What should i do for my 4th yr project??

j_lennon

Im in 3rd year doing computing now and over the summer i want to get a start on my 4th year project. Any ideas on what i should do???

Course content that I have covered in my course to date is: Software development in Java, C++ and Visual basic, Oracle Database, SQL, Multimedia, Software/System Design and Testing, UML, Web design, JSP, JavaScript/JavaBeans, Cisco, Network systems, Discrete Mathematics, Logic, Distributed Systems.

I know i will be learning new stuff in college next year and i dont mind learning a new topic over the summer.

Any help would be great!! Even point me in the right directions.

Cheers
Stephen

timeout

Well most college courses give you a couple of options also. I mean you can do your own project or they have ones they have thought up. I mean we had the option to do the college allumni website as our final year project. The advantage with some of these is that they will be in use after you finish college and can be seen. Also they help with the documentation(aka the thesis) part by giving you the brief and you have to work out the specification and stuff which in itself is a learning experience.

If you want to learn something outside over the summer by all means do. There is actuall that competition thing also that you could start working on www.daretobedigital.com Very could prospects out of it.
Anyhow good luck!

elvis2002

Without knowing what your interests is mainly its hard to choose a direction. Do you want purely java project or c?

I think you have a good idea about starting early. Thats always important. Its possible you could even finish a project over the summer and then add to it during the year making it really good.

Some of the stuff I've seen lately include (I've marked difficulty out of 10)

Automated Network Testing System (10)
XML Router (7)
802.1p support to Linux Multi Layer Switch (6)
XML Security Solution (7)
SIP QoS Implementation for Linux (5)
File System Snapshot Capabilities (7)
CPU Affinity for Network Devices -> Very hard. (10)
Qos based geo-targeting systems (8)
Network Storage Management System (5)
SMS Bulletin Board (2)
Replacement Protocol To SMTP (3)
Network Tools Package (2)
DSLAM manager (5)
Email certification (2)
Iris scanner. (3)
Spam Filter (3)
Bandwidth Management (2)
SIPproxy server (3)
Asset Tracker (1)
Network Device Config Manager (2)
J2ME Stuff like RSS Reader, Gmail, hotmail login, bus trackers etc.
---> Depeding how far you want to take it, can range from 3 to 8.

How difficult your project is, is a big thing these days. If you produce some simple jsp database page you'd be lucky go get a pass. Lecturer's also have no interest in things like games, maybe cool to you but not to lecturers. If you want more information on any of the above, I have details somewhere of most.

democrates

How about a javascript mindmap tool ?

Edit: ConceptDraw mindmap requires java, instead I'm suggesting one which can be created/edited in the browser using javascript, plotkit provides a javascript canvas library to get started.

Sounds simple, but you have to work out how to store it back on the server among other things (tip-seperate data from presentation to allow different rendering clients).
Thesis possibilities could be there in upgrading from a tree to a graph, collaboration, and linking between graphs.

If done well it could be like tinymce and get reused in lots of cms programs.

Giblet

elvis2002 wrote:

Lecturer's also have no interest in things like games, maybe cool to you but not to lecturers. If you want more information on any of the above, I have details somewhere of most.

Not true, some lecturers even encourage it. It all depends on how it's written at the end of the day.

Noelie

elvis2002 wrote:

Lecturer's also have no interest in things like games, maybe cool to you but not to lecturers. If you want more information on any of the above, I have details somewhere of most.

Don't agree with you there, my final year project was a Roulette game, got a first out of it. The lecturers loved it, they wanted to put us forward for some inter college award.

Tobias Greeshman

Elvis2002 wrote:

Lecturer's also have no interest in things like games, maybe cool to you but not to lecturers. If you want more information on any of the above, I have details somewhere of most.

Well I wrote a 3D Modeller for my final year project, got a 1.1 out of it too. Most lecturer's don't mind you doing it if you do a reasonable amount of research into the project before you present the project proposal. The project was sent for an Innovation Award as well.

omahaid

Just try and avoid an industrial project. Most lecturers won't be too interested in something suggested from industry as it will be too specific.... As tempting as it is (for me :-), try to stick to what they suggested (as they will be more interested in it and more likely to help and give higher grades!)

nitrogen

Think long and hard of what you want to do after college, where you want to see yourself in 10 years. It's not easy and nothing is for sure of course.

Obviously, pick skills that you like the most and try and implement that.

Sticking to lecturer's ideas doesn't mean it's easier to get higher grades! I did something very different to anyone had done and got an A.