Welcome to the Computer and Information Technology programWho am I?Who are you?What is this course?Why are you here?What are you getting yourself into?Programming can be funComputer ScienceCIT 591 is a programming courseBeauty in computer scienceBasic estheticsEleganceBeauty in programmingWhat CIT 591 and 594 are aboutOut with the old, in with the newFractals are everywhereChanges in computer scienceVersions of JavaWhat’s ahead?Maybe you should learn accounting instead?But more importantly...Small projectsMedium-sized projectsLarge projectsWhat does that mean for CS?Java is a terrible languageComparison with other languagesWhy am I here?How to get a good grade in hereThe EndJan 14, 2019Welcome to the Computer and Information Technology programhttp://www.cis.upenn.edu/~matuszek/cit591-20072Who am I?David Matuszek (muh-TOOZ-ik)I prefer “Dave” or “Dr. Dave”I’m the director of the MCIT programI’m here to teach, not to do researchMy most important courses are CIT 591 (Introductory programming) and CIT 594 (Data structures and algorithms)3Who are you?Most of you are in the new MCIT program. You are here because:You are extremely brightYou do not have a BA or BS in computer scienceThe rest of you are in other programsYou have a very wide range of backgrounds4What is this course?This is a beginning programming courseThe language we are using is Java 6The primary audience is MCIT studentsThis is one of six required MCIT coursesThe sequel to this course, CIT594, also uses JavaCIT591 is also a service course for other students who need to learn to programHowever, there is only a limited amount of room for non-MCIT students5Why are you here?There are two good reasons for getting into computer science:The job market is (usually) very goodComputer programming can be extremely satisfying and enjoyableWhich of these is more important?Money is a necessityBeing rich isn’t a necessity (but it sure is nice)You spend about 1/4 of your adult life workingIt’s important to find work that you enjoy6What are you getting yourself into?Programming is intellectually challengingIt can be tremendous fun……if you like that sort of thing!Lifelong learning is essentialThe technology is constantly changingWe cannot teach you all you need to knowWe can point you in the right direction and give you a good, hard push--but the rest is up to you!7Programming can be funProgramming is puzzle-solvingVery little is mechanical, routine workYou always have to be thinkingIf you like solving puzzles, there’s a good chance you will like programmingSome puzzles are hardYou need a tolerance for frustrationSolving hard puzzles can be very satisfying8Computer ScienceComputer science is the study ofwhat we can do with computers how we can best do itIf we really understand how to do something, we can write a program to do itWe do a lot of things without really understanding how we do themWalk uprightRecognize facesTalk, and understand someone else’s speechComputer science is all about how to do thingsProgramming is about how to make the computer do the things that we ourselves know how to doComputer science is about figuring out how to do additional things9CIT 591 is a programming courseProgramming is teaching the computer how to do somethingProgramming, like woodworking, is a craftTo master a craft, you need both knowledge and experienceEven a poor woodworker can produce a useable chairA master craftsman can produce a chair that is strong, comfortable, and beautiful10Beauty in computer sciencePrograms can be beautiful or uglyI am not speaking metaphoricallyUsually,Blind people can’t appreciate fine paintingsDeaf people can’t appreciate good musicNon-mathematicians can’t appreciate elegant proofsNon-programmers can’t appreciate the beauty in programs (but can often feel the lack of it!)11Basic estheticsPeople have different tastes in music, but…A two-year old pounding on a piano is not making musicVery few musicians disagree on what notes make up a “chord,” or a “chord progression”People have different tastes in programming, but many values are held in commonProgramming is an art as well as a craft12ElegancePowerful software can do everything you want to do--for example, Microsoft WordComplex software is hard to learn and hard to use--for example, Microsoft WordMore power usually means more complexityElegant software somehow manages to be both simple and powerful13Beauty in programmingOuter beauty in programs consists of:Doing a job the way the user wants it doneProviding a simple, intuitive set of controlsWorking reliably, without crashes or glitchesInner beauty in programs consists of:Simple, elegant, efficient solutions to problemsCode that is easy to read, understand, and modifyGood commenting and coding style14What CIT 591 and 594 are aboutYou need to learn the craft of programmingHow to design and write programs that workHow to write clear code and documentationThis is a skill, and it requires a lot of practiceIn CIT 591 we study programmingYou learn a language (Java) and some basic skillsYou learn how to use the language to tell the computer how to do things In CIT 594 we concentrate more on computer scienceRemember what I said: If you really understand how to do something, you can write a program to do itComputer science is all about how to do things15Out with the old, in with the newGeometry is about 2300 years oldIt’s all based on straight lines and circlesThese were viewed as idealizations of natureThere are no straight lines or circles in natureDidn’t anybody notice?Benoit Mandelbrot developed fractal geometry starting in about 1977Even in a 2300 year old subject, things change!16Fractals are everywhere17Changes in computer scienceComputer science is only about 60 years oldIt’s changing much faster than geometry!Java was first introduced in 1995We will be covering Java features that didn’t exist this time last yearChange is rapid and acceleratingDominant language of the 1990s: C++Dominant language of early 2000s: JavaDominant company: IBM to Microsoft to ?First GUI: Macintosh, 1984First web browser: Mosaic, 1992Web pages: HTML to DHTML to XML18Versions of
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