Computer Science, A Science? Still debated…
As an update to my previous post on this subject “Computer Science, A Science?” more debate has taken place on the CompSci.ca forums and blog as a result of a blog post by Tony entitled “The most important programming language”. Many good points were made, for instance: Tony suggested that many people become confused between computer programming and computer science which I agree with.
Categories: Computer Science, Miscellaneous by Jason Ernst
Tags: Computer, Debate, Engineering, Mathematics, Science
Ubiquitous Computing vs Virtual Reality
Early this week, during a lecture at Guelph by Dr. Denko, I was introduced to the idea of ubiquitous computing. The idea was coined in the 1980′s by Mark Weiser at the Xerox Parc Lab. An extremely simplified definition of ubiquitous computing on the laboratory website is where technology recedes into the background of our lives. One person has many computers of various sizes and capabilities that aid the person in such a way that he/she takes for granted the computers are even there.
Categories: Computer Science, Miscellaneous, Research by Jason Ernst
Tags: Computer, Computing, Pervasive, Reality, Science, Ubiquitous, Virtual
Weasel Words in Computer Science
This week I had the opportunity to sit in on an M.Sc Thesis Defense at Guelph. In most of my courses so far at Guelph the profs have stressed that we should avoid weasel words at all costs in our Thesis and our defense.
The definition of a “weasel word” varies depending on the source but generally they are words which are misleading, make baseless claims or are exaggerations to make ideas sound better. Or like a weasel sucks the insides out of an egg, the weasel word sucks the value out of the document it appears in.
Categories: Computer Science, Miscellaneous, Research by Jason Ernst
Tags: Computer, Science, Weasel, Words
Computer Science: A Science?
Computer Science is a broad term used to describe many areas in the field of computing. Wikipedia defines Computer Science as the “study of the theoretical foundations of information computing and their implementation and application in computer systems.” In recent years, defining this field as a science has come under criticism from others in “pure” sciences like physics and chemistry. Even some members of the computer science community itself are skeptical about whether computer science should really be considered a science.
Categories: Computer Science, Miscellaneous by Jason Ernst
Tags: Computer, Debate, Science
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