CS1100.02 Introduction to Computers (Fall 2009)

General Information

After taking this course, students should understand some of the basic principles and practice about information technology, such as the basic composition of the computers and networks; basics of computer algorithms and programming; the computer communication process, including web related activities, as well as the impact of the computers on society.

Because of the fundamental role of algorithms and programming, we will study basic Web programming in HMTL, as well as basic general purpose programming in Alice. In particular, we will have a close look at the basic programming constructs, i.e., sequence, condition, and repetition, and how we can apply them to do something interesting and useful.

Students are strongly advised to attend every class. For those who have to miss some classes or have some class notes to make up, I have included my notes with my WEB based syllabus, which can be found by using the aforementioned WEB address.

Although you should not hand in any homework unless and until you are reasonably sure about their correctness; all the homework must be handed in on the first business day in the following week, once a chapter is completed. There will be no exception.

Anything and everything handed in for this course, including homework assignments and lab reports, has to be typed using a word processor.

Anything and everything handed in for this course, including those for homework and lab assignment, has to be done by the signed individual, or group. If enough evidence shows that someone is involved with ``cheating'', the case(s) will be immediately reported to the Chair of the Computer Science Department. For a more detailed and specific description of University's policy on Academic Integrity, please refer to the relevant section(s) in the most recent Academic Catalog.

The instructor will try his utmost to be fair in grading students' work. On the other hand, if a student believes that s/he is not given a fair grade, s/he should follow the procedure as specified in the University Fairgrading Policy to appeal the grade.

Textbook

1. Snyder, L., Fluency with Information Technology (Third Ed.), Pearson , Boston, MA 2008.
2. Shen, Z., Laboratory Notes for CS1100.02, Fall 2009.

Lecture Topics

1. Start up
   • Lab 0: Work with Windows. Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009 from 9:05 a.m. to 9:55 a.m.. (Memorial 213)
     • Work through Chapter 2, Work with Microsoft Windows, of Laboratory Notes for CS1100.02.
     • Make sure that you understand everything, including working with files and folders.
   • Homework for this chapter is due by midnight, Monday, September 21, 2009.
2. Between Computer and us
   • Homework for this chapter is due by midnight, Monday, September 21, 2009.
3. Hook them together
   • Homework for this chapter is due by midnight, Monday, September 28, 2009.
4. Talk in HTML
   • Lab 1: Come up with your own web page(I). Friday, Oct. 2, 2009 from 9:05 a.m. to 9:55 a.m.. (Memorial 213)
     • Make sure that you understand everything as contained in Section 3.2.1 of Laboratory Notes for CS1100.02.
     • Work through Section 3.2.1 and first part of Section 3.2.2 of Laboratory Notes for CS1100.02.
     • Complete Exercise 1 and 2. Send me the URL, i.e., the address of the web page, that you created for Exercise 2, in an email by 23:59:59, Friday, Oct. 2, 2009.
   • Lab 2: Come up with your own web page(II) Monday, Oct. 5, 2009 from 9:05 a.m. to 9:55 a.m.. (Memorial 213)
     • Make sure that you understand everything as contained in Section 3.2.1 of Laboratory Notes for CS1100.02.
     • Work through the rest of Section 3.2.2 of Laboratory Notes for CS1100.02.
     • Complete Exercise 3.
     • Go through Section 3.2.3, use the link and find out other features that you can do with HTML, which are not covered in this chapter.
     • Send me the URL, i.e., the address of the web page, that you created for Exercise 3, in an email by 23:59:59, Monday, Oct. 5, 2009, together with at least two new features that you discovered.
   • Here is an example.
   • Homework for this Chapter is due by 23:59:59, Monday, October 5, 2009.
5. Look for things
   • Homework for this Chapter is due by 23:59:59, Tuesday, October 13, 2009.
6. What went wrong?
   • Homework for this Chapter is due by 23:59:59, Monday, October 19, 2009.
7. What does it know, and how?
   • The class on Friday, Oct. 23, 2009 will be held in Memorial 213.
   • Lab 3: Come up with a Spreadsheet (I), Monday, October 26, 2009 from 9:05 p.m. to 9:55 p.m.. (Memorial 213)
     • Work through Section 4.1 of Laboratory Notes for CS1100.01.
     • Make sure that you understand everything as contained in this section.
     • Complete Exercises 1 and 2.
     • Send in the completed Exercise 2 to me via email by 23:59:59, Monday, October 26.
   • Lab 4: Come up with a Spreadsheet (II), Wednesday, October 28, 2008 from 9:05 a.m. to 9:55 a.m.. (Memorial 213)
     • Work through Sections 4.2 and 4.3 of Laboratory Notes for CS1100.01.
     • Make sure that you understand everything as contained in those two sections.
     • Complete Exercises 3 and 4.
     • Send in the worksheet for the completed Exercise 4 to me via email by 23:59:59, Wednesday, October 28, 2009.
   • Lab 5: Work with images, Monday, November 2, Monday, and Wednesday, November 4 from 9:05 a.m. to 9:55 a.m.. (Memorial 213)
     • Work through Sections 5 of Laboratory Notes for CS1100.01.
     • Do as much as you could with Exercises 1 through 4.
     • bring in the work that you have completed when you come to class on Friday, November 6, 2009.
   • Homework for this Chapter, Chapter 8 in the book, is due by 23:59:59, Monday, November 2, 2008.
8. How does it do it?
   • Homework for this Chapter, Chapter 9 in the book, is due by 23:59:59, Monday, November 16, 2009.
9. From an algorithm in paper to...
   • Homework for this Chapter, Chapter 10 in the book, is due by 23:59:59, Monday, November 16, 2009.
10. ....a program that runs in a machine
    • Lab 6: Alice programming (I), Wednesday, November 18, 2009 from 9:05 a.m. to 9:55 a.m.. (Memorial 213)
      • Work through Section 1 of Laboratory Notes for CS1100.02.
      • Complete Exercise 6.1.1 and 6.1.2, 6.2.1, 6.2.2 and 6.2.3 in the lab.
      • Complete Exercise 6.2.4 and send in the program to me via email by 23:59:59, Wednesday, November 18, 2009.
    • Lab 7: Alice programming (II), Monday, November 23, 2009 from 9:05 a.m. to 9:55 a.m.. (Memorial 213)
      • Work through Sections 3 and 4 of Laboratory Notes for CS1100.02.
      • Complete Exercise 6.3.1, and 6.4.1 in the lab.
      • Send in the program for Exercise 6.4.1 in to me via email by 23:59:59, Friday, November 20, 2009.
    • Lab 8: Alice programming (III), Monday, November 23, 2009 from 9:05 a.m. to 9:55 a.m.. (Memorial 213)
      • Work through Sections 5 and 6, excluding the optional 6.6.1 and 6.6.2 of Laboratory Notes for CS1100.02.
      • Complete Exercises~6.5.1 and 6.6.1, then send in these two program to me via email by 23:59:59, Monday, November 23, 2009.
    • Project
      • Work through Sections 7 and 8 of Laboratory Notes for CS1100.02.
      • Come up with something non-trivial and interesting that contains either (a) condition statement(s), or (a) repetitive statement(s), a combination of both.
      • Send in your project to me via email by 23:59:59, Thursday, December 10, 2009.
11. What can it do and can not do?
12. It is a secret
13. Computers and the society

Lab Components

1. Basic Windows Operations
2. Basic Web programming
3. Spreadsheet: an example of dayli computer usage
4. Basic computer programming in Alice

Evaluation

1. Homework as specified in the lecture notes (25%)
2. An Alice programming project(10%)
3. Exercise for the Lab Part, as specified in the lab notes (30%)
4. A final from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Friday, Dec. 18, 2009 (35%)