Computer Science Rock Stars

Now that I'll be going to Graduate School, I will be writing papers, attending conferences, and probably rubbing shoulders with some prominent people in the computer science and bioinformatics worlds. I'm sure that in another five to ten years, I'll be quite used to all this, and see certain people as contempories. But your first time is quite an experience, especially if the first famous computer scientist you meet is none other than C++ Godfather Bjarne Stroustrup.

About two weeks ago, we were told by the CS department at TAMU that today we'd be getting a presentation by Bjarne Stoustrup, the inventor and standardizer of C++. At first, I treated the news with much nochalance; when have I wished to walk in the world of CS gods? I pay no attention to movie stars or rock stars or any other famous persons, since I never cared to meet them (at age 12, I thought all my female classmates were prematurely lobotomized, seeing they way they went on about some actors), and I felt like I had better things to do with my time.

Meeting Stroustrup is not a big deal, I thought. That was two weeks ago. In two weeks, my attitude of general indifference transformed into one of expectant anticipation, into one of eagerness and excitement. Why would I care about Stroustrup so much? Well, it has to do with my love of C++.

I learned C++ for the first time when I was 16 years old, the summer before my Junior year of high school. I had one of those tutorial books, and I wrote little programs here and there. It was my first taste of anything resembling object oriented programming, and I was thrilled. I loved the concept of an object, the fact that I could represent the characteristics of almost anything imaginable by a set of attributes, and that all these attributes can be melted together to form one, singular and cohesive object.

I know that is an awful lot of romanticizing, but what do you expect from a sixteen year old who having her first secret love affair with programming? I knew Pascal by that point, but it didn't excite me, it didn't make me wonder what I can build, what I could create, and, most of all, didn't inspire me to pursue Computer Science as a career option. I remember thinking about all the ridiculous things I could represent with object oriented code: cups, dining sets, houses, relationships, a universe of interaction. And puppy dogs (giggle). A puppy dog is composed of a set of actions, of fur, of smell, of a set of barks, of a set of emotions, of a set of organs... and an organ is composed of set of tissues.. and these tissues are composed of a set of cells... sets within sets; objects within objects. I can only wonder now if perhaps it was then that I first thought about molecules, DNA and life as code. Was this when the passion for Bioinformatics was born inside of me?

As today drew closer, I felt like there was a lot I needed to thank this man for. Would I have started liking programming, if it weren't for C++? Would I have been interested in Computer Science? Would I have a Computer Science degree? Would I have gone into Bioinformatics? Bjarne Stroustrup... could it be? Could this be the man that had a hand in the fates that would cause me to choose Bioinformatics? Rensselaer asked me, "Why not change the world?" Bjarne Stroustrup said, "Here, use this."

I knew it would be an experience that I wouldn't want to forget. It was suggested to us by the department that we bring copies of Dr. Stroustrup's C++ Bible, The C++ Programming Language or The Design and Evolution of C++. I secretly wanted the latter, but, I feared that paying $50+ dollars for a book for Dr. Stroustrup to sign was not only very nerdy but also very very wasteful. I'm sure that's one of the reasons I thought that perhaps my boyfriend Dan would love to have an autographed copy of a book from Dr. Stroustrup (yeah right). I eventually realized that I ought to find a better option as a birthday gift, so I looked for other ways to have a memento. I eventually settled on my digital camera and resolved that I would get a picture of him and me.

12 noon today I sat eagerly in my chair in the conference room that sat about 20 people, wondering when he'd show up. Some of the other guys gently teased me about bringing a camera, and I lightheartedly replied that they were jealous that they didn't think of the idea first. Genius! I thought to myself. At this moment, Dr. Stroustrup walked into the room, and I smiled at him, embarassed. I'm sure if I was any lighter he would have seen me blush.

Dr. Stroustrup was a fairly thin man, very gentle and soft-spoken with a sharp wit and likeable sense of humor. He had a thick European accent, which only added to his Rockstar appeal. He looked at us (who brought lunches) and remarked on how great it will be to stand up in front of everyone and watch us eat while he himself had an empty stomach. I immediately offered him some food, and then clamped my mouth shut. What's wrong with you? I asked myself, furious for drawing attention to myself.

Dr. Stroustrup didn't seem to notice and started talking about C++, its applications (did you know Photoshop is written in C++?), and some of its design decisions. "I am reluctant to call [C++] an object oriented language" he said, "because the object oriented component is merely an option. I hate languages that force the concept of object oriented design on you, preventing you from deciding what should be an object and what should not." I grinned. Like Java, I thought, remembering one of the biggest reasons I hated the language. At this point, I'm staring at him with this look of utter adoration that could be best described as the female version of the last panel of this comic.

He eventually went into more complicated and advanced portions of the language's design, heavily using terms in Computer Science that I vaguely remembered hearing about in Programming Languages. I looked around me. Some students were nodding and smiling, while others had blank looks on their faces. Even the ones who are nodding have no clue what he's saying, I comforted myself. Except the guy from Purdue. He was during research in Compiler Design, and I knew out of all of us, he would be the best equipped to understand exactly what the good Professor was referring to. But, regardless, we all hung on Stroustrup's every word.

Soon the presentation was over. It was time to say goodbye, and to get autographs(!) Several people asked me if they could get a picture using my camera. I was fine with it; I didn't care, so long as I got a picture with Dr. Stroustrup. When it was my turn, I stammered something out about getting a picture with him and if it would be ok. One of the other girls took my picture with him, but I was so nervous I didn't tell her how to operate the camera. I stood there, with a terrified grin on my face, simultaneously caught up by a frenzy of excitement and agonizing on whether or not my hair looked ok. As soon as the picture was done, I looked up at him (realized that I had pressed back into him, partially out of fear), squeaked out a 'thank-you' and ran for it. I asked one of the guys who had his book signed if I could take a picture of it (I did). I had also forgotten to lend the others the camera; thankfully one of the other kids had also smartly brought one, and not being as freaked out about it, took everyone's picture with Stroustrup.

As I left, I berated myself for not saying something to him. Then again, what was I supposed to say? I learned your language when I was 16, and it eventually inspired me to pursue Computer Science, thank you for inventing it? The picture I took of myself with Stroustrup also didn't come out well; It's too blurry to make either of us out (which is saying something, considering I'm petite, brown, and female).

And so ends my encounter with a CS Rockstar. I wonder as I encounter other famous CS'ers, if I will act the same. Hopefully by then I will be able to hold myself with a dignity that is worthy of a 21 year old, rather than that of a trembling 12 year old girl laying her eyes on her first superstar.

Ugh. I'm pathetic :-) That's all for now.

Still in Texas...

And still alive! Sorry I haven't posted in here much. I have to keep a journal and a website for my DMP internship, so I 'm busy maintaining those this summer. But I haven't forgotten about autologica.

This will have to be a short post, since I have to get back to installing stuff (*sigh*) on the computer I use at work. In happier news, I have something new(old) to share! So far, 5 people have linked me to this clip on YouTube (a big thank you to all of you who thought of me when they saw this ^-^). Therefore, it is my solemn duty to share it with all of you:

Kitten v. Front Row

Very cute, but I would not let my cat near my laptop. Imagine all the scratches on the screen.. *shudder* $2500 is pretty steep for a cat toy to boot. Still, very cute ^-^

Take care all. Back to the grind.