This week we focused on the privacy of the internet, or in other words, the maintaining security and have it open for everybody. In order to understand the purpose of security in the internet, we (the class) looked at the pros and cons of privacy, the limits of privacy in the internet and the conspiracies and the public figures involved in internet security.
Following the discussion, we looked at how security is presented as: it's a bunch of concentric circles (think a bull's eye target) with the different levels of security represented as the levels of privacy given to the public depending on how well you know them outside.
So far the class discussion was straight and understandable: it takes the safety of the internet to a different level, and it felt like something that could've been carefully analysed by second thought if one were to reread the lesson. The concentric circles was a nice touch to the lesson, as it made the importance of privacy understandable.
Moving forward, we looked at the privacy leaks, things that breaks through one's privacy such as surveys, black boxes and even the usage of the computer, that exist in the world, taking TIVO's recorded viewing as an example as well as the required leaks, privacy itineraries that are required to identify one's identity, including credit information.
We also looked into how security in the internet is made (International connections to NSA, for example) and how one can protect himself via privacy in the internet, including (but as limited to), passwords, and pins, updated security software, and one's self awareness in in the web.
Again, this part of the lesson was well-structured and understandable. The only part of this lecture I didn't fully grasp was the structure of the security of the web, which only aided me on learning that the NSA and CEC are involved in the whole privacy thing. Despite this small flaw, the lesson was smoothly given and I understood every word of it.
Following the privacy lesson, we looked at a DrRacket lesson, which involved flattening and putting depth in a list. The lesson was simple really: flattening involved putting one or more lists into one huge list, while depth adds everything in the list into one huge addition problem. This proved to be the case when the tutorial practice and quiz came around.
And that's all I got from this week. Here comes the final class of CSC104 (for this term) and I am looking forward to it!
Sunday, 24 November 2013
Friday, 15 November 2013
A nice night for a test
This week was the second week for a test. A test where we were tested on the recent lectures that were done over the past few weeks including the history of the computer, its components from the hard drives to the introduction of the Operating System and the introduction of the network. To top it all off, a couple of Dr.Racket functions to answer from dicyphering a couple of functions to creating the product of it.
But before the fun could start, there was another lecture to get through, and this week we looked at the relationship between work and computers. We looked at how the introduction of the computer affected the nature of the workforce from labour hours to worker's rights. We also looked into the future of the workforce and how computers affect the single workman in the industry.
So, after learning about the different components of the computer, we now look at the effect it puts in real life. To kick it off, we look at the workplace. At first, I expected the class to go into a human and technology relationship concept but I looked at instead was the result of an event due to technology rather than the relationship. It was simple at first, but then it took things to a different level when the Utopia vs. Dystopia topic was introduced. It was... interesting in the beginning but it was hard for me to wrap that idea inside my for a second because it made me think about what would the future really look like under computer progression.
Next, we focused on a problem called "product of sums", which involved adding products, but looked at it in a more structural way. To be honest, it was difficult for me to wrap my head around the problem, especially when solving the problem took at least a few minutes to look at.
But before that could be resolved, the test came by to put us to the test (no pun intended) of the recent lectures and tutorials done. I would say that the test was average because I knew what kind of questions would make it to the test itself, but even then there were some questions that I had to rely on memory to answer.
But that's all for this week.
But before the fun could start, there was another lecture to get through, and this week we looked at the relationship between work and computers. We looked at how the introduction of the computer affected the nature of the workforce from labour hours to worker's rights. We also looked into the future of the workforce and how computers affect the single workman in the industry.
So, after learning about the different components of the computer, we now look at the effect it puts in real life. To kick it off, we look at the workplace. At first, I expected the class to go into a human and technology relationship concept but I looked at instead was the result of an event due to technology rather than the relationship. It was simple at first, but then it took things to a different level when the Utopia vs. Dystopia topic was introduced. It was... interesting in the beginning but it was hard for me to wrap that idea inside my for a second because it made me think about what would the future really look like under computer progression.
Next, we focused on a problem called "product of sums", which involved adding products, but looked at it in a more structural way. To be honest, it was difficult for me to wrap my head around the problem, especially when solving the problem took at least a few minutes to look at.
But before that could be resolved, the test came by to put us to the test (no pun intended) of the recent lectures and tutorials done. I would say that the test was average because I knew what kind of questions would make it to the test itself, but even then there were some questions that I had to rely on memory to answer.
But that's all for this week.
Thursday, 7 November 2013
Back to Business
Well, after a week's absence, I am glad to be back. Refreshed, recharged and ready to learn, I began this week by learning the different types of networks, from the formation to its history.
The lesson itself was straight-forward: we began by learning the different forms of networking, their advantages, disadvantages and effect on performance. Personally, I found the first two formations, the round and star ones, understandable, from how it's run to its initial advantages and disadvantages. But the only formation that I need to look back on is the bus formation, because unlike the former formations, which are linear, this one relies on an abnormal trail that where should one go off at the same time another does, everything stops, every computer is given intervals so they can restart all over again. This is the only thing that separates it from the others.
Following the different formations, we looked at the history and development of the internet network itself. It begins from how computers relied on cellphones to get a connections before DARPA funded and co-created the first worldwide network for everybody to use in 1969. The governments involved in them funded it for 2 decades before the next best thing came.
By 1992, the "medieval" network was being used by everywhere by everyone all over the world. People can send emails, protocols such as file transferring and network file services were introduced and back then, open protocols were mandatory until 2012. By this point, I understood the history surrounding the network, but I still haven't gotten used to how the network today works: from its content to how it moves around. I do know who's in charge of these protocols however.
Afterwards, it was DrRacket time, where we learned how to write a Recursion function using an image. The function itself was no problem and it was easy to remember as long as I look back and remind myself out of it. But I need to remind myself that although I got used to one image and its different actions into the equations, I must now learn how to write similar equations as well, as evident to the weekly quiz I wrote.
Now with this week over, it's time to look forward to the test next week. Time to hit the books again.
The lesson itself was straight-forward: we began by learning the different forms of networking, their advantages, disadvantages and effect on performance. Personally, I found the first two formations, the round and star ones, understandable, from how it's run to its initial advantages and disadvantages. But the only formation that I need to look back on is the bus formation, because unlike the former formations, which are linear, this one relies on an abnormal trail that where should one go off at the same time another does, everything stops, every computer is given intervals so they can restart all over again. This is the only thing that separates it from the others.
Following the different formations, we looked at the history and development of the internet network itself. It begins from how computers relied on cellphones to get a connections before DARPA funded and co-created the first worldwide network for everybody to use in 1969. The governments involved in them funded it for 2 decades before the next best thing came.
By 1992, the "medieval" network was being used by everywhere by everyone all over the world. People can send emails, protocols such as file transferring and network file services were introduced and back then, open protocols were mandatory until 2012. By this point, I understood the history surrounding the network, but I still haven't gotten used to how the network today works: from its content to how it moves around. I do know who's in charge of these protocols however.
Afterwards, it was DrRacket time, where we learned how to write a Recursion function using an image. The function itself was no problem and it was easy to remember as long as I look back and remind myself out of it. But I need to remind myself that although I got used to one image and its different actions into the equations, I must now learn how to write similar equations as well, as evident to the weekly quiz I wrote.
Now with this week over, it's time to look forward to the test next week. Time to hit the books again.
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