CSC297 2003F, Class 1: Introduction

* Goals of the class
* General structure of the class
* A bit about Java

Goals
* To simulate 152 without requiring you to attend (note that we need to figure out exactly what Mr. Bishop expects of you).
* To help you learn the Java programming language
* To help you learn more about algorithms
  * Some new algorithms (quick sort)
  * Some new techniques for designing algorithms
  * Some new techniques for analyzing algorithms
* To help you learn more about data types
  * What is a list?
    * Implementation aspect: A group of cons cells linked by cdrs
    * General model: A group of things that is ordered (not by any "natural" order, but by the way you put them in the list)
    * Recursive definition:
      * The empty list is a list
      * Cons of a value and a list is a list
  * Data types and algorithms are closely related: The way your organize your data affects your algorithm
    * E.g., binary search isn't very quick in a list (in fact, it's probably slower than linear search), while it's very fast in a vector
* Object-oriented design
  * Functional design: Programs are built from functions (both named and anonymous); higher-order functions encapsulate common control ideas
  * Object-oriented design: Programs are built from objects
    * Objects collect data and capabilities
    * Comes from an attempt to build a language better for modeling the world
    * By grouping functions and data, we prevent clueless programmers from attempting to apply the wrong function to the wrong data
* Learn about working in a group
* Edit Sam's textbook

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Java

* A somewhat object-oriented programming language
* Other somewhat object-oriented languages: C++, C#, Objective C, Objective Pascal
* More pure object-oriented languages: Smalltalk-80 (Squeak), Oberon, Eiffel

Java has an "interesting" history
* Sun microsystems says "We need a language for programming embedded devices"
* Robustness: If part of a program crashes, your refridgerator doesn't suddenly kill you
* Peripherality: You can control a variety of devices/components
* Multithreaded: Deal with multiple activities "at the same time"
* Object-orientation gives you al ot of this 
* Designers at Sun added "sandboxing"
* Designers at Sun also added "scalable for large programs"

Suddenly the Web arrived.  The Web changed everything.  
The Web needed a programming language.  Enter marketing.  Oak became Java.

What do you need to know about Java (other than history):

* Based on C (just like half of all modern languages)
* Object oriented (you will build objects)
* Hard to learn just a little
* Insanely large library system