About Computing
You are here (hopefully) because you have an interest in computing
which you want to build on. It may or may not be the case that computers
are going to take over the world, but there is no doubt that they are
here to stay, and appearing everywhere in our lives. We are here because
we also have an interest in computers, up to the point where we like
telling other people about them and playing with them. (or research
is it is more properly called..)
Of Computers...
Within our courses you will learn about computers at two levels; as a user of such tools as word processors, spreadsheets, compilers and development environments and as a creator of computer based tools and systems for others to use.
To this end we teach programming in a popular computer language, C#, and we make many computers easily available. This includes issuing swipe cards so that students can have "out of hours" access to our machines. In addition, most of the rooms in some of our halls of residence, and student flats on campus, have direct network connections.
You do not need a computer of your own to attend any of our courses,
although you may find it a useful thing to have. Much of the work is
based on the PC running either Microsoft Windows or Linux.
Computing and Puzzles
People used to think that computers were only for the mathematically gifted. Whilst it is true that numbers underpin the way that computers work, it is certainly not the case that you need to be a maths wizard to work with computers. A good computer person has to have an interest in solving problems and like attacking puzzles. Just for fun, I've put a puzzle on our pages for you to have a crack at.
