Computer Capability

By Raul Bernardino

 1. Computing Capabilities: In this occasion, I will prefer to explain the following capabilities: Data Storage, Speed, connectivity, access, and fast calculation.

Data Storage: Computer has an ability to store and retrieve enormous of data information in one single media or multiple media. In the early age of computing there are very limit of data can be save on the  media because the media size was very small. Nowadays is not an issue any more, you can easily save huge of the data into one single terabyte or Petabyte media. And there are no limitations of time for accessing back the data. Some concern questions around this data storage are: Who has access to what data information and how and who will be responsible of the maintaining the data storage and the accuracy and including the secure of the data. How much the necessary information is relevant for certain decisions have to be made? More challenges will continue come for computing capabilities.

Speed: in term of the speed, nowadays computing can handle and process many activities in the same time compare to the previews machine which is slow and time consuming; these are related to the cost effectiveness. E.g. by using old manual typing machine for typing a peach of letter; this will be time consuming to produce a letter. Another factor may occur for instance change a paper because wrong typed; this will be further delay of producing a letter. If we compare to computing era which is to produce a similar letter, it would be take several minutes to type and print without, even just retrieve from previews saved letter and review a little bit and print it without any delay. Not only that, we can also perform different activities at once. E.g. while it is printing we can also review other documents or even search other related information in the same time.    

Connectivity: Nowadays, one of most powerful in computing capability is the feature of connectivity. This is to allow individuals, corporate, companies, governments, and nations around the world to communicate. With this capability I am also able to learn here and also participate in the discussion with my class mate from different countries. Other examples are no more distances and time constrains for us to communicate virtually. In this sense there are lot of language, cultures’ and social life interaction which will be enriching one and another.  It is available in 24 hours time like an internet. For example people can play on-line games, downloading information, viewing video from YouTube site, and etc from anywhere in any moment as it is needed.

Access: Today’s computing is making all possibility to store all data and information and also makes them available for huge numbers of users. Enormous of databases have built in order collect and store information for the purpose of quick of accessing and easy of retrieving them. In some cases it is not restricted to anyone. E.g. Google database which is nowadays are more powerful for retrieving information and solution of the information in which are available to everyone. Some certain databases are only available for certain group of users, for example university library which is only for that university student to have an access to the library resources. The accessibility of the information is also available around clock. It can be accesses a cross of network and globally.  

Fast calculations Result: This capability of computing makes it easy to calculate a large and complex of issue in Math in on single time. For instance do a heavy calculation of predicting population growth for statistical modeling.  It can be use for weather forecasting, to navigate air-plane, and etc.

2.  Connectivity capability and its relationship issues rose below: I will pick internet as the point of discuss issues raised by Lecture. And Internet has wider communication to connect computing from one end to other end in the earth.

Privacy: This is a real serious issue on the access of the internet. Especial when we are talking about internet with social networking issue.

The right to privacy in Internet activity is a serious issue facing society. Timothy J. Walton (2000)

…yet on other occasions society questions the state of their privacy, becoming insecure and untrusting with respect to technology. P. Robinson, H. Vogt, and W. Wagealla (2005) p.2.

Ownership: It is very difficult to determine the ownership of the information over the internet. It is very anonymous. Nowadays, the revolution of the information has more change for publishing without concerning an ownership. However in other hand people are seeking and a modeling the ownership over technology like use an electronic PIN which is stand for Personal Identification Number to secure their assets, especially for academics and universities.

Control: First of all we can start to control the connectivity from our own Personal Computer. And control the access information that we need to have. Today’s hacker are very active a looking for the ways to take a control of your connected machine. Several ways that they often use are open backdoors, password crack, DNS poisoning, and etc.

Accuracy: The computer connection will be helping to get accuracy information that we need in timely manner. For instance I have some computer technical problem in my computer; I can easily find the solution from Google search. However, we have to have an extra careful on how to determine which information are proved or the right one. Sometime, on the internet there is mass information that has no preapproval. In other word we have to evaluate by try and error to determine the right one.

Security: This is a hot topic for business and customer. They do busily investigate some solution for security requirement. Not only that they would like to keep privacy and the ownership. We can take an example of your house. For sure no one can able entry to your house, unless you are the one open the door for your own guest. Because, you own the key and that is your “security key”.

3. The connectivity has triggered IT policy decision: It is not a new for any business company, corporate, institution to develop an IT policy for their shake of IT operation and security. For instance build a proxy server which is to identify who is accessing what sites. Not only that, this can be limit the access to the certain sites. In order to have a better management of the company or institution internet resources we have to have a good Information and Technology in place. This also to guarantee and keep companies or institutions is more secure.

 References:

·         Adams, A.A. & McCrindle, R.J. (2008) Pandora’s box: Social and professional issues of the information age. West Sussex, England: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

·         Timothy J. Walton (2000) Internet Privacy Law [Online] Available from: http://www.netatty.com/privacy/privacy.html#invade  (Accessed date: January 12, 2011)

·         Maths Fast Calculation Software Freeware [Online] Available from: http://www.fileguru.com/apps/maths_fast_calculation_software/freeware (Accessed date: January 12, 2011)

·         Excel Calculation Engine For Fast Calculations [Online] Available from: http://thedailyreviewer.com/office/view/excel-calculation-engine-for-fast-calculations-110155063 (Accessed date: January 12, 2011)

·         Supercomputer [Online] Available from:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercomputer (Accessed date: January 12, 2011)

·         Philip Robinson, HaraldVogt, and Waleed Wagealla (2005), Privacy, Security and Trust within the Context of Pervasive Computing, Springer Science + Business Media, Inc. [on-line]. Available from: http://books.google.com.sg/books?id=ya6tY8Mz9OYC&pg=PA23&dq=privacy+in+the+computing&hl=en&ei=HlotTeyoKYaycMav4PAH&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=true (Accessed date : January 12, 2011)