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This course provides an introduction to computer science, covering topics such as number systems, computer history, networking, programming, and computing issues. Evaluation is based on assignments, exams, and a project. Course resources include textbooks, a course website, and practical labs.
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Introduction to CPSC 203 James Tam
Administrative • Contact Information • Office: ICT 707 • Phone: 210-9455 • Email: tamj@cpsc.ucalgary.ca • Office hours • Office hours: MW 12:00 - 13:00 • Email: tamj@cpsc.ucalgary.ca (any time) • Appointment: phone or call • Drop by for urgent requests (but no guarantee that I will be in!)
Organization of this course • Lectures • Theory, concepts (how do things work)? • Exam-related material (some assignment stuff) • Labs • Practical (e.g., How do I do I use a computer to do something?) • Assignment-related material
How you will be evaluated • Assignments (30%) • Email (1%) • Word Processing (4%) • Spreadsheet (4%) • Database (6%) • Internet (5%) • Project (7%) • PowerPoint (3%) • Exams (70%) • Midterm exam (30%) • Final exam (40%)
Course resources • Course website: http://pages.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/~tamj/2002/203 • Course textbooks: • Computer Confluence, 4th Edition, George Beekman, Prentice Hall • Projects for Microsoft Office, Toliver, Johnson and Koneman, Addison Wesley
Course outline • 1) Introduction to computers • Today’s material and much more! • 2) Number systems • More than just decimal • 3) History of computers
Course outline (continued) • 4) Networking and telecommunications • 5) Introduction to Computer Science • Simulations • Graphics • Databases • Artificial Intelligence • Computer vision • Human-Computer Interaction
Course outline (continued) • 6) Computer programming • What’s involved in the creation of a computer program. • 7) Issues in computing
Why use a computer? • Calculations • Fast, accurate • Repetition • Don’t get bored • Storage and retrieval of information
Categories of computers • Supercomputers • Mainframes • Personal computers • Portable computers
Supercomputers • What are they? • What are they used for? • Example applications • Medical research • Science • Government • Telecommunications
Mainframes • One main computer with many secondary computers attached.
Mainframes (continued) • Expensive and big • Need special environments • Used when reliability is important • Banks • Airline reservations • Web servers • The U of C!
Personal computers (desktops) • The most commonly found type of computer • Windows, Apple, Sun, Amiga… • For one person at a time • Inexpensive (but quite powerful)
Hand helds (palmtops, PDAs) • More portable, less powerful Portable computers • Notebooks (laptops) • Portable form of a desktop • Pay more, get less • Battery powered