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CMU CS Academy: a free online computer science curriculum by Carnegie Mellon

academy.cs.cmu.edu

31–40 of 150 posts

Re: CMU CS Academy: a free online computer science curriculum by Carnegie Mellon

#31

I hope they don't take it down like how Berkeley CS videos were taken down.

Those were taken down because of some complicated lawsuit about use of public funds to make available content that wasn't accessible to people with disabilities. It was too expensive to make the recorded lectures work with tools used by people with disabilities, so the university took down the content instead instead of spending even more resources making it compatible with screen readers, adding captioning, etc. CMU…

That is the most Berkeley thing I've ever heard

Re: CMU CS Academy: a free online computer science curriculum by Carnegie Mellon

#32

I wonder if soon all elite universities will make all of their curriculum and lectures free online, effectively turning them into content marketing to drive their customer acquisition funnel. The actual product will be a prestigious brand name, networking opportunities, and a laundered IQ test performed by the admissions committee anointing you with the stamp of approval at the gates. In the public's mind one goes to…

I think people dramatically overestimate the value of CMU social connections. The value of a CMU Comp Sci degree is that you've proven (to yourself and everyone else) that you can get one. The program is essentially one "weeder" course after another to identify the people who don't belong (21-127 Concepts of Mathematics, 15-251 Great Theoretical Ideas of Computer Science, 15-213 Introduction to Compute Systems, 15-41…

The PPP[1] networking opportunities are pretty big if you're interested in security. Similar network at RPI.

1. https://pwning.net/

Re: CMU CS Academy: a free online computer science curriculum by Carnegie Mellon

#33

I hope they don't take it down like how Berkeley CS videos were taken down.

Those were taken down because of some complicated lawsuit about use of public funds to make available content that wasn't accessible to people with disabilities. It was too expensive to make the recorded lectures work with tools used by people with disabilities, so the university took down the content instead instead of spending even more resources making it compatible with screen readers, adding captioning, etc. CMU…

We have to ask ourselves: too expensive for what?

Berkeley has a 7 billion dollar endowment. I am sure they could have found the budget to make the videos compliant. They simply chose not too.

Re: CMU CS Academy: a free online computer science curriculum by Carnegie Mellon

#34

I wonder if soon all elite universities will make all of their curriculum and lectures free online, effectively turning them into content marketing to drive their customer acquisition funnel. The actual product will be a prestigious brand name, networking opportunities, and a laundered IQ test performed by the admissions committee anointing you with the stamp of approval at the gates. In the public's mind one goes to…

This isn’t CMU’s curriculum. It’s a much simpler one made by CMU students and targeted at middle and high school students.

[dead]

Re: CMU CS Academy: a free online computer science curriculum by Carnegie Mellon

#35

I always find it disappointing when people equate CS to programming. In my view, programming is a at most a means to an end in CS. A tool that we use to show that something is possible, to implement a proof of concept. By looking at the code we can understand in a formally defined language how certain systems work. It is definitely an important tool in CS, and a practical skill that CS students can use in their profe…

I agree.

In my opinion, computer science is using mathematical constructs to produce correct programs. Computer engineering is getting the not-quite-ideal digital circuits in the computer to run programs correctly. Software engineering is a mixture computer science, computer engineering, and sociology while spinning a plate on a stick (or, if you're unlucky, while planning sprints).

Re: CMU CS Academy: a free online computer science curriculum by Carnegie Mellon

#36
post #4

How come this or things like https://teachyourselfcs.com/ dont exist for other fields like mechanical engineering?

I have both MechE and CS degrees. The big difference I see is that MechE is one course that builds on top of another on and on. Quite a rigorous progression that is hardcore on math and physics. To self teach MechE you have to work yourself through that progression which is a huge commitment. OTOH what most people consider “CS” is more like “the ability to program”. You can get competent enough to be dangerous with a…

I've heard the saying: Any idiot can make a bridge stand up. It takes an engineer to make the bridge barely stand up.

I want a class on making the bridge stand up for idiots (like "let's write this bridge in python, and build it with cob"). I don't care if I spend twice as much on wood and hay and mud or titanium or whatever. I live in the SF Bay Area, so I can't afford the mechanical engineers I can actually hire to design my crappy little bridge, and the ones I can actually hire are incompetent. Also, I don't want to buy more tools.

(To be clear: If you're a MechE in the SF Bay Area and reading this site then I can't afford your time.)

Re: CMU CS Academy: a free online computer science curriculum by Carnegie Mellon

#37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those were taken down because of some complicated lawsuit about use of public funds to make available content that wasn't accessible to people with disabilities. It was too expensive to make the recorded lectures work with tools used by people with disabilities, so the university took down the content instead instead of spending even more resources making it compatible with screen readers, adding captioning, etc. CMU…

We have to ask ourselves: too expensive for what? Berkeley has a 7 billion dollar endowment. I am sure they could have found the budget to make the videos compliant. They simply chose not too.

Endowments can't be spent.

Re: CMU CS Academy: a free online computer science curriculum by Carnegie Mellon

#38

I wonder if soon all elite universities will make all of their curriculum and lectures free online, effectively turning them into content marketing to drive their customer acquisition funnel. The actual product will be a prestigious brand name, networking opportunities, and a laundered IQ test performed by the admissions committee anointing you with the stamp of approval at the gates. In the public's mind one goes to…

[deleted]

Re: CMU CS Academy: a free online computer science curriculum by Carnegie Mellon

#40

I always find it disappointing when people equate CS to programming. In my view, programming is a at most a means to an end in CS. A tool that we use to show that something is possible, to implement a proof of concept. By looking at the code we can understand in a formally defined language how certain systems work. It is definitely an important tool in CS, and a practical skill that CS students can use in their profe…

[deleted]
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