Unit 5: Taking in the Information

When it comes to learning I know I am an audio-visual learner. If possible I always want to watch a video and next down the list I would prefer instructions with pictures or an audio file to add to plain text. I am dyslexic and I know that I literally see things a bit different than everyone else. I am constantly switching words out of order when I type comments in a discussion so I need to pre-write all of my dialogue in a text editor with grammar checks to bring my eyes in alignment of the words in check. I also turn all of my readings in class into audio files that I can read along with the writings. I do this with a piece of software called Natural Reader. Much of what we get written is available in a text format or I need to change it to that so I can use my software. Doing the OCR text to audio conversion makes the information easier to digest, just like adding pictures to an instruction manual.

Tech Talk

So of all of the reading and videos we had this we I really enjoyed the videos. I have to admit I didn't get much of out the Ethernet cable video (GetConnected - Tech Talk - Ethernet Cables and Router Speed) At least for right now the information about different types of Ethernet cables is pretty useless for me. Down the road if I’m networking my house if might come in useful.

The History of Ethernet

The video about the creation of Ethernet narrated by Bob Metcalfe (the inventor of Ethernet) was very interesting. I love listening to stories about the creation of technology.  He was the first person in history asked to network a bunch of computer together, which is pretty cool. (The History of Ethernet) I found the titling of Ethernet to be very interesting. It came for the 19^th century and the name was taken from the luminiferous ether  which is the medium between the sun and the earth.

Warriors of the Internet

Lastly it was nice to watch a video about how the internet works and the story is a very interesting narrative. “People and machinery are working together, realizing a dream.” ‘Warriors of the Net’ makes its tale epic when its story takes place in such a small speck of existence. On the other hand, everything that happened between a computer across the vast internet is important to each and every user who sets out to send or load data. It also put this week’s lecture into perspective for me.