In your blog, define Cloud computing. List its advantages, disadvantages, and give a few examples of cloud computing in PCs, Tablets, and Phones. Which major operating system relies heavily on cloud computing?
Cloud computing is whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers as a utility, like electricity, over a network. It is essentially computing as a service rather than a product. It does not require end-user knowledge of the physical location and configuration of the system that delivers the services.
Among the advantages of cloud computing are the improved collaboration between employees on projects. Since the projects are saved on secure external computers, more than one individual can access them at the same time. Secondly, extra hardware resources are not required which leaves more room for capital expenses. Thirdly, with cloud computing, the service provider is responsible for updating the software and ensuring the safety of the data stored on their data centers. However, disadvantages of cloud computing also exist. For example, there is always a risk of the internet service provider breaking down or being inaccessible. The integration between computer and network applications is also not as smooth with cloud computing.
An example of cloud computing in mobile phones is the Android market. With access to the internet, users are able to get apps from an internet database. An example of cloud computing in PCs is the Google Chromebook laptop. It is a cloud-based computer where apps, documents, settings and other data will be securely stored in cyberspace and accessible from any Chrome computer. In tablets, the Amazon Kindle Fire uses cloud-based browsing system, attempting to speed up mobile web browsing "by using cloud computing to do some of the heavy lifting that used to be handled only by the browser in your device, which can't compete in power with a huge number of computers in a warehouse somewhere."
A major operating system that relies heavily on cloud computing is the Microsoft Azure. These are Windows Azure (an operating system providing scalable compute and storage facilities), SQL Azure (a cloud-based, scale-out version of SQL Server) and Windows Azure AppFabric (a collection of services supporting applications both in the cloud and on premise).Microsoft Azure is a Microsoft cloud platform used to build, host and scale web applications through Microsoft data centers.
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
Exercise 4
1. Explain how punch cards were used as input methods, why did their use recline, and are they still in use today?
Punch cards were the first widely adopted technologies that allowed the permanent storage and retrieval of programs and data. Most cards featured 80 columns, but Herman Hollerith eventually created the modern punch card. Multiple punches in each column could be used to represent either a letter or number, which was typically also printed in ink at the top of the column so the cards could also be read by eye.
Keyboards were a large leap forward from punch cards, and led to the recline in use of punch cards as they made editing a matter of re-keying input, instead of ripping up and retyping entire cards.
Today, punch cards still have a few uses, most notably for one purpose: voting machines. However, after an incident in the 1968 general election in Detroit where a rainstorm soaked one batch of ballots, there have been questions of whether more modern methods should be used.
2. In your own words, and from your imagination, try to envision a futuristic input method. Support your answer with photos/sketches if/when possible.
In the future, keyboards have to be small enough to be ultra-portable, yet large enough to be typed on comfortably. How do we achieve this? Why, simply by having a virtual keyboard that is easier to type on than a minute touchscreen keyboard that is easy to make typing errors on.
This is done with a laser hologram that is touch or optical sensitive. Thus it can be projected onto any surface, making it mass-less yet comfortable to type on. In fact, this technology is rumored to be explored by Apple. The tech world is buzzing with news that this sensational technology is not light years away, but in fact due to be released next year in the iPhone 5.
Thursday, 13 October 2011
Exercise 3
1. Compare Multi-core processing to parallel processing in terms of speed, number of tasks you can process at a time.
Parallel processing is able to handle more tasks at the same time and at a faster rate compared to a multi-core processing. This is because there are more engines (CPUs or cores) in parallel processing. It can also be done by connecting computers in a network. It increases speed as it is able to handle different portions of a single program by dividing it among processors.
2. What is threading in multi-tasking? Does it make the processing faster or slower?
On a single processor, threading generally occurs by multitasking, which is also known as time-division multiplexing . The processor switches between different threads. This context switching generally happens frequently enough that the user perceives the threads or tasks as running at the same time. On a multiprocessor or multi-core system, the threads or tasks will actually run at the same time, with each processor or core running a particular thread or task. Therefore, it makes processing slightly faster.
3. What is pipelining? Can it be used with parallel processing and multi-core processing?
Pipelining is a set of data processing elements connected in series, so that the output of one element is the input of the next one. The elements of a pipeline are often executed in parallel or in time-sliced fashion. This is similar to an assembly line at a factory. It can also be used with parallel processing and multi-core processing. This is when each loop is split into stages and threads operate on different stages from different iterations concurrently. On the other hand, when multiple cores are assigned to a pipeline stage, its throughput increases linearly, ideally. Thus, to speed up a pipeline workload, we assign more cores to the slowest stages to balance the throughput. However, often the programmers are unable to balance the pipelines completely, leading to thread-waiting, thus defeating the purpose.
Exercise 2
1. List in steps a brief history of the development of the processor. When did multi-processing come to existence?
With the introduction of Intel’s i7 Sandybridge processor, it is clear that users will never be satisfied with existing technology, always demanding more and more. Multiprocessing is a mode of operation in which two or more processors (microprocessors) process two or more portions of the same program simultaneously. One of the first machines to use multiprocessing was the Cray X-MP, introduced in 1982, which linked two Cray-1 computers in parallel to triple their individual performance.
2. A motherboard is often encoded with the secret messages of hidden art. Give a few examples of these.
The Amiga motherboards were thought to contain a mysterious message when it was launched, a secret code to Amiga disciples. It was later discovered that they were song titles. In the A500, the song was “Rock Lobster”. In the A600, it was “Junebug”, and “Channel Z” in the A1200.
3. Explain how the bus speed affects the performance of the computer.
A bus speed is the amount of data (MHz) that can be transported in the computer simultaneously. The more data a bus can handle at one time, the faster it allows information to travel. The faster the bus speed, the faster the computer will operate. However, this is only true to a certain extent. A fast bus speed cannot make up for a slow processor or chipset.
Exercise 1
- Write a brief history of the development of the internet. What, in your own words made the internet the driving force in today’s communication oriented world?
The history of the Internet starts in the 1950s and 1960s with the development of computers. The ARPANET led to the development of protocols for inter-networking, where multiple separate networks could be joined together into a network of networks. In 1982 the TCPIP was made public and the concept of a world-wide network called the Internet was introduced. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, commercial internet service providers started to spring up.
In my opinion, the internet is the driving force in today’s communication oriented world because it allows the transfer of information, media, knowledge, money, etc in seconds, using minimal cost.
- Use the command “tracert” to count how many routers does it take you to access the following sites
- www.taylors.edu.my = 11 routers
- www.google.com.my = 12 routers
- www.cnn.com = 23 routers
Microsoft Paint
Different Size Paint Brush
Custom Paint Brush
Different Size Spraypaint
Different Size Lines
3D
3D Outline
Scaling
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