Course Outline

Course Outline UPDATED 1/13/06

CS 4830 (ID:) Social Implications of Computing Spring Semester 2006

Wednesday at 1pm in TE202S

Instructor

Name: Dr. David L. Ferro

Email:

Web: www.davidferro.org

Phone: 626-8095

Office: TE110a

Hours:

Name: Dr. Eric Swedin

Email: eswedin@weber.edu

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

Phone: 395-3553

Office: DV137L (Davis campus)

Hours:

Texts

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

Tentative Class Schedule, Topic Guide, and Assignments

Week	Starting	Topic
1	Monday, Jan 9	Introduction to Class
2	Tuesday, Jan 17	Computers and Science Fiction FROM MATT: Here are three stories I think would be worth considering as readings to put forth to discuss. The first is an article regarding a fan-film project called StarTrek: New Voyages in which they are completing the 5 year mission that would have been shown if the original run of StarTrek: The original series had not been cut short by cancellation. There work does prompt a question as to what the future of fan-based efforts, with franchises such as StarTrek and Firefly being cancelled, may hold. New Voyages has gone as far as recruting Walter Keonig(Played Chekov) to reprise his roll on new voyages. Also DC Fontana who wrote a good portion of the scripts for the original series and the next generation. Given the involvement of the original production staff, does this in some way stop being a fan film and start becoming real startrek? http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.12/startrek.html ------------------------------------------------------------------- This story is in regards to the recent blocking on the web site Wikipedia from being accessed in China. I think it adds some perspective regarding that the importance that Wikipedia has isn't purely a U.S. thing and how isn't dynamic nature scares the Chinese government. http://globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060110.wxwikipedia10/BNStory/International/ ------------------------------------------------------------------- The last story is somewhat silly, but raises a question as to where the trend of technology for the sake of fashion is taking us. The story talks about Levi Strauss making iPod specific blue jeans. http://www.theage.com.au/news/breaking/pocket-joystick/2006/01/11/1136863276742.html And from Jon Anderson: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A1146070 http://www.kroeker.net/published/writing-the-future.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence
3	Monday, Jan 23	video game education and video games in education from Mr. Krause: http://www.morrisdailyherald.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=58&ArticleID=16808&TM=56349.09 http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/671128.html http://games.ign.com/articles/681/681548p1.html http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/4259 from Mr. Slade: this one is about gaming from an Academic standpoint http://gamestudies.org/0102/squire/ this one simply shows places to get degrees or training in game design http://www.worldwidelearn.com/arts-humanities/game-design-degree.htm this one talks about the concept of majoring in game design, and also has other pages describing jobs offers and other great aspects http://www.animationarena.com/majoring-in-video-game-design.html and this one speaks more specifically about what jobs in game design require/consist of/are like. http://www.gignews.com/crosby1.htm From Mr. Gray: http://www.igda.org/articles/cbateman_evolution.php http://www.igda.org/articles/hsmith_future.php
4	Monday, Jan 30	New York Times Circuits section
5	Monday, Feb 6	http://www.acm.org/ubiquity/interviews/v7i01_kurzweil.html http://www.wired.com/news/columns/0,70114-0.html?tw=wn_index_3 http://rense.com/general69/future.htm http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20060119.html
6	Monday, Feb 13	Why The Future Doesn't Need Us - http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.04/joy_pr.html TRN's Top Picks: Technology Research Advances of 2004 - http://www.trnmag.com/Stories/2004/122904/TRN's_Top_Picks_122904.html "Brain" in Dish Flies Simulated Fighter Jet -http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/11/1119_041119_brain_petri_dish.html Not required: Future Fetish - http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.04/fetishwish.html
7	Tuesday, Feb 21	http://mindstalk.net/vinge/vinge-sing.html http://www.youtube.com/watch.php?v=iVI6xw9Zph8&feature=PlayList&p=98B15976635B28C2 http://www.acm.org/ubiquity/interviews/v7i01_kurzweil.html http://www.wired.com/news/columns/0,70114-0.html?tw=wn_index_3
8	Monday, Feb 27	This article talks about Intel/AMD adding virtualization support to their chips. http://www.itarchitect.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=172302134 This article talks about how RedHat is adding Xen (a virtualization hypervisor) to the next version of Redhat. Kind of a supporting article to the one above. http://www.serverpipeline.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=173400587 This is the Quantum computer article we talked about... http://www.newscientist.com/channel/info-tech/mg18925405.700.html http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1406180788960771638&q=type%3Agpick
9	Monday, Mar 6	Bring an article from http://www.slashdot.org to the class to discuss.
Week of Monday, March 13 – Spring Break !
10	Monday, Mar 20	Again, bring an article from http://www.slashdot.org to the class to discuss.
11	Monday, Mar 27	Eric’s article and your own related
12	Monday, Apr 3	Eric’s article and your own related continues
13	Monday, Apr 10	Eric’s article and your own related continues
14	Monday, Apr 17	Go to the Peterson presentation at Union Ballroom C at 1pm. For fun you might want to check out http://www.kurzweilai.net/meme/frame.html?main=/articles/art0656.html (an article by David Brin)
15	Monday, Apr 24	Discuss Peterson presentation and Bring in a cool tech gadget and show it off (for those interested)
16	Monday, May 1	NO final exam

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.