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Need help with a phone book program in C

Posted by hemightbejeremy [send private reply] at September 24, 2002, 02:09:19 PM

[spam of lots of code obviously for a school assignment]

Posted by Psion [send private reply] at September 24, 2002, 04:32:44 PM

This post obviously broke the TPU web site rules about a) not posting your homework assignments and b) not posting more than 5 lines of code.

RedX, in the future, please don't help anyone like this before an admin gets around to deleting his post.

Posted by RedX [send private reply] at September 25, 2002, 09:03:39 AM

I know, I'm a bit to helpfull at times.

(for those who didn't read the thread before deletion: I only pointed out an error in the program. I didn't wrote it. Honestly.)

Posted by Neumann [send private reply] at September 25, 2002, 09:15:24 AM

Really, I don't see why an helper couldn't help anybody with his homework. The thing is not to get tricked into doing the whole homework which is obviously not the case with RedX here...

Posted by RedX [send private reply] at September 25, 2002, 09:19:52 AM

He did post his entire program. (5 screens of text or so), so I understand why Psion didn't like it.

Posted by Neumann [send private reply] at September 25, 2002, 09:25:54 AM

Ok... posting his entire program was obviously NOT a good idea... I agree on that.

Posted by CodeRed [send private reply] at September 25, 2002, 09:39:38 AM

I think we should start doing people HW for them, who really cares, it would make this place a lot more active. (And no, I'm not just saying this cus I want you guys to do my HW, all I'm doing this semester is asm, and there aren't many people here who know a lot abou that)

Posted by Neumann [send private reply] at September 25, 2002, 09:46:12 AM

I've done some assembly on 3 different platforms (x86, SPARC v8 and MIPS) but I'm not gonna help you :o

Posted by Psion [send private reply] at September 25, 2002, 10:38:37 AM

CodeRed, we only want people who program for the fun of it. This does not include the huge proportion of college students required to take introductory programming classes. Imagine what would happen if the TPU web site got a reputation of being the place to go for other people to do your homework for you. That use of the site would soon dominate, universities would hate us (maybe block the site), and everything would be bad.

Posted by Neumann [send private reply] at September 25, 2002, 10:40:51 AM

Apocalyptic scenario for TPU!

Posted by regretfuldaydreamer [send private reply] at September 25, 2002, 11:57:33 AM

Create A Homework Forum:

If we have free time, we can make suggestions, if we don't have time, we don't help. Stick to the point in it. Don't slag them off for it being H/W, and only help those who have at least made some effort themselves.

Posted by Psion [send private reply] at September 25, 2002, 02:27:52 PM

rdd, the point is that most every university will KICK YOU OUT OF SCHOOL for asking for help on programming homework from anyone but course staff. We don't want to be involved with anything like that.

Posted by Neumann [send private reply] at September 25, 2002, 02:32:18 PM

I once got warned by one of my teacher for asking a question on a newsgroup about an homework. It was my Scheme class and I was DUMB ENOUGH to think that there was no chances my teacher, which was a Scheme/LISP addict, would visit the newsgroup!

Luckily, that teacher was nice enough to only warn me. In act, the solution I asked about was not valid in the homework context and I couldn't use any answers I got from the NG.

I'm adding this real-life example to show that Psion stated a valid warning. All other universities and all the other teachers might not be as forgiving as my teacher was at that time.

Posted by CViper [send private reply] at September 25, 2002, 02:58:49 PM

Well, it would kinda be a solution to the problem: people who get kicked out of school don't ask questions about homework (afterwards).

Ok, j/k..

Posted by regretfuldaydreamer [send private reply] at September 25, 2002, 04:40:35 PM

If that was the type of question from a unversity course ... I mean for secondary school.

Oh and we would ban lengthy code posting, say 50 to 100 lines max .. for specific problems that people ask. We wouldn't post the exact answer, just hints.

I'm not for providing complete homework answers, meerly hints and help for beginners. In our education system that is encouraged. Many websites we are encouraged to go to in school, have teachers who will answer your questions.

It would be say: You post your complete homework assignment and then ask a specific question about a specific part of it and we provide hints but not the actual answer.

Note: This would have absolutely no benefit to me since I don't do computers as a school subject, meerly as a hobby.

Posted by Psion [send private reply] at September 25, 2002, 08:34:45 PM

There is no way to determine whether their questions have to do with university work or not. Good universities tend to have policies like the one I mentioned.

... and what kind of pathetic, lazy teachers tell their students to get help from other teachers on the Internet, instead of providing one-on-one help where needed?

Posted by DragonWolf [send private reply] at September 26, 2002, 05:42:30 AM

I think my university doesn't mind asking for help (though we have a course message board and stuff which tends to get the answers needed) as long as you don't go asking for the completed solution.

Posted by CViper [send private reply] at September 26, 2002, 08:36:34 AM

people who ask for a complete solution usually don't learn anything - and teachers often see that at tests / during lessons. so, when you're asking for a complete solution you *are* cheating on yourself.

psion: actually we are encouraged to find solutions/information on the internet (one is of course not allowed to just copy a complete solution*), since at some point there won't be any teachers to help you. (the teachers will of course help if needed)

*) one can use a finished solution as information, as long as you do the most work by yourself anyway.

Posted by regretfuldaydreamer [send private reply] at September 26, 2002, 10:58:03 AM

They do offer and tell us that we have to come to them if we need help. But geeks/"stews"/"boffins" etc. are what you get called if you do so. It is more trendy to do it on the internet, and although this doesn't apply to me, most kids don't give a damn about school, so anything school related is positive in the teachers eyes.

My policy on solutions in maths:

Work on it for twice the recomended time, if still not worked out, check the answer and try top see how to come to the answer. It works.

I say not complete solutions but hints on specific problems.

Posted by CodeRed [send private reply] at September 27, 2002, 09:00:43 AM

"I've done some assembly on 3 different platforms (x86, SPARC v8 and MIPS) but I'm not gonna help you"

I didn't ask for anyones help Mr. Neumann

Posted by Neumann [send private reply] at September 27, 2002, 09:02:21 AM

Yes sorry... I misunderstood your post but I only noticed it after I posted

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