Our lab meets online on Google Meet Monday from 3:00 pm - 3:50 pm and our lecture meets in person in HH 306 Tuesday and Thursday 11:00 am - 12:15 pm.  Readings shown should be completed before class that day (since we'll discuss in class). 

Note that UMD defines 1 credit hour as being equal to 3 hours of work. This is a 4 credit hour class, so in total you should expect to spend about 12 hours a week on this class. 4 hours are devoted to attending class, leaving 8 hours per week for reading, writing, etc. Please let me know if you find that you are spending significantly more time on this class than that. 

Please bring whichever book we are reading to class as we will often refer to it. 

Week 1

• Thur Jan 15 : First Day of Class. What is a Computer? What is the Architecture of a Computer?

  • By today you should have a copy of The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage (TALB), and start reading ... 

Week 2

• Mon Jan 19 : [no class] MLK Day

• Tue Jan 20 : Read pages 11 - 44 of TALB. Discuss. Method of Differences. 

  • Watch a 7 minute video about the Silver Swan, an automaton by Merlin (from page 20 of TALB)

• Thu Jan 22 : Read pages 45 - 94 of TALB. Discuss. What is a Personal Essay?

  • Watch a 2 minute video of a Jacquard Loom in action and a 4 minute explanation with a few more details (from pages 86 - 87 of TALB)

Week 3

• Mon Jan 26 : [Google Meet] The First program.

  • Skim through the Sketch of the Analytical Engine (1842). Slow down and pay particular attention to the first program/s, and Ada Lovelace's Notes of The Translator. 

• Tue Jan 27 : Read pages 95 - 139 of TALB. Programming the Analytical Engine. Discuss. 

  • Watch a 5 minute video of the MONIAC in action (from page 135 of TALB)

• Wed Jan 28 : Personal Essay #1 due by 11:59 pm. Here are the guidelines for your essay : TBA

• Thur Jan 29 : Read pages 140 - 207 of TALB. Discuss. 

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Week 11

Week 12

Week 13

Week 14

Week 15