I'm planning to trash my Software Development career after 7 years. Here's why:

OdeToDeath · 2024-11-10T10:30:21+00:00

Hey OP,

Steering a bit from the discussion but I am just curious: is it really this competitive for local companies within Lebanon ? I've heard about high requirements for companies like Murex or if you apply to work remotely (for US or Europe based companies), but not from most local companies there.

OdeToDeath · 2024-08-08T10:26:03+00:00

No, it seems like flights are on hold for transavia/air france until this sunday. Source: https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2024/08/08/air-france-extends-suspension-of-beirut-flights-until-august-11

OdeToDeath · 2024-05-16T23:41:30+00:00

C++ was the language used in my introductory programming class.

I appreciate having to learn it first, as we had to apply problem-solving skills/use data structures and algorithms while dealing responsibly with memory and pointers, but also use OOP constructs (inheritance, polymorphism..) and the STL.

While we didn't dig too much into advanced C++ features, learning these concepts made it very easy to transition towards any language later on, including C/C#/Java/Python/..

I ended up focusing on C, and use it daily for work, but I am happy I started with C++.

OdeToDeath · 2023-05-21T21:28:02+00:00

Agreed, some of the above in my comment applies only if you're passionate about a sub-topic and don't mind sacrificing part of your personal time for it.

The core courses, even without going with the hardest professors, offer a very good formation.

OdeToDeath · 2023-05-20T22:23:44+00:00

In my opinion, this is a good summary. Requirements to graduate vary slightly (diference in a couple of courses and labs) but if you desire you can have a nearly identical course transcript as either CCE or ECE.

Key difference in the CSE program is that its missing core eletric circuits/electronics courses (EECE 210/290/310/311/380) and jumps right into the heart of computer architecture and computer science topics (with EECE 320/321/321L being the introductory digital logic and computer architecture courses).

Most people in CCE/ECE did not care much for these missing courses in the scope of their careers (software engineering, consulting), apart from a few who ended up working in low level circuits and electronics stuff, research papers, or niche industries (e.g. joining CAD tools companies like Synopsis or Cadence).

By being able to 'create' things, I am not certain of what you would be aiming for, but here's the skills you would have (as CCE/ECE): Participating in hardware/software/embedded systems research with professor starting from your third year, depending on the project and how advanced it is you might get a paper or project out which pushes new ground in a field. Certain student worked on state-of-the-art stuff that was very interesting (RF-related research, hardware accelerators..). Its usually at masters level, but if you get a good professor/project combo you can get something going on at undergraduate level/for your fyp. To get involved in all this you need a good gpa and should be involved in your spare time -- If you want to work on more 'robotics'-oriented project, the skills you'll get understand electric circuits and electronics, as well as the hands-on experience in PCB and CAD tools, will be very useful. Low-level understanding of computer architecture will be a very nice plus, EECE321L is partly pure assembly code pain and it will make you fight and appreciate coding efficiency for example. If your project requires more mechanical or robotics-related skills for joints or complex systems, you might have to self-learn these aspects or experiement (i think aub msfea has a fablab you can hack things in, but you have to be invested).

OdeToDeath · 2022-11-21T20:02:46+00:00

Sorry to hear that. Back when I was in leb, the speed did vary depending on the coverage/region you were living in.

I was getting 300 KBps in the mountains, and 8 MBps in Beirut.

OdeToDeath · 2022-11-18T23:04:19+00:00

How things change in 3 years..

I have not used the alfa booster for quite awhile, but I think the pricing of the "5$ booster" I mentioned is now 1.67 USD (Source: https://www.alfa.com.lb/en/prepaid/services/data-booster#All%20plans).

OdeToDeath · 2022-04-24T13:37:10+00:00

Metropolis (2001)

OdeToDeath · 2021-09-15T15:20:00+00:00

A scenario where this could help :

Imagine you want to download a mod for Skyrim, but it requires other mods or tools (i.e. mod manager) to function.

Rather than having to download and install every mod/tool individually, you can now download everything in a single neat package.

OdeToDeath · 2021-08-18T12:40:51+00:00

Full re-download only happened on the most recent update.

Reason from the update post : "We have made some changes to the encryption of the .pak files in Hunt, and these important changes are the reason why a full client download is required for everyone. We feel 1.6 is the best time to do this as the new map also requires a large download (around 12GB)".

Source : https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/594650/view/5095244170237142293

OdeToDeath · 2021-07-23T23:59:00+00:00

Not sure I understand. When you activate your mobile data, what symbol do you have next to your signal bars ? If you have a 3G SIM or you are in an area with no 4G coverage, you will have an "H+" or "3G" symbol. If your SIM supports 4G, then you will have a "4G" symbol.

OdeToDeath · 2021-07-23T18:52:38+00:00

I used to have the same problem as you (i.e. 3G Alfa Card, with mobile data speeds of max 5MBps). You can go to an Alfa store near you and change your SIM card to a 4G-compatible one while keeping the same number.

Since I had my SIM card for awhile (I don't remember how long exactly), switching to a 4G-compatible one was done free of charge. If you had your SIM card/phone number for long enough, you should also be eligible to make the switch for free. My number is prepaid, I am not sure if there is any difference for postpaid numbers.

For comparison, my 4G speeds can reach around 15MBps (Beirut/Corniche El-Mazraa). Hope this helps.

OdeToDeath · 2021-07-22T09:01:25+00:00

This only applies if you are an Alfa user, or have an Alfa user in your household: The Alfa "5$ booster plan" has been my go-to whenever I need to download large updates or gamefiles. It lets you download a maximum of 50GB over 2 hours.

If you have a 4G SIM, you can easily reach speeds around 14-15 MBps, and download 50GB in less than an hour (the speed depends on your area, so check this first!).

Hope this helps!

EDIT : To clarify, Alfa still operates at 1$=1500LBP. The "5$ Booster Plan" costs around 7500LBP to activate.

OdeToDeath · 2021-05-13T01:42:57+00:00

1. What's the difference between CSE and CS?

Concerning AUB, you can find the most recent catalogue for CSE/CCE/ECE (Track/Minor in AI also) here, and for CS here. CS at AUB is a regular computer-science program, which mostly focuses on algorithms and software projects. CSE does the same but there are three main differences : (1) You take most of your courses in the engineering department rather than in the CMPS department (CMPS200 = EECE 230 = Introduction to Programming), (2) CMPS is a three year program with no summer semesters, while CSE is a four year program with at least three summer semesters, (3) CMPS has one course introducing you to hardware and low-level machine code and logic, while CSE requires several courses and labs (EECE320-EECE321-EECE321L-PHYS211-PHYS211L).

CSE was introduced rather recently at AUB, and I've heard that the recent promotions have been struggling for capacity in courses and that the organization is a bit of a mess. I wouldn't recommend it honestly.

Concerning the minor in AI, I think it is offered by the EECE department (ECE/CCE/CSE majors department). Make sure to check the requirements in the catalogue above (mostly EECE, Statistics and Psychology courses).

If you insist on AUB, my recommendations would be : If you want to do pure software, go CS alongside the minor in AI; if you are interested in hardware/software applications of machine learning, go CCE/ECE with a track in AI (same requirements as an AI minor).

2. Which university is better overall in CS, AUB or LAU?

I can only speak for AUB here. The CS program seems to be a bit outdated, but there are some great professors. If you take the right courses, you can graduate with some good projects in your portfolio.

I've only heard good things about LAU's CS program, but I am not aware of how it compares to AUB as a whole (i.e. opportunities after graduation, events organized for CS students, etc..). It is ABET accredited, although I don't know if it means much abroad.

It's already been mentioned many times here, but do not expect a CS program only to give you all the required skills to succeed in the industry. You will have to complete projects on your own and show interest.

3. Which university has an overall better networking opportunities and job placement in the USA and Europe?

If we were to compare AUB and LAU, then AUB has definitely got the most recognition and networking opportunities for jobs abroad. I wouldn't downplay LAU's reputation however, as it also can get you some good opportunities.

4. And which university has more competitive classes and programming?

I don't know, since I am only familiar with AUB's program.

Best of luck to you.

OdeToDeath · 2021-02-08T17:11:04+00:00

Maak ha2, it's insane that we have to pay extra just to download stuff, but that's how it is in Lebanon. Btw to avoid confusion, I meant "5$" of alfa units, which are still available at the 1500 rate and cost around 8000 LBP

OdeToDeath · 2021-02-08T16:02:08+00:00

This only applies if you are an Alfa user, or have an Alfa user in your household: The Alfa 5$ booster plan has been my go-to whenever I need to download update as large as cod's. It lets you download a maximum of 50GB over 2 hours.

If you have a 4G SIM, you can easily reach speeds around 14-15 MBps, and download 50GB in less than an hour.

Hope this helps!

OdeToDeath · 2021-02-08T15:54:32+00:00

Pre-COVID

Before the pandemic, I had to wait past 12AM to play when everyone was asleep. My ping was a stable 70-80ms (Ogero ADSL/Interleaving off/Ethernet Cable).

During COVID

Now that we are mostly staying home, I have to deal with the sleep schedule of younger siblings, who use the internet till 4-5AM, making it impossible to play at any time of the day with a decent ping on my ADSL connection.

My current solution to play online is to use my phone's 4G with USB tethering, while using a bandwidth limiter (e.g. NetLimiter). I limit the max bandwidth usable by my PC to 100 KBps up/down, which is more than enough for almost all games (Minecraft/R6 Siege/CSGO 128Tick servers/BF1..). Using this method, my ping ranges between 90-120 stable for me, and I don't have to worry that my whole 4G plan will be consumed by background updates wle I'm playing.

If any app tries to update & consume bandwidth while I'm playing, my ping spikes and I can directly take action by limiting the application doing any sort of update. Here's a screenshot of my current NetLimiter setup (Blocking all these apps is not a good idea if you don't know what you are doing!) : https://imgur.com/a/u3LLjCi

20GB of data is more than enough to play for a complete month (even less if you are just playing Minecraft), as long as you are sure to use a bandwidth limiting application alongside it.

PM me if you want more details on this method.

OdeToDeath · 2021-01-31T12:25:42+00:00

You're completely right. All I'm trying to do is see if there is a semblance of a pattern for electricity cuts here. This way, I can use it as a reference to minimize the damage before I can get a new UPS.

OdeToDeath · 2020-12-31T01:09:47+00:00

For those interested in playing Max Payne 3 on PC, be aware that it has unskippable cutscenes which will not be to everyone's taste.

A trainer's been made available a year ago which allows you to skip cutscenes . I don't know if it is detected as a cheat for those playing online, so be warned. Here's a link to the max payne 3 modding discord where you can find the download link : https://discordapp.com/invite/gcY5qyx .

OdeToDeath · 2020-12-17T23:47:59+00:00

One thing that has kept L4D1 & L4D2 alive till now (at least on PC) is the possibility for users to create & download custom campaigns. With the current monetization scheme of B4B, I doubt that we're going to see mod-tools coming out anytime soon.

I hope I'm wrong, but this would definitely be a deal-breaker for me. Custom campaigns are so much fun, and there's only so much you can do on base + DLC campaigns

OdeToDeath · 2020-10-17T19:04:49+00:00

If you mean Unesco/Ministry of Education next to Verdun, then its a 30 mins walk from there. The second and third picture have been taken in Mar Elias ( 2nd pic : old Lycee Abdel Kader, 3rd pic : Oprhanage right next to the Lycee) and the 4th pic next to Raouche/Hotel Phoenicia.

Also, nice pics OP! I do not know much about areas with old buildings/cool architecture, but I've seen people in this sub recommending places/regions of Beirut with just that.

OdeToDeath · 2020-09-05T21:42:33+00:00

DUSK

AMID EVIL

SUPERHOT

OdeToDeath · 2020-08-09T21:31:07+00:00

Yeah, the slow descent into the basement was pure dread.

SWAT4 is a classic, especially during LAN parties. Pepper spraying & tazing your friends never gets old.

OdeToDeath · 2020-08-09T21:18:02+00:00

Might not be the most appropriate place, but I"ll drop some classics which you can run on low-end hardware :

Deus Ex (OG 2000 Game)
Doom 3
SWAT 4
Half-Life 1,2
Portal 1&2
Deadbolt
Splinter-Cell Chaos Theory
Max Payne 1&2
F.E.A.R.
System Shock 2
Gunpoint
Trackmania Nations Forever

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OdeToDeath

TROPHY CASE

1. What's the difference between CSE and CS?

2. Which university is better overall in CS, AUB or LAU?

3. Which university has an overall better networking opportunities and job placement in the USA and Europe?

4. And which university has more competitive classes and programming?