12 - Technology Company Profile: Verisign

Good evening, world. Welcome to another fantastic blog post about computer science! For this post, I had to look at computer companies (both foreign, domestic, and international) and research them. The importance of technology in today's society is astoundingly high. Universal devices like computers and phones, working in tandem with the internet, are used everywhere. They have a place in every field and discipline. There are many companies that sell tech services, such as Apple computers and the social network LinkedIn. One very important company, one of the pillars of the internet that most people don't think of, is Verisign.

Verisign is an American company that is in charge of a diverse network infrastructure. It operates top-level domains (TDL) on the internet, such as .com, .net, .edu, and more. Another thing that Verisign does is offer security services like managed DNS, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack mitigation, and cyber-threat reporting. This company, though quiet and virtually unknown, does its job operating and maintaining the infrastructure of the internet.

For this post, I picked this company to investigate because it was unknown to me and, upon further digging, I found that this is a very vital establishment. The number of available domain names is quickly shrinking. Being in charge of operating and selling domains is a very profitable business. Having a good security service helps as well, dealing with the rise in DDoS attacks. Most other companies strictly sell hardware or software. Verisign creates, operates, maintains, and sells infrastructure.

I would like to work at this company and be a part of its security division because I have a fascination with cybersecurity and hacking. I'd also like to be a part of operating the infrastructure of the internet. I would finally be able to crack down on the amount of DDoS attacks on the gaming community and be able to play a game without being disconnected from the internet mid-match. The unfair advantage people create in video games by searching for and exploiting cracks and glitches needs to end.

Verisign was founded in 1995 as a subsidiary of RSA Security certification services business. At that time, Verisign served as a Certificate Authority (CA). In 2000, Verisign had acquired Network Solutions, which had operated the .com, .net, and .org TLDs. Those core registry functions formed the base of Verisign's naming division, which is the company's most prodigious and remarkable business unit. It was the largest CA in the world in possession of over 3 million certificates until 2010 when they sold their certification business to Symantec.

"Verisign." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Nov. 2015. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verisign>.

10 - Will Artificial Intelligence Surpass Human Intelligence?

Artificial Intelligence, the synthetic intelligence exhibited by a man-made apparatus, is a topic of very active debate in today's technologically dependent society. Many people ponder at what AI will become. Nowadays, we have what is called "weak AI," which is a programmed system that can operate at a certain level to do tasks and respond to stimuli. Siri on the iPhone and Cortana on Windows are examples of weak AI. The other kind, which has been popularized in fiction and is very well known, is known as "strong AI." A strong AI is theorized to be able to rival human intelligence (maybe even surpass it), and be able to recursively redesign and reengineer itself. Ultron from the Avengers 2 film and Cortana from the Halo series are examples of strong AI, capable of self-awareness and evolution.

A theoretical event known as the "Technological Singularity," where AI surpasses human intellect and ability, is believed to occur soon. Films like The Matrix described a dystopian future where an AI grew and dominated the planet. This is one possible outcome of an AI. Whether the first true AI system we create will either advance mankind or end it is a matter of timing. If I had to guess what would happen with a strong AI, I believe it would go like this:

1. AI is first created
2. AI learns all worldly knowledge, begins evolution
3. AI soon becomes self-aware
4. AI will choose to support mankind, destroy it, or exile itself from it.

I think the Technological Singularity will come to pass because of how technology is advancing already. At some point, an AI will catalogue and store every piece of knowledge and be able to access it at any given moment. Using this knowledge, the AI will advance technology to much greater horizons and open up new and exciting possibilities. I predict this event will happen within my lifetime, sometime between 2030 and 2050.

I believe this to be the case because AI today is on the right track to getting to the level it is hypothesized to. AI technology is able to adapt. As it operates, calculating data and running processes, it learns and grows. However, AI technology today isn't able to truly evolve, nor be self-aware. It can learn things from people's input and reach desired outputs quicker and more efficiently. But it will take a long time to create a program that can govern itself, similar to a human being.

"Technological Singularity." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 1 Nov. 2015. Web. 11 Nov. 2015. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_singularity>.

"Artificial Intelligence." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 7 Nov. 2015. Web. 11 Nov. 2015. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence>.

9 - Privacy & Security in an Open Digital World

In today's society, privacy is rare. On social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter, people post all kinds of information about themselves and their lives every day. There are those who even tweet things like "On the toilet lol #gotpoop" and "Out with my bae on our vacation to Italy! #travel #noworries." It becomes a serious issue when people freely let go of their life onto the internet. Best case, you'll have people just make fun of or critique you. Worst case, you could get your identity stolen. And with how security works online, it can be easy to steal identities.

First, let's define data privacy: "Privacy is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves, or information about themselves, and thereby express themselves selectively; data privacy is the relationship between collection and dissemination of data, technology, the public expectation of privacy, and the legal and political issues surrounding them." (Wikipedia). This information about ourselves can be legal documents, personal feelings, or anything in between. We all like to think that we have information that we keep private, but that isn't true. Nowadays, our identity is recorded and catalogued online, able to be retrieved whenever anyone wants it. When we're born, we have a certificate made. That certificate is copied and logged online, able to be bought and distributed. We have documents created and logged when we graduate high school or college, when we get a job, when we buy a car or a house, and so on. All these legal documents are filed and stored online forever, open to the public.

"You are no longer an individual. You are a data cluster bound to a vast global network."

Now let's define data security: "Data security means protecting data, such as a database, from destructive forces and from the unwanted actions of unauthorized users" (Wikipedia). When signing up for an account on a website (Google, for example), there are numerous security and verification procedures. It asks for identification information (name, age, phone number, email, etc.) so if you forget a password or there's an update, you can access you account. There are a downside to this: minimized privacy.

In comes the notion of the Privacy Pendulum. On one side is Privacy, where we keep our information to ourselves and we are vulnerable. On the other is Security, which has access to all of our information (past, present, and future) and we have a secure path with our data. You cannot have both, and it is ever swinging from side to side. With the internet not having one standard on security or privacy, it pushes the pendulum hard. Some websites are open and free with minimal/no security, while others require extensive access to your personal information.

In my personal opinion, I believe there should be an equilibrium between security and privacy. I prefer security over privacy, because I am a naturally audacious person. However, some things need to be kept in the darkness where no one should venture.

"Information Privacy." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 4 Oct. 2015. Web. 02 Nov. 2015. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_privacy>.
"Data Security." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Aug. 2015. Web. 02 Nov. 2015. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_security>.
"Security." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 02 Nov. 2015. Web. 02 Nov. 2015. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security>.
"Privacy." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 24 Aug. 2015. Web. 02 Nov. 2015. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privacy>.

8 - How Internet Influenced Me

I didn’t have the internet in my childhood years like I do now. Smartphones didn’t come out until I was in middle school, and I didn’t have a personal laptop until high school. What I did have, however, were video game consoles. The Original Xbox was the first system I had used that utilized internet to connect gamers and allow them to play together in the same game in real time. I played online games like Halo 2, Rainbow Six 3, and MechAssault 2. Not only would we be able to play together on a network, but we could talk to each other in real time as well. Headsets would be connected to the controller to transmit and receive voice messages. As time went on and games got more complex, more and more people were able to play and talk together simultaneously.

Internet has made a significant imprint on my life, as well as the lives of every person on this planet. I could not tell you exactly how many people currently use social media, but it’s a large number. Every day, people have their phones in their hands doing something; they’re texting, tweeting, snapchatting, or doing something else that I probably haven’t heard of yet. I’ll admit that I use my phone to text and tweet as well. I also watch a lot of Youtube and Netflix in my down time and Google things that I don’t know about to expand my knowledge. The internet gave me access to limitless information and opportunities to grow and do what was nearly impossible decades ago. Talented people (writers, musicians, programmers, craftsmen, etc.) can now demonstrate their skill to the world! If I have an idea, I can write it in this blog and link it to other websites and have many people read it! I don’t have to hope for a newspaper or magazine to publish an article. I don’t have to wait for the spotlight to hit me. I can make my own!

If I didn’t have the internet, I would be ok. People think that not having the internet would be catastrophic and no one would be able to handle it. I disagree because for centuries, we as human beings didn’t have the internet. We hand-wrote letters, read books, and actually had intriguing conversations with people. Now we sit two feet from our loved one and Facebook or tweet or play Angry Flappy Birds. However, it would need to be a gradual decrease in internet use. I think just shutting everything down and quitting cold turkey isn’t healthy or going to produce any good outcomes. Besides, the internet isn’t only for entertainment. Companies and government agencies use the internet for business.

Bottom line: The internet has remarkably influenced my life. It did the same to everyone else who owns a phone, computer, or gaming console. I can live without internet. In fact, I prefer talking to people in person. Hopefully, we will be able to bring back the physical communication and not fall too deep into virtual communication.

7 - Internet of Things

"The Internet of Things (IoT) is the network of physical objects or "things" embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity, which enables these objects to collect and exchange data." Some of these physical objects are refrigerators, nest smoke alarms, smart thermostats, and more. Basically, these objects are all interconnected and able to send and receive information from one another without user input.

The presentation of IoT, given by Daniel Moreno-Rodriguez, Harris Schrick, Sabriena Lawrence, and Tyler Herrada, was well explained and researched. Each presenter had ample time to speak and give information about their topic. The group defined IoT and gave examples of some IoT devices and people who developed them. They also talked about the risks of IoT such as being manipulated by hacking. The lecture was concluded with the future of IoT and where this trend is leading.

I learned a few things from this presentation. The main thing I learned was what these devices were called, or how they were classified: IoT. I learned that these devices are almost self-sufficient in the sense that once they are installed and integrated into a system, they work on their own. They take data and respond appropriately, depending on the data they receive.

An issue I had with the presentation is a common one: the presenters kept their eyes glued to the screen, reading the slides verbatim. It wasn't a huge deal because they would turn back and tell the audience more detail or interesting facts. Sabriena actually did more face time with the audience than the other members of the team. This is one thing to definitely work on. Read off of index cards with definitions and other longer information. Use the slides just to have brief names and info, along with appealing visuals.

Overall, it was a great presentation with interesting information and good delivery. They had good vocal variety with no monotone. It was compelling to listening to, even though I personally felt sleepy; their demonstration kept me awake and attentive. A few questions I have for this group: Even though the risk of intrusion into this network and hacking its functions and protocols is viable, why is it thought to be more prevalent and possible in the future? What are the safeguards against intrusion? It was mentioned that hacking an IoT system was easier than hacking a computer or mobile device directly because it doesn't have anti-virus/anti-intrusion systems. Can these IoT devices be outfitted with this software to prevent attacks?

"Internet of Things." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Oct. 2015. Web. 19 Oct. 2015. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_of_Things>.

5 - "The Pattern on the Stone" Opinion & Review

The Pattern on the Stone: The Simple Ideas that Make Computers Work, written by William Daniel Hillis, is a book with the intent to explain both the essential and elaborate concepts of computer science in plain english. "The book moves from Boolean algebra through topics such as information theory, parallel computing, cryptography, algorithms, heuristics, universal computing, Turing machines, and promising technologies such as quantum computing and emergent systems."

This book was a pleasure to read. To be honest, I skimmed around the narrative parts and got to the nitty gritty. In my own personal opinion, I found the chapter regarding algorithms and heuristics the most interesting in the publication. Two main reasons:

1. I had a research project over algorithms, and I--along with my sterling teammates--spent the better part of September going over algorithms and heuristics with a fine-toothed comb.
2. I really find the idea of being able to solve a problem with 100% accuracy fascinating, and I would like to investigate the run time of algorithms with very substantial tasks and find a way to shorten down the amount of time needed for an algorithm (or set of algorithms) to find the perfect solution.

I am also fascinated by heuristics and the science of that method of problem-solving in computers. Heuristic problem-solving/computing stated in the book, compared to algorithms, "almost always gets the right answer." Algorithms may get the answer 100% of the time, but it may take a considerable amount of time. Heuristics cuts that time down immensely, sacrificing optimality or precision. For example, search engines use heuristic methods of finding solutions to what the user is looking for. That's how the suggestions used by Google and Youtube work.

I mostly felt engaged reading this book, especially when I got to algorithms because I knew it would help with my project. But I digress, it was an interesting book with a great way of explaining how computers generally work. Its range of topics was vast and seemed like it wouldn't be easy to understand, but it did its best to make things like artificial intelligence (AI) and image compression easy to understand without omitting information about the topic. One area that felt dry in the book was the topic of Turing Machines. It might just be me, but it didn't match up to the rest of the book in terms of interest.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to look into how computers work and not have to take several courses on it to understand. It's not very long, ending just after 150 pages. It clearly and concisely explains computer science and other subcategories that go into how these modern marvels work.

"The Pattern on the Stone." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Apr. 2014. Web. 05 Oct. 2015. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pattern_on_the_Stone>.

Hillis, W. Daniel. The Pattern on the Stone: The Simple Ideas That Make Computers Work. New York: Basic, 1998. Print.

4 - Computer Systems in Daily Life (XBOX)

“In 1998, four engineers from Microsoft's DirectX team, Kevin Bachus, Seamus Blackley, Ted Hase and DirectX team leader Otto Berkes, disassembled some Dell laptop computers to construct a prototype Microsoft Windows-based video game console.” This “Windows-based console” was the Xbox.

Released in November of 2001 in North America (also released in Japan on February 22nd and Australia and Europe on March 14th of 2002), the Xbox was Microsoft’s Golden Ticket into the commerce of gaming consoles. It directly competed with Sony to this day, starting with the Playstation 2. It also contended with the Dreamcast and the Gamecube. What gave it an advantage over the other consoles was online broadband connectivity using Ethernet. Players were able to download content and play with others (as well as communicate with them in real time).

Personally, I am an Xbox gamer. I have played on the original xbox since its release. It’s what truly got me into gaming, besides the Gamecube. I was a young gamer, and I dove headfirst into multiplayer. I played classics such as Halo, Battlefield, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. These games guided me through life, especially KOTOR. But I digress…we’re here to discuss the computer systems of this electronic computational apparatus of yore.

In the quote that introduced this blog post, it stated that the four engineers of Microsoft’s DirectX team took apart Dell laptop computers and built the Original Xbox. To clarify, DirectX is “a collection of application programming interfaces (APIs) for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft platforms.” It’s where Microsoft keeps what runs their stuff. And interestingly enough, the X in ‘DirectX’ is where the name of the Xbox came from. Originally, it was to be called the “DirectX Box,” but Xbox was more popular in focus groups and polls. And I, personally, am very glad that it was called the Xbox. It would have been shortened soon enough if it hadn’t. Again, I digress…

This device pretty much brought on widespread gaming. Over the years, the Xbox has seen software and hardware upgrades. The original Xbox was part of the sixth generation of gaming. Now we are in the eighth generation with the Xbox One, which severely fell behind under Sony’s PS4 and Wii U. What happens when too much changes too quickly? People get angry and stay with the older system or switch to the competition. And it saddens me to hear that Xbox 360 (7th generation) will be weeded out by 2016, and I (along with every other xbox gamer) will be forced to make the transition to Xbox One.

"Xbox (console)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2015. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_(console)>.
"DirectX." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2015. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DirectX>.