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Announcements:

Please check this page regularly. This is where we'll post important updates for the class.

• Perry has kindly written up answers to old midterms
  
  
• Final exam review:
  • Tuesday at 3:30 in 4-240
  • Wednesday at 5 in 3-210
  • Thursday at 5 in 3-210
  
  We will answer any questions you have, and hand back old assignments.
  
  
• Fitness Test 2
  
  
• Fitness Test 1
  
  
• String Functions
  
  
• Small python file required for Lab 14
  
  
• Homework 7 is now online. A copy of the railroad structure file is here.
  
  
• We made an error grading question 1 on the exam. We'll adjust the recorded scores to give 2-3 extra points on this question, with a maximum of 5 points for the entire question. We will not lower anyone's exam score.
  
  
• Turtle Graphics demos in Python: 1 2 Circles Koch snowflake
  
  
• A possible wizardly task (or perhaps a master's thesis)
  
  
• Python reference page (will be distributed in class too)
  
  
• We're now starting Python! Professor Sue will be posting her lecture slides on the Schedule page. You should start reading the Python Tutorial, chapters 2-4 and section 7.2.
  
  
• Practice exam 3 answers
  
  
• Here's the practice exam 3 that we're doing in lab. Remember, there's test review tonight at 7 pm in 3-210.
  
  
• We haven't yet gotten to the Python portion of the class, so we will be doing review in lab on Thursday. Nyalleng will be holding an extra test review session at 7 pm in 3-210.
  
  
• Homework 6 is now available.
  
  
• A bunch of grades are missing in GRIT for labs 2-7. We apologize for the confusion. You will receive credit for these labs if you did them.
  
  
• Lab 10 is now due Thursday 4/16
  
  
• Homework 5 is up. Also, you might be interested in the Minnesota Regional FIRST Robotics competition, being held in Mariucci and Williams Arenas Friday and Saturday.
  
  
• Next Wednesday (4/8) is tie dye shirt day!
  
  
• Homework 4 is due on Thursday. Also, here's a solution for question 6 on the exam.
  
  
• Survey! This survey is just to help Daniel prepare better labs in the future. Your answers are anonymous.
  
  
• Extra office hours today 10:15-2:30
  
  
• Midterm 2 Study Guide. Also, there will be an extra review session on Tuesday 3/10 at 6:15 pm in room 3-125. Come with questions!
  
  
• This week's lab is canceled for the 4:40 section. There will be an optional make-up lab on Friday. Students in the 4:40 section are still required to complete the lab assignment, which is available on the Schedule page.
  
  
• Congratulations on finishing the midterm! We'll start discussing lists on Monday. To prepare, read section 2.2.1 of the course textbook (SICP), which discusses lists very concisely. There's a more descriptive reading on lists in section 9 and section 10 of How To Design Programs. Try exercises 10.1.4 and 10.1.5 of HTDP, and exercise 2.18 of SICP, for practice.
  
  
• Practice double loop that will help for the test and the exam.
  
  
• There is now a Wiki page for questions about the exam. We'll answer any question posted there by the end of Thursday.
  
  
• Prof. Carlis has posted many of his lecture notes,, and a few extra study questions, on the Schedule page under "Reading."
  
  
• Please do not ask the Systems Staff for help installing Linux on your personal laptop. They can't help with personal machines, beyond giving you an Ubuntu CD. It's best to use VirtualBox anyway; directions are on the class wiki.
  
  
• Don't use STk or DrScheme for this class. There are significant differences between MIT Scheme and these other two versions of Scheme. Many of the later assignments won't work in STk or DrScheme at all. So use MIT Scheme!
  
  
• To print your homework on ITLABS computers (corrected!), type

  enscript -Pprintername filename

  . Printer names are "NC-cs3170", "NC-cs4250", "NC-lind24", and "walter103". (Don't use NC-cs3170 right now, your pages will come out wet.)
  
  
• Part of the EE/CS building has flooded. That means:
  • The only public Linux computer labs are now EECS 4-250 and Lind 24. The computers in these labs are dual-boot, so you may have to restart and select Ubuntu from a menu to get into Linux. These labs will probably be crowded, so install Linux on your own machine if possible. (corrected; Walter 103 is not available.)
  • Security guards are checking everyone at the front door, but they are allowing students to come in for classes and office hours.
  • Our Thursday lab section will happen as usual in room 1-260.
  
  
• New due dates. Homework 1a is now due Wednesday 2/4. Lab 2 is now due at the beginning of lab on February 12. (That means you have two weeks to come to office hours and get checked off on the lab.)
  
  
• Use the computer lab in room 3-170 for this class. This room has 25 brand new computers, a scanner and a printer. It is never used for class sessions. The lab is open weekdays 7am-1am, and weekends 10am-10pm. Rooms 4-240, 4-250, and 2-170, as well as Lind Hall 24, also have Linux computers, but these rooms are often full. Walter Library 103 has several computers on the IT network, and is open 24 hours a day.
  
  
• You can now write to to contact all the TAs at once, and get a reply from whichever is available first
  
  
• Homework 1a is ready. It is due at the beginning of class on Monday, February 2.
  
  
• Bring your laptop tomorrow: ITLABS is having severe technical problems, so please DO bring your laptop tomorrow (even though Daniel said exactly the opposite in class). If you don't have a laptop, don't worry about it.
  
  
• Get an ITLABS account: You are required to have an ITLABS account in order to take this class. It's much better to have your account before the first lab session (Thursday 1/22). Get your ITLABS account here.
  
  
• Textbook: We will be using Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs, 2nd edition, as the textbook for this course. It's available for free online. If you'd rather have a printed copy, list price is $82, but used copies are about $50 online.