Introduction to Humanities Computing

1
Introduction to Humanities Computing

• Spring 1999

2
Introduction to Humanities Computing

• François Lachance
• 416 326-2524 (o)
• TSH 205 (drop off)
• lachanc_at_mcmaster.ca

3
Email
How do students get email accounts?
good question. They should all have Muss accounts
(muss.cis.mcmaster.ca is the student e-mail
machine). Some may not have activated them. If
they haven't activated their account they can do
it through MUGSI which is a WWW site for students
where they can do such things. It will be up with
the new students on May 3. If they can't get
around MUGSI they should go to the KTH labs where
a student consultant will walk them through it.
http//www.mcmaster.ca/dataserv-htm/mcss0001.htm
4
Decorum
CODE OF CONDUCT FOR COMPUTER AND NETWORK
USERS URL http//www.mcmaster.ca/cis/pol
icy/netcond.htm
5
Course WWW site
URL http//www.chass.utoronto.ca/lachance/mcmast
er.htm
6
Fun Difficult

• Computer Literacy
• Not just how to work a machine
• Programming
• Not at all how to write software
• Formatting
• Not just how to add bells whistles pictures

• Rhetoric of computing
• How people discuss technology
• Critique
• How to assess applications
• Analysis
• How to address substantive issues

7
Course Topics

• What is a computer?
• The Internet Computer Mediated Communication
• The Electronic Text
• Hypertext and Hypermedia
• Operating Systems Human Computer Interaction
• The Digital Image
• What is Humanities Computing?

8
Course Format

• Lectures/Discussion
• Tutorials
• E-mail
• List HUMCOM-L_at_mcmail.cis.mcmaster.ca
• Send me a message with your to be added!
• World Wide Web Materials
• http//www.chass.utoronto.ca/lachance/mcmaster/

9
Information Sources

• Text Book Computer Confluence
• Online Resources
• E-mail - Get your account created!
• WWW - Look at them Find more
• Handouts
• Library
• Magazines (Wired, Byte, MacUser ...)
• Newspapers (Technology Sections)

10
Assignments

• Participation 10
• Homework 10
• Text Analysis Paper 20
• Short HTML Paper 20
• Final Exam 30
• Skills Test 10

Group work
11
Participation

• Electronic Participation
• Share things with the class
• Newspaper clippings
• Advertisements
• Bizarre stories
• Jargon Watch
• Ancient Computers (Old Games)
• Class/Tutorial Participation

12
Text Analysis Paper

• Work in pairs
• Text-analysis using TACTweb http//tactweb.humanit
  ies.mcmaster.ca/
• About 5 pages
• Handed in on disk in Word format
• Paper copy also submitted
• Keep a copy!
• Due May 26

13
HTML - Assignment

• Work in small groups (4 to 5 people)
• 2500 Words (500 wpp)
• Upload or by e-mail in HTML
• Separate Handout
• Due June 2

14
Skills Test

• E-mail
• WWW
• Operating System
• Word Processing
• Database

Date June 9
15
MILE

• Online Quiz

Due Date May 17
16
Exam

• Some example questions
• URLhttp//www.chass.utoronto.ca/lachance/mcmaste
  r/final.htm

Date June 16
17
Questions

• Name and Student Number
• E-mail Address
• What sort of computer experience do you have?
  (List software you are familiar with, courses
  taken, and general experience)
• What do you expect to learn from this course?
• What questions would you like addressed?

18
End

• Just the beginning
• 101