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Help on software development

Dboy85

Hey

Startin this course in sept and im jus lookin for some info like:
*Which of the languages are used for the programming
*Any suggestions for good books or sourse material

Any tips would be welcomed advice

Thanks in advance

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Dave D

Hi,
Im just finishing the first year of this course myself. You will be studying the Java programming language your first year, Its a good language to learn not too difficult if you put in the work. As for the books,the lecture notes of the course are sufficient enough but Headfirst Java is a good book if want to study extra. Just don't make the mistake i did by not showing up to lectures it a pain to catch up on!!

Dboy85

Haha I made that mistake with Electronics. From what I gathered I thought they used c++ in the college??? Is it a case of just learning one language or do ye learn many? Is it Maths heavy and were their many drop outs?

Schism

In first year you do mostly Java and the maths is quite easy. First year is quite general. There's some dos and linux in there too.

In second year you continue with Java and start up VB.NET and Assembly. The maths gets a lot harder (relative to the first year stuff) but still very manageable if you get stuck into it.

I'm only finishing 2nd year now but I know in 3rd year you drop Java and start C/C++ (maybe C# too). Again I believe there's an increase in the difficulty of the maths.

I don't know much on 4th year but I think when you get to that stage the language you use for projects and such can be chosen. (Most likely C++)

If you want to get a head start maybe look up some beginner Java stuff but honestly I wouldn't worry about it, if you're interested at all in it you'll pick it up no problem.

Hope that helps.

Dboy85

Thanks for your help Schism. Just lookin te get a head start te put my mind at ease. Does a lot of the math cross over into programming? Are there any specific parts you'd advise to get a head start on? I know everyones different but in your opinion what areas would be most challenging?

Thanks in advance

Dave D

yeah what Schism says. The maths in first year is ok, you do Probability, sets,trigonometry and vectors all easier than whats in the leaving cert aswell as the likes of decimal,hex and binary number systems, truth tables and matrices. These can be tricky at first but once you learn them its pretty much repeating the steps. As for drop-outs, the ones that dropped out in my year, didn't really drop out because the course was too difficult just not the course they taught it would be.

Dboy85

Cheers Dave. Thats just what I was lookin for to gear up in Maths; I want to be able to see in binary by the time i go back :pac:. Just downed the book you suggested; it seems pretty good. Did you use any more sources online or anything?
Are the classes mixed with other courses for common subjects or are the same fellas in the same class the whole year? Bit off topic sorry lol

Thanks Dave

Dave D

The course is a common first year so you will be in a big class with networking, operating systems and applications students, and your usually divided into 3 groups for the labs, but the whole class are together for the lectures. The headfirst and lecture notes should be enough for first year. Binary urg I hated it aswell as hex, Have fun learning them lol :pac:

Dboy85

110110110010100101101 Thanks for the help guys any other tip and suggestion are welcome to aid survival :pac:

Dave D

Dboy85 wrote: »

110110110010100101101 :pac:

Nooooooooooooo!! Your bringing back bad memorys. Ha, ah its not that bad and they have a retention center for first years. so if you have trouble learning any of the maths or course material they are a great help.

Dboy85

Haha boolian was a legend :rolleyes:

Ivan

If it's the course I did, and it seems to be, although they've replaced Pascal with another year of Java (definitely a good thing) then it's pretty much as described. Math's get's increasingly harder, make sure you stay on top of that. You'll find alot of subjects overlaps with the maths courses, eventually if nothing else, so make sure you keep at least with the curve. Java is ridiculously simple, VB even more so but Assembly and the resulting Hardware classes are fairly tough. The Dos/batch script writing is very simple as is most of the Operating Systems classes. There was a Technical Documentation class too, not sure if it's still there or any viable justification for it still being there if it is

Business Studies was also a large component when I was there, again not sure if it still is, but if you have any issues with maths then this course will definitely cause you issues, especially since most of the lecturers for the subject tend to be very anal in all respects...

If you enjoy programming at all (and lets face it, you should ) then you will really enjoy java, visual basic and the assembly labs. If you dont, especially in first year with java... then cut your losses while you are ahead

Finally, I cant remember the exact terms but - when you get the choice - dont pick end user if you value your sanity, go with the software engineering/programming option (that is why you are there, afterall?) and if you get the choice, and or have David Kelly as a lecturer for anything, choose to do a 3rd year project with Lego Mindstorm. It's amazing stuff when you really get to pierce the layers and David will help you all the way.

Schism

Quiet true. Had David Kelly in first year, he's a very good lecturer, knows his stuff. I think he lectures C in 3rd year now.

RealistSpy

I am 1st year atm. It is easy very easy the hardest for me is networking. Programming is easy so as maths but depends on who you are.

Everyone forgot to mention that you will learn HTML aswell just the basics

and a tiny bit of Assembly language which I now hate!!

xual

Finishing 4th year Soft ENG hons... Nightmare of a year. there is talk of course consolidation so in 3rd year you might be mashed in to the third year (one year BSc in software development).. You swap over to C from Java then.

BUTTTTTT Unum have sponsored a new lab in the library for 3rd and 4th years. I've a feeling Java might be dropped for C#. I worked between 2nd year and third year for 10 years !!!!! big change for me. But I understand their trying to gear the course toward the industry more. UNUM are also talking about sponsoring Post Grad research, providing internships for 3rd years in Ireland and America!!! So you have plenty of industry experience which is essential when you apply for a job.

Good luck with it. Its tough. Computing and arsing about on a PC are two totally different things

Dboy85

"Computing and arsing about on a PC are two totally different things", feck it so lol!
Thanks for all the repiles guys. Did any of ye have previous experience before starting the course?
Is work experience part of the current curriculum? Anyone try microsoft lol:pac:

RealistSpy

No work experience in first year I know of. In terms of previous experience, none needed but if you have some in Java programming it might help you or networking. So download JCreator for yourself and practice

Dboy85

Eircom makin downloads expensive these days;)
Overal it sounds to me like its an enjoyable experience IF the work is put in!
Does anyone have past exam/assignment/projects papers that I could have a browse through? Would be very gratefull

RealistSpy

Dude your taking life too hard its easy!

relax.

RealistSpy

I can send you some current exam papers if you want. Programming or maths?

Dboy85

Haha probably! Just makin sure i'm prepared is all! Both if ya dont mind

Dboy85

Do you cover database programming languages on this course?

RealistSpy

Not in first or Second year. SQL I think in 3rd and 4th year not 100% though. the closest thing to DBPL in first year is Object Orientation in JAVA. Level = Medium to Hard.

Schism

Dboy85 wrote: »

Do you cover database programming languages on this course?

You do SQL in second year, one of the classes is Visual Basic and Databases. There's also project class in which you use SQL a lot.

RealistSpy

Schism wrote: »

You do SQL in second year, one of the classes is Visual Basic and Databases. There's also project class in which you use SQL a lot.

Ah yeh your right totally forgot about that!

Dboy85

RealistSpy wrote: »

Ah yeh your right totally forgot about that!

SQL must be a piece of piss then I take it

Schism

It's easy enough, well as much as we do is. I'm sure it can be a lot harder.

php-fox

Dboy85, I can recommend you getting a book on general theory of programming. Something to give you a little idea about object orientation and general practices.

Dboy85

php-fox wrote: »

Dboy85, I can recommend you getting a book on general theory of programming. Something to give you a little idea about object orientation and general practices.

All suggestions welcome. What did ya have in mind and dont say for dummies...Cos i've just started it haha:pac:

Schism wrote: »

It's easy enough, well as much as we do is. I'm sure it can be a lot harder.

I read in a book that db programming is one of the more "rewarding" sub categories for programmers. Lets face it more money the better in this country. I'm not materialistic but security would be nice

php-fox

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Object-Oriented-Software-Engineering-Practical-Development/dp/0077109082/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240014236&sr=1-4
You can go for something like this. O
Or this
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beginning-Java-Objects-Programmer/dp/1861004176/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240014236&sr=1-6

Dboy85

php-fox wrote: »

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Object-Oriented-Software-Engineering-Practical-Development/dp/0077109082/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240014236&sr=1-4
You can go for something like this. O
Or this
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beginning-Java-Objects-Programmer/dp/1861004176/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240014236&sr=1-6

You seem fairly certain of these books. Have you had good experience of these?
Thank you for your help fox.