Hello, membership! I hope you have all been having a pleasant term. We have a few events coming up that we'd like to share... ALGORITHMS TALK: Feb. 7, 6:00 - 7:00 pm, MC 4045 --- Are you interested in algorithms? What is an algorithm anyway? We will discuss two or three neat problems with very elegant answers. Some of these answers are actually fast, and some will result in a proof that the problem is NP-complete. (What does that mean?) We will also discuss the motivating thoughts that led us to the solutions. Join Victor Fan for his talk, intended for all second-year math students with a solid first-year background. Even if you are a first-year or a seasoned veteran, you will probably still take home something new, so please come out to enjoy the talk! Refreshments will be served. UNIX 101: Feb. 9, 5:00 - 6:00 pm, MC 3003 --- New to the Unix computing environment? If you seek an introduction, look no further. We will be holding a series of tutorials on using Unix, beginning with Unix 101 this upcoming Thursday. Topics that will be covered include basic interaction with the shell and the motivations behind using it, and an introduction to compilation. You'll have to learn this stuff in CS 246 anyways, so why not get a head start! If you're interested in attending, make sure you can log into the Macs on the third floor, or show up to the CSC office (MC 3036) 20 minutes early for some help. If you're already familiar with these topics, don't hesitate to come to Unix 102, planned to be held after Reading Week. SDN HACKATHON: Feb. 10, 7:00 pm to Feb. 11, 2:00 pm, Comfy Lounge (MC 3001) --- Jenna, on behalf of the Student Developers Network, has requested I pass this on: Do you have an idea? It's time to ship it. Event: SDN Hackathon Event Website: http://goo.gl/qBRPQ Place: MC Comfy Lounge Start: Friday Feb. 10 @ 7PM Finish: Saturday, Feb. 11 @ 2PM Details: - Edibles: Dinner (~9PM, Friday) & Lunch (~12PM, Saturday). - Tunes: Spun by Qifan Xi. - Practice your pitch: Show what you finished on Saturday at noon. - Stuck for an idea? See the website for a Google doc with some excellent project ideas brainstormed during the SDN Brainstorming session. - Don't know how to code? That's okay. We need designers, testers, and writers to join the teams. Make sure to sign up on the website to ensure enough food will be available. *** Good luck on your upcoming midterms, and hope to see you out at our events! -- Elana Hashman Vice-President Computer Science Club University of Waterloo ehashman@uwaterloo.ca