Category Archives: CS-348

Open Source Software in Education

     In recent times I have started a job as a computer teacher for a private school, and as such I have had to become familiar with a variety of educational software. As an educator, it is important for there to be a plethora of accessible software to teach children digital literacy, as computers have become increasingly incorporated into more facets of modern society.  Open-source software is one avenue that allows young students access to important tools to learn and create, without incurring a hefty price tag for their school. This is especially true for those learning how to code since it is not exactly a subject that comes naturally to everyone. While there are certainly many free IDEs out there for any aspiring adult programmer to use, I am more concerned with young children who may not be able to understand all the complex operations of standard IDEs. The best answer I have found is the educational coding software Scratch, created by MIT. Licensed under the “Creative Commons Share Alike” license, Scratch provides a drag and drop block-based coding environment that is easily understood and accessible to children. This allows teachers to easily demonstrate basic coding concepts like if-then-else statements and assigning variables. There’s even Scratch jr., available on tablets, that has an even more simplistic UI designed for even younger audiences. MIT has also released App Inventor, a free open-source software for creating mobile applications. These coding applications highlight the ability of open-source software to easily adapt to changes in social needs. But educational software does not just encompass programming and mobile apps, it also extends to various tools needed for academic success. Software such as ONLYOFFICE and LibreOffice, which provides a free alternative to Microsoft Office, is appreciated by students who cannot afford the more popular and expensive version. Not only are these applications useful within the U.S. education system, but another benefit they provide is their international reach. Since they are online and free for anyone to download and copy, they can be distributed to anyone globally with an internet connection. This opens new avenues for providing education to those in need. Education is a sector in need of accessible tools so that we can better teach the next generation and expand access to reliable education within our own borders and beyond. Not only that, but in this modern time where the importance of digital literacy is at an all-time high, we need to start laying the groundwork for future developers. 

https://scratch.mit.edu/faq

https://elearningindustry.com/open-source-tools-to-boost-digital-learning

From the blog CS@Worcester Alejandro Professional Blog by amontesdeoca and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Open Source Software in Education

     In recent times I have started a job as a computer teacher for a private school, and as such I have had to become familiar with a variety of educational software. As an educator, it is important for there to be a plethora of accessible software to teach children digital literacy, as computers have become increasingly incorporated into more facets of modern society.  Open-source software is one avenue that allows young students access to important tools to learn and create, without incurring a hefty price tag for their school. This is especially true for those learning how to code since it is not exactly a subject that comes naturally to everyone. While there are certainly many free IDEs out there for any aspiring adult programmer to use, I am more concerned with young children who may not be able to understand all the complex operations of standard IDEs. The best answer I have found is the educational coding software Scratch, created by MIT. Licensed under the “Creative Commons Share Alike” license, Scratch provides a drag and drop block-based coding environment that is easily understood and accessible to children. This allows teachers to easily demonstrate basic coding concepts like if-then-else statements and assigning variables. There’s even Scratch jr., available on tablets, that has an even more simplistic UI designed for even younger audiences. MIT has also released App Inventor, a free open-source software for creating mobile applications. These coding applications highlight the ability of open-source software to easily adapt to changes in social needs. But educational software does not just encompass programming and mobile apps, it also extends to various tools needed for academic success. Software such as ONLYOFFICE and LibreOffice, which provides a free alternative to Microsoft Office, is appreciated by students who cannot afford the more popular and expensive version. Not only are these applications useful within the U.S. education system, but another benefit they provide is their international reach. Since they are online and free for anyone to download and copy, they can be distributed to anyone globally with an internet connection. This opens new avenues for providing education to those in need. Education is a sector in need of accessible tools so that we can better teach the next generation and expand access to reliable education within our own borders and beyond. Not only that, but in this modern time where the importance of digital literacy is at an all-time high, we need to start laying the groundwork for future developers. 

https://scratch.mit.edu/faq

https://elearningindustry.com/open-source-tools-to-boost-digital-learning

From the blog CS@Worcester Alejandro Professional Blog by amontesdeoca and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Understanding Copyright and Licensing:

In this blog post, we will delve into the realm of copyright protection, licensing, and explore how to use content ethically on your blog.

Copyright Fundamentals

Copyright is the legal foundation asserting that creative works such as art, writing, images, and music belong to their creators. Anything you create and record in a lasting form is your intellectual property. Others cannot legally copy or profit from your work without your permission.

Types of Licensing: Traditional Copyright, Creative Commons, and Public Domain

  1. Traditional Copyright: Strict protection; requires permission for use, adaptation, copying, or publishing.
  2. Creative Commons: Allows usage under specific conditions set by the creator (e.g., attribution, non-commercial use, no derivative works).
  3. Public Domain: Completely unrestricted use, no permission needed (applies to works published before 1923, creations of long-dead creators, or works intentionally placed in the public domain).

Using Public Domain and Creative Commons Content

Public Domain Content

No restrictions on usage, but identifying such content can be challenging. Useful sites include:

  • Prelinger Archives
  • U.S. Government Photos and Images

Creative Commons Content

Free to use but with conditions set by the creator. License types include attribution, non-commercial use, no derivative works, and share alike. Sites for finding such content include:

  • Wikimedia Commons
  • Flickr’s Creative Commons Search
  • Creative Commons Search

Using Copyrighted Material

Fair Use Guidelines

Fair Use allows limited use of copyrighted material for purposes like commentary, criticism, reporting, and teaching. Guidelines include:

  • Majority of content must be your own.
  • Properly credit the copyright holder.
  • Non-commercial use is generally safer.

Misusing Copyrighted Material

Even with good intentions, a copyright holder may disagree. Consequences may include blog shutdown or legal action. Remove contested content if requested.

Licensing Copyrighted Content

To use copyrighted material outside of Fair Use, obtain a license. Stock photo sites for licensed content include:

  • iStockphoto
  • Photos.com
  • Fotolia

Sharing Copyrighted Videos

Embedding videos from YouTube or Vimeo is common, but beware of copyright violations. Ensure the video creator is credited. Illegally shared videos may lead to removal.

Protecting Your Intellectual Property

Your content is also protected by copyright. Safeguard it by:

  • Using plagiarism search services (e.g., Copyscape).
  • Setting up Google Alerts for excerpts of your posts.
  • Adding watermarks to your images.

What to Do if Your Content Is Misused

Contact the blogger or site using your content, requesting removal or proper credit. If unsuccessful, consider filing a DMCA takedown request, following legal procedures outlined in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Remember, respecting copyright and licensing not only preserves the rights of content creators but also upholds the integrity of your blog. Happy and responsible blogging!

https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/blogbasics/copyright-and-fair-use/1/#

From the blog CS@Worcester – Coding by asejdi and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Scrumming through the Semester

As we go towards the last “Sprint” of this semester I find it obligated to write about the Scrum methodology and how what at first appears as just “something” you deal with during a course, surprisingly turns out to be a methodology that can help you ace your academic endeavors.

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

An explanation to my readers who are first reading about Scrum here:

Scrum is a framework used in the agile project management methodology, primarily in software development, to enhance collaboration, flexibility, and the speed of development. It provides a structured yet flexible way for teams to work together on complex projects. Key elements of Scrum include:

  1. Roles:
    • Product Owner: Represents the stakeholders and is responsible for defining the product backlog.
    • Scrum Master: Facilitates the Scrum process and removes impediments to the team’s progress.
    • Development Team: Cross-functional individuals responsible for delivering the product increment.
  2. Artifacts:
    • Product Backlog: A prioritized list of features, enhancements, and bug fixes that constitute the product.
    • Sprint Backlog: The subset of items from the product backlog that the team commits to completing during a sprint.
    • Increment: The sum of all completed backlog items at the end of a sprint, representing a potentially shippable product.
  3. Events:
    • Sprint: A time-boxed period (usually 2-4 weeks) during which a potentially shippable product increment is created.
    • Sprint Planning: A meeting at the beginning of each sprint where the team plans the work to be done.
    • Daily Scrum: A brief daily meeting where the team discusses progress, plans for the day, and identifies and removes obstacles.
    • Sprint Review: A meeting at the end of each sprint where the team demonstrates the completed work to stakeholders.
    • Sprint Retrospective: A meeting at the end of each sprint where the team reflects on its performance and identifies areas for improvement.1

Now that we got that out of the way let me show you how applying Scrum methodology as a student can help you manage your time, stay organized, and drastically enhance collaboration during those obligatory group projects.

My first step would be creating a “Student Backlog” which Identifies your academic goals, assignments, and projects. Break them down into smaller more manageable tasks and prioritize the tasks based on deadlines and importance.
Secondly, define your “Sprint length” by which I mean study periods. You can determine the duration of your “sprints” by a week or two depending on your own preferences and the nature of your tasks or assignments.
The Third point would be “Sprint Planning”. At the beginning of each sprint plan what tasks you will focus on considering your class schedule, deadlines, and other commitments. Remember to have realistic time estimates for each task.
The Fourth point is having a personal “Daily Scrum” in which you review your progress and plan for the day while identifying any challenges or roadblocks that you may face.
Scrum is all about enhancing collaboration in groups so if you have group projects, introduce scrum to your groupmates and try to implement Sprint Planning and Daily Scrums to keep everyone on the same page. I found that using tools that boost collaboration also works miracles during group projects. Tools like “Jira” or “Trello” can help you succeed during these said projects. Adaptability is a huge part of Scrum so try to be open to adjusting your plan as needed when unexpected events and new priorities arise.
The last and most important lesson that I’ve learned from scrum is to track continuous improvement. Try to get feedback from your professors, friends, mentors, and even from yourself to continually improve your studying and refine your methods based on what works best for you.

Photo by ThisIsEngineering on Pexels.com

With all that being said, I wish that everyone achieves their goals in one way or another, remember that for all of this to happen you first need to stay fit and healthy so don’t sacrifice your well-being in order to achieve “fast” results. Success takes time.

Ano out.

  1. Information from Scrum.org ↩︎

From the blog CS@Worcester – Anairdo's WSU Computer Science Blog by anairdoduri and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

The Evolution of Kanban: A dive into another methodology

having taken a look at Kanban (which was part of our homework task), a powerful framework for software development teams, has become a cornerstone for teams aiming to enhance efficiency and transparency in their workflow. Originating over 50 years ago from Toyota’s manufacturing processes, the methodology has seamlessly transitioned into the realm of software development. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the key principles of Kanban, its historical roots, and its application in modern agile practices.

from what information i was able to gather, Kanban is grounded in the just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing process that Toyota pioneered in the late 1940s. it draws inspiration from supermarkets stocking products based on consumer demand, to which Toyota aimed to align their factory inventory levels with actual material consumption. The implementation involved passing a visual signal, known as a “kanban,” between teams to communicate real-time capacity on the factory floor and with suppliers.

Fast forward to today, and agile software development teams have embraced these JIT principles to optimize work in progress (WIP) and match it with the team’s capacity. The heart of Kanban lies in visualizing work, limiting WIP, and ensuring real-time communication of capacity.

Central to the Kanban methodology is the Kanban board, a visual project management tool available in physical or digital form. This tool aids in visualizing work, limiting work-in-progress, and maximizing efficiency or flow. Whether physical or virtual, the Kanban board serves as the single source of truth for the team’s work, ensuring transparency and real-time communication of capacity.

Kanban offers a plethora of advantages for software developing teams, making it one of the most popular software development methodologies today. The flexibility in planning, shortened time cycles, fewer bottlenecks, and the use of visual metrics contribute to its widespread adoption. The ability to adjust priorities without disrupting the team, optimize cycle time, and limit WIP ensures that Kanban is not only effective but also adaptable to different team structures and objectives.

in terms of what stuck with me the most after reading the article, i’d say the historical connection to Toyota’s manufacturing processes highlighted the enduring nature of concepts like just-in-time manufacturing and efficient inventory management. Understanding how these principles seamlessly translated into the realm of software development underscored the universal applicability of Kanban aswell as the emphasis on visualization through Kanban boards and the use of cards for each work item struck me as a simple yet powerful way to enhance collaboration and transparency within a team. The flexibility in planning, especially the ability to reprioritize work without disrupting the ongoing tasks, stood out as a valuable feature. This aligns well with the dynamic nature of software development, where changes in priorities are not uncommon.

https://www.atlassian.com/agile/kanban

From the blog CS@Worcester – CSTips by Jamaal Gedeon and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Navigating Success with Scrum: A Journey Through Agile Evolution

when it comes to the ever-evolving landscape of software development, i’d say it’s imperative to keep pace with methodologies that not In the ever-evolving landscape of software development, it’s imperative to keep pace with methodologies that not only foster innovation but also ensure efficiency and quality. Scrum, a natural evolution of Agile Management, emerges as a powerful ally in this quest. I wanted to try explore in this blog post some of the intricacies of Scrum, the roles it defines, its numerous benefits, and the heartbeat of the framework – Scrum ceremonies.only foster innovation but also ensure efficiency and quality. Scrum, a natural evolution of Agile Management, emerges as a powerful ally in this quest.

Our journey through Scrum begins with the understanding that it’s a flexible methodology firmly grounded in the 12 agile principles. It operates in time-bound blocks known as Sprints, where the emphasis is on delivering tangible results efficiently. A critical element is the Product Owner, who ensures alignment with the project’s goals and client priorities.

I wanted to choose this due to its holistic approach to Scrum, covering both its foundational concepts and its profound impact on software development and beyond. It’s particularly relevant to our course as it provides insights into harnessing technology for project management.

The article underscores Scrum’s suitability for modern demands – the need for quality, fast delivery at lower costs. Its ability to adapt to changing requirements is an invaluable asset. Scrum’s emphasis on the most important functionalities first ensures swift client access and timely risk management. The definition of roles, especially the Product Owner and Scrum Master, is pivotal to maintaining a balance between business priorities and agile development.

This resource served as a reminder of Scrum’s pivotal role in the software development ecosystem. It reinforced my belief in the importance of flexibility, adaptability, and efficiency in project management. The incorporation of Scrum’s ceremonies ensures that every aspect of the project is aligned with the overarching goal, promoting collaboration, transparency, and improvement. I see myself applying this knowledge in future projects, advocating for scrum methodologies to achieve better results.

As we conclude our exploration of Scrum, it’s evident that its application extends beyond software development, seeping into various organizational models. The benefits of scalability, expectation compliance, flexibility, and risk reduction make Scrum a cornerstone in project management methodologies. The Scrum ceremonies, with their structured yet flexible approach, not only foster collaboration and transparency but also ensure timely progress and continuous improvement.

https://www.nimblework.com/agile/scrum-methodology/

From the blog CS@Worcester – CSTips by Jamaal Gedeon and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

choosing the right software development mythology: Agile, or Waterfall?

whether you’re beginning a new project or complementing a change in your developmental approach, it can be difficult to choose whether Agile methodology can assist us to successfully develop our idea or Waterfall methodology. choosing the right approach is tremendously crucial to successfully developing the project. In this blog, we will analyze the specifics of Agile, and Waterfall methologies to help you make an informed decision that is tailored to your projects needs.

understanding Agile

Agile methodology is often praised for its customer-centric, and flexible approach to software development. In Agile, projects are divided into small increments with minimal planning, and teams work in short cycles, known as iterations or sprints. The methodology emphasizes collaboration, customer feedback, and the flexibility to adapt to changing requirements in which results in continuous delivery of functional software, close collaboration between cross-functional teams, stakeholders, and the customers.

understanding Waterfall

Unlike Agile, the Waterfall methodology follows a linear and step-by-step approach. the project is divided into distinct stages where each stage build’s upon the previous one. The development process flows steadily downwards similar to an actual waterfall, through stages like requirements, design, implementation, testing, deployment, and maintenance. Each stage must be completed before the next one begins, and changes are discouraged once a phase is underway.

So, how do you choose which methodology is the right fit for your project? The choice depends on several factors, such as project requirements, team expertise, and customer involvement in your development process. If the project requirements are clearly defined from the beginning, and changes won’t be necessary during the development process, then the Waterfall methodology could be the right choice for you. However, I personally believe that Agile methodology is usually the right choice for most projects. In today’s world of constant change, adaptability is crucial in any developmental process. Additionally, based on my experience in various customer-service jobs I have had, I’ve realized that customers often don’t know exactly what they want. Therefore, having the ability to adapt if the customer’s needs change slightly is incredibly important.

From the blog CS@Worcester – The Bits & Bytes Universe by skarkonan and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Writing Clean Code

As many programmers know, running code does not exactly mean good code. In addition to being executable, code also needs to be what is called “clean”, referring to code that is easy to read and understand.

In the article, How to Write Clean Code, Germán Cocca gives explains a large scope of what makes code clean. I have selected three areas that I found most beneficial to me as a CS student:

  1. Format and Syntax
  2. Conciseness and Clarity
  3. Documentation

Firstly, Format and syntax refer to how code is organized. Good format and syntax includes proper indentation, spacing, and variable naming that is consistent throughout the code. Furthermore, it is also important to make sure that variable names are meaningful so that its purpose is clear to the reader.

Secondly, It is good to be clear, but it is also important to keep it concise. Code that is too concise become difficult to understand because it sacrifices too many important details to minimize length. Code that is too detailed however becomes convoluted. Having clear and concise code makes it not only easier to read, but also easier to reuse, and so it is up to the programmer to know when to make the tradeoff between clarity and conciseness.

Thirdly, documentation cannot be understated. There is only so much information that can be expressed through the executable code itself, which is why clean code will always have comments that help guide the reader through what each part of the code is doing. That being said, it is important not to abuse the utilization of comments as this may affect the conciseness of the code. Therefore, comments should be used deliberately and formatted consistently.

Writing code requires a lot of planning and refining. Code will inevitably have to change and improve to meeting new requirements. Having clean code helps make this process more smooth and effective.

I learned this the hard way during my summer internship while using Jupyter Notebooks. Notebooks were especially useful because I was able to execute snip-bits of the code using its multi-cell functionality. However, this put me into a bad habit of not always using meaningful variable names or properly document what I was doing. And worst of all, I would often modify the notebook in ways that blurred the purpose of my code making it difficult to reuse later on.

After being set back a number of times, I realized my mistake and started fixing the way I would write my code. I started utilizing markdown and meaningful variables and would never delete or modify any of the finalized code I wrote, but instead make a new notebook or Python file with a new version noting why the new version was needed.

Poorly writing code may still compile, but it becomes very difficult to maintain. Writing clean code requires practice and awareness, but it is essential to making code easy to read and reusable.

Source: https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/how-to-write-clean-code/

From the blog Stories by Namson Nguyen on Medium by Namson Nguyen and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Software Testing

In this week’s blog post, I will discuss the article “The Different Types of Software Testing” by Sten Pittet. This article discusses different kinds of tests, some differences between manual and automatic testing, and how to automate testing. I chose this article because it fits well with the software testing section of the syllabus. I also liked how the author went into great detail about the tests mentioned in the article. In this blog post, I will discuss some of the software testing methods in the article.

The first test discussed in the article is the unit test. “Unit tests are very low level and close to the source of an application. They consist in testing individual methods and functions of the classes, components, or modules used by your software. Unit tests are generally quite cheap to automate and can run very quickly by a continuous integration server.” From what is mentioned in the article, unit tests appear to be immensely helpful in testing smaller pieces of a program. Due to their ease of automation, they could also be beneficial for parts of a program that occur often. The following tests discussed in the article are integration tests.

Integration tests are imperative to ensure different parts of your program function well together. “Integration tests verify that different modules or services used by your application work well together. For example, it can be testing the interaction with the database or making sure that microservices work together as expected. These types of tests are more expensive to run as they require multiple parts of the application to be up and running.” While these tests are very helpful, due to requiring multiple systems to be running simultaneously, this type of test can be very costly to run regularly. The next test that I will discuss is the functional test.

Functional tests are very different from the prior two tests I have discussed, wherein the first two tests check the functionality of sections of your project. In contrast, available tests explicitly check for the project’s output. “Functional tests focus on the business requirements of an application. They only verify the output of an action and do not check the intermediate states of the system when performing that action.” This test is beneficial for the business application of a project. In contrast, the project’s pieces must function for the customer, and the project as a whole must also do what it was designed to do, and functional tests are great for determining this.

Article: https://www.atlassian.com/continuous-delivery/software-testing/types-of-software-testing

From the blog CS@Worcester – P. McManus Worcester State CS Blog by patrickmcmanus1 and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

This Week In Software Process Management

In this week’s class, we delved into some intriguing topics that shed light on the dynamic world of project management and software development. So, let’s recap the highlights of our recent discussions.

New Project Initiation:

We kicked things off by exploring the essential steps in new project initiation. It all begins with reading product descriptions and commencing a basic requirements analysis. This initial phase sets the tone for the entire project, as it helps us understand what we’re about to embark on. Clarity at this stage is paramount.

Then, we moved on to the technical side of things by creating a new project on GitLab. We ensured that all the required files were in place and established a board structure tailored to support Scrum development. This pivotal step lays the foundation for collaborative, agile work and efficient progress tracking.

One concept that stood out this week was the “Definition of Done.” Understanding and defining what constitutes a complete task is vital to maintaining project integrity and ensuring that everyone is on the same page regarding project expectations.

Copyright and Licensing:

The second part of our class dived into the complex yet critical world of copyright and licensing. It’s not just about legalese; it’s about safeguarding your work and respecting the intellectual property of others.

We explored Free & Open Source Software Licensing, digging into the details of when a work becomes copyrighted and who owns that copyright. This knowledge is essential in avoiding potential legal pitfalls.

We also examined what you can and cannot do with unlicensed software. Knowing the boundaries here is crucial in preventing unintentional violations.

Licensing became a central theme in our discussions, as we explained its role and its significance in the realm of open-source software. We even delved into specific licenses like the GNU General Public License, Mozilla Public License, Eclipse Public License, and MOT License, each with its unique implications and considerations.

Lastly, we explored the importance of identifying the license of published software. It’s essential to be aware of the rules and limitations when using or contributing to open-source projects.

In summary, this week was an exciting journey through the early stages of project initiation, all the way to the intricate world of copyright and licensing. These insights will undoubtedly prove invaluable as we continue our education and venture into the realms of project management and software development. Stay tuned for more exciting insights in the coming weeks!

From the blog CS@Worcester – Dose Of Dev by msavice and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.