Epilog (UCC)

Computer Science (CS) and Computer Technology (CT) evolve.

Definitions

The following are two early definitions of CS.

• CS is the study of phenomena surrounding Computing.
• CS is the study of Algorithms and Data Structures.

The first definition has the same flavor as a definition of Physics. It is general to say, “Physics is the study of natural phenomena.”

The second definition might sound restrictive, but it still covers a lot of topics and application.

There is a book called “Program = Algorithms + Data Structures”.

Professor Donald Knuth (Stanford University) thought that he could finish his 7-volume book “The Art of Computer Programming” in a couple of years. It was an under-estimate of the growth of Computers, Computer Science and Applications. It took over two decades to complete and revise the first three volumes and part of the fourth volume. One reason was that his book contributed to the growth of the Design and Analysis of Algorithms.

Final Thoughts

I have covered some topics in the early days of Computing in general and UCC in particular.

I missed out several people. I mentioned many names, but did not elaborate on some of them.

I did not cover in-depth the PDP configuration and use, the introduction of PCs, and robots.

It would take a long time and I would not be able to fill in all the blanks.

I believe in an idea that characterizes Jules Verne. “If one can dream, others can fulfill”.

I had a personal experience to support that idea. In 1999, I started “RIT International Newsletter” and dreamed that sayas and alumni will get reconnected electronically and physically. With the help of sponsors (including five Golden Sponsors), able and dedicated sayas and alumni, volunteers, supporters and well-wishers, the First RIT Grand Reunion and SPZP (Saya Pu Zaw Pwe) was held in San Francisco in October 2000. The world-wide SPZPs were subsequently held in Singapore in 2002, 2007 and 2010, and in Yangon in 2004, 2012 and 2016.

I had paid back to RIT.

I now have a chance to pay back to UCC.

Thanks to my family members for supporting me in the endeavors to pay back to the institutions and my mentors that helped me develop to where I am today.

I hope that sayas and alumni of UCC, ICST and UCSY will enhance my document into one that professional historians will envy.