My childhood dreams for 40€

As a kid I used to read and re-read a book titled Choosing and using your home computer (Slovenian translation published in 1984). It contains photographs and descriptions of a lot of contemporary home computers, including the EPSON HX-20. This little device is described as the future of portable computing - it's amazingly small case includes a cassette recorder and a printer and you can even work with it while you are traveling since it has a rechargeable battery. According to this book this is the first truly portable computer, a first sign of what we can expect in the future.

Of course back then I really wanted to have one. The Spectrum we had looked just clumsy compared to it.

This weekend they were selling them at VCFE for 40€ a piece and now I'm wondering why the hell I haven't bought one.

Posted by Tomaž | Categories: Digital | No Comments »

Vintage Computer Festival Europe 2007

02.05.2007 0:16

Internet connectivity wasn't very good at VCFE, so here's a late and condensed report from my visit to München. (Organizers did give us internet access, but they said we should use it as little as possible because they only had a limited amount of net traffic allowed)

My general impression was that for a Computer Festival Europe the whole event was surprisingly centered around German visitors and exhibitors. When I asked why all announcements and speeches were in German they said that they do not want to force English language to the 95% of Germans there. I can understand that, but I don't think that adding a single English sentence would hurt their feelings too much. It would at least give me some idea what that last public announcement was about - even if that meant I would have to go to the nearest native speaker and ask him for a more detailed translation (everyone I spoke to was fluent in English). If CCC in Berlin got the right mixture of English and German language so that I didn't feel pushed aside, I don't see why they couldn't also.

Other than that, I was impressed with what I saw at the festival. I've never seen or heard of a lot of computers and equipment that was on display. It felt a bit strange to walk around and not recognize names on computers (and I thought that I have some knowledge of this field).

Then there was also the tour of the Cray-Cyber collection, which was awesome and deserves a post of its own.

MyCPU was in my opinion the most impressive exhibit of the VCFE. Its author created his own CPU architecture, implemented it with 74HC discreet logic circuits, built a complete computer around it (IDE interface, VGA board and all), wrote a DOS-like operating system for it and on top of everything ran a C64 emulator.

I'm definitely going to have a look at how he managed to implement a PS/2 keyboard interface with logic chips. Perhaps I could make a similar interface for Galaksija to replace that weird keyboard I made.

This Apple eMate laptop looked surprisingly like the OLPC laptop. It has similar size and a similarly unusual user interface. It is also 10 years older and sold for 8 times as much at the time (i.e. it was meant for USA, not Africa).

Yes, not all exhibits were digital! This Dornier DO-80 analog computer draw a ball that was bouncing inside the edges of the oscilloscope screen. I haven't studied the papers I got that describe how they managed to do that, but it sure was an impressive thing to see a box of operational amplifiers draw a nice animation like that

Last but not least, here's Cyberpipe's Museum with my Galaksija. Our exhibits attracted more attention from visitors than I expected. Galaksija was in fact so popular that there are good chances that next year I'll prepare a workshop where anyone will be able to built one.

In conclusion it was a nice experience. As always I really enjoyed being once again among friendly hackers where everyone is prepared to explain what is that weird thing on his table and/or try to help you with a particularly strange hardware problem you stumbled upon.

The World’s Smallest Color Laser Printer - Samsung CLP-315K

The South-Korean consumer electronics giant, Samsung has introduced its new color printer - CLP-315K, which the company claims as the world’s smallest color laser printer (20% smaller than the previous model - CLP-300), operating at 45dB, along with a resolution of 2,400×600 dpi and 32MB of internal memory. In addition, this printer has an ability to print up to 16 pages per minutes in black and 4 pages per minutes for color.

Continue reading The World’s Smallest Color Laser Printer - Samsung CLP-315K » » »

The Internet Visualized

I was stuck for a couple of extra hours at the airport in Dulles and I noticed this amazing visualization of the Internet from AT&T Labs and a company called "Lumeta". Yes, I know these have been done before, but rarely with any sense of aesthetics in mind. Alas, some extensive searching revealed no aditional information on this monstrosity (it is rather large). It is one of those things you'd really like to get a copy of, but for some reason, a company smart enough to map the Internet is not smart enough to put an URL on the poster to follow up on their creation. Something this cool deserved a "How We Did It" type of explanation somewhere. Oh well. If you are in Dulles or Reagan airports, be sure to check it out. It color codes major nodes and networks, and that faint gray "haze" is actually thousands of labels for major servers in the network. A great marriage of science and design.

And apologies for the quality of the picture. It was taken with my phone.

A central processing unit

A central processing unit (CPU) :

is an electronic circuit that can execute computer programs. This broad definition can easily be applied to many early computers that existed long before the term “CPU” ever came into widespread usage. The term itself and its initialism have been in use in the computer industry at least since the early 1960s (Weik 1961). The form, design and implementation of CPUs have changed dramatically since the earliest examples, but their fundamental operation has remained much the same.

Early CPUs were custom-designed as a part of a larger, sometimes one-of-a-kind, computer. However, this costly method of designing custom CPUs for a particular application has largely given way to the development of mass-produced processors that are suited for one or many purposes. This standardization trend generally began in the era of discrete transistor mainframes and minicomputers and has rapidly accelerated with the popularization of the integrated circuit (IC). The IC has allowed increasingly complex CPUs to be designed and manufactured to tolerances on the order of nanometers. Both the miniaturization and standardization of CPUs have increased the presence of these digital devices in modern life far beyond the limited application of dedicated computing machines. Modern microprocessors appear in everything from automobiles to cell phones to children’s toys.

Output device

output device :

is any piece of computer hardware equipment used to communicate the results of data processing carried out by an information processing system (such as a computer) to the outside world.

In computing, input/output, or I/O, refers to the communication between an information processing system (such as a computer), and the outside world. Inputs are the signals or data sent to the system, and outputs are the signals or data sent by the system to the outside.

The most common input devices used by the computer are the keyboard and mouse. The keyboard allows the entry of textual information while the mouse allows the selection of a point on the screen by moving a screen cursor to the point and pressing a mouse button. The most common outputs are monitors and speakers.

Monitor : A monitor is the screen on which words, numbers, and graphics can be seem. The monitor is the most common output device.

Compact Disk : Some compact disks can be used to put information on. This is called burning information to a CD. A CD can also be an input device.

Printer : A printer prints whatever is on the monitor onto paper. Printers can print words, numbers, or pictures.

Speaker : A speaker gives you sound output from your computer. Some speakers are built into the computer and some are separate.

Floppy Disk : A floppy disk is used to record information on. The information is stored on the floppy disk and can be used later or used on another computer.

Headphones : Headphones give sound output from the computer. They are similar to speakers, except they are worn on the ears so only one person can hear the output at a time.

Disk Drives : A disk drive is used to record information from the computer onto a floppy disk or CD.

Multitasking

Multitasking :

While a computer may be viewed as running one gigantic program stored in its main memory, in some systems it is necessary to give the appearance of running several programs simultaneously. This is achieved by having the computer switch rapidly between running each program in turn. One means by which this is done is with a special signal called an interrupt which can periodically cause the computer to stop executing instructions where it was and do something else instead. By remembering where it was executing prior to the interrupt, the computer can return to that task later. If several programs are running “at the same time”, then the interrupt generator might be causing several hundred interrupts per second, causing a program switch each time. Since modern computers typically execute instructions several orders of magnitude faster than human perception, it may appear that many programs are running at the same time even though only one is ever executing in any given instant. This method of multitasking is sometimes termed “time-sharing” since each program is allocated a “slice” of time in turn.

Before the era of cheap computers, the principle use for multitasking was to allow many people to share the same computer.

Seemingly, multitasking would cause a computer that is switching between several programs to run more slowly - in direct proportion to the number of programs it is running. However, most programs spend much of their time waiting for slow input/output devices to complete their tasks. If a program is waiting for the user to click on the mouse or press a key on the keyboard, then it will not take a “time slice” until the event it is waiting for has occurred. This frees up time for other programs to execute so that many programs may be run at the same time without unacceptable speed loss.

Multiprocessing

Multiprocessing :
Some computers may divide their work between one or more separate CPUs, creating a multiprocessing configuration. Traditionally, this technique was utilized only in large and powerful computers such as supercomputers, mainframe computers and servers. However, multiprocessor and multi-core (multiple CPUs on a single integrated circuit) personal and laptop computers have become widely available and are beginning to see increased usage in lower-end markets as a result.

Supercomputers in particular often have highly unique architectures that differ significantly from the basic stored-program architecture and from general purpose computers. They often feature thousands of CPUs, customized high-speed interconnects, and specialized computing hardware. Such designs tend to be useful only for specialized tasks due to the large scale of program organization required to successfully utilize most of the available resources at once. Supercomputers usually see usage in large-scale simulation, graphics rendering, and cryptography applications, as well as with other so-called “embarrassingly parallel” tasks.

Application software classification

There are many subtypes of application software:

* Enterprise software addresses the needs of organization processes and data flow, often in a large distributed environment. (Examples include Financial, Customer Relationship Management, and Supply Chain Management). Note that Departmental Software is a sub-type of Enterprise Software with a focus on smaller organizations or groups within a large organization. (Examples include Travel Expense Management, and IT Helpdesk)
* Enterprise infrastructure software provides common capabilities needed to support Enterprise Software systems. (Examples include Databases, Email servers, and Network and Security Management)
* Information worker software addresses the needs of individuals to create and manage information, often for individual projects within a department, in contrast to enterprise management. Examples include time management, resource management, documentation tools, analytical, and collaborative. Word processors, spreadsheets, email and blog clients, personal information system, and individual media editors may aid in multiple information worker tasks.
* Content access software is software used primarily to access content without editing, but may include software that allows for content editing. Such software addresses the needs of individuals and groups to consume digital entertainment and published digital content. (Examples include Media Players, Web Browsers, Help browsers, and Games)
* Educational software is related to content access software, but has distinct requirements for delivering evaluations (tests) and tracking progress through material. It is also related to collaboration software in that many Educational Software systems include collaborative capabilities.
* Simulation software are computer software for simulation of physical or abstract systems for either research, training or entertainment purposes.
* Media development software addresses the needs of individuals who generate print and electronic media for others to consume, most often in a commercial or educational setting. This includes Graphic Art software, Desktop Publishing software, Multimedia Development software, HTML editors, Digital Animation editors, Digital Audio and Video composition, and many others. [2]
* Product engineering software is used in developing hardware and software products. This includes computer aided design (CAD), computer aided engineering (CAE), computer language editing and compiling tools, Integrated Development Environments, and Application Programmer Interfaces.

Computer Hardware

A personal computer is made up of computer hardware, multiple physical components onto which can be loaded into a multitude of software that perform the functions of the computer.

Typical PC hardware :
Motherboard:
The motherboard is the “body” of the computer, through which all other components interface. Components directly attached to the motherboard include:

* The central processing unit (CPU) performs most of the calculations which enable a computer to function, and is sometimes referred to as the “brain” of the computer. It is usually cooled by a heat sink and fan.
* The chipset mediates communication between the CPU and the other components of the system, including main memory.
* RAM is the system’s main memory or primary storage, and holds data and instructions for running applications and the operating system.
* The BIOS includes boot firmware and power management. The basic input and output tasks from which it gets its name are now handled by operating system drivers.
* Internal Buses connect the CPU to various internal components and to expansion cards for graphics and sound.

Current
* The northbridge memory controller, for RAM and PCI Express
*PCI Express, for graphics cards
* PCI, for other expansion cards
* SATA, for disk drives

Obsolete
* ATA (superseded by SATA)
* AGP (superseded by PCI Express)
* VLB VESA Local Bus (superseded by AGP)
* ISA (expansion card slot format obsolete in PCs, but still used in industrial computers)

External Bus Controllers support ports for external peripherals. These ports may be controlled directly by the southbridge I/O controller or based on expansion cards attached to the motherboard through the PCI bus.

* USB
* FireWire
* eSATA

II, Computer sizes and power

Computers can be generally classified by size and power as follows, though there is considerable overlap:

• Personal computer: A small, single-user computer based on a microprocessor.
• Workstation: A powerful, single-user computer. A workstation is like a personal computer, but it has a more powerful microprocessor and, in general, a higher-quality monitor.
• Minicomputer: A multi-user computer capable of supporting up to hundreds of users simultaneously.
• Mainframe: A powerful multi-user computer capable of supporting many hundreds or thousands of users simultaneously.
• Supercomputer: An extremely fast computer that can perform hundreds of millions of instructions per second.

Development of the Internet

In 1969 the Pentagon commissioned ARPANET for research into networking. The following year, Vinton Cerf and others published their first proposals for protocols that would allow computers to 'talk' to each other. ARPANET began operating Network Control Protocol (NCP), the first host-to-host protocol.
In 1974 Vint Cerf joined Bob Kahn to present their 'Protocol for Packet Network Interconnection' specifying the detailed design of the 'Transmission Control Program' (TCP) - the basis of the modern Internet. In 1978 TCP was split into TCP (now short for Transmission Control Protocol) and IP (Internet Protocol).TCP/IP defined : the foundation of the Internet
In 1982 TCP/IP was established as the protocol for ARPANET. This provided one of the first definitions of an internet as a connected set of networks using TCP/IP, but defining 'the Internet' as all connected TCP/IP internets.The launch of the Russian satellite Sputnik in 1957 threw the American military and scientific establishment into near panic with visions of Soviet weapons in space striking a helpless America. As part of the response, in 1959 the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) was formed within the Pentagon to establish an American lead in military science and technology.By the early 1960s the first theories of computer networking were starting to be shaped and in 1965 ARPA sponsored a study on 'co-operative network of time-sharing computers'.The first such plan was shaped by Lawrence G. Roberts, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in October 1966. Designs for such a network were put forward the following year and in 1968 the Pentagon sent out requests for proposals for ARPANET - a computer network to unite America's military and scientific establishments.
The World Wide Web is invented (1991) : anyone and everyone.By the end of the 1980s the European Particle Research Laboratory CERN in Geneva was one of the premier Internet sites in Europe. CERN desperately needed a better way of locating all the files, documents and other resources that now threatened to overwhelm it.

The Protection of Information in Computer Systems

Abstract - This tutorial paper explores the mechanics of protecting computer-stored information from unauthorized use or modification. It concentrates on those architectural structures--whether hardware or software--that are necessary to support information protection. The paper develops in three main sections. Section I describes desired functions, design principles, and examples of elementary protection and authentication mechanisms. Any reader familiar with computers should find the first section to be reasonably accessible. Section II requires some familiarity with descriptor-based computer architecture. It examines in depth the principles of modern protection architectures and the relation between capability systems and access control list systems, and ends with a brief analysis of protected subsystems and protected objects. The reader who is dismayed by either the prerequisites or the level of detail in the second section may wish to skip to Section III, which reviews the state of the art and current research projects and provides suggestions for further reading.GlossaryThe following glossary provides, for reference, brief definitions for several terms as used in this paper in the context of protecting information in computers.

Advantages of Computers

Computers have affected every aspect of our day-to-day life. Let’s look into the advantages of computers.
The present global age is the consequence of the computer age. A computer is an electronic device that stores and processes data, according to a list of instructions. It allows a user to manipulate data easily. The speed of performance of a computer is incomparable. The computer and Internet have affected our way of working, communicating, playing and also writing. In fact, computers are used in every aspect of life today. Advantages of Computers Because of the many advantages of a computer, it has become an important household item. A computer operated by an individual without any specific computer operator is called as a personal computer (PC). A PC can be a desktop or a laptop computer and can be used at home or at office. As per the requirement of the user, softwares are installed in a PC. Let’s discuss the advantages of computers. One can write more effectively by means of a computer. There are tools like spelling and grammar checker, thesaurus and dictionary, installed in the computer. Thus, it takes less time to proofread a written document and also, there is no need to open up a dictionary book to look for meanings of words. Typing is much faster than writing on a paper. If there is a need for reorganizing the sentences or paragraphs, one can cut and paste and make the necessary changes. Thus, overall a computer allows the user to create documents, edit, print, and store them so that they can be retrieved later. Using a computer, one can remain connected to the world through Internet. Internet is a network of computers that communicates via the Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP). The World Wide Web (WWW) or simply web is a huge resource of information that can be accessed via the Internet. To mention a few of the resources, there are electronic mail (e-mail), file transferring and sharing, online chat and gaming. The Internet allows people from around the world to share knowledge, ideas and experiences in any field. E-mail is a method of communication used globally and is provided with a system of creating, storing and forwarding mails.

ASME's newest computer journal debuts in March

Henry Baumgartner ASME NEWS ASME's newest Transactions journal, the Journal of Computing and Information Science in Engineering, or JCISE for short, is getting ready to publish its first issue in March.
Sponsored by the Computers and Information in Engineering Division with the cooperation of the Design Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, and Dynamic Systems and Controls Divisions, the new journal will fill a gap in the dissemination of technical information and scholarly innovations in computing and information science as they relate to mechanical engineering.
The technical editor of the publication is Jami Shah, a professor at Arizona State University in Tempe, where he is a member of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering as well as director of the Design Automation Lab.
According to Shah, the mission of JCISE is to serve a new generation of ASME members, software developers and information technology professionals involved in developing or using computing and IT tools in mechanical engineering applications.
JCISE will publish archival research results and information on advanced technical applications in emerging and interdisciplinary fields at the intersection of mechanical engineering, information technology and engineering software.

Computer Information Systems Technician

The Computer Information Systems Technician (CIST) program provides two years of technician level training where graduates will be qualified to work in one of two specialty areas of the industry - Network Systems or Internet Systems. In the first year of the program students master a common core of computer system training based on appropriate industry standards infrastructure and technology. The first year of the program covers computer hardware, operating systems, networking and Internet technology. In the second year of the program, students choose a training specialty - Network Systems Technician (NST) or Internet Systems Technician (IST). Applicants should possess excellent communication skills along with the capability for analytical and logical thought. Applicants must also have basic keyboarding and computer skills.

Nature of the Work

In the modern workplace, it is imperative that technology works both effectively and reliably. Computer and information systems managers play a vital role in the implementation of technology within their organizations. They do everything from helping to construct a business plan to overseeing network security to directing Internet operations.
Computer and information systems managers plan, coordinate, and direct research and facilitate the computer-related activities of firms. They help determine both technical and business goals in consultation with top management and make detailed plans for the accomplishment of these goals. This requires a strong understanding of both technology and business practices.
Computer and information systems managers direct the work of systems analysts, computer programmers, support specialists, and other computer-related workers. They plan and coordinate activities such as installation and upgrading of hardware and software, programming and systems design, development of computer networks, and implementation of Internet and intranet sites. They are increasingly involved with the upkeep, maintenance, and security of networks. They analyze the computer and information needs of their organizations from an operational and strategic perspective and determine immediate and long-range personnel and equipment requirements. They assign and review the work of their subordinates and stay abreast of the latest technology to ensure the organization does not lag behind competitors.

The world's fastest computers are Linux computers

There are fast computers, and then there are Linux fast computers. Every six months, the Top 500 organization announces "its ranked list of general purpose systems that are in common use for high end applications." In other words, supercomputers. And, as has been the case for years now, the fastest of the fast are Linux computers.
As Jay Lyman, an analyst at The 451 Group points out, Linux is only growing stronger in supercomputing. "When considered as the primary OS or part of a mixed-OS supersystem, Linux is now present in 469 of the supercomputer sites, 93.8% of the Top500 list. This represents about 10 more sites than in November 2007, when Linux had presence in 91.8% of the systems. In fact, Linux is the only operating system that managed gains in the November 2008 list. A year ago, Linux was the OS for 84.6% of the top supercomputers. In November 2008, the open source OS was used in 87.8% of the systems. Compare this to Unix, which dropped from 6% to 4.6%, mixed-OS use which dropped from 7.2% to 6.2% and other operating systems, including BSD, Mac OS X and Windows, which were all down this year from the November 2007 list."
Microsoft is proud that a system running Windows HPC Server 2008 took 10th place... behind nine supercomputers running Linux. Even then, this was really more of a stunt than a demonstration that the HPC Server system is ready to compete with the big boys.

The World Wide Web is invented (1991) : anyone and everyone

By the end of the 1980s the European Particle Research Laboratory CERN in Geneva was one of the premier Internet sites in Europe. CERN desperately needed a better way of locating all the files, documents and other resources that now threatened to overwhelm it.
A young British scientist, Tim Berners-Lee, working as a consultant for CERN, had the answer. His 'World Wide Web' system assigned a common system of written addresses and hypertext links to all information. Hypertext is the organisation of information units into connections that a user can make, the association is called a link.
In October 1990 Berners-Lee started working on a hypertext graphical user interface (GUI) browser and editor. In 1991 the first WWW files were made available on the Internet for download using File Transfer Protocol (FTP).
By 1993 the world was starting to wake up to the World Wide Web. In October that year there were around 200 known HTTP servers. Within a year there would be thousands.
May 1994 saw the first International WWW Conference - at CERN in Geneva. The event was heavily oversubscribed, with 800 applying to attend and only 400 allowed in.
By now the load on the first Web server at CERN was 1,000 times what it had been three

The Internet price war : when ISPs collide

Just as the saying goes about there's no such thing as a 'free lunch', there is also no such thing as free Internet access - with nobody as yet finding a way to provide the telephone or data connections involved completely free of charge.
That said, prices have fallen with some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) offering unlimited dial-up access, faster connections through broadband technology, virus scanning and lots more lot for a fixed monthly charge.
Originally, many ISPs made money by taking a proportion of the call costs. There was no monthly subscription but users had to pay local call rates, meaning the bill grew with every extra minute spent online. Complaints that this was holding back Internet use coupled with pressure on margins and it was this that spurred most ISPs into offering tariffs that now give unlimited use for a fixed price.
Making internet access available to everyone in the UK is also firmly in the minds of our politicians with the three main parties continually stressing its importance in our lives.

How To: Overclocking Your AMD Processor : Introduction: The Basics Of Overclocking

introduction: The Basics Of Overclocking

Tom’s Hardware readers know all about overclocking, of course. In fact, many processor and graphics card reviews would be deemed incomplete without coverage of overclocking potential. Indeed, articles such as the System Builder Marathon series have a long history of specifically valuing performance achieved through overclocking rather than just through stock performance.
If you already consider yourself an enthusiast, pardon a bit of background here--we'll get into the nitty-gritty technical stuff in just a second.
What exactly is overclocking? In a nutshell, the term is used to describe running a component at a higher speed than its specification in an attempt to increase performance. Various computer components can be overclocked, including the processor, memory, and graphics card. And the degree of overclocking can include anything from simply procuring small gains from an inexpensive component all the way to seeking a level of performance way beyond what could even be purchased at that point in time.
There is already a wealth of content available on this site on the history, risks, and benefits of overclocking. Those seeking a bit more background can refer to an overclocking guide written back in 1997 by Thomas Pabst, the founder of Tom’s Hardware, and also this more recent three-part guide.
In today’s guide, we will focus specifically on how to overclock current AMD processors to maximize the available headroom given your cooling solution of choice. The timing here isn't coincidental. If you're planning to participate in our AMD Overclocking Competition, we'll be providing you with tips within the pages of this story that will help your chances of putting up winning scores.