Computer Science 150 Homework Assignment 0
Spring 1997

Things that bug CS150 students:

Popular choices:

43 Busy/slow internet/modems; slow web pages (graphics); lack of high-speed wireless networking
24 Traffic
21 Lack of parking; parking tickets; forgetting where parked; unenforced parking violations; rolling down window to get tickets for parking garage
20 Forgetting/leaving things; lost keys; can't find keys/watch/remote control quickly; memorizing passwords/numbers; forgetting to mail letters
17 Burnt food; cooking messes; cooking (general); leaving oven on; mysterious microwave oven settings/uneven heating; lack of automated cooker
14 Going outside/forgetting jacket when cold; bad weather; no weather control
13 Mystery water/shower temperatures/pressures; backed up/bad/clogged plumbing; people who leave water/shower running
13 Bad/dangerous/slow/drunk drivers; drivers who don't signal lane changes
11 Computer incompatibilities (hardware/software); poor computer setup; depreciating computers; hard drive failures; poorly documented computer software/hardware; finding user's guides
10 TeleBears (general, no 24h service); automated phone services
10 Noisy BART/library/garage/heater/washer/computer fans; repetitive noises
10 Late buses/BART; poor public transport; missed bus ride
10 Finding used books/books in library; finding readers at different copy stores; outdated/expensive/heavy textbooks; books with print too small
10 Crowds (bookstore at start of semester; shopping mall; long lines; theatre)
10 Computer labs full; finding workstation; printing in Cory/Soda
10 Computer crashes; power outage while using computer
10 Alarm clocks disturbing roommate; annoying/ineffective alarm clocks; power outage disables clock
9 Non-overwritable CDs; CDs in wrong cases; scratched CDs; CD skips; poorly designed CD players
9 Long/expensive trips; walking long distances; walking/getting to class; driving; walking home at night
9 Hitting wall when parking car in garage; hitting other objects; car accidents
9 Grocery shopping; finding groceries in supermarket; lack of smart grocery basket; searching for best prices
9 Cool computer input devices too expensive; bad computer mice; typing errors; slow typing; having to type/use mouse to use computer
8 Microsoft Office (tm); Windows 95 (tm); OSes in general; computer graphics tools
7 Running out of underwear/deodorant/food/house supplies
7 People leave lights on; forgetting to turn lights off; finding light switch; burnt out lights; harsh/unadjustable lighting
7 No money; need to carry money/valuables; theft
7 Leaving doors unlocked; getting locked out; locking keys in car
7 False/cheesy advertising; telemarketing; long/annoying commercials
7 Car maintenance (dead battery; out of gas; checking oil; pumping gas)
7 Car headlight/highbeam glare; leaving headlights on; forgetting to turn headlights on; poor headlight controls

Somewhat popular:

6 Yellow traffic lights/unknown change time; timed traffic lights/waiting for empty reds; cars running red lights
6 Sharing phone with roommate; splitting phone bill; phone charges
6 Parking meters (having no change, prepayment, forgetting to recharge); vending machines which don't take bills/checks/credit cards
6 Overloaded study; getting good grades; no free time; no sleep; not enough time
6 Organizing time/money/project groups, due dates (homework, assignments, library books)
5 Washing dishes; cleaning; dusting
5 Slow elevators; mystery elevator locations; elevators not working; getting stuck in elevator
5 Phone calls/disruptions when sleeping
5 Monitor radiation/fatigue; magnetic interference; colour misalignment; monitor too expensive
5 Missing freeway exits; parallel parking
5 Lack of good car locks; car theft; faulty/annouying car alarm
5 Doing laundry; need multiple machines for wash/dry/fold; unbalanced washer
5 Cancelled courses; classes overcrowded; waiting lists
5 Balancing checkbook; banks/banking; signing checks
4 Roommates; their guests; roommate's bad taste in music
4 Lack of housing/health care; pollution
4 Junk mail
4 Having to keep quiet; disturbed neighbours; neighbours disturbing you
4 Getting lost (Dwinelle, Tolman, new towns); street maps
4 Falling asleep in class/studying/watching TV

Phone problems:

4 Picking up other conversations on cordless phones; bad antennas; static on phone lines
4 People who can't be reached by phone; busy phones; inadequate phone system
3 Caller ID too expensive; need to make caller ID more useful
2 People who turn off their cell phones become unreachable; annoying cell phones ringing
2 Modems tie up phone lines; call waiting disrupts modems
2 Important email should page user
2 Forgetting phone messages/numbers
2 Answering machines; people leaving empty messages
1 Wrong numbers
1 People who don't return phone calls
1 Paying for phone directory assistance
1 Pager doesn't work in Soda
1 Lack of telephones for hearing impaired
1 Lack of a good beeper
1 Internet phones difficult to use
1 Having to phone stores to check if open
1 Being put on hold

TV/Radio:

5 Poor car radio volume control; bad songs on radio; finding radio stations; emergency broadcast system only works when TV/radio on
4 Dumb TV shows (Friends, X-Files); finding good TV shows; TV reruns; bad subtitles
4 Bad TV reception; cable too expensive
2 Anti-theft code for car radio
1 Unable to use computer as a TV
1 Karaoke machines
1 Info on TV disappears too fast

Time:

2 Ordering/waiting to be seated in restaurant
2 No time for homework; problems with homework
2 Having to wake up at different times for different days; waking up early
1 Walking the dog
1 Time-wasting technology
1 Slow garage door openers
1 Getting set up for email
1 Finding people in a crowd
1 Closet organization
1 Annoying "walk" button behaviour at crosswalks

Around the House:

3 Worn-out batteries
3 Hair (own); hair in food; shedding pets
3 Fogged up car windows/bathroom mirror
3 Disgusting restrooms; no self-managing toilets
3 Different keys needed for different locks
3 Children falling while learning to walk; crying/annoying children
2 Uncomfortable chairs; falling backwards in chair
2 Unable to record voice messages/personal memos
2 Speaker wires/tangled cables
2 Refrigerator/apartment odours
2 Mystery freezer/refrigerator temperatures
2 Leaving pen uncapped; staining clothes
2 Insects
2 Gaining/watching weight
1 Wrestling with sheets when making bed
1 Unpredictable electric blanket temperatures
1 Smoky fireplaces
1 Remote controls which don't work at wide angles/long distance
1 Poor air circulation
1 Pets making messes on lawn
1 Newspapers leave hands dirty
1 Lack of voice-activated remote control
1 House cold when arriving home
1 Hangovers
1 Hanging picures evenly
1 Empty stapler
1 Dirty silverware
1 Air conditioners too big
1 Advertisements on VCR recordings

Travel:

2 Worn out shoes; breaking in shoes
2 Uncontrolled left turns (driving); too many stop signs
2 Stolen bikes; lack of anti-theft device for bicycle
2 Communication barriers/languages
2 Cold car in morning
1 Windshield wipers don't work
1 Traffic signals for disabled
1 Toll collecting machines
1 Potholes
1 Moving car on sweeping days
1 Finding restaurants
1 Difficult to see speed limit signs
1 Buses unable to make change
1 Bike brake failures in the rain

People you love to hate:

4 Ex-significant-other; lack of sex; unable to find date
3 Inefficient government; politics; kidnappers
2 People who don't replace toilet paper
2 People damaging cars
2 Late/forgetful people
1 Snoring
1 Salespeople
1 People who talk too loud on phone
1 People who stand in doorways
1 People who cut in line
1 People who chew gum
1 OJ Simpson
1 Nagging parents
1 Inconsiderate BART passengers
1 High voices

Miscellaneous:

3 Smoke
3 Finding a job/internship
3 Dining commons food; Housing and Dining Office
2 Umbrellas that flip/don't work
2 Rewinding tapes; manual recording of lectures
2 Keeping salt water fish; cleaning fish tanks
2 Finding pet peeves
2 Dying; losing own mind
2 Coins; non-exact change
2 Bills
1 Useless fourth wheel on car
1 Unsafe guns
1 Unable to teleport
1 Two-prong electrical outlets
1 Too tired to take shower before bed
1 Too much sex (TV/movies)
1 Taking notes in class
1 Sweating
1 Sun too bright
1 Stubbed toes
1 Stolen newspapers
1 Snowboard control
1 Shaving
1 Reading lots of books
1 Poor airbag sensors
1 Picking up tennis balls
1 Notes from previous semesters
1 Not knowing meaning of life
1 Not enough practical jokes
1 Misaligned photocopies
1 Lack of internet customer service
1 Lack of instant food
1 Lack of fishing downrigger control
1 Lack of automated product information
1 Internet security
1 Inconsistent mail delivery
1 In shower without towel
1 Illegible chalkboard writing
1 Homework posted to newsgroup
1 Graduating
1 Filing paper
1 Crime
1 Correctly positioning microphones
1 Computers can't turn themselves off
1 Checking backpacks at Moffit Library
1 Alarms which sound but don't call police
pchong@cory.eecs.berkeley.edu