Define "bitstream"

[sbreitbart]

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.

[Teebusch]

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)

[arungapatchka]

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?

[sbreitbart]

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".

[helenmary]

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

[Teebusch]

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)

[fmichonneau]

Perhaps, add a definition to the Carpentries glossary and link to that? (link to Github project)

I like this idea!

[tobyhodges]

Thanks everyone for contributing to this discussion. The lesson underwent a major update and reorganisation when https://github.com/datacarpentry/R-ecology-lesson/pull/887 was merged. As this issue relates to content in a version of the lesson before that update took place, I will close it. Please open a new issue if you believe that some or all of the changes being discussed here remain relevant to the redesigned lesson, linking to this thread where appropriate.