Work Integrated Learning Program vs Distance Learning

Hi MSSS Aspirants,

I am sure we all must have been enquired by many of our peers and elders that "oh! so you have joined an distance learning course".

COMPOSITION IN PROGRESS.

Using VLC Media Player To Your Advantage

Hi MSSS Aspirants,

Unfortunately, even though all of us joined this program with the noblest of intentions of strictly following the lecture schedule and rigidly sticking to the study plan but then the age of Robots has not arrived! Right! It is human nature to get deviated, lose focus and then lag behind the schedule!

But then one must do what needs to be done!

Those who have attended the lectures by downloading the Lecture-Video offline must have observed that there are a lot of advantages of doing the same:

1. First is the most obvious one that the Lecture can paused and played according to the comforts of the student. Also parts can be skipped if already undertaken.
2. Second needs a bit of elaboration with examples. Suppose the student is attending the lecture online {real-time}. Now, if the speed of dissemination of the Lecture is a bit slower than the usual, the student loses focus as the input capability surpasses the real-time input. Or it can happen vice-versa too.

1. Now the same Lecture, if, attended offline {after downloading the WMV video  from Taxila}the above short-coming can be overcome by using the play-speed-tuner facility of the media player like the VLC {VideoLAN Client} Media player.

2. If the instructor is delivering the lecture slow paced and with pauses, the media player can be be tuned to play the video with hyper-Unity speeds like 1.5x. Since the video content is more or less static except for the body-movements of the instructor in the small window located at the upper-right corner, it does not distort the experience of the Lecture. Also an hour long lecture will be reduced by a factor.
3. Similar treatment can be applied if the delivery of the lecture is a bit hasty and student faces loss of comprehension. Then the tuning should be done at sub-Unity speeds like 0.75x.

We have been utilizing this feature and enjoying the benefits of it.

Best wishes!!

It's Back Up Time!

Hi MSSS Aspirants!

How are you? Hope you all are doing good and studying just as hard! Just a month away from the main comprehensive exams and a couple of days for the Assignment Quiz to be taken!

During this semester there has been regular uploads of the Lecture PPTs/PDFs and the Video recordings of the Lectures for those who could not attend the online Classes which were held at the day time, when most of us are at our workplace.

As of today, most of the planned Lectures for all the 4 subjects have been held and the contents of the same have been published at Taxila.

It is now, a necessary action, to back up the files uploaded for the purpose of data back-up in case of a local hardware failure at the student's end or a sudden unavailability of Taxila and therefore leading to complete loss of the all the materials stored for the future references and exam preparation.

A Lecture's Windows Media Video File's size ranges from 50 MB to 60 MB. The related Lecture PDF/PPT File's size ranges from a MB to 2 MB. So considering an average of 20 Lectures/Subject, the total archive comes to about 4 GB worth of data.

Use of a DVD is suggested!! Also a proper directory structure is to be maintained while backing up on the DVD as the DVD data does not store recent opened file history or related meta-info.

Example of a proper directory structure is given below:

• MSSS-Semester_Number
• Subject_Name_1
• Lecture_Videos
• Lecture_PPTs
• Subject_Name_2
• ...
• Subject_Name_3
• ...
• Subject_Name_4
• ...

Best wishes! 

Have you completed the Survey?

Hi MSSS Aspirants,

On 14th September, 2011 an e-mail communication was sent to all the MSSS students by the WILP Administrator on behalf of the Dean, WILP Division for providing the feedback on the overall course material and the instructor of the course programs one has opted for the current semester through a survey.

The duration of the availability of the web link at which one needs to take the feedback survey is from 16th September to 30th September. Which means a student has only 5 days to complete so!

Reminder mails were sent at regular intervals at the Sandesh e-mail account for the same and a SMS notification was also received by the registered students.

From the experience of the same, it took only 10-15 minutes for completing the survey for all the four subjects and was fairly simple and well navigated through-out the survey!

If one has not completed it, please do so by the given time!! Please provide the appropriate and necessary comments for the improvement, if any, required under any aspect of the program/course material!

Best Wishes!

First Semester Comprehensive Exam: Study Plan: Data Structures and Algorithms

Hi MSSS Aspirants,

Below is the study plan for the First Semester Comprehensive Exam for subject, Data Structures and Algorithms.

Date	Topic	Sub-Topic
Mon, Sep 12, 11	To learn algorithm design techniques, their applications and limitations.	Algorithm Design Techniques-Divide and Conquer Technique
Tue, Sep 13, 11		Algorithm Design Techniques-Greedy Approach
Wed, Sep 14, 11		Algorithm Design Techniques-Dynamic Programming
Thu, Sep 15, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Fri, Sep 16, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Sat, Sep 17, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Sun, Sep 18, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Mon, Sep 19, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Tue, Sep 20, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Wed, Sep 21, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Thu, Sep 22, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Fri, Sep 23, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Sat, Sep 24, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Sun, Sep 25, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Mon, Sep 26, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Tue, Sep 27, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Wed, Sep 28, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Thu, Sep 29, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Fri, Sep 30, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Sat, Oct 1, 11	To learn the use of graphs for capturing non-linear relations and to learn the design of algorithms for computing properties of those relations.	Longest Common Subsequence
Sun, Oct 2, 11		Graphs, Graph ADT, Data Structures for Graphs
Mon, Oct 3, 11		Graph Traversals
Tue, Oct 4, 11		Directed Graphs
Wed, Oct 5, 11		Weighted Graphs- Single Source Shortest Paths Dijkstra’s and Bellman-Ford’s Algorithms
Thu, Oct 6, 11		Minimum Spanning Trees : Kruskal’s Algorithm
Fri, Oct 7, 11		Prim’s Algorithm
Sat, Oct 8, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Sun, Oct 9, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Mon, Oct 10, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Tue, Oct 11, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Wed, Oct 12, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Thu, Oct 13, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Fri, Oct 14, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Sat, Oct 15, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Sun, Oct 16, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Mon, Oct 17, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Tue, Oct 18, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Wed, Oct 19, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Thu, Oct 20, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Fri, Oct 21, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Sat, Oct 22, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Sun, Oct 23, 11	Focus on other Subjects
Mon, Oct 24, 11	Revision	Revision
Tue, Oct 25, 11	Revision	Revision
Wed, Oct 26, 11	Revision	Revision
Thu, Oct 27, 11	Revision	Revision
Fri, Oct 28, 11	Revision	Revision
Sat, Oct 29, 11	Revision	Revision
Sun, Oct 30, 11	Exam Day	Best Wishes!!

Best wishes for the exam on 30th October, 2011 !! Study hard!!

First Semester Comprehensive Exam: Study Plan: Object Oriented Analysis and Design

Hi MSSS Aspirants,

Below is the study plan for the First Semester Comprehensive Exam for subject, Object Oriented Analysis and Design.

Date	Topic	Sub-Topic
Mon, Sep 12, 11	To learn to apply five of the GRASP principles or patterns for OOD	UML versus Design Principles.
Tue, Sep 13, 11		GRASP: A Methodical Approach to Basic OO Design.
Wed, Sep 14, 11		Connection between Responsibilities, GRASP, and UML Diagrams.
Thu, Sep 15, 11		Patterns, A Short Example of Object Design with GRASP.
Fri, Sep 16, 11		Applying GRASP to Object Design.
Sat, Sep 17, 11		Creator.
Sun, Sep 18, 11		Information Expert (or Expert).
Mon, Sep 19, 11		Low Coupling.
Tue, Sep 20, 11		Controller.
Wed, Sep 21, 11		High Cohesion.
Thu, Sep 22, 11	Object Design Examples with GRASP.	Use Case Realization, Use Case Realizations for the NextGen Iteration.
Fri, Sep 23, 11		Use Case Realizations for the Monopoly Iteration.
Sat, Sep 24, 11		Iterative and Evolutionary Object Design.
Sun, Sep 25, 11	To identify kinds of Visibility and designing to establish visibility.	Visibility Between Objects, Visibility, Four kinds of visibility.
Mon, Sep 26, 11	To map design artifacts to code.	Programming and Iterative, Evolutionary Development
Tue, Sep 27, 11		Mapping Designs to Code
Wed, Sep 28, 11		Creating Class Definitions from DCDs
Thu, Sep 29, 11		Creating Methods from Interaction Diagrams
Fri, Sep 30, 11		Collection Classes in Code
Sat, Oct 1, 11		Exceptions and Error Handling
Sun, Oct 2, 11		Defining the Sale.makeLineItem Method.
Mon, Oct 3, 11		Order of Implementation.
Tue, Oct 4, 11		Test-Driven or Test-First Development.
Wed, Oct 5, 11		Introduction to the NextGen POS Program Solution.
Thu, Oct 6, 11	To introduce Test Driven Development and Refactoring.	Test-Driven Development.
Fri, Oct 7, 11		Refactoring.
Sat, Oct 8, 11	To learn UML Tools and UML as Blueprint.	Forward, Reverse, and Round-Trip Engineering.
Sun, Oct 9, 11		Common Report of Valuable Features
Mon, Oct 10, 11		Suggestions for choosing a UML tool, suggestions on how to integrate UML wall sketching and tools.
Tue, Oct 11, 11	For the Quick Analysis Update.	Case Study: NextGen POS.
Wed, Oct 12, 11		Case Study: Monopoly.
Thu, Oct 13, 11	To define the requirements for the iteration-2.	From Iteration 1 to 2. Iteration-2 Requirements and Emphasis: Object Design and Patterns.
Fri, Oct 14, 11
Sat, Oct 15, 11	To apply the remaining GRASP patterns.	Polymorphism.
Sun, Oct 16, 11		Pure Fabrication.
Mon, Oct 17, 11		Indirection.
Tue, Oct 18, 11		Protected Variations.
Wed, Oct 19, 11	To introduce and apply some GoF design patterns.	Adapter (GoF). Factory. Singleton (GoF).
Thu, Oct 20, 11		Strategy (GoF). Composite (GoF) and Other Design Principles. Facade (GoF).
Fri, Oct 21, 11		Observer/Publish-Subscribe/Delegation Event Model (GoF).
Sat, Oct 22, 11	To define the requirements for the iteration-3.	NextGen POS. Monopoly.
Sun, Oct 23, 11	To introduce UML activity diagram notation, with examples, and various modeling applications.	UML Activity Diagram Notation.
Mon, Oct 24, 11		Guidelines. Example: NextGen Activity Diagram.
Tue, Oct 25, 11	To introduce UML state machine diagram notation, with examples, and various modeling applications.	Definitions: Events, States, and Transitions. UML State Machine Diagram Notation. Example: NextGen Use Case State Machine Diagram.
Wed, Oct 26, 11	To Relate Use Cases.	The include Relationship. Terminology: Concrete, Abstract, Base, and Addition Use Cases.
Thu, Oct 27, 11		The extend Relationship. The generalize Relationship. Use Case Diagrams.
Fri, Oct 28, 11	Revision	Revision
Sat, Oct 29, 11	Revision	Revision
Sun, Oct 30, 11	Exam Day	Best Wishes!!

Best wishes for the exam on 30th October, 2011 !! Study hard!!

First Semester Comprehensive Exam: Study Plan: Software Engineering & Management

Hi MSSS Aspirants,

Below is the study plan for the First Semester Comprehensive Exam for subject, Software Engineering & Management.

Date	Topic	Sub-Topic
Mon 12 Sep 11	Component based Classifications	None
Tue 13 Sep 11	Modeling Component-Level Design	Class Based component
Wed 14 Sep 11	Modeling Component-Level Design	Component design for web applications
Thu 15 Sep 11	Modeling Component-Level Design	Traditional component
Fri 16 Sep 11	Modeling Component-Level Design	Component based development
Sat 17 Sep 11	Guide of User Interface	None
Sun 18 Sep 11	User Interface & Pattern Based Design	Golden Rule
Mon 19 Sep 11	User Interface & Pattern Based Design	Analysis and design
Tue 20 Sep 11	User Interface & Pattern Based Design	Design steps
Wed 21 Sep 11	User Interface & Pattern Based Design	Web application design
Thu 22 Sep 11	User Interface & Pattern Based Design	Design evaluation
Fri 23 Sep 11	Understanding of Software Testing Process	None
Sat 24 Sep 11	Testing Strategies	Introduction
Sun 25 Sep 11	Testing Strategies	Traditional, object and web based testing
Mon 26 Sep 11	Testing Strategies	Testing steps
Tue 27 Sep 11	Testing Strategies	Debugging
Wed 28 Sep 11	Discussion of Methods Exists in Software Testing	None
Thu 29 Sep 11	Testing Tactics	WBT
Fri 30 Sep 11	Testing Tactics	BBT
Sat 1 Oct 11	Testing Tactics	MBT, and other related issue
Sun 2 Oct 11	Measurement Aspect of Software Product	None
Mon 3 Oct 11	Product Metrics	Complete analysis using various approach
Tue 4 Oct 11	Measurement Aspect of Software Process	None
Wed 5 Oct 11	Metrics for Process and Project	Software Measurement
Thu 6 Oct 11	Complete Analysis of Cost Estimation and Scheduling	None
Fri 7 Oct 11	Estimation	Details in cocomo model
Sat 8 Oct 11	Estimation	Decomposition techniques
Sun 9 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Mon 10 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Tue 11 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Wed 12 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Thu 13 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Fri 14 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Sat 15 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Sun 16 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Mon 17 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Tue 18 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Wed 19 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Thu 20 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Fri 21 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Sat 22 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Sun 23 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Mon 24 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Tue 25 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Wed 26 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Thu 27 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Fri 28 Oct 11	Revision	Revision

Best wishes for the exam on 29th October, 2011 !! Study hard!!

First Semester Comprehensive Exam: Study Plan: Computer Networks

Hi MSSS Aspirants,

Below is the study plan for the First Semester Comprehensive Exam for subject,Computer Networks.

Date	Topic	Sub-Topic
Mon 12 Sep 11	Network Layer	Virtual Circuits and Datagram Networks
Tue 13 Sep 11	Network Layer	Inside a Router
Wed 14 Sep 11	Network Layer	Forwarding and Addressing in the Internet. IPv4 Addressing
Thu 15 Sep 11	Network Layer	Sub Netting
Fri 16 Sep 11	Network Layer	IPv6 Addressing
Sat 17 Sep 11	Routing Algorithms	Shortest Path
Sun 18 Sep 11	Routing Algorithms	Flooding
Mon 19 Sep 11	Routing Algorithms	Link State
Tue 20 Sep 11	Routing Algorithms	Distance Vector
Wed 21 Sep 11	Routing Algorithms	Hierarchical Routing
Thu 22 Sep 11	Routing in the Internet	RIP
Fri 23 Sep 11	Routing in the Internet	OSPF
Sat 24 Sep 11	Routing in the Internet	Border Gateway Protocol
Sun 25 Sep 11	Routing in the Internet	Multicasting
Mon 26 Sep 11	Data Link Layer	Services
Tue 27 Sep 11	Data Link Layer	Error Detection and Correction Techniques (Parity Checks, Checksums, CRC)
Wed 28 Sep 11	Data Link Layer	Hamming code
Thu 29 Sep 11	Multiple Access Protocol	TDM
Fri 30 Sep 11	Multiple Access Protocol	FDM
Sat 1 Oct 11	Multiple Access Protocol	Slotted ALOHA
Sun 2 Oct 11	Multiple Access Protocol	Pure ALOHA
Mon 3 Oct 11	Multiple Access Protocol	CSMA
Tue 4 Oct 11	Multiple Access Protocol	CSMA/CD
Wed 5 Oct 11	Multiple Access Protocol	Local Area Networks
Thu 6 Oct 11	Multiple Access Protocol	Ethernet
Fri 7 Oct 11	Multiple Access Protocol	Point to Point Protocol
Sat 8 Oct 11	Link Virtualization	Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)
Sun 9 Oct 11	Link Virtualization	Multi Protocol Label Switching (MPLS)
Mon 10 Oct 11	Link Layer Addressing	MAC Addresses
Tue 11 Oct 11	Link Layer Addressing	ARP
Wed 12 Oct 11	Link Layer Addressing	RARP
Thu 13 Oct 11	Link Layer Addressing	DHCP
Fri 14 Oct 11	Interconnections	Hubs
Sat 15 Oct 11	Interconnections	Bridges
Sun 16 Oct 11	Interconnections	Switches
Mon 17 Oct 11	Physical Media	The theoretical basis for data communication
Tue 18 Oct 11	Physical Media	Guided physical media
Wed 19 Oct 11	Line coding Schemes	NRZ
Thu 20 Oct 11	Line coding Schemes	Manchester
Fri 21 Oct 11	Line coding Schemes	Differential Manchester
Sat 22 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Sun 23 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Mon 24 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Tue 25 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Wed 26 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Thu 27 Oct 11	Revision	Revision
Fri 28 Oct 11	Revision	Revision

Best wishes for the exam!! Study hard!!

Mid-Semester Test Paper Discussion: Software Engineering & Management

Hi MSSS-Aspirants,

Below is the Mid-Semester Test Paper Discussion for Software Engineering & Management.

Total Time: 120 minutes

Total Marks: 30 (30% of the total semester marks weightage)

Question-1:
Discuss software engineering code of ethics , with suitable example. --- 5 Marks.

Answer-1:


Question-2:
Suggest four reasons why the productivity rate of programmers working as a pair might be more that half of the two programmers working individually. --- 4 Marks.

Answer-2:


Question-3-a:
Discuss and explain Build and Fix Model, with their merits and demerits. --- 4 Marks.

Answer-3-a:


Question-3-b:
Discuss and explain with an example of Evolutionary, Parallel, Iterative and Linear process flow. --- 4 Marks.

Answer-3-b:


Question-4-a: Specify which of the following decisions were made during requirements or system design:
Question-4-a-i: The ticket distributor is composed of a user interface subsystem, a subsystem for computing tariff, and a network subsystem managing communication with the central computer.

Answer-4-a-i:


Question-4-a-ii: The ticket distributor will use PowerPC processor chips.

Answer-4-a-ii:


Question-4-a-iii: The ticket distributor provides the traveler with an on-line help.

Answer-4-a-ii:


Question-4-b: Draw a use case diagram for a ticket distributor for a train system. The system includes two actors: a traveler, who purchases different types of tickets, and a central computer system, which maintains a reference database for the tariff.
Use cases should include: BuyOneWayTicket, BuyWeeklyCard, BuyMonthlyCard, UpdateTariff. Also include the following exceptional cases: Time-out (i.e. traveler took too long to insert the right amount), Transaction Aborted (i.e. traveler selected the cancel button without completing the transaction), DistributorOutOfChange and DistributorOutOfPaper. --- 5 Marks.

Answer-4-b:


Question-5: In the context of iterative development, describe the following concepts in no more than three lines for each:
Question-5-i: Iteration (what are the objectives of iteration? What is the outcome of an iteration? What is time-boxing?).

Answer-5-i:


Question-5-ii: Critical use-cases.

Answer-5-ii:


Question-5-iii: Incremental development.

Answer-5-iii:


Question-5-iv: How does the Unified Software Development Process (UP) explicitly address critical use-cases?

Answer-5-iv:


Question-5-v: What are the functional and non-functional requirements and how can the use-case model be utilized to capture any of these?

Answer-5-v:



Answers to be updated after the discussion!

The Things To Take To The Exam-Center

Hi MSSS Aspirants,

Having given a mid-semester exam after a gap of 4.5 years, all the memories of the same given during the Engineering degree days came alive. Ah, what were those days!

Last weekend, the same time of writing this article we were giving the exams! A week has passed! 2 hectic days of giving the 4 mid-semester exams, 2 per day, forenoon and afternoon for 2 straight hours! Woah! All that said, enjoyed it!

Few observations were made and a few things which are a must to carry with you on these days are given below:

1. Books for the subjects, whose exams are on the same day:

This proves to be beneficial and also most of us bring them along since as this is an WILP, most of the aspirants of the same batch are oblivious to each others presence. So when they meet, they exchange valuable tips and topics. In the last moments before the exam, much can be learnt!

2. A spoon can save you a lot of trouble:

At most of the exam centres, which are the colleges in the same city, Lunch is served for the aspirants in the premises. Many a times the food is hot, and the spoons are absent and a great discomfort is felt in having the same at a time when the exam is in next few minutes. Carry personal spoons or a couple of disposable plastic spoons. Trust me, a spoon can save you a lot of trouble and time.

3. Water water everywhere and not a drop to drink:

The presence of potable water in a personal water bottle can increase your efficiency in the exam hall and will comfort you during writing those lengthy answers.

4. Chewing gum is a great stress buster:

Carry a strip of chewing gum, just in case, the things get tense and you need to vent it out.

5. Headphones and a music player:

Last 30 minutes before the exam starts and you need to concentrate but that person by your side is busy discussing matters with others. Who will save you? Yes, your music player and your headphones. They will insulate you from the noise from the surroundings.

6. Pens on which you can trust:

Guys, do not bring the new-new pens to the exam. It is a fact that a pen(a specific brand and model) which has been used before for sometime will help you write faster and with better grip.

7. A Scale can scale heights for you:

Bring a scale. It can do wonders for you! It can make the answer sheet beautiful and compensate for the dirt you have spread in it :) 

Best wishes for the Mains @29-30th October 2011.

Some xHTML Widget Changes In The Blog

Hi Readers,

Recently as an evolutionary measure to make the blog more suitable, we have made some changes in the xHTML template of the blog. The blog uses xHTML template to render the blog page and there are many a xml elements from google to create the same. Click here for more details!
Click here to learn more about xHTML!

A blog writer faces many questions regarding the articles, their sources, why they were written, the theme of the blog and other related queries!

By default the template of a Normal Blog's Home page consists of the articles in a reverse chronological order. It neither leaves nor provides any scope for having an actual Home page where you can welcome the reader and make available all the answers to the frequently asked questions, like we mentioned above!

If a blogger needs have the above feature then she/he needs to bend it like Beckham. Google-Blogger has given bloggers the freedom to modify the core of their own blogger site i.e. the xHTML Template file, which can be edited in the design mode of the blogger to modify as well as enhance the features!

The problem statements:
a) Instead of displaying the blog articles in the home page of the blog, they must only be accessible through the links available in the archive sidebar.
b) The home page must only contain a static welcome text to explain about the author and the articles in the blog.
c) While displaying none of the articles on the home page there must not be any label displayed with the misleading message that there are "0 Posts" to be shown. It appears by default if we choose to show none of the articles.

Solutions:
a) For this to happen one needs to first switch back to the old interface if one had recently switched to the new one. Go to {Dashboard>>Settings>>Formatting>>Show at most} & enter the number of posts as "0". Done!!

b) The  basic steps are:

1. Using the layout feature in the design mode add a Text widget.
2. Add the desired welcome text in it.
3. Modify the xHTML Template file according to the instructions in the blog link given below. The modification is to add a if condition that will display the Text Widget only when displaying the homepage of the blog.

Follow the steps given here.

c) The  basic steps are:

1. Modify the xHTML Template file according to the instructions in the blog link given below. The modifications is to remove the xHTML content which renders the label and the text in it.

Follow the steps given here.

After these changes my blog sites' home pages look like these, click here, here, here and here.

In the future we are looking forward to more daring and innovative xHTML changes for better functionalities!

Happy Blogging!