Writing 01: Time to Get Technical

Reflection

After a series of related readings and videos from the lectures, you will be given the opportunity to reflect on the readings and discussions for each week by writing a few short responses to given prompts. In this course, the reading responses are typically due by 5pm on Tuesdays of the following week they are assigned, after we have discussed the issues and explored the topics in class. This reflection is due on 2/6 at 5pm.

Note that the course staff are looking for your own thoughts on these topics. Writing in the first person, taking divergent viewpoints, and bringing in ideas from outside of class are encouraged. Write as if you are targeting a public audience. Particularly insightful or convincingly contrarian statements might be shared with the entire class in lecture or in the course slack.

For this week, you are to consider the following questions related to the Technical Study of Computing and Phone Phreaking:

1. Have you ever noticed that Google's search engine seems to prefer returning results from the present day? Perform a few searches for some of the older material related to hacking from the dotcom era of 1990s (code, websites, documentation, etc.) that may still be available on the Internet. What does Google return? Are any of the hits original source material? If not, what are you getting back? Provide some thoughts on why Google's search engine prefers the present and whether this is a good thing.

2. Imagine that you have traveled back in time to the 1970s and are standing next to a payphone. Next to you is a phone phreak with a blue box who is enticing you to use it to explore the Bell System. Considering all of your ethical training here at Notre Dame through the core curriculum requirements, do you take the phreak up on their offer? 

Grading

Each reflection should be between 500 - 1000 words. It will be graded in terms of:
 

• Does the reflection adequately address the prompt?

• Does the reflection reference the readings and class discussions to support the writing?

• Does the reflection exhibit thoughtfulness and creative expression?

• Does the reflection utilize proper grammar and style?

• Is the reflection an appropriate length?

Submission Instructions

1. (For this first submission) Share a Google drive folder for this class with our TA Ellen (ejoyce3@nd.edu) and give her editor privileges. 

2. Prepare a doc in that folder named using this convention: lastname_firstname_duedate. Example: Joyce_Ellen_020624

3. The TA will collect each assignment directly from your drive after it is due