Difference between revisions of "Programming and CS - Getting Started"
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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. | 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. | ||
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| + | =Recommended Computer= | ||
| + | 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. | ||
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| + | All other things being equal, getting a computer that is not "bottom of the barrel" 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. | ||
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| + | You should also have the ability to install programs on the system and have a normally reliable internet connection at home if possible. | ||
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| + | If you have a particular system in mind for purchase that you would like an opinion on, please feel free to contact the associate chairperson. | ||
=Getting Started Pages= | =Getting Started Pages= | ||
Revision as of 17:17, 29 May 2020
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.
Contents
Recommended Computer
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.
All other things being equal, getting a computer that is not "bottom of the barrel" 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.
You should also have the ability to install programs on the system and have a normally reliable internet connection at home if possible.
If you have a particular system in mind for purchase that you would like an opinion on, please feel free to contact the associate chairperson.
Getting Started Pages
- Linux and CS Systems - Getting Started
- Handin - The CS Assignment Handin System
- Python Programming - Getting Started
- C Programming - Getting Started
- R Programming - Getting Started
- Algorithms and Data Structures - Getting Started
- Gitlab - Getting Started
Practice Programming Contest Problems
These are problems with precisely defined correct output, so that you can submit your program to make sure it is 100% correct.
- Hacker Rank - very user-friendly, different programming languages available, different categories of questions
- Practice problems at open.kattis.com (sort by difficulty or solved % to try the easiest ones first)
- ISU ACM Club's Contest Problem page
- A few simple practice problems, with solutions to some on the CS server. See the .txt files.
Source Control
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.
