Anatomy of Computer Systems - Experiences with a new introductory informatics course

Is it possible to convey, in no more than five days, some useful understanding of ICT and to elucidate what informatics has to do with all this?
A compact course in five days explores the phenomena of ICT top-down, from the level of Internet applications to the realisation of hardware by logical circuits, and illustrates the role of the science informatics with speaking examples. The course aims at insight in possibilities, limitations, and fundamental principles rather than at technical skills.
Goals and architecture of the course are established; a summary of its contents is given; the teaching method is sketched; and the experiences made when it first was given are summarised. The reactions of the participants can be found in an appendix.