2 posts tagged “education”

One of my classes this semester is PC Hardware. I'm more of a software person. I can figure out software. I've done a little programming. Software makes sense to me. Hardware, on the other hand ... is like trying to understand Russian via Chinese run through a Greek translator.

We had to team up to build computers (because the school didn't have enough components for everyone to build their own). Hands on learning is important. It's good to know that the processor is the engine and what the motherboard

PC_guts

looks like. I had heard these terms forever, but I never saw the components or knew where they went or how they were connected. So building a computer definitely helped.

In the lab final, the professor took the five computers the class built and tinkered with them so that something was wrong with each one. We were told to boot up and figure out what was wrong.

Now imagine the innerds of a computer. This picture does nothing to impart the plethora of wireage, the absolute morass of multi-colored wires. There are bundled wires, twisted wires, wires with innies and wires with outies, flat wires, round wires, wires that go here, wires that go there, wires that do not, in fact, go anywhere. Now, which ONE is not plugged where it's supposed to be? Hmmmmm?

At the first lab station, I turned the PC on successfully. Both fans whirred away. What's wrong? No beeps. I leaned in to look more closely at the motherboard, as if this would help. I noticed a vhroom ... vhroom ... vhroom sound. The orange light on the DVD-ROM was on. Ah. This must be my problem center. That's great because it's right across from the power box where most of the wires seem to vomit out of.

I tried to see what wire seemed lost, lonely, and unplugged, but every time I moved the mass of wireage around it seemed to hit one of the fans and go ZZZZZZZZZZZAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRK! which scared the bajeezus out of me and made everyone else jump. Then the professor said, "Ten points off if you get your fingers caught in the fan."

Thaaanks, teach.

I turned the PC off and stared into the teeming mass of wires.

Nothing. No inspiration. This is not a good way to start a test.

I went to the other lab stations and discovered their secrets, but that one eluded me—eludes me still.

Curse you, vague vhroom noise and the damn nondescript wire that is your cause!

After everyone was done and we were packing up to go (and because I am THAT student), I finally asked the professor. Now I know what I have to do.

Extra credit.

ATX12V

Dear Don McLeroy and Members of the Texas State Board of Education:

In an article in the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram dated November 4, 2008, one of your members, Cynthia Dunbar, made a ridiculous (although technically Constitutionally-protected) statement regarding President-elect Obama and her belief in some type of “plot.”

Sir, while Ms. Dunbar’s assertions are protected under the First Amendment, so are those of the Grand Dragon of the KKK. Neither one of those persons belong on a school board, much less, sir, THE state’s school board. I question Ms. Dunbar’s ability to make any type of decision. I am actually concerned for her as a human being. Perhaps kind people should look after her in a pleasant, gentle atmosphere where she can be medically treated and put on the strongest possible dosage of lithium her psychiatrist determines she needs.

Ms. Dunbar’s belief in a conspiracy theory of this magnitude, her statements on the record, and her failure to see the advisability of retracting those statements lead an adult with minimal cerebral capacity to question her capability of fulfilling her duties on the Texas Board of Education.

Sir, quite frankly, she’s mad as a hatter, and I don’t want her madness reflected in our children’s textbooks in the years to come. Please do the entire state of Texas a favor and remove her from the Board before she does the children of Texas any harm. And perhaps someone can take her to a hospital where she can be committed before she does herself any harm. It’s the nicest thing anyone could do for her, bless her heart.

Sincerely, etc.