The "I" in Team

Finally, the first weekend of the semester is here! And not too soon... it was really starting to get to me. And not just me: they hit us with a bang in the B.Sc. Department.

Walking into the class, the notorious “Fluid Mechanics”, you could see this was going to be a try last haul. I'm already behind and will have to go read up on some old work to get a better background for this stuff. Worst of all, we only did the appendices this past week: the fluid mechanics are still to come! The other Applied Mathematics subject, Optimization, seems okay thus far.

But, even though it would seem logic to focus on the Maths now, I find myself rather consumed by Computer Science. Understandable, maybe, seeing as how it is my major. The two modules are Software Design and Networks. Of Networks, we've only had one class (mix ups and misunderstandings with between the lecturer and us) and a tutorial. In this module we have a small project about every two weeks. I recall seeing the third year students in the computer lab every time I went there last year. They'd be busy working on a Networks project and it took up a lot of their time. That seemed scary, but at least the lecturer seems pleasant (despite a few boogy-man stories I've heard about him).

Yet this all still isn't enough to hold my attention. Instead, it is the Software Design course. This one has traditionally been infamous for it's big compiler project (a compiler for an object orientated programming language which compiles to a VM), but this year the new lecturer decided (sort of, he gave us an option) to break tradition and give us a spreadsheet to develop. This is still a “big project” and we've been divided into groups of four people each to work on this project. I was lucky to end up with a group of people I know and who I know can code and do their part, so I feel good about that. We also have some nice tools to help us and I think we've made a good start, despite the fact that we're only getting the project specification after the weekend.

I however, don't have a good track record when it come to programming with a team. Back in high school we were once given a group project for groups of three. My team mates weren't the strongest coders in the class and, way in the beginning, when they were still arguing over what type of game (we had to program a board game of our choice) we should write I decided to start on my own with my own idea. The following day I showed them my progress and they were impressed. I continued on my own and eventually finished the project by myself. I didn't mind, because no-one was “in my way” and I could do whatever I want. In the end it was a nice project (it was “my” Awari game) with only one thing I was really unhappy about (the “jittering rocks”).

Then there was last year where we had the opportunity to do our database project in groups of two. I wanted to team up with Freeman, but when he decided to go solo, I also thought of doing so. This eventually turned out to be a mistake and led to some very dark moments for me, but in the end I got through it.

I don't think, however, that I am incapable of working with a group. Besides, group work is fundamental in the programming industry. I am a little hard headed and like things to go my way, true, but with a project of sufficient scope I think I can really be a team player. I just have to watch out for trying to “take over” (which is already happening to a small extent).For the Networks projects we can also work in small groups, but the spreadsheet is suppose to be THE group work project, so I'm interested to see what happens.