Assignment 6 - Benjamin Givens

Prompts:

1. Write a brief narrative about a man that fills all the characteristics of a modern major general. Be sure to emphasize his traits without directly stating them and give every sentence important meaning.
2. Explain a complex part of a hobby or activity that interests you in a way that could be understood by a "layman".
3. People tend to have almost religious fanaticism for the technology they use and the technological ecosystems they work in. Write about what you use and why you prefer it to the opposition.

Response to Prompt 3:
Many people have an obsession with their "team" in technology. This can be seen in the classic Mac vs PC debate, the PC vs Console debate, the iPhone vs Android debate, and the VI vs Emacs debate. Arguments of which is better can get heated for those that are really invested in their technology. Personally, I prefer gaming on the PC over that on the console so I will focus on that debate. The key difference between playing games on a desktop computer and doing the same on a console is the hardware. Consoles have fixed specifications and cost while desktops vary widely in power and price. In this case, I think that PCs are superior due to the fact that you can purchase the computer that has the right mix of power and price for your situation and you can further bring down the price by cutting out the labor cost and building it yourself. Relating to hardware, PCs also are more conducive to upgrading. Consoles rarely—if ever—receive hardware updates while parts in a desktop computer can be relatively easily swapped out. For instance, I needed more RAM in order to run intensive programs and servers so I went online and purchased some and was able to easily plug it into my mother board. The other factor to consider is software. Consoles and desktops have a different range of available games, though it is hard to make a definitive statement on one selection being better than the other. I prefer the selection on PC, as they tend to have more strategy and less "twitch" games. Finally, it is important to consider that it doesn't make sense to bash one or the other, as the existence of both and the competition between them benefits consumers.