Quotations

Andreas Marx, an antivirus software specialist at the University of Magdeburg in Germany, believes that Trojan horses are “the future of malware attacks.”

 Manny Carvalho, an author at ComputerHaven.info and awardee of the Microsoft MVP in the Windows Shell/User category in October 2003 and again in 2004 says “Imagine if someone had all of their credit card receipts in different manila folders split amongst 7 filing cabinets.  They would have to go from cabinet to cabinet to track down information they might need.”

Lawrence Abrams, the creator of BleedingComputer.com and awardee of a Microsoft MVP in Windows Consumer Security, states that the registry database is a “key component of the Windows operating system. It is so important, that without it, Windows would not even run.”

what i found

• the registry database is a huge cause if it gets corrupted
• file fragmentation is a big cause
• malware is a big cause
• what each of those are
• slowing down of the computer is an effect

what i need to know

• top 3 causes of performance degradation
• what they are
• effects

What i know

• Malware is big performance degradation
• wear
• amount of programs running
• corruption of files

Essay #3 Final Draft

Ben La Scola

Dr. Kerr

EN 101-05

October 25, 2011

Computer Performance Degradation

A common issue for anyone who uses a computer is performance degradation. Sometimes performance degradation goes unnoticed or is assumed inevitable. Performance degradation is when it takes a computer longer to accomplish a task than it has in the past. A freshly installed Windows operating system will boot in under one minute; over time it will slow and take a substantially longer time to boot. The term boot is used describe the process by which the computer goes through when it turns on to load the operating system and prepares the system for use. This is an excellent example of performance degradation. Malware, file fragmentation, and the registry database are the three main reasons for performance degradation.

Malware is not only the biggest problem of performance degradation but it can cause a computer to completely freeze or shutdown. Malware is a term that describes malicious software installed on a computer. Malware is spyware or adware (Holetzky). Key loggers, worms, and trojan horses are all types of malware. Key loggers do exactly what the name depicts, it records everything typed and sends the data back to whoever placed it on that computer (Holznagel). Key loggers are looking for passwords or bank account information (Holznagel). Worms are self-contained malware that can copy themselves across networks or servers. A worms purpose is to slow down or shutdown a computer. The worm accomplishes this by copying itself up to 250,000 times over a period of three hours (Holetzky). This can slow down a computer because the process of copying itself so many times can occupy a large amount of bandwidth and ram (Holetzky). Trojan horses are files that appear to be legitimate and safe however when opened they will put other malware on one’s computer or even leave a “back door” for someone who wants to access one’s personal information (Holetzky). Andreas Marx, an antivirus software specialist at the University of Magdeburg in Germany, believes that Trojan horses are “the future of malware attacks.”

File fragmentation is one of the major causes for performance degradation. As Manny Carvalho, an author at ComputerHaven.info and awardee of the Microsoft MVP in the Windows Shell/User category in October 2003 and again in 2004 says “Imagine if someone had all of their credit card receipts in different manila folders split amongst 7 filing cabinets.  They would have to go from cabinet to cabinet to track down information they might need.” File fragmentation is when files are split into separated parts and stored in multiple locations (What Is File). Fragmentation can occur when files are added, deleted, or changed (Carvalho). The best way to store files on a disk is to keep each piece of a file near each other. This is best because then the disk reader can find the location of the first piece and simply read straight through (What Is File). As files are added, removed, or changed, gaps appear where the data used to be (Carvalho).

The registry database is commonly an unsuspected cause of performance degradation. Lawrence Abrams, the creator of BleedingComputer.com and awardee of a Microsoft MVP in Windows Consumer Security, states that the registry database is a “key component of the Windows operating system. It is so important, that without it, Windows would not even run.” The registry database is used in Microsoft Windows to store information that is essential in configuring the system for the users, applications, and hardware devices (Windows Registry). The registry database can overtime become unoptimized or corrupted from malware, excessive deleting, or incorrect management of files (Kent). The more data that a computer is subjected to the more the database grows (Kent). An example of this is if a flash drive is plugged in the information might remain on the registry even after disconnecting it.

There are many causes of performance degradation. Malware, file fragmentation, and registry database corruption are some of the biggest causes. An effect of performance degradation is the slowing down of a computer and an increased time in accomplishing tasks such as booting the operating system, running an application, and running a program. Malware can be prevented by use of antivirus software and a good firewall. File fragmentation can be fixed by running a defragment program. The registry database can be corrected by following these steps at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545.

Works Cited

Carvalho, Manny. "What Is Fragmentation?" Computer Haven Home. Web. 22 Oct. 2011. <http://www.computerhaven.info/defrag.aspx>.

Holetzky, Sherry. "What Is Malware?" WiseGEEK: Clear Answers for Common Questions. Ed. Lindsay D. Web. 22 Oct. 2011. <http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-malware.htm>.

Holznagel, Fritz. "20 Things I Learned About Browsers And The Web." 20 Things I Learned. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. <http://www.20thingsilearned.com/en-US/malware/2>.

Kent, Hugh. "Windows XP Performance Degradation." Ezine Articles. Web. 22 Oct. 2011. <http://ezinearticles.com/?Windows-XP-Performance-Degradation&id=1170432>.

"What Is File Fragmentation?" Of Zen & Computing - Clear Answers to Common Computing Questions. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. <http://www.ofzenandcomputing.com/zanswers/985/>.

"Windows Registry Information for Advanced Users." Microsoft Support. Web. 22 Oct. 2011. <http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986>.

Essay #3 Second Draft

Ben La Scola

Dr. Kerr

EN 101-05

October 22, 2011

Computer Performance Degradation

A common issue for anyone who uses a computer for any reason is performance degradation. Sometimes performance degradation goes unnoticed or is assumed inevitable. A computer is experiencing performance degradation when it takes longer to accomplish a task than it has in the past. A freshly installed Windows will boot in under one minute; over time the boot time will slow and take a substantially longer time to boot. This is an excellent example of performance degradation. The three main reasons for performance degradation are malware, file fragmentation, and the registry database.

Malware is not only the biggest problem of performance degradation but can cause your computer to completely freeze or shutdown. Malware is a term that describes malicious software installed on ones computer. Malware is spyware or adware (Holetzky). Key loggers, Trojan horses, worms, viruses, and tracking cookies are all examples of malware. Key loggers do exactly what the name depicts, it records everything one types and sends the data back to whoever placed it on one’s computer (Holznagel). Key loggers are looking for passwords or bank account info (Holznagel). Trojan horses are files that appear to be legit and safe however when opened they will put other malware on one’s computer or even leave a “back door” for someone who wants to access one’s personal information (Holetzky). According to Andreas Marx, an antivirus software specialist at the University of Magdeburg in Germany, "This is the future of malware attacks."

File fragmentation is one of the major causes for performance degradation. As Manny Carvalho, an author at ComputerHaven.info and awardee of the Microsoft MVP in the Windows Shell/User category in October 2003 and again in 2004 says “Imagine if you had all of your credit card receipts in different manila folders split amongst 7 filing cabinets.  You’d have to go from cabinet to cabinet to track down information you might need.” This is essentially what file fragmentation is. File fragmentation is when files are split into separated parts and stored in multiple locations (What Is File). Fragmentation can occur when files are added, deleted, or changed (Carvalho). The best way to store files on a disk is to keep each piece of a file near each other. This is best because then the disk reader can find the location of the first piece and simply read straight through (What Is File). As files are added, removed, or changed, gaps appear where the data used to be (Carvalho).

The registry database is commonly an unsuspected cause of performance degradation. Lawrence Abrams, the creator of BleedingComputer.com and awardee of a Microsoft MVP in Windows Consumer Security, states that “the registry is a key component of the Windows operating system. It is so important, that without it, Windows would not even run.” The registry database is used in Microsoft Windows to store information that is essential in configuring the system for the users, applications, and hardware devices (Windows Registry). The registry database can overtime become unoptimized or corrupted from malware or excessive deleting and incorrect management of files (Kent). The more data you put subject your computer to the more the database grows (Kent). An example of this is if you plugged in a flash drive or USB mouse the information might remain on the registry even after disconnecting them.

There are many causes of performance degradation but malware, file fragmentation, and registry database corruption are some of the biggest causes. An effect of performance degradation is the slowing down of one’s computer and an increased time in accomplishing tasks such as booting the OS, running an application, and running a program. Malware can be prevented by antivirus software and a good firewall. File fragmentation can be fixed by running a defragment program. The registry database can be corrected by following these steps here http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545.

                                               

Works Cited

Carvalho, Manny. "What Is Fragmentation?" Computer Haven Home. Web. 22 Oct. 2011. <http://www.computerhaven.info/defrag.aspx>.

Holetzky, Sherry. "What Is Malware?" WiseGEEK: Clear Answers for Common Questions. Ed. Lindsay D. Web. 22 Oct. 2011. <http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-malware.htm>.

Holznagel, Fritz. "20 Things I Learned About Browsers And The Web." 20 Things I Learned. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. <http://www.20thingsilearned.com/en-US/malware/2>.

Kent, Hugh. "Windows XP Performance Degradation." Ezine Articles. Web. 22 Oct. 2011. <http://ezinearticles.com/?Windows-XP-Performance-Degradation&id=1170432>.

"What Is File Fragmentation?" Of Zen & Computing - Clear Answers to Common Computing Questions. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. <http://www.ofzenandcomputing.com/zanswers/985/>.

"Windows Registry Information for Advanced Users." Microsoft Support. Web. 22 Oct. 2011. <http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986>.

Essay3 Thesis and Topic Sentences

Thesis:
The three main reasons for performance degradation are registry database corruption, file fragmentation, and malware.

Topic sentence for paragraph:

1. Registry database corruption is commonly an unsuspected cause of performance degradation.
2. File fragmentation is one of the major causes for performance degradation.
3. Malware is not only the biggest problem of performance degradation but can cause your computer to completely freeze or shutdown.

Essay #3 First Draft

Ben La Scola

Dr. Kerr

EN 101-05

October 18, 2011

Computer Performance Degradation

A common issue for anyone who uses a computer for any reason is performance degradation. Sometimes performance degradation goes unnoticed or is assumed inevitable. A computer is experiencing performance degradation when it takes longer to accomplish a task than it has in the past. A freshly installed Windows will boot in under one minute; over time the boot time will slow and take a substantially longer time to boot. This is an excellent example of performance degradation. The three main reasons for performance degradation are the registry database, file fragmentation, and malware.

The registry database is commonly an unsuspected cause of performance degradation. The registry database is used in Microsoft Windows to store information that is essential in configuring the system for the users, applications, and hardware devices (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986). The registry database can overtime become unoptimized or corrupted. The more data you put subject your computer to the more the database grows (http://ezinearticles.com/?Windows-XP-Performance-Degradation&id=1170432). An example of this is if you plugged in a flash drive or USB mouse the information might remain on the registry even after disconnecting them.

File fragmentation is one of the major causes for performance degradation. File fragmentation is when files are split into separated parts and stored in multiple locations. Fragmentation can occur when files are added, deleted, or changed. The best way to store files on a disk is to keep each piece of a file near each other. This is best because then the disk reader can find the location of the first piece and simply read straight through (http://www.ofzenandcomputing.com/zanswers/985/). As files are added, removed, or changed, gaps appear where the data used to be (http://www.ofzenandcomputing.com/zanswers/985/).

Malware is not only the biggest problem of performance degradation but can cause your computer to completely freeze or shutdown. Malware is a term that describes malicious software. Malware is spyware or adware.

There are many causes of performance degradation but the registry, file fragmentation, and malware are some of the biggest causes. An effect of performance degradation is the slowing down of one’s computer and an increased time in accomplishing tasks such as booting the OS, running an application, and running a program.   

Essay 2 Final

 Ben La Scola

Dr. Kerr

EN 101-05

October 4, 2011

PC versus Mac

     Every day people are debating whether to buy a PC, produced by Microsoft, or a Mac, produced by Apple, but are not always aware of all the facts. There are many things to consider when choosing between a Mac or a PC. There are many features that a PC has. being completely customizable, many additions that can come with it, and all computer games are compatible with a PC. A Mac also has many distinct features such as its security, the software it comes with, and extra small features included such as Auto save or Lion. There are both similarities and differences between a Mac and a PC. There are multiple advantages and disadvantages between a PC and a Mac such as features, software, and security.

     A PC has many features. In addition to just being completely customizable it also can come with additions such as a Blu-ray player, TV tuner, Memory Stick reader, or 3G wireless cards (“PC vs. Mac”). A PC also is compatible with all computer games (“Should I”). PCs are completely customizable because they can be built by the user. When building a computer one does not actually make the parts themselves but one buys all the parts separately, choosing which parts he or she wants to use and where to put them. A PC uses the Windows Operating system (OS), most recently Windows 7. Windows 7 has many features such as Snap, Peek, and Shake which lets one move around their windows in a new and user friendly ways. Other features specific to a PC would be HomeGroup, Device Stage, Windows Media Center, Windows Live, Action Center, and the ability to connect to Xbox live (“10 reasons”). Windows 7 uses several security features like Action Center which makes sure the users security is up to date, and BitLocker Drive Encryption which encrypts the users hard drive data automatically (“Windows”).

     Macs also have many distinct and great features that are utilized by its own OS. A Mac uses the OS X as its operating system(“OS X”). One of the biggest features of X is its' security. It restricts what actions programs can perform, what files they can access, and what programs they can use. The OS X uses FileVault 2 which encrypts the entire hard drive on a computer. FileVault 2 can also encrypt any peripherals including USB drives (“Why You'll”). Some other security features that the OS X provides are Library Randomization which prevents malware from finding their targets and Execute Disable which protects your Mac's memory (“Why You'll”). Another feature Macs have is Lion which automatically creates a new version of a document whenever you open it. Auto Save is another great feature which automatically saves your work every five minutes. A Mac also comes with some advanced software like Garage Band which is a sound studio application.

     There are multiple similarities and differences between Macs and PCs. The biggest difference is the OS they both use, Macs using OS X and PC using Windows. PCs are the ideal computer for gaming because all computer games are made for PC. There are no Mac exclusive games but there is PC exclusive games. The process of upgrading a PC's video card is much easier and has many more options than a Mac (“Should I”). Both Mac and PC can be either laptops or desktops. Using Parallel Desktop you can run Windows and OS X on a Mac at the same time. Both use same web browsers such as Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari. Both can use certain applications originally intended for a PC such as Microsoft Office.

     Although there are many advocates for Macs or PCs being the best computer, neither is simply the best. Each have features that are better than the other. Mac has better and more advanced security features including FileVault 2 and comes with more advanced software such as Garage Band. A PC has a more customizable and a better gaming experience. Both PC and Mac can run Windows. A Mac is better suited for graphical or business uses while a PC is better suited for gaming and simple everyday use.

Works Cited

"10 Reasons to Buy Windows 7 - Microsoft Windows." Microsoft Windows. Web. 02 Oct. 2011. <http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/10-reasons-to-buy-Windows-7>.

"OS X Lion - The World’s Most Advanced OS." Apple. Web. 02 Oct. 2011. <http://www.apple.com/macosx/>.

"PC vs. Mac - Microsoft Windows." Microsoft Windows. Web. 02 Oct. 2011. <http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/compare/pc-vs-mac>.

"Should I Buy a Mac or a PC?" WiseGEEK: Clear Answers for Common Questions. Web. 02 Oct. 2011. <http://www.wisegeek.com/should-i-buy-a-mac-or-a-pc.htm> .

"Why You’ll Love a Mac - It Has a Better Operating System." Apple. Web. 02 Oct. 2011. <http://www.apple.com/why-mac/better-os/>.

"Windows 7 | Security Features." Web. 04 Oct. 2011. <http://www.microsoft.com/security/pc- security/windows7.aspx>.

Essay#2 Second Draft

Ben La Scola

Dr. Kerr

EN 101-23

September 30

PC and Mac

     Every day people are debating whether to buy a PC (made by Microsoft) or a Mac (made by Apple) but do not always know all of the facts. There are many things to consider choosing between a Mac or a PC. A PC has many features like its ability to be completely customizable, all of the additions it can come with, and all computer games are compatible with a PC. A Mac also has many distinct features such as its security, The software it comes with, and all the extra little features included such as Auto save or Lion. There are both similarities and differences between a Mac and a PC. PC and Mac have both advantages and disadvantages with each other.

     A PC has many features in addition to just being completely customizable, it also can come with many additions such as a Blu-ray player, TV tuner, Memory Stick reader, or 3G wireless (“Microsoft”). A PC also is compatible with most if not all computer games (“Wisegeek”). With a PC you can completely customize your computer by building it yourself. When building a computer you do not actually make the parts but you buy all the parts separately and choose which parts you want to use and where to put them. A PC uses the Windows Operating system (OS) and most recently, Windows 7. Windows 7 has many features such as Snap, Peek, and Shake, which let you move around your windows in a new and user friendly way; Some other features would be HomeGroup, Device Stage, Windows Media Center, Windows live, Action Center, and the ability to connect to Xbox live (“Top ten”).

     A Mac also has many distinct and great features that its OS utilizes. A Mac uses the OS X as its operating system(“Macosx”). One of the biggest features of OS X is its' security; OS X restricts what actions programs can perform on a Mac, what files they can access, and what programs they can use. OS X uses FileVault 2 which encrypts the entire drive on your computer. FileVault 2 can also encrypt any peripherals (such as a USB Drive) (“Apple”). Some other security features that OS X provides are Library Randomization, which prevents malware from finding their targets, and Execute Disable, which protects your Macs memory (“Apple”). Another feature Macs have is Lion, which automatically creates a new version of a document whenever you open it; And Auto Save, which automatically saves your work every 5 minutes. A Mac also comes with some advanced software such as Garage Band, which is a sound studio application.

     A Mac and PC are both similar and different in multiple ways. The biggest difference between a Mac and a PC is the OS they both use, Mac uses OS X and PC uses Windows. Another big difference is that Apple actually makes its own OS X but Windows is made by a company other than Microsoft. PC is also the ideal computer for gaming because all computer games are made for PC, there is no Mac exclusive games, and upgrading a PC's video card is much easier and has more options than a Mac (“wisegeek”). Both Mac and PC can be either laptops or desktops/towers. Using parallels Desktop you can run Windows and OS X on a Mac at the same time. Both use same web browsers such as Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc. Both can use certain applications originally intended for a PC such as Microsoft office.

     Although there are many advocates for either Mac or PC being the best computer, neither is simply “the best” but each are better at some things than the other. Mac has better and more security features such as FileVault 2 and comes with more advanced software such as Garage Band. PC has more customizable and a better gaming experience. Both PC and Mac can run Windows. PC is better for gaming and everyday use but Mac is better for graphical or Business uses.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/10-reasons-to-buy-Windows-7

http://www.wisegeek.com/should-i-buy-a-mac-or-a-pc.htm

http://www.apple.com/macosx/

http://www.apple.com/why-mac/better-os/

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/compare/pc-vs-mac

First Draft

Ben La Scola

Dr. Kerr

EN 101-23

September 30

PC vs. Mac

Every day people are debating whether to buy a PC (made by Microsoft) or a Mac (made by Apple) but do not always know all of the facts. There are many things to consider choosing between a Mac or a PC. A PC has many features like its ability to be completely customizable, all of the additions it can come with, and all computer games are compatible with a PC. A Mac also has many distinct features such as its security, The software it comes with, and all the extra little features included such as Auto save or Lion. There are both similarities and differences between a Mac and a PC. PC and Mac have both advantages and disadvantages with each other.

A PC has many features in addition to just being completely customizable, it also can come with many additions such as a Blu-ray player, TV tuner, Memory Stick reader, or 3G wireless (“Microsoft”). A PC also is compatible with most if not all computer games (“Wisegeek”). With a PC you can completely customize your computer by building it yourself. When building a computer you do not actually make the parts but you buy all the parts separately and choose which parts you want to use and where to put them. A PC uses the Windows Operating system (OS) and most recently, Windows 7. Windows 7 has many features such as Snap, Peek, and Shake, which let you move around your windows in a new and user friendly way; Some other features would be HomeGroup, Device Stage, Windows Media Center, Windows live, Action Center, and the ability to connect to Xbox live (“Top ten”).

A Mac also has many distinct and great features that its OS utilizes. A Mac uses the OS X as its operating system(“Macosx”). One of the biggest features of OS X is its' security; OS X restricts what actions programs can perform on a Mac, what files they can access, and what programs they can use. OS X uses FileVault 2 which encrypts the entire drive on your computer. FileVault 2 can also encrypt any peripherals (such as a USB Drive) (“Apple”). Some other security features that OS X provides are Library Randomization, which prevents malware from finding their targets, and Execute Disable, which protects your Macs memory (“Apple”). Another feature Macs have is Lion, which automatically creates a new version of a document whenever you open it; And Auto Save, which automatically saves your work every 5 minutes. A Mac also comes with some advanced software such as Garage Band, which is a sound studio application.

A Mac and PC are both similar and different in multiple ways. The biggest difference between a Mac and a PC is the OS they both use, Mac uses OS X and PC uses Windows. Another big difference is that Apple actually makes its own OS X but Windows is made by a company other than Microsoft. PC is also the ideal computer for gaming. Both are either laptops or desktops/towers. Both can run windows. Both use same web browsers. Both have certain applications such as Microsoft office.

Although there are many advocates for either Mac or PC being the best computer, neither is simply “the best” but each are better at some things than the other. Mac has better security and software. PC has better gaming experience. Both can run Windows. PC is better for gaming and everyday use but Mac is better for graphical or Business uses.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/10-reasons-to-buy-Windows-7

http://www.wisegeek.com/should-i-buy-a-mac-or-a-pc.htm

http://www.apple.com/macosx/

http://www.apple.com/why-mac/better-os/

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/compare/pc-vs-mac

Topic sentences

Paragraph:

1. Every day people are debating whether to buy a PC or a Mac.
2. A PC has many features and options.
3. A Mac has many distinct features.
4. A Mac is best for business uses and such but a PC is best for gaming
5. There are both differences and similarities between and PC and a Mac.

Thesis and plan of Development

Thesis: A PC and Mac have both similarities and differences

Paragraph:

1. Intro
2. all about PC
3. all about Mac
4. compare and contrast the two
5. conclusion

Finding a Focus

My focus will be to find the similarities and differences between a PC and a Mac