A Pattern Language for Designing Application-Level Communication Protocols and the Improvement of Computer Science Education through Cloud Computing

Networking protocols have been developed throughout time following layered architectures such as the Open Systems Interconnection model and the Internet model. These protocols are grouped in the Internet protocol suite. Most developers do not deal with low-level protocols, instead they design application-level protocols on top of the low-level protocol. Although each application-level protocol is different, there is commonality among them and developers can apply lessons learned from one protocol to the design of new ones. Design patterns can help by gathering and sharing proven and reusable solution to common, reoccurring design problems. The Application-level Communication Protocols Design Patterns language captures this knowledge about application-level protocol design, so developers can create better, more fitting protocols base on these common and well proven solutions. Another aspect of contemporary development technics is the need of distribution of software artifacts. Most of the development companies have started using Cloud Computing services to overcome this need; either public or private clouds are widely used. Future developers need to manage this technology infrastructure, software, and platform as services. These two aspects, communication protocols design and cloud computing represent an opportunity to contribute to the software development community and to the software engineering education curriculum. The Application-level Communication Protocols Design Patterns language aims to help solve communication software design. The use of cloud computing in programming assignments targets on a positive influence on improving the Analysis to Reuse skills of students of computer science careers

A container orchestration development that optimizes the etherpad collaborative editing tool through a novel management system

The use of collaborative tools has notably increased recently. It is common to see distinct users that need to work simultaneously on shared documents. In most cases, large companies provide tools whose implementations have been a very complicated and expensive task. Likewise, their platform deployment requirements should be robust hardware infrastructures. It becomes even more critical when their main target is to reach scalability and highavailability. Therefore, this study aims to design and implement a microservices-based collaborative architecture using assembled containers in the cloud, enabling them to deploy Etherpad instances to guarantee high availability. To ensure such a task, we developed and optimized a central management system that creates Etherpad instances and continuously interacts with other Etherpad tools running on Docker containers. This design goes from the monolithic Etherpad instantiation and handling towards a service architecture, where every Etherpad is offered as a microservice. Furthermore, the management system follows (implements) the Observer, Factory Method, Proxy, and Service Layerpopular design patterns. This allows users to gain more privacy through access to validations and shared resources. Our results indicate both the correct operation in the automation of containers’ creation for new users who register in the system and quantifiable improvement in performance.The funding of this research is provided by the Mobility Regulation of the Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE, from Sangolquí, Ecuado

Exploring the effects of social capital on the compulsive use of online social networks in civil unrest contexts

Naranjo-zolotov, M., Acedo, A., & Lascano, J. E. (2022). Exploring the effects of social capital on the compulsive use of online social networks in civil unrest contexts. Heliyon, 8(7), 1-10. [e09990]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09990 --- Funding: This work was supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) (UIDB/04152/2020-Centro de Investigação em Gestão de Informação (MagIC)). Albert Acedo Sánchez was supported by a postdoctoral Juan de la Cierva Formación grant from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Gobierno de España (FJC2019-039230-I).The use of online social networking sites has become part of everyday life for more than three billion people worldwide. However, its use may go beyond being a habit, leading to compulsive use behaviours that jeopardize the well-being of an individual and the whole society. This study proposes and evaluates a theoretical model that examines the four dimensions of social capital, mediated by bonding and bridging social capital, as drivers of compulsive use of online social networks in the context of civil unrest. We evaluate the model using partial least squares structural equation modelling with data collected from a developing country. We found that reciprocity is the most important driver for bonding and bridging social capital with online members. Whereas trust, contradicting most of the literature in the field, was not statistically significant over bonding and bridging social capital. Bonding social capital shows a significant association with compulsive use behaviour. On the other hand, the effect of bridging social capital on compulsive use behaviour, although not significant, may become significant in the presence of a strong usage habit.publishersversionpublishe

Exploring the effects of social capital on the compulsive use of online social networks in civil unrest contexts

The use of online social networking sites has become part of everyday life for more than three billion people worldwide. However, its use may go beyond being a habit, leading to compulsive use behaviours that jeopardize the well-being of an individual and the whole society. This study proposes and evaluates a theoretical model that examines the four dimensions of social capital, mediated by bonding and bridging social capital, as drivers of compulsive use of online social networks in the context of civil unrest. We evaluate the model using partial least squares structural equation modelling with data collected from a developing country. We found that reciprocity is the most important driver for bonding and bridging social capital with online members. Whereas trust, contradicting most of the literature in the field, was not statistically significant over bonding and bridging social capital. Bonding social capital shows a significant association with compulsive use behaviour. On the other hand, the effect of bridging social capital on compulsive use behaviour, although not significant, may become significant in the presence of a strong usage habit

A sense of virtual community perspective

Naranjo-Zolotov, M., Turel, O., Oliveira, T., & Lascano, J. E. (2021). Drivers of online social media addiction in the context of public unrest: A sense of virtual community perspective. Computers in Human Behavior, 121, 1-8. [106784]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.106784During periods of public unrest, people tend to increase their daily usage of social media sites, such as Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp, to keep themselves abreast of developments and share their opinions. Over the last trimester of 2019, there were many demonstrations of public unrest in Latin-American countries, including Ecuador, Chile, and Bolivia. These events boosted the social media use. Individuals are exposed to information that is more sensitive and engaging than what is encountered in less agitated times. For instance, images of clashes between demonstrators and police, graphic violence, fake news, and accusations become more plentiful. The increased online interaction and the engaging nature of information during extended periods of public unrest may encourage the development of social media addiction. This study explores the sense of virtual community theory and uses self-assertion as moderator to capture the drivers of online social media addiction in the context of public unrest. Results reveal that immersion has a significant association with addiction, and self-assertion moderates the relationship between influence and membership.authorsversionpublishe