Computer Science for Fun (CS4FN)

@cs4fn.bsky.social

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CS4FN is a project based at QMUL to inspire and educate about interdisciplinary computer science in a fun way. Read our blog at cs4fn.blog.

1. DoodleDraw a branch (standing upright) 2. DoodleDraw from that branch. To DoodleDraw a Branch: 1. Draw two brown triangles connected in a Y shape 2. Add three flowers at random places near the top of the Y-shape To DoodleDraw from a given branch: 1. Draw a smaller branch at an angle from the given branch. 2. Choose a new existing branch 3. DoodleDraw from that branch
Cover of Conjuring with Computation An image of a phoenix emerging from a flame with an Ace of Hearts card
A pseudocode poem surrounded by never ending hearts. My love for you is endless My love is true WHILE my love is true I love you
Poem in a red heart: Violets are violet IF roses are red AND violets are blue THEN Life is sweet ELSE I love you
A snowflake from hexagons with lines from each corner.
Poster of Louis Braille: he devised the first practically used use of binary to represent letters.
Three pictures from the session of making a robotic face from volunteers programmed to react to sounds and doing magic.
Wiggly candles on a cake Tuesday 6th May 2025, 4:30-7pm (talk: 5-6pm) QMUL Mile End Talk on The illusion of good software design, demos of the Magic of Computer Science and a demonstration of DragonflyAI Vision Software See the website for tickets and details cs4fn.blog/cs4fn-20th-birthday/ If eventbrite says ticket sales are closed then contact Jo Brodie for a ticket:  j.brodie@qmul.ac.uk
Gladys West poster CS4FN Diversity Computing by all, for all cover a binary spotted digital guide dog
A semantic wave from hard to understand to easy and back to hard based on context and conceptual complexity
A guide dog made of binary
demonstrating the Make a Face activity. 1.1 million visitors 2.6 million page views
Cover of Issue 1 of the magazine - Sodarace special
Our resources are used around the world. Views from top countries round a map of the world Translations into Welsh, SPanish, German, Russian, Chinese, Portuguese, Slovenian, ...
Covers of Power of CT and Conjuring with Computation
The impact of CS4FN over 20 years • "Contributed to the rebirth of Computer Science as a school subject” • given talks to tens of thousands of students with positive feedback from students and teachers • given CPD talks to thousands of teachers, to help support them teaching Computing. • created long-lasting novel educational resources, including educational activities and posters. • Our resources are used globally • supported wide ranging research projects • kickstarted then supported the massive increase in those taking CS at university • contributed to policy change in the school curriculum to include CS • contributed to the UK government's policy change to support teachers • popularised approaches to improve the teaching of computer science • supported tech entrepreneurship and contributed to the foundation of a successful spinoff company • supported diverse diversity • and more…
Original UK arpanet nodes: RAL - UCL - Norway - US
Paper planes going in astraight line with one going in a wavy path
Cover of the women are here magazine: The women are here 'computing's too important to be left to men" Woman's head silhouette with cogs whirring
Cake as part of a high tea Image by Pexels from Pixabay
A miniature pokemon figure in the grass Image by Ramadhan Notonegoro from Pixabay
Phases of the moon Image by Sergio Serjão from Pixabay
Cover of primary puzzles 3 Match the robot silhouette puzzle
Cover of A bit of CS4FN issue 5 Gladys West and satellite
Head thinking in a speech bubble Image adapted from one by by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
A rail departure board with tme platform and destinations.
Interlocking hearts Image by PIRO from Pixabay
Coloured arrows turning and pointing in lots of different directions on a curved surface. Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Lambda calculus identity \x.x over a rainbow pride flag Flag image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay, composite by PC
An ornate padlock and key Image by Bernd from Pixabay
A trashcan pixel drawing after Kare's icon
Sumptious cake on a table in front of silver tea and coffee pots Image by Pexels from Pixabay
Pride flag Image by lillen from Pixabay
Frankenstein's monster - head Image by sethJreid from Pixabay
Freddie Figgers in 2016
Marketing image for My Salah Mat including an image of the mat
Dan and Florence with a smartphone running their app
Cover of Machines making medicine safer CS4FN magazine
Flour cascading everywhere Cropped image of that by Anastasiya Komarova from Pixabay
As well as being a glamorous Hollywood actress, Hedy invented ‘frequency hopping’ which is used to make WiFi work today. Download the poster. Read our article about Hedy Lamarr. Poster by Richard Butterworth
Part of a logic grid with ticks and crosses
An abstract schematic of the UK part of the ARPANET. RAL and others connect to UCL which connects to the US via Norway.
Hollerith punched card with holes indicating data
Tesla thinking in front of a giant spiral coil
Cover of CS$FN computing ont he catwalk issue
Artists models handshaking Image by GU LA from Pixabay
January I Grace Hopper dies 1992 January 2 1938 Lynn Conway born revolutionises VLSI design, transgender activist Lynn Conway: revolutionising chip design January 4 1809 Louis Braille born January 5 2003 Daphne Oram (digital music) died 2003 The dawn of music humans can’t play January 6 2017 North American release date of film Hidden Figures. Hidden Figures: NASAs brilliant calculators January 6 1852 Louis Braille died First widely used binary encoding of letters
Two walls of intersecting light you can walk around and through (after McCall)
1. Draw a wavy green line with three thin ovals at the end (as shown) 2. DoodleDraw from that line as follows. To DoodleDraw from a given line: 1. Draw a new wavy line coming from that line with 3 thin ovals at the end. 2. Choose a new existing line. 3. DoodleDraw from that line
Shoal of fish in a tank. Image by Paul Sloane from Pixabay
Some of Nemisindo's sound models: night scemes, helicopter, footsteps, wind, car engine, stormy day, water, spray.
Rods of a 3-variable logic piano 3rd 4th and 5th rods hidden so leaving A B C A B ~C ~A B ~C ~A ~B C ~A ~B ~C
Empty table outside a cafe Image from Pixabay
The grid for a logic problem about Santa's reindeer.
Conjuring with Computation Book Cover. Phoenix rising from the flames holding the chosen card.
A snowman in the snow, with red spotted scarf and black top hat with red ribbon Image by Ylanite Koppens from Pixabay
There are many ways to get number representation wrong … I. Not allocating enough space for the range of numbers you will be representing. II. Not allowing for the possibility of negative numbers III. Choosing a representation that makes the operations you need to do difficult (like multiplying with Roman numerals) IIII. Forgetting how Roman numerals actually work. 5. Forgetting what number representation you are using. Forgetting whether you were counting from 0 or not and running off the end.