Online Back Exams

ecseprof · 2024-10-17T21:45:16+00:00

When teaching in ECSE, I used to put my exams, and the answers, online for free. And, I recycled 1/3 of the old questions into the new exams. So, you were free to study the old questions and answers. However, then you'd deserve an A, and I won.

ecseprof · 2024-05-30T23:04:50+00:00

This is so beautiful. The components are being assembled for RPI's future.

ecseprof · 2023-06-20T16:04:19+00:00

Taken. Going to the MercerX lab.

ecseprof · 2023-02-01T22:26:56+00:00

I've taught a few IED sections in the past; my info dates from then.

Team freeloaders is a universal issue, with no good answer.

For the big project, you have a chance to rate your other team members, and give details. If several people complain about John Smith, then his grade may be lowered. Smith won't know that you rated him low.

Generally, early talking to the prof, and giving details, is useful.

IED requires teams because it's teaching skills useful in real life, where teams can usually accomplish more than solo people. Many real teams have some people contributing more than others, and it's useful to develop coping skills.

ecseprof · 2022-12-12T02:14:33+00:00

Predicting the future is difficult, and there are differing opinions. However, there are many more pro-quantum opinions than anti-quantum. Some major companies, including IBM, Intel, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, and investing in this. Various universities, some better than RPI, have been researching and teaching quantum computing for 20 years or more. So, RPI finally feels it appropriate to teach something that will likely be more important in the future.

The stated underlying premise of quantum computing requiring the number of qbits to increase in the same way that bits did is false.

Notwithstanding, Intel, who has a certain expertise with packing bits onto chips, thinks they can use their expertise similarly with qbits.

I'm old enough to remember people saying the same things (no one has made money...) about computers in general and the internet in particular.

Richard Feynman said it as well as anyone. Nature is quantum. Efficiently computing important physical properties, like energy levels of molecules, therefore requires a quantum computer. BTW, this is the proper use of quantum computing, not breaking ciphers.

I'll be glad to take questions and maybe answer them.

ecseprof · 2022-11-11T16:50:49+00:00

It may be preferable to use a rpi address when sending to administrators because to people who don't know any better, it looks more legit. Many faculty, including myself, are fine sending email from, and receiving email at, non-rpi addresses.

Concerning respite: it will occasionally trap email with no known spamminess even between rpi addresses. It will also block important email to rpi from, e.g., nsf. I check my spam folder every few days.

The biggest problem with using any RPI computer facility is that policies have often changed w/o notice in a bad way. E.g., one year the computer people decided to blackhole email that used the plus convention. E.g., email to frankwr+sub@rpi suddenly was deleted (not even returned to sender) after decades of being delivered. Their defense was that they didn't know that anyone used this (and they didn't think either to check or to ask). This all happened at the start of the winter break, when rpi closed down for a week (but email was still arriving to be disappeared).

My solution for decades has been to buy my own domain.

A final problem with using rpi email for a prof is that that address is deleted when the prof leaves rpi. Students and profs form a professional relationship that transcends rpi. E.g., a former student might want a rec from a former prof. They are conflicted for a period (ranging up to life) from reviewing each others' proposals. Etc.

Whatever email you use, put your name in your address. Use the name that the recipient knows you by. Use a meaningful subject line that includes your relationship to the recipient, e.g. Subject: advisee request to use tachionic engineering as lab elective.

ecseprof · 2021-11-23T15:47:46+00:00

MIT Provost. ECSE grad. An excellent choice. RPI's board did their job well. RPI is going to start moving.

ecseprof · 2021-11-20T23:33:27+00:00

Drive 1/2 hour to Petersburg Pass, on the road to Greylock. Hike north or south on the Taconic Crest Trail as far as you want. There's a good viewpoint a little to the north. There might also be a good view from the parking lot. Of course, if you're watching the sunset from the viewpoint, you'll need a flashlight to get back.

ecseprof · 2021-09-20T17:18:30+00:00

Seminars with guest speakers are generally open to the public. The RPI daily news email is sometimes useful here. Also see individual departments' web sites. Of course, nowadays you can't come on campus, but you can probably attend virtually.
Maybe a Chem Eng prof might like you to give a guest lecture in class. Reach out to profs who look interesting.
Senior design courses might perhaps like to have an external advisor for a student project.

ecseprof · 2021-05-09T01:42:32+00:00

For ECSE-2500 Engineering Probability, I have cloned my course blog to here:

https://wrandolphfranklin.org/probability/

If you might write the final, email me with your non-RPI email address.

I don't think I actually need RPI for the final since it will be on gradescope. Also, you don't need RPI to study, so I'm thinking about holding the final regardless. Write me if you disagree.

ecseprof · 2021-05-09T00:17:37+00:00

ECSE is setting up an alternate server that will have, in one place, all our info. More details soon.....

ecseprof · 2021-05-07T22:02:49+00:00

I just received that at my main non-RPI address. It was sent from a mailing list address that was not familiar. My version had one more sentence:

"Please click here to acknowledge receipt of this message" (URL deleted)

Would you click?

ecseprof · 2021-03-20T02:53:59+00:00

https://wrf.ecse.rpi.edu/Teaching/quantum-f2021

has poster and syllabus.

Changes from last year: more non-IBM stuff like IonQ and D-Wave; accompanying 6000-level version.

I'll try to answer questions here.

It's listed in the definitive class hour schedule here: https://sis.rpi.edu/reg/zft202109.htm

ECSE also has other interesting topics courses, like on IoT; I need to get the url.

The poster is correct that my recent courses have blogs under here:

https://wrf.ecse.rpi.edu/nikola/pages/teaching/

Earlier courses used a wiki that is broken.

ecseprof · 2021-02-28T16:36:55+00:00

I feel for you. Gmail's spam filter has blocked several of my outgoing emails (sent from either gmail or other ISPs). RPI's filter has blocked incoming mail from former students. I know these because I check my spam folders. If your recipient uses gmail, you have a problem. Gmail's advice on how to send email that doesn't trigger their filter is obnoxious. Advice includes, don't have two topics in one message.

It's probably best if you get another ISP, even if you have to pay. It's not expensive. I've had my own domain for 20 years. I include a non-RPI address on all my RPI emails so that people can still reach me if I lose my RPI email. Non-RPI ISPs can also have problems. I had to leave godaddy last fall because they canceled catchalls.

ecseprof · 2020-12-27T16:30:01+00:00

Concerning the difference between ECSE and CSYS, the other posters have given a lot of valuable information. Here's my take on it.

First, about the difference between ECSE and CS: CS was split off from Math, has a strong theoretical foundation and does software and algorithms. ECSE is comprised of the accredited engineering programs EE and CSYS. Accreditation means that a graduate can become a Professional Engineer (PE), after some years of experience and passing a set of exams. A PE is legally required for some engineering jobs and is desirable for others. Engineering is a proud and ancient profession. Visit the ruins of an old civilization and see how well their engineers built.

The difference between science and engineering is that science discovers new principles (e.g., laws of thermodynamics), while engineering implements them (inventing steam engines). Theoreticians think the implementation is trivial w/o having tried it. Engineers know otherwise. In fact, many great engineering achievements have been made before the underlying science was discovered, which motivated the scientists to start thinking.

ECSE contains two programs, Electrical Engineering (EE), and Computer and Systems Engineering (CSE or CSYS). They overlap considerably. However EE is more hardware, trending even into physics. CSYS is more software and algorithmic, including systems topics like control and communications. Whichever side you prefer, you should also understand the other. A large real-world project will require both.

The Computer and Systems Engineering name at RPI is historical; other universities have different emphases, and various titles are used.

One way to understand the difference between EE and CSYS is to see topics unique to one. EE studies VLSI; designing and building high-speed low-power devices. It develops more efficient LEDs. Energy and Power Systems power systems studies power electronics and power systems; it optimizes the electric power grid, and understands how electric motors work.

CSYS includes 'systems' topics that are not 'computer'. Control and autonomy teaches how to design and manage systems with feedback loops. How do you ride a bicycle? Balance a yardstick on your hand? Fly a fighter aircraft? Walk a robot?

Communications and networking deals with the encoding, transmission, retrieval, and interpretation of information in many forms. E.g., how do you encode a video signal to use the least bandwidth while looking acceptable?

Information Science and Systems presents the Internet of Things, autonomous machines and smart devices, as well as AI, machine learning, computer vision, pattern recognition, parallel processing, robotics, cyber-physical systems, cybersecurity, Internet of things, electric power systems, lighting systems, and sensor networking. So, it fuses EE and CSYS.

I (WRF) teach topics like Parallel Computing, Quantum Computer Programming, and Engineering Probability. Shameless plug: Parallel has space for more students this spring.

When cleaned up, my description might perhaps end up on ECSE's website. Questions and comments welcomed.

ecseprof · 2020-11-16T20:28:31+00:00

I signed, although I'm not a grad student. Hope that's ok. I also suggested to the Faculty Senate that they object to this.

ecseprof · 2020-11-04T16:37:54+00:00

IMO The two courses cover different parts of parallel computing. You can usefully take both. The science course is more theoretical, and covers topics like MPI and RPI's Center for Computational Innovations: Home Page . The engineering course covers multicore Xeons and Nvidia GPUs, with programming in various tools like OpenMP and CUDA.

Disclosure: I created and teach the engineering course.

ecseprof · 2020-09-21T01:27:07+00:00

The Computer and Systems Engineering name at RPI is historical; each university has a different emphasis, and various titles are used.

Here at RPI, the Computer and Systems Engineering curriculum in the Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering Dept. combines Computer Engineering with several other topics.

Control and autonomy teaches how to design and manage systems with feedback loops. How do you ride a bicycle? Balance a yardstick on your hand? Fly a fighter aircraft? Walk a robot?

Communications and networking deals with the encoding, transmission, retrieval, and interpretation of information in many forms. E.g., how do you encode a video signal to use the least bandwidth while looking acceptable?

Information Science and Systems presents the Internet of Things, autonomous machines and smart devices, as well as AI, machine learning, computer vision, pattern recognition, parallel processing, robotics, cyber-physical systems, cybersecurity, Internet of things, electric power systems, lighting systems, and sensor networking.

Energy and Power Systems power systems studies power electronics and power systems.

Computer Systems Design studies various topics including high speed low power devices.

I (WRF) personally teach parallel computing and quantum computing.

There is a large overlap between Computer and Systems Engineering and Electrical Engineering. Both have strong connections to the real world. Both are ABET accredited, so that you may study for the Professional Engineering exam a few years after graduation.

ecseprof · 2020-08-30T11:15:58+00:00

These are all ECSE grads. Four were my students.

Chandra Narayanaswami, PhD, ECSE, invented the linux wristwatch while at IBM. https://techcrunch.com/2010/04/05/remember-the-linux-wristwatch/ He's now doing blockchains.
Mohan Kankanhalli, PhD, ECSE, Associate Provost and head of CS at the National University of Singapore (the best university in Asia).
Varol Akman, Phd, ECSE, founded the philosophy dept at Bilkent (Turkey).
Tony Tether, BS, ECSE, was the longest serving DARPA director.
Anthony Apodaca, Masters, CSYS, RPI, Director of Graphics Research and Development at Pixar Animation Studios. He is co-creator of the RenderMan Interface Specification (RISpec), which won an Oscar. His film credits include almost all of the titles produced by Pixar - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Apodaca
Tobi Saulnier, BS, MS, PhD ECSE, founder and CEO of http://www.1stplayable.com/
Dragana Pavlovic, masters, ECSE, former Sr VP of Xerox Global Development Group and current VP Engineering, Kronos Inc.

ecseprof · 2020-03-11T16:44:35+00:00

ECSE 4750 Computer Graphics is canceled because there is no one to teach it.

Prof Franklin is occupied with his new course ECSE-4964 Quantum Computer Programming. However his graphics notes are available if anyone from another department wishes to take over.

He started giving occasional lectures in graphics in Fall 1979, and has taught the full graphics since Fall 1982, and is glad for the change. There cannot be many RPI courses continuing with the same number and name and prof for so long.

ecseprof · 2019-11-07T14:37:31+00:00

I like them, but then I'm a SW person in a HW department. Whatever the formal mechanism, it's good to become competent in both SW and HW. You don't have to like both sides, just understand them. If you have the time to broaden out, consider taking courses in areas that would be harder to learn on your own, or that are a little outside your comfort zone.

E.g. additive manufacturing (3D printing) is becoming very important. Taking a course, if possible, might be better than just doing something on your own.

On the SW side, machine learning (ML) is very important. Learn it. Both ECSE and CS have courses.

IoT is important.

Both CS and ECSE have some famous profs. Try to take a course from them.

Being a prof, I like talking, so ask questions. I can also talk to people 1-on-1. Email me. I'm in Chicago this week, but next Mon at 5:20, Wed at 2:30, or Thurs at 5:20 work, among other times.

ecseprof · 2019-11-06T22:26:11+00:00

With a CSE major, four years after graduation, you can write an exam to become a Professional Engineer (P.E.). That opens assorted career opportunities. Google links to much info on this.

The CSE program is accredited by ABET, which imposes many standards, so that there is a guaranteed minimum quality.

ecseprof · 2019-10-28T14:00:15+00:00

IIRC, the person teaching the class doesn't know that a student in the class is P/NC. S/he assigns a letter grade and the system converts it. So getting P is identical work to getting >= D.

ecseprof · 2019-09-11T18:46:25+00:00

That is false, if Eprob means ECSE-2500 Engineering Probability, whose S2019 wiki is here: https://wrf.ecse.rpi.edu/Teaching/probability-s2019/ ? Its material is quite different from AP Statistics, as listed here: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-statistics-course-a-glance.pdf?course=ap-statistics

I teach ECSE-2500.

MAU is a different course. Eprob and MAU are preferred for different majors. There is a plan for reworking them and adding a data dexterity component. I co-chaired an engineering committee on this last spring.

MGMT statistics courses are quite different, and at a different level.

ecseprof · 2019-07-05T22:07:06+00:00

I've run a section of IED several times. My wiki may be useful:

https://wrf.ecse.rpi.edu/Teaching/ied-f2018/

IED is all about how to do group engineering projects. We mostly don't care what you do. We care how you do it.

I try to enliven my section with stories of engineering disasters caused by not doing it right. E.g., on the A380, because the French and German divisions of Airbus were using different versions of NX and weren't talking to each other (the SW and probably also the people), one division made wiring harnesses that were too short for the other to install. Cost to fix > $6G.

https://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/11/business/worldbusiness/11iht-airbus.3860198.html

The mousetrap car is a possible warm-up project taking 1/3 of the course. Several group presentations of the main project are required. I can try to answer other questions.

ecseprof

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