Ugh, my first year was like this as the course leaders decided to assume everyone new nothing and build them up from the basics.
All it meant was we blitzed through the easy stuff in the first year and spent the second year cramming everything you would expect to do in the first two years in.
Actually worked really well for some of the students who didn’t have much of an IT background but made for a really boring first year for me.
Ouch. Glad I joined the military. Tuition assistance covers 2 classes per semester, $190 a credit beyond that (my school gives a hefty military discount). Plus all you can CLEP for free.
First – I feel Amber’s pain – tested out halfway through of a class like that after the teacher got annoyed with me finishing everything and playing games in class.
My Dad only went to advanced Algebra for two weeks. After that, he stood up said “Now I get it” and walked out. At the end of the semester, he aced the exam.
Guys, I don’t want to alarm anyone with this totally original realization, but I think that the character sitting behind Amber and Danny might, just might, be Shaggy from the beloved cartoon we all know and belove.
Amber shouldn’t program an OS. She should write a virus to delete all copies of MSOffice and download Open Office to every computer on campus. Just because she can.
It’s a compatibility nightmare with people not using Word 2007 for no real benefit. And Word 2007 is a complete pile of toss anyway.
LiamKav
It is a bit awkward, yeah. But the old doc format has been around since 1996, so it had a good run. It just strikes me as a lose-lose situation for Microsoft. They come up with a more robust, smaller and open-source file format and people complain because it’s not compatible with the old version. They do offer a free compatibilty pack to open docx files on 2003, y’know. (Granted, that’s not much use if you don’t have admin access on your work computers).
As to Word 2007 being rubbish… I’ve found that people who are complete novices on computers seem to prefer it. It’s the rest of us who had trouble coping with everything being in a different place.
Prior Semblance
I actually love word 2007, it’s so much better than the older ones.
You can’t really expect new file formats to magically work on older programs, we wouldn’t have png if that was the case.
I was actually surprised when I noticed that my school was nice enough to have Open Office installed in addition to MS Office. Then pissed when I noticed that none of the computers over by the computer science buildings had it installed… I never did quite figure their logic out there.
That was probably a student installing it on computers they used, then. I know I did that. I put Open Office, Gimp, and Chrome on a number of computers when I was in high school–also added a bunch of custom fonts to some.
I think it’ll flow in typical superhero-relationship fashion. He won’t know for a while, but it’s inevitable that one day, he’ll come to learn of her dual identities. (That’s after she saves him multiple times.)
I had one of these classes Hardest thing we had to do was remove the power supply, drives, and RAM from a generic textbook-brand beige PC then reassemble it. Amazingly half the class took forever to do it, one kid blew his motherboard up by not reseating his RAM properly. Most days it took longer for me to drive there and back than actually take the class.
Heck, I’ve had this class. I’ve never been clever enough to program an OS but I still spent the entire period working on other stuff, when I wasn’t helping others (not in this one class. No one needed help in this class).
Look very closely and you’ll see that the light behind him bends rather awkwardly, clearly indicating a cloaked seat of some form or another. Likely that really cool one that has one giant wheel that you can sit on and you lean to turn it.
I’m really not surprised. No one uses a desktop these days (‘cept me), so there’s no reason for him to be sitting constantly.
But then, why should that stop him? Walkyverse!Alex had a fucking bedpan and all his food delivered. I was half-expecting DoA!Alex to be in a wheelchair.
So THIS is what Alex has come to… Going from hacking classified government information… to teaching college students how to use friggin Microsoft Office…
I see it one of two ways. The first possibility is that superhacking was an abductee power, and since there are no abductees in DoA Alex can’t hack. Of course, we’re never told Alex is an abductee and SEMME isn’t particularly concerned with him until he starts going through there stuff, so that’s probably wrong.
The second option is that he’s keeping a low profile. Alternatively, he needs the money. Who is going to pay him to hack into stuff when they could just turn him into the cops for a reward?
If its somehow revealed that he’s at least as talented technologically as he is in the Walkyverse and becomes something of a mentor to Amber, that would be pretty cool.
Willis won’t do that, but still.
LiamKav
That’d be cool, if WikiLeaks was involved in any actual hacking.
(Sorry, it’s a misrepresentation that’s beginning to bug me.)
Alex was a character in Roomies! who was first introduced when Danny needed to vent his feelings on an issue but didn’t feel comfortable going to any of his friends, so he picked a random room and started talking with Alex, whose unique character quirk was staying at his computer every second of the day. This became the subject of a running gag that lasted for a while, but he disappeared after [i]It’s Walky![/i] started up. He was brought back when he hacked into SEMME’s database and got recruited to redesign their security for his trouble.
127 thoughts on “Alex”
David
Yep, just like my course.
Jim 028
Ugh, my first year was like this as the course leaders decided to assume everyone new nothing and build them up from the basics.
All it meant was we blitzed through the easy stuff in the first year and spent the second year cramming everything you would expect to do in the first two years in.
Actually worked really well for some of the students who didn’t have much of an IT background but made for a really boring first year for me.
Teowulf
“Hundreds of dollars” for school? If only.
David
Per class, doofus!
dchorror
About half a grand does sound right per class.
Bickendan
Yep. 4 credit classes = your first born.
DJC
try $372.50/credit, in state, at a state college. Thats $1117.50 for your typical 3 credit class. PAINFUL!
Doom Shepherd
This is why the Gods invented CLEP tests. $79.00 a pop, for 3-6 credits, IF you have the knowledge.
This is also why the Gods invented CLEP test administrators (Hi!)
Joana
This is why I love Portugal. 1000€ (give or take) a year for college.
Josh
This is why I hate the UK £9000 a year. (Roughly $14,000 at the moment.
ViviWannabe
Ouch. Glad I joined the military. Tuition assistance covers 2 classes per semester, $190 a credit beyond that (my school gives a hefty military discount). Plus all you can CLEP for free.
Monty Prime
Danny has a cruuuuuuush.
Joebo
These are only the beginnings of a crush.
Blah
How Joebo can have that picture and NOT put an exclamation mark at the end of each sentence baffles me.
Sam
He has a crush….
…. on her FAAAAAAAAACE
agentksilver
Hurray!
Mahare
First – I feel Amber’s pain – tested out halfway through of a class like that after the teacher got annoyed with me finishing everything and playing games in class.
Second – I miss Hooper.
Hoop
I miss me too.
sjosten
My Dad only went to advanced Algebra for two weeks. After that, he stood up said “Now I get it” and walked out. At the end of the semester, he aced the exam.
Bell_
Just like community college twelve years ago. (I doubt it changed) At least they threw in Access as a freebie.
Akilika
Yeah, same with mine. I took it online over the winter semester so I only had to spend two weeks on it, though. ^_^
dchorror
It seems sad that they feel they need to teach these courses, whereas they won’t teach cross platform knowledge between oft used OSs.
Cratacon
Guys, I don’t want to alarm anyone with this totally original realization, but I think that the character sitting behind Amber and Danny might, just might, be Shaggy from the beloved cartoon we all know and belove.
Hebbes
I think you are right
Lanny
I hated that cartoon : |
Calvin
why??
Viktoria
Amber shouldn’t program an OS. She should write a virus to delete all copies of MSOffice and download Open Office to every computer on campus. Just because she can.
dchorror
That would certainly make classes easier, not having to worry about reformatting my docs.
Ian
They’re both resource hogs.
Bickendan
Save the university from the horror that is .docx, Amber!
LiamKav
Apart from being “new”, what exactly is wrong with docx? Isn’t is open-source? Isn’t that what hippy Computer Science people love?
Martin S Smith
It’s a compatibility nightmare with people not using Word 2007 for no real benefit. And Word 2007 is a complete pile of toss anyway.
LiamKav
It is a bit awkward, yeah. But the old doc format has been around since 1996, so it had a good run. It just strikes me as a lose-lose situation for Microsoft. They come up with a more robust, smaller and open-source file format and people complain because it’s not compatible with the old version. They do offer a free compatibilty pack to open docx files on 2003, y’know. (Granted, that’s not much use if you don’t have admin access on your work computers).
As to Word 2007 being rubbish… I’ve found that people who are complete novices on computers seem to prefer it. It’s the rest of us who had trouble coping with everything being in a different place.
Prior Semblance
I actually love word 2007, it’s so much better than the older ones.
You can’t really expect new file formats to magically work on older programs, we wouldn’t have png if that was the case.
Rusty
I was actually surprised when I noticed that my school was nice enough to have Open Office installed in addition to MS Office. Then pissed when I noticed that none of the computers over by the computer science buildings had it installed… I never did quite figure their logic out there.
Eryn
That was probably a student installing it on computers they used, then. I know I did that. I put Open Office, Gimp, and Chrome on a number of computers when I was in high school–also added a bunch of custom fonts to some.
LiamKav
I bet your IT department loved you.
addude
Just do what I do, be smarter than your teacher in the subject and then half ass all your work and leave with a b and do almost no real work
LurkerAbove
I did that once. Got a D. Vengeful bastard. 😛
Trae Dorn
If you got a D, it means you didn’t half-ass it properly.
You probably only quarter-assed it.
agentksilver
*applauds*
addude
Went to get a hat to tip it towards you
dchorror
Shaggy has a look like “Like, what have I gotten myself into?”
Crow
I am highly intrigued by the idea of a Danny-Amber relatiosnhip.
Loki
As am I. Might even be kinda healthy for a while.
Fyre
I think it’ll flow in typical superhero-relationship fashion. He won’t know for a while, but it’s inevitable that one day, he’ll come to learn of her dual identities. (That’s after she saves him multiple times.)
Fyre
Maybe… Amazi-Girl, Nerd Defender?
George
I’m not sure what kind of tablet that is, but I think it’s the only reason he’s mobile.
dchorror
Might be a Kindle.
Katosen27
Its an iPad.
eclipse
iPad 2 even… lucky
Wackd
It just occurred to me that every time we see a tablet it’s being operated with a pen rather than a finger…didn’t know people still did that.
But yes, nice to see Alex can walk now. Tech marches on.
Roberto
But Willis hates all Macs.
Anonymous
I had one of these classes Hardest thing we had to do was remove the power supply, drives, and RAM from a generic textbook-brand beige PC then reassemble it. Amazingly half the class took forever to do it, one kid blew his motherboard up by not reseating his RAM properly. Most days it took longer for me to drive there and back than actually take the class.
Black Drazon
Heck, I’ve had this class. I’ve never been clever enough to program an OS but I still spent the entire period working on other stuff, when I wasn’t helping others (not in this one class. No one needed help in this class).
Gianni
Wow I never took a class and know how to do all that stuff properly!
arjay2813
wow. got him off his computer.
sort of.
Cholma
What?! Alex . . . STANDING?!
Inconceivable!
JK9000
The iPad wrought many miracles.
Rusty
Look very closely and you’ll see that the light behind him bends rather awkwardly, clearly indicating a cloaked seat of some form or another. Likely that really cool one that has one giant wheel that you can sit on and you lean to turn it.
Wackd
You keep using that wordI’m really not surprised. No one uses a desktop these days (‘cept me), so there’s no reason for him to be sitting constantly.
But then, why should that stop him? Walkyverse!Alex had a fucking bedpan and all his food delivered. I was half-expecting DoA!Alex to be in a wheelchair.
Chaun
So THIS is what Alex has come to… Going from hacking classified government information… to teaching college students how to use friggin Microsoft Office…
Man this Alex is a burnout in comparison…
Wackd
I see it one of two ways. The first possibility is that superhacking was an abductee power, and since there are no abductees in DoA Alex can’t hack. Of course, we’re never told Alex is an abductee and SEMME isn’t particularly concerned with him until he starts going through there stuff, so that’s probably wrong.
The second option is that he’s keeping a low profile. Alternatively, he needs the money. Who is going to pay him to hack into stuff when they could just turn him into the cops for a reward?
Wackd
Also, he’s probably the guy behind WikiLinks.
Gianni
If its somehow revealed that he’s at least as talented technologically as he is in the Walkyverse and becomes something of a mentor to Amber, that would be pretty cool.
Willis won’t do that, but still.
LiamKav
That’d be cool, if WikiLeaks was involved in any actual hacking.
(Sorry, it’s a misrepresentation that’s beginning to bug me.)
Undrave
Who?
beeftony
Alex was a character in Roomies! who was first introduced when Danny needed to vent his feelings on an issue but didn’t feel comfortable going to any of his friends, so he picked a random room and started talking with Alex, whose unique character quirk was staying at his computer every second of the day. This became the subject of a running gag that lasted for a while, but he disappeared after [i]It’s Walky![/i] started up. He was brought back when he hacked into SEMME’s database and got recruited to redesign their security for his trouble.
LurkerAbove