Immersing yourself in a culture is an important aspect of being a history major, so we encourage students to conduct hands-on study. We sponsor study abroad programs and partner with local historical organizations and public history projects, where you can participate in preservation and get valuable experience.
William D McQuain William D McQuainSenior Instructor, Department ofComputer ScienceContact Info. Office: McBryde 634. E-mail:. Phone: (540) 231-5605.
Office hours: MTWR 10:30 - 12:30, and by appointment.Current Teaching Spring 2019.Computer Organization I.Computer Organization IICurrent Teaching-related Activities.Extracurricular ActivitiesMy real extra-curricular enjoyment lies in woodworking. This probablygoes back to the Brooks quote below. Here are a few of my completed projects.I designed and built this in 1982, while I wasworking at LSU.
It's simple joinery of redwood 4x4 and2x4 stock, held together with carriage bolts for easydisassembly and moving (I was driving a Ford Fiesta in thosedays).- this took about 4 hours to cut, based on a pattern fromWood magazine. It was my first major piece of workusing a scroll saw and aniline dyes.
these were a neat little bandsawproject using cherry wood. The cutting took only about20 minutes apiece; the sanding and final shaping tooklonger. a more recent project, a modified implementation ofa pattern from Wood magazine. This probably took 80hours, spread over about two months during the summer.The wood is all cypress; the top is sheathed in galvanizedsteel.
Crib and- cherry andwalnut crib for our first grandson (and later our second).- a toy for our first grandson, now possessed by ourgranddaughter. Mostly made from bloodwood (Brosimumparaense), with ping-pong balls trapped in the wheel cagesjust for fun.- figured ash and a bit of curly maple,for our third grandson (and later our first granddaughter) (crib is done, he's underconstruction in this one). figured cherry, with a bit of walnut anda bit of ash. This took several years from design,wood acquisition and rough milling, breaking some tools, andfinal tuning.
The interesting thing was doing this ina 12x16 shop when the side rails are about 7 feet long.First is thesheer joy of making things. As the child delights in his mud pie, so theadult enjoys building things, especially things of his own design.Second is thepleasure of making things that are useful to other people. Deep within, wewant others to use our work and to find it helpful.Third is thefascination of fashioning complex puzzle-like objects of interlocking movingparts and watching them work in subtle cycles, playing out the consequencesof principles built in from the beginning.Fourth is thejoy of always learning. In one way or another, the problem is ever new, andits solver learns something.Fred Brooks on 'Why is Programming Fun?The basic truths in all teachingsof mankind are alikeand amount to one common thing:to find your way to the thing youfeel when you love dearly,or when you create,or when you build your home,or when you give birth to yourchildren,or when you look at the stars atnight.Wilhelm ReichThe soul is dyed the color of itsthoughts.
Think only on those things that are in line with your principles andcan bear the full light of day. The content of your character is your choice.Day by day, what you choose, what you think, and what you do is who youbecome.
Your integrity is your destiny.it is the light that guides your way.HeraclitusLast updated: Tuesday, January 22, 2019.