What's In Your Computer?

It is week four and in this week's lecture, I learned about hardware and/or the components inside the motherboard (mb). These things are extremely imparitive to my project. The reason is because in order for me to have a website and all the programs I need to accomplish a successful one, first I need a computer. Therefore, learning about hardwares and all the key aspects that make a great computer is crucial to my future business. First I want to introduce the Processor, an electronic component on a computer's motherboard that interprets and carries out the basic instructions that operate the computer. The processor has 4 key parts to it, the cores, the Ghz (giga hertz), the Cache (in MB's), and the FSB (in Mhz's). Basically, the higher each of these numbers are, the better. Cores are like layers, more layers, more happy. Ghz determine how many cycles per second or you can say how many instructions per second - clock speed. The Cache has 2 levels and of course level 2 is better than level 1 (cache store information/data/memory so the rest of the computer can refer too, the more cache, the faster the computer can process). Last, but not least you have the Front Side Bus also known as the NorthBridge which is a path in which it talks to other components.
When CPU is maxed out, it is pretty much worthless, everything stops working (the cores / processors determine how much the CPU can process). PCI and PCIe ports are also important (PCI ports transfer up to 133 mb/s and PCIe ports transfer up to 500 mb/s). The more slots the better and you need these slots because it allows you to put in stuff like graphic cards, wireless cards, tv adpater cards, ethernet cards, and other expansions. RAM (Random Access Memory) is definitely a necessity when buying or building a computer. My Professor Jeff Rubin said if you have extra money, just keep doubling your RAM. Ram determines intensity of applications and the amount of applications that can be opened at a given time. It moves between applications. Hard drive determines the revolution per second and again, the more the better (SATA = 150 MB/s while SATAII = 200 MB/s). Optical drives are pretty strait foward, the more amount of space, the better it is.
Basically what I learned is about what computer/laptop to buy and what prices to buy them at. What is good and what I need to push out a successful website/project without any issues. It's rather simple for all the components, the higher the numbers, the better. However, prices vary and depends so comparing prices would be a good idea. Price is a big factor for me because every penny counts until my entrepreneurial idea website is up and running and making profit.

Operators, Bits, Values and Bytes

In this weeks' lecture, I learned about graphs, grouping data/collapsible menus, functions, conditional formatting, pivot tables, typefaces, binary, decimal and bits and bytes. All of these things may seem simple and not very useful, but the truth is, it is essential to my entrepreneurial idea/project. In order for my business and product to be successful, every little piece of the puzzle must come together as one starting from small to large, simple to harder parts. Well, the collapsible menus, the pivot tables, the conditional formatting, functions and the grouping datas. These are all part of microsoft excel which is a crucial part to making my website. Grouping data along with the collapsible menus and functions allow me to create tables and easy accessible data without confusement. Pivot tables allow me to view all that information in a matter of seconds.
Binary, decimal, bits, values and bytes. These are things that I need to know. These type of information let's me know how much storage/memory I need and how much should I use. It tells me the amount of the files and how much I am using. Basically, as long as I have a large amount of storage, there shouldn't be a problem. However, if I am putting up a huge amount of data on to my website, it may start running slower or lag. It all depends on how I am going to make this work. From kilobytes to Exabytes, all it takes is the right and necessary amount of information to accomplish what needs to be done.

Web Payments

-Image Source: http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim//2009/05/12/986201967b9c0a0f8bea15eecc6984532b4c_1programming_540x373.png
This image shows an example of how a standard web payment works through paypal.

This week I learned about E-commerce and web payments and how it works. I think it was a very important lecture because it's crucial to my entrepreneurial idea and how I plan to produce it. First and foremost, design, technology, content and management are the keys to a successful web site. These web site strategies co-exists with the users, visitors, customers and the audience, therefore making it effective.

Web payments are important to my idea because I plan to make a website for it so I can not only provide my product for the location I am located in, but also the entire world. I believe in my idea to be successful although it's not a necessity because it helps. It can help change the world, lower risk and danger of drunk driving, keep people aware of the bac level and stay away from being too intoxicated. What this lecture really taught me is how to manage and produce a successful website for my product and choosing the right provider. Word of mouth and flyers would not be very helpful to advertise my product these days because it's all about online and technology. Therefore, the web site strategies I learned this week is imperative to my success.

Introduction to my idea

Ok, so I thought of this idea which I call a portable breathalyzer. It's not neccessarily what the cops use to test drunk driver's alcohol level, but it's similar. The idea sprung up from many thoughts that I gathered up i my head all geared towards the same motive. As a freshman in College, I recently took the first version of the alcoholedu test which taught me a few things that I may have not known before.
Anyways, we all know that college is a place where majority of students drink and obviously, 80 percent or more is underage. Well, the main idea I'm trying to point out is that majority of college students are usually under the influence of alcohol because of all the parties that are out there and dangerous situations may and do occur.
So, what I want to do is create a portable breathalyzer, preferably the size of a USB in which we can all carry around without really noticing that it's taking up space in our pockets. I don't have an exact idea of how it would be and what kind of technology I would have to put in to this idea, but I believe it would not only be convenient but also creating a safer enviornment. I want this "device" to be able to sense whenever one's blood alcohol content starts to rise and letting them know when should they slow down or stop.