Courses I'm looking at

Gavin "shels"

Looking into putting these 3 on my CAO:

DT081 - Computer and Communications Engineering
DT211 - Computing
DT228 - Computer Science

Anyone doing any of these care to tell me the +'s and -'s about the course, etc...

melekalikimaka

with all those photos ya post...maybe photography??? :-)

Ass

Do DT 228.

Gavin "shels"

melekalikimaka wrote: »

with all those photos ya post...maybe photography??? :-)

:cool: I do like photography, but well I don't plan on making a career outta it.:pac:

Ass Face wrote: »

Do DT 228.

Any reason? Or just a do it for the craic?

Strange_Fruit

Gavin shels wrote: »

Or just a do it for the craic?

:pac::pac::pac:

melekalikimaka

Gavin shels wrote: »

:cool: I do like photography, but well I don't plan on making a career outta it.:pac:

thats my plan...:P

Creamy Goodness

I'll write a proper reply when I get home - you can tell I'm a CS student writing this on the bus - detailing the plusses and minuses of the DT228.

Ankhwatcher

If you enjoy programming avoid DT081. Engineering is a drag.

davedrave

dt228/1

pros:c programming, and Art

cons:the 'other' programming

Creamy Goodness

ok so i'll give the +/-'es of each year in dt228. bear in mind though for year 1 and 2 i'm going to be giving my opinion on subjects that i may not have done fully due to the course changing when i hit second year. i will say in my post further down how much of that subject i've done/know.

also you may notice i only cover year 1 and 2, i don't want to do year 3 and 4 stuff as it's not really relevant at the moment.

DT228 YEAR 1.

Programming

Plus points:
+ start from the very beginning.
+ use the C programming language (low level programming with easy enough programming syntax).
+ good resources on web to back up lecture notes and book.
+ good lab exercises.

Minus points:
- i found it to move a bit slow, but that's agiven as you're only starting off. if you find yourself in this position you can always move ahead yourself.

Problem solving:

Plus points:
+ good lecturer, knows exactly what he's talking about.
+ good introduction into data structures using a functional programming language (you'll see a lot of 1st years give out about this language (called haskell)).
+ from my experience talking to other Computer Science students from other courses (UCD/TCD) and asking them what's a functional programming language, i got 2/3 blank stares back

Minus points:
- classes can be a bit tedious as they contain quite a lot of theory.


Algorithm Design:

This class seems to be separately taught from problem solving, when i was in 1st year these were taught together, my points above remain the same as it's the same lecturer with similar material.

Computer Architecture & Technology:

Plus points:
+ very detailed course, for example: one lecture was spent detailing what happens when you do a single click of the mouse.
+ probably the nicest and honest lecturer you'll find in ireland.
+ interesting enough if you like your technical side of things.

Minus points:
- due to it being detailed the exam at the end of the year is a bitch. so much can come up and when you are battling with other subjects it's difficult to cover everything.

Operating Systems:

note: i only done this course for 1 semester and was completed in 2nd year.

Plus points:
+ another great lecturer.
+ good labs introducing you to the UNIX operating system.
+ practical work for our group included installing your own UNIX OS on to a machine provided.

Minus points:
- very detailed course again like Comp. Arch. & Tech. a lot can be asked in exams.

Intro to databases:

this class i took with introduction to ERM and SQL that comes up in 2nd year. i'll give my +/-'es there.

Web Development I

i covered web developement I and II in one semester in second year.

Plus Points:
+ a nice intro to the world of web dev teaching you HTML/CSS/Javascript and XML

minus points:
- i find web work to be frustrating as hell due to non-standard compliant browsers which can leave you fiddling with your code for hours to get it working in said browsers.


Mathematics:

Plus points:
+ total shock to me, i hated secondary school maths. this i really enjoyed as it was relevant to something. i've never used pythoras theorm since leaving school, but since learning how to use binary in this course, i use it constantly in courses in 2nd/3rd and 4th year.
+ good tutorial lecturers, to back up what's done in main classes.

minus points:
- can't think of any really.


Communications & personal dev.:

Plus points:
+can't think of any.

Minus points:
- business bullcrap tacked along just so they can say you did some businessy subjects
- tries to teach you skills from a book you can only really learn by doing.
- 100% continous assessment, you fail this you have to repeat the year. complete and utter bollocks tbh.


Business:

i didn't do this course.


DT228 YEAR 2

OO Programming.

Plus points:
+ teaches you object oriented programming using C++ it's C syntax style so what you learn in 1st year will help.
+ good lecturer very interactive in the class, if you are shy at answering questions in class you won't be after this.
+ uses C++ which is useful as it's a very popular OO language and is used in the games stream in 3rd and 4th year.

Minus points:
- labs are long and are marked.

Algorithms & data structures:

Plus points:
+ continuation of what you did in year 1.
+ uses C++.
+ same lecturer as year 1.

minus points:
- a lot of detail and a lot of code.

Software Eng. 1 & 2:

Plus points:
+ teaches you to design before programming.
+ quite interactive class and labs.

Minus points:
- examples given sometimes are too small or trivial to fully grasp the concept e.g. you'll be wondering why the hell would i design this piece of tiny software sure by the time i have it designed i would have it coded and deployed.

Intro to ERM and SQL:

Plus points:
+ teaches you how to design databases. guarantee today you have interacted with a database at least 5 times. logging into to boards? that's one. made a mobile phone call/text? that's two...
+ nicely paced with practical examples.

Minus points:
- can't really think of any tbh.

Microprocessor systems:

Plus points:
+ very low level programming, working with assembly code.
+ very practical.

Minus points:
- labs are tedious.

Data Communications:

Plus points:
+ excellent course, cover a lot but at a nice pace.
+ learn all about internet / lans / wans and how the communicate.
+ excellent lecturer knows what he is talking about.

Minus points:
- none really.

Web Development 2:

Plus points:
+ learn what goes on behind the scenes on a web server. ever noticed that boards.ie pages are .php instead of .html ? that's cause php is a server side language allowing you to create dynamic web pages with dynamic content.
+ good labs.

minus points:
- again html is involve and causes issues with crappy browsers .

Human Computer Interaction:

didn't do this course although it looks really interesting.

Strategic, Professional and Legal issues:

Plus points:
+ good lecturer

Minus points:
- just seems to be another one of them tacked on business subjects in my opinion.


also read these, the computer courses are highly popular here

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055298993&highlight=Computer+Science
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055346382&highlight=Computer+Science
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055184140&highlight=Computer+Science
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055136296&highlight=Computer+Science
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055048225&highlight=Computer+Science
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055073936&highlight=Computer+Science

yoyo

Good reply man

Nick

Gavin "shels"

Cheers Creamy Goodness.;)

Nemothefish

Do DT081!!

I personaly did not do it as I have done DT008 electroincs and communicaitons

DT081 is the Honers Verson of it!!

You get to go on placement in 3rd year of the course... Some people like it .. others Dispise it... ether way your in college and erning money :-)

The Module discriptors are online if you wish to read them.

There is alot of Maths in the course as you will be learning about electronics and there finer details- there is programming in it but not that much. C++ is a big one on that course you will also take a module about softwere disigan it is all about UML (BIG HUGE SNORE)

There is alot of practical hands on lab work on that course, it includes Networking, IE using Reuters, Switches, wireshark, and OPNET. it covers some of the Cisco course also.

Electronics Classes will involve building the circuits, and disigning them on computers using SPICE tools like ORCAD and pSpice.

I hope i was of help

So in a nut shell. Choose DT081 if you want to do somthing more then just codeing.

Jonniboy

I am thinking about doing a course in DIT but my primary intereests are 3d modelling/ art and animating and all that type of thing.

I'm finding it hard to come across an honours egree progrram in ireland that specialises in these reas and I thought from the prospectus that the Computer Science (sorry, can't remember the code for it!!) seemed most in line with my goals.

As well as offering excellent programing skills to.

Does any one know of good 3rd level courses that are geared toward creatng on computers?

Cheers!

Creamy Goodness

well i'll tell you for a fact, in Computer Science (DT228) you won't get near any kind of creativity (3D modelling etc.) in lectures/labs until at the very least 3rd year.

I presume when you say 3D modelling you're talking about games, but afaik modelling isn't a big part of the games stream. the games stream is more geared towards understanding how a games engine works (creating your own engine) and AI programming. Whereas you seem to be looking more for modelling as building say a game character from the ground up using tools like Autodesk's Maya

now don't take the above as gospel as i only done games for one semester and maybe someone here will correct me on this that has done/doing the games stream fully.

Jonniboy

Thanks Creamy,

Well games are one application alright, but there is also a large market for all sorts of computer animation/ modelling. Such as special effects in movies/ tv and even advertising for products and stations. Not to mentin the digital film production end of things.

As I said, being cretive and making animations etc. is my primary interest, however, I have been having some success through teaching myself using programs such as Maya and especially blender. I would like for there to be a course that focused on these areas but as there doesn't appear to be one, this course seems an excellent place to start any kind o career in IT.

I was aware of the structure of the course and of how little ayyention is paid to designing and building graphics and so on. However, I also have an interest in other areas myself so from that perspective it would be ideal. I am already on a web design course and there seems to be quite good support for this sde of IT. I would also love to learn about coding in in C+ and C++ and biulding game engines wouldn't exactly be the worst thing i can think of to end up doing!

So I guess what im trying to say, is that the course seems to exactly what it says on the tin, provides an excellent overall degree with a number of good options for making a career out of later in life.

But listen, thanks for the post Creamy and if you do hear of anyone working in this fied etc. please ask for their advice for me!

Cheers!!

:D

Creamy Goodness

Jonniboy wrote: »

Well games are one application alright, but there is also a large market for all sorts of computer animation/ modelling. Such as special effects in movies/ tv and even advertising for products and stations. Not to mentin the digital film production end of things.

ohh i know, i'm well aware of the other uses for 3D modelling/animation but i was purely going from the Computer Science angle, as it's the only angle i know :P

Jonniboy wrote: »

As I said, being cretive and making animations etc. is my primary interest, however, I have been having some success through teaching myself using programs such as Maya and especially blender. I would like for there to be a course that focused on these areas but as there doesn't appear to be one, this course seems an excellent place to start any kind o career in IT.

have you tried looking at IADT in Dun Laoghaire, surely they must have something to do with 3d modelling/digital design/animation side of things? My friend is out there and he has nothing but good things to say about the college and the course he's doing (Visual Communications).

Jonniboy wrote: »

I was aware of the structure of the course and of how little ayyention is paid to designing and building graphics and so on. However, I also have an interest in other areas myself so from that perspective it would be ideal. I am already on a web design course and there seems to be quite good support for this sde of IT. I would also love to learn about coding in in C+ and C++ and biulding game engines wouldn't exactly be the worst thing i can think of to end up doing!

exactly the Computer Science course is a great all rounder course into the world of IT and programming, i think though were it falls down slightly is on the practical teaching of networks, there's a lot of theory on networks but very little practical work on them.

the CS course also has an advantage of you being taught C/C++, where i worked (telecomms company) the company are crying out for for C++ developers and prefer the IT's like DIT and LIT for graduates as they teach C/C++ whereas Universities seems to start off with Java (there's nothing wrong with that before anyone says anything ).

Jonniboy wrote: »

But listen, thanks for the post Creamy and if you do hear of anyone working in this fied etc. please ask for their advice for me!

will do, i'm always interested in hearing other peoples opinions on what they did in college or how they got into their area of work so if i come across anyone i'll llet ya know.

Jonniboy

thanks man,

Yeah I think I'll be making my application in a few days for this course. It seems like a promising career with no shortage of work opportunities after you graduate, in a wide variety of fields.

Perfect!

As I will be making an application as a mature student, I dont suppose you would know what kind of special proces is there for making such an application? i.e. is there an interview process or a portfolio or what?

Cheers!

Creamy Goodness

I don't know anything about the process of applying as a mature student as i came straight from school.

I know though for definite they'd be no portfolio needed, there may possibly be an interview though.

Jonniboy

No problem Creamy!

Thanks for your help man.

:D

Naikon

yeah, if you apply as a mature student and prove the course will be
genuinely useful to you, you have a very good chance of getting in.

Especially considering the fact Comp Sci has no shortage of places:D
No portfolio is generally required unless it's an art/architecture course.

Jonniboy

Thats great! I have worked with computers my entire working life and have always been interested. I have worked in places like Microsoft and so on and I am already doing a course in web desin and self teaching 3d modelling etc.

It shouldnt be a problem convincing them t will be useful!!!
Cheers Naikom

Naikon

Jonniboy wrote: »

Thats great! I have worked with computers my entire working life and have always been interested. I have worked in places like Microsoft and so on and I am already doing a course in web desin and self teaching 3d modelling etc.

It shouldnt be a problem convincing them t will be useful!!!
Cheers Naikom

No probs mate.
Best of luck with the decision:)