FYSM 183 Freedom and Openness Everywhere
 Fall 2009

Course information and policies

Time and location:WF 2:40-3:55 P.M. in MCEC 293
URL:http://www.cs.trincoll.edu/~ram/fysm183/
Instructor:Ralph Morelli
Office:MCEC 147
Phone:(860) 297-2220
E-mail:ralph.morelli@trincoll.edu
Office hours:Posted here
Mentor:Christopher Fei (e-mail: christopher.fei@trincoll.edu)

Course description. It started with the free and open source software (FOSS) movement. Computer programmers wrote great software and gave it away for free. And encouraged others to copy it, share it, change it, and pass it on. They developed licenses to protect this "software freedom," licenses that have now been adapted to protect the sharing of music, art, scientific discoveries, and other forms of culture and knowledge. Today we are the beneficiaries of this movement towards freedom and openness. We share not only software (Linux, Mozilla, eMule), but our music, photos, friends, recipes, and just about anything else that can be digitized. This course will examine the many manifestations of the movement toward freedom and openness and its impact on modern society and culture. Practicing what we teach, all of the books and papers we study in this course will be free and open.

Required materials. All assigned readings (books, articles) will be available freely under creative commons and other open source licenses.

Assignments. There will be several short (3-5 page) writing assignments assignments based on readings and discussions. Your papers for writing assignments must be typed (i.e., word-processed). Late work will not be accepted.

Term Paper. Your choice of a final research paper should reflect your own particular interests as long as they deal with issues or problems related to the seminar's focus. During the last two weeks of the term, you will also be asked to make an oral presentation on your project.

Class participation. Although mini-lectures may be given regularly on one or another topic, this is not a lecture course. It is discussion-centered seminar based on common readings and assignments. You are required to attend every class session, arriving on time and not leaving before the end of the class period. Each one of you is expected to contribute something to each class discussion. You will occasionally be asked to make short presentations in class on readings and/or assignments, so it is essential to complete readings and assignments by their due dates. You may miss one class session without any excuse; however, for each additional unexcused absence, your overall course grade will be lowered by 2%. You will be responsible for knowing about all announcements made in class. You should also check your e-mail at least once a day for course-related announcements.

Grading. Your overall course grade will be evaluated according to the following weights for the total of 100%.
Writing Assignments:50%
Term paper:30%
Class participation:20%
Plagiarism and academic dishonesty. It is your responsibility to ensure that what you turn in constitutes only your own work, meaning your own ideas presented in your own words. You must not copy part or all of another's work and present it as your own. You must also avoid unintentional plagiarism such as forgetting to properly reference other people's ideas or words when you use them in your writing. Academic dishonesty is a serious intellectual violation, and the consequences can be severe. For more details, read the Student Handbook 2006-2007, pp. 39-46.

Special needs. If you have a disability that might prevent you from fully demonstrating your abilities, you should meet with a counselor as soon as possible to initiate disability verification and discuss accommodations that may be necessary to ensure your full participation in the successful completion of the course requirements.

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