History and Future of Computers

     The history and the future of computers is an interesting topic that provides a crazy, unbelievable story viewing it in the 21st century. "We could argue that the first computer was the abacus or its descendant, the slide rule, invented by William Oughtred in 1622. However, many consider English mathematician Charles Babbage's analytical engine the first computer resembling today's modern machines." (Harris & Pollette, 2023) Babbage had created a computer with a central processing unit; however, this machine did not look like anything we have today. 

     Today, we are facing faster and faster computers that are seeing the incorporation of AI. In 2025, the RTX 50 series started incorporating AI into their graphics cards, pushing the compatibility of computers and computers. The history and future of computers could arguably be the root cause of technology. Without discovery and invention, the world and topic we call technology would be significantly different, with the possibility of not existing. 

Additionally, without the invention of computers, computer components such as processors, hard drives, graphics cards, motherboards, etc., would look vastly different if they did not exist. Although we know the invention and history of computers play a huge role in what technology we have today, the future of computers also plays a vital role in things such as software and programming languages. The integration of AI into computers impacts program languages and software. AI can write programming code in a matter of seconds through chat gbt. Additionally, AI heavily affects software. "Nearly 77 percent of devices today use AI technology in one form or another. The growth of AI startups accelerated 14-fold since 2000." (Simplilearn, 2025) We know that most windowed computers come with Cortona built-in and Siri or Google built into every smartphone (computer). Lastly, with complexity and futuristic computers, we are seeing more and more innovation in database management and network security. Since computers are becoming more and more capable, they are making it easier to store data through backup drives and cloud services. Additionally, with the capabilities of computers increasing, so will the need for increased network security.

Works Cited: 

https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/inventions/who-invented-the-computer.htm#:~:text=The%20first%20computer%20that%20resembled,it%20for%20nearly%2040%20years.

Simplilearn. (2025, February 12). Top artificial intelligence stats you should know about in 2025. Simplilearn.com. https://www.simplilearn.com/artificial-intelligence-stats-article

Back up Plans & Ram

 Part 1: Backup File Plans:

Using the file system, computers organize and store files on a hard drive (HDD or SSD) and other removable drives. "A file is a collection of information stored somewhere on a drive, such as a music, movie, word processing, or application. A user may wish to organize files using folders. A folder is a grouping of files or other folders that helps users organize items." (Section 4.1 - TEC 101: Fundamentals of Information Technology & Literacy | ZyBooks, n.d.)  Backup drives play a critical role in computers, as most people who use a computer will eventually find themselves in a situation where they adjacently deleted a file, the file got corrupted, or the hard drive failed (really common for HDD drives), or even the computer got dammed or stolen. In the case of data loss, the back drive saves the day as it will keep everything from the previous backup. Some people may back up files to an external drive or even use a cloud service provider in conjunction. For my backup plan, I use Windows backup. It is built into my computer and backs up my storage every day. I do not have many important files on my computer, as many applications I use have cloud services.

Part 2: Determine RAM

Ram is similar to hard drives as they are both storage; however, they are very different as they are used for different purposes. Ram is high-speed, allowing the processor to access data as needed quickly. Ram stores memory for a short period of time; it will hold memory. However, when the computer loses power when powering down, it will ultimately lose all data that was being stored.  In contrast, once data is successfully saved on a hard drive, it can still recall the data even after restarting.  

Currently, I am using my 2019 M1 Macbook Air laptop; after looking at my active monitor, I see that I have 8 GB of RAM installed and am currently using 6.99 GB of that 8GB. I am shocked about the usage; however, I am not surprised after looking at how many tabs and applications I have open if I had more RAM available to run programs faster and store files more quickly. However, I do not see an effect on my computer performance currently.

Works Cited:

Section 4.1 - TEC 101: Fundamentals of Information Technology & Literacy | ZyBooks. (n.d.). https://learn.zybooks.com/zybook/TEC101:_Fundamentals_of_Information_Technology_&_Literacy_(TED2507A)/chapter/4/section/1

Network Security

    Technology plays a massive role in today's society, so information and system security are more critical than ever. "It is clear that the rate and cost of data breaches are increasing. Since 2001, the victim count has increased from 6 victims per hour to 97, a 1,517% increase over 20 years" (Imber, 2025). In this paper, we will discuss the importance of information and system security, the different types of attacks or scams that systems might encounter, the symptoms and damage that each branch of attack can inflict, why computer systems are vulnerable to these kinds of threats, and recommendations for protecting a computer system or network.

    The need for a solid and reliable security system, whether for a personal computer at home or a commercial network system, is critical. A security system can help prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, banking, and credit card details. Unauthorized access to this information can cost people and companies thousands of dollars. "If it were measured as a country, then cybercrime — predicted to inflict damages totaling USD 6 trillion globally in 2021 — would be the world's third-largest economy after the U.S. and China" (Magazine, 2024). In Week 3, we discussed the capabilities of pinging servers to determine how fast packets of information could be sent and if the server was reachable. However, this capability can be used in cybercrime, called the "ping of death." "In this type of assault, the attacker sends malformed or oversized ICMP packets that exceed the maximum IPv4 packet size of 65,535 bytes. This crashes or freezes the target system as it struggles to process the oversized packets" (Rika, 2023). These types of attacks can cause frustration for owners of servers and potentially lead to revenue loss, especially if these servers are involved in business activities.

    Two other examples of attacks are phishing and exploiting security holes/vulnerabilities. Phishing is an attack in which people or programs impersonate an official person or program, such as a Microsoft representative or a popular antivirus software, to deceive individuals into handing over access to personal information such as passwords or essential files. These attacks can lead to stolen access to accounts or, even worse, identity theft. Examples of exploiting security holes/vulnerabilities include using loopholes or vulnerabilities to attack outdated, poorly designed software or weakly configured security on computers or networks. Some of the symptoms of these attacks could include data loss, unusual activity on the network, or the disappearance of documents or files.

    Computer systems will always face threats such as the ping of death, phishing, or exploiting security holes/vulnerabilities, as systems can be accessed from anywhere in the world if they are connected to the internet. Without being connected to the World Wide Web, computers would not be able to be targeted; however, they would also be unable to access the luxuries of software updates, new features, and the ability to access web pages. In order to mitigate the risk of these attacks, people and companies should always keep computers and programs updated, as this prevents the exploitation of known loopholes or weak security points in systems. Additionally, it is crucial to educate system users, such as family members or employees, about the risks of phishing scams and the necessary actions to prevent becoming a victim.

Works Cited:

Imber, D. (2025, January 22). The Latest Cyber Crime Statistics (updated January 2025) | AAG IT Support. AAG IT Services. https://aag-it.com/the-latest-cyber-crime-statistics/

Magazine, C. (2024, November 18). Cybercrime to cost the world $10.5 trillion annually by 2025. Cybercrime Magazine. https://cybersecurityventures.com/hackerpocalypse-cybercrime-report-2016/

Computers in the United States Air Force Workplace

Truth be told, the United States Air Force is heavily reliant upon computers. For example, everyone in the workforce has an employee email account, which they are expected to use for communication. Everything from putting -in leave (vacation days) to signing reports and training is all done through computers. Additionally, in the maintenance career field inside the Air Force, we use computers to follow manuals and engine part breakdowns, which we must use 24/7 when completing any maintenance action. I would not say you need a computer expert in the Air Force. However, you need to know how to update programs, work with a VPN (when you are deployed), and know your way around Microsoft Outlook and Adobe PDF pretty well. If we look at the past, emails inside the Air Force were not a big thing not too long ago, as they started going with the current email-for-life system in 2005.

    Maintenance orders were printed books rather than saved as PDFs on computers less than 10 years ago. If we look at the change in the Air Force over the course of the last 20 years, we can predict that technology will only be more prevalent within the Air Force. AI may be used on gov computers to make communication even more effective. They are currently using AR (augmented reality) for training within the Air Force, so it could not be that far off to see AI being used in some sort.

I look forward to the future of technology; it is unbelievable how advanced technology has been in the last 25 years.

Pings & Trace Routes

 Data is sent over the internet through packets of information, then translated into bits. When these bits are sent, they can travel through different means, such as routers, switches, satellites, and wires. "Packets travel over communication links (the lines in the below animation), which may be wired (like "cable TV" wires), but include fiber optic cables and wireless satellite communications too. Packets travel through several other computers on a path to a destination." (Section 3.1 - TEC 101: Fundamentals of Information Technology & Literacy | ZyBooks, n.d.) If you wanted to see how fast this information could be sent to a specific IP address, you would use ping, as it would show you the round trip time (RTT). If you wanted to see how the packets were being sent, you would use traceroute as it would show you the number of hops or steps it had to take to get there and the IP address. The ping and traceroutes are different for each website. For example, if you looked at the ping and traceroute for a website hosted nearby, it would look much faster on the RTT and hop times compared to a website hosted overseas. These packets would have to travel much further and take more hops to reach that website overseas. In conclusion, you will see longer round trip times if the geographical location is further from you.

Pings and traceroutes commands can be used to troubleshoot website connection issues. The ping can show you if the website is reachable, and the traceroute can show you where it failed along the route. If your ping request or traceroute command times out, it is possible that the device at the IP address that is trying to be reached is not powered on or the firewall or network is blocking the packets from being received.

Attached are my Ping and Traceroute for Google.com:

  

 

Works Cited:

Section 3.1 - TEC 101: Fundamentals of Information Technology & Literacy | ZyBooks. (n.d.). https://learn.zybooks.com/zybook/TEC101:_Fundamentals_of_Information_Technology_&_Literacy_(TED2507A)/chapter/3/section/1

Which application is best for documenting a day?

    Microsoft Office is a remarkable application and is vastly used across different sectors, such as education, military, personal, and commercial. While most people know about and love Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, there are additional applications that Microsoft Office produces that most people do not regularly use, such as OneNote, teams, and Sway. Through the analysis of this paper, we will compare the functions of word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, and database applications, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each application, and recommend the application software most appropriate for documenting the information in a blog. 

    While word applications are designed for unique purposes, they have similar features across the Microsoft word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, and database applications. For one, they can type and save data, whether numbers, words, or images. Additionally, they all have some form of spell check or grammar. The user can create a chart in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Lastly, the user can easily share and upload to cloud services in all these applications. 

    While these applications have similar features, they each have advantages and disadvantages. Microsoft Word has the advantage of making it easier for users to type. "One of the main benefits of word processing is its ability to improve the accuracy of your writing over time. Most word processors are designed to detect mistakes and advise the user on how they should be resolved." (6 Benefits of a Word Processor, 2021) However, there is a disadvantage: there is a potential learning curve for new users. There are a lot of helpful pack features; however, it takes time to learn and know where they are all located. In an Excel spreadsheet, one of the advantages is that the software has built a calculator so that it is easy to calculate simple, complex, or custom formulas. "A spreadsheet application is a common computer application for representing tables of data like text or numbers, for using formulas to calculate data from other data (like sums or averages), and for creating graphical charts from data." (Section 5.2 - TEC 101: Fundamentals of Information Technology & Literacy | ZyBooks, n.d.) "However, the disadvantage of this software is that if the user is using complex formulas and one input single character off it can output an error, leaving the user lost and looking for where they went wrong.  One of the main advantages of PowerPoint is the ability to customize and tailor the slides to the user's needs. However, the software's disadvantage is that users can overpack slides with information. "The disadvantages include the potential for information overload, lack of originality, and the risk of disengaging the audience if not used appropriately." (SlideUpLift, 2023) Microsoft Access is a database application in Microsoft and is excellent as it has advantages such as ease of use, organization, and integrations. However, it suffers from performance issues and issues sharing data. 

    Like all applications, they are designed for a particular use; however, sometimes, multiple applications can be used for the same purpose, and it is up to the user to decide. For example, if the user needs to give a report, the user could write a report in Word or create a presentation to present a report. Regarding creating a blog, as required in week 2 of TEC 101, the ideal software would be Microsoft Word, which is way easier to share on a website. If the user decides to create a blog with Microsoft slides, there will be heavy modifications to upload to the website. Thus, Microsoft Word is the ideal application for creating a blog. Additionally, Microsoft word is ideal if you give information in an essay or report, as the flow of information is straightforward and user-friendly—no need for flipping through slides or tabs.  

    Microsoft Office is a widely used software group; however, it competes with competitors such as Google, offering free applications such as docs and slides. These free applications provided by Google make it harder for Microsoft to charge a premium price point for their software applications and make it enjoyable to see what Microsoft will do shortly. Will Microsoft still charge a heavy price point? Will they still be the most widely used application if they do not? Through the paper's analysis, we discussed comparing the functions of a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, and database applications and the advantages and disadvantages of each application. We recommended the most appropriate application software for documenting the information for a blog.

Works Cited:

SlideUpLift. (2023, December 28). Advantages and Disadvantages of using PowerPoint for presentations. SlideUpLift. https://slideuplift.com/blog/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-using-powerpoint-for-presentations/

Section 5.2 - TEC 101: Fundamentals of Information Technology & Literacy | ZyBooks. (n.d.). https://learn.zybooks.com/zybook/TEC101:_Fundamentals_of_Information_Technology_&_Literacy_(TED2507A)/chapter/5/section/2

6 Benefits of a word processor. (2021, June 14). https://www.smallbizviewpoints.com/2021/06/14/6-benefits-of-a-word-processor/

Mobile App: Epic Critique

 I decided to review a ski app for this blog post. One of my favorite hobbies is snowboarding. I usually get this ski pass called an epic pass; it allows me to ski at all the ski resorts owned by VAIL worldwide. Here is my review of the Epic Pass app.

The My Epic: skiing and snowboarding app is an app that allows riders to scan their passes hands-free at all Vail-owned resorts; it has interactive trail maps, personalized stats, and account information. In addition, it will enable the resorts to pass real-time alerts and safety information.

Design: When you start the app, it has a nice load animation, which will take you to the main screen. You will find the person's name on the account and the number of days ridden this season. Just underneath that, an AI assistant will be told to answer any information for any of the resorts. There is a page where you can look at any resort that you are at or will be heading to. You can see mountain conditions, estimated wait times, lift and trail open, and contact information on that page. On the trail map, it can track where you are via GPS and where your friends are. Next, there is a page with your pass information. This page allows you to enable Bluetooth to scan your pass hands-free; if you don't have a pass, you can also purchase a pass or day lift ticket on this page. Next is a page for the assistant, another way to access the AI assistant. Lastly, there is a page for access to information on the pass, such as comparing different passes, coverage, resorts, and support contact information. Overall, the app's design is lovely; it is well laid out, the information is easy to read, and the blue and white theme looks great. It's got nice animations but no overkill. It looks clean and professional.

Usability: The app is solid and very easy to use. Although there is no walkthrough where you can access different information, there are only five pages, so it's easy to learn and find information fast. Additionally, the app has well-organized information. For example, the pass page allows the user to access and manage everything they need or want with their pass, and the resort page allows the user to access and see all the information they need when visiting a resort.

Functionality: The app functions great and performs flawlessly with no lag/ load times between screens, although I did have a great internet connection at the time of the review. Given a moderate or weak internet connection, I would love to see how the resort would perform. Overall, there are no complaints about the functionality of the Epic app.

Recommendations:

1. Although the app can track where you are at on the resort when you're looking at the trails, I would love it to select the resort you are visiting automatically. To see where you are at the resort, you must first scroll through the list of resorts and choose the resort you are currently visiting.

2. To use the hands-free pass scan feature, you must first select the pass & ticket page and set this up. I love it if the app-based user would like to set up this feature the first time you open it; you should not have to explore the app to find out about it. 

3. Even though the app is straightforward, I still would love the app to give a very brief and simple walkthrough the first you open the app. There is lots of valuable information on the pages, and it would be nice if the app showed where they could access this information. For example, ski patrol contact info; to find this contact information, you must scroll the list and select the resort. I would hate for someone to be in an emergency and have to look through the app to find the contact information. It could easily avoided with a quick and easy walkthrough.

 

 

Programming Languages

     "Scratch is the world's largest coding community for children and a coding language with a simple visual interface that allows young people to create digital stories, games, and animations." (Scratch! For About, n.d.) In week one of TEC 101, students were instructed to build a short program with at least 30 blocks. Afterward, you are required to complete a reflection paper. Through the analysis of this post, we will discuss my experience building a program using Scratch, discuss the difficulties that I encountered along the way, insights that I gained, and compare my experience programming in Scratch with the participation activities in Sections 2.8, 2.9, 2.10, and 2.11 of the course text, lastly, discuss my experience with the program and how to stack up with Scratch. 

    When I started my scratch project, It took a while as I did not know any of the existing functions or control blocks. Additionally, I had difficulty deciding what type of program I would make. Is it going to be an interactive story or something that was all automated? After reading the prompt, I realized I needed to make a simple program and not overthink it. I decided to make a small, automated program of a character having a dance party. Designing the program was simple and easy. However, I did encounter some issues along the way. One problem was I did not know how to make the character make different dance moves, as there were no simple instructions on how to do so. However, after 20 minutes of messing around and exploring the software, I found a block that made the character strike different poses. After I solved these issues, my program started taking off, and I made significant progress; I even designed it to have music and words for the characters. However, I soon encountered another issue. After the music started to play, the script did not run the following code until after it played. After again messing around with the software, I found that there was a block that could make the music keep playing. I replaced my music block with that, which worked flawlessly. While their issues were minor, they took time to overcome, and through being reliant and trying different fixes, I overcame them. 

    Some insights I realized after interacting and using this coding software is that coding does not have to be so dull; it can be simple and colorful and use an interactive platform such as Scratch. After reading and interacting with sections 2.8, 2.9. and 2.10; text scratch is nothing like the program languages discussed. This is mainly because Scratch uses its website to build and code and uses dragging blocks instead of typing. After reading the course text, I learned that there are four different types of programming languages with the addition of Scratch. There is machine language that is designed for computers. "Machine language is a low-level programming language that is understood by computers. Machine language is made up of binary bits 0 and 1. Machine language is also known as machine codes or object code." (GeeksforGeeks, 2023) Next is assembly language; this language is similar to machine language as it is based on machine language; however, it uses an assembler to convert human input to machine language. "Assembly language is a textual human-understandable representation of a machine language's 0's and 1's, as in: Add M[5] M[6] M[7]. An assembler automatically converts an assembly language program into machine language." (Section 2.9 - TEC 101: Fundamentals of Information Technology & Literacy | ZyBooks, n.d.) Additionally, there are high-level languages such as Python and Javascript. "A high-level language is a programming language having higher-level instructions than assembly language, enabling greater programmer productivity." (Section 2.10 - TEC 101: Fundamentals of Information Technology & Literacy | ZyBooks, n.d.) This type of language is different as it usually requires a compiler.  

    

After using Scratch, I found that it is the simplest to use compared to higher-level languages such as Python. I could quickly create a functional script after just playing around with the software. Additionally, I found it easier as it did not require weeks of learning to figure out how to build a complex script, as it was just dragging and dropping blocks. When looking at different scenarios where these different types of languages would be most effective, machine or assembly language would be ideal for coding a script for a computer operating system. A high-level language is perfect for creating a creative script for a website or a design program. Lastly, Scratch is ideal for students or children to start learning about the world of the program and for creating a short, interactive story. After considering the different programming languages, the higher-level language Python would be the most popular ever because of its vast versatility. "Python is commonly used for developing websites and software, task automation, data analysis, and data visualization. Since it's relatively easy to learn, Python has been adopted by many non-programmers, such as accountants and scientists, for a variety of everyday tasks, like organizing finances." (Staff, 2025) 

    Through the analysis of this reflection paper, we discussed my experience building a program using Scratch,  difficulties that I encountered along the way, and insights that I gained,  as well compared my experience programming in Scratch with the participation activities in the course text, lastly discussed my experience with the program and how to it compared to Scratch. Using the scratch software was a fun experience, and I learned a lot of important information about Scratch and the different types of programming languages.  

Works Cited:

Scratch! for About. (n.d.). [Video]. https://scratch.mit.edu/about

Section 2.10 - TEC 101: Fundamentals of Information Technology & Literacy | ZyBooks. (n.d.). https://learn.zybooks.com/zybook/TEC101:_Fundamentals_of_Information_Technology_&_Literacy_(TED2507A)/chapter/2/section/10

GeeksforGeeks. (2023, December 18). What is Machine Language? GeeksforGeeks. https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/what-is-machine-language/

Staff, C. (2025, January 21). What is Python used for? A beginner’s guide. Coursera. https://www.coursera.org/articles/what-is-python-used-for-a-beginners-guide-to-using-python

Scratch Project Share URL Link: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1134677946