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FUNDAMENTALS OF INFORMATION The Modernization of Digital Information

TECHNOLOGY: Textbook – English Technology

1-1-2023

Chapter 13 Computer Languages, Applications, and Emerging

Technologies
Shambhavi Roy

Clinton Daniel
University of South Florida, [email protected]

Manish Agrawal
University of South Florida, [email protected]

Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/dit_tb_eng

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and Emerging Technologies" (2023). FUNDAMENTALS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: Textbook –
English. 12.
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Computer Languages, Applications,
and Emerging Technologies

CHAPTER CONTENTS
Overview 278
Types of Computer Languages 278
Binary Code 279
Computer Programming 279
Block Based Coding 280
Programming Basics 281
Variables 281
Functions/Methods 282
Algorithm 284
Object Oriented Programming 285
Objects 286
Popular OOP Languages 286
Applications 287
Desktop Applications 288
Web Applications 288
Mobile Applications 289
The Interplay Between Desktop, Web, and Mobile 289
Computer Program Design 289
Emerging Technologies 290
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) 290
Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies 292
Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality 292
Internet of Things 293
Autonomous Vehicles (Self-Driving Cars, EVTOL, Drone
Delivery) 293
Advanced Robotics 294
Biotechnology 294
Learning to Program: Getting Started 295
Chapter Terms and Definitions 298
Chapter Case: Vivian’s Raspberry Pi 299

Chapter 13—Computer Languages, Applications, and Emerging Technologies 277

 “Computer language design is just like a stroll in the park. Jurassic Park, that is.”

—Larry Wall, creator of the Perl programming language

Overview
Computer languages are the rules for writing computer programs. Just as we need languages such
as English to communicate ideas and information with each other, we need computer languages
to tell computers what to do. Computer languages are popularly called programming languages.
The important difference between human languages and computer languages originates from the
human ability to handle ambiguity and fill context. For example, in most contexts people would
understand the phrase “let’s meet tomorrow.” But computers would not be able to figure out who is
meeting, the place of the meeting, the time of the meeting, any prior preparation for the meeting,
etc. Therefore, computer languages use specific syntax and grammar to precisely communicate with
machines to avoid miscommunication. Once you develop some familiarity with computer languages
and comfort with giving precise instructions in computer languages to get the job done, you can
create increasingly complex computer applications that make life easier. Computer applications are
a set of instructions written in a programming language. Computers read these instructions and
perform the corresponding set of actions.

Types of Computer Languages

Computer languages (programming languages) can be divided into a few broad categories for easier
understanding: procedural programming languages, object-oriented programming languages,
scripting languages, markup languages, domain-specific languages, and low-level languages. Here’s
an overview of these categories:
· Procedural programming languages are computer languages that use precise steps to
compose programs. In a way, all programming languages are procedural languages, but the
term typically refers to languages with a limited set of data types such as numbers and strings.
C, Fortran, and Pascal are examples of procedural languages and allow programmers to create
procedures or subroutines to perform specific tasks. Today, procedural languages are primarily
used for introductory programming classes. Historically, they were used to write the earliest
scientific and engineering applications.
· Object-oriented programming languages are computer languages that allow developers
to create their own data types by organizing data and related functions into objects. Object-
oriented (OO) languages greatly simplify representing the real world in computer programs
and are widely used in software development. Examples of object-oriented languages include
Java, C#, and C++.
· Scripting languages are computer languages used to automate tasks using the capabilities of
existing applications. Scripting languages are typically aimed at end users and are considered
easier to learn than procedural or object-oriented languages. AppleScript204 is an example

204 “AppleScript,” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AppleScript (accessed June 2023).

278 Chapter 13—Computer Languages, Applications, and Emerging Technologies

 of a scripting language for MacOS, and AutoHotKey205 is an example of a scripting language
for Windows. JavaScript and Python are scripting languages that have evolved into powerful
languages to create computer applications. Scripting languages are typically not used to
create software for commercial distribution, since scripts are not compiled, and the programs
can be read by all users.206
· Markup languages are computer languages used to specify how information should be
displayed or interpreted. HTML, Markdown and XML are well-known markup languages.
Markup languages define markup tags, which are used to create webpages and other content
that can be displayed on a variety of devices.
· Domain-specific languages are computer languages optimized for specific application
domains. SQL is an example of a domain-specific example. Other domain-specific languages
include R for statistical applications and MATLAB for engineering applications. Domain-
specific languages greatly simplify application development for complex domains such as
data retrieval (SQL) and statistical data analysis (R).
· Low-level languages are programming languages that are close to the processor’s native
instruction set. They are sometimes called assembly language. Programs in all other languages
(e.g., procedural, object-oriented, and domain-specific languages) are converted by compilers
into low-level language programs for each type of processor.

Binary Code
Eventually, all computer programs are stored as instructions in binary code. Computers can only read
binary code, which is a collection of 1s and 0s. Binary code is the native language of computers and
is necessary for communication and storage of data. For example, files and data are stored in binary
format on hard drives and other storage media.
Specialized software programs called compilers convert software code, written in any of the above
languages, into binary code that can then be executed directly by the computers. Compilers allow
developers to write computer programs in languages that resemble plain English (called high-level
languages) and convert these programs into binary code customized for each processor.

Computer Programming
Each type of programming language has its own strengths and weaknesses. The choice of language
often depends on the specific needs of the application being developed. It is common to use a
combination of languages to build a software application.207 You may use HTML and JavaScript to

205 AutoHotkey homepage, https://www.autohotkey.com/ (accessed June 2023).

206 A developer perspective, “How to Distribute Commercial Python Applications,” can be read at
https://hackerboss.com/how-to-distribute-commercial-python-applications/ (accessed June
2023).
207 A good thread with examples of languages used in different popular applications is at https://
www.quora.com/In-what-programming-language-s-is-Gmail-implemented (accessed June
2023).

Chapter 13—Computer Languages, Applications, and Emerging Technologies 279

manage the look and feel (frontend) of the application, and Java or C++ to create the middleware
that handles the business logic and responds to requests from the frontend. You may use SQL to
create your backend code that helps your middleware interact with the database to store and retrieve
information.
Programming languages and frameworks are evolving rapidly to handle emerging business needs.
These days, it is becoming increasingly common to use JavaScript to build the frontend as well as
backend, so you just need to learn one language to build entire applications. This greatly improves
developer productivity. Frameworks like React Native let you use JavaScript to build mobile
applications. These frameworks also do the heavy lifting to convert your JavaScript code into the
required low-level language components necessary to work with Apple IOS and Google Android
phone systems.
We begin our introduction of programming languages with block-based programming. Block-based
programming is a way to use graphical interfaces to write simple programs. If you have never tried
computer programming before or if programming languages appear complicated, you could try
block-based coding till you get comfortable enough to use regular programming languages.
If you would like to learn programming, we have some recommended resources at the end of the
chapter.

Block Based Coding

Block coding is a visual programming language that uses blocks or graphical elements to represent
programming concepts instead of traditional text-based coding. These blocks can be dragged and
dropped to create a sequence of commands or instructions.

FIGURE 227 — The drag and drop capability makes Blockly a great starting point when learning to code.

280 Chapter 13—Computer Languages, Applications, and Emerging Technologies

Blockly208 from Google is an example of a block-based computer language. Scratch from MIT labs is
another block-based computer language that allows developers to create animations and stories. As
shown in Figure 227, Blockly allows you to use simple graphical interfaces to specify instructions, and
it converts these instructions into well-formed programs in different languages.
Block coding is a fun and interactive way to learn programming, ideal for beginners and even children.
It allows you to focus on the logical structures of programming, without worrying about the syntax
and details of text-based coding.
Block coding can give you a taste of the power of programming. It can also help you build foundational
skills to assist in the move to text-based programming.

Programming Basics
While there are many popular programming languages (e.g., Java, C#, C, C++, JavaScript, Python),
they all share most of the underlying concepts. Once you learn the basic programming concepts
and use them in a few languages, learning new programming languages will be easy and fun. Here
are a few concepts you will need to learn no matter which language you choose. If you would like to
practice the examples in this chapter, and create your own programs, you can use the jdoodle online
code editor. Most students find Python to be their favorite introductory language. The Python editor
is at https://www.jdoodle.com/python3-programming-online/.

Variables
A variable is a named storage location in a computer’s memory that holds a value. Variables are the
basic mechanism used to store and manipulate data in code. A variable is one of the first things you
will learn when you begin to write software programs.
Let’s say you are creating a program that calculates the area of rectangles. Since the area is computed
from the length and width of the rectangle, you would need to store the width and height of the
rectangle as variables. You would need to create one variable for each dimension, maybe one called
width and the other called height. For simplicity in this example, let’s assume all numbers are integers.
Every language has its own way of declaring a variable. Once you declare the variables to hold the
dimensions of the rectangle, you would assign values to the variables when a user inputs the width
and height values of the rectangle.
Variable declaration of the type int (integer):
int width;
int height;
Variable assignment:
width = 10;
height = 5;

208 Blockly, https://developers.google.com/blockly (accessed June 2023).

Chapter 13—Computer Languages, Applications, and Emerging Technologies 281

In programming, the equals operator (=) is typically used to assign values to variables. Once we have
the values assigned to variables, we can perform calculations to get the area of the rectangle. If we
wish to save this value for future use, we will need a third variable (Area) to store the value of the area:
int area;
We can now compute the area as the product of the width and height as:
area = width * height;
In the above statement, we ask the computer to fetch the values stored in width and height and
multiply the two. The final output or the area is stored in area. As you see in the example above,
computer programs written in modern programming languages read much like the same commands
written in plain English.
To be useful to end users, just doing the calculations is often not enough. Users likely also want to
see the results. You can print the output to the display using the print function available in most
programming languages:
print (“The area of the rectangle is:”, area);
When users run your program and enter the height and the width values, they will see the following
message:
The area of the rectangle is: 50.

Functions/Methods
A function (aka method in some programming languages) is a block of code that performs a specific
task. A function is defined with a name and can be called or invoked repeatedly from other parts of
a program.
Functions provide a way to modularize code and make it easier to read, understand, and reuse.
Instead of writing the same code multiple times in different parts of a program, a function can be
defined once and called whenever it is needed. Functions also improve program correctness since
program errors only need to be fixed in one place (the method), instead of all the places where the
methods are used.
Functions typically have inputs and outputs. The inputs are called parameters or arguments. They
represent the data that the function will receive and work on. The outputs are the result of the
function’s computation and can be returned to the calling code.
Here is an example function in JavaScript that adds two numbers together and returns the result:
function AddNumbers (x, y) {
let sum = x+ y;
return sum;
}

282 Chapter 13—Computer Languages, Applications, and Emerging Technologies

In this example, the function AddNumbers takes two parameters x and y. The function adds x and y
together and stores the result in a variable named sum. Finally, the function returns the value of sum
to the calling code.
You can call this function from other programs by passing two numbers. Here’s how you could call the
function AddNumbers.
let result = AddNumbers (5, 7);
There are several ways to view the result. Developers typically print the values to the console to test
their code. JavaScript has the “console.log” function to print results to the console. We can use the
console.log function to print the value of the result variable as shown below (// is used to add a
comment. Comments are meant for developer reference and are ignored by the computer processor.
// 12 in the line below is a comment, indicating that the output is expected to be 12.):
console.log (result); //Output: 12
Figure 228 shows the complete example. On the left is the html page with the JavaScript method
defined in lines 6–9. Clicking the “Add” button on the page calls the AddNumbers method and passes
the values 5 and 7 as arguments to the method. The result is saved as the value of the variable, “result.”
Finally, the result is printed to the console. To view the console, we open the Inspector (right-click
anywhere in the browser and select “Inspect,” and go to the console tab. We see the result in the
console (bottom half on the right). You can type this example in a file, save it with an html extension,
open the file in a browser, and use the Inspector to observe how the program is executed. A convenient
way to do that is to set breakpoints in the JavaScript method. The browser will stop execution when
it reaches the breakpoint and show you the value of every variable. You can then step through the
function line by line, observing how the variables change values as the code is edited.

FIGURE 228 — An example of the AddNumbers method.

Functions are an important part of programming languages and are used extensively in both frontend
and backend development. They allow us to write reusable code that can be called from anywhere in
our program, making our code more modular and easier to maintain.

Chapter 13—Computer Languages, Applications, and Emerging Technologies 283

Algorithm
An algorithm is a set of instructions for solving a problem. While any computer program that does the
job can be considered an algorithm, in computer science and computer programming, algorithms
typically refer to the most efficient methods to perform a task. There are well-known algorithms to
efficiently perform specific operations such as sorting and searching for data. Advances in algorithms
are one of the most important ways that Digital Information Technologies have improved lives across
the globe.
Your algorithm could be just an idea shown as a flowchart or it could be pseudocode—a detailed set
of instructions to write a program in the language of choice. Algorithms are language independent
and programmers can implement them in any language they choose.
For example, here’s an algorithm for a student to sign up for a class at the University of South Florida:
· begin by logging into the online registration system for the school;
· browse the course catalog to find the desired class;
· check for any prerequisites or restrictions on the class;
· select the desired class and verify the course details, including course number, schedule,
location, and instructor;
· add the class to the student’s schedule;
· check for any conflicts with the student’s existing schedule or other classes;
· if there are no conflicts, confirm the enrollment in the class, else remove the class from the
schedule;
· pay any associated fees or tuition for the class;
· confirm the enrollment and payment and review any important deadlines or course
requirements;
· if there are conflicts or other issues preventing enrollment, contact the school’s registration
office for assistance;
· end the enrollment process.
Here are a few popular algorithms you may want to learn about or implement if you are interested in
computer science.
· Sorting algorithms are used to sort collections of data. Sorted data is much easier to search
than unsorted data, therefore, sorting is an essential task for any data-intensive application.
Depending on the type of data you have, you may choose from one of the many available
sorting algorithms: bubble sort, quick sort, merge sort, heap sort, and others.209
· Search algorithms are used to find a specific piece of information within a collection of data.
Once again, depending on the type of data and other constraints, you could try out the various

209 “Sorting Algorithms,” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorting_algorithm (accessed

June 2023).

284 Chapter 13—Computer Languages, Applications, and Emerging Technologies

 search algorithms—linear search, binary search, jump search, exponential search, Fibonacci
search, and others—to find the one that works best.210
· Encryption algorithms are used to encrypt data to protect it from unauthorized access. AES,
RSA, and DES are all examples of popular encryption algorithms.211
· Machine learning algorithms have gained in importance and may change the way we
analyze data or make predictions and decisions based on data. Neural networks are a machine
learning algorithm modeled on our brains and designed to make decisions. Recommendation
algorithms are popular and used by big businesses like YouTube and Netflix to predict what
you like based on your previous choices.212
Once you develop comfort with the syntax and structure of computer programming, algorithms will
offer you a framework to solve complex problems and perform tasks efficiently.

Object Oriented Programming

Object-oriented programming (aka OOP) is a programming model that is based on the concept of
classes and objects. A “class” in OOP represents the properties and behaviors of entities relevant to
the program. Every time you create an instance of a class, you have an object with values attached
to the predefined characteristics of the class. For example, if you are building a software to record
student progress at a school, then Students and Teachers could be objects relevant to the program.
Student objects would have properties such as names and addresses and behaviors such as course
registration. Every time a new student or a teacher joins, you could create an instance of the class with
the appropriate properties such as name and age.
OOP allows you to organize your code in a modular and reusable way by encapsulating data and
behavior into objects. In OOP, objects have attributes (data) and methods (functions) to operate
on that data. For example, a car object might have attributes such as color, make, and model, and
methods such as accelerate, brake, and turn.
OOP provides several advantages over simpler programming paradigms such as procedural
programming.
· Simplicity: OOP allows you to define variables that closely resemble the properties and
behaviors of the real world.
· Modularity: OOP allows you to break your code into small, reusable modules (objects).
· Encapsulation: OOP allows you to hide the internal details of an object and expose only the
necessary methods and attributes.
· Inheritance: OOP allows you to create new classes that are based on existing classes (parent

210 “Search Algorithms,” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_algorithm (accessed June

2023).
211 “Category: Cryptographic Algorithms,” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Category:Cryptographic_algorithms (accessed June 2023).
212 “Outline of Machine Learning,” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outline_of_machine_
learning (accessed June 2023).

Chapter 13—Computer Languages, Applications, and Emerging Technologies 285

 classes). The children inherit attributes and methods of the parent classes. For example,
“Transfer Students” and “International Students” may inherit all the properties of regular
“Students,” but may also have extra traits specific to Transfer and International students. This
greatly simplifies application development.

Objects
As described above, an object is an instance of a class. An object consists of one or more properties
that are key-value pairs defining the characteristics of the object, and methods, which are functions
that define the behavior of the object.
Objects are a core feature of most programming languages used today, including JavaScript, Python,
and Java. They allow us to encapsulate related data and functionality into a single unit, which can be
more convenient and easier to work with than using separate variables and functions.
Here is an example of an object in JavaScript that represents a recipe:
let recipe = {
recipeName: “Lemon Orange Cake”,
recipeSource: “Taste of Home”,
recipeDetails: function () {
return recipeName + “from” + recipeSource;
}
};
In this example, we have defined an object named recipe that has three properties: recipeName,
recipeSource, and recipeDetails. The recipeName and recipeSource have basic information about
the recipe, while the recipeDetails property is a method that returns a string with the recipe name
concatenated to the recipe source.
We can access the properties and methods of an object using dot notation or bracket notation. For
example, to access the recipeName property of the recipe object, we can use the following code:
console.log (recipe.recipeName); //Ouput: Lemon Orange Cake
To call the recipeDetails of the recipe object, we can use the following code:
console.log(recipe.recipeDetails());//Output: Lemon Orange Cake from Taste of Home
Objects are a powerful tool in programming and make it easy to organize and manipulate complex
data structures. They are used extensively in all types of programming.

Popular OOP Languages

Here are a few examples of programming languages that support object-oriented programming.
· Java is the first object-oriented language that gained commercial popularity. Java continues

286 Chapter 13—Computer Languages, Applications, and Emerging Technologies

 to be a popular OOP language that is used for building mobile apps, web apps, and enterprise
systems. It is known for its platform independence, robustness, enterprise support, and
extensive libraries. Online learning resources, inbuilt functions, and libraries make Java easy
to learn and use.
· Python is a versatile general-purpose OOP language that is used for a wide range of
applications, including data analysis, machine learning, and web development. It is known for
its simplicity, readability, and versatility.
· C++ is a powerful OOP language created by the notable computer scientist Bjorne Stroustrop.
It is known for its efficiency and ability to interact with hardware and is used to build high-
performance applications, including operating systems, game engines, and embedded
systems. Almost all widely used applications on desktops such as web browsers, email clients,
and office suites are built using C++. C++ requires greater developer knowledge about the
internal workings of computers and, therefore, is considered to have a steeper learning curve
than other languages.
· C# is a modern OOP language that supports emerging design practices. It is used to build
mobile apps, web applications, cloud-based services, and games. It is known for its simplicity,
type safety, and extensive libraries.
· Ruby is a flexible, dynamic OOP language that is used for building web applications, scripting,
and automation. It is known for its readability, expressiveness, and the Ruby on Rails web
framework.213 Rails introduced the concept of Model-View-Controller to develop web
applications, which is now the basis for almost all web applications written in any language.214
· Swift is a modern, fast OOP language that is used for building iOS, macOS, and watchOS
applications. It is known for its safety, speed, and ease of use.
· JavaScript did not start out as an OOP language, but it has acquired a lot of OOP characteristics.
It is a versatile language that can be used for both OOP and procedural programming styles. It
supports OOP concepts such as encapsulation and abstraction and offers built-in objects and
methods that can be used for OOP.

Applications
Computer applications created by developers can typically be used in three different versions; (1)
downloaded to desktops, (2) downloaded to mobile devices, or (3) accessed through browsers. This
has evolved over time. Personal computers (desktops and laptops) running Microsoft Windows and
Apple MacOS were the first computing platforms used to run applications. These became common
in offices in the 1980s and homes in the 1990s. In the 2000s, the Internet and World Wide Web
allowed desktops to connect to the web and exchange information. People began using web-based
applications to file taxes and pay their bills. Then in 2007, Apple introduced the iPhone and the IOS
mobile platform and launched the era of mobile applications.

213 Ruby on Rails home page, https://rubyonrails.org/ (accessed June 2023).

214 For a comparison of Ruby and Microsoft’s MVC.NET, see Yana Bonderchuk, “ASP.NET MVC
vs Ruby on Rails: Choosing the Right Framework for Your Web Development Needs,” https://
marketsplash.com/tutorials/ruby-on-rails/asp-net-mvc-vs-ruby-on-rails/ (accessed June 2023).

Chapter 13—Computer Languages, Applications, and Emerging Technologies 287

Each of these shifts in technology changed how we humans conduct our day-to-day lives and connect
with others for fun and work. These shifts also changed how we access applications and the type and
variety of available applications.

Desktop Applications
Desktop applications are computer programs that are installed and run on a personal computer
or a local network. Word processors, spreadsheets, graphics editors, and audio and video editors
are desktop applications. Typically, desktop applications are faster, more powerful, and offer more
features than web applications. Desktop applications can also be used offline, without an Internet
connection. Here are just a few examples of desktop applications:
· Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook from Microsoft are desktop applications widely used for
business and personal productivity. Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox, and Opera are popular web
browsers.
· Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and other applications are part of the Adobe Creative Suite
and are used for graphic designing and photo and video editing.
· QuickBooks accounting software is used by businesses to manage financial transactions and
generate reports.
· AutoCAD is a computer-aided design (CAD) software used by architects, engineers, and
designers to create 2D and 3D drawings and models.
· Visual Studio is an integrated development environment (IDE) used by developers to create
software applications for Windows, Mac, and other platforms.

Web Applications
Web applications run on remote servers and are accessed through a web browser. Facebook, Amazon,
Gmail, Instacart, and Netflix are all web applications we use in our daily lives. Typically, web applications
are relatively simpler in design and functions compared to desktop applications, as they are unable to
use all the capabilities of desktops such as notifications. Popular web applications include:
· Gmail is used for emailing. Google Drive and Google Docs are used for storing information,
editing, and collaboration.
· Amazon, Instacart, and other online shopping platforms allow users to buy and sell products
and services, browse reviews and ratings, and compare prices.
· Yelp, TripAdvisor, and other rating platforms let users review products and services before
making a major purchase or committing to a hiring decision.
· Monday.com, Trello, and Asana are web-based tools that allow users to manage projects with
the help of online boards, calendars, approval workflows, and reports.
Web applications are available 24*7 from any device that has a reliable Internet connection. Not
surprisingly, they have become an essential part of our daily lives—we cannot imagine going back to
the time when we didn’t have web applications.

288 Chapter 13—Computer Languages, Applications, and Emerging Technologies

Mobile Applications
Mobile applications run on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. In addition to the
standard pre-installed apps that come with smartphones, you can buy and install mobile apps from
mobile stores such as Microsoft Store, Google Play, and the App Store.
Mobile apps are currently designed for the two major mobile platforms in the market: Android and
iOS. These apps enable much of social networking, gaming, entertainment, communication, and
even productivity, particularly since remote work became popular after Covid.
· WhatsApp is a popular mobile app that transformed the world of voice and video calling by
offering the services for free.
· Instagram, a photo and video sharing app, allows users to upload, edit, and share photos and
videos.
· Spotify changed the world of music streaming by allowing users to listen to songs and to
create playlists using their mobile phones.
· Google Maps not only provides directions but also real-time traffic updates and information
on nearby businesses.
The ease of use of mobile apps has led to a rapid growth in the app development industry, with new
apps being released every day. If programming is what you do for fun, you should consider building
a mobile app and putting it for sale on online stores.

The Interplay Between Desktop, Web, and Mobile

As you spend more time in the technology world, you will notice an interplay between desktop, web,
and mobile apps. In the morning, you may open a word document on your laptop and edit it using
Word. As a copy of the document is saved to Microsoft’s servers, you may later log into a library
computer to access the same document through the browser. On the train ride back home, you may
open the same doc on your mobile app and forward it to a friend. Although you are interacting with
the same document, you are using different interfaces based on your needs. Most popular applications
such as Gmail, Google Maps, and Discord have desktop, mobile, and browser-based versions.
Providers that sell both computers and mobile phones are increasingly developing end-to-end
ecosystems, so your phone calls, meetings, alerts, and chat messages interact with you seamlessly
through your desktop and phone.

Computer Program Design

When you first decide to write a software program, you should spend a bit of time designing the
program first. Above all, the program should be safe and should not expose internal company
information or customers’ personal information to the outside world. The program should also be
designed so it does not consume more database or server resources than necessary. The UI of the
program must be attractive and easy to use if you do not want your program to fall in the huge
garbage bin of discarded, unused programs.
Only after you are completely satisfied with the design, you should begin writing code in a language

Chapter 13—Computer Languages, Applications, and Emerging Technologies 289

best suited for the purpose. Most organizations have adopted an iterative programming model, so
you will write small modules of the program, test it, and show it to potential users before going back
to write more code.
The language you choose for your program will depend on the needs of the program, the resources
available to you, and the platform where you want to deploy your program.

Emerging Technologies
There is an adage in the technology industry that technology helps us build better technology. If
you observe how computer chips are made, you will notice that the most powerful chips we have
were made possible because of technology. It would have been impossible to build today’s computer
chips in the 1980s or 1990s. The pace of development of several other technologies has increased
in recent decades. The power of the mobile phone, your ability to connect to a GPS satellite and ask
for navigation, the cost/speed of sending money to a friend, or the cost of messaging your friends
are all examples of this trend. Being aware of emerging technologies can help us anticipate how our
future is likely to shape over the next few decades. We provide a brief overview of some emerging
technologies that we believe will have the greatest impact in our lifetimes.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)

Artificial Intelligence is technology that enables computers to perform tasks normally associated with
human intelligence. Intelligent systems tend to mimic the human ability to interact with each other
to solve problems using capabilities such as image recognition, speech recognition, and language
comprehension. If you have interacted with Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa, you must have noticed
that they can understand your verbal commands and respond with an answer in an audio form.
Similarly, you can direct questions or commands at ChatGPT, which may seem like a back-and-forth
conversation with another human. This ability of software programs and devices to simulate human
intelligence is Artificial Intelligence (AI). Self-driving cars, Facebook programs that tag photos with
names, and automated fraud detection by credit card companies are all applications of AI software.
Machine Learning is a subset of Artificial Intelligence that focuses on using large datasets to train
models that can then predict outcome for new data sets. For example, you can use the data of all
recently sold homes in a neighborhood to train a pricing model to figure out how homes are priced.
Then, the model can be used to price new homes coming up on the market. Popular real estate
pricing tools like Redfin and Zillow use Machine Learning to suggest possible rent and sale prices of
apartments and homes. Machine Learning software can assist radiologists in reading X-rays, MRIs,
CT scans, and Mammograms. ML is also widely used in voice recognition, email filtering, malware
detection, fraud identification, and preference analysis.

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 FIGURE 229 — More than 60% of the jobs done in 2018 had not yet been “invented” in 1940.215

Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence are highly likely to change our lives. While there is great
fear that these technologies may make some jobs redundant, they will also create new job categories
that we don’t even know about. For example, Figure 229 shows that a large percent of jobs done
today are new, and this trend is likely to continue.
However, we must exercise caution when adopting AI and ML models because the long-term impact
on humans is difficult to predict and the regulatory framework around these technologies, to guide
software makers is still in its infancy.

215 Source: “The Work of the Future: Building Better Jobs in an Age of Intelligent Machines,” by
David Autor, David Mindell and Elisabeth Reynolds, Figure 2, https://workofthefuture.mit.edu/
wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2020-Final-Report4.pdf (accessed June 2023).

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Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are based on an underlying technology called Blockchain. It is a
decentralized digital ledger that records transactions in a secure and transparent manner. A collection
of computers, owned by individuals all over the world, can run a blockchain software that enables
them to interact with one another, review transactions, and add to the common ledger. Because no
single computer controls the ledger, and all computers must agree before a ledger can be updated,
the transactions are considered reliable and secure.
While cryptocurrencies are the most prominent use of blockchains, the underlying technology can be
used in other areas, too. Supply chain management, voting record management, and digital identity
management are a few such fields.
Ethereum, a variation of the Bitcoin block chain, enables you to not only track data in a distributed
ledger but also execute code. This lets developers build distributed apps on the Ethereum blockchain
where “smart contracts” can be written into the code. The contracts execute automatically when
conditions are met. For example, if you implement a supply chain system on the Ethereum blockchain,
your supply chain app could be written with smart contracts to automate payment to the vendor when
the shipment has reached its destination. When the ledger is updated with the “shipment received”
event, the money is automatically moved from the buyer’s wallet to the seller’s wallet, without any
human intervention. This greatly reduces the transaction cost, improves transparency, and avoids
risk.

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality

Augmented Reality (AR) combines digital
information and real-world information in one
place. If you are a surgeon with AR glasses, you
would have vital information about the patient as
you look at the patient on your operating table. A
warehouse worker can wear glasses that show him
directions to the precise location of an item in the
warehouse. If you are a student reading a textbook,
you may want additional information about the
topic visible to you as you read. If you are looking at
a toy in Walmart, AR can display special offers and
user reviews about that product. Augmented reality devices help blend technology
and our physical surroundings to increase
AR uses cameras, computers, displays, computer emersion.
vision, and context-aware software to project
information that appears to overlay the real world.
Microsoft’s HoloLens is an example of an AR device.216
Virtual Reality (VR) focuses on simulating new reality. The real world is blotted out, and users are
immersed in a computationally generated world.

216 Microsoft HoloLens 2, https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/hololens (accessed June 2023).

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In the military, VR is used to train soldiers by
simulating flight and battlefield scenarios. In
medicine, students use VR to study the human body
and surgical procedures. Vision Pro VR headset from
Apple provides an immersive gaming and movie
watching experience.
VR generally uses a headset as it needs to immerse
users in a simulated world. You don’t need headsets
to experience AR. Cars with AR can display
directions and local traffic information overlaid on
the screen display or windshield. This means that as Apple’s Vision Pro VR headset allows users to be
fully emersed in content.
you navigate your car, you have information in front
of your eyes to help you make judicious decisions
without taking your eyes off the road.

Internet of Things
Devices connected to the Internet form the Internet of Things (IOT). Your old doorbell did a good
enough job of notifying you when someone rang the bell. However, if you attach a camera and a
microprocessor to it and connect it to the Internet, it can notify you on your mobile device when
someone is at your doorstep. It is not only a doorbell but also a security and communication device
that lets you interact with the person at the door (even if you are not at home) to receive a package
or let a family member in. Ring and Nest have become popular by selling smart doorbells. If you own
a fleet of trucks, you can connect smart sensors to your trucks to notify you ahead of time about
any required maintenance. Your smart fridge may determine that you are short on milk, eggs, and
vegetables and place an order on your behalf for online delivery.
The Internet of Things and devices connected to the Internet can lead to savings of time and energy.
The world as we know it will change as a result because many of the manual chores that we have been
doing for ages will be done automatically by Internet connected devices.

Autonomous Vehicles (Self-Driving Cars, EVTOL, Drone Delivery)

If you live in San Francisco, Phoenix, LA, Beijing, or Las Vegas, you can hail a self-driving car. A recent
McKinsey article estimates that a sizeable chunk of new cars will have autonomous driving features by
2035.217 The report predicts that self-driving cars will lead to fewer accidents, increase in productivity,
and improve mobility for senior drivers.
The flying car has been promised by many science fiction writers, but it is not here yet. However, don’t
be surprised if, within a decade, you look up at the sky and see streams of flying vehicles autonomously

217 “Autonomous Driving’s Future: Convenient and Connected,” January 6, 2023, https://www.
mckinsey.com/industries/automotive-and-assembly/our-insights/autonomous-drivings-
future-convenient-and-connected (accessed June 2023).

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delivering people and goods from point A to B. Companies like Joby aviation,218 Lilium,219 and Archer
Aviation220 have prototype aircrafts that are already going through FAA certification to deliver that
dream.
Developments in battery technologies, computer vision, electric motors, and robotics have made
it possible to design drones that are whisper quiet, safe, and cheap. It is expected that by 2030, for
about what you pay for an uber ride, you can catch an EVTOL (Electric Vertical Take Off and Landing)
drone from New York JFK airport to downtown Manhattan or from Chicago O’Hare to downtown
Chicago.

Advanced Robotics
Imagine a world where a robot follows you around carrying your coffee and your laptop. A robotic
dog walks around your property guarding your perimeter, looking for trespassers, broken fences,
navigating difficult terrain, and using its camera like eyes. It can identify security risks and let you
know if anything is amiss. Imagine a robotic exo-skeleton that lets a soldier carry 100s of pounds with
ease over difficult terrain. A robotic surgeon that can do surgery with precision. A drone that can act
as a refueling gas station in the sky for military aircraft. Robots that can run into a fiery building and
rescue people.
All these science-fiction sounding robots are available today. And they are continually getting better
as their underlying computers, batteries, motors, and machine learning improve.

Biotechnology
Emerging biotechnology trends have the potential to impact our health and happiness in a big way.
Here are a few:
· Gene editing techniques such as CRISPR have revolutionized the field of genetics and have
the potential to cure genetic diseases. In the future, gene editing could become more precise,
efficient, and accessible, opening new possibilities for genetic therapies.
· Personalized medicine is becoming a reality with advances in genomics and data analytics.
Healthcare providers can use genetic data to develop targeted therapies for individual
patients, reducing the need for trial and error in treatment and improving patient outcomes.
· Synthetic biology involves the design and engineering of biological systems for specific
purposes. This field has the potential to create new biologically inspired materials, improve
food production, and develop novel treatments for diseases.
· Cell therapies involve using living cells to treat diseases. Stem cell therapies are already being
used to treat some diseases, but researchers are exploring the potential of other cell types,
such as immune cells, to treat cancer and other conditions.

218 “Electric Aerial Ridesharing,” https://www.jobyaviation.com/ (accessed June 2023).

219 Lilium homepage, https://lilium.com/ (accessed June 2023).
220 Archer homepage, https://www.archer.com/ (accessed June 2023).

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 · Microbiome research involves the human microbiome, which consists of trillions of
microorganisms living in and on the body, and is increasingly recognized as playing a crucial
role in human health. Researchers are studying the microbiome to better understand its
impact on various diseases and to develop new therapies.
Overall, biotechnology is a rapidly evolving field, and new breakthroughs are likely to continue to
emerge in the coming years. These advances have the potential to revolutionize not just medicine
but also agriculture and other industries, improving our overall quality of life.

Learning to Program: Getting Started

Making programming easy for newcomers is a priority for the industry. We provide some
recommendations here to get you started. As you develop comfort, continue to search online for
additional or superior resources to grow your skills.
Most experts agree that Python is the best language to start learning programming. For this
reason, most college courses, even at the most selective colleges, use Python for the introductory
programming class.
The simplest way to get started is to use an online environment. Jdoodle lets you get started without
creating an account. By clicking a button, you can run the basic addition program. You can access it
at: https://www.jdoodle.com/python3-programming-online/.
If you are willing to create an online account, you can also use replit. REPL stands for Read-Eval-Print-
Loop, which is any interactive interface that can accept a user program as input, execute (evaluate)
it, print the result for the user to check, and be ready for the next program (loop). Replit is a popular
modern commercial implementation. You can access the Python interpreter at Replit—https://replit.
com/languages/python3.
Once you settle on an environment, you need a lesson plan. The official Python tutorial is at: https://
docs.python.org/3/tutorial/.
The official Python tutorial is text-heavy. For a more visual experience, YouTube has a few extremely
popular introductory Python tutorials. “Learn Python—Full Course for Beginners” by Mike Dane is one
of the most popular.221 You can get started by practicing these exercises on either JDoodle or Replit.
Once you get comfortable and if you have access to a computer on which you can install software,
you can install Python on your computer and write your programs locally.
In 2023, we also have an excellent resource to learn programming–ChatGPT. You can ask ChatGPT to
write programs to meet your specifications as shown in Figure 230 (top). After you complete a few
initial lessons in the tutorial of your choice, we encourage you to explore other similar examples from
ChatGPT. To use ChatGPT, go to the website https://chat.openai.com and sign up for an account. After
that, the site is as intuitive to use as a search engine.

221 “Python—Full Course for Beginners,” on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=rfscVS0vtbw (accessed June 2023).

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 FIGURE 230 — ChatGPT can be used to learn and write code (top). Then Chat GPT can be asked to evaluate and help
debug code (bottom).

You can also use ChatGPT to identify errors in your programs as shown in Figure 230 (bottom). ChatGPT
will not just fix errors but also explain them. ChatGPT can, therefore, serve as your personal tutor and
debugger as you write programs.

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Once you get comfortable with basic programs and are curious to see how these programs work,
Python Tutor is an excellent resource to show you exactly what happens inside the computer as it
processes each line of the program. Many of the top computer science programs use Python Tutor in
introductory programming classes. You can access Python Tutor at https://pythontutor.com/.
Writing programs is thrilling ,and the 2020s are a great time to learn computer programming. Between
the online REPL environments, structured tutorials, and ChatGPT, all of which are available for free,
you have everything to develop proficiency in computer programming at your own pace.

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 Chapter Terms and Definitions

Algorithm: A set of instructions for solving a Markup Languages: Computer languages used
problem to specify how information should be displayed or
interpreted; examples include HTML, Markdown,
Augmented Reality (AR): Combines digital and XML
information and real-world information in one
place Object-Oriented Programming Languages:
Computer languages that allow developers to
Compiler: A specialized software program that create their own data types by organizing data
can convert software code written from specific and related functions into objects; examples
languages into binary code, which can then be include Java, C#, and C++
executed directly by the computers
Procedural Programming Languages:
Domain-Specific Languages: Computer Computer languages that use precise steps to
languages optimized for specific application compose programs: examples include C, Fortran,
domains; examples include SQL, R, and MATLAB and Pascal

Internet of Things (IOT): Devices that serve Scripting Languages: Computer languages
a specific purpose and are connected to the used to automate tasks using the capabilities
Internet of existing applications; examples include
AppleScript, JavaScript, and Python
Low-Level Languages: Programming languages
that are close to the processor’s native instruction Variable: A named storage location in a
set; these languages are sometimes called computer’s memory that holds a value
assembly language

Machine Learning: A subset of Artificial

Intelligence that focuses on using large datasets
to train models that can then predict outcome for
new data sets

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 Chapter Case

Vivian’s Raspberry Pi
Vivian had a hard time with volleyball practice today. She couldn’t get her mind off
of her science fair project idea. She wasn’t sure exactly what she wanted to do. All
she knew is that she wanted to use a Raspberry Pi. Suddenly…BOOM! Here comes
the volleyball straight at her head! And then…she got an idea!

A Raspberry Pi is a small low-cost computer that enables people of all ages to

explore technology and learn how to program. There are lots of projects students
can explore such as building a robot or creating wearable technology. Here is a
list of projects: https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en. The projects are designed for
people all over the world who speak different languages. For instance, here is the
link for projects with the instructions in Spanish: https://projects.raspberrypi.org/
es-ES. The whole world can have fun with Raspberry Pi!

Question 1: Look through the projects on the Raspberry Pi website. Find a project
that interests you. Describe at least 2 things about the project that
interests you to include: What will you make and what will you learn?
Question 2: Each Raspberry Pi project includes a detailed set of Instructions. Look
through all the steps included in the instructions of your project. What
do you think would be the most difficult task for you to complete
and why do you think it would be so difficult? Now, describe what
you think you would need to learn in order to complete this most
difficult task.

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