I can haz general discussion? 2!!

Doctor Strange · 13-03-2013 11:31pm

marko93 wrote: »

8602d1308116311-nucks-vs-boston-2011-stanley-cup-final-05_cool_story_bro.jpg

Thwip! · 14-03-2013 1:37am

I heartily endorse these Marvel memes

marko93 · 14-03-2013 4:55pm

Unforgettable _ Fire wrote: »

Thwip! wrote: »

I heartily endorse these Marvel memes

mickstupp · 14-03-2013 9:02pm

I picked up the Student Standard earlier. It's great! Well impressed.

How so Joe · 14-03-2013 10:17pm

Broni deserves oodles of credit for it - he has worked his ass off over that issue!

mickstupp · 14-03-2013 10:26pm

How so Joe wrote: »

Broni deserves oodles of credit for it - he has worked his ass off over that issue!

Ah it looks great, reads great, really good spread of different articles. Excellent job.
If they decided to charge for it, I'd buy it.

Ms. Koi · 15-03-2013 5:36pm

I have no idea what those cartoons are but they made me laugh!
On a side note, I don't like today. Full up on bad news. Not accepting any more.

PopePalpatine · 15-03-2013 5:46pm

Centre of mass is making my head spin in MP112.

Ms. Koi · 15-03-2013 6:06pm

I have no idea what that is I'm afraid!

Thwip! · 15-03-2013 11:56pm

kellief wrote: »

I have no idea what those cartoons are but they made me laugh!
On a side note, I don't like today. Full up on bad news. Not accepting any more.

Click here Kellie

Ms. Koi · 16-03-2013 12:12am

Thwip! wrote: »

Click here Kellie

I know the line, just didn't know the face!

Thwip! · 16-03-2013 12:22am

SON OF ZEUS GODDAMMIT :P

Ms. Koi · 17-03-2013 11:24pm

It's quiet here.

I don't like it.

XxMCRxBabyxX · 18-03-2013 4:03am

kellief wrote: »

It's quiet here.

I don't like it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htobTBlCvUU

How so Joe · 19-03-2013 5:20pm

*tumbleweed*

What's everyone doing with their two weeks off?

mickstupp · 19-03-2013 6:49pm

How so Joe wrote: »

*tumbleweed*

What's everyone doing with their two weeks off?

Essays. Assignments. Translation.

The only good parts are the lack of alarm clocks and commuting.

Oh! And people. The lack of people is great. I'm totally exhausted having been around people for the last seven weeks. Too many people.

spartacus815 · 19-03-2013 6:58pm

Getting my Thesis finished (sigh

) and a lab report that needs working on which are BOTH due on Friday 5th April .... Double sigh

How so Joe · 19-03-2013 9:14pm

mickstupp wrote: »

Essays. Assignments. Translation.

The only good parts are the lack of alarm clocks and commuting.

Oh! And people. The lack of people is great. I'm totally exhausted having been around people for the last seven weeks. Too many people.

I hate translation! Theme and version were my nemesis in final year!
I never have alarm clocks. Ah, phd life.
Equally, though, I don't have weeks off. I miss undergrad life!

Kiwi_knock · 20-03-2013 12:19am

Have not procrastinated as much as I thought I would during the time off, but should not feel too confident with it being the start. Have gone 2,500 words over the word limit for one of my essays, and I am not even finished it. Going to take longer to cut it down than it took to write it. Damn the essay being so interesting, at least my next essay is boring so I should struggle to make the word limit.

I am looking back fondly at 1st year when these study weeks were actually weeks off, where did the time fly.

Boeing777 · 21-03-2013 4:56pm

Exam timetable is out

http://t.co/C6w4J2584f

Kiwi_knock · 21-03-2013 5:01pm

Well that is depressing, now they do not seem so far away.

How so Joe · 21-03-2013 5:04pm

It's still march, they're two months away!

upinthesky · 21-03-2013 6:16pm

Boeing777 wrote: »

Exam timetable is out

http://t.co/C6w4J2584f

thanks!

mickstupp · 21-03-2013 7:13pm

Awesome

A whole seven weeks. I hate the second semester. Never enough time. Even if they pushed them out a week so we'd finish at the end of May. Even just that one extra week to study would be great.

How so Joe · 21-03-2013 7:15pm

I haven't seen your text here on this forum in a while...
Seren_ are you out there???

PopePalpatine · 21-03-2013 7:19pm

My Experimental Physics exam is on my birthday. :pac:

TO_ARTHUR! · 21-03-2013 11:56pm

I remember with the summer exams last year that three days right before mine started, I had a 5000 word essay to hand in, that was 75% of one of my modules. It wasn't easy but somehow through not leaving my gaff for that three day gap and my next exam being a week after, I passed it.

Seren_ · 22-03-2013 12:28pm

How so Joe wrote: »

I haven't seen your text here on this forum in a while...
Seren_ are you out there???

Yes, hello!! I've not had much of a chance to get on here recently

How is everyone getting on?

mickstupp · 22-03-2013 1:53pm

Stupid Application Form wrote:

Explain why you wish to pursue a programme of research at NUI Maynooth in the area you have chosen. Include information on any relevant experience and interests that have informed your desire to pursue a research degree.

Answer: Because I'm interested in it.

Stupid Application Form wrote:

Provide any additional information you feel will offer a full picture of your capability, motivation and interests.

Answer: See list of exam results on previous page.

---

So... I think I need about an extra 390 words from somewhere...

I despise application forms and I hate personal statements. Here's the facts, here's my application, why do I need a personal statement? All I have to say is in the following: Because I want to. That's it. There's nothing more I could add which would help to explain the want.

How so Joe · 22-03-2013 3:03pm

Seren_ wrote: »

Yes, hello!! I've not had much of a chance to get on here recently

How is everyone getting on?

As long as you haven't fallen down a well or something, I'm happy enough.
Hope you're keeping well?

barleybooley · 22-03-2013 7:18pm

A little something for all you cat and boob lovers out there

How so Joe · 22-03-2013 11:54pm

What is this, I don't even...

Ms. Koi · 23-03-2013 8:18pm

That's not nice!

Doctor Strange · 23-03-2013 8:51pm

I'm pretty sure my life will be better for having not watched that :pac:

Seren_ · 23-03-2013 10:12pm

How so Joe wrote: »

As long as you haven't fallen down a well or something, I'm happy enough.
Hope you're keeping well?

Have not fallen down any wells, that I know of anyway :P I am well, thanks for asking! Busy with work, but it's awesome so I don't mind. How is London treating you?

barleybooley wrote: »

A little something for all you cat and boob lovers out there

wat

How so Joe · 23-03-2013 10:27pm

Seren_ wrote: »

Have not fallen down any wells, that I know of anyway :P I am well, thanks for asking! Busy with work, but it's awesome so I don't mind. How is London treating you?

wat

London is fine, nothing of note really, everything just ticking along. It's not as nice a college as Maynooth though.

If you ever do fall down a well, please tell me, and post pictures, because that would be an excellent story to tell at parties and things!

Thwip! · 23-03-2013 11:44pm

Assuming the party is down a well

Ms. Koi · 24-03-2013 4:03pm

I'm so boooooorrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeedddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd

marko93 · 25-03-2013 2:22am

Just read a thread about the reality of IT grads. Well, I'll set course to Mainland Europe when I get my degree. Feck Ireland.

How so Joe · 25-03-2013 2:24am

Mainland? Pfft, come to Britain, it's all going on here.

marko93 · 25-03-2013 2:45am

How so Joe wrote: »

Mainland? Pfft, come to Britain, it's all going on here.

Britain is actually my first stop providing all goes to plan, I hear they pay pretty well, even for grads.

Alt_Grrr · 25-03-2013 4:46pm

marko93 wrote: »

Just read a thread about the reality of IT grads. Well, I'll set course to Mainland Europe when I get my degree. Feck Ireland.

marko93 wrote: »

Britain is actually my first stop providing all goes to plan, I hear they pay pretty well, even for grads.

A good degree isn't a guarantee of a well paying job, but it certainly helps.
That said even as a postgrad student I'm on peanuts compared to my friends in other countries.

Having experience and being to able to demonstrate that your not just some idiot who fell out of university with a 2.1 and can't code for toffee will make it easier.

Also it depends who you work for, some places pay pretty well (and have good benefits and a nice corporate culture) others don't.
And of course people in Ireland don't haggle when it comes to negotiating a contract.
The worst they can say is no.

Of course if its money your after, don't waste your time in the UK or in the EU, head west to Silicon Valley, claim you went to MIT and join a well funded start up company.

peacock169 · 25-03-2013 5:40pm

So, i finally got confirmation that i have been awarded the grant from SUSI about a month ago. Had already paid half the fees due in the first semester as requested. I knew SUSI would have to inform Fees and Grants that i was eligible before a refund would be issued to me by Maynooth, which was fine.
So i rang last Tuesday,
Me: Hi there, i'm due a refund, blah blah blah, can you see if i'm on your system yet blah blah blah. Heres my student number.
Fees and Grants: Why yes Mr Peacock, you are due lots of cash back and it will be in your bank this week.
Me: (Stunned) Thats fantastic, i can get food for the kids now, Mrs Peacock can stop buying shampoo that makes her hair fall out,will it definitely be there this week?
F&G:Absolutely,we check every week and refunds are issued straight away, Friday the latest in your account.
Me: Thanks very much, that has cheered me up, might tackle a Biology essay or two now.

Obviously nothing there by Friday, rang this morning only to get through to security, " Fees and Grants?, sure they're on their holidays, wont be back until next Tuesday.
Me: All of them?
Security:Yeah
Me: Thats clever isn't it?
Security: Nothing to do with me pal.

Hate this kind of carry-on, how hard can it be to press a button or two.

Just as well the kids like rice.

Alt_Grrr · 25-03-2013 6:33pm

peacock169 wrote: »

Hate this kind of carry-on, how hard can it be to press a button or two.

I had a similar problem before.

I think a new staff incentive scheme is needed, but since we can't offer people any more money, nor is there any incentive for them to be better at their job since they will get paid regardless and they are ether on a ****ty contract or permanent and on (frozen) incremental pay increases.

So I think in light of all these problems we need a new system.
If a member of staff of the university has failed to perform their job ether by incompetence or by inaction, you may slap them. BUT ONLY on the face and ONLY with an eel This website demonstrates the principal

So come next Tuesday, when Fees and Grants opens,
Mister Peacock may enter, call upon the member of staff which informed him that his refund would be processed in a timely manner and deliver a swift slap of an eel. If the staff member feel that said eeling was unfair or unjust, they may explain what went wrong or challenge Mister Peacock to a dual.

This may sound stupid, or even frankly insane, but it would certainly stop the massive amounts of apathy and disrespect that some members of staff feel toward students.
Otherwise what other option is there, complain? to who? and why should they care.

marko93 · 25-03-2013 10:30pm

Alt_Grrr wrote: »

A good degree isn't a guarantee of a well paying job, but it certainly helps.
That said even as a postgrad student I'm on peanuts compared to my friends in other countries.

Having experience and being to able to demonstrate that your not just some idiot who fell out of university with a 2.1 and can't code for toffee will make it easier.

Also it depends who you work for, some places pay pretty well (and have good benefits and a nice corporate culture) others don't.
And of course people in Ireland don't haggle when it comes to negotiating a contract.
The worst they can say is no.

Of course if its money your after, don't waste your time in the UK or in the EU, head west to Silicon Valley, claim you went to MIT and join a well funded start up company.

Excellent post, thread I read really was an eye opener.

May as well ask you, is there any sites to further my knowledge in Java and help me learn C/C#/C+/C++ that are user friendly?

Also was suggested I get involved in projects and open source stuff, any directions I should go, again, websites I should check out?

Really want my CV to stand out so I can travel the world and work.

barleybooley · 26-03-2013 2:47am

Can't sleep, clown'll eat me

mickstupp · 26-03-2013 10:37am

Was the clown's name, Pennywise?

banquo · 26-03-2013 10:58am

Alt_Grrr wrote: »

Otherwise what other option is there, complain? to who? and why should they care.

And there you have it. Root of the problem.

Alt_Grrr · 26-03-2013 11:10am

banquo wrote: »

And there you have it. Root of the problem.

Its a good thing I offered a clear solution. If the person who is in charge of handling complaints does nothing about it... slap them with an eel.
Sometimes you'll have to slap you way about the campus to make sure it gets sorted.

But you know what they say... well...clearly I don't know what they say...but sure ya know yourself...

But I think after a couple thousand incidents of eel slapping we might just have slapped this place into shape.

The decentralized bureaucracy that runs this place won't like it, but nuts to them.

Alt_Grrr · 26-03-2013 11:35am

marko93 wrote: »

May as well ask you, is there any sites to further my knowledge in Java and help me learn C/C#/C+/C++ that are user friendly?

There's no such language as C+... the name C++ is a nerdy joke.
C# and Java are quite similar,
C and C++ are related. C++ is Object Orientated.

Oracle have a Java course online
MIT have a nice introduction to C++

I'd suggest that you learn a dynamically typed language as well.
Python and Ruby are both really popular at the minute.

Python would be my suggestion, its very useful to know.
Its not as fast as C++ in terms of performance, but you get a lot more done in python in less time and with more of your hair attached.

You can try it out online too, www.trypython.org/ codecademy.com/tracks/python

marko93 wrote: »

Also was suggested I get involved in projects and open source stuff, any directions I should go, again, websites I should check out?

Really want my CV to stand out so I can travel the world and work.

Some good suggestions is to keep up with the latest and greatest, news sites like Hacker News are a good way to see what the cool kids are doing these days.

If you want to contribute to opensource projects then I suggest you think of what feature is lacking in your favourite tool and see if you can add it.
Maybe you've come across a problem and you write some code to solve it.
If you want to get your hands dirty right away, some open source projects have a list of bugs/features they want people to take care of and they have a difficultly rating attached.

One really useful site is GitHub, it gives you space to host your code. You can also use it to host a personal page/blog. And is useful to stick on a CV.

Tell you what, this discussion could get a whole lot more technical.
PM me if you want to grab a coffee sometime.

I can haz general discussion? 2!!

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