Lecture one: Introduction to computing

The first lecture has established the building blocks with which we will build our knowledge upwards as information architects. These blocks or bits form the Binary code, the name bit being a contraction of binary digit. A bit has two possible values, 0 and 1, these can be considered as on and off or high and low, the essential concept is that they are two differing states. These two states can be assigned to different symbols in order for them to be communicated.

Several bits combined form a byte, the standard grouping being 8 bits to a byte. The byte allows the bit to communicate on a higher level as it enables 128 symbols to be represented as in the ASCII code. An agreed upon code formed by the American National Standards Institute, it uses 7 bits and a spare to represent all the letters of the English Alphabet (upper and lower case, the numerals, punctuation and many symbols). This is the established code used throughout the world.