https://cs.indstate.edu/web/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Programming_and_CS_-_Getting_Started 2026-06-04T06:07:35Z Revision history for this page on the wiki MediaWiki 1.44.0 https://cs.indstate.edu/web/index.php?title=Programming_and_CS_-_Getting_Started&diff=834&oldid=prev 2026-06-03T02:07:24Z

<p><span class="autocomment">Practice Programming Contest Problems</span></p> <table style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122;" data-mw="interface"> <col class="diff-marker" /> <col class="diff-content" /> <col class="diff-marker" /> <col class="diff-content" /> <tr class="diff-title" lang="en"> <td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122; text-align: center;">← Older revision</td> <td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122; text-align: center;">Revision as of 02:07, 3 June 2026</td> </tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l23">Line 23:</td> <td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno">Line 23:</td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>=Practice Programming Contest Problems=</div></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>=Practice Programming Contest Problems=</div></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="−"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">These are problems with precisely defined correct output, so that you can submit your program to make sure it is 100% correct.</del></div></td><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="+"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">See </ins>[[<ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Programming </ins>Practice]].</div></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="−"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-added"></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="−"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">* </del>[<del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">http://www.hackerrank.com/ Hacker Rank] - very user-friendly, different programming languages available, different categories of questions</del></div></td><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-added"></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="−"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">* </del>[<del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">https://open.kattis.com/problems </del>Practice <del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">problems] at open.kattis.com (sort by difficulty or solved % to try the easiest ones first)</del></div></td><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-added"></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="−"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">* [http://cs.indstate.edu/acm/contests.html ISU ACM Club's Contest Problem page</del>]</div></td><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-added"></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="−"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">* [http://cs.indstate.edu/~jkinne/Cpractice/ A few simple practice problems</del>]<del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">, with solutions to some on the CS server. See the .txt files</del>.</div></td><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-added"></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>= Source Control =</div></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>= Source Control =</div></td></tr> <!-- diff cache key wiki2:diff:1.41:old-833:rev-834:php=table --> </table>

Jkinne https://cs.indstate.edu/web/index.php?title=Programming_and_CS_-_Getting_Started&diff=833&oldid=prev 2026-06-03T02:06:36Z

<p><span class="autocomment">Getting Started Pages</span></p> <table style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122;" data-mw="interface"> <col class="diff-marker" /> <col class="diff-content" /> <col class="diff-marker" /> <col class="diff-content" /> <tr class="diff-title" lang="en"> <td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122; text-align: center;">← Older revision</td> <td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122; text-align: center;">Revision as of 02:06, 3 June 2026</td> </tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l16">Line 16:</td> <td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno">Line 16:</td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>=Getting Started Pages=</div></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>=Getting Started Pages=</div></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>* [[Linux and CS Systems - Getting Started]]</div></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>* [[Linux and CS Systems - Getting Started]]</div></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="−"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">* [[Handin|Handin - The CS Assignment Handin System]]</del></div></td><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-added"></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>* [[Python Programming - Getting Started]]</div></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>* [[Python Programming - Getting Started]]</div></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>* [[C Programming - Getting Started]]</div></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>* [[C Programming - Getting Started]]</div></td></tr> <!-- diff cache key wiki2:diff:1.41:old-832:rev-833:php=table --> </table>

Jkinne https://cs.indstate.edu/web/index.php?title=Programming_and_CS_-_Getting_Started&diff=832&oldid=prev 2026-06-03T02:06:16Z

<p><span class="autocomment">Recommended Computer</span></p> <table style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122;" data-mw="interface"> <col class="diff-marker" /> <col class="diff-content" /> <col class="diff-marker" /> <col class="diff-content" /> <tr class="diff-title" lang="en"> <td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122; text-align: center;">← Older revision</td> <td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122; text-align: center;">Revision as of 02:06, 3 June 2026</td> </tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l12">Line 12:</td> <td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno">Line 12:</td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>If you have a particular system in mind for purchase that you would like an opinion on, please feel free to contact one of the CS faculty members.</div></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>If you have a particular system in mind for purchase that you would like an opinion on, please feel free to contact one of the CS faculty members.</div></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="−"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>University <del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">requirements </del>are listed [https://<del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">www</del>.<del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">indstate</del>.<del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">edu</del>/<del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">online</del>/<del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">resources</del>/<del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">students</del>/<del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">technology</del>-<del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">requirements </del>here] and are similar to that described above.</div></td><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="+"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>University <ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">recommendations </ins>are listed [https://<ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">indstate</ins>.<ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">teamdynamix</ins>.<ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">com/TDClient</ins>/<ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">1851</ins>/<ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Portal</ins>/<ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">KB</ins>/<ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Article/71665/Student-Laptop-Minimum</ins>-<ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Specifications </ins>here] and are similar to that described above.</div></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>=Getting Started Pages=</div></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>=Getting Started Pages=</div></td></tr> <!-- diff cache key wiki2:diff:1.41:old-343:rev-832:php=table --> </table>

Jkinne https://cs.indstate.edu/web/index.php?title=Programming_and_CS_-_Getting_Started&diff=343&oldid=prev 2025-08-17T13:22:18Z

<p>1 revision imported</p> <table style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122;" data-mw="interface"> <tr class="diff-title" lang="en"> <td colspan="1" style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122; text-align: center;">← Older revision</td> <td colspan="1" style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122; text-align: center;">Revision as of 13:22, 17 August 2025</td> </tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-notice" lang="en"><div class="mw-diff-empty">(No difference)</div> </td></tr></table>

Jkinne https://cs.indstate.edu/web/index.php?title=Programming_and_CS_-_Getting_Started&diff=342&oldid=prev 2023-07-23T20:54:47Z

<p><span class="autocomment">Recommended Computer</span></p> <p><b>New page</b></p><div>We are developing Getting Started pages on the most important topics and skills that are used throughout our courses. These can be used by incoming undergraduate students to get a head start, incoming graduate students to review, or current students to refresh/remediate.<br /> <br /> =Recommended Computer=<br /> Much of what we do in CS courses can work in Windows, Mac OS, Linux, or Chrome. There will be an odd thing or two still that may not work in Chrome. <br /> <br /> All other things being equal, getting a computer that is not &quot;bottom of the barrel&quot; would be good. Chromebooks in the $400+ range should generally work reasonably well. For Windows/Linux/Mac OS laptops, you should be looking for 8GB RAM bare minimum, preferred 16GB if possible, and avoid getting a laptop with an i3 or Celeron processor; this roughly corresponds to the $500+ price range. You can potentially get anything to work, but will have an easier time with a medium-range computer than a low-end system.<br /> <br /> For laptops, we recommend getting at least a 3 year warranty (since they tend to break if you actually do transport them around). Also, we recommend getting an option that has a long battery life (rule of thumb - battery life will be half of its original rating after 1-2 years of regular daily use).<br /> <br /> You should also have the ability to install programs on the system and have a normally reliable internet connection at home if possible.<br /> <br /> If you have a particular system in mind for purchase that you would like an opinion on, please feel free to contact one of the CS faculty members.<br /> <br /> University requirements are listed [https://www.indstate.edu/online/resources/students/technology-requirements here] and are similar to that described above.<br /> <br /> =Getting Started Pages=<br /> * [[Linux and CS Systems - Getting Started]]<br /> * [[Handin|Handin - The CS Assignment Handin System]]<br /> * [[Python Programming - Getting Started]]<br /> * [[C Programming - Getting Started]]<br /> * [[R Programming - Getting Started]]<br /> * [[Algorithms and Data Structures - Getting Started]]<br /> * [[Gitlab - Getting Started]]<br /> <br /> =Practice Programming Contest Problems=<br /> These are problems with precisely defined correct output, so that you can submit your program to make sure it is 100% correct.<br /> <br /> * [http://www.hackerrank.com/ Hacker Rank] - very user-friendly, different programming languages available, different categories of questions<br /> * [https://open.kattis.com/problems Practice problems] at open.kattis.com (sort by difficulty or solved % to try the easiest ones first)<br /> * [http://cs.indstate.edu/acm/contests.html ISU ACM Club&#039;s Contest Problem page]<br /> * [http://cs.indstate.edu/~jkinne/Cpractice/ A few simple practice problems], with solutions to some on the CS server. See the .txt files.<br /> <br /> = Source Control =<br /> It is a good idea to use source control when developing software, and is necessary when you are developing in a group or professionally. When working on assignments or course projects it is the best practice to use a private repository so other students cannot copy your work. Git is the industry standard for source control. Here are some resources to use to learn Git.<br /> <br /> * https://try.github.io/<br /> * https://learngitbranching.js.org/<br /> * https://www.atlassian.com/git</div>

wiki_previous>Jkinne