In fiber optics, a dark fiber is any optical fibre that is currently not being used in the ever expanding fiber optics network. Because the fibers have already been laid out, they can be used by anyone should they be leased from the network service provider such as AT&T or Sprint. However, because they are not currently being used, they have gained the name dark fiber or unlit fiber. Why Is There Dark Fiber? The reason for dark fiber is a two fold answer. The first and foremost is the Read More

The portable document format (PDF) was a file format developed by Adobe in 1993. The purpose of the file is to make document transfer much easier. In 2008, PDF became an open-source format. Previously, it had been proprietary. Many web browsers can read PDFs without having to save the file to your computer. However, should you save it to your computer, opening the file is easy.  For the most part, if you double click on a PDF file, it should open right away in whatever program you have installed that Read More

A whiteboard (dry erase board or marker board) is a glossy finished surface that is used with non-permanent markers for presenting information. These boards are now being used more often due to their ease of use, clarity, and cleanliness. The traditional blackboard has been replaced for several reasons: Inefficient – Blackboards are inefficient. Costly – Chalk breaks often and wears down very quickly. Chalk’s durability varies from user to user. So, unlike a dry erase board marker, there is no set amount per use. Easily Damaged – A blackboard may Read More

An Overview on Shutdown Events Computer shutdowns can be sorted into either of the following categories: Expected shutdowns: An expected shutdown can be defined as a computer shutdown which you predict to occur. Expected shutdowns usually occur when one of the following actions are performed: Clicking Start, and then the Shutdown command Holding down Ctrl + Alt + Del, and then clicking Shutdown Expected shutdown can be categorized into: Planned shutdowns: These are shutdowns which administrators have some form of control over Unplanned shutdowns: These are shutdowns normally initiated by Read More

Intelligent transportation systems are projects that aim to integrate modern communication and information technology into existing transportation management systems in order to optimize vehicle life, fuel efficiency, safety, and traffic in urbanized cities. The need for intelligent transportation systems stems from the fact that traffic congestion has been increasing all around the world because of increasing population, increasing amount of transportation vehicles and increasing urbanization. Intelligent highways are the new highway traffic analysis and response technology that will be implemented in major cities in the near future in order to Read More

A high-frequency alternator is an electrical device used for radio communications. It yields high-frequency, periodically alternating current that can go as high as 100,000 Hz for the purpose of producing stable radio waves. The History of High-Frequency Alternators By the first decade of the 20th century, wireless telegraphy was already in place and was no longer a novelty. The problem, however, was that the primary means of wireless communication – the spark-gap transmitter – was seen to pose major problems. For one, communications took place through the Morse Code system. Read More

A PIR (Passive Infrared) sensor detects infrared light that is emitted from objects within its field of view. PIR sensors differ from other infrared sensors because they can only receive infrared waves. Because all objects emit infrared waves (electromagnetic waves that travel with heat), PIR sensors can detect objects that are in front of them. In fact, PIR sensors can detect many things that humans cannot. PIR sensors are used in many applications, such as night vision, motion detection, and laser range finding. How PIR Sensors Work PIR sensors are Read More

MTBF stands for Mean Time Between Failures. MTBF numbers represent a statistical approximation of how long a set of devices should last before failure. MTBF numbers are not valuable at determining when a specific device will fail. MTBF numbers are usually stated in terms of hours. MTBF is often erroneously described as Mean Time Before Failure. Environmental Factors and MTBF MTBF numbers can be radically altered by environmental factors such as improper power and cooling. MTBF numbers can also be lowered by excessive vibration or by many forms of misuse. Read More

A scraper site is a website that displays no original or usable information. This site is usually automated and its content automatically updated by bots crawling all over the web. All the content showed in a scraper site is taken without permission from other open-content websites and their webmasters. Unlike search engines, a scraper site does not direct a visitor to the original site where the content came from. Scraper sites do not respect copyright and repost content without including the original authors’ name and information. In fact, the main Read More

One of the most disastrous things that can happen when using a computer is that the hard drive fails. All of the files that you have are lost. You could hire someone to try and extract the files, but this can be expensive. The better way is to back up your files before the hard drive fails. There are many ways. You can do an online backup. You can put the files on CDs. Or, you can use an external hard drive. The external hard drive acts like a hard Read More