Do you like brain teasers? Word games? Are you good at solving riddles and mysteries? Do you like mathematical puzzles? Ever played boxes, chopsticks, mancala, or tetris? Is it possible to win every game of solitaire? Would you like to learn the science of these games, the best strategies, the best moves, how to win? Nearly everything can be analyzed in a logical fashion. Logic and thought are the keys to human learning, understanding, and progress. To solve any problem, or puzzle, or riddle, requires a way of thinking without preconceptions; "thinking outside the box," to use the colloquial. As such, one cannot be taught to solve logical puzzles. Therefore this class will be based on the presentation, and attempts to solve different puzzles. Students will never be told the solution to a problem until they have first solved the problem. There will also be presentations of very complex and very difficult problems. We will discuss different strategies that have been developed to solve these problems, and how computers can be used to implement these strategies. Some puzzles presented will require use of a computer, and some will require knowledge of advanced mathematics, but these skills can be learned, and neither are required knowledge to take in this class. This course is cross-disciplinary, involving significant aspects of both computer science and mathematics. In solving the puzzles from this class, students will inevitable learn about both subjects.

Traditional courses in programming require students to write boring, repetitive program, after program, after program... what fun is that? C++ ...

Servers, desktops, notebooks. Apache, GIMP, OpenOffice. RedHat, Debian, Gentoo. Since its humble beginnings in 1991, Linux has spread its influence ...