Facebook@NUS
Wanna throw more than just a cow at your Friends on Facebook? You can!
The School of Computing will be offering a new 4-MC Facebook Programming module on next Semester (AY2007/2008, Semester 2) - CS3216 : Software Development on Evolving Platforms. This is your chance to be a part of this new global Internet phenomenon (Weikiat: This is NOT a new internet thingy. Facebook was founded THREE years back, in 2004. Only now did Singaporeans wake up to the existence of Facebook. Please, what you don’t know, doesn’t mean don’t exist.), currently valued at some US$15 billion. (Weikiat: Using money to attract students, eh?)
This new module is not your traditional software engineering course. Enrollment will be open to students of all faculties and students will work in small inter-disciplinary teams to create their killer Facebook applications. Programming experience for non-SoC students is not a pre-requisite (since work will be done in teams). (Weikiat: Teamwork = auto acquired programming skills? WTF?)
As it turns out, Trey Phillips , the winner of Facebook F8 Hackathon, is a philosophy major. This suggests that ANYONE without programming background can be a Facebook Developer. (Weikiat: I play violin, collect stamps, loves to slack. Does this mean that ANYONE who plays the violin, collect stamps or love to slack will be a programming material? What kind of logic is there!!! NUS!!) The nominal pre-requisite is thus CS1101, but students who do not have formal programming background but who have a keen interest in e-entrepreneurship or a background in design. (Weikiat: I can’t make sense of this sentence.) Students will not be assessed individually, but in groups, so individual programming proficiency will not be assessed. (Weikiat: So you don’t need to know programming to do a programming project:) Rather interesting. The only way I know of to achieve this is to rip others’ work from the internet.) Students need only to be able to contribute substantively to their team projects. (Weikiat: So who will end up doing the actual work?). The success of social networking applications depend a lot on the concept and execution rather than good programming ability. The students can develop their applications in their language of choice, but will likely use PHP or Ruby with mySQL. (Weikiat: So you say students no need programming experience, and then ask them to develope it in a language of their choice? Will they end up programming in Chinese? or English? Or Hindu? And you can even predict the language used!)
Assessment will be project-based and there will be no examination component. The course will begin with several lectures on the fundamentals of web development. Subsequently, students will work in teams to analyze and critique existing Facebook apps in a series of seminars. There will be three team-based assignments and a final team project of the students’ choice. Students are welcome to use this opportunity to develop applications that have commercial potential or can be used as entries to Startup@Singapore. (Weikiat: If apps developed a bunch of NUS students without any programming experience [people whom they claim to accept] can have commercial potential or be submitted to Startup@Singapore… oh well.. what is the world coming to? I am trying my best not to be too negative here. I may be wrong though.)
Places for the course in this initial offering will be limited and some places will be reserved for non-SoC students. To avoid timetable conflicts for students from other faculties and because we be inviting external experts to give occasional guest lectures, the lectures and seminars will be held on Monday evenings from 6.30 to 8.30 pm.
We expect that we will have more students who are keen to take this course than the available places. To ensure a diversity of talent and students have the necessary background for the course, places will not be assigned by CORS bidding. Instead, interested students are to submit a personal statement (with their matriculation number clearly stated) (Weikiat: I thought you said ANYONE can join, and in CAPS somemore? Now you admit that background is a factor.) to XXX@XXX.COM by 15 December 2007. Students will be informed by 26 December 2007 if they are offered a place in the upcoming offering of the new course (and students will automatically be pre-registered for CS3216 on CORS if their bid to take the class is successful).
The personal statement should address the following questions:
(i) Why do you want to take the course?
(ii) Describe your background and how you think it would enable you to contribute to the diversity and vibrancy of the new course and to the team projects.
(iii) Describe a cool Facebook app that you *really* want to build. Explain why you think your app is really cool.
Students are welcome to throw in a resume or portfolio of sorts if they think it would be helpful in demonstrating that they have what it takes to succeed in this new module. (Weikiat: I can do it. Once I tell them I am a philosophy major, you will sure let me in!)
Since this is the first time that we will be offering this module, an information session will be held at 4 pm on 16 November 2007 (Friday) in Seminar Room 3B (COM1/213). Interested students are welcome to come learn more about the course at the information session. A course information document with more details on the proposed course is also attached.
This is your chance to let your imagination run wild and do something cool — and add “Facebook Developer” to your resume while you’re at it!(Weikiat: Eeks! What the hell!)
The funny things aside,
I understand perfectly well what direction NUS is driving into. Cultivating creativity and embracing the latest change and developements in Web 2.0. However, by obviously trying to convince students without any necessary background that they can take part too, what are they thinking? Just state the fact. Something like “You need php or other relevant server side programming language for this project. If you do not know, but have the passion, creativity, and a killer idea which you think will bring you to the stars, you may team up with others with similar drive but also with programming prowess.” Won’t that be better than saying that ANYONE can do the job, just because the winner of that competition majors in something else?
I believe the rationale of creating this course is good, and will benefit the students. I applaud their initiative. I sincerely hope that NUS will recover swiftly from the current low ranking.
But this notice they put up? Its a big joke.
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Stanford is actually the first to offer a Facebook course. The news of the news can be found here, while the outcome can be found here.
yeah seems like the notice is not clearly written
“As it turns out, Trey Phillips , the winner of Facebook F8 Hackathon, is a philosophy major. This suggests that ANYONE without programming background can be a Facebook Developer.”
This is a double fallacy. Being a philosophy major doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have any programming background. Moreover, even if a person without programming background wins Facebook F8 Hackathon, it doesn’t automatically comes to the conclusion that ANYONE without programming background can be a facebook developer.
Somehow, some people in Singapore seems to think that being a technopreneur simply means having a good business idea, getting VC investment, and then getting a group of cheap programmers to do the job for u.
Also, why is it that Singapore is always a hype follower? Why are we grooming people to make use of the facebook api and framework, instead of encouraging students to build the next big thing?
You definitely need to have programming background to be a facebook or any software developer. What u do not need is a university course to teach you how to be a facebook developer.
It’s not so much about becoming a Facebook developer. Rather, it’s a tried-and-tested approach to good programming software design and hopefully students can make use of their lessons learned in creating a simple Facebook application into The Next Big Thing. I agree with the double fallacy thingy though, being a Philo major doesn’t mean that said person can only recite the works of Homer and Plato during free times. I know of “lay” people who can learn programming languages faster than people who are supposed to be trained (or training) in it.
I rather think it IS about becoming a facebook developer. It is NOT about good programming.
Evidents:
“Students will not be assessed individually, but in groups, so individual programming proficiency will not be assessed.”
“Students need only to be able to contribute substantively to their team projects.”
“Programming experience for non-SoC students is not a pre-requisite (since work will be done in teams).”
Dear Weikiat,
I’m glad you found the notice funny. Next time we need to craft another one of these, will be sure to come and consult you, so that you won’t have an excuse to come and bash us.
It is interesting that you have a lot of people speculating on things that they have no idea about. The new course is NOT about training Facebook developers BTW. How long will Facebook continue to be around? Anybody knows? Does it make any sense for a university to train students to specifically do things we don’t know will be around by the end of the decade?
To satisfy your curiosities, the students in the new module will figure out by themselves, for themselves how to write Facebook applications. The new course merely provides an opportunity for students with a common interest and passion to come together to do something cool (and fun!). Learning must be fun.
As it turns out, we have confidence in our students. We know that they are capable. We are merely giving them the chance to surprise us (and possibly the world) with their ingenuity and creativity. Uncharted Waters is absolutely right, “you don’t need a university course to teach you how to be a facebook developer”.
tis was commented by my fren after reading the notice:
if i got good idea for FB, i wont put it in my application for the course, i will probably go make it myself (hire some cheapo programmer first) and hope that it will make it BIG (sell for 5 figures sum as mentioned in the news). so why is the criteria in the application? for someone to take it? and leave me out of the class (so that i cant learn how to program on FB?) afterall there r only a few good FB apps tat made it, everyone is hungry for idea.
em… food for thot.
CH
Hello Wei Kiat, I am roastbird. I am applying for the facebook module, and I have read the notice too. To give opinions contrary to yours, I find little humour in the notice. For me, the main reason why I applied for this module is the entry criteria - it separates those who believe they can from those who don’t. By the nature of the notice, only people who have the vision to see promise in such a module will apply for it. This is especially so given that the most obvious and superficial benefits (learning facebook programming without a programming background nor an implied major and career in computing) are next to meaningless in this world of rapidly advancing technology, and programming platforms.
If selecting this type of students is the objective, then the notice has done a good job. A cursory search on google on facebook NUS module will reveal opinions that trivialize the importance of such a notice. Those with better opinions might then decide for themselves if a module like this is worth 1/5 * 6 months of their life. If they do, they are assured of peers with the foresight and analytical depth to understand the true meaning behind such a notice.
To Sharon Koh:
Hi there Sharon, I do not wish to discuss the merits or demerits of the facebook module because I do not think I can add anymore valuable content to the discussion.
However, I take issue with your comment about ‘cheapo programmer’. I believe there may be some underlying misconception that led you to make a comment like “(hire some cheapo programmer first)”
Programming has its place in society the same way medicine and business has. They are all important activities that are required for a modern society to function properly.
Programming is both art and science. There is an art to creating good programs and software and there is science towards creating programs that are efficient. It isn’t easy. In some ways, programmers can be magicians because in the computer world, there are not really bounded by real-world physics.
If we can post comments over the internet and discuss issues, it is because hardworking programmers everywhere have made it possible. They have done all the hard work so that we can enjoy the rewards.
The programmer who programmed your cable modem/router, the programmer who programmed the routers at your ISP, the programmer who programmed the internet backbones to make the internet possible, the programmer who programmed your computer’s operating system, the embedded programmers who program the individual computer chips in your computer, the programmers who made your computer’s web-browser, the programmers who made this very blog, they have all done so much hard work.
A computer system is subject to a lot of complexities and managing these complexities isn’t easy. The programmers I named above (it isn’t an exhaustive list by the way, I am sure I left a lot of important people out) have managed these complexities for society to enjoy.
I am afraid that you may think that programming is something anyone can do. That may be true to some extent because unlike other professions, the barrier to entry is really quite low. Anyone can download online tutorials or borrow programming books, download their favourite interpreter/compiler and start programming.
However, very few people have the talent to become good programmers just by reading a book. It takes years of practice and dedication and making good programs isn’t something anyone can just do.
If you are ever in a position of managing programmers, treat them with respect the way you would treat your doctor or some business manager. Do not think programming is a necessarily evil, a menial activity that anyone can do. (In fact, the same could be said about any profession but programmers are the focus here). Good programmers cannot be easily replaced.
If you are ever in a position of managing the budget for programmers, increase their salary, send them on training courses and do things to keep their morale and motivation up.
A good programmer who has a good morale would be really dedicated and perform well and you would notice that in the long-run, you and your company would benefit greatly.
If you have a good idea for some application but do not have enough money, hire a programmer with initially reduced salary on the promise that if you can sell your application well, you will increase his pay appropriately (especially if you hit your 5 figure sum).
It is quite possible that your intention wasn’t to downplay the importance of programmers but I thought I should clear up any potential confusion and misunderstanding as programming is an activity that I personally take seriously.
Have a nice day.
Yours Politely,
SoC Student
To Sharon Koh:
Hi there Sharon, I do not wish to discuss the merits or demerits of the facebook module because I do not think I can add anymore valuable content to the discussion.
However, I take issue with your comment about ‘cheapo programmer’. I believe there may be some underlying misconception that led you to make a comment like “(hire some cheapo programmer first)”
Programming has its place in society the same way medicine and business has. They are all important activities that are required for a modern society to function properly.
Programming is both art and science. There is an art to creating good programs and software and there is science towards creating programs that are efficient. It isn’t easy. In some ways, programmers can be magicians because in the computer world, there are not really bounded by real-world physics.
If we can post comments over the internet and discuss issues, it is because hardworking programmers everywhere have made it possible. They have done all the hard work so that we can enjoy the rewards.
The programmer who programmed your cable modem/router, the programmer who programmed the routers at your ISP, the programmer who programmed the internet backbones to make the internet possible, the programmer who programmed your computer’s operating system, the embedded programmers who program the individual computer chips in your computer, the programmers who made your computer’s web-browser, the programmers who made this very blog, they have all done so much hard work.
A computer system is subject to a lot of complexities and managing these complexities isn’t easy. The programmers I named above (it isn’t an exhaustive list by the way, I am sure I left a lot of important people out) have managed these complexities for society to enjoy.
I am afraid that you may think that programming is something anyone can do. That may be true to some extent because unlike other professions, the barrier to entry is really quite low. Anyone can download online tutorials or borrow programming books, download their favourite interpreter/compiler and start programming.
However, very few people have the talent to become good programmers just by reading a book. It takes years of practice and dedication and making good programs isn’t something anyone can just do.
If you are ever in a position of managing programmers, treat them with respect the way you would treat your doctor or some business manager. Do not think programming is a necessarily evil, a menial activity that anyone can do. (In fact, the same could be said about any profession but programmers are the focus here). Good programmers cannot be easily replaced.
If you are ever in a position of managing the budget for programmers, increase their salary, send them on training courses and do things to keep their morale and motivation up.
A good programmer who has a good morale would be really dedicated and perform well and you would notice that in the long-run, you and your company would benefit greatly.
If you have a good idea for some application but do not have enough money, hire a programmer with initially reduced salary on the promise that if you can sell your application well, you will increase his pay appropriately (especially if you hit your 5 figure sum).
It is quite possible that your intention wasn’t to downplay the importance of programmers but I thought I should clear up any potential confusion and misunderstanding as programming is an activity that I personally take seriously.
Have a nice day.
Yours Politely,
SoC Student
Well I was OK with your criticism untill I came across ‘Hindu’ as one of the languages…Well Done!
So why don’t you find it ok until you see “chinese” or “english” as one of those languages?
‘hindu’ is not a language its a religion
Weikiat,
I only happened to chance upon this website, but im glad i did. I am about to graduate, and am naturally concerned about the current recessive economy that is present in Singapore. It is going to be that much harder to get jobs, and you have to be that much better than your competition.
But seeing your posts (lengthy as it was, it exposed to greater detail the shallowness in your thinking, and the steepness of the mountain you have to climb called mt.Maturity), has brought me renewed confidence in myself.
I am going to talk to you like a man, because you look like one, though your words don’t. Granted you have the right to express your opinion, but if you do not possess the maturity of thought or clarity of vision to understand any situation clearly before making an opinion on it, then you should not express it, because you are responsible for your words and actions. Afterall, opinions are like a**holes, everyone has got one.
On that note, I have heard great reviews about the module from students who have taken it, and I acknowledge Prof Ben’s efforts.
Cheers!
Felix
For every matter there are alternative views.
It is the inability to accept these that betrays one’s maturity. And in this case, that of a graduate.
I have to agree with Felix.
Weikiat: everyone has alternate views, but when you express views upon an institution, it is not the same as expressing the views on, say, yesterdays weather. you have to be careful in how you pick your words, and least of all, you should understand the issue that you yourself are ridiculing first before making a judgement on that.
Daniel, saying that is like saying to a group of people, “Hey, you all can do anything you want! This is freedom, people!”
And then when one guy decides to kill you, you say, “you can do anything you want, but you must be careful what you do to me!”
and that the freedom of what you do to me is different from the freedom of what you can do to, say, a cat.
ahh man.. the only way i can make sense of all this is if you tell me you still go to high school.. im going to give you the benefit of doubt and assume you are!
Good Luck!