Extinction (Chapter 20)

I can remember growing up having a walk-man tape player, big bulky cd player that I use to rock with my old school head phones. Everything that I grew up with is now considered "nostalgic." When it comes to technology, newer and faster items take precedence over old systems. Take for instance the way we listen to music. CD players have basically become extinct due to MP3 players and Ipods. A survey of 1,555 consumers where asked the question if laptops would become "extinct" due to the influx of tablets. 50% of those surveyed said yes. I can believe this concept because the same applications and software that are offered through labtops, tablets are slowly offering the same applications. The advantages of tablets are they are smaller and more efficient, portable and price savy. More and more people are gravitating towards tablets, which means the future of labtops is uncertain. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2398731,00.asp

Top flight security (Chapter 18)

The World Wide Web is a gift and a curse. A gift because it offers us a endless window of knowledge, on the other hand that "free" knowledge comes at a high price and risk. Everytime you connect to a network, you run the risk of exposing your computer to cyber attacks, phising, spam and other methods of infiltration. You have to protect your computer like you would protect your own body from outside elements such as rain or snow. Being properly prepared could save you hundreds or even thousands in repair. There are many methods that are available to help protect you from the dangers of the internet. Firewalls are in place to block unwarrented material from corrupting your computer. Companies such as McAfee make software that help protect your computer from viruses and evasive files. A viru is a program that replicates by attaching itself to other programs and execute once they are ran. Keyloggers track all your keystrokes and can steal personal information, such as credit card information or social security numbers. With technology becoming more and more advanced, computer hackers are becoming more and more sophisticated. Computer techinicans have to adapat and evolve as technology grows. http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/cellular-microscopic/virus-human.htm

Browser Wars (Chp 17)

Every computer or laptop comes with a standard issued web browser, such as Internet Explorer for Microsoft and Safari for MAC.  Now with a competitive market, newer internet browsers have emerged to give these standard models a run for their money.  Google Chrome was created my internet conglomerate Google. Chrome's approach to the internet was simplicity.  Most internet browsers already introduced the tab concept for its user's, but Google Chrome took it a step further.  They were the first search engine to introduce thumbnails that showed users previous visits.  A less popular browser is the classic Internet explorer. Since Internet Explorer is open source, meaning its accessible to everyone, it ultimately made it vulnerable to cyber attacks.  Other web browsers such as FireFox which is the standard for Linux and Bing have entered the competitive market by storm.

http://blogs.computerworld.com/18552/12_reasons_not_to_use_internet_explorer_ever

What's your IP? (Chapter 15)

The internet realm is a matrix of numbers measured in bits.  When you connect to a network it automatically assigns your device a id or IP address (Internet Protocol), which is unique to your device, kind of like a finger print.  The number assigned to your device can be represented by 32-bits or 128 bits.  IPv4 uses 32-bits and IPv6 uses 128. Over the years the expansion of the internet created a "paranoid" state among computer users.  Computer users were worried that they would run out of IP addresses and eventually be blocked from connecting to a network.  IPv6 uses 128-bits of data, allowing more users to log on at any given time. When it comes to Cyber Security, IP addresses can come in handy when trying to track down fraudulent behavior.  Since every device has a unique address it makes it easier to track down who the culprit is.


http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet/basics/question549.htm

Advanced menu options (Chapter 14)

This menu on a computer acts as a life line for trouble shooting your device.  This menu can be accessed by hitting F8 or F12 on your computer once it initially boots.  On new computers that use Windows 8, this menu is accessed through the advanced options menu on the settings menu.  If you find that your computer has a virus or other issues, the Advanced menu options allows you to boot in "Safe Mode."  Safe Mode is a quarantined environment that allows you to run different programs such as virus scan's to detect if any files have been corrupted.  Safe Mode with Networking allows you to have network access while maintaining a safe environment. You can use process of elimination while in this state to zero in on the root cause of the problem.  If you want to restore your computer back to the last known good configuration, the Advanced menu gives you that option. 

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/advanced-startup-options-including-safe-mode

Linux activity, File Manipulation

The foundation of the Linux works a lot like its counterparts Microsoft and Mac.  Linux falls under the category of free software meaning its accessible to everyone.  Ubuntu is a branch of the Linux system, offering users a desktop like appearance and the ability use multiple programs similar to Microsoft Office.


 Module 1

Linux simplifies functions in a operating system so you are able to use commands in its system. The commands in Linux are designed to organize,move and categorize files to a particular group.  Letters in Linux are case sensitive, so it is important to be aware of that function.  The "ls" command lists everything under the directory you want to look at.  The mv means to move the files to a certain location and rename them, cd means to change directory, mkdir means to make a new directory, .. lists everything previously and More shows the contents of a file. 

Module 2

In the second module it breaks down the commands a little further by examining pathnames and files. Linux uses the cp command to copy files, rm to remove files. When you use the list option you can place a hyphen in front of the lists and it will show all the files in that category.  In this module you learn how to actually code in the command section in more detail.  Since Linux is accessible to multiple users, security of your own files is crucial. To give permission for other users to see your files you can use commands such as Chmod (change mode) group (for example) and which function you want them to see, read, write or execute (the command would be chmod g+w apples).






http://www.linux.org/threads/what-is-linux.4076/

Big isn't always better (Chapter 12)

Anyone who has a computer knows that at times it may need special attention when something goes wrong.  Quality customer service goes a long way in the world of PC technicians.  There's a saying that goes, "A person may not remember what you said to them, but they will always remember how you made them feel."  When it comes to customer satisfaction, bigger companies may not always be keen on the "smaller" customer. When you are dealing with a larger corporation, the focus can shift from customer service to more profit focus, which abandons that interpersonal connection. As a PC technician, its important to empathize with every customer as if you were in their shoes looking for help.  Troubleshooting skills and customer focus skills go hand in hand.  The determining factor for a customer looking for PC help could be based on prior customer reviews and reports.  You can have the quality work but professionally your attitude sucks.  Avoid focusing on the profit end of the deal, but rather focus on customer satisfaction, in the long run this will reap better results.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/230198/Repair.html

Come out come out where ever you are (Chapter 11)

The world wide web is a melting pot of information and adventure.  Lurking in the shadows are entities that are out to destroy that experience, along with corrupting your computer to the point of no return.  Mal-ware is the name given to "malicious software" that can morph into many forms and attack your computer.  Mal-ware can spread by visiting "shady" websites that could potential leave your computer at risk to be infiltrated.  The umbrella of Mal-ware includes, spyware (stealing sensitive information), keyloggers, worms and true viruses.  A way to prevent becoming a Mal-ware victim is to heighten your computers settings so that nothing can slip through the cracks.  This can be done by turning on your computers firewall, making sure sites are creditable, and changing your computers security settings.  Mal-ware tends to seek out computers that a vulnerable to attack. Microsoft along with many other companies, have created Mal-ware programs that help protect your computer from any unwanted intrusions.  A very popular Mal-ware prevention program is called Malwarebytes by CNET.com/.  As a computer user you can equip yourself with the necessary tools and knowledge to prevent these types of invasions from happening.


http://www.pctools.com/security-news/what-is-malware/

Splitting up drives

Windows can have up to 4 partitions on its hard drive.  The main drive we are familiar with is drive C: The Windows operating system is typically stored in the active partition, which is used to boot the computer once you physically turn it on.  The 4th partition is also know as the extended partition. The only time two operating systems can be ran on two different drives is when a dual-boot occurs.  A dual boot allows a user to operate two operating systems at one time, for instance Windows 7 and Windows XP on two drives.  The purpose of partitioning your computer is it allows for you to distribute your files onto separate drives.  For example if you have different applications, media files or data that you want to store on a different drive, partition your computer allows this.  In the event a drive becomes corrupt, all of your information will not be lost.  Windows offers many ways for you to optimize your computer, which comes in handy when a system failure occurs.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/185941/how_and_why_to_partition_your_hard_drive.html

Language Barrier

Customer Service is the vocal point of any business or corporation.  As our economy continues to grow and advance, we have watched a gradual shift home grown operations to outsourcing them.  Globalization has caused major manufacturers and companies to look else where for production of their products.  Take for instance the world of computer technology.  Many of our once home based jobs have been outsourced to other countries due to cheaper labor rates, but does this necessary improve customer service.  Many of our PC technician jobs have landed in foreign countries such as India and China.  Back in January of 2004, Dell announced it had employed over 23,800 employees who are based overseas; so now when you call their customer service center you are more than likely to reach someone of foreign decent.  Outsourcing provides diversity but it also creates a language barrier between communication.  This break down in return leaves customers dissatisfied and disgruntle because of the language gap. With the uncertainty of the economy, more tech jobs could vanish from our home base and completely tarnish the image of PC support technicians.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/115648/article.html

Virtural Reality

Computer gamers are not the only one's who can live in virtual reality, when computer techs need to load multiple operating systems at one time, they use a virtual machine to do so.  A virtual machine can simulate hardware or software for a physical computer.  This type of environment can be used to run various programs on one desktop.  This type of program can also be used on training devices to teach a class or install two systems at one time.  On Microsoft you can use the program "Virtual Pc" which allows you to operate in this kind of environment.  If you to isolate a particular application in software or hardware you are able to do so using the virtual machine. You are also able to capture screen shots when in this kind of environment, which could be used as tools to help teach a class.  Be aware that this of program takes up a lot of a computers memory, and if you don't have the memory to support it, it could slow down your computer.


http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-a-virtual-machine.htm

Awww Snap

The very first lab top I had was a HP Compaq back in 2005.  Back then just having a mobile computer was a big deal despite it feeling like a ton of bricks when you carried it around.  I can remember how frustrating it was to have multiple screens open and if I wanted to view more than one at a time, I would have to minimize and continuously re-size that window. Windows 7 came along and revamped the Flintstone ways of Windows XP.  Windows 7 introduced a new application called Aero Interface which changed the way we view multiple windows.

The three interfaces are Aero Snap, Aero Peek and Aero Shake.  Aero snap allows you to compare two active screens side by side by simple dragging the window to the edges of the desktop.  This automatically adjusts and re-sizes the box for you. Aero peek gives you the ability to see through all the active screens to display the desktop.  If you have multiple windows open and you only need to view one, you can simply shake the other one's away.  Aero shake lets you control what windows you want open by minimizing the others.

http://www.petri.co.il/new-aero-features-in-windows-7.htm