Название: How Things Work: The Technology Edition
Автор: Charles F. Bowman
Издательство: CRC Press
Серия: How Things Work
Год: 2023
Страниц: 284
Язык: английский
Формат: pdf (true)
Размер: 11.4 MB

It is beyond trite to say that technology is prevalent in our daily lives. However, many of us remain clueless as to how much of it works. Unfortunately, even for the curious among us, the Web is not always the best vehicle to acquire such knowledge: Information appears in fragments, some of it is incorrect or dated, and much of it serves as jargon-laden discussions intended for professionals. How Things Work: The Technology Edition will serve as a compendium of tutorials. Each section will focus on one technology or concept and provide the reader with a thorough understanding of the subject matter. After finishing the book, readers will understand the inner workings of the technologies they use every day and, more importantly, they will learn how they can make these tools work for them. In addition, the book will also inform readers about the darker side of modern technology: Security and privacy concerns, malware, and threats from the dark web.

Broadly speaking, we can divide software into two major categories: System and application. For the most part, system software runs behind the scenes. Its responsibilities include managing the hardware, protecting the system from unauthorized access, and performing routine maintenance. The term application software refers to programs designed for users which perform clearly defined functions: Browsers, email apps, word processors, social media services, and eReaders (which you might be using right now to read this book). Although we’re off to a good start, these two classes are too broad and require further refinement. Supplied by hardware vendors, BIOS, an acronym that stands for Basic Input/Output System, introduces us to a type of system software called firmware. Conceptually, firmware is like the other types of software we’ve already discussed. The difference is the level of control. In modern digital devices, engineers design circuitry so that software (i.e., its firmware) controls its operation. Thus, designers can modify and extend firmware to meet changing demands without replacing or upgrading the underlying hardware. In some sense, this means that even hardware has become programmable. The next layer in our software stack is the OS and its associated utility programs. Let’s begin with the OS proper. An operating system oversees and controls access to all system resources (both hardware and software) and manages the execution of all application programs. Working behind the scenes, operating systems host applications and manage access to all system resources. Most digital computing devices (PCs, smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, etc.) rely on the OS for overall command and control. And although you’re likely familiar with the names of some of the more popular products—MS Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS—you might not be aware of what they do because you rarely interact with them directly.

Artificial Intelligence is a machine’s ability to simulate the cognitive capabilities of human beings. Broadly speaking, we can group AI solutions into three distinct categories. Weak1: We define a weak AI solution as one that can perform a single task better than a human being—this represents the current state of AI technology. Examples include chess games, smart assistants (e.g., Google Home, Alexa, Siri), language translators, and self-driving cars. Despite their almost fantastic ability to perform human-like tasks, we classify these AI solutions as “weak” because they don’t possess human-like intelligence. Specifically, they are not self-aware and don’t think in any human sense of the term. Strong: We define a strong AI solution as one that can perform any intellectual task associated with human capabilities. Such machines are sentient and self-aware and can reason, think, and emote like their human counterparts. At the time of this writing, this is the stuff of science fiction. Super: If ever achieved, super AI will surpass human intelligence. This potential future capability fuels the fears of individuals who believe machines will one day lead to the demise of the human species. We’ll return to this concern later in this chapter.

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction. a. Technology is Everywhere. b. Benefits of Modern Technology. 2. About This Book. a. Overview of Modern Technology. b. Conceptual Understanding. i. Not a Textbook on Computer Science. ii. Not a Textbook on Programming. c. Organization. i. Can read each section independently. ii. Occasionally, later material relies on earlier sections. 3. How Do Cell Phones Work? a. LTE. b. 4G. c. 5G. d. Texting. 4. How Does GPS Work. a. Digital Maps. b. Directions. 5. How Do Computers & Smartphones Work. a. Major Components. b. Program Execution. 6. What is an Operating System? a. Kernel. b. Device Drivers. 7. How does Software Execute? a. Launch. b. Execution. 8. How Do You Build Apps? a. Programming. b. Compilation. 9. How Do Computers Communicate? a. Protocols. b. TCP/IP. c. Wi-Fi. d. Bluetooth. 10. How Does the World Wilde Web Work? a. DNS. b. URLs / URIs. 11. How Does Email Work? a. Sending Email. b. Mailer Daemon. c. Receiving Email. d. Simple Network Management Protocol. e. Attachments. 12. How Do Web Pages Work? a. Browsers. b. Servers. c. File Download & Upload. d. Music & Movie Streaming. e. Shazam? 13. What is IoT? a. Smart Homes. b. Smart Offices. c. Privacy Concerns. 14. What are Smart Devices? a. Alexa. b. Google Home. c. Z-Wave & Smart Products. 15. What is Malware and the Dark Web? a. How Does a Virus Attack? b. How Does a Virus Spread? c. What is Ransomware? d. How Secure are You? e. What Can You Do? 16. What is Artificial Intelligence. a. Neural Networks. b. Machine Learning. 17. What’s on the Horizon? a. Technologies of the Future. b. Suggestions for the Reader.