Throughout this course I have learned quite a bit.  This class has probably been one of the most enjoyable courses I have ever taken in my college career.  We really got to learn about the multiple topics in the computer science field.  This class definitely helped me narrow down what I would like to do in this field for sure.  Although, I think that robots are neat to play with and are definitely going to be a part of everyday life in the near future.  I personally can not get into the design aspect of it.  However, I do like the game design field of computer science, which I never thought I would say.  Plus, it seems like that is where all the money is!!  Programming and Security is where my heart lies I must say.  Everything about those aspects draw me in.  This class was very informative and very interesting.  Keeping it fresh with videos and new topics every week.  I wouldn’t change a thing and can honestly say after taking this class I feel more prepared for what lies ahead of me while pursuing my degree in the Computer Science field.  Thank you very much Dr. Brown for showing me all the possibilities that are out there and expanding my imagination of what is to come!

Share This

I like to play video games when I get the chance.  I mainly just play MLB baseball games.  I’m pretty boring when it comes to video games.  I’m terrible at hand to hand combat games and first person shooter games make me queasy! The screen moves to fast for me.  I love to watch games and really like the stories behind them.  Learning that World of Warcraft brings in over $80,000,000 (yeah, that’s 7 zero’s!) a month blew me away.  The amount of time being played on WoW is unreal.  Growing up, the only video games I played were on Atari or the original Nintendo.  I loved Mike Tyson’s Punchout and Kid Icarus for the Nintendo.  Personally, I find it hard to get sucked into a video game for hours at a time, but I can understand how it can become a persons reality.  I can understand how a person feels more comfortable behind a computer screen or playing on a video console than in the “real world”.  It can be easier to express your opinions when no one can see your face.  A skinny little kid can be a giant, valiant warrior riding a fire-breathing dragon inside a video game.  When he steps off the dragon and flexes his muscles on screen, he gains the respect of his virtual peers.  When he steps out of his door to go to school, he no longer has that dragon, or the respect of his peers.  Why would he not want to spend countless hours in his virtual world, where he feels more comfortable.  I think can help build confidence and can help build skills that are becoming more and more in demand for the future.  When being able to perfectly fly in a flight simulator becomes more important than actually being able to fly a real plane, you know gaming is becoming more and more important.

Share This

How do we make a computer intelligent?  What is the definition of intelligent? According to dicitonary.com, Intelligent is described as:

in·tel·li·gent

[in-tel-i-juhnt]  Show IPA

Share This

Robots are definitely our future.  From watching some of the video’s in Dr. Browns class throughout the semester, robots can look pretty real at times.  I definitely agree there is a fine line between what a human believes whether  a robot’s looks are acceptable or not.  I get kind of freaked out when I see a robot that look exactly like a human.  When it has prosthetic skin, they can look pretty real.  We watch one video where a robot multiple karate moves.  The robots moves are very fluid and precise!  If you put a prosthetic skin on him, creepy! I haven’t really gotten into the robotics field just yet.  During our lab, Dr. Brown assigned us to build a robot.  We got the chance to choose a Finch robot.  I was immediately drawn to that one because we could use Java for the programming of it.  The finch is a funny looking robot that resembles a sting ray in my opinion.  We downloaded the Java it from the finch website and quickly learned what code was needed to make the finch move and change colors on its beak.  My group decided to make the finch be a drawing tool.  We wanted to create a jframe canvas, where the finch would draw on the screen based on you arm motions.  We wanted the finch to change the paintbrush colors based on tilting the finch.  Also, when covering the sensor, he would become an eraser.  However, it wasn’t really an eraser, it would just change back to the color white, which was the color of the canvas.  That make the effect of an eraser.  It proved to be difficult to have the finch change colors. So we would up just making it one color, green.  But we were able to make it erase if we need it to, but not by covering the sensor. We just had to hard code it again real quick.  I bet if we were able to work on the project for another week or so, we would get it running.

Share This

Hacking… Is it as terrible as the media portrays?? I don’t think that it is… but, I don’t have any malicious intent.  It is amazing at what some people are able to accomplish with a computer, and not just with computers really.  ”Phone phreaking” amazes me.. the guy who whistles perfect pitch tones to trick the phone company is wild.  How someone learns not only how to do that, but why he should do it is what really amazes me.  There is some serious research done when it comes to hacking something.  I don’t really understand why a person wants to hack the phone company, sure to save money on long distance calls I guess.  As far as Kevin Mitnick goes, its pretty ridiculous to believe a person could create World War III from a telephone!

Hacking is a fun thing to do, but as I said before I have no malicious intent.  Learning how to hack I think can be an advantage to you for security purposes.   I don’t understand why someone would want to hack into anothers computer to inject a virus or a trojan horse.  What is the point of that.  Hacking into a computer is fine, its what you do after you are in that determines if it is wrong or not.

Share This

During week 8 of Dr. Brown’s Intro class we started learning programming.  I am currently in a Java programming class, so I have a basis started in this field.  This is definitely the field for me. In my scratch program, I tried to recreate my favorite video game, Galaga.  I have to say, it doesn’t look to bad.  Hopefully, I don’t get sued for infringement!  But, I’m not trying to sell the game or make any money, so I don’t think that will happen.  I started out by just copying the images of the fighter and a moth bug from the internet.  I made those images into sprites.  I copied ten different moth sprites and wrote different code for each.  The code for the Fighter wasn’t to bad, I just wanted him to be able to move side to side fluidly and be able to shoot bullets at the moths.  Moving the fighter side to side was easy, but getting the fighter to shoot bullets was a challenge for sure.  I had to create a bullet as a sprite using paint, and write the code for it to fire from the location of the fighter when the space bar is pressed.  Now…I want the fighter to be able to fire multiple bullets and the same time. So I just created a few more bullets and wrote the same code for them.  I Created my own custom backgrounds and set the sprites in them.  With a little help from Dr. Brown, I was able to get the moth sprites moving in uniform across the screen and blinking to make it look as if they were moving.  I also created a bullet for a few of the moths to fire towards the fighter.  So as the moths blinked, and moved across the screen, they would fire a bullet here and there.  Once, the fighter killed all the moths, you completed level one.  A perfect score for level one is 225.  Then you advance to level two.  It is the same set of code, just laid across a different background.  Also, during level two, the moths bullets fly much faster.  The perfect score for level two is 450.  If you beat both levels you win the game.  Pretty simple game, but I am happy with it.  Here is a link to the game.  http://scratch.mit.edu/projects/sam_hearl/2422030.

Share This

After working with my html page more and more, I decided really only to make a few tweaks.  Mainly just making adjustments with border sizes and small things like that.  I like the background as blue, but I kind of wanted to make it into a picture.  I couldn’t figure out the sizing though.  Every time I put a picture as the background, it would be way to small. I tried using css, but that didn’t really work either.  So, the quest is on for learning how to do that part correctly.  If anyone is interested here is the link to my page: http://pstcc11.pstcc.edu/~c1110b15/.

Share This

This past week in CSIT 1110 we have been talking about HTML and networks.  I really like writing in HTML.  I have found that I am not to bad at it.  Although, I admit, I have done it a little before.  But, not nearly like I have done to create the webpage assignment.  While doing my assignment I came across a few snags.  Getting the table set up into 3 columns took a little time.  Learning how to do the borders, the width, etc… <tr> equals table row <td> equals table column.  Not sure why its <td> and not <tc>.  Getting all the links in, along with all the pictures wasn’t much of an issue.  Getting the images and links to stay at the top of the columns was however.  It took me a few minutes and a few google searches to figure it all out.  All in all, I think I do pretty well with HTML.  I can create a pretty simple web page using it with ease.  But, like everything else with programming, I am a novice.  I am looking forward to being able to create dynamic web pages with ease.  See you next time.

Share This

This past week in CSIT 1110, Dr. Brown has been teaching us about software and the Assembly Language Simulator.  I really like tinkering with the ALS.  It is a pretty basic programming language, but I am just a beginner.  I am learning to use it pretty well.  We have also watched a few videos on Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and a few others that are tycoons in the computer industry.  I am inspired by these guys who turned a simple idea into a multi-billion dollar company or companies.  The software part of the computer is probably my favorite part.  I am finding that I really like the programming aspect.  It keeps me busy and challenged.  On a different subject, we watched a few videos about 3-D printing.  It blows my mind how someone can use a printer to print working objects such an adjustable wrench.  Not only a wrench, but human skin!! It is definitely hard to wrap my mind around that.  Pretty soon we will be able to just print ourselves a new body and just implant our brains into the new body.  It kind of makes you wonder…we are finally catching up with alien technology.  Who knows what is in store for us in 10 years.  I am very excited to find out.

Share This

This week in CSIT 1110, Dr. Brown wants us to build a computer.  I have never attempted to build a computer, so I think this should be pretty fun.  Unfortunately, I do not have the resources to actually build the computer, so I am just going to lay out the blueprint and maybe one day in the near future I can start to put it together.  I want to try and build a good  quality computer at an affordable price.  I do not do much gaming, but I would like to try and start. Well, as we have learned in class, the base for a good computer starts with the motherboard and the CPU.   After reading some reviews I decided to go with ASUS V/GEN Intel Z68 Motherboard.  The price of the motherboard is a little steep($189.99), but all the reviews are good and it should provide a great base for my gaming machine.  Next,  after searching and searching I have settled on the intel core i-7 processor. The price of this unit is $329.99.  This processor should provide my machine with sufficient speed.  Now that I have the two big parts of the machine, and I want to get enough memory to where I don’t have to worry about running out.  I am going with 8GB, two 4gig sticks from Kingston.  The price for the memory is only $44.99.  Now that I have these parts I have to put them into a case.  I am not a flashy person, so I just want a basic case.  I’m going with the NZXT M59 Gaming Mid-Tower because it is pretty basic, but with a sleek design.  Plus, this case is on the cheaper side at only $49.99.  As far as the hard drive goes, I am going to put in the Seagate Barracuda 250 GB 3.5″ internal HDD.  I feel like this drive will provide enough space to not only adequately run games, but design them as well. Also, it is only $74.99. All these pieces are good and well but, I need a power supply if I want them to run.  I think the Ultra GPB500S LS Limited Edition ATX Power Supply should do the trick.  It is 550Watts with a 120mm fan and only $49.99.  I have always wanted a really good monitor for my computer, so that is what I am going to get.  A 22″ Samsung LED monitor should be perfect. Plus, it will only run me about $119.99.  I’ll complete my computer with a wireless Logitech keyboard and mouse for only $34.99.  Now that I have my parts picked out, here comes the tricky part for a beginner like me.  Putting it all together.  Step 1: Installing the power supply.  I need to mount the power supply onto the upper back portion of the case using screws.  Step 2: Install the motherboard.  Line up the screw holes on the motherboard with the screw holes on the case.  Screw in the motherboard.  Step 3: Install the CPU.  Unlatch the socket on the motherboard and put the CPU into place, then lock the latch back down to hold the CPU.  Step 4: Install the memory.  Take both sticks of memory, match the pattern up on both the memory sticks and the motherboard, and place the memory into the slot. Step 5: Connect all the case cables.  Step 6: Connect power supply to motherboard.  Step 7: Install Hard Drive.  Mount the hard drive onto the case and connect to the motherboard and power supply. Step 8:  Connect monitor, keyboard, and mouse.  Once I have done all of this, I should be ready to install which ever OS I choose, which will probably be Windows 7.  The total cost of my machine should be around $894.92 + tax.  That’s not to bad considering the quality of hardware inside my computer.  I  hope I can put this machine together sometime soon.

Share This