SI 540: Fall  1999

This assignment may be completed individually on in pairs (you pick your own partner).

Reading

Note that, unlike earlier in the semester, the homework is now covering material from the previous week. These readings from the textbook are important to prepare for next week's class, but not necessary to answer these homework questions. Don't forget to email your comments and questions about the readings (and especially suggestions of things to talk about in class) to presnick@umich.edu and junsong@umich.edu.

Written exercises

1. (1 point) E20.11
2. (1) E20.15
3. (1) E20.16
4. (1) Based on E20.17: Which video source could be more successfully compressed, a feed from a football game or from a surveillance camera in a barber shop?
5. (2) You are about to purchase a computer from Dell, in the configuration from the attached printout (or access it on line here). Suddenly, you learn that you'll be doing statistical analysis of U.S. Census data, which you discover is available on a set of 30 CD-ROMs containing about 20GB of data in all (note: this is a fictitious scenario; I don't how big a data set from the census bureau would really be). Which of the following potential upgrades to your computer do you think would be most useful:
1. larger hard drive
2. more main memory
3. faster CPU
4. faster CD-ROM reader
5. larger monitor
6. (2) You have decided to start a Web site design and development business, out of your home office. You can spend up to $2000 to purchase equipment (a computer, monitor, printer, and scanner) and a year of Internet connectivity for your home office. Don't worry about software (that comes from a separate budget). Assume that your home office will be the only place you'll have access to computers or the Internet (no fair using the DIAD lab). Consult ads from vendors on-line or in print and fill out a copy of the linked spread sheet. If you purchase more than one item as a package (e.g., PC and monitor), note that and use only one of the rows in the spreadsheet. Briefly discuss the reasons for any tradeoffs you're making (e.g., you purchased a really big monitor and high-speed Internet access but decided to get a FreePC and put up with all the advertising that comes with it). You can't buy the best of everything for $2000.

Explanation exercise (2 points)

Explain the PC configuration from the attached printout (or access it on line here) to someone who doesn't yet know the difference between a megahertz and megabyte. In your writeup, say what questions the explainee asked you and how you responded.