Articles and videos introducing computer science topics

You have some time free and would like to spend it on learning something interesting? Here are some recommendations. This list was originally put together for use by a few students who are going to engineering school in a couple of months. However, it would be useful to a variety of people, young and old, who are interested in learning some computer science, irrespective of the subject they studied, or are studying, for their degree.

1.       https://www.edx.org/course/introduction-computer-science-mitx-6-00-1x-7
You can audit any EDX course and pay no fees. Video lectures are good. You do not have any commitment to complete the course. You can take online exams and get your mark sheets

2.       Introduction to cellular technology. A very useful introduction. http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/cellulartelecomms/cellular_concepts/mobile-basics-concepts.php  A set of URLs for more information on specific topics is given at the end. They are useful to get additional information.

3.       http://vfu.bg/en/e-Learning/Computer-Networks--Introduction_Computer_Networking.pdf    

4.       http://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/cisp/database/manual/node1.html

5.       Linear Algebra http://www.math.northwestern.edu/~len/LinAlg/

The books on Linear Algebra and on Discrete Maths do not have to be completed at a stretch. You can read one or more chapters at a time.

6.       http://www.cse.iitd.ernet.in/~bagchi/courses/discrete-book/fullbook.pdf

For most topics the Wikipedia chapter is usually the best introduction. Books, articles and other forms of text are not the only sources of scholarly information. Selected videos from Ted talks and YouTube are very useful too. I find the videos at  www.edx.org providing serious coverage of a topic most useful for learning from. Ted talks and YouTube videos are shorter and provide introduction, inspiration and overviews. 

In general, I trust sites that are in the .edu domain more than the ones in .com domain. But there are many useful articles on .com sites as well; for example, https://www.batterystuff.com/kb/articles/solar-articles/solar-info.html

You will find the following items interesting.

7.       http://inventionconvention.com/americasinventor/dec97issue/section2.html

8.       http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-turing-test-can-a-computer-pass-for-a-human-alex-gendler

9.       http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-turing-test-can-a-computer-pass-for-a-human-alex-gendler#review

10.   https://www.ted.com/talks/steve_jobs_how_to_live_before_you_die

11.   https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF7032F8EB1A4F9E2

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Prof R Narasimhan's Birthday (April 16)

It is Professor Narasimhan’s birthday today (April 16). If he had lived on, he would have been eighty eight today. There is one simple way many of us can further a goal he worked for - running high quality conferences in the computer field in India. His family has made available to the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, the Institute where he spent his working life, a handsome endowment for an annual memorial award to bring a world-class invited speaker to international conference in the computer field in India. We should spread this information among program committee members of such conferences. For details, please visit
http://www.tifr.res.in/~endowment/index.php/endowment-awards/prof-r-narasimhan-lecture-award

I will quote a few lines from this site:

2. One award will be given annually in the field Computer Science and Technology and will recognize advances in hardware, software, theoretical aspects of computing, or applications of computing.
3. The award will recognize the achievement of younger professionals only and hence will be restricted to professionals up to the age of 40.
4. Recipients of the award should hold a degree from an Indian University, excluding honorary degrees.
5. The award will be in the form of a scroll, with a trophy or plaque (rather than in monetary form), and an invitation to give a public talk titled the "Professor R. Narasimhan Memorial Lecture" on the topic for which the recipient is being recognized. In cases wherein the recipient cannot attend the conference in person, arrangements will be made for the recipient to present the lecture through video conference.
6. The award will cover the expenses of the recipient to travel to the chosen conference in India and present the talk.
I wish to share a few thoughts here:

Obviously, only established international conferences with high standards will qualify for these awards. Peer reviewing and published proceedings are essential.

Prof R K Shyamasundar, TIFR, or I can offer any clarifications required.

Srinivasan Ramani