Operating Systems and Viruses

Computers can be very fragile pieces of equipment when it comes to their operating system and viruses. Without the appropriate anti-virus software, computers can become easily infected with viruses. Even with some anti-virus software, computers can still become infected and are a hassle to clean up. Some computers become so infected that they are impossible to clean up, except maybe by a professional, which is the case in my personal experience of computer operating systems and viruses.

When I was younger, around middle school, my family had a desktop Dell computer. My brother and I downloaded a program called Limewire, which was a file sharing program, to help fill up our ipods with music. Apparently Limewire was later sued and forced to shut down in the fall of 2010. But, after about a year or two of using the program, our computer steadily declined in speed. I'm not sure what it was that caused the decline in speed, if it was a virus or not, because we did have ant-virus software and it claimed the computer was clean. The anti-virus software that we had was Mcafee, which we had since we first got the computer but it just didn't seem to do the job. I would not recommend Mcafee to anybody that is looking for a reliable anti-virus software. With the continued decline in speed and increasing problems on our desktop computer, we finally decided to get rid of Limewire and try to clean the computer of any viruses it had. But even with the file sharing program gone, the computer would freeze often and would sometimes take upwards of 20 minutes or more just to bring up internet explorer. The final attempt to clean the computer was to re-install the operating system to an earlier time when the computer was supposedly clean of any viruses. This seemed to increase the speed a little bit, but it was only a short amount of time before our computer was back to its usual ways. Then one day I went to turn it on, but while it was at the "windows are loading" screen, an error popped up and it never would go to the home screen. I can't remember exactly what the error said but I'm pretty sure it  had something to do with the hard drive and it was damaged. Every time we tried turning it on this error popped up. I don't know how this occurred or what it was that killed our computer but I have a pretty good feeling it had to do with the file sharing program and the lackluster anti-virus software called Mcafee.

It is safe to say I've learned my lesson though when it comes to any file sharing programs. Now that I have my own laptop I am in charge of making sure my computer stays safe and virus free. The anti-virus software I have is Kaspersky and after two years it has kept my laptop running like new. 

The Future of Input and Output Devices and 3-D Printing

With the increases in technology, more and more input and output devices are becoming available. And even though some of these devices seem futuristic or just simply unbelievable, some are coming closer and closer to reality. Some of these devices include a text to brail reader, which is a device that scans the text in a book or can even be hooked up to a computer to translate the web page to brail. Another output device that is being worked on is a projector for cell phones, laptops and other mobile devices, that could project high quality video on a screen or a wall. But one of the most common new output device is the 3-D printer. The 3-D printer is a device that can be connected to a computer and print a solid object. To someone like myself, who has only ever witnessed a regular printer print writing onto a piece of paper, the idea of printing a solid object seems crazy. But it is becoming more and more common and one day it could be everywhere we turn, in schools and even in homes.

The first 3-D printer was based on a technique called stereolithography, created by Charles Hull in 1984. 3-D printing is an additive technology, where the object is built up by adding many thin layers. Since then, there has been  3 or 4 different techniques created and used in 3-D printing. Since this time, and after lots of developments, 3-D computers have become commercial  through a wide range of manufactures. The two largest companies in 3-D printing are 3-D Systems and Stratasys. 3-D printing has become a huge market and these two companies alone created a revenue of $3 billion dollars in 2012. The major problem with 3-D printers is the price. 3-D printers start out in the 10 to 20 thousand dollar range and only increase depending on the type of printer. The most high end machines that can build metal parts can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Along with the price another problem with 3-D printers is the amount of space that they can take up. Most of the printers are floor standing models  and are often very large. 

It is still unclear if 3-D printing will ever become successful enough to reach the average household, but the amount of popularity the 3-D printer has received in its short life looks very promising. Prices will have to drop drastically and the size will also have to get a lot smaller. But if we look back at the early models of televisions, and how they were also floor models , and computers, which were often as big as a room, it is a real possibility. 

Source: http://www.explainingthefuture.com/3dprinting.html

Internet Hoaxes

All over the internet are different types of hoaxes, from spam that you receive in your email inbox to fake news being spread across social media. With the accessibility of the internet to most all people and the easiness that comes with creating a website, hoaxes are all over the web. One of the most widely used websites for research can contain hoaxes at anyplace and anytime. Wikipedia is one of the most used web encyclopedias because of its wide range of information, but one thing that hinders the website is the ability for any user to edit the information. Even though I get a lot of my information from Wikipedia, it can be dangerous because of all the false and misleading information being displayed on the website. Sites like Wikipedia may seem like good places for research but in reality they could exhibit the most obscure and false information.

In my personal experience of using the internet, I haven't ran across a lot of websites that turned out to be hoaxes. The most common hoax I come across when using the internet is spam email. But thankfully, Yahoo and Google do an excellent job of collecting those emails in a separate folder marked spam. Just a quick look at my spam folder and it has collected emails titled "The Best Way to Build Bulk", "Save up to 85% off" and other spam emails that are a little less PG. Other hoaxes that I have ran across have been on twitter. Since I am a soccer and when the transfer window opens from June till September, I am always reading rumors and hoaxes about certain players being traded or sold to certain teams. This comes with any sport and sites such as twitter or facebook, where such rumors or hoaxes can spread like wildfire. Overall I try my best to stay away from any sites that I may believe to be a hoax.

After doing some research about internet hoaxes, I came across a very funny and interesting hoax. It was said to have been an advertisement claiming that the iOS 7 update included waterproofing. Considering the iOS7 was simply a system update to your already used iphone, people still believed the hoax. Some that actually believed the hoax, proceeded to test out the new upgrade by dropping their phone into water. Even though this almost sounds fake because the amount of stupidity required to believe an update would waterproof your phone, it was not, as it was reported by major news outlets such as ABC, Telegraph and Business Insider. I have included the link below.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/fake-apple-ad-claims-ios-update-waterproofs-iphones/story?id=20369832

Advertising

 Over the past few years, I have noticed more and more advertisements on the internet that are from or relate to sites that I have recently been on.  For example, the other day I was visiting the online Tommy Hilfiger store, and my following trip to Youtube produced a Tommy Hilfiger advertisement. This occurred multiple times over the next few days on Yahoo, Google and Youtube. This seems to occur quite often with other sites that I visit such as Best Buy, Amazon or Dick's Sporting Goods. For me, I have only ever had retailers pop up in the advertisements, nothing else relating to other sites I had visited. To my surprise though, I have even seen the exact item I have been looking at in the advertisements. One day I had been looking for some new shoes on Amazon and shortly after an  Amazon advertisement popped up with the exact pair of shoes I was looking at in the advertisement. This has happened on multiple occasions, so it wasn't just a coincidence.  

When I first saw these advertisements, I was shocked that these sites which were not affiliated with one another had information about my history on the internet. I read an article that Google was starting to do this, so I just figured it wasn't a big deal. If anything it may seem like a convenience to some, a direct  link back to their online store with the specific item already picked out. But the more you ponder the idea of privacy and the internet, the more you start to despise this method of advertising by Google, Yahoo and other big name sites. If anything, it can be compared to peer pressure. The constant advertising of items that you may have decided not to purchase being brought back up and constantly being thrown in your face between every Google search and before every Youtube video.

It's insane that this is even allowed by the government, you would think that they would want to be the only ones allowed to spy. But in the world that we live in, where a 30 minute TV program is only about 20 minutes long and the commercials take up the rest, it's not surprising. I am sure that it is an incredible tool to those doing the advertising and marketing. It's no longer hit and miss with advertisements, at least not most of the time, because you are simply advertising previously visited sites. In the end, I don't believe this type of advertising should be allowed, because it treads all over our privacy and freedom. It's bad enough the government is allowed to spy, but that's for our safety. Allowing these marketing businesses to spy on us is simply unconstitutional. 

Technology, For Better or Worse

Throughout the 21st century, technology has continued to grow and evolve. At the beginning of the century, the only common form of computer was the desktop computer. But here we are fourteen years later and there are all kinds of different computers such as smartphones, laptops and tablets. As technology continues to progress, more and more devices will be thrust upon us for better or worse.

In my lifetime, the improvements to computers and technology have benefited me greatly. I hear all kinds of stories from the older generations of having to write papers and only being able to use encyclopedias from the library. In the world we live in now, I still use encyclopedias to write papers, but they are available for me with the click of a button. I am also able to skip through the process of having to flip through the book, by just searching my topic in any of the well known web browsers. Not only do I have access to encyclopedias and books online, but I also have access to millions of articles and web info. My life has been made drastically better when it comes to school work, because of the internet.

With the other improvements to devices such as cell phones and now even tablets, I have the ability to access the internet from anywhere. Smartphones are especially great and almost a must need for those that are capable of affording them. Since wifi isn't necessary to use a smartphone, you can use a smartphone anywhere that you have signal, which in today's society is almost anywhere near some sort of civilization. Anything of importance can be accessed such as weather, news, email or just simply getting in touch with a family member or friend.

Which brings us to the problems that technology has caused in the world. With the growing use of smartphones and just cell phones in general, has come the issue of those that don't know when is the correct time to operate such devices. In the world we live in, almost all teenagers have a cell phone and use the texting option of communication. Texting is a great way to communicate with one another, but there is a time and place for everything, and driving is definitely not one of them. And it's not just teenagers getting caught texting while driving but some adults too. Texting and driving has taken many lives and has become a major issue in our society. Cops are starting to crack down and tickets can be given to those caught texting and driving, but it's still not enough and many more lives will be affected by texting and driving.

Technology and the internet seems to be a great gift to the world. I know it makes my life a lot easier and better. The only downside to technology is when us humans find a way to use it irresponsibly. 

Biographical

My name is Ethan Fesperman and I am a sophomore here at Lenior-Rhyne University, and I am majoring in finance. Last year as a freshman, I started out as a pre-medical science major. But after a couple biology classes and a few average grades, I switched to finance. I had previously taken a business and an accounting class, which I enjoyed, so I switched my major last spring. I am originally from Statesville, North Carolina, which is just 20 minutes away. I have lived there all my life and I attended West Iredell high school.

While in high school I did take one computer class when I was a sophomore. The class covered the basics of Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint. I have not taken a computer class since and rarely do I use Excel, but I have used Word and Powerpoint since, on a regular basis. My goal for this course, other than passing it because it is required, is becoming more familiar with and more proficient at using Microsoft Excel. Since I am in the finance field, I believe a proficient understanding of Microsoft Excel is a necessity. Also I hope to learn the other ins and outs of the computer, which I am not familiar with. Because I am sure there is a lot. 

I have not played any sports since high school, but I do currently have a job at a local golf course. Because of the cold weather, I only work on weekends, so it shouldn't have any impact on my schedule for the next month or so. But as we progress into spring, I usually start working on  Wednesday and Friday afternoons around one or two, so I would only be available during the morning hours. If anything of importance came up, I can easily change my work schedule. School is of most importance and always comes first.

Some of my hobbies and interests are baseball and golf. I played baseball throughout my life, until the 11th grade. Then I switched over to golf. I was able to get a job at River Oaks golf course, which was the golf course my high school team used and it is about 15 minutes away from campus. It's a pretty awesome job and it comes with great perks, like free golf. Even though I am done playing baseball, I am still a big fan of the sport and my favorite team is the Boston Red Sox. And no, I am not a bandwagon fan because of their recent World Series success, but I have actually been a fan since I was young, around age 7 or 8. I am also a fan of Chelsea Football Club, also known as soccer. That is pretty much all.