Overview
Course Description
This course gives an introduction to using the Unix operating system, shell scripting, programming in C, software testing and debugging, version control systems, and basic software development methodologies.
The official calendar description is here.
The following is a brief, tentative list of topics that will be covered in this course:
Unix
- Basic concepts: Files, programs, processes, users, groups, permissions
- Remote login via ssh
- Using the Unix shell
- Basic Unix command line tools, input and output redirection, pipes
- Shell scripting
C programming
- Data types
- Control structures
- Functions and recursion
- Input/output
- Handling command line arguments
- Code organization
- Dynamic memory management
- File manipulation
- Managing multi-file projects using make
Version control
- Subversion (SVN)
- Git
Software development
- Software development life cycle (SDLC)
- Software development methodologies: waterfall model, rapid prototyping
Prerequisite
- CSCI 1101: Computer Science II or
- CSCI 2110: Introduction to Computer Science
Lectures
The following is a tentative list of topics covered in the lectures. The dates are approximate. In particular, you will notice that there are some dates, including a large block at the end of the term, that have no associated lectures. I will use these as "overflow" areas because some topics will take longer to cover than anticipated on this schedule. Not all slides are available yet. They will be posted as I get them ready.
| Dates | Topic |
|---|---|
| Jan 7 | Introduction |
| Jan 9 | Introduction to Unix |
| Jan 11 | Unix shells and basic concepts |
| Jan 14 | Files and directories |
| Jan 16 | Output redirection (same slides as Files and directories) |
| Jan 21 | Inodes (same slides as Files and directories) |
| Jan 23 | Searching, wildcards, and regular expressions |
| Jan 25 | Subversion |
| Jan 28, 30 | Shell scripting |
| Feb 4 | Midterm review |
| Feb 6 | (Cancelled due to illness) |
| Feb 8 | Processes |
| Feb 11 | Introduction to C |
| Feb 25 | Comparison: C vs Java |
| Feb 27 | Formatted I/O in C |
| Mar 1 | Data types in C |
| Mar 8 | Arrays in C |
| Mar 11 | Midterm review |
| Mar 13 | Pointers |
| Mar 15 | Functions and recursion |
| Mar 18 | Strings in C |
| Mar 20 | Structs and unions |
| Mar 29 | Dynamic memory management |
| Apr 1 | File manipulation in C |
| Apr 3 | Testing and debugging |
| Apr 3 | Software development lifecycle |
| Apr 5 | Make |
| Apr 8 | Git |
Labs
The following is the list of labs. The lab notes will be made available in time for each lab. This list is subject to change, but I hope the final result will be close to what is posted here.
| Date | Topic |
|---|---|
| Jan 14 | Log in to UNIX, write a simple Java program, basic UNIX commands, SVN basics |
| Jan 21 | Unix utilities and emacs |
| Jan 28 | Subversion (SVN) |
| Feb 4, 11 | Shell scripting |
| Feb 25 | Compiling C programs, gcc |
| Mar 4 | Snow closure |
| Mar 11, 18 | Data types, formatted I/O in C |
| Mar 25 | Structs, pointers, and dynamic memory management |
| Apr 1 | Debugging and make |
Textbooks
Required Textbooks
K.N. King. C Programming: A Modern Approach. 2nd edition, W.W. Norton & Company, 2008.
G. Glass and K. Ables. UNIX for Programmers and Users. 3rd edition, Prentice Hall, 2003.
Recommended Reading
E. Nemeth, G. Snyder, T.R. Hein, and B. Whaley. Unix and Linux System Administration Handbook. 4th edition, Pearson Education, 2010.
B.W. Kernighan and D.M. Ritchie. The C Programming Language. 2nd edition, Prentice Hall, 1988.
Evaluation
- 7–10 assignments (A)
- The n–1 best assignments count (e.g., if there are 7 assignments, the 6 best assignments count)
- Each has equal weight.
- 2 Midterms (M)
- Final (F)
Grade = max(30% * A + 20% * M + 50% * F, 30% * A + 70% * F)
Policies
Collaboration
You may discuss assignments with each other, but do not exchange notes.
Late Assignments
Late assignments are accepted only if you were sick on the day the assignment was due or if there is an important event in your personal life that prevents you from completing the assignment on time. In the latter case, you must discuss these circumstances with me in advance to apply for a reasonable extension.
Missed Exams
If you miss an exam, you will be given the opportunity to sit the exam at a later date. You must, however, present a good reason why you were not able to sit the exam at the regular scheduled time. Also, unless there are a large number of students who missed the regularly scheduled exam, make-up exams are oral exams.
Plagiarism
I will not tolerate any form of plagiarism (copying from your classmates, copying solutions from the web, etc.). According to university regulations, I have to report you to the Faculty's Integrity Officer if I suspect you of academic dishonesty, and I will. The Integrity Officer may refer your case to the Senate Committee on Plagiarism. The penalty for plagiarism can range from failing the course to expulsion from the university. So please save me and yourself the aggravation. For more information, make sure you read the Dalhousie Academic Integrity Page.