fandomhigh | Entries tagged with computers

Sam looked a little sad today as everyone took their seats at the computers, and not just because it was their last class. Summer was pretty much over, which meant he'd have to go home soon, and as much as he missed New York, he knew he was going to miss Fandom fiercely too.

"So, it's our last day together, and that means that technically, we're supposed to have a final," he said, once everyone was settled. "But, it's still summer, so I figured we could go for the easy route instead: show me one thing that you learned how to do in the last few weeks here. It'll be easy for you, and interesting for me, and then you can have the rest of class to play around," he said. "You guys have been a great class, and I'm really glad you all signed up to be here."

likethegun

"Hey guys," Sam said, once everyone had arrived. The computers were off today, and Sam was at the front of the room with a cardboard box next to him on the desk. "I'm really glad to see you all after missing you last week, and I'm really glad you're all okay." At least until the next thing came around.

"I know that so far we've been talking about computers as the things in front of us, but these days, computers are a lot more than just the machines we have here. Laptops and tablets and even phones can do a lot of the things computers can do, and there have been handheld computer games for quite a while."

Reaching into the box, Sam pulled out a keychain-sized toy. "This is a virtual pet. Just like a real pet, you have to feed it, clean up after it, and play with it to keep it happy. If you don't keep it happy, well, you lose, and you have to start over again with a new pet. I'm going to pass the box around, and I want you all to take one. Play around with it to see how it works, and try to go through as few pets as possible before we meet again next week."

likethegun

Sam had sent an e-mail to everyone canceling class today, but in case people missed it (not being computer-savvy yet, of course) he also posted a note on the door:

Hey guys,

Class has been canceled today due to the current freaky business. Please keep yourselves safe, especially if you're going to be crazy and go outside to try to fight things. I won't discourage you, but I'd also like to see you all in one piece when this is over.

Be careful, and for God's sake, get yourselves looked at if you get sick. If any of you need me, I'm going to be in the library for the foreseeable future.

-Sam

likethegun

When everyone arrived today, they'd find the computers turned off, and a television at the front of the room, along with bowls of popcorn and more hot chocolate. Sam really didn't like being cold, in case that wasn't obvious.

"We've seen computers do some neat things in here," he said, "but sometimes, people seriously overestimate the kinds of things computers are capable of doing. Usually, it's Hollywood that takes things too far, and today, we're going to watch a really good example of that."

It was possible that Sam's definition of "really good" didn't match up with reality.

"I hope it should go without saying that you shouldn't try any of this stuff, since it probably won't work but, seriously, don't try this stuff without a really amazing reason, okay?" Not that he was worried about anyone in here doing bad things, but there was no telling what people could secretly be capable of.

likethegun

Normally, Sam would have been wary about mixing drinks and precious technology that didn't belong to him, but it was still really freaking cold outside, so when the students arrived, they would find hot chocolate waiting for them by their computers.

"So, one of the most useful things about computers, in my opinion, is how they help us communicate with each other," he said, once everyone was settled. "There's a lot to be said for receiving a well-written, handwritten letter, but sending messages through the computer is a lot faster, and more effective, most of the time. Communicating online is especially important for people in Fandom, because sometimes, electronic messages are the only way people here can keep in touch with friends who have gone home. To be honest, I'm not sure how it all works, but it's one of the nice things about this place that balances out things like snow in July."

"Another thing about communicating on the computer is that you don't have to talk to people you already know. There are lots of ways to meet new people who you share a common interest with, and the one we're going to play around with today is chat rooms." This had the potential for disaster, but Sam was keeping his fingers crossed that it would work out anyway. Once everyone's computers were on, he showed the students how to connect to IRC. "There are a lot of different rooms you can connect to, most of which are based on a single topic or interest. Find one that interests you, and see if you can strike up a conversation."

likethegun

Sam had been nice and turned on all the computers again before the students arrived, since it made up for how potentially mean he was about to be.

"Hey guys, welcome back," he said, smiling at them. "So, I figured we'd start this week with the biggest reason people use computers these days - the internet. Now, I don't want to just set you loose to explore, because there's a lot of terrible stuff out there, so instead, I want to focus on a particular kind of website, namely the kind that are designed to suck you in and not let go. Whether it's encyclopedic information, lists, fiction discussion, or even pictures of animals, these sites are ridiculously addictive, but also a lot of fun." Sam showed those who didn't know how to get onto the internet and go to specific sites, and then looked around. "I want you to pick one of these sites, or another one that might interest you, and see how long it takes you to get back out of it. Then, we'll talk about what you guys think of this kind of crack." If nothing else, they'd have to stop looking when class was over, right?

likethegun

Once again, Sam had taken over the computer lab for his workshop, and since it was the first time they were meeting, he'd made sure all the computers were on and ready to go when the students arrived.

"Hey guys," he said, perching on the edge of the desk, since it made him a little less intimidatingly tall. "I'm Sam Winchester, and you all can call me Sam because I'm really not old enough to be Mr. Winchester yet. For those of you who don't know me, I graduated from Fandom last year after four seriously crazy and awesome years, so if you've ever wondered if it's possible to survive here for that long, it totally is. If you have any questions about this place, and not just about class, I'd be happy to talk to you." Because there were few things Sam loved more than talking about Fandom, the dork. "I'm going to be spending the next few weeks getting you guys more comfortable with computers, and/or showing you how to do stuff you don't normally do. Computers are a big part of the 21st century--which, granted, we're not in right now--but if you're going to stick around for a while, you should at least learn how to not be afraid of them."

Sam stood up so he could see everyone and smiled around at the class. "Since this is our first week, I figured we could do the introduction thing like you've probably been doing everywhere else," he said. "So, names, when you're from, and how much computer experience you already have. Then, I'll show you how to set up a username and password for yourself, to use for the rest of the workshop."

likethegun

Sam looked a little sad today as everyone took their seats at the computers. "So, it's our last day together, and that means that technically, we're supposed to have a final. But, it's also the summer, so a real final seems kind of mean. I figured we could go for the easy route instead: start the computers up, and show me something that you learned how to do in the last few weeks here. It'll be easy for you, and interesting for me," he said. "You guys have been a great class, and I'm really glad you all signed up to be here." Yes, even you, Topher.

likethegun

When the students arrived to class today, they'd have found Sam looking a bit like crap, sitting behind the desk at the front of the room, instead of sitting on top of it.

"So, uh, I'm going to let you guys kind of play around on the computers today," he said, rubbing his forehead like that would make his headache go away. "Another way that technology has really improved things for people, besides the ones we've already talked about, is in photography. Pictures have come a long way from the old black and white stuff, and there are places all over the internet where people share the pictures they've taken, sometimes just to share them with family, and sometimes to share them with everyone in the world who wants to see them. What I want you to do today is search for pictures that interest you, and see what you can find. You might be surprised by what's out there."

Especially since, in his tired and weary state, Sam had forgotten to mention how to turn things like Safe Search back on. Oops.

likethegun

"Hey guys, and ladies," Sam said, once everyone had arrived to the computer lab. The computers were off again today, and Sam was at the front of the room with a cardboard box next to him on the desk. "I know that so far we've been talking about computers as the things in front of us, but these days, computers are a lot more than just the machines we have here. Laptops and tablets and even phones can do a lot of the things computers can do, and there have been handheld computer games for quite a while."

Reaching into the box, Sam pulled out a keychain-sized toy. "This is a virtual pet. Just like a real pet, you have to feed it, clean up after it, and play with it to keep it happy. If you don't keep it happy, well, you lose, and you have to start over again with a new pet. I'm going to pass the box around, and I want you all to take one. Play around with it to see how it works, and try to go through as few pets as possible before we meet again next week."

likethegun

When everyone arrived to class today, they'd find the computers turned off again, and a television at the front of the room, along with bowls of popcorn.

"We've seen computers do some great things in here," Sam said once everyone was settled down, "but sometimes, people seriously overestimate what kinds of things computers are capable of doing. Usually, it's Hollywood that takes things too far, and today, we're going to watch a really good example of that."

It was possible that Sam's definition of "really good" didn't match up with reality.

"I hope it should go without saying that you shouldn't try any of this stuff, since it probably won't work but, seriously, don't try this stuff without a really amazing reason, okay?" There, now if anyone did illegal things and went to jail, it wouldn't be his fault, right?

likethegun

This week, when the students arrived to class, they'd find the computers turned off. Sam had decided that it was time to start taking the training wheels off, at least a little bit.

"One of the most useful things about computers, in my opinion, is how they help us communicate with each other," he said. "There's a lot to be said for receiving a well-written, handwritten letter, but sending messages through the computer is a lot faster, and more effective, most of the time. Communicating online is especially important for people in Fandom, because sometimes, electronic messages are the only way people here can keep in touch with friends who have gone home. To be honest, I'm not sure how that all works, but it's one of the nice things about this place that balances out things like ending up in places where it never stops raining." Fandom was all about the balance sometimes.

"Another thing about communicating on the computer is that you don't have to talk to people you already know. There are lots of ways to meet new people who you share a common interest with, and the one we're going to play around with today is chat rooms." This had the potential for disaster, but Sam was keeping his fingers crossed that it would work out anyway. Once everyone's computers were on, he showed the students how to connect to IRC. "There are a lot of different rooms you can connect to, most of which are based on a single topic or interest. Find one that interests you, and see if you can strike up a conversation."

likethegun

Sam had been nice and turned on all the computers again before the students arrived, since so many of them had claimed to only have a little experience last week. Plus, it made up for how potentially mean he was about to be.

"Hey guys, welcome back," he said, smiling at them all. "So, I figured we'd start this week with the biggest reason people use computers these days - the internet. Now, I don't want to just set you loose to explore, because there's a lot of terrible stuff out there, so instead, I want to focus on a particular kind of website, namely the kind that are designed to suck you in and not let go. Whether it's encyclopedic information, lists, fiction discussion, or even pictures of animals, these sites are ridiculously addictive, but also a lot of fun." Sam showed everyone - or, at least, everyone who needed to know - how to get onto the internet and go to specific sites, and then looked around. "I want you to pick one of these sites, or another one that might interest you, and see how long it takes you to get back out of it. Then, we'll talk about what you guys think of this kind of crack." If nothing else, they'd have to stop looking when class was over, right?

likethegun

Since it made the most sense to him, Sam had taken over the computer lab for his workshop, and since it was the first time they were meeting, he'd made sure all the computers were on and ready to go when the students arrived.

His students. Yeah, that wasn't going to get old any time soon.

"Hey guys," he said, perching on the edge of the desk, since it made him a little less intimidatingly tall. "I'm Sam Winchester, and you all can call me Sam because I'm really not old enough to be Mr. Winchester yet. For those of you who don't know me, I graduated from Fandom last year after four seriously crazy and awesome years, so if you've ever wondered if it's possible to survive here for that long, it totally is. If you have any questions about this place, and not just about class, I'd be happy to talk to you." Because there were few things Sam loved more than talking about Fandom, the dork. "I'm going to be spending the next few weeks getting you guys more comfortable with computers, and/or showing you how to do stuff you don't normally do. Computers are a big part of the 21st century--which, granted, we're not in right now--but if you're going to stick around for a while, you should at least learn how to not be afraid of them."

Sam stood up so he could see everyone and smiled around at the class. "Since this is our first week, I figured we could do the introduction thing?" he said, sounding slightly uncertain, but hoping everyone would go with it. "So, names, when you're from, and how much computer experience you already have. Then, I'll show you how to set up a username and password for yourself, to use for the rest of the workshop."

mike-cannon.livejournal.com

Mike Cannon was not in a very good mood. "We're going to make this short and simple today since I have a headache," he said. "One of the best known computer applications is having the computer play chess. When you or I play chess, we have to sit there and think through all the possible moves, analyzing them for the best possible outcome. It takes a while. The computer can do all that work in a fraction of a second, and as a bonus, it doesn't break a sweat. It doesn't get flustered."

He gestured to the computer workstations, all set up to play a chess game. "For your final exam, you're going to try and beat a computer at chess. Anyone who can beat the computer gets an automatic A on the exam. I'll also give an automatic A for the course for the person who can find me a damn cup of coffee that isn't decaf."

mike-cannon.livejournal.com

This week's class was back in the regular classroom. Since it was the last week before finals, Mike stopped in at J,GOB on his way in and brought cupcakes. "Congratulations on making it through the entire semester," said Mike. "Feel free to grab something to eat. You've earned it, and you may need the sugar boost to get through today's lesson."

He looked just a little bit apologetic as he continued. "Today, we're going beyond the basics of just using the computer to look at the programming language that tells the computer what to do. Now, this is probably more than you will ever have to do, and admittedly, it may be just a bit above your comprehension level, so don't worry too much if this seems really complicated. The point is to understand what's going under the hood."

With that, Mike turned around and started writing on the chalkboard.

#include <iostream.h>

main()
{
   for(;;)
     {
     cout << "Hello world! ";
   }
}

"This is all the code you need to run a very basic computer program," explained Mike. "The language we're using here is something called C++, which happens to be my very first programming language. In this program, the computer is instructed to print the words 'Hello world!' on the screen. We have a call to a function library, iostream.h, where someone else has helpfully stored the instructions for printing something on the screen. We have main(), which is a special function declaration. Don't worry about what it does. Just remember that every C++ program needs to have that. Then there's the function that starts a recursive loop..."

Mike paused here, considering his words carefully before continuing. "That's really a bit more of an advanced topic. The important part is that you see the instruction cout, which is the command to output something on the screen. The part that is within the quotation marks is what's printed, and then both functions are closed and the program exits. And that's it. What we've just done is trace a program, which means we've looked at how it is interpreted from start to finish. In a more complicated program, we'd be looking for any potential flaws that cause the program to run incorrectly."

"We'll stop there for today, but if you're interested, there are plenty more of examples of the 'Hello world!' program in other languages as well. Good luck with your final exams next week, and if you have any questions for me, I'll be holding extra office hours on Thursday."

mike-cannon.livejournal.com

"Today's lesson is short and sweet, but still very important for beginners," began Mike, standing at the front of the computer lab. "Save your work and save often. You don't know if you'll be attacked by a gremlin before the assignment is finished or if the power will go out before you save those last fourteen pages of your term paper." He cringed. "I spent another three hours trying to recreate the work I lost that night. It's worth your while to find a word processor that allows auto-saving in the background. On my copy of Microsoft Word, just to to Tools, and then Options, where you'll see a tab marked 'Save.' There, you can set it to auto-save and set how often you want it to auto-save. It's also a good practice to manually save every so often by hitting Ctrl + S or the save icon in the toolbar, which usually looks like a small floppy disk. Either way, you want to find out how it works before getting to any serious work."

After answering any questions ~~if there were any~~, Mike moved on. "If you've looked at the calendar, you might have noticed that we only have one more class before final exams. If there's anything that you need covered before the end of the semester, let me know now. I'll answer your questions today as best I can, and we can cover any big topics next week."

[OCD ~~coming~~ up! I have a work thing to deal with in the morning, but I should be back to pick up pings after 3 PM CDT.]

mike-cannon.livejournal.com

Mike had a smile on his face as he faced the students. "Don't worry. We're not going to be dealing with any weird languages today," he said.

"A few weeks back, we watched the movie 1999 and talked about the consequences of putting too much faith in technology. Today, we'll revisit that discussion after watching BattleDrill," he continued. "This time, someone puts a computer in charge of launching nuclear missiles. Afterwards, we'll talk about why it is so dangerous to use an easy-to-guess password."

mike-cannon.livejournal.com

Class was in the computer lab again, but today Mike was furiously typing at one of the computers. Without saying a word, he waved at the students to indicate that they should take their seats at their workstations. After a few moments, they would see an instant message pop up on their screens.

"70d4y we'Re 90in' 70 Le4rN H0w 70 sPEeK iN leE7 SPEEk."

Mike waited a moment to watch the students react before he started tapping at his keyboard.

"'Leet Speak' is used by some advanced computer users. There's several different theories as to how it originated. Some parts come from common misspellings, other pieces come from attempts to beat text-based filters. Leet speak also gives users a sense of community. It lets them differentiate themselves from n00bs, or newbies. And in turn, those n00bs feel like they're part of this community when they finally learn to understand and use all those weird words. Phr13ND2, 70d4Y \/\/3'r3 g01N' 70 L34Rn H0\/\/ n07 70 74LK L1k3 N00b2. Or, friends, today we're going to learn how not to talk like n00bs."

Mike sent the students a link to a website on l33t speak made easy and waited for the students to talk to him.

mike-cannon.livejournal.com

This week's class was in the Danger Room again, using the simulation of the Montecito's security office. Mike waited until everyone was seated before he began. "It's good to see that you're all back, safe and sound," he said, looking over the class. "Obviously, a lot has happened in the past week, but by working together as a community, we were able to safely bring back everyone who had been taken. A key factor was research that led to clues which helped the away teams know where to look."

There was a sense of melancholy as Mike continued. "Computers can do a lot when it comes to research, but they're not perfect. Sometimes, we can make connections between ideas that the computers can't even recognize. Before spring break, we looked at how a casino uses computers to store and track live camera footage to look for trouble. I can tell you from experience that they're not perfect. Today, we're going to look at an old case that's rather personal for me."

The control room sprang to life, with technicians running back and forth with urgency as Mike continued. "Fifteen minutes ago, an employee in the valet area reported seeing something disturbing. He got a glimpse of a panicked woman in the back of a cab, and she was holding up a makeshift sign that said 'help me.' As the employee moved to take a closer look, a tour bus pulled up and cut off his access to the cab, and by the time he went around it, the cab was gone. Now, if I play back the video," said Mike, tapping a few buttons on the computer in front him, "you can see the employee, and you can see the tour bus, but because there are so many cars, you can't really see the cab. The camera angle that would have given us the best view is totally blocked by the bus."

He replayed the footage again in slow motion, and the students might have noticed this time around that the employee who saw the cab was none other than Mike. "Your task today is to help find someone in trouble," he said. "Don't worry about the technical details, as we have plenty of help for that. What you need to do for this simulation is come up with a plan of finding the woman using the surveillance system and the technicians will help you put that plan into action. Don't be afraid to ask for help if you get stuck. The other technicians and I can give you pointers on what our computers can do or point you in the correct direction."

[OOC: I'm borrowing the plot of the Las Vegas episode "Silver Star" today. Instructions and OCD ~~will be~~ up ~~shortly~~ now!]

mike-cannon.livejournal.com

The computer lab had the same set-up as usual, except for one computer that was a bit further away from the others. Mike was standing by that one as he launched into his lecture. "Last week, we learned about the World Wide Web and using web portals for searching. But before you can start searching, you need to get on the Internet first."

Mike gave a brief overview of TCP/IP networking protocol in case anyone really wanted to know how it all worked, but he managed to stop himself before people started dozing off. "So, very simply, if we're setting up a computer for Internet use, you'll have a few more steps from what we covered in the first couple of classes. At the very least, you'll need a telephone cord to connect the internal modem to a phone jack for a dial-up connection. However, I strongly recommend you stay away from dial-up and go with a much faster broadband or DSL connection. For that, you'll need one of these modems," he said, holding up one of the broadband modems. He demonstrated how to connect the lone computer to the modem before continuing.

"Now, in the computer lab itself, we have a good example of a small network. Over here, we have three computers connected to a router. So, if I'm one the first computer, right here, and I need a file that's saved on the last computer at the end, I just have to look at the other computers on this network and retrieve it." Mike looked at the class, hoping that someone was comprehending the lecture but feeling doubtful. "Or, we can just connect the router to the modem and jump back into searching the Internet."

mike-cannon.livejournal.com

"Good morning, everyone," said Mike as he walked into the computer lab. "Congratulations on surviving the first half of the semester, and more importantly, surviving spring break. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and we have to get back to education. So, today we're going to start talking about the Internet."

Mike launched into a very technical explanation of the history of the Internet, starting with ARPANET and continuing to the World Wide Web. Predictably, it was a little dry and went a little overboard on detail, but Mike was getting better at knowing when to stop. "So that's all the technical details, for those of you who really need to know that stuff. For the rest of us, there are only a few things you need to get started. And relax, we're not going to cover the entire Internet in one day," he reassured them with a chuckle.

"Basically, you can create a network with just two computers and some cables. The Internet is essentially one big network connecting your computer to a lot of other computers out there. What does that mean for us? That means that right from the computer you're sitting at right now, you can look up the current weather conditions in Moscow, find the date and starting time of the next UNLV men's basketball game, or a comedy club in the D.C. area if you're planning an outing with friends," said Mike. "The best way to do that is to find a web portal like Yahoo or Google and use their search engine. And that sounds like a good place to stop for today. Next week, we'll get to explore more of the Internet."

[~~Please wait for the~~ OCD is up!]

mike-cannon.livejournal.com

Today's class was being held in the Danger Room, which was set up to look like a room full of television monitors. There were a large number of desks, each with its own computer and keyboard. One of the desks was occupied by a man in a wheelchair, and Mike was standing next to him. "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen," said Mike. "Please go ahead and take a seat at any empty desk. For today's class, we'll be looking at a completely different computer application. Welcome to the surveillance room of the Montecito resort and casino. Every one of these monitors shows us what is happening on a different camera, from the blackjack tables to the elevators to the pool."

( Overview of today's activity )

[~~Please wait for the~~ OCD up! I'm headed to bed, but I'll pick up pings in the morning and should be around for good after 3 PM EST.]

mike-cannon.livejournal.com

Mike had ~~handwavily~~ instructed the class to meet in the classroom today. There was not a computer in sight, just a teacher drinking lots of coffee and a television set. "I had to make a slight change to the syllabus since my computer crashed and I lost the presentation I had been working on," Mike said apologetically. "That should be a lesson in itself. When you're working with a computer, hit 'save' frequently and make regular back-ups. If you have any trouble figuring out how to do that, see me during office hours."

He took another gulp of coffee before continuing. "This week we're supposed to be covering spreadsheets, but when I thought about it, I realized that you guys probably won't need spreadsheets all that much. So here's spreadsheets in a nutshell. They have rows and columns of empty spaces. You plug in numbers. The computer calculates stuff based on what you need the spreadsheet to do. If you think this is something you need to know more about, see me after class."

After answering any questions ~~if there were any~~, Mike continued. "For the remainder of class, we're going to be watching the film 1999: An Intergalactic Journey. Pay special attention to the problems caused by HEL 6000, a supercomputer that serves as the villian in this story. Is HEL really that bad, or was he just programmed that way? What does this movie say about putting our faith in technology? And seeing that we're in 2008, how does this picture of the future, made in 1968, differ from the modern world? I'd like you to answer those questions for homework. Oh, and just this once, you can either type up your answers or write them out by hand. Just remember that we will be having a practical exam for the midterm next week and you will want to be comfortable with typing."

[OCD ~~coming~~ up!]

mike-cannon.livejournal.com

The class was meeting back in the computer lab again, and this week they were all using Windows XP workstations. "I'm going to start by telling you that today's subject may not necessarily apply to all of you," started Mike, totally not looking at Cimorene ~~if she was there~~.

( Word Up )

"Okay, that seems like a good place for me to stop for today," said Mike. "Your assignment for today is to type up a basic one paragraph document, save it, and print it out. The subject really doesn't matter since I just want you to get some practice with working with the computers. I'll be around if you need any help, and you can definitely see me in my office hours on Monday if you have any more questions."

[Credit goes to the awesome people behind Webopedia for actually describing word processors in basic terms and Lifehacker for just generally making my life easier. OCD up ~~shortly~~.]

mike-cannon.livejournal.com

Instead of the computer lab, Mike had ~~handwavily~~ instructed the class to meet in a classroom where there was not a computer in sight. "First of all, I'd like to reassure you that if you're still feeling lost after last week's class, that's just fine. We covered a lot of material," said Mike. "If there's any part of it that you need me to go over again, let me know."

He grinned. "You'll be happy to know that I deviated a little bit from the syllabus this week," he said. "Today we'll be watching a movie called Athletic Shoes which actually shows computer usage. Feel free to take notes if you like, but as long as you stay awake during the movie, I'm happy with that."

[OCD ~~coming~~ up! Sorry that this is up later than usual, but someone wasn't up to sharing the laptop last night when I was ready to post this.]

mike-cannon.livejournal.com

Once again, the class met at the computer lab. Mike was sitting at the front of the room, sipping his coffee as he waited for everyone to take their seats.

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen," said Mike. "You can see that the computers we put together last week are still here. Today, we're going to be working with them, but first, we're going to talk about input and output."

( The Nuts And Bolts Of Computing: Input/Output )

Looking over the class, Mike asked, "Is everyone with me so far? We'll be covering specific computer applications later in the semester, but for now, go ahead and explore what's already available. Before you leave, I do have a homework assignment. If you don't already have an e-mail account, go ahead and sign-up for one, then send me an e-mail. It's a very useful tool and we'll be using it to communicate assignments throughout the semester."

[Syllabus]

[Homework is handwavey, but Mike can receive e-mails here if you wish. I should be around all day with occasional SP while I run errands.]

mike-cannon.livejournal.com

Mike sipped his coffee and waited for the students to file into the computer lab, which oddly enough was devoid of computers except for one at the front of the room. There were, however, large boxes at each workstation, each with the name and logo of a different major computer manufacturer. "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to Basic Computing! My name is Mike Cannon and I’ll be your instructor this semester. My goal is to make sure that each and every one of you is comfortable with using computers by the end of the term. Let’s get started today with introductions. Yes, I listened to the radio last night and if I could come up with something cooler than introductions, I would use it. Sorry. Tell me your name, how comfortable you are with computers, and what you’re hoping to get out of this class."

( Lecture )

"Alright, folks, we'll finish up with a little activity for you to get to know your PCs. Each workstation has a box that contains a CPU tower, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and a whole lot of cables, but none of it is connected. We’re going to put these babies together and get them up and running by the end of class. Be sure you grab a copy of the syllabus. My office hours are on Mondays, but seeing as it is the first week of class, I'll be in my office tomorrow morning if you need to see me. I'm also looking for a TA, so if you’re interested, stop by and talk to me after class."

[~~Please wait for the OCD.~~ Have fun! ETA: I will be leaving shortly for the place that doesn't let me access the Internet from their workstations and will pick up any pings after I return.]

cheerfulgoth.livejournal.com

Advanced Computers is over here.

cheerfulgoth.livejournal.com

"Get your sorry butts in the chairs, noobs!" Abby stood at the front of the class with an angry expression on her face. "Today's class is on flaming. We're going to learn what it is, how not to embarrass ourselves while doing out and then we're going to have an all out flame war."

Abby dropped the grumpy face and smiled at the students before lecturing on the history of flaming and clicked some of the old Usenet battles up on the plasma screen, before giving tips on how to flame properly. "We've also got a site that tells us about the different kind of flame warriors. There are the well known warriors like 'Lurker' and 'Newbie' and 'Fanboy'. But I want you to look through and figure out it if you're an Propellerhead, a Big Dog, Innocence Abused, or an Ent."

"For the purposes of our flame wars today, there are only a few rules. I care more about spelling than I do dirty language so while some netspeak is acceptable try to show some intelligence. Secondly, you can use graphics ~~if they are nws, just post links~~. Finally, keep this in the forums. It's all in good fun so don't take it personal."

"Finally, for anyone that's bored there's a game where you can literally flame forum posters." Abby grinned. "It doesn't get much better than a game that lets you shoot fire from your mouth to burn other people to a crisp."

[OCD up! Have fun flaming!]

cheerfulgoth.livejournal.com

The computer lab is set up with a webcam and a plasma screen, showing a lab with two people talking.

( Read more... )

[OCD up!]

cheerfulgoth.livejournal.com

The computer lab is meeting outside today under a tent with Help Desk emblazoned across the front. Each student has their own workstation complete with phone, toolbox and nifty pocket protector.

"As you can see by my mad sign making skillz, we're going to be manning the help desk today." Abby smiled. "As geeks there is a 99.9% chance that someone is going to ask you to fix their computer. Seriously guys, it's going to happen. You need to know your stuff. Not only how to fix technology...but how to deal with people who don't know how to use it."

"Three rules you have to remember." Abby paced and raised her fingers as she counted them off. "One, not everyone is a geek so remember to tone down the techspeak. Two, people will do incredibly stupid things to their computer, try not to cry over the phone when they tell they've never done a virus scan. Three, the first response is always reboot. It doesn't matter that the problem couldn't be solved by that, it's always the first response."

"Okay, the phone lines are open and people can walk in with a problem. Remember the rules, be polite and come to me if there's a problem you can't fix."

[ooc: Post is up and ready to play! I've got an early appointment so I won't be around till later in the day, but you should all be able to play with each other. Have fun!]

cheerfulgoth.livejournal.com

Abby stood at the front of the computer lab, holding a gong and mallet. The seating arrangement had each student facing another at tables with space for their laptops in between.

"Today we're going to dig deep and discover the inner hacker in all of us. You're going to race to hack into a specific site and insert a code. Whoever gets the code dropped first wins." Abby leaned forward eagerly and grinned at the students. "But that would be too boring. So you're going to pair up and fight against each other at the same time. Trace your enemy's presence in the computer system, track them and fight them. Either kick them out of the system or keep them occupied long enough that you can win."

"Rules are simple and few. The battleground is in cyberspace, it's not fair if you try to hamper your partner by throwing something at his head or giving him a wedgie. The sites that you're going to be hacking are sorta important...let's try not to bring them down. Third rule: the code you're dropping is basically my signature. It's harmless. I would prefer if that's all you left in the computer systems."

Abby sat back up on her desk and smacked the gong with the mallet. "Bang a gong, it's on!"

[ooc: This class is about interaction more than computer terminology, so handwavey computer terms are fine. It's a fight between you and your partner, so regular fight rules apply. You can direct an attack...not an outcome. If Willow throws a virus at Mac, it's up to Mac to decide whether she got kicked offline. If you want your character to get info from the sites, that's fine. Abby doesn't mind if you snoop, just don't break the system...she'll be watching out for that.]

cheerfulgoth.livejournal.com

The computer lab desks were shoved to the side today and the walls on each side were now individual cubbys. Each cubby had a red tool box with the students name written on the side.

Abby stood by the door and pointed towards the walls as the students entered. "Find your cubby and take a seat. If you have a laptop on you, pull it out. If you don't, see me to get a loner from the school."

"Alright, I think we're set." After everyone was settled Abby moved to the front of the classroom and smiled at everyone. "Welcome to Advanced Computers. For those of you I don't know, I'm Professor Abby and I'm a forensic specialist for NCIS or naval criminal investigative service. A large portion of my work deals with computers and computer technology. This session we're going to focus on some of the more advanced aspects of computer technology such as modifications, repair, website creation, and hacking. We should have a blast!"

"First thing we're going to do today is a little game show I'm going to call Pimp my Comp. If you've never seen the popular tv show with a similar name, it involves a group of mechanics who take a car and trick it out. New rims, fur seats and bumping sound systems. They always throw in something wild like a jacuzzi in the back of a station wagon or a smoothie bar in a VW bug. That's what we're going to be doing today."

"Your tools boxes are full of things you're going to need to pimp out a computer. You've got software, hardware tools, manuals, and little surprises. You've got to the end of this workshop to trick out a computer and then you get a chance to present it to the class. The winner of the most pimped out ~~ride~~ computer gets their very own pimp cane." Abby held up a stick covered in glittery computer chips and topped with a mouse spray painted gold. "So get to it, guys!"

"Oh, one last thing. You're not pimping out your own computers. Everyone trade!"

[ooc: I'm not assigning partners since I don't know who has what time zones, so just pick someone to trade. Toolbox contents are handwavy. Should have useful computer tools, cd rom's of programs, and decorative pimp-like bits and whatever else you need. ~~Wait for OCD threads.~~ Have fun!]

[eta: Do not damage/delete/wreck another characters computer.]

cheerfulgoth.livejournal.com

The lab coats were not hanging by the door of the lab. They were folded in front of Abby at the front desk and she sat quietly as everyone came in and took their seats.

"Today is our last day of class, although feel free to sign up for my class next term. We'll be covering different territory." Abby clicked a button on her own laptop and the projection screen behind her lit up with a flash. "Today we're going to talk about the human side of internet safety. We've already gotten our computers safe from viruses, trojans and other baddies with our firewalls, but now we need to work on something harder. Putting a firewall up against people."

Abby walked around and sat on the edge of the desk, her hands moving quickly as she spoke. "I'm not trying to scare you or anything, but I totally am going to. There are very scary people out there and they will try and trick you to letting them find out everything they can about your personal life. Sometimes they want the information to wheedle you out of money or property, other times they want the info because they want to get close to you. Really, really gross kind of close. The kind of close where you share bodily fluids." There was a quick shudder and then Abby was back on task. "Stalkers are bad. The only way to learn how to combat them is by ~~CONSTANT VIGILANCE~~ learning what they're like and what tricks they use. That's why this afternoon we're going to stalk each other."

"Everyone sign onto a chatroom and start talking each other up, getting to know each other. Half of you will be creepy stalkers and the other half will be victims. Try not to let any personal information slip out!" Abby grinned. "And when you're finished, I've got a present for you."

cheerfulgoth.livejournal.com

The labcoats were by the door and Abby was fairly bouncing up at the front of the computer lab. "Did you guys ever have free swim in elementary school? It was usually when there was some free time or when the teacher was bored and everyone just got to go play in the pool for an hour."

"Today is Internet Free Swim. You guys get to spend time having fun and seeing what the internet has to offer in entertainment. I'm going to point some cool things that I like, but feel free to find your own treasures and show them off to the class. Well, most things you can show off to the class." Abby said with a wink and outlined the four main categories.

"First we've got intellectual fun. Things you read like comics, fanfiction, satire, blogs, and snarky reviews. Secondly we move onto clicky fun. Games, soundboards, puzzles, webquests. There's nothing like doing nothing, so for our third category we've got videos, clips, music, radio, tv shows and cartoons. Finally..." Abby grinned and leaned across the table, "We've got porn. It comes in all shapes and sizes, from vanilla to hard core and there's something for everyone. Even clowns."

She walked around and passed out large red drink cups. "Okay, so go ahead! Swim away and enjoy your Caf-Pow. No internet surfing party is complete without large doses of caffeine and sugar."

[ooc: Posted early because I'm sleeping in tomorrow and there's porn in this class. ~~Wait for the OCD please.~~ OCD is up! Go ahead and play!]

cheerfulgoth.livejournal.com

( Welcome to the internets! )

[~~wait for ocd please~~ OCD up!]

cheerfulgoth.livejournal.com

The computer lab is set up like an office today, the seats moved apart so each student has their own cube-shaped area. Abby is sitting up front, her usual white labcoat traded for a oversized men's suit jacket.

"Good afternoon my worker bees! Today we're going to be learning the two most important things office workers need to know. How to use offline computer programs like word processing and how to hide the fun stuff from their bosses." Abby ran through a quick description of programs like Word, Excel, notepad ~~and their mac counterparts that the mun doesn't care about because her soul belongs to Bill Gates.~~.

"Of course then you have the fun stuff. Solitaire, Spider Solitaire, Freecell, Minesweeper and my personal favorite..." Abby leaned forward and grinned, "Paintbrush! There's just something about making really crappy pictures with a limited color choices that speaks to my soul." She flipped her laptop around to show a couple of her own pictures. "This first one here is my old boss, if he decided to turn goth. This one is a duck." Abby shrugged. "I like ducks."

"So it's 3:00 on a Friday afternoon. You've got two hours before you can clock out and nothing left to do. You need to pick one of the fun activities to play around with but beware of the boss. If he catches you goofing off you might get fired." Abby straightened her jacket and nodded to them. "In order to not get caught you need to work on being sneaky. Alt-tab will get you to another window quickly, hitting minimize with your mouse, or the ever popular turning your screen off and pretending to be reading a report. Come up with a way to get back to your work screen and try not to get caught, and those of you who make it through class without letting me see your fun program get a prize!" Abby held up a box of caffeine-laced candy.

"Oh and I almost forgot! The school is having an art fair on Friday. So if any of you want to use this time to make an art project in paint...I think that would be cool." She grinned and shook the box of candy. "So cool that you might even get two packages of the awesome candy."

[ooc: threads ~~coming~~ up! Go ahead!]

cheerfulgoth.livejournal.com

Abby sat on the ground, twirling a black parasol as she waited for everyone to get settled. "Alright people, pull up a patch of dirt and let's get to work. Today we are going shopping! Sort of."

"Having a computer rocks, but in order to do specialized tasks you sometimes need specialized equipment." Abby held up a digital camera and snapped a group shot. "In order to let my boss back home see my class, I need to get a digital camera to hook up to my computer. Or a webcam. Or a video phone. Or maybe just a quarter inch spy cam that he could embed into a pair of really ugly glasses that would transmit a streaming video feed."

"Not that he would or anything."

Laying out a box of random accessories in front of her, Abby pointed. "In this box is pretty much everything I could find that has a cord. Cameras, joysticks, mics, flash drives, usb snowman, keyboards and tons of other stuff. I want you all to come up and choose something, research it online and report to the class about how to use it."

[ooc: Everyone should have their laptops with them or have *handwave* checked one out in the previous classes. Seriously, there could be anything in those boxes, so pick something that's a computer accessory and report on it. Thinkgeek is a fun place to look. Threads up! Yay!]

[*facepalm* Oh look! There is a tent over the computer students! It was always there! Computers are safe from pudding!]

cheerfulgoth.livejournal.com

Abby sat on top of the table in the computer lab, sipping a large glass of pop. As each student came in, they would find a box of various computer parts and a lab coat stitched with their name.

"Hey guys, how did the virtual pets go last week? Did any of them live through the whole week?" Abby grinned at a few of the students. "Or even last through the class?"

"Today we're going to over the basics of computers, how they work and how to build them." Abby launched into a brief history of computers and how they operate, covering everything from the abacus to windows XP. Okay, so maybe it wasn't that brief. "Just in case some of you fell asleep during that, we're going to watch a video that might help you understand."

Abby lifted up a spare box of parts and shook it lightly. "In each of your boxes you'll find enough bits and pieces to make a rudimentary computer. Each box is different, but everyone should be able to make something that can light up or beep or do both. Be sure to wear your lab coats to protect your clothing, not to mention the fact that they look really spiffy."

[Threads up!]

cheerfulgoth.livejournal.com

Abby smiled nervously as students filed into the computer lab, checking a stack of notecards. "Hey, I'm Professor Abby and this is the first workshop on computers." She paused and gulped a little nervously, starting to speak faster. "This class is going to help you get to know computers and have fun with them. If you're already a geek then I'll teach you a few tricks that I've learned over the years. Nothing really illegal or anything, but some really cool things. Plus if there's anything specific that you want to learn this summer, just let me know."

"But first I need to get to know you and find out what you know. So if everyone could go around and tell me your name, your grade and what experience you have with computers, that would rock!"

Placing a box on a desk, Abby drew out a handful of keychain-sized toys. "These are your first assignment. They're virtual pets and it's a pretty cool piece of computer technology. You enter data like food, playtime and attention and the computer updates your pets life, making it grow or die based on your actions. It will give you a chance to dip your toe in the water of technology for those of you who are new to things. For those who know what to do, I'm pretty sure you can find a way to hook two pets up and make them fight." Abby grinned and dumped the box out.

"I bought these here, so it's sort of a weird selection. Looks like we've got lizard, monkey, hippo, gremlin and floating head." Abby shrugged. "Yeah, I'm not really sure about that last one."

[threads up! Yay!]

humanenigma.livejournal.com

Note: TAs. Each one of you needs to show up two days of the week, for both Tech Systems classes. That will serve for two credits: the Comp Sci one -and- either a PE credit OR Mystic Arts credit (expect training soon.). Fight amongst yourself Here.

Students: To get into my class, you just need to show up. There is no paperwork to get into Technology Systems. Computer Science 1A needs my permission, which is garnered through completion of a packet. Ask for it.
--

*Class today is much like the last one. In fact, the instructions on the board are the same.

'Go here, read the example (which teaches binary), and then complete the sheet. Homework if you don't finish, not if you do.'

Written in large letters underlined and such is 'Another Question: Why binary? Why use that system over another? There is more than one good answer. Will discuss 20 minutes before class ends'.

Question is finishing writing these up on the board when the students enter.*

Class, the work this week will be the same until I know who's in what class. Apologies. You who have finished this work once already, I have other work for you. *points to a few sheets of binary translation and math and such.*

If you have no idea whatsoever how to use a computer, try and snag a Mac. Normally, I won't espouse such favoritism, but must admit, Macs are easy to learn. They are the 'cute' looking computers.

[OOC: for a description of the classroom, look in my memories.]

humanenigma.livejournal.com

Remember, all computers must be approved by me before being hooked up to the network here.

Do not try to do that without said approval. I will know and you will suffer.

I have some computers and the cameras. No more laptops, but plenty of desktops.

Ask and fill out those *points to a pile* forms, and you might get one.

Computer Science must also have my approval. Tech Systems is the default class for new students. Another packet is to be filled out for that.

Syllabus here, and Schedule here.

humanenigma.livejournal.com

*Question is asleep at his desk. It looks like he passed out in the middle of doing something. There is a pen in his hand and a notepad tucked underneath his other arm. There are notes from the previous classes writ up on the whiteboard, including wild scribbles with aliens and 1's and 0's.

If he were awake, he would be muttering about something awful being in The Closet. He would also be asking what, exactly do you people not know in this class? Seriously, you are too smart for 1A.

But, he is asleep.

On the projection screen: 'Write a program in Java that will take inventory of various items, such as computers and their accessories, and then write the same program into as many languages as you know. Wake the Question up before class is out.'

There is also a massive tarantula on Question's head. She looks positively comfortable with her perch on Q's head, and will not like being touched.*

humanenigma.livejournal.com

[OOC: Geh. I've been busy for the past whenever. Sorry guys.

note: both classes are identical in content, and differ only in time.]

*Question is muttering and scribbling out class notes on a whiteboard as the students filter in. The notes are mostly on the parts of a computer and what they mean. Stuff like that.

When they all finally get in and sit down, Question turns around, and begins to speak. He is slightly frazzled and looks like he hasn't slept for the few days he's been here. Teaching: Harder than being a vigilante.*

Right. Yesterday and the day before, we went over the basics of the rules, set up who sat where, and I told you what not to do. Any questions on that?

Now, I ask you: Who has NOT used a computer? You who have not, let me know, I'll help you. Have packets and everything.

The rest of you, how many of you know what the basic categories of parts of a computer are? Know binary?

No? Good. will be first thing that you learn today. Read this, and be amazed. Will also teach how to count on your hands. Very interesting. Count like that all the time now.

Homework? I have a sheet for converting from and to Binary. Finish it in class, and get to turn it in. Don't, and it will be the first homework you have.

Another Question: Why binary? Why use that system over another? There is more than one good answer.

Geh. When there is only twenty minutes left, we change gears and go to a different sort of tech system. The system of... The Closet. *ominous light flicker*

humanenigma.livejournal.com

[OOC note: The three classes today'll be set up into three comments. Comment to the class you're in. Unfortunately, all my posts will be this late, or will be stupid early. I hate school. ]

The computer lab, conveniently close to the cafeteria, annoyingly far from any classes, is dim. There are lights, but the room is noticeably darker than the other classes.

There are computers on long tables along two of the walls, of any kind you can think of. Plain grey boxes, iMacs of all types, a few tricked out case-modded lighted ones. There is also a table with computers in the middle of the room. It's not a small room, with enough computers and seats for about forty people.

In the corner, where there are no computers, is Mr.Question's desk. It's not a desk at all, but a long table, with piles of papers and magazines and books, none of which seem to have anything to do with computers. The computer on his desk is hooked up to a projector (a ha, the reason for the dark), and is a sleek, advanced little thing. The projection is of Question's desktop, where a picture of a large tarantula serves as the background.

humanenigma.livejournal.com

I have the cameras and a few laptops and a few desktops. How many? Who gets one? That's up for me to know and you to fight over.

First come, First serve. All of the computers are outfitted with the OS of your choice. Desktops come with rudimentary speakers, monitor, mouse, and keyboard. Laptops come with a mouse, a case, and an extra charger. All of the computers are cleared to be hooked up to the network. The cameras are all types, any that you can think of. People with computers are first in line to get digital cameras (I am certain there are a few in the closets.). Desktops will be delivered by me, or by someone authorized to do so. I'll be the one authorizing.

You'll have to fill out a form, but then you get to keep it, no questions asked as to what's on it. I want them back when to look over every few weeks.

Also, as mentioned, I am available for club sponsorship. Clubs looking for me to sponsor them should comment here.

humanenigma.livejournal.com

Syllabus.

Extra questions here, but answers not guaranteed.

Will be available for club sponsorships on Thursday.

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