| Course Code and Title |
Term took |
Prof |
Comment |
Rate |
| CS Courses |
| CS 130: Concepts of Computer Programming |
F 95 |
Chrysanne DiMarco |
If you have taken any programming courses in high school,
you don't even need to go to class. I remember that the
lectures were right before lunch, and we used to go there
for a minute to see what the topic of the day is, then go
directly to lunch. And no, we didn't need to use the Macs
for assignments. Turbo Pascal was allowed. |
**** |
| CS 134: Principles of Computer Science |
W 96 |
Keith Geddes |
|
**** |
| CS 246: Software Abstraction & Specification |
F 96 |
B Simpson |
Skipped too many classes to remember anything... and I still
got a decend mark for the course (yes, even with that 30 paged
final exam.) So there's really not much
to say about this course. However, you probably should go to
those few classes about objects, and you'll realize
that the programs you had written were just ____. |
**** |
| CS 240: Data Structures & Data Management
Notes |
S 97 |
Ian Munro |
Whew! My #1 course from hell! It was the first time this course
was offered, and I was stupid enough to choose taking it plus CS 341
rather than just CS 340. It would probably be better now that the
profs and the faculty actually know what this course is about.
But still, the text book is a piece of junk. One reference that
I strongly suggest is Introduction to Algorithms by Thomas H. Cormen,
Charles E. Leiserson, and Ronald L. Rivest. |
** |
| CS 241: Foundations of Sequential Programs
Notes |
S 97 |
Brad Bart |
Compiler and Assembly was actually an interesting course, but I have to warn you
that it's not easy. Even though the TAs had been murmuring about
how much more work they had to do in the past, the work load was
still intensive, especially that most people take this course with
other hell courses. I remember spending a couple of all-nighters
finishing off the assignment for CS 241, then the assignment for
CS 240 was due in two days... And this happened once every two weeks! Also,
the assignments are group works, so you better be smart about choosing
your partners. I have actually seen quite a few crippled (or even broken)
friendships after this course.
Aside: The lecturer disappeared from the campus after that term. A legend about him is that
the windows of his car had been purposely broken and threatening notes
had been sent to his doors.
| *** |
| CS 341: Algorithms |
|
|
|
|
| CS 342: Control Structures
Notes |
W 98 |
Peter Buhr |
One of my favourite and best graded courses. Concurrency is an
interesting topic itself, and Peter was a great professor. You would
understand everything in lectures even if you don't in other classes, and he
is willing to help outside classes too. You can always find him crowded
by bunch of geeks (I'm not saying you mar, Thomas. Really!) after class answering questions for at least half an
hour. And there was once that I went to him with a stupid bug in the
program. He actually sat there going through the whole thing with me for
an hour. In this course, you can seriously get a lot of help. Besides
Peter, Caroline Kierstead, the lab co-ordinator, is also very helpful in
answering questions. If you can't find her in her office, my hint is to
find her in the CTRL-A shows. |
***** |
| CS 351: Digital Design and Architecture
Notes |
W 98 |
Farhad Mavaddat |
My #2 course from hell. This is the only course I came through knowing
everything there is possible to know and still got low grades. And
one thing that I learn most from this course is that being a prof doesn't
mean that a person is trustworthy. I won't say too much about this course
or it'll turn into a prof-bashing page. But one thing to say is that there
are no useful past exams in MathSoc, not many of them are available in the world,
and those posted on the web pages are pictureless (think about it, a digital
design exam consists of solely diagramic problems only!!!) However, you do
NEED them to pass the course. And if you have any friends
in 2nd year Engineering, borrow their texts! You'll need to know way more
than what you get in class. And don't copy assignment 3 even if you have
it from some upper year students. The assignment is only 5%, but its
worth in the final exam weights much more than that.
A perfect course to learn the curelness in real life. |
* |
| CS 354: Operating System
Notes |
F 98 |
Rob Good & Howard Hamilton |
The reason that I put two profs under this course is that both of them were great,
and I actually tried (and succeeded for half of the time) going to both of their lectures, but Rob's class was at 8:30am...
Sorry Rob! I can't help it especially during the midterm period. Anyway, this
is another wonderful course. Even though it drained out practically every single
bit of me by working continuously for over a week for each assignment, I actually enjoyed
it. Warning: Don't take any crazy course in the same term with this course, or you'll be
in the lab forever and don't even need to rent a place. Again, the
assignments are group works, and you seriously do want some responsible group partners
for this course even if you hadn't for CS 241. And watch out for group partners with
just a bit too many social activities. |
**** I would have given it ***** if the final exam was easier |
| CS 360: Intro to Matematical Logic
Notes |
W 98 |
Paul Kearney |
What can I say about this course? It could have been a great course except for
Recursive definition. However, my advise is to get ahead of the class. Learn
the materials before they are even presented in class if you want good grades. |
*** |
| CS 370: Numerical Computation |
F 98 |
Peter Forsyth |
Choose your prof wisely for this course, or you WILL definitely regret it. You MUST
spend LOTS of time on the practice questions. Prepare for some variations. If your
exams are open-booked, it doesn't hurt to find hundreds of past papers or old course notes.
If they are still using that black covered text book, throw it away and get the
reference text, Numerical Analysis by Burden and Faires instead. |
*** |
| CS 445: Software Requirement: Specification & Analysis |
F 98 |
Michael Godfrey |
My advise is DON'T TAKE IT! It's not worth the stress and work! In general, giving up on
anything is not my style, but I am glad that I did give up on this course, otherwise
I would have lost interest in Software Engineering, something that I once believed to
be the sign from God. If you seriously do enjoy this field, sit in for the lectures instead!
It's the exam and the project that're killing people. No, it's not exactly the marks. I believe
that there were about 40% bonus on the final mark, and nobody failed the course. Yet,
the stress was tremedious, and the project was totally stupid. |
** |
| CS 448: Introduction to Database Management |
S 99 |
| CS 454: Distributed Systems |
S 99 |
| CS 480: Information Systems Management |
W 00 |
| CS 488: Introduction to Computer Graphics |
|
| CS 494: Computers & The Law of Info Tech
Notes |
F 98 |
Jerry Kreindler |
A CS bird course. Yes seriously: A CS bird course. You cannot skip class, but the lectures
are interesting most of the time anyway. There are no assignments, and you only need to read
through the text and course notes to pass the exams. It is probably difficult to get a really
high grade because of the nature of the course, but I don't think anybody failed
it either. And besides going to the lectures, you almost won't feel its existence. |
**** |
| Math Courses |
| AM 250: Modelling with Differential Equations |
F 97
DE |
Beverley J. Marshman |
This course is an application to calculus. If you
enjoy calculus, this is a fine choice. Only, I won't
recomment taking it through Distance Education. I don't
know much about this course on campus, but I find taking
a math course in the work term very stressing. |
*** |
| C&O 230: Introduction to Combinatorics |
S 97 |
C. R. Richmond |
|
** |
| MATH 135: Algebra |
F 95 |
Willard |
|
**** |
| MATH 136: Linear Algebra I |
W 96 |
Conrad G. Hewitt |
Great Prof. Great Course. However, he has left Math for
those church colleges the last I've heard. And... make sure
you remember to fill in every page of the exam paper... :( |
**** |
| MATH 137: Calculus 1 |
F 95 |
Steven S. Lu |
Don't sit in for his session. Switch into his class!! |
**** |
| MATH 138: Calculus 2 |
W 96 |
Liu |
Hmmm... Hahaha... Be ware of being "picked up" even if you
go to class. |
*** |
| MATH 235: Lineary Algebra 2 |
F 96 |
Chetat Ng |
|
**** |
| MATH 237: Calculus 3 |
F 96 |
Marita C. Chidichimo |
Tip of the day: Part marks are not guaranteed. It doesn't
matter if it's JACKobian or Jacobian, or you have only missed
one line in a 10 marks question, or there is only a |0.000000001|
error.
One prof's treat is another prof's poison. |
** |
| PMATH 330: Intro to Mathematical Logic |
F 95 |
|
I was going to say that this is a bird course. However,
with the horrible memory from the final exam, I can only
leave you with your luck. Basically, the materials are
not difficult. |
**** |
| STAT 230: Probability |
F 96 |
Chris Springer |
In UW CS, there is a legend saying that they kick away about one
third of the class in the second year. (And I truly believe
that it's true.) This course is supposingly to be one of these
courses (along with STAT 231, CS 241, etc.) I don't know how much
help there is from a high school finite course, because I never
took it, but I did find many people suffering from it. |
** |
| STAT 231: Statistics
Notes |
S 97 |
Winston Cherry |
Okay, another one of those special-mission courses.
Special Memory: Dances of a wedding :) |
** |
| Electives |
| ACC 121: Understanding & Using Financial Accounting Information |
F 95 |
|
I admit! I suck in Accounting! It's nothing to do with not taking
an accounting OAC! While everybody claimed that it's a bird course,
I find myself dying for it... No, it's not my kind of courses! |
** |
| ACC 122: Understanding & Using Managerial Accounting Information |
W 96 |
Jennifer McMillan |
I seriously don't know why I took it... <sigh> |
** |
| ECON 101: Introduction to Microeconomics |
F 95 |
Larry Smith |
I don't LOVE him as some of the others in the class do,
but I suppose he is the best possible prof for many people
(and probably the worst for the rest.) Basically, he hosts
his lectures, and you do need to keep reminding yourself that
this is a lecture and you are suppose to write notes down instead
of watching a show. His examples are... uh... representative.
We still talk about them some of the time. I especially love
his last question in the final exam. :) |
**** |
| ECON 102: Introduction to Macroeconomics
Notes |
W 96 |
Larry Smith |
|
**** |
| ENGL 109: Introduction to Essay Writing |
S 98
DE |
Neil Randall |
No, it is not a bird course. Well, maybe it is on campus, but it's
definitely not through distance education. Besides, you really
need luck for choosing your marker for the course, because you'll
have to stick with him/her, like it or not. |
*** |
| HRM 200: Basic Human Resources Management |
S 99 |
|
|
|
| JAPAN 101R: First-Year Japanese 1 |
S 99 |
|
|
|
| MSCI 211: Organizational Behaviour
Notes |
F 96 |
|
I just can't believe it!! I went to lectures, made notes, and studied
for exams, but still got a lower mark than somebody who skipped
every single lecture, flipped through the summaries in the text book,
and didn't even bother to look through my notes!!! |
*** |
| PHIL 145: Critical Thinking
Notes |
F 98 |
Charles Wallis |
With Wallis, it's absolutely not hard to get an A+
from this course, especially when you're in Math. I
did see Art people suffering from it though. |
***** |
| PSYCH 101: Introductory Psychology
Notes |
S 96
DE |
Philip Merikle |
Another course that would have been easier on campus than through
distance education. (Well, at least you don't have bonus marks by
going through experiments) |
*** |
| STV 100: Society, Technology & Values: Introduction
Notes |
S 97 |
Daryl Pullman |
Relaxing lectures, not-so-relaxing final paper. And those
weekly summaries can be annoying, so my hint is to stock up
on a couple of them when you have the time.
Aside: The first time I realize that we, CS students,
are seriously trained to "work" under stress ;p |
**** |