My First Web Page for Collaborative Computing

Class 8 In Class Assignment FTP

Successfully downloaded a readme  file to desktop from

ftp://mirrors.usc.edu/pub/linux/distributions/fedora/linux/extras

by means of Filezilla.  Not difficult at all.

 

Class 8 Homework - Pixlr Image and Review

Pixlr is a great Cloud Based graphics program that has the look and feel of Adobe Photoshop and other similar programs.  Having worked with both Photoshop and Gimpshop (freeware alternative) I found Pixlr very easy to use.  The main advantage of this application over Photoshop is the cost.  Adobe products come with a big price tag.  Another thing I liked was the ease of use and the fact that since it is a web application it is not operating system dependent.  I own an Adobe suite for PC but cannot run it when using Mac OS.  Compared to Gimpshop it is far superior since Gimp  does not have the stability of Photoshop especially when using it with the skin that makes it look like Photoshop.  While operating in a cloud environment would seem to be a good alternative to keeping data on a hard drive that might crash, I have some concerns about security of proprietary images when operating in this medium.

Class 5 Homework - Ubuntu Running in Virtual Box Window on my Mac

I had a much harder time taking the screen capture and posting it then installing Ubuntu and Virtual Box.

Class 3 Homework Review Of Lean Wagon Website

Lean Wagon is a weight loss Website that can be found at http://leanwagon.com.  It seems very easy to navigate and user friendly.  The site offers guidance on healthier eating to lose weight with links to different books and articles relating to eating well and potential habits that will hinder your ability to lose weight.  The site has a questions and answers page where you can post and also offers on line assistance toward reaching your goal through online check ins and access to a peer coach who has used the program successfully.  I could see this service as being quite helpful for a person who has a busy schedule and is unable to attend regular meetings at weight watchers or other groups.  One problem that I did find with the site is they have a broken link. I have included a couple of screen capture to show this.

Although I am logged in to the site as shown by by the first picture I get the error message above when I click on the Following link on the Getting Started Page:  

After You Start

1. Track your progress by checking-in every day. more.   

Class 2 Homework - Logged Into Rocket World

Since there was an issue with the Personal avatar creation I logged in using a guest account

Class 2 Apple Educational Store MacBook Pro Configuration

The Second Configuration of the MacBook Pro which I Considered  upgraded the CPU to a 2.2 GHz I 7 and doubled the memory to 8 GB.  The hard Drive options on this model were to increase the size by 50 % to 750 GB or the drive speed from 5400 rpm to 7200 rpm.  I chose the increased drive speed.  The graphics Card on this model is upgraded to 1 GB of memory. I will leverage the availability of MS Office 2010 through Boston College. This system also includes an upgraded multifunction printer.  The price of this configuration is $2915 before a friends and family discount and $100 printer rebate.  In addition I will receive a $100 credit toward either I-tunes or apps from the Apple Store.  Overall I believe this computer with be the best deal and provide the ability to run intensive applications such as Adobe Photoshop and Arc GIS in a dual boot environment running both Windows 7 and Mac OS.

Class 2 MacBook Pro BC Configuration

The Top Boston College Bundle of the 15" MacBook Pro Includes a 2.0 GHz quad Core I & processor from Intel with 4 GB of Ram and 500 GB 5400 RPM Hard Drive and a 256 MB graphics card  This is bundled together with a 3 Year Apple Care Warranty, Basic HP All-In-One Printer and Office 2010 at a price of  $2019. 

Class 2 - I Reviewed two different configurations of the 15" MacBook Pro