What is Software?

Software are programs which contain instructions to operate the hardware or carry out other tasks within the computer

A Software System is software working with other software and hardware.
EG. Content Management Systems - Wordpress Blogger
       Booking System (Ryanair – Website, Database, Mobile App)

Software Development is the Design, Implementation, Testing, Maintenance, Modification of Software

Software Engineering adds the element of Quality Control to the Software Development process

Software Development Process is a structure imposed on the development of software - usually defined as a series of steps that the developer should go through to ensure the development of quality software.

WEBSITE = A series of web pages joined together by hyperlinks

MOBLIE COMPUTING = Phones, Music Players, I(range), Cameras, Hand held Scanners (stock control/delivery drivers/restaurant orders)

Day to day examples =

Ticket Machines

ATM

Clock Card systems/Finger print attendance systems

NTL/Sky box

Medical Machinary

Design should always be user friendly, not programmer friendly which is why we need people outside the programming world working in design and testing.

ICT Article 2- Facebook To Start an Email Service

Upon hearing that Facebook had announced that they have created an email service for their users I immediately went on the net in search of more information and came across an excellent article on the New York Times website. It tells us that soon all Facebook users will have their very own email address ending with the Facebook.com suffix. With over 500million users worldwide could this herald the end of Hotmail and Gmail?

I read in the article that an unnamed source promised that Facebook has no intention of taking control of the email market. We are assured that their new communications service is not to be used on it's own but will be tightly coupled with Facebooks other services. I remain unconvinced. People spend more time on Facebook than on any other internet company, including Google. In my opinion it would be naive to think that Facebook email will have no effect on the current most popular email systems.

Both Msn and Google have attempted to add social networking aspects to their services. Google has a chat feature and Msn now allows those with hotmail accounts to post photos for their contacts to view and make status updates. However neither of these companies can compete with Facebook when it comes to playing the social network game. Facebook are constantly adding new services to the site. Clearly they are trying to convince us to spend copious amounts of time on their website. Jeremiah Owyang, an analyst with the Altimeter group, summed it up perfectly; “The more they own of our digital day, the more money they will make”.

I do not think Facebook is invincible. There will come a day when something will be created that will blow Facebook out of water. Technology is constantly improving and changing. Why should Facebook be immune to this constant evolvement? MySpace and Bebo were not so long ago the kings of social networking. The current social network giants that are Facebook and Twitter have now rendered both these sites redundant. Most of my friends disagree with me. They are convinced that Facebook is here to stay and will stand the test of time. I hope that one day I will be able to turn to them and say those three wonderful little words; “Told you so!!” For now though Facebook’s rivals should remain very worried. Facebook’s reign over the internet is showing no signs of ending anytime soon. It still continues to grow at a ferocious speed every day.

This article was very informative. Not only did it explain how the new email service would work but it also showed just how powerful a force Facebook has become. I would highly recommend clicking the link below and reading the article in full. It is a fascinating insight into the world of online business.

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/12/facebook-to-start-an-e-mail-service/

Important Factors To Consider When Buying A Laptop

Purchasing a laptop is a very confusing business these days. There are so many models and makes to choose from it’s hard to know where to begin. Some important factors to consider include:

• Price
• RAM                                            
• Speed                                                         
• Weight                                              
• Portability
• Battery Life
• Screen size
• Software

Price is probably the biggest factor to consider when buying a computer. It is the factor that determines what we can and can’t have. As students we can’t afford the best of the best, buy we still need reliable, sturdy machines. The best way to determine what’s right for you is to shop around and I would highly recommend asking friends who already are laptop owners, what they think. In my opinion one should think of their laptop as an investment. Yes it does cost quite a lot of money, but it will greatly aid you throughout the years you study for your degree and, if you treat it with care, will stay by your side until graduation.

As a student of technology I would demand much more from my laptop than most. I need high processing speeds because heavy-duty programmes needed for my course, such as Adobe Photoshop, are very demanding on the processor. RAM is also hugely important when running programmes like Photoshop, which consumes a lot of memory. So ensure you know that whatever computer you decide to buy has the ability to complete the tasks and chores you need it to do.

 Although I require quite a lot from my laptop I still wouldn’t consider a desktop. As a student portability is an essential. Like thousands of other students I travel home from college every weekend. I need to be able to bring my computer with me or I would be restricted on working on college projects between Monday and Friday. It is for this same reason that weight is an important factor to consider when buying a laptop. Students tend to carry their laptops around quite a lot. Dragging a heavy laptop to and from college each day can be a pain. The screen size you choose will have a huge effect on the weight of your computer, so try not to get too carried away! Your back will thank you for it.

Battery life is yet another item to consider. Fully charged your battery should last between two and three hours. You need to be able depend on your laptop’s battery power, as you may not know when you will need it most! Also be sure to ask when purchasing the laptop how much it would cost to replace the battery. A friend recently had to fork out €150 to replace his. You have been warned!

There are countless other factors to consider when buying a laptop. I have only covered a handful in this essay. My final piece advice is to be certain of what you want from your computer. How can you be sure of getting what is right for you if you have yet to figure out what exactly that is?  Also I would urge you not to rush when making such an important purchase. Shop around and take your time!!

Best of luck!!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - A success!!

Myself and a few of my fellow psychology students went to see the highly anticipated Harry Potter film this week. Apart from it being a welcome break from our studies the film itself was, in my humble opinion, incredible! It has been the most successful film so far at capturing the essence of the books. It was very dark and quite scary at times. It was also very funny and hugely entertaining! For anyone that has yet to see it, I would highly recommend embracing your inner child and immersing yourself in the wonderful world of wizards and witches J.K. Rowling has created.

ICT - Article 1 - Artificial Intelligence

The first article I have chosen to write about deals with the fascinating subject that is artificial intelligence. Researchers from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid's Facultad de Informática have developed a computer program capable of human emotion recognition from automated voice analysis. As a psychology student I found this extremely interesting. Could there really come a time when machines could do the job of a trained psychologist? 

The technology dealt with in this article is extremely intricate and complex. I have only a basic understanding of how the programme operates. However I do understand how significant this research is and what it could mean for future generations. The line between computers and humans is most definitely beginning to blur.

The programme is not perfect. It does not guarantee 100% accuracy. However it can offer the results as a percentage. For example it might find that someone is 73% angry or 22% sad. In my opinion the programmes inability to offer complete accuracy does not in any way diminish from it’s sheer brilliance. It isn’t so long ago that the idea of computers understanding us on an emotional level was found only in sci-fi movies. I myself cannot believe that I may one day be able to have a conversation with a computer or, even scarier, befriend one. 

This type of technology is still in its infancy. It will no doubt become more and more sophisticated as each year passes. I am constantly reading of new advancements and achievements in this field of research. There are those who find this particular type of technology unnerving. They fear that developing machines that could be mistaken for humans is going a step too far. I myself worry that a day might come when robots are so sophisticated that there will be no need for us mere mortals anymore. Why allow a human to do what a computer can do much better and much faster?

This debate will no doubt continue for many years to come. For now I am definitely behind the advancement of this fascinating and intriguing technology. Click the link below to read the article and decide for yourself whether you agree with what these scientists have achieved.

Computer program recognizes human emotions from conversation analysis

A helpful site to ease the pain of referencing

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/

My nerdy sense of humour in action... :)