Feedback From My Distributed Systems Class

I am done amongst my distributed systems class this semester. At the halt of the semester, I polled my students for feedback almost the class. I was especially interested inwards hearing almost their feedback on using TLA+ inwards the class as well as class projects, as well as using inquiry newspaper reviewing for homework assignments. Of course, I didn't call these when I solicited their feedback. I asked them to write a brief review for what they have got learned inwards my distributed systems class this semester.

I received overwhelmingly positive feedback. Below I part simply about of the comments almost TLA+ as well as the newspaper review assignments. (I removed the flattering feedback almost my teaching, piece I enjoyed reading them.  I position a lot of attempt inwards my instruction as well as I am happy when the students recognize how much I care. That keeps me motivated.)

Feedback almost using TLA+

I assigned ii TLA+ projects. The foremost projection was modeling Voldemort key-value shop amongst client-side routing, as well as the 2nd projection was almost extending the foremost amongst chain-replication as well as server-side routing. I had given the students TLA+ demonstrations inwards a pair classes, as well as shared amongst them PlusCal modeling of several of the distributed algorithms I covered inwards the class.

(I had wrote almost how as well as why I decided to integrate TLA+ to my distributed systems class inwards a pair before posts including: Using TLA+ for instruction distributed systems, My experience amongst using TLA+ inwards distributed systems class. I also posted several TLA+/PlusCal modeling of distributed algorithms inwards my blog. You tin dismiss accomplish all of my posts almost TLA+/PlusCal here.)

Most of the students mentioned that they appreciated the TLA+ projects.  The students said TLA+ showed them how tricky distributed algorithms tin dismiss get, as well as without TLA+ they wouldn't endure able to figure out the intricacies of those algorithms.

TLA+ is a neat tool to larn to job if you're planning on pursuing a career inwards figurer science. Its raw mightiness to reveal flaws inwards algorithms is unparalleled. I am real pleased amongst having been introduced to it through this class. Of all my takeaways from the class through the semester the chance to popular off familiar amongst this is the i I believe volition assist me the most inwards my future.

Working on the TLA+ projects taught me the most. Sitting inwards the classroom as well as going through the whole algorithm gave me an insight of the algorithm but I realized the depth of the algorithm, the problems related to it as well as the capability of the algorithm solely when I worked on the projects. 

TLA seems to endure a fantastic agency to argue almost systems as well as I genuinely enjoyed using it for the class. I aspire to job TLA+/formal verification all along my career when I acquire an opportunity. 

I liked the invariant based agency of reasoning almost the correctness of a program. I liked the expressiveness of PlusCal to model complex distributed algorithms amongst real brusk lines of code.

At the same time, many students complained almost the learning bend of TLA+, as well as that they had to spent a lot of fourth dimension figuring the ropes. They said that it would assist if I had arranged for to a greater extent than TLA+ demonstrations, as well as  if I had assigned them simply about smaller projects to acquire them warmed upward amongst TLA+.

I constitute the chemical constituent of the class I genuinely had to position a lot of fourth dimension into was reading the PlusCal manual as well as the Dynamic assist inwards the eclipse toolbox. There was a neat bargain of functionality inwards this programming surroundings I didn't know how to properly job until the halt of the semester. I mean value the class tin dismiss greatly produce goodness from to a greater extent than inwards depth classes or recitations on TLA+ from the syntax of PlusCal to the options as well as tools inwards the model checker. 

Regarding the projects, I genuinely enjoyed learning TLA as well as PlusCal as well as I  really liked edifice Voldemort as well as Voldchain. The caveat consists inwards that sometimes it was hard as well as frustrating, but I learned a novel agency of thinking programmatically as well as mathematically, as well as it was real satisfying.

Initially, I needed a lot of fourth dimension to acquire acquainted to the PlusCal syntax. But in i trial I got used to it, things stared flowing smoothly. I realized that TLA+ does forcefulness the designers to clearly delineate as well as sympathise the pattern before they genuinely write the executable code for it. Since TLA+ has numerous benefits as well as advantages I promise it gets widely adopted inwards the industry. 

The code interpret banking concern check cycle was sometimes real long. To endure fair this was commonly a job amongst the code itself or using equally good much patch to pattern the model. 

Some errors were real hard to encompass as well as debug inwards TLC model checker. Some fault messages were cryptic.

I similar this proposition from i of the students. It is an ambitious thought for an introductory distributed systems class amongst limited fourth dimension as well as much dry soil to cover, but it would endure a neat improvement if nosotros tin dismiss push clit that off.

It would endure neat if the projection could endure a semester long one, where inwards the foremost one-half nosotros pattern a distributed algorithm as well as verify its consistency properties using TLA+ as well as inwards the 2nd one-half nosotros produce an implementation of the organisation inwards a high-level programming linguistic communication (like Java or C++).

Reviewing papers

I assigned half dozen homework this semester, iv of which involved reviewing inquiry papers almost the topics nosotros covered. Many students commented that they didn't similar reading/reviewing papers at first, but hence started to reveal the reviewing assignments useful as well as enjoyable.

I simply needed something to forcefulness me to produce it [review papers] a few times before I could acquire the hang of it. Considering how much the manufacture changes as well as the absolute demand to proceed learning from others inwards the filed I mean value this volition assist me afterwards inwards my career.

Because of this class I have got started reading inquiry papers on a regular basis, simply because I similar reading them now. 

I genuinely enjoyed the newspaper reviews nosotros did. After reading the papers as well as writing the reviews, I genuinely felt similar I had a thorough agreement for the content of the papers, which was a real cool feeling. Before this class, I have got never read an academic newspaper as well as felt similar I genuinely understood it. 

Looking back, I am hence glad that I had the chance to review the papers. At foremost I was intimidated, as well as didn't desire to produce it, but I experience much to a greater extent than confident as well as familiar amongst reading as well as evaluating inquiry papers equally a result. Part of the argue is that y'all posted data on how to popular off almost this process, as well as it genuinely helped to have got a expert method for performing this function. It also helped to know that I'm non the solely i who doesn't sympathise the newspaper on the foremost or 2nd pass. That y'all for your honesty.

I mean value this final educatee is referring to my "How I read a inquiry paper" post.

Other comments

Favorite distributed algorithms for my students have got been Paxos, hygienic dining philosophers, as well as Dijkstra's stabilizing token band algorithms.

Almost all of the students mentioned that they liked the reenacting of the algorithms on the board, as well as those made the algorithms memorable as well as to a greater extent than easily understandable. The students all seemed to produce goodness from the YouTube videos I demo at the kickoff of lectures.

I loved the fact that the Professor showed YouTube videos inwards every lecture. Although at times it took me a few minutes to sympathise how the videos connected to the topic at manus (especially the i amongst Mr. Miyagi as well as the karate kid).

This comment was peculiarly interesting.

I appreciated that the professor would similar to part his thinking processes amongst us. That was genuinely helpful for me. As for a beginner stepping inwards this area, I lack the proper take heed inwards considering the problems inwards distributed systems. However, professor was ever offering his logic to us. That was what I could have got it into my life amongst the cognition I learned from the course.

I am intrigued that the educatee was able to choose grip of this. Once I had wrote a postal service almost why nosotros should endure talking to a greater extent than almost our thought processes. 


Teaching is hard work, it has its ups as well as downs, but looking dorsum on the semester, I am real proud to have got raised simply about other batch of distributed systems geeks.

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