What did you do this past week?

Last week we learned about classes in OOP, so I feel like we’ve hit the big checkpoint in the class. And learning all the nuances of C++ constructors was a bit challenging, but I can see how they afford a lot of control.

What’s in your way?

This week I’ve got two tests to worry about. On Tuesday I have a statistics test and Thursday is the first OOP test. I’ve never had a test where I’ve had to type code, so this is a completely new experience. I’m nervous, but this format seems like it will be a great way to test my understanding. Also, if the coding questions are anything like the exercises we did in class, I think I will be prepared. In addition to the tests, I’ve also got an essay to do for another class, but I’ve made sure to get most of that finished already.

What will you do next week?

As I mentioned I’ve got the two tests this week so preparing for those will occupy most of my time. My plan for the OOP test is to go through all the notes, examples, and exercises from class. Also on Saturday I will be going the UT Dallas Hackathon. This will be the first hackathon I’ve participated in, so I’m sure it’ll be a whole lot of fun.

What’s my experience of the class?

My experience of this class has been about the same. The lectures last week were great, and it’s nice to start learning about classes in C++. One interesting thing about this class is that even though it’s based around C++, Downing has showed me how little I know Java. For instance, in class we learned about visibility modifiers (private, public, etc.) and that in C++ objects from the same class can access each other’s private variables. To my surprise, this is possible in Java too.

What’s my pick-of-the-week or tip-of-the-week?

My pick of the week is the recent news from google about the discovery of the first SHA-1 collision. This means that a form of attack may be performed to craft a file that is hashed to the same value as another and thus forging that file’s digital signature. While SHA-1 has long been considered insecure, this research has proven a practical approach to generating a collision.