Donnie Jenkins, Tech Talk

This week we’ll dip into the email bag.

Q: I keep reading about software called “virtual machine.” What is that? A: There are several makers of virtual-machine products, some of which are called Parallels, Vmware and Fusion. These programs set aside a portion of your computer’s memory and hard drive to use to create a virtual machine, basically a computer within a computer. It is virtual because it uses system resources to exist, not extra hardware. You open the virtual machine much like you do a program, and you can close it at any time.

Once set up, the virtual machine allows you to load a separate operating system, such as Linux, or a second Windows system. You then use this virtual OS as if it were another computer. This lets you set up entirely separate working environments, very useful for software testing.

Be aware that your computer must have enough memory and hard-drive space to support your primary OS and any virtual machines you create. You are basically dividing your system’s resources.

Q: My friend leaves his computer on and connected to the Internet all the time, but I’m not sure that’s a good idea. What are your thoughts?

A: My first thought is that your friend is asking for trouble and lots of it, especially if he has a broadband or fast Internet connection. It’s now becoming clear that no one can really keep up with the pace of virus and malware programs being spread on the Internet. In the past just running a good firewall, as well as anti-virus and spyware protection, could keep your system safe. This may no longer be true. I recently worked on a computer that was running excellent firewall and security software, and still it had become infected and damaged. It had become a “zombie” with a Trojan Horse that was sending thousands of spam e-mails per hour, resulting in my friend’s email account being canceled. I now routinely unplug my Internet connection anytime I’m away from my computer for more than a few minutes.

While this is probably overprotective, I’d rather err in this direction rather than to have to spend a day or two fixing my system.

Q: Which is more important in choosing a computer, the speed of the processor or the amount of system memory?

A: These are both important aspects to consider in your purchase decision. If you are buying an inexpensive system, the amount of memory becomes very important for two reasons. Your system will have a slower processor at that price point, and your graphics chip will almost certainly be integrated onto the computer’s motherboard. This means that the graphics system will use part of your main memory, not dedicated memory as on a separate graphics card.

Bottom line: Always buy a system with as much memory as you can afford, especially if the system is using a 64-bit version of Windows which can use all the memory you have available.

Q: You mentioned recording with MIDI in a previous column. I still don’t understand the difference between MIDI and regular audio recording.

A: MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. It is best understood as a way of describing sound or dynamics of sound.

Think of it this way. When you read a recipe on how to prepare a meal, you are dealing with a description of a combination of ingredients, not actual ingredients. When you record with MIDI, your computer or external sequencer or recorder is archiving a description of what you play. For example, a typical MIDI recording might describe hitting a Middle C on a piano at a certain volume, and holding that note for a particular length of time. When you finish a Midi sequence, you then commit it to a final audio recording.

Tech Talk