COMP 14 Introduction to Programming

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COMP 14Introduction to Programming

• Jason Jerald
• Summer Session II, 2006
• MTWRF 945-1115 am
• Sitterson Hall 011

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Welcome to COMP 14

• Understand how computers can be made to do
  anything you want them to do.
• Learn basic concepts of computer programming
• Can be applied to any programming language (Java,
  C, FORTRAN, Lisp, C, BASIC, PERL, Python, )
• Develop and implement algorithms the most
  important step in software development
• You will be developing applications within two
  weeks!

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About COMP 14

• Is COMP 14 right for you?
• Requirements / prerequisites
• no programming knowledge assumed
• This is an already intense course compressed into
  5 weeks
• Expect to work a minimum of 20 hours per week
• Some assignments may take over 10 hours

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What is Programming?

• Computer Program
• A sequence of statements whose objective is to
  accomplish a task
• Programming
• A process of planning and creating a computer
  program

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A Program is Like a Recipe

• It is usually easier to follow a recipe than to
  create one
• There are good recipes and there are bad ones
• Some recipes are easy to follow and some are
  difficult to follow
• Some recipes produce reliable results and some do
  not
• You must have some knowledge of how to use
  cooking tools to follow a recipe to completion
• To create good recipes, you must have much
  knowledge and understanding of cooking

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Why Program?

• Programming is simply a tool that allows your
  creativity to flow
• Whereas using others software limits you,
  programming is limited only by your own skills
  and imagination
• Programming is as much of an art as a science

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Course Web Page

• http//www.cs.unc.edu/jjerald/classes/comp14
• Schedule
• Assignments
• Syllabus
• Help
• Code
• Announcements
• Please visit the course page regularly!!

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About Me

• From a town of 1500 people
• Graduated from Washington State University
• Worked as a computer scientist for three years in
  California
• Just returned from Alaska not many programmers
  there!
• My research allows me to create virtual worlds
  that do not physically exist

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About you

• Write the following on a piece of paper
• Your full name
• Your Onyen
• Your email
• Your Major and year
• Where are you from?
• What are your interests?
• Previous experience with computers
• What have you heard about COMP 14 (if anything)
• Why you are taking this class?
• What do you hope to learn or what are your
  expectations?
• If you could develop any system, what would it
  do?
• Question about the course?
• One unique and interesting fact about yourself
  (nothing boring allowed!)

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Introduce each other

• Exchange info with one other person you do not
  know
• Introduce the other person to the class

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Schedule

• Lectures
• MTWRF, 945-1115 am, Sitterson 011
• Office Hours
• MTWR, 1130-1230, Sitterson 344

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Objectives

• Describe and apply solid design principles to
  problem solving
• Explain and use fundamental elements of
  programming languages
• Understand and apply object-oriented principles
• Write, analyze, and evaluate code to identify
  problems and potential improvements

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Textbook
Required Java Programming From Problem
Analysis to Program Design, Second
Edition D.S. Malik ISBN ISBN 0-619-21608-5
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Grades

• Assignments 40
• Quizzes 15
• Midterm 20
• Final/Project 25
• Bonuses 5

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Assignments

• Assignments are posted on the course page (check
  often)
• Due at 1159pm on the due date
• turn in by email (jjerald_at_cs.unc.edu) or in class
• Homework assignments from textbook
• Good practice for exams
• Programming assignments
• budget 10-12 hours per program
• design, code, debugging
• start early!

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Reviews and Quizzes

• In class or take home (as you read)
• Short (one page or less)
• If you do the reading you will have no problem
  with these
• Examples
• Describe a basic concept from the chapter in your
  own words
• Describe a concept you did not fully understand
  from the reading

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Exams

• Midterm
• to take a make-up midterm, you must notify me in
  advance or have a doctor's excuse
• Final
• to take the exam at a different time, you must
  get permission from your Dean and bring me the
  blue slip you get from the Dean
• Any other time must be taken before Thursday July
  27

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Bonuses

• Class Participation
• Bonus questions
• Attitude and effort
• Enough to push you to the next grade
• E.g., from a B to an A-

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Tips for Success

• Pay attention in class
• Active thinking
• Knowing the facts and rules are not enough for
  this class. Understanding why and how is
  essential.
• Ask questions
• Start your assignments early
• You will not complete the assignments if you
  start the day before it is due
• Read!

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Reading

• Do not get behind on your reading
• Come to class prepared or you may get confused
• In some cases, you will learn more from reading
  than in class
• Skim unimportant details, focus on the important
  concepts
• If pressed for time, then quickly read as an
  introduction for the material to be presented in
  class some reading is better than none

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Active Reading Tips

• First browse section headings of what you will be
  reading
• Write down questions that the you would like to
  answer
• Make marginal notes as you read
• Underline or highlight important concepts
• Carry on an active dialog with the author
• Take notes in notebook for later study

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Collaborating

• You can
• talk to each other about the lecture topics
• talk about assignment requirements
• You should
• do your own assignments -- design and code
• You should not
• talk to each other about specific assignment
  solutions
• share code -- it is easy to detect
• Pledge form
• http//www.unc.edu/depts/honor/
• http//www.cs.unc.edu/Admin/Courses/HonorCode.html
  

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Software

• jGRASP Java Development Environment
• on public lab machines
• Start / All Programs / UNC Courseware / COMP 14 /
  jGRASP
• you can install on your machine
• see course home page
• Well do a tour later...

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Computer Labs

• UNC ITS labs
• Davis Library
• Health Sciences Library
• Hinton James Residence Hall
• Law School Library
• R. B. House Undergraduate Library
• School of Public Health
• Student Union
• Venable Hall
• Schedules http//help.unc.edu/?id1653
• Lab info http//help.unc.edu/?id1908

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COMP 14 Map
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Working in the Lab

• Before you open jGRASP and start coding
• read the assignment
• think about what the assignment is asking for
• review lectures and examples on the topic
• write (yes, on paper) your plan for completing
  the assignment (i.e., your algorithm)
• Talk to me if youre having trouble at this point

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Campus File SystemAndrew File System (AFS)

• Disk space associated with your Onyen
• automatically backed up by UNC
• AFS in the lab
• automatically appears as drive H when you log in
• On your personal machine
• you can install the AFS Client
• wont see drive H unless youre connected to the
  network (i.e., can access the Internet)
• More information
• http//www.cs.unc.edu/help/afs_info/

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Backup Your Work!

• Backup your work!
• You will lose something at some point
• you might have to learn the hard way
• Use your AFS space
• use of AFS space is not required, but is
  recommended

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Help!

• For help on general computer problems, including
  getting AFS enabled on your laptop or at home
• Also, for free software

http//help.unc.edu 962-HELP
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jGRASP Tour
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Next Class

• Discussion of any jGRASP installation
  difficulties
• What is Computer Science?
• Introduction to Programming
• Reading Assignment Chapter 1
• Assignment 1 is due tomorrow

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Assignment 1

• Due tomorrow in class
• Read and sign pledge
• Due tomorrow (Friday) by midnight
• Read chapter 1 and write a one page review
• Install jGRASP and write about any difficulties
• Work through as much of the the jGrasp Getting
  Started Tutorial as you can and write about your
  experience
• Bonus points for those of you who make it to page
  20 of the tutorial
• Details available at
• http//www.cs.unc.edu/jjerald/classes/comp14/Assi
  gnments/hw1.doc