Gaming + Curry + Pub
Friday Evenings from 17.00 in DEC-10 Lab (10.39, E C Stoner Building)
Join us for 3 hours of open-source FPS gaming. The first hour will be practice but after that we're playing for bragging rights.
Afterwards we will be heading to Akmal's in Hyde Park for a curry then onto the pubs.
Entry is free to all members, £1 for non-members. If you are thinking of coming regularly or attending our other events why not sign up for membership? Details are also on Facebook.
If you are not part of the School of Computing then you are still welcome although it would be helpful if you let us know first!
Programming Clubs
Tuesday Evenings 5:00-6:00pm, DEC-10 Lab (10.39, E C Stoner Building)
New for this year, one of our PhD students (Richard Senington) is running a programming club. The idea of which is to help undergraduate students achieve a greater level of understanding of programming, by exposing them to alternative languages (Haskell and Java) early in their degree. The clubs will encourage students to select their own projects (ideally computer games) and then attempt to help them to build these games and learn at the same time.
All year groups are encouraged to attend. Final year students studying the Functional Informatics module should find these particularly useful.
Tutorials and example code are available on the programming club page.
Currently these are only available to students with a School of Computing account. This is because the school doesn't use the standard ISS systems. We are hoping to enable guest accounts soon to solve this problem. Alternatively, you're welcome to bring your own laptop.
Linux Installfest
Date and time to be confirmed
Been wanting to try out linux but afraid you'll mess something up? Then the installfest is for you! Bring along your machine and our resident experts will help install linux for you, teach you the basics and give you some handy hints and tips. Don't worry if you're not ready to dump Windows just yet, we can install linux within your Windows OS without affecting your exisiting setup. All we ask is that you make sure you have about 5-10GB of free space available for the install before you attend the event.
We'll be offering Fedora and Ubuntu, but if you really want to try something else let us know beforehand and we'll see what we can do.
Don't worry if you can't make it, just contact us and somebody will be able to help you soon enough.
Research Into Industry Seminar Series
Compsoc have teamed up with the School of Computing to organise a series of seminars, related to research-led computer science. The seminars will provide insight into research that takes place outside of acedima and how computer science is used in the industry. All undergraduates, post-graduates and staff are welcome and encouraged to attend.
For information on previous talks see the School of Computing, Research into Industry page.
What Do Machines Think? - Dr Peter Cochrane, former Head of Research and former CTO of BT
Wednesday 14th October 2009, 3:00-4:30pm Active Learning Lab (9.30a, E C Stoner Building)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has, for decades, been mired by one important and immutable fact; we have no description, definition, quantification or measure of intelligence. This has led to some discrediting of AI, which is often seen as not delivering on its early promise, or indeed in the minds of some, any promise! Such a view is short sighted and missing the essential point that machine-based intelligence now supports the human race and all human life to an extensive degree.
In this challenging and thought provoking presentation we examine intelligence from both a silicon (designed) and carbon (evolved) point of view, and move on to our relationship and reaction to systems that are both abstract and anthropomorphic. We then address a most fundamental question; what makes something intelligent?
Peter is a seasoned professional with over 40 years of hands on technology and operational experience. He has been involved in the creation and deployment of new technologies, the transformation of corporations, and the starting of many new businesses. Peter has worked as a technician, engineer, educator, manager, innovator, technology prophet, and business angel. Prior to starting his own business in 2000 he was Head of Research and CTO at BT.