Skip to main content

What fascinates me about my work

A computer is an exceptional machine. Fundamentally it performs a single operation. This  computational machine takes in data, processes it and in response generates new processed data.

The language that a computer speaks can generally be referred to as “code” written in some “programming language”.

Using a programming language humans can tell the computer to do operations as simple as the computation of “1 plus 1” or extremely complex forms of computation such as would enable it to continuously scan the sky to collect data, process it, and send out an alarm (processed data) that would tell an operator when an aircraft enters air space that the computer was scanning.

The diagram below describes this.


Using “code” a person can bring life to these sort of systems such as radar systems, Math calculation systems and many other types of systems.

At the heart of each system are a bunch of concepts that when translated into “code” and downloaded into a computer can bring life to these systems.

In my work with systems I am required to understand the concepts behind them and see how they relate with one another. The better and faster I do this the better I do my job.

PS: It is interesting to compare this to the kind of work a doctor does. An anaesthesiologist for example would be required to work with tubes and masks in order to put a patient to sleep. I on the other hand work with theoretical things.

Comments

  1. CNAugust 8, 2012 at 1:31 AM

    Dear Faraz,

    I'm so glad to see this today. You may be interested in my new post?

    http://oneheartforpeace.blogspot.com

    Let's talk computers by email soon.

    And I should share your post here with my doc husband as well.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Faraz HaiderAugust 8, 2012 at 8:19 AM

    This is a very different domain to relate on. how interesting!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Explanation of the movie 'Revolver'

I saw the movie for the umpteenth time last night and I finally got it. This is what the movie says: 1) In every game and con there is always a victim and there is always an opponent. It's good to know when you are the former so you can become the latter. 2) But the question is how do you prepare yourself for this game? 3) You only get smater by playing a smarter opponent. 4) The smarter the game the smarter the opponent 5) Checkers is an example of such a game. Chess is a better game. Debate is an even better opportunity to learn and so on. 6) But the question is where does the game stop? or one can ask what is the smartest game one can play? 7) The answer according to the movie is: "The game of con you play with yourself". ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The text below has been added on 3 Dec 2008 and is based on a comment posted on October 30, 2008, at time 4:12 PM. I have only recently understood what this person meant an...
27 comments
Read more

The bearing Will Power has on our lives

People have moments where they stand up to do what is needed of them. An example can be meeting a deadline or quit smoking. We make these efforts many times in a day, for the smallest of matters that have to be done right. Thus when the ‘will’ to do the right things is strong there are good effects. There are also moments that have had power ‘over’ us. These moments make us uneasy. Sometimes a conversation that we witness or a moment on t.v. or a moment in a movie captivates us so much so that it’s hard to pull out. These moments are my lows where I think I didn’t resist enough. And thus when the ‘will’ to do what is needed is weak there are bad effects. Clearly then ‘will’ is the most important resource we have. More so than knowledge, wisdom or money for if one does not have sufficient ‘will’ all their knowledge and wisdom put together will not be sufficient to rescue them from the moment. ‘Will’ is the tool by which we can move mountains. Somebody has said that ‘will’ is energy and ...
16 comments
Read more

Why feedback is important

We learn about the world as we get feedback from things within it such as from family, friends, mentors and even books. Feedback can tell you where you went wrong and affirm what you do right. It can thus help you predict the future. Interestingly there are people I have met who question the importance of feedback. They say: “I can figure out everything I need to on my own. I don’t need feedback like others do.” This is not true. In fact there is a big danger lurking in this notion. If the world you are creating is your own you might get stuck in it or some part of it and not know what to do next. If however, this world of yours and all parts of it are based on some feedback you will always know who to ask if you get stuck. Somebody once said that "fundamentally we are here not to be seen, but to see" i.e. to see things outside of ourself. You will notice that all growth you have had has owed itself to some consistent feedback. Suppose you wrote an essay. You wouldn't re...
19 comments
Read more