Share This article Optalysys, a UK technology company, says it’s on-target to demonstrate a novel optical computer, which performs calculations at the speed of light, in January 2015. If all goes to plan, Optalysys says its tech — which is really unlike anything you’ve ever heard of before — can put an exascale supercomputer on your desk by 2020. When we talk about optical computing, we’re actually referring to a fairly large number of different and competing technologies. At its most basic, optical computing refers to computing that uses light instead of electricity. When we’ve previously written about optical computing, we’re usually referring to chips and computers that have replaced their internal wiring with optical waveguides, and some kind of optical transistor that is controlled by photons instead of electrons. There are also optoelectronic devices, which use a mix of the two (usually optical interconnects and electronic transistors). In the case of Optalysys, optical computing is something else entirely. At this point, because the Optalysys tech is rather complex, you should probably watch the video embedded below — not only will it probably do a better job than me at explaining it, but it’s also narrated by the adorable Heinz Wolff. If you can’t watch the video, read on and I’ll try my best. It goes something like this. You start with a low-power laser. This laser is then directed through a massive liquid crystal grid. This grid works in much the same way as a liquid crystal display. By applying electricity to each “pixel, ” the laser light passing through it is affected. Complex calculations would turn hundreds or thousands of these pixels on or off. After the laser has passed through this grid, the beam is picked up by a receiver. By analyzing the beam’s diffraction and Fourier optics, matrix multiplication and Fourier transforms can be combined to perform complex maths. You can also have multiple pixel grids in sequence or parallel, significantly boosting the complexity and parallelism of the optical computer. There’s a little more technical info on the Optalysys website, but not much. Moving away from the technical nitty-gritty, Optalysys’s optical computer is exciting for two main reasons: It consumes very little power, and there’s essentially no limit on how parallel you can make it. There’s no direct analogy to transistor-based logic, but you could almost think of every liquid-crystal pixel as a tiny processing core (or at least a tiny transistor). In a normal computer chip, while there is some parallelism, most things happen very sequentially, with each core (and each transistor) working mostly in serial. In an Optalysis optical computer, the laser beam hits every single pixel at the same time — it essentially performs hundreds or thousands (or millions?) of small computations in parallel, at the speed of light. In terms of power consumption, HPCwire says the estimated running costs of an Optalysys computer would be in the region of $3, 500 per year. I think this is based on the assertion by Optalysys that it will be able to deliver a desktop-size computer with exascale performance. Compare this to the world’s fastest supercomputer, which would cost around $21 million in energy costs if it was run at peak (~34 petaflops) performance for a year. [Read: HP bets it all on The Machine, a new computer architecture based on memristors and silicon photonics.]

Subject aims Through studying Computer Science at Bath, students will gain a theoretical knowledge and a practical experience of a wide range of emerging technical methods, theories and techniques. Themes contained within the Computer Science programmes include: Foundations of Computation Software and Systems Engineering Multimedia and Graphics Intelligent Systems Human-Computer Interaction. Students will have the opportunity and flexibility to choose appropriate options to match a chosen specialism and career path. This degree can be studied as a joint programme with business. Businesses are becoming increasingly international and therefore ever more reliant on computer software technology; this combination of disciplines prepares you to enter the job market. Teaching and learning A variety of learning and teaching support is provided for our courses including lectures, personal tutorials, example classes, supervised laboratory sessions, work-based learning and project work. Project work is particularly useful for developing employability skills such as the ability to work independently and to plan, design, document and implement large software projects. You will also develop team working, organisation and management skills. Each student is allocated a personal tutor where one-to-one academic support is given to help students with their learning throughout the duration of their course. The Department operates a student mentor scheme where students from year 2 offer support and guidance to new first year students. Support for distance learning is provided through Moodle - an on-line, remote e-learning environment. Methods of assessment Most courses are assessed by a combination of examination and coursework. Examinations are held at the end of each semester in which the course is studied.

Aptech's reputation as a leader in IT training over the past 26 years & a wide network of centres makes it one of the top most IT education provider in India. The institute offers wide variety of industry specific IT courses. Aptech has education and training centers in many cities and towns of West Bengal, such as Alipurduar, Bolpur, Bongaon, Burdwan, Kolkata, Port Blair and Siliguri. Students can select the nearest center from their homes to enroll and start attending classes and practice sessions in the labs without effecting their regular college or office work. State: Aptech provides high Quality IT education to students through its wide network of centers all over India. The various range of IT courses include: Aptech Certified Computer Professional Java University Courses and many more! As a trained IT professional, students from West Bengal can build career in any industry which uses software or hardware solutions. Depending on student’s area of interest & qualification he or she can choose to work in the following work profiles: Project Manager Web developers Programmers/Developers/ Software Engineers System analysts Software testing & Quality assurance

Pune is the Educational Hub long since come to be regarded as the Oxford of the east by scholars from across the Globe. In the quest of knowledge and with a mission to empower the students in their becoming excellent networking resources and to contribute meaningfully to the Information Technology, NICE Infotech has acquired the status of one of the premier technological institutions of India. It offers wide range of educational programmes in the field of Computer Software & Networking Technology. Nice Infotech has a rich tradition of pursuing academic excellence, value based education and providing a Competitive environment for overall personality development of students. In addition to their excellent teaching, the faculty members are actively involved in research and consultancy. The academic programmes offered by NICE Infotech are comprehensive and are continuously being updated to keep pace with latest Technologies & developments in associated disciplines with necessary blend of IT and management. They are looking for students from all over Maharashtra, who can utilize our high standard of teaching & learning services offered by qualified teachers using state-of-the-art audiovisual aids and Internet/Intranet. The objective is to create a breed of qualified, innovative and dynamic professionals for corporate sectors, the service industry, for self-employment and for academic & research institutions. As they strive for excellence in what they do, the Institute is constantly making endeavors to scale new heights by developing synergy between Hardware & Networking Studies as well as software studies and short-term training activities. Such a holistic approach would contribute towards continuous growth of the Institute. The curriculum & training Methodology at NICE Infotech has been personally crafted by the Expertise team Members as per the requirement of the expertise level. We understand the importance of providing hands-on experience of working on actual network infrastructure to every student and therefore the Practical Labs provide each student with a unique learning experience of working in a real world scenario.

A caveat: 'Computer Science' has become a muddied field in modern times because (at least in the United States) universities do not have degrees in "programming". This means that people interested in programming must sign up for Computer Science degrees, and as a reaction to that the Computer Science programs emphasize programming more and more. That said, Computer Science itself is a strongly mathematical science - Computational Mathematics might have been a better term. It involves the study of graph theory, algorithmic complexity, formal logic, automata, and in general any logical structure which can describe a transformation or response to input - algorithms. A Computer Scientist in the classic sense could reason about rules that govern any computing system (including modern computers) without necessarily knowing the details of implementation on current architecture. A strong background in Computer Science gives you the ability to develop (or recall) efficient, scalable algorithms, anticipate logical reductions, and reason soundly about what is tractable. Programming, by contrast, is what a person does when they use a programming language to transform an algorithm into something the machine can do. (That should make obvious the intimate connection to Computer Science, and where much of the confusion comes from.) A programmer (relative to an environment and language) should be able to take virtually any set of algorithms and transform them into a form both human- and machine-readable by writing code. A strong background in programming (as most CS degrees will provide) enables you to write better code - where 'better' code is more easily understood by others and more successful in expressing the algorithm you are implementing. There is a large amount of crosstalk, of course, and a high level of experience in one will correspond strongly with developing experience in the other - as noted, a CS major is almost always a competent programmer, and a seasoned programmer has picked up many principles of CS. Think Physics and Engineering.

What is Self-Study mode? Self-Study mode makes all the videos and assignments available to be done at your own pace, but without a certificate of completion at the end. Will I get a statement of accomplishment after completing the next run of the class? Yes. Students who successfully complete the class will receive a statement of accomplishment signed by the instructor. What is the format of the class? The class will consist of lecture videos, which are broken into small chunks, usually between eight and twelve minutes each. Some of these may contain integrated quiz questions. There will also be standalone quizzes that are not part of video lectures, and programming assignments. There will be approximately two hours worth of video content per week. What sort of written support is there for the lectures? Each lecture comes with written document that parallels the video explanation, so there is something you can review after the lecture that includes all the examples and whatnot. Or put another way, you do not need to take detailed notes of the lecture - it's already been done for you. Is any actual work required for this course? Yes. CS101 has a "lab" component where students play with short bits of computer code, on their way to understanding the nature of computers. Is a computer background needed for this course? Not at all. The course assumes zero computer knowledge. Everything you need to do in the labs will first be explained and demonstrated in the lectures. Do I need any particular software? Everything should work in a recent browser, so that should be simple. We'll have a list of which browser versions we've tested before the course starts. What computer language is used for CS101? CS101 uses a variant of Javascript. However, the code used in CS101 is very stripped down, avoiding all sorts of boilerplate that would get in the way of learning. As a result, CS101 code does not look like full, professional Javascript code. Is CS101 a full programming course? No. CS101 uses code to explore the nature of computers, but does not pursue code in the depth of a full programming course. Certainly CS101 students will have a real understanding of what code is and how it works, but not going so far as a full programming course. CS101 is an excellent first step for someone who then wants to take a full programming course.

Getting Started as a Web Designer Some might be surprised at seeing this occupation on a list of art careers, but unlike what many may think, web design is a creative job with lots of room for imagination. You will need to understand the technical side of things in addition to being creative, but this versatile career will allow you to develop and apply skills such as marketing, user experience, design, art, visual effects, and technology. While it can be an exciting path to choose, it is also one of the few creative options that could offer financial stability, a competitive salary, and good market projections for the future. Having said this, web design is also extremely demanding, and there is more competition in the field every day. If you choose this career you will always need to be updating your skills and following the latest technology and design trends. Working on client deadlines will also mean you may need to work long hours, and we can’t forget outsourcing – since technology is international, your competition is not only local, but global. If the pros sound like your type of thing and the cons don’t scare you, then you should start thinking of how you will become a web designer. Our experts give advice on that from their own experience, and we’ve also done some research to help you out. But first, take a look at this infographic to get an idea on what the industry looks like today. What Kind of Education Do I Need to Become a Web Designer? This is another career on our list that does not have a definitive education path. While many recommend formal education, others say that this is not necessary and a portfolio is everything. The truth is, you have a few options when it comes to becoming a web designer. You can go to university or college and simply get a degree in web design. While this is the obvious choice if you already know that it is what you want your career to be, it is still a good idea to do a lot of self-learning, since you will need an extensive portfolio once you are searching for a job or clients. You also have the option of studying something else, which can be related or not. For example, good program options could be computer science, arts, design, graphic design, marketing, and business. Having said this, you will need to invest a lot more time in online tutorials and practice hours in order to get all the aspects of web design. And, of course, you can just choose the DIY path. In this case, it is the obviously cheaper option, but you need to be sure that you have enough self discipline and perseverance to learn online and do a lot of trial and error without external help. No matter the path you take to become a web designer, you will need to learn some aspects of programming, graphic design, user experience, accessibility and usability, marketing and sales, as well as have a creative spark that will allow you to make websites that are fresh, exciting, and customer-friendly. WHAT IF I DO WANT A DEGREE IN WEB DESIGN? Full Sail University FSU offers a Web Design & Development program both on their interactive campus in Florida and online. In either case, the program is focused on being hands on and allowing the students to learn in a real-life environment with lots of practice. A semester on campus costs around , 762 and , 444 online. Rhode Island School of Design If you already have a degree in a related field or have opted for a self-learning path, RISD offers a Web + Interactive Design Certificate as part of their continuing education program. The certificate is focused on both technical aspects of web design and the creation of user-friendly designs. International Academy of Design & Technology Offering a program in Web Design & Development, as well as many related degrees and certificates, IADT gives the advantage of its many locations. The specific program is available in Chicago, Tampa, San Antonio, Detroit, Seattle, Sacramento, Orlando, Las Vegas, and online. Tuition varies across the different locations, but on average, the whole program costs around , 000. Drexel University For those looking for a program that offers design for non-traditional media, the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design at Drexel has just the right curriculum. Interactive Digital Media is specialized in design for mobile devices, teaching the more dynamic types of design, such as touch-based interaction. Tuition is $43, 135 per year here. GETTING MY FOOT IN THE DOOR So, as you might have already guessed, the most important thing for a web designer to land jobs is his or her portfolio. You can have a degree from the top school in the world, but if no one likes your work, then no one with hire you either. The question is, how do you get one? Design your own website. Brand yourself that way. Help your family and friends out by doing websites for them for free, or for a fraction of the price a website would actually cost. Volunteer for non-for-profit organizations and design for them. This will both help you get a portfolio and perfect your work. On the other hand, you will need to network. And this doesn’t mean just knowing people; it also means that you will always need to be ready to sell yourself. Have your business cards on hand, have screen shots of your websites on your smart phone, and update your portfolio constantly so you can send it right away when someone asks for it. Building a name in this competitive industry won’t be too easy since there are so many web designers out there, but if you are good, this is a career that holds much opportunities since pretty much everyone nowadays needs a website and soon will need an app. Who knows what other type of platform will be needed in the future!

Web development refers to building, creating, and an maintaining websites. It includes aspects such as web design, web publishing, web programming, and database management. While the terms "web developer" and "web designer" are often used synonymously, they do not mean the same thing. Technically, a web designer only designs website interfaces using HTML and CSS. A web developer may be involved in designing a website, but may also write web scripts in languages such as PHP and ASP. Additionally, a web developer may help maintain and update a database used by a dynamic website. Web development includes many types of web content creation. Some examples include hand coding web pages in a text editor, building a website in a program like Dreamweaver, and updating a blog via a blogging website. In recent years, content management systems like WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla have also become popular means of web development. These tools make it easy for anyone to create and edit their own website using a web-based interface. While there are several methods of creating websites, there is often a trade-off between simplicity and customization. Therefore, most large businesses do not use content management systems, but instead have a dedicated Web development team that designs and maintains the company's website(s). Small organizations and individuals are more likely to choose a solution like WordPress that provides a basic website template and simplified editing tools. NOTE: JavaScript programming is a type of web development that is generally not considered part of web design. However, a web designer may reference JavaScript libraries like jQuery to incorporate dynamic elements into a site's design.

There's never been a better time to start a career as a web developer. From startups to Fortune 100 companies, there is a consistent demand for developers who both write high-quality code and experienced problem solvers who can design creative solutions. What practical skill sets can I expect to have upon completion of the course? By the end of the course, you will be able to: Write HTML, CSS, and JavaScript that displays as intended in modern browsers Develop a back-end web application and APIs using a modern programming language and MVC web development framework, such as Rails Develop a dynamic front-end to your application using a modern framework used to create single-page apps, such as Angular or Backbone Consume web APIs from third-party sites like Twitter or Yelp Write secure applications and deploy them to cloud services like Heroku Collaborate within a team using an agile development workflow and widely-accepted collaboration practices using Git Whom will I be sitting next to in this course? Our students are engineers, artists, journalists, entrepreneurs, financial analysts, folks just out of college, your new best friend - individuals who are looking to start a new career in web development, and, most importantly, just as motivated and passionate as you are. What can I expect to accomplish by the end of this course? By the end of the course, you will have: Completed several individual and group projects, including one primary portfolio project Learned about web development from experienced web developers Networked with some of the best developers, companies, and entrepreneurs in your local community Prepared yourself with the foundational knowledge you need to begin a career of continuous learning What are my financing options for an immersive program? Financial hurdles shouldn’t keep you from your goals. That’s why we’re offering a few different financing options, like Earnest, Climb, Affirm, and Pave so you focus on your goals instead of the barriers that keep you from reaching them. Note that you must first be accepted into a GA program before applying for financing.

Every year during Computer Science Education Week, we have the opportunity to give back for an hour to teach students how to code. We're following the example of Code.org, whose initiative is to break down the stereotype that only a certain kind of person can program. Collectively our goal is to deconstruct the barrier of "can't" and turn it into "can." This global movement is introducing computer science across the globe, reaching tens of millions of students in more than 180 countries with a simple a challenge: code for just one hour. Tutorial Announcements Every year Hour of Code works with top developers and industry leaders to create fun programming tutorials for students with the hope that they will be inspired to keep learning. The videos introducing these tutorials made us excited about volunteering, so maybe they will motivate you too. Check them out: Are you or your kids Minecraft fans? Take a look at the introduction to the Minecraft Hour of Code tutorial featuring Mojang's Lead Developer, @jebox. How to Volunteer for Hour of Code You can get involved by donating an hour of your time to a classroom in your area. This donation can be your physical presence or a video chat with one of many classes around the world. More information can be found in the How-to-Guide for volunteers.