Week 3 Readings

"Introduction to Linux: A Hands on Guide".
Well, if it's all the same to you, I will stay with Microsoft.

It was a good thing that Linus Torvalds wrote to someone and decided that he could make Unix better. I've never heard of Linux, or Linus, and the only reference to Unix I've heard of was in the movie "Jurassic Park".

How does Linux stay in business and get their software out there to people if it's free?
"Paid employees and volunteers alike are working diligently so that Linux can maintain a position in the market." There are employees working for Linux. Where does their paycheck come from?

If it's been around for almost 40 years, then it has to be a good product. Mr. Garrels kept on saying that it is a very secure and stable system, with "short, de-bug times".
If you like that sort of thing, it would be good for people who like to play with their toys. Anyone with this system can go and try to fix parts, and change things. You'd think that it would have deteriorated, but then he says that sometimes when problems are found, within a couple of hours, they have been solved. "Now users can influence their systems and share their remarks with the community, so the system gets better and better every day. "

Any knowledge, like programming in C, so all computers can communicate with each other, is a good thing. That one step seems to have bumped the programming people in the technology field to be able to come up with bigger and better ideas.

I just like my computers to do what they are supposed to do, when they are supposed to do them. I don't believe I'd like to have to program my computer and influence how it works, because then it would surely not work.





Kernelthread: Mac_OS_X:
At least I now know that "OS" means "Operating Systems". (Please correct me if I'm wrong)
Some students in the class have a Mac, Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Whenever an article starts out with the verbiage, " some parts are fairly technical, and the implicit assumption is that you are familiar with fundamental concepts of one or more of BSD, Mach, UNIX, or operating systems in general. In many cases I have made no attempt to provide background details of the concepts referred to in the discussion. ", it makes me want to cringe.

Many of the patrons that come to a library don't have those kinds of fundamental concepts, or want to have that kind of knowledge. There are specialized employees who work in computer stores, or with computers who can be found to help patrons understand what is out there before they purchase a new computer, or decide they want to learn more about them.
I myself have no idea of what an operating system is; how it works; or how it gets me information when I ask for it. I'm just glad that it does.

The layered type scheme used to show all the layers of a computer was helpful. It helps to have a visual picture in my head while something is being discussed.
So, the kernel is the "most fundamental" layer of Mac OS X.
(I still don't know what BSD is? Can someone tell me.) (Well, Wikipedia just informed me that is stands for: Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD)

Programming is like learning another language. Programmers have my utmost sympathy. I remember how hard it was for me to learn German, and programming seems much more difficult. There are thousands of new terms: DFM, C, elf, bundle, framework, BSD?, Cocoa, and several more that would take to long to list.

In conclusion, the author likes his Mac. He states, "Still, Mac is currently the most worthy client platform in my opinion: the only operating system currently in production that, within reason, lets you have your cake and eat it too."

He rates Mac as his first choice, Linux as his second choice and Windows as his third choice.

"If you look at current Apple computers carefully, you'll see that a lot of engineering goes into making them. They are not just "pretty" and stylish (though that might be subjective) - they are functional
well designed. Some people even call them lust worthy. "

The Wikipedia explanation of Mac was much more clear, concise, and so much easier to understand, even with my limited knowledge of computer speak.



Paul Thurrott's Windows:
This article was somewhat confusing, with all the different Windows, Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, Professional, Ultimate, Home and Starter programs to mention a few.
I had no idea that there were so many different versions of windows being used.

Technology is changing so quickly that it's no wonder there are so many versions and updates happening on an almost daily basis. "Today Windows Vista supports about 77,000 components and devices, which is more than twice as many as we supported at launch."

Interestingly it was mentioned that there were significant security advances made and less security risks with the latest version that was marketed. With all the newsclips and warnings about the different "worms", "viruses", and "bugs" that are headed our way almost everytime we watch the news, it is good that they are trying to avert those before they attack our machines.

So now that I know everything there is to know about Linux, Mac and Windows, (haha), what do I think I will buy in the future?
Whatever's on sale.


Muddiest Question? What exactly is "digitization"?
Is it just taking a picture so that it can be copied electronically?
(Well, I just saw the other digitization articles we are supposed to read. When is that due? Guess if I did my homework, I could answer my own question!)

A P.S. to my question: Does digitization last as long as microfilm and other reproducible imaging? If digitization dosen't last as long, would it hurt the original whatever- picture, artifact, or whater to keep getting "re"digitized??? just wondering.