Introduction of GRID computing

Grid computing is a form of networking. Unlike conventional networks that focus on communication among devices, grid computing connects unused processing cycles of all computers in a network for solving problems too intensive for any stand-alone machine.

A well-known grid computing project is the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) at Home project, in which PC users worldwide donate unused processor cycles to help the search for signs of interplanetary life by analyzing signals coming from outer space. The project relies on individual users to volunteer to allow the project to connect the unused processing power of the user's computer. This method saves the project both money and resources.

Grid computing does require special software that is unique to the computing project for which the grid is being used.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grid_computing

Introduction to Nanotechnology

A basic definition of nanotechnology is the engineering of functional systems at the molecular scale. This covers both current work and concepts that are more advanced. In its original sense, nanotechnology refers to the projected ability to construct items from the bottom up, using techniques and tools being developed today to make complete, high performance products.

Nanotechnology as defined by size is naturally very broad, including fields of science as diverse as surface science, organic chemistry, molecular biology, semiconductor physics, micro fabrication, etc. The associated research and applications are equally diverse, ranging from extensions of conventional device physics to completely new approaches based upon molecular self-assembly, from developing new materials with dimensions on the Nano scale to direct control of matter on the atomic scale.

Implications of nanotechnology become very debatable concerns within the scientists in nowadays. Nanotechnology may be able to create many new materials and devices with a vast range of applications, such as in medicine, electronics, biomaterials and energy production. On the other hand, nanotechnology raises many of the same issues as any new technology, including concerns about the toxicity and environmental impact of Nano materials, and their potential effects on global economics, as well as speculation about various doomsday scenarios. These concerns have led to a debate among advocacy groups and governments on whether special regulation of nanotechnology is warranted.

http://www.nanotech-now.com/

2010 IBM global CEO study

As far as what I understand about the CEOs, they are the people who are holding the highest position of certain company/organization and who has the biggest responsibilities for their company/organization issues.  It is natural that every organization has to be faced with complexity in some situation and avoiding option is not an option. In my point of view, none of the CEOs will allow the complexity to become a stifling force that slows responsiveness, overwhelms employee and customers or threatens the profits.  Since they cannot avoid the complexity within their organization, they have to find the new strategies to solve the problem or they must have known the special techniques or they need to follow some kind of frame work which can be resolve the problems. I have done some research about the controlling complexity in business these are some basic strategies which are suitable as a solution.

1.      Problem identification

2.      Identification of potential solutions

3.      Evaluation of potential solutions

4.      Anticipation of negative consequences

5.      Overcoming obstacles to carrying out a solution

6.      . Detailed plan for carrying out a solution

Being as a leader is not a great job; but when the problems come, the ways of solving the problems and the views and attitude upon the problems show the abilities of the great leaders.

Read more: http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/encyclopedia/Per-Pro/Problem-Solving-Styles.html#ixzz2PaldfmaF

What is usability in software design? Why is it important?

The definition comes that usability is a measure of how easy it is to use a product to perform prearranged tasks. Usability of software design mean when designing a certain kind of software, it should be easy for the users to use that software; meaning that it should be user center design or user-oriented design. It should be combination of user concerns and advocacy from the beginning of the design process and prescriptions that the needs of the user should be principal in any design decisions. How can we have the high usability design?? The most visible aspect of this approach is usability testing, in which users work and interact with the product interface and get the feed backs from the users and make something changes with the designers and developers.

If the designers do not give consideration about usability in their software design or web application design, their product will be less fame and it will find difficulties for the users to use their products. After all, it’s certainly possible to release a working, le

ss-interesting product without performing any usability work at all. But when they take into account of user-centeredness, it can give a much-improved product in several areas. A highly usable product is much easier for users to learn than one for which usability was not a high priority. For internal applications, user acceptance relates to a willingness to use the application to perform the tasks for which it was designed, which helps increase productivity. Increasing usability is one of the factors that can contribute to increased user acceptance. Usability can help to differentiate your products from those of your competitors. If two products are substantively equal in utility, the product with more usability will probably be regarded as superior.

One of the most obvious examples of web application which has got great success and become the most famous website of the world in nowadays, that is “Facebook”. One of the key reasons of becoming most popular one among other social site is that “user-friendliness” of it. The web design of Facebook is easy to learn, use, deal with and understandable for the users. comparing with competitors of Facebook such as Twitter, MySpace, Google plus and so on, Facebook got the highest demand because the designers made their design based on the needs or likes of users and the feature also clear for the users to access. Therefore, usability is one of the most important factors for the software/web application and the user-centeredness or user-friendliness of design is also a need for their product. 

References:

http://www.usabilityfirst.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook

Most CS people laugh at MIS/IT people and MIS/IT people make more money and manage the CS folks.

What I have learnt from my IT lecture is that IT field has the broader range of job opportunities and has wider knowledge than CS people who are only focusing on the programming works. But, CS people have the deeper range of knowledge on the programming field comparing with IT people. Both of the fields are important and they are really doing the great job in technology field for the sake of human kind goods.

To be compared the job opportunities and salary between IT people and CS people; I have heard that people from IT field can earn more salary than CS people. Most of the CEO Job places and other higher places in technology relating companies are for the people from IT field because they have learnt the wider range of technology and even they have learnt some kind of IT in business courses in their field. For the CS people, they have narrower job opportunities rather than IT because their main focus is on programming only and they have learnt different languages in programming field. In most company, programmers cannot be the CEOs since they have only knowledge on programming. So, IT people have more knowledge in the business field and that is the reason they can earn more salary than CS people.

Most of the CS people laugh at IT people in their field because since in the degree program, CS students have more works to do and they have learnt most complicated part of the ICT and in some university entrance, CS students need good grades than IT students. May be this is the reason that CS people look down on the IT people and they may be proud of their own course. But when they are in works, IT people got more opportunities than CS people and which fuelled the envy and they laugh at IT people. This is just my assumption and what I have heard about them from the real world of ICT field. Actually, IT or CS people, they are the people who can bring the big changes of the world!!

The topics, methods and differences between computing disciplines.

What is the computing discipline??? According to my research, it is the systematic study of algorithmic processes that describe and transform information: their theory analysis, design, efficiency, implementation, and application. There are five major parts under computing disciplines such as information system (IS), cognitive science (CgS), computer science (CS), software engineering (SE) and computer engineering (CE).

Information system:                : It is concerned with the information that the computer system can provide to aid the company or organization in defining and achieving its goals in an effective and efficient ways. This is especially computing in an organizational context typically in business field. This discipline’s perspective on information technology emphasizes information and view technology as an instrument for generating, processing and distribution information. Besides, IS specialists must understand both technical and organizational factors because they must have to determine what kind of information is needed for this organization and to get competitive advantages.

Cognitive science:                   : CgS is the interdisciplinary study of intelligence in humans and machines. It is also similar to Psychology but with more related with computation and experience with the wider range of analysis techniques. Actually, cognitive science is more related with computer science but with greater emphasis on cognition and sociocultural factors. Currently, the most frequent job placements in the computer industries are cognitive engineers and it will become more and more develop in the future days.  

Computer science:                   : Currently the most popular of the computing disciplines have a tendency to be relatively extensive and with an prominence on the underlying science aspects. It is more concerned with the developments in in robotics, computer vision, intelligent systems, bioinformatics, and other exciting areas. Especially, computer science spans the range from theory through programming.  Progress in the CS areas of networking, database, and human-computer-interface enabled the development of the World Wide Web. Now CS researchers are working with scientists from other fields to make robots become practical and intelligent aides, to use databases to create new knowledge, and to use computers to help decipher the secrets of our DNA.

Software engineering:                         : It Focuses on large-scale software systems such that employs certain ideas from the world of engineering in building reliable software systems. It is the discipline of developing and maintaining software systems that behave reliably and efficiently, are affordable to develop and maintain, and satisfy all the requirements that customers have defined for them. Software engineering is different in character from other engineering disciplines due to both the intangible nature of software and the discontinuous nature of software operation. It seeks to integrate the principles of mathematics and computer science with the engineering practices developed for tangible, physical artifacts.

Computer engineering:                        : Computer engineering is concerned with the design and construction of computers and computer-based systems. It involves the study of hardware, software, communications, and the interaction among them. Its curriculum focuses on the theories, principles, and practices of traditional electrical engineering and mathematics and applies them to the problems of designing computers and computer-based devices. . For example, devices such as cell phones, digital audio players, digital video recorders, alarm systems, x-ray machines, and laser surgical tools all require integration of hardware and embedded software and all are the result of computer engineering.

http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/iie/v1n3/cures.html

Can I live without internet connection for a day, a month or a year?

Although internet is excluded in basic needs for all the human beings, we are using it widely in all over the world. I have never imagined before how my life will be affected without internet connection for a day because we are using internet connection easily in every day. Therefore, I didn’t realize the value of internet connection. But I am sure that if I cannot use internet connection for one day, I will really be in the trouble because I am very depend on the internet for my academic study rather than studying from book. Personally, I like to work with the computer rather than writing the notes down in the book. Moreover, I think that if we want to do self-study, using internet is more effective than studying from the books. The reason is that on internet, there are so many resources that we can explore such as we have YouTube for the video presentation, there are so many online tutorial or test that we can sit the exam through online, and so on. These kinds of things can never be done easily without internet connection. Besides, there are a lot of social websites that we can communicate with other people through online. For the people like me (the people who are away from our hometown), we need to communicate with our family through the internet effectively rather than talking on the phone because it is too expensive. Now, we have internet and we can call to our family without any charges. As to conclude, internet connection is very important for me and to be honest, I will find a lot of difficulties without internet connection for a day.