+When I first started coding, I could not help but be fascinated by how the stuff I typed was laid out on the computer screen. I remember immediately exploring different theme extensions for Atom (a text editor) to customize how my code looks on the screen. Apart from that, I was also very meticulous about the spacing between each line at the time and preferred having tons of whitespace between each line that does different things; that way, I could read my code better. I carried this habit over when I took ICS 111 (Intro to Computer Science I) class, as seen in my homework 2 code. I was not introduced to specific rules about spacing, so I did not care how much space I put in between each line of my code as long as I could read it easily.
+
+
+
What is This @param Thing?
+
+
+As a person who quickly forgets things, I typically jot down as many details as possible and make notes like "This Thing A performs Action B." This helped me a lot to get through my Biology classes in senior high school. As we got deeper into ICS 111, we were introduced to commenting, a principle in programming that aims to describe individual parts of a code (methods or functions, classes, etc.) to make it easier for others to understand what that particular block of code or function does. As someone who likes to be detailed when noting things, I studied how to properly make comments in Java and applied it to my homework projects despite it not being a requirement. Of course, I would still often make comments that do not adhere to the "standards," but I at least ensure that it would serve as a helpful guide when reading my code.
+
+
+
According to Lint, You Should…
+
+Upon taking the ICS 314 (Software Engineering I) class, I encountered a new programming concept extending the commenting practice I mentioned above, described as "Coding Standards." Beforehand, I did not even know that people make software analysis tools dedicated to identifying programmatic or syntactic inconsistencies in a source code, which they like to call Lint or Linter. Linters like ESLint (what we use in class) not only flag programming errors but also give prompts when they find stylistic inconsistency in your code, like adding unnecessary indentation or lacking one, having no space before or after a curly brace, and, of course, missing a semicolon, to name a few. These linter programs are designed to help implement coding standards, which turns out to be just as important as making sure your code works. Why did they establish coding standards anyway? Apparently, following coding standards is vital in software development because it assures uniformity, promotes collaboration, and improves code quality, resulting in more maintainable and stable software programs. Just like in citation formats (APA, MLA, etc.), where established rules help identify a citation technique and differentiate it from others, linters automatically implement that "rule" in your code to ensure your code sticks with what is standard.
+
+
+
Assistance or Distraction?
+
+Considering all that, Linters does not seem so bad, right? With my limited usage time at the time of writing, ESLint and I have established a love-and-hate relationship. I love that it always keeps me in check while coding to ensure my way of writing code does not stray from the coding standards. However, sometimes, having someone tell you you are doing something wrong while, at the same time, knowing you are not done yet is definitely irritating. Whenever I write a function, it makes these squiggly lines under the function name, indicating that I have not put the function in use. It often serves as a reminder, but sometimes, seeing those red lines in my code gets distracting. Nonetheless, I am okay with using Linters in general, as it made me aware of when I actually need a space...
+
+Have you ever been in a situation where you are in a rush and trying to open a door, but then you have this bundle of keys and do not know which one opens the door? I think most of us, if not all, had a similar experience like this. Looking for the right key to open the door, among other keys, is a solid analogy to formulating the right question in software engineering. With the rapid growth of the software engineering industry, problem-solving, programming languages, and concepts are bound to get more complicated (and it is already complex right off the bat). In connection with this, asking for help from other people who know more about the field (many of them exist) might not be a bad idea if you find your back against the wall solving a problem or figuring out the hows of a new programming language you are trying to learn. Therefore, asking questions the smart way is vital to a computer programmer trying to venture into the deep and confusing world of software development, along with good problem-solving skills and solid logical thinking. However, mastering this skill may not be as easy as it sounds, based on “How to Ask Questions The Smart Way” by Eric Steven Raymond.
+
+
Why won’t the Door Open?
+
+
In programming, more often than not, we encounter problems that we do not even know or at least have an idea about why it exists. This is one of the many reasons why asking meaningful questions and hoping for the right help is a tough job. Another possible reason is associated with the nature of how we ask questions. I have tried to look up some stupid questions posted in StackOverflow, and I luckily found a weird one. In this question, the author asked why different versions of C++ compilers reject their program. However, how the author showed the program is rather unorthodox because it was handwritten. This garnered various forms of answers, from totally sarcastic ones to profound solutions. One response was in the form of a handwritten code. Another one pointed out that maybe the symbols such as equality, parentheses, and curly braces were drawn a bit off (implying that his handwriting may be the problem). Due to the nature of the question asked, the responses became sarcastic. This shows that even though the author did enough work to try and solve the problem on his own (which complies with one of the guidelines mentioned in Raymond’s essay), the way he posted his question drew various sarcastic responses, albeit he/she managed to receive one well-formulated answer.
+
+
The Right Key Opens the Right Door.
+
+
We can only open the door right before us when we find the right key. This is why asking the right question as a software developer has become a cornerstone to success. I remember my friend telling me about some of the perks of being a Computer Science major, and she mentioned that “You can find free resources anywhere.” It is indeed everywhere and is present in different formats: videos, online courses, and online forums. In high school, I came across a meme that alluded to Stack Overflow being better than attending school. I did not know what the meme meant before, but now I know why. Stack Overflow contains many questions a programmer may generally have and answers to them. I believe that because of the note-worthy questions posted in Stack Overflow, experts could give well-thought-of answers, which in turn became helpful to other people who encountered the same problem, hence the meme. I found one example of a good question. The author was asking how for... of loop is different from for... in loop. For context, this question was posted eight years ago, so documentation to ES6 might have been limited at the time. Going back, the author described the for... in loop (which he was used to) and presented a code block showing both variations of for loops. He explained what for... in does and seemed intentional about asking how for... of loop works. Because of this, the author got insightful answers from many “experts.” I would argue that this forum is helpful to some people, especially those trying to learn JavaScript, like ICS 314 students.
+
+
Conclusion
+
+
Ideally, software development is not done by only one individual. Most software programs that changed the world were created by people collaborating, learning from each other, and solving problems through meetings and brainstorming. In between these processes, I believe, are questions being thrown to provoke everyone’s mind to think differently or to satisfy one’s curiosity. This is why, as future software developers (possibly), we should not waste our bountiful resources and ask questions to help us get unstuck or have a different perspective on the problems that arise. However, at the same time, we must remember that just as wrong keys won’t open a door for us, asking a stupid question won’t get us a keen answer either.
+
Learning Web Design Is Like Learning New Programming Language Before encountering UI Design topics in this class, I already had considerable knowledge of HTML and a slight understanding of CSS. However, I have yet to be able to build anything...
I Need Space… When I first started coding, I could not help but be fascinated by how the stuff I typed was laid out on the computer screen. I remember immediately exploring different theme extensions for Atom (a text editor)...
+
+
+ Coding Standards
+
+ ICS 314
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
Finding the Right Key Unlocks Knowledge
+
07 Sep 2023
+
Keys and Questions: an Analogy. Have you ever been in a situation where you are in a rush and trying to open a door, but then you have this bundle of keys and do not know which one opens the...
+
+
+ Smart Questions
+
+ Stack Overflow
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
Upgraded to First-Class
+
30 Aug 2023
+
Checking in In the summer of 2022, before I even transferred to UH Manoa, I looked up coding tutorials on YouTube. I learned about basic Python syntax, and then that was it. I barely made an effort to apply the...
+
+
+ JavaScript
+
+ ICS 314
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
Joining the Bandwagon
+
30 Aug 2023
+
-A long long time ago- B.C.(Before CS) I had always imagined myself becoming an engineer when I was still young up until high school. I have dreamed of becoming a Civil Engineer (but then I realized that I suck at...
I had always imagined myself becoming an engineer when I was still young up until high school. I have dreamed of becoming a Civil Engineer (but then I realized that I suck at drawing), Mechanical Engineer (inspired by the movie called 3 Idiots), and Computer Engineer (unfortunately, Computer Engineers in the Philippines do not really have many opportunities after graduating). Ultimately, I decided to become an Electronics Engineer (ECE). However, when we moved here to Hawaii a little over three years ago, I was looking at UH Manoa’s course catalog and could not find the Electronics Engineering program anywhere. I therefore rerouted my path to becoming a Computer Engineer in my first semester at Kauai Community College (KCC) despite not being entirely sure of it.
+
+
+
+One day, while working at the restaurant, my closest work buddy and I began discussing which major we wanted to take when we moved to UH Manoa. Of course, I mentioned Computer engineering as my desired major. Then he told me he wanted to take Computer Science. Now, I have heard about terms like “polscie” (Political Science) and compscie before. Still, I never really knew what the latter meant. So when I got home, I immediately looked up what Computer Science graduates do. Then, I realized it has something to do with Software Engineering, which I am familiar with. I then asked for more details from my friend, who was majoring in Computer Science then, and she told me so much more about her major. That time, I knew B.S. Computer Engineering program requires me to take calculus classes up to 400 level (Calculus 4), which I am not a fan of since I have had enough of doing so many math problems. Therefore, I contacted my academic advisor and told him I wanted to pursue a B.S. in Computer Science instead.
+
+
During CS
+
Fast forward to today, little did I know that computer Science is actually heavily based on math concepts. However, there is no point in going back now. It is not that I am not good at Math or hate it. I actually was terrible in Math, not until I took it seriously and watched many YouTube videos explaining simple math concepts I should have already learned in high school just to keep up with my Calculus class. I poured in a lot of hard work and frequently stayed up late at night. From that, I gained confidence in my mathematical skills and logical thinking, which are both helpful to have in my repertoire as I get deeper into Computer Science. I firmly believe that hard work allows people to excel in anything (just like Kobe with his Mamba Mentality). So, no, I am not going back. My perseverance got me through both of my calculus classes (I actually got A’s on both of them), and I am sure it will also bring me through Computer Science (of course, I will need a lot more of it for sure).
+
+
Right now, I look forward to studying a lot of things during my Fall 2023 semester to hopefully be able to land an internship for next summer. I want to take advantage of the fact that we will build a project in my ICS 314 class, so I am very excited to learn new stuff.
+
+
To quote one of my favorite volleyball players, Oikawa Touru (at least in anime), “Talent is something you make bloom.” So I will.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
diff --git a/essays/read-and-write.html b/essays/read-and-write.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fd8abfe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/essays/read-and-write.html
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ So We Read And Then Write? | Aaron Lander Ancheta | Professional Portfolio
+
+
+
+
Learning Web Design Is Like Learning New Programming Language
+
+
+Before encountering UI Design topics in this class, I already had considerable knowledge of HTML and a slight understanding of CSS. However, I have yet to be able to build anything intently with HTML and CSS; my job in school as a Web Designer only requires me to become adept at using WordPress to manage the department's website. Hence, as a result, I never had anything that pushed me to get deeper with HTML and CSS. However, the projects required in this class served as my tipping point to applying and taking my mediocre web design skills to the next level.
+
+As I have mentioned, I have little to no knowledge of CSS, so at first, I had a hard time comprehending its overall syntax as I find it very different from what I have been writing as a CS student. So, I decided to read MDN documentation and watch some tutorial videos on YouTube to grasp its concept better. It was initially confusing because each resource I stumbled upon offered a different way of writing CSS to style their web pages. This resulted in me creating a chaotic CSS file while doing one of the BrowserHistory homework.
+
+Even though I was still uncomfortable with CSS, I had to move forward and learn another new UI design stuff called Bootstrap, a UI framework. My professor kept saying that styling with CSS alone is a tough job and that learning to style with Bootstrap would make our lives easier. I was excited about it as I thought I did not have to be proficient with CSS anymore. While watching my professor's demonstration video about recreating the BrowserHistory web page that we initially did with only HTML and CSS, I was like, "What is going on here?" because he kept on assigning these navbar, navbar-expand-lg, container, etc., which I had no idea of at the time. This led me to watch YouTube tutorials while reading Bootstrap documentation because the WOD-- abbreviation for "Workout of the Day," where our knowledge about Software Engineering topics is tested by making us solve a problem while being timed-- is coming. Failing to finish a WOD guarantees a zero in our grade book; who would want that?
+
+
+
I Learn By Doing
+
+
+I was able to replicate the first scroll of the front page of Bellroy to complete my YourChoice homework (homework that required us to choose a website to recreate using Bootstrap) as shown below:
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
Original
+
+
+
+
Replica
+
+
+
+
+Nonetheless, I knew that my understanding of the overall process web designing with Bootstrap was still shallow. Therefore, I spent more time learning it, and I tried redoing Murphy's web page, which I failed to finish on time during the practice WOD in class.
+
+
+
+
+
+
Professor's Version
+
+
+
+
My Version
+
+
+
+
+During the process of replicating Murphy's web page, I became more aware of how things work as I did a lot of documentation reading and watching YouTube tutorials at the same time. After this, I became more confident about the upcoming WOD. I was also finally able to confirm what my professor said about how Bootstrap could make the web design process easier.
+
+
+
Conclusion
+
+
+This experience from the two weeks of dealing with UI design filled with writing HTML, CSS, and implementing Bootstrap made me realize that there is no single right way when it comes to web design, which is also probably the reason why each YouTube tutorial offered different ways of styling like what I mentioned; I personally took a different approach into making Murphy's web page compared to my professor's solution-- this arguably made me learn so much more. In conclusion, I firmly believe that HTML, CSS, and Bootstrap are best learned when you are implementing them at the same time, which was the missing factor and the reason why I stayed an unskilled web designer all this time.
+
+In the summer of 2022, before I even transferred to UH Manoa, I looked up coding tutorials on YouTube. I learned about basic Python syntax, and then that was it. I barely made an effort to apply the programming language I had just learned to solve some coding questions or at least make a small-scale project with it. So naturally, all the things I have learned fell off my brain. Fast forward to the start of my UH Manoa journey, I was greeted with system.out.println("Hello World!");. You are probably already thinking about Java, and that is right. I took ICS 111, followed by ICS 211, which are both introductions to programming classes that utilized Java as the primary programming language.
+
+
+
I forgot about Python, but I already had the intuition on how to use variables and if-else statements. So, I guess that one day I spent learning programming back in the summer was not totally wasted. Going back, my initial impression of Java is that it includes a lot of typing, and it is very particular when it comes to declaring variables and return types. I am not saying I hate Java. It taught me so many things, such as the concept of object-oriented programming (OOP); I also learned different data structures in my ICS 211 class, and how to think more deeply as a programmer. Java helped me to check in on my journey as a computer science student.
+
+
This way to First Class
+
+
+One academic year later, I am greeted console.log("We invite you to first-class lane");. Yes, you are right again; on the first week of my Fall 2023 semester, we had to learn a somehow different programming language called JavaScript. I said somehow because it kind of resembles Java’s syntax in some ways. However, as I spent more time with it, I came to realize that a lot of things are made easier to do in JavaScript. I no longer have to specify the type when declaring variables, and I could also assign a function to a variable – which relates to why people say JavaScript has first-class functions. I have also researched things about JavaScript prior to taking my ICS 314 class, that it is one of the main languages used in developing web applications. It is only the first two weeks of my semester at the time of writing, and I still have a lot to learn, especially in JavaScript, but the limited time I have spent with JavaScript felt as if I was upgraded to first-class seat after checking in. Of course, this is not possible in real life, so I better stop dreaming about it actually happening and start practicing for my Workout of the Day (WOD) tomorrow.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
diff --git a/favicon.ico b/favicon.ico
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5cb7c71
Binary files /dev/null and b/favicon.ico differ
diff --git a/img/bootstrap-icons.svg b/img/bootstrap-icons.svg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..99df40f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/img/bootstrap-icons.svg
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/img/cotton/cotton-header.png b/img/cotton/cotton-header.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..763332c
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/cotton/cotton-header.png differ
diff --git a/img/cotton/cotton-square.png b/img/cotton/cotton-square.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..272de47
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/cotton/cotton-square.png differ
diff --git a/img/difficulty/degree_difficulty.jpg b/img/difficulty/degree_difficulty.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ab4a7cb
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/difficulty/degree_difficulty.jpg differ
diff --git a/img/essay-photos/checking-in.jpg b/img/essay-photos/checking-in.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ae46696
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/essay-photos/checking-in.jpg differ
diff --git a/img/essay-photos/joining-bandwagon.png b/img/essay-photos/joining-bandwagon.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..da44274
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/essay-photos/joining-bandwagon.png differ
diff --git a/img/essay-photos/keys-equal-questions.png b/img/essay-photos/keys-equal-questions.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..af8a535
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/essay-photos/keys-equal-questions.png differ
diff --git a/img/essay-photos/param.png b/img/essay-photos/param.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a9326bd
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/essay-photos/param.png differ
diff --git a/img/essay-photos/read-and-write-photos/bellroy-official.png b/img/essay-photos/read-and-write-photos/bellroy-official.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..00ff484
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/essay-photos/read-and-write-photos/bellroy-official.png differ
diff --git a/img/essay-photos/read-and-write-photos/bellroy-replica.png b/img/essay-photos/read-and-write-photos/bellroy-replica.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8abb791
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/essay-photos/read-and-write-photos/bellroy-replica.png differ
diff --git a/img/essay-photos/read-and-write-photos/murphy-mine.png b/img/essay-photos/read-and-write-photos/murphy-mine.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e6fd9cd
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/essay-photos/read-and-write-photos/murphy-mine.png differ
diff --git a/img/essay-photos/read-and-write-photos/murphy-prof.png b/img/essay-photos/read-and-write-photos/murphy-prof.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..780657d
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/essay-photos/read-and-write-photos/murphy-prof.png differ
diff --git a/img/essay-photos/takeoff.jpg b/img/essay-photos/takeoff.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..31a3c81
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/essay-photos/takeoff.jpg differ
diff --git a/img/igniting/paintbrushes.jpg b/img/igniting/paintbrushes.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..75e2485
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/igniting/paintbrushes.jpg differ
diff --git a/img/image.jpg b/img/image.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d7e3ac4
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/image.jpg differ
diff --git a/img/micromouse/micromouse-circuit.png b/img/micromouse/micromouse-circuit.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cad0251
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/micromouse/micromouse-circuit.png differ
diff --git a/img/micromouse/micromouse-robot-2.jpg b/img/micromouse/micromouse-robot-2.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e46444d
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/micromouse/micromouse-robot-2.jpg differ
diff --git a/img/micromouse/micromouse-robot.png b/img/micromouse/micromouse-robot.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b709af4
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/micromouse/micromouse-robot.png differ
diff --git a/img/micromouse/micromouse-square.jpg b/img/micromouse/micromouse-square.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c5a7773
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/micromouse/micromouse-square.jpg differ
diff --git a/img/molly-maluhia.jpeg b/img/molly-maluhia.jpeg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ae3ca0c
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/molly-maluhia.jpeg differ
diff --git a/img/project-photos/ipll-logo.png b/img/project-photos/ipll-logo.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..673e600
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/project-photos/ipll-logo.png differ
diff --git a/img/project-photos/old-ipll-logo.jpeg b/img/project-photos/old-ipll-logo.jpeg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4a428f6
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/project-photos/old-ipll-logo.jpeg differ
diff --git a/img/project-photos/overview-of-pnl.png b/img/project-photos/overview-of-pnl.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..18e345a
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/project-photos/overview-of-pnl.png differ
diff --git a/img/project-photos/pnl-logo.png b/img/project-photos/pnl-logo.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f3226a8
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/project-photos/pnl-logo.png differ
diff --git a/img/project-photos/sudoku-solver.png b/img/project-photos/sudoku-solver.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6f2a352
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/project-photos/sudoku-solver.png differ
diff --git a/img/smart-questions/rtfm.png b/img/smart-questions/rtfm.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a4ae484
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/smart-questions/rtfm.png differ
diff --git a/img/vacay/vacay-home-page.png b/img/vacay/vacay-home-page.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fd585a2
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/vacay/vacay-home-page.png differ
diff --git a/img/vacay/vacay-square.png b/img/vacay/vacay-square.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..54e2496
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/vacay/vacay-square.png differ
diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c392649
--- /dev/null
+++ b/index.html
@@ -0,0 +1,381 @@
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ Aaron Lander Ancheta | Professional Portfolio
+
+
+
+
I am a junior studying for a B.S. in Computer Science in the Department of Information and Computer Sciences at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. I am currently working as a Web Designer/Illustrator at the Department of Indo-Pacific Languages and Literatures (IPLL) at UH Manoa. My date of graduation is expected to be on Spring 2025.
Learning Web Design Is Like Learning New Programming Language Before encountering UI Design topics in this class, I already had considerable knowledge of HTML and a slight understanding of CSS. However, I have yet to be able to build anything...
I Need Space… When I first started coding, I could not help but be fascinated by how the stuff I typed was laid out on the computer screen. I remember immediately exploring different theme extensions for Atom (a text editor)...
+
+
+ Coding Standards
+
+ ICS 314
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
Finding the Right Key Unlocks Knowledge
+
07 Sep 2023
+
Keys and Questions: an Analogy. Have you ever been in a situation where you are in a rush and trying to open a door, but then you have this bundle of keys and do not know which one opens the...
+
+
+ Smart Questions
+
+ Stack Overflow
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
Upgraded to First-Class
+
30 Aug 2023
+
Checking in In the summer of 2022, before I even transferred to UH Manoa, I looked up coding tutorials on YouTube. I learned about basic Python syntax, and then that was it. I barely made an effort to apply the...
+
+
+ JavaScript
+
+ ICS 314
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
Joining the Bandwagon
+
30 Aug 2023
+
-A long long time ago- B.C.(Before CS) I had always imagined myself becoming an engineer when I was still young up until high school. I have dreamed of becoming a Civil Engineer (but then I realized that I suck at...
Since the previous logo looks a bit dated, I was given a task to create a new logo for the Department of Indo-Pacific Languages and Literatures.
+
+
Here is the previous logo:
+
+
+
+
This is the logo I made:
+
+
+
+
The logo is composed of three parts: The flower, boat, and the wave. The 14 petals of the flower represent the 14 languages that the Indo-Pacific Languages and Literatures (IPLL) department of UH Manoa offers. Flowers signify many things, one of which is beauty. Therefore, there is nothing more fitting to represent IPLL languages than a flower. The ocean wave means two things. The first one is that the Indo-Pacific region is situated around the Pacific ocean, which is the largest among the five oceanic divisions in the world. Therefore, it is inevitable to include an ocean wave design to the logo. However, I designed the ocean waves to mimic a book to add even more significance to it. Apart from languages, our department also offers courses to different cultures and literatures from the Indo-Pacific region, hence, the IPLL department boasts massive wealth of knowledge just like the vastness of the Pacific. This leads us to the last component of the logo. Exploration brought a lot of things to humankind, the most significant one is knowledge. The boat signifies that aspect. By gaining the ability to travel through the seas, people started to gain more wisdom about the world. In the world of literature, however, understanding comes from being able to write, hence, I designed the boat to also represent a pen. All three components together represent the one-of-a-kind IPLL department of UH Manoa.
When I first started working at the Department of Indo-Pacific Languages and Literatures (IPLL) at UH Manoa, I redesigned the Pamana ng Lahi website and gave it a new look. I also updated the contents and made a new logo to match the purpose of the website.
+
My reflection
+
This was my first time working with Weebly and my initial thought was that it is very limiting and less intuitive to use compared to other website builders I have used. This prompted me to learn HTML and CSS so that I could build a website of my own liking in the future, or better yet, rebuild the Pamana ng Lahi Website.
In my ICS 211 class, we discussed about different data structures and some algorithms. We were using Java as the primary programming language and in one of our homeworks, we were asked to implement a recursive method called fillSudoku which , as the name suggests, aims to fill a sudoku correctly.
+
+
Reflection
+
It was very hard at first to grasp the concept of recursion as we have been using just a bunch of if-else statements to solve homework problems. However, when I gained a bit more understanding about how recursion works through a PANDA (one of the ACM Manoa organizations) meeting, I was able to appreciate it more and I was able to accomplish this particular homework.
+
+
publicstaticbooleanfillSudoku(int[][]sudoku)
+ {
+ // BASE CASE: Check if the sudoku is filled and valid
+ // If the sudoku is filled, return the result of the checkSudoku (sudoku, false)
+
+ if(SudokuTest.isFilled(sudoku)){
+ if(checkSudoku(sudoku,false)){
+ returntrue;
+ }
+ }
+
+
+ // FIND NEXT EMPTY CELL: Search for a cell that is 0
+ booleanallFilled=true;
+ introw=0;
+ intcol=0;
+
+ for(inti=0;i<sudoku.length;i++){
+ for(intj=0;j<sudoku[i].length;j++){
+ if(sudoku[i][j]==0){
+ row=i;
+ col=j;
+ allFilled=false;
+ break;
+ }
+ }
+ if(!allFilled)break;
+ }
+
+ // FIND POSSIBLE VALUES FOR THE EMPTY CELL
+ java.util.ArrayList<Integer>values=getValues(sudoku,row,col);
+
+
+ // TEST VALUES: Try all possible values from Step 3 and recursively call fillSudoku() with each possible value
+ // When we recursively call fillSudoku(), it will return true if we found a valid solution, and false otherwise.
+ // If it fillSudoku() returns true, return true for this method call as well
+ // Otherwise reset the cell value to 0, and try the next possible value
+
+ for(inti=0;i<values.size();i++){
+ sudoku[row][col]=values.get(i);
+ if(fillSudoku(sudoku)){
+ returntrue;
+ }
+ else{
+ sudoku[row][col]=0;
+ }
+ }
+
+ // RETURN FALSE: If we cannot return true during the above code, it means we can't solve the sudoku
+ returnfalse;
+ }
+
+
+As a person who quickly forgets things, I typically jot down as many details as possible and make notes like "This Thing A performs Action B." This helped me a lot to get through my Biology classes in senior high school. As we got deeper into ICS 111, we were introduced to commenting, a principle in programming that aims to describe individual parts of a code (methods or functions, classes, etc.) to make it easier for others to understand what that particular block of code or function does. As someone who likes to be detailed when noting things, I studied how to properly make comments in Java and applied it to my homework projects despite it not being a requirement. Of course, I would still often make comments that do not adhere to the "standards," but I at least ensure that it would serve as a helpful guide when reading my code.
+
+Have you ever been in a situation where you are in a rush and trying to open a door, but then you have this bundle of keys and do not know which one opens the door? I think most of us, if not all, had a similar experience like this. Looking for the right key to open the door, among other keys, is a solid analogy to formulating the right question in software engineering. With the rapid growth of the software engineering industry, problem-solving, programming languages, and concepts are bound to get more complicated (and it is already complex right off the bat). In connection with this, asking for help from other people who know more about the field (many of them exist) might not be a bad idea if you find your back against the wall solving a problem or figuring out the hows of a new programming language you are trying to learn. Therefore, asking questions the smart way is vital to a computer programmer trying to venture into the deep and confusing world of software development, along with good problem-solving skills and solid logical thinking. However, mastering this skill may not be as easy as it sounds, based on “How to Ask Questions The Smart Way” by Eric Steven Raymond.
+One day, while working at the restaurant, my closest work buddy and I began discussing which major we wanted to take when we moved to UH Manoa. Of course, I mentioned Computer engineering as my desired major. Then he told me he wanted to take Computer Science. Now, I have heard about terms like “polscie” (Political Science) and compscie before. Still, I never really knew what the latter meant. So when I got home, I immediately looked up what Computer Science graduates do. Then, I realized it has something to do with Software Engineering, which I am familiar with. I then asked for more details from my friend, who was majoring in Computer Science then, and she told me so much more about her major. That time, I knew B.S. Computer Engineering program requires me to take calculus classes up to 400 level (Calculus 4), which I am not a fan of since I have had enough of doing so many math problems. Therefore, I contacted my academic advisor and told him I wanted to pursue a B.S. in Computer Science instead.
+
+
+
+
+In the summer of 2022, before I even transferred to UH Manoa, I looked up coding tutorials on YouTube. I learned about basic Python syntax, and then that was it. I barely made an effort to apply the programming language I had just learned to solve some coding questions or at least make a small-scale project with it. So naturally, all the things I have learned fell off my brain. Fast forward to the start of my UH Manoa journey, I was greeted with 
+One academic year later, I am greeted 
+ 
+ 
+ 
+ 
