World War OS

Linux, considered by some to be the holy grail of OS.  However if you ask you next door neighbor if they have Linux installed on their computer, would they even know what Linux is?  Why is it that this free software, that is far superior to Windows or Mac, is not a common household name?  The free software movement was initiated by programmers who wanted freedom.  They created a culture of editing and sharing their source code.  However revolutionary this concept may be, the general public does not fit those parameters.  Linux will never dominated the industry because they aren't in the business of spoon feeding their customers.  This is probably intentional, but the very thing that sets them apart is what holds them back from being the biggest name in operating systems.

Cortana: Only Girl in Computer Science

Female representation in computer science is low.  This has nothing to do with a female's ability to program.  In fact the opposite is true.  Studies show that females have an increased ability to multitask, seeing the big picture, and making complicated connections.  Why is it then that female enrollment in computer science has decreased over the past decade?  Simply, women don't want to.  Pressures from society say computer science is geeky and for nerds.  However if females just tried computer science they would find a love for programming.  The issue is there are no outward forces to draw females into computer science.  The connection between computer science and nerdy boys is too strong.  Girls don't see the field as appealing.  We need to help not just women but all people see computer science as the creative and innovative field that it is.

Patent Frenzy

In a general sense the patent system is effective.  One could only imagine how devastating it would be if their invention was ripped off and big business made millions off their brilliant idea.  The problem is when some people file myriad of patents in the hope of cashing in on them later.  These people are called trolls and they hinders the progress of humanity.  Inventors are often stopped or dissuaded from pursuing ventures because of patent litigations which hinder their progress.  The patent system needs to be reworked.  First, holding the patent should require a yearly fee.  This will discourage people from simply sitting on patents with no intent to use them.  Second, which corresponds with the first, The duration needs to be shortened.  Patents need to enter the public domain much quicker, freeing up the entrepreneurial field to new ventures and possibilities.

A New Age & Way To Share The Gospel

In recent General Conferences we have heard the prophets and apostles iterate and reiterate the importance of the internet in connection to the spreading of the gospel.  Prophecies have repeatedly stated that the gospel will reach the "...four quarters of the earth," (D&C 33:6).  However, current trends look down on people sharing their opinions over social media.  We sometimes hear of people griping whenever a political or religious opinion is post on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.  Mormon.org offers a creative and effective way of allowing members to freely share their religious beliefs in a setting where it is not only socially acceptable but encouraged.  All members need to create a mormon.org profile.  They then need to link to it from their other social media accounts.  This is a far more effective way of sharing our beliefs with our non-member friends.  They won't feel like its be shoved in their face.  When they do view our profile though, it will be their choice and they will eagerly seek our opinion.

The Cuckoo's Egg

Computers partnered with the internet are the greatest inventions of our time.  However, with powerful new tools comes powerful new forms of attack and espionage.  It is becoming increasing difficult to prevent these new forms of attack, "...our enemies are no longer known to us. They do not exist on the map, they are not nations, they are individuals. Look around you, who do you fear? Can you see a face, a uniform, a flag? No" (Skyfall).  The world that is interconnected, so interconnected that someone in Germany can infiltrate your system and hack your computer.  I wish it could be reported that since 1986 we have become better at preventing and stopping cyber attacks but the truth is the opposite, it has only become worst.

Hackers can gain access to your system manually or by infecting your computer with malicious code.  The latter method is currently in vogue.  Malicious code can be extremely hard to detect.  If a hacker is serious about attacking your system they can execute what is called a kernel based attack.  The kernel is the brain of your computer, it is where the operating system or OS resides.  Most software you can buy or download is not able to access the kernel so when a hacker performs a kernel based attack, they are incredibly hard to counter.  By embedding themselves inside the OS, they are able to bypass encryption and firewalls and access raw data as it passes through the operating system. 

Trojans, malware, viruses and worms are all ways attackers gain entry into your computer.  They access sensitive information, track your purchasing or search habits, even force your computers perform operations remotely.  Current efforts have only proved to be semi effective.  Anti-virus software works by comparing your files against a database of known malware.  If there is a match, they remove it.  However, there is nothing stopping hackers from updating malicious code so that scanners no longer detects them.  With each advancement in technology, hackers only become more innovative.  It will soon become impossible to predict and prevent hackers from infecting your computer.

If interested in reading more, check out Cliff Stoll's book The Cuckoo's Egg.

"Next Gen" Deja vu

There was a lot of hype when the Xbox One was first announced.  During the press conference, one of the features highlighted was the Xbox One's ability to create persistent "open world" games.  However persistent "open world" games have been around since 1997 with the release of Ultima Online.  Gaming consoles are claiming 20 year old PC features as new innovation.  While there is not argument, "open world" is the future of gaming.  Next generation consoles aren't as innovative as they advertise.  The PC is the only true next generation console.  With better graphic and faster computing, It also provides all the features you'll find on a next generation console.  Its can find games while playing something else, captures video of your greatest gaming moments and host Skype calls as you play.  It can do all this while requiring no subscription fee for online content.  So if you are looking to buy a next generation console, buy a PC.

Xbox One Announcement: Press Conference 

Wave of The Future

Microsoft has a new CEO, Satya Nadella.  Nadella previously headed up the companies Cloud division, which lends an interesting insight as to how the world is changing.  Cloud technology and social media are becoming a bigger focus for every company.  Even next generation gaming consoles such as the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 have favored the cloud and social aspects over pure graphical power.  The future of technology will be seamless.  It will intertwine so effortlessly into our daily lives we will consider it a literal part of us.  Google Glass, SkyDrive, Ustream are all examples of how Google, Microsoft, and Sony are trying to integrate the technology experience into our very nature.  We will never again long for our computer, data will be accessible anywhere we go and we will be able to share it with the world in the blink of an eye.  This is just the beginning, it will be exciting to see what the future holds.

Congratulations to Microsoft's new CEO:
http://gizmodo.com/microsofts-new-ceo-is-satya-nadella-1515655320/@evnarc