R-ecology-lesson
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datacarpentry
Define "bitstream"
Under the "Vectors and Data Types" challenge, the word "bitstream" is used. It'd be helpful if a short definition was included in parentheses next to it. I've never come across this word after years of learning R so I'd expect novices would be confused too.
Thank you for this suggestion @sbreitbart. I agree, that it could use a better explanation. This is the text in question:
The other 4 atomic vector types are:
- "logical" for TRUE and FALSE (the boolean data type)
- "integer" for integer numbers (e.g., 2L, the L indicates to R that it’s an integer)
- "complex" to represent complex numbers with real and imaginary parts (e.g., 1 + 4i) and that’s all we’re going to say about them
- "raw" for bitstreams that we won’t discuss further
https://datacarpentry.org/R-ecology-lesson/01-intro-to-r.html#Challenge9 (right before the challenge)
Would this work as a definition: a bitstream is a binary sequence (1's and 0's) of digital data consisting of a string of bits?
I think that's a great starting place- I'd suggest something that slowly introduces new information like, "a bitstream is a sequence of 1's and 0's (or, bits) and which is recognized as a form of digital data".
Hi! I'd like to tackle this. Drawing on the Library of Congress digital collections glossary (link), what about moving in this direction?
"raw"for bitstreams, sequences of 1's and 0's ("bits") that constitute digital data but may or may not make up a standalone file; we will not discuss these further here
Hmm, I'm wondering whether a rather advanced concept like this should really be explained in the lesson, esecially since it is of no use in the rest of the lesson. Could we just link to a definition like the one from the Library of Congress? Perhaps, add a definition to the Carpentries glossary and link to that? (link to Github project)
Perhaps, add a definition to the Carpentries glossary and link to that? (link to Github project)
I like this idea!
