storage devices

1.    STORAGE DEVICES

Storage Devices are the data storage devices that are used in the computers to store the data. The computer has many types of data storage devices. Some of them can be classified as the removable data Storage Devices and the others as the non removable data Storage Devices. The data Storage Devices come in many sizes and shapes. And more over the technology used for the storage of the data over them is also altogether different.

The storage devices are one of the most important components of the computer system. The memory is of two types; one is the primary memory and the other one is the secondary memory. The primary memory is the volatile memory and the secondary memory is the non volatile memory. The volatile memory is the kind of the memory that is erasable and the non volatile memory is the one where in the contents cannot be erased.

Basically when we talk about the data storage devices it is generally assumed to be the secondary memory. The secondary memory is used to store the data permanently in the computer. The secondary storage devices are usually as follows: hard disk drives – this is the most common type of storage device that is used in almost all the computer systems. The other ones include the floppy disk drives, the CD ROM, and the DVD ROM. The flash memory, the USB data card etc.

The storage devices are used to record the data over any storage surface. The memories may also be of different types depending upon the architecture and the design like the optical data storage memory, magnetic media storage and the mechanical storage media etc and also the flash memory devices etc. The storage devices are actually defined as the peripheral unit which holds the data like the tape, disk, or flash memory card etc.

The most of the drives that are used for the purpose of data storage are fragile and the data can be easily corrupted in them. The data storage devices are the ones that are also used for the backup and the archiving of the data. The data storage devices were at a time in the past used to be too costly and expensive. But these days the data storage devices are becoming cheap day by day. Hence the data storage devices price is falling. So, we are in a position to get a storage device for a comparatively cheaper price than the earlier drive. The technology is improving a lot and now the memory storage capacity has gone up TB.

The data in the storage devices can be in the form of the files, data bases, digital video and the audio etc. The storage devices that are called as the non volatile can store the data permanently until otherwise erased purposely. This is in the case of the hard disk drives or the floppy disk drives.

The other kinds of the storage media like for example the CD and the DVD can even have again two types of the storage; the first one is that in which the data once written cannot be erased. It is stored permanently over it. While the second type of the CD’s or the DVD’s are called as the rewritable; where in the data that is once written can be erased completely and the same storage device can be used again for storing the different data.

Storage devices have been some of the most important computer devices since the early 1970s. They are used to store information (music, videos, documents) from your computer system. Two general types of storage devices exist (internal and external). An internal storage device is implanted inside of your computer. An external storage device can be held in the palm of your hand and carried anywhere you go.

Internal Storage

• Internal storage devices are physically installed into the computer. Generally, they tend to be cheaper than external storage devices, because the latter requires special casings to prevent malfunction. As of June 2009, the prices range anywhere from $3 to $80.

External vs. Internal

·         Internal storage devices: Pros--hard to lose, faster to upload files from and cost-effective. Cons--inconvenient and difficult to install. External storage devices: Pros--small, convenient and handheld. Cons--easy to lose, more expensive than internal storage devices. When choosing a storage device, select the appropriate one based on your personal needs.

1.1.         MAGNETIC DRIVES

Introduction

Magnetic recording has dominated computer storage technology since the 1950s. Computer storage devices depend of electromagnetism, a type of temporary magnetism. Electromagnetism depends on the flow of electrical current through a wire coil wrapped around an iron core.

Interesting Fact

IBM’s first 1 GB disk drive was the size of a refrigerator. It weighed 550 pounds and cost at the time, 40,000 dollars. Today, the disk drive is the size of a matchbox and cost less than 500 dollars.

 Components            of         All       Magnetic        Storage          Media
All magnetic storage is made up of recording material, substrate, and binder. The recording material is capable of being magnetized when placed in a magnetic field. Substrate is the base material on which the recording material is coated. The binder functions as a carrier for the recording material and it bonds to the substrate.

Floppy Disk

The advantages of a floppy disk are its low cost and universal compatibility. Some disadvantages are low capacity and low data transfer rates. Magnetic recording uses magnetic heads for data storage & retrieval from rotating magnetic media. Floppy disks first came out in 1970 as an 8-inch disk. Then in 1976 a 5.25-inch disk replaced it. Finally, in 1980 the 3.5-inch was introduced. The first floppy disks were single-headed with a storage capacity of 322 KB with a hard plastic jacket. They became dual-headed with 1.44 MB and the height of the disk decreased.

USB Flash Drives

IBM's USB flash drive first became available on Dec. 15, 2000. This is the newest external storage device available. It also is commonly known as a jump drive, a thumb drive or a memory key. It is a thumb-sized tool that can be purchased at different prices, varying by the memory size: 1GB: $5 to $8, 8GB: $25 to $30, 16GB: $40 to $55 (approximate prices valid as of June 2009). Almost every person with a computer has a USB flash drive to store data, as it is the most convenient storage device thus far

Magnetic Tape

Some advantages of magnetic tape are that it is extremely thin (a few microns) and it is wound upon itself. Magnetic tape consists of a long strip of polyester film coated with a magnetizable recording material. It is relatively inexpensive and may be removed from the drive. The largest numbers of tape applications are in large computer systems and that magnetic tape serves a large variety of needs. The total digital tape drive market was about $4.6 billion in 1996. Magnetic tape is the most widely utilized media for off-line data storage and backup protection.

Hard Disk Drives

some advantages of hard disk drives are the high-speed accessibility and it is inexpensive. Increases in storage density are 100 percent a year. In 1957 hard disks introduced were 50 magnetic disks of 24-inch diameter. It had 5 MB of memory and could be rented for 130 dollars a month. IBM first introduced the hard disk drives and it was the primary means of storing information since 1957. Sales are currently $30 billion a year and are projected to grow over $75 billion. The growth is expected to come largely from the more widespread use of computer networks to access data warehouses of information and to store it locally for future use. U.S. companies have been the major producers of disk drives. Japan is the second largest maker of disk drives.

RAID (Redundant Arrays of Independent Disks)

RAID is the fastest type of high-volume storage available. It packages several disk drives that work together for fault tolerance and performance.  RAID costs as little as 35 cents per megabyte and entire systems rage in price from $1,000 to $600,000. They are smaller than past systems and they can transfer data at 100MB per second. RAID is a multipurpose method of storing, retrieving and protecting data. It comes in a series of numbered levels:

– Level 0 - provides data striping (spreading out blocks of each file across multiple disks) but no redundancy

• This improves performance but does not deliver fault tolerance & good for fast access to temporary data

– Level 1 - stores a stream of data on two disks simultaneously 

• often used in mainframes, which require safe data

– Level 2 - stores data in stripes that contain error correction information known as parity

• If a drive fails, the parity is used to save what information still exists

– Level 3 - same as level 0, but it also reserves one dedicated disk for error correction data

• Good for applications with many large files

– Level 4 - similar to level 3, but it stripes data in larger segments

– Level 5 - provides data striping at the byte level and also stripe error correction information

• This results in excellent performance and good fault tolerance

1.2.        OPTICAL BREACKTHROUGH

All computer memory is based on a material that is able to have 1s and Os written on to it and held in such a state long enough to be useful. Also necessary is an ability to erase or write over those 1s and Os so that the same memory material can be used over and over. The new memory device created by the NTT team relies on optical cavities that are created in a material that can be made to represent 1s and Os by either transmitting light, or by blocking it. To make the memory cell, the team buried a very tiny strip of indium gallium arsenide phosphide in a small piece of indium phosphide. The outer portion was then etched with holes small enough to control the flow of laser light of a certain frequency. They left a path running though the middle of the material un-etched to provide a means for light from a laser to move in and out of the cell. When laser light is shone on the material, it follows the path through the memory cell and the refraction index is changed causing a pulse of light to either pass through on not, representing either a 1 or O state. Another pulse changes it to another state and so on. To help the memory material maintain its state, a second laser provides a constant stream of background light. The memory cell was able to hold onto the state it created for a microsecond, which quadruples the old record and it also uses far less energy than conventional designs. A memory chip with four of the optical memory cells consumes just 30 millawatts of energy, whereas common use flash drives use five times that amount. But the real breakthrough here is the development of actual memory cells based on optics that are able to hold onto the data states they create long enough for them to be used by other parts of a hardware device. And while the memory cells are far too large to be of use right now, new designs based on this work might just lead to that elusive Holy Grail,      an         Internet     backbone      made  entirely           of            optical            components.

Abstract
Optical random-access memory (o-RAM) has been regarded as one of the most difficult challenges in terms of replacing its various functionalities in electronic circuitry with their photonic counterparts. Nevertheless, it constitutes a key device in optical routing and processing. Here, we demonstrate that photonic crystal nanocavities with an ultrasmall buried heterostructure design can solve most of the problems encountered in previous o-RAMs. By taking advantage of the strong confinement of photons and carriers and allowing heat to escape efficiently, we have realized all-optical RAMs with a power consumption of only 30 nW, which is more than 300 times lower than the previous record, and have achieved continuous operation. We have also demonstrated their feasibility in multibit integration. This paves the way for constructing a low-power large-scale o-RAM system that can handle  high-bit-rate              optical            signals.

2.     BASIC SOFTWARE

Computer software, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provides the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it. Software refers to one or more computer programs and data held in the storage of the computer. In other words, software is a set of programs, procedures, algorithms and its documentation concerned with the operation of a data processing system. Program software performs the function of the program it implements, either by directly providing instructions to the digital electronics or by serving as input to another piece of software. The term was coined to contrast to the old term hardware (meaning physical devices). In contrast to hardware, software "cannot be touched". Software is also sometimes used in a more narrow sense, meaning application software only. Sometimes the term includes data that has not traditionally been associated with computers, such as film, tapes, and records.

Computer software is so called to distinguish it from computer hardware, which encompasses the physical interconnections and devices required to store and execute (or run) the software. At the lowest level, executable code consists of machine language instructions specific to an individual processor. A machine language consists of groups of binary values signifying processor instructions that change the state of the computer from its preceding state. Programs are an ordered sequence of instructions for changing the state of the computer in a particular sequence. It is usually written in high-level programming languages that are easier and more efficient for humans to use (closer to natural language) than machine language. High-level languages are compiled or interpreted into machine language object code. Software may also be written in an assembly language, essentially, a mnemonic representation of a machine language using a natural language alphabet. Assembly language must be assembled into object code via an assembler.

2.1.        OPERATING SYSTEM

The operating system is the most important program that runs on a computer. Every general-purpose computer must have an operating system to run other programs. Operating systems perform basic tasks, such as recognizing input from the keyboard, sending output to the display screen, keeping track of files and directories on the disk, and controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers.

For large systems, the operating system has even greater responsibilities and powers. It is like a traffic cop -- it makes sure that different programs and users running at the same time do not interfere with each other. The operating system is also responsible for security, ensuring that unauthorized users do not access the system.

Operating systems can be classified as follows:

  Multi-user: Allows two or more users to run programs at the same time. Some operating systems permit hundreds or even thousands of concurrent users.

  Multiprocessing : Supports running a program on more than one CPU.

  Multitasking : Allows more than one program to run concurrently.

 Multithreading : Allows different parts of a single program to run concurrently.

 Real time : Responds to input instantly. General-purpose operating systems, such as DOS and UNIX, are not real-time.

Operating systems provide a software platform on top of which other programs, called application programs, can run. The application programs must be written to run on top of a particular operating system. Your choice of operating system, therefore, determines to a great extent the applications you can run. For PCs, the most popular operating systems are DOS, OS/2, and Windows, but others are available, such as Linux.

As a user, you normally interact with the operating system through a set of commands. For example, the DOS operating system contains commands such as COPY and RENAME for copying files and changing the names of files, respectively. The commands are accepted and executed by a part of the operating system called the command processor or command line interpreter. Graphical user interfaces allow you to enter commands by pointing and clicking at objects that appear on the screen.

2.2.        SPREADSHEET

A spreadsheet is an interactive computer application program for organization and analysis of information in tabular form. Spreadsheets developed as computerized simulations of paper accounting worksheets. The program operates on data represented as cells of an array, organized in rows and columns. Each cell of the array is a model–view–controller element that can contain either numeric or text data, or the results of formulas that automatically calculate and display a value based on the contents of other cells.

The user of the spreadsheet can make changes in any stored value and observe the effects on calculated values. This makes the spreadsheet useful for "what-if" analysis since many cases can be rapidly investigated without tedious manual recalculation. Modern spreadsheet software can have multiple interacting sheets, and can display data either as text and numerals, or in graphical form.

In addition to the fundamental operations of arithmetic and mathematical functions, modern spreadsheets provide built-in functions for common financial and statistical operations. Such calculations as net present value or standard deviation can be applied to tabular data with a pre-programmed function in a formula. Spreadsheet programs also provide conditional expressions, functions to convert between text and numbers, and functions that operate on strings of text.

Spreadsheets have now replaced paper-based systems throughout the business world. Although they were first developed for accounting or bookkeeping tasks, they now are used extensively in any context where tabular lists are built, sorted, and shared.

Visicalc was the first electronic spreadsheet on a microcomputer, and it helped turn the Apple II computer into a popular and widely used system. Lotus 1-2-3 was the leading spreadsheet when DOS was the dominant operating system. Excel now has the largest market share on the Windows and Macintosh platforms. A spreadsheet program is a standard feature of an office productivity suite; since the advent of web apps, office suites now also exist in web app form.

2.3.        DATABASE

A database is a structured collection of data. The data are typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality (for example, the availability of rooms in hotels), in a way that supports processes requiring this information (for example, finding a hotel with vacancies).

The term database is correctly applied to the data and their supporting data structures, and not to the database management system (DBMS). The database data collection with DBMS is called a database system.

The term database system implies that the data are managed to some level of quality (measured in terms of accuracy, availability, usability, and resilience) and this in turn often implies the use of a general-purpose database management system (DBMS). A general-purpose DBMS is typically a complex software system that meets many usage requirements to properly maintain its databases which are often large and complex.

This is specially the case with client-server, near-real time transactional systems, in which multiple users have access to data, data is concurrently entered and inquired for in ways that preclude single-thread batch processing. Most of the complexity of those requirements are still present with personal, desktop-based database systems.

Well known DBMSs include Oracle, FoxPro, IBM DB2, Linter, Microsoft Access, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL and SQLite. A database is not generally portable across different DBMS, but different DBMSs can inter-operate to some degree by using standards like SQL and ODBC together to support a single application built over more than one database. A DBMS also needs to provide effective run-time execution to properly support (e.g., in terms of performance, availability, and security) as many database end-users as needed.

A way to classify databases involves the type of their contents, for example: bibliographic, document-text, statistical, or multimedia objects. Another way is by their application area, for example: accounting, music compositions, movies, banking, manufacturing, or insurance.

The term database may be narrowed to specify particular aspects of organized collection of data and may refer to the logical database, to the physical database as data content in computer data storage or to many other database sub-definitions.

 

3.    CREATIVE SOFTWARE

What does creativity have to do with software development – actually a lot. Software development is the process of creating software solutions that have never before been created. If your solution has already been created, then you shouldn’t be doing it because you are either plagiarizing, or you are needlessly reproducing work that you should be reusing.  Not only should your work be original, it should also be useful. Clearly if you are creating something that has never before been created, you are well… doing something creative, and thus knowing how to be creative is clearly a good thing. But before discussing creativity as it applied to software we must first set a foundation and define what creativity is.

Creativity is more than just being different. Anybody can be plain weird; that’s easy. What’s hard is to be as simple as Bach. Making the simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity.

3.1.        GRAPHICS and DESIGN

Graphic design has come a long way from pencil and paper. With the help of a good computer and a nice graphic design program, artists of all skill levels are able to create high-quality projects. This graphic design software comparison guide for beginners showcases some of the best software available on the market with the hobbyist or amateur designer in mind. Compare graphic design software to find out which one suits you best.

Where     Do  I    Begin?
Before jumping head-first into the ocean of graphic design, you'll need to know a few things to make sure you can at least tread water. Do you know what a raster or vector graphic is? Do you know what tools you'll use or need for your projects? Are you planning to work in animation, 3D modeling, or just want to manipulate photos? Before making a decision on what program you'll need based on advertisements and flashy-looking boxes, knowing where you want to go in graphic design will make your choosing that much easier. Read on for some information our research team dug-up regarding basic graphic design principles and the types of software the pros use.

Specialized                 Graphic  Design     Software
Many graphic designers need specialized tools for their projects. Software manufacturers understand this need and have made programs catering to specific branches of graphic design: from 3D modeling, to cartoon animation, to big screen movie effects. These programs often times sacrifice broadly used tools in exchange for unique, in-depth ones created solely for said project. What's also nice about these programs is since they don't try to bombard you with a bunch of tools and features you won't necessarily use, they are often more economical on your wallet.

3.2.        WEB DESIGN

Web design encompasses many different skills and disciplines in the production and maintenance of websites. The different areas of web design include web graphic design; interface design; authoring, including standardised code and proprietary software; user experience design; and search engine optimization. Often many individuals will work in teams covering different aspects of the design process, although some designers will cover them all.^[2] The term web design is normally used to describe the design process relating to the front-end (client side) design of a website including writing mark up, but this is a grey area as this is also covered by web development. Web designers are expected to have an awareness of usability and if their role involves creating mark up then they are also expected to be up to date with web accessibility guidelines.

Website design is the process of architecture, design, and execution of electronic media content in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) for consumption in a web browser (Such as Internet Explorer, Chrome and Firefox) as a user interface.

In addition to common markup languages such as HTML and XHTML there are also style specific objects referred to as CSS (Cascading Style Sheets). CSS is used to position and manipulate web page elements and objects and can be integrated separate from the markup code (HTML).

The purpose of web design is to develop a web site (a collection of files that live on a web server) and present content and features to visitors via web pages. Elements such as text, digitized images (JPEG, PNG, GIF), and interactive forms can be served on a page using markup tags. Displaying complex media such as vector graphics, animation, video and sound often requires a plug-in such as QuickTime, Flash, Java run-time, etc. Plug-ins may be embedded in pages using HTML tags.

There are also scripting languages such as JavaScript which allow the pages to perform data manipulation based on user input, or variables set within the page. JavaScript (JS) allows string variables and Document Objects (eg. page elements) to change dynamically within the users browser. These operations and calculations happen client-side (eg in the users browser) and not on the web server before the page is delivered. As opposed to server-side languages such as PHP. Scripting languages are one way to make a page dynamic or interactive.

Typically web pages are classified as static or dynamic. Static pages don't change content with each request unless someone like a webmaster manually updates the file. Interactive pages adapt their content based on the user's interaction. Page elements can be changed on the client side (end-user's computer) by using client-side scripting languages (JavaScript, Actionscript, etc.) to alter DOM elements. Dynamic content is often compiled on the server utilizing server-side scripting languages (JSP, Perl, Coldfusion, ASP, PHP, Ruby, etc.).

Web 2.0 describes web pages that use a combination of these client side and server side programming languages to update content in the user interface, usually without refreshing the page. This is most commonly delivered using AJAX (Asynchornous JavaScript and XML) where the JavaScript will take a user action and send that data to the server for processing via XML, then receive a response from the server and use JavaScript again to update the user interface (web page).

With the rapid propagation of the World Wide Web, tens of thousands of web design companies have been established worldwide to serve the business community. See W3C standards for more specific information on the accepted standards and best practices.

3.3.        MULTIMEDIA

Multimedia is media and content that uses a combination of different content forms. This contrasts with media that use only rudimentary computer displays such as text-only or traditional forms of printed or hand-produced material. Multimedia includes a combination of text, audio, still images, animation, video, or interactivity content forms.
Multimedia is usually recorded and played, displayed, or accessed by information content processing devices, such as computerized and electronic devices, but can also be part of a live performance. Multimedia devices are electronic media devices used to store and experience multimedia content. Multimedia is distinguished from mixed media in fine art; by including audio, for example, it has a broader scope. The term "rich media" is synonymous for interactive multimedia. Hypermedia can be considered one particular multimedia application.

Categorization  of    multimedia
Multimedia may be broadly divided into linear and non-linear categories. Linear active content progresses often without any navigational control for the viewer such as a cinema presentation. Non-linear uses interactivity to control progress as with a video game or self-paced computer based training. Hypermedia is an example of non-linear            content.
Multimedia presentations can be live or recorded. A recorded presentation may allow interactivity via a navigation system. A live multimedia presentation may allow interactivity via an interaction with the presenter or performer

Major  characteristics   of    multimedia
Multimedia presentations may be viewed by person on stage, projected, transmitted, or played locally with a media player. A broadcast may be a live or recorded multimedia presentation. Broadcasts and recordings can be either analog or digital electronic media technology. Digital online multimedia may be downloaded or streamed. Streaming multimedia may be live or on-demand.

Multimedia games and simulations may be used in a physical environment with special effects, with multiple users in an online network, or locally with an offline computer, game system, or simulator.The various formats of technological or digital multimedia may be intended to enhance the users' experience, for example to make it easier and faster to convey information. Or in entertainment or art, to transcend everyday experience.

Enhanced levels of interactivity are made possible by combining multiple forms of media content. Online multimedia is increasingly becoming object-oriented and data-driven, enabling applications with collaborative end-user innovation and personalization on multiple forms of content over time. Examples of these range from multiple forms of content on Web sites like photo galleries with both images (pictures) and title (text) user-updated, to simulations whose co-efficients, events, illustrations, animations or videos are modifiable, allowing the multimedia "experience" to be altered without reprogramming. In addition to seeing and hearing, Haptic technology enables virtual objects to be felt. Emerging technology involving illusions of taste and smell may also enhance the multimedia experience.

4.    PROGRAMMING

Computer programming (often shortened to programming, scripting, or coding) is the process of designing, writing, testing, debugging, and maintaining the source code of computer programs. This source code is written in one or more programming languages (such as Java, C++, C#, Python, etc.). The purpose of programming is to create a set of instructions that computers use to perform specific operations or to exhibit desired behaviors. The process of writing source code often requires expertise in many different subjects, including knowledge of the application domain, specialized algorithms and formal logic.

With in software engineering, programming (the implementation) is regarded as one phase in a software development process.

There is an ongoing debate on the extent to which the writing of programs is an art form, a craft, or an engineering discipline.^[1] In general, good programming is considered to be the measured application of all three, with the goal of producing an efficient and evolvable software solution (the criteria for "efficient" and "evolvable" vary considerably). The discipline differs from many other technical professions in that programmers, in general, do not need to be licensed or pass any standardized (or governmentally regulated) certification tests in order to call themselves "programmers" or even "software engineers." Because the discipline covers many areas, which may or may not include critical applications, it is debatable whether licensing is required for the profession as a whole. In most cases, the discipline is self-governed by the entities which require the programming, and sometimes very strict environments are defined (e.g. United States Air Force use of AdaCore and security clearance). However, representing oneself as a "Professional Software Engineer" without a license from an accredited institution is illegal in many parts of the world.

Another ongoing debate is the extent to which the programming language used in writing computer programs affects the form that the final program takes. This debate is analogous to that surrounding the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis^[2] in linguistics and cognitive science, which postulates that a particular spoken language's nature influences the habitual thought of its speakers. Different language patterns yield different patterns of thought. This idea challenges the possibility of representing the world perfectly with language, because it acknowledges that the mechanisms of any language condition the thoughts of its speaker community.

Programming languages

Different programming languages support different styles of programming (called programming paradigms). The choice of language used is subject to many considerations, such as company policy, suitability to task, availability of third-party packages, or individual preference. Ideally, the programming language best suited for the task at hand will be selected. Trade-offs from this ideal involve finding enough programmers who know the language to build a team, the availability of compilers for that language, and the efficiency with which programs written in a given language execute. Languages form an approximate spectrum from "low-level" to "high-level"; "low-level" languages are typically more machine-oriented and faster to execute, whereas "high-level" languages are more abstract and easier to use but execute less quickly. It is usually easier to code in "high-level" languages than in "low-level" ones.

Allen Downey, in his book How To Think Like A Computer Scientist, writes:

The details look different in different languages, but a few basic instructions appear in just about every language:

·         input: Gather data from the keyboard, a file, or some other device.

·         output: Display data on the screen or send data to a file or other device.

·         arithmetic: Perform basic arithmetical operations like addition and multiplication.

·         conditional execution: Check for certain conditions and execute the appropriate sequence of statements.

·         repetition: Perform some action repeatedly, usually with some variation.

Many computer languages provide a mechanism to call functions provided by libraries such as in a .so. Provided the functions in a library follow the appropriate run time conventions (e.g., method of passing arguments), then these functions may be written in any other language.

5.    COMPUTER TOMORROW

Today we see a computer as something that we sit down at a desk to use.  We see it as a machine with a monitor, keyboard and a case. 

    The computers of tomorrow won't be on top of desks, and they most likely won't have a monitor, keyboard and case.  But most interestingly of all, we may stop thinking of computers simply as machines. 

    As the future comes, the definition of a computer will rapidly change.  The computer itself, will disappear.  Watches, microwaves, and even doors will be computers.  They will have the ability to be controlled from anywhere in the house.  Any display that is.  We will be able to set the vcr to tape our favorite show by selecting the vcr from the display in the bathroom.  Monitors will hang around the house on walls.  They will be used for tv, for the internet and to control everything in the house.  They will be used for all our shopping, and for all of our phone calls.  Internet, TV, vcr, stereo, and telephone, all will be combined in one.  One server in each house will control everything.  Any display will allow the user to surf the net, watch a tv program or make a phone call.  In the future, there will be just one network.  Houses will be connected by the fastest means possible, whether by satellite, cable lines or fiber optic cables.  Through this connection will travel everything. 

    The idea of sitting down and using a computer will be obsolete in the future.  It will be almost impossible not to use a computer.  Whether we want to lock a door, surf the net, or play our favorite song, everything will take place through a display or a voice activated control.  The computer of tomorrow will be very different from that of today, but the advances will only make things better for us, the users. We obviously failed to mention many things that will change and we will prove probably prove wrong on others.  This is simply how we see it now. Only the future will show us the true computer of tomorrow. 

5.1.        ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION

The Internet and electronic communications (also called computer mediated communications, or CMC) doesn't just mean new tools for communication; it means new ways to communicate. Today your organization interacts with its various constituents differently - employees, board members, customers, partners and others - depending upon the nature of the message, the goals you are trying to achieve and the strengths (and weaknesses) of the available media - telephones, voice mail, fax machines, print, etc.

Electronic communications adds a powerful new channel that not only will change how you use this mix of options, but it will create entirely new ways to interact. For example:

• Electronic communications lets you combine numerous media - text, graphics sound, video, etc. - into a single message. That can result in far more meaningful communications tailored to the nature of your particular audience. In contrast to broadcasting, narrowcasting reflects the ability to develop numerous communications for subsets of your market or constituencies.
• Electronic communications is interactive. It engages audiences in active, two-way communications. That requires a new way of thinking about advertising copy and the handling of public relations. The pay-off, however, is a self-selected audience, engaged and actively participating in the communications process.
• Two-way communication is nothing new. But electronic communications creates a new form of many-to-many communications that lets geographically distributed groups communicate interactively and simultaneously through text, sound and video. You can hold inexpensive video conferences or press conferences from your desk, or conference with people at several desks located across the world. One of the burgeoning phenomena of the Internet is businesses and organizations sponsoring, supporting and moderating discussion groups about issues, products, strategies - anything of interest to the organization and its constituents. Sponsorships are also solicited for popular resources, such as indexes and other Internet search tools, and these provide a further communications and marketing opportunity.
• Many organizations are using electronic communications facilities, such as the World Wide Web, as internal communications tools to enhance team work. Many individuals at different locations can work on the same documents, hold meetings and integrate research findings.
• Electronic communications removes the power of communications gatekeepers to both positive and negative effects. Most organizations are used to controlling the messages that go out to its constituents through managers, spokespeople and others. But with the Internet, constituents begin to talk among themselves, requiring new approaches and a new emphasis on listening and reacting, not just talking.
• With the Internet you have the ability to transmit and receive large amounts of information quickly to and from individuals and workgroups around the world. This changes the way activists, for example, can galvanize communities, inform legislators and change public opinion. It changes the sources and depth of your constituents' knowledge levels. It also lets those constituents reach you with new kinds of communications they may never have attempted before.

And these are only some of the changes we are seeing now. There will be unanticipated and ripple effects we can't imagine. For example, will electronic mail become a buffer to avoid communications or confrontations that might be better resolved in person? Will managers find themselves traveling more in order to gain the personal touch with members of distributed workgroups? How will organizations prepare themselves for this increased level of participatory constituent interaction?

5.2.        NEW TECHNOLOGY

Technology has seeped into every aspect of our lives today. And to keep pace with the latest emerging technology is becoming more and more important in today's scenario. If you are in the information technology field, you have have to be aware of the latest trends in technology. To be in the mainstream means to keep an eye on the each and every news related to technology. Whether it is Linux, Solaris or Windows operating system, or it is a complex technology like virtualization, you have to have a clear understanding of every emerging technology. Articles on new technology and news about latest technology can help one to make his way into the complex maze of new computer technology. Every other day an IT giant releases a new patch of software and every new fortnight a new software is released based on a radically new technology. The latest technology buzz like Microsoft Lucidtouch, Sun Solaris have become must know technology terms.

Some of the latest technologies that are going to revolutionize their respective field are

1.) Taptu: Looking for a search engine for your iPhone that is touch friendly and allows to search the web with ease? Taptu may be the answer. Taptu is a mobile search engine that just released its iPhone version that can be downloaded from Apple App Store for free.The new search engine is user friendly and quick. According to Taptu blog, it has more than 3 million webpages currently in its index.

2.) Opera Unite: Opera has launched a new technology that can turn your PC into a personal web server running inside Opera web browser. That server can be used to share everything from files to music with other computers on the web without the need of 3rd party applications. Named Opera Unite, the technology has just been released and promises to make your computer more that just a dumb terminal.

These are just two of the numerous technologies coming our way at the speed of light.

Computer technology is a constantly changing field. New innovations happen everyday. To keep yourself up to date with latest computer technology news visit the link. Author Vijay Agarwal