Technology is killing jobs, and only technology can save them

ICT Questions 1
INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
[Author]
[Professor]
[University]
[City, State]
[May 25, 18]

ICT Questions 2
Questions 1
Topic: What you need to know about the Meltdown and Spectre CPU exploits
Reference: Walton, J & Nguyen, T. 2018. What you need to know about the Meltdown and
Spectre CPU exploits. PC Gamer. Available at: https://www.pcgamer.com/what-you-need-to-
know-about-the-meltdown-and-spectre-cpu-exploits/ [Accessed 24 May, 2018]
This resource gives a detailed account of both Spectre and Meltdown exploits where the
essential features of the processor (CPU) such as out of order execution (OOOE) and speculative
execution facilitate these problems. In all, limitation to these features causes considerable
changes to the cache states which are then used to pull secret data from the RAM.
Walton and Nguyen's outlook gives a thorough account of the problem, starting with the
definition of the problem, exploration of the issue and the impact of these limitations on the
modern day computer. As such, they were chosen for this particular research.
Several critical points are outlined by this resources. One, the meltdown exploit leverages
the components of the OOOE which causes damages to the cache states of the CPU. Secondly,
the exploit uses this first limitation to dump content that in other conditions should never be
accessible. Therefore, from this basic outline, the problem will affect all processors designed
with the OOOE feature which includes all Intel CPUs and even AMD processors before 2013
period. Furthermore, unlike popularly perceived, this exploit is not a new condition or issue that
has come up. But is and has been a persistent issue for a long time, the only difference being the
change in attack vectors. Essentially, hardware optimization often causes the change in
architectural components of the computer which makes it easier to integrate software. Similarly,

ICT Questions 3
as these changes have occurred, the vulnerability of processors has also grown which has made it
easier for the exploit to act.
In conclusion, the inherent characteristic of the CPU exposes it to the meltdown attack
where the OOOE feature is exploited to dump memory content. In its self, the Meltdown exploit
is not a new problem but a persistent issue that today is facilitated by the changing architecture
of the computer.
Questions 2
Topic: VisiCorp Visi On
Reference: Toastytech. 2018. VisiCorp Visi On. GUI. Available at:
http://lserv.deg.gubkin.ru/guis/vision.html [Accessed 24 May, 2018]
Operating systems like many other applications did not start with a graphical user
interface (GUI). In the beginning, they were lines of statements that gave users the necessary
information. However, some versions of OS started developing GUIs which later on became the
norm. The resource at hand highlights VisiCorp Visi, a full-featured GUI OS that was developed
by IBM in 1983.
A critical analysis of the Visi On OS is given by this material, having the original
functional mechanisms as well as the hardware demands. The resource also provides an
explanation as to why this OS never became as popular as other system’s applications.
Although it was a pioneer in its trade, Visi On was sold to Control Data Corp where the
company decided to end its progress which explains why it had a minimal public interaction.
However, even before it was sold, the OS was never meant for home usage. Its design and

ICT Questions 4
operation mechanism was meant for corporate workstations, having a high demand for hardware
resources. At the time, the system required a RAM of 512k and 5 Megs of hard drive space
which at the time were extremely expensive. In addition to this, the Visi On had other unique
features that increased its overall cost. For one, it was developed as a portable OS having the
capability to link with other systems such as UNIX and CP/M. Moreover, it could integrate with
any other CPU other than the 8086 which was the original processor it was designed on. In all,
Visi On acted as a non-specific virtual machine, which all applications run on.
Visi On was a revolutionary system whose functions were ahead of its time. But because
of the demands, it made on the users, particularly, through the hardware, its application was
limited to few corporate entities. Nevertheless, it lay the foundation for modern OSes.
Questions 3
Topic: Getting to IoT Ubiquity: Cellular versus LPWAN Connectivity
Reference: Manz, B. 2018. Getting to IoT Ubiquity: Cellular versus LPWAN Connectivity.
Mouser Electronics. Available at: https://eu.mouser.com/applications/getting-to-iot-ubiquity-
cellular-vs-lpwan-connectivity/ [Accessed 24 May, 2018]
According to experts, connectivity is the biggest problem with the implementation of the
Internet of Things (IoT). In particular, the sensory layer of the technology is facilitated by a
number of incompatible standards that limit the overall success. As such, this resource analyzes
the connectivity of IoT where competing technologies such as LPWAN, cellular systems, and
Wireless carriers are defined.