COSC 330

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
A concise description of all my online course may be accessed by clicking here .

CONTENTS:

  1. INTRODUCTION AND TIMELESS ANNOUNCEMENTS
  2. GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
INTRODUCTION AND TIMELESS ANNOUNCEMENTS (No need to remember these; just remember where to find these topics.) :

          This  page will contain general announcements of interest to all my classes. Maintaining this single Web page simply saves a great deal of copy and pastin' that is necessary if I have completely separate announcements for each class.  All announcements that are unique to a specific course will be made on the Current Announcements page (the opening page) of that course.  As on those pages, the horizontal bars below separate announcements of different days.

  1.   Each of my classes has an online forum, accessable via a link on the Navigation Panel, under the FEEDBACK heading.  Students from that class (or, in fact, anyone) can ask questions (or answer them) by filling in a form.  I try to have ex-students monitoring each forum who should be able to answer questions about that particular class, but ANYONE can help out, so check out the forum for you class daily, and if you can answer a question, please do.  The idea is to create a virtual, online forum where students of a particular class can interact with each other even if they are in Kazackstan or Timbuktu.
  2. Times that the Pullen Labs are open: "During the regular semester, the University Computing labs are opening approximately 100 hours per week. While non-public lab classrooms in Pullen Hall may be reserved for classes, the public use lab is available to all FSU students during all open lab hours.
    3.      Monday-Thursday: 8am-12am
         Friday: 8am-8pm
         Saturday: 12pm-6pm
         Sunday: 12pm-12am"
    To find more info on the facilities in the Pullen Labs access this Web site: http://www.frostburg.edu/admin/acacom/labs.htm "
  3. Check out FSU's "Computing and Technology" Web page, a hub with links to many resources at FSU.
  4. You should consider any of my courses as a technical writing course, so be sure to use correct, university level English in your messages to me,  your written assignments, and your Web site!   In fact, COSC 100, COSC 101, COSC 120, and COSC 330 are  classic examples of a "writing across the curriculum" course.
  5. Feedback shorthand that Itypically place on written submissions:
    1. I use three comments so frequently that I prefer to use abbreviations.  They are explained below:
      1. DC! stands for dangerous confusion.  This is the most important feedback comment that indicates that your misunderstanding is something that can handicap you learning, something that you must correct.  If you can't do this on your own or by consulting others, be sure to see me.
      2. BOD stands for benefit of the doubt.  This indicates that, although your answer is not correct, it appears to me that you are "on the right track", i.e. I understand what your are "trying" to say.  This means you get partial credit or perhaps full credit.  However, this comment does indicate that you should correct your confusion.
      3. OK means that your answer is acceptable, but not what was anticipated.  I did not deduct points, but, because the whole point of assessment is to help you understand, you should figure out what was expected.
      4. DIC means discuss in class; there is an important point that can be illustrated for all.
    1. An "X" on your answer means your answer is wrong, i.e. "INcorrect", and a "/" (A single diagonal line through your answer) indicates your answer is NOT correct. (SAQ: what is the difference?)  Circled items should be replaced or expanded.  I deduct full points for wrong answers, but (usually) treat answers that are not correct as BOD.
  6. My recommended Online References (depending on the course, most are in the Navigation Panel to your left) include the following.
    1. Without question, my favorite Web site is Wikipedia, the personification of what Tim Berners Lee conceived the Web to be (a "sandbox" where we can share information), not only public domain, but open source!
      1. See "Why Wikipedia Matters", the 11/29/07 post on the Why Give to Wikimedia blog.
    2.   I strongly urge you to download and use the astonishing "one-click information service" from GuruNet "Answers.com"that will display a definition of any word on your computer screen if you hold down the alt key and click on the word. (It also offers a thesaurus as well as several other kinds of references, depending on the word you are looking up!)  You should install this on your computer to give you instant general information about any word in my notes! (Wow!!) You can view a demo , check out reasons to use Answers.com, and download the surprisingly small installer from: 1-click Answers Installers.  To install it simply double click the installer and follow the simple directions; couldn't be easier!
    3. My favorite Web sites on High Tech Web sites are CNET.com, and ZDNET.
    4. My two favorite search engines are Google (THE favorite general search engine of most "techies"!) and Yahoo (a human maintained database of Web sites that is a nice complement to Google.)
    5. How Stuff Works should be considered as a top level reference in all my courses.  (This Website has a star on the Navigation Panel of all my course Websites, so use that for access.)  In fact, along with the recommended Technology Website for your particular course, e.g. Webopedia, for introductory courses, you shoul Click on How How Stuff Works EVERY time you feel like you need for info, especially if a picture would help.  I can not recommend a site more highly!
    6. A fascinating way to explore the english language (not to mention a great way to find synonyms) is the The Visual Thesaurus, A Dictionary of the English Language.  Check it out!!
  7. Check out FSU job finding facility that might be a significant help, particularly for graduating seniors.  The promotional material says "...take care of all your career needs in one convenient location..."
    8. http://www.collegecentral.com/frostburg
    which is affiliated with FSU's Career Services Office .  They also will help you improve on your resume, so if you have written one in my class, drop by their office to make it professional and up-to-date.  You may contact Elaine Barry for assistance in resume writing for for more information on anything in career services.  Call (310) 687-4403 or e-mail at ebarry@frostburg.edu.  This really looks neat, so give it a try!
  8. The FSU Computer Club, of which I am the sponser, has started up again this semester.  (Also see the link to the Computer Club in the bottom group, FSU/UMS LINKS, in the Navigation Panel , the left hand frame of this Web page.)  They are planning to meet every Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in the Dunkle 313; actually the formal meetings do not start until 8:00, but fun "bull sessions" and occasional student presentations begin at 7:30, so I recommend that you come early.  I believe EVERY computer science major should be a member; it would certainly look good on your resume; however, the club is NOT just for computer scientists - anyone interested in computers, who would like to learn more from fellow students, will enjoy our meetings!. Certainly, the best reason to join is that there is a great group of young people in the club;  I really enjoy attending the meetings.  In fact, I'll bet that it's about the best place to be in Frostburg on Thursday night.  Come join us!
  9. We also have a fledgling student chapter of the ACM.  Association of Computing Machinery).  (The ACM is the primary professional organization of computer scientists so  I strongly urge prospective C.S. majors to become student member of this organization; it has very cost effective benefits particularly when it comes to free online courses, free/inexpensive publications, resources for securing a job, etc.  The best way to find out about this chapter is click on the join/F.A.Q. link on their Website.
  10.   I feel simply overwhelmed by information overload!! I need your help.  The courses I try to teach on the Internet (COSC120), Introductory Computer Science (COSC 100 and COSC 101) Web development (COSC 330), and Java/languages (COSC 390 and Software Engineering  COSC 325)  cover such humongous, rapidly developing subjects that I seem to never catch up, much less stay current!  My problems fall into two categories
    1. There is simply too much information, especially on the Web, for me to keep my bookmarks up to date, much less read what I have bookmarked.  I seem to work virtually all day, every day -- even on holidays and weekends; yet my brain is swamped things to do, things to learn, and half-done projects.  I currently rely on newsletters to recommend relevant/useful sites and focus me on what is important; however, I don't seem to have time to read, much less follow up, on all the newsletters!  They just add to the overload!!
    2. Also I am often get "lost in cyberspace", not remembering what I started out to do.  I typically start off with an objective, but I discover so many interesting links along the way that I get sidetracked and waste valuable time.  Actually I really don't "waste" time, but I too often spend it on some unanticipate sidetrack(s) and consequently am not as efficient and productive in my "job", providing you with an optimum learning environment in this class.  I really think this will be a critical problem for all Internet users because the general public has yet to "discover the Web" and start posting their own material.  The amount of "stuff" available on the Net is like an escalating, uncontrolled chain reaction.
    I realized long ago that I can not keep track of every important development, much less learn or master them.  This really seems intimidating sometimes!  So, I need your help with two things.  (1) As you learn what I am interested in, I would appreciate your (1) advice on relevent Web sites you discover and (2) help with teaching ideas, maybe even helping me teach things that I haven't mastered (which seems to cover about everything!)  Otherwise, my head may explode -- of course, this might delight some students!
  11. Be sure to protect your computer against fraudulent software (viruses, worms, etc.).  This is critical and seems to become more critical every semester.  Here are a collection of concise recommendations from Leo LaPort's "Seven Pillars of Internet Protection" (specified on TechTV's "The ScreenSavers" on 4/26/02):
    1. Turn off operating system services you are not useing, e.g. File and Print sharing (the number one "hole" exploited by crackers), Web servers, etc.
    2. Update your operating system regularly.   I recommend that you (as I have) turn on Automatic Updates; to do this, in windows:
      1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
      2. Depending on which Control Panel view you use, Classic or Category, do one of the following:
        1. Click System, and then click the Automatic Updates tab.
        2. Click Performance and Maintenance, click System, and then click the Automatic Updates tab.
      3. Click the option that you want. Make sure Automatic Updates is not turned off.
    3. Don't open (or send) e-mail attachments!  This especially applies to files ending in .exe, .vbs, and .xls when using Microsoft e-mail clients (Outlook and Outlook Express).    If you are running any OS other than Windows you are probably not in danger, and if you are using an e-mail client other than Outlook and Outlook Express or accessing e-mail via a Web interface (like www.frostburg.edu/mail) you should be safe, but you should still run antivirus on any attachment before opening it.  This  FINALLY got Microsoft to fix it's lousy security model using Visual Basic and VBScript, but I doubt that it will be safe (ever) to open attachments without checking them first!  The CERT Coordination Center  advises users to apply the so-called "KRESV" test to detect suspicious emails. KRESV stands for:
      1. Know: Do you know the sender?
      2. Received: Have you received email from the sender before?
      3. Expect: Are you expecting the e-mail?
      4. Sense: Do the subject header and attachment name make sense?
      5. Virus: Does it contain a virus? You will need antivirus software to check this.
    4. Use and update, regularly, antivirus applications.  Not all viruses can be identified, since new viruses are constantly appearing. Known virus can be identified by their signature; the presence of a virus is detectable because the virus code makes its host program larger than normal. The best safeguard is for the user to know the origin of the software being run on their computer and to be cautious when accessing programs on networks.
    5. Use a good firewall.
    6. Encrypt private files.
    7. Backup data files, regularly -- offline.
  12. Recommendations for Internet Security from Dave Rebar - that I endorse. (THANKS DAVE!)
  13. I also recommend OpenOffice, the open source alternative to Microsoft Office.
  14. On 11/15/06, Good Morning America (ABC), named the Internet as one of the "Seven New Wonders of the World".; see the online video, Seven Wonders: The Internet.  (I feel vindicated because, when I heard of the ABC/GMA project, I told my wife, "The Internet should be a Wonder of the World, the first, in fact".)  One of the aspects featured is the VR (virtual reality) world called "Second Life".  (Check out "What is Second Life?" and Second Life on Wikipedia.)  Also mentioned:
    1. MySpace is a social networking website offering an interactive, user-submitted network of friends, personal profiles, blogs, groups, photos, music, and videos. (From MySpace article on Wikipedia)
    2. YouTube, founded in February 2005, is a popular free video sharing Web site which lets users upload, view, and share video clips.  (From YouTube article on Wikipedia)  One of our classmates, Jared Miller,  has an account on YouTube, with a couple of his videos; check it out at: http://www.youtube.com/user/jerrycommahello.  (Let me know if anyone else has such an account - post the URL on the forum, like Jared did.)
    3. Facebook, recommended by students in the Computer Club, is a social networking service for high school, college, university, corporate, non-profit, military and geographic
  15. I am very interested in your feedback on all my course material, so please correct typos, offer constructive criticism, and suggest modifications to any of the learning material; the easiest, quickest, and permanent way is to place these on the forum for your particular course.
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS: