DT228 computer science

SoTek72

I know this question comes up often enough,
but i would really appreciate some current opinions on the course from anyone doing it.

I was at the DIT open day and found the people there to be for the most part friendly and helpful,
and i was all set to put DT228 as my first choice.
Its just that the large "DONT GO TO DIT" thread is kinda making me doubt that earlier sentiment

Stench Blossoms

It's a great course if you have an interest.

Everyone from my graduating class of 2009 has a good decent job if that helps.

beno619

Its a good course if a have an interest in the software side of computers if ur more interested in hardware then u might be a little disappointed.

the lectures are quite dedicated and the computer department is one of the biggest in DIT.
DT228 is the flagship computer course so theres alot of effort put in by lectures.

kevins street isnt the greatest but there are enough dedicated computer rooms and the computers that work work well, but your right beside aungier if u wanna go the for lunch or just to chill ( creep on the moths ).

1st year DT228 btw

so yeh don't be put of by that thread because every course is different but so far so good for me
1st semester =
> Problem solving
> Programming ( C programming language gives us a good foundation but no gaming sadly )
> management (bollix)
> communications ( waste of time )
> databases ( interesting subject, kinda tricky )
> computer architecture (lots of theory, took apart a pc and we have a great lecturer

second semester =
> programming
> maths
> algorithm design
> web development
> operating systems
> marketing (?)

courses are always up for review and could change by next year anyway hope that helps

Captain_Generic

In 4th year at the moment and to be honest i wouldn't recommend the course to anyone until Grangegorman is sorted.

The facilities are atrocious, we seem to waste half our allotted lab time trying to either find a computer that works, getting a computer to work, or waiting for the network to work again(that sentence was a lot of work....).

That said, the lecturers are great for the most part.

Naikon

Captain_Generic wrote: »

In 4th year at the moment and to be honest i wouldn't recommend the course to anyone until Grangegorman is sorted.

The facilities are atrocious, we seem to waste half our allotted lab time trying to either find a computer that works, getting a computer to work, or waiting for the network to work again(that sentence was a lot of work....).

That said, the lecturers are great for the most part.

Yeah, alot of Lecturers in Kevin Street are pretty decent. Some are beyond a joke though. I agree with the general sentiment about facilities. That is to say, for the most part, are piss poor. No way I would go back knowing the state of the place coupled with ever increasing fees.

Cheeky monkey

They're doing some sort of shadowing thing where some local students come in and follow a computer science student around for a day. I think its being organised by the access service if you contact them they might let you do it

JRant

In second year of DT 021 in Kevin st and have to agree about the facilities. Don't do it in D.I.T. The lecturers for the most part are sound but the I.T facilities are truly awful.:mad:

GrumPy

Stay clear. Coming from a 4th year current studying DT228. Try for DCU instead!!

Cheeky monkey

You can't really expect the computers to work all the time with people ripping cables out whenever they get the chance

yoyo

Cheeky monkey wrote: »

You can't really expect the computers to work all the time with people ripping cables out whenever they get the chance

Ensuring a stable working wireless network may avoid people doing this, its a pain getting connected, half way webcourses loading the internet cuts off, who wouldn't get annoyed and using a network connection at least guarantees a relyable connection.
I've started using logmein free, connecting to my pc at home and doing all my work on my home PC through the college ones, that way you don't need to rely on the U: drive and have access to your work at home (as DIT now no longer let you access aishling from outside)

Nick

johndb

I was thinking of going to do this course too. However I find some of the comments about the computer facilities a concern.

JRant wrote: »

the I.T facilities are truly awful.

Naikon wrote: »

are piss poor

Captain_Generic wrote: »

The facilities are atrocious, we seem to waste half our allotted lab time trying to either find a computer that works, getting a computer to work, or waiting for the network to work again(that sentence was a lot of work....).

Is there some exaggeration there? Would it be like 99% of the computers are fine and it is just the odd one that needs to be fixed. Also surprised to hear of the difficulties to get the computers connected to the internet in this day and age and given its location surely it would have access to the fastest broadband speeds in the country.
Also curious what subjects are done in Grangegorman, is this for the Computer Systems Administration stream in 4th year?
It is an institute of "technology" and it is the school of computing so at the least I would expect those areas to be of high standard.
Can anyone provide more details or reassurance on these things?

yoyo

johndb wrote: »

I was thinking of going to do this course too. However I find some of the comments about the computer facilities a concern.




Is there some exaggeration there? Would it be like 99% of the computers are fine and it is just the odd one that needs to be fixed. Also surprised to hear of the difficulties to get the computers connected to the internet in this day and age and given its location surely it would have access to the fastest broadband speeds in the country.
Also curious what subjects are done in Grangegorman, is this for the Computer Systems Administration stream in 4th year?
It is an institute of "technology" and it is the school of computing so at the least I would expect those areas to be of high standard.
Can anyone provide more details or reassurance on these things?

Unfortunately, its not too large an exaggeration. While the lectures in DIT are great for the most part the IT department are lazy and seem to have a not give a sh!te attitude towards the upkeep of the systems. Yes some computers don't work as people use the LAN cables for surfing the net (Due to the wifi network constantly going down/not working although there is a improvement I notice in this semester), in kevin street generally finding a computer that works to work on isnt too difficult, usually one of the many labs are free (there are 2 over in Aungier Street which arn't used at peak often so can be used if you dont mind the trip over there).
I've started using logmein and my home pc to do labs as you can be pritty much guaranteed either, office wont run, adobe reader wont run, webcourses will only crash on load, U: (Student drive) not mapping and many other annoyances on the systems, and its been working well so far

Nick

johndb

LogMeIn looks interesting. I intend to try that out at some point in the future.
I have a few questions about it:
Do you have to have your home pc (the remote pc you want to access) powered on and connected to the internet when you try to access it? (presumeably yes?)
Also does the remote pc require a high speed network connection, would mobile broadband (i.e. with a dongle) be sufficient?
It seems the free version doesn't support file transfer. Do you know if the free version allows you to access a applications (e.g. ms word,excel) on the remote pc that you haven't got on the pc you are using?

yoyo

johndb wrote: »

LogMeIn looks interesting. I intend to try that out at some point in the future.
I have a few questions about it:
Do you have to have your home pc (the remote pc you want to access) powered on and connected to the internet when you try to access it? (presumeably yes?)
Also does the remote pc require a high speed network connection, would mobile broadband (i.e. with a dongle) be sufficient?
It seems the free version doesn't support file transfer. Do you know if the free version allows you to access a applications (e.g. ms word,excel) on the remote pc that you haven't got on the pc you are using?

Home PC must be on for it to work alrite. A decent fixed broadband connection with around 300k up I'm sure would be grand for it, I'm on UPC 30meg so have 3 meg up so I have no problems with it, logmeins plugin automatically tweaks the quality for the best setting though.
The firefox plugin which it has allows you to use the pc as if its a remote desktop connection (Full screen-match resolution etc), I installed firefox portable to my U: drive and use that with the plugin installed to access the pc.
File transfer wise, I use Dropbox, as handy and free . Just login to www.dropbox.com and login in college and your files will be there

Nick

Finite

000webhost.com

Free webspace.. use a standard ftp app.. no restrictions .. you can save the login details, in filezilla for example, for handyness

grimm2005

DT228/4 student here and have to echo what people are saying about the facilities, they are absolutly atrocious and this year in particular has been really bad in terms of finding a lab to work in, and when you do finally find one and set up to do some work, you're turfed out 10minutes later by a lecturer who has a lab (sometimes even when fúck all people show up for their lab)

Naikon

grimm2005 wrote: »

you're turfed out 10minutes later by a lecturer who has a lab (sometimes even when fúck all people show up for their lab)

I hate when that happens. I mean fair game if the lab is nearly full, but to turf somebody out who is clearly working/minding their own wax is a bit questionable. I have been in labs were the people supposed to be there were simply browsing facesham/talking for 20 mins.

Honestly, some of these Lecturers have a bit of a superiority complex, so it's best to just comply and minimize your interaction as much as possible. Do not add fuel to their inflated sense of self worth. Just to note, the majority do not fit the above profile, but as the tayto ad always mentions, there is always one:p

Cheeky monkey

Hey grimm you know there is a 4th year lab on the first floor? Also this did come up in a meeting with campus life and it seems you can actually book a lab if the times free and a lecturer won't be able to wander in and toss you out. Also don't forget you can log onto the CS servers from any campus on any computer on the ict domain

GrumPy

Cheeky monkey wrote: »

Hey grimm you know there is a 4th year lab on the first floor?

And to gain access to this alternate universe, magical room, I have to stand 3/4 of the way between the door from 117 to 114, close my eyes, sprint and hope for the best, right?
Cause if your talking about 114, 115, 116 or 117, Your having a laugh. :rolleyes:

Cheeky monkey

GrumPy wrote: »

And to gain access to this alternate universe, magical room, I have to stand 3/4 of the way between the door from 117 to 114, close my eyes, sprint and hope for the best, right?
Cause if your talking about 114, 115, 116 or 117, Your having a laugh. :rolleyes:

Haha sorry man I honestly thought it was a case of 4th years only **** off everyone else :P

GrumPy

I was turfed out of 3 of the 4 rooms I just mentioned in the space of 2 hours last week. :rolleyes:

Facilities are terrible. Can't wait to get out of the place. and burn it to the ground.

yoyo

Cheeky monkey wrote: »

Haha sorry man I honestly thought it was a case of 4th years only **** off everyone else :P

I think that 117 (I think?) room at the end of the corridor used to be a 4th year only lab, for some reason that was changed, possibly due to the creation of that "games lab". I'm so sick of the useless facilities and things not working in DIT these days I've just caught up with stuff at home, only going in to the lectures, it really is a joke as Grumpy points out how your just told to get out of the lab by certain lecturers, even if working on fyp/thesis it doesnt matter

Nick

sdanseo

Just avoid DIT in general tbh, terrible imitation of a proper college.

Stench Blossoms

Everyone go to DIT. It's great!

IPushButtons

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

Everyone go to DIT. It's great!

I will, but only if you can make me sound like this guy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Wkw9nvRCY8&feature=related

iangobl

In second year at the moment and wouldnt agree completly with what people are saying. Facilities arent fantastic and you will get kicked out of labs but thats just because there classes on. Can be avoided by bringing in a laptop. You can get a lot of the software off the college for free. probably a bigger issue for 4th years.

The course itself is good though most lecturers are sound and helpful and classes are smaller. Just my opinion

grimm2005

iangobl wrote: »

Can be avoided by bringing in a laptop.

Not if you're depending on the college wifi which is down for the 78th time or just extremely slow and need to plug in to the network/laptop has a dead battery.
If you need to work together, the library is too quiet and the snackery is too loud.
I work pretty much exclusively off my laptop this year but still need access to the labs!

iangobl

grimm2005 wrote: »

Not if you're depending on the college wifi which is down for the 78th time

This is true Wifi is awful. Doesnt even let my laptop connect anymore for no reason.

To anyone thinking of doing the course next year i would say dont let people bitching about facilities put you off (some are exagerated others are true) if you have an interest in the course its a good course in my opinion.

Finite

Connecting to wifi in the kevin.st library is usually a sure bet. I think that's were one of the connections is based.

The course itself is great even if the facilities aren't. Speaking as someone who has done plc's in previous years there is a lot of exaggeration. At least there are computers to begin with.

Having a laptop is a definite plus though.

Joebits

If you're thinking of doing a Van Wilder on it..then..Eh no...
There's not even a student bar..

As for this course:
Facilities could be worse.
Has a high drop out rate because some of the modules are boring but what course doesn't have boring modules?
There are no chicks. But the BioMed chicks are usually around the place to have a gander at.
Or you could just do Biomed and get some?

At the end of the day,
You get what you put into this course really.
Its mostly about dedicating your own time to practicing programming and what not. If you do so. You'll be fine.
Dossers will drop out because they are not keeping up with labs/work.

2nd year student,
Joe
:pac:

marko93

What's the points for this in D.I.T?