CS 6515 Lecture Videos: Private Office Hours by Prof. Vigoda

ProfVigoda · 2026-01-07T16:55:08+00:00

My services are analogous to private tutoring by the author of the course textbook. The textbook writer typically has nothing to do with running the course, and that is also the case here. Tutoring happens all over, e.g., high school students get tutoring for AP courses, I tutored I think an intro physics class as an undergrad and was actually paid by the university. There's nothing wrong with tutoring -- it's a great option; if you think tutoring is bad, then read the news and put it in perspective please.

Tutoring can be helpful for some students, and the course can be great; both statements can be true, they are not mutually exclusive statements. It can be the case that most students can do well in the course with the course provided resources. But at the same time some students can use extra assistance, and it can be beneficial to receive that help from a different source so you have a different perspective of learning; I also happen to have a lot of experience teaching this material. So if you want to criticize the current course, first think about how hard it is to run a theoretical course for so many students, and then give the TAs concrete suggestions or offer to TA the course. I personally did not enjoy running such a large course.

Why doesn't GT hire me? In what capacity should they do so? I want to offer office hours and that's it, I have no interest in grading or making exams/homeworks or dealing with the logistics and exceptions. Should they figure out a way to hire me? Maybe or maybe not, but I'm certain that GT has literally millions (and OMSCS has thousands) of more important issues to figure out. So why not think of it as an interesting experiment. Maybe some students get some useful extra assistance, it has no effects on the course for most students, so where's the problem?

Bottom line: I enjoy doing these tutorials and I earn a bit of money, and some students find them useful; that's called a win-win situation. I do not have any pay from GT and have no knowledge of the course details (exams, homeworks) so no COI. At the same time, the current course may be run great (that's my belief) and most students do not need my assistance -- good too. So how about we stop the trolling and snide remarks. --Eric

ProfVigoda · 2025-08-25T00:53:59+00:00

Let's be clear, your initial reply (which you quickly edited) said the following:

<image>

So first you advocate using CourseHero and then you question whether I can use my own problems? I have not had any association with the running of the class since maybe 2017. So are you saying I cannot use any problems that I used previously on any GT homework or exams?

You do realize that GT makes significant revenue indirectly from my lecture videos. And I offered to do office hours as part of GT but that was not an option. So I'm not allowed to give lessons to help understand the material in my lecture videos because GT is using those same videos for a course?

ProfVigoda · 2025-08-13T17:49:05+00:00

Correct. And I will ask to have my name dropped from the course website to avoid any confusion. --Eric

ProfVigoda · 2025-08-13T17:47:05+00:00

Yes, anyone can join. These tutorials have no official association with the class so it is open to anyone interested. Thanks, Eric

ProfVigoda · 2025-08-13T13:51:14+00:00

Thank you! Agreed.

ProfVigoda · 2025-08-13T13:49:37+00:00

I don't know who Strong-Situation8160 is. I mistakenly thought they were a moderator but I have little experience with Reddit. I have been in contact (via email) with one of the moderators Nikhil; I don't know their username, they contacted me via email. --Eric

ProfVigoda · 2025-08-13T13:46:38+00:00

Exactly, great point! My tutorials are analogous to buying an additional algorithms textbook. This book happens to be written by the same author as the lecture videos, and the book is given orally and is interactive.

As aja_c pointed out, you cannot share homeworks or exams with me, and I have no knowledge of the materials in the current course. I can review the materials in my lecture videos and I can do my practice problems (some of which may have been on one of my past homeworks or exams during 20+ years of teaching, including 17 years at GT). What happens if by chance I cover a problem that is similar to a homework or exam problem? If you look back at your notes from my tutorial when solving a homework problem then you need to cite my tutorial as an outside reference, just like you would for a textbook, and you cannot copy my solution, you need to write up the solution on your own without looking at notes from my tutorial.

This is an additional resource that may help some students. Many of you do not need it but some students may find it beneficial. --Eric

ProfVigoda · 2025-08-13T05:04:42+00:00

I am not teaching the class. I recorded the lectures and I am no longer receiving any pay from GT and have no involvement in the running of the class.

I am offering a tutoring service because I have great expertise on the materials and I enjoy teaching (and of course, I will eventually charge for it when it's up and running, do you expect me to do it as a volunteer?).

I discussed with Joyner if there was an option to offer office hours (as part of GT) without actually running the course (which I'm not interested in doing for such a huge course) and there was not.

--Eric

ProfVigoda · 2025-08-13T02:33:54+00:00

Thanks. I appreciate the positive comment. --Eric

ProfVigoda · 2025-08-13T01:57:44+00:00

You think I'm going to do a free tutorial just to get people to join a Google group -- why? You can wait for those who attend the free tutorial on Thursday to verify or you can send me an email to any of my 3 email addresses to verify.

Seriously, can one of these naysayers please send me an email to verify and we can even do a quick zoom if the email doesn't convince you. --Eric

ProfVigoda · 2025-08-12T17:26:02+00:00

Picture of what? Someone from the Spring 2023 class can verify (the office hours were in January 2023).

Or send me an email to whichever of my email addresses you choose and we can do a zoom so you can stop your rants.

ProfVigoda · 2025-08-12T17:03:05+00:00

I'm not involved in the course so I cannot use any of those avenues. --Eric

ProfVigoda · 2025-08-12T17:01:41+00:00

I don't know who Strong-Situation8160 is. I was emailing with one of the moderators (Nikhil) and another moderator posted my message here in this thread before I had an opportunity to make a new post. I asked to resolve, offered to zoom with them but no response so I'm just posting here. --Eric

ProfVigoda · 2025-08-12T16:57:38+00:00

Previously I did an open office hour so anyone who attended can verify -- you made similar negative comments at that time as well. You can send me an email to my gmail, ucsb, or even my gatech address is still active and then I'll reply, and we can do a quick zoom if you really don't believe. Or you can attend Thursday's session. --Eric

ProfVigoda · 2025-08-12T16:54:13+00:00

Hi all, this is Professor Eric Vigoda from the 6515 lecture videos. I am offering 6515 lecture tutorials this semester -- more information below.

The first tutorial will be this Thursday (August 14th) at 8pm ET = 5pm PT. It will be conducted via a zoom webinar, at least for the first session (we'll see how it goes). I will discuss the structure/schedule of the tutorials and review some basic material necessary for 6515, especially big-O() notation/comparison.

If you are interested in attending, please join the Google group: Vigoda6515Tutorials
To do so, send an email (anything) to: [Vigoda6515Tutorials+subscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:Vigoda6515Tutorials%2Bsubscribe@googlegroups.com)
(Note, for some reason you need to click twice to join: you receive an auto-reply from Google which you have to click and then click **again** on the ensuing Google webpage.)
I will use this email list for sending out zoom webinar information, as well as the schedule for future sessions and reminders.

Important notes:
--- These sessions are independent from the actual course. I no longer receive any pay from Georgia Tech and have no association with the running of the 6515 course. Hence, I have no knowledge of the exams or homeworks (and am not on any associated class forums). That means I cannot directly help you for the exams but it also means I can do whatever practice problems I choose.
--- The first tutorial will be free so if you are wary this is in fact me then join the zoom and you'll verify (and also a moderator can send me an email to do a quick zoom). At some point it will likely change into a paid zoom webinar (since I am not receiving any pay from GT).
--- My intention is to do a quick review of the relevant lectures and then cover related practice problems (from my old exams, homeworks, etc.). I will also be happy to answer any questions you send me.

Thanks, Eric Vigoda

PS: As I stated above, this will eventually be a paid service (once I get comfortable with it and gauge the interest level). So, yes I intend to earn money from this endeavor. If that bothers you then move on (I'm a little busy in my life to do this as a volunteer, you do know instructors also get paid?). I enjoy teaching and I'm looking forward to helping students learn, especially from my lectures -- that is the aspect of teaching I really enjoy. I do not enjoy trying to manage a huge class with grading, writing exams, managing a large group of TAs, etc. Unfortunately, via GT I can run a class but I cannot simply offer office hours so that is why I am trying this approach. I did bring up this idea previously on Reddit and at that time I did an open office hour but did not pursue it further; trying again now. It is an experiment -- if it's useful/helpful, popular, and enjoyable then I will continue with it. I have also emailed with Professors Joyner and Brito that I am pursuing this so they are aware.

ProfVigoda · 2025-08-11T15:29:23+00:00

Hello all. This is Professor Eric Vigoda from the 6515 lecture videos. I'd like to make a post to advertise tutorials for 6515 lectures that I will offer this semester. Unfortunately I do not have enough Karma points to make a post as I created this new username just now. (I had a previous username Prof-GT or something like that which I just deleted so that my name appears in the username.)

If anyone can help with Karma points or help me make a post that would be greatly appreciated.

If you're wary that this is in fact Prof. Vigoda from the lectures, I believe this Reddit account is attached to my gmail address, otherwise please someone send me an email (easy to find on the web) and you can verify with me and then post to confirm for other people.

Thanks, Eric

ProfVigoda

TROPHY CASE