December 2020 – Benediktson Computer, Inc.

A brief look back on Electronics

I have recently watched a few NOVA episodes on the planets. This lead me to consider the changing electronics we have developed for and used in the various space programs. Numerous advances that we now take for granted were developed to improve the likelihood of successful missions.

From the beginning, the space programs had a need for more durable components. Improved materials to mount switches (transistors) on was an early improvement just as silicon transistors replacing vacuum tubes (relatively fragile by nature) made taking electronics to space possible. Then the development of integrated circuits (a single piece of silicon providing multiple transistors in an even more durable package) further advanced the ability of electronics to survive as well as igniting the race to ever smaller components.

Smaller had an amazing benefit; smaller was intrinsically faster, lighter, and required less power to operate thus reducing the need to dissipate heat. An amazing synergy if you think about it. Difficulties in reliably producing IC’s (integrated circuits) were overcome in the process of each leap to smaller devices. Similarly, smaller size allowed the inclusion of more and more transistors in a single component.

A separate series of advancements was leading to the inclusion of ever more complicated and varied components (circuits) in the silicon (nand gates, op-amps, T-bar, etc.). At some point, the complexity of the IC made a sidestep and the result was the microprocessor. The microprocessor evolved in multiple paths resulting in ever more complicated processors bringing us to current processors and System On a Chip (SOC) packages.

Remember those Apollo missions? the combined computer power (speed, computational capacity, memory, storage) of the computers onboard the missions is easily eclipsed by that in a single $30 cell phone, and mission control’s computers are easily eclipsed by most smartphones.

Imagine The difference in quadrupling computer capacity while lowering the weight from a few hundred pounds down to 1 lb while reducing power consumption from a few thousand watts down to less than 100 milli-watts.

A peek into the future?

C/NET named its top products of 2020 some time back; but, not included in that list were some items that were thought to not be ready for the market yet or the market not ready for them. I will try to highlight a few of these because of their importance in what we face today and tomorrow.

The use of mRNA to produce a flexible vaccine in record time that promises unprecedented success for a vaccine of any type. In 10 short months, several vaccines have been developed, tested, verified and deployment begun. This process is likely to give rise to several other treatments for maladies previously endemic to humanity.

The introduction of WiFi 6 routers (an early name perhaps) bodes well for the many of us who face new challenges in WiFi demand both at home and in the office. Previous generation routers were good enough for what they were designed to accomplish; but, the new demands posed by the responses we have made to the Covid inspired environment lead to far more instantaneous demand of already taxed WiFi resources within the home network or the office network. For instance, managing 2, 3, or more simultaneous ZOOM sessions will overtax current generation routers. The new routers are being designed specifically with this kind and level of demand in mind.

The Apple M1 chip, an ARM chip and close cousin to the System On a Chip (SOC) found in the Raspberry Pi computers brings with it the promise demonstrated in the Pi 4 and Pi 400 computers, excellent performance, low power draw, simple integration, straightforward software adaptation, and easy software development, not to mention excellent flexibility and easy system implementation. Whether Apple can succeed in bringing this family of chips to the market remains to be seen; but, the new benchmarks illustrated give the competition something to shoot for.

VPN’s (Orchid VPN is an example) continue to evolve to provide better protection and protection for more users. Once limited to providing a secure point-to-point network over shared bandwidth or secure bandwidth alike, VPN’s can fill more roles as they themselves mature and as available bandwidth improves. Not long ago a business network was blessed to have 100Mb in-house bandwidth; now, that speed is pedestrian with gigabit and terabit networks coming into their own. With internet speeds exceeding 200Mb common and gigabit internet available (at a price), VPN’s can now provide the kind of speed once only available within the scope of a local network, out into the WAN (wide area network).

The new basics of computing

I was setting up a couple of new computers this last week with an eye towards how I will go about explaining computer basics in the current computer world. Setting up machines from scratch (or from commercially installed windows or Linux, or macOS) has become much more time consuming than I remember it being just 8 years ago when 40 minutes was more than sufficient time to get to the GUI (graphical user interface) and start using the computer. Now, the updates can take forever (1.5 hrs on a fast Debian system to 28 hrs on a fast windows 10 system) and the wait for initial setup simply adds to that (okay, the Linux setup time is very fast if you ignore updates).

So, is the first thing we should discuss when talking about computer basics the need for updates, security, network connectivity, and data security? That could take hours and wouldn’t have the user any closer to typing their first letter; but, they are necessary topics, particularly for those new to using a computer. Perhaps it would be good to back up even further (along the lines of basics) and discuss power sources with an eye to user safety and good long term operation of the computer, protection from power surges, brownouts, and all the other issues that can befall any device connected to the outside world.

Thus let me get on my soapbox and rant a bit. Yes, good clean power and well-grounded data sources are important (some computers do not use a grounded power cord – laptops mostly) and the ground is the preferred route for any high voltage (lightning) events to use instead of the computer or you (so, it might not be a bad idea to disconnect that laptop from everything during a thunderstorm). Yes, updates really are necessary because the threat posed by malware, viruses, hackers, and a host of other sources requires constant improvements in system security. In addition, many new devices coming out on the market require additions to the Operating System in order to work with your computer.

On the topics of malware, viruses, and hacking, a multi-pronged defense is what I currently recommend. First, keep your OS up-to-date (so you are less of a target to known threats). Second, keep a firewall between you and the outside world (either built into a router or running locally on your system). Third, keep and maintain (more updates) an anti-virus product running in the background. And Fourth, choose a “second opinion” malware scanner to use when anything suspicious occurs (because the first target of many hacks is the installed anti-virus)(Malwarebytes, Sophos, and Microsoft all provide reliable such products).It helps to have a very basic understanding of how your network connectivity (access to the internet, wireless printers, scanners, etc.) works. No, I am not suggesting you want to learn about transfer protocols and the like; but, are you connected by wire? Or, are you connected wirelessly by WiFi or Bluetooth? Does the device that connects you to the internet provide an adequate firewall? And, roughly what kind of data speed (bandwidth) does it provide. Generally, your ISP can provide this information either when they connect you up or upon being asked about your LAN (Local Area Network).

Data security, at its basic level, hasn’t changed in 30+ years. Storage devices fail (fact) and when they do, your photos, documents, etc. can be lost if you do not have backups or synchronized copies (perhaps in the cloud), or just plain copies on some other device (a second computer, thumb drive, USB drive, or other backup devices). The same applies when you are working on any project, document, spreadsheet, etc. you need to save early and often and even create multiple copies on occasion. The use of encryption is up to the user in most cases and prevents data recovery attempts in the case of equipment damage or failure while making it very difficult for a successful hacker to get anything useful from you.

Clear as mud? Like operating a vehicle, there is a lot to understand in order to do so safely and efficiently. Various service providers can be quite helpful if asked (they might well assume you don’t need help with the basics). Duplicating important data remains a necessary if inconvenient step.

Raspberry Pi 400

The Raspberry pi 400 I ordered has arrived and working with it has opened my eyes to what I have come to expect and accept from Microsoft and Apple. In the Microsoft & Apple world, computer owners and users are a source of income as well as a pool of alpha and beta testers. How wonderful is it to get paid to have folks test your software instead of having to pay a team of programmers and randomized users to test that software!

Compare that to what happens in the Linux world (the Raspberry Pi 400 runs a version of Debian Linux, or any other OS you care to load that supports ARM processors). Software is developed mostly in the public domain, tested and improved by volunteers driven by a love of the products, the environment, and the community that has grown up around Unix, Multix, and Linux (among a few others – I prefer OS-9) all tracing back to the work of Kernighan and Ritchie.

Back to the Raspberry Pi 400, like previous Pi computers it is comprised of a System On a Chip (SOC) with some interesting peripherals (USB ports, mini-HDMI ports, socket for a Micro SD card, Bluetooth, 802.11 a/c, gigabit ethernet port, all built into a compact keyboard. Provide power, a mouse, and an HDMI display and you have a complete computer more than adequate for all web services, video streaming, word processing, spreadsheet work or play and much more.

This version debuts a 1.8ghz processor with nice video support. The “kit” I purchased came with a power supply, a USB mouse, a mini HDMI to HDMI cable, a 16GB memory card with linux pre-installed, and an easy to read book to introduce you to the system, its OS, and some of the included software. Libre Office is preloaded along with Scratch (a beginners language), Python, and Java IDEs (integrated development environment). A web browser built in Chromium gives good access to the web that behaves very much like Google Chrome. On top of all this, the system boots up into a Graphical User Interface any Mac or Windows user will find familiar if a bit less confusing.For the $120 (including shipping) how wrong can you go for a school access computer, a teaching tool, or a home computer for browsing the web, watching streaming videos, reading and writing email, etc.