Having studied computing with the OU I must both agree and differ with you.

This "device" is just one unit of a three year degree and will be designed to guide how to control and monitor with a simple to program unit. This will be at most six months of a three year degree.

The "regex" side will have been taught in an earlier module, one specific to programming and how to write good software.

My OU degree served me well in teaching me the field of computing and having studied at a physical university proved to be of better quality.

I don't think it affected him much, though we did have an American chap round earlier asking if we knew anything about 40 million stolen Credit Card details....