Offline-First Design for Fault Tolerant Applications.
- Linklater, Gregory, Marais, Craig, Herbert, Alan, Irwin, Barry V W
- Authors: Linklater, Gregory , Marais, Craig , Herbert, Alan , Irwin, Barry V W
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/427683 , vital:72455 , https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Barry-Irwin/publication/327624337_Offline-First_Design_for_Fault_Tolerant_Applications/links/5b9a50a1458515310584ebbe/Offline-First-Design-for-Fault-Tolerant-Applications.pdf
- Description: Faults are inevitable and frustrating, as we increasingly depend on network access and the chain of services that provides it, we suffer a greater loss in productivity when any of those services fail and service delivery is suspended. This research explores connectivity and infrastructure fault tolerance through offline-first application design using techniques such as CQRS and event sourcing. To apply these techniques, this research details the design, and implementation of LOYALTY TRACKER; an offline-first, PoS system for the Android platform that was built to operate in the context of a small pub where faults are commonplace. The application demonstrates data consistency and integrity and a complete feature set that continues to operate while offline but is limited by scalability. The application successfully achieves it’s goals in the limited capacity for which it was designed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Linklater, Gregory , Marais, Craig , Herbert, Alan , Irwin, Barry V W
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/427683 , vital:72455 , https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Barry-Irwin/publication/327624337_Offline-First_Design_for_Fault_Tolerant_Applications/links/5b9a50a1458515310584ebbe/Offline-First-Design-for-Fault-Tolerant-Applications.pdf
- Description: Faults are inevitable and frustrating, as we increasingly depend on network access and the chain of services that provides it, we suffer a greater loss in productivity when any of those services fail and service delivery is suspended. This research explores connectivity and infrastructure fault tolerance through offline-first application design using techniques such as CQRS and event sourcing. To apply these techniques, this research details the design, and implementation of LOYALTY TRACKER; an offline-first, PoS system for the Android platform that was built to operate in the context of a small pub where faults are commonplace. The application demonstrates data consistency and integrity and a complete feature set that continues to operate while offline but is limited by scalability. The application successfully achieves it’s goals in the limited capacity for which it was designed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Towards a technical skills curriculum to supplement traditional computer science teaching
- Marais, Craig, Bradshaw, Karen L
- Authors: Marais, Craig , Bradshaw, Karen L
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/476640 , vital:77946 , ISBN 9781450342315 , https://muse.jhu.edu/book/52741
- Description: It is commonplace for students to enter university with skills deficiencies. However, this is cause for growing concern in the context of South Africa, as these `deficient' students are becoming more numerous. Public secondary schools in South Africa are failing to create students with adequate skills for careers in the STEM fields. This paper isolates these skills deficiencies to a subset of technical skills for problem-solving. The problem-solving skills are divided into content groups, which are then aligned to existing Computer Science content. A solution is proposed that demonstrates how the content can be presented without the need for extensive curriculum changes to established course content.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Marais, Craig , Bradshaw, Karen L
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/476640 , vital:77946 , ISBN 9781450342315 , https://muse.jhu.edu/book/52741
- Description: It is commonplace for students to enter university with skills deficiencies. However, this is cause for growing concern in the context of South Africa, as these `deficient' students are becoming more numerous. Public secondary schools in South Africa are failing to create students with adequate skills for careers in the STEM fields. This paper isolates these skills deficiencies to a subset of technical skills for problem-solving. The problem-solving skills are divided into content groups, which are then aligned to existing Computer Science content. A solution is proposed that demonstrates how the content can be presented without the need for extensive curriculum changes to established course content.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Problem-solving ability of first year CS students: A case study and intervention
- Marais, Craig, Bradshaw, Karen L
- Authors: Marais, Craig , Bradshaw, Karen L
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/475235 , vital:77787
- Description: This paper reports the findings of computational thinking research undertaken to develop problem-solving skills in first year computer science students. Through the use of pre-and post-tests, statistical results are presented showing the definite acquisition of problem-solving skills by the students after completing the introductory first year computer science course. These skills are argued to be both innate in some students and acquired in others. By identifying the component skills required and presenting a step-by-step approach to teaching problem solving, this research aims to provide a method for actively instilling these skills in learners who lack them.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Marais, Craig , Bradshaw, Karen L
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/475235 , vital:77787
- Description: This paper reports the findings of computational thinking research undertaken to develop problem-solving skills in first year computer science students. Through the use of pre-and post-tests, statistical results are presented showing the definite acquisition of problem-solving skills by the students after completing the introductory first year computer science course. These skills are argued to be both innate in some students and acquired in others. By identifying the component skills required and presenting a step-by-step approach to teaching problem solving, this research aims to provide a method for actively instilling these skills in learners who lack them.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
Guidelines for the use of the Indie approach in game development projects in the context of a capstone experience
- Authors: Marais, Craig
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Computer games -- Design , Computer games -- Programming
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:9824
- Description: This research addresses the challenges associated with the supervision of game development projects as part of a capstone experience. The context of this research is the capstone experience as undertaken by third year software development students who have chosen to develop a game for their project at the School of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU). This research begins by determining the curricular requirements with respect to the capstone experience for Information Technology (IT) qualifications. This is done by investigating the applicable documentation at the international, national and departmental levels. The position of game development as a sub-category of software development is established and the Indie paradigm is investigated as a further sub-category of game development. Furthermore, the Indie paradigm is investigated through in-depth analyses of the techniques used in the development of ten Indie games. This investigation serves to identify the commonly used techniques in the Indie paradigm. The research presents a case study of the game development projects at the School of ICT at the NMMU for the period from 2009 to 2013. This case study combined with the techniques identifed from the Indie paradigm forms the basis of the guidelines presented by this research. The guidelines are subject to a review by an industry expert. The review takes the form of an expert interview, which serves to verify the guidelines. This research concludes by demonstrating alignment with the objectives it set out to achieve and motivating the success of the research conducted.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Marais, Craig
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Computer games -- Design , Computer games -- Programming
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:9824
- Description: This research addresses the challenges associated with the supervision of game development projects as part of a capstone experience. The context of this research is the capstone experience as undertaken by third year software development students who have chosen to develop a game for their project at the School of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU). This research begins by determining the curricular requirements with respect to the capstone experience for Information Technology (IT) qualifications. This is done by investigating the applicable documentation at the international, national and departmental levels. The position of game development as a sub-category of software development is established and the Indie paradigm is investigated as a further sub-category of game development. Furthermore, the Indie paradigm is investigated through in-depth analyses of the techniques used in the development of ten Indie games. This investigation serves to identify the commonly used techniques in the Indie paradigm. The research presents a case study of the game development projects at the School of ICT at the NMMU for the period from 2009 to 2013. This case study combined with the techniques identifed from the Indie paradigm forms the basis of the guidelines presented by this research. The guidelines are subject to a review by an industry expert. The review takes the form of an expert interview, which serves to verify the guidelines. This research concludes by demonstrating alignment with the objectives it set out to achieve and motivating the success of the research conducted.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
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