College so far - Part 2

So, I'm in the process of finishing the current two (or should I say three?) courses/classes (I'll just stick to courses) I have right now: Database Applications and Product Quality.

Database Applications is exactly what the name says: Applications of a database. Basically you make a database management system. In the end we had to show a project. We could work in groups of two, but I chose to be alone because I suck at teamwork.

The project started with SQL Server 2008 R2. Installing it was a pain because I already had an (older) version of SQL Server thanks to Visual Studio 2010. I had to remove everything related to SQL server, then re-install it. I repeated this progress about 4 times in total. Now, that wasn't too bad compared to the REST of the course... But anyway, I pretty much dominated the first exam (it was about SQL), so I had a very good feeling. The good feeling lasted for quite a while.

Then we had to work with MS access. Using SQL server and an ODBC connection, I linked the database to MS access. "Okay, this is still tolerable", and tried to keep up the good feeling. Then the day came where I received bad news.

We had to create applications for the database in MS Access. Applications... still tolerable. Then came a part where we simply couldn't do something with drag and drop and wizards and all, so the coding part got introduced. This is where my nightmare began because we had to code in VBA: Visual Basic for Applications. The first two words already sent chills down my spine, and my teeth were chattering. Anything but Visual Basic!

I'm going to be blunt here: why the HELL does MS access use Visual Fucking Basic? Why DOES that language exist? Honestly, that language is the most terrible language in existence, next to Delphi. Both of them made me want to shoot myself in the skull many times.

Anyway, so at some point I was working about 8 hours straight on this project, and I was proud of my work. Then the assessment arrived, and the instructor didn't like the project. He said the forms were lacking "information" which I agree with. What I don't agree with is that he said the forms were lacking a title. You know, he did NOT mean the titles you see at the top of the applications, but titles embedded INSIDE the applications. What's the point of titles INSIDE the application and not at the very top inside that bar? Which brings me to another point: The forms I developed, are they really forms? They really seemed like they were part of MS Access and I couldn't see an option to "export" them as stand-alone executables. Anyway, I failed the assessment that day, and I got a (final) chance to redo it a week later.

Another few hours were spent on improving it, and the day came. I basically had to show that the application worked. It did work perfectly except for one thing which worked half. I did know the cause but it seemed like the instructor ignored my explanation. He still liked one of the forms I developed because "nobody else has done it this way". Another bad thing was that there was a missing check/business rule I just couldn't manage to implement in the database.

In the end, I got a 7 for the entire project. The grade pissed me off though, I deserved a grade much higher than that because the application was perfect except for two things: that small error, and that check. What pissed me off more is the fact that the teacher said "Actually this project deserves a 6, but because you made that one form so nice and unique I give you a seven". What the FUCK? I was working entirely ALONE on this project, I made it PERFECTLY except for two errors, and I actually deserve a SIX OUT OF TEN?

Anyway, I'm still glad I passed this course because I seriously was about to turn insane from the shitty syntax of Visual Basic. Ask the people of #serioushax if you don't believe me. Once summer holidays start, I'm going to remove SQL server. It's a waste of valuable space now, and I don't want to be reminded of this terrible course. I would banish MS Access to hell, but I don't want to make Microsoft Office incomplete.

With database applications aside, here's another strange course with the results pending: Product Quality.

It's nothing like I expected it to be. I expected it to be like testing applications for bugs and user-friendlyness and all, but no, it has to be something completely unrelated. It's basically "Computer engineering" and "Business computing" ("Bedrijfskundige informatica" in Dutch). Basically, this was a course made of two subcourses.

The business computing part is a freaking PAIN in the ass. It's a course with more theoretical things than practical. In my honest opinion the classes weren't that great and was lacking information, A LOT of information. I couldn't pick up anything from the classes because almost nothing got explained. We only got a few sheets of paper and had to do... stuff with them, but who knew that we were supposed to master the entire course with those? Furthermore, we almost never discussed those sheets of papers so I really had the feeling of "this isn't going anywhere".

Of course, this course too, had a project. We had to write am excruciatingly detailed analysis of a company, and write an "advice report" too on what this imaginary company could improve on. We had to work in groups of three, no exceptions. So I was in a group with two other people. One of our group members eventually dropped out the project near the end, saying "I'm too busy nowadays and I will be going to another school". I mostly had to rely on my remaining group member who barely contacted me with instructions on what I could do for the project, so I was a sitting duck pretty much. I could only hope the group member was actually doing something, otherwise I wouldn't survive this course. See, this is why I HATE being in a group. Atleast working alone can make me keep track of everything, and I don't have to rely on other people.

The other subcourse is Computer Engineering. We had to program PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) to make a conveyor belt system work - basically simulate a factory. How do we program PLCs you ask? Drawing stuff. I wanted to jump into a bottomless pit after seeing this. Why is a bunch of drawings called a programming language?

In this subcourse, we had to create a project too (that conveyor belt system). We were in a group of 8 people, but two of them dropped out of the project so we were left with six. The instructor didn't mind - he said the less people, the more incomplete the project may be, which is relieving to know. On the final week, the instructor happened to be wounded or sick or whatever happened to him, so he was in the hospital. We couldn't finish our project on the final week. Then, a substitute instructor emailed us he would be taking over. Then, he emailed us again telling us pretty much "Nevermind, the original instructor will finish the course with you guys after all". Then the original instructor emailed us "I will be finishing this course with you guys. There won't be a final presentation. There will be an individual assessment, ONLY IF it's really needed". It has been 8 days, and I haven't heard from him ever again.

This isn't going anywhere indeed.

I'm not sure if I'll ever pass this course. It doesn't seem like it, because I haven't received ANY information about the course again after that final email. I still have to receive a grade for the half-assed projects I've worked on with my groups-reduced-in-numbers. I was the brain of the Computer Engineering part in my group. If the instructor wasn't in the hospital I would've finished the project. I couldn't do anything in the Business Computing part. I was pretty much a freeloader.

Now I have 22.5 European Credits out of 60. Normally I would've had 30 out of 60, but because Product Quality is such a freaking pain in the ass with pending results, and seeing I still have hope for this (oh who am I kidding), I just assume I have 22.5 points now. I hope I can do better when I redo this course. I'll update this blog post once I actually hear the results.

On an unrelated note, I think this is the biggest wall of text I've ever written on the internet so far. Excuse the lolgrammar as I wrote this at midnight.