Published on
August 29, 2009 by
Tim
Well, I just downloaded Windows Live Writer. After I installed the product, I ran it. On first run, the program asks me about my blog. I entered all of the pertinent information and it seemed to connect to my blog.
Now I am attempting to write a new post. This post is really just a test to see if Windows Live Writer is going to be worth using. I am impressed that it has spell check functionality. Now, lets see if I can add a picture. Well, that seemed to work well. There are many different options available for working with pictures. Finally, the ultimate test, actually posting this post. Here goes!
EDIT: I can now attest that posting is a snap. Whether or not the feature set of Windows Live Writer is compelling enough for me to leave my typical web based WordPress editing style remains to be seen.
Published on
August 23, 2009 by
Tim
One of the first assignments I was tasked with as a graduate student was learning how to design printed circuit boards or PCBs for short. There are many different pieces of software which allow you to design PCBs but in my case Number One Systems EasyPC was the software of choice.
There are two different ways to design a PCB in EasyPC. The first approach is with schematic files. Schematic files allow a user to create a circuit schematic and then translate that schematic to a PCB design. Alternatively, circuits can be designed directly in the PCB editor. The first method is most often the method of choice for medium to large designs. Small designs can often be done directly in the PCB editor.
Circuits are designed in both schematic and PCB mode by using components. Components in EasyPC are made up of two distinct parts. The first part is a schematic symbol which is used in schematic design mode. The second part is a PCB footprint which is used in PCB design mode. By using components, translation between schematic and PCB designs can be easily accomplished.
Once you have learned the navigational structure of the program and designed a few components, it is relatively simple to design a simple PCB. The board pictured above is my first design and will host a computer which will be incorporated into a shoe. It is approximately 1.5 inches square. We soon hope to design a new version of this board which is about one quarter of the current size.
Published on
April 27, 2009 by
Tim
My parts finally arrived. I unpacked everything and laid it all out on my work surface. I opened the directions and laid them out next to the parts. The first thing I did was open the case. Three thumb screws loosened the cover of the case and then I was able to pull the cover right off. Next, two more screws released the inner tray which holds the hard drive, memory card reader, and DVD drive. The tray seemed a bit flimsy but I was able to get each component mounted easily. The blank bay covers came off next with four more screws.
775 Socket
Once the parts were mounted in the tray, I moved my attention to the motherboard. I decided to mount the processor first. This shuttle case comes with a unique “ICE” heat pipe cooling system. This cooling system consists of a plate which sits on top of the processor which is connected to some pipes which move the heat from the plate to a heat sink located on the rear of the case. To mount the processor I needed to first remove this heatsink. The heatsink came off quickly and easily with four more thumb screws. Next, I disconnected the fan connector and removed the four thumb screws which hold the cooling plate to the motherboard. The whole unit then popped right out of the chassis. I could finally see the socket port. I had never worked with a 775 socket before so this install was a new adventure for me. Luckily, it was very simple. I raised the socket lever, opened the load plate, took my processor out of its packaging, and placed it in the socket. Once the CPU was in the socket, I closed the load plate and lowered the socket lever to lock it in place. Next I spread a thin layer of Artic Silver 5 cooling compound on the CPU die. Then I placed the ICE module back over the CPU and screwed it in place. The screws required quite a bit of pressure to get them in place after the processor was installed, but I managed to do it without breaking anything. I then reconnected the fan connector and refastened the thumb screws which hold the unit to the back of the case. Processor installed.
Continue reading ‘Barebone Build: Part 2′
Published on
April 23, 2009 by
Tim
Usually when I am tasked with providing someone with a new computer I prefer to buy a prebuilt machine from one of the many manufactures that offer them. On this occasion though, I decided to build the computer from scratch. The task; to build a computer for a standard home user for under $700.
I wanted to build something that was unique and had some charachter. My thoughts drifted to a Shuttle barebone that I had seen a few years back. A quick internet search brought me to Shuttle’s website. They offered prebuilt machines and barebone systems. After browsing their selection of barebone systems, I was reasured that the Shuttle barebone would provide me with style of system I was looking for.
Continue reading ‘Barebone Build: Part 1′
Published on
April 20, 2009 by
Tim
The proliferation of data over the past one and a half decades is astounding. Made possible by the rapid growth trends of computer technology, data continues to be amassed at astounding rates, exabytes per year[1] by some estimations. From digital file sharing to databases of phone calls, medical records, and internet searches, data records are everywhere. The issue continues in the increasingly popular online world of social networking. Massive global user bases coupled with vast amounts of data make social networking sites far from immune to prevailing ethical issues. Codes of ethics have been developed by both the IEEE and the ACM that give guidelines for the ethical design, and use of software. Some of the most prevalent ethical issues with these systems include user privacy and copyright infringement.
In 1999 Shawn Fanning wrote a program which “proceeded to redefine the internet, the music industry and the way we all think about intellectual property.”[2] This program, named Napster, was a centralized music file sharing service. When there was no great way to find music online, Napster provided the answer. The software rapidly became popular, attracting approximately 27 million[3] users worldwide before its demise. What caused its demise? The fact that copyrighted music was being freely distributed using this program. United States copyright law clearly “protects original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software, and architecture.”[4] Therefore, since Napster clearly allowed users to violate copyright law, the program goes against both the ACM code of ethics and the IEEE code of ethics. If the program had been used acceptably, to distribute music tracks entered into the public domain, this would not have been a problem. The music industry quickly caught up to this music “sharing” and began filing copyright infringement lawsuits and approximately two years after the service began, it was shut down.
Continue reading ‘Ethics and the Internet’
