Bobby's Blog

2007-04-19T15:08:00.000-07:00

The main difference between Hartley and Shannon's models is that Hartley takes the actual information and doesn't focus at all on probability or averages. Shannon takes probabilities and is able to better predict the future. Hartley uses logarithms to figure out the information.

Lab 9

2007-04-05T17:55:00.000-07:00

In lab 9, we learned more about using Excel, and utilizing its utilities to be able to easily calculate equations, and import text from an external source. This will be very useful in my future, getting to know Excel is one major goals of mine this year. Also, we were able to create and analyze graphs, and easily figure different characteristics of graphs, such as the slope. Redoing the lab on my own was helpful because everything wasn't as easily spelled out for me, and I was able to go through steps, but also recall information to help me figure out on my own, how to do such analysis.

2007-03-22T15:26:00.001-07:00

Lab 7

2007-03-01T15:23:00.000-08:00

If A and B do not match each other, than the result is 0, if they do match each other, like show below, then the outcome is 1.

How to convert Binary numbers

2007-02-22T15:42:00.000-08:00

Every 1 or 0 means either yes or no, or on or off; and every binary number 1 represents 2 to the power of its place. So, for the number 110010101, you start with the unit on the far right. That number, 1, represents 2^0, the second number is a 0, which represents 2^1, but since it is a zero, we do not count that number. the third number from the left is 1, and represnts 2^2, which is 4. You will want to repeat this process until you get all the numbers, and add up all the "ones." This would end up being, 1+4+16+128+256 which is equal to 405.

To convert the number 529 into a binary number you do the following. Take the number given, and divide by 2, if that number does not have a remainder the number is 0, and if it does have a remainder, then the binary number is 1. 529 divided by 2 is 254.5, so this is going to be a "1" in the "ones place." After that you round down the number you got before, which was 254.5, rounded down to 254, and divide that number by 2 and get 127. This number does not have a remainder so you are going to want to put a "0" in the "tens place." repeat this process of rounding down when the number has a remainder and putting "0's" when there is a remainder, and "1's" when there is a remainder. The binary number would then be 1000010001.

A positional numbering system is when each position is related to the next by a constant multiplier.

A non-positional numbering system uses symbols or punctuations but do not necessarily need a spot for "0." "144 might be I.IV.IV. in decimal notation" (Wikipedia).

lab 5

2007-02-15T17:43:00.000-08:00

Unix is one of the first OS systems created. some commands are cd, ls, cal, and mkdir. cd brings you to home directory and it can also bring you to a specific directory if you wish by doing cd "directory". ls lists files in a directory. the ca> command shows a mini calendar but you can also get calendars from other years by doing cal [ [month] year ]. and another important command is mkdir , this creates a directory.
Chapter 6 from "Global Warming" concerns the idea that man and machine are becoming similar and they control each other. and also goes into search engines.

Modeling The World

2007-02-08T13:55:00.000-08:00

One of the more interesting thing we learned about in this lecture was the Fibonacci numbers and how they are used in the world. Somehow this mathematical concept is something that is used in nature, such as shells, plants and flowers. This Fibonacci Spiral and its relation to math is astonishing in my opinion. I read the DaVinci Code, so I knew something about it but it was fun to learn about it in a class. Also, I am excited to get started on the "Black Box" project, so we can observe the different patterns and sequences that are in the 'box'.

2007-01-25T17:24:00.000-08:00

I found it very interesting to think about these somewhat connotative meanings behind things like, footprints, or street signs are so easily overlooked. We understand these "signs" and what they represent, but we had to learn it, and they are considered indices. I find it interesting because this is going to direct to our future learning in this class. Information is stored through icons or folders. Things that represent what is familiar to us, means something completely different to a computer.

Infoport: Library of Babel

2007-01-18T15:21:00.000-08:00

Infoport: Library of Babel

This article was hard to follow, but was very interesting. At frist I had a hard time understand what exactly the "library" was, but after Tuesday's class, Professor Rocha helped me understand it a little bit more. His example was of a four-letter word, and how you can mix up its elements in many different ways; but there is only one way that we truly understand it. i think this article has to do with this because the author talks abuot how on all the book shelves, there are all these books, no matter how diverse they may be, they are all made up of the same elements, but differ on the inside. "This thinker observed that al the sapce, the period, the coma, the twenty-two leters in the alphabet" (Library of Babel). Al these boks are made up of the same concept, but like the author says, they are all totaly unique.

Sample Post

2007-01-11T14:56:00.000-08:00

Sample Post