Author Topic: My first programming exercise for college  (Read 14652 times)

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Keith™

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My first programming exercise for college
« on: January 10, 2011, 10:35:47 AM »
I have to laugh about this ...

My first programming class (required by the degree track) is VB.Net using the 2008 engine

Anyway, the first project is building a form with a half dozen buttons to display text on a label, different text for each button ...

Personally, the coding style is crap .. they want long descriptors for the objects using Pascal style formatting UGH!!!!

The exercise is technically correct, but it could be so much more efficient, at least code wise. For example, instead of having 5 buttons, each with their own event handler, why not simply use one handler with a switch statement to fill in the text.

Anyway, it is done ... waiting for the instructor to "check" it ...
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Re: My first programming exercise for college
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2011, 10:44:59 AM »
??

Must have missed the thread where you talked about going back to school.

So ... you're back in school pursuing a degree? Computer Science? Are you studying at a physical school or doing the distance learning thing?
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Keith™

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Re: My first programming exercise for college
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2011, 12:51:02 PM »
??

Must have missed the thread where you talked about going back to school.

So ... you're back in school pursuing a degree? Computer Science? Are you studying at a physical school or doing the distance learning thing?

In order ...

I am back in school getting a degree so that I can qualify to get a job doing what I have been doing for the last 20 years. I have applied for hundreds of jobs and I have had a total of 4 ... maybe 5 interviews. The qualifications for every job is a degree in Computer Science .. well la-tee-da ... I guess experience doesn't count ...

The school is a physical school but the classes (at least this semester) are all distance learning ... I still have to attend the campus for all tests and certain other items as deemed by the various instructors.
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Chuck Gabriel

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Re: My first programming exercise for college
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2011, 01:02:03 PM »
Good luck with school Keith.  It feels like I will never be done right now.

LE3

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Re: My first programming exercise for college
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2011, 01:15:23 PM »
Wow ... How many semesters?

I have 5+ months on my job hunt and zero luck... dang, but going back to school can't afford it... and to oldie... :)

All the best for you.!


In order ...

I am back in school getting a degree so that I can qualify to get a job doing what I have been doing for the last 20 years. I have applied for hundreds of jobs and I have had a total of 4 ... maybe 5 interviews. The qualifications for every job is a degree in Computer Science .. well la-tee-da ... I guess experience doesn't count ...

The school is a physical school but the classes (at least this semester) are all distance learning ... I still have to attend the campus for all tests and certain other items as deemed by the various instructors.

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Re: My first programming exercise for college
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2011, 01:26:01 PM »
In order ...

I am back in school getting a degree so that I can qualify to get a job doing what I have been doing for the last 20 years. I have applied for hundreds of jobs and I have had a total of 4 ... maybe 5 interviews. The qualifications for every job is a degree in Computer Science .. well la-tee-da ... I guess experience doesn't count ...

The school is a physical school but the classes (at least this semester) are all distance learning ... I still have to attend the campus for all tests and certain other items as deemed by the various instructors.

Well you certainly don't need any luck <you'll smoke that program> so I'll just say "best wishes for a great experience".

I've been enjoying being unemployed for the last 3 months. Started taking some online python courses a couple days ago, primarily because I want the paper saying I know this sh!t, and I would like a gig that involves python exploitation in addition to the usual engineering automation I've done over the last couple decades. My belief is that intention (formally pursuing python programming) will change my future -- has every time in the past.
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Keith™

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Re: My first programming exercise for college
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2011, 01:41:27 PM »
Well, I took my first quiz just now and I am pissed ... I missed one

I know damn well the answers to each question, but the questions were written in such a way that I had to interpret them in a manner that made sense based on the multiple choice answers available.

The bad thing is that the system doesn't let me see which one I missed. How stupid is that?

Incidently, here is a bit of text from the book used in the class (emphasis mine):

Quote
Good programming practice requires remarks in every procedure and in the Declarations section of a file.

Now while I agree that well written programming is commented in order to make it clear what is happening and to let the subsequent programmer know what is going on, some things are so trivial that commenting isn't required or desirable, in fact, when the code is trivial, it is desirable to NOT comment it.

I'm off to email the instructor requesting the information on the one question.
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Re: My first programming exercise for college
« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2011, 01:56:51 PM »
Quote
It is good programming practice to write code that is clearly self describing, supported with comments when and where applicable -- but superfluous documentation fluff should be discouraged.

fixed
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Keith™

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Re: My first programming exercise for college
« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2011, 02:01:36 PM »
:lmao: yeah, but I am pretty sure the ego of the author(s) wouldn't allow for my (our) arguing otherwise
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Re: My first programming exercise for college
« Reply #9 on: January 10, 2011, 02:09:50 PM »
yep, pick your battles :kewl:
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Jeff H

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Re: My first programming exercise for college
« Reply #10 on: January 11, 2011, 09:23:11 PM »
Hey Keith,

How do you like the distant learning class?
Is it the type you get a book and assignments or the type where you watch recorded or live classes?

I switched from EE to Computer Science and need to decide for next semester where to finish up.
One college only offers some of the classes during the day and the other option is a further drive but offers the distant learning route.

The one that is distant learning was set up by a mac-humping, java-loving(programming language not coffee), windows-hating, spritzer drinking type. If that makes sense.
Very mac biased.



I hated those True/False questions where the answers is "depends". I had my fair share last semester.

uncoolperson

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Re: My first programming exercise for college
« Reply #11 on: January 11, 2011, 10:03:33 PM »
man, you don't want to see some of my CS141 programming assignments.


well, maybe you do (i had fun with this one)

one was write a roman numeral calculator (command prompt) that would accept as a whole line "X + I" and return the answer in roman numerals, and had to follow all the proper roman numeral conventions. In ADA (bleh)

Keith™

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Re: My first programming exercise for college
« Reply #12 on: January 12, 2011, 12:11:35 AM »
Jeff, I have taken these types of classes before, but this is a bit different and takes some getting used to. The problem isn't the classes or the way the material is presented, but rather the fact that the faculty obviously doesn't know how to use the system the college has installed.

For example ...
On Sunday evening I was emailed a syllabus for a database class. It came in my regular email .. not once, but three times, then when I logged into the system, I am required to "read the syllabus online" .. I mean seriously, I already got it in email three times ... then it says to log into the SAM server and start going through the exercises in conjunction with chapter 1 in the book. Ok fine ... WTF is the SAM system? Where is the link? So i send an email to the system admin asking where the link to the SAM system is ... they don't know what the SAM system is ... after an email to the instructor, I get another three emails on Monday telling me about the SAM system ... ok fine ... so I log into the system (not the SAM system) to get the information I need to enter into the SAM server when I log in ... and I am required to read it again ... OK fine ... I guess this is gonna be an everyday thing ... I log into the SAM system get setup and everything is fine ... I select the first assignment, the date it says it is available is NOW ... I work through the exercises .. really simple stuff ... deleting records, compacting databases, creating tables etc ... so I finish and go to select the quiz ... it also says available NOW ... so I select it to go through the quiz (I know I am gonna ace this thing) and there are two buttons on the popup ... "Save" and "Submit" ... when you select "Save" it is supposed to save the current state of the quiz so you can come back to it later and finish it. Well, I didn't get to start on it because I had an appointment to go to so I selected "Save" ... got back from my appointment and selected the quiz and it said "You have already completed this quiz" .. I was like WTF .. checked the score .. friggin zero ... email the instructor ... response is "That quiz isn't available until next week" seriously? why could I do it earlier and why does it say I got a zero?

Now the VB instructor tells the class they have to install Visual Basic 2008 and submit all homework in that version. I asked if they wanted it in the Express version or Standard. I was told to get it from another instructor ... I emailed that instructor for which version I needed and I was told to supply him with a DVD-9 ... WTF? seriously a DVD-9 what the hell is that? Do you mean a dual layer DVD? That is just over 8gb? Then he tells me that is what is required for the VB 2010 edition. So I told him I already have the 2010 edition, but the syllabus says to use the VB 2008 edition, to which I am told "We have a special licensing deal with Microsoft so you have to get it from us" Ok, what version? again VB 2008 ... I ask again Express or Standard? No response ... the book says to use the Express version, so that is what I am going with. It will still open with the standard version.

I am seriously questioning the ineptitude and ignorance of the instructors for this class.

Overall, once I sent a dozen emails to the tech department telling them that they had lots of dead links on the site and pointing out where they are, plus posting in the forum for other students about how to get the VB Express 2008 version from MS without having to go buy an assload of dual layer DVDs (which it doesn't require anyway) things seem to have calmed down a bit.

So to answer your other question .. the training is an interactive watch/try/apply tool written in flash (requires Adobe Flash) and the quizes are similarly written in Adobe Flash. The chapter assessments are handled through simple Javascript and HTML forms sent back to the server for posting (could easily be hacked), but it is effective for the quality of most students. Everything is backed up by a textbook and downloadable examples. Overall not too bad, except for the crap you have to install to be able to do the work.

UCP, I'll bet it would be fun to see some of them
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Jeff H

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Re: My first programming exercise for college
« Reply #13 on: January 12, 2011, 12:47:21 AM »
Thanks for info Keith,

Here are the 2 colleges and links to CS degree any suggestions?
UWF Fort Walton
FSU Panama City

Keith™

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Re: My first programming exercise for college
« Reply #14 on: January 12, 2011, 02:33:31 AM »
LOL .. yeah, if I had to choose I'd go with FSU. I know the education you get from UWF will effectively be the same as from FSU, but the prestige that comes from FSU will probably get you farther after the fact. I also don't know anything about the UWF distance learning program, but the FSU one I investigated quite a bit and considered going there ... if only my funding would pay for it ;-)
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