I've got my M208 exam in less than a month, then for the first time in what seems like years I have several months off of the OU-type stuff.
A couple of years ago I had a similar break, I remember the cravings. I suspect that this time it will be worse. I need a project to be going on with. One that involves computing and maths.
I suppose that I could work on my "let's recreate MathCad" effort. But, to be frank, it's a complete mess, and it's a complete mess because I don't know how to plan a software project properly. Well I know a wee bit, it's just that I don't do it. In part this is down to the fact that I don't know how to work the tools that would allow me to plan properly. I suppose that I could learn said tools, but as I intend to take M256 this seems a wee bit like 'double handling'.
The sad truth is that anything non-trivial is beyond my abilities. I could build something that works, in the right wind conditions, but ... I have quite a few bits of code that I need for my work that I have to use with my fingers crossed—and the code [mine] is so awful that I can't even consider maintenance. Once-upon-a-time I didn't know my limits.
So I'm caught in a trap—I know enough not to "do an Icarus", but I don't know enough to "do a Wright brothers".
All this was brought home to me today after a discussion about the school web site. Which, because it's slightly less-than-awful, has become something important to the parents, and thus Important.
The problem is that the web site has a bus-count of one, me. So me training others was considered. Then I re-considered this in private and began to have second thoughts, the site is bespoke [ie quirky, ie designed to be used by me], I'm a crap teacher and I ha' ma' doots that the people concerned will be happy about what they will have to do. [Normal people freak when they see HTML, never mind editing it] So a content-management system then?
I could build a CMS [I don't want to lose control, given options people will do awful things to my site!] but it would involve a web page file-upload to an already insecure server. Not an idea that I like, all the city's school sites live there.
Once upon a time I would have just built it. Now I know better, it requires thought. And having thought...
If in doubt build an interface, not a workflow. So a content-management thingee it is then. But...
This post is approaching the rambling/incoherent cusp so I'll sign off now...
Time to download that Java stack and build the ultimate lego guardian robot.
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I need a project to be going on with. One that involves computing and maths.
How about learning LaTeX and then be able to produce beautiful mathematical docments? If that's not enough, how about adding a LaTeX renderer to a web site so that it could display maths like you've seen in the M028 forum?
There's also a OUSA LaTeX and TeX forum for help when the M208 forum becomes read-only.
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Hi Steve
I've resisited learning LaTex, don't know why, but it's actually something that I should learn. Actually it's something that I must learn. [Along with MathJax]
Perhaps...
arb
neil
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Come and join us on the Cambridge computing activities forum. OK for the differential equations project which I hope to tackle after exams and before Christmas you might have to download some of the MST209 material from Open learn but it's maths you should know anyway. and as you aren't planning to do MST209 that would be the ideal opportunity because after Feb 2012 it's going to be 18 months of pure slog due to the change over.
So there you go on the one hand learn some applied maths, on the other hand learn a bit about numerical solutions to differential equations and their limitations.
Simples
Chris
PS Anyone else who reads Neil's blog is more than welcome to join in. Just send an email to
chrisf19572002@yahoo.co.uk with your OU identifier thats the thing you log into to access your homepage not your PI number.
(Devotees of the prisoner a cult series of the late 1970's must feel a bit miffed as far as the OU is concerned not only are we not a name but we are at least two numbers)
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hi Chris
Once the exam is over I'm definately going to try some! Happy revising.
arb
neil
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Great, it's all a bit quiet at the minute due to exams etc but hopefully it will pick up after then
Good luck with the revision as well
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Hi Neil
Hope you don't mind if I post a few details of the Cambridge computing projects on your blog (you get far more visitors than I do)
The starting point is here
http://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/undergrad/catam/IB/
Which is a set of 7 projects set to second year Cambridge mathematics undergraduates. 1 Introductory one and 2 core projects then four options
If you look further on the web site in their third year Cambridge undergraduates are given a bewidering range of projects to do from all branches of mathematics.
The average is four.
The emphasis on these projects is not software engineering but understanding the mathematical techniques and limitations of numerical analysis.
Whilst the recommended language is MATLAB alternatives exist such as Scilab which can be downloaded for free. Again the language is not specific
Anyway if anyone is interested (and I do think one of the defects of the current OU curricula is it's amost wilful neglect of numerical techniques) please send me your OU id (eg mine is cdaf2) to
chrisf19572002@yahoo.co.uk
So far we have a core of 4 (some of the usual suspects) and about 10 lurkers. Lurking is fine if you want to know how we are getting on or just are just intrigued. After an initial burst of enthusiasm on the first part of the first project things have gone quiet due to TMA deadlines and exam revision. But things should pick up after the exams.
Sorry for butting in but I thought some readers might appreciate this
All the best Chris