Day 9, or: 10001010101010101010101010000111...eh, yeah

100101000100001110111

I would say I hope that that string of 1's and 0's made some sense or something, but I highly doubt it. It's quite fascinating to consider that computer language is made up of just different groupings of these two numbers! I'd always been a spoken language nerd, one who loved hearing someone speak in a foreign language just to listen to the way the words sound. Computer language is not the same, in that it can't be spoken, but it was also interesting to learn about during this class.

First, the cloud computing case. I never knew that Google docs is considered cloud computing software! I'd learned to use it over the summer, doing an accounting class project in my Fullerton college class. It was amazing how Google docs had all of the aspects of what would be Microsoft Office on there. We mostly used the writing board, as part chat board and part creation board, but at one point one of the more proficient group members also set up a Powerpoint document on Google docs for us, to finish our final presentation. We never got around to using it as a group, since someone did the powerpoint solo in the end. It was interesting playing with the features by myself though.

As the case described, Cloud computing was very useful for us, and much more practical than storing a variety of files and sending/resending them to various members over email. When someone had time, they would log into the system, do a portion, and be secure in knowing that it was saved in an unforgettable place. Or we could have meetings, without juggling phones or another instant messaging system. Of course, we were a small project group, and Google Apps is free to use, so this is not going to be representative of what any real business would need of a more complete cloud computing system.

The other portion of the lecture that stood out to me was the discussion on computer language. Machine, assembler, high-level language, and...higher level language?(I'm not sure if I caught this correctly, must go recheck the powerpoint). I've never done programming, so machine is definitely foreign to me, but if I understand it correctly, Microsoft Excel's commands use a lot of assembler language? I remember learning to memorize excel functions in business statistics, such as =avg(first number, second number). Some, like mean, were also counter intuitive in a way, since instead of =mean, its =avg. Wonder what the "SUM THE FOLLOWING..." style language is used for. An example would have been interesting. X=Y+Z just reminds me of algebra, and again wonder what machine it applies to... Or maybe Professor Tuggle bulldozed through examples at the speed of light, and I didn't catch what it was, again...

And it was interesting also, to learn what 32, 64 bit refer to. Always wondered why my windows Vista system differed between 32 bit and 64 bit. I apparently have a 64 bit instruction field.

Would have also liked some more detail on object oriented programming. I've never heard of anyone programming straight by either assembly or machine language, but the names Java and C++ I've long since been hearing. Integrated data and procedures?...What someone is programming comes with instructions?...Doesn't seem right.

Lastly, the idea of Microsoft being powerful because Microsoft is powerful is somewhat sad but true. Kind of a reflection on the phrase "the rich get richer while the poor get poorer". In this, I somehow stubbornly hope that Microsoft doesn't develop any headway into the individualized software area, out of a stubborn need to always root for the underdog.