Archive for September, 2011
Beginners Guide to Computer Languages
Just as you don’t need to be a mechanic to know how to drive; modern computers have become so user friendly that you don’t really have to know how they work in order to operate them. Nevertheless, if you’re curious, or are interested in becoming a computer professional, a basic understanding of what makes computers tick (what’s happening “under the hood”) can be quite valuable.
The popular expression is that computers use only two words, 0 and 1. While this may or may not be true, computers do not speak English or French, and certainly do not read minds. The job of a computer programmer is to tell the computer what it should do. The job of a computer language is to create a framework in which people (i.e. users or programmers) and computers can communicate. Two such languages are Qbasic and Visual basic.
Although in principal, Qbasic and VB are really just sets of commands to tell the computer what to do (or translate the desire of the user into ones and zeros that the computer can understand); there are significant differences between Qbasic and VB.
The first and most obvious difference between Qbasic and Visual basic is that a Qbasic is a dos program whereas VB (Visual Basic) is a windows program. That means that while they both have thriving communities of enthusiastic programmers, Qbasic is old. And while it is perfectly good as a programming language, the operating system that it works and compiles in is getting less and less compatible with modern computers. So while the programs it makes might be intrinsically flawless, they are not useful. On the other hand since VB is a newer programming language, it can be used to make programs that can be distributed and possibly sold because the programs it makes are compatible with modern computers. Even programs that are not so good can be useful if made by VB. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: computer programmer, computer scienceRelated posts
Careers in the Computing Industry
In the 21st century, computers have virtually made their way into the homes and lives of a high number of people all over the world. With computers playing a major part in our lives today, the computing industry provides countless career opportunities directly or in related fields.
While the options were considered to be limited 20 years or so ago and only involved careers that were directly related to the computing industry, computers have since made their way in almost every imaginable field and industry. As a matter of fact, the IT revolution has made computing one of the main career choices of the younger generation today as well as those who might be interested in a career change.
Careers in the computing industry include conventional programmers. A career in computer programming can be further divided into an assortment of other career opportunities. Which may include a systems programmer and applications programmer. Depending on the job description, computer programmers are always high in demand.
Recent careers in the computing industry include those that harbors on an individuals creativity and this includes website and web page designers. Website and web page designers, as the name suggests, refer to individuals who are responsible in designing, constructing and maintaining or updating web properties. Since there are hundreds of thousands of websites that are published to the Internet on a daily basis, the prospects for these designers are very bright. Companies often offer attractive job opportunities for proven and experienced designers. Designers can also opt to work on their own as freelancers, giving them the flexibility to select jobs based on their own convenience and availability. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: computer programmer, computer scienceRelated posts
Using Internet to Solve Day-To-Day Computer Problems
Somebody once said, “Software will always have flaws.” Nobody knows that better than those people who use computers for simple purposes. An expert will invariably find his or her way out of any issues that might arise while working on computers. A novice, on the other hand, tends to get stuck with some glitch or another. If that ever happens with you, then you will, in all probability, seek professional help. That is certainly a headache-free solution to any such problem. There isn’t really anything wrong with using such an approach, except one: it costs you a lot of money. It is not desirable to spend money day after day on these trivial problems, especially when there is another cost-effective and easy way to solve these problems, that is, the Internet. You can fix your day-to-day computer issues yourself by checking out some of the specialized websites on the Internet. You don’t have to be a geek or a computer engineer to do that.
There are a number of resources available on the Internet that will help you fix your computer. The most popular ones are the how-to websites. There you will find solutions to a number of technical difficulties that are commonly faced by a large number of people. A simple Google search should come up with a large number of such self-help information portals.
Another great way is to use the community-driven online forums. They are more useful than the aforementioned websites when your problem is slightly complex. They are also more comprehensive, as they generally involve a conversation between the person facing the problem and the entirety of the community. This is also a great place to find a number of useful links, something you will never find on “how to” websites. If you do not find a problem similar to yours listed anywhere, you can always post a new thread, and you will invariably get an affirmative response from the community. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: computer engineering, computer science