There are a LOT of things you could teach them... too many for one semester, in fact. My suggestion is that you start with things that will allow them to "feel" proficient with the OS first. Make Linux USEFUL to them. Assuming that this is a semester-long class, then this is my $0.02.
So, think: what does a freshman in college want to do with a computer?
- Check email - Surf the web (ok, ok, look at pr0n) - Download stuff - Possibly do some sort of homework
So first few days, teach them how to check school email, ftp, ssh, etc. Every time you have to enter a server, show some basic network diagram of how you are connecting (ex: 192.168.x.x -> gateway -> internet ->target server. Be specific: specify ports, etc), and say something like "later in the semester, we'll learn how to set up each of these servers." That's a good segue into later classes on how to set up apache, bind, exim (or whatever), ftpd, etc. CS students may get guidance from their programming instructors about the nuances of the compilers, so I suggest just showing them how to install/invoke them.
Last part of the semester you can talk about hardening techniques. Require the latest/greatest Securing Linux O'Reilly book (I'm sure people from here can suggest books), and go through a high-level survey about how to secure services once they are set up. Show how to use netstat, iptables, nmap, etc etc. Re-reference the basic network diagram and now tell them what ports are, and why they are important.
My feeling is that if you show the students HOW to do something, being CS students, they'll want to figure out WHY it works. At that point, they dig as deep as they want into it.
Many IT personnel, especially outsourced IT personnel, install all Windows Updates carte blanche because it is Microsoft's "recommended configuration." I've installed IE7 on a number of customers PCs, not because I thought it was a better browser, but because it is Microsoft's recommended configuration.
We know that Windows Updates have a higher-than-normal potential to break something, but, it's better to do all updates than not do them. Then, if/when it breaks, at least it is because we performed an action that Microsoft recommended, rather than it breaking because we *neglected* to do something Microsoft recommended. Liability offloaded.
This philosophy has had an interesting side effect. A small, but significant, percentage of my customer-base have been on the receiving end of a few Microsoft Updates gone sour, so they ended up switching to Mac.
Imagine you're a company developing applications and you get a resume from someone who won this contest. You want the best infiltrators on your team because they'd know what to look for when writing a "secure application." Just like you'd want the best "(24x02"s on your network security team... theoretically:).
From what I know, the syndrome a matter of pressure/inflammation on the median nerve in the wrist. This pressure/inflammation may or may not be caused by the carpal tunnel itself, which is the tunnel the median nerve (and others) go through to innervate your thumb and first two fingers (actually first two and a half). Take a look at this diagram to get an idea of the anatomy.
So, back to what Harvard says. It makes sense, right? A genetic predisposition could be something as easy as the person is born with a smaller carpal tunnel, or with ligaments that are too tight, either of which would constrict the median nerve. Fractured bones makes sense because any hand fracture could lance the median nerve pretty easily.
Body weight is the interesting one. I would guess (without having read the data) that the body weight one is an indirect cause of carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. Here's what we know. Overweight/obese people are at a higher risk of diabetes. Diabetes may lead to peripheral neuropathy, which is a condition where your nerves slowly deteriorate, causing numbness all over the place. Since carpal tunnel syndrome essentially causes numbness/tingling/etc in your hands, a peripheral neuropathy symptoms may cause the same exact symptoms of carpal tunnel. So, if you're overweight and have carpal tunnel symptoms, GET A NERVE CONDUCTION TEST! The should test both the median nerves and use the ulnar nerves as a control. Carpal tunnel is easily fixed by cutting the transverse carpal ligament (see link above for anatomy). Peripheral neuropathy is.. well.. it's just harder to fix. Talk to your neurologist.
I don't know where they get the pregnancy thing; though I've never totally understood the effects of pregnancy on the nerves.
I've always wondered how the scientific community could isolate this to a disorder that one gets by doing "repetitive wrist/hand movements." Wouldn't a whole lot more people have it? Think of people who work in an auto plant, or do tailoring, landscaping, lots of manual labor, or the like.
Ok, before I get railed with comments; I do NOT know much about internation trade law, so feel free to enlighten me.
Let's look at IE as an example. IE has been part of Windows since Win95 whether we like it or not. I'm assuming that Windows made it to S. Korea by 1996ish, possibly 1997 at the latest. Obviously, these laws were created in Korea some time after 1996, but it takes them until 2005 to make a stand on it? US versus Microsoft started in 2000, which means that it was already being investigated in the late 1990s. Seems like a big gap IMHO
But here's the real kicker to me... Windows is a product made in the US. The 2000 antitrust case was one where a US company broke a US law. This situation is a US company being fined on a foreign law. How is that possible? Do they have jurisdiction to do such things? My feeling is that if the Korean Fair Trade Commission found a US product to be out of compliance with their rules *AFTER* they've already permitted the sale of it, they should just ban it, and inform Microsoft of why they've been banned. If Microsoft chooses then to create a Windows version that is compliant, then so be it. Otherwise; sorry Bill. Where do they inherit the jurisdiction to impose a fine?
To me, that's like the Korean government saying that they're going to impose a fine on GM for all Chevys that have seatbelts after the Korean Trade Commission cleard GM cars for sale in Korea. Regardless on how I feel about Microsuck Winblows, seems like a bad slippery slope to be travelling.
Public school theory: We want to teach you about [insert topic]
Private school theory: We want to teach you about [insert topic] the way we see it
Private schools seek to influence everything, not just subject matter on which they're teaching. From dress code, to ethics, decorum, etc. Think of it like a "country club" education. You jump through more hoops to get in, you pay a LOT in club dues, and if the board thinks you're a bad representation of the values of the club, they can vote you off the island.
I've attended both, and both have pros and cons. At a private university, you're not buying the right to speak your mind, you're buying the opportunity to be taught THEIR ethics and THEIR way of doing things. If you stray too far from the path, they'll cut you off. Unfortunately for this guy, this is what he bought into.
It's my impression that DSPs are "special purpose" processors designed to be really good at real-time digital signal processing. Nothing more, nothing less. ARMs, MIPSs, and PowerPCs are more general microprocessors and should be used as such. I can only imagine the extent of your woes if you were using a DSP as your core processor (though some people do).
I've had a pretty good experience with TI's DSP as we have prototyped a fiber-optic communication device a few years back. I wish TI had embedded Linux with the DSP then so I wouldn't have spend my waking hours asking the TI DSP/BIOS guys how to configure the boot-on-powerup sequence (at the time, this had not been added to their documentation).
Your honor, this may *seem* offtopic at first, but I do have a point to make.
I think that the Open Source community has proven that anything will work given enough engineering hours. Case and point; I was at Phreaknic many moons ago and saw a TRS-80 running Debian. Yay!... but now what? Would you use your Debian-laced TRS-80 to do someting? (not knockin' it.. it was actually pretty cool, but it's a pertinent example towards my point)
Just as Debian was able to be loaded on the TRS-80, a tri-core setup will, in all likelyhood, benchmark better than a dual setup assuming that the tri-core configuration can be stabilized (which I don't doubt is possible) and the application(s) are optimized for multiple processors. Ok, by proving that, what have we accomplished? 3 are better than 2? Of course 3 are better than 2. I personally think that a *good* question to ask would be: Are there advantages to using 3 versus 4? Or what advantages could you leverage from a 2 + 1 configuration?
Bottom line: Did you really have to do an experiment to test that?
Seems like one of those "chickens prefer beautiful humans" research projects. Google it; the research project is there.
WinPCap (10 signatures) RealVNC (4 signatures) TightVNC Commercial Remote Control Remote Anything Remote Control
Though, I will note that my friend "New Shirt" Nick did get some legitimate spyware.
The thing that gets me is at the end of the scan, it asks if you want to send information back to spynet.net. I understand the logic, but does that not seem to also be a form of spyware? Heh, leave it to Microsoft to fight spyware with spyware.
Rather than having to go get a tune up every time there is a performance decrease, one may simply turn the engine off and turn it back on. Just beware! It is possible that the engine may not crank after you shut it down.
Fiat should also look into incorporating a heads-up display similar to the Chevy Corvette, so that system messages may be displayed. Picture driving down the road and seeing this on your heads-up:
TRANSMISSIONDLL32.EXE has called has caused an error in TIRES.DLL
The TIRES.DLL file cannot continue to function.
Just then, your wheels lock up, your windshield wipers start working at high speed while intermittently squirting cleaning fluid, your power mirrors point straight down, the lights come on, the horn starts to beep, the power seats go into a constant state of motion, and the hubcaps shoot off. Then everything goes quiet and a big blue screen comes up on your windshield that says:
Windows has encountered an error. Please press Ctrl + Alt + Del to restart your Fiat.
...I guess they'd have to put those magical 3 keys on the steering wheel by the cruise control buttons, eh?
Just remember to carry your tools with you at all times incase you have to rebuild the system.:)
So, if Microsoft is like McDonalds, will using Windows every day for a month have the same effect as eating McDonalds everyday for a month? Maybe we should ask Morgan Spurlock if he is a Windows user too, eh?
I think that you should get them started on BASIC, at least in the beginning, to instill the fundamental programming concepts (how to use arrays, loops, case statements,how to do some simple text formatting, reading from data files etc.) without getting lost in "complex" syntax.
Once they get comfortable/bored with BASIC, then move them up to the other languages (i.e. C, C++, Perl and the like) so that rather than learning a whole lot of new concepts in the beginning, they'll just have to learn different syntax to impliment the same fundamentals they got from BASIC.
Once they're able to impliment everything they could before in BASIC, they'll probably be in high school/college where their teachers can teach them about object oriented programming, stacks, queues etc.:)
Also, showing them HTML may not be a bad idea. The syntax is pretty easy, as you probably know, and it'll let your children (((see))) results rather than a black screen with white letters (that would likely read "Hello world") and a small blinking cursor. Then you could teach them some UNIX tricks when you show them how to ftp it to the server and setup the correct permssions etc.
I have a 1976 Firebird Formula. Back in high school, I used to spend weekend after weekend tweaking it. Now, I spend weekend after weekend tweaking my Linux box.:P Go fig.
I still have plans for it though (the car), like putting a 6 pack on it, Borla exhaust, Ram Air kit etc... and I also want to get my hands on an old GTO, or maybe a Charger with the 426 Hemi... paint it orange and just be a Duke boy for a while...
It's not often I say that Windows may be a better alternative to Linux, but I think that Win98 may be a suitable choice for a few reasons. The scope of your grandfather's computer use, to my understanding, includes surfing the web, reading e-books and typing. Here's why I think Windows would be the better choice:
1. Configuration: You could set up everything you need on the Windows desktop in a matter of seconds. This makes it a little easier on you.
2. Plug and Play: I know Linux has autoprobing etc, but if your grandfather wants to get a new printer or something, all he'd have to do is plug it in and turn it on. Windows would take care of the rest.
3. Support: If something were to go wrong with the computer or a question about one of the programs and he couldn't get ahold of you, it's likely that there would me more people able to help him out with Windows than Linux. A lot of people out there are doing well if they know what Linux is.:P Also, if he wants to download something from the 'net, he won't have to worry about Linux compatibility since many things out there are Windows compatible or have versions for Windows.
4. Task Manager: You can schedule tasks to be performed whenever so that he won't have to worry about running Defrag or Scandisk (You may be able to do this with Linux. I dunno, I haven't got around to playing with that stuff yet).
5. No login: Having your own user account is great for many situations. However, I don't think this is one of them. If he run's Windows, he can just turn it of, go drink some coffee or go do something while it boots up, click a dial-up and go. He won't have to worry about any username or password. Just one less thing he has to worry about.
My experience with people who have never touched a computer is that the more times you have to click and/or the more things you have to type in, the more turned off they are towards computers. It's like the more they have to click, the more they have to remember. The more they have to remember, the more they have to work, which sometimes will turn someone off to computers. Not everyone's as into computers as us/.-ers.;) My point with this is make the interface as easy as possible. For example, if he wants to run something on a CD, chances are he won't want to type:
# mount/mnt/cdrom
He'd probably rather just click the D: icon.
Of course, there's the obligatory once a week BSOD that comes with Windows, but I don't think it'll matter to him that much.
Also, I'm not saying you shouldn't look into other systems like iMAC etc... I just haven't played with them enough to talk about them.
.....I mean do what ya want man, that's just what I think...
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There are a LOT of things you could teach them... too many for one semester, in fact. My suggestion is that you start with things that will allow them to "feel" proficient with the OS first. Make Linux USEFUL to them. Assuming that this is a semester-long class, then this is my $0.02.
So, think: what does a freshman in college want to do with a computer?
- Check email
- Surf the web (ok, ok, look at pr0n)
- Download stuff
- Possibly do some sort of homework
So first few days, teach them how to check school email, ftp, ssh, etc. Every time you have to enter a server, show some basic network diagram of how you are connecting (ex: 192.168.x.x -> gateway -> internet ->target server. Be specific: specify ports, etc), and say something like "later in the semester, we'll learn how to set up each of these servers." That's a good segue into later classes on how to set up apache, bind, exim (or whatever), ftpd, etc. CS students may get guidance from their programming instructors about the nuances of the compilers, so I suggest just showing them how to install/invoke them.
Last part of the semester you can talk about hardening techniques. Require the latest/greatest Securing Linux O'Reilly book (I'm sure people from here can suggest books), and go through a high-level survey about how to secure services once they are set up. Show how to use netstat, iptables, nmap, etc etc. Re-reference the basic network diagram and now tell them what ports are, and why they are important.
My feeling is that if you show the students HOW to do something, being CS students, they'll want to figure out WHY it works. At that point, they dig as deep as they want into it.
Good luck!
Many IT personnel, especially outsourced IT personnel, install all Windows Updates carte blanche because it is Microsoft's "recommended configuration." I've installed IE7 on a number of customers PCs, not because I thought it was a better browser, but because it is Microsoft's recommended configuration.
We know that Windows Updates have a higher-than-normal potential to break something, but, it's better to do all updates than not do them. Then, if/when it breaks, at least it is because we performed an action that Microsoft recommended, rather than it breaking because we *neglected* to do something Microsoft recommended. Liability offloaded.
This philosophy has had an interesting side effect. A small, but significant, percentage of my customer-base have been on the receiving end of a few Microsoft Updates gone sour, so they ended up switching to Mac.
Imagine you're a company developing applications and you get a resume from someone who won this contest. You want the best infiltrators on your team because they'd know what to look for when writing a "secure application." Just like you'd want the best "(24x02"s on your network security team... theoretically :).
...and in some circles... it's an extension of one's manhood
It's like the story of Frank Abagnale.
From what I know, the syndrome a matter of pressure/inflammation on the median nerve in the wrist. This pressure/inflammation may or may not be caused by the carpal tunnel itself, which is the tunnel the median nerve (and others) go through to innervate your thumb and first two fingers (actually first two and a half). Take a look at this diagram to get an idea of the anatomy.
So, back to what Harvard says. It makes sense, right? A genetic predisposition could be something as easy as the person is born with a smaller carpal tunnel, or with ligaments that are too tight, either of which would constrict the median nerve. Fractured bones makes sense because any hand fracture could lance the median nerve pretty easily.
Body weight is the interesting one. I would guess (without having read the data) that the body weight one is an indirect cause of carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. Here's what we know. Overweight/obese people are at a higher risk of diabetes. Diabetes may lead to peripheral neuropathy, which is a condition where your nerves slowly deteriorate, causing numbness all over the place. Since carpal tunnel syndrome essentially causes numbness/tingling/etc in your hands, a peripheral neuropathy symptoms may cause the same exact symptoms of carpal tunnel. So, if you're overweight and have carpal tunnel symptoms, GET A NERVE CONDUCTION TEST! The should test both the median nerves and use the ulnar nerves as a control. Carpal tunnel is easily fixed by cutting the transverse carpal ligament (see link above for anatomy). Peripheral neuropathy is.. well.. it's just harder to fix. Talk to your neurologist.
I don't know where they get the pregnancy thing; though I've never totally understood the effects of pregnancy on the nerves.
I've always wondered how the scientific community could isolate this to a disorder that one gets by doing "repetitive wrist/hand movements." Wouldn't a whole lot more people have it? Think of people who work in an auto plant, or do tailoring, landscaping, lots of manual labor, or the like.
Hope this helps someone!
~JP - Ex. Medschool hopefull turned g33k
Ok, before I get railed with comments; I do NOT know much about internation trade law, so feel free to enlighten me.
Let's look at IE as an example. IE has been part of Windows since Win95 whether we like it or not. I'm assuming that Windows made it to S. Korea by 1996ish, possibly 1997 at the latest. Obviously, these laws were created in Korea some time after 1996, but it takes them until 2005 to make a stand on it? US versus Microsoft started in 2000, which means that it was already being investigated in the late 1990s. Seems like a big gap IMHO
But here's the real kicker to me... Windows is a product made in the US. The 2000 antitrust case was one where a US company broke a US law. This situation is a US company being fined on a foreign law. How is that possible? Do they have jurisdiction to do such things? My feeling is that if the Korean Fair Trade Commission found a US product to be out of compliance with their rules *AFTER* they've already permitted the sale of it, they should just ban it, and inform Microsoft of why they've been banned. If Microsoft chooses then to create a Windows version that is compliant, then so be it. Otherwise; sorry Bill. Where do they inherit the jurisdiction to impose a fine?
To me, that's like the Korean government saying that they're going to impose a fine on GM for all Chevys that have seatbelts after the Korean Trade Commission cleard GM cars for sale in Korea. Regardless on how I feel about Microsuck Winblows, seems like a bad slippery slope to be travelling.
Public school theory: We want to teach you about [insert topic]
Private school theory: We want to teach you about [insert topic] the way we see it
Private schools seek to influence everything, not just subject matter on which they're teaching. From dress code, to ethics, decorum, etc. Think of it like a "country club" education. You jump through more hoops to get in, you pay a LOT in club dues, and if the board thinks you're a bad representation of the values of the club, they can vote you off the island.
I've attended both, and both have pros and cons. At a private university, you're not buying the right to speak your mind, you're buying the opportunity to be taught THEIR ethics and THEIR way of doing things. If you stray too far from the path, they'll cut you off. Unfortunately for this guy, this is what he bought into.
It's my impression that DSPs are "special purpose" processors designed to be really good at real-time digital signal processing. Nothing more, nothing less. ARMs, MIPSs, and PowerPCs are more general microprocessors and should be used as such. I can only imagine the extent of your woes if you were using a DSP as your core processor (though some people do).
I've had a pretty good experience with TI's DSP as we have prototyped a fiber-optic communication device a few years back. I wish TI had embedded Linux with the DSP then so I wouldn't have spend my waking hours asking the TI DSP/BIOS guys how to configure the boot-on-powerup sequence (at the time, this had not been added to their documentation).
Your honor, this may *seem* offtopic at first, but I do have a point to make.
I think that the Open Source community has proven that anything will work given enough engineering hours. Case and point; I was at Phreaknic many moons ago and saw a TRS-80 running Debian. Yay!... but now what? Would you use your Debian-laced TRS-80 to do someting? (not knockin' it.. it was actually pretty cool, but it's a pertinent example towards my point)
Just as Debian was able to be loaded on the TRS-80, a tri-core setup will, in all likelyhood, benchmark better than a dual setup assuming that the tri-core configuration can be stabilized (which I don't doubt is possible) and the application(s) are optimized for multiple processors. Ok, by proving that, what have we accomplished? 3 are better than 2? Of course 3 are better than 2. I personally think that a *good* question to ask would be: Are there advantages to using 3 versus 4? Or what advantages could you leverage from a 2 + 1 configuration?
Bottom line: Did you really have to do an experiment to test that?
Seems like one of those "chickens prefer beautiful humans" research projects. Google it; the research project is there.
No joke... here's what I found on the first scan:
WinPCap (10 signatures)
RealVNC (4 signatures)
TightVNC Commercial Remote Control
Remote Anything Remote Control
Though, I will note that my friend "New Shirt" Nick did get some legitimate spyware.
The thing that gets me is at the end of the scan, it asks if you want to send information back to spynet.net. I understand the logic, but does that not seem to also be a form of spyware? Heh, leave it to Microsoft to fight spyware with spyware.
Soon, I can get an anti-shock ThinkGeek caffeinated mints tin for my hacked Treo 650... and no one would be the wiser!
Think about how easy it'd be... I can see the installation wizard now...
"You are about to uninstall Internet Explorer. Are you sure you want to do this?"
"You are about to disconnect from the Internet. Are you sure you want to do this?"
"You are about to uninstall Windows and install ^insert your favorite *N*X here^. Are you sure you want to do this?"
Ahhhh... a guy can dream, can't he?
Instead of playing off the *indows theme, maybe choose a name that plays off it, but is not directly related, like "Doors," or "Steps," or something.
...I dunno... sounds hokey.. but it sends subtle jabs to Windows without infringing directly on copyright..
It seems knock-offish I know, but imagine the advertising possibilities:
"Why look through a Window when you can walk through a Door"
or
"Make sure you take the right Steps to yada yada yada..."
Rather than having to go get a tune up every time there is a performance decrease, one may simply turn the engine off and turn it back on. Just beware! It is possible that the engine may not crank after you shut it down.
...I guess they'd have to put those magical 3 keys on the steering wheel by the cruise control buttons, eh?
:)
Fiat should also look into incorporating a heads-up display similar to the Chevy Corvette, so that system messages may be displayed. Picture driving down the road and seeing this on your heads-up:
TRANSMISSIONDLL32.EXE has called has caused an error in TIRES.DLL
The TIRES.DLL file cannot continue to function.
Just then, your wheels lock up, your windshield wipers start working at high speed while intermittently squirting cleaning fluid, your power mirrors point straight down, the lights come on, the horn starts to beep, the power seats go into a constant state of motion, and the hubcaps shoot off. Then everything goes quiet and a big blue screen comes up on your windshield that says:
Windows has encountered an error. Please press Ctrl + Alt + Del to restart your Fiat.
Just remember to carry your tools with you at all times incase you have to rebuild the system.
So, if Microsoft is like McDonalds, will using Windows every day for a month have the same effect as eating McDonalds everyday for a month? Maybe we should ask Morgan Spurlock if he is a Windows user too, eh?
I think that you should get them started on BASIC, at least in the beginning, to instill the fundamental programming concepts (how to use arrays, loops, case statements,how to do some simple text formatting, reading from data files etc.) without getting lost in "complex" syntax.
Once they get comfortable/bored with BASIC, then move them up to the other languages (i.e. C, C++, Perl and the like) so that rather than learning a whole lot of new concepts in the beginning, they'll just have to learn different syntax to impliment the same fundamentals they got from BASIC.
Once they're able to impliment everything they could before in BASIC, they'll probably be in high school/college where their teachers can teach them about object oriented programming, stacks, queues etc. :)
Also, showing them HTML may not be a bad idea. The syntax is pretty easy, as you probably know, and it'll let your children (((see))) results rather than a black screen with white letters (that would likely read "Hello world") and a small blinking cursor. Then you could teach them some UNIX tricks when you show them how to ftp it to the server and setup the correct permssions etc.
... but thats just what I think...
Good luck!!
I still have plans for it though (the car), like putting a 6 pack on it, Borla exhaust, Ram Air kit etc... and I also want to get my hands on an old GTO, or maybe a Charger with the 426 Hemi... paint it orange and just be a Duke boy for a while...
It's not often I say that Windows may be a better alternative to Linux, but I think that Win98 may be a suitable choice for a few reasons. The scope of your grandfather's computer use, to my understanding, includes surfing the web, reading e-books and typing. Here's why I think Windows would be the better choice:
My experience with people who have never touched a computer is that the more times you have to click and/or the more things you have to type in, the more turned off they are towards computers. It's like the more they have to click, the more they have to remember. The more they have to remember, the more they have to work, which sometimes will turn someone off to computers. Not everyone's as into computers as us /.-ers. ;) My point with this is make the interface as easy as possible. For example, if he wants to run something on a CD, chances are he won't want to type:
# mount /mnt/cdrom
He'd probably rather just click the D: icon.
Of course, there's the obligatory once a week BSOD that comes with Windows, but I don't think it'll matter to him that much.
Also, I'm not saying you shouldn't look into other systems like iMAC etc... I just haven't played with them enough to talk about them.