HIT164 COMPUTING FUNDAMENTALS Assignment 1: Research Essay Due Date: Week 7, Friday 11: 59 pm Length: 1500 words maximum (not including references) Value: 20% of the total marks for the unit TASKS 1. Research a few issues in use of IT in a discipline of current relevance. You may choose issues from any of the disciplines given in the following pages or a discipline of your choice. 2. Prepare an essay about your topic with no more than 1500 words (excluding reference list). 3. Your topic of choice must be posted to the Discussion Board titled “Post your essay topic here” by Week 3, Friday 5pm, 4. Note that if you have not posted a topic by this time, you may be assigned a topic by your lecturer. REQUIREMENTS · The assignment should be word-processed. · It should include a reference list. · Use Harvard referencing style. · Do not include sources in the reference list that are not cited in the document. · You need to use a minimum of 10 sources and there needs to be at least 3 different types (i.e., websites, book, journal article, etc.). HIT164 Computing Fundamentals TOPICS (CHOOSE ONE) Option 1: Social Media GeoCities is a web hosting service which employs the concept/metaphors of “cities” and “neighbourhood” in real-world. For example, computer-related sites are placed in “SiliconValley” and entertainment sites in “Hollywood”. GeoCities was the third-most visited website at its peak when it was acquired by Yahoo! in 1999. 10 years later as social media had taken over and become mainstream on the Internet, GeoCities was shutdown and deleted. However, the Internet Archive team made a backup of the site just before it was shut down to preserve the effort put in by around 35 million people since it started. The resulting 650GB archive was published online as a remembrance of the glorious days of GeoCities. Will current social media (i.e., Facebook) eventually face the same fate? Justify your arguments with robust supporting evidence. Option 2: Li-Fi Wi-Fi is a popular networking technology that allows electronic devices to connect to the Internet wirelessly using radio frequency. It can be commonly seen from mobile devices to government facility. However in recent years, researchers have found a way to utilise visible light from light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to transmit data: such technology is called Li-Fi (light fidelity). Even though Li-Fi is still at its infancy, many universities and researchers are actively studying to reach its potential. Compare Wi-Fi and Li-Fi critically and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Li-Fi. Option 3: Wearable Technology Google Glass is one of the first and most talked about augmented reality wearable computers in 2013. Its usage varies from personal entertainment to surgical practise. Similar to other emerging technologies, Google Glass has also received quite a few negative critical receptions, such as privacy concern. Critically discuss the pros and cons of ...

1. HIT164 COMPUTING FUNDAMENTALS
Assignment 1: Research Essay
Due Date: Week 7, Friday 11: 59 pm
Length: 1500 words maximum (not including references)
Value: 20% of the total marks for the unit
TASKS
1. Research a few issues in use of IT in a discipline of current
relevance. You may choose issues from any of the disciplines
given in the following pages or a discipline of your choice.
2. Prepare an essay about your topic with no more than 1500
words (excluding reference list).
3. Your topic of choice must be posted to the Discussion Board
titled “Post your essay topic here” by Week 3, Friday 5pm,
4. Note that if you have not posted a topic by this time, you may
be assigned a topic by your lecturer.
REQUIREMENTS
· The assignment should be word-processed.

2. · It should include a reference list.
· Use Harvard referencing style.
· Do not include sources in the reference list that are not cited
in the document.
· You need to use a minimum of 10 sources and there needs to
be at least 3 diff erent types (i.e., websites, book, journal article,
etc.).
HIT164 Computing Fundamentals
TOPICS (CHOOSE ONE)
Option 1: Social Media
GeoCities is a web hosting service which employs the
concept/metaphors of “cities” and “neighbourhood” in real-
world. For example, computer-related sites are placed in
“SiliconValley” and entertainment sites in “Hollywood”.
GeoCities was the third-most visited website at its peak when it
was acquired by Yahoo! in 1999.
10 years later as social media had taken over and become
mainstream on the Internet, GeoCities was shutdown and
deleted. However, the Internet Archive team made a backup of
the site just before it was shut down to preserve the eff ort put in
by around 35 million people since it started. The resulting
650GB archive was published online as a remembrance of the
glorious days of GeoCities.
Will current social media (i.e., Facebook) eventually face the
same fate? Justify your arguments with robust supporting

3. evidence.
Option 2: Li-Fi
Wi-Fi is a popular networking technology that allows electronic
devices to connect to the Internet wirelessly using radio
frequency. It can be commonly seen from mobile devices to
government facility. However in recent years, researchers have
found a way to utilise visible light from light-emitting diodes
(LEDs) to transmit data: such technology is called Li-Fi (light
fidelity).
Even though Li-Fi is still at its infancy, many universities and
researchers are actively studying to reach its potential.
Compare Wi-Fi and Li-Fi critically and discuss the advantages
and disadvantages of Li-Fi.
Option 3: Wearable Technology
Google Glass is one of the first and most talked about
augmented reality wearable computers in 2013. Its usage varies
from personal entertainment to surgical practise. Similar to
other emerging technologies, Google Glass has also received
quite a few negative critical receptions, such as privacy
concern.
Critically discuss the pros and cons of ubiquitous wearable
computing like Google Glass. Note how you would use a
ubiquitous device like Google Glass.

4. Option 4: Science & Technology
Children with Asperger’s syndrome (or high functioning autism)
often exhibit excellent language, memory and technical skills.
However, their lack of good social skills and understanding of
social interaction often hinder their ability to function in
elementary and middle school settings. Research regarding the
use of technology to help children with Asperger’s syndrome or
autism have just started to emerge as technology is maturing at
a rapid pace.
Research what technology options are available to aid children
with Asperger’s syndrome or autism? Support your discussion
with robust supporting evidence.
Option 5: Internet Privacy
We share information on the Internet everyday, through social
media, blog posts, or even apps on your phone. Technology has
become so ubiquitous today that we are not as concern about
privacy as we used to be. A recent attack on Snapchat revealed
almost all (approx. 4.6 millions) usernames and phone numbers
on the Internet for anyone to download. However, the majority
of Snapchat users were not worried about how such information
could be used.
Popular companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Google,
Target (United States) and Sony have been hacked at least once
in the past decade. In the most extreme case hackers obtained
and sold users’ credit card details. This proves that nothing is
safe on the Internet. Who can we trust our information with and

5. how much information can we share?
Critically discuss the assertion.
Option 6: Artificial Intelligence
The movie “Her” demonstrated the possibility of a complex
Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) interface with human emotion. In
the not too distant future our computer systems will be able to
display all the characteristics of intelligence we recognise in
humans.
Identify existing technologies that can be used to construct
“Samantha” and critically discuss if the benefits of such
computer intelligence would outweigh the disadvantages.
Option 7: Privilege Escalation
Mobile operating systems nowadays are mostly locked-down
platforms with digital rights management (DRM) where users
cannot directly interact with the file system and the device’s
functionalities are provided by the manufacturer in a sand-
boxed environment.
Privilege escalation, or more commonly known as jailbreaking,
is the act of removing limitations imposed by the manufacturer,
thus enabling the device to gain access to resources that are
normally protected from an application or user.

6. Critically discuss why an operating system should and
should not be locked-down in the above context, considering the
legal context.
Option 8: Big Data
Dr. Eric Horvitz, a computer scientist and co-director of
Microsoft Research, who worked with a large urban hospital in
Washington was able to use a concentration of anonymous
Internet searches in the neighbourhoods in close proximity of
the hospital to calculate the probabilities of cardio cases which
showed up soon after.
Through the use of Internet searches, Twitter feeds, or in
general “Internet as a sensor”, Dr. Horvitz was also able to
identify previously unpublished side eff ect of medicines and
track the onset of postpartum depression among new mothers.
Through the use of online information, can we better understand
our behaviours, or more importantly overcome various
challenges in health and diagnosis?
This is one implementation of the principles of Big Data.
Research how principles of Big Data are currently appl ied in
one of the following fields:
· Medicine
· Education
· Astronomy

7. GETTING HELP
1. Doing Your Assignment
You may find the following link useful in preparing for your
assignment. See “Doing the Assignments” at
http://learnline.cdu.edu.au/units/itonline/assignments.html.
2. About Essay Writing
CDU Study Guide (http://learnline.cdu.edu.au/studyskills/) has
a comprehensive range of study skills information.
You may find the following resources useful in writing
academic assignments:
· Introduction to Academic Assignments

8. http://learnline.cdu.edu.au/studyskills/studyskills/introacademic
assignments.html
· Introduction to Academic Writing
http://learnline.cdu.edu.au/studyskills/studyskills/introacademic
writing.html
· What to Avoid in Formal Writing
http://learnline.cdu.edu.au/studyskills/studyskills/aswhattoavoid
.html
· Strunk’s “The Elements of Style” is an old book (1918), but a
good one, to check for suggestions and conventions on writing
style. Some things have changed since 1918, but many of his
suggestions are largely intact today.
· You can find the book at
http://www.crockford.com/wrrrld/style.html. Thanks to Douglas
Crockford for making this available.
3. Researching
The CDU Library’s Summon search
(http://www.cdu.edu.au/library/) is a good way to start
gathering research about your chosen topic. If you have not
used Summon before please watch the video on the Summon
Guide webpage (http://libguides.cdu.edu.au/summon).
Alternatively, visit the CDU Library’s help on Summon:
· Referencing 101 (http://libguides.cdu.edu.au/cdureferencing)
· Referencing Style Guide
(http://libguides.cdu.edu.au/content.php?pid=100403&sid=7537

9. 58). We use CDU Harvard style for HIT164.
· iResearch
(http://www.library.usyd.edu.au/elearning/learn/referencing/acti
vities/index.php). This is an interactive learning tool, courtesy
of University of Sydney.
· CDU’s Information Technology Guide
(http://libguides.cdu.edu.au/IT) is very useful for finding
academic quality sources via the Library.
4. Plagiarism - you will be penalised if you plagiarise your
work
If you have any doubt about what constitutes plagiarism, then
please talk to your lecturer.
You can also find more information about plagiarism at CDU
Library Service
(http://libguides.cdu.edu.au/content.php?pid=100403&sid=2587
885).
PRESENTATION
Essay should be word processed and include page numbers and
student name and number in the footer. It is recommended that
you check for plagiarism in your work before you submit.

10. SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
All students should submit via Learnline:
· Word processed document only, PDF files are not accepted.
· Include an assignment cover sheet with the plagiarism section
signed.
· Ensure that your file is labelled in the format of
firstnameLastnameAssign1.doc (e.g.,
johnAppleseedAssign1.doc).
- Note that there are no spaces or symbols in the file name.

11. HIT164 COMPUTING FUNDAMENTALS
Assignment 1: Research Essay
Due Date: Week 7, Friday 11: 59 pm
Length: 1500 words maximum (not including references)
Value: 20% of the total marks for the unit
TASKS
1. Research a few issues in use of IT in a discipline of current
relevance. You may choose issues from any of the disciplines
given in the following pages or a discipline of your choice.
2. Prepare an essay about your topic with no more than 1500

12. words (excluding reference list).
3. Your topic of choice must be posted to the Discussion Board
titled “Post your essay topic here” by Week 3, Friday 5pm,
4. Note that if you have not posted a topic by this time, you may
be assigned a topic by your lecturer.
REQUIREMENTS
· The assignment should be word-processed.
· It should include a reference list.
· Use Harvard referencing style.
· Do not include sources in the reference list that are not cited
in the document.
· You need to use a minimum of 10 sources and there needs to
be at least 3 diff erent types (i.e., websites, book, journal article,
etc.).
HIT164 Computing Fundamentals
TOPICS (CHOOSE ONE)
Option 1: Social Media
GeoCities is a web hosting service which employs the
concept/metaphors of “cities” and “neighbourhood” in real -
world. For example, computer-related sites are placed in
“SiliconValley” and entertainment sites in “Hollywood”.
GeoCities was the third-most visited website at its peak when it

13. was acquired by Yahoo! in 1999.
10 years later as social media had taken over and become
mainstream on the Internet, GeoCities was shutdown and
deleted. However, the Internet Archive team made a backup of
the site just before it was shut down to preserve the eff ort put in
by around 35 million people since it started. The resulting
650GB archive was published online as a remembrance of the
glorious days of GeoCities.
Will current social media (i.e., Facebook) eventually face the
same fate? Justify your arguments with robust supporting
evidence.
Option 2: Li-Fi
Wi-Fi is a popular networking technology that allows electronic
devices to connect to the Internet wirelessly using radio
frequency. It can be commonly seen from mobile devices to
government facility. However in recent years, researchers have
found a way to utilise visible light from light-emitting diodes
(LEDs) to transmit data: such technology is called Li-Fi (light
fidelity).
Even though Li-Fi is still at its infancy, many universities and
researchers are actively studying to reach its potential.
Compare Wi-Fi and Li-Fi critically and discuss the advantages
and disadvantages of Li-Fi.
Option 3: Wearable Technology

14. Google Glass is one of the first and most talked about
augmented reality wearable computers in 2013. Its usage varies
from personal entertainment to surgical practise. Similar to
other emerging technologies, Google Glass has also received
quite a few negative critical receptions, such as privacy
concern.
Critically discuss the pros and cons of ubiquitous wearable
computing like Google Glass. Note how you would use a
ubiquitous device like Google Glass.
Option 4: Science & Technology
Children with Asperger’s syndrome (or high functioning autism)
often exhibit excellent language, memory and technical skills.
However, their lack of good social skills and understanding of
social interaction often hinder their ability to function in
elementary and middle school settings. Research regarding the
use of technology to help children with Asperger’s syndrome or
autism have just started to emerge as technology is maturing at
a rapid pace.
Research what technology options are available to aid children
with Asperger’s syndrome or autism? Support your discussion
with robust supporting evidence.
Option 5: Internet Privacy
We share information on the Internet everyday, through social
media, blog posts, or even apps on your phone. Technology has
become so ubiquitous today that we are not as concern about

15. privacy as we used to be. A recent attack on Snapchat revealed
almost all (approx. 4.6 millions) usernames and phone numbers
on the Internet for anyone to download. However, the majority
of Snapchat users were not worried about how such information
could be used.
Popular companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Google,
Target (United States) and Sony have been hacked at least once
in the past decade. In the most extreme case hackers obtained
and sold users’ credit card details. This proves that nothing is
safe on the Internet. Who can we trust our information with and
how much information can we share?
Critically discuss the assertion.
Option 6: Artificial Intelligence
The movie “Her” demonstrated the possibility of a complex
Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) interface with human emotion. In
the not too distant future our computer systems will be able to
display all the characteristics of intelligence we recognise in
humans.
Identify existing technologies that can be used to construct
“Samantha” and critically discuss if the benefits of such
computer intelligence would outweigh the disadvantages.

16. Option 7: Privilege Escalation
Mobile operating systems nowadays are mostly locked-down
platforms with digital rights management (DRM) where users
cannot directly interact with the file system and the device’s
functionalities are provided by the manufacturer in a sand-
boxed environment.
Privilege escalation, or more commonly known as jailbreaking,
is the act of removing limitations imposed by the manufacturer,
thus enabling the device to gain access to resources that are
normally protected from an application or user.
Critically discuss why an operating system should and
should not be locked-down in the above context, considering the
legal context.
Option 8: Big Data
Dr. Eric Horvitz, a computer scientist and co-director of
Microsoft Research, who worked with a large urban hospital in
Washington was able to use a concentration of anonymous
Internet searches in the neighbourhoods in close proximity of
the hospital to calculate the probabilities of cardio cases which
showed up soon after.
Through the use of Internet searches, Twitter feeds, or in
general “Internet as a sensor”, Dr. Horvitz was also able to
identify previously unpublished side eff ect of medicines and
track the onset of postpartum depression among new mothers.
Through the use of online information, can we better understand
our behaviours, or more importantly overcome various

17. challenges in health and diagnosis?
This is one implementation of the principles of Big Data.
Research how principles of Big Data are currently applied in
one of the following fields:
· Medicine
· Education
· Astronomy
GETTING HELP
1. Doing Your Assignment
You may find the following link useful in preparing for your
assignment. See “Doing the Assignments” at
http://learnline.cdu.edu.au/units/itonline/assignments.html.

18. 2. About Essay Writing
CDU Study Guide (http://learnline.cdu.edu.au/studyskills/) has
a comprehensive range of study skills information.
You may find the following resources useful in writing
academic assignments:
· Introduction to Academic Assignments
http://learnline.cdu.edu.au/studyskills/studyskills/introacademic
assignments.html
· Introduction to Academic Writing
http://learnline.cdu.edu.au/studyskills/studyskills/introacademic
writing.html
· What to Avoid in Formal Writing
http://learnline.cdu.edu.au/studyskills/studyskills/aswhattoavoid
.html
· Strunk’s “The Elements of Style” is an old book (1918), but a
good one, to check for suggestions and conventions on writing
style. Some things have changed since 1918, but many of his
suggestions are largely intact today.
· You can find the book at
http://www.crockford.com/wrrrld/style.html. Thanks to Douglas
Crockford for making this available.
3. Researching

19. The CDU Library’s Summon search
(http://www.cdu.edu.au/library/) is a good way to start
gathering research about your chosen topic. If you have not
used Summon before please watch the video on the Summon
Guide webpage (http://libguides.cdu.edu.au/summon).
Alternatively, visit the CDU Library’s help on Summon:
· Referencing 101 (http://libguides.cdu.edu.au/cdureferencing)
· Referencing Style Guide
(http://libguides.cdu.edu.au/content.php?pid=100403&sid=7537
58). We use CDU Harvard style for HIT164.
· iResearch
(http://www.library.usyd.edu.au/elearning/learn/referencing/acti
vities/index.php). This is an interactive learning tool, courtesy
of University of Sydney.
· CDU’s Information Technology Guide
(http://libguides.cdu.edu.au/IT) is very useful for finding
academic quality sources via the Library.
4. Plagiarism - you will be penalised if you plagiarise your
work
If you have any doubt about what constitutes plagiarism, then
please talk to your lecturer.
You can also find more information about plagiarism at CDU
Library Service
(http://libguides.cdu.edu.au/content.php?pid=100403&sid=2587

20. 885).
PRESENTATION
Essay should be word processed and include page numbers and
student name and number in the footer. It is recommended that
you check for plagiarism in your work before you submit.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
All students should submit via Learnline:
· Word processed document only, PDF files are not accepted.
· Include an assignment cover sheet with the plagiarism section
signed.
· Ensure that your file is labelled in the format of
firstnameLastnameAssign1.doc (e.g.,
johnAppleseedAssign1.doc).
- Note that there are no spaces or symbols in the file name.