And thus we come to the final blog in this entrepreneurial project. On the whole, I am very pleased with how this project went. It gave me a chance to think outside the box a little bit and really helped me see how some of the topics in class could be used in the real world. My blog was all about a possible website called Transport Orange. It's main purpose would be to help students on the Syracuse campus find transportation on breaks or on weekends to wherever they needed to go. The website would include maps on which drivers could plot their course and those who needed rides could label their destination. The website would then match up the two maps to find drivers going near or through that destination. The students could then communicate with each other via the website to discuss payment, meeting times, etc.
When I first started this project it was a very general idea. I didn't have much to work with at all. Thankfully, the lectures every week gave me material. I was also pleasantly surprised to have comments from my fellows classmates and the GA that gave me a lot of positive feedback. I am now much more confident that, with some help, I can make Transport Orange a reality. Most of the people I've talked to have told me how useful something like this would be and I am more than willing to create it. At first I thought it would be difficult coming up with ways to tie in each weeks lectures, but once my brain started working, I realized that there would be way more technology involved than I originally thought! This class has definitely helped me come up with ways to improve the project once it is actually created. And undoubtedly I will learn even more once I actually apply it.
So what started out as a class project has become a real-life goal for me. I'm very excited to go out and put my knew knowledge to the test creating Transport Orange. I cannot do it by myself but I am confident that it most certainly CAN happen. And who knows? Maybe by the end of my sophomore year it will! That's the wonderful thing about technology. It can always be created and improved upon.
Comments:
Hillary Dzialowski's grocery store app
http://hillarydz.blogspot.com/
Joseph Creighton's INTERSECT program:
http://joeycreighton.blogspot.com/
Amy Chestnut's Voice-activated TV:
http://amychestnut131.blogspot.com/
Monday, October 31, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Week 7 - Networks
Networks are beyond important for my proposed website, Transport Orange. In fact, without them, my website would not even exist. If networks did not exist, it could not be created, used, or even thought up in the first place! Networks are what allows different devices to communicate with each other. Without that ability to communicate, no one would be able to transmit data onto the website or contact each other if they somehow did reach the site. It would be as ineffective as the bulletin board at Schine.
Another important aspect of networking is the assignment of an IP address and domain name for the website, which act as a source for information to be sent to (and from). It is necessary for every node on the internet to have an IP address to communicate. Packets of information get sent from address to address. That is how information is sent across the internet. Without networking, the packets would have no where to go and the website would cease to be useful for anyone. There would be no point to creating it in the first place. Also, even if the website did somehow still exist, there would be no way for students to send packets to each other, since all of the devices used by students has a unique IP address as well. Therefore, there would be no way for students to communicate and figure out the rides or share the information that was needed. The site in general would be extremely unhelpful.
The domain name would simply act as an alias for the IP address so that students don't have to memorize a random 8-bit number. Hopefully in this case it would be something along the lines of transport.syr.edu or something similar to that so as to be affiliated with the university. In order for it be recognized as an educational site, the URL would have to end in .edu. If it is a branch of Syracuse University, that would come automatically once it is implemented into the system for the school. Hopefully this site actually becomes a reality someday! I'd love to be able to create a link for students to click on and find all the information they would need to find easy transportation.
Another important aspect of networking is the assignment of an IP address and domain name for the website, which act as a source for information to be sent to (and from). It is necessary for every node on the internet to have an IP address to communicate. Packets of information get sent from address to address. That is how information is sent across the internet. Without networking, the packets would have no where to go and the website would cease to be useful for anyone. There would be no point to creating it in the first place. Also, even if the website did somehow still exist, there would be no way for students to send packets to each other, since all of the devices used by students has a unique IP address as well. Therefore, there would be no way for students to communicate and figure out the rides or share the information that was needed. The site in general would be extremely unhelpful.
The domain name would simply act as an alias for the IP address so that students don't have to memorize a random 8-bit number. Hopefully in this case it would be something along the lines of transport.syr.edu or something similar to that so as to be affiliated with the university. In order for it be recognized as an educational site, the URL would have to end in .edu. If it is a branch of Syracuse University, that would come automatically once it is implemented into the system for the school. Hopefully this site actually becomes a reality someday! I'd love to be able to create a link for students to click on and find all the information they would need to find easy transportation.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Week 6 - Blog Review Post
It was a little tricky, but I finally found someone. Very few people are blogging about inventing new online websites for transportation, on or off a college campus. Luckily though, I found a blogger who works as a web designer, which is relatively similar since I too am talking about designing a new web site. His name is Jason Kottke. As he states is: "I believe that when people talk about solving problems with technology, what they're usually talking about is solving problems with design...which is to say, the application of psychology in a visual & functional context."
Essentially, Jason blogs about the latest things that happen in society (trends and happenings) while including little tidbits of his own personal life. He describes his blog as "An attempt to track and make sense of 'material that connects the insights of science and culture, rather than using one to dismantle the other' (as Steven Johnson puts it)." He also avidly avoids politics, which is rather unique for that is what a lot of people enjoy reading/blogging about these days. At my first glance at Jason's front page there were articles on everything from types of letters used in WWII to stalking with sites like Facebook to video game information to a game deciding whether the name given was the name of a cheese or a font style. It is a very interesting blog and one that I may visit again in the future. The URL is given below.
http://www.kottke.org/
Essentially, Jason blogs about the latest things that happen in society (trends and happenings) while including little tidbits of his own personal life. He describes his blog as "An attempt to track and make sense of 'material that connects the insights of science and culture, rather than using one to dismantle the other' (as Steven Johnson puts it)." He also avidly avoids politics, which is rather unique for that is what a lot of people enjoy reading/blogging about these days. At my first glance at Jason's front page there were articles on everything from types of letters used in WWII to stalking with sites like Facebook to video game information to a game deciding whether the name given was the name of a cheese or a font style. It is a very interesting blog and one that I may visit again in the future. The URL is given below.
http://www.kottke.org/
Monday, October 10, 2011
Week 5 - Bits and Bytes
With bits and bytes, we delve more into whats behind the website Transport Orange as opposed to things that students would directly interact with. Bits and bytes are what make it possible to post anything digitally on the website, whether it be graphics or words or videos, etc. Needless to say, without those there wouldn't be much of a website would there?
The amount of space available for all of the information represented by bytes (one byte = 8 bits) is determined by the amount of memory the web site has to use. Bytes would also tie in perfectly if voice commands were made possible on the website. Human speech is analog, which means it uses continuous wave form signals. (And yes, I got that out of the textbook.) The only problem is, computers are digital. Thus, computers have to translate the sound waves into electronic code that it can easily process and convert into information before it can give a response. That's where the binary system comes in.
The binary system converts information into bytes with each digit being represented by a 1 or a 0. Depending on what the wave in the voice is, it will produce one digit or the other. The computer can then read those digits, translate them, and give a response. Obviously it is much more complicated than that, but it is impossible to deny that this system is pivotal to the creation of websites like Transport Orange. Without it, quite simply the website would not exist.
The amount of space available for all of the information represented by bytes (one byte = 8 bits) is determined by the amount of memory the web site has to use. Bytes would also tie in perfectly if voice commands were made possible on the website. Human speech is analog, which means it uses continuous wave form signals. (And yes, I got that out of the textbook.) The only problem is, computers are digital. Thus, computers have to translate the sound waves into electronic code that it can easily process and convert into information before it can give a response. That's where the binary system comes in.
The binary system converts information into bytes with each digit being represented by a 1 or a 0. Depending on what the wave in the voice is, it will produce one digit or the other. The computer can then read those digits, translate them, and give a response. Obviously it is much more complicated than that, but it is impossible to deny that this system is pivotal to the creation of websites like Transport Orange. Without it, quite simply the website would not exist.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Week 4 - Input and Output
How cool would it be to be able to speak to your computer, tell it where you are and where you would like to go, and have it immediately map out a path for you with directions? That's essentially the idea of input and output and it has a lot of practical applications to something like Transport Orange. Voice recognition is merely one aspect that could be added to the website to make it more efficient. You could map out your entire route by telling the computer which roads you would like to take or asking it to give directions with the fastest time or shortest distance or even a route that avoids major highways or tollbooths. That would obviously be most helpful for those students who are volunteering to drive. For students in search of a ride, they could use audio input to search for a certain driver or those following along a similar path they are. It would make searching the website that much faster and easier.
Now imagine that you have your entire route set and ready to go on the computer. Imagine yourself putting your GPS or phone in front of the computer screen and taking a picture of or scanning a barcode or quick response code. Voila! Your directions are now safely downloaded onto your device for use while your driving. There could also be codes for coupons for restaurants on your route, gas stations and rest areas you could stop at, or even traffic information (such as if there is construction on a certain road). It would be undeniably helpful to have that sort of information available at the touch of a button. Output such as that would also help save time and effort and make the whole process of finding a ride that much easier.
There may even be a way to include things like the Google Wallet on there! Say you'd rather not worry about carrying cash around on your trip but you need to pay your driver gas money. You could theoretically scan your Google Wallet account on the site and pay the driver online by putting the money right into his or her account. Or if you needed to add money or pay for something like the E-ZPass used at tollbooths, you could simply do it in the comfort of your own home at your computer without having to worry about entering all of your credit card information (which would be safer for your privacy as well). All you would have to do is enter your PIN number and you're all set. There are multiple more ways in which input and output could come into play, but these are merely a few examples of how it would make Transport Orange an even better, more reliable site for students to use.
Now imagine that you have your entire route set and ready to go on the computer. Imagine yourself putting your GPS or phone in front of the computer screen and taking a picture of or scanning a barcode or quick response code. Voila! Your directions are now safely downloaded onto your device for use while your driving. There could also be codes for coupons for restaurants on your route, gas stations and rest areas you could stop at, or even traffic information (such as if there is construction on a certain road). It would be undeniably helpful to have that sort of information available at the touch of a button. Output such as that would also help save time and effort and make the whole process of finding a ride that much easier.
There may even be a way to include things like the Google Wallet on there! Say you'd rather not worry about carrying cash around on your trip but you need to pay your driver gas money. You could theoretically scan your Google Wallet account on the site and pay the driver online by putting the money right into his or her account. Or if you needed to add money or pay for something like the E-ZPass used at tollbooths, you could simply do it in the comfort of your own home at your computer without having to worry about entering all of your credit card information (which would be safer for your privacy as well). All you would have to do is enter your PIN number and you're all set. There are multiple more ways in which input and output could come into play, but these are merely a few examples of how it would make Transport Orange an even better, more reliable site for students to use.
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