[Shacs] Java Triva

Thu Apr 19 12:26:56 CDT 2007

Does it have to be the Computer Science Scholarship Endowment fund or can it be a computer science scholarship fund of our own choosing? If it can't be a computer science scholarship fund of our own choosing what procedures must we undertake to make the scholarship fund of our choosing a part of the Computer Science Scholarship Endowment fund with the original stipulations and rewards intact?

PILLING, ANDREW ALEXANDER wrote to DR. BURRIS:

> It's good to see that you're the chair of the Computer Science 

> Scholarship Committee. This puts you in a good position to help make 

> decisions on future receivers of the scholarship I wish to set up once 

> I graduate. After all, the primary qualifier for this scholarship will 

> be how frequently and tastefully the applicants prank your home, 

> office, and person. Applications must of course be submitted in a 

> means pursuant of the primary qualifier.

> -Drew 8^p

From: shacs-bounces at shsu.edu [mailto:shacs-bounces at shsu.edu] On Behalf Of Peter Cooper
Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:25 AM
To: Bronius Motekaitis
Cc: SHACS
Subject: Re: [Shacs] Java Triva

Bronius,

You misunderstand the nature of the degree recall program.   There are some very interesting clauses in it.

One of them specifically states that degree recalls are not applicable for alumni and faculty making regular donation to the Computer Science Scholarship Endowment fund.  There is a nasty vicious rumor, NOT spread by Dr. McGuire, that Dr. Burris makes regular contributions for that very reason.

PAC

On Apr 19, 2007, at 8:50 AM, Bronius Motekaitis wrote:

Dr McGuire-
By following the impulse to throw a jab and miss a teaching moment, you've left me where I began.  Is that how they do it at TAMU?  :)  Having studied it more closely, I stand corrected: 0-F is just 4bits, 00-FF is 8bits = 1 byte. 

If a slip like this warrants recalling my degree, would you instead consider me retaking Cooper's digital architecture class?  That was among my top fav classes (with a top prof, I might add), and that class's book was the only one I wish someone hadn't stolen. Similar to how consciousness rides atop neurons and chemicals, it's still fascinating how applications and information recall ride atop solid state digital architectures. 

With the degree recall program, do you get set back to core classes or 0hrs in your major?  What if you changed majors?  Does it wipe your record clean 100%?

On 4/16/07, David Burris <csc_dsb at shsu.edu> wrote:

Erick,
It is very nice to hear from you!  I am also glad you have retained your ability to recognize and evaluate the worth of rabble rouser's.  If only all students (current and former) met your high standards.  The degree recall program does indeed exist though we try to limit knowledge of its application.

Dr. B

ekeown at swbell.net wrote: 

Dr. Burris,

    A lot of people have heard the threat of the degree recall plan for a long time.  Some people, such as Bronius but not me, of course, are under the belief that such an action is just an empty threat.  I've heard phrases like "wuss", "gun shy", and "full of hot air" uttered from the mouths of those non-believers who think you would never execute the degree recall plan on any former student.  Worse even, is the whispers of a certain cross section of students, both former and current, who seem to believe that not only would you NEVER see the degree recall plan through, but in fact the degree recall plan does not even exist and is only a joke you've chosen to tease the alumni with throughout the years.  Perhaps it would be just of you to implement such an action to show that you still are as ruthless, and iron-fisted as ever, and not some kind hearted, well liked, playful professor that some of the students and alumni have claimed you are.  Bronius would serve as an excellent example for those who would be so ignorant as to doubt your sinister nature.

Eric

----- Original Message ----
From: David Burris <csc_dsb at shsu.edu> <mailto:csc_dsb at shsu.edu> 
To: mcguire at shsu.edu
Cc: shacs at shsu.edu
Sent: Monday, April 16, 2007 4:04:26 PM
Subject: Re: [Shacs] Java Triva

It has been too long since we exercised the degree recall procedure.  We should really take advantage of this opportunity before we forget the process completely.  It would be best not to fiddle around forever!  :)

Dr. Tim McGuire wrote: 

Dr. B,

I think we should retroactively revoke Mr. Motekaitis' degree until he does some remedial work, and learns the difference between a nybble and a byte.

Agreed?

TJM

Bronius Motekaitis wrote:

I don't mean to bring this up again (just read it and saw the datestamp of Apr 7, over a week old), but I hope you two have made up since then..  :O

Another, less discussed fact, is that that of the fifth byte of any Java code: it always falls in the range of 00-FF.

Ok, I'm potentially revealing a weakness in my practice (not my education, mind you, just a "man it's been a long time since I dealt in byte-code"), but isn't a byte = 8bits = 0-F, not 00-FF?  Is this a difference in architecture that dictates this discrepancy?  If so, could Burris' original post have said, "Depending on architecture, the first 4 to 8 bytes is.." 

-bronius

On 4/7/07, Dr. Tim McGuire <csc_tjm at shsu.edu> wrote: 

> The first four bytes in the header for Java class files are CA FE BA BE
> in hexadecimal. There is an interesting connection between the café St.
> Michael's Alley and the group the Grateful Dead. Note the first four
> bytes spell "Café Babe." If you need help making the connection, speak
> to Mr. Boyle.

Glad to see, Dr. B., that you are actually progressing in your feeble attempts at making computer science relevant.  First of all, you appropriate my void clint_eastwood(void); example.  (Your modifications, unfortunately, diminished its value.)  And now you're finally bringing up this example -- I've had my CS272 students convert the first four bytes of a Java class file into hex as an exercise for several years now (supplementing the previous exercise of converting 12, 5655, 2550276, 76545336, 3726755 from octal into hexadecimal.)

Welcome to the 21st century....  ;)

TJM

-- 
Timothy J. McGuire, Ph.D.
Department of Computer Science
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, Texas 77341-2090
mcguire at shsu.edu
_______________________________________________ 
Shacs mailing list
Shacs at shsu.edu
http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/shacs

________________________________

_______________________________________________

Shacs mailing list

Shacs at shsu.edu
http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/shacs

-- 

Timothy J. McGuire, Ph.D.

Department of Computer Science

Sam Houston State University

Huntsville, Texas  77341-2090

(936)294-1571   <mailto:mcguire at shsu.edu> 
mcguire at shsu.edu       http://www.shsu.edu/~csc_tjm/ <http://www.shsu.edu/%7Ecsc_tjm/> 

________________________________

_______________________________________________

Shacs mailing list

Shacs at shsu.edu
http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/shacs

-- 

David S. Burris, Ph.D., CCP, CSP

SHSU Articulation Coordinator

Computer Science

Sam Houston State University 77341-2090

voice: (936)294-1568

fax:   (936)294-4312

<mailto:csc_dsb at shsu.edu> 
csc_dsb at shsu.edu
or david.burris at shsu.edu

_______________________________________________
Shacs mailing list
Shacs at shsu.edu
http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/shacs

________________________________

_______________________________________________

Shacs mailing list

Shacs at shsu.edu
http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/shacs

-- 

David S. Burris, Ph.D., CCP, CSP

SHSU Articulation Coordinator

Computer Science

Sam Houston State University 77341-2090

voice: (936)294-1568

fax:   (936)294-4312

<mailto:csc_dsb at shsu.edu> 
csc_dsb at shsu.edu
or david.burris at shsu.edu

_______________________________________________
Shacs mailing list
Shacs at shsu.edu
http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/shacs

_______________________________________________

Shacs mailing list

Shacs at shsu.edu

http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/shacs

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.shsu.edu/pipermail/shacs/attachments/20070419/b39a392f/attachment.html