The History of Programming Languages

The History of Programming Languages infographic

Honour/Dean's List Awardees

Congratulations to our students who made it on the NCU Honours/Dean's List for the 2011-2012 academic year!

Summa Cum Laude (3.90 - 4.00)

• KENNEDY, Kevin

Magna Cum Laude (3.70 - 3.89)

• ANDERSON, Renee
• JOHNSON, Oshando
• LYN, Peter
• SENORINE, Fabian
• SMIKLE, Janice
• WHITE, Doric

Cum Laude (3.50 - 3.69)

• CORRODUS, Giovanni
• DALEY, Oshainya
• DEAN, Joel
• ELLIS, Kevaughn
• SEATON, Melecia
• SUTHERLAND, Beresford
• THOMPSON, Trecia

Honour Roll (3.00 - 3.49)

• BARNES, Ashauni
• BLACKWOOD, Orlando
• BOOTHE, Dwayne
• BROWN, Nicolas
• CAMPBELL, Andrew
• CAMPBELL, Jovanee
• CHEN-McINTYRE, Jovi
• CURRIE, Jamelia
• DOUGLAS, Stacey-Ann
• FISHER, Dennis
• GRAHAM, Noella
• JAMES, Castell
• MITCHELL, Shanteria
• NELSON, Kadeen
• PETERKIN, Jevaughn
• SPENCER, Romario
• STEPHENSON, Kaydonna
• SWABY, Christine
• SWABY, Jason
• TAYLOR, Tashena
• THOMPSON, Deago
• WARMINGTON, Veneice
• WELSH, Oshane
• WILSON, Chadrick

Job Alert: SYSTEMS PROGRAMMER/SERVER ADMINISTRATOR

Applications are invited from suitable candidates to fill the position of:

SYSTEMS PROGRAMMER/SERVER ADMINISTRATOR

in the Finance & Information Technology Division located at the Head Office located at Kirkvine.

　

Candidates should have:

· A B.Sc. degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering or any other related discipline.

· At least three (3) years’ work experience as a Systems Programmer/Administrator.

Main responsibilities include:

· Providing technical and operational support for the systems software of the central computers (AS/400 & MS Windows servers) and liaising with the hardware vendors, software vendors, and users.

· Maintaining systems backup and business recovery plans in a state of readiness.

· Planning, maintaining and monitoring capacity requirements.

· Maintaining standards and procedures relating to software implementation and ensuring compliance throughout the company.

Certification in MCSE, training in Windows 200X server administration, and knowledge of TCP/IP would be an advantage. The position further requires that the incumbent keeps abreast of technological offerings in the computer industry.

The ideal candidate should have highly developed leadership skills, strong written and oral communication skills and the ability to work effectively in cross-functional groups within the organisation, as well as with contractors.

Apply in confidence by Friday, 11 January 2013 to the:

Human Resources Officer

West Indies Alumina Company

Head Office

Kirkvine P.O.

Manchester

E-mail Address: employment@windalco.com

Please state the position in the subject line of your e-mail.

CIS Graduands (2012)

M.Sc. in Information Systems

• Beadle, Roger
• Kendley, Matthew
• Simpson, Rohan
• Tooma, Keron

B.Sc. in Computer Science

• Dennis, Michela
• Gentles, Stephen
• Hugg, Dudley
• Powell, Karey*
• Sterling, Terrence
• Thompson, Ricardo

B.Sc. in Computer Information Science

• Berry, Ramon
• Campbell, Andre'
• Campbell, John-James
• Henry, Theodore
• Hunter, Franklyn
• Hylton, Elyandra
• Katragadda, Arun
• Lewis, Alex
• Lewis, Jaison
• Lodge, Nicholas
• Mair, Raymond
• Malcolm, Marsha
• Maxwell, Christopher
• Nelson, Kadeen
• Samuels, Haydn
• Shaw, Rhodrey
• Smith, Jovane
• Stephenson, Kaydonna
• Stewart, Dainan
• Swaby, Christine
• Wallace, Howard**
• Williams, Beverley
• Williams, Emron
• Williams, Roland

Graduation list as of Friday July 27, 2012

NCU Fee Schedule (Aug. 2012 - July 2013)

As you may (or may not) have heard, tuition rates for the upcoming academic year have been increased. Here are the new rates:

• Tuition (per credit) - $8,400.00
• General Fees - $29,685.00
• Health Insurance - $5,280.00
• Accident Insurance - $460.00
• Copyright Fee - $1,020.00
• USM Fee - $1,820.00
• CIS Student Fee - $6,050.00
• CIS Lab Fees:
• CPTR240/385 - $10,290.00
• CPTR110/120 - $2,420.00

 As such, the cost to pursue 16 credits, without student and lab fees, is $172,665.00.

Web Password Hashing: Revamping Password Storage and Ensuring the Security of Users

Abstract 

This article explores the rudiments of web password hashing, the current trends that computer users apply when creating passwords, and the benefits and shortcomings that are associated with web password hashing. 

The information that will be presented features excerpts from various studies and scholarly references that provide related information about hashing web passwords. The paper has three segments: the foundation, the problem and the solution. The foundational aspects of the paper provide information about hashing, its origins, and the rationale for its creation. This section explores the message digest algorithms (MD5, MD4 and MD2) and also the Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA-1). The second section of this document uncovers some user trends as it pertains to creating passwords for their web accounts, and it identifies some of the bad practices they undertake. The final section of this paper will identify how web password hashing continues to evolve, how it solves various problems and how it is often compromised. Tools such as PwdHash, a web browser hashing plugin, and other tools available in popular programming languages are also highlighted.

by Oshando Johnson

Read full paper: http://goo.gl/BMpfM

The Right APP.ti.tude

In May of this year, the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Department of Information and Technology of the Office of the Prime Minister, and the Central Information Technology Office (CITO) launched the inaugural BlackBerry Developers Competition sponsored by Research In Motion (RIM) and Digicel. The competition challenged entrants to create applications for either the Blackberry Smartphone or Playbook.

The objectives of the competition were as follows:

• Utilization of technology to uplift youth, stimulate enterprise and broaden the overall learning/education environment.
• Provide entrants in learning institutions across Jamaica with the opportunity to enter the world of application development for mobiles devices and further, to  showcase  their  talents  to  both  local  and  international  industry professionals.
• Foster team spirit and facilitate work in a competitive but friendly environment.
• Establish the kernel of a new industry in Jamaica and one that will hopefully result in an ever increasing number of persons entering this sphere of work in the future.

Entering from the Department of Computer and Information Sciences was Team Methods. The team,comprising Rhodrey Shaw, Terrence Sterling, Carlene Stewart, and Ricardo Thompson, and supervised by Henry Osborne, envisioned and created the MathBerry app.

MathBerry is a stunning BlackBerry PlayBook app for helping 4th and 5th form high school students prepare for their CSEC Mathematics examination. The current version offers tutelage in Trigonometry, Matrices, and Quadratic Equations. 

Team Methods and mentor with 1st Place plaque

The team worked tirelessly to develop their app for the competition and, after submission, waited anxiously to hear the results from the judges. Not only were they overjoyed to know they had been selected as one of the finalists but, they had outclassed their peers, the University of the West Indies (UWI), The University of Technology (UTech), and the Caribbean Institute of Technology (CIT), to claim 1st Place in their category.

This win follows the Department’s very recent success in the EduVision 2011 Technology competition and demonstrates the drive and work ethic that is fostered within its walls.

Team Methods with the Hon. Andrew Holness

The Department of Computer and Information Sciences is continuing to make significant marks in the technology landscape of Jamaica and is positioning itself as the premier source of training in computing and information technology.

by Henry Osborne
Technology Specialist