Do you believe it? Actually, here in Florida I don't have to, because I know we have summer through October and into November. But, even in Florida, this year is flying by. Everything keeps moving. We just ran Web 2.0 – with changes! That session changes constantly and there'll be more changes when it runs again. I'm always finding something new that should be added. Right now I'm adding cloud computing to Web 2.0. I'm not sure that it officially belongs there, but it's certainly part of the changes in IT that Web 2.0 represents, so in it goes.
Here's the schedule (or you can view the complete Schedule on our website). Note the addition of Wireless.
CSTA Web sessions:
August 6, 7
September 10, 11
October 8, 9
November 12, 13
December 10, 11
UITJ (Understanding IT Jobs) Web sessions:
September 11
December 13
Web 2.0 Web session:
September 17
Wireless Web session:
August 18
TR Web sessions:
September 24
Keep in touch and keep up with technology!
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Collaboration
Collaboration – or working together – is right on top of virtually everyone's list of what's happening in IT today. Obviously we've had collaboration for decades, but today's collaboration systems enable people from different locations to work together. More and more tools that allow for this long distance collaboration are appearing : the financial environment is tight so companies are looking at virtual meetings; online training beats classroom training; Web 2.0 stresses collaboration; Agile development is based on collaboration, etc.
Collaboration in the workplace refers to a group of people working together on a task. Existing collaboration systems provide the networking and display technology to allow people from diverse locations to participate in meetings and training sessions from their offices or homes. We tend to inherently include the idea of real-time - we expect the group to meet at a specified time and interact with each other during a planned meeting or training session. These virtual meetings, or online training sessions, are now commonplace, and there are many systems that support them. All of the participants log in to a specific Web site for sharing information, and communicate verbally over phone or Internet lines. The systems support PowerPoint presentations, and allow the session leader to (some or all of the following) annotate the slides, add new slides, poll the attendees, show other documents and Web sites, and allow attendees to do any or all of the preceding. Probably everyone has attended online training or a Webcast, and is familiar with this. But, there's more.
Probably the biggest addition to collaboration is allowing the task group to collaborate at different times. No longer does everyone have to attend at a set time, the systems allow for materials to be shared anytime/anywhere. In order to support asynchronous collaboration, the system must provide an object database that can store different types of information such as web pages, office documents, and e-mail messages. This database must be available online, so members of the task group can access the information at their convenience. The database must be managed with permissions for each object – permission to read, permission to update, permission to delete. And, the database must be easy to use.
Existing social networking sites provide networking that does exactly this. MySpace and Facebook don't fall into our definition of collaboration as there is no task involved, but it's easy to see how these sites can and do support group work. Picture a high school group of friends using MySpace or Facebook to build a campaign for a friend's run for class president (timely example ). The corporate collaboration systems are based on shared data, the object database which can be a wiki. They use email and, even better, IM (Instant Messaging), to notify group members, e.g., when important changes to the database have been made, or ask questions of the group before continuing on a task. The group will gather – online – for meetings, which can be scheduled (status reports) and ad hoc (problems or changes). And, the group leader could blog daily about the status of the task or project and plans.
I'm sure you noticed all the Web 2.0 references. Remember that one of the definitions of Web 2.0 is collaboration. This is one of the most important uses of the Internet in today's world. And, it's a growing use.
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1. What's RepRap?
2. How dead is COBOL?
3. What's adding to the price of some laptops?
4. Do cloud computing and SaaS always go together?
5. Which of the following does not belong?
a. Perl
b. PHP
c. PL/1
d. Python
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We certainly admit that we don't offer a lot of discounts. Rather than posting high prices and then discounting them, we have always realistically priced our products. We do, however, provide three discounts. The first is a volume training discount. If any company enrolls seven people in scheduled training within a calendar year, the eighth enrollment in the same training is complimentary. The second is an individual discount. Anyone who attends a regularly scheduled CSTA or TR session can take any other session during that same calendar year for half price. The third is a 20% volume discount for 3 or more TechRef® subscriptions purchased at the same time.
This is just our way of saying "thank you" to our customers, and encouraging you all to grab as much training as you can. I keep repeating it, but Information Technology is such a dynamic field, keeping up with changes and new developments is a constant challenge. So, keep in touch, use TechRef®!!! and make sure you're comfortable with your depth of knowledge. Be sure to let us know if there's something you need that we don't have. That's the sort of information that gets us thinking….
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Embedded Systems
Embedded systems have been around for decades, but they're growing, and growing, and growing… Have you bought a toy lately that did not have an embedded chip? You know your car has dozens of embedded systems. And, have you ever signed for a package on the UPS delivery man's tablet PC and raced to your PC to check the status of the delivery (to see if you could beat the updating)? Here's some of the words used by the staff that develops these systems.
cross compiler A compiler that creates object code for a different computer than the one it is running on. Used in environments that use desktop systems for developing mainframe applications. Also used in developing embedded systems.
device programmer A device used with embedded programming. The program is created on a general system computer, and after testing, is stored in a memory buffer. The device programmer takes the contents of the memory buffer and embeds it into the target hardware through a socket connection. The target hardware can be non-volatile memories (EEPROM, flash memory, and NVRAM) and other electrically-programmable devices.
DSP (Digital Signal Processor) Hardware. Type of circuitry used with embedded systems in consumer devices. Processor which works with digital signals created from analog signals such as sound or video. Often used in consumer products instead of, or in addition to, microprocessor or microcontroller chips. Includes features designed to support high-performance, repetitive, numerically intensive tasks.
embedded device Computer chip that has been programmed, or embedded with software that cannot be changed. Used in many ways including cars (to signal that gas is low), microwaves (to set time when reheat is selected), gas pumps (to turn the pump off when the tank is full), for a few examples. Embedded devices are also used in Internet appliances and handheld computers. Also called embedded computers.
embedded systems Software built into devices or other software systems. Software embedded into devices, i.e. the programs in chips in cars that tell the driver when lights are left on, are also called firmware. Embedded systems usually contain both operating and application system functions. In addition, Web browsers and database systems are often embedded. Software can also be embedded into other software systems. Database systems can have Web browsers embedded so database application can directly access the Web. Embedded systems have a small footprint, meaning that they are small versions of the software and there are specific operating systems and DBMS (DataBase Management Systems) that can be embedded.
EPROM, EEPROM See PROM.
firmware Another name for embedded programs. Programs permanently stored in the computer; programs written in ROM (Read Only Memory). The term is more commonly used with DSP (Digital Signal Processor) chips than with microprocessors.
flash memory Variation of EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory). Information is burned into memory in blocks, not individual bytes, and memory can be erased and reprogrammed as often as needed. Flash memory provides the best speeds and cost ratios, and is the most popular type of ROM being used today. Includes two types: NAND and NOR. NAND Flash memory, introduced by Toshiba in 1989, is used in memory cards, USB flash drives, and MP3 players. It also provides the image storage for digital cameras. NAND is used in devices requiring high capacity data storage and offers faster erase, write, and read capabilities over NOR architecture. Software cannot execute in NAND Flash, and must be moved to RAM for execution, so NOR Flash is more commonly used to store code. NOR Flash memory, Introduced by Intel in 1988, is used in flash devices used to store and run code, usually in small capacities. It has fast read capabilities but slow write and slow erase functions compared to the NAND architecture. NOR technology is more commonly found as embedded designs and in lower-end set-top boxes and mobile handsets, and BIOS chips.
footprint The amount of geographic space covered by an object. A computer footprint is the desk or floor surface it occupies. The word is most often used to refer to the amount of RAM a program occupies while executing. Especially important in small systems such as handhelds, and for embedded systems. Effective programs for these systems are said to have "small footprints."
HDL (Hardware Descriptive Language) Application development language used to develop embedded devices (microprocessing chips programmed for a specific function or functions). The most common HDLs are Verilog and VHDL. HDLs are used by technical developers, or chip designers, and can be very complex. The chips are designed with an HDL, and then a model of the design is simulated on a general purpose computer. Actual chip production follows a complete cycle of design, simulation, and testing.
MPU (Microprocessor, or Micro Processing Unit) Hardware. Computer chip used in desktop systems. Contains the processor which defines the instruction set of the computer. Microprocessors are defined as RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) or CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computer). CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the term usually used for the processor in mainframe systems.
PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory) Computer memory description. Variation of ROM (Read-Only Memory). Information is burned into ROM so it is retained after power is shut off. PROM chips are programmed by a device programmer and cannot be changed. The chip is discarded if its uses change. Variations of ROM that can be erased and reprogrammed include EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory.
ROM (Read Only Memory) Type of computer memory. Information is burned into the memory with high voltage electricity so it is retained even after power is shut off. ROM is typically used in computers to hold start-up procedures and time and calendar functions. Variations of ROM include PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory.
RTOS (Real Time Operating System) An operating system which works with real-time programs and handles the synchronization of events. For example, RTOSs are usually embedded in machinery and control manufacturing steps by not proceeding with the assembly of a product until a certain part has been connected. RTOSs are embedded in automobiles, microwaves, Internet devices, and other hardware that requires immediate response to input. General purpose operating systems such as MVS, Unix, and Windows have real-time functions but also provide control of batch operations (running programs according to a schedule rather than at the present time).
SoC (System on a Chip) A microprocessor chip designed for special purpose and embedded systems. Building a single chip with processing elements and embedded software, memory, and additional hardware. Provides chips with multiple functions that the user can choose among. Used in PDAs (personal digital assistants) and handheld computers in addition to specific purpose devices. Once the chips are designed and manufactured, they cannot be changed.
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1. RepRap is a robot that builds 3-D replicas of objects like shoes and door handles. RepRap works by heating plastic and then squeezing it out into a line. The lines are built up into usable forms as they solidify. So far, the robot has made everyday plastic objects, like sandals and coat hooks. The intriguing thing is that the machine can also replicate itself! It has successfully copied all of its own structural pieces, which is the beginning of a machine creating a computer. While that could be 20 years away (copying integrated circuits is complicated, to understate the obvious), it's completely possible.
2. This one's easy. Not. It's estimated that there are about 200 billion lines of COBOL code in business applications still running today, with 5 billion new lines of COBOL code developed each year to maintain existing systems. There are several tools available to "modernize" existing COBOL applications.
3. Storage! Laptops are now available with SSD (solid state disk). This storage is more reliable than standard disk storage, and, best of all, is faster. Okay, what's the downside? Price, of course. It's considerably more expensive.
4. As of now they do. Cloud computing simply refers to a system that has data and/or programs stored by someone else – somewhere else. The user has no idea where they are, and doesn't care. SaaS (Software as a Service) is the name of the applications that maintain storage space, applications, etc. and provide backups and security, control access to these assets, etc. They really do go together.
5. We have to eliminate PL/1. The others are all object-oriented languages used mostly in the development of Web applications. PL/1 is a procedural language that's been around since 1967 and is used in large corporate systems. A quick check on Dice – searching for the single skill, returned 16 job posts for PL/1. But, note the rest: 1504 for Python, 2434 for PHP, and 5405 for Perl.
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