Held: Tuesday, 20 January 2015

On to Outline 02 - An Introduction to Linux.

Summary

We begin the class by exploring the definition of computer science and by trying to write some basic algorithms.

Related Pages

• Post-class reading: Parts of Algorithms
• Assignment 1: Introductory Survey
• Morning EBoard 1 (Source a.m. 1)
• Afternoon EBoard 1 (Source p.m. 1)

Overview

• Introduction: What is CS?
• Exercise: An everyday algorithm.
• Debriefing on exercise.

Administrivia

• Welcome to CSC 151! I'm Sam. Our morning mentors are Erin and Albert. Our afternoon mentors are Alex and Sarah.
• Grab a normal playing card and hold on to it.
• Grab a blank playing card and a pen, write your name on the card, (illustrate if you feel so inclined), and hand both to a mentor when you are done.

Upcoming Work

• Assignment 1 due tomorrow night.
• Readings for Wednesday: Grinnell's Linux Environment and Parts of Algorithms

Extra Credit Opportunities

Academic

• Today, 6:00 p.m., Herrick, Ta-Nehisi Coates, "The Case for Reparations"
• Friday, 12:10 p.m., JRC 224A (Day PDR), CS Table, "Computer Programming as an Art" (copies outside my office)

Peer Support (Morning Section)

• Swimming, Friday, January 30, 6:30 p.m., Osgood Natatorium
• Swimming, Saturday, January 31, noon, Osgood Natatorium

Peer Support (Afternoon Section)

• Swimming, Friday, January 30, 6:30 p.m., Osgood Natatorium
• Swimming, Saturday, January 31, noon, Osgood Natatorium

Attendance

• I would like to know
  • What name to use for you in less formal situations. This will usually be your given name or a nick name.
  • What name to use if I am addressing you by family name or last name.
  • Your preferred gender pronoun.
  • Optionally, any upcoming events in which you are participating that you would like classmates to attend.
• When I call a name that resembles your name, please answer using something like the following models. (It's okay if you don't have any upcoming events.)
  • Hi. My name is Casey Smith. I prefer that you call me "Case" or "Mr. Smith". My preferred gender pronouns are he, him, and his. I'm singing in a Con Brio concert this weekend, and I hope to see many of you there, whether or not you are opposed to toy trains.
  • Hi. My name is Casey Smith. I prefer that you call me "Casey" or "Ms. Smith". My preferred gender pronouns are she and her. I'm swimming against cornfolk from the neighboring state on Friday, January 30, and we always like to have folks cheer us on.
  • Hi. My name is Case Smith. I prefer thaty ou call me "Cay" or "Mx. Smith". My preferred gender pronouns are zi and zir. I'm giving a math talk on non-Euclidean combinatorics next Tuesday.

An Introductory Question

• Rather than telling you exactly what the class is about, I'm going to start the class with a question for you.
  • The question will help ground the class.
  • The question will begin to get you used to some aspects of my teaching style (particularly my reliance on recitation-style work).
  • The question will test your abilities as a liberal artist.
• What is Computer Science?
• I will give some of my own responses after I've heard some of yours.

What is CS?

• Computer scientists differ in how they define the discipline. However, most would agree that, at least in part,

  Computer science is the study of algorithms and data structures.

• By "algorithms", we mean sets of instructions that can be used to solve problems.
  
  • Some problems are mathematical. For example, you might write an algorithm to find the square root of a real number.
  • Other problems deal with textual information. For example, you might write an algorithm that tells how to find a name in the phone book.
  • Still other problems deal with graphical information. For example, you might write a program that finds text in an image (and then figures out what the text is).
  • Clearly, you can write algorithms for a wide variety of problems.
• By "data structures", we mean mechanisms for organizing information. For example, we organize some information in lists, other information in tables, and other information in more complex structures.
• By "study", we mean specify, design, describe, evaluate mathematically, evaluate experimentally, implement in software, implement in hardware, prove properties, consider applications and implications, and much, much more.
• In our studies, we rely on the tools and techniques from a number of other disciplines.
  
  • From mathematics, we take proof techniques, formal language for describing problems and solutions, and even core ideas.
  • From science, we take an experimental approach. We show that an algorithm is "correct" by constructing a variety of experiments.
  • From engineering, we take techniques for designing and constructing things.
  • From psychology and the social sciences, we take techniques for understanding the relationship of our work to human endeavors.
• These diverse perspectives and skill sets make CS interesting and challenging.
• Our European colleagues often refer to the discipline as "Informatics" (that is, implying the study of information), and I will admit that I have come to prefer the term because it distances us a bit from both computers (we are broader than the technology) and from science (since we do not necessarily emphasize the scientific method).

An Everyday Algorithm

• We'll explore the problems of writing clear instructions through a simple exercise.
• Challenge: Write a clear, unambiguous, and detailed set of instructions for making a nut butter and jelly sandwich.
• Format: Work in groups of about four.
• Each group will write its solution on one of the four boards.
• SamR will play the role of the sentient, but malicious and clueless "follower of instructions".

Debriefing

• We will consider some of the implications of the activity today.
• Model: Discuss implications in your small group. Then pick a few important topics to share with the larger group.
• We will continue debriefing in the next class period.