Honors
Computer Science Honors
Computer Science Honors is a full year one credit course involving structured computer programming in BASIC and C++.
QBASIC 1.0 is a freeware BASIC language interpreter that runs on Windows XP.
QB64 is a freeware 64 bit version of QBASIC that runs on Windows 7, which we shall be using in class during semester I. A version of QB64 runs on Mac OS although it requires additional Mac software to run successfully.
If you have a Mac or you want to try out some BASIC code quickly, you can use this online QB-JS compiler using your browser. Just delete the program (Ctrl-A, Delete) and type your program in. Note that this online compiler does not support all BASIC functionality and you must make sure to type all commands in upper case.
CodeBlocks is a freeware 32 bit C++ compiler IDE that runs on XP/7, which we shall be using in class during semester II.
Note that the setup file containing MinGW is necessary for a full install of CodeBlocks.
Examples shall be made available as the school year progresses.
Note that BASIC files (*.bas) and C++ files (*.cpp) are just text files and can be opened with any text editor, such as Notepad, Wordpad or Word.
Interesting Computer Science Facts
Believe it or not, one of the first ever programmers of an electronic general-purpose computer was hired for the job of Computer by the US Army during World War II. Kathleen McNulty was hired as a human computer, one who computes, and then reassigned to be one of the first programmers of the ENIAC, the first general-purpose computer.
The first general-purpose computer was actually a mechanical device known as the Analytical Engine, designed by English mathematician Charles Babbage around 1837. Although a working version of the machine was not created until the 1940s, Ada King, the countess of Lovelace, an English mathematician and writer is credited as being the first computer programmer for designing algorithms to be run on the mechanical device in the 1840s.
And now we have robots that can walk. Cool yet still a bit creepy, MIT Robotics engineers create a bipedal robot that can walk, open doors and climb stairs.
For a deep-dive into the history of computers, check out Google Arts and Culture - Evolution of Computers
Looking into the future: 3D Printed Self-Learning Robots, Humanoid Submarine
No, wait, RoboBees take to the sky, too cool! They are able to pollinate fields, search in places that no person could possibly fit or take a multitude of atmospheric measurements concurrently.
Don't forget the sub i :]