• Paracosm On Twitter: Just Released Lumen The Software Video Game

( by bailfire) What job do you consider doing after your PHD if you go for it? What was the most interesting module/topic that you learned during your time in education?

Thank you ABC for keeping agents of shield on for another season, the only show i turn my tv on for. Lumen is a super cool analog style video synthesizer for Mac made by Paracosm. Get yourself a copy of Lumen and download this new patch. Preview the patch animations below.

The most interesting topic I came across in undergrad was something called Evolutionary Computation. It's essentially using evolutionary algorithms and genetic programming to solve problems. It's very interesting and like most things in Computer Science is quite new. You traditionally have two ways of solving a problem, the top down way, which is basically trying to create a solution to the problem, the bottom up way however is an approach where you instead of programming a solution, you create a foundation of which the software automatically recursively improves itself in order to solve the solution. I hope I've explained this well, Evolutionary computation is a really interesting subject.

I'm to start a master's next year in computer science and I will be doing my research in that field, specifically I hope to use genetic programming and apply it to artificial intelligence and machine learning and hopefully demonstrate that the two can be combined in this way. For my PhD i'll be doing something along similar lines I think. I think artificial intelligence and machine learning was another really interesting module so I seek to combine the two subjects in my postgrad studies, also because there is a tiny mad scientist within me that loves to create things and I think programming evolutionary agents and software will be a lot of fun.

( by Badgr) I'm also a developer. How come you used the term programmer and not software developer? I'm not making fun I'm just curious, I'd use programmer with old people (as that's the older term) and developer with younger people y'see.

I use programmer to distinguish myself from web developers, which is a mistake a lot of people make, I really only dabble in application programming, so programming things for android and stuff like that. I don't think web development is programming, i see it as more scripting and wish people would make the distinction more because it causes a lot of confusion. The two are very different. ( by TheMaster102) The most interesting topic I came across in undergrad was something called Evolutionary Computation. It's essentially using evolutionary algorithms and genetic programming to solve problems. It's very interesting and like most things in Computer Science is quite new.

You traditionally have two ways of solving a problem, the top down way, which is basically trying to create a solution to the problem, the bottom up way however is an approach where you instead of programming a solution, you create a foundation of which the software automatically recursively improves itself in order to solve the solution. I hope I've explained this well, Evolutionary computation is a really interesting subject.

I'm to start a master's next year in computer science and I will be doing my research in that field, specifically I hope to use genetic programming and apply it to artificial intelligence and machine learning and hopefully demonstrate that the two can be combined in this way. For my PhD i'll be doing something along similar lines I think. I think artificial intelligence and machine learning was another really interesting module so I seek to combine the two subjects in my postgrad studies, also because there is a tiny mad scientist within me that loves to create things and I think programming evolutionary agents and software will be a lot of fun Very interesting. We share similar interests in machine learning and A.I - I think all devs have a strong interest in those fields.

( by TheMaster102) I use programmer to distinguish myself from web developers, which is a mistake a lot of people make, I really only dabble in application programming, so programming things for android and stuff like that. I don't think web development is programming, i see it as more scripting and wish people would make the distinction more because it causes a lot of confusion. The two are very different. Fair enough I'm an actual coder, not a dirty web developer (haha - joke), I also write native/application software however don't be naive, there's a lot of actual code going on with those web guys and I wouldn't be so disparaging of the amazing dev ops guys who script What size company do you work for? I'm at a tiny Northern start-up, we've got a wide mix of clients so we're a polyglot in terms of languages:.NET, Java, JS, lots of BI stuff too. ( by TheMaster102) I use programmer to distinguish myself from web developers, which is a mistake a lot of people make, I really only dabble in application programming, so programming things for android and stuff like that. I don't think web development is programming, i see it as more scripting and wish people would make the distinction more because it causes a lot of confusion.

The two are very different. Bit harsh, I partially web dev and definitely disagree. Most of the scripting that happens on our websites are mainly done by the front end developers.

Mainly done in Javascript and HTML. Everything else is done by the developers. All the back end stuff - server side is done in C# and honestly, you could look at the server side code of our website and mistake some parts of it for parts of some software app. Ofc there are giveaways such as dead obvious web services and calls to CRMs and CMS systems but other than that it's not scripting at all:P. ( by Badgr) Fair enough I'm an actual coder, not a dirty web developer (haha - joke), I also write native/application software however don't be naive, there's a lot of actual code going on with those web guys and I wouldn't be so disparaging of the amazing dev ops guys who script What size company do you work for? I'm at a tiny Northern start-up, we've got a wide mix of clients so we're a polyglot in terms of languages:.NET, Java, JS, lots of BI stuff too.

The web devs are talented no doubt but what they do is very different I think because it's not using the OOP paradigm. I think the distinction needs to be made because a lot of people wanting to learn coding get confused. At the moment I've just graduated and i've had a few interviews, I had to do a coding test for Barclays and passed and was accepted and I'm waiting to start in the next few weeks. ( by TheMaster102) The web devs are talented no doubt but what they do is very different I think because it's not using the OOP paradigm. I think the distinction needs to be made because a lot of people wanting to learn coding get confused. ( by bailfire) Bit harsh, I partially web dev and definitely disagree.

Most of the scripting that happens on our websites are mainly done by the front end developers. Mainly done in Javascript and HTML. Everything else is done by the developers. All the back end stuff - server side is done in C# and honestly, you could look at the server side code of our website and mistake some parts of it for parts of some software app. Ofc there are giveaways such as dead obvious web services and calls to CRMs and CMS systems but other than that it's not scripting at all:P Really good point, I concede. I guess what I meant though was the front end scripters are often called programmers and what they do called programming when its very different I think.

Paracosm On Twitter: Just Released Lumen The Software Video Game

But that's not to say I look down on web dev though I see how it may look that way, I think web dev in many ways is a lot harder than app programming, i've tried to make a website and it drove me insane how it would look great in chrome, look a bit crap in safari and broke completely in IE. ( by Badgr) Congrats on your new job Javascript can definitely be made OOP, it's a bit hacky-looking out of the box or there's fabulous frameworks like Typescript/Coffeescript that add all sorts of 'polish' to it, I'd say HTML, CSS etc was more Web Designer than Web Dev - do be wary of just getting tied into one tech btw, we interviewed a guy last week who was still using frameworks and concepts from something like 15 years ago, he then couldn't get employed anywhere, grim!

I have another question, how do you like to relax? I find that work and relaxation for me are both done via a computer, whether gaming, personal coding projects, blogging etc but I wondered if the rest of the dev world were so chained I love making games and apps, I do that in my spare time and have released a few over the years. My constant computer use drives my girlfriend mad because I'm always on my computer. Haha it's like most girls get jealous of other girls but she's jealous of my laptop I love music too and making it, I really want to make electronic music but i never have the time.

Love gaming, can't wait for fallout 4, fallout 3 was my all time favourite game, next to goldeneye and ocarina of time. ( by TheMaster102) Really good point, I concede.

I guess what I meant though was the front end scripters are often called programmers and what they do called programming when its very different I think. But that's not to say I look down on web dev though I see how it may look that way, I think web dev in many ways is a lot harder than app programming, i've tried to make a website and it drove me insane how it would look great in chrome, look a bit crap in safari and broke completely in IE. Yeah, developing a website from scratch on your own is no easy task. You need different types of developers who are talented in different languages to come together.

You need gfx designers and content creators, infrastructure guys to maintain the uptime, qa testers, all sorts of external and 3rd party systems to help maintain the site too. I will say that its.ing boring though, very - very boring:P Software dev Web dev. ( by TheMaster102) I love making games and apps, I do that in my spare time and have released a few over the years. My constant computer use drives my girlfriend mad because I'm always on my computer. Haha it's like most girls get jealous of other girls but she's jealous of my laptop I love music too and making it, I really want to make electronic music but i never have the time. Love gaming, can't wait for fallout 4, fallout 3 was my all time favourite game, next to goldeneye and ocarina of time +1 for Goldeneye, I love it Also excited for Fallout4 too although now Metal Gear Solid V just came out I'm pretty happy ^^ I'm pretty lucky, I date a fellow software developer so even if I'm glued to games / random code / stuff I can just message him on Ventrilo haha, we do make time to have non-shiny times where we.shock, horror. leave the house!

And he can be my rubber duck to help me through awkward algorithms or weird business logic (I'm better though! Haha) Well, I have to actually do some work now lol, have a good day/week/life. ( by bailfire) Yeah, developing a website from scratch on your own is no easy task. You need different types of developers who are talented in different languages to come together. You need gfx designers and content creators, infrastructure guys to maintain the uptime, qa testers, all sorts of external and 3rd party systems to help maintain the site too.

I will say that its.ing boring though, very - very boring:P Software dev Web dev I think that web dev is less niche too which is a shame, software dev is harder at first but it becomes easy when you learn the language, and it is like learning french or something once you've learnt it you'll be flying sky high. The great thing is once you learn one langauge you have the basic universal knowledge to pick up others with ease. My favourite languages are: Java, C#, Actionscript and C. These are all almost exactly the same with only some differences between them. So if you learn one you have almost learnt them all.

Java and C# are almost identical. ( by TheMaster102) The most interesting topic I came across in undergrad was something called Evolutionary Computation. It's essentially using evolutionary algorithms and genetic programming to solve problems. It's very interesting and like most things in Computer Science is quite new. You traditionally have two ways of solving a problem, the top down way, which is basically trying to create a solution to the problem, the bottom up way however is an approach where you instead of programming a solution, you create a foundation of which the software automatically recursively improves itself in order to solve the solution. If a client asked you this, 'I'd need you to explain to me in the simplest terms, this Evolutionary Computation you're talking about and how it would help me and my business' - assume the client runs a company that does online human resourcing (e.g.

Depositing resumes and such) - how would you explain it to him? ( by TheMaster102) I think that web dev is less niche too which is a shame, software dev is harder at first but it becomes easy when you learn the language, and it is like learning french or something once you've learnt it you'll be flying sky high.

The great thing is once you learn one langauge you have the basic universal knowledge to pick up others with ease. My favourite languages are: Java, C#, Actionscript and C. These are all almost exactly the same with only some differences between them. So if you learn one you have almost learnt them all. Java and C# are almost identical. Yeah thats true, C# unlocks it all.