Provider: Study.com
Course: Computer Science 105: Introduction to Operating Systems
Course content: Videos, quizzes, chapter practice tests, course practice test
Final exam format: 100 question multiple choice
Final exam content vs course content/practice exams: Most questions are directly from the quizzes or very close
Time taken on course: ~8hrs spread over 2 calendar days (I had 10 lessons already finished, and I took 0 practice exams, which saves around 3hrs)
Familiarity with subject before course: High - The core of the course is basically "Are you a pretty decent computers guy and used them a lot (especially in a corporate context)?". The OSI model stuff was easy for me too because 15 years ago I worked as a technician doing layer 1-3 stuff, pluck and chuck equipment, configure some network nodes. Definitely needed a refresher, but it was nothing new.
Pitfalls, high points, things others should know: There are some contradictory questions, lots of repeat stuff (and even some overlap with other courses like computer architecture). Repetition isn't a bad thing I guess for learning, but a lot of it seemed stitched together. Also there are some horrible questions on both quizzes and the exam. I just rolled with those punches. Overall, I did learn a handful of new things, but this is mostly just stuff you've already picked up by using computers for a long time.
1-10 Difficulty level: 2-3 if you're a "computer person", done your own build, set up home networks, etc. Maybe 5-6 otherwise? Hard to say.
Provider: Study.com
Course: Computer Science 306: Computer Architecture
Course content: Videos, quizzes, practical exercises in Logisim
Final exam format: 100 question multiple choice
Final exam content vs course content/practice exams: Content matches up to the lessons pretty well (though final was 10 points lower than practice test for me, still seemed like content we went over I just couldn't remember)
Time taken on course: ~50 hours
Familiarity with subject before course: High. I've worked as an electronics technician, and boolean logic/logic gates were familiar. Never did a K-Map before this course but they aren't too tough
Pitfalls, high points, things others should know: 85% of this course is "have you ever done a build or spent too much time surfing newegg.com?" The remaining 15% - they get into the absolute nitty gritty of digital electronics (well they just use the logic gates, not the actual electricity, but the difference is literally adding a leg to each gate, then drawing to ground and the +5v). I have done this professionally reverse engineering basic DC circuits as recently as 2016 and I was lost in the sauce when it came to some of this. Chapter 5 and 6 are soul eating if you're trying to just use the resources in the course. What you really need to do is go to Neso Academy on youtube, and watch his digital electronics course. That is far longer than the entire SDC course just to do two chapters. But if you want to learn to the level that you can complete all the logisim stuff, you're going to need to go through most of it.
1-10 Difficulty level: If you game it, 2-3. The second assignment is a cake walk, and later chapters are fairly easy. The test isn't bad. That's enough points to get you to 70-80%. If you try to complete both assignments and learn all the content, 7-10 depending on your experience level. I am fairly proficient, and personally I found CH 5-6 to be around an 8 WITH outside resources to help. The course content is absolutely miserable, and glosses over key details.
Course: Computer Science 105: Introduction to Operating Systems
Course content: Videos, quizzes, chapter practice tests, course practice test
Final exam format: 100 question multiple choice
Final exam content vs course content/practice exams: Most questions are directly from the quizzes or very close
Time taken on course: ~8hrs spread over 2 calendar days (I had 10 lessons already finished, and I took 0 practice exams, which saves around 3hrs)
Familiarity with subject before course: High - The core of the course is basically "Are you a pretty decent computers guy and used them a lot (especially in a corporate context)?". The OSI model stuff was easy for me too because 15 years ago I worked as a technician doing layer 1-3 stuff, pluck and chuck equipment, configure some network nodes. Definitely needed a refresher, but it was nothing new.
Pitfalls, high points, things others should know: There are some contradictory questions, lots of repeat stuff (and even some overlap with other courses like computer architecture). Repetition isn't a bad thing I guess for learning, but a lot of it seemed stitched together. Also there are some horrible questions on both quizzes and the exam. I just rolled with those punches. Overall, I did learn a handful of new things, but this is mostly just stuff you've already picked up by using computers for a long time.
1-10 Difficulty level: 2-3 if you're a "computer person", done your own build, set up home networks, etc. Maybe 5-6 otherwise? Hard to say.
Provider: Study.com
Course: Computer Science 306: Computer Architecture
Course content: Videos, quizzes, practical exercises in Logisim
Final exam format: 100 question multiple choice
Final exam content vs course content/practice exams: Content matches up to the lessons pretty well (though final was 10 points lower than practice test for me, still seemed like content we went over I just couldn't remember)
Time taken on course: ~50 hours
Familiarity with subject before course: High. I've worked as an electronics technician, and boolean logic/logic gates were familiar. Never did a K-Map before this course but they aren't too tough
Pitfalls, high points, things others should know: 85% of this course is "have you ever done a build or spent too much time surfing newegg.com?" The remaining 15% - they get into the absolute nitty gritty of digital electronics (well they just use the logic gates, not the actual electricity, but the difference is literally adding a leg to each gate, then drawing to ground and the +5v). I have done this professionally reverse engineering basic DC circuits as recently as 2016 and I was lost in the sauce when it came to some of this. Chapter 5 and 6 are soul eating if you're trying to just use the resources in the course. What you really need to do is go to Neso Academy on youtube, and watch his digital electronics course. That is far longer than the entire SDC course just to do two chapters. But if you want to learn to the level that you can complete all the logisim stuff, you're going to need to go through most of it.
1-10 Difficulty level: If you game it, 2-3. The second assignment is a cake walk, and later chapters are fairly easy. The test isn't bad. That's enough points to get you to 70-80%. If you try to complete both assignments and learn all the content, 7-10 depending on your experience level. I am fairly proficient, and personally I found CH 5-6 to be around an 8 WITH outside resources to help. The course content is absolutely miserable, and glosses over key details.
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