Computer.Is there anyone around who has not really used this machine.Well,the fact that you are reading these words is an indication that you are in front of the display of your computing system.
So now,what do you think makes the computer so special that it has become the most widely used gadget thus far on the planet,most probably after the wrist watch.It is the ability of the system to do certain tasks on its own with minimal or no human intervention.The intelligence that has been built into these digital machines is primarily done by what we call the programming.Programming is a task of building the logic (digital at present and probably quantum logic in the future) and embedding this logic into the hardware.This embedding part is also said to burning onto the hardware.
Programming has evolved a long way.Initially all the logic was hardwired.i.e there was no software as such.However,this technique was limited since it made the system application specific and incorporating any modifications was impossible.From this stage,something called Assembly Language programming has evolved.The word "Assembly" here refers to a very low level of programming.i.e embedding intelligence closer to the hardware layer of the system...i.e the system here is still hardware predominant.At this stage around 1979 at AT & T Bell Labs,there was a break through, a programming language called "C" has been developed.It made the programming that much more easier and made the computers applications easy to develop.The "C" Language made interacting with the hardware and embedding intelligence so much easier that programming has become a software phenomena.It was used in the development of almost every application one can think of including Operating Systems.
The "C" Language has been a turning point in the computer programming.It made the computer industry much more available to common people.It was easy to learn and even a school kid can use it to develop his/her own application.From here on,most of the programming packages are on the basis of this language.Next came C++,which was more or less C except for the fact that it incorporated object oriented programming concepts,which made the development of business applications more easier than C.
Around 1990s,there was a tremendous activity all around with internet around and a scope available with this new platform.Java has announced its arrival with its applications based on internet.This is probably the first of its kind in the sense that a Java application is platform independent.Its something new and Java was hot and I should "is" hot even now.
Microsoft,the leader in computer software domain was initially focused on desktop application development using its Visual Studio package.It did not make much impact on web application domain until it has come out with C#(read as C Sharp).Microsoft could lay hands on web domain only after it could get its .NET framework out and released its Visual Studio package.Now,the Microsoft has been working on these software and releasing updates regularly as does Sun micro systems for Java.
Java and Visual Studio made programming so much more easier( here I refer to development of business applications) because of many built-in libraries.Both these packages and object oriented.The developer's skill lies in identifies the libraries needed for the particular application and using them.
However,for embedded applications there is literally no competition to C.Embedded applications are those that are application specific like the washing machines,remote controls,etc.
I hope this gives you some insight into programming and how the programming has evolved from its infancy days of hardware centric coding.Please share your thoughts and comments ,if any.I would be glad to hear from you.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Microsoft's IE 8 is the fastest browser: Study
Source: IS
Internet Explorer 8 is the fastest browser, based on benchmark testing conducted in a Microsoft lab.
A white paper published by Microsoft states that in a ‘real world’ test on browser speeds, Microsoft's team compared the performance of IE 8 (currently available as Release Candidate 1), Google Chrome 1.0 and Mozilla Firefox 3.05. Microsoft has made available a video on the study as well as a whitepaper, "Measuring Browser Performance: Understanding Issues in Benchmarking and Performance Analysis".
For the purpose of the benchmarking, Microsoft used 25 popular Web sites, based on a comScore ranking. The results clearly showed that IE 8 was the fastest browser at 12 sites, followed by Chrome (nine sites) and Firefox (four sites).
Microsoft also added that in addition to the exceptional page load performance, Internet Explorer 8 is also optimized to speed up the things that many users do day in and day out such as mapping an address, emailing links to friends, checking the weather, monitoring eBay auctions, etc.
Internet Explorer 8 can perform these tasks using anywhere from 10-50% fewer steps than other browsers.
Internet Explorer 8 is the fastest browser, based on benchmark testing conducted in a Microsoft lab.
A white paper published by Microsoft states that in a ‘real world’ test on browser speeds, Microsoft's team compared the performance of IE 8 (currently available as Release Candidate 1), Google Chrome 1.0 and Mozilla Firefox 3.05. Microsoft has made available a video on the study as well as a whitepaper, "Measuring Browser Performance: Understanding Issues in Benchmarking and Performance Analysis".
For the purpose of the benchmarking, Microsoft used 25 popular Web sites, based on a comScore ranking. The results clearly showed that IE 8 was the fastest browser at 12 sites, followed by Chrome (nine sites) and Firefox (four sites).
Microsoft also added that in addition to the exceptional page load performance, Internet Explorer 8 is also optimized to speed up the things that many users do day in and day out such as mapping an address, emailing links to friends, checking the weather, monitoring eBay auctions, etc.
Internet Explorer 8 can perform these tasks using anywhere from 10-50% fewer steps than other browsers.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Benefits of Virtual Instrumentation
I hope the introduction has created some idea as to what virtual instrumentation is.Now,let us know what the technology really offers i.e. what are its advantges.
Virtual Instrumentation has been a technology that is being widely used by the engineers and researchers...obviously because of the number of advantages the technology offers.
1. Simplification:
Suppose you want to check out an electronic circuit,by noting its response to a test signal.You will need a Signal Generator ,an oscilloscope and the necessary assessories.And take the readings.With a computer based testing system,one can have the complete system integrated to a single application and the user can do the required testing operating from a easy to use graphical user interface(GUI).That makes the things easy to work,simplifying the process.
2. Customization :
With the conventional test devices like function generators or oscilloscopes the scope for customization is very limited.Since the software forms the element of the instrumentation in the virtual instrumentation,it offers the scope of customizing the testing applications to the users needs.This is a very important advantage since ,many of the times there exists the need for cutom made testing in the science and engineering.
3. Cost Advantage :
There is definetely a cost advantage compared to the traditional instrumentation,because the applications can be easily customised and the programming can be carried out so that the single application can replace multiple devices ( which may be required otherwise).
4. Computer Based :
Virtual instrumentation takes advantage of the ever evolving computer technology - the increasing processing speeds,the easy device interface options,larger memory and so on.Hence enhancing the application performance and development process.
5. Portability :
Portability is an essential feature some times.The virtual instrumentation based applications are powerful and compact so that they can be easily set up and and easy to carry.For example,one needs to carry out an engine testing by simulating certain conditions,the complete signal set to and fro from the engine under test can be interface to some thing like laptop through an USB interface and the testing can be controlled through an application program executing on the computer..so carrying a simple laptop and the USB interface is suffucient.This is a great feature,when you need a good number of systems interfaced during,say,some system testing applications.
These are some of the most important advantages that makes the virtual instrumentation very dear to most engineers and scientists.
Feel free to post your comments.
Virtual Instrumentation has been a technology that is being widely used by the engineers and researchers...obviously because of the number of advantages the technology offers.
1. Simplification:
Suppose you want to check out an electronic circuit,by noting its response to a test signal.You will need a Signal Generator ,an oscilloscope and the necessary assessories.And take the readings.With a computer based testing system,one can have the complete system integrated to a single application and the user can do the required testing operating from a easy to use graphical user interface(GUI).That makes the things easy to work,simplifying the process.
2. Customization :
With the conventional test devices like function generators or oscilloscopes the scope for customization is very limited.Since the software forms the element of the instrumentation in the virtual instrumentation,it offers the scope of customizing the testing applications to the users needs.This is a very important advantage since ,many of the times there exists the need for cutom made testing in the science and engineering.
3. Cost Advantage :
There is definetely a cost advantage compared to the traditional instrumentation,because the applications can be easily customised and the programming can be carried out so that the single application can replace multiple devices ( which may be required otherwise).
4. Computer Based :
Virtual instrumentation takes advantage of the ever evolving computer technology - the increasing processing speeds,the easy device interface options,larger memory and so on.Hence enhancing the application performance and development process.
5. Portability :
Portability is an essential feature some times.The virtual instrumentation based applications are powerful and compact so that they can be easily set up and and easy to carry.For example,one needs to carry out an engine testing by simulating certain conditions,the complete signal set to and fro from the engine under test can be interface to some thing like laptop through an USB interface and the testing can be controlled through an application program executing on the computer..so carrying a simple laptop and the USB interface is suffucient.This is a great feature,when you need a good number of systems interfaced during,say,some system testing applications.
These are some of the most important advantages that makes the virtual instrumentation very dear to most engineers and scientists.
Feel free to post your comments.
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