Difference between revisions of "New Member Orientation"

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I'm going to make no assumptions about you or your purpose for being here. Read what you need or want; you can always come back.
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Welcome to the Earlham CS Department!
  
== Statement ==
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This page's target audience is new students in any active applied group.
* HIP focuses on bringing hardware and software together
+
 
* HIP is merged with Green Science and so our projects can include subjects such as the use, representation, and creation of energy.
+
== Overview ==
* There are software and hardware opportunities.
+
* We want to provide ongoing experiential learning opportunities for as many students as we can while they attend Earlham.
 +
* There's generally a pool of projects available and ongoing at any time.
 +
* We perform maintenance as well as implement new projects.
 +
* Your specific hours and role will vary.
  
 
== Workspaces ==
 
== Workspaces ==
 +
Most work is done in the Center for Science and Technology (CST) on the second floor. In practice, that looks like this:
 +
* CST 217 (Hamilton): study space and small-group meetings
 +
* CST 219 (Lovelace): classwork, occasional meetings and solo work
 +
* CST 222 (Turing): warehouse and interactive work spaces
 +
* CST 227 (Hopper): bigger meetings and Iceland work
 +
* CST 108 (Babbage): shop and warehouse
 +
 +
Students can generally work anywhere they want because a computer with WiFi is often enough to do cool things. These are purpose-built community spaces and we encourage students to use and treat them as such.
 +
 +
Occasional work may take you to our older spaces (requires approval for keys):
 
* Dennis roof
 
* Dennis roof
* Noyes basement
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* Noyes basement including servers
* Green Zone
 
  
=== Keys ===
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== Keys ==
* Dennis front entrance, code ???
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* Key form is [https://form.jotform.com/82134022284144 here], request:
* Dennis back entrance, code CAX
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** Noyes basement, CAB 13
* Dennis roof, code CAB 6
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** Server room if applicable, CAD 3
* Noyse basement, code CAB 13
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* You'll need a relevant faculty member (typically your applied group supervisor) to approve your request.
 +
* Public Safety should email you when your keys are ready.
  
== Projects==
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== Computers ==
Check [[HIP]] for up-to-date project listings.
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You'll be given a username and password when you take any CS class. That will open the Lovelace computers to you.
  
This is a list of present/past projects that we've worked on. It's intended to give you a taste of what we do.
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In an applied group you will also be given access to a range of servers. Again this will vary by role.
  
* solar array
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== Group Communication ==
* wind generator
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* Most groups have a listserv.
* energy monitoring of buildings
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* Notify the group about significant progress via listserv or in meetings.
** normalization of resulting data
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* Regular meeting notes are kept in Drive and generally shouldn't go here. Add meeting notes only if they are relevant to project completion.
* kiosks that display energy information
 
* earthquake sensors
 
* time server
 
* construction cam
 
  
== Communication ==
+
== Meetings ==
 +
* Regular group meetings will be scheduled. Typically they take place once a week at a lunchtime.
 +
* Your group may also meet for a collaborative project work once a week if desired.
  
=== Group ===
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== Documentation ==
* we use a listserv, email hip@cs.earlham.edu to email everyone
+
Documentation can be overdone but is important. If we don't know a project's current state, replicating or reproducing it can consume a lot of work cycles. This isn't valuable.
* generally it's good to notify the group about significant progress via email or in meetings
 
* phone numbers / emails are useful to have
 
* google services such as docs, spreadsheets, etc can be used for development
 
** you need gmail accounts to utilize these services
 
  
=== Meetings ===
+
So please at least keep some basic notes and update the wiki occasionally. Faculty will do its part to remind you and keep up their/our share.
* Friday in the Green Zone for lunch (12-1pm)
 
** general discussion about current and future projects
 
** bring-your-own-lunch style
 
* Sunday on the roof (1-3pm)
 
** working together in the same space
 
  
=== Documentation ===
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Here are some guidelines:
Documentation is an important part of HIP because different people from different times will need to know about the work you did.=
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* Inline code documentation helps readability.
 +
* Wiki articles are fast and helpful, so it is our preferred method of long-term documentation.
 +
* If it's in a Drive Document and it's important, it should make its way here at some point.
 +
* Please be specific. If X is wonky, so a student comes to the wiki to learn about X, and they read "X is wonky", that's barely helpful. Be specific about issues, fixes that have been tried, alternatives chosen, etc.
  
* document projects
+
=== Wiki Basics ===
** inline code documentation helps readability
 
** document '''while''' working on a project
 
** after completion, document changes to keep information relatively accurate
 
  
* document your work, process, or experience
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We'll get you a wiki account.
** your experience is invaluable to someone who is going through a similar experience
 
  
==== Wiki Basics ====
+
Some tips for how to use it:
 
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* use [[Wiki Syntax]], and look at the syntax of other pages if you're confused
* how to use
+
* use the "Show preview" button
** you need an account to be created by an admin; ask Charlie
+
* if a page doesn't exist, search for it and the wiki will let you create that page
** if a page doesn't exist, search for it and the wiki will let you create that page
 
 
** make sure to click "Save Page" after you're finished editing
 
** make sure to click "Save Page" after you're finished editing
  
* how to learn
+
Styling tips:
** edit pages to look at their syntax
+
* Having too many headers can be overkill.
** use [[Wiki Syntax]]
+
* Lists are the simplest way to organize content.
 
+
* Trim things down but be complete and specific.
* how to style
 
** group things sensibly because having too many headers can be overkill
 
** ordered lists are the simplest way to organize content
 

Latest revision as of 14:22, 17 October 2022

Welcome to the Earlham CS Department!

This page's target audience is new students in any active applied group.

Overview

  • We want to provide ongoing experiential learning opportunities for as many students as we can while they attend Earlham.
  • There's generally a pool of projects available and ongoing at any time.
  • We perform maintenance as well as implement new projects.
  • Your specific hours and role will vary.

Workspaces

Most work is done in the Center for Science and Technology (CST) on the second floor. In practice, that looks like this:

  • CST 217 (Hamilton): study space and small-group meetings
  • CST 219 (Lovelace): classwork, occasional meetings and solo work
  • CST 222 (Turing): warehouse and interactive work spaces
  • CST 227 (Hopper): bigger meetings and Iceland work
  • CST 108 (Babbage): shop and warehouse

Students can generally work anywhere they want because a computer with WiFi is often enough to do cool things. These are purpose-built community spaces and we encourage students to use and treat them as such.

Occasional work may take you to our older spaces (requires approval for keys):

  • Dennis roof
  • Noyes basement including servers

Keys

  • Key form is here, request:
    • Noyes basement, CAB 13
    • Server room if applicable, CAD 3
  • You'll need a relevant faculty member (typically your applied group supervisor) to approve your request.
  • Public Safety should email you when your keys are ready.

Computers

You'll be given a username and password when you take any CS class. That will open the Lovelace computers to you.

In an applied group you will also be given access to a range of servers. Again this will vary by role.

Group Communication

  • Most groups have a listserv.
  • Notify the group about significant progress via listserv or in meetings.
  • Regular meeting notes are kept in Drive and generally shouldn't go here. Add meeting notes only if they are relevant to project completion.

Meetings

  • Regular group meetings will be scheduled. Typically they take place once a week at a lunchtime.
  • Your group may also meet for a collaborative project work once a week if desired.

Documentation

Documentation can be overdone but is important. If we don't know a project's current state, replicating or reproducing it can consume a lot of work cycles. This isn't valuable.

So please at least keep some basic notes and update the wiki occasionally. Faculty will do its part to remind you and keep up their/our share.

Here are some guidelines:

  • Inline code documentation helps readability.
  • Wiki articles are fast and helpful, so it is our preferred method of long-term documentation.
  • If it's in a Drive Document and it's important, it should make its way here at some point.
  • Please be specific. If X is wonky, so a student comes to the wiki to learn about X, and they read "X is wonky", that's barely helpful. Be specific about issues, fixes that have been tried, alternatives chosen, etc.

Wiki Basics

We'll get you a wiki account.

Some tips for how to use it:

  • use Wiki Syntax, and look at the syntax of other pages if you're confused
  • use the "Show preview" button
  • if a page doesn't exist, search for it and the wiki will let you create that page
    • make sure to click "Save Page" after you're finished editing

Styling tips:

  • Having too many headers can be overkill.
  • Lists are the simplest way to organize content.
  • Trim things down but be complete and specific.