Overview of This Blog

Over the past few weeks, we have had class discussions (and will continue to have more) about various topics within the computing world, such as computing bias, the digital divide, and crowd sourcing.

5.1

5.1: Class Discussion

  • Drones Discussion
    • Talked about some of the benefits of drones
      • Can travel far distances
      • Can help you see something from far away
      • Allows people to record videos/take pictures
    • Discussed some harmful effects of drones
      • A drone may malfunction/not work as intended, which can hurt someone
      • Not everybody may be comfortable with drones flying around
      • Can be used for malicious purposes
  • ChatGPT Discussion
    • Benefits of ChatGPT
      • Can help you with specific questions
      • Can help you write essays, emails, code, etc. (if not used for academic purposes)
    • Drawbacks of ChatGPT
      • People (especially students in school) can use it to cheat
      • May provide inaccurate information about a certain topic
      • It is not like Google. That is, it only gets its knowledge from certain databases/sources (could be biased and therefore less accurate)
    • Additional Notes
      • ChatGPT will become a fiercer competitor of Google over time
      • As ChatGPT becomes more advanced and expands its capabilities, less people will use Google
  • Video Games/Social Media/Other Forms of Technology
    • Video Games
      • Allows players to make friends online
      • Helps relieve stress
      • Can be very addictive, can cause people to forget their real life
    • Social Media
      • People can speak out about their opinion on certain matters
      • Without social media, some people would not have friends if they met many of them online
      • Similar to video games, social media can be very addictive
    • Forms of Technology (laptops, cell phones, etc.)
      • Without laptops or cell phones, it can be difficult to complete daily tasks that require technology, such as homework, studying, researching online, etc.
      • Sometimes, the teacher will ask students to have their laptops or phones out, so if one does not have either of these, it will be difficult for them to learn in class

5.1: Benefits and Drawbacks of Computing

After our class discussion, we were asked to think of our own forms of computing (not discussed), with each one including some of their benefits and drawbacks. Three things that require and involve computing that I thought of were autonomous (self-driving) cars, data collection/analysis, and medical devices.

(1) Autonomous (Self-Driving) Cars

  • Benefits

    • Improves road safety: Self-driving cars are equipped with advanced technologies that allow the car to make safe driving decisions in accordance to the current situation, which reduces the likelihood of accidents typically caused by human error.
    • More free time for passengers: Since the car is driving itself, the people inside will no longer have to worry about taking the regular precautions of driving (eyes on the road, no distractions, etc.). This allows them to spend more time on other things, such as working, relaxing, or talking to other passengers.
    • Lower fuel consumption/less emissions into the atmosphere: Since these cars are equipped with advanced technology, they can be programmed to maximize fuel efficiency and minimize emissions released into the air, as they have the ability to make precise, efficient driving decisions.

  • Drawbacks

    • More expensive/costly: Although self-driving cars provide many benefits to its consumers, it costs much more compared to regular cars, which might make people who are interested have less of an incentive to buy something that is more expensive.
    • Security risks: Since self-driving cars is built of a lot of advanced technology and is computer programmed, this makes them more vulnerable to hacking and cyber attacks, which could compromise the car’s system and put the passengers inside at risk.
    • Software malfunctions: As self-driving cars rely on advanced technologies and software, some of these technologies may malfunction or not work as intended, which can lead to accidents or other problems on the road, thus putting the passengers’ lives at risk.

(2) Data Collection/Analysis

  • Benefits
    • Improved accuracy: Computers can be very useful when it comes to collecting/analyzing data, as they can process large amounts of data quickly and accurately, reducing the risk of human error that can lead to inaccurate conclusions.
    • Increased scalability: Since computing can handle large amounts of data from multiple forces, this allows organizations who use computing to scale their data collection and analysis as needed.
    • Automated data collection/analysis: Computers have the ability to automate the data collection, analysis, and reporting process, which reduces the need for manual data entry and analysis, which is much more vulnerable to human error (ex. inputting a data value wrong, switching the results of two experiments, etc.)
  • Drawbacks
    • Privacy risks: Although computers can process large amounts of data quickly and accurately, this is what raises privacy concerns, as all of that data could be sensitive, personal information that is collected, stored, and analyzed.
    • Bias: With computers, some of the algorithms used for data collection and analysis can be biased or in favor of one thing, which may not be perceived as a set of very credible results to users seeking unbiased results.
    • Too much reliance on technology: The more that organizations rely on computing for data collection, the more that they will depend on it for the future. This can lead to them not being able to do their jobs without it, which can make the organization fall apart.

(3) Medical Devices/Equipment

  • Benefits
    • Improved accuracy: Medical devices and computing technologies can improve the accuracy of diagnoses and treatments by providing more accurate data and reducing the risk of human error. Thus, computing in terms of medical devices leads to better patient outcomes and improved quality of care.
    • Data management: Medical devices combined with computing technologies can help manage and store large amounts of patient data, improving the efficiency of data analysis and decision-making. This leads to an overall better use and allocation of resources.
    • Personalized medicine: Medical devices and computing technologies can support the development of personalized medicine, which tailors treatments to individual patients based on their unique needs. This leads to an improved approach of treating patients and a better understanding of what they are in need of.
  • Drawbacks
    • Complexity: Medical devices and computing technologies can be difficult to understand for some people, requiring specialized skills and training to use and maintain. This can result in difficulties in use and maintenance, and can also make it more difficult for healthcare providers to integrate the technology into their existing systems.
    • Ethics: The use of medical devices and computing technologies can raise ethical dilemmas, such as privacy and the use of artificial intelligence (A.I.) in medical decision-making.
    • Human error: Despite technological advances, human error can still occur during data entry, analysis, and interpretation, leading to incorrect diagnoses and treatments. Even though computing can help with making the process of treating and diagnosing patients much more efficient, doctors should still be trained to know what they are doing should anything involving human error occur.

(4) Our Project (Theee Arcade)

  • Benefits
    • Entertaining: This can help the user pass time if they are bored or have nothing to do.
    • Helps with stress: This game can help relieve stress for the user if they are stressing about something, such as school work or other issues
    • More friends: Since we plan on implementing a leader board into our project, the user can talk or chat with fellow players and make friends with them.
  • Drawbacks
    • Distracting: Although our project can be used to relieve stress and help the user pass time,, it can also be very distracting and cause them to forget about their real life.
    • Security concerns: As we will have a login and sign up page for our project, the user risks their privacy/security by providing the boxes their name,email, etc. and also by chatting with other users online that they don’t know or have never seen in person.
    • Addictive: Although this overlaps with distracting, the user could end up playing our games for several hours throughout the day that they end up losing time to sleep or do other daily tasks.

5.1: Dopamine Question

After reading the information provided about Anthony Rosner, who was very addicted to games, and from personal experience, the dopamine issue is definitely a real thing that can happen to all of us. Some people get distracted by different things, such as video games, social media, and music, just to name a few. For example, whenever I listen to music, I always find that it energizes me and makes me feel more motivated to complete my work. At the same time, however, I can get distracted from the music, as it always makes me want to get up and move around, which wastes valuable time that could have been spent completing homework or studying. Because I end up wasting time, this forces me to stay up late to complete all of my assignments/study, which gives me less time to sleep and makes me feel tired during the day. Another thing that I have noticed distracts me is that whenever I start working on something right after watching a show or video, my brain cannot stop thinking about it, which makes me less concentrated on the work in front of me, which also leads to many of the same things that listening to music causes for me. Overall, from my many personal experiences, the dopamine issues are definitely real and can cause people to lose focus on what they are supposed to do.

5.1: Internet Blockers + Admin Passwords Question

One pro of internet blockers is that it protects students at school from dangerous websites, which will prevent them from risking the security of their device. Another pro of internet blockers at school is that it protects student from viewing inappropriate content or something else that can be distracting, which allows the students to focus more on their learning in class. While internet blockers have their positives, they also have their negatives. One con of internet blockers is that they sometimes block websites that can actually help students learn, especially in fun ways, which can cause the students to feel bored when in class. Another con of internet blockers is that they do not give students the opportunity to learn how to use the Internet responsibly and safely, which is important especially in a field like computer science.

One pro of the lack of admin passwords at school lab machines is that it allows the admin to login easily without having to type anything in. One con, however, is that by not having a password, the admins put themselves at risk for hacking or having their account hijacked, which can jeopardize the entire school administration system. For the lack of admin passwords, the cons probably outweigh the pros, as there are many security risks associated with it.

5.1: Personal Takeaways/Reflection

I learned a lot from the class discussion, listing benefits and drawbacks and computing, and also talking about dopamine issues. I liked the idea of the class discussion, as I was able to hear from many people about their ideas and perspectives on the world of computing. As I was listing off some of the benefits and drawbacks of computing, I had to do some research online to find out more about them, and I was astonished by what I was looking at. It was amazing to me how much of what we do relies on technology, which can be somewhat concerning, as if we one day end up in a situation where we cannot use technology, many people will not be able to do much because of how much they depended on computing to complete their daily tasks. I also feel that this lesson allowed me to share my personal experiences and helped me realize what I can do to improve my habits and get less distracted on technology, which I (along with MANY people) rely on so much in my daily life.

5.2

5.2: Class Discussion (The Digital Divide in Computing)

  • Discussion
    • Not everyone has access to forms of technology (laptops, tablets, cell phones, etc.)
      • Some people cannot afford it
      • Some people may live in certain countries who impose certain restrictions or restraints on certain technology (ex. divide between what is allowed in China and what is allowed in America)
      • Some may live in areas or countries that have little access to technology
    • Factors for why not everybody uses technology includes…
      • Some may not have access to the latest update on their laptop, cellphone, etc., so their knowledge of technology may be more limited
      • Some may choose not to for religious reasons (ex. Amish)

5.2: Questions

(1) How does someone empower themselves in a digital world?

One can empower themselves in a digital world by applying their creativity and realizing that the sky is the limit when it comes to the digital world. When someone is more creative, they will have more of an incentive to experiment and play with a lot of things, and in that experimentation, they will likely find something that fascinates or excites them. Thus, when someone motivates themselves to be creative, especially in the digital world, they will be able to discover things that they had no idea about and will feel more empowered to maybe pursue a career in the digital world. For example, from personal experience, I feel a lot more empowered in the world of computer science than I did several months ago. When I look back at all of the work that I have done for this class, I realize that I was able to accomplish that because of how much I played/experimented with the sample programs provided. When I played around with certain parts of the code segments and changed or even rearranged certain lines around, I was able to look at results that I did not even know were possible, and that is what has made me much more motivated to pursue my aspirations in computer science in CSA and beyond.

(2) How does someone that is empowered help someone that is not empowered? Describe something you could do at Del Norte HS.

One who is empowered can help someone that is not empowered by talking to the non-empowered person about how they overcame certain challenges and obstacles in their life and provide them with words of encouragement. By the empowered person telling their story, the person who is not empowered will feel inspired to accomplish the same and therefore more motivated to pursue their interests that may have previously been held back. For example, I have an older brother who is currently at UCSD (CS major!), and like me, he took a lot of AP classes in high school. Whenever I don’t feel confident enough in my abilities, feel burnt out (which is always), or am worried about grades, he always tells me ways that he dealt with it when he was in my position. He would also remind me of what I have already accomplished, which is what motivates me to do the very best I can with the heavy workload I am having to endure. Something that I can do at Del Norte High School to help people feel empowered is to maybe start a club that allows students to come together and voice their concerns about anything in a safe environment. This way, there will be a sense of collaboration/working together when figuring out how to empower ourselves, which is exactly what we need.

(3) Is paper or red tape blocking digital empowerment? Are there such barriers at Del Norte? Elsewhere?

Whether or not paper or red tape is blocking digital empowerment mainly depends on the specific context. In some cases, paper can slow down our ability to adapt to changes with new technology and make it difficult for us to embrace the advancements. In other times, however, paper may be necessary to use for certain tasks to accomplish things such as maximizing efficiency and ensuring security and privacy. For Del Norte specifically, paper could be viewed as a barrier to digital empowerment, as there are certain activities that are done on paper that could be completed much more efficiently, quickly, and accurately on our computers. For example, in AP Chemistry, if we are ever doing a lab experiment, we usually have to handwrite a data table along with its necessary columns and rows for us to write down the results as we go. However, if we were given the option to complete the table on a device, we would be able to make tables that are much more neat, precise, and easy to make, as in applications such as Google Docs, we can control how many columns and rows we want and write out (type) what we want to include much faster. We would be able to keep track of data more quickly, which saves a lot of time from having to pause the experiment just to write down what we see.

(4) What concerns do you have personally about the digital divide? For yourself or for others.

One concern that I have about the digital divide is that as technology becomes more advanced/updated that the digital divide will continue to expand. This can cause people who may not be fortunate enough to have access technology to feel isolated or left out from those who do. As peoples’ dependency on forms of technology is growing, it is possible that people who don’t have technology will be viewed as outsiders or weird, which goes back to how that can cause them to feel excluded from everyone else. Overall, my concerns about the digital divide are mainly social, as I am worried that there will be many people who feel excluded or ostracized from the rest of society because they don’t have access to forms of technology while everyone else does.

5.2: Personal Takeaways/Reflection

This lesson taught me a lot about how many people around the world have their own reasons for not using technology. Some people may not use technology because they live in an area where it is not accessible, while others may not use it to not go against their religious beliefs. Some people may not have technology simply because they cannot afford it. I also felt that this was another opportunity for me to discuss my personal experiences, which made the lesson a lot more interactive and overall more relatable for me. I hope that when I look back on this blog to study for the AP exam that my answers for both this and 5.1 will serve as useful study tools to both myself and others who look at my blog.

5.3: Computing Bias

5.3: Class Discussion

  • Age Groups for Facebook vs. TikTok
    • Generally speaking, TikTok has been intended for young adults/teenagers while Facebook has usually found use from older generations
    • While Facebook is considered more of a place to get important information about today’s world (politics, sports, etc.), TikTok is more of an app that is meant to entertain its audiences (funny compilations, tutorials, jokes, etc.)\
    • The younger generation may not find Facebook as appealing and the older generation may not find TikTok as appealing
    • This exclusion could be harmful, as it may be stereotyping that no teens use Facebook at all or that no older adults use TikTok at all, as there are indeed some that do even if it may not be the “intended age”
    • This could be corrected by having both apps include content that could be entertaining/interesting to both age groups and not just one or the other
    • For the businesses, having this exclusion would be profitable for them; for example, if TikTok has a lot of content meant for teens/young adults, many people in that age group will likely watch more of that content, which paves these businesses the way to earn a lot of money from users
  • Virtual Assistants Having Female Voices
    • Some people may simply believe that the female voice sounds better or more pleasing, hence why many assistants like Siri or Alexa have female voices
    • The people who were testing the virtual assistants may have found in their testing that the female voice was more appealing compared to the male one, which would allow more users -> make more money -> better to use female voice assistants
    • Some people may even connect this back to the history of our world, stating that many men believed that women were always “assistants” and were not part of the main job that men had
    • This kind of computing could be harmful in that it promotes sexism, as it may be implying that only women can be considered voice assistants and that one gender is more superior than the other
    • While Google, Alexa, Siri, etc. gives one the option to choose other voices, the female one is always the default voice
    • Adding on to the testing point, some of the people working for the businesses with these virtual assistants may have found the female voice to be the most time-efficient and cost-efficient solution
  • Algorithms that Influence Our Decisions
    • Some algorithms, such as Netflix, Google, Apple, etc. will use forms of advertising in order to grab the user’s attention
    • Some algorithms may exaggerate their product in order to make the user watch more of that type of content
    • For Netflix specifically, when a user watches shows/movies of the same kind of genre, Netflix presents the user with a “You Might Also Like” category, and along with that, it shows the % match
    • When a user watches certain content that all converges towards a specific genre, the user will have more advertisements/recommendations for that kind of content (ex. Youtube Algorithm)
    • The more we see these recommendations, the more we end up wanting to watch it, which further triggers the algorithm
    • Sometimes, on Google, we will see someone or something that is “trending” along with a symbol that shows an arrow pointing downwards, and this is based on what many users have watched or searched up recently (brings us into crowd sourcing, 5.4!)

5.3: “HP computers are racist”

(Below are both notes from the class discussion and my own answers to the questions)

(1) Does the owner of the computer think this was intentional?

After watching the video and observing the owner’s reaction, the owner definitely believes that this was intentional. This is seen by how he explains to the viewers what he has tried to do and how he even asks his co-worker (who is white) to try it out herself. He seems very shocked that while nothing happens when he is in front of the camera, when the co-worker comes into view, everything works as it should and only stops when he gets into clear view of the camera. Although at first glance it may look like that the creators of this product intentionally did this, I personally don’t believe that this was done on purpose and was simply a designing and testing error on their part.

(2) How do you think this happened?

There are several reasons that could explain why everything played out in the video the way it did. Below are some that I thought of and also gathered ideas from when we discussed this in class:

  • Design: The computer tested in the video was likely not designed to detect people that have a color scheme that is different from a color that is lighter or closer to white. Because of the producers’ failure to fully check the design of the computer and to make sure that it worked for anybody who came into view, whenever the owner tried to get the camera to detect him, nothing would happen. Meanwhile, whenever the owner’s co-worker tried to get into the camera, the computer worked just fine, indicating that the creators mainly tested on white subjects or people with lighter skin, hence limiting the computer’s ability to detect those with darker skin.

  • Testing: While this computer may have been tested on/had trial runs, most of the tests were likely conducted with white subjects or people who have lighter skin. Because of how limited the diversity of the test subjects were, this could have caused the computer to be “confused” or to not do anything whenever the owner (who has darker skin) came into the camera’s view. One way that this could have been avoided would be to also test the computer on people with darker skin/different color schemes, as this way, the creators of the computer can make any adjustments accordingly before officially releasing it to the market where everyone can use it without an issue.

(3) Is this harmful? Was it intended to be harmful or exclude? Should it be corrected?

While the creators of the HP computer likely did not intend to offend anybody, the computer can be harmful in that it could mislead the consumers into thinking that this was indeed done on purpose. Being misled can spark many other unnecessary problems or conflicts that are a result of a simple misunderstanding or testing/design error on the producers’ part. I personally don’t believe that this computer was intended to be harmful/exclude or cause offense to anybody, but rather what was shown in the video was a result of a design flaw. This should definitely be corrected, as if the producers of this computer do not do anything to fix this issue, more people might be mislead into believing that computers are racist and that it was intentionally made to exclude or prevent them from using the product. As a result of more people being upset/outraged by this error, this can escalate the situation much more than it needs to be, which can cause harm to people who may not even be aware of this problem or other groups of people.

(4) What would you or should you do to produce a better outcome?

If I was the one of the people who was designing/testing this computer, I would improve the computer to have a better outcome in several ways. To begin with, I would gather many test subjects of a variety of racial backgrounds and have them sit in front of the camera to see if it does anything. Based on the results of that trial run, I (along with my hypothetical team) can make necessary adjustments to the computer and test it again to see if the change improved the overall outcome. I would continue testing the computer over and over again until I can clearly see that it works for anybody regardless of their skin color. By testing it numerous times and making adjustments, this will ensure that the product will be released into the market for anybody to use without any malfunctions as a result of a testing error. Another way that I would improve this computer would be to design the computer so that it can withstand many different levels of lighting and can detect anyone regardless of how light or dark it is. In the video, one of the things that the owner tried to do was to get closer to the camera (which of course did not work), which demonstrates a faulty design. Similar to testing the computer with people of many backgrounds, I would improve the design by testing the computer in rooms that each had a different lighting and have someone in each room test it out. Based on all the trial runs/outcomes of each test, I can make any adjustments accordingly so that the best possible product is sent out into the market for people to use.

5.3: Personal Takeaways/Reflection

I found this lesson to be quite interesting, as I was able to hear from many people about their perspectives on computing bias and why some of the kinds of biases we talked about continue to exist today. I especially liked it when we would connect the discussion back to our personal experiences, as not only were we able to get a productive class discussion, but we were also able to get to know each other as classmates, which was what definitely made this lesson more fun and entertaining overall. For me, I think that the most interesting part of this lesson/discussion was the portion about computers being racist, as there were so many reasons to why that error occurred and it also made some people (including me) laugh a little bit, and I think that it is important to have a little fun when it comes to discussing things like these.

5.4: Crowdsourcing

5.4: Class Discussion

  • Benefits/Positives of Crowdsourcing
    • Can obtain multiple perspectives on the same thing
    • We can draw similarities and differences in how people responded/reacted
    • Based on data collected, we can draw conclusions about how we as people think, respond, react, etc. in certain situations
    • We can see if there are any variations/notable outliers in the data
    • Overall, we can get a LOT of information from crowdsourcing, which can be helpful when we are interested in collecting data about people with social experiments, surveys, controlled environments, etc.
    • It can help us consider multiple perspectives on the same thing, may overall improve society
  • Drawbacks/Negatives of Crowdsourcing
    • We don’t know for certain if people were honest or if they were lying in their responses/reactions
    • We can’t guarantee that everyone answered/did everything honestly
    • For surveys specifically: if we want to know how people respond to a question, while some may give a valid answer, some may simply not care about the question and instead put something that is irrelevant to the subject matter For example, if the question asked the user how often they wash their car, some may give a valid response such as “once a week” or “once a month”, but some may give responses that won’t be useful for fulfilling the purpose of the survey, such as “once every 30 seconds” or “i dont know i dont care”
    • One of the main issues of crowdsourcing is that it may make the data collected inaccurate, which can lead to incorrect conclusions/takeaways
    • By crowdsourcing, people are giving away their personal information, which can raise a security/confidentiality risk
    • Because crowdsourcing involves collecting a large amount of data from a large number of people, this makes bias/unequal representation more likely, which does not set the stage for a reliable study

5.4: Obtaining Data via Crowdsourcing + Questions

(1) We have all experienced Crowdsourcing by using external data through API’s, namely RapidAPI. This data has influenced how we code and shown possibilities in obtaining and analyzing data. Discuss APIs you have used.

While taking this class, I have had the opportunity to experiment and play around with some APIs. There were a few APIs that my group and I tested last trimester for our N@tM project. One API that caught our eyes was the Calender API, which was what allowed users to add events to calendars for any day, month, or year. This fit right in with what we wanted to do with our project, as we wanted to make a calendar that did just that by having the user click on a few buttons before submitting their new event. The problem with that API was that it was only limited to the terminal when the project was supposed to be more interactive and be more vibrant and interesting when first looked at. To solve this problem, we created our own calendar API that allowed the user to input a day, a month, the name of the event, and the description of the event. We took inspiration from Mr. Mortensen as he showed us his Jokes API and Covid API, which helped us a lot in figuring out how to connect the frontend and backend parts of our project. Making our own API helped us in the end, as it was what made the process of adding an event more interesting and pleasing to those who tested it out.

(2) We have all participated in code Crowdsourcing by using GitHub. Many of you have forked from the Teacher repository, or exchanged code with fellow students. Not only can we analyze GitHub code, but we can obtain profiles and history about the persons coding history. What is the biggest discovery you have found in GitHub?

The biggest discovery that I have found in Github is that you can see what days that a viewer made commits to any of their repositories, no matter how long ago it was. Not only does it tell you when they worked, but it also shows you how much work they did, which is indicated by how dark the green square is. The lighter the green square, the less work that was done, and the darker the shade of green, the more commits that were pushed that day. For me personally, many of my squares are medium to light green with some white squares, which indicates that I commit somewhat rarely. As Mr. Mortensen and Mr. Yeung will begin to check our commits, I want to improve how the squares look by attempting to commit at least once a day, as this way, it will show that I did do some work for every day of the week. This is a great example of how crowdsourcing can influence our decisions, as by looking at how often I make commits, I now realize that I should be committing much more often than I do now, which I will begin to work on starting now.

(3) Kaggle datasets for code and science exploration. The avenue of data points us youtube or netflix channels. Analyzing crowd data helps us make decisions. Exam top 10 to 20. Did you see anything interesting?

When I was looking at some of the datasets displayed on Kaggle, I found it interesting that many of the data sets in the top 10 to top 20 are familiar to me and probably many other people, as we use these data sets very often in our daily lives. Some of the data sets I saw included Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube, which makes sense, considering how we use these apps for entertainment, enjoyment, or even education (i.e. podcasts, documentaries, Crash Course). Seeing these apps in the top 10 or top 20 does not surprise me very much, as I know that many people around the world use them as their main sources of entertainment.

(4) CompSci has 150 ish principles students. Describe a crowdsource idea and how you might initiate it in our environment?

One way that I could do crowdsourcing for our environment is to conduct a class survey to gather opinions, thoughts, and suggestions from my classmates about a particular topic or issue. I would initiate this survey in our environment by having everybody stop working and ask them to take a couple of minutes to fill out a survey about a topic or issue. I would also request everyone who participates to answer honestly in the survey, especially for questions that require them to write a few sentences. While crowdsourcing this way could help me understand the topic from multiple perspectives, there are several drawbacks of doing it in this method. Some of these setbacks include…

  • Not answering honestly: Some students may be afraid of answering something a certain way, so they will feel more compelled to put down an answer that may not reflect their true beliefs or thoughts regarding the topic. This can cause me to obtain data that may not be accurate, which could lead to me making incorrect conclusions.
  • “Invalid” responses: Some students may not want to waste their time answering questions on a survey, so rather than actually taking the time to think about their responses to each question, they will put down something that is irrelevant to the topic in order to be done with the survey. This will cause me to have less responses that I can actually use to form my conclusion from conducting this survey, which will ultimately make the evidence (responses) be weaker and considered less credible.

Overall, when it comes to my crowdsourcing idea, it is important that I take into account both the pros and cons of the method of crowdsourcing, as by doing so, I will know what to do when I am presented with certain responses.

(5) What about Del Norte crowdsourcing? Could your project be better with crowdsourcing?

For Del Norte crowdsourcing, I could do something similar to what I talked about in my previous response for crowdsourcing for just our APCSP classes. I could perhaps create a Discord server and use forms of social media such as Instagram to get people to join. Once I have a large enough sample size for my survey, I can send the link to the survey for everyone who has joined the server and have them fill out the form regarding the particular topic or subject matter. With a much larger and much more inclusive sample size (students from all grades would be able to take this survey), I could have much stronger evidence that leads me to my conclusion and can understand the topic from multiple different age groups. Our project could be improved with crowdsourcing, and we are thinking about this by considering adding a leader board that shows some of the top players of the games we put out. Some of the leader boards could include average time it took for a user to guess a work, the highest number of countries guessed in 30 seconds, etc. Based on all of the rounds that a user has played, the leader board will in some way take all of those rounds played and find out the average time, points, etc. Based on this average, the user will be placed on to the leader board accordingly.

(6) What kind of data could you capture at N@tM to make evening interesting? Perhaps use this data to impress Teachers during finals week.

One way that I could capture data is to allow those who come by to our project to play the games that they want to play. We could let them play a round or so of Hangman, Guess the Countries, etc. and maybe have them guess how we got the games to turn out like the way they did. This allows for a more interactive experience between the developers (us) and the users (those who come at N@tM), thus making the evening more interesting. Before N@tM, our group could even have the teachers do the same thing and ask them the same questions, which will make the teachers more interested in our project and more excited for us to present it at N@tM

5.4: Personal Takeaways/Reflection

I also found this lesson very interesting and entertaining, as there are so many ways that one could initiate crowdsourcing. I felt that this lesson gave me the opportunity to recap on what I have done for this class in the past, as things such as APIs and even GitHub uses forms of crowdsourcing in order to function in the way that they do. I like reading about studies/surveys conducted regarding a certain topic and find the process of collecting data from humans interesting in general, so having a class discussion about this really allowed me to channel that and overall have an entertaining time talking to other students about crowdsourcing.

5.5: Legal and Ethical Concerns

5.5: Class Discussion

  • Copyright Discussion
    • Benefits
      • Ensures that people are credited/recognized for their work
      • Ensures that nobody else can steal another person’s idea and publish it as their own
      • Promotes the distribution and use of creative works
      • Creates an incentive for creators to produce more works knowing that they are gaining an exclusive right to their content
    • Drawbacks
      • Some people may use copyright for malicious purposes (ex. someone may strike someone with a copyright infringement on YouTube even if the content was not originally there)
      • Someone who came up with an idea may not know about copyright, so someone else may steal that person’s idea and impose copyright, imposing the idea as their own
      • Could restrict creativity
  • Licensing Discussion
    • Benefits
      • Can provide the owner of the property with a source of additional income, as they receive royalties or fees for allowing others to use their property.
      • By granting licenses, the owner of the property can enable others to use it and promote its widespread dissemination. This can increase the visibility and value of the property.
      • Licensing can help the owner of the property to reduce the risks associated with commercializing their property, as the licensee assumes some of the responsibilities and risks associated with the commercialization of the property.
      • Licensing can provide the owner of the property with access to expertise, resources, and infrastructure that they may not have otherwise, as the licensee may bring these to the table as part of the licensing agreement.
    • Drawbacks
      • Owner of the property gives up a certain level of control over how the property is used, which can reduce the ability of the owner to enforce their rights and protect the property from misuse or infringement.
      • Depending on the terms of the license, the owner of the property may have to pay royalties to the licensee, which can reduce their overall revenue.
      • The terms and conditions of the license may limit the use of the property, which can limit its potential value and impact.
      • By granting a license, the owner of the property may lose their exclusivity over the property, which can reduce its value. This is particularly true in cases where multiple licenses are granted for the same property.

5.5: Reflection Questions

  1. When you create a GitHub repository it requests a license type. Review the license types in relationship to this Tech Talk and make some notes in your personal blog.
  • MIT License
    • Benefits
      • Open-source license that allows users to use, modify, and distribute one’s project as long as they credit them and license their derivative works under the same license.
      • Simplicity and wide adoption
      • Places minimal restrictions on users
    • Drawbacks
      • Lack of any patent protection
      • Since the MIT License places little restrictions on users, there is a possibility that they may misuse or abuse the project in ways that the owner does not intend or approve of
  • Apache License 2.0
    • Benefits
      • Permissive open-source license that allows users to use, modify, and distribute project as long as they comply with the license terms.
      • Has patent protection
      • Compatibility with other open-source licenses.
    • Drawbacks
      • May be more complex than the MIT License, which could provide users less of an initiative to implement this type of license
      • The patent protection provided by the Apache License 2.0 may not be as strong or reliable as some users may want
        • Can be a drawback for projects that rely a lot on patents
  • GPLv3
    • Benefits
      • Requires users to release the source code of any derivative works they create using one’s project
      • Strong protection of the rights of users
      • Promotes collaboration and sharing
    • Drawbacks
      • May limit the use of the project in commercial settings
      • Users may not always comply with the license or may not be aware of their obligations under the license
  • BSD License
    • Another permissive open-source license that allows users to use, modify, and distribute one’s project as long as they retain the copyright notice and license terms
      • Benefits
        • Simplicity and wide adoption
        • Imposes minimal restrictions on users
      • Drawbacks
        • Like the MIT License, the BSD License does not offer patent protection
        • The permissive nature of the BSD License may result in a lack of restrictions on how your project is used, which can lead to misuse or abuse by some users (again like MIT License)
  1. In your blog, summarize the discussions and personal analysis on Software Licenses/Options, Digital Rights, and other Legal and Ethical thoughts from this College Board topic.

In this discussion, we talked about the different aspects of software licensing and copyright, including the benefits and drawbacks of various license types, the importance of considering digital rights and ethical considerations, and the legal protection provided by copyright. When choosing a license for a software project, it is important to carefully consider the benefits and drawbacks of each license type, such as the simplicity and wide adoption of the MIT License, the patent protection and compatibility with other open-source licenses offered by the Apache License 2.0, the strong protection of user rights provided by the GPLv3, and the minimal restrictions placed on users by the BSD License. It is also important to be mindful of the impact your license choice may have on users and to ensure that the license aligns with your goals and values. In addition to software licensing, we also discussed the concept of copyright and the legal protection it provides for the creators of original works. While copyright can help to prevent unauthorized copying and distribution of work, it can also limit the ability of others to use and build upon existing works and the complex nature of copyright law can make it difficult to enforce compliance. In conclusion, when creating and distributing software or other original works, it is important to understand your rights and responsibilities under both software licensing and copyright law. By carefully considering the benefits and drawbacks of different license types, being mindful of digital rights and ethical considerations, and understanding the legal protection provided by copyright, you can ensure that your work is protected and used in a way that aligns with your goals and values.

  1. Make a license for your personal (blog) and Team repositories for the CPT project. Be sure to have a license for both Team GitHub repositories (frontend/backend). Document license(s) you picked and why. FYI, frontend, since it is built on GitHub pages may come with a license and restrictions. Document in blog how team made license choice and process of update.

For our project, our team is currently deciding on two licenses: the MIT License and the Apache 2.0 License. While both licenses are important in giving users the right to use other peoples’ material (complying with the license guidelines, of course), both of them have their benefits and drawbacks. Below are overviews of what each license is, the benefits and drawbacks of each one, and the kind of positives/problems we might experience with each:

The MIT License allows users to use, modify, and distribute the software, as long as they provide attribution to the original creators and do not hold them liable for any damages. This license is known for its simplicity and wide adoption, which can make it easier for users to understand and comply with. Additionally, the MIT License allows for commercial use and distribution, which can be beneficial for businesses and individuals looking to monetize their software. On the other hand, the Apache 2.0 License is a permissive license that allows users to use, modify, and distribute the software, as long as they provide attribution to the original creators and include a copy of the license in any distributions. This license also includes a patent protection clause that can provide additional protection for users and contributors. Additionally, the Apache 2.0 License is known for its strong protection of user rights and its compatibility with a wide range of other open-source licenses, making it easier for users to integrate and use the software in their own projects. In making a license choice, we will need to consider the goals and values of the project, as well as the intended use and distribution of the software. For example, if we wanted to encourage collaboration and community involvement with our project’s code, the Apache 2.0 License may be a good choice. However, if the team wants to monetize the software, the MIT License may be a more appropriate choice. In conclusion, choosing the right license for a software project is an important step in creating and distributing software responsibly. By carefully considering the benefits and drawbacks of different license types, being mindful of digital rights and ethical considerations, and documenting the license choice in the project documentation, we can ensure that our software is protected and used in a way that aligns with our goals and values.

5.5: Personal Takeaways/Reflection

I found our discussion regarding legal and ethical concerns of computing quite interesting, as I have always asked myself many questions about this aspect of computer science. I was always familiar with copyright placed on songs, art, or other forms of work, but I never really considered computer science to also fall into there. Through talking to other people about their thoughts on the legal and ethical concerns of computing, I was able to look at this topic from multiple angles and understand where everyone was coming from. I especially found the part in which we were talking about who is most vulnerable to being jeopardized by these patents/copyright laws. Many people said that the older generation or people who live in areas that do not have access to computers are most vulnerable. However, if one thinks about it, this can happen to anybody, as anyone can have a lapse in their judgement that could cause their work to not get the credit and recognition that it deserves.

5.6: Safe Computing

5.6: Class Discussion

  • Googling yourself discussion
    • May find images of people who have the same first/last name
    • May find images/videos of people if they have a linkedin or YouTube channel with published videos
  • Adult googling
    • May find results for jobs
    • Linkedin
  • What one would not want to have available online
    • One’s password (BIG)
    • One’s home address
    • One’s IP address
    • Family
    • Phone number (unless maybe for business inquiries)
    • Email (see phone number)
    • High School/College attended
  • PII Protector/Security Methods Discussion
    • Windows Defender
    • Two-factor/multi-factor authentication: not only requests for the username and password, but also sends a text message or email to the user to ensure that it is really them logging in
    • Firewall
    • Antivirus on the computer
    • Facial recognition/finger print ids
    • People from the older generation, people who may not be familiar with computers, who people who may have lived in an area that did not have access to computers may be more vulnerable to security risks
    • Symmetric and asymmetric encryption
  • Security Concerns Discussion
    • Viruses or forms of malware (ex. malicious files on the computer, Trojan Horses, etc.)
    • Phishing - can be used to get a virus on your computer or make you provide PII

5.6: Reflection Questions

(1) Describe PII you have seen on project in CompSci Principles.

Throughout the time that I have taken this class, I have experienced many examples of me having to input PII. For example, when we were making our AWS accounts, we had to include our first name followed by the initial for our last name. We also would have to type in our name and other personal information when we were testing out Mr. Mortensen’s CRUD application with the table. We also had to input PII when we created our Github Account. For me personally, I enabled two factor authentication whenever I logged into Github, as this way, Github would know that it was really me who was trying to log in.

(2) What are your feelings about PII and your personal exposure?

While I don’t have any public videos or pictures of me on YouTube, I do have some old pictures of myself on other social media sites such as Instagram. Although the account did not have very many followers, I still feel that in some way, personal information about myself is still available for anybody to see, including people that I don’t know at all. I feel that it is essential that we are careful when it comes to doing things that involve PII or to be aware if someone is trying to trick you into revealing personal information about yourself. Otherwise, if we blindly give PII to random people, they could use our data for malicious purposes that we have no idea about, thus why it is important that we try to keep our PII to ourselves as much as possible.

(3) Describe good and bad passwords? What is another step that is used to assist in authentication.

A lot of the times, websites will tell us what a strong password is and what it should consist of. For the most part, “strong” or “good” passwords consist of 8-10 characters and include letters, numbers, symbols, and other stuff. Some websites may even tell you if the password you have right now is strong or weak so that you can adjust it accordingly. For me personally, a good password is a password that will be easy for you to remember while not making it super obvious for someone who is planning to hack your account. It is also important that we don’t use the same password for everything, even if it is because it will be easier to remember, as doing that may make you more vulnerable to getting your account compromised. Bad passwords are usually passwords that don’t have enough of the criteria mentioned earlier for a good password. Bad passwords are passwords that are super common and make it easier for a hacker to get into your account.

(4) Try to describe Symmetric and Asymmetric encryption.

In simple terms, symmetric encryption uses only one key to encrypt and decrypt data, while asymmetric encryption uses multiple keys to encrypt and decrypt data.

(5) Provide an example of encryption we used in AWS deployment.

AWS deployment often uses server-side AES 256 encryption for information, and hashes information to-and-fro when routing requests. Thus, information is kept secure.

(6) Describe a phishing scheme you have learned about the hard way. Describe some other phishing techniques.

I have not learned about phishing schemes the hard way, but one weird site was a site that automatically downloaded some items to my computer when I was young. I was very scared at the time and have always thought about that when surfing. Some phishing techniques include scams from friends, scams from providers who may not have the same, email, etc.

5.6: Personal Takeaways/Reflection

I found our discussion regarding safe computing quite interesting, as I have always asked myself many questions about this aspect of computer science. Through talking to other people about their thoughts on safe computing, I was able to look at this topic from multiple angles and understand where everyone was coming from. I especially found the part in which we were talking about who is most vulnerable to being presented with security risks such as malware, viruses, and phishing. Many people said that the older generation or people who live in areas that do not have access to computers are most vulnerable. However, if one thinks about it, this can happen to anybody, as anyone can have a lapse in their judgement that could cause themselves to be unaware that they are putting their computer/machine in danger.

Overall Reflection

I thought that all of these lessons were great learning experiences for me, as I was able to discuss these concepts with other students, share some of my personal experiences and relate that to what we are talking about, and also allow me to give my opinion on some of the most debateable topics in the world, including the benefits/drawbacks of computing and the digital divide in the world of computing. In addition, both of these lessons gave me the opportunity to think about our project more and how we can incorporate some of the ideas that we learned. By considering some of the ideas that we learned about in the world of computing, our group could definitely refine our project further and have it be in the best condition for when we present it at N@tM. I am looking forward to any more of these lessons that we will have and hope that they too will serve as a memorable, interactive learning experience for me and even other students in this class.