CSci 300: Social Responsibility in Computer Science
Topic and Assignment Schedule (Revised)

Unless otherwise noted, all readings are from Sara Baase's textbook A Gift of Fire (Prentice Hall, 1997).

This schedule is subject to some refinement as the semester progresses.

21 August (Thur.)

Introductory activities

28 August (Thur.)

Chapter 2 -- "Privacy and Information"

• Quiz over chapter
• In-class group exercise -- video store privacy policy; #1; page 79
• In-class discussion -- general exercises #19, 24; pages 77-8

4 September (Thur.)

Chapter 3 -- "Wiretapping and Encryption"

• Quiz over chapter
• In-class discussion -- general exercises #8-12; page 108

11 September (Thur.)

Chapter 6 -- "Constitutional (and Related) Issues"

• Quiz over chapter
• Guest speaker -- Mr. Buster Hale, Chief Deputy Clerk, U. S. District Court (Northern Mississippi)

18 September (Thur.)

Chapter 4 -- "Can We Trust the Computer"

• Quiz over chapter
• In-class discussion -- general exercises #7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 16, 19, 25; pages 154-7
• Additional background -- Nancy G. Leveson and Clark S. Turner. "An Investigation of the Therac-25 Accidents", IEEE Computer, Vol. 26, No. 7, July 1993.

24 September (Wed.)

University deadline for course withdrawals

25 September (Thur.)

University deadline to submit application for December diploma
Deadline for choosing Term Paper topic
Continuation of "Can We Trust the Computer"

• In-class group exercise, Therac-25 mock trial, #1, page 157

2 October (Thur.)

Chapter 5 -- "Protecting Software and Other Intellectual Property"

• Quiz over chapter
• In-class discussion, general exercises; #9, 11, 12, 16, 19, 20; pages 193-4
• Additional background --
  • E. Robert Yoches. "Legal Protection for Computer Software", Communications of the ACM, Vol. 32, No. 2, pp. 169-70, February 1989.
  • E. Robert Yoches and Arthur Levine. "Basic Principles of Copyright Protection for Computer Software", Communications of the ACM, Vol. 32, No. 5, pp. 544-545, May 1989.
  • J. Michael Jakes and E. Robert Yoches. "Basic Principles of Patent Protection for Computer Software", Communications of the ACM, Vol. 32, No. 8, pp. 922-4, August 1989.
  • Saul Lefkowitz and E. Robert Yoches. "The Role of Trademarks in the Protection of Computer Software", Communications of the ACM, Vol. 32, No. 12, pp. 1391-3,1396, December 1989.
  • Pamela Samuelson. "Should Program Algorithms Be Patented?" Communications of the ACM, Vol. 33, No. 8, pp. 23-7, August 1990.
  • Richard Stallman. "Why Software Should Be Free", Free Software Foundation, 1990.

9 October (Thur.)

Continuation of "Legal Protection for Computer Software"

• In-class group exercise, software intellectual property debate, #1, page 95

16 October (Thur.)

Chapter 7 -- "Computer Crime"

• Quiz over chapter
• In-class discussion, general exercises; #9, 10, 11, 14, 16, 17; pages 254-5

23 October (Thur.)

Chapter 10 -- "Issues of Professional Ethics and Responsibilities"

• Quiz over chapter
• In-class discussion, general exercises; #9, 11, 12, 21-26; pages 368-70
• Additional background --
  • Helen Nissenbaum. "Computing and Accountability", Communications of the ACM, Vol. 37, No. 1, January 1994.
  • Ronald E. Anderson, Deborah G. Johnson, Donald Gotterbarn, and Judith Perrolle. "Using the New ACM Code of Ethics in Decision Making", Communications of the ACM, Vol. 36, No. 2, February 1993.

30 October (Thur.)

No class. Preparation time for term paper.

6 November (Thur.)

Deadline for submitting two review copies of Term Paper

13 November (Thur.)

Deadline for submitting two copies of the critique of another student's Term Paper

20 November (Thur.)

Deadline for submitting final copy of Term Paper

26-28 November (Wed.-Fri.)

Thanksgiving Break (no classes)

UP to CSCI 300 root document?