CS404

Smallish Post 8: Last One!

2010-04-08T08:04:00.000-07:00

How do faith, hope, and charity relate to ethics? Without these three values, ethics becomes nothing more than a code of conduct or a set of behavioral guidelines. Were the Pharisees ethical? That depends on your definition—they surely adhered strictly to every nuance of the law. And yet, the Savior condemned them. Christ admonished, "Cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also." No set of laws or guidelines can fully enumerate ethical behavior, for it is inconceivable to define correct action for every possible situation. It is only by internalizing our faith and developing hope and charity that we become truly ethical people, who will choose what is right in all situations we face.

2010-03-30T18:35:00.000-07:00

Smallish Post 6: How did we ever, ever survive?

2010-03-22T11:23:00.000-07:00

I remember the time my family recorded a session of General Conference over our videotape of a popular John Grisham movie; we later noticed that the label read: "Sunday Conference, A Time to Kill." Now, the thought of recording General Conference on VHS is itself laughable. I have difficulty imagining life without the ability to look up videos and transcripts of Conference talks at the click of a mouse, and I don't know what I would have done when I lost my scriptures for 2 weeks if they weren't published online at LDS.org. As long as I have been speaking in sacrament meeting, I have found materials on the Church's website—to me, it is incomprehensible that people prepared talks and lessons without this resource. Is there any wonder that, without the ability to find and verify information on the Internet, erroneous quotations and false doctrines spread rampantly in earlier days of the Church? Of course, these types of rumors still exist (and often travel via the World Wide Web), but the ability to locate original sources and reliable information has helped alleviate the problem. Indeed, today in the Church we find ourselves heavily dependent on technology for a wide array of purposes.

Smallish Post 5:

2010-03-17T11:26:00.000-07:00

What attributes constitute a good software developer? Some might suggest that skills such as abstract problem solving or the ability to debug effectively make a programmer great, and these certainly are important attributes. This article by Eric Raymond, however, indicates that humility and flexibility are at least as valuable in software creation as any other competencies. Raymond stresses the importance of listening to user feedback and being willing to throw away or rewrite parts of programs. Both of these tasks require recognition of one's own imperfections and the strengths of others. People do not get far in life (or in any profession) by trying to solve all of their problems on their own—humans were meant to depend on one another. For some reason, this is especially difficult for many in the computer industry to understand, but until these types of programmers learn how to listen and adapt, their success will be limited.

Book-Inspired Post 2: The World is Flat

2010-03-15T12:06:00.000-07:00

"Standards don't stop innovation, they just clear away a lot of extraneous stuff so you can focus on what really matters" (Thomas L. Friedman, The World is Flat, p87)

A major undercurrent in The World is Flat is the role standards play in innovation and the flattening of the world. Standards such as TCP/IP and HTTP make the World Wide Web possible by telling machines across the globe how to communicate with each other. JPEG formatting allows music and pictures to be transmitted anywhere, and PayPal accounts arrange a simple, uniform way for individuals to make purchases online. In short, standards provide to computers what languages give to human beings—a means of conveying information; just as two people cannot communicate if they speak different languages, two machines cannot talk to each other without some standard of communication. The theme of standardization is also witnessed in the creation and expansion of supply chains in the last decade. Wal-Mart's rigid structure and uniform methods for tracking absolutely everything may seem stringent at first, but they allow it to maintain lower prices than its competitors and thus contribute greatly to its success. Friedman also discusses the current trends towards outsourcing and offshoring, both of which require global standardizations of communication in order to function effectively. Clearly, standards enable our world to interact in the way it does today.

Standards are just as vital in other fields as they are in communication. Many amateur artists, writers, and musicians think they can be successful by following every whim that strikes their imagination. The truly gifted in these areas, however, have mastered the fundamentals and know how to work within the bounds of proper technique to produce something truly creative. Similarly, some software developers believe that following standard programming practices hinders inventiveness or efficiency, but, in reality, working under a set of guidelines leads to faster and cleaner code production. Even more important than standards for communication, writing, or programming, moral standards provide a framework within which individuals may experience the most growth and development. Although some consider ethics and values restricting, they (like the other standards we've discussed) are crucial to success in this life and should not be treated lightly.

Smallish Post 4: Arrrrgh, Pirates!

2010-03-03T15:10:00.000-08:00

MP3's Are Not the Devil

There is a lot of debate surrounding copyright law and its enforcement. Trying to decide how much copying should be legal and, furthermore, figuring out how to prevent infringement (while still allowing individuals to copy their own music for legitimate purposes) are both difficult tasks. To be honest, I have no idea how these issues should be resolved—I'll leave that to the lawmakers. What I do know is my personal responsibility: to help create a society where illegal file sharing is looked down upon, not condoned by the public. This begins, of course, with my personal integrity in following all copyright laws and not trying to justify exceptions to them. If I encourage those around me to do the same, the attitude will spread. I think that most people are basically honest and will follow these laws if they can be brought to recognize the wrongness in not doing so. I, along with Card, believe that social pressures and personal integrity have a much greater capacity to uphold copyright law than any legal punishments or enforcements ever could. Therefore, the solution begins with me.

Current Event 4: The Age of Connectivity

2010-03-01T12:07:00.000-08:00

Connecting Your Car, Socks, and Body to the Internet

The other day I had my roommate call my misplaced phone so I could find it. Afterwards, we expressed our shared desire to be able to dial our iPods and house keys when they, too, mysteriously disappear. According to this article, the days of missing items could soon be over forever. As microprocessor size continues to decrease, sensors are being embedded in more and more devices—an exciting but somewhat discomforting trend. I am reminded of a recent Daily Universe Police Beat in which a girl used satellite to track her missing phone . . . to the boot she was wearing at the time. Although it is ironic that someone had to send a signal to outer space and back to find an object in her shoe, it is a pretty amazing thing to contemplate. These days, sensors have a wide range of beneficial applications in fields from medicine to farming. There are, however, many privacy issues raised by this type of technology. If I can locate any of my things at any moment, there's a chance that somebody else can, too. Also, embedded cameras can be hidden almost anywhere, which is a pretty unnerving thought. All things considered, though, I believe that the benefits of this great connectivity will greatly outweigh any associated risks. Now excuse me while I go charge my socks.

Current Event 3: Creepers

2010-02-22T11:42:00.000-08:00

Pa. school district is asked not to wipe computers

I always knew assistant principals were creepy—and those from the Lower Merion School District deserve to be fired even more than mine did. I have no idea what caused them to believe that remotely activating webcams located inside students' homes (without student knowledge or consent) was an acceptable practice, but these school administrators should really get a clue. Even setting aside the legal implications of unwarranted search, there is a lot of common sense missing from this picture. High school students probably keep their laptops in their bedrooms, where, at any given moment, they could be indecently dressed or even completely unclothed. Whether or not the school district ever activated the cameras for any purpose other than locating missing laptops, who knows what inappropriate images it might have recovered. I think we all better hope this trial comes out in favor of Blake Robbins, lest we move closer towards allowing modern technology to transform us into a George Orwell-esque Big Brother society.

Book-Inspired Post 1: The Cuckoo's Egg

2010-02-17T11:30:00.000-08:00

Computers are used by almost every business in today's world and owned by hundreds of millions of individuals across the globe. They have changed the way we interact with one another, as well as the way we obtain and share information—it is difficult to imagine life without them. Few people, however, realize the risks associated with these miraculous machines. Because we have become so comfortable using computers and the Internet, we tend place too much trust in them, making us vulnerable to attacks by computer hackers. But how much damage can a hacker really inflict just by gaining access to my machine? Unfortunately, a lot. Given access to your home computer, a hacker can steal your personal information, acquire all of your passwords, and usurp your identity. Access to your computer means access to your files, your email account, and most likely your banking and credit card information. Chances are, there is data about you on your computer that you don't even know is there. Individuals, of course, are not the only ones susceptible to attack. Large corporations and banks have millions of dollars worth of information stored on their networks, which can be compromised if an unwanted person gains access to the system. As we see in Cliff Stoll's The Cuckoo's Egg, however, there are even more dangerous implications of poor computer security. Highly confidential government information is stored electronically, and if it were to fall into the wrong hands, national security could be jeopardized.

So, now that we know what kind of threats hackers pose, what can we do about it? The first line of defense between you and somebody who wants access to your computer is your password. In The Cuckoo's Egg, Stoll expressed incredulity that systems administrators left default passwords on their computers, which could be easily guessed by a competent hacker. It's crucial that you create a strong password (involving letters, numbers, and symbols) and that you keep it completely private. The easiest way a hacker can procure your password is by tricking you into giving it away yourself. Never give away your password via email or telephone, and don't use the same password for every account you own. If you are an employer or systems administrator, ensure that individuals on your network are educated in good computer safety practices, and secure the right to monitor what they do on their computers. There are many other security precautions individuals and corporations can take which will, while not eliminating the potential for an attack, at least decrease the probability of one occurring. First, install and turn on antivirus software and firewalls. Also, disconnect from the Internet when not using your computer, and never open attachments from emails. If your computer is behaving unusually and you think you might be infected with a virus, you can look for unknown processes running in your processing window or use an antivirus scanner to check for malware. The most important thing is to recognize the consequences of security threats and take them seriously, because, as Cliff Stoll discovered, you never know what the implications of one could be.

Smallish Post 3: Technogenealogy

2010-02-02T16:06:00.000-08:00

Family History via the Internet

As noted by Mann and Zautcke, the coming of Elijah in 1836 spawned many advances in society that facilitated family history work. Not least of these were vast technological improvements, which led to the advanced searching and indexing mechanisms we have today. Church members often comment on the rapidity of technological growth since the Restoration of the Gospel; I don't believe, however, that God has aided us in creating this powerful technology just so we can have it. There is a purpose behind everything, and I believe that the main purpose of the Internet is to connect us, not only to each other, but also to those who have gone before. So what are we doing with the tools we have been given? I know that I have just about infinite room for improvement in this area—when I tried to get on FamilySearch today I neither had an account nor knew my membership record number to create one. The biggest setback people have with genealogy is not knowing where to start, but with the convenience of the Internet this is no longer a valid excuse. If you and I don't start working on our family history today, we are giving Satan an edge in his efforts to monopolize technology and its uses. It is up to us to combat his tactics by using technology in the ways we are supposed to, such as researching our ancestors.

Current Event 2: Hidden Fees

2010-01-27T11:22:00.000-08:00

New York investigates Web retailers over hidden fees

The emergence of the Internet in the past two decades has created a whole new facet to the classic freedom vs. security debate. Because the Internet is fairly young, the government's role in its regulation is still being defined, and nobody knows exactly what the government has power t do. For the most part, I believe that government intervention should be minimal; as with a free market, the Internet can do a lot to regulate itself and will only be harmed by excess interference. Even most economists agree, however, that there are situations where the government should step in, for example in the protection of private property. When it comes to the Internet, the same principle applies—sometimes we just need regulation. Although most reputable businesses would not risk sharing customers' credit card information with third party sites, the fear of losing customer trust is unfortunately not enough to keep everyone in line. I was surprised at some of the big names mentioned in this article (including Barnes & Noble, Avon, and Gamestop) and was even more shocked that only Barnes & Noble immediately released a statement to try to save face. If the reputations of these companies are not enough of an impetus to practice good ethics, then there is surely a need for somebody else to enforce them.

Smallish Post 2: Girls, girls, girls

2010-01-25T11:36:00.000-08:00

Why women avoid computer science

DePalma hit this one right on the head. In fact, I could almost swear that this article was written specifically about me. As one of the few females in computer science, I am attracted purely to its logical, mathematical components—I could not care less how many megabytes of RAM my computer has, or what makes Linux so superior to Windows. I have always loved to solve problems, and I've found this major to be the perfect outlet for my skills. DePalma's five points could go a long way in drawing more individuals like me into the field. In addition to his suggestions, I would like offer two points of my own. First, teachers should make fewer assumptions in the classroom about students' prior computer knowledge. This would help attract individuals (male and female alike) who are good thinkers but not necessarily computer geeks. When I took my first computer science class, I was nearly scared off at first because the professor would throw around computer terms that everyone else seemed to understand but which sounded Greek to me. Fortunately, I eventually realized that there were plenty of others in the same situation I was, and that the know-it-alls commenting in class were far from representative of the majority of students. The second problem I see is that only a small portion of the general public really understands what computer science is about. When I tell people what my major is, it is fairly common that their first reaction is, "Can you fix my computer?" No, I can't. If people understood what programming is like, it is probable that more mathematically-inclined individuals would give it a chance. I would never have tried it myself if I hadn't grown up with computer nerds as brothers. Computer scientists need to get the word out there. Of course, it also wouldn't hurt to get rid of that guy feasting on the contents of his nostrils in the front of the class, but I don't think that social stigmas are the main issue at hand; as the article pointed out, there are plenty of females in mathematics and some of the other sciences. I believe that, with a few key changes in the way computer science classes are taught and publicized, female enrolment (as well as total enrolment) could be greatly increased.

Current Event 1: Pants

2010-01-20T12:16:00.000-08:00

'Pants' becomes first viral video of 2010

Millions of viewers howl in laughter as a British toddler bites his older brother's finger...again. Harry Potter fans across the globe sing in unison to that mysterious ticking noise. A 62-year-old acquires instantaneous fame by rapping about baggy pants. Such is the power of technology. In the first five days since his appearance on American Idol, Larry Platt's hit single has been viewed over 5,000,000 times and reproduced in dozens of remix versions. Less than a week after its debut, his song has more fans on Facebook than former American Idol winner Carrie Underwood, the hit TV series Lost, and the United States of America. What is it that makes these viral videos so obsessively popular in our culture? Aside from our desire to be in on the latest fads, I believe that it is our ever increasing need for speed that draws us to videos such as this one. Everything is getting faster--transportation, communication, and even the internet. As everything speeds up, we feel like we need everything to be faster, including entertainment. Why spend days reading a book when you can watch the same story on television in a few hours? And why even waste those precious hours in front of the TV when you can get as much entertainment value from a one minute YouTube video? Some of the most popular clips are mere seconds long and can keep us laughing for weeks. Still, I think there is something to be said for slowing things down a bit and remembering how we used to find simple enjoyment by, say, curling up with a good book or playing long games of Risk with our siblings into the wee hours of the morning.

Smallish Post 1: In the News

2010-01-13T16:24:00.000-08:00

It is incredibly easy to stay connected and informed these days. You don't even have to watch the news. After all, most of my awareness of major events of the past 3 years has been provided by Yahoo! news stories or, even more often, friends' facebook status updates. Unfortunately, most of what passes for news in the 21st century lacks much substance. As Gehl stated, "If what you want is real information, you may have a problem, because the ubiquity, immediacy, and relentless repetition of media communication have resulted in the decline of the very commodity all these media purport to be selling: news." In the fast-paced world we live in, media agencies struggle to capture and hold the attention of their audiences, and most "news" seems to be aimed at entertaining rather than informing. Is it really surprising that we are, in the words of Elder Oaks, "overnourished on entertainment junk food?" Actually, I do find it quite surprising that, in the midst of worldwide conflict, economic downturn, and pending health care reform, the top ten Yahoo! searches of 2009 were: Michael Jackson, the Twilight Saga, WWE, Megan Fox, Britney Spears, Naruto, American Idol, Kim Kardashian, NASCAR, and Runescape. WWE, people? That's about as real as Cherry Rice, the imaginary friend I had at age 5. And he had rice for hair. With so much information just a Google search away, we can't really lay blame on the media or even ridiculous Yahoo! home page stories. It is up to us to make a productive use of all that's available to us. With even a minimal amount of effort, we can become informed on the subjects that matter. Informed enough to make wise decisions and have a positive influence in our communities and our nation. At the very least, we can improve our own personal stores of knowledge. And, just maybe, if people express enough interest in stories of substance, that is what the media will someday give us.

Technorati verification code

2010-01-13T11:29:00.001-08:00

KYDQZC3TZXG4