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Comment by prophetjohn | Hacker News Reader

I have to wonder if those posting solutions on github are actually doing it in an effort to cheat. I made a similar mistake recently with a project I completed in my computer architecture course. When the professor contacted me about it, it seemed obvious. But at the time, all I was thinking about was "yay, public code!" Obviously, I took it down right away. I wonder how many people are doing the same thing. Cheating a Coursera course just doesn't make much sense.

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i imagine they weren't. the people submitting copies, however...

If it's your work, you own the copyright, and it's totally within your rights to make it publicly available.

It would be cool if we could upload our private Git repo on Github once the course is finished. But I guess they might want to re-use the assignments next year...

What does the copyright of the code and legality have to do with the issue being discussed?

That's true, but doing so is a breach of the code of conduct you agreed to when signing up for the course.

So, whilst you cannot be prevented from posting it somewhere public, you can (theoretically) be thrown off the course for doing so.

Sure, but if it's against school policy, the school has the right to expel you. Coursera is not taking the public code down, the owner is, at the coercion of the school. The student is making a value decision: continue the course or take my code down. If you can't play by the rules, you can't be in the game.

I think there's a unique opportunity for GitHub here. They could give an educational license to verified students in college/high-school/on-line schools. For the duration of their class, they can have as many private repos as they like. When the semester ends, you've got a week to grab your code before it goes public, like a free account. First, it would get students used to GitHub and they would clammer for it in the workplace because they love it so much; Second, it would position GH as a great supporter of education.

When the semester ends, you've got a week to grab your code before it goes public, like a free account.

I suspect this would catch on better if the repos were destroyed or stayed private. Professors reuse assignments year after year and wouldn't be too happy about public solutions to all their past assignments.

At least in my university solutions to all past problems are posted anyway, we even have our own wiki for it. I imagine it's similar in other universities.

(fwiw, I use Github exactly in this way, only with public repos)

Github already offers free micro plan (5 private repos) for verified students. Unlimited private repos is a rather big hammer and might attract abuse.

edit for link: https://github.com/edu

Thanks a lot for that! This has come really useful. I just finished up this summer, but my .edu address still works! This is awesome! :)

If you're on Coursera there's a good chance you don't have a .edu address.

Maybe Coursera should host private repos?

BitBucket offers free private repos.

https://bitbucket.org/plans

Edit- Apparently BitBucket launched a new version of their site only moments after sharing this link. Looks great!

Thats what I have been using for this course. Bit bucket lets me have unlimited private repos. ( woot bitbucket )

Hoorah for Git on BB. I hadn't visited their website in a while, now I'm motivated to try again :)

And it's within their rights to expel you from the course.

What a stupid, overly defensive sentiment.

That's like using free speech as a motivation to tell your boss to "Go fuck himself"

Not that this is very relevant to begin with or anyhing. But as a side note, in this course the solutions tend to be mostly code written by Coursera course people, with some small parts written by the students.

I (unknowingly) posted my code for the class on Github. As you point out, I did it with the "yay public code" mindset, not thinking about cheating at all. I'm taking it down right now and apologizing to the Coursera staff.

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