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CompSoc Newsletter Week 4!
by Declan Osborne 09 Feb '26

09 Feb '26

[Oxford CompSoc banner graphic] [4th Week] Hilary Term Week 4 Newsletter Lunch, LaTeX, a Hackathon and More! A Warm Welcome, Earthlings, It's Monday, it's the start of Week 4 and you can probably make an educated guess as to what this email contains. Did you guess events? If so, you'd be right! We'll be starting off the week today (revolutionary, I know!) with our second competitive programming contest of the term! If you've been itching to try your hand at some more tricky problems, head on down to the Undergraduate Social Area from 7:30-9:30pm. For Wednesday, we have something rather more relaxed planned — we'll be heading down to Taylors for a bite to eat! If you fancy a free lunch at our expense, come on down and join us from 1:30pm. This Saturday sees a double whammy of events. From 5:30-6:30pm, we'll be popping down to Seminar Room 051 again for a specialised Learn to Code session on LaTeX! Afterwards, we'll adjourn to the Undergraduate Social Area from 7pm to engage in our second mini hackathon of the year. I also share news of a non-CompSoc workshop this Saturday on contributing to FLOSS software by FLOSS @ Oxford — for more details, check out the And More... section below. — Declan, CompSoc Secretary Fun Computing Fact: Have you ever tried to run Windows 95/98 in a virtual machine on modern hardware? If you try it, you may find that they don't work! One reason for this is due to the translation lookaside buffer (TLB). All mainstream computers from the past few decades allow operating systems to map memory for processes through virtual memory. On x86 PCs, this is done through a page table, which is a data structure mapping memory address blocks called pages to physical memory locations. Page table accesses can be slow, so x86 processors implement a cache to speed up the process! The translation lookaside buffer caches mappings from virtual memory addresses to physical memory addresses. This, however, comes with a caveat — on x86, the TLB must be invalidated after any changes to page table entries to prevent cache incoherency. Windows 95 and 98 do not do this correctly, a bug which has only been noticed in recent years with more modern hardware. Still not a member? How?! Membership only costs £1 for LIFE, with tons of benefits - discounts on merch and tickets, free food at all socials, our exclusive Discord server and more - so it's definitely worth signing up! [Be a member]<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/> or, go to https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/?fbclid=IwAR1Oe_vwCudNvU…> [Events] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/9pf/3bl/6x7/HT26%20Termcar…] [Events] Competitive Programming: Fourth Week Contest [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/uia/q82/kp1/PNG%20Competit…] It's competitive programming Monday again and it's time to do... well, some competitive programming, duh. This Monday, we'll be down in the Undergraduate Social Area for our second contest of the term! If you fancy applying your new skills from our bootcamps or trying out a contest for the very first time, join us from 7:30-9:30pm for problems, pizza and intrigue! When: 7:30-9:30pm, Monday 9th February Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/6JkRtPP0V Lunch at Taylors [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/vm7/v6p/ot1/PNG%20Taylors%…] Last Wednesday, we indulged in some hot drinks — now it's time for a bite to eat! This Wednesday, we'll be popping down to Taylors together for a spot of lunch. If you fancy a free lunch funded by CompSoc, make sure to head on down and join us from 1:30-2:30pm! When: 1:30-2:30pm, Wednesday 11th January Where: Taylors 31 St Giles', Oxford OX1 3LD Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/3wCgxuLgk Learn to Code: Traversing LaTeX [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/vrr/8xl/dci/PNG%20Learn%20…] The only thing better than an academic paper is a pretty academic paper! This Saturday, prepare to toss out the horrors of Microsoft Word and LibreOffice Writer as we learn all about the LaTeX typesetting system! If you're working on an essay or a project report, make sure to come along to Seminar Room 051 from 5:30-6:30pm and learn how to make your documents look a whole lot fancier. When: 5:30-6:30pm, Saturday 14th February Where: Seminar Room 051, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/848A37z3v Saturday Social: Mini Hackathon [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/yjm/axt/91n/PNG%20Mini%20H…] After a successful pilot last term, it's time to leap into another mini hackathon! This Saturday, we'll be traversing down to the Undergraduate Social Area for an all-night social, where we'll be working on weird and wacky projects. Join us as we kick off from 7pm for a hackathon with a theme as yet to be announced... If hackathons aren't your thing, we'll still be having our usual Saturday Social, with all the accoutrements you've come to expect! Come on down to join us with some free pizza and snacks and to ogle at the weirdos spending all night on entirely meaningless projects. When: 7pm, Saturday 14th February Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/4gTolpQV9 [And More...] Contributing to Free, Libre and Open Source Software Projects — FLOSS @ Oxford [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/6ew/5zg/sz8/Contributing%2…] An event being held by FLOSS @ Oxford: Our workshop on contributing to free, libre and open source software projects<https://ox.ogeer.org/event/contributhon> (for example Zotero, Anki, Moodle, Thunderbird, VS Code or Codium, the Free Desktop such as Linux systems, and many more...), for programmers and non-programmers alike from all across Oxford is on Saturday 14 February, 14:00-16:00. CS department members can meet at the Bill Roscoe Lecture Theatre, and anyone from Oxford can meet at 7 Keble Road entrance; more information is here<https://ox.ogeer.org/event/contributhon>. Earlier in the week there are related events organised by other people, like Digital Scholarship's first Open Source Initiative talk and coffee morning<https://ox.ogeer.org/event/digital-scholarship-open-source-initiative> on Tuesday (for ox.ac.uk members only) and the monthly Tech Rescue repair café<https://ox.ogeer.org/event/external-tech-rescue-1> on Monday (requires prior booking). When: 2-4pm, Saturday 14th February Where: Bill Roscoe Lecture Theatre, Department of Computer Science, 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Find out more here: https://ox.ogeer.org/event/contributhon Check Out OxWoCS! Make sure to join OxWoCS (Oxford Women in CS), a society we're working closely with, if you identify as a woman or woman-adjacent person in CS! They have a host of wonderful events on, including talks, panels and socials. Computer Science is unfortunately a subject with one of the biggest gender gaps in Oxford and worldwide, and addressing this is at the core of OxWoCS. Perplexity Pro A message from our sponsors at Perplexity: Students get free Perplexity Pro and exclusive student features like flashcards and quizzes when you verify your student status. Sign up at perplexity.ai/students [Follow Us] [Web Site]<https://ox.compsoc.net/> [Facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/oxcompsoc/> [Instagram] <https://www.instagram.com/ox.compsoc/> [Discord] <https://discord.com/invite/cUZFPG5WZ6> [YouTube] <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwdzpxzUZ2i84x5WyVR36Cg> [TikTok] <https://www.tiktok.com/@ox.compsoc.net> or, contact us at committee(a)ox.compsoc.net [Our Sponsors] [Jane Street] [Citadel] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/sbs/qah/tta/Jump%20Trading…] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/11s/ilc/mex/Quantco_1.png] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/zmq/log/hdy/HRT%20Logo.png] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/utn/wzf/o3c/Incident.io%20…] [TPP] [TPP] [TPP] [TPP] Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe here<https://lists.ox.compsoc.net/mailman/listinfo>. Send an email to committee(a)ox.compsoc.net<mailto:committee@ox.compsoc.net> to manually unsubscribe. 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CompSoc Newsletter Week 3!
by Declan Osborne 02 Feb '26

02 Feb '26

[Oxford CompSoc banner graphic] [3rd Week] Hilary Term Week 3 Newsletter Problem Sheet and Panic, a Movie Night and More! Howdy, Folks, As we trundle onto Third Week, CompSoc has— you guessed it— even more events in store! On Monday, we'll be partaking in our second competitive programming advanced bootcamp of the term! Join us from 7:30-9:30pm in the Undergraduate Social Area to help improve your skills. This Wednesday, we'll be taking some time to get some studying in — but with friends! We'll be at Common Ground from 1:30-3pm to get some work done over a hot cup. We close off Third Week on Saturday with a triple billing! From 5-7pm, we'll be working on capture-the-flag contests in the UGSA, followed closely by an advanced Learn to Code session in Seminar Room 051 from 5:30-6:30pm on Git. Our final event of the day is a movie night, kicking off from 7pm. In case you missed it last week, we also have an election guide for anyone interested in running for Committee in this term's elections! Check it out here<https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rvJy3CJcY9n-vwpFHdiV0Duyelh2YBdi>. If you've got a role in mind to run for, head on over to our form and register your interest<https://forms.gle/LrhUHwFL5rrRAwEd7>! It's a great way to contribute to the society, pad out your CV and have some fun. — Declan, CompSoc Secretary Fun Computing Fact: Did you know that when the Macintosh launched in 1984, its operating system didn't even support running multiple programs at once? Macintosh Systems 1-4 didn't implement multitasking, meaning a user could only run a single program at a time. For System 5, Apple acquired the third-party system extension Switcher, bundling it and renaming it to MultiFinder. MultiFinder implemented cooperative multitasking, allowing processes to voluntarily give up control of the system and allow another to run. As such, System 5 finally allowed users to run multiple programs at once out of the box, but was vulnerable to a single rogue program hanging and bringing down the system. Preemptive multitasking comparable to Windows 95 wasn't introduced until Apple released the Unix-based Mac OS X in 2001. Still not a member? How?! Membership only costs £1 for LIFE, with tons of benefits - discounts on merch and tickets, free food at all socials, our exclusive Discord server and more - so it's definitely worth signing up! [Be a member]<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/> or, go to https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/?fbclid=IwAR1Oe_vwCudNvU…> [Events] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/9pf/3bl/6x7/HT26%20Termcar…] [Events] Competitive Programming: Third Week Advanced Bootcamp [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/mrh/hiz/ioj/PNG%20Competit…] This Monday, we'll be back to hone our skills some more in the second competitive programming advanced bootcamp of the term! Join us in the Undergraduate Social Area from 7:30-9:30pm to be guided through some trickier parts of competitive programming ahead of next week's contest. When: 7:30-9:30pm, Monday 2nd February Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/5yt7Vwp0q Problem Sheet and Panic [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/q0w/nyt/lt0/PNG%20Problem%…] Are you behind on your work? Come and catch up with us at our Problem Sheet and Panic social this week! This Wednesday, we're headed down to Common Ground for a classic study social. We'll be getting some crucial work done from 1:30-3pm alongside customary free hot drinks, courtesy of CompSoc. Don't miss it! When: 1:30-3pm, Wednesday 4th January Where: Common Ground Cafe 37-38 Little Clarendon St, Oxford OX1 2HF Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/9LXEzJDi8 Capture-the-Flag Night: Third Week [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/8oi/sda/98d/PNG%20CTF%20Ni…] We kick off our triple billing this Saturday with none other than a capture-the-flag contest! We'll be hanging out in the Undergraduate Social Area from 5-7pm to do some in-person work on a CTF contest ahead of the week's Saturday Social. Come along if you want to take part in a cybersecurity contest with friends! When: 5-7pm, Saturday 7th February Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/3V1Xxzr56 Learn to Code: Grappling with Git [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/ksi/eus/y8z/PNG%20Learn%20…] Version control systems have become an inescapable part of modern software engineering, and Git is the ruler of them all! This Saturday, the second in our series of advanced Learn to Code sessions will cover everything Git. If you want to get ready to contribute to open source projects or just want to stop making a million backup copies of your projects, join us in Seminar Room 051 from 5:30-6:30pm! When: 5:30-6:30pm, Saturday 7th February Where: Seminar Room 051, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/3vgAUL8RD Saturday Social: Movie Night [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/4rz/55a/631/PNG%20Movie%20…] It's time for that classic staple of every term — a movie night! This Saturday, we'll wrap up the week by watching a film of your choice together. Join us in the Undergraduate Social Area from 7pm for some snacks, before we go away to watch a film and enjoy some classic Saturday Social pizza! When: 7pm, Saturday 7th February Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/9bk2DaN4t [And More...] Perplexity Pro A message from our sponsors at Perplexity: Students get free Perplexity Pro and exclusive student features like flashcards and quizzes when you verify your student status. Sign up at perplexity.ai/students Check Out OxWoCS! Make sure to join OxWoCS (Oxford Women in CS), a society we're working closely with, if you identify as a woman or woman-adjacent person in CS! They have a host of wonderful events on, including talks, panels and socials. Computer Science is unfortunately a subject with one of the biggest gender gaps in Oxford and worldwide, and addressing this is at the core of OxWoCS. [Follow Us] [Web Site]<https://ox.compsoc.net/> [Facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/oxcompsoc/> [Instagram] <https://www.instagram.com/ox.compsoc/> [Discord] <https://discord.com/invite/cUZFPG5WZ6> [YouTube] <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwdzpxzUZ2i84x5WyVR36Cg> [TikTok] <https://www.tiktok.com/@ox.compsoc.net> or, contact us at committee(a)ox.compsoc.net [Our Sponsors] [Jane Street] [Citadel] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/sbs/qah/tta/Jump%20Trading…] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/11s/ilc/mex/Quantco_1.png] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/zmq/log/hdy/HRT%20Logo.png] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/utn/wzf/o3c/Incident.io%20…] [TPP] [TPP] [TPP] [TPP] Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe here<https://lists.ox.compsoc.net/mailman/listinfo>. Send an email to committee(a)ox.compsoc.net<mailto:committee@ox.compsoc.net> to manually unsubscribe. 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CompSoc Newsletter Week 2!
by Declan Osborne 26 Jan '26

26 Jan '26

[Oxford CompSoc banner graphic] [6th Week] Hilary Term Week 2 Newsletter Presentations, Competitive Programming and More! Bonjour, One and All, Out with First Week, it's Second Week time! We're back this week with some classic CompSoc events in store for you. We'll be kicking off this term's competitive programming events on Monday! We'll be down in the Undergraduate Social Area from 7:30-9:30pm to face off in typical competitive programming style. On Saturday, we'll also be hosting this term's presentation night! If there's a topic you're really passionate about and want to give a talk on, make sure to sign up here<https://forms.gle/C28DxcZrX6Q6x2dK8> — it doesn't have to be computer science related! We'll be in the Department from 7pm onwards to listen to your talks. If you're interested in running for CompSoc's Committee, we now have an election guide available! Check it out here<https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rvJy3CJcY9n-vwpFHdiV0Duyelh2YBdi>. If you've got a role in mind to run for, head on over to our form and register your interest<https://forms.gle/LrhUHwFL5rrRAwEd7>! Finally, we have more on the STEM ball, along with some interesting events relating to free, libre and open-source software. See below for details! We also now have a Minecraft server, the address for which can be found in our Discord server<https://discord.com/invite/cUZFPG5WZ6>. — Declan, CompSoc Secretary Fun Computing Fact: As we now have a Minecraft server again, let's do a Minecraft fun fact! Did you know that, up until Minecraft Beta 1.7.3, travelling over 12.8 million blocks away from spawn brought you to the Far Lands, a realm where terrain generation breaks down to create gargantuan cliffs (and lots of lag). This happens because Minecraft terrain is generated using Perlin noise generators, which essentially smooth the output from a random number generator in a 3D grid to create plausible terrain. Several noise generators in Minecraft are combined to create all of the characteristics of the game's terrain. The Far Lands first begin when an integer overflow occurs on the low and high noise generators. The bug was fixed in Beta 1.8 by changing the way world coordinates are scaled, meaning the world border is reached long before the Far Lands would begin. Still not a member? How?! Membership only costs £1 for LIFE, with tons of benefits - discounts on merch and tickets, free food at all socials, our exclusive Discord server and more - so it's definitely worth signing up! [Be a member]<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/> or, go to https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/?fbclid=IwAR1Oe_vwCudNvU…> [Events] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/9pf/3bl/6x7/HT26%20Termcar…] [Events] STEM Ball A message on tickets for the STEM ball: Hi Everyone! I am excited to share that PhysSoc, Invariants, CompSoc, Mirzakhani, OxWIE, OxWEST, OxWOCS, OUCB, OxMatSoc and OUGS are collaborating to bring you Oxford’s first ever STEM Ball, in bloom at the Randolph Friday 6th March First release tickets drop this Wednesday, check out the instagram @oustemball for more updates! We would love to see you there 👀🌸 See the post here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DT6DziLjdiZ Competitive Programming: Second Week Contest [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/ey3/7ev/mv0/PNG%20Competit…] Now that you've learned the (advanced) basics, it's time to get stuck into a contest! Come along to the Undergraduate Social Area this Monday, when we'll be kicking off our term of competitive programming contests. We'll be going head to head from 7:30-9:30pm — whether you're a beginner or competitive programming aficionado, don't miss it! When: 7:30-9:30pm, Monday 26th January Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/6F8Dgc2hr Saturday Social: Presentation Night [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/872/zn0/zik/PNG%20Presenta…] It's Hilary Term, and that means it's time for our termly student presentation night! This Saturday, we're giving you (yes, you!) the spotlight by letting you give a ten-minute talk on any topic that takes your fancy! Talks may be on anything you find interesting — they don't have to be computer science related! If you're interested in giving a talk or listening to our array of talks, come on down to the Undergraduate Social Area from 7pm onwards. If you want to give a talk, make sure to sign up below! When: 7pm, Saturday 31st January Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Sign up here: https://forms.gle/C28DxcZrX6Q6x2dK8 Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/6ileQkYeu [And More...] Events on Free, Libre and Open Source Software [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/gi7/zx5/af3/OxfordFLOSS_Po…] A message from Oliver Geer and Laura Fortunado: Dear All, Have you ever thought about how the software we use affects our autonomy and right-to-repair the devices we increasingly rely on? Our privacy? The reproducibility of our research? This Hilary term (January-March 2026) we are hosting a series of events<https://ox.ogeer.org/> on various non-technical and technical aspects of free, libre and open source software (FLOSS). Dates, and soon venues, are available on our website<https://ox.ogeer.org/>. Come along to learn about the practical, legal, and research-related implications of FLOSS, including: why and how to self-host your FLOSS services<https://ox.ogeer.org/event/date-to-be-confirmed-self-hosting-cooking-your-o…> a guided, social workshop to contribute to FLOSS<https://ox.ogeer.org/event/contributhon> (via any of bug reporting, triaging, programming, translation, community-building, and so on --- no technical skills needed!) an introduction to the programmable text editor and wider productivity tool, Emacs<https://ox.ogeer.org/event/computing-in-freedom-with-gnu-emacs-protesilaos-…> copyleft and protecting users’ right to repair<https://ox.ogeer.org/event/software-freedom-conservancy> teaching high school students research computing<https://ox.ogeer.org/event/institute-for-computing-in-research-mark-galassi…> an introduction to a bioinformatics community and code library<https://ox.ogeer.org/event/software-engineering-for-bioinformatics-a-biocon…> There are both in-person events in Oxford and online ones. Everyone is welcome, including students, academics, staff, and people unaffiliated to a University. You are welcome to just turn up (as long as you follow our code of conduct<https://ox.ogeer.org/p/code-of-conduct>), since no registration is required. To enable broad participation, we have scheduled events on different days on a weekly basis, and at different times --- feel free to join as many as you are able to, and please share this widely! A poster is attached to help with this. If you have any questions, please email oliver.geer(a)hertford.ox.ac.uk<mailto:oliver.geer@hertford.ox.ac.uk> and laura.fortunato(a)anthro.ox.ac.uk<mailto:laura.fortunato@anthro.ox.ac.uk>, or look at our website<https://ox.ogeer.org/>. Kind regards, Oliver Geer (Hertford College, Computer Science and Philosophy) and Laura Fortunato (Magdalen College, Anthropology, Software Freedom Conservancy), with support from others on our mailing list<https://web.maillist.ox.ac.uk/ox/info/foss>. Header image<https://media.fsfe.org/w/xs29yhLxSP1uKLYkSeoKKp>* CC-BY-SA 4.0<https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/> MotionEnsemble.de<http://motionensemble.de/> for FSFE<https://fsfe.org/>* Get to Know Strategy and Product: Jane Street x Oxford A message from our sponsors at Jane Street: GJoin us for a Day in the Life session about our Strategy and Product Internship<http://www.janestreet.com/sp>! Whether you joined us last term or this is your first Jane Street SP event, this session will give you an overview of our SP internship and share what a day in the life really looks like - so you can get a genuine sense of the role. SPs work at the intersection of technology, finance, and business strategy. You'll learn how we tackle challenging problems across departments, support the firm's growth, and gain a holistic perspective of our business. If you've never thought about a career in finance, you're in good company. Many of us were in the same position before working here. If you have a curious mind, a collaborative spirit, and a passion for solving interesting problems, we have a feeling you'll fit right in. See attached flyer for more details and submit this form<https://forms.gle/wK6fw4cSMBkpbN8g7> to register! Thursday, 29th January @ 3:30pm - with Oxford Women in Engineering (Engineering & CompSci) Wednesday, 11th February @ 7:00pm - with Oxford Physics Society (Natural Sciences) Perplexity Pro A message from our sponsors at Perplexity: Students get free Perplexity Pro and exclusive student features like flashcards and quizzes when you verify your student status. Sign up at perplexity.ai/students Check Out OxWoCS! Make sure to join OxWoCS (Oxford Women in CS), a society we're working closely with, if you identify as a woman or woman-adjacent person in CS! They have a host of wonderful events on, including talks, panels and socials. Computer Science is unfortunately a subject with one of the biggest gender gaps in Oxford and worldwide, and addressing this is at the core of OxWoCS. [Follow Us] [Web Site]<https://ox.compsoc.net/> [Facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/oxcompsoc/> [Instagram] <https://www.instagram.com/ox.compsoc/> [Discord] <https://discord.com/invite/cUZFPG5WZ6> [YouTube] <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwdzpxzUZ2i84x5WyVR36Cg> [TikTok] <https://www.tiktok.com/@ox.compsoc.net> or, contact us at committee(a)ox.compsoc.net [Our Sponsors] [Jane Street] [Citadel] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/sbs/qah/tta/Jump%20Trading…] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/11s/ilc/mex/Quantco_1.png] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/zmq/log/hdy/HRT%20Logo.png] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/utn/wzf/o3c/Incident.io%20…] [TPP] [TPP] [TPP] [TPP] Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe here<https://lists.ox.compsoc.net/mailman/listinfo>. Send an email to committee(a)ox.compsoc.net<mailto:committee@ox.compsoc.net> to manually unsubscribe. [Designed with BEE]<https://www.designedwithbee.com/?utm_source=editor&utm_medium=bee_pro&utm_c…> Designed with BEE<https://www.designedwithbee.com/?utm_source=editor&utm_medium=bee_pro&utm_c…>

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Ice Skating Sign-Up
by Declan Osborne 21 Jan '26

21 Jan '26

[Oxford CompSoc banner graphic] Ice Skating with the Invariants Sign Up Now! [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/vum/nl5/sh4/PNG%20Ice%20Sk…] Get your skates on and join us next Monday for a classic CompSoc staple! Next week, we'll be joined by our friends in the Invariants to go ice skating together! We'll be at the ice rink from 6-7:15pm to skate away with friends. If you're interested, make sure to sign up now — spaces are, unfortunately, limited! We'll send out a confirmation email by Saturday if you've got a place. When: 6-7:15pm, Monday 26th January Where: Oxford Ice Rink Oxpens Rd, Oxford OX1 1RX Sign up here: https://forms.gle/i2y1r7GtuJZ5R4oeA Still not a member? How?! Membership only costs £1 for LIFE, with tons of benefits - discounts on merch and tickets, free food at all socials, our exclusive Discord server and more - so it's definitely worth signing up! [Be a member]<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/> or, go to https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/?fbclid=IwAR1Oe_vwCudNvU…> [Follow Us] [Web Site]<https://ox.compsoc.net/> [Facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/oxcompsoc/> [Instagram] <https://www.instagram.com/ox.compsoc/> [Discord] <https://discord.com/invite/cUZFPG5WZ6> [YouTube] <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwdzpxzUZ2i84x5WyVR36Cg> [TikTok] <https://www.tiktok.com/@ox.compsoc.net> or, contact us at committee(a)ox.compsoc.net [Our Sponsors] [Jane Street] [Citadel] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/sbs/qah/tta/Jump%20Trading…] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/11s/ilc/mex/Quantco_1.png] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/zmq/log/hdy/HRT%20Logo.png] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/utn/wzf/o3c/Incident.io%20…] [TPP] [TPP] [TPP] [TPP] Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe here<https://lists.ox.compsoc.net/mailman/listinfo>. Send an email to committee(a)ox.compsoc.net<mailto:committee@ox.compsoc.net> to manually unsubscribe. [Designed with BEE]<https://www.designedwithbee.com/?utm_source=editor&utm_medium=bee_pro&utm_c…> Designed with BEE<https://www.designedwithbee.com/?utm_source=editor&utm_medium=bee_pro&utm_c…>

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CompSoc Newsletter Week 1!
by Declan Osborne 19 Jan '26

19 Jan '26

[Oxford CompSoc banner graphic] [6th Week] Hilary Term Week 1 Newsletter Termcard, Apollo Talk, Board Games and More! Greetings, Underlings, Welcome back, one and all, for the new year and the new term! It was great to see so many of you at last Saturday's very well-attended pizza night. We have a bountiful range of events in store this term (see the termcard below), kicking off with five this week! We start the term with a bang this Monday with our first competitive programming advanced bootcamp! We'll be down in the Undergraduate Social Area from 7:30-9:30pm for some all-new lessons. On Thursday, we have a double whammy of events! At 5pm, we'll be joined by Rob Wills for a fascinating talk delving into the Apollo Guidance Computer. Afterwards, we'll kick back from 8-10pm at our welcome social, with free drinks for all! To round off the week, we're back in the UGSA for yet another double billing on Saturday! We'll start off the evening with a touch of capture-the-flag at 5-7pm, followed by our classic start-of-term board game night, complete with pizza and snacks as always. Finally, some other assorted thingamabobs — we're looking for a new Committee this term! Elections will be held at our Annual General Meeting in Week 7, and we'll have a guide on the roles available shortly. We've also experienced a buffer overflow in our attempt to continue the CompSoc continuation, meaning last night's letter was '[', with the ever-wise CompSoc electorate choosing '[REDACTED]' to follow Zoe. Join us this Saturday for more non-alphanumeric shenanigans! — Declan, CompSoc Secretary Fun Computing Fact: Despite the lack of variation in the modern day, the field of Unix and Unix-like operating systems used to be filled with boundless unique offerings. One such was the open source TRIX, developed to run on MIT's NuMachine in the late 70s. Otherwise mimicking Version 7 Unix, TRIX uniquely featured support for remote procedure calls in the kernel for networking. Due to its licensing, it was briefly considered by the GNU Project for adoption as its official kernel, but was discounted in favour of GNU Hurd, which... hasn't exactly gone brilliantly. Maybe they should've gone with TRIX all along. Still not a member? How?! Membership only costs £1 for LIFE, with tons of benefits - discounts on merch and tickets, free food at all socials, our exclusive Discord server and more - so it's definitely worth signing up! [Be a member]<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/> or, go to https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/?fbclid=IwAR1Oe_vwCudNvU…> [Events] Say hello to our termcard for Hilary Term 2026! We have endless events in store for you this term, including talks, brand new competitive programming and CTF events, and the Saturday Socials we all know and love! We get started this Monday with our first advanced bootcamp for competitive programming, and wrap up on Wednesday of Week 8 with a bubble tea event. [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/9pf/3bl/6x7/HT26%20Termcar…] [Events] Competitive Programming: Eighth Week Contest [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/5se/bs2/9kx/PNG%20Competit…] As we enter into the new term, we kick off with something new altogether! This week, we'll start the term's competitive programming sessions with an advanced bootcamp! This Monday in the Undergraduate Social Area, we'll be building upon last year's knowledge and covering some more advanced topics in the realm of competitive programming. If you're looking to improve your skills in contests, make sure to join us from 7:30-9:30pm! When: 7:30-9:30pm, Monday 19th January Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/9vn4hPKQh Light Years Ahead: The Apollo Guidance Computer [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/jca/u5b/k8v/PNG%20Apollo%2…] This Thursday, we begin our dynamic duo of events with a very exciting talk! We'll be joined this week at 5pm by Rob Wills to hear all about Apollo 11 and the Apollo Guidance Computer. Come join Rob Wills as he tells us about the amazing computer that was used onboard the Apollo missions. He'll show you how the landing software worked, how the system was designed to be robust against failures, and how the computer saved the Apollo 11 landing. Abstract July 20, 1969: Neil Armstrong was in the final stages of the Lunar descent, just a few thousand feet above the surface, when suddenly his computer indicated a critical alarm. For three nail-biting seconds it looked as if the mission would have to be aborted. However, Armstrong was given a "go" to continue, and after several more alarms the Eagle touched down safely. Rob will introduce the amazing hardware and software that made up the Apollo Guidance Computer, walk you through the landing procedure step-by-step, and talk about the pioneering design decisions that were used to make the landing software robust against any failure. Finally, I'll tell you what happened during Apollo 11, and show you how this amazing machine saved the mission. About the Author Rob is a senior technical leader at Cisco, working on their most advanced networking operating system, IOS XR. In his free time he is enthusiastic about studying the history of computers, and has given talks at NASA, Airbus, the IET and various universities. Rob is a fast-paced and energetic speaker who loves to bring these dusty old machines to life in a fun and easy-going way. When: 5pm, Thursday 22nd January Where: Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/44d6HvJNA Welcome Social [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/gbc/io9/zc5/PNG%20Welcome%…] What better way to welcome the new term in than an aptly-named welcome social? For our second event this Thursday, we'll be headed down to Oxo Bar for an evening of convivial conversation with, of course, free drinks courtesy of CompSoc. Join us from 8-10pm to get your fill! When: 8-10pm, Thursday 22nd January Where: Oxo Bar 48 George St, Oxford OX1 2AQ Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/45bD2eW19 Capture-the-Flag Night: First Week [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/n83/vu8/yl3/PNG%20CTF%20Ni…] Away from Thursday's double bill and on to Saturday's! This Saturday, we'll be starting the evening in the Undergraduate Social Area with a new fixture this term — a capture-the-flag contest session! Come along from 5-7pm to take part in a capture-the-flag contest on behalf of CompSoc with friends. When: 5-7pm, Saturday 24th January Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/9qAYtcZNv Saturday Social: Board Game Night [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/5jg/ae8/l43/PNG%20Board%20…] This Saturday, we'll be rounding off the first week of term with the finest of CompSoc traditions. That's right — it's time for a board game night! Join us from 7pm in the Undergraduate Social Area, where we'll be kicking back and relaxing with a range of games, along with generous helpings of pizza and snacks! When: 7pm, Saturday 24th January Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/8L36g3Rbc [And More...] Opportunities from Citadel Software Engineering (link here<https://www.citadel.com/careers/details/software-engineer-intern-europe/>) At Citadel, our engineers work in small teams to turn the best ideas into high-performing and resilient technology. With short development cycles, work rapidly goes into production. As an engineer, you can create systems architectures, develop platforms, and build web frameworks. You’ll have access to state-of-the-art tools and apply innovative techniques including distributed computing, natural language processing, machine learning, and more. As an intern, you’ll get to challenge the impossible in technology through an 11-week program that will allow you to collaborate and connect with senior team members. In addition, you’ll get the opportunity to network and socialize with peers throughout the internship. Discover Program (Spring Week) (link here<https://www.citadel.com/careers/programs-and-events/discover-citadel/emea-a…>) Location: London, United Kingdom Date: March 24 – 27, 2026 Application Deadline: February 13, 2026 *Selected attendees will be notified by February 20, 2026 Eligibility: Undergraduate students in good standing, eighteen years of age or older residing in Europe, with an expected graduation date between December 2027 and June 2029. Program benefits include roundtrip economy-class airfare from an airport near participant’s home in Europe, ground transportation to and from the arrival airport, single occupancy hotel accommodations for three (3) nights and meals during the Program competition day. Approximate value of program benefits is $750 USD, excluding any prizes won. Participants are responsible for any taxes due for the value of program benefits. Perplexity Pro A message from our sponsors at Perplexity: Students get free Perplexity Pro and exclusive student features like flashcards and quizzes when you verify your student status. Sign up at perplexity.ai/students Check Out OxWoCS! Make sure to join OxWoCS (Oxford Women in CS), a society we're working closely with, if you identify as a woman or woman-adjacent person in CS! They have a host of wonderful events on, including talks, panels and socials. Computer Science is unfortunately a subject with one of the biggest gender gaps in Oxford and worldwide, and addressing this is at the core of OxWoCS. [Follow Us] [Web Site]<https://ox.compsoc.net/> [Facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/oxcompsoc/> [Instagram] <https://www.instagram.com/ox.compsoc/> [Discord] <https://discord.com/invite/cUZFPG5WZ6> [YouTube] <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwdzpxzUZ2i84x5WyVR36Cg> [TikTok] <https://www.tiktok.com/@ox.compsoc.net> or, contact us at committee(a)ox.compsoc.net [Our Sponsors] [Jane Street] [Citadel] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/sbs/qah/tta/Jump%20Trading…] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/11s/ilc/mex/Quantco_1.png] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/zmq/log/hdy/HRT%20Logo.png] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/utn/wzf/o3c/Incident.io%20…] [TPP] [TPP] [TPP] [TPP] Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe here<https://lists.ox.compsoc.net/mailman/listinfo>. Send an email to committee(a)ox.compsoc.net<mailto:committee@ox.compsoc.net> to manually unsubscribe. 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CompSoc Newsletter Week 8!
by Declan Osborne 01 Dec '25

01 Dec '25

[Oxford CompSoc banner graphic] [6th Week] Michaelmas Term Week 8 Newsletter Competitive Programming and Junkyard Golf! Greetings, Battle-Hardened Veterans, Welcome to the final newsletter (of the term)! As we reach a blessed release from tedious academic labour, we have two final events this week to tickle your fancy. This Monday, we'll be back down in the Undergraduate Social Area one last time for the final competitive programming contest of the term! Join us from 7:30-9:30pm to do battle one last time in 2025. On Thursday, we finish off a term of events with a flourish, as we indulge in a spot of Junkyard Golf! If you're interested, sign up below to join us between 8-9:30pm in our final scheduled social of the term. A final note — we'll be holding our Annual General Meeting next term, where we'll be electing a brand new Committee to lead the society forward into pastures anew. If you're interested in contributing to CompSoc, there's a job available for pretty much anyone! A list of our current offices can be found here<https://ox.compsoc.net/committee/>. — Declan, CompSoc Secretary Fun Computing Fact: The 1980s spawned a swathe of different platforms and architectures in the computing market, and supercomputers were no exception. One of the more peculiar architectures was seen in the Connection Machine by the Thinking Machines Corporation, which consisted of thousands of microprocessors connected in a hypercube arrangement, allowing efficient computation of highly parallelised workloads. Early concepts imagined as many as a million microprocessors connected in a twenty-dimensional hypercube, although the released CM-1 reduced this to a maximum of 65,536. The Connection Machine even penetrated popular culture — examples can be seen in Jurassic Park's control room, along with Connection Machine-inspired mainframes in games such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Fallout 3. Still not a member? How?! Membership only costs £1 for LIFE, with tons of benefits - discounts on merch and tickets, free food at all socials, our exclusive Discord server and more - so it's definitely worth signing up! [Be a member]<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/> or, go to https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/?fbclid=IwAR1Oe_vwCudNvU…> [Events] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/2s6/hzw/svg/MT25%20Termcar…] [Events] Competitive Programming: Eighth Week Contest [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/ok6/psq/c3f/PNG%20Competit…] As we close in on the end of term, it's time to show off your skills one last time! This evening, we'll be back down in the Undergraduate Social Area for one last rodeo as we reach the final competitive programming contest of the term. With food and fun abound, make sure to join us from 7:30-9:30pm to compete against your peers before the beginning of the vacation. When: 7:30-9:30pm, Monday 1st December Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/743bBk3aG Junkyard Golf Social — Sign Up Now! [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/ffg/64j/386/PNG%20Junkyard…] This Thursday, we're closing out Michaelmas Term with a bang! We'll be holding our final scheduled social this week at the Junkyard Golf Club from 8-9:30pm. If you're interested in a bit of a different evening from CompSoc's usual fare, make sure to sign up below, as spaces are limited! We'll let you know whether you have a place by the end of the day on Wednesday. When: 8-9:30pm, Thursday 4th December Where: Junkyard Golf Club Westgate Shopping Centre, Castle St, Oxford OX1 1PB Sign up here: https://forms.gle/mx3MfgNUMMiTYFSB9 [And More...] Perplexity Pro A message from our sponsors at Perplexity: Students get free Perplexity Pro and exclusive student features like flashcards and quizzes when you verify your student status. Sign up at perplexity.ai/students Check Out OxWoCS! Make sure to join OxWoCS (Oxford Women in CS), a society we're working closely with, if you identify as a woman or woman-adjacent person in CS! They have a host of wonderful events on, including talks, panels and socials. Computer Science is unfortunately a subject with one of the biggest gender gaps in Oxford and worldwide, and addressing this is at the core of OxWoCS. [Follow Us] [Web Site]<https://ox.compsoc.net/> [Facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/oxcompsoc/> [Instagram] <https://www.instagram.com/ox.compsoc/> [Discord] <https://discord.com/invite/cUZFPG5WZ6> [YouTube] <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwdzpxzUZ2i84x5WyVR36Cg> [TikTok] <https://www.tiktok.com/@ox.compsoc.net> or, contact us at committee(a)ox.compsoc.net [Our Sponsors] [Jane Street] [Citadel] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/11s/ilc/mex/Quantco_1.png] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/2x2/kvw/7vb/qrt%20white%20…] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/utn/wzf/o3c/Incident.io%20…] [TPP] [TPP] [TPP] Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe here<https://lists.ox.compsoc.net/mailman/listinfo>. Send an email to committee(a)ox.compsoc.net<mailto:committee@ox.compsoc.net> to manually unsubscribe. 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CompSoc Newsletter Week 7!
by Declan Osborne 24 Nov '25

24 Nov '25

[Oxford CompSoc banner graphic] [6th Week] Michaelmas Term Week 7 Newsletter Drinks, a Talk, and Everything Else! Hola, Valued Customer, With Week 6 over, we're headed down the home straight now! That, however, won't stop us from delivering you a luxurious selection of events to meet your satisfaction. Today, we're back with what you've come to expect — a competitive programming bootcamp! If you want to learn in our last session of the term, come along from 7:30-9:30pm in the Undergraduate Social Area. On Thursday, we'll be joined by the Physics Society and the Invariants for some STEM-themed (free) drinks! If you're interested, sign up for a place below — we'll be at the Oxford Retreat from 9-11pm. On Friday, we have an all-new talk on employment! We'll be joined by an industry insider from Netcraft to cover the topic of How Not to be Unemployed. Join us from 5-6pm for useful practical knowledge and pizza! On Saturday, we'll first be partaking in the final Learn to Code session of the term! Make sure to come along from 5:30-6:30pm at Jesus College to round off your brand new skills. Afterwards, we'll be holding our Michaelmas Termly General Meeting! This is your chance to hear what we've been doing and influence the way the society is run. We'll be in the UGSA from 7pm. If you'd like to submit a motion, details are below! Once it's over, we'll be relaxing with a quiz night. — Declan, CompSoc Secretary Fun Computing Fact: Did you know that much of what's taken as standard in Unix and Unix-like operating systems is specified by the Single UNIX Specification? To receive permission to use the Unix trademark, a software package must be demonstrated to be conformant with the SUS, which largely consists of POSIX standards. Despite many operating systems, such as Linux/BSD distributions, generally aiming for POSIX compatibility, very few operating systems are certified to be compliant — the only operating system used predominantly by consumers to receive certification is Apple's macOS! Still not a member? How?! Membership only costs £1 for LIFE, with tons of benefits - discounts on merch and tickets, free food at all socials, our exclusive Discord server and more - so it's definitely worth signing up! [Be a member]<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/> or, go to https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/?fbclid=IwAR1Oe_vwCudNvU…> [Events] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/2s6/hzw/svg/MT25%20Termcar…] [Events] Competitive Programming: Seventh Week Contest [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/0cv/33r/p0d/PNG%20Competit…] Nothing lasts forever, and that's as true of our competitive programming bootcamps as it is of anything! This Monday, we'll be in the Undergraduate Social Area for the last bootcamp session of the term. If you're desperate to learn the tools of a tricky trade, make sure to come along from 7:30-9:30pm! As ever, food will be provided. When: 7:30-9:30pm, Monday 24th November Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/8SNkZjfkR STEM Drinks with the Invariants and PhysSoc [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/qre/flg/kfc/PNG%20STEM%20D…] Ready to socialise with other STEM folk? No? Too bad! This Thursday, we'll be joined by our friends in the Invariants and the Physics Society to see out the (near) end of the term in style! We'll be at the Oxford Retreat from 9-11pm, imbibing free drinks and enjoying scintillating conversation through the evening. If you're interested in free drink tokens, make sure to sign up<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe6ZaDejDcymJwpWSV3gQpPgJ4yq24TFP-…> in advance — tokens are limited! When: 9-11pm, Thursday 27th November Where: The Oxford Retreat 1-2 Hythe Bridge St, Oxford OX1 2EW Sign up for tokens here:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe6ZaDejDcymJwpWSV3gQpPgJ4yq2… Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/dUwmxQmBb How Not to be Unemployed — A Talk from Netcraft [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/ptm/k7e/yv3/PNG%20Netcraft…] Thinking about your future? We have just the talk for you! This Friday, we'll be joined by someone from Netcraft to talk about that all-important task of getting a job! We'll in Lecture Theatre B(ill Roscoe) from 5-6pm to hear useful practical advice and insider knowledge on topics such as interviews within the industry, followed by our staple food — pizza! When: 5-6pm, Friday 28th November Where: Lecture Theatre B(ill Roscoe), Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/3LOhmc0HM Learn to Code: Sixth Session [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/ch9/fh8/9xq/PNG%20Learn%20…] It's Saturday, and it's time to turn the final page on your Python adventure! This week, we'll be holding the final of our six Learn to Code sessions this term. If you've come this far, make sure to join us at Jesus College's Digital Hub from 5:30-6:30pm to round off your knowledge in the final instalment in the series! When: 5:30-6:30pm, Saturday 29th November Where: Digital Hub, Jesus College Turl St, Oxford OX1 3DW Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/82q2AhNCG Termly General Meeting/Quiz Night [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/kdv/fu3/qgr/PNG%20Termly%2…] Run from it, hide from it — bureaucracy arrives all the same. But never fear, as CompSoc bureaucracy is fun! This Saturday, we'll be holding our Termly General Meeting, which is your chance to contribute to the society's future! First, we'll hear from CompSoc's Committee at 7pm on what they've been doing this term and their plans for the future, followed by a chance to vote on motions proposed by members! Afterwards, we'll wind down with a quiz night, adjoined by our trademark bountiful provisions of free pizza. There's something for everyone this Saturday! Any registered CompSoc member is free to submit a motion for consideration! If you'd like to do so, hop on over to our Discord server<https://discord.com/invite/cUZFPG5WZ6>, where you can find guidance in the #motions forum channel on how to write your own motion. Please note that you will be expected to attend the TGM to present your motion. Please submit all motions by 11:59pm on Friday 28th November. When: 7pm, Saturday 29th November Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/6U9uAJmFP [And More...] Vice Chancellor's Colloquium on Climate — Sign Up Ten places on the Vice Chancellor's Colloquium on Climate have been reserved exclusively for computer science undergraduates, and one of them could be yours! The Colloquium is an extracurricular, interdisciplinary offering intended to equip students with the skills needed to not only understand climate change, but to also thrive in their future careers. If you're interested, see more and sign up below! Read more here: https://lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/about/the-vice-chancellors-colloquium Sign up here: https://forms.office.com/e/Pp0iHhqJXD Perplexity Pro A message from our sponsors at Perplexity: Students get free Perplexity Pro and exclusive student features like flashcards and quizzes when you verify your student status. Sign up at perplexity.ai/students Check Out OxWoCS! Make sure to join OxWoCS (Oxford Women in CS), a society we're working closely with, if you identify as a woman or woman-adjacent person in CS! They have a host of wonderful events on, including talks, panels and socials. Computer Science is unfortunately a subject with one of the biggest gender gaps in Oxford and worldwide, and addressing this is at the core of OxWoCS. [Follow Us] [Web Site]<https://ox.compsoc.net/> [Facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/oxcompsoc/> [Instagram] <https://www.instagram.com/ox.compsoc/> [Discord] <https://discord.com/invite/cUZFPG5WZ6> [YouTube] <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwdzpxzUZ2i84x5WyVR36Cg> [TikTok] <https://www.tiktok.com/@ox.compsoc.net> or, contact us at committee(a)ox.compsoc.net [Our Sponsors] [Jane Street] [Citadel] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/11s/ilc/mex/Quantco_1.png] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/2x2/kvw/7vb/qrt%20white%20…] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/utn/wzf/o3c/Incident.io%20…] [TPP] [TPP] [TPP] Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe here<https://lists.ox.compsoc.net/mailman/listinfo>. Send an email to committee(a)ox.compsoc.net<mailto:committee@ox.compsoc.net> to manually unsubscribe. 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CompSoc Newsletter Week 6!
by Declan Osborne 17 Nov '25

17 Nov '25

[Oxford CompSoc banner graphic] [6th Week] Michaelmas Term Week 6 Newsletter Contests, Lunch, a Talk, Presentations and So Much More! Bienvenue, Mes Amis, Whew. We got through Week 5! Now, without further ado, onto Week 6, where we have a smorgasbord of events in store! We'll be kicking off the week this Monday with our third competitive programming contest of the new year! As ever, come along from 7:30-9:30pm for showdowns, food and fun. On Tuesday, our sponsors at QRT will join us to host their coding challenge! Big prizes and opportunities are in store for the victors, so if you'd like to sign up, a link is below! The event will run from 5-8pm. On Wednesday, we're daring to venture out in daylight hours (gasp) for a lunch social! Come and join us as we grab a bite to eat at Taylors. We'll be around from 12:30-1:30pm! All good things must come to an end, and our student talks this term are no exception. Join us this Thursday from 5-6pm for the fourth of our four student talks this term, discussing terminating processes through the Hercules and the Hydra game! This Saturday, we'll be struck by a swarm of events! First off, we'll be in the Undergraduate Social Area from 5-7pm to work on a CTF again — watch the Discord server for details. From 5:30-6:30pm, we'll be back with the fifth Learn to Code instalment at Jesus College. Finally, from 7pm onwards, we'll retire for a presentation night, featuring mini-talks given by you! If you'd like to sign up to speak on any topic of your choice (not limited to CS!), see below for details. — Declan, CompSoc Secretary Fun Computing Fact: While we take a lot of it for granted these days, interoperability used to be the name of the game when it came to advancements in office software in the 90s and 2000s. One of the most bizarre instances of this, however, comes from Microsoft Office and Visual Studio. Did you know it was once possible to open Office documents in Visual Studio, add buttons and controls to the document and then add code to make the document interactive outside of Visual Studio? Well, now you do! Still not a member? How?! Membership only costs £1 for LIFE, with tons of benefits - discounts on merch and tickets, free food at all socials, our exclusive Discord server and more - so it's definitely worth signing up! [Be a member]<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/> or, go to https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/?fbclid=IwAR1Oe_vwCudNvU…> [Events] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/2s6/hzw/svg/MT25%20Termcar…] [Events] Competitive Programming: Sixth Week Contest [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/cfb/08x/w6q/PNG%20Competit…] Tick tock goes the clock and, before you know it, it's Monday again and time for competitive programming once more! This week, we'll be back for our third contest of the term. After honing your skills at last week's bootcamp, come on down and put them to the test; we'll be in the Undergraduate Social Area from 7:30-9:30pm as usual! When: 7:30-9:30pm, Monday 17th November Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/8SNkZjfkR QRT x Oxford C3 Coding Challenge [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/66y/e85/3zo/QRT%20x%20Oxfo…] This week, we'll be joining with our sponsors at QRT for a brand new opportunity! On Tuesday, we'll be playing host to QRT's C3 Coding Challenge at the Department of Computer Science, from 5pm onwards! Come along with teams of up to four and solve problems together! If you're interested in coding, winning prizes, or looking into opportunities with QRT, make sure to sign up with our form below. We'll have pizza to satiate your hunger and QRT will also provide tokens for LLM usage during the challenge. Winners will be announced at 8pm. When: 5-8pm, Tuesday 18th November Where: Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Sign up here: https://forms.gle/ke4FgNRbCGPQ15xH8 Lunch Social at Taylors [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/mho/f06/c4j/PNG%20Taylors%…] This Wednesday, we'll be stepping out in the broad grasp of daylight and touching grass! We'll be down at the Taylors on St Giles' to mix it up with a lunch social. If you fancy a bite to eat with your CompSoc friends, make sure to come and join us from 12:30-1:30pm for the first lunchtime social of the academic year! When: 12:30-1:30pm, Wednesday 19th November Where: Taylors 31 St Giles', Oxford OX1 3LD Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/3SOMyWG2t Hercules, the Hydra and Terminating Processes — A Talk [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/7bh/h9f/0zj/PNG%20Hercules…] This Thursday, we reach the end of our student talks this term with our fourth talk. We'll be descending to Lecture Theatre A this week to hear all about methods for verifying processes will eventually terminate, using the Hercules and the Hydra game. Join us from 5-6pm for a sure-to-be fascinating talk, after which we'll retire for pizza! Talk Description Hercules is battling the Hydra; he wants a pot of gold the Hydra guards. Every time he chops a head off of the Hydra, though, more heads grow back! Can Hercules ever win the battle and get the treasure? Surprisingly (given a particular interpretation of the Hydra as a mathematical object, mind you) he can! In this talk, we'll cover methods to show that processes do eventually terminate, through the lens of what's called the "Hercules and the Hydra game". In doing so, we'll learn about ordinals, well-quasi orders, and the fate of that poor Hydra. The talk should be accessible to all, with some content from the IP1 and Set Theory courses being covered (you don't have to have taken these courses beforehand). When: 5-6pm, Thursday 20th November Where: Lecture Theatre A, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/1S3YLa1hVB Capture-the-Flag Evening [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/vqr/bw5/7rs/PNG%20CTF%20Ev…] It's Saturday, and it's time to kick off another triple header with another CTF evening! Join us this week in the Department, where we'll be working on a CTF together — check out the Discord server beforehand for details. We'll be around before the evening's social from 5-7pm! When: 5-7pm, Saturday 22nd November Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/8GqZrIEK3 Learn to Code: Fifth Session [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/8ut/zzw/fl2/PNG%20Learn%20…] It's Saturday, and what better time than this could there be to continue your journey into the murky depths of Python? As this week comes to a close, we'll be back at Jesus College for the fifth session in our Learn to Code series this term. Join us from 5:30-6:30pm! When: 5:30-6:30pm, Saturday 22nd November Where: Digital Hub, Jesus College Turl St, Oxford OX1 3DW Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/5CGLOQVZa Saturday Social: Presentation Night [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/5p6/tnq/gvx/PNG%20Presenta…] This Saturday, it's time to hear whatever you want to talk about! (Not you specifically necessarily, unless you want to, but you get the point.) We'll be giving the stage to a series of ten-minute student presentations in the Department, hosted by CompSoc members on whatever topic they want — they don't have to be CS-related! Make sure to pop down at 7pm for a fascinating set of presentations, along with the pizza we all know and love. If you'd like to present, sign up here<https://forms.gle/FdDqYvArrEqrWqCL6>! You'll have up to ten minutes to present, including questions and answers. Make sure to sign up by the end of the day on Friday if you're interested. When: 7pm, Saturday 22nd November Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/8RGNZ0bLY [And More...] Perplexity Pro A message from our sponsors at Perplexity: Students get free Perplexity Pro and exclusive student features like flashcards and quizzes when you verify your student status. Sign up at perplexity.ai/students Check Out OxWoCS! Make sure to join OxWoCS (Oxford Women in CS), a society we're working closely with, if you identify as a woman or woman-adjacent person in CS! They have a host of wonderful events on, including talks, panels and socials. Computer Science is unfortunately a subject with one of the biggest gender gaps in Oxford and worldwide, and addressing this is at the core of OxWoCS. [Follow Us] [Web Site]<https://ox.compsoc.net/> [Facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/oxcompsoc/> [Instagram] <https://www.instagram.com/ox.compsoc/> [Discord] <https://discord.com/invite/cUZFPG5WZ6> [YouTube] <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwdzpxzUZ2i84x5WyVR36Cg> [TikTok] <https://www.tiktok.com/@ox.compsoc.net> or, contact us at committee(a)ox.compsoc.net [Our Sponsors] [Jane Street] [Citadel] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/11s/ilc/mex/Quantco_1.png] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/2x2/kvw/7vb/qrt%20white%20…] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/utn/wzf/o3c/Incident.io%20…] [TPP] [TPP] [TPP] Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe here<https://lists.ox.compsoc.net/mailman/listinfo>. Send an email to committee(a)ox.compsoc.net<mailto:committee@ox.compsoc.net> to manually unsubscribe. 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CompSoc Newsletter Week 5!
by Declan Osborne 10 Nov '25

10 Nov '25

[Oxford CompSoc banner graphic] [6th Week] Michaelmas Term Week 5 Newsletter Competitive Programming, a Talk, Board Games and More! Good Afternoon, Team, Week 5 is here at last, and CompSoc is here to help you fight off those Fifth Week blues! Depending on which of our mailing lists you're on, this may be the first newsletter you've received — if so, welcome! We have fun facts. You may (but probably won't) receive this newsletter twice. If so, we apologise; we're trying to work out the gremlins in our mailing list system. Now for the events! This Monday, we have yet another competitive programming bootcamp! Whether you're looking to get into competitive programming for the first time or hone your skills, come along from 7:30-9:30pm in the Undergraduate Social Area. On Tuesday, it's time for another student talk! Between 5-6pm, we'll be in the Bill Roscoe Lecture Theatre for a talk on how to write a programming language. If you're interested, make sure to come along — pizza guaranteed! We're back with another double header this Saturday! First, we'll be at Jesus College from 5:30-6:30pm for the fourth session in our Learn to Code series! Afterwards, we'll be in the Undergraduate Social Area from 7pm for a few relaxed hours playing some board games together, with pizza and snacks as ever. On Tuesday next week, we have a coding challenge, hosted in collaboration with our sponsors at QRT! Running from 5-8pm with free pizza and big prizes, check it out and sign up if you're interested below. Finally, we announced the winners of our esolang hackathon last Saturday! Find out who the lucky few were below. — Declan, CompSoc Secretary Fun Computing Fact: Before Visual Basic .NET, the malingering beginner language some of you may remember from school, came Microsoft's classic Visual Basic language! Lacking the flexible object-oriented characteristics and .NET capabilities of its successor, classic VB debuted as an easier way to write Windows GUI applications in 1991 and was formally discontinued with Visual Basic 6 in 1998. Despite its discontinuation, however, the spectre of VB6 lingers to this day. Along with various reimplementation efforts, and continuing support on Windows under the It Just Works policy, classic VB has lived another life through Microsoft Office's macro system. Macros can be written in Visual Basic for Applications, a descendant of VB6 with Office integration. Through VBA, classic VB now has 64-bit support and even runs on macOS! Still not a member? How?! Membership only costs £1 for LIFE, with tons of benefits - discounts on merch and tickets, free food at all socials, our exclusive Discord server and more - so it's definitely worth signing up! [Be a member]<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/> or, go to https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/?fbclid=IwAR1Oe_vwCudNvU…> [Events] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/2s6/hzw/svg/MT25%20Termcar…] [Events] Esolang Mini Hackathon — Winners We were delighted to announce the winners of our Week 3 mini hackathon last Saturday! Without further ado, your prize winners are... * First Place — Cellscript (Louis-Emile Ploix, Amy Wild) * Second Place — ESOGRAPH (Zhanqi Wang, Anshul Nema) * Runners-up * LaraLang * occ * tlopppelang * Malloc-lusion * Leaky Bucket Congratulations to the lucky few! Keep your eyes peeled for future CompSoc hackathons. Check out the projects: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DBWpumtOl0M2SqHfl7TgO-9iz3XuIm5_QndpHju… Competitive Programming: Fifth Week Bootcamp [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/ymm/6m4/ayl/PNG%20Competit…] It's that time of the week again! This Monday, we're back in the Undergraduate Social Area for the third competitive programming bootcamp session of this term. Whether you're new to the realm of competitive programming or just want some practice, make sure to come along! We'll be around with food from 7:30-9:30pm. When: 7:30-9:30pm, Monday 10th November Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/6echlsrzy How to Make a Programming Language — A Talk [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/66g/rui/hl8/PNG%20Programm…] On Tuesday, we have the third of our four student talks this term! Delayed but not dismayed, we'll be in Lecture Theatre B(ill Roscoe) this week to hear an intriguing talk on making a programming language. We'll be around from 5-6pm for the talk, after which we'll retire for traditional CompSoc pizza! When: 5-6pm, Tuesday 11th November Where: Lecture Theatre B(ill Roscoe), Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/1PZsXp3sgp Learn to Code: Fourth Session [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/h6w/k7m/0s4/PNG%20Learn%20…] Guess what time it is? Time for Learn to Code! For the first event in our double header this Saturday, we'll be back at Jesus College's Digital Hub for the fourth session in our Learn to Code series this term. Come along from 5:30-6:30pm to continue your journey into the world of Python programming! When: 5:30-6:30pm, Saturday 15th November Where: Digital Hub, Jesus College Turl St, Oxford OX1 3DW Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/84iFo4CCC Saturday Social: Board Game Night [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/9gh/zks/syc/PNG%20Board%20…] This Saturday, it's time to relax! For the second event in our double header this week, we'll be back in the Undergraduate Social Area as usual for a familiar Saturday Social — a board game night! From 7pm onwards, we'll kick back and enjoy some of CompSoc's wide range of board games, aided and abetted by pizza and snacks. Who could say no? When: 7pm, Saturday 15th November Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/3YCo5qszY QRT x Oxford C3 Coding Challenge [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/66y/e85/3zo/QRT%20x%20Oxfo…] Next week, we'll be joining with our sponsors at QRT for a brand new opportunity! On Tuesday next week, we'll be playing host to QRT's C3 Coding Challenge at the Department of Computer Science, from 5pm onwards! Come along with teams of up to four and solve problems together! If you're interested in coding, winning prizes, or looking into opportunities with QRT, make sure to sign up with our form below. We'll have pizza to satiate your hunger and QRT will also provide tokens for LLM usage during the challenge. Winners will be announced at 8pm. When: 5-8pm, Tuesday 18th November Where: Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Sign up here: https://forms.gle/ke4FgNRbCGPQ15xH8 [And More...] Jane Street: In-House Programmes [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/8da/vgi/l8s/2025%20Fall%20…] Some opportunities from our sponsors at Jane Street: FOCUS<https://www.janestreet.com/focus-ldn-email>: (7 - 10 Jan in LDN) Created for students currently enrolled in university who identify with an underrepresented ethnic or racial minority group, FOCUS gives attendees an in-depth look at the work Jane Street does across our trading, software engineering, and business development teams. Jane Street will cover all travel expenses to and from London, including housing, meals, and a variety of social events throughout the programme. Deadline to apply is Sunday, 30th November. INSIGHT<https://www.janestreet.com/insight-ldn-email>:<https://www.janestreet.com/insight-ldn-email> (13 - 18 April in LDN) INSIGHT is a programme for students who identify as women, transgender or gender-expansive to learn about our work through a set of trading and programming classes and activities. Attendees will receive an in-depth look into the ways Jane Street uses math and computer science to solve problems.Jane Street will cover all travel to and from London, including meals, housing, and a variety of social events. Deadline to apply is Sunday, 11th January. FTTP<https://www.janestreet.com/fttp-ldn-email>:<https://www.janestreet.com/fttp-ldn-email> (7 - 11 April in LDN) Our First-year Trading and Technology Programme (FTTP) is intended for first-year undergraduate students planning to study math, physics, computer science, or other STEM-related majors. Attendees will learn more about Jane Street’s work through a series of interactive classes and a team-based mock trading simulation game.Jane Street will cover all travel expenses to and from London, including housing and meals. Deadline to apply is Sunday, 18th January. If you are interested in multiple opportunities, we welcome you to apply to both! Hack the River: Two-Week Oxford Hackathon Check out a hackathon in the local area! This is a fantastic opportunity for students, coders, data enthusiasts, and problem-solvers, to collaborate, analyse environmental data, and develop solutions that could make a real positive impact on local rivers. It is being delivered by a local rivers trust, Thames21, as part of the Horizon Europe-funded GovAqua project. Participants will form teams, choose “wicked questions” about local rivers, and work with open-source data from the Oxford Rivers Portal. The hackathon will culminate in presentations to experts from the Environment Agency, Thames Water and UKCEH. There is a £500 cash prize for the winning team, and all teams have the chance to see their work showcased on the Oxford Rivers Portal. When: 2 weeks, kick-off event 13th Nov, closing event 27th Nov, both 6.30-8.30pm Where: Gallery Space (downstairs), Makespace Oxford Jericho, Oxford OX2 6TP(Paid bar + free snacks and soft drinks) Book here: https://book.plinth.org.uk/e/uETSQt0PHsiMImSxDav2<https://book.plinth.org.uk/e/uETSQt0PHsiMImSxDav2?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAA…> Perplexity Pro A message from our sponsors at Perplexity: Students get free Perplexity Pro and exclusive student features like flashcards and quizzes when you verify your student status. Sign up at perplexity.ai/students Check Out OxWoCS! Make sure to join OxWoCS (Oxford Women in CS), a society we're working closely with, if you identify as a woman or woman-adjacent person in CS! They have a host of wonderful events on, including talks, panels and socials. Computer Science is unfortunately a subject with one of the biggest gender gaps in Oxford and worldwide, and addressing this is at the core of OxWoCS. [Follow Us] [Web Site]<https://ox.compsoc.net/> [Facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/oxcompsoc/> [Instagram] <https://www.instagram.com/ox.compsoc/> [Discord] <https://discord.com/invite/cUZFPG5WZ6> [YouTube] <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwdzpxzUZ2i84x5WyVR36Cg> [TikTok] <https://www.tiktok.com/@ox.compsoc.net> or, contact us at committee(a)ox.compsoc.net [Our Sponsors] [Jane Street] [Citadel] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/11s/ilc/mex/Quantco_1.png] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/2x2/kvw/7vb/qrt%20white%20…] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/utn/wzf/o3c/Incident.io%20…] [TPP] [TPP] [TPP] Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe here<https://lists.ox.compsoc.net/mailman/listinfo>. Send an email to committee(a)ox.compsoc.net<mailto:committee@ox.compsoc.net> to manually unsubscribe. [Designed with BEE]<https://www.designedwithbee.com/?utm_source=editor&utm_medium=bee_pro&utm_c…> Designed with BEE<https://www.designedwithbee.com/?utm_source=editor&utm_medium=bee_pro&utm_c…>

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CompSoc Newsletter Week 4!
by Declan Osborne 03 Nov '25

03 Nov '25

[Oxford CompSoc banner graphic] [6th Week] Michaelmas Term Week 4 Newsletter Competitive Programming, Jet Lag, CTF and More! Bienvenue, Pizza Aficionados, Welcome to Week 4! We're almost half way through the term now, and I again have to find more excited ways to tell you that we have plenty of events this week. Alas, I'm out of ideas, so let's skip to the actual contents. Firstly, it was great to see so many of you turn up and enter submissions for our esolang hackathon! Voting is now open to determine the winner of the contest — click here to vote<https://forms.gle/sPAQLus2fzd7SGqv8>! And now, onto the week ahead. This Monday, we kick off the week with our second competitive programming contest of the term! Come along from 5:30-7:30pm in the Undergraduate Social Area as usual to compete against friends and foes. This Saturday, we have a triple header extravaganza! First, we'll be holding a capture-the-flag evening from 5-7pm in the Undergraduate Social Area! Concurrently (but in a thread-safe manner!), we'll also be holding the third instalment in our Learn to Code series from 5:30-6:30pm at Jesus College. Finally, we'll be collaborating with the peeps at Oxford's Jet Lag society for a truly special Saturday social! Join us from 7pm for something all-new! Finally, two notices — if you signed up for ice skating and were fortunate enough to get a place, don't forget to join us tomorrow at the Oxford Ice Rink! Secondly, the talk on programming languages scheduled for this week will now be held next week. Sorry for the inconvenience! — Declan, CompSoc Secretary Fun Computing Fact: After our language-themed hackathon last week, how about a language-themed fun fact? Perhaps you've puzzled in the past over why JavaScript bears 'Java' as part of its name, given it has no relation to... well, Java. The story goes back to the language's inception; the company Netscape in the mid-90s wanted to solve the issue of web pages being only static, and pursued two avenues to add a programming language to their Netscape Navigator browser. One was an attempt to embed Java into the browser, in collaboration with Sun Microsystems, Java's contemporaenous developer. The second involved hiring Brendan Eich (later of Mozilla infamy!) to embed Scheme into the browser instead. The company soon shelved both approaches, asking Eich to instead develop one new language with syntax closer to Java, which was becoming a sensation following its inception in the same decade. The new language was originally called LiveScript, but was later renamed to JavaScript. A homage to its origins, a comment on its design or a marketing tactic? You decide... Still not a member? How?! Membership only costs £1 for LIFE, with tons of benefits - discounts on merch and tickets, free food at all socials, our exclusive Discord server and more - so it's definitely worth signing up! [Be a member]<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/> or, go to https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/<https://ox.compsoc.net/product/lifetime-membership/?fbclid=IwAR1Oe_vwCudNvU…> [Events] [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/2s6/hzw/svg/MT25%20Termcar…] [Events] Vote on our Hackathon Entries! It was great to see so many people turn up to take part in our first mini-hackathon as a society in quite some time! Alas, now, we have to pit your wonderful submissions against each other — it's voting time. Click the link below to see each of our fifteen submissions (along with videos of any presentations given) and rate them out of three categories. Voting will close on Friday, with the results (and prizes) to be announced on Saturday. Good luck! Vote here: https://forms.gle/sPAQLus2fzd7SGqv8 Links to the projects:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DBWpumtOl0M2SqHfl7TgO-9iz3XuIm… Competitive Programming: Fourth Week Bootcamp [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/m1n/xzz/faf/PNG%20Competit…] Are you recharged and ready to compete again after last week's competitive programming bootcamp? No? Too bad! After dipping our toes into contests a fortnight ago, we'll be holding our second contest of the term this Monday! Come along from 7:30-9:30pm in the Undergraduate Social Area, when we'll be battling against each other in search of prizes. When: 7:30-9:30pm, Monday 3rd November Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/5qGVIbOH5 Capture-the-Flag Evening [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/rpp/mbn/0wo/PNG%20CTF%20Ev…] This Saturday, we're kicking off our triple header with something a little different — an evening capture-the-flag session! Join us before our Saturday Social from 5-7pmfor a rare in-person session in the Undergraduate Social Area where we'll be taking part in CTFs. When: 5-7pm, Saturday 8th November Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/aR79ALv9E Learn to Code: Third Session [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/y1k/9b2/09c/PNG%20Learn%20…] It's Saturday, and it's time for Learn to Code! We'll be continuing to dive deeper into the realm of Python this week in the third session of our Learn to Code series. If you're a complete novice looking to pick up a new skill, come and join us! As in previous weeks, we'll be in Jesus College's Digital Hub from 5:30-6:30pm. When: 5:30-6:30pm, Saturday 8th November Where: Digital Hub, Jesus College Turl St, Oxford OX1 3DW Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/8xJAq7u7D Saturday Social: Jet Lag [https://3f02beb114.imgdist.com/pub/bfra/jofz1jq9/qml/fmo/uqn/PNG%20Jet%20La…] We end this Saturday's triple header and mark this week's Saturday Social with a truly unique collaboration! This week, we'll be joined by Jet Lag: Oxford, a society based on the Jet Lag: The Game web series. They'll be running a game with us within the Department of Computer Science — come and join us down in the Undergraduate Social Area at 7pm on Saturday for an experience guaranteed to be entertaining! When: 7pm, Saturday 8th November Where: Undergraduate Social Area, Department of Computer Science 7 Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QG Click 'Going' here: https://fb.me/e/7izPc61LE [And More...] Perplexity Pro A message from our sponsors at Perplexity: Students get free Perplexity Pro and exclusive student features like flashcards and quizzes when you verify your student status. Sign up at perplexity.ai/students Check Out OxWoCS! Make sure to join OxWoCS (Oxford Women in CS), a society we're working closely with, if you identify as a woman or woman-adjacent person in CS! They have a host of wonderful events on, including talks, panels and socials. Computer Science is unfortunately a subject with one of the biggest gender gaps in Oxford and worldwide, and addressing this is at the core of OxWoCS. 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