The APOGEE Review Survey Keeping in mind the rising concern on campus about the quality of the fest APOGEE, we decided to conduct a survey to quantify the thoughts of the BITSian populace about the festival. We received nearly 250 responses and after going through the results and remarks, some of which were very in-sightful, it was fairly obvious that a remarkably large portion of the students believed that the fest was indeed treading on a down-hill path. Fifty percent of the students said that the fest was inferior to its prior editions. One didn‘t have to look far to figure out why we think that the appeal of the fest on the whole is declining. Most of the responsdents were of the opinion that only a few of the events were up to the mark and organized well, while the quality of the rest was fairly below par. It could also be because, ironically, people found the quizzes and miscellaneous events more engaging than the technical events in the technical fest. The situation is not beyond repair, however, for a decisive 63% of the people found the events to be diverse and appealing to everyone. The project prototype and paper presentation events were blasted right out of the ground, with more than 60% people not satisfied with the evalu-ation process. Being in one of the best technical

colleges of the country, it comes as an abasing revelation that nearly three-fourths of the people think that the projects/papers did not require any advanced scientific/technological concepts. Among the opinions expressed by the people in the comments section, there was a unanimous call for improvement in the quality of projects and papers. Many people believed that emphasis should be on the originality of the papers, rather than the number of papers presented. The pitching process also came under some criticism for failing to weed out plagiarised papers and projects while bringing an early end to some original works. The ‗5-minute judging‘ procedure garnered heavy criti-cism, and so did some judges‘ behaviour towards projects which went beyond their respective field of study. The need to considerably reduce the re-quired length for abstracts in paper presentation was also emphasized. For events, better scheduling and more infor-

mation about each one in the daily schedules was suggested. The quality was derided in some com-ments saying that the organizers should put more effort into innovating rather than conducting an event just for the sake of it. It was suggested that the Assocs conduct events pertaining to their fields of study, rather than keeping events with generic rounds. Forming a separate body which monitors the progress of the event formation from the beginning was also suggested. Another major point of contention for students was the insufficient publicity, prize money and the near non-existence of outstation participation; while Think Again and Mithali garnered universal approval. Whereas the efforts of the students and professors who helped in organizing and judging the fest deserve praise, the response by the people has proved that this fest needs to go a long way before attaining the standards befitting the technical fest of BITS-Pilani.

Bike-aner

In today‘s day and age, rarely do we

land up in towns that are not listed

in Google Maps. But when you do,

you are bound to come across

strange people, such as transvestites

who repair cycles, homosexual

waiters and men in pink dresses.

Not kidding.Your destination, Bi-

kaner, has several attractive tourist

spots. Apart from the common

items in the itinerary such as forts

and camel rides, Bikaner is also

famous for its food and temples.

... Cont‘d on Page 4.

Semi -Column

Have you met TED?

Embark on a quest to redefine hap-

piness on the 6th of April with

TEDxBITSPilani, an independently

organized TED event. TED is a

global set of conferences owned by

the private non-profit Sapling Foun-

dation, formed in the spirit of "ideas

worth spreading." With a plethora

of speakers from diverse walks of

life, TEDx promises to be a rivet-

ing, albeit costly affair.

… Cont‘d on Page 2.

I-BOSM

I-BOSM 2013, the annual inter-

bhawan sports meet is an excellent

platform for many students to test

their skills in various sports against a

large number of enthusiastic partici-

pants.

I-BOSM consists of fourteen sports

and a few new additions like the

scrabble, an ELAS quiz, and varia-

tions of certain sports, like Triplet

basketball where teams of three play

against each other on a half-court,

to encourage participation. An intra-

Meera Bhawan competition has also

been introduced this year.

.. Cont‘d on Page 3.

In-Bloom

The stage is set for Inbloom, the

inter-Bhawan cultural fest. The

Bhawans will clash in the Audi

on 14th April to battle for the titles

of The Best Bhawan, The Best Per-

formance, and The Best Music and

The Best Dance performance. Each

Bhawan will hit the stage for a max-

imum of twelve minutes. Cash priz-

es will not be conferred to the win-

ners this time, but trophies and

certificates will be awarded. A pre-

view of events to look out for:

… Cont‘d on Page 3.

APOGEE Review Committee

The ARC began in the SAC Amphi, more or less

on time, with General Secretary Nayan Goyal

issuing a stern warning to all Coordinators to not

indulge in frivolity and to take proceedings seri-

ously. The proceedings began with a review of all

CoStAA Departments and their activities. Points

were raised about the inadequate publicity gener-

ated by ADP, which was, however, appreciated

for its on-campus decorations and stage back-

drops. Next in line was Controls, which was inter-

rogated about its policies for the evaluation and

judging of projects, with many of the opinion that

project results should have been declared earlier

for both the pitching stage and the finals during

APOGEE. 480 participants were registered, with

a gain of about Rs. 3.5 lakhs from their registra-

tion. Rec ‗n‘ Acc was requested by Lights to pro-

vide extension boards without live wires, in what

was among the ‗light‘er moments of the day. PEP

was uniformly applauded for its Think Again con-

clave and was required to defend the time it allots

for each paper to be presented, while PCr was

asked for reasons for the dip in participation this

year. Many were in agreement when it was at-

tributed to the clash of the fest with those by IIT-

Kanpur and IIT-Roorkee. Also blamed was the

fact that the prize money for kernel events is not

declared in advance, causing people to go to fests

where they know exactly what they‘re fighting for.

DVM was asked to improve upon the website,

which many people felt was not intuitive, while

Sponz was lauded for its money-making skills,

which Nayan accepted, had exceeded expecta-

tions, with more than Rs. 12.5 lakhs in cash and

Rs. 7-8 lakhs in kind being made.

After the major Departments, it was the turn of

the minor departments, clubs and Disciplinary

Associations to spread the bouquets and brickbats

and discuss their events in the fest. This proce-

dure was fairly routine, except for a few moments

which caused the audience to renew its interest in

the happenings. Prime among these was Photog

taking serious offence at not being featured in

FMaC‘s compilation of Club and Department

machinery.

The Coordinator of Sounds complained of a hear-

ing problem, much to everyone‘s delight, while

Lights, clearly in the mood to entertain, called

itself lite. DoPy was not spared either, with their

billing and delivery system coming under ques-

tion, after an individual was billed 7 copies of the

same photograph, even though, in his words,

‗There is only one me.‘ Amidst all the fun, howev-

er, there were some issues raised, about Mithali,

for example, with the Music Club expressing its

displeasure over Backstage‘s unpreparedness and

purported laxity. Discipline Association Coordina-

tors detailed their events and their minor issues

with each other, with thank-yous going all around

for a successful collaboration.

At the end of the day, the meeting was adjourned

due to a lack of time and is slated to continue on

the 7th, with a vote expected to take place to for-

mally allow PCr to handle Confirmations, as is

done by Controls at present, bringing to an end a

session that was fairly de‘light‘ful in parts.

From the Editor’s desk

In the middle of one of those pointless job conversations -

“Dude, you are CS. 1.22 crores is also an option for you.”

“What? That is very unlikely, of course! I have to be an exceptional coder for that.”

“Still, it’s an option. Look at us, the maximum we can hope for is probably a tenth of that.”

There used to be time, not that long ago, when BITSAT didn‘t exist and admissions were based on your score in class 12th Boards. If historians studying BITS

existed, they would have rightly classified the campus demographics into two categories: Pre-BITSAT batches and post BITSAT batches. The distinguisher

between the two categories being: the escalating test averages and probably a livelier campus culture (no points for guessing which category all of us belong to,

given the competitive nature of BITSAT (and JEE) we all appeared for). Two years of preparation has moulded us into focused, determined individuals. Indi-

viduals, who know what they want and who won‘t rest till they get it.

But, isn‘t that small fear lurking somewhere inside us a bit unsettling?

The fear of straying away from the path we paved. The fear of not achieving what we expect from ourselves. Isn‘t it irritating, when this fixation we have

stops us from doing what we desire. When we have to refuse to indulge in those little things that make us happy for the promise the future holds?

This campus has 4000 of us focused-determined individuals. The rat race did not end after coming here, it just transformed into something much bigger. The

experiences and learning that we get out of this society we live in is a direct consequence of our collective thinking and actions, and we are actively encourag-

ing and being a part of the tedium we all hate. We are effectively fuelling our own worries.

Probably a few weeks before the comprehensive examinations is not a time to talk about straying away from that well-defined path or taking a break in this

race. But while you are fighting through this flurry of assignment submissions and other quizzes, at least commit to asserting your intelligence to yourself, if

not anyone else. Your smartness is not limited to cleverly copying your project from the web so that your evaluator doesn‘t find out. You are perfectly capable

of writing a completely original assignment, all by yourself. You have the brains to understand that concept rather than mugging away the formula. You have

the maturity to understand that means are as important as the ends.

Pre-BITSAT or Post-BITSAT, you are a BITSian after all.

Chew over it.

THE TEAM

Deepa, Dipto, Iyer,

Neetha, Parikshit,

Reuben, Rishi, Sat-

yaam, Shreyas, Sriram,

Shoo;

IG, Aloor, Angad,

Kaustav, Manickam,

Mohit, Neo, Pranita,

Spriha, Siddhant, Tan-

ya, Vishala, Shuja ;

Ajay Ramya, Debolina,

Kruti, Neel, Nithya,

Passey, Prateek, Ritvik,

Sahil D, Sahil K, Shala-

ka, Shashank, Shruti,

Steffie, Viraj;

Ananth, Anish,

Madhusudan, Pratik,

Rahul, Rusheen,

Soumya, Srishti, Tanay,

Tanmayee, Vijay.

I’d far rather be happy than right any day.

Douglas Adams

Happiness is an undying quest, a universal aspiration. What makes us happy? Accomplish-

ment of set goals? Rejection of conformity? An escape from the daily routine? To each his

own symphony. As we all know, the most universal human yearning is to be happy, but this

simplest of goals so often eludes us. Many of us are mediocre predictors of what will make

us happy.

Embark on a quest to redefine happiness on the 6th of April with TEDxBITSPilani, an inde-

pendently organized TED event. TED (Technology, Entertainment & Design) is a global set

of conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, formed in the spirit of

"ideas worth spreading." With a plethora of speakers from diverse walks of life, TEDx

promises to be a riveting, albeit costly affair.

The theme for the event is ‗the Pursuit of Happiness‘. The speakers will share anecdotes and

ideas that will undoubtedly spark discussion and transform the perception of existing reality.

Here‘s a sneak-peek into the profiles of the speakers at TEDxBITSPilani:

Rajit Kapur

He is recognized for his extensive contribution to the world of stage, screen and televi-

sion. He is particularly known for his portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi in the 1996 film, The

Making of the Mahatma.

Rajat Barmecha

He is a film actor who received accolades for his lead role in the 2010 Bollywood film

‗Udaan‘.

Rajiv Laxman

Rajiv Laxman is a presenter of the popular show MTV Roadies. He is one half of the

duo which The Indian Express described as "television's famous angry twins".

Anjali Bhagwat

She is one of the luminaries from the world of shooting. A professional rifle shooter, she

soared to fame when she won four coveted gold medals for India at the Commonwealth

Games, ‗02.

Debjani Ghosh

Debjani Ghosh is the Managing Director – Sales and Marketing Group, Intel South

Asia.

She features in Business Today's listing of ‗The Most Powerful Women in Indian Busi-

ness‘.

Dr. Benny Prasad

A solo guitar instrumentalist, he is well-known for designing the Bentar which is the

world's first bongo guitar. He traversed the globe in 6 years, 6 months and 22 days, mak-

ing him the fastest man ever to visit all countries in the world.

Arati Kadav

In an alternate life, Arati Kadav was an engineer from IIT, Kanpur, a programmer at

Microsoft, Seattle. One of the founders of the production house Tangelo, she is now a

filmmaker, a painter, an amateur dog trainer, and an avid marathon runner.

Rajiv Jayaraman

Rajiv Jayaraman, an INSEAD MBA and a BITS-Pilani alumnus, is an entrepreneur and a

professor of technology management. He is the founder-CEO of KNOLSKAPE, a soft-

ware company that focuses on management training, assessment and research.

The event, organized by a group of ten students, will be held in the Lecture Theatre

Complex and those interested can register on the website (www.tedxbitspilani.com).

There will be four sessions, with each session comprising talks by two speakers. The

amount charged for all the sessions is Rs. 1500 (which supposedly includes a TEDx T-

shirt (!), a certificate and an attendance kit), which has raised more than a few sets of eye-

brows.

It‘s hard to expect that BITSians would be willing to pay through the nose for speakers

who are hardly household names. More so when you take into account TED‘s mission

statement, which clearly outlines the need to impart ‗free knowledge and inspiration from

the world's most inspired thinkers‘. Still, it‘s an effort with the right intentions and will

hopefully stir the curiosity of the attendees.

Have you met TED?

A preview of the upcoming TEDx talks

I-BOSM consists of fourteen sports and a few new additions like the scrabble, an ELAS quiz, and variations of certain sports, like Triplet basketball where teams of three play against each on a half-court, to encourage participa-tion. An intra-Meera Bhawan competition has also been introduced this year.

The response for I-BOSM 2013 has been amazing, with almost 1200 participants. The Sport Secretary believes this is due to the new schedule that they tried out this time, wherein they spread the events out at convenient times and let the matches continue into the week.

This led to less overlaps and gave everyone enough time to get rested before moving on to enjoy the next sport on their bucket list. He also said that the rule to allow more than one team from each bhawan for team events natu-rally helped and allowed participant numbers to rise.

While there is no cash prize, the overall win-ners (bhawan) get a tournament trophy and outstanding performers get a ‗Best Player‘ trophy.

The volleyball and water polo finals have been

held already and were won by Krishna and

Gandhi respectively. The remaining finals shall be held on the 6th and 7th of April (Saturday and Sunday) and shall showcase some of the best players from each Bhawan.

The valedictory function to announce the win-ners will be held along with Inbloom – the inter-bhawan cultural fest.

The rain that suddenly burst forth from the low hanging clouds on 2nd April didn‘t seem to worry the sport secretary at all. In fact, he seemed quite happy about it. The hockey pitch apparently got the much needed watering it needed and the grounds should now be packed pretty well. The other good thing to hear is the fact that the downpour won‘t largely affect the schedule or venues of the matches.

I-BOSM seems to be a great success with al-most every participant enjoying himself/herself quite thoroughly. Everyone needed something to relieve all the tension accumulat-ed with the midsems, APOGEE and the or-deal of collecting said mid-sem papers and this inter-bhawan sporting extravaganza has done more than that.

I-BOSM

The much awaited Ragamalika show opened to a sizeable BITSian audience with a few individual dance forms before the main event.

The show started with an attractive Bharatnat-yam performance. Odissi, the form from Orissa, came next. The dancers kept the audi-ence glued to their seats with their graceful postures and intricate footwork. Kuchipudi, having its roots in Andhra Pradesh, was brought to life by Satyabhama. The personifi-cation of jealousy, love and duty towards Lord Krishna, and her rich expressions to the lyrical compositions in Bhama Kalapam were a pleasure to look at.

These inaugural performances gave way to the theme of the event- The confluence of the Panchabhutas. The introductory piece was a depiction of Lord Narayana, the creator of the

Earth, Fire, Wind, Water and Universe. One dancer represented each element and one more symbolized them as a whole. Elaborate dances on each of them followed in due course.

‗Bhoo‘ described the masculine and feminine elements living on earth in harmony. It con-veyed the message that any imbalance in na-ture due to human intervention would be fatal to mankind itself. ‗Jal‘ showed a drought stricken area being brought to life by the rains. Blue lights added the perception of a cooling effect to the elegant dance. ‗Agni‘ proved to be the showstopper, as dancers undertook the most agile steps without the slightest hesita-

tion, holding oil lamps.

It was made even more fiery (pun intended) with the use of red lights. ‗Vayu‘ was breath-taking with performers gliding on stage as Mukhyaprana- the Vital Breath of Life. The resonant ‗Antariksh‘ was based on Om, the echo of the Big Bang throughout space.

The programme concluded with Ragamalika Thillana, a sweet blend of 5 different Ragas depicting each of the elements and their union with the Lord. Take a bow, Raga, we have been bowled over. Yet again.

Sangamam A series of classical dances illustrating the Panchabhutas

I-BOSM— Creating Splashes

Budh Bhawan The confident Cultural Secretary is aiming for nothing short of the title this time. They are compiling two songs, one in English and the other in Hindi, woven in unison with a couple of dance performances. A solo dance performance will serve as the highlight. Ram Bhawan With three members each from the Music Club and the Dance Club, Ram Bhawan is a serious contender this Inbloom. Basking in that confidence, the Bhawan will try to spice up the routine with a mime or a rap perfor-mance. Ram fell short of the title last year by a notch, so they‘ll be looking forward to ace it this time. Mal-A and Mal-B A hip-hop dance and a shiv tandav with a semi-classical demeanor have been planned. Moreover the Bhawan boasts of good instrumentalists, so a couple of high voltage performances are on the cards.

Mal-C ―The Best Bhawan‖ of last year is high on confidence. A medley involving four or five songs will set the tone and with a couple surprises in store this Inbloom, in-cluding a fusion dance performance, MAL-C is good to go.

Vishwakarma Bhawan For Vishwakarma, this Inbloom is all about going out there and having fun. It has been confirmed that a vi-brant Bhangra performance and an ‗offbeat western dance‘ will be performed on stage. Also in the making is a medley song, and two tentatively scheduled solo vo-cals. Bhagirath Bhawan A dynamic array of events has been planned by Bhag to woo the audience. First up, a dance performance based on ―the IPL theme‖ will hit the stage. Furthermore, practice is on for an out-of-the box sit-com performance that is expected to leave the audience in splits. A musical performance, largely instrumental, with the backing of a couple of Music Club members forms their show. Vyas Bhawan Being an exclusive first-year domain, the buzz and en-thusiasm surrounding preparations for Inbloom, in Vyas

is discernibly more than in other bhawans. Keen to prove a point, many members have been actively in-volved in rehearsals, with their mime performance seemingly very promising. Shankar Bhawan Keen to shed their tag as a ―ghot‖ bhawan and to avoid being outdone by their closest neighbours, Vyas, the members of Shankar have been frantically going about putting together a show for Inbloom – following the routine of musical and dance performances. Krishna Bhawan Krishna Bhawan seems to be on thin ice. The question of how preparations go does not arise as we are in-formed that they have not even decided on what they will be presenting. Unenthusiastic psenti-semites or overstudious first years? Who knows? Meanwhile a first year from Dance Club is trying his best to cook something up. Gandhi Bhawan In stark contrast with their mess sharing Bhawan, Gan-dhi has a concrete line up of performances –dances, musical numbers and an introductory video. All in all, they are pretty sure of putting up a decent performance but are not too optimistic about winning. Meera Bhawan Preparations in MB, we hear, have never been better. And yet, they are not being described as satisfactory. As of now, about five dances and a handful of songs have been decided, although this is very tentative. Apart from this usual song-dance routine, other plans are also afloat. Subject to how feasible Sounds and Lights finds it, the audience might just be in for a surprise. Rana Pratap and Ashok Bhawan There has been a general trend of impromptu perfor-mances staged by the Psenti-Semites over the years. It‘s no different this year; no heated practice sessions, no modus operandi. However, as RP and AK are set to join forces this Inbloom, be sure to witness something out of the ordinary. Old horses from the Music and Dance Clubs are gearing up to enthrall the audience with solos. A combined dance and music performance is in store as well. And, of course, keep an eye out for a Harlem Shake!

A still from Sangamam 2013

In-Bloom A preview of what the Bhawans have up their sleeves

Despite such a Cracked-esque title, we assure you that the following few lines are nothing like the original. Here‘s a list of 5 things you probably had no idea you could lord over on campus.

1. BITS library is the new Flip-

kart. One can order all the books that they want to, via the BITS library. The modus operandi is very simple –pay the Librarian a visit, request the book that you desire and a little after a month, it‘ll be on the shelf marked ―new arrivals‖, provided that the com-mittee that convenes every month accepts the request, or after the list of requests reaches a century, whichever is first.

2. Ditch Nobles, use the Krishna

Gandhi bakery Yes, it is true. Located behind the Krishna Gandhi mess, it mainly caters to all the baked needs of the campus, even those of the students. Items on sale include cakes, pastries and cup-cakes, in certain pre –designated fla-vours. Due to it being under the insti-tute‘s purview, it is open only till 5 p.m. Also, it works on orders placed at least a day‘s notice. Although not a strong adversary to the Nobles –Bluemoon monopoly, but it sure is easy on the pockets.

3. Make use of SU ―property‖

The Student‘s Union is that entity whose appearances in our lives are often accompanied by monetary losses. But, it is time that we look beyond the initial unpleasantness onto its prettier sides. The Student‘s Union is involved

in a lot of things on campus, and is obviously responsible for a lot more than that. It allocates a budget to clubs, and funds their activities. In a rounda-bout (and blatantly twisted manner), every student is involved and in charge of everything else. So, say if tomorrow if you feel like thumping a drum, strumming a guitar or clicking that philandering peacock, you will now know where to source things from. With prior permission, of course –any SU personnel will do. We propose designating an hour every day for this activity – 5 to 6 ought to do it?

4. Labs are for everybody

All laboratories and the workshop too, while we are at it, are for common use. This includes all of them, including the normally considered elite ones. As always, it goes without saying that his-tory counts and AcYUT, Smart Labs, IBM lab people do get precedence. But if you have a project in mind and need more resources, the labs are at your disposal!

5.―Let them have free air travel‖ –

BITSAA BITS Pilani being a technological col-lege, it would be unfair if its students did not have access to the avant garde in that field. Hence, generous alumni have created programmes like The Anurag Jain 0% Loan Fund, BITSAA –IRU partial travel grant and donated air miles for students across all four campuses. This is to take care of the financial aspects of travel that ends up becoming one of the major roadblocks when esteemed international confer-ences, internships, fellowships and summits beckon our lads and laddies.

5 Facilities You Did Not Know You

Could Avail On Campus

The Cookie Jar EPC brings you the latest from Pilani’s very own. A section by you, for you. Not necessarily about you however.

Two Wheels Are Better Than Four. Why cycling across Rajasthan should be part of your bucket list.

“Bikaner?!? That’s more than 200km. I doubt you can do even ten. ” – a very supportive wingie.

“Cycling 270km is not all that hard. I’m serious.” - fat, ugly, unfit, alcohol loving, tobacco smoking, anonymous gentleman in a land far far away, circa 2013.

Having thus tossed aside the first question that would crop up in an average BITSian’s mind, let me try and address the second one.

“Why bicycle? Why not car? Or bus?”

Ah, that’s a tough one. Unfortunately, I doubt I can give a logically sound reply to that question. Instead, I shall list down the replies that I suitably used, depending on the nature of the individual posing the question.

1.“Soul search” 2. “Boredom” 3. “Need for change” 4. “Willpower test” 5. “Weight loss”.

FAQs cleared, all you need to do now is latch on to something that spurs your motivation, pack your bag and find a functional bicycle.

I assure you, it’s a decision you won’t regret. Let me proceed with my pitch.

A bicycle journey gives you ample time to appreciate nature. There were several occasions on our journey where we paused just to soak in the sight in front of us. The slow transition from green pastures to arid lands and fur-ther on to sandy deserts is something one must experience.

The culture of a state is best understood by living amidst its people. There may be many costly restaurants and hotels which promise a true Rajasthani experience, but it pales in comparison to the lessons learnt during a conversation with a wise old man in a far flung dhaba.

It is the best way to study Rajasthan’s spectacular history The road to Bikaner takes you through some of Rajasthan’s quintessential towns

– Mandawa, Ratangarh and Fatehpur. Traveling past dozens of deserted forts and havelis paints a splendid picture of the Rajput era.

It leaves you with some truly bizarre and unexplainable experiences In today’s day and age, rarely do we land up in towns that are not listed in Google Maps. But when you do, you are bound to come across strange people, such as transvestites who repair cycles, homosexual waiters and men in pink dresses. Not kidding.

Your destination, Bikaner, has several attractive tourist spots Apart from the common items in the itinerary such as forts and camel rides, Bika-ner is also famous for its food and temples. One of them, in particular, deserves a mention – the Karni Mata temple. Home to over 20,000 rats, it is considered aus-picious if a rat runs over your leg or nibbles your prasad.

I hope I’ve made a convincing enough argument.

Parting travel tips:

Cycles are like wands. Choose them carefully.

Don’t worry about accommodation. Being a rather populous country, we have an ample supply of businessmen willing to make money in every nook and corner of this country. In any case, if you’re looking for specifics, Fatehpur and Shri Dungargarh are towns with ho-tels along the bypass.

Remember to carry two litres of water, ORS, glucose, chocolates, socks, first aid and a Chi-nese pump.

And of course, your towel.

Online University Courses—A Review A look at all that‘s good in the world of Massive Open Online Courses (MMOCs) Guest Article by Ashwin Menon

University courses have taken to the web, and education is slowly being "democratized" (at least for those with a half-decent internet connection). Unlike earlier attempts at enabling access to high-quality material for everyone (MIT OCW, etc.), the more recent attempts focus not on just dumping a university course on the web, but tailoring it for someone who only has time after work/school. The three central players in this market - Coursera, Udacity and EdX - all vary critically in this aspect. Coursera chops up around two hours of lectures into different videos (of around 15-20 minutes each) and has MCQs or programming assignments to evaluate a student's performance. EdX offers a well-recorded video of the class, like with the earlier OCWs, but chopped up into sections (of around 10 minutes each) with a quiz after every few sections. EdX also has programming assignments and MCQs to assess students. Udacity offers even shorter videos (around 5 minutes on average) with quizzes after a few sections (later "adopted" by EdX) and evaluatues students with problem sets using mainly programming assignments that you can complete online (along with a few MCQs to ease you in). Howev-er, a majority of Coursera courses focus on using MCQs and have videos that last 3-4 hours for a week. Not as manageable as the other two. Video length: Coursera 3/5 EdX 4/5 Udacity 5/5 Coursera's videos typically feature a professor teaching with the help of powerpoint slides, much like the OCWs, except for better video quality and a more personal lecture. Since the professor must record each lecture individually apart from the lectures he gives/has given for the university offering the course, this process can take a considerable amount of time. Coursera, however, does not have strict conditions about the videos or the material and incorporates more universities and has a lot more variety than the other two. EdX records material almost exactly like an OCW, but with better audio quality. They have also begun humanities courses. Udacity has very few courses outside of computer science, but their videos are top-notch. Miles ahead of the others in terms of actual pedagogy but quite far behind if you look at the course menu. Videos: Coursera 3/5

EdX 3/5 Udacity 5/5 Overall: Coursera: 16/25 EdX: 17/25 Udacity: 22/25 To sum it all up, these courses are great opportunities to learn something new or just con-solidate on concepts you already know. Here are a few courses you may want to try out: Tim Roughgarden's Algorithms course (Stanford) https://www.coursera.org/course/algo For those of you non-A7ites looking to make a "CS job", this may be the place to start. Come for the lure of the job, stay because it is great fun. Roughgarden's down-to-earth lec-turing style really adds to the experience Prereqs: None, but the more you know about computer science the easier it is. What you'll learn: The basics of algorithms, mainly data structures Why you should do it: Mainly so you can move on to the next version algo 2, which actually deals with algorithms, which are more or less like fun puzzles. Also, the programming as-signments (can be done in any language) and the MCQs are great to test yourself. Similar course: Sedgewick's algorithms course https://www.coursera.org/course/algs4partI (Programming assignments can only be done in Java) Berkeley's Artificial Intelligence course https://www.edx.org/courses/BerkeleyX/CS188.1x/2012_Fall/about A great intro to AI that takes you through the various AI techniques (graph search, mini-max, arc consistency, reinforcement learning, etc.) by asking you to help program Pacman so he can get around his maze better. Prereq: Decent math and intermediate-level Python What you'll learn: Artificial intelligence Why you should do it: You get to see how well you can apply artificial techniques to the game of Pacman. Philip Zelikow's The Modern World: Global History since 1760 https://www.coursera.org/course/modernworld This 15 week course gives you a glimpse into the world of the past and tries to reason out how we got here. It focusses on the choices made, by the people in power, and why they made those choices. Prereq: None What you'll learn: How the major countries in the world got to where they are now Why you should do it: To add to your understanding of today's society.

Course forums: Coursera 3/5 EdX 2/5 Udacity 5/5

Course variety: Coursera 5/5 EdX 3/5 Udacity 2/5

Evaluation: Coursera 2/5 EdX 5/5 Udacity 5/5

The Cookie Jar EPC brings you the latest from Pilani’s very own. A section by you, for you. Not necessarily about you however.

Two Wheels Are Better Than Four Why cycling across Rajasthan should be a part of your bucket list.

―Bikaner?!? That‘s more than 200km. I doubt you can do even ten. ‖ – a very supportive wingie.

―Cycling 270km is not all that hard. I‘m serious.‖ - fat, ugly, unfit, anonymous gentleman in a land far far away, circa 2013.

Having thus tossed aside the first question that would crop up in an average BITSian‘s mind, let me try and address the second one.

―Why bicycle? Why not car? Or bus?‖

Ah, that‘s a tough one. Unfortunately, I doubt I can give a logically sound reply to that ques-tion. Instead, I shall list down the replies that I suitably used, depending on the nature of the individual posing the question.

1.―Soul search‖ 2. ―Boredom‖ 3. ―Need for change‖ 4. ―Willpower test‖ 5. ―Weight loss‖.

FAQs cleared, all you need to do now is latch on to something that spurs your motivation, pack your bag and find a functional bicycle.

I assure you, it‘s a decision you won‘t regret. Let me proceed with my pitch.

A bicycle journey gives you ample time to appreciate nature. There were several occasions on our journey where we paused just to soak in the sight in front of us. The slow transition from green pastures to arid lands and further on to sandy deserts is something one must experience.

The culture of a state is best understood by living amidst its people. There may be many costly restaurants and hotels which promise a true Rajasthani experience, but it pales in comparison to the lessons learnt during a conversation with a wise old man in a far flung dhaba.

It is the best way to study Rajasthan‘s spectacular history. The road to Bikaner takes you through some of Rajasthan‘s quintessential towns – Mandawa, Ratangarh and Fatehpur.

Traveling past dozens of deserted forts and havelis paints a splendid picture of the Rajput era.

It leaves you with some truly bizarre and unexplaina-ble experiencesIn today‘s day and age, rarely do we land up in towns that are not listed in Google Maps. But when you do, you are bound to come across strange people, such as transvestites who repair cycles, homosexual waiters and men in pink dresses. Not kidding.

Your destination, Bikaner, has several attractive tourist spotsApart from the common items in the itinerary such as forts and camel rides, Bikaner is also famous for its food and temples. One of them, in particular, deserves a mention – the Karni Mata temple. Home to over 20,000 rats, it is considered auspicious if a rat runs over your leg or nibbles your prasad.

I hope I‘ve made a convincing enough argument.

Parting travel tips:

Cycles are like wands. Choose them carefully.

Don‘t worry about accommodation. Being a rather populous country, we have an ample supply of businessmen willing to make money in every nook and corner of this country. In any case, if you‘re looking for specifics, Fatehpur and Shri Dungargarh are towns with hotels along the bypass.

Remember to carry two litres of water, ORS, glucose, chocolates, socks, first aid and a Chi-nese pump.

And of course, your towel.

- Sriram VJ

University courses have taken to the web, and education is slowly being "democratized" (at least for those with a half-decent internet connection). Unlike earlier attempts at enabling ac-cess to high-quality material for everyone (MIT OCW, etc.), the more recent attempts focus not on just dumping a university course on the web, but tailoring it for someone who only has time after work/school.

The three central players in this market - Coursera, Udacity and EdX - all vary critically in this aspect. Coursera chops up around two hours of lectures into different videos (of around 15-20 minutes each) and has MCQs or programming assignments to evaluate a student's perfor-mance. EdX offers a well-recorded video of the class, like with the earlier OCWs, but chopped up into sections (of around 10 minutes each) with a quiz after every few sections. EdX also has programming assignments and MCQs to assess students. Udacity offers even shorter videos (around 5 minutes on average) with quizzes after a few sections (later "adopted" by EdX) and evaluatues students with problem sets using mainly programming assignments that you can complete online (along with a few MCQs to ease you in). However, a majority of Coursera courses focus on using MCQs and have videos that last 3-4 hours for a week. Not as managea-ble as the other two.

Coursera's videos typically feature a professor teaching with the help of powerpoint slides, much like the OCWs, except for better video quality and a more personal lecture. Since the professor must record each lecture individually apart from the lectures he gives/has given for the university offering the course, this process can take a considerable amount of time. Coursera, however, does not have strict conditions about the videos or the material and incor-porates more universities and has a lot more variety than the other two. EdX records material almost exactly like an OCW, but with better audio quality. They have also begun humanities courses. Udacity has very few courses outside of computer science, but their videos are top-notch. Miles ahead of the others in terms of actual pedagogy but quite far behind if you look at the course menu. Here are how each of the above fare on various parameters :

On the basis of these parameters Udacity comes out tops with a 22/25 rating,

while EdX and Coursera get a score of 17/25 and 16/25 each.

To sum it all up, these courses are great opportunities to learn something new or just consoli-date on concepts you already know. Here are a few courses you may want to try out: Tim Roughgarden's Algorithms course (Stanford) https://www.coursera.org/course/algo For those of you non-A7ites looking to make a "CS job", this may be the place to start. Come for the lure of the job, stay because it is great fun. Roughgarden's down-to-earth lecturing style really adds to the experience Prereqs: None, but the more you know about computer science the easier it is. What you'll learn: The basics of algorithms, mainly data structures Why you should do it: Mainly so you can move on to the next version algo 2, which actually deals with algorithms, which are more or less like fun puzzles. Also, the programming assign-ments (can be done in any language) and the MCQs are great to test yourself. Similar course: Sedgewick's algorithms course https://www.coursera.org/course/algs4partI (Programming assignments can only be done in Java)

Berkeley's Artificial Intelligence course https://www.edx.org/courses/BerkeleyX/CS188.1x/2012_Fall/about A great intro to AI that takes you through the various AI techniques (graph search, minimax, arc consistency, reinforcement learning, etc.) by asking you to help program Pacman so he can get around his maze better. Prereq: Decent math and intermediate-level Python What you'll learn: Artificial intelligence Why you should do it: You get to see how well you can apply artificial intelligence techniques to the game of Pacman.

Philip Zelikow's The Modern World: Global History since 1760 https://www.coursera.org/course/modernworld This 15 week course gives you a glimpse into the world of the past and tries to reason out how we got here. It focuses on the choices made, by the people in power, and why they made those choices. Prereq: None What you'll learn: How the major countries in the world got to where they are now Why you should do it: To add to your understanding of today's society. If you want to contribute an article to Cookie Jar, drop a mail to: f2010506@pilani.bits-pilani.ac.in

Course forums:

Coursera 3/5

EdX 2/5

Udacity 5/5

Course variety:

Coursera 5/5

EdX 3/5

Udacity 2/5

Evaluation:

Coursera 2/5

EdX 5/5

Udacity 5/5

Video length:

Coursera 3/5

EdX 4/5

Udacity 5/5

Videos:

Coursera 3/5

EdX 3/5

Udacity 5/5

Online University Courses—A Review A look at all that’s good in the world of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

Guest Article by Ashwin Menon