Blown to Bits Chapter 2 Questions

Blown to Bits Chapter 2 Questions

1.) Critique the quote, “We accept our loss of privacy in exchange for efficiency, convenience, and small price discounts” and explain how the quote makes you feel.

2.) Compare this quote to a real-world example: “Meanwhile, international terrorism has made the public in most democracies more sympathetic to intrusive measures intended to protect our security.”

3.) Identify the name of the book written by Katherine Albrecht and Liz McIntyre and summarize what it contains.

4.) Analyze the Privacy Act; was it effective? Why or why not?

5.) Predict how future governments may help to counteract this privacy predicament. Do you think it will escalate, or will society return to its state of privacy?

Brytton and Matt's App

Photo Share!

Designer Screen of the App

1. In deciding which type of app to create, Matt and I went through the simple process of brainstorming. In that process, we came up with a bunch of possibilities of what kind of app we could make, and how we could go about doing it. Thus, the brainstorming process was the most useful to us because it allowed us to explore a great number of opportunities and, ultimately, choose an idea which we believed we could fulfill within the given time window. 
2. I believe that Matt and I worked very well together due to the fact that there were never any arguments or significant misunderstandings. In order to work to the best of our abilities in the partnership, we decided to do all of the work on my computer in order to prevent confusion or future compilation of projects.  Ergo, all of the app-inventing work was done on my computer, while Matt's computer was used primarily for outside information and research that was needed for the progress of our app. By doing it this way, we were able to complete the app in a more timely fashion because we were able to do two things simultaneously. 
3. The primary problem of our app was having the ability to free-draw an image and then share it through means of SMS-messaging or social media. Although the sharing component app was an arduous task, we ultimately overcame our dilemmas with the help of Scrum-Master Palmer. Thus, our app does everything that we originally intended for it to do.
4. a.) One problem Matt and I encountered during the creation of the app was how to get the canvas image to send to someone via text messaging. However, as it turns out, one cannot simply apply the canvas to the texting component of the app because it is not a valid message. To solve this problem, we (with the help of Mr. Palmer) implemented a Tiny Database and the Share component so that the image would just be uploaded onto any social media or communication platforms available on the Android device.                                                           b.)Another problem Matt and I had, although minor, was how to make the app so that the user would be able to draw whatever shape they wanted, as opposed to just circles or straight lines. In order to overcome this problem, we troubleshooted until we discovered the DrawLine component ad how it really works. This component now allows the user to free-draw any shape.

   

   This is an image of the DrawLine code we used in our app which helped to solve our drawing problem. What this code is saying is that when the user touches the canvas, it sets the paint color to whatever the colored sliders are set to, and draws a line. To draw the line, the app takes the coordinates of the user's finger position ad systematically connects that point to a new point which the user drags their finger to. Although this system of connecting the dots could work quicker to get a smoother drawing, it works well enough for the user to get the gist of it.

   
   

   

   This image is the code which corresponds to our sharing problem that we faced. What this code is saying is that when the Send button is clicked, the app stores the image of the Canvas onto the Tiny Database under the name "filename". Then, the app changes the previous Database file to the Sharing file which can be shared via virtually any social media or messaging app the Android device has. For example, if the user had the desire to, they could draw a quick doodle and post it onto their Facebook wall to share with all of their friends. 

   5. If Matt and I were given more time to create this app, we would have improved it in a few different ways. For example, we would make the app so that the user would be able to alter the thickness of the lines being drawn. Another thing we would add would be that the user would be able to upload an existing image into the app, making it the canvas, and then draw over that image. A final thing we would improve on would be the creation of the feature which allows the user to add text to the image in order to write messages or captions.                                         Link to the app: http://ai2.appinventor.mit.edu/#6136589174439936