6. In the context of data transmission, what is “error detection”?

Error detection is the detection of errors caused by noise or other impairments during transmission from the transmitter to the receiver.

5. Define the term URL. Explain the components that make up the url.

URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator.
URL is the global address of documents and resources on the World Wide Web (WWW). It is a specific character string which is a reference to an Internet source.
An example of URL: http://google.com

http
The first part of the URL is a protocol identifier, which indicates which protocol to use (eg. HTTP, FTP, etc.).
google.com
The second part of the URL is a resource name, which specifies the IP address or the domain name (ie. google.com) where the resource is located.

These two parts (protocol identifier and resource name) are separated by a colon and two forward slashes. ://

4. There are two methods of data transmission – serial and parallel. Explain the difference between them.

Serial Data Transmission is the process of sending data one bit at a time, in a sequence, over a communication channel.
Parallel Data Transmission is the process of sending several data signals simultaneously over several parallel channels.

The difference between a parallel and a serial data transmission is that serial transmission sends data one bit/data at a time, while parallel transmission sends multiple bits/data in the same time. Also, serial transmission uses only one communication channel while parallel transmission uses multiple communication channels.

Smartphone Tour Review

1. Technology Hardware:
Mobile Phones – used to scan the QR code in order to view the information
Computers – used for the accessing and designing of the website, editing of photos, etc.
Digital Camera – used to take photos
Printer – used to print posters for the tour
Router – used to connect to the Internet which allowed for access to the websites

Software:
Image software – used to edit images: resize, rotate, add arrows, etc.
QR Code Reader – scans QR codes to present information on the websites
Google Docs – online collaboration tool to plan the tour
Google Sites – used to host and create websites for the tour
Voice recording app – used to record voices for audio for the websites

2. Constraints

Time – Only 4-5 lessons were given to make the whole tour which limited what we can do in a small amount of time.

Internet speed – The internet speed affected the amount of time it took to download and upload files (on StudentNet, website, etc.).
File size of the photo – compressed file formats (.jpeg) were used. The resolution of the images were limited in order to allow for a faster loading time.

Cost – We resorted to using free hosting services in order to  

3. Roles in the group

I had to make the website for the follow parts of the tour: BM Building to Science Labs and BM Building to Language Other Than English (LOTE) rooms. I had to create the QR codes to link to these websites. I had to find the appropriate photos for the tour (17 photos). After finding the photos, I edited them by adding arrows in to indicate which direction to go.

4. Problems and Solutions

Problem: Internet speed

Solution: Bringing the files (via USB) and working on the websites at home.

Problem: Knowing the status of each website

Solution: Using colour coding on a collaborative document to indicate which websites needed work.

Problem: Finding photos
Solution: Finding the photos needed and copying and pasting them into another folder, as well as renaming the photos with numbers in chronological order.