CSE372 Computers in Organizations
- How to design input/output and Human Interfaces [ d1.html ]
- How to code data elements [ d2.html ]
- Conceptual models and Entity-Relationship Diagrams [ d3.html ]
- Normalizing sample data to get a refined data base design [ d4.html ]
- Telecommunications and Network Services (TNS)
2012-03-22 Thu Mar 22 12:48 Big changes coming CSE557 replaces CSE372
There has been a change in the curriculum. The CSE372 class has been replaced by CSE557. CSE557 will also be available for elective credit in the BS and MS degrees.Watch out for a new set of web pages.... [ ../cs557 ] that will need massive editting.
2011-12-13 Tue Dec 13 11:12 Two small changes made to grading
2011-12-09 Fri Dec 9 13:50 Grades Posted
Check these out for possible errors [ grading/ ] before I lock them into CMS.
2011-12-07 Wed Dec 7 12:52 Graded questions 1 2 and 3
2011-12-06 Tue Dec 6 16:46 Caught up with grading
See [ grading/ ]There are more seminars on Friday 9th to make up for points lost prior to the final.
The deadline is passed for the last project:-( Did I loose two?
I hope to post first cut grades on thursday or friday. watch this page.
2011-12-01 Thu Dec 1 17:19 Presentations were good -- next the final
[ grading/ ]The final will be on Tuesday from 4pm-5:50pm -- see the class schedule for the quarter.
The structure will be close to the [ mock.html ] and the questions close to previous [ finals.html ] for this class.
Bring some blank paper to write your answers on! At least 8 pages, possibly more if your writing is large.
2011-12-01 Thu Dec 1 11:23 Campus is open -- expect class today -- Presentations
Today each team must present their work.Hardcopy can be delayed if we spot errors.
2011-11-30 Wed Nov 30 11:19 High Winds tonight and tomorrow
If the campus is closed watch this page for information...My plan:
-
The presentations will be cancelled and
you'll EMail me a short question or message with CSE372 in the subject to
earn credit. I will assign the same score to the presentation as to the
hardcopy of the project submitted in my office hour next Tuesday Dec 6th.
2011-11-30 Wed Nov 30 10:40 Most Questions answered
[ questions2011.html ]2011-11-29 Tue Nov 29 11:10 Grades posted and todays class -- SDS
I have posted the latest grades at [ grading/ ] ready for your to review.....Today is the 19th class of 20... [ review.html ] [ project5.html ] and I will show videos on making presentations and will then review your project, face to face, with each team.
Bring a single question you would like answered before the final on a piece of paper with your name on it. I will try to get them answered in class or on this web site.
Presentation Hints
Prepare before you powerpoint
[ ../cs489/present.outline.html ] [ ../cs489/presentation.slides.ppt ]Guy Kawazaki
[ watch?v=liQLdRk0Ziw ] the 10-20-30 rule for pitching an idea to a venture capitalist. 10 slides + 20 Minutes + 30 Point font.
Stand up comic skewers bad Power Point
[ watch?v=6tGq3tH4qSw ] (Don McMillan).. . . . . . . . . ( end of section Presentation Hints) <<Contents | End>>
2011-11-22 Tue Nov 22 12:53 Class 18 today -- project SDS Quiz SOTE
Prepare for today's class by studying [ r3.html ] (SDS). As usual one Review qn+ans is handed in. There will be a quiz on this material.Each teach should hand in the next ittereation of the project [ project4.html ] and should be thinking about assembling an SDS and presentation...
The last 20 minutes of the class will be for a SOTE...
Have a good Thanksgiving break....
Next Tuesday is a course review [ review.html ] and project work. Bring a question you need answered to class!
2011-11-17 Thu Nov 17 09:47 Grades posted and class 17 -- use cases
I've posted the latest [ grading/ ] which shows a slight shift downward:-(You should study [ r2.html ] which is all about software requirements and the modern way to write them -- Use Cases. These are a way of organising what a piece of software needs to do and also the process of producing it.
At the end of the class tou will be working on (1) improving your project documentation (I will hand back marked up work) and (2) moving on to the next iteration. See [ project4.html ] for the details.
I have been preparing an improved web page that should help you review all the material you have covered... it has links to the readings and to the exercises we do in class, plus question people ask about the topics in this course...
2011-11-14 Mon Nov 14 10:41 Grades posted and next class
See [ grading/ ]The next class is #16. Prepare using [ r1.html ] (Rules and procedures) and bring the usual review Qn+Ans...
Each team needs to submit the latest iteration [ project3.html ] of their projects -- data definitions!
There will be a quiz where you will have to express a complex rule using one of the techniques in the above notes, and also draw a small ERD.
2011-11-10 Thu Nov 10 10:52 Class 15 today -- normalization
All computer suystems are about data. The question is -- what form of data is maintainable. It turns out that when data is in Normal Form it has fewer anomallies and has some standard tools and languages to help implement it.Prepare for today by studying [ d4.html ] and doing the review questions. Hand in a question and an answer at the start of class. You can also hand in a sample of data with your name on it -- this is one of the review questions/exercises.
We will do some normalisation in class as exercises and then you will have class time to work on [ project3.html ] which is due at the start of the next class.
The next class is about rules and procedures: study [ r1.html ] to prepare for next Tuesday.
Small schedule change [ schedule.html ] I've move some project time from the end of class 18(Tues 22nd) to class 19(Tues 29th).
2011-11-08 Tue Nov 8 09:52 Class 14 today -- ERDS
Today you should have prepared by studying [ d3.html ] (Entity Relationship Diagrams) and completing Thursdays emergency take home quiz.You should hand in a Review Qn+Ans plus the quiz at the start of class.
ERDs are a simple and expressive way to capture the ideas in stakeholder's minds -- those things that they want the system to remember. They express a methematical model of the world that the stakeholders are interested in. The complement DFDs by documenting the detailed content of data stores and data flows.
There will be a quiz on ERDs at the end of the class. The next step in the project well require details on all the data in your design.
The next topic -- normalization [ d4.html ] -- is the most useful tool in a system designers toolkit. It lets you go from samples of data (in the old or new system) and deduce a data base that supports them. Please bring some samples of data to class 15 on Thursday.
2011-11-07 Mon Nov 7 13:27 Added a joke
This comic [ http://xkcd.com/974/ ] perfectly describes a common error newbies make when doing systems work -- not being specific.
2011-11-04 Fri Nov 4 09:44 PDFs of readings generated
I have just created PDFs of the readings for this class. Each page of readings has a link at the top:
![[Where the PDF link is on a page]](PDFlink.gif)
Next I will edit the [ readings.html ] file to have links to the PDFs...
Let me know [ contact.html ] if you have any suggestions or comments.
2011-11-03 Thu Nov 3 18:52 Class interupted and finished early
I will be putting up PDF versions of the web pages on this web site for people with e-readers.When the alarm went off and we were evacuated I handed out the quiz to be done as a take home quiz. Please work alone but you can use notes/web pages/handouts. Hand in with the next Review question+answer on Tuesday.
2011-11-03 Thu Nov 3 10:06 Grades posted and class 13 today
I posted the latest grades last night... I will be handing back the last quiz and project today.Today we study the ways of encoding and parsing data -- study the handout and [ d2.html ] and do as many review questions as you can. Hand in one Qn+Ans at start of the class.
The class ends with a brief introduction to conceptual ERD modelling using the UML [ d3.html ] and the next step of the project [ project3.html ] and quiz 7 on encoding and parsing data.
I have just created a [ calendar.html ] for this class.... what do you think of it.
By the way, when I generated the calendar I discovered some small errors about "Tu" and "Th" in the [ schedule.html ] which I have corrected. This is a particualr example of a common pattern -- changing the format of the data exposes different errors. You can improve quality by looking at data in many different formats.
2011-11-01 Tue Nov 1 13:52 Prep for class 12 Tuesday November 1st
Where are starting a series of topics that focus on data
Please study [ d1.html ] and do as many review questions as you can before the start of class. Hand in at least one Qn+Ans at the start of class. Also each project team must submit their [ project2.html ] so that I can grade it ready for Thursday.
There will be a quiz on todays topics.
There will also be a special (hardcopy) handout for you to study as part of the assigned reading for class 13 on Thursday.
2011-10-27 Thu Oct 27 10:51 Prep for class 11 on October 27th Planning and Managing
Study [ c3.html ] (local) and [ PERT ] (Wikipedia).Do as many review questions as you can and hand in just one with its answer at the start of the class.
During class we are going to do several PERT/CPM/Network planning exercises.
The class finishes with starting the next iteration/phase of the project [ project2.html ] where you demonstrate its financial feasibility. This work needs to be completed as assigned work and handed in for grading in the next class on Tuesday November 1st.
2011-10-25 Tue Oct 25 21:14 Grades posted
[ grading/ ]2011-10-25 Tue Oct 25 10:40 Prep for class Tues October 25th
I expect you to hav studied [ c2.html ] on development strategies. I expect you to be ready to do exercises and to do a quiz on the topics in this page. Alos bring one review question and an answer to class.To complete the virtual field trip [ F3.html ] hand in your rough notes of your experiences. I also expect a short (sort!) verbal description of what happened...
I do not want a tidy and sanitized report this time. Just your notes.
2011-10-20 Thu Oct 20 15:14 Field Trip 2 Presentation Slides
Sunny just Emailedme his slides [ CSE_presentation_updated_09272011.pptx ] , Enjoy!
2011-10-19 Wed Oct 19 14:12 Grades posted and class 9
I've put several tables of grading data in [ grading/ ] ready for you to review. This includes a special table of bonusses and when they were earned and the summary sheet where the bonusses are added in to the pre-final score.Study [ a5.html ] to learn about non-diagramatic ways of documenting and describing systems. This includes scenarios, data dictionaries, glossaries, prototypes, and lots of other techniques. They complement DFDs and ERDs.
As always tackle as many review questions as possible and be ready for them to turn up in class as exercises (and on quizzes and the final). Hand in one review Question and Answer at the start of the class for instant grading..
I will introduce the third virtual field trip at the end of the class.
2011-10-18 Tue Oct 18 13:22 Class 8 today -- Choosing Projects
Please study [ c1.html ] (Choosing a Project Part 1), do the review question and bring one+answer to class. Also I'm expecting your second field trip report.
2011-10-13 Thu Oct 13 14:59 Preparation for class 7 today
Today we have the second field trip: [ F2.html ]You should all prepare some question to ask and hand one in to me at the start of the class.
I expect each project team to hand in a [ project1.html ] preliminary project scope (who is doing what).
2011-10-10 Mon Oct 10 09:48 Grades published etc
The latest [ grading/ ] is online, please review...On Tuesday we will be reviewing ERDs and DFDS. Please study [ a4.html ] and make sure tou understand the different types of diagram and how they are drawn. They will be on a future quiz, they will be on the final, and you will be using them in your projects.
Do the review questions and hand in at least one (with answers) before the start of the class.
2011-10-06 Thu Oct 6 07:34 Floods and Computer Systems
A number of people asked about the risk of flooding in the data center. Here is a report of the effect of flooding in Sierra Hall yesterday:-
System: All communications for Sierra Hall (SH)
A rain in Sierra Hall has caused shut-down of all phone and data communications in Sierra Hall.
Services Impacted: Telephones, Data Network, Email etc for users in SH
Thanks to quick work from Facilities Services, the water leak has been diverted from the network equipment in Sierra Hall.
The switches are currently powered down, and drying out. TNS staff will attempt to restart the network connections for voice and data about 7 AM on Thursday morning.
Next Update: approximately 8 AM on Oct. 06, 2011
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
- David Neighbours, Interim Director
2011-10-05 Wed Oct 5 10:50 Grades Posted and next class
Please check out [ grading/ ] for the latest grades and let me know if anything is wrong...Please study this page [ a3.html ] on Systems Architecture, and do as many of the Review Questions as you have time for. Bring at least one review question and your answer to class.
2011-10-04 Tue Oct 4 13:44 IT Hell
Bad situations [ 174559 ] (Infoworld) and how to avoid them!
2011-09-28 Wed Sep 28 14:52 Grades online
[ grading/ ]Next class is a field trip -- bring questions and meet i the class room promptly.
2011-09-27 Tue Sep 27 14:30 Second Meeting and first Quiz
I expect you to studied the reading [ a1.html ] on Systems Theory, done the review exercises and handed in one of them. There will be a short lecture and lots of practice on the materials. After I introduce the next class there will be a 20 minute quiz to end the class.Meanwhile -- here is a sample of what this class is about
-
IRT Bulletin
Date: September 27, 2011
Time: 12:50 pm
Systems: Campus web server, Meeting Maker, GIS, Class Climate, HEAT, Cumulus (photo server), Navsea (media stream server).
Message: The servers will receive the security patches for system updates on Sunday October 2nd 8:00 am - 12:00 pm. Estimated patch time is 4 hours Impact: During the update process the above systems, will be temporally unavailable.
Next update: October 2, 2011
2011-09-13 Tue Sep 13 13:24 Schedule and syllabi sent to printing
[ schedule.html ] [ syllabus.html ] [ ../syllabus.html ] (They include links to TXT and PDF versions for downloading to ebooks and dumb terminals).
2011-09-08 Thu Sep 8 14:43 Schedule finalized
Other than the inevitable errors and disastors, this [ schedule.html ] is the schedule for this class this quarter.
2011-09-04 Sun Sep 4 16:55 Just got the date for the final exam
[ schedule.html ]Next need to set up field trips and quizzes...
2011-08-19 Fri Aug 19 12:28 Starting to redact older items in this blog
I will be going through the older postings and either deleting them, shortening them, or moving them into the readings.2011-08-11 Thu Aug 11 16:32 Changed format of pages
I simplified the header/navigation by putting the reading in [ readings.html ] a separate file. From now on as I work on each page it will be given the new format.Also putting a quick list of links at the end of each page.
2011-08-04 Thu Aug 4 10:24 Started prep
By reviewing the online syllabus [ syllabus.html ] (corrected 10:35) and adding a couple of examples of systems misbehaving.2011-06-20 Mon Jun 20 15:02 Plan for Fall 2011
As in previous years we will not have a text book but instead study designated pages on the Web.I have started adjusting the schedule [ schedule.html ] to the calendar for 2011... but it will have errors and has at least one, as yet, unknown date.
2010-12-14 Tue Dec 14 10:33 Grades posted to CMS -- prep for next course
The final distribution of grades was like thisTable
| Distribution | A/A- | B+/B/B- | C+/C/C- | D+/D/D- | F | WU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency | 6 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
(Close Table)
I am not making a big change but switching the content of the 3rd and 2nd classes around ready for the next time CSE372 is taught -- hopefully Fall 2011.
2010-12-13 Mon Dec 13 14:46 Grades updated to include Friday 10th Seminars
Look at [ grading/ ] and let me know ASAP of any errors or omissions.
2010-12-09 Thu Dec 9 17:36 Final Graded
I've graded the final and published draft grades [ grading/ ] for the course.I will review these for errors and extra bonusses on Monday. It is still possible add bonusses to the total before the final -- until you hit 300 points (the max). There are 4 seminars on Friday.
2010-12-06 Mon Dec 6 13:06 New grades posted
I'm waiting on getting all the hard copy projects in. One team to go at the last count.
Here is the distribution
Table
| Distribution | A/A- | B+/B/B- | C+/C/C- | D+/D/D- | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency | 6 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
(Close Table)
[ grading/ ]
You can increase the prefinal total upto the 300 point max by reporting on a seminar or two before Monday Dec 13th 9am. [ ../seminar/ ]
2010-12-03 Fri Dec 3 11:23 All questions answered
Thank you for some interesting question at least two of them will lead to a better experience for future students.I've grouped all the questions about the final is a section at the start of the page: [ questions2010.html ]
By the way -- I have indexed all the questions and the search at the top of the page will list the relevant questions along with other relevant items on the web sight if you supply a word or acronym or phrase.
2010-12-01 Wed Dec 1 10:32 Grades Posted and Seminars Added
We now have 3 seminars on Friday the 3rd and 3 on Friday the 10th. [ ../seminar/ ]Judging by the grades that I just posted [ grading/ ] a number of people will benefit by attending the seminars and writing a brief report -- 5 points per seminar.
Table
| Distribution | A/A- | B+/B/B- | C+/C/C- | D+/D/D- | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency | 2 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
(Close Table)
2010-11-30 Tue Nov 30 19:43 Feedback on Takehome Quiz
Great work -- no points were lost.However I realized that I had failed to teach you the cleverest way to number alternative scenarios. I've corrected my notes. Basically if something can go wrong in step n in the main scenario then the alternative scenarios that handle it a numbered na, na, nc, and so on. You can also specify a range of steps: n-ma, or even a unversal failure possibility: "*a", "*b", ...
Hope this helps.
Your questions will be answered (I hope) in [ questions2010.html ] shortly.
2010-11-29 Mon Nov 29 10:34 Seminars for extra credit
We now have two seminars on Dec 3rd and two on Decemeber 10th. Please check [ ../seminar/ ] for details and later announcements.2010-11-23 Tue Nov 23 15:22 Use Case History and advice
[ Use+cases,+ten+years+later ]
2010-11-22 Mon Nov 22 14:39 Do not sneer at the Cloud
[ it-hiring-stays-woefully-slow-except-network-and-virtual-specialists ]
2010-11-19 Fri Nov 19 13:36 Grades posted etc
I've just posted the latest [ grading/ ] so you can check it out.The next piece of reading is [ r2.html ] on use cases and requirements. The usual Review Qn+Ans is expected on Tuesday. On Tuesday I will rerun the marked up and graded projects, so you can start on the next phase. I'll also be handing out the Thanksgiving take home quizzes. You can download [ 17r2Q10.doc ] which is a MSWierd "doc" file that can be used as a template for the answers.
2010-11-16 Tue Nov 16 18:00 Grades updated
Thursday class [ r1.mth ] (rules, procedures and algorithms) including a quiz.Due in: review Qn+Ans & [ project3.html ]
2010-11-10 Wed Nov 10 11:07 Grades up to November 10th posted
[ grading/ ]The next class will be on Tuesday and will cover detailed data design [ d4.html ] (hand in a review Qn), and will also start the next iteration [ project3.html ] of the project.
2010-11-09 Tue Nov 9 17:32 Day of week corrected after thanksgiving
[ schedule.html ]2010-11-05 Fri Nov 5 12:21 Grades ready
[ grading/ ]The next class relies on you studying [ d3.html ] and doing the review questions. There will be a quiz on ERDs at the end of the class.
There is a holiday on the next Thursday.
After the holiday we meet on Tuesday 16th of November to review normalization and start the 3rd iteration of your project (data defintions).
2010-11-02 Tue Nov 2 15:18 Human Interface Design Today
I've just spotted this [ http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/11/long-live-design/ ] article on Wired. It matches my thinking on Web design [ d1.html ] which we will discuss in class today.Due in: at least one Review Question+answer from the reading.
Each team to submit [ project2.html ] the next iteration of their project.
2010-11-02 Tue Nov 2 10:34 New Example being added to notes
I've decided to add a new simple example of a project. It is called AMP -- The Absent Minded Professor system. The vision is a simple system that lets a professor recall, quickly, where they taught a student. Here is the development as a series if DFDs: [ AMPContext1.png ] (INitial context diagram) [ AMPLevel0DFD1.png ] (Level0 DFD exposes an error) [ AMPLevel0DFD2.png ] (Improved level0) [ AMPContext2.png ] (updated Context).The above will be placed in the DFD notes... and the [ d3.html ] notes will have the ERD. What happens after that is not clear!
2010-10-29 Fri Oct 29 09:51 Grading -- updates and corrections
I've been failing to give the full 15 points for each Field trip. So I have adjusted all the scores up... [ grading/ ]
2010-10-22 Fri Oct 22 11:02 Grades posted
[ grading/ ]Next: [ F3.html ] , submit a rough set of notes, no more than a page! 10 point.
[ c2.html ] and submit a review qn+ans.
2010-10-21 Thu Oct 21 15:45 Describing systems -- details
[ a5.html ] (reading) plus [ Qa5.html ] (exercises).Next [ F3.html ] (field trip) and [ c2.html ] (Costs, benefits, and implementation options).
2010-10-19 Tue Oct 19 15:43 Choosing projects
The reading was [ c1.html ] and I expect one answered review question from it.THe first phase/iteration is due to day at the start of class today.
Class exercises will come from [ qc1.html ] (for those with flu...).
There is a quiz to handed out and done today.
2010-10-08 Fri Oct 8 13:05 Field Trip Presentation uploaded and Online
[ CSE_presentation_updated_0922.pdf ]Items from Previous Quarters redacted below
2010-09-23 Thu Sep 23 17:46 Announcements after Class 1
Firstly, I will be giving 5 bonus points if you attend a CSE Club function and sign the sign up sheet.Secondly, thanks to a question from an alert student -- yes you can use a single sheet of notes in the quizzes and final. You can write anything you want on it, in any form, and on both sides.
Third: To prepare for the next class study [ a1.html ] and do as many of the review questions as you have time for. Write one Review Question and its answer on a piece of paper and hand it in before the start of the next class.
2009 Grade Distribution
Table
| Total Distribution | A/A- | B+/B/B- | C+/C/C- | D+/D/D- | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency | 7 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
(Close Table)
2008-12-11 Thu Dec 11 13:12 Final and Course Grades Posted
Two people in the class got an A -- well done.
The distribution of grades is
Table
| A/A- | B+/B/B- | C+/C/C- | D+/D/D- | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
(Close Table)
2006-12-08 Fri Dec 8 10:12 Draft grades posted for course
I've posted the grades at [ grading/ ] and the distribution isTable
| Distribution | A/A- | B+/B/B- | C+/C/C- | D+/D/D- | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency | 4 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 |
(Close Table)
Note I had to rescale the total scores because nobody got an 'A' on the raw scores. You will find this escape clause in the generic syllabus [ ../syllabus.html ] for my classes.
Except for
2005-12-07 Wed Dec 7 13:12 Grades Posted
Table
| Distribution | A/A- | B+/B/B- | C+/C/C- | D+/D/D- | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency | 3 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
(Close Table)
The previous blogs for this course have been removed.
Abbreviations
Links
Notes -- Analysis [ a1.html ] [ a2.html ] [ a3.html ] [ a4.html ] [ a5.html ] -- Choices [ c1.html ] [ c2.html ] [ c3.html ] -- Data [ d1.html ] [ d2.html ] [ d3.html ] [ d4.html ] -- Rules [ r1.html ] [ r2.html ] [ r3.html ]
Projects [ project1.html ] [ project2.html ] [ project3.html ] [ project4.html ] [ project5.html ] [ projects.html ]
Field Trips [ F1.html ] [ F2.html ] [ F3.html ]
[ about.html ] [ index.html ] [ schedule.html ] [ syllabus.html ] [ readings.html ] [ review.html ] [ glossary.html ] [ contact.html ] [ grading/ ]