by Kevinsky Ro Dy
If youʼre still referring to our home department as the COELACS building, then you are as outdated as a Windows 3.1 operating system. The building you wish to refer to has already been renamed.
Last May 13, 2008, the building formerly called the College of Engineering Library and Computer Science was inaugurated as the University of the Philippines Alumni Engineers Centennial Hall (UP AECH). Alumni and guests gathered in the lobby to admire sketches of Melchor Hall made by students from the College of Fine Arts, and take a tour around the building. The main program started with Dr. Estrella F. Alabastro, Department of Science
and Technology (DOST) secretary, and her inauguration of the DOST Reading Room. The government agency donated the first twenty million pesos that was used for the construction of the UPAECH. Afterwards, the Beta Epsilon Room was also inaugurated.
UP Diliman Chancellor Dr. Sergio S. Cao and UP President Emerlinda Roman were present during the event to give the welcome and opening remarks, respectively, while Mr. Armando N. Agregado Jr., UPAE Chairperson, encouraged the alumni to support the endeavors of the college.
Donors of professional chairs were then called up the stage, and were given certificates of appreciation and sketches of Melchor Hall. A professional chair costs
one million and five hundred thousand pesos.
After they were called, Engr. Ting Pascual, Engr. Mandy Agregado, and Engr. Bert Mendoza turned over eleven million pesos, the proceeds of the recent UPAE raffle, to the UP Engineering Research and Development, Inc. (UP ERDFI).
A message of thanks was given by Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara, Dean of the College of Engineering. Dinner soon followed.
The naming rights of the building costs one hundred and twenty million pesos. As of this writing, more than sixty million pesos has already been raised with the help of Dr. Magdaleno B. Albarracin Jr. and Sid Consunji.
NEW ENG’G COMPLEX SOON TO RISE
by Peter John Francisco
Soon to be erected at the back of the UP Alumni Engineers Centennial Hall is the new UP College of Engineering Complex. It is set to accommodate new academic infrastructure, such as department laboratories for the College. By 2010, three departments are expected to have moved to the complex. These are, namely, the Department of Civil Engineering (DCE), the Department of Mining, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (DMMM), and the Chemical Engineering Department (DChE).
As of this writing, the DCE is already
working on preliminary engineering and architectural design of their two buildings—one for administrative and academic functions, and the other for laboratories. With a total floor area of 11,200 square meters, expected completion is on June 2010, in time for the Collegeʼs centennial. The projected cost of infrastructure is PhP 259.80 million, wherein PhP 163.17 million is allotted for upgrading lab equipment.
The DMMM is also in the preliminary stages of architectural design and engineering. They will have 11 rooms in one building that house all department laboratories. With a floor area of 3,370 square meters, expected completion is before
the last quarter of 2009.
DChE, meanwhile, shall commence planning of the building design later this year.
The construction of the new Engineering Complex is made possible through the support of the Engineering Research and Development for Technology (ERDT), a 3-year multi-billion project funded by the government, which aims to assist graduate engineering programs of Philippine universities.
Reference: Cocjin, Michael “Baring the Plans of the New UP College of Engineering Complex”. The Sundial, Volume 5, Issue 2, June 2008
DONORS + PROFESSIONAL CHAIR NAME
DATEM Inc. & ACES DATEM Inc. & ACES Professorial Chair
Grace S. Herrera AH Consulting Professorial Chair Reciña-Simon Family Reciña-Simon Professorial Chair
Beta Epsilon Prof. Dominador I. Ilio Professorial Chair Beta Epsilon Professorial Chair
UP Industrial Engineering Alumni Association UPIEAA Professorial Chair
Lica Group of Companies LICA Faculty Grant in Technology Entrepreneurship LICA Outstanding Engineering Instructor Award Alexan Foundation, Inc. Alexan Professorial Chair
Arturo & Rosario Say Family Don Felipe & Doña Theresa Chua Say Professorial Chair
Sy Ling Chat Foundation Sy Ling Chat Professorial Chair
Soriano Y Tee King Foundation, Inc. Ciriaco Corporation Professorial Chair in Engineering
Mr. & Mrs. Chua Liong Foundation Chua Liong & Loreta Dy Chua Professorial Chair
2|NEWS
DR. CARO NEW DEPARTMENT CHAIR
by Crystal Beatrice Camarao
Last June 1, 2008, Dr. Jaime Caro officially took the office as chair of the Department of Computer Science.
by Maria Criselda de Ramos
Dr. Caro, who is also the program director of the UP Information Technology Training Center (ITTC), was offered the position after the term of the previous chair, Dr. Cedric Festin, ended.
Last April 26, 2008, around 45 Computer Science students marched their way to graduation in the UP Theater, along with other Engineering graduates.
Having already served as department chair from 1999 to 2002, Dr. Caro was the lone nominee submitted by the department faculty during the selection process. He was then appointed by Dr. Rowena Guevera, Dean of the College of Engineering.
The diplomas of the graduates were given out by the College Secretary, Prof. Evangel Quiwa, and then officer-incharge of the CS Department, Prof. Prospero Naval. After years of studying, they finally make their way to the professional world.
Dr. Caro received his Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Mathematics here at the University of the Philippines Diliman.
The graduates who graduated with honors were, namely, Dan Christian Llaneta (summa cum laude), Michael Benson Chua (magna cum laude), Roy Amante Salvador (magna cum laude), Reggie Niccolo Santos (manga cum laude), James Wyson (magna cum laude), Rodrey Mark Goite (cum laude), Kriste Matriano (cum laude), Wigi Vei Oliveros (cum laude), Lewis Arvin Sibal (cum laude), and Abigail Yacat (cum laude).
He is a former Assistant Vice President for Development of the UP System, and is currently the president of the Computing Society of the Philippines.
DCS, DEEE co-host Joomla! Day Philippines
Two days after the graduation, a celebration, sponsored by Halo Nine and organized by the newly appointed CS representatives, was held in Dencioʼs Capitol Hills.
Entitled “Celebrate SucCS,” the evening started with a speech by Ms. Chris Clarin. It was then followed by a game that was participated in by the graduates, faculty, and even the sponsor. Afterwards, a farewell speech was given by Sir Quiwa, and a video dedicated to the graduates was shown.
by Gian Paolo Samson
The first Joomla! Day Philippines was held at the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Department of Computer Science buildings last June 14, 2008.
Joomla is a free open-source content management system (CMS) used by webmasters to build websites without having the need to fully understand complex web programming languages, making website building very easy. Expert developers also use Joomla to create and put rich add-ons, such as complex business directories and inventory tools, to their existing websites.
ment tool and allow experts to further explore what it has to offer.
The day was filled with a series of talks coming from various Joomla experts from both the local and international Joomla communities, most notable of which was Johan Janssens, a former lead Joomla developer and Core Team member.
Spearheaded by the Joomla User Group Philippines (JUG-PH), the event aims to expose amateurs to this web develop-
The event was divided into two sessions: a morning session (in DEEE) and an afternoon session (in DCS). The morning
by Jose Paolo Sy
Program), PHP and MySQL, HTML and CSS, and Adobe Flash.
KISSS 20 08 a S u c c e s s
This yearʼs Knowledge, Information, and Skills Sharing Sessions (KISSS) was held last June 21 and 28, 2008 at the UP Alumni Engineers Centennial Hall.
KISSS, which is hosted by the UP Association for Computer Science Majors (UP CURSOR), Association for Computing Machinery – UP Student Chapter (UP ACM), and the UP Linux Usersʼ Group (UnPLUG), is a series of tutorials on selected computer applications.
KISSS 2008 focused on graphic and web design. Specifically, the topics covered were GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation
45 CS graduates inducted during Engineering recognition rites
During the first day, Mr. Daniel Malabanan of UnPLUG gave a brief lecture on GIMP, while Mr. Paolo Sy, a member of UP CURSOR, made a presentation on Flash programming. Due to the large number of participants, some of the attendees had to share workstations.
On the second day, Mr. James Wyson, current instructor of DCS, taught HTML and CSS, while Mr. Waldemar Bautista, a member of UnPLUG, talked about PHP and MySQL.
session featured a general talk about the Joomla experience, as well as a panel discussion where attendees were given the chance to ask the guest speakers their questions.
The afternoon session, on the other hand, included detailed lectures on basic and advanced topics like easy PHP and MySQL, local and remote Joomla installations, template creation for newbies, copyright issues, and the latest update of the CMS, Joomla! 1.5.
We Are CS!
by Jase Nathaniel Tiojanco
Through the efforts of the Computer Science Representatives, the Dedicated Computer Science Students (DCSS) is now here. The DCSS is a volunteer group for the Department of Computer Science, aiming to cater to the needs of the Department and the CS Network. It is composed of 30 talented individuals who have stepped up to take on the challenge of serving the CS Community. They will be trained in key areas such as marketing, logistics, publication, etc.
Applying to become part of the DCSS was actually a simple process. They first had to submit an application form. Then they had to answer some simple questions regarding their skills and previous leadership roles. Applicants were evaluated based on their answers to the questions given to them.
So, what are the perks of being a DCSS member? First, DCSS members will get a free shirt with the “I AM CS” design. Next, is that the volunteers will be given freebies in every event that they help in. Finally, and probably the best reward, is seeing their good work appreciated by others. So, are you CS? Because we are!
NEWS|3
DCS welcomes freshmen UP Parser conducts first writing workshop
by Daniela Marie Delgado
The UP Department of Computer Science and the UP Association of Computer Science Majors (UP CURSOR) welcomed the new CS freshmen through the annual College Survival for Computer Science Students (CS4CS) in the UP Alumni Engineers Centennial Hall last June 16, 2008.
Dr. Henry Adorna of the DCS faculty started off the program with an opening speech.
The CS Representatives, namely, Mr. Jase Tiojanco, Ms. Izel De Ramos, and Mr. Kevinsky Dy then introduced themselves to the freshmen and assured them that they can ask for their help anytime. They also mentioned the different events lined up for the freshmen like the Engineering Opening Week and Mentorship Program. After the CS Reps gave their talk, the freshmen were shown a video presentation that introduced them to the faculty and staff of the CS department.
Mr. Mario Carreon, a member of the DCS faculty, gave a brief explanation about the BS CS curriculum and the Departmentʼs retention rules. Ms. Chris Clarin, also a member of the faculty, followed by sharing some of her personal experiences as a CS student. She also gave several tips and reminders to the freshmen on how
they can survive the CS life.
To entertain the attendees, the UP CURSOR Special Interest Group for Dance performed a dance number, with the special participation of "Rain.”
Since it is CS4CS's main goal is to help the freshmen survive college, a humorous Flash presentation that gave helpful survival tips was then shown.
This was followed by presentations from the different CS-related organizations and Department service arms comprising the CS Network, namely, the Engineering Library II, the Association for Computing Machinery – UP Student Chapter (UP ACM), UP CURSOR, UP Parser, the University of the Philippines Usersʼ Group (UnPLUG), the Departmentʼs Student Assistants, and the Engineering Webteam.
At the end of the program, survival kits containing some useful software applications and a guidebook were distributed by UP CURSOR.
To give the freshmen a bit of what it will be like in the Department, the annual Computorient was held after CS4CS. Jeune Asuncion, Roy Dela Cruz, and JR Respino talked to the freshies about basic C and Java programming. Afterwards, they all went to Melchor Hall for the Grand Pakain and Block Picture Taking.
UP ACM holds first acquaintance party
The UP Parser, with its alumni and staff, carried out its first ever writing workshop last July 24, 2008 at the UP Alumni Engineers Centennial Hall.
Present in the event were Parser alumni Mr. Philip Kimpo, Jr., Ms. Sophia Lucero and Mr. Jonel Uy, who all played key roles in Parserʼs development over the years. Mr. Uy, co-founder of the UP Parser, started the workshop with a brief history of Parser, together with a talk on making a winning team.
This was followed by the news and feature writing workshop, in which the alumni and participants critiqued articles written by fellow staffers. Mr. Kimpo, who served as Editor-in-Chief of Parser from 2004 to 2006, headed the panel. Ms. Lucero, who was Assistant Editor and Business Manager during the same period, was a co-panellist together with Mr. Uy. The event ended with an open forum. DCS faculty members attend symposium on mathematical aspects of computer science
Instructors and professors from the DCS flew to Cebu City to participate in the 4th Symposium on the Mathematical Aspects of Computer Science (SMACS) last August 4 to 7, 2008.
The symposium served as a ground for teachers and graduate students to tackle the theoretical and mathematical aspects of computer science. The symposium was divided into two parts: a workshop, which was held from August 4 to 6, and a seminar consisting of research presentations that ran from August 6 to 7. The symposium was organized by the Computing Society of the Philippines and was hosted by the University of the Philippines Cebu College.
Microsoft Student Partners visit DCS
by Gian Paolo Samson
The Association for Computing Machinery – UP Student Chapter (UP ACM) successfully held its acquaintance party last July 26, 2008 at Mahabʼs Pool,UP Teachersʼ Village, Quezon City.
Despite the tough weather that day, more than fifty members went to the venue and participated in the student organizationʼs first acquaintance party in its five years of existence. Carrying the theme, “Acquaint. Connect. Mingle,” the party was organized in the hope of instilling friendship, cooperation, and camaraderie between the members of the association.
The members of the Executive Council were formally introduced to the members, followed by a series of games and dinner.
Special visitors were invited to the event: Prof. Rommel Feria, faculty adviser of UP ACM; Mr. Ardee Aram, the first undergraduate chairperson of the organization; Mr. James Wyson, UP ACMʼs chairperson last academic year; Mr. Butch Landingin, Chief Technology Officer of Orange and Bronze; and Dr. Jaime Caro, present Chair of the UP Department of Computer Science.
Each of them gave a speech that encouraged UP ACM to continue its tradition of computing excellence, innovation, and community service.
Microsoft Student Partners Cesar Atonio Cuaresma and Arjay Orcasitas gave a talk on Microsoft Expression Blend and Expression Design last August 8, 2008 at the Lecture Hall.
Expression Blend and Expression Design are part of the Expression Studio suite. Expression Design is a vector image editing program, while Expression Design provides programmers the ability to build graphical user interfaces (GUI) without the need of coding. Cesar Antonio Cuaresma gave the talk on Expression Design, while Arjay Orcasitas on Expression Blend.
CS students get free licensed software
Dozens of Computer Science students submitted blank CDs and DVDs last July to get free licensed products from Microsoft. Among the products distributed were Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Vista, Visual Studio, Expression Studio, and Programming Essentials.
The project, tagged "Burn Fest 2008", was made possible through the MSDN Academic Alliance (MSDNAA), a Microsoft project. The MSDNAA distributes products of Microsoft to its members' technology-related units (like the DCS) for an annual fee.
“Burn Fest 2008” was headed by Ms. Rina Caballar, and was assisted by the CS Representatives.
Engineering Marketing Congress 2008 is on
Thirty three-member teams from the College of Engineering competed to win this year's Engineering Marketing Congress.
The Congress, which is exclusive to all Engineering students, aims to brush up the participants' marketing and communication skills, and promote the works of the students of the different Engineering departments.
This year's winners, team Aerotechnika, composed of students from the Department of Industrial Engineering, received thirty thousand pesos and a plaque. Prior to the finals night, there were five seminars about marketing, which were open to all. Special guests from other colleges and various companies were invited to give a talk.
The finals night was held last September 12 at the Engineering Theatre.
DCS students participate in Engʼg Cup 2008
Students from DCS represented the Department in various sports events during the Engineering Cup 2008.
The Engineering Cup, or Engʼg Cup, is the College of the Engineeringʼs annual inter-department sports competition. This yearʼs theme was “Rise of the Olympians”, in line with the Beijing Olympics. The major events for this year were Menʼs Basketball, Menʼs Volleyball, and Womenʼs Volleyball. Minor events included Badminton, Table Tennis, Ultimate Frisbee, and Dodgeball. Unfotunately, DCS was unable to win any major awards this year.
4|FEATURES
by Ava Marie Tan
After almost 10 years of collective effort, the College of Engineering Library II and Computer Science Building was successfully built. Designed by Architect Rosalie G. Flores, the building stands out with its modern look and unique color scheme. The building has been the home of the DCS for almost a year now. The 4-storey facility has 4 classrooms, 4 teaching laboratories, 8 Research and Development (R&D) laboratories, administration offices, a lecture hall, and other support rooms.
Upon entering the building, one is instantly greeted by the wide expanse of space also known as the Gallery. The Gallery has a mural of the buildingʼs exterior with superimposed names of donors. The Gallery handles exhibits, book fairs, and other important affairs.
Each classroom is equipped with an LCD projector screwed to the ceiling, 30 black glossy arm chairs, an air conditioner, a teacherʼs table, a seemingly glass white board, and a projector screen. Classrooms are located at the 2nd floor. Classroom 1 offers coziness in its small size. Classroom 2 boasts a glass double-door. Classroom 3 and 4 are almost identical and are adjacent to each other on the right side of the building.
The Lecture Hall can hold up to 90 people. The multi-platform design makes sure that The big and wide windows offer a spectacular view of the hills surrounding the city. For latecomers, the front door may bring dread and shame, but the back door squeaks silently for minor disturbance. An audio-visual booth is also located at the back.
A conference room is located at the third floor. The floor-to-ceiling glass windows of the room offers a breathtaking view of the surroundings of the city. Currently, it is equipped like a classroom but the vision of the building states that it will be much more. The vision of the conference room seems corporate-type: a single large table, paintings, office chairs, and a business meeting aura. Faculty members are housed in their respective laboratories for research interests on the third floor. Currently, these research interests are Computer Security, Computer Vision and Machine Intelligence, Networking and Distributed Systems, Theoretical
Computer Science, and Web Science. Rina Caballar, Mario Carreon, Ivy Mirasol, Wigi Oliveros, Mike Samson, Eric Tambasacan and James Wyson can be found at the Computer Security Laboratory. Riza Batista, Christine Clarin, Michael Echavez, Dr. Prospero Naval, and Philip Zuniga are all based at the Computer Vision and Machine Intelligence Laboratory (CVMIG). Dr. Henry Adorna, Dr. Jaime Caro, Rommel Feria, Rowena Solamo and Jan Michael Yap can be found at the Web Science Laboratory.
The faculty members can relax in their own faculty lounge located beside the security laboratory. The faculty lounge is furnished like a living/media room. It has a television, microwave oven, refrigerator, water dispenser, a large table, office chairs, couches, and its windows are covered with blinds.
The administration area on the 3rd floor houses Milagros “Ate Mila” R. Ramos (Data Encoder and Machine Operator 1 or DEMO1) and Jaime D.L. Caro, Ph.D. (Department Chair). Accepting Parser literary contributions, selling drinks and food, certifying Form 5s, assessing tuition fees during enrolment, distributing Student Evaluation of Teachers, entertaining department visitors, issuing classcards, and receiving academic and department related papers are all part of Ate Mila's job.
The Public Access Laboratory on the 2nd floor is Mr. Pelagio “Kuya Leng” M. Bengcoʼs (Acting Administrative Assistant, DEMO2) office. It is the place to go to for getting Form 5s, validating Form 5s, confirming classes, and canceling classes during enrolment period. On non-enrollment days, Kuya Lengʼs office handles procurement of supplies and equipments for the department, troubleshooting problems of the building and attending requests of the faculty.
The room beside Kuya Lengʼs office is the server room. It houses the countless routers and other network components used by the Diliman Network (DILNET). It is also strictly off-limits to unauthorized personnel. New buildings always come with new and beautiful restrooms. The tastefully colored restrooms are located at the east side of the building.
The parking area can hold up to 17 cars according to the site development plan. A stairway toward the building is located at the west part of the parking area.
FEATURES|5
by Ava Marie Tan
>>> Eng’g Lib II: Moving For ward From Books to Bytes
Seeing the Engineering Library II for the first time was really a mesmerizing experience. Every college student needs a place to study and absorb every dayʼs lessons, and Iʼm glad I can go to the Engʼg Lib II when I feel to do so.
I never knew that there was a library downstairs until I had to get my ID countersigned. Unlike the library I used to know in high school, it was spacious and cozy, which was very inviting for a student like me. My friends and I were unfortunate to have a threehour break during Mondays and Thursdays so we frequented the lib to kill time. I discovered more of the Engʼg Lib II as we went there every week.
The coolest place, I think, is the ERG Discussion Room. There is more room for interaction and sharing of ideas because people can talk louder (relatively, that is). This section has four divisions with one big table each, and there are whiteboards for large group brainstorming sessions.
I also enjoy sitting at the desks in the Circulation Area when I feel like studying or pondering alone. Last school year, I often brought my laptop with me to surf the internet or finish my Machine Problems. I got to surf for free because the first twenty hours is free to all students covered by the 2007 revised tuition.
Engʼg Lib II houses 9,500 volumes of books for Computer Science and Electrical and Electronic Engineering students and faculty. Iʼm not used to borrowing books from the library but sometimes I browse through the books of my interest (HTML and other web stuff). Its huge collection of books will help both CS and EEE students in their subjects. Most books are located in the Circulation Area, while Reserve books can be borrowed in the Reserve Section. Besides reference books, it also has journals, pamphlets, a thesis collection, and other continuing resources which can be found at the Serials Section. This part of the library is located at the 2nd floor of the Engineering Library and Computer Science Building. But donʼt worry about fumbling over hundreds of book titles and call numbers because Engʼg Lib II uses a system called Integrated Library System (iLib), with which books of a certain topic can be found with just a few clicks.
This system aims to integrate library operations from Acquisition to Circulation. All constituent units (Diliman, Manila, Baguio, Los Banos, Visayas, Mindanao, and Open University) migrated to this system only February this year. Say goodbye to the old borrowerʼs card because now, borrowing books can be done online. Just go to its site (http://ilib.upd.edu.ph) and log in with a valid UP Webmail account. Since all UP units use the iLib, students and faculty can borrow from other libraries even in other campuses. Other references such as atlases, encyclopedias, dictionaries, and directories can be
by Olive Ruth Dag
If Chemistry, Physics, and Biology lab subjects have detailed pre-laboratory reports, Computer Science lab subjects have a rather odd pre-lab preparation. It doesn't involve any tedious writing or coding. It's more of a physical and mental preparation to last the three hours of laboratory time.
The number one mind (and finger) - numbing reason why laboratory subjects tend to be hard is not the exercise but the cold temperature. The below zero degree temperature of the laboratory rooms could literally freeze the computers (and us) way back into ice age. Good thing they haven't installed one of those centralized air-conditioners for the whole building, yet or we'd be living in an arctic fortress right inside the campus.
If wearing an Eskimo-type jacket wasn't humiliating, we'd all be dressed in it, complete with anti-UV ray goggles (for protection from the monitor). Currently, most students prefer to wear light jackets to beat a little of the creeping chill. These jackets range from organization jackets, to department/university jackets, to other colorful jackets out there. If science labs have laboratory gowns, we have laboratory jackets. Almost every student wears a jacket on a particularly chilly day or in a particularly chilly lab.
accessed through the Electronic Reference Portal. A dedicated computer beside the reference librarianʼs desk is needed to use this system. For further questions and help, you can ask the reference librarian.
New sections of the Engʼg Lib II will be opened soon. The Multimedia/Internet Facility is a room where library users can listen to podcasts and other audio instructional materials. For people who donʼt have laptops, 40 PCs with 19” LCD displays will be available for surfing the net and viewing online resources. Besides an internet facility, there will be a viewing room for films, video presentations, and other interactive multimedia.
Another section is the Computing Museum where projects and creative outputs made by CS and EEE students will be displayed. The museum targets showcase artifacts and milestones in computers and information. Other exhibits will come from the facultyʼs personal collections.
Besides ID countersigning and library clearance, Engʼg Lib II offers printing services too. There is a photocopying station beside the ERG Discussion room. A laptop charging station has been deployed at the rear end of the library so that students can charge their gadgets when their batteries run out. These are not for free but these services are offered at a reasonable price. If you havenʼt dropped by yet or havenʼt explored the Engʼg Lib II that much, go ahead and experience what this state-of-the-art library has to offer.
>>> Pre-lab Preparations
Most lab sessions are held at the teaching laboratories located at the third floor. These laboratories are equipped with colorful tables, sturdy computers, black glossy chairs, and a humungous air conditioner that works really well. Technically, the teaching laboratories were designed to fit 30 working units but lately, a lot of the computers decided to hibernate indefinitely. Thus, pre-lab tip number two would be to bring your laptop at lab sessions. Plugs are located around the laboratory and usually, laptops are allowed by most professors. To be sure, ask your professor if he/she allows laptops over the provided desktop. Aside from the teaching laboratories, the specialized research groups also have their own laboratories equipped for their own needs. These laboratories are found on the third floor. Currently these research interests are Computer Security, Computer Vision and Machine Intelligence, Networking and Distributed Systems, Algorithm and Complexity, and Web Science.
The aforementioned laboratories are exclusive for senior students and junior intern students only. Thus, to be admitted to your choice of lab, we must follow pre-lab tip number three: always bring your brain. Our department rarely offers laboratory sessions or any class at an early hour, but students tend to leave their brains sleeping in their beds. So, to finish the machine exercises with flying colors, a little academic preparation goes a long way. Reviewing the lecture and being totally awake can really help, but practicing at home is the best academic preparation we can have.
Laboratory exercises may bring dread and fear, but with the right preparations such as bringing a jacket, laptop, and an active brain, we can last through one session hopefully unfrozen.
6|FEATURES
Meet DCS Faculty’s Latest Additions
Favorite Programming Language: C Dream Job/Profession (besides your current job): Research Scientist Most Memorable Place in UP: Chocolate Kiss =d
Full name: Wigi Vei Oliveros Nickname: Wigi, Wij, Wigiboy Birthdate: November 18, 1987 Zodiac Sign: Scorpio Classes Handled: CS 135, ES 26 Favorite Programming Language: TeX Dream Job/Profession (besides your current job): Archaeologist Most Memorable Place in UP: UP AME Tambayan
by Ava Marie Tan
As a center of excellence, DCS deserves nothing but the best. This school year, we are lucky to have one new lecturer, Ms. Hannah Abella, and two new instructors, namely, Mr. Wigi Vei Oliveros, and Mr.
James Wyson.
Full name: Hannah Martha Abella Nickname: Hannah Birthdate: November 12, 1979 Zodiac Sign: Scorpio Classes Handled: CS 135
Full Name: James Maramba Wyson Nickname: James Birthdate: Aug 1987 Zodiac Sign: Leo Classes Handled: ES 26 Favorite Programming Language: None Dream Job/Profession (besides your current job): Professional Gamer Most Memorable Place in UP: MJEC
Hey there future programmers, GossipGeek here, bringing you the latest feeds from the fortress we fondly call DCS.
One of our gossip gals, RecursingRica, twittered me this.
SPOTTED
A high ranking student leader being surrounded by floating fishes at the newly opened ocean park – with his boyfriend.
They were seen enjoying each otherʼs company at the ocean park and pictures are there to prove it. It seems like that the fishes werenʼt the only ones that smelled fishy in the ocean park that day. But who are they?
Thatʼs a source code Iʼll never share.
One of our limited resources, ASun, instant messaged me this...
BOOKMARKED
High school website from a region far away -- with its alumni roster shown which includes the name of an infamous professor/instructor... and this prof's alleged twin. Same surname. Same middle name. Same address.
Whenever we were at the library, the bell always rings countless times. We were always the noisiest. But thatʼs last year, we were so mean but now weʼre good. :D :: anon
We were placing our bags on the shelves when the bell first rang on us, but it didnʼt deter us. We then sat on the table nearest the librarian inside the Serials Section and started “studying” quietly. The librarian momentarily left and we got noisy again. To our surprise, when she returned she immediately approached us. She asked us to go to the ERG Discussion Room downstairs. It seemed like she left to check if there was a slot at the discussion room downstairs. :: AyanIngayKc
It was a very windy, rainy day but I still went to class. I thought I was late because I arrived at 9:20 am, and our class was supposed to start at 8:30. When I approached our room, there were only two other students who were waiting for our professor. A few minutes later, Ate Mila posted a note saying class would start at 10:00am. After a few more minutes, Ate Mila returned and replaced the earlier note with “No Class Today.” I did not know if I wanted to rejoice or get angry because it took a lot of effort to go. :: abse_not I have an odd 9:30 am class. Due to its weird time slot, our professor usually (but not always) starts class at 10:00 am. Soon, I always come in late thinking class would start at 10:00 am. But then theyʼd start at 9:30 am. Once, I decided to go to
class earlier, as in 9:30 am. There was no one waiting outside the room so I thought I must be late again, only to find out that class will start at 10:00 am. My prof and I seem to have different morning mood swings. Urgh! :: latecomer
Once, we were using the OPAC then we tried to Google something. Our classmate scolded us terribly for successfully opening the site. It just shows our true ComSci nature. XD :: Angel of ComSci
One time, I went to the library just because I had a long break. The facilities were cool and there were individual reading stations. Since the stations were covered, I decided to sleep there since nobody seems to notice. I am a freshman, so I was quite shy to sleep in a public place, but I still did. When I woke up, I saw a surveillance camera near my seat. It was so embarrassing. I got caught! :: uno_siete
Once, I was making an MP in a friend's laptop. She wasn't much of a techie so I had to install all the stuff that I needed like Crimson editor, ggc, and et cetera. Aside from the added programs, I saved my files on the desktop to easily access them. After I submitted the MP, she was too eager to have her laptop back that I forgot to clear up the mess that I made on her desktop. She got so annoyed and threatened to never let me borrow it again. :: Laptopless gal
I hate being late but I was very unfortu-
nate to be riding a slow Ikot jeep last week. When I arrived at the building, I was already 15 minutes late. I rushed inside the room without looking at the note posted on the door of our usual classroom. Before I could even grab a seat, the professor called my attention. Everyone was already staring at me, waiting for my answer. I did not understand the professor's question so I just mumbled an apology and quickly left the room. It was so embarassing. :: lostnalost
I carry a heavy bag so I usually leave it in a locker at our building. One time, I was having lunch with my non-CS friends in Katag when it started to rain terribly. I had a 1:00 pm class that day so I was forced to go back. It so happened that I forgot to bring my umbrella along with me. Apparently, I left it in the locker. Luckily, one of my friends had an umbrella, but it was too small to realistically cover the three of us, so we were practically walking in the rain. When I arrived under the safe cover of our building, the rain suddenly stopped-YES, at the very moment I stepped into the building, the rain stopped. Worse, my 1:00 PM class was cancelled! It was my unluckiest afternoon ever. :: basang sisiw If you have a funny Oops! Moment to share, email it to editor.in.chief@upparser.com or send a text message to +639159476913. We would really love to hear from you!
My oh my, imagine having a double of this prof, that will be quite an intractable problem. But who is this prof?
That's a source code I'll never share. 1010, GossipGeek
THE GRAND RAMP
by Olive Ruth Dag
When I was still a freshman, Computer Science laboratory classes were held at the 5th floor of Melchor Hall. Back then, the elevator was just a nonexistent hole on the wall. We had no choice but to climb the seemingly endless flight of stairs. The dusty abandoned 5th floor corridor greeted us after the long, painful, and tiring climb.
FEATURES|7
S UD DE N C H A N GE OF LUC K by Apryll Lacandazo
Strange opportunities sometimes cross our path. Though they are unexpected, we are still grateful for the sudden change of luck. It may sound crazy but some people have no direction in life that they grab whatever chance that comes their way.
Being able to enter a premier university such as the University of the Philippines is what I consider as one of those strange opportunities. Studying here is like experiencing the thoughts of a very intelligent person who has great hopes and dreams not only for himself, but also for the country. One would never know the true feeling of a UP student unless he/she himself/herself studied here.
Studying in UP gives me mixed emotions of excitement and fear: excitement because finally I am able to study in a school that is far away from home, fear because of the fact that I do not know what I have against the many intelligent minds of the country. This fear of mine overshadowed my excitement as I entered the university. Now, much hasnʼt changed. Instead of just stairs, we have an architectural feat to climb--the long and winding ramp. I always wonder what the ramp is for, aside from making me late. It is too narrow for cars (and it doesnʼt lead to a parking lot). It is too steep for wheel-chaired people and too long for skateboard or bicycle exhibitions. Architecturally, the ramp was constructed since the front was too steep for stairs. This is a consequence of the building being built on UPʼs highest elevation. It was also expensive to excavate and flatten the soil. Thus, they probably opted to design the majestic ramp towards our fortress. My friend once suggested that it was built for exercise since all we (geeks, I mean Computer Science people) do is sit in front of our laptops and PCs. If the ramp was also covered, we would not even have enough daily dose of vitamin D from the sun. And on rainy days, we could always test the brakes of our shoes while going down.
To the philosophical, the ramp may also signify a lot of things. It symbolizes the hardships that we trudge through every single day, like waking up early for a 7:30 AM class. It represents the “reward system” since after a climb we are rewarded by the note from our professor stating “No Class Today”. It also signifies the path to our goals in this hellish journey called college.
Nevertheless, the ramp is not just a symbolic inclined plane, a simple exercise machine, or a replacement for a stairs. It has become a part of our everyday routine, silently inspiring us to strive forward.
I am a Computer Science student and I belong to the College of Engineering. I have heard that although many students belong to this college, only a few are able to graduate. This scared me. Computers have never been my thing, and I do not know one end of a computer to the other.
Somehow, these feelings of mine changed when I met upperclassmen CS students who showed great disposition and were ready to help freshmen. In my mind, I thought, maybe this is not so bad after all.
And I guess I was right.
Being part of the youngest department in the college is a great opportunity for me. Though I know nothing about computers, the Department has great professors who are able to teach students the different lessons very well. It also has a friendly staff that is ready to lend a helping hand to students.
There are a lot of great things that I have discovered about my department. Though this opportunity was only a result of change of luck, I now consider it a blessing from God. A blessing because not only am I one of the students of the Department of Computer Science, but also because I am a part of the University of the Philippines, one of the countryʼs leading universities in terms of intelligence and talent.
0101010110100101010101010
8|OPINION
EDITORIAL
ENGʼG KA NGA BA?
An engineer is defined to be “a person who uses scientific knowledge to solve practical problems”. But Computer Science students, who rightfully fit this description, continually face doubt regarding their place in the College of Engineering.
Many people question why the Department of Computer Science is under the College, when the CS curriculum does not include any Engineering Science (ES) subject. They also point out that BS Computer Science is not a five-year course like the other engineering courses in the college, and that its name doesnʼt even end with “Engineering” but “Science”.
What they fail to realize is that it is not the ES series that makes an engineer, and that in fact, ES 21 and 26 have their CS equivalents (ES 26, most especially, since it is all about programming and is even being handled by DCS). Moreover, that we have a lesser number of units and that our name is different do not make us any less of engineers. CS students use mathematical skills and critical thinking when finding solutions to machine exercises or problems. These solutions can also be applied to real world problems--though not as tangible as anything mechanical, they are still as effective. But when people point out the apathy and impassivity of CS stu-
Q: Nakasali ka na ba sa Eng'g/Department event ngayong taon? Kung oo, ano ang sinalihan mo at kamusta naman? Kung hindi, bakit? Oo, kasi...
Oo, sumali ako sa Burnfest (masaya kasi libreng software), Windows Express Studio Talk (bitin, di ko naintindihan pero magandang experience ang makaalam ng bagong software, KISSS (masaya kasi natuto na ako mag-Flash pero sobrang konti lang) :: 06-15608
Uhm, yung CS4CS. Wala lang, masaya kasi maganda yung presentation na pinakita lalo na yung video. :: 08-05208
Oo, yung CS4CS at pakaEng'g sa freshies. Okay naman. Masaya yung ginawa nung profs para sa CS4CS saka daming gimik pagtapos nung kainan. :: 08-16981
Yup, yung Eng'g Fair, nagsaya naman ako kasi masarap ang food at makulit ang host. :: 08-66741 CS4CS, ayos lang naman. Nakatulong kahit papano. Kasi akala ko required at
dents in joining Engineering events, we have nothing to answer. This yearʼs Engineering Cup, for example, has had very limited participation, and not even one team in the Engineering Marketing Congress came from DCS. Unless it is an organizationrelated event, CS students do not willingly attend Engineering events. It is because of this that our department has become evidently detached from the College of Engineering.
We can reason that the Department is now distant from Melchor Hall, and so we have been, to a certain extent, isolated from the College. But this is not an excuse. We regularly receive e-mail updates, and copies of Whatʼs HappenEngʼg? and the Engineering Logscript whenever issues are published. The CS Representatives never fail to inform us of any important event that is happening within the College. Clearly, CS students are given all opportunities to be involved. Itʼs just a matter of will to be involved.
The Department was not mistakenly placed in the UP College of Engineering. It is already there where it should really be. The only challenge that lies ahead for CS students is to prove that they really are Engʼg, not only by thinking like engineering students, but by holistically acting like engineering students as well.
akala ko I can't survive without it. :: (((codename)))], 08-08725
CS4CS.. Nakapunta ako at i-dodocu ko yun!! As for the experience, okay lang naman.. Fun siya… tapos.. Nakakuha pa ako ng freshie guides.. :: Camille, 07-27558 Yup, masaya naman. Masarap yung feeling na marami kang nakikilala saka yung pakiramdam na parang "Anak ka ng Diyos" dahil nasa Engg ka! :: uno_siete, 08-04421
Oo, nakasali na. Okay lang masaya naman siya saka minsan meron kang bagong matutunan at mga maipagyayabang lalo na kung may prizes at souvenirs sa mga events. =P :: 06-03375 Hindi pa, kasi...
...busy sa acads po. :: ASERO, 0671183
...hinihintay ko ang Eng'g Week! :: Cixi, 05-35585 ...laging may kasabay na acads or nonEng'g org activity. :: ikaw, 07-06692
...walang swimming event. :: sam lee, 07-27027
...masyado pang maaga, wala pang event for me or nahihiya lang talaga ako. XD :: anon e mous, 08-69744
...either may conflict ang event o super late sa gabi na mangyayari. Tapos I donʼt plan on staying din naman sa Eng'g. :: Pisces, 08-06172
...tinatamad ako. :: Guwapoman, 0616771
...daming ginagawa e! 71107
:: JDG, 06-
For next issue's survey:
Ano ang masasabi mo sa first issue ng Parser, maganda di ba?
Sino ang favorite professor mo sa Comsci? Bakit?
Itext ang: Parser_Survey/ Answer/ Name/ Student Number sa +639159476913 para mailathala ang sagot mo. O mag-email sa editor.in.chief@upparser.com kasama ang iyong pangalan at student number.
ADDICT FOR DRAMATICS: Revival
by Crystal Beatrice Camarao
The fact that you are reading this issue right now is already a feat in itself. A few months ago, when we had our first meeting as the editorial board, Parser had been “dead” for a year. The staff consisted of ourselves, and ourselves only. We didnʼt have any funds. The only thing we had, as cheesy as it sounds (And I
know it sounds cheesy, because even I am cringing as I write this), was a dream. A dream of not just reviving Parser, but producing a kickass publication that our department deserves. And that was all that mattered.
Never mind that we had to start practically from scratch, from looking for sponsors to looking for new staffers to looking for a printing press. Never mind that we had to deal with a lot of expectation, skepticism, and even confusion (“Parser? Whatʼs that?”). Never mind that we had to go through some really tough (And practically insane) times, “disheartened” wouldnʼt be enough of a word to describe how
we felt. Never mind, because we were armed with a strong sense of purpose, and a whole lot of hope.
Looking back, that meeting was a remarkable one. There we were, talking about what seemed like crazy ideas then, and making big and great plans for Parser. We were excited to put them all into action. But at the same time, we were fully aware that the mission we were about to undertake was difficult.
We are thankful that we got a lot of help along the way. Sir Zuniga is the most supportive adviser we could ever ask for, and itʼs encouraging to know that a member of the faculty is there to assist us. Ate
OPINION|9
Mila is always patient and kind enough to allow us to use the landline or the fax machine. And the Parser alumni (especially Jonel, Philip, and Ia), helped us start things off in the right direction and even conducted a writing workshop for us.
It feels surreal that the issue we were merely planning for those few months ago is finally out. Even more importantly, our goal of reviving Parser has been achieved (Whether you think itʼs kickass or not, itʼs up to you decide).
We may have gone through so much hard work, trouble, and pain just to finish this issue, but the fact that you are reading this right now makes it all worth it.
10|OPINION
HELIOPHOBIC INSOMNIAC:
GOING EXPOSITORY:
SCORPION ROSES:
by Olive Ruth Dag
by Gian Paolo Samson
by Kathyrn Kimberly Malijan
BS Insomnia
The other name for BS Computer Science must be “How to become an insomniac 101” with a subtitle “A 4-year course in Nocturnalism”. Itʼs not just because of the curriculum or the subjects but itʼs also because we, on our own, slowly embrace the darkness into our lifestyles. Staying way past bedtime is no longer just because of unfinished MPs or required papers but also because of socializing, downloading, watching shows, and all other non-academic related activities.
A long sleep has already become a luxury in our lives that we trade it off for more academic things. Since sleep is now very expensive, we try to get it cheap by doing it with other things like “listening” to the teacher on a lecture. Multitasking has now become a part of the heart and soul of our very being that we subconsciously adapt it into our daily routines. We listen to songs while walking, we sing while coding, and we talk to ourselves while debugging. We have become too comfortable with ourselves and the gadgets around us that we multitask with them all the time.
But then, what do we usually do at nights? We rarely go out and technically have nightlife. We stay in and make nightlife of our own. The MPs accompany us on nights when 11:59 pm has become a very important and frightening hour comparable to the twilight zone. Y!M or meebo join us nightly in a ritual of socializing. Others also cope up with the latest episodes or movies that somehow were missed due to academic reasons. Basically, we have developed night lifestyles that fit our nature.
Evaluating our nature, we are really comparable to nocturnal creatures, specifically the vampire. We are too pale from the lack of vitamin D because we usually stay inside, in front of our PCs and laptops. We are awake at nights, although not sucking blood around but sucking bytes and bytes of data from the internet. We have dark rings under our eyes on a daily basis. We have a love for wintry settings which are observable from the thermostat of the air conditioners. Having fangs and the ability to turn into a bat must be extra abilities that we havenʼt discovered yet. Being an insomniac is second nature and although we try to be day people again, we just find it hard.
Living through the night and sleeping through the day may seem unhealthy according to studies and experts, but we slowly adjust and accept it into our lives. That could be one reason why there are no 7:00 am classes offered in the department and our lab subjects extend up to our homes at way past bedtime. It isnʼt just a personal nature, we have adapted it into a whole new different level, and we are all in it. The course offered by the department is not just simple Computer Science but also an evolutionary adaptation technique. What we learn from BS “How to be an insomniac 101” is not only the capacity to stay awake all night and bask in the warm glow of our CRTs or LCDs but also the ability to prioritize our academics and socials over our body clocks.
Brothers
I have this friend of mine who has always wanted to have a little brother. You see, he is the only male child in a family of three kids. While he and his two younger sisters aren't exactly hostile towards each other, you will sense that they are not what you can consider close. My friend would always leave the house some time in the morning and return back in the late afternoon or early evening, barely talking to his sisters. I guess this is probably because of the gender difference between him and his sisters. That is pretty explanatory.
He wanted to have a little brother. He wanted to have a little brother whom he can call his best buddy. He imagined his little brother to be a very active one, constantly playing around as if his energies never ceased. It was very typical of my friend to like this sort of little kids, as I was told he is very close with the children in their neighborhood. He was pretty famous among them, actually, serving as their neighborhood kuya and all that.
So just imagine how glad he was to find out that his mother was, much to his surprise, pregnant. It was a late pregnancy. Her mother is already in her 40's and it's easy to find out that these kind of pregnancies are more dangerous, but she went on with it.
I was happy for my friend. At last he would have the kid brother he had so much wanted! You could know how excited he was because he kept on telling how he would treat his future brother. "I'm gonna spoil him," was always what he said. Seeing him so joyous about the prospect of a brother is enough to make anyone who knows him well to feel fuzzy inside.
Bad news came. I received a text message that my friend's baby brother only lived for four hours and died due to some complication I cannot even pronounce. Devastated, disappointed, saddened. That's how I can describe my friend's reactions. It was purely an SMS conversation, but I didn't need to actually talk to him just to be able to know how he felt. He had waited this for so long. And it ended up like this.
This sounds theatrical to me, but these stories just make me feel thankful that, at least, I have a brother. I am lucky to have one.
My friend also has something to be thankful for, though. His mother nearly died giving birth, but, thank goodness, she survived. Stay strong, buddy.
Names
When I was taking up CW10 last semester, my professor kept on reminding me the importance of names in a story. According to her, names give the readers an identity which pronouns can never guarantee. Names define traits. Names detail descriptions. Names associate characters to a finite meaning. Names assure reality, the certainty of existence. How I wish I didn't ask for your name.
Then maybe, it won't be the first thing that pops in my head when I wake up. Then maybe, I will be doodling flower hearts instead of your name whenever I get bored in my classes. Then maybe, I won't have saved your number in my phone book. Then maybe, there'll be no way I can be with you or even talk to you for a while. Then maybe, I won't be thinking about it before I go to sleep. Then maybe your name won't be the song that keeps ringing in my head while I'm writing this article... How I wish you don't have a name.
Then maybe, I won't have asked for it in the first place. Then maybe, there will be no proof of your existence in my mind. Then maybe, all of my memories will be left untraced in my heart. Then maybe, my dreams will be left undefined. Then maybe, my desires will be unidentified. Then maybe, my feelings for you will be left undescribed. Then maybe, I would have made myself believe you are unreal. Then maybe, I wouldn't have known you.
But you do have a name. You're real. You're existing. You're living. And, Your name is my first song in the morning. Your name is my lullaby at night. Your name is the sweet melancholic melody that sings in my head now.
But your existence scares me. As long as I acknowledge you, my heart will always be bothered and restless. I'm unguarded again. I love the exciting, childish feeling your presence gives me, but it also gives me unreasonable pain when I realize that your existence isn't for me.
So you must stop existing in me, to me, deep inside me. So I must erase your name in my papers. Erase it in my phonebook. Erase it in my heart. The only time I will recognize your being is when I'm sure that your existence is for me. That's the only time that I will say your name.
TOO HAWT TO HANDLE:
Why Studying Will Never Be The Same
by Jose Paolo Sy
The in-game rooster cockadoodledoo-es, signaling the dawn of a new day, and the shedding of blood that lies ahead. Ten wait as the time has come for picking -five on one side, five on the other. Some, including myself, take their pick, while others leave their destiny to fate. It's not that I don't believe in fate; it's just that I like my streaks, and relying on fate will probably have me resort to a losing tantrum. However, if fate gives me a good Adam or Eve that I can command all the time, I'd be more willing to submit myself to it. Fifteen seconds pass. It is time for those big picks. Others quickly come up with a decision, their usuals -- a far-ranged gunman, a bolt spammer, a versatile fighter both thrower and stunner, a frost archer.
I myself have a personal favorite -- an Adam known for his escaping powers, the disappointment of each slash, the pain of each burn, and a spellcaster's worst enemy. I choose him for his blazing speed, incredible power (when given the proper clothes), and relatively fast running skills.
Then come the bigger picks -- a moon archer, an arcane-orb banisher, an axe beast, a healing lady, a dragon-morphing knight -- all quite hard to take down, I thought.
A howl is cried, and another. The war has begun, and each hurries to his rendezvous point. Minutes have gone by and the first blood is drawn, then the second, then another. All kills were drawn from our side, and I wasn't getting any happier.
Red dots fill the mid-map, a sign of the enemies' presence. Green ones, which included myself, head for their direction. I warn my co-soldiers to watch out for attacks, and to not fire until ready. The red dots move to their right, and soon disappear under the fog of war.
The absence of red dots have the intention to scare me. Knowing that a red dot will appear near you any minute is an eye-widening encounter, especially when my hero's life is half-empty. I pray that it misses me, or hits another target. All the time I get pawned, sometimes I escape with a thin red life bar after I teleport, sometimes I get wrath-ed or haunt-ed.
The red dots gather again, but in the other end of the map. They try to push one of our lanes and destroy one of our defense towers. What sucks is they run back after they leave, and our team wastes time trying to have an encounter with them.
Clashes are constant occurrences in battles like these. Sometimes our team falters, sometimes we rise victorious. But this doesn't always mean we have the upper hand. Bringing down the opponent's queen tower is the game's object. As for me, I don't care if we win or lose, I just want to kill -- a lot, please.
TECHNOLOGY|11
by Peter John Francisco
Do you know what an RFID is? If not, Iʼm sure you must have seen one. Clue: you pass by it whenever you attend your CS lab classes, when you consult CS profs in their rooms, or when you go hungry and buy food from Ate Mila. Last clue: you see it beside doors, it is rectangular and it has a blinking red light to announce its presence. Got it? As part of the original plan for our building, a Radio-Frequency Identification or RFID system was installed on specific rooms. In general, it is an automatic identification system which uses electromagnetic coupling to identify objects, persons, and even animals. The RFID system in our department functions like an electronic key to open locked rooms.
So, how does the RFID system work? There are three basic components, namely, an antenna, a transceiver, and a transponder or tag. The first two are contained in one device called a reader. Both emit radio waves that create an electromagnetic zone ranging from one inch to over 100 feet for high-frequency RFIDs. A tag that enters this zone becomes charged and transmits data to the antenna. This data is then decoded and passed to a host computer for processing.
The RFID system is an alternative to barcode. Though more expensive, it is more reliable since data can be processed even when the reader is far from the tag. RFID also works amid non-metallic barriers such as clothing, glass, snow, or fog. Some applications include tracking persons or animals with skin-implanted tags, paying toll fees without cars having to stop at booths, and speed-checking of passenger baggage in airlines.
In our building, the rectangular devices beside doors contain the antenna and the transceiver. The tags are credit-card-shaped and will be distributed among our professors and authorized personnel. A locked door of a teaching lab, for instance, will be opened when a professor holds his/her tag in front of the reader. The keypad is for cases when a tag is unavailable and a pin number can be input instead. This technology was supplied by ELid.
A video about the RFID system www.aimglobal.org/services/RFIDspotlight.asp
can
be
found
at
References: http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com http://www.aimglobal.org
by Paul Vincent Contreras
Mozilla Firefox (http://www.mozilla.com) Tired with the browser that came with your computer? Use Firefox instead. Itʼs the most secure and stable web browser. It features great memory management so that you wonʼt worry about your computerʼs memory (when surfing several websites all at once), and has strict anti-phishing and anti-malware measures. You can even customize how Firefox looks.
Notepad++ (http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net) Got a machine problem to code? Hate the plain text editor that you have? Notepad++ is the text editor for you. It features syntax highlighting in many programming and scripting languages, TextFX and plugins (text-editing wizard features), and many more. It supports the Unicode format so you can also input other non-Roman characters.
OpenOffice.org (http://www.openoffice.org) CS students not only have programs to code. They also need a word processor, a spreadsheet, and a presentation maker. Thatʼs when OpenOffice.org comes into play. OpenOffice.org provides the same functionality and user-friendly interface that commercial office productivity suites offer. Best of all, if youʼre running tight on budget, you can get it legitimately for free!
Rainlendar (http://www.rainlendar.net) CS students are really busy people. Most of the time, CS students are with their computers. So why not place a calendar and a to-do list on your desktop? Rainlendar helps students keep track of their and deadlines. Rainlendar is also very useful for Google Calendar and Microsoft Office Outlook users because it provides synchronization with these applications. Foxit Reader (http://www.foxitsoftware.com/downloads) Want a PDF reader that loads blazingly fast? Try Foxit Reader. Foxit Reader is a free PDF document viewer and printer but with incredibly small size, breezing-fast launch speed, and rich feature set. It allows you not only to view your PDF files, but also add comments and bookmarks as well.
by Josephine Ann Gabrielle Ortiz
Last August 22, 2008, the revolutionary phone of the year finally arrived in the Philippines. Well, officially, at least.
Itʼs all the modern day student could ever need – the iPod 3G is a phone (to get connected with everyone), an iPod (to get one through the dullest classes), an internet browsing device (to get connected to the whole world – it has both Wi-Fi and 3G), and MORE (it even has GPS, or Global Positing System). What more could you actually ask for?
The iPhone 3G has a wide touch screen that is very e-book and video/movie-friendly. Also, the three-axis accelerometer causes the display to adjust to your every move. If you were impressed with the first iPhone, goodness, youʼd be AMAZED upon seeing the iPhone 3G!
Though it is quite expensive for the average student, its features may be quite worth Globe Telecom is the exclusive distributor of the iPhone 3G in the Philippines. The telecommunications company has prepared various plans.
iPhone 3G postpaid plans for the 8GB model start at Plan 1599, which covers 100 minutes of free calls, 350 text messages, 40 hours of free local mobile Internet hours, and 20 hours of free WiZ Wi-Fi. Other postpaid plans available are Plan 2199, Plan 3299, Plan 3999, and Plan 4999. iPhone prepaid kits are available as well – P37,599 for the 8GB and P43,799 for the 16GB – with P200 worth of free load every month for 5 months.
Apple is giving us Filipinos a taste of what has been creating the biggest fuzz all over the world – itʼs up to you if you want to try it.
Pidgin (http://www.pidgin.im) Got a Yahoo! ID? Windows Live ID? ICQ ID? No problem. With Pidgin, you can have simultaneous access to your accounts in these instant messaging services all in one window. Pidgin also has a collection of interesting plug-ins. A notable one would be the Psychic Mode plug-in, wherein your friendʼs window pops out when he/she is about to type you a message (Stalker!).
7-zip (http://www.7-zip.org) If you want to send a file to your friends, then you can always count on 7-zip. 7-zip offers great compression ratio compared with other compression schemes available. You donʼt even need to worry about your existing files made with other schemes (i.e. .tar, .tar.gz, .rar) because 7-zip supports them.
VLC Media Player (http://www.videolan.org) Got a video to play but canʼt find the right codec? Play it with VLC Player. VLC Player is a portable multimedia player, encoder, and streamer. It also supports almost all audio and video formats, including DVDs. With VLC Player, you donʼt need to worry about finding the right codec.
Sun xVM VirtualBox (http://www.sun.com/software/products/virtualbox/get.jsp) Sun xVM VirtualBox allows you to run multiple operating systems in a separate window on your desktop, without you having to worry about repartitioning your hard drive. And because itʼs developed across multiple platforms, youʼre assured that the Linux distribution you have will run on Sun xVM VirtualBox.
GIMP (http://www.gimp.org) A starting artist? GIMP is for you. GIMP, or the GNU Image Manipulation Program, is a raster graphics editor. It allows you to alter colours, combine multiple images, remove unwanted image features, and convert between different image formats. GIMP also features several transformation filters to turn your ordinary pictures into dazzling ones.
12|TECHNOLOGY
GOOGLE LIVELY: A REVIEW by Jose Paolo Sy
Last July, Google launched a beta version of Google Lively, an online browser-based application that enables social interaction in a virtual world (in 3-D), and customization of your avatar and room.
had W-S-A-D counterparts for the character's movement instead of having to drag the character with your mouse. 3. What more is there? Honestly speaking, there isn't really much to do with Lively other than plain chat and environment customization. Come on, I'd rather have my Pidgin than this. Good graphics alone won't do. You have to have some notable (and cool) functions (i.e. Facebook and its huge number of apps!). Parang pagmamahal
With Lively, you can:
Change your look. Lively has ten default avatars for you to choose from (the Shop For More option has perhaps more), and it lets you customize your avatar's overall appearance, hair, eyebrows, clothing, and shoes.
Make your own room. When you create a room, you alone have control in what your room looks like, and what furniture to put and where to position them. Chat. Obviously. Social interaction is never without chat.
Hear music. The room may include a matching background music that goes with the theme of the environment (i.e. Coffee Shop == Jazz Music).
Is something amiss? I thought so, too. Seems to me that Google Lively has a LOT more to improve on. Here are a number of my observations and personal thoughts towards the application:
1. Application loads slowly. Lively does not seem to be lightweight, and the loading time of the room is LOL-able (*sarcasm*). Sure, you may have downloaded Lively for your browser, but waiting to create the room (see “Room Materializing...” in the screenshot) takes a cow amount of time (and I'm on broadband so, O_O).
2. Camera, angle control, and movement take a while to get used to. Rotation and zooming requires the use of the mouse, so it's quite hard to grasp. Plus, there are no keyboard counterparts. Once you get the hang of it, though, it's easy. I just wish they
lang – hindi lang sa panlabas na anyo nakikita ang kagandahan. Hahaha! 4. Compatibility is limited. The beta release only supports Windows, IE, and Firefox browsers. Mac and Linux will have to wait. 5. Lively is a lot like playing an online game – minus the game.
All-in-all, Lively is quite plain if you ask me, but props to Google for attempting to create an eye-candy application.
LITERARY|13
THE POET OF PEACE by E.A. Taopih
Heed me now, o dear youth Do ye here know of love? For I know not the truth Nay, I know not of love Heed me now, o dear heathen Do ye here know of love? None but lust on this earth None there is of true love Heed me now, o dear judge Do ye here know of love? Though for crime, I've a grudge Law speaks lacking in love Heed me now, o dear sophist Do ye here know of love? Yea, I hear; yea, I know Neither so about love Heed me now, o dear mentor Do ye here know of love? I admit, in all candor That I know not of love After treading the sands And traversing the seas Last I met in these lands Was a poet of peace Twice I told him the question Do ye here know of love? Then he smiled without mention Aye, the poet knew love
I have no words for you; not why, nor what, nor how (not even hello) if to wave my hand in your direction is to utter words through my fingers then I shall have to erase each fingertip, that you might not find me while I pass you, or even when I write to you (I must give up being your nuisance) I will be like the ghost of murderers that wish to be caught, those that endure the peace of not speaking; and like them I shall write down the things that could not be spoken, and cut out my tongue I cannot anymore be a writer, nor a speaker, but I might someday dance in tears to show you what a joy it is to have been here with you. Until then, I will be content in looking into your eyes without you noticing; not even the full-moon-midnight has such beautiful eyes
I Dare Not by Anonymous
I dare not close my eyes, Put down my guard, step aside. I dare not stand my ground, Hold still, with my head up high. I dare not speak a word, Share my thoughts, my feelings. I dare not reach for you, Clamor for your familiar warmth. For if I do... I'll see what darkness really surrounds me Discover the world that abandoned me Hear nothing but the echo of my own voice And find you gone, lost forever... Not even knowing how it is To look through my eyes, Walk within my shoes, Utter words through my lips, And feel how much I needed you, But dared not to let you know...
Belladonna by 2007-27027
It starts out so very simply, Acquaintances, you see, often, Bloom into so much more. To friendships, to enmity... and sometimes.. even to love.
It starts with a gesture. Delightful, like the taste of pears at dawn. You hold her uneasy, estranged and you begin your dance.
It starts with her touch. clumsily as they fall to your cheeks. her steps trip (yours too) time to time but neither pay any mind just smiles and you begin to fall.
It starts with her caress like honey to the tip of your tongue and everytime she touches you, you kiss oh so sweet... poison.
coursing through your veins, devouring your entity, denying your sanity. and it just doesn't kill you.
14|LITERARY
by Kathyrn Kimberly Malijan
We've been shooting this film for more than a year now. We've been through a lot of places, through a lot of experiences...through a lot of scenes together. It seemed that this story will have a lot of sequels, just like the never-ending soap operas I used to watch on the tv during boring nights. But this story is a lot more different from what I did before. And much more difficult. But I guess the most fulfilling movie I ever did.
Err, as a matter of fact, I wanted to retire from doing these teenage flicks or those cheesy love stories that most people loved to watch. Most people thought that I'm so lucky, because becoming a Leading Lady is the best thing that would ever happen to any woman's life. But it始s like I only made people expect that those kinds of things really happen in real life (when in fact they don始t) and that I'm only fooling myself. And I felt bad about it. So I resigned, two years ago.
But after a year of living an "ordinary life", the kind of life where I just played as one of the extras, I saw this big audition in my school. It was supposed to be the much awaited movie of the decade, and a lot of people hoped to be a part of this marvelous masterpiece. But as expected, this is just another love story. Nahr. Anyway, I tried checking the staff and guess what?!? The lead actor is the most bankable guy in the industry, the most famous, the most controversial, the most intelligent and the most attractive man I've ever seen! Without thinking twice, I auditioned for the most coveted role: Leading Lady. It was a real tough audition for me, though I am a tried and tested excellent Leading Lady of all time. I have to please Leading Man, and make him feel that I truly deserve to be his Leading Lady.
But for the first time, I failed to get the role. And to make things worse, I became the Side Kick of Leading Man! To be Continued...
WHEN GEEKS FALL
by Yass
I have always regarded myself as a logical person. I think before I decide, I overanalyze events, and I even spend a few minutes just planning my day. I rely too much on the squishy thing inside my head called the brain, even Einstein would be amazed. But when thoughts turn to you (which recently, they always do), I become an illogical, irrational, unreasonable idiot.
You seem to always have the right words to make me drop everything--MPs, MEs, problem sets, or whatever it was I was programmed to do. You break into my loop and demand my attention. Foolish as I was, the little time spent with you makes me so euphoric. You have become a drug, my drug to escape from all the crazy problems that I bear. Your smile outshines the happiness I feel when finishing an MP or acing an exam, you are that addictive.
How did you know the right syntax? You hacked into my system as if I gave you a manual. The moments spent with you weakened my firewall so much, I couldnʼt resist you anymore. I have become so infected by you, and it seems I have no cure.
Sadly, all the happiness and euphoria seems to be only on my end. You regard me as nothing but a physical ear and a nodding head. It could be my fault actually. I calculate every action and every move, that I appear stoic and lifeless beside you. It takes too much self-control to resist from drooling and dreaming, that I can't do anything else. You talk nonstop, I stare infinitely.
It has occurred to me countless times to confess to you. But the squishy thing inside my head fears bad sectors and other immortal wounds. If only I could reformat my stupid feelings for you then maybe I could reset-up my firewall, rewrite my code, and encapsulate myself. If only I could hide behind the shadows of logic and rationality, the simple things that make me safe, then maybe I could run from all of this, maybe I could run from you.
But for now, since Iʼm not strong enough, Iʼll settle by liking you in secret. Iʼll convince the squishy thing in my head to act human beside you. Iʼll slowly pick the pieces of my broken firewall. Iʼll install an antivirus to resist your smile, your charms, or whatever it is that you possess to render me helpless. Iʼll rewrite parts of my code that is so damaged with thoughts of you. But if worse comes to worst, Iʼll delete all memories of you... forever.
LITERARY + ART|15
by Carissa
L I N E S
"May I take a look at your hand?" he asked.
I just gave him a blank look. "Let's just give it a try. I tried reading her hand a while ago and it seemed that I read hers right." "Oh well. Fine.", I murmured as I let out a deep breath, then I took a sip of my rootbeer and finally let him read my left hand. He doesn't believe in destiny, so he didn't read my right hand. Maybe that's one big reason why faith was never given a chance to try working out things between us. No. That's the only reason. I could feel the warmth of his fingers as he caressed my palm. That mere touch of his hand once again gave me the cold sweet feeling I felt when he first held my hand. I don't know if it was just simple longing or a renewal of old damn stupid feelings. But I'm pretty sure that his fingers brought back those silly memories that I chose to forget. I still love the way he used to hold my hand before. He would take my hand, squeeze it gently then he would slowly open his hand and rub it with mine. Then he would start drawing circles in my palm with his index finger, then rub it again and finally, caress it sweetly. He did that wherever we go, whenever we're together. And whenever he does that, I couldn't help but hug his big arm and wish that he wouldn't stop holding my hand that way forever. Nobody ever held my hand the way he did. Holding his hand was my greatest treasure as well as my sweetest loss. And though nothing was assured, I still took it as a promise that someday, he would finally try to make things right for us. But, maybe, my hand is too small to make him feel that I truly love him, so small that he finally decided to let go of every little finger that kept clasping his palm. My fingers almost became numb, but I still tried to cling on his thumb and ask for one more chance. Holding hands was never enough. Maybe we kissed, but he never said that he would do it for good. He may have embraced me tightly, but he never said that his arms would hold me forever. I may have made him happy and I may have made him feel that kind of love he never felt before, but he never said that it was what he wanted. He may have told me that what we are then was more than what he asked for, but he never said that it was what he was wishing for. He may have held my hand, but he never said that he would not let it go. Maybe we tried, but he never promised that we could be... "Hey, look here!", he exclaimed while pointing over one of the most prominent lines in my palm. "Look at the middle line, that's your heart line." "Ok. Go on." "Your lines tell me that you had five major love issues in the past." "Five?!" "Yes." "Uh-huh... Then?" "Hmm... Here. Look at the end of your heart line. It's broken into two branches. It signifies a decision that you have to make. It's either a yes or a no. And then, once you made that decision, the broken lines will finally coincide." He was smiling slyly. I knew I blushed. So I took my hand away and hid it in my pocket. And before he could ask me that only logical question, I held his hand and told him that I wanted to go home.
16|ART + FUN
C. S.
by Misato Hirono