Digital Systems

Department of Management Information Systems, Temple University

Digital Systems

MIS 2101.730 ■ Spring 2023 ■ Steven E. Sclarow, AIA

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What is HTML and how it is used in our everyday lives! Part 2

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The coding language that adds design elements to a web page is Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). CSS is used to define the layout, style, and presentation of a webpage. It allows developers to control the appearance of elements on a webpage, including fonts, colors, backgrounds, borders, and more. CSS works in conjunction with HTML, the markup language used to structure the content of a webpage, and JavaScript, the programming language used to add interactivity to a webpage.

JavaScript is event-driven because it is designed to respond to user interactions and other events that occur within a web page. When a user interacts with a webpage, such as clicking a button or hovering over an element, an event is triggered. JavaScript can be used to create event handlers that respond to these events and perform actions, such as updating the content of the page or displaying a message to the user. Because JavaScript is event-driven, it allows web developers to create dynamic and interactive user experiences on the web.

What is HTML and how it is used in our everyday lives! Part 1

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The coding language that adds structure to a web page is HTML (Hypertext Markup Language). HTML provides the basic structure of a web page, defining elements such as headings, paragraphs, lists, images, and links. It creates a hierarchical structure of content, where elements are nested within other elements. By using HTML, developers can structure the content of a web page in a way that is semantically meaningful and accessible to users and search engines.

On the other hand, the coding language that adds functionality to a web page is JavaScript. JavaScript is a scripting language that runs in the browser and allows developers to add interactive elements to a web page. JavaScript can be used to create dynamic effects, such as drop-down menus, form validation, and image galleries. It can also be used to manipulate the content of a web page in response to user interactions, such as clicking a button or scrolling the page.

In summary, HTML adds structure to a web page, while JavaScript adds functionality. However, it’s worth noting that these two languages often work together to create engaging and interactive web pages. CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is another important language that works in conjunction with HTML and JavaScript to add visual styling to a web page.

What are Loops?

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Why do we use loops?
Loops are used in programming to execute a set of instructions repeatedly. They help automate repetitive tasks and simplify code, making it more concise and easier to read. Using loops can also help reduce the amount of code needed to achieve a specific task.

What loop do we use when we want the code to run a specific number of times?
We use a for loop when we want the code to run a specific number of times. For example, if we want to print the numbers 1 to
10, we can use a for loop that iterates from 1 to 10.

What loop do we use when we don’t know the specific number of times? (consider the difference between a while loop and a for loop?)
We use a while loop when we don’t know the specific number of times we need to run the code. A while loop will continue to execute the code block as long as the specified condition is true. In contrast, a for loop is used when we know the number of iterations required, and it is more suitable when we need to execute code for a specific number of times.
What are the three parts of a for loop?
The three parts of a for loop are:

Initialization: This is where we initialize the loop variable to a specific value, typically the starting value.
Condition: This is the condition that is checked at the beginning of each iteration. If the condition is true, the loop continues to execute. If the condition is false, the loop stops.
Increment/Decrement: This is the statement that is executed at the end of each iteration. It updates the loop variable so that the condition is eventually false, and the loop stops.

Importance of IF/ELSE Statements!

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Why do we use if/else statements?
We use if/else statements in programming to execute different blocks of code based on certain conditions. This allows us to create programs that can make decisions and react to different inputs or situations.

What is the basic syntax of if/else if statements?
The basic syntax of if/else if statements is as follows:

if (condition1) {
// code block to execute if condition1 is true
} else if (condition2) {
// code block to execute if condition1 is false and condition2 is true
} else {
// code block to execute if all previous conditions are false
}
In this syntax, the if keyword is followed by a condition in parentheses. If this condition is true, the code block inside the curly braces will be executed. If the condition is false, the program will move on to the next condition in the else if statement. If all previous conditions are false, the program will execute the code block inside the else statement.

What is the purpose of isNaN?
isNaN is a function in JavaScript that stands for “is Not a Number”. It is used to determine whether a value is not a number. This can be useful in situations where you want to check whether a user input is a valid number, for example.

How do we evaluate conditions if we have &&? What about ||?
In JavaScript, && is the logical AND operator and || is the logical OR operator. When we evaluate conditions with &&, both conditions must be true for the overall condition to be true. When we evaluate conditions with ||, either one or both of the conditions must be true for the overall condition to be true.

The Functioning of JavaScript

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A function in JavaScript is a block of code designed to perform a specific task. All functions in JavaScript have a function name, a set of parentheses, and curly brackets that contain the code to be executed. Calling a function executes the code inside it and returns a value. To pass a function arguments means to provide values or variables to the function that it can use to perform its task. This allows for flexibility and reusability of the function. The purpose of the return keyword in functions is to specify the value that the function will return when it is called. Without a return statement, the function will execute but not provide any value back to the calling code. The return statement can also be used to terminate a function prematurely if necessary.

What does JavaScript mean to you? Read more to find out what it means to Shivam Joshi!

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A variable in JavaScript is a container that holds a value, which can be a number, string, object, or any other data type. To create a variable, you can use the “let”, “const”, or “var” keyword, followed by the name of the variable. For example, to create a variable called “myVariable”, you can write “let myVariable;”. To initialize a variable, you can assign it a value using the assignment operator “=”. For instance, to initialize “myVariable” to a string value, you can write “myVariable = ‘Hello World’;”. The difference between declaring and initializing a variable is that declaring a variable means creating a reference to it, while initializing means assigning a value to the variable. When naming a variable, it must start with a letter, underscore, or dollar sign and cannot include spaces or special characters. JavaScript provides various arithmetic operators, including addition (+), subtraction (-), multiplication (*), division (/), modulus (%), increment (++), and decrement (–), to perform mathematical operations on variables. Concatenation is the process of combining two or more strings into one. JavaScript provides concatenation operators, such as the plus sign (+) and the “+=” operator, to concatenate strings. The line of code used to prompt a user for a response is “prompt(‘Enter your name:’);”.

Why it is important to understand Threat Modeling

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Threat modeling is a systematic process used to identify, analyze and prioritize potential threats and vulnerabilities in a system, network or software application. This helps to identify areas where security measures need to be implemented and to develop mitigation strategies for potential risks.

Regulations involved with data protection and cybersecurity include the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).

Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts a victim’s files and demands payment in exchange for the decryption key. Hospitals are often targeted because they store valuable personal and medical information and may be more likely to pay the ransom to regain access to their data.

Some methods to protect yourself online include using strong and unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, updating software and operating systems regularly, avoiding suspicious links or emails, and using anti-virus software.

The three types of artificial intelligence are narrow AI, general AI, and super AI. Narrow AI is designed to perform specific tasks, such as voice recognition, while general AI is designed to perform a wider range of tasks like human intelligence. Super AI refers to an AI system that is capable of surpassing human intelligence in multiple domains. Examples of narrow AI include Siri and Alexa, while examples of general AI include AlphaGo and Watson.

Alan Turing was a British mathematician and computer scientist who is considered the father of modern computing. The Turing test is a measure of a machine’s ability to exhibit intelligent behavior equivalent to, or indistinguishable from, that of a human. It is used to evaluate the capability of a computer program to perform tasks that require human-level intelligence.

Experience Digital Platforms

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Pros of using digital platforms:

Increased reach and accessibility for businesses and individuals
Improved efficiency and automation of processes
Enhanced user experience and customization options
Increased data collection and analysis capabilities
Lower costs and scalability compared to traditional solutions
A network effect occurs when the value of a product or service increases as more people use it. Examples include social media networks (e.g., Facebook), marketplaces (e.g., Amazon), and communication tools (e.g., WhatsApp).

Pros of Cloud computing:

Cost savings and increased efficiency
Scalability and flexible resource allocation
Access to advanced technology and tools
Improved disaster recovery and data security
Cons of Cloud computing:

Dependence on internet connectivity
Potential for vendor lock-in
Security and privacy concerns
Complexity of managing and integrating multiple cloud services
SaaS (Software as a Service): a fully hosted software solution, delivered over the internet and accessible via a web browser.
PaaS (Platform as a Service): a platform that enables users to build, run, and manage their own applications and services, without having to worry about infrastructure and maintenance.
IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service): a virtualized computing infrastructure, delivered over the internet and accessible on a pay-as-you-go basis.

APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are a set of protocols and routines for building software applications. APIs allow different software systems to communicate with each other and exchange data. APIs build value by allowing for greater integration and automation, improving user experiences, and enabling new business models and revenue streams.

Descriptive and Predictive Analytics

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Descriptive analytics is the process of summarizing and analyzing data to understand the past and present status of a particular subject. Predictive analytics, on the other hand, is the process of using data, statistical algorithms and machine learning techniques to identify the likelihood of future outcomes based on historical data.

Data refers to raw information that is collected and stored, while big data refers to the large volume of data – both structured and unstructured – that inundates a business on a day-to-day basis. The difference lies in the size, speed, and variety of data.

Companies use big data to gain valuable insights into their business operations, customer behavior, market trends and more. Big data helps organizations make informed decisions, increase efficiency, and improve their overall performance.

Business intelligence is a set of processes, technologies and tools that organizations use to collect, integrate, analyze and present data to support informed decision-making. It helps companies by providing them with a comprehensive view of their business and helps identify areas of improvement.

OLTP (Online Transaction Processing) systems are designed to manage transaction-oriented applications, while OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) systems are designed to support business intelligence activities. OLTP systems are optimized for insert, update, and delete operations, while OLAP systems are optimized for complex querying and analysis of data. Examples of OLTP systems include point-of-sale systems, while examples of OLAP systems include data warehouses.

The types of data include structured data, unstructured data, semi-structured data, quantitative data, and qualitative data. Structured data refers to data that is organized and stored in a specific format, such as tables, while unstructured data refers to data that is not organized in a specific format, such as text, images, and videos.

The sources of data include internal data, such as sales and customer data, and external data, such as data obtained from social media and public sources.

The importance of ERP & CRM

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The purpose of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is to integrate and manage a company’s core business processes, such as finance, human resources, procurement, inventory management, and customer service, using a single software solution.

Issues with legacy systems include outdated technology, limited scalability, high maintenance costs, and difficulty in integrating with modern software solutions.

The purpose of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is to manage a company’s interactions with its customers, including sales, marketing, and customer service, in order to increase customer satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy.

CRMs are used by companies of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises, to manage their customer interactions and relationships.

Both ERP and CRM systems aim to improve business efficiency and effectiveness, but ERP focuses on managing a company’s internal processes, while CRM focuses on managing customer interactions and relationships.

Velocity and veracity refer to the speed and accuracy of data, respectively. In the context of data integrity, velocity refers to the speed with which data is generated, processed, and transmitted, while veracity refers to the quality, accuracy, and trustworthiness of the data. Ensuring high velocity and veracity are essential for maintaining data integrity.