Optical networks transmit data by sending laser light through filaments of glass fiber; this distinguishes them from traditional networks, which transmit electrical signals along copper wires. Although optical hardware and transmission media are more expensive, they can handle far higher capacity loads at significantly faster speeds.
Supply chain management (SCM) is the practice of coordinating the flow of goods, services, information and finances as they move from raw materials to parts supplier to manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer to consumer. This process includes order generation, order taking, information feedback and the efficient and timely delivery of goods and services.
I've spent an entire day at the largest computer trade show in the U.S. At least that's what it used to be.
Floppy disks used to be great for backup and moving data or software from one computer to another. Now that even small laptops come with 20GB hard drives, 1.4MB floppies aren't of much use. Some newer laptops don't even come with a floppy drive as standard anymore. But we still have to move, store and archive data. And what about backup? What's the modern equivalent of the floppy?
Floppy disks used to be great for backup and moving data or software from one computer to another. Now that even small laptops come with 20GB hard drives, 1.4MB floppies aren't of much use. Some newer laptops don't even come with a floppy drive as standard anymore. But we still have to move, store and archive data. And what about backup? What's the modern equivalent of the floppy?
A hard disk (also called a fixed disk) is the primary medium for storing information on computers, because it combines high capacity, relatively fast access and low price. A hard disk drive is made up of four basic components: a motor, a spinning platter, a pivoting arm with a read/write head on its end, and electronics to tie everything together and connect it to the outside world.
As wireless communications become faster and more widely available, there's a strong temptation to acquire the latest technology so you can stay in touch with your business wherever you are.
The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) brings home the exciting reality of "convergence," the big buzzword of a few years back that refers to the coming together of computing, communications, the Internet, broadcasting and entertainment.
How does your computer feel today? No, I'm not asking about its state of cybernetic health but about whether it's giving you any tactile feedback or manipulative capability through your fingers. Touch is the latest to be added to the list of human senses a computer can address. It's called haptics, from the Greek haptesthai, meaning to grasp or touch.
Logitech Inc. has announced two sensational computer mice - and that's not hype. These pointing devices actually provide the user with tactile feedback, akin to vibration, as he moves the mouse onto an object such as an icon, menu selection or hyperlink.
I'd bet money that more than half Computerworld's readers have more than one PC at home. Consider me - I have a computer, my wife has one, I bring a laptop home from work nights and weekends and I telecommute one or two days each week. So we have three computers, even without any kids. We recently got Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) service, and we both want to use it. Often, we want to exchange files, too.
One of the more quaintly mysterious notions in the world of computer software, especially Windows, is the memory leak. It's so commonly encountered that leak is used as both noun and verb: "That application leaks memory like crazy." It's a major cause of system instability over time and can be a nightmare to deal with. If a program runs continually, the smallest leak will eventually and inevitably lead to a program or system crash because more and more resources get locked up until they are exhausted.
A few years ago, it seemed as though there was an epidemic of repetitive stress injuries (RSI) among computer users, primarily in the form of wrists pained by carpal tunnel syndrome. For a while, it seemed as if half the people I worked with were wearing wrist supports at least part of the time. While this is less an information technology issue than one of employee health and furniture design, it's clearly related to computer use, and IT managers have had to deal with and help troubleshoot RSI-related problems.
I've seen pen-based tablet computers before, but the Qbe Cirrus from Irvine, Calif.-based Aqcess Technologies Inc. is the first one that really intrigued me as a computer. The Cirrus is the biggest tablet computer yet - as big and heavy as a laptop - but it's still designed to be carried in one arm and used with input from a cord-attached stylus, voice recognition technology and a built-in digital camera.
Dumb - that's the only word to describe computers, because they know only two things: zero and one. But they manipulate those bits so quickly, they can accomplish useful tasks. In fact, some early computers were programmed by setting sequences of ones and zeros on front-panel switches.