Codexpanse Podcast

#5 – David Kopec: Classic Computer Science Problems in Java

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 09:23:03 -0000

A conversation with David Kopec, Assistant Professor at Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont. David is a passionate computer science educator and writer. His latest book "Classic Computer Science Problems in Java" was just published recently. We're talking about teaching and learning programming, Swift, Dart, Python and Java, OOP and strong typing, as well as Dave's experience writing books with an established publisher as opposed to self-publishing.

David's blog observationalhazard.com
David's twitter @davekopec

Manning had generously provided our listeners with a permanent 35% discount code for all books and other products. Use code podcodexpanse20 at checkout.

There're also 5 free copies of "Classic Computer Science Problems in Java". Use one of the codes below:

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(Music: Intro by Air Apparent)

#4 – Three Impossible Things in Computer Science

Mon, 02 Dec 2019 11:03:31 -0000

Impossibilities sometimes are as exciting to mathematicians and computer scientists as possibilities. Proving something is impossible defines the limits and tames the vastness of the universe.

#3 – What is HTTP and The Internet

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 07:16:44 -0000

HTTP is the foundation of modern web, and The Internet is... Well, it's simple and complicated at the same time.

Let's see the big picture and clear the fog of war, rise above the minutiae and understand what the hell is going on. We will understand the following concepts:

network
internet
web
web servers and web clients
HTTP protocol
HTTP requests and responses

Check out our HTTP course at codexpanse.com. It includes videos, exercises, downloadable cheat sheets and quizzes + teacher's support and discussions. Use code hellopod at checkout to get 50% off!

#2 – Static and dynamic typing vs. strong and weak

Mon, 14 Oct 2019 09:53:18 -0000

There are a few misconceptions floating around when it comes to static typing vs. dynamic typing. Often, the difference is wrongly attributed to the way variables are allowed or disallowed to change their type on the fly. Sometimes, the difference is confused with type "strength".

In this episode we'll discuss the nature of types in programming languages, and learn why static/dynamic and strong/weak are different.

#1 – What Is Information

Mon, 16 Sep 2019 13:16:08 -0000

The more we learn about the nature of information, the more deep connections we discover. It seems like it is sometimes useful to see the universe as information rather than matter.

In this pilot episode of Codexpanse we will discuss the implications of Claude Shannon's seminal paper "A Mathematical Theory of Communication", talk about the connection between entropy in physics and in information, and fantasize about the future of AI-based communication.