8 August 2023 | Computers, How Does it Work? |
Software RAID is great, especially for servers. While you can use RAID for increased speed, most people use RAID mirroring so that all data is written to two identical disks.
If one disk fails, your server stays up because the 2nd drive still works. But what happens when a drive fails?
The replacement process obviously requires your hosting company to the replace the drive.
But both before and after the physical drive replacement, you’ve got some work to do!
(more…)
25 July 2023 | Energy, How Does it Work?, Video |
You may have heard the word e-fuel, but most people have no idea what the stuff actually is.
Same with biodiesel…
Along with electric cars, this stuff is supposed to be the future, man! But IS it?
Join me for a deep dive into the wonderful (green) world of alternative energy.
It’s quite a show…
(more…)
11 July 2023 | EEK!, Energy, How Does it Work?, Video |
Everyone knows what a magnet is. But have you ever heard of an electret?
Yeah, me neither!
In fact, there’s an entire branch of science/engineering that gets very little attention these days – outside of very specific applications that like 3 people know about.
Join me for a look into the amazing world of electrostatics!
(more…)
23 May 2023 | Energy, How Does it Work?, Video |
Last time you were on an airplane, did you notice those little “antennas” on the backs of the wings?
Turns out they’re not antennas at all!
And that’s where it gets interesting…
From balloons and carpet to winter afternoons and lightning, we’ve got ourselves a bit of a mystery.
Join me for a look at the wild world of static electricity!
(more…)
2 May 2023 | How Does it Work?, Video |
You know the drill: You’ve got an image, audio, video, or document file.
Either you can’t open it, or you need to convert it to a different format to send to someone else.
You could use complicated software, but why not do it in just a few easy clicks?
With File Converter, you can convert video files, turn video into audio files, change Word docs into PDFs, and a whole lot more.
And it’s FREE!
(more…)
4 April 2023 | Energy, How Does it Work?, Video |
Everything these days is powered by batteries: power tools, mowers, cars, etc.
But why does this even work?
A quick look at the power provided by lithium-based batteries should make even armchair techies cringe!
Something doesn’t add up…
So, what’s The Secret?
(more…)
21 March 2023 | How Does it Work?, Spare Me! |
I recently had the misfortune to read an article on CNN entitled: What to know about hypersonic missiles fired by Russia at Ukraine
I say “misfortune” because clearly, the individual who wrote it was trying very hard to downplay the significance of hypersonic weapons in the hands of the USA’s declared adversary – aka Russia.
The above-mentioned article is actually an extended version of a shorter one at CNN published just a day earlier. That earlier article (now missing) was even worse – for both its purely propagandistic nature, as well as the author’s breathtaking display of simple ignorance regarding the subject matter of his article.
But, whatever. So let’s take a look at hypersonic missiles…
(more…)
14 March 2023 | How Does it Work?, How to, Video |
The name “shaded pole motor” might sound scary, but these things are REALLY simple inside.
So simple that if you have one, you can probably fix it yourself in about 10 minutes with a few simple tools.
DIY, save some bucks, and Bob’s your uncle.
When they’re used, how they work, and how to fix ’em good… Join me for a look at this common motor type!
(more…)
7 February 2023 | How Does it Work?, Spare Me!, Video |
These days, it’s all about the green, reduced carbon footprint.
While that all sounds nice, what would actually happen if we just ditched fossil fuels – coal, oil, and gas – overnight?
It turns out it’s WAY more complicated than you might think…
Join me for a deep dive into the world of petrochemicals!
(more…)
17 January 2023 | Gizmos, How Does it Work?, Wireless Wonderland |
These days, streaming is all the rage.
Whether you have a smart TV, a streaming stick, Blu-Ray player, soundbar, or even some projectors, many of these gizmos come with Android TV built in.
Too many of them also only have WiFi – no Ethernet jack to be found! This is particularly irritating for those of us who want to go wired and avoid the Wireless Wonderland.
So, how to get Ethernet? Well, you just buy a USB-Ethernet adapter, right?
Yes – sort of…
(more…)
Recent Comments