Week 5 Update

As discussed in our weekly meeting, here's my (now weekly) update for week 5.  I read a little less this past week due to a lot more reading in seminar.  Even without that, there's only so much I can tell you about my own reading.

Here's highlights:

Some of what I did read about was: installing input devices, installing output devices and all the associated, and possibly useless, information.  For example, the book goes into detail about every video standard ever (more than I think I'll ever need to know, at least).  CGA?  Does anyone even have a CGA monitor now.  320 X 200 with two colors.  I think my kids' toy cell phone has higher resolution.  Oh well.  They say I'll need to know some of this for the test, so I'll do my best to remember it until the test is over.

That said, I do think there is some relevant information that will be useful even after the test.  For example, I might need to know that USB 1.1 works up to 12 Mbps, USB 2.0 up to 480 Mbps, and 3.0 up to 5 Gbps.  I might not, since almost everything new from today forward will likely have 3.0, but I might drag out my 10 year old computer and want to work on it, so knowing about the past could come in handy.

If I'm really bored some day, I can get my Commodore 64 out and try to get it working again too.  The book did discuss modem commands.  I can get the C-64 running, and use its 300 baud modem to dial into, probably nothing since no one uses those any more either.  I'll keep looking for a use of the ancient history discussed in the book.

Next, I move on to printers.  I foresee learning more about dot-matrix printers than I knew back when I had one.  Check back next week to learn where the best place to get your ribbons re-inked is.

Week 3 update

As stated previously, there's really nothing exciting to report in my quest toward A+ certification.  No milestones, no seemingly insurmountable problems solved.  I continue to read and learn.  From what I've read and reviewed, my biggest trouble will be in the technical details.  

Knowing the details of  IDE vs. SATA, for example.  I can look at the devices or cables and obviously see the difference, but knowing the maximum speed or each, or knowing how to describe pin #1 on an IDE ribbon cable is a weakness of mine.  I just know things.

I equate it to giving directions.  I am not very good at giving directions because I 'just know' how to get someplace.  I don't know all the street names.  I don't take conscious note of landmarks.  I just get to where I need to get to.  I'm blessed with a pretty good sense of direction too.  Just recently, with my kids in Seattle, I took a road I'd never been on away from the city.  I had a destination in mind, but was pleasantly surprised when I ended up a block away from that destination even though I had little idea that road would actually lead me there.

In much that way, I've been able to assemble computers, troubleshoot them, and keep them working since I started with my Commodore Vic-20 back, ummm, a while ago.  As I read this last book before taking my A+ certification test, I just hope that the test ends up working out the same way as that trip from Seattle did.