The first human clone

Human cloning is the creation of a genetically identical copy of a human (not usually referring to monozygotic multiple births), human cell, or human tissue. The ethics of cloning is an extremely controversial issue. There are two commonly discussed types of human cloning: therapeutic cloning and reproductive cloning. Therapeutic cloning involves cloning cells from an adult for use in medicine and is an active area of research, while reproductive cloning would involve making cloned humans. Such reproductive cloning has not been performed and is illegal in many countries. A third type of cloning called replacement cloning is a theoretical possibility, and would be a combination of therapeutic and reproductive cloning. Replacement cloning would entail the replacement of an extensively damaged, failed, or failing body through cloning followed by whole or partial brain transplant.

clonaid announced birth of "first human clone" on December 26th 2002. Eve was born by caesarean section after being created by Clonaid using a technique similar to that used to clone Dolly the sheep. Clonaid said they had four other mothers expecting to give birth to clones soon and announced a second birth to a Dutch lesbian woman early in January 2003 and a third to a Japanese couple who "cloned their dead son killed in an accident", plus two others in late January. All five babies were said to be well but with no independent verification whatsoever, doubts increased by the day.

After promising immediate genetic testing on Eve and others by independent scientists, Clonaid then claimed that lawsuits launched in the US and the Netherlands were making testing impossible because the courts were likely to try and identify the children and take them into care. This increased scepticism around the world that Clonaid was involved in a major fraud, with the aim of getting more couples to part with large sums of money. In early February they promised testing of the Japanese baby was under way. By early March there was still silence. Sadly another explanation could be that apparently healthy cloned babies have rapidly developed major heath problems (as often happens in animals), or even died.

However one thing is clear: it could only be a matter of time before some team or other can prove that they have won the global human cloning race.

Artificial intelligence - Just a view

CAN MACHINES THINK ? In 1950 Alan turing, considered by some the father of modern computing, published a paper in which he proposed that, "If during text-based conversations, a machine is indistinguishable from a human, then it could be said to be thinking and therefore can be attributed with intelligence. He predicted that a computer will pass a 'TURING TEST' by the end of the century. The Turing test is a proposal (introduced by Alan turing) for a test of the machine's ability to demonstrate its intelligence. It proceeds as follows: a human judge engages in a natural language conversation with one human and one machine, each of which tries to appear human. All participants are placed in isolated locations. If the judge cannot reliably tell the machine from the human, the machine is said to have passed the test and hence posses artificial intelligence (AI). That hasn't happened yet but the question continues to provoke and inspire. AI must be just arround the corner or it might be centuries away.

Artificial intelligence

I have just started some research on AI (artificial intelligence). Hopefully soon you will see some posts on it.

Michael jackson - Moonwalk

Job aspects in IT sector

Nowadays we all know that there is a big recesion going on in information technology field. So it is very important for the people involved in IT sector that what job opportunities actually IT offers to us. The various career paths invloved in IT sector are described below.

PROGRAMMER

Programmers are the information system professionals who modify existing computer program or write a new program to satisfy user requirements. Programmer typically can specialize in one/more programming languages and be trained in university/technical institute. This is a common entry-level IT position.

SYSTEM ANALYST/DEVELOPER

System analysts are IT professionals who specialize in analysing and designing information systems. They actually have some programming skills that are augmanted by greater knowledge of business processes. In addition, analysts use a variety of specialized analysis and design tools. This job also places a premium on communication skills as system analysts must spend a great deal of time with users to determine how best to meet thier needs.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS/NETWORK SPECIALIST

Telecommunications and network specialists have a greater technocal orientation. At higher levels, these specialists often hold electrical engg degrees, although some network specialists may have technical training only in their particular area. This career is both demanding and in demand because thier is critical nature of networks and telecommunication in most organizations.

SYSTEM OPERATION SPECIALIST

System operation specialists keep systems up and running and many have subspecializations with particular types of computing hardware (eg. mainframes) and thier related software, as well as some aspects of telecommunications and networking involved. There are entry level positions where training may be provided by the organization or cantracted out to a training company. As with other areas, ongoing training is always necessary tro keep pace with advances in technology.

BUSINESS ANALYST

A business analyst has IT experience and an in-depth knowledge of the organization's business processes. He or she is often heavily involved with the development of new information systems and act as a "translator" between IS developer and users. This role enables a clearer understanding of business problems and appropriate IT solutions and ensures that the strategic goals and the user requirements are understood and appropriately addressed by the technical IT people.

DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR

Data are an extremely valuable organizational asset for both day to day operations and strategic objectives. Organizational data reside in database that must be designed and managed for maximum efficiency and effectiveness. Data base administratot typically have considerable experience and trainin g in one or more types of database software and hardware. Like many other IT positions, thier position requires strong communication skills as well as technocal training so that the database can be as useful as possible to users.

WEBMASTER/E-COMMERCE SPECIALIST

This new area encompasses programming skills as well as knowledge of as oprganisation's processes. With the advent of the internet and e-commerce there has been a high demand for the people who have professional command of the languages and packages used for website development. For many organizations, the website is designed to transact business and thus requires some very advanced programming skills to link what a client sees to many other areas within the company, particularly database and other IT-supported parts of the supply chain.

So finally we have seen that a career in information technology can begin in different ways and follow different technical and mangement directions.

Evolution of IT

Information technology has been evolving rapidly during the last half of the 20th century, particularly since the 1960’s and 1970’s. The current era has acquired the name “information era”. It has revolutioned the media and modes of computing, storing and communicating information. Today information technology involves more than just computer literacy; it also takes into account how computers work and how these computers can further be used not just for information processing but also for communications and problem solving tasks as well. But what was it before we knew the word “computer”.

Let us now briefly look at the history of information technology which dates back to 500 BC.

1642

First Numerical calculating Machine was built (Blaise Pascal).

1833

The first general purpose computer (Analytical machine that follows instructions from punched cards).

1946

Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator ENIAC was built. It was the first successful high speed digital computer.

1948

Transistor is invented.

1958

First Integrated Circuit is fabricated.

1970

VLSI The entire assemblies became available as computer “chips”. MS-DOS, Unix, Operating Systems, Network, Distributed Operating Systems all came into existence around this time.

1971

First Microprocessor was developed by Intel 4004 ( A team headed by Marcial Ho). The development of this chip meant that computers could become small enough and cheap enough to be owned by individuals rather than only by large companies.

1979

The first electronic spreadsheet program is introduced.

1981

IBM introduces its first personal computer with an operating system developed by Microsoft.

1983

The switch over to the TCP\IP protocol marks the beginning of the global Internet.

1985

Microsoft releases the Windows operating system.

1989

The world wide web project is proposed to the European Council for Nuclear Research (CERN).

1990

Windows version 3.0 is released bringing a stable graphical user interface to the IBM Personal Computer.

1993

The Mosaic NCSA is developed by the National Centre for Super-computing Applications.

1995

The first full length feature movie created by a computer is released, Toy Story.

Late 1990’s

The emergence of electronic commerce.

So that is how technology got advanced from 500 BC to today’s world and so the availability of information.

IT vs. computer science

Many of us confuse the term IT with computer science. Actually computer science is a subset of IT. CS is the academic study of S/W and H/W concepts of computer while IT may or may not use computers. There is a big overlap between the two but IT is concerned more with information manipulation and business requirements. Basically computers and telecommunications are the tools and IT is responsible for using them to make the real world applications.

Basic knowledge on Information technology

Information technology is a broad field that deals with technology and other aspects of managing and processing information. IT particularly deals with computers and telecommunications to convert, store, process, protect, transmit and retrieve information.

Considering science, engineering and technology, science is a systematic and specialized way of thinking. A scientist thinks and makes principles and hypothesis. Engineering means the practical implementation of these principles and hypothesis for welfare of humans with the help of machines that is it takes it to the real world. Technology always deals with OPTIMIZATION(maximum gain with minimum effort) with the help of newer supports like computers and transfer machines. The main aim of IT is to make our information more profitable by making it recent and attractive.

My first blog

Today i think i must get serious in doing something ......

Life is a race and one must keep the pace !!