Studying Comp Sci in CSE (or, why a CS Coop Scholarship is the right - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Studying Comp Sci in CSE (or, why a CS Coop Scholarship is the right - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Jan 02, 2024 41 likes •745 views

Studying Comp Sci in CSE (or, why a CS Coop Scholarship is the right choice for you ) John Shepherd Senior Lecturer, School of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) Coordinator of Postgraduate Coursework Programs Coordinator of Computer Science

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SLIDE 1

Studying Comp Sci in CSE

(or, why a CS Coop Scholarship is the right choice for you)

John Shepherd

Senior Lecturer, School of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) Coordinator of Postgraduate Coursework Programs Coordinator of Computer Science Program

CSE Co-op – p.1/44

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SLIDE 2

Contents

  • Philosophy

(what’s it all mean?)

  • Terminology

(what did that acronym mean?)

  • CS Study

(how things work here)

  • Life in the Lab

(how other things work here)

  • Life outside the Lab

(or, at least, in some other lab)

CSE Co-op – p.2/44

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Nerd Pride

Welcome to CSE@UNSW!

CSE Co-op – p.3/44

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Nerd Pride

Welcome to CSE@UNSW!

Home of some of the top IT nerds in the country ...

CSE Co-op – p.3/44

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SLIDE 5

Nerd Pride

Welcome to CSE@UNSW!

Home of some of the top IT nerds in the country ... Wait a minute!? ... Nerds?

CSE Co-op – p.3/44

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SLIDE 6

Nerd Pride

Welcome to CSE@UNSW!

Home of some of the top IT nerds in the country ... Wait a minute!? ... Nerds? Do I really want to hang out with nerds ...?

CSE Co-op – p.3/44

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SLIDE 7

Nerd Pride

Welcome to CSE@UNSW!

Home of some of the top IT nerds in the country ... Wait a minute!? ... Nerds? Do I really want to hang out with nerds ...? Worse ... if I want to study here ... does this mean ...?

CSE Co-op – p.3/44

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Nerd Pride

Welcome to CSE@UNSW!

Home of some of the top IT nerds in the country ... Wait a minute!? ... Nerds? Do I really want to hang out with nerds ...? Worse ... if I want to study here ... does this mean ...? Well, yes ... you should be proud to say

“I’m a Nerd”

CSE Co-op – p.3/44

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Nerd Pride (cont.)

But the word “nerd” has unfortunate connotations ...

CSE Co-op – p.4/44

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Nerd Pride (cont.)

But the word “nerd” has unfortunate connotations ... Nerd Stereotype:

  • Geeky, thick glasses, no life, computer obsession.

CSE Co-op – p.4/44

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SLIDE 11

Nerd Pride (cont.)

But the word “nerd” has unfortunate connotations ... Nerd Stereotype:

  • Geeky, thick glasses, no life, computer obsession.

E.g.

CSE Co-op – p.4/44

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Nerd Pride (cont.)

Nerd Reality:

  • Passionate about a field of study, keen to contribute.

For IT nerds, this makes other people jealous ...

  • you know more about computers than them
  • you can do fun stuff all day and get paid for it
  • you have a chance change the world

Like, for example ...

CSE Co-op – p.5/44

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A Famous Nerd

CSE Co-op – p.6/44

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A Famous Nerd (cont.)

Doug Engelbart Invented (during the 1960’s and 1970’s)

  • the mouse
  • 2-dimensional display editing

(e.g. Notepad, vi, emacs, Word)

  • windows-based interfaces

(e.g. Mac, Windows, KDE, fvwm)

  • hypermedia
  • collaborative groupware
  • etc. etc. etc.

CSE Co-op – p.7/44

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The Original Mouse

(photo circa 1963)

CSE Co-op – p.8/44

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Another Famous Nerd

CSE Co-op – p.9/44

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Another Famous Nerd (cont.)

Tim Berners-Lee Web Pioneer

  • Invented the Web
  • distributed hypertext
  • linking heterogeneous documents
  • a universal naming scheme (URL)
  • Founder of W3C
  • Now Professor at MIT

CSE Co-op – p.10/44

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The Original “Web” Design

(from his proposal document, 1989)

CSE Co-op – p.11/44

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Yet Another Famous Nerd

CSE Co-op – p.12/44

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Yet Another Famous Nerd (cont.)

Marc Andreessen Web Browser Pioneer

  • 1992: Mosaic project, Uni of Illinois
  • 1994: founded Mosaic Communications
  • 1994: changed name to Netscape
  • 1995: Netscape IPO

Internet boom

CSE Co-op – p.13/44

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A Pair of Famous Nerds

CSE Co-op – p.14/44

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A Pair of Famous Nerds (cont.)

Larry Page Sergey Brin Co-founders of Google

  • 1995: both started PhD at Stanford U
  • New ideas on Web searching
  • use keywords like “normal” search engines
  • augment document ranking by “credibility”
  • credibility related to inbound links
  • 1998: founded Google
  • 2004: Google floated

($$$$$$)

CSE Co-op – p.15/44

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SLIDE 23

And Yet Another Famous Nerd

And, of course, how could we forget ... ?

CSE Co-op – p.16/44

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And Yet Another Famous Nerd

And, of course, how could we forget ... ?

CSE Co-op – p.16/44

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And Yet Another Famous Nerd (cont.)

William H. Gates III

Computing System Pioneer?

  • Basic? ... (existed in mid-60’s)
  • MS-DOS? ... (from Tim Paterson)
  • Windows? ... (from Apple)
  • Explorer? ... (from Spyglass)
  • the Internet? ... (hah! he wishes)

However, he is ...

  • Chief Software Architect, Microsoft
  • World’s richest man ($80bn)

CSE Co-op – p.17/44

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And Yet Another Famous Nerd (cont.)

And Microsoft’s major “contribution” to computing ... ? The Windows operating system ... which is ...

  • reasonably cheap (targetted at novices)
  • incredibly popular (via suspect corporate behaviour)
  • rather unreliable (poor software engineering)
  • the main reason why the general public thinks that

computers are inherently unreliable Thanks, Bill ... you’ve done the IT industry proud!

CSE Co-op – p.18/44

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A Cautionary Tale

We said before that nerds are passionate about something ...

CSE Co-op – p.19/44

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A Cautionary Tale

We said before that nerds are passionate about something ... But there is such a thing as being too passionate ... to the point of

  • bsession ... e.g.

CSE Co-op – p.19/44

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A Cautionary Tale

We said before that nerds are passionate about something ... But there is such a thing as being too passionate ... to the point of

  • bsession ... e.g.

CSE Co-op – p.19/44

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SLIDE 30

Terminology and Jargon

Information Technology

  • theory/practice/application of computer systems

Information Systems

  • effects of IT on businesses/organisations

(effects of applying software packages)

Computer Science and Engineering

  • foundations and technological basis for IT

(how to build software packages)

CSE Co-op – p.20/44

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Terminology and Jargon (cont.)

Training

  • learning specific skill-set for current products/packages
  • knowledge that dates quickly as technology changes
  • the kind of thing they do at TAFE and industry training-courses

Education

  • learning foundations on which products/packages are based
  • knowledge that dates far less rapidly

(foundations change slowly)

  • the kind of thing we do here at UNSW
  • afterwards, we expect that you can train yourself

However, not just theory ... we do illustrate ideas by

CSE Co-op – p.21/44

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Terminology and Jargon (cont.)

Course

  • a single-semester (14-week) unit of study (aka “subject”)

Program

  • a collection of courses that make up a comprehensive study of

an area of knowledge

Degree

  • the qualification that you get when you finish a program

CSE Co-op – p.22/44

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CSE Courses

Foundations (1st year)

  • introduction to programming, mathematics

Core (2nd year)

  • algorithms, data structures, hardware, s/w engineering

Specialisations (3rd year)

  • artificial intelligence, cryptography, databases, graphics, ...
  • architectures, operating systems, compilers, networks, ...
  • advanced algorithms, theory of computation, ...

CSE Co-op – p.23/44

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That’s all very nice ... but what’s it like to study in CSE?

CSE Co-op – p.24/44

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The F .F .D. of C O M P

Fun

CSE Co-op – p.25/44

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The F .F .D. of C O M P (cont.)

Frustration

CSE Co-op – p.26/44

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The F .F .D. of C O M P (cont.)

Discovery

CSE Co-op – p.27/44

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What are COMP courses really about?

Most COMP courses have a number of goals:

  • for you to learn about some aspect of computer technology
  • for you to understand the principles behind the technology
  • for you to develop skills in using this technology
  • for you to further develop general problem-solving skills
  • for you to learn how to learn about new technologies

The last of these is one of the most important things that you’ll get from CSE.

CSE Co-op – p.28/44

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What are our degrees really about?

Our overall goal is for ...

  • all of you to have a deep understanding of computing
  • all of you to be technically skilled
  • all of you to be potential information technology innovators
  • some of you to create the next generation of IT

CSE Co-op – p.29/44

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But what languages/systems do we learn?

CSE Co-op – p.30/44

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Languages and Systems

We use languages/systems appropriate for each topic e.g.

  • introductory programming: Haskell, C, Java
  • software construction: Perl, Unix shell, HTML
  • databases: SQL, Oracle, Java/JDBC, PHP
  • artificial intelligence: Prolog

....... networks: Java

  • perating systems: C, assembly language
  • graphics: Java, OpenGL

Typically, use state-of-art (or research) technology

CSE Co-op – p.31/44

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Languages and Systems (cont.)

Languages and pre-requisite structure of CSE courses

1011 1021 2021 2041 Hardware AI,DB,Graphics Networks,SE,... Systems

(Haskell) (C) (asm) (Perl,...) (Java,Prolog,SQL,...) (C,Java,asm,...)

2011

(Java)

CSE Co-op – p.32/44

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How are courses run? What do we actually do?

CSE Co-op – p.33/44

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At the “coal face”

Lectures

  • we present theory via lots of on-line examples

(watch, listen, learn)

Tutorials

  • clarify theory, practice abstract problem solving

(develop design skills)

Lab Classes

  • write small programs, with tutor available to help

(develop practical/implementation skills)

CSE Co-op – p.34/44

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SLIDE 45

At the "coal face" (cont.)

Assignments

  • “write a program to do XYZ”

(you take home and solve in your own time on a computer)

Practical Exams

  • "write n small programs"

(you have 2-3 hours to get the programs working)

Written Exams

  • questions on a selection of topics

(typically a mixture of multi-choice, programming, written)

CSE Co-op – p.35/44

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How to succeed in CSE Courses

Assessment in CSE courses is based primarily on ...

How well you can do things

Not just on how much you can remember. So ...

CSE Co-op – p.36/44

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How to succeed in CSE Courses (cont.)

Practice ...

CSE Co-op – p.37/44

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How to succeed in CSE Courses (cont.)

Practice ... practice ...

CSE Co-op – p.37/44

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How to succeed in CSE Courses (cont.)

Practice ... practice ... practice

CSE Co-op – p.37/44

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How to succeed in CSE Courses (cont.)

Practice ... practice ... practice Explore ...

CSE Co-op – p.37/44

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SLIDE 51

How to succeed in CSE Courses (cont.)

Practice ... practice ... practice Explore ... think ...

CSE Co-op – p.37/44

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How to succeed in CSE Courses (cont.)

Practice ... practice ... practice Explore ... think ... create

CSE Co-op – p.37/44

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SLIDE 53

How to succeed in CSE Courses (cont.)

Practice ... practice ... practice Explore ... think ... create ... and install Linux on your PC ...

CSE Co-op – p.37/44

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SLIDE 54

How to fail in Computing Courses

Some sure-fire strategies for making sure you fail ...

CSE Co-op – p.38/44

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How to fail in Computing Courses

Some sure-fire strategies for making sure you fail ...

  • turn up to tutes/labs without reading the questions

CSE Co-op – p.38/44

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How to fail in Computing Courses

Some sure-fire strategies for making sure you fail ...

  • turn up to tutes/labs without reading the questions
  • r, don’t even bother to attend tutes/labs at all

CSE Co-op – p.38/44

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SLIDE 57

How to fail in Computing Courses

Some sure-fire strategies for making sure you fail ...

  • turn up to tutes/labs without reading the questions
  • r, don’t even bother to attend tutes/labs at all
  • copy assignments from other students

CSE Co-op – p.38/44

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SLIDE 58

How to fail in Computing Courses

Some sure-fire strategies for making sure you fail ...

  • turn up to tutes/labs without reading the questions
  • r, don’t even bother to attend tutes/labs at all
  • copy assignments from other students
  • don’t practice before a Prac Exam

CSE Co-op – p.38/44

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SLIDE 59

How to fail in Computing Courses

Some sure-fire strategies for making sure you fail ...

  • turn up to tutes/labs without reading the questions
  • r, don’t even bother to attend tutes/labs at all
  • copy assignments from other students
  • don’t practice before a Prac Exam
  • spend the revision week in the Uni Bar

CSE Co-op – p.38/44

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SLIDE 60

How to annoy people in CSE

You won’t fail by doing these, but ...

CSE Co-op – p.39/44

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SLIDE 61

How to annoy people in CSE

You won’t fail by doing these, but ...

  • spend lectures chatting on your mobile phone

CSE Co-op – p.39/44

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SLIDE 62

How to annoy people in CSE

You won’t fail by doing these, but ...

  • spend lectures chatting on your mobile phone
  • download 1000’s of GIFs and print them in the labs

CSE Co-op – p.39/44

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SLIDE 63

How to annoy people in CSE

You won’t fail by doing these, but ...

  • spend lectures chatting on your mobile phone
  • download 1000’s of GIFs and print them in the labs
  • spend hours on lab workstations in ICQ chat rooms

CSE Co-op – p.39/44

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SLIDE 64

How to annoy people in CSE

You won’t fail by doing these, but ...

  • spend lectures chatting on your mobile phone
  • download 1000’s of GIFs and print them in the labs
  • spend hours on lab workstations in ICQ chat rooms
  • tell everyone that Bill Gates is great innovator

CSE Co-op – p.39/44

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Nerd Activities in CSE

Even for the nerds in CSE ... it’s not all class work ...

CSE Co-op – p.40/44

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Nerd Activities in CSE

Even for the nerds in CSE ... it’s not all class work ... RoboCup

(robot soccer-playing competition)

  • World Champions 2000, 2001, 2003

(runners up in 1999, 2002 ... 2002 after a penalty shoot-out)

ACM Programming Competition

  • Asia/Pacific Champions 2001, 2002, 2003

(and 11th in the World from over 1300 universities)

But, if you’re not keen on “organised fun” ....

CSE Co-op – p.41/44

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SLIDE 67

Nerd Activities in CSE

If you have a good idea for an IT project, talk to an academic staff member. CSE provides resources for self-motivated students ... Example:

  • Pleb: student-built low-power, handheld computer
  • now used in cane-toad monitoring project

What you can do is limited only by your imagination ...

CSE Co-op – p.42/44

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SLIDE 68

Less Nerdy Activities in CSE

And, if you’ve had enough of the keyboard ...

  • Student Societies ... BBQ, Harbour Cruises, ...
  • and, for thespians, there’s the CSE Revue ...

CSE Co-op – p.43/44

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SLIDE 69

Conclusion

Good Luck in the interviews! We’re looking forward to you joining us next year.

CSE Co-op – p.44/44

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Conclusion

Good Luck in the interviews! We’re looking forward to you joining us next year.

Any questions?

CSE Co-op – p.44/44