• Instructor: Prof. William J. Taffe
• Office: Memorial 205
• Campus Telephone:  2530
• Office Hours: Monday 9:15 - 11:45, Thursday 3:30 - 5:00
• Class Meetings:
• Tuesday and Thursday 2:00 - 3:15  in Rounds 206
• We will frequently be going to the lab in Memorial 213 during the class time on Tuesdays.  Check the topic outline below to find out.
• Texts: ( N.B. this is a different text than the one used in other sections!!! )
• The Computer Continuum
• Kurt F. Lauckner and Mildred D. Lintner
• Que E&T, 1999
• Grading:
• Hour Exams (3 at 25% = )       75 %
• Exercises                               15 %
• Labs and Projects                  10 %

1. To help you better understand how computers and computing systems function
2. To increase your comprehension of the role of computing in society today and in the future
3. To make you a more capable user of modern computing systems

Topic Outline

Date	Topic	Chapter	Sections	Exercises(EX) and  Discussion Quesions(DQ) See note 6 below	Project See below for description
2/1	Introduction to the Course and Computing	1	All sections	EX 6
2/3	Information ... what is it ... how does a computer store it?	2	1,2	none
2/8	Storage of sound, images and movies? ---- Powerpoint Demo	2	3,4	EX 3,14	#1  Due 2/22
2/10	How does the computer work? ----  Powerpoint Lab	3	1,2	none
2/15	Robot Programs ... Pencil and Paper Computer	3	3,4	EX 1, 12, 17
2/17	Operating systems	4	1,2	none
2/22	How a Web Page Works: Browsers/HTML, Client/Server	4	3 (skip 4)	EX 2, 4 (M213)	#2  Due 3/16
2/24	How to make a Web page	5	1,2,3	EX 5, 15
2/29	Operating Systems and Computer Languages	6	1,2	none
3/2	Computer Networks	6	3,4	none
3/7	Exam 1	1-6	all listed above	NA
3/9	No Class ... SIGCSE	...
3/14	Review of Exam ... Web page questions	7	all sections	none
3/16	The Internet	8	1,2,3	none
3/21	Spring Break			NA
3/24	Spring Break			NA
3/28	The World Wide Web	8	4,5,6,7	DQ  4,5	#3 Due 4/18
3/30	Databases ... Spreadsheets ... a tool for modeling	9	1,2,3	none
4/4	Visual Communication	10	1,2,3,4	none
4/6	Visual Communication	10	5,6,7	EX 10; DQ 1
4/11	Audio Communication	11	1,2,3,4	none
4/13	Audio Communication	11	5,6,7	EX 5;  DQ 1
4/18	Simulation	12	1,2,3	none
4/20	Simulation with Stella	12	4,5,6	EX 3, 11, 12
4/25	Exam 2	7 - 12	all listed above	NA
4/27	Overview of Project 4 ...  Can Machines Think?	13	1,2,3,4	none	#4 Due 5/11
5/2	Review of Exam 2 ... Can Machines Think?	13	5,6,7,8	EX 2; DQ 2
5/4	Can Machines Think? ... The Next Decade in Computing	14	1,2,3,4,5,6,7	none
5/9	Ethical and Social Problems in a Computerized Society	15	1,2,3	EX 17; DQ 1
5/11	Review	15	4,5,6	none
5/18	Final Exam 2:30 - 5:00 PM	1-15	all listed above	NA

1. You should do the Matching, True or False,and Multiple choice questions at the back of each chapter.  We may go over them in class, but you do not have to hand them in.
2. You should look over the discussion questions at the back of each chapter.  You may be called upon in class to answer one of the questions in class.
3. Wherever Exercises(EX) and Discussion Quesions (DQ) are assigned, they are due the next class and will not be accepted late.
4. Several projects will be assigned ... the due date will be announced with the project.
5. Exams will contain a variety of questions similar to those at the back of the chapters.
6. All assigned Exercises (EX) and Discussion Questions (DQ) must be done with a word processor and the spelling must be checked with a spell checker. Responses not done on a word processor will not be accepted.

Projects:

1. Create a PowerPoint presentation.  You may choose any theme or topic you like ... but there must be a focus to the presentation.  The presentation must contain at least 3 slides, appropriate text with appropriate fonts, sizes and colors, line art, clip art or images, word art and any other features you wish.  There must be transitions between the slides.  You may use a design template if you wish but it is not necessary.  Send me the presentation as an attachment to email.  The filename should be your_last_name.ppt
2. Create your own web page.  Your home page should give your "public student profile".  It must contain pertinent information about you, at least two normal sized images, and at least two links to something that interests you.  You should use an appropriate background color or texture, and a couple of buttons linked to another url.
3. Spreadsheet Project (click for pdf file)
4. Evaluate 5 web sites
• Choose sites from the URL  http://lib.nmsu.edu/instruction/evalexpl.html
• Use this evaluation form
• A SUMMARY of how to use the evaluation form (as discussed in class) may be read at this link SUMMARY.
• Additional information may be found at  http://www.fno.org/jun97/eval.html

Graphics Page