CS373 Fall 2018 Xi Jin Week 2

1. What did you do this past week?
Everything was going on very well this week. I learned about assertions, unit testing, and acceptance testing. These are something new to me, although I have been using python for a long time. I was used to testing my program using other people’s testing program. Now, it is time for me to create my own formalized tests. I also read the first eight chapters in Extreme Programming. The idea of how customers and programmers should cooperate is helpful. I also learned a new concept called “story.” It looks like people who are not familiar with computer science tend to think about different functions like different stories.
2. What’s in your way?
I need a team. This week I talked to Dr. Downing and asked him how I can keep the momentum until I finish a project instead of giving up in the middle? It is always hard for me to stay self-motivated. He then gave me the advice that I should show my current work to someone else and promise that person if I fail to make this amount of progress in a week I will buy you a meal. That sounds a little bit weird, but I would try that next week.
3. What will you do next week?
First of all, there are several readings and one homework on my schedule. I have already passed the Hackerrank tests, so I will focus on finishing testing files and documentation. Since Dr. Toprac is offering me an opportunity to develop an iOS project, I would try my best to get that job. The career fair is approaching, so I also need to polish my resume and prepare for the interviews on the websites provided by Zara Louis.
4. What’s your experience of the class?
Taking this class is a very joyful experience. I like the Collatz conjecture. It took me several hours to optimize my solution in order to pass the test 3, but I failed. On Friday, Dr. Downing gave us a simple tip about how to accelerate when the algorithm encounters odd numbers. I went back and added one line of code. Surprisingly, I passed all 3 tests. That makes me realize that I am still far away from being a good programmer, and I need to keep studying in this class.
5. What’s your pick-of-the-week or tip-of-the-week?
I would highly recommend Apple’s official Human Interface Guidelines. As a CS student, I always feel that we are unable to make good designs. A developer should not only have the ability to code, but also have a good taste of right design. Nowadays, many companies have shifted from technology-centered to design-centered. Therefore, developers who understand and follow these guidelines will be popular on the job market.
