CSC 430, Spring 2014
1 Prerequisites
2 Names, Times, Locations
2.1 Instructor
2.2 Lecture & Lab
2.3 Google Calendar
2.4 Web Page
3 Computing Environment
3.1 Handin Server
4 Readings
5 Communication
6 Labs
7 Assignments
8 Grading Code
8.1 Code Organization
8.2 "But it Works!"
8.3 Grading Time Limit
9 Interacting with the Handin Server
10 Honesty
11 Exams and Quizzes
12 Grades
13 Schedule/  Homeworks
6.0.1.6

CSC 430, Spring 2014

Schedule/Homeworks

Programming languages determine what programs we can write. Languages with nice abstractions allow us to write elegant, concise, and readable programs.

In this class, we’ll start from scratch, and build a programming language by adding only what’s necessary. What we’ll discover is that this simplistic approach leads to some really powerful abstractions. You can do more with less!

At the end of the course, you should be a better programmer. You should also have a clearer picture of a given language as a choice in a larger design space, and be better able to understand new programming languages and the similarities between them. Finally, you may develop some taste for what you like in a programming language.

This course will involve lots of programming in Racket. I choose Racket for several reasons. First, “functional” programming languages make this kind of course feasible. Writing a series of interpreters in another language would probably involve a whole lot more code. Secondly, Racket is a simple language for you to learn, without complex syntactic rules or a confusing type system. Thirdly, the simplicity of Racket makes it an ideal “blank slate” for adding features. If these reasons don’t make sense to you, then... perhaps you need to take the course!

1 Prerequisites

Students taking this course must be able to design and implement small programs (~ 1 KLOC) efficiently. Students must have a basic understanding of mathematics.

2 Names, Times, Locations

2.1 Instructor

2.2 Lecture & Lab

Section 01/02:

Section 03/04:

2.3 Google Calendar

See my Contact Info page for my calendar. You can add it to your calendar, if that makes your life easier.

2.4 Web Page

This is the course web page, its link is http://www.brinckerhoff.org/clements/csc430-sp14.

3 Computing Environment

You will be required to complete the assignments in this class using PLT Racket, version 6.0 (or a newer version). It is freely available for all major platforms, including Mac OS, Windows, and UNIX. It is installed on the lab machines in my directory, and you can run it like this:

  ~clements/racket-6.0/bin/drracket &

3.1 Handin Server

In order to hand in your work, you’ll need three plugins; two for the language, and one to hand in your work.

Now, you should be ready to hand in.)

4 Readings

The majority of the readings in this course will be from Programming Languages: Application and Interpretation, by Shriram Krishnamurthi, second edition.

The first two weeks will also include readings from How To Design Programs and the updated version, How To Design Programs 2e, also available free online.

5 Communication

This class will use Piazza. This will be the principal means that I’ll use to notify you of deadlines, organizational updates, and changes to assignments. If you’re not keeping up with the group, you’re going to be missing important information.

It’s also the best way for you to direct questions to me and/or the class. Feel free to e-mail me with personal questions, but use the Piazza group as your main means of communications. It’s possible to post anonymously, if you like.

You should already have received an invitation to the Piazza group; let me know if you need an invite.

Don’t post your code or test cases to the group; anything else is fair game.

Also, please keep in mind that I (and everyone else) judge you based in part on your written communication. Spelling, complete sentences, and evidence of forethought are important in all of your posts & e-mails. One easy rule of thumb: just read over what you’ve written before clicking post or send, and imagine others in the class reading it.

6 Labs

Labs in this course take the form of simple exercises to be completed in one to three lab periods, designed to help you understand the lecture material and to lead you toward solutions for the larger assignments.

I’ll be checking these labs off in lab; you’re responsible for demo-ing your lab solutions in lab. Your marks on these labs will be simple credit/no-credit. After demoing, be sure to submit as well using the handin server, so that I have a record of your submission.

In labs, you are heartily encouraged to collaborate like crazy. Look at everyone else’s code, copy and paste, type on your neighbor’s keyboard, whatever. Labs need not be entirely your work.

Labs are due on the date that they’re associated with in the homework list, but may be shown in the following lab period to forestall a rush of last-minute check-off stress.

7 Assignments

Programming assignments will be due at 11:00 PM. You must submit homework assignments using the Handin button. Late assignments will not be accepted.

Typically, the handin server will be configured to run tests on your code as it is submitted. Code that does not pass the tests will generally not be accepted. These tests will generally check whether you’ve defined the things you’re supposed to define. These tests will also generally check coverage. That is, you will not be able to submit code unless it includes test cases that completely cover your code.

Please note that you can enable client-side test case coverage testing, using the "Syntactic Test Suite Coverage" option in the Language menu.

In general, the handin server will be enabled one to two days before the assignment due date. The intent here is that you *not* simply develop your code by testing it against the handin server; your code should be finished before you hand it in.

Your submissions should be anonymized. That is, they should not contain your name.

Part of your grade may include a score given by your fellow students on your code. In particular, in some weeks you may be given two (anonymous) submissions from other members of the class, and required to assign legibility and design points.

From time to time, we may examine student code, in lecture. Try to ensure that the code you submit is something you’d be proud to show to the others in the class.

8 Grading Code

I will be grading your code repeatedly in this class. On most assignments, your score will consist of a part (usually 20 points) based on your performance on a set of test cases automatically administered by the handin server, and a part (usually 6 points) based on my opinion of your code’s clarity, organization, and adherence to rules about purpose statements and contracts (in short: you’ve got to have them). As a rule, my "eyeball" score rubric runs something like this:

8.1 Code Organization

As a rule, I like to read code in a "top-down" way. This means that the definition of the top-level, important functions should come first, and the supporting functions should come later. I want to have a good understanding of the big picture before getting into the details. My experience is that if interp makes sense, then add-to-env will probably not present any difficulty.

The handin server will enforce a 80-character limit.

Racket has a Style Guide; I do not require you to read or follow these constraints, but if you have any questions, this document may well answer them, and I won’t argue with you if you can refer to something in the style guide :).

8.2 "But it Works!"

I reserve the right to assign bad scores to programs that work correctly; if I don’t think you’re doing a good job of programming, then you won’t receive a good score. "It works" isn’t a defense for bad code.

8.3 Grading Time Limit

Good code is easy to read. I reserve the right to allocate a fixed period of time to grading a program submission. Don’t be surprised to see comments like "ran out of grading time here."

Naturally, all grades contain an element of subjectivity.

9 Interacting with the Handin Server

You will be handing in your work in this class using a plugin for DrRacket that communicates with a handin server running remotely. From past experience, there are several things that may not be obvious about your interactions with this server.

10 Honesty

In the programming assignments, you may not copy another student’s code (including test cases). You may not share code with other students in the class, during or after completing the class. That is, you may not allow another student to see the code you write for the class, deliberately or through obvious negligence.

I will use an automated tool to compare student submissions and identify dishonesty.

Students believed to be cheating–that is, both parties involved in the transfer of code–will receive a failing grade in the class.

11 Exams and Quizzes

My experience suggests that frequent quizzes are a good way to ensure that you’re understanding what I’m teaching, and that I’m teaching things that you understand.

This class will have quizzes on Wednesday of weeks 2, 4, and 8. These quizzes will probably be twenty minutes long, and will probably take place during lab.

There will be a midterm on Wednesday of week 6. It will be fifty minutes long.

There will be a final exam.

The quizzes and exams will be closed-note. Some quizzes may require the use of DrRacket in labs for test-taking and submission. No other devices will be permitted, including calculators and phones.

12 Grades

Grades will be determined by performance on programming projects, the exams, and class interaction. A small fraction of the grade is determined by the labs, and by the instructor’s whim. The breakdown of the grade is as follows:

13 Schedule/Homeworks

Schedule/Homeworks