Here you can find the course news, reproduced from the individual
outlines.
Friday, December 1, 2000:
Wednesday, November 29, 2000:
- Are there any final questions on
exam 3?
- I'd hope to receive many of them today so that I can grade them
while I'm away (ho ho ho).
- Update on search.
- I'm still thinking about the last assignment. Do you really
want another assignment?
- Form of the final (in-class).
- No class Friday. I think most of you need a break.
Tuesday, November 28, 2000:
- Are there any questions on
exam 3?
- Update on search.
- I'm still thinking about the final assignment. Do you really
want another assignment?
- Form of the final (in-class).
- No class Friday.
Monday, November 27, 2000:
- I hope you had a good Thanksgiving.
- I brought back stress-relief presents
- Are there any questions on exam 3.
- I've had some questions about sorted lists. When I say
``Iterate in order'', I mean ``iterate in order, from
smallest to largest''.
- Ask yourself whether it really makes sense to add something to
the end of a sorted list if there's no way to access it as the
last element (or is there?).
- Updates on search
Wednesday, November 22, 2000:
- Exam 3 is ready. We'll talk
about it for a few minutes.
Tuesday, November 21, 2000:
- How did yesterday's class go?
- I'm working on the third exam and it will be ready before class
tomorrow.
- Almost no code writing required, so that you can work on it during
Thanksgiving break.
- And yes, I'm sorry that I've become of the faculty who assign work
during Thanksgiving break.
- Today's class outline is intentionally vague; I'd like to have you think
about many of these issues without relying on my perspectives.
- Observations about interviewing process
Monday, November 20, 2000:
- As you know, I will not be in class today. Mr. Stone will cover class.
Please show him how much you've learned and how well you think.
Friday, November 17, 2000:
- I'll be gone on Monday (traveling back from my aunt's memorial service).
Mr. Stone will teach class on trees.
- Please read the chapter in Bailey on trees. (Yes, it comes before
the chapter on heaps.)
- Don't forget that homework 4 is due.
- I expect to give you one more homework, probably involving applets.
- Have a good weekend! I'll see you Tuesday.
Wednesday, November 15, 2000:
- Update on candidates: The candidates appear to be reading my course
outlines (hi!), so I'm not including any more info except for the following:
- A few very good folks managed to get all the appropriate materials to
us early and we're bringing some of them out.
- This is not to say that we're not thinking about bringing other people
out later.
- It looks like most (all?) of the current crop of candidates will teach
CSC152, so we'll be asking you for comments.
- I'll probably end up sticking my foot in my mouth as I write this stuff.
Tuesday, November 14, 2000:
- Are there any questions on hw 4?
- My aunt died last night, so it looks like I'll be gone some days this
week and/or next.
- Any comments on the proposed exam times?
Tuesday, November 14, 2000:
- Are there any questions on hw 4?
- My aunt died last night, so it looks like I'll be gone some days this
week and/or next.
- Any comments on the proposed exam times?
Monday, November 13, 2000:
- Are there any questions on homework 4?
- Yes, your add methods can be O(n) when you expand the array.
- How are the readings in Bailey going?
- When do you want to have the next take-home exam due?
(I'll distribute it before Thanksgiving, but it may cover stuff we
do after Thanksgiving.)
- We'll be having our first set of candidates visit in the next few
weeks (the two weeks after Thanksgiving). These are folks who
managed to get all the materials in by the early deadline and who
sounded pretty good on the phone.
- Yes, we're very excited about some of them.
- Yes, there's a chance that we'll also see some very good people in
our future rounds.
Friday, November 10, 2000:
- For Monday, read the chapter in Bailey on linear structures.
- Hw 4 is finally ready.
- Useful files
Wednesday, November 8, 2000:
- Any updates on the close election?
- Files for the next homework will be ready soon:
Tuesday, November 7, 2000:
- Don't forget to vote!
- Don't forget Math 314 (topics in applied mathematics): Chaos and
Fractals. Prerequs: Math 220 (or 218, if necessary)
- I still don't have the next homework ready. I hope to have it ready
for tomorrow. The basic format will be "implement and test expandable,
shiftable, array-based lists". (I'm working on the interfaces
you'll implement.)
- Here are my curernt stressors:
- I guest-taught a course yesterday afternoon; I'm also guest-teaching on
Wednesday and next Monday.
- I'm sick enough that I collapsed in bed at 6:00 last night.
- Administrative stressors are at an all-time high (phone interviews
for the first set of candidates; advising; a matter of academic
honesty; more guest teaching; phase II planning; ...)
Monday, November 6, 2000:
- How did Friday's class go?
- I got back to 120 email messages. I have not yet gone through them all.
If you send me email, expect a response later today or this evening.
- On Thursday, the Math/CS Journal club presents a talk by Ole Nelson on
the Game of Life on a Toriod. Should be cool.
- Nope, no homework assignments yet. The next homework assignment will
involve careful implementation of variants on array-based lists
- Expandable
- Shifted within the array
- We're making some good progress on the CS search. I'll do my best to
keep you posted.
Friday, November 3, 2000:
- For those of you who are interested, next semester Math 314 (Topics in
Applied Mathematics) will be doing the topic Chaos and Fractals.
- Have a great weekend.
- Don't forget to do the lab
Wednesday, November 1, 2000:
- I've finally remembered to update the news
page.
- On Friday, you will do lab G1, Graphics and Applets. Please read it
over before Friday's class.
Tuesday, October 31, 2000:
- No new assignments (yay!)
- I'll be gone on Friday, so I'll have you work on an applet lab.
- New homework assignment coming soon.
- Happy Halloween
Monday, October 30, 2000:
- Exam 2 returned.
- Don't forget: Professor Freda Rebelsky visits class tomorrow.
- If we don't get through the exam review today, we may continue
into tomorrow.
- If you haven't done so already, please read the chapter(s) in Bailey
on lists.
- Preregistration is soon. I hope many of you will continue on in CS.
What are your options?
- CSC341 (if you've taken Combo)
- Combo
- A 2 or 4 credit independent study in database-backed Web sites
(details to follow)
- Wait until next fall for 211.
Friday, October 27, 2000:
- Exam 2 is due.
- I'm sorry for the dependencies on the exam; I'll try to make sure
that that problem doesn't happen again on the next exam.
- I'll also try to keep the next exam shorter.
- Yes, I really do expect to get it graded by Monday.
- No homework (yet). I figure you need a weekend off.
- My mother won't be able to show up to class until next Tuesday.
Wednesday, October 25, 2000:
- Are there any final questions on exam 2?
- One of you noted that C&C used 1 as the lower bound in one of
the recursive calls to binary search. Yes, they should have used 0.
- I'm still thinking about appropriate applets for you to work on. I
may leave it relatively open ended. Games are one possibility.
- Adam: reminder to send me the URL of the Java tailgunner applet.
- A sillier possibility is something that turns a picture into
so-called "ASCII art".
- I'm still working on updating the syllabus.
- Juice and donuts today.
Tuesday, October 24, 2000:
Monday, October 23, 2000:
- Are there questions on exam 2?
I worked on much of the exam over break and didn't find any
significant problems.
- I decided to spend much of break in work avoidance mode, so I don't
have your homeworks graded yet. The 152 HW is third in my grading
stack, so I'm not sure when I'll have it graded.
- I did spend much of break sorting my CD collection, so I got to
apply many of our favorite sorting and searching algorithms.
- Does anyone need some empty jewel boxes?
- I've also thought about the project. In the past, I've done the
project in a much larger class. I'll give you the chance to
give up on the project, if you'd like. [Email vote.]
No classes. No news.
Friday, October 13, 2000:
- Exam 3 is ready.
- I'll use the last fifteen minutes of today's class for a final
pre-break discussion of the project.
- No outline for today yet, sorry. (I'll write it during break.)
Wednesday, October 11, 2000:
- I still need to update the ``at a glance'' page. I hope to do so
during break.
- Don't forget tomorrow's cool physics convo talk. Where else can you
learn about the origin of the universe?
- Don't forget that I'd like to see more code for the project by Friday.
- Did anyone think about the question for today (how to make Fibonacci
more efficient)?
Tuesday, October 10, 2000:
- Are there questions on the current chapter of Bailey (the one on
algorithm analysis)?
- You may want to start reading the chapter on sorting.
- Thursday's convocation: Will Talbert, Noyce Visiting Professor speaks
on Studying the Origin of the Elements Using Radioactive Ion
Beams. 11:00 in Harris.
- Why do they put Physicists in Harris?
- This past weekend, I went to a marriage celebration for folks I knew
in college (at the University of Chicago, another liberal arts
institution). Almost everyone I know went into "IT" (even though they
were economics, history, philosophy, ... majors).
Monday, October 9, 2000:
- Homework 3 is due at 5pm today.
- Are there any final questions?
- I'll grade it, but not until break.
- How did Friday's class go?
- For Friday, I'd like to have you have working stubs for the
utility classes. Email them to your fellow students.
- I should have the next exam ready on Friday.
- I probably won't give you a homework assignment on algorithm analysis;
your test will serve that purpose.
- I'll (finally) take questions on Bailey at the start of class
tomorrow.
Friday, October 6, 2000:
- No news today; Sam out of town.
Wednesday, October 4, 2000:
- Are there any other questions on homework
3?
- In preparation for tomorrow's consultants visit, I thought we might
consider
- What makes Grinnell great?
- What is the Grinnell community passionate about?
- What can Grinnell do better than anyone?
- I was dealing with too much problematic email this morning, so I'm
behind in having the outline ready. Blah.
Tuesday, October 3, 2000:
- Are there questions on Homework 3?
- A few of you asked for an extension, so it is now due next Monday.
However, I won't be here on Friday or over the weekend.
- I'm putting off questions on Bailey until tomorrow (or at least the
end of class today).
Monday, October 2, 2000:
- As I look at our current status, I've decided to leave the second exam
until after break. (I'll distribute it before break, and we can discuss
when the best due date is.
- Are there questions on homework 3?
- I brought in some old yearbooks for a few moments of fun.
- I will not be here on Friday. Either Nathan or Rachel Heck (or both)
will run class. The goal of Friday's class will be to resolve any
conflicting questions about your classes and interfaces.
- Make sure to get me any updated stuff by Wednesday.
- I'll take questions on Bailey tomorrow.
Friday, September 29, 2000:
Wednesday, September 27, 2000:
- Further changes to
the schedule were created by
the update for today's class. (More to come.)
- For Friday, please read lab J6.
- Are there questions on HW 3?
Tuesday, September 26, 2000:
- Exam 1 returned.
- Please don't discuss your grades with others; you should decide
whether or not you're satisfied with your work on the basis of your
work alone.
- I've asked some of you to come see me about questions on your exam.
Please do so ASAP.
- You may also see me if I didn't include a note to that effect.
- Today, we're going to continue to discuss the exam, particularly
part C, since there was some confusion.
- I'll get notes on Part C posted on the Web later this week.
- Are there questions on phase 2 of the project?
- I've decided that I will not be grading homework 1. At this point, I
think you've gotten everything you would have out of that assignment.
- Homework 3 is almost ready.
Monday, September 25, 2000:
- For tomorrow, try reading Chapter 4 of Bailey.
- Please bring questions on and Java stuff you don't understand.
- As hard as I tried, I was not able to get the exam graded. I'm hoping
to return it to you tomorrow.
- We'll still go over parts today.
- Don't forget to work on phase 2 of the project.
Friday, September 22, 2000:
- No homework this weekend.
- Exam 1 is due today.
- I hope to grade it over the weekend (keep your fingers crossed).
- I was behind on getting outlines ready for today; sorry.
Wednesday, September 20, 2000:
- Are there any final questions on exam
1?
- I've fixed an error in the code for
simplify
. Thanks
to those of you who caught it.
- I should be in my office until about 2:45 today and much of the day
tomorrow.
- We'll talk about the project on Friday.
Tuesday, September 19, 2000:
- Are there any questions on exam 1?
- No readings for tomorrow, but please bring more exam questions.
- This coming weekend is the planned parenthood booksale in Des Moines.
Go see a huge agricultural hall filled with books.
- Coffee and donuts this morning to keep you working.
- CS Picnic Friday
Monday, September 18, 2000:
- As you may have noticed, I've rearranged this week's topics slightly.
- For tomorrow; Read
G2: Java's
Abstract Windowing Toolkit and
G3:
Java's AWT, Continued.
- We'll probably concentrate on G3.
- Don't forget today's brown-bag lunch.
- Are there questions on exam 1?
- I've made some changes to the exam after doing it myself.
- I will give an example of an
equals
method that
may help with PartC.
Friday, September 15, 2000:
- Exam 1 is now ready.
- I'll answer questions next week.
- I still haven't updated yesterday's
notes.
- Monday's brown-bag lunch should be interesting. Please attend.
Wednesday, September 13, 2000:
- Homework 2 is due.
- How long did it take?
- I will not grade this assignment. However, I will provide
an answer key. I will also check that you made an attempt.
- Since you'll be working on a test next week, no homework is due
next week.
- Are there questions on phase
1 of the project?
- It's probably time to reflect on how the class is going.
- Are the introductory announcements helpful?
- Are you feeling comfortable with the pace?
- What kinds of sessions do you prefer?
- What can I do to help you get through the material?
Tuesday, September 12, 2000:
- Are there questions on
- For tomorrow:
- As I look at what I have to get done this week, I'm now shooting
for Friday for grading the first homework.
- As some of you have noted, our textbook uses some stuff that we haven't
covered yet. It also has a different I/O model than we use. (Java's
built-in I/O model is nice, but not necessarily for beginners.)
- The
for
loops we'll cover today.
- The
skipWhite
is a different I/O thingy.
- Let me know if you have other questions.
- I'll be handing out the first exam on Friday.
Monday, September 11, 2000:
- Reminder: Entrepreneur's talk at 4:15 in South lounge.
- Are there questions on the homework?
- Due date extended to Wednesday.
- Sorry, I don't have the first homework graded yet.
- Today's lab: J4 (sections
J4.2 and J4.4)
- For tomorrow:
- For Wednesday:
- For Friday:
Friday, September 8, 2000:
- Grinnell Entrepreneurs is sponsoring a talk at 4:15 Monday, September
11th in South Lounge. The talk, entitled From a startup to
millions, Grinnell style will docus on issues in starting up a
company with close references to ASI Sign Systems, his own company. Mr.
Latimer brings much valuable insight and perspective from personal
experience. Mr. Latimer is the founder and President of ASI Sign
Systems. Mr. Latimer used to work for the college and he quit in 1985
to start a business of his own in Grinnell. The company specializes
in making signs. For eg: all the signs in the Fine Arts Building are
made by his company. The company has now grown far beyond Grinnell
and is one of the leading ones in the Midwest with offices at various
locations in the midwest.
- Are there questions on homework 2?
- Read Chapter 3 of Bailey for next week.
- Read Lab J4 for Monday.
Wednesday, September 6, 2000:
- Assignments:
- Read labs O2 and
O3
for Friday.
- Bring questions on homework 2
for Friday.
- As I mentioned at the end of class yesterday, I'd like to hear any
comments you have on student spaces for computer science in Phase II.
- Today our emphasis will be on theory of object-oriented design. Friday's
class will cover specifics in Java.
- Thanks to everyone who handed in
homework 1.
- I'll try to get it graded by Monday.
- Those of you who didn't turn it in yesterday need to talk to me.
Tuesday, September 5, 2000:
- Due (by 5pm today):
- Assigned:
- Read Lab O1: Object-Oriented
Design (for tomorrow)
- Think about what classes you might use in a four-year planning system.
(for tomorrow)
- Homework 2
(due next Tuesday)
- I was sorry to see so few of you at yesterday's brown-bag lunch. It
was actually quite interesting; there were videos of old GUI applications
that seem more advanced than most things available today.
- I haven't had time to update the Linux handout. In the meanwhile,
Ellie suggests that you might want to look at
http://www.rochester.edu/ATS/UNIX/sysinfo/faq/problem/problem-index.html
Monday, September 4, 2000:
- Handouts:
- Happy Labor Day. I hope you enjoy laboring.
- Don't forget the brown-bag film at lunchtime.
- We'll work on lab J3 today and
tomorrow.
- Wednesday's class will be a hybrid of discussion, recitation, and
lecture.
- It may be a personal quirk, but I really get annoyed by email
that comes from a name other than your own.
- Are there questions on homework 1?
Friday, September 1, 2000:
- Assignment:
- Read lab J3
- Work on HW1
- Read Chapter 1 (The Object-Oriented Model) of Bailey
- Nathan has chosen office hours. He'll be in the MathLAN to answer
CSC152 questions on Sundays from 6-8 and Mondays from 8-10.
- I've removed some parts from
HW1. It is still due Tuesday.
- The Intro to Linux handout is not yet ready. I'm hoping to have it
ready for Monday.
Wednesday, August 30, 2000:
- Homework 1 is now ready in draft
form. Be sure to bring questions on Friday.
- We will continue lab J3 on Friday.
- I should be in my office from about 1:30 to about 4:30 today.
- I was a litle behind in getting today's stuff ready. I apologize.
Tuesday, August 29, 2000:
- Assignment:
- Read lab J2 for tomorrow.
- I don't expect you to finish lab J1 in class today, but you should at
least think about the remaining problems.
- We'll spend two days on J2.
Monday, August 28, 2000:
- If you haven't done so already, please fill out the
introductory survey.
- Assignments:
- Reread lab J1 for tomorrow.
- Every Monday at noon, the department hosts a brown-bag film festival
at noon. See interesting talks by great computer scientists. (Okay,
sometimes you see mediocre talks by great computer scientists, but then
we all make sarcastic comments.) I'm pretty sure that you can pick
up a bag lunch if you're on meal plan.
- My wife managed to break one of her toes yesterday. Hence, it is likely that
I'll have to head home at about 1 p.m. today.
Friday, August 25, 2000:
- Assignments:
- Make sure to complete the introductory
survey for Monday's class (there are always a few students who forget,
and I really hate to embarass them in class).
- It helps me if you fill out the survey sooner rather than later. I'll
be reading about 50 surveys this weekend.