CSC151 2009F, Class 02: An Introduction to CSC151

Admin:
* Sorry, no smiley stickers today.
* One Handout: Linux Lab
  * Will it be our last printed handout?  I don't know, but I hope
    it's close to our last.
* Mr. Stone will be bringing Linux passwords this morning (ca. 10:15).
* I have started reading through your answers to the introductory survey, 
  but have not gotten all the way through.  Expect answers to questions 
  tomorrow.
  * Sam does the math: 10-15 minutes per survey * 36+ students = 6-8 hours
* To read for tomorrow's class: The GNU Image Manipulation Program.
* The class now has more than 36 students.  I am still getting requests
  to add, and can't really add more.  If you know somone who has dropped
  the class (or is planning to do so), please have them talk to me asap
  so that I can make room for others.
* Please don't take the elevator if you don't need the elevator.

Overview:
* Drawing smiley faces, revisited.
* Lessons from day drawing smileys.
* Common parts of an algorithm.
* About the course.
* Getting started with Linux. [Starts at 10:25, no matter what]
* Some administrative details.

What did you learn from trying to give instructions for drawing smileys?

* It is important to give clear instructions, becuase unclear instructions
  will give unwanted results.  (Sam was pretty nice in not following
  instructions too explicitly, or rejecting stop signs.)
* It can be very hard to give instructions for a seemingly easy task.
* Teaching humans may be even harder than teaching computers (the open-ended
  "give instructions in plain English for a toddler")
* It is important to know the exact capabilities of your system
* The first attempt is always wrong.  So it's important to check your work.
* The order of instructions is important
  * E.g. the order of drawing black and yellow circles
* You sometimes need skills you didn't know you'd need
  * How thought you'd have to remember high school math?
* Sometimes there are simpler ways to do things
  * But the simplest ways may require a burst of creativity
* There are often multiple correct ways to solve a problem
  * There are often multiple correct ways to interpret a problem
* It's helpful to work with others!

Lab

* Mr. Stone distributes passwords
  * For about half the class, you have passwords already.  If you don't
    remember them, ask Mr. Stone and he'll create a new one.
  * Apologies for the time password creation takes.
* Work on all of the "MathLAN" workstations used by the Department of
  Computer Science and the Department of Mathematics and Statistics
  * Up here on the 3rd floor
  * A few classrooms on the 2nd
* When you finish the lab, begin the next reading (on the GIMP)

Everything Else

* Cancelled because of difficulty getting passwords for a few people.
  * People who had to stay late because of late passwords should send
    me their names for a modicum of sympathy credit.