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View Full Version : Linux teacher is getting on my nerve...


09-28-2005, 01:12 PM
Hi everyone,

Well I'm studying in computer programming...part of that involve a class where we are suppose to learn about OS. I was pleasantly surprise when I learned on day 1 that we were going to study Linux as the main OS.

I've always wanted to learn Linux in detail and have Gentoo installed and use it whenever I can to learn. I'm no expert so I figured I would stay in the classes to LEARN.

Turn out my teacher is a wacko, so to speak. The guy is quite knowledgeable but I'm considering making a complaint.

Here's an example that happened today with me arguing with him (not the first time)

We had an assigment, one question was:

How to create the file called lshelp.txt?
My answer : touch lshelp.txt

Now the previous question was what problem do we have when we use ls --help.
My answer : too much data for one screen.

Now according to him I was suppose to assume that the answer to "How to create the file called lshelp.txt?" was :
ls --help > lshelp.txt

I argued with him and he refused to give me my points saying I was suppose to know what he meant...I mean common! I knew what he meant, however I've answered what was asked in the question.

What do you think? am I right? I know this isn't really related to Linux per se but I figured this would be the only forum understanding the commands involved /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Thanks for the input.

StevieG
09-28-2005, 01:47 PM
Based on this information it seems you answered the question correctly.

Without seeing the entire assignment it is tough to tell if it is reasonable for you to infer what he meant.

09-28-2005, 01:59 PM
Yeah to me I've answered correctly too...to him no. The assignment didn't include any specific instruction as to question being related to each other, they were each numbered from 1 to 17...he refused explaining why I was wrong beside repeating that I was wrong over and over...man he's an ass.

StevieG
09-28-2005, 02:03 PM
This is completely unreasonable, then.

The question is clear. How do you create the file? The touch command fulfills the requirement.

He has to assume that you might work through the questions non-linearly, and refer explicitly to the previous question if it is related.

This should be clear to someone who works with computers all the time, where what you say is always interpreted literally. If you type "ps -ef | egrep Java" you're likely coming back with nothing, even if you meant "ps -ef | egrep -i Java".

FouTight
09-28-2005, 02:04 PM
I think you are wrong, it's pretty obvious to me what he wanted.

when you presented it orginally, you got it right, but after you typed the rest of it (and you obviously presented in this order to favor your side), you were wrong.

He clearly wanted the output of the --help command to be in a text file.

09-28-2005, 02:18 PM
While it was relatively obvious what he wanted, I was only provided with what he asked. He refuse to answer most of the questions related to assigment.

I knew about the ">" command, I could have answered the question had he asked it correctly.

There's a huge difference to me between.
How do we create the file lshelp.txt? and
How do we place the output of ls --help in the file lshelp.txt?

If that's what he wanted to ask without almost giving away the answer he could have asked for a solution to the previous question (too much data for one screen using ls --help).

I formulated my post the way I did not to my advantage but to clearly show that he didn't say the questions were related to each other and many various subjects were covered by the assigment (mount, etc.) it would have been obvious say had the assigment been named : The use of the > operator

He doesn't give the class in his primary language which doesn't help I guess.

Considering your view on that here's the other question I lost points on.

You have two non empty files, abc and abc2. How do you copy abc to abc2 to create abc3?

His answer : cat abc abc2 >abc3

He completely disregarded his own question which implied copying abc to abc2 first. Any other answers were wrong and not open to discussion.

09-28-2005, 02:36 PM
if it was truly related, then his question should've been "How do you view 'ls --help' easily?". redirecting to a text file then viewing it is a pretty retarded way of seeing all the content when 'ls --help | less' is quicker.

Ps": I'm new to the forums, who thought there'd be linux discussions on a poker forum! yay!

BigBiceps
09-28-2005, 03:27 PM
This is like the the physics student who used the following answers to "How do you use a barometer to measure the height of a building?"

1) you go to the maintenance man of the building and say, I will give you this barometer if you tell me the height of this building.

2) you measure the height of the barometer, then you measure the shadow made by the barometer and compare it to the shadow made by the building and you get the height.

3) you measure the height of the barometer, and then using a painter's lift you stack it end over end and multiply it out and you have determined the height of the building.

There were like 3 other solutions, but of course one could also use the barometer the correct way to differentiate the change in pressure.

I am not sure if this is even a good analogy, but now that I have typed all this garbage I am clicking submit.

stabn
09-28-2005, 05:07 PM
[ QUOTE ]

man he's an ass.


[/ QUOTE ]

Typical linux guy /images/graemlins/grin.gif.

Fwiw, i agree that his question was worded improperly and that a good teacher would understand that and give you points.

stabn
09-28-2005, 05:10 PM
[ QUOTE ]

I am not sure if this is even a good analogy, but now that I have typed all this garbage I am clicking submit.

[/ QUOTE ]

It isn't.

09-28-2005, 07:01 PM
Yeah well we believe that the reason he doesn't understand it is because he doesn't understand the language used (french) enough to actually see it's not worded properly...it sucks.

cgwahl
09-28-2005, 07:17 PM
I would see how other students did on that question first.

I would still go see someone above him, but keep in mind it may hurt you throughout the school year if he builds a grudge toward you for doing that.

stabn
09-28-2005, 07:28 PM
[ QUOTE ]
Yeah well we believe that the reason he doesn't understand it is because he doesn't understand the language used (french) enough to actually see it's not worded properly...it sucks.

[/ QUOTE ]

In that case go to the administration with it. Maybe the dept head? Getting questions wrong all year because they are not worded correctly is going to suck pretty hard for you.

mosta
09-28-2005, 09:26 PM
drop the barometer from the roof and see how long it takes to hit.

smoore
09-29-2005, 01:12 AM
[ QUOTE ]

1) you go to the maintenance man of the building and say, I will give you this barometer if you tell me the height of this building.


[/ QUOTE ]

Hahah, I like it.

The pessimist says, "The glass is half empty."
The optomist says, "The glass is half full."
The engineer says, "The glass is twice as big as it needs to be."

MyMindIsGoing
09-29-2005, 03:26 AM
I study computer sience too, in Sweden, and the teachers pull that all the time. I always complain and say I am not a [censored] mind reader. If the task is too badly written so it can be interpreted [may not be the right word...] in diffrent ways, it is their fault not yours. Just stand up to yourself and they will either give up or make better assignments next time.

TheTROLL
09-29-2005, 12:51 PM
[ QUOTE ]
Yeah well we believe that the reason he doesn't understand it is because he doesn't understand the language used (french) enough to actually see it's not worded properly...it sucks.

[/ QUOTE ]

[censored] that. Formal complaint, no question.

09-29-2005, 02:21 PM
While you may not agree with his attitude, often in education you have to work within the confines of the system. So just do the work, and do it well, and don't let him know you think he's an asshat.

G.

09-29-2005, 02:57 PM
Yeah I agree with you that's why I haven't made a formal complaint yet...however I'm still thinking about it.

If this would be work I would be paid anyway...however it isn't...it's school...at the end I'll be remembered by a grade. Loosing points because he's not clear and stuborn isn't the right way to success...and if someone is being abusive at work or anywhere sometime you just have to take one for the team and complain.

Next assigment is out and he didn't get any better :P still have to guess the meaning of the question.

One of them : From which directory does morphix copy files for the base user?

I know that it doesn't make sense...it's a translation however of what is asked in french.

Now if I was to answer this question I guess you could say they are extracted from the image on the liveCD when you boot up...as it's where all the files come from on a liveCD.

That's obviously not what he meant to ask as it's a introduction class. It's probably more along the line of :
Where does Morphix store files for base users?
That would be /home/(user) following conventions.

CORed
09-29-2005, 06:02 PM
[ QUOTE ]
This is like the the physics student who used the following answers to "How do you use a barometer to measure the height of a building?"

[/ QUOTE ]
(4) Drop the barometer and a stop watch to the roof of the building. Drop the barometer and time how long it takes to hit the ground. The height of the building is 1/2gt^2. (Unfortunately wind resistance makes this method far from accurate.)

MyMindIsGoing
09-29-2005, 06:14 PM
"at the end I'll be remembered by a grade"

You are a coward that can not stand up and tell the teacher what is wrong beacuse you are scared. Act like a man, not a little girl.

TheTROLL
09-30-2005, 05:54 AM
[ QUOTE ]
While you may not agree with his attitude, often in education you have to work within the confines of the system. So just do the work, and do it well, and don't let him know you think he's an asshat.

G.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is very lame. OP is paying (or someone is paying on his behalf) for a service to be provided. The service provided is inadequate, and so grounds for complaint. Don't be such a pussy - the fact that the context is education rather than business/politics/law/whatever makes no difference at all. You take crap from people, they'll just give you more and more.

Re-raise.