CS 120 Computer Science I,   Fall 2006                      SYLLABUS               August 31, 2006
  Instructor:      Jeffrey Horn,  email:     jhorn@nmu.edu
                            office:  1119 New Science Building
                            phone:  227-1607
Office Hours:       The table below lists my "open" office hours.  Other hours are available by appointment (please email me a REQUEST, and I'll let you know if I can do it!)
  Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs
OPEN HOUR 2-3:00pm 6-7:00pm 5-6:00pm 2-3:00pm,  6-7:00pm
By Appointment   12-3:00pm 2-4:00pm  6-7:00pm  

Textbook (required):  GUI JAVA   Part I:  Fall 2006, Chapters 1-7  by B. Peterson and L. Ellerbruch, available in Campus Bookstore
                                                         (not Part II !!)

Classroom:          New Science Facility (NSF) 1209        
Meeting Times:     EVENING SECTION:   7-8:40pm, TuTh
Prerequisites: Math 100 or equivalent or permission of instructor
Our web page:   http://cs.nmu.edu/~jeffhorn/Classes/CS120/Fall2006/

 (I will use the web page EXTENSIVELY, posting everything I can up there as soon as possible.  This includes all electronic forms of handouts, assignments, solutions, sample tests, etc.  Also I will post announcements, links to interesting, topic-related sites, etc.  So please check our page regularly!  At the very least, twice a week.  We will also have a WebCT page for posting grades, etc.)


TOPICS:
  • INTRODUCTION:  What is Programming, a programming language, etc.?  (  Example:  programming a robot)
  • The Java and OO Models of Computation
  • Constants and variables.
  • Classes, Objects, Methods.
  • Loops and conditional branching.
  • User interaction.
  • Nested Objects.
  • Arrays
  • Strings

    • GRADING:
    50% Programs.
    10% Quizes
    20% Exams in-class and take-home
    10% Final exam, comprehensive.
    10% Instructor's discretion
    Late Policy:  For programs and homeworks, 5% off for each day late (counting only days that the university is open; e.g., not weekends or snowdays).   But of course I cannot accept them after solutions are handed out!  As for exams, those cannot be made up except under the most severe and extenuating emergencies!  Don't take a chance if you don't have to!  (If we have "enough" assignments and/or quizes, I will drop the lowest grade in that category.)

     COMPUTING FACILITIES:

    Hardware:    NMU IBM ThinkPads,  NMU Apple iBooks

    Software:    TextPad program editor, Sun's Java 2 Platform to compile programs, and a Web browser to run them.  (click here for instructions on downloading the free software)

    INSTALLATION OF SOFTWARE  (to be done during the first week of class)

    If you have a Macintosh Computer running OS X, the software you need is already installed on your machine.  If you have a computer running MicrosoftWindows, you should obtain two pieces of software. The first is Java language software from Sun Microsystems. The second is the programming editor TextPad.

    Obtaining the Java Software

    Use a web browser to view http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/download.html
    This should bring up a web page with the heading:       Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition (J2SE)
    There are several choices of packages to download.  You want      "J2SE v 1.4.2_10 SDK includes the JVM technology"
    Click on these words:      Download J2SE SDK
    Check the "Accept" for the licensing agreement.
    Then choose one of the two choices for the Windows platform (    Windows Platform - Java(TM) 2 SDK, Standard Edition 1.4.2_10)


    NOTES:

    This software is very large. It is nearly impossible to obtain it over a telephone line. You must have a high
    speed internet connection.

    Obtaining the Text Editor

    Use a web browser to view http://www.textpad.com/. Click on download.
    This should display a page that gives a choice of obtaining version 4.7 of TextPad with an English only
    interface. Obtain this software.
    Installing the Software
    Install the Java software FIRST!!! This is the only thing you need to be careful about.
    For each of the pieces of software you have downloaded, choose the most obvious answers to the questions.

    DISABILITY SERVICES
    If you have a need for disability-related accommodations or services, please inform the Coordinator of Disability Services in the Disability Services Office at 2001 C. B. Hedgcock (227-1700; TTY 227-1543).  Reasonable and effective accommodations and services will be provided to students if requests are made in a timely manner, with appropriate documentation, in accordance with federal, state and University guidelines. 

     LIBERAL STUDIES, DIVISION V  

    This course satisfies the Formal Communication Studies requirement.
    These courses are designed to introduce students to the ways in which information and ideas are expressed using a communication system other than English.  Such courses should foster the student's ability to conceptualize and communicate in an orderly, rational manner.  Characteristics of a communication system include: 1) possession of a grammar; 2) operation from an established set of rules; 3) reasoning properties such as deduction, inference drawing and problem solving.  This includes courses in languages and those in which the central focus of the course is on statistics, computers or formal logic.