Assignment 1 is due on Tuesday January 14 at 10am. It should be roughly 750
words in length and is worth 5 marks.
You are to discuss what you think is the biggest social problem arising from the
use of computers (if you can't think of the biggest, choose one
that you consider quite major). The exposition should be directed at someone who
has some technical proficiency (owns their own computer, for
example, but can't service it using a Swiss Army knife; that is, not a computer
science major, a hobbyist, or a devoted consumer of computer magazines) but who
may not have thought too much about anything beyond the technical aspects of
computers.
You should explain the problem, explain why it is a result of computerization,
and why it is not trivial to solve. Your piece should be self-contained, with an
appropriate title, and suitable for publication on, say, the science page of the
Imprint.
The purpose of this assignment is to get you used to writing, and to provide
feedback on your writing style. The assignment requires little background other
than some knowledge of current events and social trends (if you use technical
detail, however, it should be accurate).
Last updated Jan. 02, 2003.