Ronald Finkbine, Ph.D.

"However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results." --- Sir Winston Churchill

"Life improves slowly and goes wrong fast, and only catastrophe is clearly visible." --- Edward Teller

Text Box:

Professionalism

Interview questions for those people ready to look for their first professional job.
Job adverts for those people looking for their next computing job in an academic setting.
Joel on Software is a good blog regarding software development issues.
How To Read A Research Paper is a good method for reading an article.

Software Beauty

The Role of Software in Spacecraft Accidents
Video on the promise, limits and beauty of software.
Guide to Reusable Launch and Reentry Vehicle Software and Computing System Safety , Appendix C has a list of space vehicle failures and aircraft accidents

Powerpoint

· Tips for PowerPoint-Please spare us

Computing Changes Things

· Beyond the Algorithmization of the Sciences

· Is Google Making Us Stupid?

Are you suiting for computing?

· Personality types and software engineering

· Call for the rational use of personality indicators

Critical Articles

· Reflections on Trusting Trust by Ken Thompson

· Reflections on Trusting Trust Revisited (within ACM DL)

· Buggy Software and Missile Defense by Mark Halpern

· Robust Programming by Matt Bishop

· Facing up to Faults by Brian Randell

Trust

· Why software developers should be licensed

· Why I never met a programmer I could trust

Certifications (Non-MS)

· Certified Information Systems Security Professional

Advising Levels:

Zero

There are three major questions when a student is deciding upon a major in college.

One

What kind of work do you want to do? In an office in AC or out in the weather? I am assuming inside since you are surfing the WWW of faculty in Computer Science.

Two

What kind of management do you like? In general, if you have a only a high school education, you will end up in a job where your manager is watching you working much of the time. Many people find this smothering, including me. An associate degree entitles you to a job where your management will let you work on your own for 4 hours or so, maybe even an entire day after you gain some experience. A bachelor’s degree is the entry requirement to be considered a professional. You might not have a manager or might be the manager. If you have a manager, then you will probably be able to work without your boss over your shoulder for a couple days. A master’s degree generally states that you are an independent worker. You do not need a manager and will work for the good of the profession. Common examples of

these are physicians, lawyers, counselors or MBA management critters. A doctorate degree definitely states that you are an independent worker. You do not need a manager and, if you have one, will know more than your boss so they will have difficulty managing you. In some situations, you will see your boss a couple times a year and the most common question from the boss is “Do you need any more resources to do your job?” Because of the nature of your employment and knowledge, they might be incapable of managing you in the traditional sense. Common examples of these are professors and consultants. There are definitely exceptions to these rules of thumb, but there they are.