\section*{Glossary}
\begin{itemize}
- \item {\bf Server} --- Refers to the MCTX3420 program that runs on the system and is responsible for controlling and querying hardware. ``Server'' is often also used to refer to a physical machine (computer or embedded device) that runs a Server program.
+ \item {\bf Server} --- Commonly used to refer to the MCTX3420 program that runs on the system and is responsible for controlling and querying hardware. Also used more generally to refer to programs that provide a networked service (eg: LDAP server). Server is often also used to refer to a physical machine (computer or embedded device) that runs one or more Server programs (ie: The BeagleBone Black is a server).
\item {\bf Client} --- Refers to a program running on a computer that isn't part of the system. This program provides the user with an interface to the system; it will send commands and queries to the server as directed by a human user. ``Client'' is also often also used to refer to a physical machine that runs a Client program.
- \item {\bf HTTP} --- Hyper Text Transfer Protocol - The protocol used by web browsers and web servers to exchange information. A "web" server is technically called a HTTP server. A "web" client is something like a web browser (firefox, chrome, etc) which uses HTTP to query servers on the internet.
+ \item {\bf HTTP} --- Hyper Text Transfer Protocol - The protocol used by web browsers and web servers to exchange information. A ``web'' server is technically called a HTTP server. A ``web'' client is something like a web browser (firefox, chrome, etc) which uses HTTP to query servers on the internet.
\item {\bf HTTPS} --- HTTP itself involves sending plain text over a network, which can be intercepted and read by anyone on the network. The HTTPS protocol provides a layer of encryption to prevent eavesdropping on HTTP traffic.
- \item {\bf API} --- Application Programming Interface - A standard defined for programs to interact with each other. In our case, the "Server API" (discussed on this page) defines what the Client can request and give to the Server.
- \item {\bf HTML} --- Hypertext Markup Language - A language used by web browsers to display web pages. Static. HTML files are stored on a system that is running a HTTP server and transferred to web browsers when they are requested.
+ \item {\bf API} --- Application Programming Interface - A standard defined for programs to interact with each other. In our case, the ``Server API'' (discussed in Section \ref{API}) defines what the Client can request and give to the Server.
+ \item {\bf HTML} --- Hypertext Markup Language - A language used by web browsers to display web pages. Static. HTML files are stored on a system that is running a HTTP server and transferred to web browsers when they are requested. HTML contains the content of a page, whilst CSS (when used) alters what the page will look like.
+ \item {\bf CSS} --- Cascading Style Sheets - A stylesheet language interpreted by a web browser to determine how specific HTML elements should appear. HTML contains the content of a page, whilst CSS (when used) alters what the page will look like.
\item {\bf JavaScript} (not to be confused with Java) --- A language that is interpreted by a web browser to produce HTML dynamically (which is then rendered by the browser) in response to events. It can also direct the browser to send HTTP queries (AJAX). The response can be interpreted by the JavaScript. JavaScript files are also stored on the server.
\item {\bf JSON} --- JavaScript Object Notation - Text that can be directly interpreted as an Object in JavaScript.
\item {\bf CGI} --- Common Gateway Interface - Protocol by which HTTP servers respond to requests by calling an external (seperate) program. The CGI program does not run continuously.
\item {\bf FastCGI} --- Fast Common Gateway Interface - Protocol by which HTTP servers respond to requests by passing them to an external (separate) program. Differs from CGI because the external program runs continuously and separately from the HTTP server.
\item {\bf IP Address} --- Internet Protocol Address - Identifies a device on a network
\item {\bf Hostname} --- A human readable name of a device on a network. The hostname of the device is associated with its IP address.
- \item {\bf Multithreading} --- A technique by which a single set of code can be used by several processors at different stages of execution.
+ \item {\bf Multithreading} --- A mechanism supported by most modern operating systems by which code from a single program can be run in parallel in seperate ``threads''.
\item {\bf OpenCV} --- A real time Image processing library
- \item {\bf BBB} --- the BeagleBone Black, ARM processor board acts as the client, and communicates with the server to send and request data for physically running the experiment.
+ \item {\bf BBB} --- the BeagleBone Black, ARM processor board acts as the server, and communicates with the client (which sends and requests data for physically running the experiment) over an ethernet connection.
\item {\bf nginx} --- Used for website architecture which integrates efficiency with functionality
\item {\bf OpenMP} --- Multiplatform memory processing: used for parallel tasks (not used in this project)
\item {\bf PThreads (POSIX Threads)} --- A library used for thread management defining a set of c programing functions and constants.
The MCTX3420 project aimed to build an experimental apparatus for measuring the behaviour of a container with pressure --- in this case, testing how a drink can deformed as air pressure inside it increased. The desired result was a self-contained, safe, reliable, effective and easy-to-use system which could perform the desired experimental tasks, to be used by both students and wider industry professionals.
-Unfortunately, the system is (as of 1st November 2013) still not complete; the hardware components have not been fully tested and integrated with the software, despite extensive work by all students. Very little time was available for testing and significant issues thus do remain. However, the project is very close to completion. The software is able interact in the desired manner with the hardware components, and fulfils the majority of the required functionality. With some further testing and development using the final hardware, the software could easily be implemented – and the report has been written with this in mind, allowing another group in the future to build upon the project software.
+Unfortunately, the system is (as of 1st November 2013) still not complete; the hardware components have not been fully tested and integrated with the software, despite extensive work by all students. Very little time was available for testing and significant issues thus do remain. However, the project is very close to completion. The software is able interact in the desired manner with the hardware components, and fulfils the majority of the required functionality. With some further testing and development using the final hardware, the software could easily be implemented --- and the report has been written with this in mind, allowing another group in the future to build upon the project software.
Chapter \ref{Introduction and Approach} of the report begins with an overview of the whole system and the software component. Following this, there is a discussion of the administrative aspects of the project, including teamwork, the general development process, and costings. Each subsection of Chapter \ref{Design and Implementation} then focuses on a specific aspect of the software, going into detail about its design, development, functionality, testing, and integration, with the appropriate descriptions and reasonings. Chapter \ref{Conclusions and Recommendations} of the report concludes with the final results and recommendations for future development. In-depth instructions regarding use of the software are given in the project's online documentation\cite{mctx3420_wiki}.
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