CSC 107 Course Overview   (Fall 2003)

Key Ideas

  Programming is a tool for:
      solving problems
      experimentation
      analysis

  The World Wide Web is:
      an immense, distributed information source
      an interface for information/programs 

  Computer science is more than just programming:
      problem solving
      design & analysis of algorithms
      hardware design and manufacturing
      interface design and implementation
      societal impact

Skills Developed

  Problem-solving skills
  Analytical/Empirical skills
  Communication skills
  Web page development

Programming Concepts
  
  data types & expressions
  variables & assignments
  functions & libraries
  conditional execution (if statements)
  counters & sums

  user interfaces (textual vs. graphical interface)
  control vs. event-driven programming

General Computer Science

  Computer basics
      von Neumann architecture, hardware vs. software
  Internet & the Web
      internet & Web histories, TCP/IP, HTTP
  History of computers
      generations (relays, vacuum tubes, transistors, IC, VLSI), PC revolution
  Algorithms & programming
      algorithms, efficiency, low- vs. high-level languages, compilers & interpreters
  Computer Science as a Discipline
      CS as science?, central themes (software, hardware, theory), subfields of CS
  Data Representation
      digital vs. analog, binary numbers, ASCII code, sound & image formats
  Inside the computer
      CPU datapath, CPU cycle, main memory, control unit, stored programs
  Computers & Society
      positive impact, potential dangers