Week 13 - Clear

I found this week to be particularly interesting because it was about a topic that I have always thought about...security with computers. I always wondered why and how so much information can be protected such as social security numbers and credit card information. When I read the introduction for this week I was so excited that I could relate. A question asked was "Why do people create and attack other computers with viruses?" I have always wondered this...what would possesses someone to sabotage the work of another. I am always so weary of downloading anything and opening email attachments.

I enjoyed learning about the topic of software piracy. Software piracy is the illegal copying of software. If you do not buy a particular software then you are not licensed which means you cannot make copies to sell to others, you can only use the copies for backup purposes. The website http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/ offers great tips about how to protect yourself and when exactly to know that you are a victim of software piracy. I think it is so important to look for a Certificate of Authenticity and only accept information from well-known sources.

Week 4: Clear

This is so strange to me to say that I actually understood the material that was presented this week. I consider myself to be quite computer illiterate but I actually got most of the concepts presented. I understood application software and other types of application software including, business software and graphics and multimedia software. I understand the basic idea of application software being that it relates to various programs that help people excel in their field of work and even their personal lives by helping people become more efficient and effective with everyday tasks. There are different types of software including: educational, video and editing, word processing, and presentation software. I read an article online to learn more about application software.

I found it interesting to learn about the decision making process for analyzing software and also terms such as horizontal and vertical applications as well as software suite. I also found it interesting and practical to learn about software licensing. This is important because I know myself like many others tend to just check the box when the agreement comes up and just pretend we read it. No one wants to read all the fine print when they are trying to install or download something. This opened my eyes to the fact that this is a serious matter. I realized I have to be careful when downloading or installing because I could potentially be fined, kicked off a network or possibly engage in copyright infringement. I also learned that people have the capability to acquire source codes and potentially modify how a program works and then sell it as a different product. I didn't realize that there were different license agreements either, such as site license, per-seat and free licenses. Prior to watching lectures I had no idea what or how to interpret software version numbers. Now I understand what the first through fourth numbers mean. I feel so educated after this week. I feel like I am constantly examining my computer and trying to understand and fully grasp what I learned.