class today - university of...

Class Today

● Exam● Project● Programming

Exam

● Average Raw Score: 97.1 / 140 = 69.4 %– Scaled by 13 percentage points– Brings average score to 82.4– Will need to know exam material for final– May ask similar questions on final...

Final Exam...

● Currently scheduled Friday, August 14 @ 3:30PM – 5:30PM in Purnell 235– Thinking of moving it to Thursday, August 13 when lab would

be...(most likely in this room...)– Could also take it on Wednesday before class (during my

office hours...)

Class Project...

● Expected to give a topic for class project on exam– If you didn't list a topic on exam or would like to change

it, please email me ASAP● This is worth 10% of project grade● Won't lose points for changing topic as long as you let me know

– Anything related to IT is acceptable– Let me know if you have any questions– Presentations on last two days of class (August 10 and

August 12)– Written component due by 6 AM on Friday, August 14

(so I have the day to grade it...)

Written Component of Class Project

● 3-5 page (double-spaced) paper using Microsoft Word– OpenOffice Writer acceptable; other word processors

may be as well but need to let me know– Need citations/references of some sort (don't worry about

exact format)– Choose at least one “feature” of Word Processing

program that goes beyond the basic features of it and incorporate that into your paper

● Look at what you did in Microsoft Word lab for ideas● Write a paragraph describing feature(s) used and how well they

fit (or don't fit) into your paper● This component will be graded based on perceived effort (don't

expect as high of a grade here if you choose a “simple” feature) as well as how well it is incorporated into your paper

Presentation Component of Class Project

● 15 minute presentation about the topic using Microsoft Powerpoint – OpenOffice Impress acceptable; other presentation

software may be as well but need to let me know– Choose at least one “feature” of Presentation program

that goes beyond the basic features of it and incorporate that into your presentation

● Look at what you did in Microsoft Powerpoint lab for ideas (as well as the PowerPoint sections of the book that you didn't need to look at in lab)

● Write a paragraph describing feature(s) used and how well they fit (or don't fit) into your presentation

● This component will be graded based on perceived effort (don't expect as high of a grade here if you choose a single “simple” feature such as slide transitions) as well as how well it is incorporated into your presentation

Programming...

● Why do we care?– All software applications are ultimately built using

programming– You will need to do programming of some sort in the final

lab...– You will be asked about programming on the final

exam...

System Analysis and Design

● System– Collection of related components that interact to perform

a task in order to accomplish a goal– Why do we care about systems analysis and design?

● May find, at some point, that department or job is focus of study by systems analyst

● Knowing procedure helps explain how job works/goals of department

● Management may be interested in suggestions to improve productivity; systems analysis provides method for ideas

– Organization's computer-based information system consists of hardware, software, people, procedures, data, and communications setups that work together to provide people with information for running organization

Systems

● System examples– California's state Department of Motor Vehicles'

databases– UDSIS – used for course registration, grade reporting,

etc.– Google search engine

Phases of Systems Analysis & Design

● Systems analysis and design described as a six-phase problem-solving procedure for examining an information system and improving it– Preliminary investigation– Systems Analysis– Systems Design– Systems Development– Systems Implementation– Systems Maintenance

Systems Analysis & Design

● Pretend we want to make changes to the UDSIS system– What is the first step?


● Pretend we want to make changes to the UDSIS system– What is the first step?

● Preliminary investigation – conduct a preliminary analysis, propose alternative solutions, describe costs and benefits, and submit preliminary plan with recommendations

– Who do we talk to?● Users● Management● Technical staff

– May be led by systems analyst – information specialist who performs systems analysis, design, and implementation


● Second phase – Analysis of system– Gather data, analyze data, and write a report– Data analysis often performed using modeling tools that

enable a systems analyst to present a graphic/pictorial representation of system

● Example modeling tool: data flow diagram– Graphically shows flow of data through a system– Shows essential processes of system with inputs, outputs, and files


● Third phase – design the system– Do a preliminary design and then a detail design and

write a report– Often generate a prototype – limited working system

developed to test design concepts● What might a prototype of a course selection system do...?

– Detail design – describes how a proposed information system will deliver general capabilities described in preliminary design

● Considers parts of system in following order: output requirements, input requirements, storage requirements, processing requirements, system controls and backup


● Fourth phase – develop the system– System analyst or others develop/acquire software,

acquire hardware, and test system● “Make-or-buy” decision – decide whether to create software,

have it custom-written, or buy it● May choose to buy existing software and modify rather than

write it from scratch– Phase may involve spending a lot of money/time– Should have workable system at end of phase


● Fifth phase – Implement the system– Convert the hardware, software, and files to new system

and train users– Four strategies of handling conversion

● Direct implementation – stop using old system; start using new one

● Parallel implementation – old and new system operate together for some period

● Phased implementation – parts of new system phased in separately

● Pilot implementation – entire new system tried out by some users

– For UDSIS system...● May initially have incoming freshman use new system while

other students continue to use previous system● What type of implementation would this be...?


● Sixth phase – maintain the system– Adjust and improve system by having system audits /

periodic evaluations and making changes based on new conditions

– For UDSIS system...● Need to update system with available courses each semester● May need to add/subtract department to/from system if

University makes decision to add or drop a department

“Turtle” Programming Language

● About that “turtle” programming...– Looked up “turtle programming” on Google...

Logo Programming Language

● Name of programming language used for “turtle” programming is “Logo”– Created in 1967 for educational use– Multiple implementations available online for free– One of them is 'FMSLogo”, licensed under the GNU

General Public License...

Logo Programming Language

● Extra credit/project opportunity– Feel free to change project topic to Logo if that interests

you (two people shouldn't do exact same topic, so multiple people would need to coordinate and look at different aspects of Logo if it came to that...)

– Alternatively, opportunity to do a project using Logo for extra credit...see me if interested

Programming

● Program– List of instructions that the computer must follow to

process data into information● Programming

– Sometimes called software engineering– Five-step process for creating desired list of instructions

● Clarify/define problem● Design a solution● Code the program● Test the program● Document/maintain program

– Note that coding is only one of the five steps...

Programming

● Step 1 – Clarify programming needs– Clarify objectives and users– Clarify desired outputs– Clarify desired inputs– Clarify desired processing– Double-check feasibility of implementing program– Document analysis at each step

Programming

● Step 2 – Design the program– Need to create an algorithm

● Algorithm – formula/set of steps for solving a particular problem– Like a recipe...

● Must be unambiguous and have a clear stopping point● Often multiple algorithms to accomplish same task

– Each algorithm has specific advantages and disadvantages in different situations

● How would you go about creating an algorithm to sort a list of numbers from smallest to largest?

Programming

● Step 3 – Code the Program– Actual writing of program– Consists of converting the design into a programming

language● Task of coding program may be left to “code monkeys” who may

be in a different location from location of program design (maybe India...)

● “Code monkey” may be an entry-level position at a large company such as IBM, later programmer may “move up” to helping with design

Programming

● Step 4 – Test the program– Involves running various tests and running real-world

data to make sure program works– Desk-checking - reading through program to make sure

it's free of errors and logic works...like proofreading– Debug – detect, locate, and remove errors in a computer

program● Syntax error – caused by incorrect use of programming

language– Program won't run with syntax error

● Logic error – caused by incorrect implementation of design– Program will run, but generates incorrect results– Logic errors generally take much longer to correct than syntax errors

Programming

● Step 5 – Document and Maintain program– Writing the program documentation; documentation

consists of written descriptions of what program is and how to use it

● User documentation● Operator documentation● Programmer documentation

– Program maintenance● Any activity designed to keep programs in working condition,

error-free, and up-to-date● Patches released for Windows (often for security reasons) are

an example of continuing maintenance on the software

Programming Language

● Programming Language– Set of rules that tell computer what operations to perform– Ultimately, all programming languages do the same thing

● Program (written in any programming language) must be reduced to digital form (AKA: “computer language”); all a computer can work with

– Five generations of programming languages● Range from lower-level languages that are closer to “computer

language” to higher-level languages that are closer to “people language”

Generations of Programming Languages

● First Generation: Machine Language– Basic language of computers– Represents data as 0s and 1s– Machine language is specific to particular CPU

● Varies from computer to computer; machine-dependent– Difficult to program and not usually required to program

using machine language today ● Programmers were required to use machine language in early

computers since there was no other option

Played this game?● http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mf98dAnQ88

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mf98dAnQ88


● Second Generation: Assembly Language– Low-level programming language

● Allows programmer to write program using abbreviations/words rather than numbers

● Assembly language is machine-dependent– Language translator

● Translates a program written in second, third, or higher-generation language into machine language

● Assembler – program that translates assembly-language into machine language

– NBA Jam (video in previous slide...) written entirely in assembly language; this is notable since most video/arcade games are written in a higher-level language

“Hello World” in Assembly


● Third Generation: High-Level/Procedural languages– Resembles human language more closely– Not machine dependent– One of two types of language translator used

● Compiler – converts entire program of high-level language to machine language before computer executes program

● Interpreter – converts each language statement into machine language and executes statement IMMEDIATELY

– Examples: C++, Java


● Fourth Generation: Very High-Level/Problem-Oriented languages– More user-oriented; allow users to develop programs

with fewer commands compared to procedural languages– Problem-oriented; designed to solve specific problem– Example from lab: SQL

● Query language – Used to retrieve data from a database management system


● Fifth Generation: Natural Languages– Allow questions/commands to be framed in a

conversational manner● Example from book: I WANT THE SHIPMENTS OF PERSONAL

DIGITAL ASSISTANTS FOR ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI BROKEN DOWN BY CITY FOR JANUARY AND FEBRUARY. ALSO, MAY I HAVE JANUARY AND FEBRUARY SHIPMENTS LISTED BY CITIES FOR PERSONAL COMMUNICATORS SHIPPED TO WISCONSIN AND MINNESOTA.

● Part of a field of study called artificial intelligence

Programming Concepts Present in (some) Programming Languages

● Structured programming– Breaks programs into modular forms– Each component of program can be developed and tested

separately● Object-Oriented Programming

– Data/attributes and instructions for processing data are combined into self-sufficient “object”

– Methods define how object's data is to be processed– Example object: person

● Possible methods that can be performed on person: setGender, moveArm, moveForward

● Will use this concept in lab...● Event-Driven Programming

– Something “happens” on when a key is pressed/mouse is clicked– Maybe a 'person' object moves forward when 'f' is pressed on the

keyboard– Will use this concept in lab

Programming Languages

● What programming languages are you familiar with?


● BASIC– Developed by Dartmouth College in 1964– Used to be most popular microcomputer language– Considered easy to learn

● Pascal– Alternative to BASIC as language for teaching purposes– Uses structured programming

Basketball Games are the Theme Today, so...

● Another basketball game...

Basketball Games are the Theme Today, so...

● Why is this at all relevant...?– Game is written in Pascal...

● Hello World in Pascal...– Compare with C++/Java


● C Programming language– Developed at Bell Laboratories in early 1970s by Dennis Richie– First major program written in C: Unix operating system– Designed for implementing system software, but also used for

application software– Widely used for writing applications including word processing,

spreadsheets, games, robotics, and graphics programs– Considered necessary language for programmers to know

● C++ Programming language– Plus sign stands for 'more than C'– Developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell laboratories– Originally named “C with classes”; renamed to C++ in 1983– Combines traditional C programming language with object-oriented

capability


● Java programming language– Released in 1995 by Sun Microsystems– Many similarities to C/C++– Java has a reputation of being simpler to program than

C/C++, but slower and requiring more memory for the same task

– Java applets can be embedded in a web browser– Currently, Java is not supported on the Iphone/Ipod

Touch (so Java applets don't work there...)● It has been shown that Java “can” run on the Iphone/Ipod Touch,

though it involves “hacking/jailbreaking” the device● Steve Jobs quoted as saying: "Java's not worth building in [to the

phone]. Nobody uses Java anymore. Its this big heavyweight ball and chain."

Want a job programming video games?

● Job “available” at 2KSports.com (wanna program next generation of basketball games...)– Looking for strong proficiency in C/C++

Other Computer Languages

● Markup Languages– “Tags” inserted into text that gives details about structure

and appearance of text– Name derived from traditional publishing practice of

“marking up” manuscript; adding printer's instructions in margins

– HTML is one example of a markup language

Other Computer Languages

● Scripting languages (in web context)– List of self-executing commands embedded in a web

page to perform specific function/routine– Make a web page more “interesting” than basic HTML– Often designed for for interactive use– Some examples are Javascript, ActiveX, PHP

Source of Facebook “home” page (after logging in...)

● Note the use of javascript...

Looking for a job a Facebook?Mention that coding is “primarily using PHP, javascript, and C++”Also requires “knowledge of relational databases and SQL” (why?...)

Lab Programming Assignment

● Will be using “Alice”– 3D programming environment from Carnegie Mellon

University– Advertises itself as a “teaching tool designed as a

revolutionary approach to teaching and learning introductory programming concepts”

“Alice”

● Video about Alice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm7bv4wduTI

● Game made using Alice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ue4hU0KMXA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm7bv4wduTI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ue4hU0KMXA

“Alice”

● Goals of “Alice”– Most programming languages are designed to be usable for

"production code" thus introducing additional complexity. Alice is designed solely to teach programming. Alice can be used for 3D user interface. The user can program in arrow keys and other controls.

– Alice is conjoined with its IDE. There is no syntax to remember. However, it supports the full object-oriented, event driven model of programming.

– Alice is designed to appeal to specific subpopulations not normally exposed to computer programming, such as female students of middle school age, by encouraging storytelling as opposed to most other programming languages which are designed around computation.

“Alice”

● Result of studies at Ithaca College and Saint Joseph's University – Looking at students with no prior programming experience

taking first computer science course– Average grade went from C to B and retention increased

from 47% to 88% when Alice used in first computer science course

“Alice”

● Will be using Alice 2 in lab– Loaded on computers in lab and available for free

download online

“Alice”

● Alice 3 currently available in beta...– Big plans for Alice 3...

● Supported by Electronic Arts and Sun Microsystems

“Alice”

● “Alice” Extra credit opportunities– Experiment with Alice 3 (still in beta)

● Explore features of Alice 3 that are not available in Alice 2

– Go “beyond” lab requirements in programming lab on Alice 2

Homework● Look up “Hello World” programs in three different

computer languages– At least one of them must be a language that you haven't previously

heard of– Email me a description of each language and the “Hello World”

program in the language● Spend 15 minutes looking up algorithms for sorting

numbers– Email me half a page describing what you found and were able to

understand● Extra credit: Place findings on HTML page using

“nice” formatting (possibly adding images, additional information, etc.)

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