CS 115: Computing for the Socio-Techno Web

Lecture 1: Introduction

January 27, 2020

Part 1: Big Overview

in which we take a 30,000-feet flight over the content of this course

What is computing for the socio-techno web?

this requires us to answer a few more basic questions

What is computing?

What is the web?

What is the socio-techno web?

What is computing?

A process of calculations that happens in computers:

  • human computers
  • mechanical computers
  • analog computers
  • digital computers
  • quantum computers (the future)

Digital Computing Devices

So many of them, evolving from year to year:

  • desktops
  • laptops
  • tablets
  • mobile phones
  • tracking devices (fitbit, smart watch)
  • wearables (e.g smart glasses)

What trends do you notice?

  • smaller
  • less intrusive
  • travel with us
  • always "on"

Computing devices are constantly evolving!

Let's get back to "what is computing?"

Computing: a process of calculations that happens in computers

Computing as a process

  1. Receive input (e.g. from keyboard, mouse, touch)
  2. Manipulate input according to some rules
  3. Generate output (e.g., on screen)

Inputs and Outputs

We will distinguish between:

  • Modality for entering input (e.g., keyboard) and receiving output (e.g. screen)
  • Symbolic representation of information (e.g., numbers, letters, icons, images, etc.)
  • Internal representation of information in bits and groups of bits

Everything is simply bits!

From Input to Output

Rules are everywhere

  • Computer programmers follow the rules of programming languages to write computer programs (or code).
  • For example, you are learning the rules of HTML.

Rules are everywhere

  • Other computer programmers develop more complex programs, known as algorithms, to execute your programs.
  • For example, Google programmers wrote Chrome to interpret your HTML code.
  • Chrome has many different algorithms that perform different things.

An algorithm is a step-by-step procedure for solving a problem or accomplishing a goal.

Computing: An overview

What is the Web?

A technology that runs on top of the Internet.

What is the Internet?

What is the Internet?

What is the Internet?

What is the Web?

The Web's building blocks

A technology that allows us to:

  1. generate content (with HTML)
  2. link to other content (via URLs)
  3. access remote content (via HTTP)

What is the socio-techno web?

Where the web technologies and the human society meet and embrace one another, in expected and unexpected ways.

Evolution of the web

  • Informational web: connect webpages to webpages
  • Transactional web: connect people to webpages
  • Social web: connect people to people

A short chronology

  • HTML (1991-1993)
  • Wiki (1994-1995)
  • Javascript (1995)
  • CSS (1996)
  • Social networking features (1997)
  • PayPal (1998)
  • RSS (1999)
  • Blogs (1999)
  • ...

Evolution continues

More sophisticated technology allows for new kinds of interactions, which in turn inspires more technological innovation.

First Takeway

Most of our everyday life activities are now mediated by web-based techonologies.

Socio-Techno Web: An Overview

Case Study: A discussion

How are libraries "disrupted" by the web? Can you name some "disruptors"?

  • Artefacts in a library (what)
  • People in a library (who)
  • Processes in a library (how)

Online vs. Offline Computing

  • Digital computers pre-date the Web by 50 years
  • Not everything is online (yet)
  • Pressure to digitize and bring online everything. Why?

Part 2: Logistics

Create a CS account to be read for your first lab!

bit.ly/cs115account

Part 3: Class Discussion

How to become active technological citizens?