Resources for brushing up on the State of the Art in Computing

[cs2024]

My knowledge of computing is decidedly out of date. Are there any good online courses that are free and that can get me to the leading edge/state of the art? A lot of the stuff that I've seen is ancient, like old MOOCs from 2010, and it makes me wonder if the providers of such are really doing a disservice. I'm really interested in a high-level (survey) course that can get me current. Thanks!

 

[sbrothy]

I'm afraid that is an extremely vague question. "Computing", as you call it, is so big and diverse a subject that I really think you need to be a lot more specific. What are you trying to accomplish, or - specifically - learn?

From your "question" I can't even determine if you're trying to get current in hardware or software.

 

[cs2024]

Maybe "technology" would have been a better word. Regardless, my computing/tech knowledge is, really, out of date, like over ten years so. With that said, are there any good, recent, survey courses that can bring me to the present in tech terms? Something like a "CS 1: Survey of Computing"-type thing that's not decades old.

 

[sbrothy]

I'm assuming that you're capable - as are we all - of searching online so I guess it comes down to finding a course that caters to your needs. A quick search for online data science courses almost overwhelmed me. I assume it comes down to what specifically you're searching for and sorting the wheat from the chaff. Some of the more known institutions offer online courses for not that much. And there's tons of stuff like this:

https://www.opit.com/magazine/computer-science-online-course/

out there. I'm afraid I cannot personally vouch for any of it but isn't there's also sticky posts on the forums with resources?

EDIT: Nah, looking around on the relevant forums I didn't really see sticky threads bursting with advice for your situation. Sorry about that.

 

[Vanadium 50]

can get me to the leading edge/state of the art?

So you want one free, online class that will turn you into an expert.
Sorry. Not going to happen.

 

[sbrothy]

No it also sounded to me a little too ambitious. Your no-nonsense approach was really needed there.

 

[Baluncore]

My knowledge of computing is decidedly out of date.

That will be because you are not working in the field, where your research and learning curve is your limitation. Without a challenge, you will stagnate.

 

[cs2024]

I'm assuming that you're capable - as are we all - of searching online so I guess it comes down to finding a course that caters to your needs. A quick search for online data science courses almost overwhelmed me. I assume it comes down to what specifically you're searching for and sorting the wheat from the chaff. Some of the more known institutions offer online courses for not that much. And there's tons of stuff like this:

https://www.opit.com/magazine/computer-science-online-course/

out there. I'm afraid I cannot personally vouch for any of it but isn't there's also sticky posts on the forums with resources?

EDIT: Nah, looking around on the relevant forums I didn't really see sticky threads bursting with advice for your situation. Sorry about that.

That's actually part of the problem. Just searching isn't telling me what's good and what's not, and even if I stumble upon something good, I'll have no way of knowing anyway. I know this is a good forum (and it's been around for years) and that's why I'm asking here. There has to be an online survey course somewhere--something like "it's 2024 and this is the current state of technology: AI, internet of things, whatever"--but general search is just not helping and I figure people here might know more than a search engine.

 

[berkeman]

There has to be an online survey course somewhere--something like "it's 2024 and this is the current state of technology: AI, internet of things, whatever"--but general search is just not helping and I figure people here might know more than a search engine.

A survey course will not make you an expert in anything. It will just give you an update on the current technology at a high level. Are you okay with that?

What-all would you put on your checklist for what you would like in this survey course?

** AI
** Quantum Computing
** Multi-processor computing
** Supercomputers
** Highly parallel computing
** Cloud computing
** RPN Calculators in computing
** GitHub in computing
** Open source in computing
** Computing in computing
...

 

[Vanadium 50]

There has to be an online survey course somewhere-

Why does there have to be?

You said "get me to the leading edge/state of the art". What makes you think it is possible in 25-40 hours of instruction? Especially as it takes most people years?

 

[cs2024]

A survey course will not make you an expert in anything. It will just give you an update on the current technology at a high level. Are you okay with that?

What-all would you put on your checklist for what you would like in this survey course?

** AI
** Quantum Computing
** Multi-processor computing
** Supercomputers
** Highly parallel computing
** Cloud computing
** RPN Calculators in computing
** GitHub in computing
** Open source in computing
** Computing in computing
...

That's what I'm looking for: that high-level overview. Is there an online course like that? I don't have such a checklist because really my knowledge is out of date, and that's really the problem: I'm not sure where to start.

 

[Vanadium 50]

@berkeman lists 7 topics. A 13 week class leaves less than 2 weeks per topic - just a few lectures per topic. I can say with absolute certainty that you cannot learn "supercomputing" in a half dozen lectures.

 

[berkeman]

I can say with absolute certainty that you cannot learn "supercomputing" in a half dozen lectures.

And don't even get me started on RPN Computing! I'm still looking for that dang "=" sign!

 

[Vanadium 50]

Note that I am not saying the OP can't become an expert. I am saying he can't become an expert with a single online course.

And I will not be dragged into the RPN wars.

 

[berkeman]

And I will not be dragged into the RPN wars.

Bock, bock, bock...

Spoiler

J/K! Please don't take me seriously in this thread!

 

[Vanadium 50]

Bock, bock, bock...

Is that like

When you find yourself in danger
When you're threatened by a stranger
When it looks like you might take a lickin'...

Supercomputing involves cross-compilerrs (Including Cuda), computational complexity in space as well as time, interprocessor communication, programming paradigms like OpenMP, understanding of performance bottlenecks (e.g. file system limitations) and so on and so on. It would be difficult to list them in the available time, much less teach them.

 

[sbrothy]

And don't even get me started on RPN Computing! I'm still looking for that dang "=" sign!

Oh, indifferent powers that may or may not be! I've been forced to use Hungarian Notation on a team once. Had the language enforced RPN too, I might have had to put a full stop in there with whatever draconian means necessary.

IMHO, Linus Torvalds puts it best:

"Encoding the type of a function into the name (so-called Hungarian notation) is brain damaged—the compiler knows the types anyway and can check those, and it only confuses the programmer."

 

[Muu9]

If you just want to keep up with what's hot with AI at a non-technical level, I like the AI Explained YouTube channel