Connections

As much as I use my computer, I've never really taken a close look at how it works or how my data is stored. Hence, I found the content of our class to be very useful. I tend to be a very hands-on kinda gal, so any chance I get to get dirty and scrounge around a bit makes me very happy, and this is what I felt like the class gave me the chance to do.

When I think about what exactly I want to do with my degree, I think the most useful information I gained from this class was the data recovery sessions, including the recovery plans for both organizations and my pc. I am extremely negligent when it comes to protecting my data, even to the point of letting my virus protection slide, simply because I don't feel like paying the money or because I am tired of the software turning my fast pc into a dog. I now realize, although it's simple common sense to most, that I just cannot afford to do this. I did discover in my research, however, that I don't have to rely solely on Norton or McAfee, and that's reassuring. I also found the disaster recovery information extremely helpful and applicable not just to large corporations but to my small school as well. Even if I don't have to include every aspect, a well-designed plan will help me think about where and how information is stored in the event of a disaster.

The section of the course I found most challenging was the whole Linux activity. Although I was able to see how this OS functions, I felt like a complete ninny and know I didn't utilize the program to its fullest. From what the literature claimed, I should have been able to do much more than I did when I burned the image to disk and ran it from my laptop. Instead, I felt like an outsider simply observing, rather than a user. I think several would agree that exploring Linux was moving into unfamiliar territory and so some sort of demo would have been helpful. I had searched for something on Youtube but didn't find exactly what I was looking for. I needed more so that I could go to the image disk and perhaps feel more comfortable with its capabilities, particularly the Internet browser.

Similar to the Linux activity, I also would have like to dig deeper in our "under the hood" activity. I like opening up my machine and checking everything out, but I would have also liked to have learned basic maintenance for my machine. I didn't even realize until someone else pointed it out, that simply touching the motherboard with static electricity could kill my machine. Yikes! I'm glad I did find that out, however. Turns out I had several Dells in my lab with optical drive breakdowns so had machines opened up when my students walked in. Thankfully, I was able to tell them not to touch the "innards" for that very reason. Good, useful information to take with me. Similar knowledge would be helpful as well.

Overall, I really enjoyed the course and the work. I feel like the Powerpoints I created are presentations I can take with me in my portfolio for future use as well as references for others at my school.

Armageddon

I have owned one type of computer or another since probably the late 1990's. I can no longer remember the exact specs on that machine, but I believe it was an HP. If I wanted to, I could still go look - I think it's nestled comfortably in my basement somewhere, along with my old teaching lessons and stone-washed jeans. I can't remember if the machine actually died on me or if it was just that time to purchase a new one. Whatever the case may be, I think I still have stuff on it - classroom files, letters, perhaps even a few pictures, depicting my fabuluos big hair - and I mean FABULOUS.

I also currently have another HP in my husband's office that also contains old memorabilia - Christmas letters sent out in the early 2000's, copies of Turbo tax forms, and, yet again, more pictures. Unlike the first HP, however, I know for certain this computer did die. One day it just decided not to turn on anymore. I keep telling myself that eventually I'll take it to this guy I know in town who fixes them and get my stuff off of it, but for now it doesn't seem pressing. I'm sure if I did actually think about it, I'd be more stressed about not having whatever it is that's on it, but when it comes to computers, I tend to forget and, therefore, not panic. Perhaps I'll leave the machine for my kids who can then someday open it like a time capsule and discover the wonderful treasure lay hidden inside its hard drive. Oh what wonderful stories they'll have as they sift through the Gigabytes of meaningless and maybe not-so meaningless crap on that computer.

In the end, I've determined that eventualy I will find myself wasted away in Armageddon-ville, searching for my lost folders and stuff. I'm not as concerned about the paperwork, although for some things, such as the work I've done for this class, the consequences would be monumental. Overall it's the pictures that would cause me the greatest distress if my Dell laptop suddenly crashed. Occasionally, I do do the right thing and back up all my pictures, but now my problem is that I have all these discs with loads and loads of pictures that make no sense. Nothing is organized and, again, I'm sure I will end up leaving all this mess for my kids. After all I've done for them, they deserve it.

In fear of the computer crash, I have devised a second method of backing up my stuff and that is dumping all of it on my school's server. I'm not sure this is the professional thing to do, but I couldn't resist. With access to over 600GB, the temptation was too great. In addition, the school district keeps a back-up of everything, so I am assured of their retrieval if something should suddenly go badly. There are several concerns and fears I have, however, regarding this strategy. First, I have created so many different folders that tracking down my pictures is an endless task. I keep coming across folders whose pictures now date back four years ago. "So that's what happened to my pictures from Mexico!" I can be heard uttering such nonsense all day long. Again, there's more of an organizational issue here than a back-up issue. A second fear is that if for some reason I find myself suddenly "gone" from this place, be it school or the world in general, no one would know to retrieve the files for me. I have mentioned this to my husband but considering the fact that he cannot remember where he put his wallet and keys this morning, I'm not real confident in his retention skills. Finally, my third fear is that one day, out of nowhere, the school district is going to wipe out or demand that we clean up our drives. It certainly seems like a reasonable request. If/When this happens I'll be finding myself eye-deep in folders and pictures that will need to be burned to disc. The only consolation is that being a committed procrastinator, I am used to working under pressure.

Whatever my options, I know suddenly facing a crash would leave me in a tizzy. I suppose like death, I choose not to face it until the time comes. In the meantime, I pray to the computer gods that they continue to show favor upon me. Of course, as Murphy's Law dictates, as well as all the great Greek tragedies, my computer is sure to fail me now that my hubris and confidence has been revealed. As the saying goes, "Pride goeth before the fall," especially when it comes to technology.

Survival of the Fittest - Future of Computers

If I had contemplated the future of Apple a couple of years ago, I would have guessed that the company would eventually fizzle. Yeah, I once used a Mac and know how great it is, but it seemed that everyone wanted PCs and anyone who had a Mac was frustrated at its inability to convert files and access programs. Wow, how things can change in such a short time. It's amazing how the technology pendulum swings constantly. Who would have thought that a little music player would be the breakthrough that Apple needed to put themselves on top again? And who also would have thought that that little contraption would set the pace for everything else now? At least that's my impression. Just a year or two ago, everyone was looking for bigger computers with bigger monitors. Now, we're moving in the other direction with smaller, laptop computers, and I think much of this has to do with devices such as the IPod. I really think the whole technology-on-the-go is where we are headed, and those companies that can give us anything mobile are the ones that will thrive. A couple of years ago, I was struggling with buying a new computer, debating whether or not to go with a desktop or laptop. Each had its benefits, but in the end, my gut told me that I was going to want something that I could take with me, something that wouldn't dictate where and when I could do my work. Thus, I went with the laptop and am grateful I did. Shortly after, it seemed there was a sudden boom in wireless technology, and now I can access the Internet almost anywhere. The same can now be said for my phone which has Wi-fi and Internet.

So, what kinds of companies will survive in the future? I really think the desktop may disappear eventually if more companies continue creating affordable laptops. I also think with more and more applications becoming web-based, traditional software may become obsolete. I know in my school district alone, we are looking more toward web-based applications for several reasons, mainly cost and ease of use. We have had a number of problems trying to run various programs on our server and moving to web-based applications eliminates those issues. So do I think there's a future for companies, such as Microsoft and Apple? You bet! As the "Triumph of the Nerds" so adaquately demonstrated, people like Bill Gates surround themselves with young, smart visionaries who look for what's on the cutting edge. I'm assuming that tradition will continue long after Gates is gone. I think more and more companies will rival them, but as long as they evolve and stay grounded in what the public demands, they will do well.

As the mother of three kids, including a 16 year-old, I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings for them in terms of technology. For my teenage daughter, she spends all her time texting and does so quickly. Rarely is she on the phone, and unlike me at her age, keeps her phone conversations to a minimum. She also spends a ton of time with ITunes and MySpace and her Nintendo DS, so I predict that these modes of communication and entertainment will continue to be important for her generation. As a teacher, I'm already reconsidering my curriculum based on what they do. In particular with the rapid rise in texting, I'm beginning to question how we teach traditional keyboarding. Is it necessary to teach homerow and posture to a generation who primarily uses their thumbs to type while sitting in the car? Not sure, but it's these kinds of questions that have me looking for companies who are also rethinking how we do and teach things. In the end, those will be the companies I look to and will support.