A war against viruses

My personal computer bought almost 2 years ago was actually reformatted thrice already. It was reformatted coz of viruses that destructed my system. And that time, we had no other choice but to restore my system back to its original disk drive containing no data. Mr. Voltaire Solamo, my relative and at the same time, father’s trusted computer technician assisted me to the whole process of reformatting my hard drives. He also instructed me to backup my files and it was actually, a tough one. I had to burn all my files to at most 10 compact discs excluding the installers for different applications installed to my system. With the help of him, I was able to recover my computer system to (like) a new one.

I still didn’t have any idea that time that reformatting our disk is not good at all. According to our Data Communication and Networking subject instructor, Sir Ariel Reyes, reformatting the system will cause some crashes to the disk which is not good at all especially if it’s done several times. He added that in the event that there are really destructive viruses that will attack our system, reformatting must be the last choice, actually, as much as possible, it must be out of the choices. It is not advisable to reformat our hard drives whenever we encounter such situation. He said that there are other ways, effective and efficient ways to solve such problems.

Learning that from him, I was able to prove his statements right. I researched for best ways to prevent, protect and secure my system from viruses. There was actually one moment that I have eradicated, destroyed and even fought the viruses in my system like I was in a war with viruses.

The following are just some of my methods to prevent, eradicate or remove the viruses:

• I installed Antivirus software in my computer. These are AVG 8.0 Free Edition and Avast! 4.8 Home Edition. Actually, these 2 antivirus software are not those efficient detectors of viruses. That’s why I paired EditPlus 3 software to them. EditPlus 3 can be downloaded at Download.com. This software is actually, an Internet-ready 32-bit Text editor, HTML editor and Programmer's editor for Windows. But aside from these features, the important characteristic why I am using this one is that on its left pane contains the directory which you can view all your files whether it’s a system or hidden files, under the specified directory. What’s the use of this? When you insert your USB, after scanning it with your choice antivirus software (there are some viruses that couldn’t be detected by any antivirus software), I suggest you to open the directory of your flash disk with EditPlus, change the directory to the letter of your removable disk, then under it shows all files stored in your USB, you should look for strange files added to your removable disk (since you’re the owner, it is just natural that you know or at least, you’re familiar of all files stored in your removable disk). Example of this is autorun.inf, you should delete this file and other suspicious files or folders. And, if you have folders created in your removable disk, you should open at least one folder and in same way, look for suspicious files, if you find them, it is expected that all folders also contain them since if one folder contain a particular virus, expectedly, all other folders also have them. Delete these suspicious files in each folder. Note that you should also be careful on what files you’d delete, if you’re not sure, search for that particular file in the internet and find out if it’s harmful or not. Most of the viruses have an extension of .exe. By the way, if you can’t change the current directory to the directory of your USB, you should change the letter of your removable disk by going to Control Panel (Switch to Classic View)>Administrative Tools>Computer Management>Disk Management>Right Click the Removable Disk then Change the Drive Letter>Back to EditPlus
• The 1st method is to prevent viruses from infecting your system. Removable disks are the common storage media where the viruses being transmitted and reside. If you will not perform the 1st method I’ve discussed and you’d double click the infected USB in opening it (double clicking a particular drive will trigger the virus to execute its application), the system will automatically be infected. The virus now resides in your system and it would be definitely hard to trace by Editplus since it uses different resources already. This time, you should scan your system with very effective Antivirus software. In the event that it can’t still detect such viruses, you should restore the system using System Restore to an earlier time by going to Control Panel (Switch to Category View)>Performance and Maintenance>System Restore (left pane)>follow steps
• The second method is to restore your system at an earlier time when the system was still unaffected by the virus. But you can also manually trace for viruses if you’re smart, patient and wise enough. Just press Ctrl+Alt+Del or the task manager and look for strange processes being executed in your system (this sometimes requires enough knowledge on what are the usual processes being executed in your system). If you noticed something unusual in the list of processes, you should search your whole computer with that particular process name and locate them (some viruses contain the same name with their processes name). Delete them immediately. (Note that you should be careful in deleting system files since you might be deleting important system files that would change the way your computer performs or worst, would disable or destroy your system. You must be proficient enough to perform this method. Anyways, if you’ve done a mistake, you can simply restore it using System Restore if it’s applicable.)
• The third method requires special knowledge, confidence and patience to fight or trace for viruses. This last one requires determination and special discipline. You should be responsible enough to update the virus databases of your Antivirus software to be always protected from the viruses being created every now and then. You should also be persistent enough to do the 1st method to avoid viruses to infect your system. Indeed, Editplus has helped me a lot in tracing for viruses before they transmit or infect to my system.
• If you have any questions or if you need assistance regarding with viruses, you can contact me by sending me an email at glaiyze@yahoo.com. Please indicate the subject as “Virus”.

"You are wise if you can outdo the creators of viruses."

The role of research topic in deciding your future career…

Basically, the research topic is related to our field. Concentrating on the chosen subject will foretell that our future career would definitely be associated with the research topic. As I’ve said, the research topic would concern or relate to the field of Information Technology since it is in this field that we are more familiar and experienced with and importantly, we could simply interrelate with. With this, I could say that the research topic would certainly help me in determining in which track I’ll be trailing in the future. Definitely, the research topic would be a good basis that it is in this particular field I’ve done extremely well and would be a good foundation in choosing my future career. In other words, the research topic is a good determinant in which field I’ll be taking for my future career.

The research topic should address…

Being in the field of information technology, it is more sensible to research topics concerning or related to our field. Firstly, we are more familiar and experienced in this field and importantly, we could easily interact to the topic. For me, it’s desirable to focus on the research on the fast innovations of technology and know what other possible technologies that could help us in our daily lives, especially, concentration on nanotechnology. Perhaps, research on human computer interaction is also a great topic to study. Studying human computer interaction must include the different moral values human should possess in utilizing a very powerful tool, technology. I believe that there are things we need to discover beyond the power of the technology. And these are the humans, who are behind these accelerative thrust. Knowing their basic moral foundation is one of the important things we just overlooked in the past. Maybe, a good research of it would help us be better IT individuals.

a little idea why i chose IT

Ever since a child, I was already exposed into computers. It was in the year 1994 when my father bought a personal computer and I wasn’t Grade 1 yet that moment. Though I was still a kid, incapable to easily understand what computers are, my father had taught me patiently to familiarize and operate it. And I wasn’t like some other people who got this fear on machines, in fact, I had easily loved learning to use computer that time. It was indeed my first extraordinary toy. Pacman was my favorite game that time. And my first word application was Wordstar. Wordstar was actually a very tough one for me that time, to use since you have to always use keyboard commands whenever you want to go to menus, submenus, etc. During the primary years, I already got this good typing speed which I can say uncommon for kids at my age that time.

These knowledge and skills I have in computers continued to develop during the end of my elementary and early years in high school when I started making Microsoft PowerPoint presentations for my father’s lectures and seminars etc. My high school years were indeed, a good break for my computer skills, since I have joined different computer-related contests like PowerPoint presentation, Desktop Publishing, Webpage designing (not quite good on it), which developed more my skills. These are actually division and regional competitions which were certainly some of my greatest achievements in my life. And fortunately, some of these events have brought pride to me, my family, school (Samal National High School) and city (Island Garden City of Samal).

So now, why Information Technology (IT)? Obviously, being exposed into technology at a very early age, and had loved it for more than a decade already, it is just sensible and fitting to choose IT as my field. And also, before I graduated high school, I had carefully evaluated myself in which areas I usually excelled, which in fact, resulted that I generally excelled in Math and computer-related areas. This has helped me a lot in deciding which course is very relevant and suiting for me to choose and take up.

Lastly, technology has done a lot of things into our lives, whether it has caused us bad or good. Choosing this career, I believe, could help me how to balance and live life well.

(By the way, I was still Grade 4 when I first had my ambition to be a computer engineer someday, it was when in 4^th year high school when I changed my mind and planned to take BSIT instead. Aside from Information Technology sounded cool to me that time, I just loved to imagine that people would call me a “software engineer” or a “systems analyst” rather than computer engineer. >>for me lang po ha.. hehehe.. And also, BS in Computer Engineering course was unfortunately, not being offered in USeP)

IT matters

(a reaction to Nicholas Carr's article IT doesn't matter)

Nicholas Carr’s essay “IT Doesn’t Matter” is indeed, a very intriguing and interesting article. It significantly questioned every IT-oriented person on IT’s capabilities and impact in our lives. The whole article doesn’t actually emphasize literally that Information Technology (IT) doesn’t matter, what Carr was trying to point out is that IT has become a commodity, providing little competitive advantage.

Carr summarized it that IT is diminishing as a strategic advantage. This argument was supported by 5 signs that he actually claimed to be indicators that IT buildout is much closer to its end than its beginning. These indications include (1) IT’s influence exceeds business needs; (2) IT has become available and affordable to all; (3) the internet has caught up with demand; (4) IT vendors are competing to position themselves as commodity suppliers, even as utilities, and; (5) the investment bubble has burst that most companies are overspending on IT investments and they get very little in return.

Generally, the article says that most companies have overestimated the strategic value of IT. They have overspent on technology in the quest of surpassing their competitors. They perceived IT as an advantage tool over others forgetting that in order to efficiently make IT as an effective lead in outperforming competitors, they should first know how to manage IT. This was the keyword Carr refused to reveal in his article – IT management.

“No one would dispute that information technology has become the backbone of commerce.”­–this line significantly, is one of the facts Carr has presented in his article. IT has indeed, played its important role in business nowadays, even individual traders have viewed IT as a very important tool in setting up and developing their businesses. However, Carr has stressed out that IT has become a vanishing advantage in one’s corporate. I personally, disagree to this statement since, he perceived IT as hardware and standard commercial software. Competitive advantage doesn’t result from these perceptions, instead, the result must come from the effective management by persons who utilize IT as an effective and advantageous tool. IT, when managed well, is a great advantage.

Carr has also identified that the growing number of IT means has introduced the unmanageable availability and out of control, increased waste and enormous unnecessary expenses. This fact actually, shows the negative side of the emergent number of IT tools, however, seeing the positive approach of it, it must be taken in mind that IT must be easily acquired and made available o every individual so that the global community can increase their standard of living through easier communications and lower-cost transactions. Additionally, the pervasive availability of IT creates new business opportunities for opportunity-seeking individuals.

“When companies buy a generic application, they buy a generic process as well.” I strongly oppose to this assertion made by him. He pointed out that no companies will be able to recognize competitive leads over the other if they’re employing the same application since it similarly, applying the same process. What Carr has missed out in his assertion is that the use of standard or common software does not entirely mean that you are following a uniform process. As Paul Strassman stressed out in his rebuttal letter to Carr’s article, “It is not what you buy but what you do with it.” He also added that Carr most likely used the same MS Word program to write his article as Strassman used in writing his rebuttal letter, yet, they got different results. This significantly means that it is on how a company use or employ the application can make a difference between two companies buying generic applications.

By and large, Carr was like suggesting the following: (a) Cut IT budgets – this proposition was somewhat be changed into “minimize IT investments”. His reason for this is that, companies are investing enormously yet, they’re getting little in return. Cutting entirely the finances in IT doesn’t solve the problem. IT investments need just be properly managed in order to get good returns. (b) Invest only after others have succeeded in experimentation in IT investments – this suggestion is somewhat appropriate. Instead the company has to spend a lot in experimenting what IT means are best to acquire in improving their operation, it’s better to let others do this for them. However, this is just unethical. There are a lot of ways to choose in discovering new ideas without spending much. (c) Delay IT investments since later on, it would be less expensive and more affordable – this recommendation is somehow the reality in the innovating business. Prices on IT tools are dropping and less expensive as new innovations are being introduced in the market. This is a good strategy to minimize the companies’ expense, however, the drawback is, the tool might not fit to the current needs of the company due to the fast innovation that the company might be going through as well. Thus, it needs corresponding innovative tools. (d) Disregard the innovative offers being offered by vendors like software upgrades, since these vendors are just seeking profits for their own. – This is somewhat true, however, it is just appropriate that companies need to upgrade their IT means in order to strengthen or support their normal operations. Fast innovations have drawbacks. These drawbacks must be avoided and prevented by simply, acquiring innovative means to wipe them out.

Recognizing all the ideas I presented and all Carr’s views and propositions, we may independently say, IT doesn’t really matter, or IT never mattered, or IT does and will really matter. Actually, what significantly matters is the human that invent IT, the one who deploy and use it. Like other human undertakings, IT has its own advantages, drawbacks and trends. But it must be remembered that mostly, the application of IT has helped human to solve his problems. IT’s significance is best realized when properly developed and utilized by us—humans. The issue must never be pointed to IT but to its inventor instead. IT will matter if it’s being employed appropriately. As Broadbent, McDonald and Hunter have stated in their article in reaction with Carr’s piece, they analogized IT to a box and quoted, “It’s not about the box; it’s about what inside the box.” To put it simply, it’s not IT itself that matters but it’s the inventor and user of it that really matters. Keywords are the inventor—human and IT management.

Personally, I was impressed by how Carr has presented the facts about the reality in IT world today. His own strategy of comparing the past and present IT was well expounded and illustrated. Reading and comprehending it was actually an added knowledge to me. It was a worthwhile moment to spend analyzing his ideas and perceptions about IT. The article also has able to teach me how to react and contradict to his assertions and notions. I was able to widen my awareness and expand my logical analysis by making my own perceptions and interpretation on the issue. The bottom line is, reading the article was indeed a good learning experience.

The facts he mentioned in the article such as the growing number of IT tools, the increasing number of fiber optic cable installations, the vast number of host computers connected to the internet, the ever-increasing number of sites in the World Wide Web, etc., are no new to me and I find them not really surprising cause I’ve already predicted nor expected that these things would happen. Obviously, these are the things being foreseen by past analysts and it’s anticipated that it would really blow up in the next few years. What really pleased me in the whole article he wrote is Carr’s guts to entitle the article as “IT doesn’t matter”. The choice of article title is badly chosen. The contents of the article didn’t really accentuate that IT does not matter. He never mentioned that IT is not significant and stated that even if IT doesn’t exist life would still be the same. Perhaps, Carr’s absolute intention is to grab the reader’s attention. In this way, he succeeded but honestly, the title is misleading.

After all the facts and flaws in the article have been presented, I can say that IT’s implications and impact to our lives have never been this significant to me. Reading the article, analyzing and understanding it was an additional knowledge and perception that must be valued and kept in my future undertakings and applications. The article radically, helped me to view the words information technology in a broader sense and perceive them with the right understanding and awareness.

Being an IT student, I am really exposed to daily activities that for almost a hundred percent, involves information technology. From using a cell phone—to watching a television—to using a personal computer in making a project, these activities were just once common stuffs to me, but now, equipped with enough knowledge on IT evolution and innovation, I can say that there’s more to using them but, these IT means must be equally managed in every simple way. Indeed, I am already halfway to being an IT professional and to proving that IT does really matter when managed well by its inventor — the human.