[PLUG] A little book on Perl...

[Darkhorse]

On Fri, 2004-02-20 at 15:25, AthlonRob wrote:
> On Fri, 2004-02-20 at 14:49, Darkhorse wrote:
 
> > There are CS courses many people can't get through at all, book or no
> > book.  One of these is Karla Fant's 202 course.  
 
> Many many people have passed Karla's CS 202 course.  I think a single
> case of somebody not being able to pass the course when most people *do*
> pass the course is more of an indicator of that single person than of
> the course itself.

If fair is all you care about.  Last I talked with her, she was
wondering why so many didn't pass 202, including me, especially
considering that I passed the midterm and final.  It's her assignments
that are too difficult.  As far as the tutors that term they clearly had
passed the course, but they were excessively lazy and nowhere to be seen
for a good month.  In four weeks time, the programming backlog got so
overwhelming there was no way I was getting anywhere.  When they did
show up, they treated the class like a pack of losers and were mostly
noncommittal to any actual tutoring.  If Karla's fair, she's
unapproachable.  She didn't come off as a woman in any condition to help
students when I worked with her.  Nonetheless, I've passed three of her
courses.  Karla's just plain mean with her assignments where it's
arguably her teaching style to be that way.  Her stories tell you that
too though, my favorite being about some coworker starting to ask her a
question only to frantically answer it herself before Karla could reply
( probably because Karla was more frightening than the problem ).  She's
a great person, it's just that her courses hurt.  I didn't care for her
personal comments against her own parents in 202 the winter term before,
but I guess a person has to have a shell against that sort of thing.  
I tried 202 before C got pulled out of it, I don't know what it's like
now at PSU or even who offers it.

Maybe with newfound confidence and some help I'd go back and give cs202
another shot.  I'd have to be readmitted first, guess a degree earned
after being academically dismissed helps.  I tried to argue an issue
against a lawyer, Chris Carey. He opposed me to the point of things
getting extremely ugly.( three inches from my face yelling at me in
front of the whole class. )  Needless to say, I was rattled and didn't
speak incredibly well.

I'm not necessarily planning on a computer related degree anymore.  Lack
of support and my highly unrealistic chances of finishing in C.S. weigh
heavily on me.  I am far less interested than I was even three months
ago.  If I could accomplish anything in the CS field, I'd make computer
science a 4 year degree again.  In CS and even math courses, how many
professors design the curriculum taking into account that it might be
hard for a student to find a tutor capable of revealing the subtleties
which unlock the rest?  Many professors want students to figure stuff
out on their own without their help.  In reality, it's best if courses
are designed to be more doable without tutors compensating for poorly
written textbooks.  You can only hear something once, yet it can be read
about in a well written text many times.  It's not unreasonable to think
a professional wants to be able to pick up a book and refresh on a topic
from reading about it alone later.  It's also seemingly reasonable for a
professor to study what students ask tutors and simply hand this stuff
to everyone the first day of class or distribute these
answers/explanations on a web page.



We're far enough off topic now, I think.  I'm through with the thread...
if you wish to address anything else I've said in this email, I would
encourage you to email me off list.  I haven't blocked you yet.

Rob



The other replies have been friendly.  I'm also done posting to the list
on this thread.  I hope my postings encourage people to reach out to
others and not come down hard when it's unnecessary to do so or there's
more to know than what is immediately evident.  

I have the little book on perl and have perused it some already.  I've
experienced socket programming with perl thanks to help from this list. 
While the course is not the depth of perl I want, it's a step in the
right direction at least.  

I have zero database training which I want to change soon, though I
haven't figured out how to go about that yet.

I want to take the equivalent of Calculus based physics term 1 at PSU
because that's what's causing most of my trouble there.  I have to pass
it at PSU to get the grade changed,.  I didn't know the rules the way I
should have back in 2000 where I was being yelled at by none other than
the registar or some admissions counselor that first term.  I thought I
had to do what she said.  Physics probably isn't something I want to
take a fifth crack at until I've completed a four year degree.  Without
retaking physics at PSU, I don't see how I can ever have a decent gpa
there or even graduate from there.  If your allowed a W for a course
that is paid for but not finished the same should be allowed for a
flunked course.

     Michael C. Robinson