Just Byte Me

        Binary Code: the illusive term  I had absolutely zero knowledge of until last fateful Monday. Allow me to regurgitate my week's learnings.

        When it comes to programming computers, the computer needs to have the capacity and ability to store information. This data is best represented via a 2 symbol system. Why only  two you ask? Because the computer either does it or it doesn't. The next subcategory under this system is called a base system.I am only familiar with  two base systems though there are others. Out of  10 and 2, 2 is  the more common system. Binary code represents decimals and bits, or in other words, regular numbers and just about any kind of  information ( computers work in 8-bit groups called bytes). An example of such is the code 1000001111.  Increasing from left to right, the digits's state space grows exponentially. As the state spaces grows, the power of 2 increases right to left. Whatever base one chooses to start with,  begin at  X^0 or I. In numbers,  this code can represens 751. This number is derived from adding 1+2+4+8+ 0+0+0+0+0+512=527. To convert from numbers to code, work from left to right. First find the largest number that can go into the decimal without going over. Put a one there. Subtract that number from the decimal, and put 1 or 0 under the corresponding "columns" which add up to the remainder without going over. Wahlah, there you have it. your very own binary code.

*Gulp*

            Monday was the day that it hit me. I only had seven days to research and complete the Conspiracy Theory assignment. Needless to say, my parasympathetic system went into overdrive. I guess i never realized the scope of this project until the midnight Friday. Still, I only have positive thoughts about this project. Its definitely a refreshing assignment-- i've never played detective or professional stalker before. Plus, now i know the purpose behind all those inclass discussions. They serve to familiarize students with modern web-related conveniences. While those discussions were informative and emphasized a different learning style than what i'm used to, i have come to realize that this project is the test. The test of our understanding and our ability to convert that understanding into writing. Do i like the project or the class any less than last week? Not really. I just wish i had gotten the wake up call sooner than the Monday before the due date.  Either that or a more organized work calender. While i do realize that the student should bare the responsibility of organizing a work schedule given the due dates and not the teacher, this newfound freedom is well,....new. To take a positive spin on this whole situation: this assignment is another opportunity to brush up on time management skills while learning about this scary, fast-paced-sometimes-heinous world called the internet.

Innovations- Part II

        Much like last week, the bulk of this weeks topics were more discussion based rather than problem-solving based. Even though I can't claim to have learned how to do something new, i really do appreciate the topics we have discussed (digital manipulation, wiki pages, and the pros and cons of social networking) as well as the socratic-seminar-like environment of this week's class. Even though this idea of digital manipulation  frequently appears in news feeds or tabloids, people usually don't sit down to really think about how much Photoshop or something of the sort is directly impacting society. In other words, this week's discussions were really meaningful because they all expounded on programs or ideas that are used everyday.   That's not to say i didn't learn anything new though. Prior to Wednesday, Wiki pages were something completely unfamiliar but now i can claim i know how Wikipedia works! Well, sort of....

An attempt to describe Wikipedia:
       Wikipedia is like a big public google document where one can add information or revise information at will. The biggest difference is that Wiki pages can track all  revisions made on the page. In other words, there is a sense of accountability when contributing to such a resource. As far as usability goes, google docs seems to be more geared to private projects where all the contributors are known  whereas wiki pages seem to be most useful in a forum-like setting.

         

Computer Programming Basics (9/9/12)

 Overview-
        Class this week consisted of an introduction to the world of computers. However, typical introductory lessons, this first week wasn't about the mechanical components that make-up the modern day computer. In fact, we didn't even touch upon the technical specs. Instead we discussed privacy issues, the learning method of the class and the importance of this course to the future of business, academia and social relationships. In short, computer science matters. Not because of the potential of the field but because computer science is the new model of society. Its the new language of the millennial generation.
        While these discussion topics took up half of the class time the rest of the time was used to introduce the first assignment of the year. Dubbed the Conspiracy Theory, this assignment explores the ideas of identify theft  within a high school context. The goal is to prove whether or not Leonardo is the victim of a malicious attempt to blacken his name or the culprit of a heinous crime against an innocent freshmen.

Reflection-
          As a class, we've discussed a wide range of topics from the meaning of the internet to its drawbacks. After all this, I must say what disconcerts me most aren't the virtual crumbs of data i'm leaving behind never to be seen or erased again (though that is a scary thought) but rather how corporations are using this data and tailoring my search experience. This is news. Never have i considered that the same mechanism used to present massive amounts of information at a blinding speed can also be used to trap me in a bubble of personal preferences. Although i can appreciate the ingenuity behind filtering information, i must say i don't appreciate the state of ignorance that it leaves me in. I firmly believe that the web ought to expose a person to different ideas and different problems. If news sites or search engines begin to tailor the browsing experience to match a computed preference then that experience if a biased one. Just as voter-turn-out rates is essential to maintenance of a democratic society, so too is unfiltered information to the minds of each individual. If companies can control and filter information as they please, how is that any different from a society run by communism?