Gerald S. Eisman

I hope most of you guys know the true meaning of the Sanskrit word "Guru". It means a teacher who is abode of wisdom and knowledge, one who imparts knowledge to his disciples and teaches them how to face the world and live a good life onces the student leave the "Guru's Ashram" (place of education in olden India). Professor Eisman is guru in true sense. He is a great advisor, talented professor, gem of a person and above all a friend to me. Success of an individual comes with guidence and encouragement more than how a course work is formulated and what is asked in exams. Its true, that exams grades are needed as a means to evaluate ones performance but that is not end all and be all of judging ones worth. Sometimes courses are mandatory and one has to complete it. I myself would never like CSC520 even though I never took it with Eisman. However, I would like to mention that his leadership skills in executing the SFHA Event Workflow Project, coordinating with their Business Analyst and Master Students was simply fabulous. He has great patience, determination to meet his goals and above all kindness to forgive his students for their mistakes. Moreover, I really like his friendly nature coz of which I am still in contact with him compared to other professors right from my childhood when I am not even from this country but an Immigrant. This connection and feeling of being liked and appreciated can only come working with a great person and ace professor in form of Eisman. Most of all, he does not pride on being a PhD, which some professors at SFSU fluant about. All in all, I, Mangesh Laad, consider myself very lucky to have worked under such a great Personality, Dr. Eisman, studying the Masters Program at SF State University. He has given me great encouragement and admiration of my work which fueled my struggle and efforts, boosted my confidence and enhanced my determination to reach to the position I am today. Many Many thanks to Dr. Esiman, the REAL GURU!

P.S. This review is irrespective of my grades as many people reading it might think. I would still give him the same review. Infact I admired him from the day 1 at SFSU when he was recommended by a person in Library to me and my classmate Praveen, to be seen to help and guide Praveen in clearing his pre-requisites. Dr. Eisman helped Praveen clear 3-4 pre-reqs based on his academic record when he did not know him at all. But guess what, Praveen is doing great in his career. So right was his judegment of Praveen in his first meeting with him.

Materials are OK. If you get to the mater, phd. level, and read tons of paper including some protocol standards, you will know the 520 diagram(finite) is very useful. so, be sure, at least you understand the finite state machine diagram.

Don't buy the textbook. It teaches you nothing for the HW and exams. Listen to his lecture is very important, so take good notes. In order to do well on the exams is to study all of his HW(there's no solutions to HW that he assigned, so if you don't understand, better ask him). You only need a D- to pass this class. Nobody in class failed!! Overall, it's an esay class(no writing programs at all!!)

The way to make an A in this class is to memorize every bit of code you see during the semester and be able to write it down very quickly. If you're good at that anyway, and you get computers the class is a no brainer. However, the projects are not very informative. They just glance over a subject. (Just remember all the code you see in there for the mid-terms, even the code you just glanced at once.)

He's good, perhaps overrated. The course material is great. To bad grading is so much about memorization.

Prof. Eisman is a great teacher in almost every aspect. His projects were challenging but fun and informative, and he has a great personality and sense of humor. Definitely the best teacher I have had at SF State thus far. The only reason I didn't give him an A+ was his exams. They are mostly based on the memorization of dozens of lines of code, and maybe not the greatest guage of of our understanding of the subject. On the other hand, it forces you to learn how the algorithms work, and I still remember most of them to this day. Overall, I highly recommend Prof. Eisman.

Prof. Eisman is a pretty good Computer Science teacher. He is a very enthusiastic lecturer and tries to keep you awake. He has a good sense of humor, and sometimes tells you stories about his many adventures. He writes very, very quickly, so try to keep up. He has several (3 or 4, i can't remember) projects throughout the semester which make up some of your grade. They seem hard at first, but when you work on them for about a week, you get it. The tests are somewhat difficult, and the material tends to repeat itself. The one thing I hate about this class is that we can't use notes. This causes you to memorize dozens of lines of code. Otherwise, he's a pretty good teacher.

everyting was good about the class but one thing. For our second exam, we only had about 1.5 weeks warning of our coming #2 exam. To make things worse our homework was due the same day as the day we would take the exam. Moreover, we were tested on the same material as that homework.

Other than that Dr. Eisman taught very well and he gave us good homework assignments that he graded very fairly.

But the B for exams was not because the exams were badly written and graded as that part was an A+, but the lack of warning of our second exam. Hence, exam --> B, not an A+. He wrote very nice exams that he graded fairly.

As a teacher he knows how to focus a vast amount of information into a three unit theory of computing course. He seems very interested in the subject that he teaches.

He's a great professor with a great personality to match. I've enjoyed taking his class this semester, although sometimes it seemed to be going a little bit slow. I've learned SO much this semester from him though. I hear some students complain that we weren't really learning programming, but it's a fundamentals course...learning the building blocks really of programs and how they work. You can tell that he loves teaching though. He's got some wild stories that he shares with the class to help explain concepts and other times just because they pop into his mind. He's the best CS professor I've had at the university so far, which right now really isn't saying all that much. I can tell though that he's one of the best professors in the department...someone like him doesn't come around universities that often.

Note: If you took 210 with Krtolica and didn't learn ****, I definitely recommend taking 301 with Eisman to actually learning something about programming.

By far the best instructor in the CS department. Not only does he know his stuff, Eisman knows how to teach. He has a great attitude and his lectures are pretty entertaining. Pay attention in this class because he lays the groundwork for the rest of your CS major. He touches on subjects relating to CSc 310, 313, 413, 520 and more.

Dr. Eisman is wonderful for CSC 520 (Theory of Computing). He has a strong background in languages and machines and does an excellent job teaching the different automata and corresponding languages. If you thought he was good for 301, wait until you take 520!!

His tests are fair/easy since you have previous ones to base your studies on. There are no projects, just periodic homework assignments to make sure you're on the right track.

Lecture is rarely boring. You will enjoy this class if you enjoyed ENGR 356 (Basic Computer Architecture), I think.

Dr. Eisman, as you might have now heard from rumors, is of the best SF State has to offer (both as a university, or from it's College of Sciences). Dr. E. cares greatly for his students and tries to shape them into model citizens while teaching a bunch of code. For instance, if you volunteer for x hours during the semester, then Dr. E. will drop your lowest mid-term. The class is taught in such a way to present 4 main areas of computer science packed into one semester. So, you get a taste of lots of different areas of CS. The projects are pretty simple. The code generation is not as intense as it is in CSC 210, or as it will be in CSC 313.

Some students claim that there is a lot of memorization. I suggest you try to learn the concepts from the code instead of memorizing the code... linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, etc...; it will help you down the line if you can conceptualize what is happening. As the previous reviewer stated, everything whizzes by in the lectures because Dr. E. speaks quickly. However, everything is on COW (Conferencing On the Web) for reference -- except all of his jokes, puns, quips and stories about Malaysia. :)

Well, his class is FUN! He really understands the material so well that he never look at the notes while teaching. Although his teaching pace is a bit fast, since all the course notes and previous exams are online, it is really easy to catch up just by reading thru the online examples and old exams two days before the exam.

He really has good jokes, and he often shares his experience with old time computers with us. He is one of the few instructors I ever had to teach you how to think but not just memorize the syntax when learn programming.

Some students claimed that his exams are plain boring memorizing questions, but he never deducts the point if you got the right algorithms. That means you can write your own code for the exams as long as your program can work correctly and efficiently.

He also keeps the grade book online so you can always check where you are in the class.

His projects are usually due mid-night and accepted thru e-mail. It's really convient for busy students. :>

I didn't do very well in his class, and I realized most of the thing I didn't do very well was using his office hours. I observed that actualy Dr Eisman was a very good teacher. He explained and covered the materials very well in class. Students who are learning C++ would get a huge amount of knowledge if you're taking his class. He gave fairly graded exams to the class, and most of the time the problems he gave on the exams would test the students of their understanding of the materials. If you go to his class and listens to his lecture, you will find his exams will be a chalanging task for you. He was a kind of good teacher to talk to. He was very understanding of students, and he was very communicative to his class. The problem was somehow I feel he didn't give a lot of explanation on how to solve the programming projects he gave us. Probably, the hand outs he gave us would help you a little bit, but somehow It wouldn't give to you the whole picture of his expectation of you of doing the programming assignments. Even though you understand the materials he lectured in class, it would be very hard to you to figure out of how finishing the programming assignment by yourself. Especially for people who are illiterate of programming languages like C++ or C who just take his class. I do think they need more basic programming assignments rather than tough ones. If he decides to give tough assignments, I think that there's a responsibility he needs to carry to guide the students of how to do them. Overall, he was a good chairman and very good teacher. He is really an asset of computer science departement. I feel bad to hear that he's not the chairman anymore.

Dr. Eisman should be every would be professor's role model. Not only is he a terrific instructor, but he is literally THERE for you if you have questions of any kind about his lectures. Even though email has become a convenient way of communicating these days, most professors would reply to students' emails two or three days later. With Dr. Eisman, your emailed questions are answered no later than a day (I would even get replies during the same day I sent email.) Not only is he a good instructor, but he has a great attitude which rubs off on students. He's quite lax and good humored and makes computer programming not as stressful and platonic as other intructors perceive it. Good teaching, good attitude, helpful in aiding students, etc. He is the best well rounded professor I have ever encountered so far since my stay here at SFSU.

Dr. Eisman is the best instructor in the Campus. He understands cares students. He could give you the best direction. In classroom, his examples are so simple, clear and relevant to the topic. He teaches CSc301, CSc671,CSc871. However, he is a busy man. If you look at his eyes, you will know he sleeps only a few hours a day. So if you are in his office hour, try to ask specific questions, and make sure you have read the material more than twice.

He is an exellent Professor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can learn more from his lecture. At the beginning, I have no idea about how the cpu works, but finally i can design a cpu project by using C++ because his teaching is so clear, clever, and fun. He is a nice instructor and has a warm heart to like help students. If you don't understand the mertials, you can ask him, then he will explain to you and he will tell you very simple example to help you to understand and to solve your problem. If he teaches other more classes, I will take them all because it lets me enjoy my study. Thank you, Prof. Eisman!

Dr. Eisman is one of the very few people who have a TALENT for teaching. I beleive that any class with him would be a great learning experience. It is too sad he doesn't teach more classes, and even sadder that he is not the Chair anymore. If it wasn't for his CSc301, I would have a lot of troubles later in my education.

Mr. Eisman is a very cool teacher. I like the fact that you don't have to attend class and learn on-line instead. But for the first couple weeks, I found it a bit difficult without going to class. His homework projects are very difficult to do. His mid-terms a fairly easy since you can study a sample mid-term on-line. I recieved a "C" in his class, because all I did was study the sample mid-term on-line, and nothing else....

Dr. Eisman is one of the best teachers I have known in my entire life.I took Neural Networks with him in winter -- so it was like doing anentire semester's work in 3 weeks time. But, Dr. Eisman made the drab course very interesting with his sense of humour and wonderful expression of the material. There were two progamming projects in all and with 410 background not difficult to implement. We were also expected to write a term paper. Dr. Eisman really appreciates the labour that a student puts in. The exams were moderately tough but he prepares the students well for the exams. In short,it was a nice way to earn 3 credits in 3 weeks. However, I strongly feel that Dr. Eisman's talent and knowledge be put to use in teaching a more fruitful course.

Dr. Eisman is the greatest professor in Computer Science department. I like the way he gives the lectures, very clear and understandable for students. Whenever students have questions, he is always willing to answer. Unlike other instructors, Dr. Eisman does not give a hard time to students. He's the best of the best professor I ever had.

If you are bored by other instructor, go to Dr. Eisman's class. In his class, he always has the simplest way to explain the most difficult problems. You will never be bored since he really make you understand a lof of things. He talks fast but extreamly clear. He write so much on the blackboard that no one will have complaining of not catch up. He never say something that is not related to the class materials. It is unbelivable that I almost learn everything in CSC301 class that will be taught for the BS degree requirements. In his class, you will be supprised since you begin to realize that teaching is a kind of arts.

I like his class. In his class, you have a lot of materials to learn, but he will help you to master them. He is the Prof. who is enjoying teaching. Something for other people are difficult to understand,but for him are always simple. And he just teaches his student in the simple , clever, and interesting way. After you take his class, you will like computer science.

Eisman is actually a REALLY good teacher. He explains things carefully, and at a pace most people can keep up with. He's complete, and always provides the students with all they will need to do the projects and do OK on the tests. The class itself (the brainchild of Eisman) lacks focus, however. It tries to be everything for everyone: intro to C++ for C users, intro to what CS is about for people who aren't sure yet, as well as being both a programming class AND a lecture class (both are important, both have aspects that don't relate to the other). If I had to rate the overall class experience I'd give it a B-/C+, but it's not the fault of Eisman's teaching ability, just the class itself.

There are four projects. The first is very, very hard. The second is hard. the third is very easy, and the fourth project is easy. The midterms are not too hard; studying the online previous midterms helped me. There is likely to be a project question on a midterm/final. It is a good idea to be familiar with c++ upto and including pointers, structures and classes.

Dr/ Eisman is an outstanding teacher and (former) department chairperson. His winter Neural Networks class is a grueling class, but he teaches with an enthusiasm that I do not see in most teachers. He grades his tests and home work fairly. I did not find any of his test or homework burden some nor unreasonable. I recommend that you take "any" class offered by Dr. Eisman.

I didn't take my classes in the right order, and Eisman was the department chair. He let me take csc301 concurrently with csc410 rather than delay me a semester. When I took csc301 he said I didn't even have to go to class if I could follow along using the COW webboard. I went to class at first, but owing to the fact I took it out of order, most of the material seemed basic. Nevertheless in the short time I spent listening to lectures, I gathered an impression that he is a very decent man and is not at all boring in his lectures. I left with a warm feeling for him. The projects were not hard. My only major complaint is that when he provided code to the students, his code was not well done! He used #include "file.c" to include source code from different files. His comments and spacing were not at all readable. Apart from this I have no problems with him. I got a B in the course because I was taking csc410 from Hodges at the same time and spent most of my time on that class.

He is the best!!! He is willing to help students with very clear explanation. Tests aren't too much. Projects are given enough time to work on. If you have problem on your project, go ask him, he sure will help you to know what's wrong with it.

Dr. Eisman is the best! He explains everything well with clear and easy to understand examples. I didn't have much of a hard time with his projects because the projects are not hard and not too lengthy. The tests he gives are not difficult if you study what he tells you. He could have made the tests much more difficult than needed, but I don't think he wants you to memorize everything. If you have any questions at all, go ask Dr. Eisman.