Ross High Computing Department

After a long period of absence our new and improved webpage is almost up and running.  Keep visiting us to check on progress…………………………………

Spotify is a free crazy software download that allows you to listen to songs for free on your computer!

Download it here : www.spotify.com

All you need is an internet connection. The cache size can be limited by the user and the memory location of cache can be chosen. At least 1GB of free space is recommended for the cache.

Spotify is funded by advertisements and can be downloaded from the Spotify website in three ways. It is available free to use in some countries (with some notable exceptions) and is funded by advertising played periodically by the Spotify player at intervals in between songs

Alternatively the user can pay a monthly fee of £10 GBP and there are then no advertisements in the client window or between songs. Payment of the fee changes the user’s status to “Premium user”; this allows the user to listen to previews and some songs before non-premium users. A user may also purchase a “day pass” for £0.99 GBP for 24 hours of ad-free music playback (basically 24 hours of the premium service).

Here is a screenshot :

This is just a quick post to say congratulations to two of our computing/information systems pupils who are tonight receiving an award for effort and attainment from the Computing department.

Heather Robertson in S6 has been given award for Achievment (Higher Information Systems)
Catherine Hutton in S5 has been given award for Application and Effort (PC Passport)

Well done to these pupils!

Whilst scouring the depths of the internet we found a nifty wee program for you all to try out. 

PHUN

Phun is an educational, entertaining and very addictive piece of software written by Emil Ernerfeldt

It can be found in its current Beta stage at www.phun.at so go dowload it and be amazed  

Phun is a 2D physics engine which allows the user to create simple 2D shapes and watch how they interact with each other. There is also an option to turn the objects into liquid and an add-on to help the user create gears which can act as a water wheel.

 Phun was coded in C++. The development of Phun was carried out as a MSc project by Computing Science student Emil Ernerfeldt supervised by Kenneth Bodin.

Future work looks to  include lots of added funtionality and optimization, on-line repositories of simulation components and scenes. A research project will look at the learning aspects of Phun.

you can watch a video of Phun at http://www.youtube.com/group/phun

Overall Phun is a great piece of programming and is very imaginitive.  It looks to be a great tool that could be used for “Phun” learning in schools.  

Now that the prelims have all been completed we are now switching our focus towards the coursework side of the course,

 These should all be completed by the Easter holiday and submitted to your teacher for marking.

 Our focus then return to exam preparation with the SQA exams on the following dates

Standard Grade Computing Studies – Monday 12th May

Foundation 09.00 - 10.00

General 10.20 -11.35

Credit 13.00 – 14.45

Intermediate 2 Computing -

Monday 02nd June – 09:00 – 10:30

Higher Computing -

Monday 02nd June – 09:00 – 11:30

Higher Information Systems -

Monday 19th May – 09:00 – 11:30

Welcome to Ross High’s Computing Department.

You can click on the links above to view more information about the department.

 This will be used as a news page with information on the latest technology advances and department news.

 Fort the first post Here are some important dates for computing pupils at Ross High School:

Prelim Exams:

Higher Computing: 27/02/2008 – 08:40 – 10:40
Intermediate 2 Computing: 27/02/2008 – 08:40 – 10:25

Standard Grade Computing Studies:

All standard grade pupils will sit the General exam from 08:45 – 10:00. Pupils will then either sit the Foundation or Credit exams at the following times:

Foundation: 11:00 – 12:00
Credit: 11:00 – 12:30

Good luck to all pupils sitting these exams!