PC Maintenance Class 1

Autumn is here, and that means one thing, another new year of Night Classes at Barry Comprehensive!

Welcome to another year of PC Maintenance! This years group has 7 students, and it looks like we are going to have a great time!


Tonight's session like all classes at the beginning of term, started off with an presentation that had an introductory session. The aim of this part of the class is to allow the students to introduce themselves to each other, and for us to share what each and everyone is expecting of the course, and an opportunity for them to tell me their computer experience is. The allows me to pitch the level of the class.

The presentation I used, talked the students through the various aspects of the course that we would be following over the next three terms. Topics that we'll be looking at include: Computer hardware, software, Anti-viruses, Home networking, Wi-fi, Reinstallations, Upgrading, Building a PC from Scratch, Applications, Operating Systems - you name it, we'll cover it! I tell all the students that if there is something specific that they want to do, then to just ask, and we will sort something out!

The second half of the session involved a discussion of all the parts of the computer, and finished with a quick look inside the computer case. Next week we will take the computer apart and then reassemble it!

To download a copy of the presentation I used in class, click here!

The Last Supper

I cannot believe it, this year has simply flown by.....one minute it seems like it was September, and now, here we are and it July. Mind you, looking out of my window as I type this, it looks more like Autumn, with the rain lashing down the window.

Anyway, for our last class the group decided we should do something to celebrate having come so far on our PC Maintenance adventure. The original plan was for a BBQ at Cold Knap, but the British weather put pay to that hair-brained scheme - afterall what were we thinking, a BBQ in the summer...hah!

The Cwm Ciddy was the proposed destination, as it provided a good hearty, value for money meal, of which we all knew would be good. Here are some pictures from the evening.

This coming September will be my thirteenth year of teaching Adult Education Classes, and I really appreciated the students sticking with it, and for coming along. I have certainly enjoyed the time we have spent in class, exploring the many different aspects of the course, and having fun along the way. I have always said, that when teaching the classes becomes too much of a chore, or I no longer enjoy it, that that would be when it becomes time to call it a day. However, when I have classes like the one I have taught this year,  especially this year, with great group of students that I had, it makes it all worthwhile.

Enjoy the summer....

Be back in September!

Final Class

After caving in to popular demand, our class this year wanted an End of Term BBQ - however the weather at the moment is pretty much foul - so tonight's finale will be at the Cwm Ciddy!  Pics to follow!

PC Maintenance Class 19

For those students visiting this weekend, looking to see if I have kept my promise about uploading the blog entries, well I'm getting there....it's been a busy weekend!  I'm adding them in reverse order so they'll be added starting with this weeks (whilst it's fresh in my mind!)


So, without further delay....let's get down to business!


Choosing the right kind of computer can be quite important, and it is something that you should put a bit of thought into. That being said, tonight's session was all about replacing or buying a computer for the first time.

Which is Right for you Laptops vs Desktops?

When it's time for a new computer, whether it's your first or an upgrade, it can be difficult to choose today between a laptop and a desktop. There are so many more choices than ever before and each comes with a variety of competitive features and price ranges.

In the past, the laptop was a downgrade from a desktop, unable to perform as well and as fast and missing many of the features that a desktop had but with the benefit of being mobile. Today, the two are nearly equals with the main difference being that on a laptop you are confined to your battery life. While batteries are improving and you can purchase a back-up battery, your "on-time" is still dependant on the battery life.

Of course, if you are using the laptop at home or at the office, you can also just plug it in to operate. You can also plug desktop accessories such as a mouse and keyboard into it. You can even hook your laptop computer up to a desktop monitor if you want a larger screen. With so many options, how do you choose which is best for you?

Location

When deciding between a laptop and desktop, consider where you will be using the computer the most. Are you a student who will travel from classes to study sessions and back to your dorm room? If so, then the laptop is much more practical for you. It's possible to store everything you need for personal and educational use on the same computer and take it with you wherever you go. It takes up less space in a dorm room and you can take it home with you for vacations and off-seasons.

Do you work from home?

If you work from a home office and will be accessing this computer primarily for work purposes and for long hours at a time during business days, then a desktop will probably suit you best. A desktop will be at less risk for overheating from extended use and you don't really need to take it with you.

Features

When looking for any computer, features are going to be important. When comparing a laptop versus a desktop, consider the features that each has and to what capacity it can perform. For example, many laptops have built-in webcams and media software preinstalled for ease of use. Some laptops are designed and marketed towards gamers and will allow you to play certain games with ease.

If you are a serious gamer, a designer or some other type of computer user that requires the latest and greatest features, you might choose a desktop over a laptop because it's easier to upgrade your video card, sound card, memory and other parts and pieces as the computer ages.

Performance

Performance is another deciding factor in choosing a laptop or a desktop. A desktop is better suited for long hours of performance and lots of multitasking. So consider what you will use the computer for to help decide between desktop or laptop computer.

We then moved on to discuss an interesting article I found on the Internet:

What Happens in an Internet Minute?

Posted Originally By Krystal Temple on March 13, 2012

Larger Version of the Image can be found here!

Do you know what happens in one minute on the Internet? In just one minute, more than 204 million emails are sent. Amazon rings up about $83,000 in sales. Around 20 million photos are viewed and 3,000 uploaded on Flickr. At least 6 million Facebook pages are viewed around the world. And more than 61,000 hours of music are played on Pandora while more than 1.3 million video clips are watched on YouTube. 

Computing is transforming and touching more people in a wider range of devices. From smartphones to tablets, netbooks and notebooks and even automotive; it can often seem like every one of us is connected. But while it’s hard to miss the proliferation of portable devices, it’s what we don’t see that’s the bigger issue.

What many don’t see is that the increase in mobile devices has had a tremendous impact on the amount of data traffic crossing the network. It’s a little easier to comprehend once we think about all that’s done on a connected device like a smartphone. Listening to music, watching videos, downloading photos, playing online games, refreshing Twitter feeds and status updates – all of those activities generate network traffic. Following is an infographic illustrates just how much data passes through the network in 60 seconds. Nearly 640K Gb of global IP data is transferred in just one Internet minute!