Department of Computer Science

The Department of Computer Science is offering the following classes in the Spring 2012 semester.

CSC 495-01 / CSC 663-01 - Overlay Networks and Network Innovation

Offered by Mike Wilson
Overlay Networks are networks layered on top of other networks. They can run radically different protocols, routings, and services from the underlying network, and can provide a vehicle for network innovation impossible in the current Internet infrastructure. This class explores the current problems facing the Internet, the history behind them, and the difficulties of moving forward; then examines overlay networks as a mechanism for breaking the innovation logjam. Students will develop a series of projects culminating in a generic overlay hosting platform, while reading and presenting papers from current network research in this area. Special notes: this course will be taught in C++ and will use the sockets API. There is no required textbook, but W. Richard Stevens' UNIX Network Programming is recommended. Graduate students taking this class will be expected to develop an overlay network of their own design on top of the overlay hosting platform developed in the class. Prerequisite: CSC 330 or permission of the instructor.

CSC 495-02 - Problem Solving and Programming

Offered by Prof. Tate
This class will cover computational problem-solving techniques. Part of the course will involve going through Programming Pearls by Jon Bentley, a classic and one of the best "problem solving with programming" books ever written. The rest of the course will revolve around solving programming problems similar to the challenges found in programming contests, identifying common structure and problem solving techniques. This class is the perfect way to sharpen your programming and problem-solving skills! Prerequisite: CSC 330 or permission of instructor. (Note: Graduate students who are interested in this class should talk to Prof. Tate about taking this as a directed study class.)

CSC 539 - Introduction to Compiler Design

Offered by Mike Wilson
While this is not really a "Special Topics" class, since it is a class defined in the UNCG Bulletin, we have not been able to offer this class for quite a few years. Students interested in learning how compilers work should take advantage of this rare offering of CSC 539. The description of this class in the course catalog is as follows:

Basic techniques of compiler design and implementation: lexical analysis, parsing, code generation. Sizable programming project implementing a compiler for a block-structured language with strong typing.