CS373 Spring 2020 Final Entry: Yichen Zhang
What did you like the least about the class?
The class, in general, is pretty good. However, I don’t really enjoy class materials. Because learning python, SQL, and refactoring should not be the main focus of Software Engineering. I think Dr. Downing should elaborate on development practice and give us a better context of what it means to develop an app with a team.
What did you like the most about the class?
I like working in a team and eventually, we successfully built a web app that has all features required. I had no experience with front end or backend development and got thrown into this project, but definitely learned a lot through the process.
What’s the most significant thing you learned?
Tons of tools, such as React, Bootstrap, Flask, SQL, and many more.
How many hours a week did you spend coding/debugging/testing for this class?
Depending on how close it is to the deadline, I usually spent more than twenty hours a week.
How many hours a week did you spend reading/studying for this class?
Around 2 hours.
How many lines of code do you think you wrote?
Thousands of lines.
What required tool did you not know and now find very useful?
I found Docker and Kubernetes very useful in repeatable and reliable deployment, although I didn’t use them in this class.
What’s the most useful Web dev tool that your group used that was not required?
We didn’t use any tool that was not required.
How did you feel about your group having to self-teach many, many technologies?
Initially, I was very excited about learning new technologies. I’ve been hearing those tools from time to time, but finally, I got a chance to learn every one of them and get some hands-on experience with them.
How did you feel about the two-stage quizzes and tests?
I have no comments on two-stage tests. They are not very difficult. It’s just a way to boost student’s grades.
How did you feel about the cold calling, in the end?
Cold calling is fine. From my perspective, it kept all of us focused on lectures.
