CSC 110 –Intro. to Computing

Prof. Matthew Hertz

WTC 207D / 888-2436

hertzm@canisius.edu

Items to Discuss

Course Goals Administration Syllabus Attendance Extra credit Late work/Make-ups Working together Grades

Course Goals

Learn computer’s history and culture Better understand how computers work Work with and develop algorithms and convert

into programs Understand how computers solve problems

and their impact on society Experience the advantages computer usage

brings

Corequisites

Must be registered in CSC110LLabs include students from different sectionsLab instructor will talk more about CSC110L

Must complete service learning componentAt least 15 hours of volunteer workMore about this later…

Textbooks

Bundle:Nell Dale and John Lewis, Computer Science

Illuminated, 2nd ed., Jones and Bartlett, 2004Nell Dale, Student Lecture Companion, Jones and

Bartlett, 2004R. Mark Meyer, Explorations in Computer Science,

Jones and Bartlett, 2003.

Available at bookstore

Course Website

http://blackboard.canisius.edu Contains handouts, lecture slides,

announcements, etc. Good place to check for information May not include everything said in class

Syllabus

Material covered in order (more or less) Detailed syllabus on course web pages Lectures present important details from

reading and additional material not in the book

Lab sections focus on practical aspects of material covered in class

Course Syllabus -- Topics

History of computers Binary encodings Logic, Gates, &

Circuits Computer

architecture Robots PALGO

Information systems Simulation Social reponsibility &

Ethics Artificial Intelligence Networks & the World

Wide Web Mathematical limits of

computation

Attendance

Class attendance is mandatoryDaily attendance will not be taken

You are responsible for everything that happens in class

Missing class is not an acceptable excuse Great way to earn a poor grade: skip class

Late work/Make-ups

“Date due” means date dueLate work NOT accepted

Make-ups will not be offeredNot needed since everyone attends class

Life happens

When a catastrophe occurs…Get a note from the DeanBe prepared to show some documentationTalk to the instructor as soon as you can

We will find an workable solution

Working Together

You must do all your own work But, please talk to one another about:

Questions you have about the materialWhat an assignment asks forWhat happened in classNon-specific material you do not understand

covered on the homework When in doubt, ask me

Help!

Everyone will fall behind, not understand a detail, and/or have questionsBe mature: ask questions and seek out helpUse all available resources

CSC and academic skills tutors also available

DO NOT leave homework to the last moment

Best way to fail is to remain silent

Homework and GradingItem Worth

Midterm 20%

Final 30%

Homework 10%

Essay 10%

Quizzes 10%

Lab Grade 20%

Midterm will be given Oct. 13th

Quizzes will be given every other week

Writing Skills

Course includes a substantial writing component Important life skill for everyoneEssays on midterm & final

Also, write an essay during semester about your experiences at the service learning siteWill have opportunity to revise and resubmitMore on this later…

Personal Information SheetName: Matthew HertzYear: 1st yearMajor: Computer SciencePrevious Computer Experience:

Worked for 2 years in industryWhy are you in this course:

I enjoy working with computersI chose Canisius because…

I wanted to be at a school which values teaching & had students with whom I could continue my research.

Computer Prehistory

16th Century BCE – abacusSimple device used to perform calculationsRelies on training, knowledge of user

Computer Prehistory

17th century CE – Gear-driven machinesBlaise Pascal developed machine performing

whole-number addition & subtractionGottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz’s machine could

also do multiplication & divisionNeither machine was very reliable

Mostly due to lack of precise parts available

Computer Prehistory

18th century CE – Jacquard’s loomWeave cloth, slik, and other materialsHoles in cards created patterns woven into

fabric

Early Attempts at a Computer

Early 19th century CE – analytical engineDesigned by Charles Babbage and advanced

by Ada, Countess of LovelaceUsed punch cards like Jacquard’s loom Similar to modern machines:

Had memory to hold intermediate value Could accept programs

Too complex for the time – never built

Adding Machines & Tabulators

Late 19th & early 20th centuries CEMany mechanical devices created to perform

simple addition, subtraction, multiplication, division

Technology sufficient to make reliable machines

Tabulators continued to use punched cards for input

First Computers

Mid 20th Century CE – first “computers”Many long calculations needed

Firing tables for gunners Bombing runs for pilots

For efficiency, USA and UK used rooms filled with (usually) women

Women were cheaper to hire Some used mechanical calculators

This was considered a mark of shame!

Electronic Computers

War effort started to use up all available “computers”Electronic computers would reduce demandENIAC started during war

Hired 6 women as first programmers Then the war ended Luckily, the project continued through 1946