Course Outline UPDATED 1/3/05

 

CS 4830 (ID:)     Social Implications of Computing        Spring Semester 2005

Wednesday at 1pm in TE202S

 

 

Instructor

Name: Dr. David L. Ferro

Email: dferro@weber.edu

Web: www.davidferro.org

Phone: 626-8095

Office: TE110a

Hours: MTWTh at 9-10am and M at 12:30-1:30pm

 

Name: Dr. Eric Swedin

Email: eswedin@weber.edu

Web: http://www.swedin.org/

Phone: 395-3553

Office: DV137L (Davis campus)

Hours: WTH at 3:30-5:30

Texts

Eric S. Raymond, The Cathedral & the Bazaar (paperback), O'Reilly & Associates; Revised edition (January 15, 2001) ISBN: 0596001088 List Price: $16.95 - It is also available for free on the web at
http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/

Torvolds, Linus, Just for Fun  - available on Amazon for much cheaper than bookstore would be.

More TBD and TBA (see bottom of schedule for possibilities)

 

 

Tentative Class Schedule, Topic Guide, and Assignments

Week

Starting

Topic

1

Monday, Jan 10

Introduction to Class

2

Monday, Jan 17

Lecture: History of technological artifacts from Computer History Museum

3

Monday, Jan 24

Due: Torvolds, First third of book to page 81

4

Monday, Jan 31

Due: Torvolds, Second third of book to page 163

5

Monday, Feb 7

 

Movie: Open OS

6

Monday, Feb 14

Due: Torvolds, Last third of book to end of book

7

Monday, Feb 21

Due: Raymond, Cathedral and the Bazaar

8

Monday, Feb 28

Due: Raymond, Homesteading

9

Monday, Mar 7

Due: Raymond, Magic Cauldron

10

Monday, Mar 14

 

SPRING BREAK!

11

Monday, Mar 21

Due: Raymond, Hackers Revenge and Afterword

12

Monday, Mar 28

Due: http://www.eweek.com/print_article2/0,2533,a=141552,00.asp
http://www.wired.com/news/linux/0,1411,66022,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_1
http://kerneltrap.org/node/4484  AND handout “Playing Catch-up”

 

A special thanks to Rob Hilton for coming to visit and pose some questions for debate.

13

Monday, Apr 4

Each person: Find article on open source, bring in, summarize, and discuss.  If we don’t get to them we will get to them next week.

 

IN ADDITION: we are having a guest - brian rague.  he has recently returned from an OReilly conference on open source and have a few minutes of stuff to share that we can discuss. 

 

ALSO: today at 11 in Wattis Business 112 will be ACM/Novell SuSE Linux server technology presentation with  Carl Malone of Novell.  You might want to check it out.

14

Monday, Apr 11

More presentations from class.

15

Monday, Apr 18

Movie: AntiTrust

16

Monday, Apr 25

Linus makes git

 

Monday, May 2

 

NO Final Exam

 

Some of your classmates are having a party and have asked for us to put the address up.  Here it is: 2637 Quincy Ave.  Eric and I do not condone nor condem going to this party.  It is not a requirement for the class.  We are in no way responsible for any activities that occur there.  If you go please go in good spirits and act responsibly.

 

Thanks for a great semester!

 

 

Class Objective

To introduce students to perspectives on the interaction between Computer Science and society.

Class Organization

Class will consist of lecture and discussion on topics assigned through this outline and class assignments.  The instructor will expect the students to have read the covered chapters prior to classroom instruction.  The instructors will engage with the class to assure that learning occurs.

 

Emailing the professor: whenever you do this you must include in your subject line “class-name-subjectmatter”.  For example: “cs4830-davidferro-question about stephenson”.  This is very important for me to stay organized and I will ignore your emails if you persist in not satisfying this reasonable request.  I will respond that I have received your email.  Save my responses as they may be useful in the event of a conflict of opinion on whether you have sent me an email or not.  DO NOT SEND multiple copies of the same email.

Exams, Projects, Homework, Class Participation

This course is discussion-based.  There are no tests, quizzes, written paper, programs or other objects that must be turned in. 

Grading Policies

Based entirely on participation.  You must come to class prepared to discuss and potentially present the material in line with requested topics and your own ideas.  You will be well served – often – to take the time to have notes and do some additional research and reading.

 

Final letter grades given final scores:

>= 94

A

90–93

A-

87-89

B+

84-86

B

80-83

B-

77-79

C+

74-78

C

70-73

C-

67-69

D+

60-66

D

<60

E

Note on Special Needs

Any student requiring accommodations or services due to a disability must contact the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) in room 181 of the Student Service Center.  SSD can also arrange to provide course materials (including this syllabus) in alternative formats if necessary.

WSU Student Code

Students are expected to be familiar with the WSU Student Code and abide by it.  The Code may be reviewed on line at http://www.weber.edu/ppm/6-22.htm (pay specific attention to Section 4D).  All necessary steps will be taken to enforce the Student Code to guarantee fairness to all students.

 

 

Possible web pages for reading


http://www.eweek.com/print_article2/0,2533,a=141552,00.asp
http://www.wired.com/news/linux/0,1411,66022,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_1
http://kerneltrap.org/node/4484
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4145191.stm
http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,66156,00.html
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.01/perimeter_pr.html
http://www.reason.com/0407/fe.bl.truths.shtml
http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20040930.html
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.10/drexler_pr.html
http://www.cio.com/archive/091504/microsoft.html/
http://www.cioinsight.com/print_article2/0,2533,a=138678,00.asp
http://www.baselinemag.com/print_article2/0,2533,a=138516,00.asp
http://www.rfidjournal.com/article/articleview/1243/1/1/
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/1206/p11s01-legn.html
http://www.zdnet.com.au/insight/software/0,39023769,39168647,00.htm
http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,65819,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_1
http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2004/12/30/142458/25
http://slate.msn.com/id/2110446/
http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/05/01/issue/ferguson0105.asp?p=0
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4105007.stm
http://www.trnmag.com/Stories/2004/122904/TRN's_Top_Picks_122904.html
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/11/1119_041119_brain_petri_dish.html#main

 

http://programming.newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=05/01/25/1859253

and biotechnology:

http://www.cambia.org/
http://www.bios.net/daisy/bios/15
https://www.bioforge.net/