new devices using what are called expansion slots connected to the input/outpur bus.

The chipset

A chipset is the component which routes data between the computer's buses, so that all the components which make up the computer can communicate with each other. The chipset originally was made up of a large number of electronic chips, hence the name. It generally has two components:

• The NorthBridge (also called the memory controller) is in charge of controlling transfers between the processor and the RAM, which is way it is located physically near the processor. It is sometimes called the GMCH, forr Graphic and Memory Controller Hub.
• The SouthBridge (also called the input/output controller or expansion controller) handles communications between peripheral devices. It is also called the ICH (I/O Controller Hub). The tembridge is generally used to designate a component which connects two buses.




Sunday, February 20, 2011

Pros and Cons of Virtual Reality

Virtual reality can be defined as a technology that enables users to enter computer generated worlds and interface with them three dimensionally through sight, sound, and touch. Virtual reality combines computer simulation and visualization into a single, coherent whole.Virtual reality is contending to be the interface of the future, allowing ordinary users to use their senses to interact with complex data.

Virtual reality has reached far beyond the interest of only computer scientists and engineers. It has also peaked interest in many other fields including; communication and telecommunication industrialists, artists, the entertainment industry, the medical field, the military, and major businesses and industries. Virtual reality is rapidly becoming an advanced means for communication. Virtual reality technology allows for users to observe and access information in a number of ways.

Virtual reality will be used in order to prevent mistake or practice trial and error. For example, in the medical field simulated surgery would serve in the training of new doctors and medical students. Experimentation with new procedures on simulated patients could become possible as well. In the military the use of simulators has been a practice for years. The use of virtual reality would provide even more advanced, realistic situations for military training in flight as well as in combat. Virtual reality in businesses and corporations would provide tremendous means of communication and equal access to data.

There are also several drawbacks to this technological advance. The present cost and the complications with the virtual reality equipment are two of the main negatives facing scientists. For example, the head set sometimes cannot keep up with the natural movements of the user's head. The issue of dehumanization in our society is a another negative aspect. Virtual reality, if as widespread as predicted, could result in a significant decrease in human interaction in the real world.

In addition, virtual reality defeats the traditional view that fantasy is unattainable. In a way fantasy and what we cannot obtain is intrinsic to our existence. People may begin to spend more and more time in their preferred "virtual or fantasy world" and less time in reality. If we begin to lose our hold on distinguishing between fantasy and reality, it may ruin our lives.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Honda-ASIMO


Do you know…Honda ASIMO has celebrated its 10th Anniversary on 31st October 2010? In a decade ago, Honda has successful to create a humanoid robot. By this advance creation in the technology field has generate a revolution in humanoid robot technology. Before the creation of Honda-ASIMO, they have already started a research from a quarter of a century ago and 14 years later, on 31st October 2000, ASIMO was created.

ASIMO is one of the Honda’s long standing programs of research and development into robotics and human mobility. They are still holding with their goal in which they believe that a robot will be able to help people in their everyday lives. Others that this, robot will take on some of the tasks that would be able to make all the human lives become easier and more pleasant at all. The benefits bring by the robot will not only toward home environment but it could any situation where people need support. Honda’ teams are now focusing on the development of the robot’s intelligence as well as improve the relationship or understand with human and robot. What they are trying to do is as well as makes the robot 100% same like the human. They want it become truly usable humanoid robot and is clever as like the human.

Do you think that the robot evolution is good for us? In my opinion, there is a advantages but it’s also has its own disadvantages. I think there is no need for me to tell you about the advantages of the industries but I want to share my opinion in the disadvantages. Let me start with home. If there are the robot will help us doing all the home keeping things then what the family member will do later? Just simply watching TV, sleep, or playing games? In industries, if the robot will be able to totally replace for human and even in the intelligence field, what we need to after study for so long? Or the firm no need to hiring employees anymore. Robot will help them to do the job more effective and efficiency. Then how about us? Become useless? It’s a statement that an advance country is always come with the high technology. But, if the robot will replace for the human job, there are no long job application for the human later. Its mean unemployment rate will increase also? It’s still mean that country still an advance country is good? However, this is the fact, technology has become important and more important nowadays, people can’t lives without technology now. so, in a conclusion here, it’s still make me confuse that its better for the continues of the evolution of the technology or not. Hahha..

Anyway, there is a website you can explore and interact with ASIMO-http://asimo.honda.com/. It is a very interactive and interesting website for me in where it can let me more understand and most important is I can play with ASIMO. You can give an order for ASIMO and then you are able to see how ASIMO is respond to your order. Go and try it^^

And there is the link for you to download the ASIMO sreen saver-http://asimo.honda.com/downloads/ASIMO.exe. Enjoy it^^

Pls: If can, please put your comment regardless this title. i'm interesting with your opinion^^

Friday, February 18, 2011

What is Bot?

A bot (short for "robot") is a program that operates as an agent for a user or another program or simulates a human activity. On the Internet, the most ubiquitous bots are the programs, also called spiders or crawlers, that access Web sites and gather their content for search engine indexes.

Search engines use "spiders" which search (or spider) the web for information. They are software programs which request pages much like regular browsers do. In addition to reading the contents of pages for indexing spiders also record links.
  • Link citations can be used as a proxy for editorial trust.
  • Link anchor text may help describe what a page is about.
  • Link co citation data may be used to help determine what topical communities a page or website exist in.
  • Additionally links are stored to help search engines discover new documents to later crawl.

A chatterbot is a program that can simulate talk with a human being. One of the first and most famous chatterbots (prior to the Web) was Eliza, a program that pretended to be a psychotherapist and answered questions with other questions.

Red and Andrette were names of two early programs that could be customized to answer questions from users seeking service for a product. Such a program is sometimes called a virtual representative or a virtual service agent.

A shopbot is a program that shops around the Web on your behalf and locates the best price for a product you're looking for. There are also bots such as OpenSesame that observe a user's patterns in navigating a Web site and customize the site for that user.

A knowbot is a program that collects knowledge for a user by automatically visiting Internet sites and gathering information that meets certain specified criteria.


Friday, February 11, 2011

Specialized Application Software

Expect surprises—exciting and positive opportunities. The latest technological developments offer you new opportunities to extend your range of computer competency. As we show in this chapter, software that for years was available only for mainframes has recently become available for microcomputers. This new generation of software, called specialized applications, now makes it possible to perform advanced tasks at home.
The latest technological developments have created an opportunity for home users to take advantage of software previously used only in professional environments. For example, it is now possible, and quite common, for people to create their own Web sites. Home users also have access to software that helps manipulate and create graphic images. Many musicians and artists work from home to create complex and beautiful work using specialized applications.
Some of these same technological advances have allowed researchers and computer scientists to make advances in the field of artificial intelligence that previously were envisioned only in science fiction. Robots now provide security and assistance in homes. Virtual reality is providing opportunities in the fields of medicine and science but also commonly appears in video games.
Competent end users need to be aware of specialized applications. They need to know who uses them, what they are used for, and how they are used. These advanced applications include graphics programs, audio and video editing software, multimedia, Web authoring, and artificial intelligence, including virtual reality, knowledge-based systems, and robotics.

example











FilmMaker -

RIP software for creating screenprint films on most commonly used inkjet printers. Precision tools that provide ultimate screen quality and film densities while simplifying a complicated and critical process in you screenprint production cycle.
FilmMaker- The screenprinters choice

• Featuring patent pending variable dot halftoning technology
• Biggest selection of printer support
• Easy to use interface featuring Visual Production Manager (VPM) a multiple printer and queue job management system











Digital Factory is essential for digital printing of color graphics. Digital Factory offers an award-winning RIP and:

File Management
• Print directly from most design applications or import files from them

Color Management
• Expert color management based on AGFA technology

Output Solutions
• Advanced queue system
• Wide selection of printer/cutter drivers
• Color profiles for all major printers

Only Digital Factory integrates all your digital printing production needs into one easy to use package.












Software development services for manufacturers and solutions providers looking to market unique workflow solutions that involve design, production and product web fulfillment.

Experienced, Market-Proven, Custom Software Provider

Design software
A complete design feature set that can be structured to meet specific market requirements.

Production software
Integrated production features and output device drivers that support a variety of production workflows including; Cutting (engravers, routers, plotters, etc), Printing (desktop and wide format printers) used in the production of goods.

Electronic web fulfillment
Management software for design, production and delivery of goods via the internet. Specializing in product customization and fulfillment of products across remote sites tied to a central production facility.











EngraveLab - The ultimate engraving software solution for rotary and laser engravers — A complete design to production package, or the perfect companion to CorelDraw™.













Your Creativity.
No signmaking software has as many design features specific to large format layout and design. Your imagination, our software, unlimited design possibilities.

Your Productivity
Unmatched workflow support. SignLab Version 9 is completely integrated with many popular design applications such as Corel, Illustrator and PhotoShop. Our customers enjoy seamless file sharing with all these applications. Visual Production Manager manages print, cut, print and cut workflows all in a single easy to use interface.



Your Opportunities
SignLab is the only signmaking software that enables virtually instant access to additional profit centers. Add-on specialty modules such as Vehicle Graphics, Engraving, Garment Decorating to your existing package and avoid having to learn new software when new business opportunities arise.




CADlink Technology Corporation is pleased to announce the release of SignLab Version 9.


SignLab Version 9 has been developed in accordance with detailed feedback from long-time users, resellers and manufacturing partners. Simplifying and streamlining design and production workflow is the driving force behind this release. The addition of new design tools for both bitmap and vector objects enhance the front-end design capabilities of the software. These design features plus a new integrated workflow between SignLab, third party design and RIP applications provides a robust signmaking, wide format imaging solution. This combination of tools simply cannot be found in any desktop publishing or signmaking software packages on the market today.


The inclusion of “Total Solutions Modules” as possible add-ons to SignLab V9, reinforces the positioning of the software as a complete, commercial production product. Customers are able to add “Professional Vehicle Graphics”, “Garment Decorating” (for either direct to garment printing or rhinestone application), “Sign Routing” or “Engraving” modules to most SignLab V9 packages and immediately begin to produce products without having to learn an entirely new software product.


“The new feature-set included within SignLab V9 is specifically intended to address design and production issues that signmakers face on a daily basis” says Jim Ramsden, CADlink President. “We are also very much aware that signmakers want to integrate and leverage the use of other design applications used in their daily workflow to produce vinyl cut signs as well as wide format digital print signage. SignLab V9 does exactly this”.


SignLab Version 9 includes the following key, new features;
• Optimized memory handling leveraging Windows 32 and 64 O/S’s; Windows 7, Vista and XP. Unmatched large file handling and RIP processing speeds.
• Automated workflow support from popular design applications such as Corel, Illustrator and PhotoShop.
• Easy to use menu-board design interface.
• Complete transparency support.
• Dozens of new bitmap and vector special effects features.

CADlink

About CADlink Technology Corporation

Since 1987, CADlink Technology Corporation has been developing software applications for sign making, engraving, screenprintingß, garment decorating, routing and digital printing. Products include SignLab™, EngraveLab™, FilmMaker™, ProfileLab™, and Digital Factory™.
Recently CADlink has greatly expanded its software engineering scope to include custom software development for 3rd party OEM partners in a variety of niche markets that require design, printing, cutting and routing support.
CADlink’s corporate office is in Ottawa, Canada, and CADlink has branch offices in the USA, the UK, and Germany. CADlink software is available in over 50 countries worldwide, in 14 languages, through more than 200 dealers.