OCC BLOG

Hello Smart Board!!!

2011-10-19T07:59:00.000-07:00

Over the summer the Computer Labs where involved with the installation and introduction of something called a Smart Board, an interactive whiteboard.

It was new to some of us and we where a bit hesitant at replacing the conventional whiteboard and classroom projector with this single device that complements the class room computer.

Traditionally a teacher would use the whiteboard/blackboard to write information for the student and the computer and projector to display PowerPoint or demonstrate something.

When the teacher is in front of the class writing, the students are connected and engaged with the teacher. But when the teacher steps away from “center stage” to a side desk or podium where the computer is, that connection is partially lost.

Some teachers use clicker type devices to cycle through PowerPoint without having to be behind a desk. This option is not available in every class.

In comes the Smart board interactive white board. It consists of a special whiteboard with a small projector sitting on top and cameras in the corners. This allows it to record something touching the screen like a pen or a finger.

It records these inputs and replicates them onto the computer as writing or drawing. This allows the Smart board to work like a regular white board. The advantage of doing this on a computer is that whatever you write can now also be saved and shared.

Also by using a Smart Board, since it is another input device, you can now do everything you would be able to do behind the computer on the screen itself. This keeps the student engaged on the teacher and the lesson.

Your finger becomes the mouse pointer and can do many of the mouse functions. If you need a keyboard, there is a button that brings up an onscreen keyboard.

Also it is not limited to one input. It can have a maximum of two inputs; so two people can be using it at the same time allowing for some interactive group work.

It definitely changes the classroom environment and makes it a more interesting and interactive experience. A welcome addition to any classroom.

What is “Cloud” and what does it have to do with my device or computer? - Part 1

2011-06-30T10:03:00.000-07:00

Cloud computing has been around for awhile now in some shape or form. It’s basically the internet and storing user information online so that they can access it online.

Users already store information online with emails, photos, etc. It has only garnered interest in the public recently with big companies like Amazon, Google and Apple adopting the word for their services. They are expanding the service to include stuff like movies and music and allowing users to interact to their content online from multiple devices.

It is basically a large collection of your personal data, hosted and stored on a company’s online server, so that you can access it anywhere from any device you own that supports the service. The information is stored on secure data centers run by the company you choose to have the service with. It is protected and can only be accessed by the user.

So why are companies and consumers interested in Cloud technology? Big companies are adopting it because it makes it easier to access information or data, from anywhere and any device. And that is an impressive thing to have for something like music, pictures and software a user has bought. Itunes with Icloud will be offering a way to access your music from anywhere and any device, Ipod, Iphone, Mac, PC, etc. without any wires or connection to a computer, but by simply accessing your Icloud account and updating your last saved settings.

I will be posting more on this topic over the summer while introducing readers on how consumer companies like Microsoft, Apple, Google, etc are using this technology.

OCC has expanded

2010-01-27T15:08:00.000-08:00

This semester Open Computer Center has expanded the number of class rooms with computers that we are in charge of.

The old rooms consisting of AA155, AA156 and AA159 will continue to function the same way with 155 as an Open lab and 156 doubling as open lab and class room, while 159 remains as class room.

The hours of the open lab are Monday to Thursday 8AM - 10PM with Friday 8AM - 5PM and Saturday 9AM - 5PM. Sunday remaining closed.

Additional to these labs is the World Language Lab in room AA160 with Hours 2PM - 4PM Monday to Thursday and 9AM - 5PM on Fridays.

Another Open Lab is available in AA428 Monday - Friday from 9AM - 5PM. Other labs in that area that are monitored by OCC are AA414, AA415, AA444, AA446, AA447 as well as support for AA377 and AA477.

Over at the engineering building in room AE206 open weekdays.

Google Docs

2009-07-30T15:42:00.001-07:00

Have you ever wanted to write a paper, work on a spreadsheet or even work on a presentation, only to discover that the computer you are using does not have the necessary tools you need. You may be using a public computer or may be using a computer that does not have the latest version Microsoft Office. Or all you have to work with on the computer is a stable connection to the internet.

Well Google has thought about this and part of Google’s work to expand its usefulness beyond being the best online search engine has developed many tools for online users. Google Docs is Google’s online solution to Microsoft Office.

Google Docs provides three of powerful applications for free named Document, Spreadsheet and Presentation. It also provides users with the option of sharing documents with other users who can also be allowed to edit them. This allows for faster work on group projects that require many people to edit documents.

Document is similar to Microsoft Word allowing a user to type and edit documents. It even allows the user to save as a Microsoft Word format or even upload Word documents to be edited in Google Docs.

Spreadsheet is similar to Microsoft Excel allowing users to work on spreadsheets from excel files or from new files created on Google Docs.

Presentation is similar to Microsoft Powerpoint allowing the user to make PowerPoint style presentations. Users can upload there existing PowerPoint files or even make new ones with some of the templates that Google Docs has.

Form is another tool that works differently from Microsoft Office tools allowing the user the ability to make customizable forms that can be shared or used in conducting surveys easily.

The best part about using Google Docs is that all the documents are stored online and can be downloaded if needed. Because they are stored online they can be easily shared with others or can be accessed from any device that has access to the internet.

Another good thing about Google Docs is that because it is a free online program there are online communities that work to help people. Google Docs Community is an online resource that has usefull youtube videos about Google Docs.

Also because Google Docs is online many user created Templates exist making it easy to get work done.

Anyway I hope this post has been useful.

Microsof Office 2010

2009-07-16T15:54:00.000-07:00

The new Microsoft Office 2010 builds upon its predesesor but the biggest news to come out of Microsoft is that it will support a lighter version that is online only, that can be acquired for free.

So far they have previewed the software version but will be showcasing the online version soon.

Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10284280-56.html

PortableApps.com

2009-02-16T17:47:00.000-08:00

USB/Flash memory drives are very useful for storing information. But did you know you can expand the use of a USB drives by adding programs.

Portable programs are designed with one thing in mind, the ability to run from portable devices like USB drives or flash memory without installing itself on the computer it is connected to.

PortableApps.com is one of my favorites tools to have on a flash drive. As described on there site: a portable app is a computer program that you can carry around with you on a portable device and use on any Windows computer. When your USB flash drive, portable hard drive, iPod or other portable device is plugged in, you have access to your software and personal data just as you would on your own PC. And when you unplug the device, none of your personal data is left behind.

Once I installed the ProtableApp menu here are some useful things to have on your USB flash drive:

Web Browser and Email: Mozilla Firefox Portable is currently my favorite web browser. Having a portable version with me allows me to have all my bookmarks and Firefox settings with me everywhere I go. Any extension and add ons installed will also be available on any computer the USB drive plugged into. Mozilla Thunderbird Portable is my first choice for email program. It functions like outlook but has the added support of add ons and extensions, allowing you to customize it.
Scheduling/Calendar: Mozilla Sunbird Portable is a great calendar and scheduling program and you can even get an add on that displays Sunbird information in Mozilla Thunderbird.
Office Suite: Open Office is a complete Office Suite offered for free from OpenOffice.org but available on PortableApps you can get a portable version to carry with you on your USB drive.

I will be highlighting these tools in more detail in the future as well as other portable applications available on the site PortableApps.com

Announcing the new Open/Group Study Computer Lab at the Alexandria Campus

2008-09-18T16:28:00.000-07:00

We’re pleased to announce the opening of the new open/group study computer lab located at the Alexandria Campus in Room AA161 which used to be the old Math Lab. We had a vision to add an additional computer lab since we are usually over crowded with students especially during exam time. We also had an urgent need for a computer lab that will be accommodating for group study and group project work space for students. We noticed that the Math lab although very usefully to students, the current space and number of workstations was being underutilized. Abid Mahmood a Supervisor at the Open Computer Center of Alexandria campus came up with a great idea to convert the Math Lab to an Open/Group study lab for students.

The new setup would provide students an informal work environment where students could perform group work involving computer resources including scanners, receive tutoring, and use available network drops for use with their laptop computers. This newly created lab will also support wireless internet access for students.
Thanks to Mr. Mahmood’s hard work and dedication, students now have a place to go to for group projects, group study and a place where they can also practice their group presentation. This room will also serve as an overflow backup computer lab during exam time and peak hours on first come first serve basis.
OCC Staff

Insider Secrets: Customize Google with Firefox extensions

2008-09-17T07:28:00.000-07:00

In this Insider's Secret, Molly Wood CNET's Executive Editor shows you three Firefox extensions that lead to faster, safer, and smarter Google searches using Firefox browser.

The three Firefox extensions are:

CustomizeGoogle
CustomizeGoogle is a Firefox extension that enhances Google search results by adding extra information (like links to Yahoo, Ask.com, MSN etc) and removing unwanted information (like ads and spam).

GooglePreview
Inserts preview images (thumbnails) of web sites into the Google and Yahoo search results pages.

McAfee SiteAdvisor
When you search with Google, Yahoo!, or Live Search, SiteAdvisor's safety ratings appear next to search results.

Watch the CNET video below for more information and demonstration

Google Chrome (BETA) for Windows

2008-09-03T16:06:00.000-07:00

A new open source browser from Google

Like the classic Google homepage, Google Chrome is clean and fast. It gets out of your way and gets you where you want to go. Under the hood, they were able to build the foundation of a browser that runs today's complex web applications much better. By keeping each tab in an isolated "sandbox", they were able to prevent one tab from crashing another and provide improved protection from rogue sites. They improved speed and responsiveness across the board. They also built V8, a more powerful JavaScript engine, to power the next generation of web applications that aren't even possible in today's browsers.

This is just the beginning - Google Chrome is far from done. They've released this beta for Windows to start the broader discussion and hear from you as quickly as possible. They're hard at work building versions for Mac and Linux too, and they’ll continue to make it even faster and more robust. They owe a great debt to many open source projects, and they’re committed to continuing on their path. They've used components from Apple's WebKit and Mozilla's Firefox, among others - and in that spirit, they are making their entire code open source as well. They hope to collaborate with the entire community to help drive the web forward.

The web gets better with more options and innovation. Google Chrome is another option, and they hope it contributes to making the web even better.

Features

Google Chrome is a browser that combines a minimal design with sophisticated technology to make the web faster, safer, and easier

• One box for everything
• New Tab page
• Application shortcuts
• Dynamic tabs
• Crash control
• Incognito mode
• Safe browsing
• Instant bookmarks
• Importing settings
• Simpler downloads

You can also watch short video clips by following the link below to learn more about the new Google Chrome features.

http://www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/features.html

I did work...

2008-08-29T11:01:00.000-07:00

www.ididwork.com is a great site to keep track of individual or team work. It is a online work log and can be useful for free lance workers.

Things looking bad for Vista

2008-08-29T10:31:00.000-07:00

Interesting Contest

2008-08-29T09:54:00.001-07:00

CPU(Central Processing Unit) vs. GPU(Graphics Processing Unit)

Fall Semester Hours

2008-08-22T08:56:00.000-07:00

Open Computer Center Fall Semester Hours

Mon 8:00AM - 10:00PM
Tue 8:00AM - 10:00PM
Wed 8:00AM - 10:00PM
Thu 8:00AM - 10:00PM
Fri 8:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Sun Closed

New Look

2008-08-21T10:27:00.000-07:00

Currently changing the look of the blog. Check back later...

New Apple iPhone

2008-06-12T14:19:00.000-07:00

The iPhone 3G is the next version of the popular iPhone. It comes with features like 3G wireless technology, GPS mapping and support for enterprise software like Microsoft Exchange along with all the other features available to the first iPhone. It comes out July 11th. Read more at www.apple.com/iphone/features

New Poll

2008-06-04T15:28:00.000-07:00

New Poll is up on the side bar. I am looking for ideas on what to tutorials to write on this blog or topics of interest to the readers. Based on the results I will start a summer tutorial series starting with basics and entering into advanced topics or cover more news on the selected topic.

The Poll topic choices are:

Programming
Blogging
Web Design and Coding
Games

Touch enabled Windows coming soon...

2008-06-04T14:56:00.000-07:00

Microsoft is working a new Windows that uses its mutli touch technology. Windows 7 was previewed at the D conference in Carlsbad, CA. It is set to debut in 2009.

Check out the story at: http://www.insidetech.com/news/2195-microsoft-shows-off-touch-enabled-windows-7?referral=IT_nlet

Summer Hours

2008-06-04T14:31:00.000-07:00

There is a small change this summer with our saturday hours. Saturday we will be closing at 1:00 PM instead of 5:00PM.

Updated hours.

Open Computer Center Summer Hours
Mon 8:00AM - 10:00PM
Tue 8:00AM - 10:00PM
Wed 8:00AM - 10:00PM
Thu 8:00AM - 10:00PM
Fri 8:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat 9:00AM - 1:00PM
Sun Closed

Free Stock Ticker

2008-01-05T08:57:00.000-08:00

Free Stock Ticker is an intuitive simple program that tracks your stocks in almost real time by scrolling their quotes across an attractive bar. You can configure everything about the stock ticker in easy to access menus with drag and drop interfaces. The stock ticker has customizable skins and uses an automatic updater so that the version is always updated. The best part is that this is freeware and never requires registration.

Free Stock Ticker

Semester Break

2007-12-05T14:48:00.000-08:00

The OCC will be closed for maintenance and cleaning during the semester break.

Welcome to OCC

2007-08-22T15:14:00.000-07:00

Welcome to NOVA new students and welcome back returning students. OCC blog is another source of information on the Alexandria Campus Open Computer Center. Check back here throughout the semester for news, tutorials and other information about the OCC.

OCC - Global Trading Center - Finshed Room

2007-08-09T18:25:00.000-07:00

All the Computer Screens and Computers are up. Furniture and wiring is complete. The Ticker and Watches have been set up. The Classroom of tomorrow is ready for launch. Good work everyone.

Wondering where your favorite Office 2003 commands are located in the new Office 2007 interface?

2007-07-20T08:54:00.000-07:00

Or just want to explore the rich, new design with a little guidance?

Microsoft has setup some interactive guides that will display a Microsoft Office 2003 tool bar and when you point to it, it will automatically show you how to find the same function in the new Office 2007.

You can use the guides directly from the site, or download them to your own computer for use any time you like.

Guides to the 2007 Office System user interface

OCC - Global Trading Center - Furniture

2007-07-16T05:27:00.000-07:00

The furniture came in last Friday and was assembled. So the remaining chairs, mounts for the dual screen monitors and computers are left. Once those are in and the watches with different world time are set up, the center should be fully functional and ready for opening.

Microsoft Surface

2007-07-05T16:19:00.000-07:00

There is a new and exciting technology that the people at Microsoft have been working on called Surface. It uses a multi-point touch screen technology similar to what is used in the military for maps and can be seen in action on the new apple iphone.

Surface is the first commercially available surface computing platform from Microsoft Corporation. It turns an ordinary tabletop into a vibrant, interactive surface. The product provides effortless interaction with digital content through natural gestures, touch and physical objects. In essence, it’s a surface that comes to life for exploring, learning, sharing, creating, buying and much more. Soon to be available in restaurants, hotels, retail and public entertainment venues, this experience will transform the way people shop, dine, entertain and live.

Surface is a 30-inch display in a table-like form factor that’s easy for individuals or small groups to interact with in a way that feels familiar, just like in the real world. Surface can simultaneously recognize dozens and dozens of movements such as touch, gestures and will be able to recognize actual unique objects that have identification tags similar to bar codes.

If this technology gets ported to schools, it would make an interesting and new highly advanced class room. Imagine seeing what the teacher is presenting on the desk in front of you and being able to do other things like take notes and zoom into diagrams or slides.

(Information from the www.microsoft.com/surface)