--- Julia Thompson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Jan Coffey wrote:
> >
> > --- Julia Thompson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > > Jan Coffey wrote:
> > > >
> > > > --- Julia Thompson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > And some degree plans, EE for one, had *no* foreign language
> > > > > requirements, probably because there were so many required courses
> that
> > > > > if you had to take, say, 13 hours (3 semesters) of a foreign
> language,
> > > > > there was no *way* you could get out of there in 8 semesters, not
> even
> > > > > theoretically. Interestingly enough, the gender ratio in EE was
> very
> > > > > skewed when I was there (I only knew 2 female EE students, out of
> > > > > probably 30 EE students, and one of them I met because she was the
> lab
> > > > > partner of one of the guys I'd known for awhile up to that point),
> and
> > > > > one could argue that the skills needed to be good at EE were *not*
> the
> > > > > sorts of skills needed for foreign language study, and from what
> you've
> > > > > written on this thread regarding gender/skills correlations, this
> > > > > wouldn't surprise you very much.
> > > >
> > > > Yea, I tried getting out of foring language at UT. For a year or so,
> they
> > > > were thinking to move CS back to Egeneering. I remember the day that
> Dr.
> > > > Fussel told me that wasn't happening. Ruined my schedule as I had to
> take
> > > 3
> > > > symestes of forign language. My wife got out of it by being a forigin
> > > > student. (that never seemed fair). We were both CS. She took all of
> the
> > > more
> > > > information type classes, and I took more theory. We make a good
> team.
> > >
> > > One question: How well did you do on that course that was taught by
> the
> > > linguistics professor? Did you pass the first time around, and if so,
> > > with what kind of a grade?
> > >
> > > I ask because I know a couple of people who struggled with some of the
> > > other classes, but passed that one with flying colors, which is
> contrary
> > > to the pattern of *most* of the CS students there at that time (late
> > > 1980s), and I'm a little curious as to which group you fall into. :)
> >
> > Hall was his name and his class was one of the best. I passed it very
> easily.
> > Let's put it this way, my grade was excluded from the curv :)
>
> I'm not sure that Dan's was, but he totally nailed a couple of the
> tests. Can't remember the name of the prof, but then again, I'm not the
> one who aced the class.
It had to be Hall
> > ... or was that the phylosophy 313k? No matter they were both about the
> same.
>
> I thought 313K was Bonevac and they were using a textbook he'd written.
> Or at least, they were using Bonevac's text and he was a UT prof or
> something like that. (We still have the Bonevac text, and Dan guards it
> jealously.)
Dito, and yes that was his name. Briliant Teacher.
> > The only "CS" (or related) class that I really "strugled" with was one I
> took
> > from the AI prof, and that was just becouse he gave so many papers and
> graded
> > off for spelling errors.
>
> Porter?
GRGRGRG And to think I had finaly got the name out of my head!
No, really hw was a nice fellow most of the time, just really into knowledge
bases, really, really into knowledge bases.
The other AI guy was greate through. Took Inteligent Agents. Man what an
experience! That and Theorom Proving with Boyer in the same symester. I wish
I could be chalanged like that again!
> Dan took an AI class from Porter, and his big deal was that he didn't
> want you falling asleep. Of course, the class was taught in one of the
> notorious rooms in Taylor that just *invited* sleep, and it was T-Th
> afternoon class. Dan would get up and pace in the back of the room to
> stay alert, Porter didn't mind, and he did reasonably well in that
> class. (He can spell, though.)
Yea, I didn't fail the class or anything, and I never had trouble staying
awake in the class. It was writting the essay tests. Those memories give me
the creeps. I also did enjoy his discussions of Soccer and the way "The Whole
In the Wall" ~use~ to be on fridays. (don't think I am misspelling "Whole",
am I)
> > Don't get me wrong they were all a lot of work, and they were all
> chalenging.
> > And I lost my 4.0 to Hamilton Richards, which class I do not remember.
> But I
> > was gratefull to him for what he taught me. I ended up with 2 Bs from
> him. I
> > think... But I kept taking his corses becouse he had more to teach, or a
> > better way of doing it. He really made you think.
>
> Don't know anything about Hamilton Richards. But if he was a good
> *teacher* for you, then that's great that you got to take more than 1
> class from him.
>
> Dan's best stories about curve-breaking involved the graphics
> professor. I once knew his name, but I've forgotten it now....
Fussell. I actualy took 2 classes with Fussell and then ended up working for
him as well.
> > *sigh* I miss Austin.
>
> So do I. Last time I was there was Tuesday of last week to go to Whole
> Foods, and I'm likely stuck here in Hutto/Pflugerville/Round Rock until
> at least a week after I have the babies, UNLESS I get desperate over the
> weekend and make Dan take me to Chuy's.
Chuy's?!?!?!? Remember when it first opened on the lake and they had Hawaian
tex-Mex Dem Sum? Chuy's green sauce! The best Margaritas ever! argargarg!!!
> (Apparently that worked to
> trigger labor in someone else pregnant with twins who just wanted it
> OVER, what do I have to lose?) :) But I don't miss it as badly as you
> do, I'm sure. Get back for a visit or something sometime.
Yea, Chuy's was none to triger a lot. You have to figure if it can start that
way that it could end that way. :)
> Julia
>
> p.s. never asked -- which foreign language? Dan took German and it
> almost had him for lunch, but he got to take the 3rd & 4th semesters
> (when he started, they only had the BA program, but he switched to BS as
> soon as he could) at UT Arlington, which was a lot easier; I took French
> for my Math BS.
Ok. sit down.
Are you seated?
Chinese
Yes that's right Chinese.
I tried French couldn't make it past the first symester. Tried German
Couldn't get past the second symester.
Turns out that I lived with a girl who spoke Cantonese and I just sort of
picked up things here and there untill I was learning chinese every day. Then
I learned that I really did have to take Forign Language, so I took Mandarin.
Got a B. So I waited a year watched lost of chinese movies and spoke as much
at home as I could and took the second symester. Got a C. A year later I took
the thierd and final symester required...A D will let you graduate.
One thing about the head of the Chinese dept. there though, she changed the
curiculum from the time she took over (middle of my second symester) to be
much faster paced and to require that you learn all forms of writting. This
gave a significant disadvantage to anyone who didn't already speak the
language. I was lucky. I was also the only non-chinese the year after, and
the year after that I understand the curiculum was so harsh that only people
who had grown up in a chinese speaking country were taking it. Sad really.
Like I said, I was lucky. That, and I had someone at home to help me. And for
that I was especialy lucky. Still am.
=====
_________________________________________________
Jan William Coffey
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