Welcome to CS106A

• Nick Parlante - CS lecturer, Google, etc.
• CS106A teaches basic coding and problem solving
  -like swimming, you can't just read about it
• No prior experience required

Why Take CS106A?

• 1. No longer intimidated
  -The nature of computers is code
  -Understand how computers fit in the world
  -Not some hocus-pocus mythology of computers
  -Computing is a lot simpler (dumber?) than you might think
• 2. Solve Coding Problems
  -Python is powerful
  -In 10 weeks, you'll learn enough to solve real problems
  -The great majority of students don't major in CS
  -BUT many students could use some coding in their work
• 3. Hidden Agenda
  -You might find you like it
  -Take CS106B
  -We have a whole department on this

Alternate Courses

Students who already have significant programming experience should probably take another course.

CS106AX - This quarter there's CS106AX (limited enrollment), which is like CS106A but moves twice as fast, covering both Javascript and Python. So it's for people for whom CS106A is too slow.

CS193Q In the Winter there's CS193Q, 1 unit, which teaches Python for people who have significant programming experience in another language and want to learn Python.

Links on Course Page

• Brahm Capoor - our super head TA
  -Contact him if you need a problem solved
  -Please send him any OAE letters
• Piazza
• Overflow room
• Videos available
  -Bad news about videos

Python Language

• Python is "programmer friendly"
  -get things done easily
• Not just for CS people
• Very popular for data, all sorts of things
• If you go into CS, you will learn many languages
• Python is a great and useful first language

Pedagogy Notes

• Lab in lecture - reinforce
• Education research, Carl Wieman (Stanford)
  -Do a little activity with what you just saw
• Lecture to homework, just a few days

Lecture Notes

• I'll provide notes like this each day
• I go through pretty fast .. do examples etc.
• You know you can review later, look at with your SL etc.