Db

A nickname used by programmers for the programming language C# because Db (D flat) and C# (C sharp) are the same tone musically.

Python

The scripting language Python was created by Guido van Rossum in 1991. He named it after the British TV series Monty Python’s Flying Circus.

ACM Chapter News
From Ontario to Hyderabad

Apart from publish- ing journals and magazines, orga- nizing and hosting conferences, proving educational activities, and giving out awards, ACM promotes modern computing at a grassroots level around the world through ACM local chapters.

These chapters, which can be either student chapters or professional ones, are organized and operated to promote “a) an increased knowledge of and greater interest in the science, design, development, construction, languages, management and applications of modern computing, b) greater interest in computing and its applications and c) a means of communication bet ween persons having an interest in computing” (ACM Chapter Bylaws). Currently more than 170 professional and 500 student chapters operate in about 50 countries all over the world.

Student chapters are organized and managed exclusively by students at all educational levels. Their activities may range from making a computing-related web site to organizing social events, like a “Meet the Grads” night. Students can help each other through

Photo: McKay Savage

In Hyderabad, India, where growth and technology juxtapose the city’s ancient roots, the professional ACM chapter is extremely active, hosting guest lectures monthly.

study sessions, workshops, mentoring etc. At the same time, faculty members can support their students by joining events like lectures, mock interviews and award ceremonies. It’s like running a mini ACM at your university where you are and your schoolmates can be either the organizers, the audience, or both. And there’s a lot of fun to be had, too.

is chair of the chapter.

He and a few of his peers are organizing a programming competition for incoming students and undergraduates, which will take place this fall. Their idea is based on the annual ACM ICPC, or International Collegiate Programming Challenge ( http://cm.baylor. edu/welcome.icpc). Because their university never had a team that could represent them at the ICPC, Ernst and his chapter are trying to drum up interest at home first with the long-term goal of getting a team in place who can compete.

Interest in the
competition is already
strong. Faculty members
and graduate students are
helping with the organizing,
while a department of
their university and local
companies are providing
prizes. Their plan is to
make this competition-
—which will ask only
about four to five questions
total—slightly easier than
the ICPC to encourage the
contenders to keep training.

ONTARIO, CANADA Take for example the Guelph ACM Student Chapter in Canada. Jason B. Ernst, doctoral student in applied computing at the University of Guelph,

HYDERABAD, INDIA Another chapter worth noting is the professional one in Hyderabad, India