1) a) Legally, no it's not okay to install the software on your computer regardless if the person you're borrowing from says it's okay or not. It would be easy to get away with as they don't really check for it. The only problem could involve entering an activation code online. 2K did this with Bioshock and made it a nightmare to install the game on more than one computer.
b) It still wouldn't be okay even if the program was uninstalled afterwards. The license was broken when a different person used the software, and uninstalling it doesn't change that fact.
c) If it was copied onto a cd from the school it would be just as bad, if not worse. One, you don't have permission from the owner of the software, and two, it's exactly the same as installing the cd your friend gave you.
Personally I don't see any problem in this if the student was faced with these circumstances. If the user is willing to let someone else install and use it on another computer then that should be enough.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Essay Questions
1) I agree with that statement under one condition; and that's that when you do put whatever you're working on up in public, that you allow the public to steal whatever it is that you stole in the first place. If it's straight out stolen with absolutely no changes made whatsoever then of course it's wrong, but if it's stolen and changed enough to realize it is and it will benefit people then it's great. Also, if you steal an idea from your competition and put it out before them, then shame on them for not releasing it and tough luck, they had their chance and blew it. Great ideas come from stolen ideas, and as long as it benefits whatever industry it's in, then what is wrong with that?
2) It's an understatement to say that it's beneficial to be computer literate in today's world. A person must be computer literate in order to get a job. Almost every field uses it now it some way or another. It doesn't mean they have to know all the parts and what makes it work, but rather if they can use the software in it, and more importantly use the internet. The internet will just make life easier overall if you know how to use it. A person can find a job, car, house, map, anything and everything they could want on the internet. Knowing how to use the Microsoft applications opens up tons of job opportunities in businesses just looking for someone to keep an excel spreadsheet or make a powerpoint presentation for a meeting. Being computer literate would also allow you to write data to Cd's and put music on discs for your enjoyment, or to transfer files for work or school. It is vital for so many people to be computer literate and we need everyone we can to be literate to keep this world running properly, especially in the years to come.
3) The benefits of email are simply amazing when compared to regular mail. First, an email is usually instantaneous and if it isn't, it shouldn't take more than a day to send, whereas a letter takes days to send. Secondly, it doesn't cost anything to send, as long as you have internet. It doesn't cost money to buy the paper, stamps, envelopes, and pens, just type it and send it. Third, if you mess up a word or make a mistake, you can just backspace and rewrite it, you don't have to scratch it out or rewrite the entire thing. Lastly, you can forward the email to more than one person without having to rewrite each time. If you write a letter and want to send it to 5 people, you either have to go copy it, or rewrite 5 times.
There are definitely drawbacks to it though. First, your identity is at stake. Someone can hack into your account and check all your emails or even your personal information. Secondly, emails sometimes get lost somehow, and there's really nothing to tell you that it did. Third, sometimes phishing scams are sent in emails, and through it people could get your credit card information and the like. Lastly, viruses also get sent in emails very often, and sometimes just opening the email will cause your computer to crash and maybe even need to be wiped. Overall the benefits greatly outweigh the drawbacks, and as long as the user is smart these thing will rarely, if ever, happen.
2) It's an understatement to say that it's beneficial to be computer literate in today's world. A person must be computer literate in order to get a job. Almost every field uses it now it some way or another. It doesn't mean they have to know all the parts and what makes it work, but rather if they can use the software in it, and more importantly use the internet. The internet will just make life easier overall if you know how to use it. A person can find a job, car, house, map, anything and everything they could want on the internet. Knowing how to use the Microsoft applications opens up tons of job opportunities in businesses just looking for someone to keep an excel spreadsheet or make a powerpoint presentation for a meeting. Being computer literate would also allow you to write data to Cd's and put music on discs for your enjoyment, or to transfer files for work or school. It is vital for so many people to be computer literate and we need everyone we can to be literate to keep this world running properly, especially in the years to come.
3) The benefits of email are simply amazing when compared to regular mail. First, an email is usually instantaneous and if it isn't, it shouldn't take more than a day to send, whereas a letter takes days to send. Secondly, it doesn't cost anything to send, as long as you have internet. It doesn't cost money to buy the paper, stamps, envelopes, and pens, just type it and send it. Third, if you mess up a word or make a mistake, you can just backspace and rewrite it, you don't have to scratch it out or rewrite the entire thing. Lastly, you can forward the email to more than one person without having to rewrite each time. If you write a letter and want to send it to 5 people, you either have to go copy it, or rewrite 5 times.
There are definitely drawbacks to it though. First, your identity is at stake. Someone can hack into your account and check all your emails or even your personal information. Secondly, emails sometimes get lost somehow, and there's really nothing to tell you that it did. Third, sometimes phishing scams are sent in emails, and through it people could get your credit card information and the like. Lastly, viruses also get sent in emails very often, and sometimes just opening the email will cause your computer to crash and maybe even need to be wiped. Overall the benefits greatly outweigh the drawbacks, and as long as the user is smart these thing will rarely, if ever, happen.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
The ZCam
Zcam (Gizmodo Article)
The ZCam from 3DV Systems is the first consumer low-cost camera that can capture depth information or in other words, 3d space. It's like the Wiimote except no extra peripherals are needed, just your hands and body. In a demonstration at GDC this past week, a guy went through a piece of software almost identical to the one from Minority Report using hand motions to go through different folders and move his way around. "It gets 3D information by emitting pulses of infra-red light to all objects in the scene and sensing the reflected light from the surface of each object." It can detect 3d motion and volume down to 0.4 inches with full color 1.3 megapixel video at 60 frames per second. There won't be any lag if it is used in applications like video games or training programs. Not sure on when it's going to be released, but I can't wait to see what companies will do with this.
The ZCam from 3DV Systems is the first consumer low-cost camera that can capture depth information or in other words, 3d space. It's like the Wiimote except no extra peripherals are needed, just your hands and body. In a demonstration at GDC this past week, a guy went through a piece of software almost identical to the one from Minority Report using hand motions to go through different folders and move his way around. "It gets 3D information by emitting pulses of infra-red light to all objects in the scene and sensing the reflected light from the surface of each object." It can detect 3d motion and volume down to 0.4 inches with full color 1.3 megapixel video at 60 frames per second. There won't be any lag if it is used in applications like video games or training programs. Not sure on when it's going to be released, but I can't wait to see what companies will do with this.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Internet Browsers
There are tons of other browsers out there other than IE, and thankfully they're almost as good if not better in many ways. Here are three that are pretty popular and useful.
1.) Firefox
Firefox was designed to be a simple browser with great security and also able to use many extensions. Many add-ons make it great for web-development and makes Html and CSS much easier to deal with as you can change things on the fly to see what you like best. It's skinnable, has it's own phishing filter, and is great for RSS. It really isn't very different from IE in many ways. Like most other browsers it's free as well. I personally use this browser the most because it's just so reliable. It never crashes, unlike IE, and is faster than any other browser I've used. I also added a tool bar on for my Computer Science class and it helped me tremendously in making beginner websites for class. By far my favorite.
2) Safari
Safari came out in 2003 and was basically Apple trying to punch Microsoft in the face. It's known for it's stylishness and speed, and Mac users loved it so much that they eventually quit making IE for Macs. Like Firefox it's free and can be downloaded for Windows or Mac. It has integrated RSS which really sets it apart from the first 2. Unfortunately there's no real web service and productivity applications, which means web development would probably be a little tougher on it. It just really stands apart from IE in it's elegance and RSS support.
3) Opera
This browser has been around since 1996 and yet many people haven't heard of it. It has tons of great features, integrated RSS, it's fast, has a great community, and is just a powerhouse. Unfortunately it's ugly and the UI is a little off, but not too much. Really this browser should be the best out there, but it isn't marketed as much as it should be so people don't really know about it. Nintendo has been one company to acknowledge it, as it is the web browser used for the Wii. Like the last two browsers it's free, and available on both Windows and Mac. This browser could be the one with the potential to take over, but they just need to put more money into marketing.
After studying up on browsers a little bit more I'm seriously considering trying out Opera for a while. I hardly saw any negatives on any of the websites and it seems to be the obvious best one.
1.) Firefox
Firefox was designed to be a simple browser with great security and also able to use many extensions. Many add-ons make it great for web-development and makes Html and CSS much easier to deal with as you can change things on the fly to see what you like best. It's skinnable, has it's own phishing filter, and is great for RSS. It really isn't very different from IE in many ways. Like most other browsers it's free as well. I personally use this browser the most because it's just so reliable. It never crashes, unlike IE, and is faster than any other browser I've used. I also added a tool bar on for my Computer Science class and it helped me tremendously in making beginner websites for class. By far my favorite.
2) Safari
Safari came out in 2003 and was basically Apple trying to punch Microsoft in the face. It's known for it's stylishness and speed, and Mac users loved it so much that they eventually quit making IE for Macs. Like Firefox it's free and can be downloaded for Windows or Mac. It has integrated RSS which really sets it apart from the first 2. Unfortunately there's no real web service and productivity applications, which means web development would probably be a little tougher on it. It just really stands apart from IE in it's elegance and RSS support.
3) Opera
This browser has been around since 1996 and yet many people haven't heard of it. It has tons of great features, integrated RSS, it's fast, has a great community, and is just a powerhouse. Unfortunately it's ugly and the UI is a little off, but not too much. Really this browser should be the best out there, but it isn't marketed as much as it should be so people don't really know about it. Nintendo has been one company to acknowledge it, as it is the web browser used for the Wii. Like the last two browsers it's free, and available on both Windows and Mac. This browser could be the one with the potential to take over, but they just need to put more money into marketing.
After studying up on browsers a little bit more I'm seriously considering trying out Opera for a while. I hardly saw any negatives on any of the websites and it seems to be the obvious best one.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Computer Package
Well here it is, not too fond of prebuilt computer packages as they seem to rip you off but here goes.
Customized xps 210
5)Desktop
6)Dell
7)XPS 210
8)Intel
9)2.4 GHz
10)4 Gigs
11)1 320 gig SATA HD
12)Yes, there is at least one as it lets you add a floppy drive or media card reader.
13)Windows Vista Home Premium
14)320 Gb
15)8 USB ports, 2(?) ethernet, 2 firewire, and an optional media card reader.
16)LCD
17)19"
18)Dell
19)AIO 926
20)Doesn't say, but I'm going to guess Ink-Jet
21)20ppm black 15ppm color
22)Trend Micro Internet Security, Microsoft Works 8
If I had the choice of building my own or buying it in a package...definitely build my own, save a couple hundred bucks and it's much more powerful.
Customized xps 210
5)Desktop
6)Dell
7)XPS 210
8)Intel
9)2.4 GHz
10)4 Gigs
11)1 320 gig SATA HD
12)Yes, there is at least one as it lets you add a floppy drive or media card reader.
13)Windows Vista Home Premium
14)320 Gb
15)8 USB ports, 2(?) ethernet, 2 firewire, and an optional media card reader.
16)LCD
17)19"
18)Dell
19)AIO 926
20)Doesn't say, but I'm going to guess Ink-Jet
21)20ppm black 15ppm color
22)Trend Micro Internet Security, Microsoft Works 8
If I had the choice of building my own or buying it in a package...definitely build my own, save a couple hundred bucks and it's much more powerful.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
About Me
Hi my name is Tommy and this picture will represent me good enough. I'm majoring in Informatics and am in my Sophomore year. I like playing video games, messing with my computer, hockey, football, and other stuff. That should be enough for now
Assignment 1
32 gb Flash Drive
I saw this and nearly messed myself. Right now I only have a one gig flash drive and a 40 gig hd in my old computer. To think that flash drives are coming along this fast makes me wonder at how fast the transfer rate really is, and if storing a ton of stuff on it would really be worthwhile. I don't really see it being too useful until the transfer rates get upped by quite a bit. Great to see it advancing so fast, just waiting to see if it's worth it...
I saw this and nearly messed myself. Right now I only have a one gig flash drive and a 40 gig hd in my old computer. To think that flash drives are coming along this fast makes me wonder at how fast the transfer rate really is, and if storing a ton of stuff on it would really be worthwhile. I don't really see it being too useful until the transfer rates get upped by quite a bit. Great to see it advancing so fast, just waiting to see if it's worth it...
Sunday, January 20, 2008
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