Taking the Pulse - Alex Crouse

This week I really deepened my understanding of how memory works in a computer but, more importantly, learned how the brand choice plays a crucial (no pun intended) role depending on what type of system you are trying to build. For desktop builds we lean towards memory that offers the users maximum power because we are typically trying to get the most out of our system when we use it. As someone who plays a lot of video games, it is very important to have high speeds with a large amount of memory to ensure smooth speeds. Utilizing an AMD CPU allows me to have smoother gameplay experiences because my CPU is memory dependent and scales based on the total amount of memory the system has. I recently upgraded my build and improved my speeds slightly, making my next upgrade a GPU. I can understand now why memory built for servers is built for longevity and stability. They are not necessarily looking for the fastest speeds but the most stable and reliable speed to ensure maximum lifespan.

When it comes to computers, there is always something new to learn. This week I learned that my motherboard keeps a memory of my system's specifications and retains that information to ensure my system is working properly and at the specified voltage. I was unaware this system needed to be manually updated when upgrading between new parts, and when upgrading my RAM from speeds of 2200 MT/s to 3200 MT/s, I did not change the speeds in BIOS after clearing CMOS. I play a lot of games, and after recently playing Borderlands 4 with the performance issues on release, I tried optimizing my system. I realized that the RAM speed was still sitting at 2200 from when I changed it so long ago, and if not for deepening my understanding of motherboards this week, I would have never been aware of this feature. After making the fix, my game runs much more smoothly since my CPU scales directly with memory.

Artificial intelligence has quickly been integrated into much of the technology we use today, and regardless of if you feel it's a good or a bad thing, it is important to understand how it directly affects us in our everyday lives. Dominic-Madori Davis wrote an amazing article that discusses how many companies have implemented what is being referred to as vibe coding, which is where an AI creates code and a senior developer reviews and edits the code. A senior developer at TechCrunch questioned about vibe coding referred to it as giving a coffee pot to a small child to pour for the family.  I believe if used properly, AI can push us beyond our normal limits and help us remove some of the remedial tasks required by many modern-day tech jobs. Using AI to speed up the repetitive coding tasks, however, has its drawbacks. It still requires a developer to review the code and remedy all bugs and unnecessary scripts. AI also was found to manufacture its own results rather than admitting to...