Mr AC!! Why are our tasks getting harder and harder? My brain juice is almost at complete-depletion.. D:

But well, come to think of it, the questions we were given are quite thought-provoking. They just make us wonder about the what-if's when things just go back to prehistoric conditions.

Retracing development's footsteps back to when the computer was first invented in the year 1936, it is very obvious that computers have kind of 'monopolized' most of our lives for 74 years. Now, computers are present in many things and in many forms. Without much doubt, it has brought to us much convenience, but what are the cons in the unending growth of computers? We shall plunge ourselves into that topic through the following questions and its explanations.

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#1. Do you think the life of our human race will be prolonged or driven to extinction by computers? Why do you think so?

To answer the first part of the question, I think that our lives can be prolonged through the usage of computers. This is clearly demonstrated through the usage of certain medical equipments, such as:

Pic-01. Life support machines.

Pic-02. Robots to carry out complicated operations.

Pic-03. Dialysis machines.

Besides this, supercomputers are used to process a series of calculations and data in researches that are related to the medical field. With the help of supercomputers, researches have turned out with breakthroughs for the field, proven in the following link: http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/cloning.shtml.
This is a great leap in improving and sustaining human life, and nevertheless, it is done with the help of computers. In a way, computers DO prolong our lives.

Pic-04. Supercomputers which aid in research purposes.

In addition to computers prolonging our lives, it actually makes it so much more easier, improved and better. Communication nowadays are already across borders without needing us to shift ourselves. Messages can be sent, and phone calls can be made, in a matter of a few minutes or seconds, using the internet, through the computer. Of course, this feature is supported by a network of mobile phones, home/office computers and satellites.

Pic-05. Satellites.

Pic-06. Communicating using the mobile phone.

Pic-07. Personal computer.

Moving on to the second part of the question, about our lives driven to extinction by computers. Hmm.. In a way, yes, but in another way, no.

Why yes? We are relying on computers so much, we are already being pulled by the nose by the computers! Our lives would just stop, just like that. No one would know what to do. And for a long time, no one would be able to adapt to such an environment. It's like going back to the prehistoric ages! How's that for living when all your life has been such a convenience?

Pic-08. Going back to the prehistoric times?! Nooooooooooooo!!! O_O

In addition, it is also wiping out humanity. Computers are replacing many things in our lives, from pets to maids and even our spouses! The video below shows a woman in UK who has fallen in love with a MacbookPro and wants to marry 'him'. If this spreads and continues, computers will TRULY drive mankind to extinction, as when there is no reproduction, the population just keeps dying off and one fine day *poof* all of us will be gone O_O But who knows, maybe when that time REALLY comes, humans can reproduce with computers! *eeeeeeeeeeeeeekkk*

Vid-01. Enjoy! :p

But why no? With the presence of robots and computers in various fields now, we're driven to extinction, in terms of job vacancies. Force labour is no longer needed because they are replaced by machines, computers, robots. BUT. It is the human brain that has created the computer, and of course we are capable of coming up with a solution, and thus the creation of many other fields of work and jobs with relevance to the growth of the computer/technology industry. This isn't extinction in anyway, but a push for us to apply innovation.

#2. Would the human race survive if all the computers in the world crashed? Who would be most badly hit?

There is no doubt that the most badly hit people would be those on life support machines or those who require certain machines to sustain their lives. This can lead to their deaths in the worst cases.
Secondly, are people whose work are related computers eg. international business corporations, technicians, manufacturing companies and internet service providers. They would have no means of communication nor do they have anything to work on. With the flow cut off, unemployment would most probably arise.

Putting aside people who rely on machines to live, I would think that the human race would be able to survive IF to say the computers in the world crashed. Computers are just an 'accessory' to humans and they just make our lives much more simple and convenient, but they are not a MUST. If so, how would have the humans during the prehistoric times go through and evolve to the 'us' now? They didn't require Facebook or Gmail back then, so why can't we go back to basics?
I believe that humans will be able to cope with that situation, but given that they will need some time (like maybe 30-40 years?) to adapt to a computer-less age.

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Conclusively, I think that the growth of computers and it's involvement in different fields should be given a limit, as when we rely too much on computers, we will be bounded to them, we will become 'clingy', we'll become a slave to computers. Therefore, we must learn to stand on ourselves, even if it means that we have to fall for countless times before succeeding.

Our session this post has reached its end..! Tune in next time folks (a.k.a. Mr AC)! Ciao :P

Critics of a Web Critic, Criticising Using Criticism Critically.

web critic assignment huh? it's time to be vicious.. teeheehee.. :D *evil eyes*

Amongst the 13 types of websites I've chosen to blog about.. blogs. Haha.

Well, blogs are a form of an online journal where people use it to write about their daily lives, interests and express themselves. I'm gonna give my personal views about a food blog: http://www.vkeong.com/.

The valuation starts...
Now.


#1. Affiliation (linkage of institutions to the blog)
There is not much to relate this blog to affiliation as it is a food blog created by the owner to express his personal views regarding his interest in food.

#2. Audience (appropriateness of info posted on the blog)
Since I have chosen a food blog to talk about, the blog is G-rated and the blog owner uses appropriate language in elaboration and explanation. No vulgar, explicit language, or extreme comments were used. The language used are also simple and easy to understand.

#3. Authority (listing of author and credentials)
In a blog, the posts are updated by the owner(s) themselves, thus the posts are definitely written by the blog owner(s). As in this case, the food blog is owned by ONE individual and without much ado the author is the blog owner.
As for credentials, they are not needed as stated in #1 because of it's identity as a blog created for personal usage. But being a food blog, the locations of the places were stated clearly.

#4. Content
In terms of content, this blog has displayed very good standards as both the explanations and pictures are very well organized. Other than that, the links provided by the blog owner are in working condition. Also, being a food blog, the blog posts were short and sweet with a personal touch from the owner himself. It wasn't too chunky in words and is really interesting with nicely-taken pictures shown to the audience. All description and no visual works surely would not work for a FOOD blog.

Pic-01. The picture shows the excellent organization of info in the blog post.

#5. Currency
The information regarding the whereabouts and contact information of the restaurant recommended and prices of the food are true at the time the author blogged about it. The author does not update the information in his posts but he does state that the information shown is correct at the time of posting and is subject to change.

#6. Design
The design of the blog recruits simplicity as its theme, with some touches of colour at the blog title then with the background of the blog being black and the background of the blog posts being white. This is very suitable for this blog, as being a FOOD blog, the impact people receive are not from the blog design itself, but the recommendation and description of the food. The blog owner uses high-resolution and colourful pictures in his blog posts to show a contrast in colour and to attract attention of his viewers to the food, rather than to the design. The site loads good, provided that the internet connection is not problematic. The visual effects on the site are handled well. Also to state that the navigation within the website is easy with given tabs and categories.

Pic-02. Simple designs are used attractively.

Pic-03. Tabs in categories enable blog viewers to find what they're looking for easily.

#7. Objectivity
The website has moderated advertisements and are placed in between blog posts. Even so, it makes the blog page seem cramped as there isn't much free space. Personally, I do not think that the blog would raise any preconceptions in any way.

Pic-04. Ads in between blog posts.

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There goes my comments regarding the food blog! It certainly was really hard to keep my saliva in when writing this blog post! The food looks amazing doesn't it? :D

After this blog post, what I'm very sure of is, managing any of the 13 types of website is not an easy job. Like my somewhat dying-away blog.. *sweats*

Introductory Task.

First day of lectures and we already have assignments~!

I'm not complaining. No I'm not. Haha.

Mr. AC explained that the blog are to be used as course journals and to reflect what we have learned and understood from each lecture. Coming from a local high school, this is a very unheard way of doing assignments but I certainly do welcome this change!

Well, we were having CSCI with Mr. AC and the first lecture was a brief intro from every one of us and to computers. The first lecture really got me going with anticipation for the next one! (Though we were all a little annoyed at the fact that the Mini Audi. was locked and we had to WAIT for Mr. AC to get someone to open the doors for us. I mean, wasting time isn't good you know. I hope the Taylors authority would look into this matter.)

The intro went like this for me:

'Hello every one, my name is Qihong and i'm from Ipoh. Well, computers have impacted my life on a large scale, in a good and bad way. On the good side, we have the internet for research and Facebook, and also various forms of entertainment. But on the BAD side.. I guess I don't need to elaborate, all of us know it deep down, addiction and some other stuff. Yeah. The initial expectations that I had for this subject was to learn the things that I still not know about computers, as I only possess some basic skills for computer-using.'

So that's it for today!

I bid you all farewell and good day! :)

P.S. Hello Mr. AC! :D