Programming Languages

The topic of programming languages is a complex one. It has so many facets that it is almost impossible to put it into a single blog post to cover all aspects of it. From the increased power consumption to the multiple languages and types that accompany it. They all come back to the information technology (IT) field. Almost everything in IT is run on a programming language. When beginning to learn about the world of IT, it is important for individuals to have a basic understanding of programming languages to be able to diagnose issues in software. 

            The history of computers is a complex story that leads us to where we are now. According to Desmazieres, A. (2025), “Over the last 50 years, the evolution of programming languages has mirrored the growth and diversification of software development practices, at an astonishing pace.” With the advancement in technology, so too have programming languages advanced. As computers have evolved, the advancement has led to the ability to create new languages to complete new tasks. With that advancement has come drawbacks. These drawbacks are the increase in power consumption as technology and computers have advanced. A research paper created by Camargo-Henriquez, I., et al. (2024) utilized a Virtual Machine, meaning it is software that simulates a physical system to test the power consumption of different programming languages. These tests displayed that C# was the most efficient and Go was the least. This displays that the programming language chosen can determine the power that is consumed by a system running a program.

            Without proper hardware, programming languages can be less efficient and draw more power. This can put a strain on your computer or other device, reducing the lifespan of the device. The modern computer systems are created by the current programming languages. Each company uses its own language to create its operating systems. These systems must be compatible with the programming language of the application as well. For gaming, games must be altered to ensure that they work with the operating system's language so they do not cause the computers to crash or other issues that may arise from incompatible software. The type of hardware will also determine the speed and efficiency of the programming language, thus determining which language would suit the situation. It is up to the individuals creating the programs to determine what language would best work in the situation.

            Programming languages are tools used to create every program that functions on any electronic device. They range in how they are used drastically. Some are best used for things like websites and web applications, while others are best used for the development of things like video games. These languages can be split into 3 different categories: compiled, interpreted, and hybrid languages. (TestOut Corp., 2024) Compiled languages are converted or translated into the code of the machine, which allows for faster speeds. Interpreted languages are translated line by line by an interpreter. This causes speeds to be slower than compiled languages. Hybrid languages are compiled into bytecode and executed through virtual machines, allowing for a balance between the two options. This balance may be seen as the best option; however, that is not the case in every scenario. It is up to the developer or decision maker to determine what the best programming language for the situation would be.

Application software is created using programming languages. These languages can vary. The most popular programming language is Python; however, C# is gaining traction and rising in popularity. (Jansen, P., 2025) Programming languages play a key role in software development. They are used to create the software itself. This must be determined by the individuals who are creating the application. This can be one person or a group of people. Application software can be created by using multiple different types of programming languages.

            When it comes to databases and security, programming languages create those systems. Creating security systems involves an in-depth understanding of programming languages and how devices function. This understanding allows for a greater understanding of how these systems operate and allows individuals to counteract threats. Databases are important because they allow for the storage of large amounts of information in a secure way. Programming languages combine to allow for the development and customization of these systems. It allows individuals to tailor them to fit their needs.

References:

Camargo-Henríquez, I., Martínez-Rojas, A., & Castillo-Sánchez, G. (2024). Energy Optimization in Software: A Comparative Analysis of Programming Languages and Code-Execution Strategies. 2024 9th International Engineering, Sciences and Technology Conference (IESTEC), Engineering, Sciences and Technology Conference (IESTEC), 2024 9th International, 507–511. https://doi.org/10.1109/IESTEC62784.2024.10820312

Desmazieres, A., Cosmo, R. D., & Lorentz, V. (2025). 50 Years of Programming Language Evolution through the Software Heritage looking glass. 2025 IEEE/ACM 22nd International Conference on Mining Software Repositories (MSR), Mining Software Repositories (MSR), 2025 IEEE/ACM 22nd International Conference on, MSR, 372–383. https://doi.org/10.1109/MSR66628.2025.00068

Jansen, P. (2025, November). TIOBE Index. TIOBE. https://www.tiobe.com/tiobe-index

TestOut Corp. (2024). CertMaster Learn Tech+. http://www.testout.com

Network Security

 As technology has advanced, so has the way that scammers and con artists prey on individuals. These attempts to scam come in various forms, such as HTTPS Phishing, Phishing, and Smishing. These are becoming more clever and harder to distinguish. Phishing can be accomplished in multiple ways. It can be done through email, voice, text message, and through fake websites. These are known as Phishing, Smishing, and HTTPS Phishing. These are attempts to gain private personal information, or PPI for short. Phishing and Smishing have become more prevalent in recent years.

            Phishing, Smishing, and HTTPS Phishing scams can lead to various issues arising in your computer system, as well as in your personal life. According to Ariyadasa, S., et al (2024), “Phishing, a well-known cyberattack that cannot be completely eradicated from the internet, has increased dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic.” When it comes to your computer, these can be used to gain access to your databases, email, bank logins, and even your physical computer. These attempts are made to gather information in order to gain access to multiple types of systems. When you give information to these scams, they can use the information to gain access to computers, emails, social media accounts, and even your banking apps. These attempts can even lead to viruses in your computer system. These viruses can be used to do just about anything to your computer, depending on the virus.

            The damage caused by phishing and smishing attacks can range from minor to severe. They can steal your information and even trick people into downloading viruses. These are often carried out through fake emails, websites, and text messages. The damage that occurs is only evident after the issue occurs.

            The most effective way to prevent phishing attempts from succeeding is to not provide information or click on links from anyone you do not know. According to Waqas, M., et al (2023), “Self-regulation significantly positively predicted systematic information processing while it was a significant negative predictor of heuristic information processing.” To ensure you don’t fall prey to phishing attempts at your job or home life, verify all personnel and information that you receive requests from. If you verify the information, you will be able to determine, for the most part, whether it is a scam. Some of these phishing attempts are easy to identify because they are so outlandish, and you can tell by looking at the email or its content. Ultimately, it is up to the individual to determine the response in the end. Another way that companies do this is to prevent some of these scammers from gathering more information. Some of these individuals have been flagged by systems to prevent these numbers from appearing as regular calls. Some will be marked as spam, allowing individuals to quickly determine the number that is calling.

 

Computers in the Workplace

 Good evening, everyone,

The industry I will analyze and write about is the sales industry. I have experience with how tech can influence sales. When I worked in the insurance industry, we had multiple systems that were used to organize customer information. This system was used to organize and store all details, including Personally Identifiable Information. There was also a system to automate texts to set up appointments. The role of insurance sales as a remote job has advanced significantly to now utilize computers for making calls and documenting information. It is crucial for employees to know how to use computers, as everything is becoming digital. If you work from home, it becomes your responsibility to troubleshoot and diagnose any issues that arise. If you are experiencing trouble with the software, it is recommended to try troubleshooting your hardware before contacting customer support to expedite the process. Getting assistance from the software's technical support is fine and should be used, as they have more experience; however, you need to ensure that you take proper steps prior to contacting them, in case the issue is with your computer, which could have been fixed before calling them. Advancements in technology will advance the way that sales personnel operate. The invention of the phone further enhanced the capabilities of sales personnel, as did the computer. Next will be the furtherance of AI. When an AI system is designed for a company that can operate independently, it allows personnel to take on more workload because simpler tasks are handled by the AI.

Traveling Through a Network

            The websites that I decided to check my current ping on were Google.com, news.com.au, and japantimes.co.jp. I selected these because they are spread out quite well so I thought it would be interesting to select websites in three distinct areas in different parts of the world.

According to TestOut Corp. (2024), “Most people who use the Internet are comfortable if this time is 50 milliseconds or shorter.” The ping minimum for Google was 36ms, the maximum was 44ms, and the average was 37ms. The minimum ping for news.com.au was 58ms, the maximum was 70ms, and the average was 61ms. The minimum ping for japantimes.co.jp was 12ms, the maximum was 16ms, and the average was 13ms. The Google and Japan Times pings are within the comfortable times as listed in our textbooks. The News.com.au pings were not. They exceeded the comfort levels listed in our textbooks. I do find it interesting that the Ping in Japan is better for me than the ping for Google. I am in Minnesota, so I would think that Google would have a better ping.

            When looking at the trace routes of the three websites, you can see that Google hopped 12 times, Japan Times hopped 9 times, and News.com.au hopped 17 times. These are all different parts of the world. However, it is interesting that the website from Japan had the fewest number of hops. Logically, the further away a place is, the longer it would take for the data to make a round-trip. Both commands used provide a clear picture of the latency and packet loss for the services provided. Using both of them can help determine the problem at hand. These issues can range from network congestion to problems with your local network, all the way to your firewall blocking traffic. One of the issues that could cause an error or a timeout is a firewall blocking the traffic, as it was not designed for that specific purpose. Another possibility is that the network cables may be damaged or poorly connected, resulting in connectivity loss.

Comparing Microsoft Office Applications

 These applications are all useful in their own way and for their own purposes. The word processing software is a well-flushed-out application that allows for an enormous amount of customization on a document. According to Microsoft (2021), “Word's powerful editing and reviewing tools can help you work with others to make your document great.”  Being able to customize a document to fit your specific needs is a significant bonus in an application. The spreadsheet software is also well-flushed out. It is best used for keeping things placed in an organized fashion. The amount of different abilities you can do with this application is mind-blowing, to be honest. Being able to use different equations and have the application calculate the information for you makes this application extremely useful. The presentation software is the hardest application for me to use. For some reason, I have always had trouble working with the PowerPoint software. It is a simple application, in general, but for some reason, I have trouble working with it. In my opinion, the best use for this application is to provide general information to multiple people in a single presentation.

            The advantages of Microsoft Word include customizability, a user-friendly help guide, and ease of editing. These come together to make it easy to alter and customize documents, truly making them your own. It allows the individual creating the document to alter almost every aspect of the document, customizing it to fit the information within. The disadvantages of this application are that it is not as good for displaying numbered information.

The advantages of Microsoft Excel are the ability to create graphs and utilize equations to autofill information into boxes. The capabilities of this application enable effective documentation, making the information easy to read and organize simultaneously for multiple individuals. A disadvantage of this application is that it is not good for displaying large amounts of written information.

The advantages of Microsoft PowerPoint include the ability to create highly customizable presentations. The ability to move the words and integrate animations and pictures into each presentation. This enables the application to display information to multiple people in one of the most efficient ways.

The word processing application is best suited for tasks such as research papers. These papers are the best use of word processing applications. These scenarios best align with the advantages of the application while avoiding its disadvantages. The spreadsheet application is best suited for tracking numbers and information. The best way that I have found to use this application is to create a budget spreadsheet to keep track of expenses. The presentation application is best suited for creating presentations. This application provides an easy-to-follow way of displaying information, allowing individuals to follow along as you explain it.

Web/Mobile Application Analysis and Critique

 Application Review:

The app I have chosen to evaluate is the Roku App. This application is used to control a Roku device through a phone or tablet over local Wi-Fi. This application allows for a quick change between multiple applications on the TV or other Roku device. This allows an individual to easily change between multiple applications and even search for shows they are interested in watching, all through one application. The Roku App is available on both Android and iOS devices, allowing all individuals with a smartphone to utilize the app. One of the best features, to me, is the ability to type on your phone or tablet keyboard when attempting to search for something. This feature is much simpler than having to search with the arrow keys like a normal remote would.

Usability:

            In my opinion, the app is extremely user-friendly. It is easily navigated, with clear buttons that allow you to determine which part of the app you would like to use. The overall composition of the app is straightforward to understand after installation. The ability to search for different shows and find out where you can watch them is a valuable feature of this app. You can install TV apps on your Roku system through your phone or tablet by selecting "Add channel." This enhances the usability of the application by eliminating steps and simplifying the process for individuals to add “channels” to their systems without additional effort. 

Design:

            The app is designed with usability in mind. The layout is easily readable, featuring individual buttons and options for ease of use, with commonly used icons to identify the purpose of each button, eliminating the need for additional text. This design enables users to easily identify the correct button to press without needing to read or search for it. The colors chosen aren’t bright and over-the-top. They chose a color scheme primarily consisting of dark purple and white. The white is used for the lettering, allowing the eyes to easily find and read the words, making it easy to navigate and locate the words you are searching for. Another thing that they did right in their design is to change the color of the icon from grey to purple depending on which part of the app you are using. When you select an option, the bottom icon will illuminate to notify you which option you have chosen.

Recommendations for Improvements:

            One recommendation I suggest is to address the connection loss that can cause the remote to stop working until you either force restart the application or reselect the TV you have chosen. The second recommendation is to remove some of the advertisements from the application. They can appear cluttered on the home screen, and the colors are a drastic departure from the normal palette. The final recommendation is to move the options button to the top of the screen, as I have accidentally pressed the home button on my phone many times. I believe this will allow for a more seamless use of the application.

Programming Languages and Scratch

 My experience learning Scratch was initially a struggle. I had no idea where to even start in the beginning. Through experimentation and tutorials on the website, I was able to figure out how to properly organize the coding blocks. It is an interesting way to code, and I think I enjoy it more personally than C#. The program I created in Scratch is a simple one; however, given that I had no prior knowledge of it, I feel proud of the small step I have taken thus far.

            I learned that, even though it may seem like a hard task, through learning and understanding, it can become easier. The process was much easier than I expected, in general. I also learned that the flow of information is easier to understand. The flow is more direct than I had anticipated. Everything I have learned so far suggests that coding is direct and not as chaotic as I thought it would be.

            These languages are interesting. According to TestOut Corp. (2024), “A special type of compiled language is called runtime code or runtime engines, which mix the ideas of compiling and interpreting to get the best of both worlds. Examples are C# (pronounced C-Sharp) and Java.” I have some understanding of C# from my own learning. C# is a compiled language, and it is significantly more challenging for me than Scratch at this point. Python is another language that I attempted to learn at one point, and it is harder for me to learn than Scratch was. Python is considered an Interpreted Language. I know that assembly languages as supposed to be easier to understand than other languages, but I prefer Scratch to using them. The final language was the Query Languages. They are not to bad in general.

            The language that I found easiest to understand was the compiled languages, as I have some experience using one of those languages. However, if I had no prior understanding of these languages, I believe that assembly languages would be easier to understand and learn from scratch.

            According to IMB (2010), “Assembler, COBOL, PL/I, C/C++ are all translated by running the source code through a compiler. This results in very efficient code that can be executed any number of times. The overhead for the translation is incurred just once, when the source is compiled; thereafter, it needs only to be loaded and executed.” This means that the compiled languages can be utilized by the computer faster, allowing for a faster flow of information. This allows languages to be better suited for tasks like video game development. Interpreted must be translated at a slow speed. This makes them more suited for web development. Assembly languages, according to Lenovo (2021), “It is often used in situations where performance is critical, such as embedded systems, device drivers, operating systems, and real-time systems.” Some of the best uses for assembly languages include creating device drivers for devices such as keyboards. The final one is query languages. These languages are best suited for tasks such as integrating search bars into a website. 

About

 Hello everyone,

I do not have much experience in the tech world. That being said, I want to learn more and explore the differences of programming languages and how different IT careers affect how our world works. I have always wanted to work with computers in some way and I am working on finding out what way that is. There are so many different aspects of IT. It is a hard decision to make. I have some experience in Cybersecurity, but I am not sure if I want to do that as a career. I think that developing software and possibly video games is what I truly want to do.

I am currently learning C# in my spare time. I am the person in the house who has to fix any issue that involves technology. I currently do computer fixes, internet troubleshooting, TV troubleshooting, and even fix small phone issues for my entire family.

My career goal is to either work for a company that develops software or to go into game development. It will be a long time before I am proficient in C# to be able to use Unity in the way that I would like, but my first steps have been taken. I also have a small bit of experience using Godot. Personally, it has been easier to learn Godot, but I want to learn C# because it translates better into the IT career field.