Poet Ponders the Digital

Visalia Direct: Virtual Valley May 6, 2013 Deadline June 2013 Issue BYOPC: Build Your Own PC Building your own computer lets you decide what matters most: processor speed, graphics, storage, sound or something else. Multiplayer gamers dominate the BYOPC movement, with a willingness to spend serious money for every potential advantage over opponents. Vendors recognize this, so many of the parts available target the gaming market. I enjoy assembling computer systems and encourage my students to try it. If you do join the BYOPC ranks, plan to build a powerful, high-end system. First, you will save more if you build a top-notch system. Second, such systems are easier to upgrade and maintain for several years. My experience is that if you plan to spend at least $1000, BYOPC is worth it. If you plan to spend even more, the benefits of BYOPC increase dramatically. Don’t build a cheap computer, unless it is only a learning exercise. I compare building a cheap system to assembling an ...

The first developers of IBM PC computers neglected audio capabilities (first IBM model, 1981). (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Visalia Direct: Virtual Valley December 10, 2012 Deadline January 2013 Issue Dinosaur Me: An Attitude from the Past “Dude, you’re like a dinosaur of the PC era. PCs aren’t cool. We only use them to create phone apps.” My students declared me a dinosaur after I suggested they should experiment with more software and programming tools on their personal computers. What about playing games on PCs? When I was in college, serious gamers assembled impressive PC systems. “Consoles are better. Who wants to mess with computer hardware?” I asked about the Web. “Dedicated apps on smartphones are better. Use the Facebook or Twitter app on your phone, not some cluttered Web page. Dude, seriously, you’re a PC dino.” When a student calls you a dinosaur, even in jest, it seems like a good moment for reflection. As the classroom emptied into the foggy night, I ...

Visalia Direct: Virtual Valley December 27, 2010 Deadline February 2011 Issue Science at Home: DIY Labs and More Model rockets, a microscope, a telescope, motorized kits and various computers enabled my explorations of science and technology while growing up in the 1970s and 80s. During the 1990s, the popular television shows “Beakman’s World” and “Bill Nye the Science Guy ” built on the tradition of “Mr. Wizard.” These programs showed young people they didn’t have to wait for school science fairs to do something fantastic. The science projects were decidedly low-tech, using items like cardboard tubes and plastic soda bottles. Today’s amateur scientists can assemble a do-it-yourself lab rivaling any television show, a lab more like “C.S.I.” than the simple lab table of Mr. Wizard. And, as with any hobby, there are online communities dedicated to home science labs. Many of the participants in these groups are active in the homeschooling movement. Also, many of the people invol...