Both Intro classes will be having a contest that ends this Friday.

In Intro to Programming, we’re having the Alice Best Photo Contest!

In Intro to Computing, we’re having the Design a 1920×1080 Wallpaper Contest!

On Wednesday Wikipedia will be shut down in protest of the SOPA legislation. Educate yourself on these issues!

With all the talk of SOPA lately, and with GoDaddy proving to be a miserable craphole of an example, I’m glad I chose carefully 5 years ago when I decided to get a web host.

Back then I wanted a few things that were absolutely philosophically necessary for me to sign up:

• Server had to be running Linux
• I needed command line access and freedom
• I wanted support for Python server-side stuff
• I wanted no one to be a pain in the butt and yet be there if I really needed help (in the last four years I only contacted them once and received great help within minutes)
• I didn’t want any Windows servers hanging around and slobbering on mine

In the end I chose Dreamhost, and I’m glad I did.  Here’s what they think of SOPA.

Don’t forget that Skyline has some great clubs that use the lab after school:

Thursdays: Computer Club

Fridays: Tabletop Gaming Club

Okay, as you may already know:  I’m teaching 8 classes this semester, giving up both my plan periods to do so.  Before I decided to do that, I though it over and looked at all the options.  I truly believe that Skyline has the best Computer Science program in the state–and possibly in the whole country.  That sounds like hyperbole, but try to find another school anywhere in the nation that offers such a deep curriculum that is both 1) current and 2) fiercely independent.  As long as I’m here, we will NOT base any curriculum decisions on what gets us funding from proprietary companies that would love nothing more than to have us turn out the next generation of software “users”.  Heck no!

Now, my opinions are my own, and I accept all sorts of students–even those that don’t share my philosophical views of free software at all costs.  At one time it was a struggle, and I had to be very patient, waiting for some of my brightest students to appreciate why I was avoiding any “free handout” that was offered to me by company reps at conferences that were promising me a bunch of free stuff if I’d just get my school to buy into their curriculum.  I have no problem with students making bad choices–but when teachers make decisions based on anything other than what is best for their students…well, that’s unforgivable.

Sometimes I think back to things I was taught at my high school, and I’m angry when I think of all the wasted time that occurred simply because someone gave the go-ahead to allow some wacko to come in and tell us all what we should be doing, how we should be feeling, and basically pushing some thinly-veiled agenda that I could see through like it was Saran Wrap.  If you like the Friday Table Top Gaming Club at Skyline, just ask me sometime about the high school assembly I once attended that really, really, really made me angry about the school officials that allowed it to occur.

So what you have is a teacher that is VERY motivated to help his students reach their full potential.  Computer Science is a rare field in which most of societies norms get turned upside down.  Instead of “never give up!”, you’ll hear me say, “maybe it’s time to give up, at least with THAT approach….”  Instead of “you have to do this because I said so”, you’re as likely to hear me say. “well…what the heck–you may be right.  Let’s test it out and see!”

I am very pleased with how my new students this semester dove in to the Lite Bot challenge.  From my experience, I would say I now have the most talented group of students that I have ever had.  If you are willing to think hard and work smart, you will probably find this class to be one that is life-changing.  You may decide that Computer Science is a field that you never want to stray very far from.  The great news is that no matter what you decide to do with your career, your life, your education–what you learn in this class will allow you to solve problems.  As Principal Quinones said in the Skyline Stem Video on our School Site, we live in a world that is rapidly changing.  Rather than try to give students particular skills to help them get jobs, we’re working on turning out ambitious and creative thinking students that will be able to succeed in the real world–no matter what career path they take.

Thanks for a great first week!

–Mr. Guenther

Hope you all had a good break.  I know that I needed the extra time off to … well, do computer science stuff and get ready for this Spring semester.

I’m teaching a full schedule this semester.  Actually, I’m teaching more than a full schedule, as I have no plan periods on either Red or Gold days.  Because of that, I’ve decided to NOT have students in the lab during lunch.  Of course I will make an exception or two, but it will have to be a student who can maybe help out or work on our App Dev Team work.

A few things that are critical this semester:

1. All students need to check this site every day.
2. All students need to know how to turn in their work using the shared folders.

Hey, that’s only two things!  Not bad.