More posts at Elite Gaming Computers!

This week I had a nice contrast in my articles. On the one hand I covered the ASUS Z97-WS, an absolute beast of a motherboard. On the other hand, I covered the Raspberry Pi for emulation and HTPC usage. The contrast pegged my chuckle meter, at least, as I found it interesting to go from "God of POWER!" to "Small but mighty!".

Anyway, check out the articles here:

http://elitegamingcomputers.com/raspberry-pi-htpc-emulator-on-a-budget/
http://elitegamingcomputers.com/the-asus-z97-ws-a-beast-of-a-board/

Georgia Tech OMSCS - Week 1 Recap

I know, it's only Thursday!

So I just finished my first "week" of class for Georgia Tech, and I wanted to get some of my thoughts down on virtual paper. I'd like to chronicle my adventure semi-frequently in this manner, so please bear with me if this isn't your cup of tea.

Some Background

So one of the things I'm willing to admit right off the bat is that I was pretty nervous. Given my prior trials and tribulations trying to even get into the program, I had no idea what to expect. I remember some of the experience of getting my MS the first time around, and some of the courses I took as an undergrad, but I wasn't sure how this experience would compare. What is an education like at a top-10 institution? Would I be able to measure up to the bar and finally put some of my constant inferiority complex to rest?

Well, we'll have to wait a while for the answer to that last one. I'm not very confident by nature, even though I know I have a modicum of programming and communication skills. I'm always looking for ways to "prove" myself, so to speak, and I tend to take on more than I can handle as a result. I am not sure that that personality trait will ever truly go away, and honestly this Georgia Tech experience stems from that whole complex - I had had a couple of bad interview experiences with companies that rhyme with Moogle and Bamazon, and was trying to figure out how to bolster my knowledge and not feel like I was incompetent. I guess this way I'll be able to point at a fancy piece of paper and say "Well, I was good enough for that".

Provided I am actually up to the task, that is.

The experience so far

Anyway, enough navel-gazing. I'm taking CS-8803 - AI for Robotics - and so far the experience has been pretty good. On the one hand the course is delivered almost entirely via lecture. I have mixed feelings about this, and feel another digression is in order. I know that there are different ways people learn, and that some people feel that they learn best visually. I also, though, have taught several classes where the student claims to only learn well visually but, if you really got down to it, what they really wanted was a step-by-step guide on how to do an assignment rather than a lecture that builds the foundations for a concept that they then apply themselves. In other words, they were (in my eyes) using the "I'm a visual learner" mantra as an excuse rather than a legitimate gripe. If you couple this with my NOT being a visual learner (I want nothing more than a big textbook to work through), I tend to be skeptical of the approach to begin with.

I have to say, though, I was pleasantly surprised. Aside from minor frustrations the lectures do a decent job of presenting the material. The way a module works is that a video of the lecture plays up to the point of a "quiz," which in a classroom setting would be the instructor asking a question of the class, and stops to allow you to input an answer into a form that is then checked for correctness. Once the answer is entered (or skipped, if you get stuck) the lecture continues until the next quiz. The lectures themselves vary widely, using video recordings in some cases, recorded whiteboard sessions in others, and still others with the professor simply talking to the students. Of most use to me were the intermittent programming quizzes - the instructor would explain a concept, then say "Ok, now you try to write a function that does this," and suddenly you're presented with a minimal Python IDE to develop code in, along with a test run and evaluation button to determine if your code is correct. It's obvious that a lot of thought went into these lectures, and it comes through in the design of the course.

Frustrations

My frustrations with the course so far are two-fold. First is that the course is programmed in Python - a language I had a passing familiarity with, but which is subject to its own quirks. If the course was in C++ or Ruby I'd have no trouble, but as it is I am learning the language as I go along. On the one hand that's good - I'll have another language under my belt when I finish the class - but it is also frustrating and increases the time I spend on assignments. I'm not sure there's any way around this, though.

The second frustration is with the video-based learning. It is extremely challenging to reference material in a video, particularly when programming. Programming is a lot about copy-and-paste, and you can't paste from a video. I have had this argument with any number of people, and I remain unconvinced - for these type of topics you can provide a video if you like, but the most useful thing to a professional programmer is a text version that allows you to 1: keep it open in a browser next to your IDE for reference, 2: allows you to review without having to hunt through a video, and 3: allows you to learn without needing to break your concentration for audio and visual stimuli. To me this is reminiscent of a problem I had at Enova, which is that for some reason the IT department thought it was a good idea to do all of their internal support tutorials as videos. Videos are an extremely poor choice when adding a VPN key, or when you want to save the information for future reference. If OMSCS is going to be mostly video-based, I suspect I'll be lamenting this for a while to come. But then again, I was able to complete the first week's assignment and understand the material (with one exception, as Bayes rule is still kicking my ass for some reason), so I guess the point is moot.

Communication

The course also has a separate message board on piazza.com, which is used to speak with your fellow classmates and ask questions of the instructor and TA. This is a great feature, I think, and has helped me a couple times. Most of the people in the course are active on the boards and very willing to help, and it is also helpful to see that some people have the same questions I do. Where I've had trouble in the course I've quickly been able to get a response on the message board, as both my fellow students and the instructors are active there.

Self-direction

One of the things I really like at the moment, but could see myself coming to dislike, is that the course is largely self-directed. If I had the time to spare, I could push through the entire course as quickly as possible. While the lectures are organized into "Lessons" that represent a week's worth of work, there is nothing preventing you from moving ahead as you work. On the plus side, this means that I was able to finish the first week's assignment well over a week before it was due, which is great as I maintain a far too busy schedule to begin with. However, I can see this causing problems near the end of the term as if we are looking at a time-based submission and grading process, I won't be receiving feedback on my submissions until they are officially "due". So for example, if I was to power through module 2 right now I wouldn't see any feedback until June 4 at the earliest, by which time the assignment will likely be out-of-mind.

I suppose time will tell on how successful this approach is for me. For now I like that I can work ahead when I have some spare time!

Evaluating my own teaching experience

Another thing the OMSCS experience is allowing me to do is evaluate my own teaching, and see what is effective. I teach college courses online for a couple universities, and seeing how this course is conducted provides some interesting contrasts. From the start, it's obvious that more effort went into the Udacity course design than goes into the courses I typically teach - which has been a constant frustration point for me as, with one exception, I often don't get to design my courses so that they have the material I feel is necessary. However, a lot of the assignments in the class I'm taking now are "did it or not" evaluations - you get points for completing the activity, but no partial points are awarded. I don't know what grading will be like yet (doesn't happen until next week), but I think "all or nothing" assignments are a disservice to the student and fail to recognize that it IS possible to half-understand something.

Conclusion

To sum up, I'm very much in a wait-and-see pattern right now. Some of my frustrations with the format may be exclusively due to this course's design - I've already heard that some of the other courses handle things a lot differently - while others may be due to the format. I guess my opinion will continue to evolve as I run through the experience. I know that's kind of a weak close to this lengthy post, but to be honest that's about how I feel right now - not very strongly on the "good" or "bad" spectrum, just "different."

I do think it will be interesting to come back and read this after I have a few more classes under my belt. So stay tuned, I guess.

Check out my latest posts at Elite Gaming Computers!

I cover SanDisk's new 4TB Solid State Drives at http://wp.me/p2yLe2-4P7
I cover ASUS' new 28" 4k gaming monitor at http://wp.me/p2yLe2-4Pb

Get 'em while they're hot!

Georgia Tech and Me

A few months ago I posted this after receiving a rejection from Georgia Tech's Online Masters in Computer Science program. Since then, after an email exchange with the dean of the school of computing, my rejection was reversed and I was admitted into the summer session, which begins very soon. I've been holding off posting about this, but wanted to give a brief touchbase. My previous post doesn't paint the program in a very good light. Some of that was due to my being hurt at an unjustified rejection, but some of my criticisms are still valid. As I get ready to register for my first course and begin taking classes online, here are a few of my observations on areas for improvement:

• Process deadlines and dates - Once admitted to the program, there are still a lot of questions. For example - I was admitted to the summer term, but I have no idea exactly what the dates for this term are. I have a vague idea of May to July, but none of the admissions material indicates the timeframe for the work I will be performing. Furthermore, the registration dates are not too highly publicized - there is a process where you can check with the registrar via the student portal, but it wasn't even really working until mid last week due to the status of OMSCS applicants. A quick email with a few reminders (alongside the DAILY emails we get with somewhat relevant general Georgia Tech news) would greatly benefit the prospective and admitted students.
• Value for money - I don't speak of the education, as I have yet to experience that (and regardless of my opinions, Georgia Tech's Computer Science program is ranked in the top ten in the nation), but rather during the application process. Form letters are inexcusable when someone has paid an application fee to be considered. This is endemic across academia - pay $50, get a form rejection. If I am paying $50, even if I don't get accepted I feel as though my purchase - which is between 5-10 hours of minimum wage earnings - warrants at least SOME individualized feedback. A personalized note. Tips for improving on the application. ANYTHING other than a generic, lazy form rejection. I understand the fears of providing a base for a discrimination suit, but in an objective measuring system designed to weed out applicants, there needs to be at least SOME room for objective feedback! I find this just as frustrating in the business world when applying for jobs (I am looking at YOU, Google and Amazon - give some freaking feedback and alleviate the single greatest complaint about your interview processes), but at least in those cases the only thing I lose is my time.
• Samples of coursework - I have absolutely zero idea how to prepare for the forthcoming coursework. Any examples of the courses themselves may have been publicized, but the accepted applicants should be reminded of these examples rather than having to resort to google searches of mass media. You're working on developing a system that will serve thousands of students each term - these convenience elements will save thousands of man-hours in help desk questions, support tickets, and overall will reduce general frustration.

Have any of you been accepted to the program? What are your thoughts on the above?

New Freelance Gig

Hey All,

I know it's been pretty quiet here lately, but I've been keeping up with my writing. I lately picked up a new freelance writing gig. I'll be writing content for the blog at Elite Gaming Computers - http://www.elitegamingcomputers.com/blog

You can see my first article here: http://elitegamingcomputers.com/kingstons-hyperx-cloud-gaming-headset/

Theme Story - Directions

Prompt this week was directions from point A to point B. I went a little weird.

First, start your water boiling. You want to get a nice, rolling boil going, so keep those flames hot. Once you've got the boil going, you'll start your journey by tossing in a handful of dirt. Doesn't matter where it comes from, but don't skimp on that handful. Add three oak leaves, with the veins removed, and two acorns. Let the mixture stew for a moment, then put on your protective clothing. Add a fourth-generation honeybee queen, being careful to keep the drones defending her from touching the boil. Using a stick from a sapling of less than two years, stir the mixture three times counter-clockwise. Then, add the saltpeter and step back – you should see a healthy boom.

If the pot survives the explosion. Instantly remove it from heat and let the mixture congeal. Scoop out three spoonfuls onto three separate cheesecloths, and place them at the corners of an equilateral triangle the size of the portal you wish to make. Make sure that the triangle points northwards – a south-pointing triangle is not something you want to experience. Step into the triangle formed by the three cheesecloths and do the hokey pokey but do NOT turn yourself around. Following this, hold your breath for three seconds and jump. If you have completed the recipe correctly, you should break through the ground into Flavortown. If not, you will land solidly on the ground and will lose your access for three years.

Theme Story - He turned the key in the lock...

He turned the key in the lock and opened the door. To his horror, he saw yet another of the damn rooms. Same pulsing green light emitting from the same pillars in each corner, same four doors pointing in each of the cardinal directions, same metal chair at the same table with – once again – nothing on it. Yet. He knew that would change soon enough, just as he knew that once he stepped forward the door would shut and lock behind him. He considered going back and trying the other doors, but after nearly fifty rooms he knew what he would find when he did so. Besides, it had only been four rooms since he had just picked a direction and went. He didn't know if he was making progress – hell, the way this place defied logic he could very well be moving in a circle repeatedly – but with no other options he decided to keep pressing onward.

He pulled out the chair and sat at the table, the screen inset into the surface once again coming to life. The same grid with the same colored dots greeted his angry gaze. He had to struggle to stop himself from tearing his hair out in frustration. He'd solved 47 of these puzzles so far. He found himself irrationally hoping that this one would be the last, or at the very least 50 would mark some kind of change in the scenario. A different room, a different puzzle, even a different light color in the glowing pillars would be preferable! Some indication that his actions were producing some effect somewhere. Anywhere.

He swiped his finger along the grid, connecting the colored dots without overlapping. This one was fairly simple, as were the others – the entire process took fifteen seconds. Upon completion, another key rose from the table. He placed the original key into his pocket with the rest of the growing collection, and palmed the new key. He rose from his chair and moved towards the door directly opposite the table - he'd taken to referring to this direction as North, but he had no real way to tell where he was even headed. He put his hand on the door handle, inserted the key, took a breath, closed his eyes, and turned the handle.

He waited a second to open his eyes, hoping to see anything different, but once again he was met with the same room. The 49^th room, with the 49^th puzzle, and the 49^th key. He sighed heavily, and moved to the chair. He plopped down with a despair as deep as his frustration had been in the last room. Fifty, he told himself. Just make it to fifty and something will change. He idly solved the puzzle on the table and grabbed the proffered key that resulted. Moving once again in the same direction, he approached the North door and inserted the key. With another steadying breath he turned the key in the lock and opened the door of the fiftieth room.

No change. Same green glow, same table, same chair, same four doors. He stepped through the door and sat in the chair, regarding the puzzle before him with a surly look. He swiped his finger around the grid, connecting the dots together, retrieving the key from the tiny slot in the table. He stood and approached the fiftieth door. He placed the key in the lock and, after a brief pause, turned it and opened the door...

… and blinked in the sudden light. Not green this time, but bright white emanating from every corner of the room. The table was round this time, the chair wooden, but the room was still surrounded by four doors in each of the cardinal directions. He crossed the threshold and a siren blared, causing him to jump out of his skin. He had no idea what it signified, but was oddly comforted by the fact that someone felt the need to signify something. A siren like that is placed for other people to hear, not for the sole occupant trapped in a maze. He approached the table and pulled out the chair. The surface lit up revealing the same grid. No, it was different this time – there was one more square in each direction, and one additional color to connect. He had apparently reached the next level. He leaned back, but oddly felt no anger or frustration. He was making progress at last. He solved the puzzle quickly and grabbed the key that emerged from the table, making his way to the North door once again. He inserted the key in the lock and turned the knob. Telling himself that if there is progress there might be an end, he pulled the door open and moved into the next white room.