6/7  Tonight is the final night of class, so make sure you are there and on time.  We have 2 things we must do tonight.  First, we will have the 8 puzzle presentations.  Come with one piece of paper per group outlining what each person’s contribution was to the project.  Have one person email me a link to the program.  You will have 10 minutes max to talk about your program and demo it.  I will give you a couple of puzzles to solve to test it out in class.  Next, I will look at your programs to make sure your latest version of Craps, TTT, Mastermind, and other extra programs you have done work as advertised.   Again, make sure I know what extra features you have added along with things that do not work properly so I do not get stuck when I test them for the final time.   I have seen most of your programs several times, but this is your final version so I need to know the state of your program.   I will email every student who had a deficiency in programming competencies  (4 total) and a couple of students who need to pass the content exam.  If you do NOT get a direct email from me, you are GOOD TO GO!  Congrats.  Don’t forget to write down your time for the eval conference on Monday, and the room number.  Make sure you come with both your faculty and self evaluation.  While I am looking at programs, you will be doing 2 things.  First, pull your website up on the computer and both show and look at other versions of TTT, MM, Craps, 8 puzzle, etc..  Second, Holly will be talking to whomever in interested about getting a job with the state, how to apply, etc..  Also during this time the folks who need to still pass competencies or content exams will be finishing up this work.   This has been a very good class for me, and I thank you for your diligence, participation, effort, and courtesy.

6/4  I have sent each of you an email with your current status for the program.  Make sure you email me back with questions.  Plan for your group to give your 8 puzzle presentation on Thursday.  Your group will need to email me with a note outlining the contributions of each team member.  You will show off your program in class, and I will have some starting and ending states for your program to chew on.  We have 2 group presentations still to go.  Several of you have requested a competency exam on Tuesday.  We will do this towards the end of class.  The biggest thing now, as I stated in your email, is to clean up your portfolio and attach it to your website as links.   You will show me in class each of your programs and outline what works, but also what is not working.  That way I can expect what I find when I go over them myself at home.  I will not have time to debug your programs when I am evaluating them.  Make sure you test each program well, and outline what works and does not work.  I will comment these on my paper in class.

5/30   If you are getting some errors or slow run time performance in Mastermind, try putting a var in your for loop.   Change for (i=0;……..)   to for (var i=0;…….).   Just like with our function read code, var makes a new variable.  If you happen to repeat the same counter variable for several loops, you can get the program mixed up with the counter variables.  This problem is solved with the var, which only uses  the variable for the particular for loop and then discards it.

5/29  My thanks to Mike who emailed me with a problem in the code we talked about for Mastermind.  Due to our time constraints, I have written a solution to the problem you are free to use.  The function to generate the correct feedback, given 2 codes, is given here:   Cut and paste this code, but check it out to made sure it works right for you.  We will go over it in class tonight.

5/27   My son will be coming to class on Tuesday.  If you have any questions for him on general Physics, Astrophysics, Pulsars, Grad Schools, DARPA, etc.. you might want to email me so I can give him a heads up.  We will spend a little time at the start of class for this.  A reminder, Mastermind really needs to be done step by step.  You need 3 lines of code in the code we looked at in class to get the function to add ‘a’s to your reply function..   Just get this piece to work first, and email me with what you have if you cannot figure it out.  You need to be making progress.  Do  not just add code and hope it works.. it will not.  Try to implement what we talked about in class, and let me know what you have and what you have tried.  You do have all the tools and info you need to make it work.

5/25  It is very important that you continue to make progress on Mastermind.  I have added some new info to the page Mastermind  and you have the code examples on May 8 as well.  What you must be able to show me is what you have been working on, what works, what you are still trying to figure out, and what you have tried in the process of figuring it out.  We will have time in class for questions.  You must be able to show me what you have done and tried.  The same is true for the 8 puzzle.  THere  is not much code you will have to write for any of these, but at the same time it is not easy.  It will take some mental effort.  Make sure you are ready for your group presentations next week.  We will start with Neurons and Neuron connections if no group offers to go ahead.  Email me if you are interested in going on Tuesday.  I will invite my son to come to class on Tuesday.  You might want to email me if you have questions on Physics, Astro Physics, Grad Schools,  DARPA, etc.. so I can give him a heads up.

5/23  Holly sent me this link about Moore’s law:  http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2012/05/03/michio_kako_and_a_brief_history_of_warnings_about_the_end_of_moore_s_law_.html?wpisrc=obnetwork   A nice history.  Make sure you are ready for your competency exams on Thursday.

5/18  Make sure you let me know if you are stuck on competencies or your programs.  Again, we can chat online, but set up a time over email.  I am gone some weekends, but I will respond as soon as I can.

5/14  Competencies take first place now.  Make sure you can pass the 4 competencies soon, then work to pass them several time.  3 time makes mastery on your evaluation.  I am getting too many folks not turning in assignments.  This will be a credit issue if you do not see me right away to make them up.  Do not be caught lacking in your credits.

5/9  We will have a competency exam at the first of class on Thursday.  I will include the Array competency if you choose to do it.  For some of you, try to pass the exams early so you can move on.  Be prepared to express your choice for a group project.  See May 10 (incorrectly labeled..) for the topics.   I still need to check a few TTT programs, but I am here to help, not to badger.  If you are having troubles, ask.  I want to get a progress report, but you know yourself if the program works.  Make something you are proud of.  Get help when you get stuck.  At the same time, try new things when you think of them.  Some of you added new buttons, and other nice features.  Again..the goal is to be proud of what you made.

5/8  Come with a paper listing of where you are on your Tic Tac Toe program to class tonight.  We will start on Mastermind in class.  Also review your competency questions.

5/7 (2)  Here is an interesting article:

5/7  Please have a paper copy of your Tic Tac Toe listing in class with you on Tuesday, May 8.  Be able to answer questions about your code.  You will have another week to make changes, but we are going ahead with Mastermind in class.  We will go over the Programming Competencies, so have questions ready to ask in class.  We will also be starting the last of our programming tools, Arrays.  Run and have questions on the code examples from the Reed readings, found at balance3e.com.

5/4  I am out of town for the weekend.  I have posted the Read Code paper I handed out in class that is due May 8 online.  Check the May 3 link or the To Do link to find it.  Use the read functions paper we did in class as a model and template.  Show the runtime stack.  Also, remember to do the Solve by Exhaustion program for May 8.  We will start on Mastermind on Tuesday, and I will check your progress on Tic Tac Toe in class.  Have a paper copy of your TTT program for me to look at, and be able to answer questions about your code.  Absolutely be able to give an English description of how to do move 3 and 4, using ifs.   I am checking your craps program, but I am still getting some in, so I will not finish emails back to you until then.

5/3  Make sure when you get the Chapter 8 review questions returned you check the answers under the Week 5/May 3 page on this site.   We will have a book review quiz later in the quarter, and you need to be sure you know these answers.  Make sure also you have something to show me tonight for Tic Tac Toe.  Have a paper listing you can show me.  I may ask you about your code, so be familier with it.

5/2  I am starting to look at the craps programs.  The several I looked at so far have taken a different set of rules or tried a different logic.  That is fine, but remember that it is much much easier to evolve your program and always have a working program that is a step towards your goal.  It is much easier to make a working program better than to make a non-working program work.  I will not be able in all cases to look at a big listing and find the needle in the haystack to get it to work correctly.  You should be able to say…  this program here worked fine, but when I added these 2 lines it gave me this error.  Now we know where the problem is.   On Thursday I will go over the Function Read competency, but you can look at the listing yourself and run the example on the May 1 link.  I will also check your progress on TTT.  If it is not done entirely, you should be able to tell me what works and what you are trying to get it to work entirely.  Please come with a paper listing.  I may ask you questions about your code from that listing.  Remember there are no assignments due on Thursday, so use this time to get caught up.  Remember to use each other for help, and email me if you have unanswered questions.

5/1  We will have time in class tonight to fix programming problems.  Come with your listings and questions.  We will also have time to work on competencies.  I still have a few folks who are missing assignments and have not contacted me about make up work.  Remember this is a credit issue.  If you miss an assignment, contact me right away.

4/28  I just finished grading your last exam.  Only a couple of folks fully passed the content part of the exam, but we will have several more chances.  Make sure you spend time reviewing the KNOW link so you can demonstrate mastery of this content.  The Read Code portion was, on the other hand, very good.  Over half of the class got the output correct.  We will spend time in class going over this competency, as well as the Write Code and a new one for Functions.  Please consider helping another student in class if you have the Read Code competency down.  Everyone will take this competency several more times, so continue to practice.

4/27  Some of you have make-up work to do.  You can opt to do a second Craps program, using Graphics and Functions.  Others can work on the TTT, or you can do the second Craps if you choose.  We will spend much of Tuesday talking about and practicing programs, both Read Code and Write Code.  We will also introduce the 3rd programming competency, Reading Functions.  You now need to be ready to give your presentation at any time, if you have yet to do so.  If you have, make sure your Forum entry is edited to have your Abstract and the link to your presentation page on your webspace.

4/26  Remember to review for the exam tonight.  Also, you need to be prepared for your Presentation.  Remember to edit your post on the Forum to include an Abstract of your presentation and a link to your webspace storing what you will present.  On this page your need to have at least 3 links to your research for your topic.

4/25  We will have our first graded exam on Thursday.  It will include a selections of the questions on the KNOW link on this home page, and one READ CODE problem like we did in class yesterday.  Make sure you come prepared for your Presentation and also with a one page outline of notes for your Seminar, Chapters 2-4 of Kurzweil.  Practice changing base 2 to 10 and back.   If you miss an assignment or class, other than the freebie, make sure you talk to me within a week to arrange for a make-up assignment.

4/23  Always check all the messages below, as I may have posted several updated since your last vist here.  I will be online tomorrow morning and afternoon.  I will be on Gmail, but if you email me I can chat on Messenger or Skype as well.  If you need help with the code for Number Guess, the paper directions for Craps, or your Presentation, talk to me.  Remember to work out a make-up within a day or two of when you missed the assignment.  The hardest part of Craps is the While loop, rolling the dice over and over until you get a 7 or your point.  Try coding it just through the first 2 rolls first, without a loop.  Save this and then try the loop.  You will need to use and (&&) or and or (||).  Come with questions to class on Thursday.  Also, write down where you are hung up with TTT. You should have move 2 done now, and be working on move 3.

4/22  Make sure you are prepared to give your 3-5 minute technology presentation on Tuesday.  I will take volunteers first, but then go in the order of when you posted on the Forum.  I would spend some time practicing to make sure you are in the 3-5 minute range.  I will have to cut you short if it gets too long.  There will be time for questions after.  Edit your Forum entry to include an abstract of your presentation and links to at least 3 of your sources.  I am still missing some assignments.  Make sure you are posting to the required Forums on time, and talk to me very soon if you need to make up an assignment.

4/20  If you have not received an email from me with the status of your progress so far, it is because I have not received an email from you with the link to your Personal Website.  Please make sure you send me that email very soon.  I did not collect the paper listing of the Movie program, but please post this to your webspace, preferably with a link from your website.  It will be a part of your portfolio of programs.  I have you bring a listing so you can remember any questions you have about the code in class.  Again, come with the listing of the Number Guess.  I plan to collect that one.  Concerning the Seminars,  please contact me with your reactions to how they are going for your groups if you have concerns.  I need to find a balance between having a targeted discussion and having the opportunity to explore divergent ideas.  This balance point varies widely between groups.  Let me know problems or concerns you have.  Make sure you read and apply the ‘How to Write Code’ link, found on the April 19 class outline (to the right).  Always have a working program and evolve it by small steps.  Do not quit as long as you have productive and logical ideas to try, but do quit and formulate a question for others to help you with if you hit a wall.  Remember to be ready for a Presentation, along with your supporting material and 3 sources for class on Tuesday.  You need to have an entry now in the Technology Presentation Forum, found under the Communications link on the top of the class website.

4/18  I have just wrapped up grading all of the make-up work.  Most of you, 17 in fact, are good to go.  I will still be looking at the final updated copy of your links to your personal website.  I also will be looking again at the Forums, so go back through the To Do list, and make sure you have made all the Forum entries required.  Several of you have contacted me about turning is a few assignments late.  Others will need to contact me to make up missed work.  Do this right away.  I will be emailing you to give you your status today or tomorrow.  On the Movie program, make sure you come with a listing of your program in class.  Have what works and questions you have on what does not work.  We will spend a little time critiquing the listings, but you will have to have yours handy.  Make sure you start with the existing program you can get from this site.  Keep thinking about TTT, and I can see some of you are able to take the challenge to get the computer to learn on its own how to win at TTT.  We will have time in class for those folks to discuss this option.

4/16  Remember you have a couple of days to make up old work.  I will wait until Wednesday to look at your newest and best link to your personal website.  Make sure you email me a working link (candcsp12@gmail.com)  You also have the form letter (paper copy of listing and 2 runs with different inputs) and the change program due on Tuesday.  If you have a random 1 penny error in your change, do not sweat it.  We will talk about that on Tuesday.  Make sure you are up to date on Forum entries and Kurzweil notes and Chapter Review questions as well.  Check the To Do lists.  We will begin some more interesting programming this week.  I am online frequently on the gmail chatroom.  If you want to contact me using that method, make sure you have a gmail account, add my email as a contact, and look for me online or email me with times your are free and we will make an appointment.  Also form study groups, ask questions on the HELP forum, call other students, etc..  Let me know how I can facilitate student out of class discussion and I will help out.

4/13  I have updated the To Do list, and it is now accurate.  Sorry about forgetting our change from Tuesday.  Remember to take advantage of this weekend to get caught up on old assignments.  After that make sure your assignments are in on time.  We are conpensating for some unavoidable issues like the book and the web space.  Make sure you get help on Change if you get stuck, and make sure you evolve your program and save versions.  Do dollars, save, add quarters, save a different file, etc..  If you are off by a penny, do not worry, but let me know this problem in pen on the paper copy of the program you turn in before class on Tuesday the 17th.

4/12 (2)   Remember to email me a link to your website.  You will probably continue to add to this side and improve it over the time of the course, but I need to make sure you can get the basics done and can upload to the web.  If you are not satisfied yet with the appearance or want to add more, feel free even after today.  I need a status check now, however.

4/12  If anyone is feeling comfortable with the Form Letter and Change programs, and is willing to help a fellow student, please see me tonight.  You can meet in person or on Google/Skype.  I am also online periodically on Gmail chat.  Email me with several times you are available and I will respond and set up a time.  Make sure you are checking the To Do list.  You have a couple of things due tonight, the Form Letter (listing and 2 runs) and prep for the seminar, notes and questions from Kurz pp 32-55.

4/11.  I have updated the To Do list to reflect what we talked about last night.  Our pace through the class will vary, based on questions and side issues we explore, so do not expect to work ahead very much.  I will try to keep the assignment for Tuesday smaller so you have more time over the weekend to get caught up.  I have some good/bad news..   18 of you are all caught up on assignments to date, and attendance.  Bad news is that there are 8 students who are already behind, and in danger already of losing credit.  Make sure you stay on top of everything, because there will not be last minute credit negotiations.  If you are behind, see me before class on Thursday.  One change I noted on the To Do list, please email me your working link to your Personal Website before class on Thursday.  The forum has ones you can browse through, but I want to have your latest version.  I have not checked this assignment off yet.  We will have about an hour of Seminar on Thursday to discuss Kurzweil.  Some of you forgot to pick up your outiline of pp 1-32.   I have them.  Make sure you come with and outline and discussion questions for pp 32-55.   Again, email me with questions as you have them, but remember to talk amongst yourselves first.  Post question on the HELP forum, and use the About Me forum to form either study groups or contact lists.  Remember to check out the QUASR center as well.

4/10(2)  Thanks to all the folks posting and replying on the HELP forum.  It is very important to be able to run successfully an existing program.  In the case of the Personal Website, you have the code for my simple site using 3 frames.  The first step is to make sure you can download and run this existing program.  If you cannot, make sure you get help right away.  You always need to be in a position of strength.  You have a working program and are working to make it better is much preferable to spending hours trying to get a non working program to work.  Email me right away if you cannot get the given Personal Website or Form Letter program to work.

4/10  When you post your URL to the Forum for you website, please include the entire URL, and not just the directory – ie, for me:  ada.evergreen.edu/~vanetta/index.html    and not  ada.evergreen.edu/~vanetta/   The later just takes me to a directory and I need to guess which html is your main page with the frames.   If you can figure it out, make it into a link on the Fourm. It will appear blue.  Again, this assignment is one where you have a lot of lattitude.  Make it as nice and glitzy as you can.  You can use this site for links to your future programs, such as Form Letter.

4/9  I just discovered an online free version of the Kurzweil text.  Sorry I did not discover that sooner.  Maybe you can return the book if you are OK with reading text online.  The link is: http://www.kurzweilai.net/chapter-1-the-evolution-of-mind-in-the-twenty-first-century

4/6  I have added a new Forum called Post your Website URL.  Make a discussion and add a link to your online personal website on this Forum.  This needs to be done before the end of class on Tuesday, in case you are still having trouble getting online from home.  Before class in Tuesday you will need an outline and discussion points for your Kurzweil reading, the answers to the odd chapter review questions for Ch 1, Reed,  and you need to have posted to the What I currently believe Forum with at least one reply.  All of these will be checked off, so make sure you are keeping up.  I have been getting some unwanted emails from the Forums.  If you are getting emails from every Forum post, you can log in to the Forum and make sure you select Unsubscribe from the list on the left.  This should fix it.  Remember, the way I communicate with you is via this page.  If you have a question of me, email me.  If you want to talk with other students, use any means you are comfortable with, but there is a HELP Forum you can use for specific questions.  If you do not get a student reply, email me.  Make sure you try to ‘tweak’ some of the example programs on the Reed website (balance3e.com) to make sense of the JavaScript code.

4/5  We have the technical problems fixed for the About Me Forum (hopefully).  You will have time in class to make your post, if you are not able to do so before class.  Sorry for the inconvenience.  Read through posts as they come in, and reply to folks who you might want to work with.  This forum is meant to help you form study groups.

4/4  I changed the subscriptions for the Forum About Me, so you should be able to post your message.  Please let me know if you are unable to do so.  If you are recently added, it may take some time to get in the system.  Read through other posts in this forum and reply to students you would like to work with, or to try forming study groups.  Remember also to email me, as outlined in the To Do list.  Make sure all To Do list items are completed BEFORE class on Thursday.

4/3: I will post messages on this home page every few days.  Check here often, at least every 2-3 days.  Scroll down for earlier messages. Each message will have its date.  This page is where I will communicate with the whole class.  Do not miss vital messages.