Wow...this is pretty much a dream come true. Options

[*mipadi*]

As some know, I'm a computer science student. Next semester, I'll be a first-semester senior, which means I can take some pretty kick-ass CS courses. I might get permission to take a course in computer security. Why? Well, for one, the professor is the best CS professor at my university, but there's an even better reason: it's the final project for the class.

I talked to the prof about the final project. Basically, shortly after the midpoint of the semester, the class is split into small teams. Each team gets a computer. The computer is set up on its own private network. Each team gets to pick a distribution of Linux to install on its computer.

Each team gets a few "free" weeks to secure its box, and then...yep, you guessed it. A few weeks before the end of the semester, it becomes open season on the network: Each team tries as hard as it can to break into the other teams' computers and trash their machines.

This is the sort of thing geeks dream about as children.

Problem is, I don't know if I can fit it into my schedule...but I'm going to try to find a way.

[HakunaMatata]

Go on, Michael, crash your way to geek heaven.

[iDecay]

Since I have no knowledge of computers whatsover, I'd just kick it for a while until it breaks..


But that sounds cool. I'd totally try as hard as I can to fit that into my schedule if I were you.

[*WHIMSICAL 0NE*]

That's cool, you get to hack a computer--legally. Makes me wish I knew more about computers haha! You should really go for it and then come back and tell us how awesome it was.

[*mona lisa*]

Is this course for one or two semesters? That sounds cool, not to mention very fun!

[clarity]

This is the sort of thing geeks dream about as children.

Actually, it does seem like a dream come true.


>_>
<_<
yes, i'm a geek.

I'd just kick it for a while until it breaks..

Tina, that just made me crack up for about 10 minutes.

lol



<-- has a weird sense of humor at times.

[alysaphobia]

i'm no computer whiz at all
but that sounds so awesome!!
good luck (:

[HakunaMatata]

Btw, Michael, how does one break into other's computers anyway?

[EddieV]

This sounds really fun, managing your schedule seems pretty hard though....

[*Intercourse.*]

Hmm surprised Josh has posted in this.

I think that sounds really fun though, schedule working though is really hard I've come to notice so I hope you figure it all out and find the time

[*My Cinderella.*]

Sounds super. Hacking into computers legally! Good luck with fitting it into your schedule.

[Smoogrish]

HEY I READ ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN POPULAR SCIENCE A WHILE AGO!

I can't remember exactly what it was called, but it's basically "capture the flag", computer style. There are several teams, and each has "flags" to protect on their computer.. they have ot defend them while attempting to hack other flags from other teams.. that sounds like A LOT of fun. I'll find the name later.

I'd definitely go for it. Btw, what college do you go to? I'm looking at majoring in Comp Sci..

[KissMe2408]

haha, dude that class sounds awesome.

def find a way to fit it into your schedule,
i'm sure you'll learn more from that class then your others.

[cornytu]

Oooh, sounds pretty fun!

Ironically, I'm in some program in high school that involves this computer science thing too. Apparently, we learn Microsoft Office this year. Poopie.

[*mipadi*]

I'm still not sure if I'll be able to take it. It conflicts with a required course on programming language design, which is my personal area of interest, and I also don't meet the prerequisites for the security course—although the professor said he'd waive any requirements I don't meet, since I'm a genius and all. I have to talk to him tomorrow about the best course of action regarding course selection, but I might end up not taking it.

Is this course for one or two semesters? That sounds cool, not to mention very fun!

It's a one semester course... I don't think there are any two-semester courses here.

Btw, Michael, how does one break into other's computers anyway?

Well, you know...I'm not an expert.

Btw, what college do you go to? I'm looking at majoring in Comp Sci..

I go to Bucknell University. It's a small school, but it's really nice, and it has one of the top undergrad engineering schools. I love the comp sci program, though. I've had so much fun. I started off college as an English major, but comp sci is way more fulfilling to me than anything in my humanities curriculum ever was! (Maybe that's because I feel like I'm actually doing something in comp sci...)

[*Libertie*]

This is the sort of thing geeks dream about as children.

LOL *hug*

That sounds awesome, what an interesting way to go about teaching the course. Good luck with getting it to fit in with your schedule, because that sounds like it'll be a LOT of fun.

[micron]

heh, english to comp sci, thats not something you hear everyday. =)

try createblog.com. =))))))))))))

[*disco infiltrator*]

That is super cool; I can't believe that's the whole class. That's like, what you do anyway.

[*StanleyThePanda*]

Haha that sounds neat. I hope you can take the course.

[*mipadi*]

That sounds awesome, what an interesting way to go about teaching the course. Good luck with getting it to fit in with your schedule, because that sounds like it'll be a LOT of fun.

It would be. The professor's my research advisor, and he was a security researcher at Dartmouth once upon a time.

Unfortunately, I probably won't be able to take it, since it conflicts with another required course—but the time of the course might be changed, so we'll see.

[*Libertie*]

It sort of reminds me of the capstone projects here, they can get pretty hands on here.

Man, you'd think that two courses that align pretty much with the same degree plan would be offered at times that don't conflict. That really sucks.

..Story of my life at RSU, btw.

[stormbringer]

wow yeah fit it into your schedule...!!! AWEsome

[SarahxJoy]

Haha very cool. Sounds like fun.

[*mipadi*]

Man, you'd think that two courses that align pretty much with the same degree plan would be offered at times that don't conflict. That really sucks.

Well, most people taking CS208 (Programming Language Design) wouldn't be take CS362 (the security course), since most of those students wouldn't have the experience necessary to take the security course. I'm a rare exception, so I am not surprised.

[*Frénésie*]

I can't stop laughing.

[brahmanism]

cool.

gl :)

[*mipadi*]

Woohoo, I got the class! I didn't meet all the prerequisites, so I emailed the professor (who just happens to be my research advisor and honors thesis advisor) to ask if he'd let me in. He wrote back, "Come by my office and we'll talk about what you know about systems programming [which is required for the course]." So I dropped by and he said, "So, what do you know about systems programming?" I said, "Uh, well, nothing really, I've written some multi-threaded programs in Java and Objective-C and that's about it," and he stopped me and said, "Okay, that's enough, that's what I wanted to know," and gave me permission to take the course.

So I registered this morning and got in, and the time was changed for it so I was still able to take the other courses I require, too. Only problem is that I had to shuffle things around to take a Bio lab at 8 AM on Thursday mornings, but I have Tuesdays completely free.

[datass]

That's awesome, have fun hacking!

[*mipadi*]

Oh, you bet I will.

Although it's a pretty rough semester. Lots of class, plus an honors thesis. The Great Run Towards Grad School has begun!

[bigitchbay]

SABOTAGE.