Footnotes Galore!<\/p>\n
When I was a young, moist behind the ears A-level student, examining choices for university, I looked at the website for the School of Electronics and Computer Science, and saw that there were student blogs, written for the people, by the people. People in this instance [1], meaning students.<\/p>\n
So, I will quickly write what my past self [2] wanted to know.<\/p>\n
Computer Science is a broad subject with multiple different areas. It’s not just hacking away at code, although that is a large part of it. There are also mathematical, and more fundamental underpinnings that must be studied first, like discrete and engineering mathematics, and NAND gates in digital electronics.<\/p>\n
More specifically, the first semester focuses on Java, but is trying to teach the broader principles, although there are enough organisations to extend [3] your use. SOWN (Southampton Open Wireless Network) uses a lot of Perl, and Ruby, CSLIB has a large amount of C++, and there are large collections [4]people good at PHP in the department.<\/p>\n
There is coursework, which in this first term (three terms, two semesters, one year, it gets confusing sometimes) has consisted of building a personal website (that balances formality, with street cred [5], ahem… I mean informality), and extension of a graphical library, in Java.<\/p>\n
Socially, it’s exactly what you would expect. Lots of fun-loving young people, doing British things [6], around British places [7]. You will probably find lots of people into the same stuff as you, it’s university, there are over 25,000 people here.<\/p>\n
Technically, the school is impressive. We have our own \/16 IP block [8], and thanks to its pioneering work, there is IPv6, which means Google dances for you [9]. Halls internet is also impressive. The upload speeds are insane, unless you’ve been living in the Internet backbone. I am not sure if that is actually possible. There is lots of WIFI on campus, bar a few dry zones.<\/p>\n
For cycling, the city is very good, by British standards. If you’re Dutch, you’re going to have to adjust though. I certainly did. [10]<\/p>\n
Anyway, now that’s I’ve outlined that, I can tell you all about the past month.<\/p>\n
I went to university. [11]<\/p>\n
(Footnote: Footnotes follow.)
\n[1] instance variable, each object has its own.
\n[2] “self” is Python convention; Java uses: “this” officially
\n[3] an abstract class, extension… get it?
\n[4] import java.util.Collections;
\n[5] if (this.student instanceof cool) \/\/ returns false
\n[6] Britain does lots of things
\n[7] It is difficult not to do things in British places, considering your location.
\n[8] 152.78
\n[9] ipv6.google.com but only if you’re IPv6 capable.
\n[10] Cycling paths do tend to randomly disappear.
\n[11] Technically, I’m in halls, meaning you could argue that I lived in university.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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