Well, this is my Final Blog. Due to constraints on my time, I am afraid that I haven’t blogged as faithfully as I would have liked throughout the course of the semester, but that should not be viewed as an indication that I have found this class to be boring or insignificant. On the contrary, I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this class and most of the labs associated with it.
From the onset, Dr. Brown has done a great job of weekly loading us with important information while at the same time keeping it fun and entertaining. He divided the semester into three parts, and I can honestly say that I always looked forward to his classes. My brief analysis of what we learned begins…NOW!
The First Part of the semester served as an introduction to computers, which are a technological invention that have, and will continue to, change the world. We learned about everything from the history of computers to Google. In between the two we learned about such things as, gears, relays, vacuum tubes, transistors, integrated circuits, and micro-processors, all of which comprise the evolution of computer hardware, in that order. Gordon Moore was the man who first articulated the law named after him, Moore’s Law, which states that the number of transistors that can be placed on the same surface area doubles about every two years. We were informed that Singularity is the belief that one day computers will become smarter than the humans who created them, and that the evolution of computer languages is machine code first, then assembly, high-level, and 4th generation. We also learned about audio, video, software, Binary, Apple, and Microsoft. While the CPU, BUS, Ram, and Rom, are all components required to build a smooth running computer, the Operating System is the most essential because it does just that, operate the system.
The Second Part of the semester delved into the web and internet along with the numerous protocols related to it, including, but not necessarily limited to, HTTP, FTP, IRC, and NNTP. In addition we learned about Database Management Systems, Relational DB’s, SQL, Software Development, Algorithms, Languages, and the crucial aspect of analysis and design. We then discussed the many methods hackers use to illegally hack other computers, for instance, social engineering, brute force attacks, distributed denial of service attacks, zombie computers, spoofing attacks, sniffers, buffer overflow errors, and SQL injection attacks.
The Third Part of the semester was probably my favorite because it covered such interesting things as the history of robots and current robots (like the Lego NXT) and their servos, sensors, software, etc. Cybernetics is extremely important to the future of robotics because it senses the surroundings, compares the sensory information to a desired goal, determines a course of action based on the difference between the perception and the goal, takes the desired action, repeats this cybernetic loop until the goal is achieved and then picks another goal. Artificial intelligence is still evolving but it sometimes uses a binary search, game tree structure, or a rule based system. Neural Networks and Cellular Automata were discussed in great detail. We talked about Virtual Reality in video games and tv/movies. We examined VR hardware like head-mounted displays and projection rooms. And, we concluded by studying Role-Playing Games (RPG) and Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPG).
Throughout the course of the semester we learned about influential men like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Alan Turing, Ray Kurzweil, and Steve Wozniak. These are just a few names of the many people who have invented technology that has literally changed the world. Thanks to Dr. Brown’s encouragement, I hope that one day my name will be added to a list of people who changed the world.
Every week or two we were required to complete a lab project like Scratch, Alice, and my favorite where we built a robot that could perform pre-programmed tasks. My least favorite was the HTML lab where we had to design and create our own website. While I didn’t really care for it, I probably learned the most from it.
Well that pretty much sums-it-up! Now that the semester has come to an end, I can honestly say that I have really enjoyed this class. I have made new friends, like my lab partner Elizabeth Turpin (aka E.T., aka Liz Turp), and Dr. Brown. I admire the passion he has to see us not just pass, but pass it with a good grade. I also appreciated his willingness to allow others to voice their opinions on diverse issues even when they might have differed from his own. While the field of technology is not necessarily my desire for life, I have learned a plethora of information that I know will positively impact my future. With all this in mind, I am glad that I had the opportunity to take this class.
I have always enjoyed school, sports, church, politics, and traveling. My favorite tv channels are Fox News, ESPN, and TCM (Turner Classic Movies) Some of my favorite tv shows are 24!, Alias, Battlestar Gallactica, The Event, The Big Bang Theory, Smallville, Nikita, and Chuck. My favorite movies are too many to list.