UNIVERSITÉ IBA DER THIAM-THIÈS. Pr.
Youssouf AGNE
Licence 2 Génie Informatique- 2024/2025. ESP: IT/COMPUTER SCIENCE
Date: 4th March, 2026
Period:2 Hours
Course Type: ONLINE
Discussion & Debate Questions for Computing and IT Students.
1. Big Data and the End of Theory: Chris Anderson famously claimed that with
enough data, the scientific method of hypothesis testing becomes obsolete (the "end of
theory"). Is this a profound insight or a profound misunderstanding of science?
2. The Future of the Internet Protocol: IPv6 solves the address exhaustion problem,
yet adoption has been slow. Is this due to technical inertia, the success of NAT as a
"good enough" solution, or something else? Will the IoT finally force the switch?
Human-Computer Interaction & Society (People & Technology)
3. The Attention Economy: Are software designers ethically responsible for the
addictive nature of their applications, or is it simply the user's responsibility to
exercise self-control? Where does "persuasive design" end and "manipulation" begin?
4. UX vs. Security: There is often a direct trade-off between a system's usability and
its security. As a designer, how do you decide where to strike the balance? Does the
user's convenience always win?
5. Digital Divide: As we build more sophisticated technology, we risk leaving behind
those without access or skills. Is it the responsibility of the tech industry to bridge the
digital divide, or is that a matter for governments and social policy?
6. Social Media and Democracy: Do platforms like Facebook and X (Twitter) bear
responsibility for the spread of misinformation and its impact on democratic
processes, or are they just neutral conduits for user-generated content?
Operating Systems & Concurrency (The Foundation)
7. The OS as a Resource Manager: Is the primary role of a modern operating system
still to manage hardware resources, or has it evolved into a platform for managing
complex user experiences and security boundaries (like containers and sandboxes)?
8. The Unix Philosophy: "Do one thing and do it well" is the Unix philosophy. Is this
still relevant in an age of massive, integrated applications like web browsers (which
are essentially operating systems themselves)?
9. Virtualization vs. Containers: Was the move from Virtual Machines to Containers a
genuine revolution in system architecture, or just a more efficient way of doing the
same thing? What problem did containers truly solve?
10. Concurrency and Parallelism: As Moore's Law (transistor density) slows, we rely
on multi-core processors. Does this mean every future programmer must become an
expert in concurrent programming, or will languages and compilers save us from this
complexity?
Emerging Technologies & The Future (Looking Ahead)
11. Quantum Supremacy: We've achieved "quantum supremacy" on very contrived
problems. When will quantum computing have a practical, real-world impact on a
problem that matters to a normal person?
12. Blockchain Beyond Crypto: Beyond cryptocurrencies, does blockchain
technology offer a compelling solution for any real-world, non-financial problem, or
is it a solution in search of a problem?
13. The Post-Cloud Era: Will computing become more centralized (massive cloud
data centers) or more decentralized (edge computing, IoT) in the next decade? What
forces will drive this trend?
14. AI-Generated Code: If AI can generate more and more of our code, what will be
the new, higher-value skills for a software engineer to master?
Professional Practice & The Big Picture (You as a Professional)
15. Lifelong Learning: The half-life of technical skills is shrinking. Is a university
degree in Computer Science still relevant, or would a collection of micro-credentials
and online courses be just as effective for a career in IT?
16. Sustainability in IT: What is the single most impactful thing an IT department or a
software company can do to reduce its carbon footprint? Is it more efficient code,
greener data centers, or designing for longevity instead of planned obsolescence?
17. The Imposter Syndrome: Many people in tech feel like an "imposter." Is this just a
personal anxiety, or is it a rational response to the impossible breadth of the field and
the rapid pace of change?
18. The Role of the IT Professional: In 20 years, what do you think will be the most
significant way the role of the "IT professional" or "Software Engineer" will have
changed? Will we still be writing code, or will we be orchestrators of AI, problem
finders, or ethical guardians of technology?