Computer revolution of the past hundred years
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These are the assignment requirements
What are devices in your home that appear to use computers or algorithms? Can you name at least one device for every room in your house? Describe one algorithm each device performs.
Think of a problem or task in your life that you wish had an algorithmic solution. How difficult is this problem to solve? What might an algorithmic solution require?
Discuss the social changes caused by the computer revolution of the past hundred years. What are the downsides to automating routine mental tasks? What are the upsides? Are there times when we might want to decide not to use a technical innovation? When and why?
Search the web for articles about the future of computing. Collect a list of new innovations in computing in the next few years. How will our daily lives change as a result?
Think about examples of abstractions we use with the computer on a regular basis. What are some metaphors provided by applications or your operating system?
Compare RAM with nonvolatile memory like the computer’s hard drive. List the features of each, and compare them with each other? Where they differ in design, why would the designers have made the choices they made?
Why might the MIMD model for parallel processing be preferred over the SIMD model?
This assignment should take between 5 to 7 pages not counting the cover page and reference page.
Additional Resources
Computational Tales: http://computationaltales.blogspot.com/p/posts-by-topic.html
This link reflects the work of Dr. Jeremy Kubica, software engineer, and manager at Google. Dr. Kubica has gathered a set of computer science concepts written as fairy tales in order to provide students with an accessible overview of key concepts before diving into technical details. These fun and quirky stories cover a broad range of topics, from algorithms and data structures to general programming concepts.
Careers in Computing: http://computingcareers.acm.org/
Algorithm: http://www.techterms.com/definition/algorithm
Charles Babbage: http://www.computerhistory.org/babbage/
Computing history timeline: http://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/
Early computing machines: http://learn.fi.edu/learn/case-files/hci.html
Web page and video that explains how flash memory works: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/flash-memory.htmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNGvZGz7dmE
Intel has an online curriculum that talks about hardware and processor design, among other topics. While designed for K–12, it could be useful here as well: http://educate.intel.com/en/TheJourneyInside
The Computer History Museum has an online exhibit about supercomputers: http://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/supercomputers/10/intro
Download Berkley’s BIONIC software and become part of a MIMD: http://boinc.berkeley.edu
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