HW 1

Computing, Information and the Future 

HW 1, due F Jan. 28, 2022

Directions: The title of your blog post should indicate "HW 1." Number your answers according to the question numbers below. 

1. Instead of handing in printed assignments (the old-fashioned way), or by email (not quite as old-fashioned) we will use a more modern method: a blog. Start a blog for this course and its assignments. Any blog service will do. Livejournal.com is probably the easiest to use, but has the disadvantage that occasionally accounts are suspended until you request them to unsuspend. Tumblr, at Tumblr.com is pretty good. "Tumblr is really easy to get set up and start blogging" (blog.shareaholic.com/best-blogging-platform). I am using blogger.com as the platform for this course, but am not ecstatic about it. One problem is that blogger.com is inextricably linked to your google account (it is owned by Google), which makes it harder to be anonymous. A more minor issue is that blogger.com is the site for creating and editing blog content, but the content appears to readers on the site blogspot.com, not blogger.com (perhaps a bit confusing). I am using wordpress.com for another course. Wordpress is full-function but all those bells and whistles can make it a bit harder to use. I currently lean toward recommending tumblr.com. Whatever platform you choose,

1. I suggest making the blog not obviously identifiable as yours, since anyone can read it; and
2. email me the URL so I can access it to see your HWs

2. Check out the course web site (which is a blog). Find the links (on tabs near top of page) to the "Course Guidelines" and "Topic List and Syllabus." Notice the HWs are there too. HWs will be updated for this semester as we get to them. Navigate around a bit and note any questions you might have. Make a blog posting titled "HW 1" on your blog and, noting this as your answer to question 2,
post

• any questions you have, and
• what first got you interested in this course: a) flyers on walls in this building; b) an email about the course; c) an advisor; d) saw the course listed as one of the available courses; or e) more than one of the above (which ones?) or other (what?)

3. Go to the Web and find a URL about the future of a topic of your choice.
On your blog, in the "HW 1" post, as the answer to question 3, give the link you found, and explain what it is and why it is interesting (e.g., why should someone check it out?).

4. Repeat question 3 with another URL. Post as your answer to question 4.

5. Repeat question 3 again with a 3rd URL. This is your answer to question 5.

6 (Grad students only). Graduate courses that have a corresponding undergraduate course, like this course, need to have additional requirements suitable for more advanced students. In this course, that will be a review of a book on the future. You choose the book you want to read and get a copy. Any book on the future is acceptable. 

    For this HW, on your blog give the title and author of the book, order it online or get it from a book store (or the library*), and email me evidence that you have it or have ordered it. 

    

* If you check it out from a library, and then have to return it before the end of the semester, you would then have to immediately check out another book from the library and start on that one.