#IT Knowledge
58 posts
A History of Computer Viruses and Ransomware
Traces how malware evolved from pranks into organized crime, following a chronological path from the first self-replicating program in 1971 to the WannaCry ransomware outbreak in 2017.
IT Literacy for Non-Developers #3: Servers, the Cloud, and Deployment
This post explains what developers mean when they say "the server is down," "we're deploying right now," or "it's live in production" - without any code. It walks non-developers through where the backend actually runs, and what servers, the cloud, and deployment really are.
The Cloud Is Just Renting Someone Else's Computer
This post defines the cloud in plain terms anyone can follow, explains why you rent servers instead of buying them, and shows how that connects to services like AWS.
IT Literacy for Non-Developers #2: What Is an API? — The Promise That Lets Services Talk to Each Other
This post explains APIs, a term developers use constantly, without any code. It walks through how requests and responses follow a fixed format, and how external APIs like maps and payments work.
How Open Source Changed the World
Open source is software that publishes its source code so anyone can read it, modify it, and redistribute it. This article explains in plain terms how a movement that began with GNU and Linux grew into the foundation of all modern IT.
IT Literacy for Non-Developers #1: What Is a Website Made Of? — Frontend, Backend, and Database
The three things planners, designers, and marketers should learn first when working with developers. This post explains, without any code, how the websites and apps we use every day are split into three layers: frontend, backend, and database.
How Computers Represent Everything in 0s and 1s
An intuitive explanation of how computers ultimately handle text, numbers, images, and sound as nothing but 0s and 1s, written so that non-programmers can follow along.
Where the Word "Bug" Came From — The Story of the First Computer Bug
This post traces the origin of the word "bug" through Grace Hopper and the 1947 moth incident, and reveals the twist that the word actually existed long before that.
What is a hacker? Stories of famous hackers
As the IT industry grows, interest in computer security keeps rising. Whenever security comes up, the word "hacker" follows. Hackers are often grouped into several labels - white hat hacker, black hat hacker, cracker, hacktivist, and more. Today we'll look at what a hacker is and what each of those labels actually means.
Why Everyone Should Learn Programming
Today I'd like to talk about why everyone should learn programming. If you're thinking about how to help your child or yourself develop this skill, please read this post to the end.