Tech Terms

Floppy Disks Called Floppy Disks: Why?

Here’s why floppy disks were called floppy disks: The original disks were made with a soft plastic shell, such that they would easily bend, even under their own weight. They were a little bit floppy, in a physical sense. Later upgrades to the technology inherited the “floppy” nickname even though they were made with rigid plastic and weren’t literally floppy. So if you want to learn all about why floppy disks were known as floppy disks, then this article is for you. Let’s get right into it! What Is a Floppy Disk? (3 Devices) Hang on for a minute. How are we supposed to get into the history of the name of floppy disks if we aren’t even clear on what they are? Now, you might be clear on the concept of floppy disks. Maybe you’ve even used them before. But, if you ask a hundred people what a floppy disk is, you’re going to get a wide variety of answers. So, let’s clear that up first, and then we can get into the name. The truth is that the term “floppy disk” is applied to a few different devices. They’re all similar in physical appearance, but they aren’t all the same thing. To fully explain, I’ll separate each “floppy disk” into its own section and then cover what it is and how it works. #1 The Original Floppy Disk The original floppy disk is also known as the 5.25-inch data storage disk. This is a magnetic storage device, and it was built in a rectangular shape. The very first version was invented by Alan Shugart. He was working for IBM, and in 1967, he debuted this device. It was capable of holding 360 kilobytes. What made this device so novel is that you could easily hold it in your hand and use it to transfer information from one computer to another. Keeping in mind that this was long before the

Tech Knowledge

Internet Surfing: What Does It Mean?

Here’s the meaning of Internet surfing: Surfing the Internet means browsing the Internet. It’s like riding the waves of data and information. A wave goes, another comes, and we’re back on the board. Surfing the Internet, however, requires different equipment. So if you to know the meaning of Internet surfing, then you’re in the right place. Let’s jump right in! What About Internet Surfing? When we talk about surfing, it’s easy to imagine that we’re on a beach somewhere, getting the surfboard ready to swim out to ride those waves. We hardly think about the fact that we’re surfing daily. Yes, we’re talking about internet surfing. We do it all the time, and it’s a fun activity. We seek information from different sources, so we go “surfing” the Web. It’s like riding the waves of data and information. When one wave goes, another comes, and we’re back on the board. However, we use different equipment when surfing the Internet. And, it is certainly not as difficult as actual surfing. So, what does “internet surfing” really mean, and how did it become our daily routine? What Is World Wide Web Surfing? It all started with the Internet, but the World Wide Web makes surfing possible. The Web is the sea of information that we access and search to find information through the Internet. It’s an information system that uses URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) to identify documents and resources. An URL is a thing that we type into the address bar of our browser to access a website. Now, two things are necessary for the Web to work. First, we need a web browser. This is the software that we use to access the information contained on web servers. Web browsers are apps like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Opera, Safari, etc. The main function of this software is to retrieve content from the web servers. This includes the following steps: We type in the URL, which begins with HTTP or HTTPs (HyperText Transfer Protocol secure).

What Is the Difference Between DMZ and Port Forwarding?

Tech Knowledge

DMZ vs. Port Forwarding: Difference?

Here’s the difference between DMZ and port forwarding: A DMZ is a small, isolated network positioned between the Internet and a private network. Through port forwarding, a router allows an external user to reach a port on a private IP address (inside a LAN) from the outside. A DMZ is a network, while port forwarding is a method of granting access to a network. So if you want to learn all about difference between a DMZ and port forwarding, then this article is for you. Keep reading! The Difference Between DMZ and Port Forwarding We browse the Internet without a care in the world. Need a new desk? Go online. Getting tired of coming up with recipes for lunch? Search online. We know that we can find almost any piece of information on any topic online. Even when we can’t find the topic we need directly, there’s always an opinion about it on forums, blogs, etc. There we have it, an abundant source of information and misinformation. The Internet is full of facts, fact-checkers, opinions, nonsense, etc. It’s fun. It’s ubiquitous. We have learned to live with it, and sometimes a day can’t go by without it. However, we also need to be aware of the dangers of the Internet: Hackers Malware Fake news There are Internet security standards in place. But, they are specific for every country, which can lead to problems. To achieve optimal security, there must be global Internet security standards. So, Internet security is quite important, and we need to be aware of the risks of using the Internet and how Internet security works. How Does Internet Security Work? The information transmitted through networks of networks then has to go through various channels to reach its destination. So now, the information we send has to be secure because we don’t want our information falling into the wrong hands. This is where the brilliance of HTTPS (Hypertext

Tech Knowledge

PCA vs. ICA: Difference?

Here’s everything about PCA vs. ICA. You’ll learn: Basic concepts of PCA and ICA How to implement PCA and ICA in Python The similarities between PCA and ICA The differences between PCA and ICA Lots more So if you want to understand PCA and ICA and how they differ, then you are in the right place. Let’s dive right in! Basics of PCA and ICA PCA (Principal Component Analysis) an ICA (Individual Component Analysis) are based on similar principles, but still they are different. It isn’t easy to immediately understand all the formulas given when describing the PCA and ICA methods. Mathematics is a beautiful science, but you need to go step by step to understand this beauty—it is almost impossible to jump several steps at once. Often it is necessary to first investigate a particular method with a simple example so that you can form a picture in your head, which you can extend to more complex cases. This is especially true in the case of multidimensional spaces such as the concepts of PCA and ICA.. The human brain cannot imagine an n-dimensional space for n > 3. We will look at simple examples of PCA and ICA applications and try to understand the basic principles behind these methods. Let’s start by setting a problem for the PCA: Understand PCA and How to Implement It in Python If we are talking about data analysis, then most likely you will use multidimensional feature arrays. Such arrays, by the way, are called tensors. It often happens that the dimension of this data is redundant. For example, one quantity may directly depend on another. Let’s say you can calculate the square footage of an apartment from the square meterage of an apartment. This means that we do not need to use both of these values in the analysis; you can discard one of the values (square footage or square meterage) in your

What Is an ICT (Information and Communications Technology) Manager?

Tech Job

ICT (Information and Communications Technology) Manager: Meaning?

Here’s what an ICT manager does. An ICT manager is not just someone who fixes office computers and installs software. You’ll learn: What ICT is Roles and responsibilities of an ICT manager Lots more So if you want to understand what an ICT manager is, then this article is for you. Let’s get started! ICT Manager 101 You may be wondering what an ICT Manager is or what ICT is in the first place and the roles of an ICT manager in an organization. Few people have ever heard of an ICT manager or know the specifics that go into becoming one. Most people think of an ICT manager as being the person who comes and fixes their office computer connections, installs software, and organizes interoffice communication. But there’s far more to it than that: What is ICT? First, you need to understand that ICT (Information and Communications Technology) is basically everything to do with computers and communications equipment, including the software used to generate, hold, receive, spread, control, and decipher information in numerous formats. Are ICT and IT the Same Thing? The long and short of this question is no. Though ICT is sometimes considered an extended synonym for IT (information technology); its range is larger. ICT is often described as combining several different technologies that allow various communications to flow in varying formats and various media. Components of ICT ICT represents all technological advances that allow individuals to connect through various digital media around the world, such as: Data Software Internet Transactions Hardware The cloud The bottom line is that ICT allows us to go about our everyday lives at work, home, and even during errands, all while staying connected. There are components of ICT that you probably use every day without realizing it, but don’t feel bad. Unless you are already in the field, it’s hard to comprehend the various ways that ICT technology affects and helps

Tech Knowledge

Computerized Database: Meaning?

Here’s everything about computerized databases. Whether you know it or not, you have already used one. So if you want to know what a computerized database is, then you are in the right place. Let’s dive right in! Computerized Database 101 If you’ve ever bought a plane ticket online or booked a hotel through an app, you’ve used a computerized database. A computerized database is a collection of information that’s organized and accessible through a computer. Computerized databases have access to users’ information while allowing its users to find and retrieve files in a much simpler manner than older, manual databases. If you’ve ever seen a warehouse using a manual database, you know how much more efficient a computerized database is. The Basics of a Computerized Database A computerized database is a collection of data compiled on a computer to increase the efficiency with which you can access, retrieve, and organize data. Computerized databases consist of fields, records, and files. Fields are the actual data sets stored in a database. These include things like transaction amounts, names, dates, and any other form of data. A field represents an attribute of some current event, thing, or person. On a table, this data appears in columns so you can easily view and understand it. Records are the related attributes of a set of data that shows itself in a table. Records are the rows on a table. Records consist of fields and can include more than one sort of data. A record represents one whole entity while a field is describing just one piece of data. Files are groups of related records. A file is the whole data set, including all associated records and fields. Records in a file always have a primary key that allows you to differentiate one from one another. Computerized Database vs. Manual Database Manual databases were the only means of tracking information before the 1960s and introducing

Tech Knowledge

Digital Information Technology: Meaning?

Here’s what digital information technology is: Digital information technology is the study or the utilization of digital systems to store, retrieve and send information. Computers and computer networks are commonly associated with digital information technology, but it encompasses a much wider range of technologies, including servers, TVs, and smartphones. So if you want to learn all about digital information technology, then you’re in the right place. Let’s get started! What About Digital Information Technology? For most people, digital information technology is synonymous with the geeky spectacle-wearing individuals with introverted lifestyles, who spend nearly 99% of their lives in front of a computer. This perception of information technology, commonly referred to as IT, isn’t just flawed, but it also downplays the essence of this sophisticated field. So, what is information technology and the out of information technology emerged DIGITAL information technology?—yes, there is a difference. If you’re on the hunt for answers to that question, you’ll get more than your bargain because this right here is a breakdown of everything you’ve ever wanted to know about IT. We’ll tell you what information technology is, what are the benefits of information technology, the difference between information technology and digital information technology, and even highlight types of information technology. What Is Information Technology? Information technology is the study or the utilization of systems (particularly computers) to store, retrieve and send information. This is probably not the definition you are used to, but before you come for us, note, there’s more to IT than computers. To you, IT may be the smartphones, tablets and iPads you use today, but information technology has been there long before these devices. In other words, information technology meaning is any form of technology humans use to store and share information. That means pictures carved on rocks (petroglyphs) from the pre-mechanical age, the Pascaline from the mechanical age and morse code from the electromechanical age are all forms of

Tech Knowledge

Techno Functional: Meaning?

Here’s what techno functional means in IT. Techno functional is a mix of technical and functional skills. You’ll learn: What functional means in IT What technical means in IT What techno functional is in IT Lots more Let’s get started! What Means Techno Functional in IT? If you have a hard time telling the difference between technical, functional, and techno-functional roles, you’re not alone! One way that techno functional consultants are helpful is in bridging the gap between dense programming speak and customers who may not understand all the tech talk. Let’s face it: not everyone can pursue a computer science degree to understand their tech systems better, but every business wants their technology to be on point. In this day and age, optimized programs that function the way you need them can make or break the company at large. This is where a techno functional expert can be a crucial asset to the team. To understand what techno functional means and how it’s helpful, you can break it down by reading this article. Learn what technical consultants and functional consultants do for an IT service and how those roles combine into the techno functional manager. What is a Technical Consultant? In IT, a tech consultant is an expert on all things programming, coding, and implementation. They may have a degree in computer science and past job titles that include systems administrator or programmer. If you’ve ever had trouble signing into a public library computer, a tech consultant most likely came in to fix the problem. The library probably hired a tech consultant to get their system running in the first place. They may have referred to a tech consultant’s advice to find the best program to keep track of all the library books across all the branches. No matter what type of business you’re looking at, you’d be correct to imagine that many of them depend on technical consultants

Tech Knowledge

Data vs. Information vs. Knowledge vs. Wisdom

Here are the differences between data, information, knowledge, and wisdom: Data are just symbols that represent stimuli or signals Information is data that has meaning and purpose Knowledge is information that has been processed, organized, or structured in some way, or put into practice in some way. Wisdom is integrated knowledge so information that is made super-useful. Let’s get started! What Is the Difference Between Data, Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom? A recent statistic stated that approximately 55.3 million people worldwide would be working in the information and communication technology (ICT) industry full-time in 2020 (pre-coronavirus). Those 55.3 million people probably understand the terms data, information, knowledge, and wisdom and how they relate to IT. But do you? What is Information Technology? You might be wondering what Information Technology (IT) even is. In general terms, IT is everything that transmits information. This could include everything from symbols and pictures painted on cave walls to something as simple as a single number. Fast forward to the invention of computers, and the definition changes a bit. Computer Notes described it best: “IT is the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware.” We were using IT before computers were even invented. However, over time, IT has evolved into digital information technology. What is Digital Information Technology? Digital information technology is a subset of IT that works with the digital aspect. What does “digital” mean? The Cambridge dictionary shows two definitions: Digital is the “recording or storing information as a series of the numbers 1 and 0, to show that a signal is present or absent.” (This is called binary data, but you’ll learn more about this later. Digital is the “showing of information in the form of an electronic image.” (This is what computers do by taking binary data and transforming it into information you can see.) Digital IT has become a necessity for

177 Funny Programmer & Developer & Coding Team Names (List)

Tech Career

177 Funny Programmer, Developer, and Coding Team Names List

Here are 177 funny team names for tech people: $teamname 2b | !2b Debugalize It Works on Local Prod Is for Testing Works for Me We Push to Prod Your ZIP Is a JAR And so on After spending years researching and collecting IT team names, you can finally enjoy the list—have fun. Let’s get right into it! 177 Funny IT Team Names Resources Below are the resource—but be warned that those are NSFW (Not Save For Work): Hack4goodsgf[0], Quora[0], Quora[1], Reddit[0], Reddit[1], Reddit[2], Reddit[3], Reddit[4]

Tech Knowledge

ASCII vs. Unicode vs. UTF-7 vs. UTF-8 vs. UTF-32 vs. ANSI

Here’s the difference between ASCII, Unicode, UTF-7, UTF-8, UTF-32, and ANSI. Have you ever wondered about this HTML tag: <meta charset=”UTF-8″>? With the help of this article, you will not only make sense of it, but also learn: What ASCII, Unicode, UTF-7, UTF-8, UTF-32, and ANSI are What’s the difference between them Lots more Let’s dive right in! What Is the Difference Between ASCII, Unicode, UTF-7, UTF-8, UTF-32, and ANSI? In your travels, you’ve likely seen at least one of the terms ASCII, Unicode, UTF-7, UTF-8, UTF-16, UTF-32, and ANSI. However, what you may be less familiar with is the actual difference between these seven terms. Navigating the battle of ASCII vs. Unicode vs. UTF-7 vs. UTF-8 vs. UTF-16 vs. UTF-32 vs. ANSI and what they’re best for or used for can be a complicated journey. But, fear not, it’s not impossible to understand. To fully understand these terms, it’s good to start with a “picture this.” Why Are We Even Here? Picture a typewriter. You probably know how one looks. Now, picture a typewriter hammer. If you’ve never seen a typewriter hammer, it’s a tiny rectangle with a character on the top and the bottom. The hammer often has lowercase and uppercase letters, but sometimes digits and symbols. In the days of typewriters, the characters available to you were what you saw on the keyboard. This number of characters was the number of keys on the keyboard, plus the extra character on top of the type hammer. You acquired extra characters by literally “shifting” the typebars to change the alignment of where the key punched and get a new character. With computer keyboards, character sets can go beyond what’s mechanically possible of a keyboard. You know that modern computer keyboards accommodate far more than that. But, on early computers, your choice of characters wasn’t much better than a typewriter. The original American standard of characters only had 128 characters, and

Tech Knowledge

ASCII: What Is ASCII and What Is ASCII Used For?

Here’s what ASCII is and how it’s used: Computers use ASCII, a table of characters. The English alphabet, numbers, and other common symbols are encoded in the ASCII table as binary code. The characters in computers are not stored as characters but as series of binary bits: 1s and 0s. For example, 01000001 means “A” because ASCII says so. If you want to learn all about ASCII, then you are in the right place. Let’s get started! Ever Heard ASCII? American Standard Code for Information Interchange is a method of character encoding used in electronic communication. That’s the short ASCII definition—but there’s way more to say on the topic, as this guide will show you. Since the full name is quite a mouthful, the term is usually abbreviated simply to ASCII. You may also see it referred to as US-ASCII. That’s the term preferred by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, IANA. The standard ASCII code serves telecommunications devices, computers, and other technology. Most of the modern character-encoding schemes used today are rooted in ASCII such as UTF-8 and ISO-8859-1. This guide explains what ASCII code is, how it’s used, why it’s important, the history of ASCII, and its purposes today. What Is ASCII? So just what is ASCII code? First, a reminder of what ASCII stands for: American Standard Code for Information Interchange. By the way, ASCII is pronounced “as-key” (just in case you ever have to say it aloud). Now that you’ve got the terminology down, on to your question. ASCII is a standard coding system that assigns numbers, letters, and symbols to the 256 slots in an 8-bit code—you’ll learn further below what 8-bit exactly is. The ASCII decimal is made up of binary, the language used by computers. ASCII corresponds to the English alphabet. The basic ASCII table includes 128 characters specified into 7-bit integers. It’s possible to print 95 of the encoded characters. These include digits like

Tech Knowledge

SPOF: What Is a Single Point of Failure?

A single point of failure stops the entire system from working. Do you know how to avoid it? If you want to understand what a single point of failure is and how to recognize one, then this article is for you. Let’s get started! Single Point of Failure 101 A single point of failure (SPOF) in IT causes an entire system to crash. It can expose private data and, in many cases, is costly to repair. If you’ve stumbled upon this article because you’re experiencing an IT-related SPOF, know you’re not alone. In 2015 Amazon’s DynamoDB database malfunctioned for multiple days across the east coast due to a SPOF. Amazon is one of the countless big companies that have had to tackle SPOFs. By the time you finish this article, you’ll have a solid understanding of SPOF triggers, identification, and prevention. SPOF Definition Before we take a closer look at what is a single point of failure, let’s start with the basics. A definition of a single point of failure in IT is when a single component of a system causes the entire system to fail. To help you better grasp this concept, let’s assume you build a tower out of a stack of cards. Now, once your tower is complete, remove a card—any card will do. What happens? The cards fall, right? That’s precisely how SPOFs work; a single point of failure meaning is when one malfunctioning element causes the “tower” (and in the case of IT, the system) to crash. Here’s an interesting fact: the concept of a single point of failure has expanded outside the IT and engineering world. For example, architects may refer to a SPOF if a bridge falls down due to a single component. Examples of a Single Point of Failure Now that we’ve simplified a SPOF using a deck of cards let’s look at some examples of SPOFs in the IT industry. When

Tech Knowledge

5 Laws of Holes: What Do They Mean?

Here are the five Laws of Holes: If You Find Yourself in a Hole, Stop Digging. When you stop digging, you are still in a hole. A hole not filled in will cause more issues in the future. Don’t jump into another person’s hold. Put Logic Above Your Ego. So if you want to learn what each law of holes says in one place, then this article is for you. Let’s get started! What Are The Laws of Holes? There are many laws to the way we live life, but defining what makes a law can be difficult. There are multiple studies devoted to both legal and non-legal laws and their definitions. Some laws are based on science, while some laws are rooted in philosophy or spirituality. Take the Seven Natural Laws, for example, which was founded by William Walker Atkinson. In the case of the Law of Holes, it’s an adage, which means that the Law of Holes has combined both philosophical and human experiences into a saying that can apply to almost every situation. This saying has been interpreted in many different ways and applies to almost any scenario. Whether the scenario is personal or business-related, it’s a good rule of thumb to adhere to. Here’s a closer look at the Laws of Holes: #1 The First Law of Holes: Know When To Stop The first law of holes is: If You Find Yourself in a Hole, Stop Digging. The first recorded use of this saying dates back to 1911, where the Washington Post published the original saying on the sixth page. This saying reads: nor would a wise man, seeing that he was in a hole, go to work and blindly dig it deeper. You may find this law relevant to your business, your political beliefs, or even your financial situation. But the message remains all the same; if you find you are in trouble, it’s best

Tech Knowledge

IT Architecture vs. IT Infrastructure: Difference?

Here’s the difference between IT architecture and IT infrastructure: A system’s IT infrastructure is the set of components, while its IT architecture is how they work together. Simply put, a system is built on top of an IT infrastructure that has a specific IT architecture. So if you want to learn all about the difference between an IT architecture and an IT infrastructure, then you’re in the right place. Let’s jump right in! IT Architecture vs. IT Infrastructure: What’s the Difference? While many people understand the basic practices behind information technology in this tech-savvy age, the actual terms we use are a different story. While articles like architecture and infrastructure are relatively straightforward, could you explain the difference between IT architecture and IT infrastructure if you were asked? In this article, we’ll get you started by explaining some of the differences between IT architecture vs. IT infrastructure. Once you feel like you’re well informed, you can even impress your friends and colleagues with your new knowledge. IT Architecture & IT Infrastructure 101 If you saw “IT architecture vs. IT infrastructure” and immediately drew a blank, you might benefit from a little more background on these concepts. First, you might know this already, but IT stands for information technology. The definition of information technology is extensive. Today, IT can mean any use of computers to manipulate, archive, send, or receive data. However, the term “IT” is usually used in context with business technology, not personal. For example, if you have a computer, you send and receive data every day, but it’s not necessarily considered IT unless it’s your job to do so. As you might expect, we’ll be throwing around the word “business” and lots of other business terms in this article. Of course, all of these concepts can be applied to non-business settings quite successfully, but you should know that this is the context they most often work in. IT

Tech How-to

Divide and Conquer Strategy: How to Use?

What do Julius Caesar and Machiavelli, Napoleon and King Louis XI of France have in common? They all used the divide and conquer strategy at some point. You will learn what the divide and conquer strategy is and how to use it. Keep reading! Understand the Divide and Conquer Strategy At some point in your life, you’ve probably heard someone offer advice by recommending a divide and conquer approach. It’s a common phrase in today’s world, but it dates back centuries. Julius Caesar, Machiavelli, Napoleon, King Louis XI of France, and the British Empire all used a divide and conquer strategy. Even the United States government utilizes the divide and conquer method in its system of checks and balances. Today, it’s also the foundation of a useful algorithm that helps solve the most complex engineering and computer problems, an effective marketing strategy, and a helpful sales tool. In this article, you’ll learn what the divide and conquer technique is and how it gets applied to computer science, politics, business, and many other fields. You’ll also see how it can help solve everyday problems, boost productivity, and improve efficiency. What’s the Definition of the Divide and Conquer Strategy? Now, what does divide and conquer mean? To begin to understand this approach, you need to know the definition of divide and conquer strategy. Basically, the divide and conquer strategy means breaking down a larger problem, task, or population into smaller, more manageable pieces. You then figure out solutions to those subproblems and combine them to solve your original problem. Though initially conceived as a way to expand empires and control foreign governments, divide and conquer strategy now applies to many areas of life. What’s the History of this Strategy? So, who originally said divide and conquer? The divide and conquer strategy comes from the Latin phrase “divide et impera.” It dates back to Philip II of Macedon, who used it to describe