Tools

What is considered a tool in computer science?

In computer science, a tool can be anything that helps programmers and software engineers develop programs, websites, or apps. Eclipse, for example, is a tool because it lets the users create programs in it using Java. Even programming languages are considered as tools.

In this semester, I discovered Adobe InDesign and Adobe Dreamweaver. I used InDesign to create a QR code for my LinkedIn profile. Before I learned how to create a QR code using InDesign, I thought it was going to be hard to create, but it turned to be fairly simple to create a QR code using InDesign. I learned to use Dreamweaver when I was working on a project with my team. Even though we only used Dreamweaver a few times, it is still a very good tool because it allows a person that has no HTML/CSS knowledge to be able to design and create a website.

There are a few tools that are my favorite: Eclipse and Notepad++. My least favorite tool is Microsoft Visual Studio.

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In present time, tools are changing at a rapid pace; every year a new version of a software is being released. These changes are important because it improves user-friendliness and fixes bugs.

 

TwitchTV

You have most likely heard about this name if you are a gamer. Twitch is a website that is dedicated  to video game live streaming. It was launched by Justin TV in June 2011. Over the three years, Twitch has grown exponentially, from 3 million viewers in in June 2011 to over 45 million viewers today. It broadcasts many major electronics sports (esports) events; Twitch provides livestreams of two of the biggest esports organiizations, Major League Gaming (MLG) and Electronic Sports League (ESL). These two organizations' events generate millions of traffics on Twitch.

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Twitch helps provide a way for gamers around the world to connect with one another. Viewers can interact with the person who is hosting the stream and other viewers through a chat system. A couple of months ago, someone had create a Twitch channel called TwitchPlaysPokemon. The channel streams a Pokemon game, and the channel creator developed a program in which the viewers can play the game by using the entering command in the chat. This channel has led to millions of viewers to watch the stream.

Twitch has also provided a way for gaming to be covered in the mainstream media. Because of Twitch's huge viewer base, the mainstream media has started to cover more stories on gaming.

Reference

Gaudiosi, John. 4 October  2013.

    "Twitch rides video game streaming wave to global success".

    http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2013/10/04/twitch-video-game-streaming/

    15 May 2014.

Beta Testing

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Beta testing is very common in the modern days. It is essential for the development of a product. It usually involves more than one phase of beta test. For example in massive multiplayer online games (MMO), there would usually be multiple beta tests. There are two different types of beta test, closed beta and open beta. During closed beta, people can apply to be beta testers on the game's website; the developers of the game would select a certain number of people to be the testers. After these people who had become the beta testers, they can send their feedback to the developers either on the game's forums or through email. The developers will fix the bugs that players had encountered and implement some of the things that thee players had suggested in their feedback. 

Closed beta will usually be in several phases, and in each phase, more people will be invited into the game as beta testers. After that, the game will be in one or two open beta tests, in which everyone can be a tester. When the developers of the game feel that their game is ready to be released, they will release the game.

A program or software's success depends how well its beta testing went.

Usability Testing

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Usability testing is very important to anyone that has his or her own website. Usability testing allows the website owner to know if his or her website is easy for the user to use. There are a couple of things that one should consider when doing a usability test: learnability, efficiency, memorability, errors, and satisfaction. Learnabilty is how easy or hard it is for a new user to use your site. Efficiency is how fast a user can use your site. Memorability indicates that if a user can remember how to use your website after returning from not using your site for sometime. It is important to do usability testing frequently. The difference between a website that has done a solid usability test and a website that has not done a usability test is that the website that has done the usability will be more successful because it will include features and functions that the user thinks is useful and easy to use. You want people to come to your website, and by doing usability testing, your website will able to attract people to it.

Reference

Peacock, Marisa. 13 April 2010. " The What, Why and How of Usability Testing"

http://www.cmswire.com/cms/web-engagement/the-what-why-and-how-of-usability-testing-007152.php. 18 April 2014.

Blog

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Blogging is a good way for people to communicate with others. A person n write a blog on just about anything, from how the person's day went to the person's experience on a product to the person's business. There is a comment section on most blogs which allow interactions between the writer and the reader. Through this interactions, the writer and the reader can exchange ideas and thoughts which can be beneficial to both the writer and the reader. There are many people who work in different fields of professions that have their own blog. They write blogs as a way to express their experiences to the public.

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Blogging has many benefits. By writing a blog, you have an opportunity to practice your writing. The more you the more chances you will get  to improve on your writing. Sometimes you may feel very joyous about writing your blog because you see that people are reading and commenting on your blog. If you are writing a blog on your business, you can write about what your business is, and people who are interested in your business will likely to do business with you.