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Digital Representation: Bits to Bytes for a Better Tomorrow

Explore the significance of data representation in the digital age, from bits to complex characters, documents, and beyond. Learn how representation shapes power, money, and communication. Delve into the world of digital approximations and exponential growth. Discover the impact of accurate representation on information exchange and control. Unleash the potential of bits and bytes in unlocking life, liberty, and happiness after the digital explosion.

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Digital Representation: Bits to Bytes for a Better Tomorrow

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  1. Harvard UniversityCSCI E-2aLife, Liberty, and HappinessAfter the Digital Explosion 3A: Data Representation

  2. Representation • How do you represent “things” with bits • Anything • Text • Documents • Pictures • Sounds

  3. Representation • How do you represent “things” with bits • Why does representation matter? • Power • Money

  4. Bits (“Binary digITs”) • There are two bits: 0 and 1 • Everything else is a sequence of bits • I.e. a “bit string” • 0010101, 111100010100101011

  5. Digital representations are, by definition, approximations. They leave out a lot.

  6. Representing Things

  7. Representing Things

  8. Representing Things

  9. Representing Things

  10. Representing Things

  11. How many bits for “n” things • Each bit doubles the number • 1 bit = 2, 2 bits = 4, 3 bits = 8 • N bits = 2n things • 10 bits = 1024 etc. Another example of exponential growth

  12. How many bits does it take to represent the 2007 Red Sox Season?

  13. Red Sox 2007 • 162 games = 162 bits (96 “1”s and 66 “0”s • Add 4 bits / game for opponent • Add Inning results • Add at-bat results • Add pitch details • Stop when you’ve had enough

  14. Representing Text • 8 bits per character • “A” = 01000001 • “(” = 00101000 • How many combinations of 8 bits? 2· 2· 2· 2· 2· 2· 2· 2 = 28 = 256

  15. Hexadecimal Digits

  16. ASCIIAmerican Standard Code for Information InterchangeCharacter represented by Hex xy, e.g. 4B is “K”

  17. ASCII Underneath • Emails • Web pages

  18. What if you need more than 256 characters? • Unicode • 32 bits per character (roughly 4 billion different characters)

  19. What about documents? Representation + Interpretation

  20. Word Processors • DisplayWrite • Document Editor • EasyWriter • FullWrite Professional • geoWrite • Gypsy • lexicon • LocoScript • MacWrite • Magic Wand • MindWrite • MultiMate • PaperClip • pfs:Write • Protext • SpeedScript • Sprint • Taste • TJ-2 [3] • Transwrite • WordMARC • WordStar • Wordsworth • WriteNow • XyWrite 602PC Suite AppleWorks Applix Word - Atlantis Ocean Mind EasyWord FrameMaker Han/Gul Lotus Word Pro Mellel Microsoft Word - Nisus Writer - Pages - Papyrus – PolyEdit StarOffice TextMaker WordExpress WordPerfect Hieroglyph Jarte Madhyam Amí AtariWriter Bravo Bank Street Writer DeskMate

  21. Why not pick one?

  22. Why representation matters • Loss of data and the inability to exchange is the primary deterrent to switching vendors. • Control the representation and your control what can be seen and what can be done.

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