Chapter 2: Creative Development

Computing Innovations

• Computing has spurred creativity in medicine, engineering, communications, and the arts.
• Quantitative data is used by health insurance companies to choose providers.
• Heart monitor watches take blood pressure continuously.
• Microprocessor-controlled artificial legs and blind reading apps improve quality of life.
• Computing innovations can help artists mix media.
• Simulations can predict real-world outcomes based on changing variables.

Hardware Vs. Software

• Hardware is the physical components of a computing device, while software is the instructions in a programming language to the computing device.
• A computing innovation can have hardware components.
• However, the computing innovation is about the software, not the hardware.

Collaboration

• Collaboration helps people learn from each other.
• Collaboration that includes diverse perspectives helps to avoid bias in the development of computing innovations.
• Effective collaboration can help one gain insight and knowledge by applying multiple perspectives, experiences, and skill sets.
• Collaboration with others can make the programmer more self-aware.
• Collaboration facilitates the solving of computational problems by applying multiple perspectives and skill sets.
• Collaboration combines different individuals’ resources, talents, and experiences.

How Programs Function

• A program is a collection of program statements that performs a specific task when run by a computer.
• A program is often referred to as software.
• A code segment refers to a collection of program statements that are part of a program.

Example of a program

Program Input

• Program input is data sent to a computer for processing by a program.
• Input can come in a variety of forms, such as tactile, audio, visual, or text.
• For example, a cell phone can convert voice (audio) to text to send a message.

Development Process

Program Documentation

• Program documentation is a written description of the function of a code segment, event, procedure, or program and how it was developed.
• Program documentation helps in developing and maintaining correct programs when working individually or in collaborative programming environments.
• Programmers should document a program throughout its development.
• Documentation helps the programmer remember what he or she was thinking or the collaborative partners were thinking at the time they were programming.

Program Errors

• Logic error—This is a mistake in the algorithm or program that causes it to behave incorrectly or unexpectedly.
• Syntax error—This is a mistake in the program where the rules of the programming language are not followed.
• Runtime error—This is a mistake in the program that occurs during the execution of a program.
  • Programming languages define their own runtime errors.

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