COMP 006: Computers Make It Possible

COMP 006: Computers Make It Possible 30 August 2005

Today’s Plan • Introductions • Class Logistics • Projects • Course introduction

Contact Information Diane Pozefsky Sitterson 327 962-1817 dpoz@us.ibm.com AIM: dianepozefsky www.cs.unc.edu/~pozefsky/comp006_f05

Office Hours • Feel free to come see me whenever I’m in my office • Call or instant message to see if I’m in • My schedule won’t finalize until next week • Will post best hours on web site

Introductions • Name • School • An interesting fact about yourself • Why you are taking this seminar • Your comfort level with computers

Class Logistics • Seminars vs. classes • Small groups • Active participation • Not 75 minute lectures • Readings before the discussions (online)

Communication • Web site • Assignments • Readings • Presentation materials • Blackboard • Only for handing in assignments

Software • All software required is available through CCI • Microsoft Office • Access • PowerPoint • Word • Browser: Mozilla • For home page • Onyen • AFS Client (downloadable) • help.unc.edu/?id=110

Policies • Regular attendance expected • Late assignments • Excused: speak to me when assignment given • Emergencies: requires proof • Unexcused: reduced credit based on length of assignment (significant penalty) • Missed tests • Excused: to be taken in advance • Emergencies: requires proof • Unexcused: no make-up

Alternate Meeting Times • Hand in your schedules on Thursday • Allows me to schedule activities that won’t fit in regular times • Make up classes

What we’ll be doing • Assignments • Group and individual • Papers, presentations, projects • Due dates will be posted on the class calendar • Will be marked as tentative until assigned • Learning about being a student as well as about computers

Meet your neighbor • Find something in common with your partner • Not your age • Not that you are freshman at UNC

What We’ll Cover - Topics • Computer influence on society • Computer security or privacy • Assistive technology • E-government • Computers and ethics • Computers in the arts • How a computer works • What makes a good web site

What We’ll Cover - Projects • Building a web page • Building a database • How computers can help address a particular problem • Computer use in the arts • Analysis of news reports • A taste of programming

Solving Problem • This course is about solving problems • To solve a problem • Understand the domain • Understand the tools available • Propose a solution • Try it • What problems would you like to address?

Current Events Katrina: Computers and weather prediction How does it help? What is beyond technological help?

Computers Make It Possible • The good, the bad, and the ugly • Computers allow us to do things that we never could have done before • The power of computers can be misused • Computers don’t always work right

The Eyes Have it NASA program develops a system that tracks eye movements for cursor controlNASA is exploring new frontiers in accessibility with a program that could give disabled users line-of-sight control over their computer screens. The space agency has provided funding to create a system that tracks head and eye movements to register cursor movements and clicks. Developers plan to provide the system free to the public. Government Computer News, August 9

CAPPS II: Government Surveillance via Passenger Profiling The U.S. Transportation Security Administration announced plans to implement CAPPS II, a controversial passenger profiling and surveillance system that would require you to give your birth date, home phone number, and home address before you can board a U.S. flight. Under CAPPS II, travel authorities would check these and other personal details against the information collected in government and commercial databases, then "tag" you with a color-coded score indicating the level of security risk that you appear to pose.

CAPPS II: Government Surveillance via Passenger Profiling The U.S. Transportation Security Administration announced plans to implement CAPPS II, a controversial passenger profiling and surveillance system that would require you to give your birth date, home phone number, and home address before you can board a U.S. flight. Under CAPPS II, travel authorities would check these and other personal details against the information collected in government and commercial databases, then "tag" you with a color-coded score indicating the level of security risk that you appear to pose. SCRAPPED

November 20, 1985Bug causes Financial crisis! • BoNY: Nation’s largest clearer of Govt securities. • Software to track Federal securities transactions wrote new information on top of old. • Feds debited the bank for each transaction but bank did not know who owed it how much. • 90 minutes => $32 Billion overdraft! With thanks to Mithun Arora

Cost of Bug • Bank had to borrow $24 bill from federal reserves. Interest paid ~$5 mill for 1 day. (Annual earnings of bank ~120 mill) • BoNY share prices dropped by 25c • Federal funds rate dropped from 8.4% to 5.5% • System down for 28 hours. • Fear of financial crisis caused increase in price of platinum! With thanks to Mithun Arora

On a personal level • What is your favorite use of technology (the good)? • What is your least favorite (the bad)? • What problems do you have with computers (the ugly)?

Computers Portrayed in the Arts • Select a book, short story or movie • Last year’s included • Deception Point (Dan Brown) • Matrix, The Italian Job, Swordfish • Jurassic Park, WarGames, Office Space • The Net

For Thursday • Bring your schedules • Topic for computers in the arts

COMP 006: Computers Make It Possible