Announcements

If you didn't make it to one of the CUNIX tutorials (and even if you did), there are some good online UNIX references here and here.

Teaching Staff and Office Hours

Name	email		Office hours		Location
Prof. Adam Cannon	cannon@cs.columbia.edu		Mondays 9AM-1PM		459 CSB
Apoorv Agarwal	mailto:aa2644@columbia.edu	TBA		122 Mudd (TA Room)
Getting help:	All TA office hours are held in the Mudd building (map to Mudd). TAs hold office hours in the TA room (map to TA room once in Mudd)

Course Overview

This course is an introduction to computer science for non-science majors. The goals of this course are:

1. Survey a selection of fundamental concepts in computer science
2. Provide a very basic introduction to programming in Java
3. Introduce algorithmic problem solving and its place in science and engineering

The course will have biweekly homework assignments.

Prerequisites

None.

Schedule Fall 2007 (tentative)

Date	Lecture	Reading
Jan 23	Introduction	S&G Chapter 1
Jan 28	Computer Science and Algorithms	S&G Chapter 1
Jan 30	Algorithms and Pseudocode	S&G Chapter 2
Feb 4	More Algorithms	S&G Chapter 2
Feb 6	Algorithmic Problem Solving	S&G Chapter 3
Feb 11	Introduction to Computer Organization	S&G Chapters 4 and 5
Feb 13	Binary and Boolean	S&G Chapters 4 and 5
Feb 18	Von Neumann Architecture	S&G Chapters 4 and 5
Feb 20	Circuit Construction	S&G Chapters 4 and 5
Feb 25	Machine and Assembly Languages	S&G Chapters 4 and 5
Feb 27	Introduction to Higher Level Languages	S&G Chapter 8
Mar 3	Introduction to Python	On-line material
Mar 5	More Python Basics	On-line material
Mar 10	Conditionals and iteration in Python	On-line material
Mar 12	Programming in Python	On-line material
Mar 24	Midterm Review	S&G Chapters 1-5 and 8
Mar 26	MIDTERM
Mar 31	Introduction to Systems Software	S&G Chapter 6
April 2	System Software Part II	S&G Chapter 6
April 7	Introduction to Networks	S&G Chapter 7
April 9	More on Network Protocols	S&G Chapter 7
April 14	Dijkstra’s Shortest Path Algorithm	S&G Chapter 7
April 16	Models of Computation	S&G Chapter 11
April 21	Turing Machines	S&G Chapter 11
April 23	The Halting Problem	S&G Chapter 11
April 28	Computers in Science and Society	S&G Chapter 15
April 30	Final Exam Review
May 5	IN-CLASS FINAL EXAM

Assignments

 There will be 6 homework assignments this semester.

Required Texts

G. Michael Schneider and Judith L. Gersting
Invitation to Computer Science, Java Version, Third Edition
Thomsom Course Technology, 2006
ISBN: 1418836540
Available at the Columbia Bookstore

Additional References

David Reed
A Balanced Introduction to Computer Science
Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005

Lawrence Snyder
Fluency with Information Technology: Skills, Concepts, & Capabilities, 2nd edition
Addison-Welsey, 2005

Class Policies

Exams

There will be an in-class midterm examination on October 29 and an in-class final exam on December 10

Grading

Grades will be assigned using the following guideline:

40% Homework

30% Midterm Exam

30% Final Exam

Academic Honesty

Please familiarize yourself with the Computer Science Department's academic honesty policy.

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