CS 1104 INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE J A

CS 1104 INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE J. A. N. Lee Professor of Computer Science 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 1

Have you? • Checked out the course web site? • Downloaded and installed the Macromedia Flash plug-in? • Verified that you are on the LISTSERV® address list? • Registered with the Web. CT system? • Completed the pre- and post-class activities? 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 2

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The Components • Computers and computing only just over 50 years old • Computer Science is about 40 years old • Still developing and expanding 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 4

6 Blind Men and an Elephant 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 5

5 Faculty and a Science 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 6

What Computer Science is NOT! (Totally) • Programming in C++ or Java. • Text editing or word processing. • Using spread sheets or any other applications. • Browsing the web. • Developing interactive arcade games 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 7

Definition of Computer Science • Computer Science is the study of algorithms, including their: – Formal and mathematical properties – Hardware realizations – Linguistic realizations – Applications – And one more. . . 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 8

Lee’s Law • The Law: Everything in Computer Science can be categorized into groups of five components (otherwise known as quintuples). • Corollary: If not fix it! 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 9

The Missing Item • Computer Science is the study of algorithms, including their: – Formal and mathematical properties – Hardware realizations – Linguistic realizations – Applications – Ethical Usage and Social Impact 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 10

Alternate Definition of Computer Science • The study of information, its representation, organization, manipulation, and transformation to accomplish some end. – The manipulation and transformation is accomplished by computation, which is specified as algorithms. 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 11

Is Computer Science REALLY a Science? • The systematic observation of natural events and conditions in order to discover facts about them and to formulate laws and principles based on these facts. • The organized body of knowledge that is derived from such observations and that can be verified or tested by further investigation. • Any specific branch of this general body of knowledge, such as biology, physics, geology, or astronomy. (From the Latin word meaning “knowledge. ”) Source: Academic Press Dictionary of Science Technology 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 12

Comparison to Physics - I 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 13

Comparison to Physics - II 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 14

We can make other comparisons • Biology - has many scales of size from microbiology to environmental biology • Engineering - has many levels of concept from electronics to construction • Mathematics - has synthesis and decomposition • Philosophy - has fundamental truths 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 15

Or Is Computer Science an APPLIED Science? • Our work is dependent on more fundamental sciences • Our “objects of study” are man-made • Our laws are the laws of application • The laws of CS are frequently violated by human error! 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 16

Computer Science Builds on Other Disciplines Mathematics Philosophy Physics Computer Science Sociology Chemistry Linguistics 6/12/2021 Engineering What is Computer Science? 17

HIERARCHIES OF INTEREST • There are other levels of interest in CS. For example, there is a hierarchy of languages: – High level languages – Assembly language – Machine language – Microcode 6/12/2021 What is missing? What is Computer Science? 18

A hierarchy of computer science 1. Algorithmic foundations 2. Hardware world 3. Virtual machines 4. Software world 5. Social issues This is the general hierarchy that we will use in this course 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 19

Computer Science At Virginia Tech • The courses we teach: – http: //courses. cs. vt. edu • The course requirements for graduation: – http: //www. cs. vt. edu/academics/ugrad/ 2003 checksheet. html • The interests and research of our faculty 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 20

The Lower Division Courses • • • CS 1044: Introduction to Programming CS 1104: Introduction to Computer Science CS 1204, 2204: Operating System Tools I, II CS 1604: Computers and Networked Information CS 1704: Introduction to Data Structures & Software Engineering • CS 2604: Data Structures and File Processing • CS 2704: Object-Oriented Software Design and Construction 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 21

The Junior Courses • • • CS 3204: Operating Systems CS 3304: Comparative Languages CS/Math 3414: Numerical Methods CS 3604: Professionalism in Computing CS 3704: Software Engineering CS 3724: Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 22

The Senior Courses - I • • CS 4104: Data and Algorithm Analysis CS 4114: Formal Languages CS 4124: Theory of Computation CS 4204: Computer Graphics CS 4214: Simulation and Modeling CS 4234: Parallel Computation CS 4414: Issues in Scientific Computing CS 4504: Computer Organization 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 23

The Senior Courses - II • CS 4304: Compilers and Translators • CS 4604: Introduction to Database Management Systems • CS 4624: Multimedia, Hypertext and Information Access • CS 4704: Software Engineering • CS 4804: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence • CS 4984: WWW - The Underlying Technology 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 24

Research Interests • • Center for Human-Computer Interaction Digital Libraries Research Laboratory Internet Technology Innovation Center Parallel Computation Laboratory Network Research Group Problem Solving Environments Group Simulation and Software Engineering Laboratory Systems Research Center 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 25

The Textbook Hierarchy 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 26

REVIEW http: //courses. cs. vt. edu/~cs 1104/ Introduction/Chapter 1. 010. htm 6/12/2021 What is Computer Science? 27