One of the best ways to write structured programs is to use algorithmic design. That is, using algorithms to accomplish certain tasks. Algorithms are a key part of coding, but understanding them can feel overwhelming. However, they are not as difficult to understand as they may appear. Algorithms are simply procedures a program will follow to complete a task. Algorithms can be used to sort data, make calculations, and more. The sky is really the limit when it comes to how we can use algorithms. We can build algorithms into our programs to make them more efficient. There are many different algorithms we can use. The question can be asked if one algorithm is superior to another. We can say that an algorithm is superior if it is more efficient than another algorithm at completing its task. Therefore, it is helpful to have a metric to tell us if one algorithm is more efficient than another algorithm. Two metrics we can use are time complexity and space complexity. Time complexity...
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Getting Started with Java
My experience installing and using Java for the first time was very smooth. I simply followed the instructions step-by-step from the following resource: http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/index.html Once you install the Java programming language, you will need an IDE (integrated development environment) to write your code. There are multiple options for you to choose from, which you can from the link above. I chose to install and try two IDEs, Eclipse and NetBeans. For this first project, I chose to use NetBeans. In order to complete my “Hello, My Name Is” program, I follow the tutorial at this link: http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/getStarted/index.html . Java uses object-oriented programming, which is a method of coding focused on objects. There are four principles common to object-oriented programming. These principles are inheritance, polymorphism, abstraction, and encapsulation. Inheritance is a principle in which acquires the properties of its parent object....
Operating Systems Fundamentals
Operating System Features Modern operating systems include important features such as: · User Interface : A system that allows users to enter inputs and read outputs. The most common user interface for consumer uses is GUI (Graphical User Interface) · Program Execution : Loads programs into memory and runs them. · Input/Output Operations : Allows for entering inputs into a program and reading outputs from a program. · File System Manipulation : Allows programs to read and write files. For example, a word processor needs to read text files and write them to memory. · Communications : Systems in which one process sends or receives information from another process. · Error Detection: The operating system detects and corr...
Tech Topic Connection: Cyber Security
Cyber security is an essential part of information technology because it is not enough to just create a program, blog, or application; you must also consider how to protect users and their information. Cyber security must be considered at every level, because it affects every level of information technology. Poor security leaves websites open to attacks from hackers like Denial of Service attacks or computer systems vulnerable to malware. Security must even be considered at the user level because users need to be educated on how to practice good security and avoid scams like phishing, spam, fraud, and social engineering. Ever since computers have been designed, security has been important. Even from the early days of computers, it was necessary to secure memory, especially for military computers. As computers have evolved, it has been necessary to create new methods of keeping information secure. The countries with advanced technology must have better network security to keep classif...
Network Security
Technology has made our lives easier, but it has also made us more vulnerable to those that want to take advantage of us. Anything users do on the internet can be tracked, and users are often unaware of how that information can be uses. Sometimes it can be used for beneficial purposes, but it can also cause great harm. Therefore, it is crucial for both individuals and organizations to protect their information. Computer systems are vulnerable to security holes because no matter how well-built the system, hackers will be able to find a flaw in security. Hackers look for vulnerabilities in operating systems, browser applications, office applications, etc. to breach the security and share the vulnerabilities via private websites visited by hackers. Computer viruses and email spam often rely on operator error, at least to some extent. That is, these attacks typically rely on fooling a human user into somehow installing malicious software. For example, a phishing email will often include ...
Computers in the Workplace
Computers are very important not only for personal use but also in most professional industries. The specific industry I will discuss in this post is banking. Because I am in banking myself, I see how technology is evolving the banking industry, and I am interested to see how that continues. One major shift in the last few years has been more virtual banking options. Especially with the COVID pandemic, more customers are looking to connect with a banker by phone, app, and email. In my current role, I work from home as banker and help clients virtually. I have a company-issues computer that I use to process transactions and communicate with members. We use a VPN (virtual private network) to connect to the company servers, which helps keep client information secure. In the future, I expect to see the shift towards more virtual options continue. Banks can continue to improve their virtual locations by adding more communication and collaboration options. For example, we just recently switc...
Traveling Through a Network
When network problems arise, it is important to know what is going wrong and how to fix it. In this post, I will explain a few commands (PING and Traceroute) that can be used to troubleshoot connection issues. PING stands for Packet Internet Groper. When you PING an IP address, you send a small packet of data to the IP and request a response. This can be a helpful way of gauging how long it takes to send and receive data to a particular IP. Longer PING times mean slower speeds, which can affect everything from web browsing to video streaming to playing online games. The Traceroute command is similar, but it maps the route the packet travels to reach its destination, including all the routers it stops at along the way. It also measures how long the packet takes to reach each router on the path. Looking at the PING and Traceroute examples I provided, it is clear that it took significantly longer to travel to Yandex.ru than the other two websites. This is likely due to the routers being a...