Design Technology 2017 - Year 9: September 2017

Criterion A - Inquiring and Analyzing

1. What Does Programming in Computers Mean?

Programming in computer is the process of developing and using a variety set of instructions to enable a computer to do a certain task. This helps the computer operate smoothly. The various languages for computer programming cannot be understood by people who have had no experience in coding which uses languages like Java Script, HTML, etc. This is why it is vital that people understand the basics of computer programming because it continues to be a significant process for the internet in order for websites, games and software to work.

Websites wouldn’t run if it weren’t for things like HTML or JavaScript which code the website in order for text, colors, images, etc. to appear. It also wouldn’t love as visually appealing without JavaScript and without HTML the basics of what is needed on a website wouldn’t even show.

Without programming, you can’t create games because there is a range of software that you use to create games such as Scratch, Sploder, Stencyl, etc.

2. How has it evolved?

Algorithms is vital for computer programming because it is an ordered set of steps to solve a problem. It tells your computer exactly what they need to do, especially in writing software to use, for example in websites you need to program it to work how you need to do. Programming includes Java Script, HTML, etc. which has evolved immensely over the years.

The first computer was created in 1946 and it occupied 1800 square feet and weighs approximately 50 tons. When this was created, they used electric signals as one of the earliest forms of computer programming. It could be only 'programmed' by pressing switches and rewiring the entire system for each new program or calculation. In 1945, John Von Neumann developed two significant concepts that affected the path of computer programming languages, the first was the shared program technique that was developed so that programming languages were a lot easier and smoother to use. Instead, harder instructions should be used to control the easy hardware so that it would be reprogrammed much faster.

The second concept was also significant which was called conditional control transfer, it developed the idea of rearranging the order of the blocks of code, similar to the present day scratch, instead of having to have a chronological order of instructions. It also gave the ideas of reusing blocks of code repetitively.

In conclusion, the development of computer programming continues to develop, from having to use a list of steps to wire a computer to follow instructions, to these steps finding their ways to creating software that developed better features. With the first major language being intended for one single purpose only, whereas now many computer programming languages can be used for a variety of purposes.

3. What Are The Different Ways You Interact With Computers?

The most well-known and important ways to interact with computers are using a mouse and a keyboard. A mouse helps you navigate around the computer and a keyboard helps you type programming and to research, etc. We also run various computer applications which interacts with the computer. You also interact with computer when you program to create new software, to design your website and to use HTML and software like Scratch to create your own games.

Desktop applications, internet browsers and etc. all count as interacting with computers because you're relying on the computer to search through the search engine for example on Google in order for you to find what you're looking for.

4. How Many of Those Ways Involve You Creating With Computers?

When you create new software using programming, HTML or Scratch, etc. that involves interacting with the computer so that you can create the game, or the website, etc. Everything in Microsoft requires programming to create in the software, like Microsoft Publisher, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, etc.

Coding is a vital part of the computer, it wouldn't do things the way we wanted them to and neither would it run as smoothly and efficiently as it does not because we use algorithms to program computers, we also use coding to create any sort of website to use and if we didn't use software like Java Script the website would be pretty much all information and HTML. When you're designing a video game you require coding in order to create it which is where software like Scratch come in handy. When we're creating and drawing out cartoons, you use a drawing tablet which you connected to a computer in order to use all the software they offer as a canvas to draw on.

References

Ferguson, A. (2017). A History of Computer Programming Languages. [online] Cs.brown.edu. Available at: https://cs.brown.edu/~adf/programming_languages.html [Accessed 18 Sep. 2017].
Mathcs.emory.edu. (n.d.). Interacting With a Computer (in general). [online] Available at: http://www.mathcs.emory.edu/~cheung/Courses/170/Syllabus/02/interact-computer.html [Accessed 18 Sep. 2017].
G. (?). Introduction to Computer Programming - What Is It. [online] Guyhaas.com. Available at: http://guyhaas.com/bfoit/itp/Programming.html [Accessed 18 Sep. 2017].
Khan Academy. (n.d.). Learning Programming on Khan Academy. [online] Available at: https://www.khanacademy.org/computing/computer-programming/programming/intro-to-programming/a/learning-programming-on-khan-academy [Accessed 18 Sep. 2017].
BusinessDictionary.com. (n.d.). What is computer programming? definition and meaning. [online] Available at: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/computer-programming.html [Accessed 18 Sep. 2017].