CS329E: Spring, 2012
Instructor: Dr. Bill Young; Unique number: 52920
Elements of Navigating Cyberspace
Class time: MWF 10-11am; Location: ECJ 1.204
Office: MAIN 2012; Office Hours: M 1-2pm; WF 11am-noon and by appointment
Office Phone: 471-9782; Email: byoung@cs.utexas.edu
TA: Wei Dong; Email:wdong86@cs.utexas.edu
TA Hours and location:PAI 5.33, Desk 1: Tues 11am-1pm, Fri 3-5pm
This website: www.cs.utexas.edu/users/byoung/cs329e/syllabus329e.html
Class newsgroup:utexas.class.cs329e
Important Class Announcements:
Breaking news important to the class will be posted here. Consult this spot often.The final test will be held in class on Wednesday, May 2. Here is a study guide: final study guide and a vocabulary list: vocabulary list. Recall that you may bring to the final test a single handwritten sheet (8 1/2 by 11 inches) of notes (both sides). I didn't enforce the "handwritten" part on the midterm, but I will enforce it for the final test.
The final version of your paper is due Monday, April 30, but I would be delighted to get them from you earlier. Bring them to class on Monday or drop them by my office. Please don't just email them to me; I don't want to have to print them out. Your revision should take into account any comments I made on the draft. Here are some general guidelines for your revisions: revision guidelines.
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Some Interesting Links:
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UTCS Elements Program:
Regardless of their field of study, college students live in a digital information age. The Elements of Computing Program is a set of courses intended to help students understand the sophisticated technologies they use everyday as well as gain the computer skills that employers value. Elements courses are intellectually stimulating and personally rewarding, and they can supplement any undergraduate program.Course Description:
College students inhabit an electronic wonderland. They access, surf, IM, download and Google with facility. But how many students really understand the sophisticated technologies that make this possible. This course is designed to peek beneath the surface to see how modern digital media actually operate. Topics might include:
- What is information after all?
- How does information flow in cyberspace?
- What is a network?
- The Internet
- The World Wide Web
- HTML and Browsing
- Internet tools
- Audio and Video On-line
- Security in cyberspace
- Netizens: worms, spiders, trojans
Prerequisites:
You are expected to have taken and passed at least one of the following courses (or equivalent) with a grade of at least C: CS307, CS313E, or EE322C. If you don't have the appropriate prerequisite, be sure to clear it with the CS department.
Required text:
None.Class Notes:
Handouts of all class slides will be made available over the course of the semester via links below. Slides are available in PostScript (PS) or in PDF format. The PostScript files can be viewed with Ghostview or printed on any postscript-compatible printer. The PDF files can be viewed with Acroread.Slide set 1: Introduction to Cyberspace PS-4up PDF-4up PDF
Slide set 1a: Simple HTML PS-4up PDF-4up PDF
Slide set 2: Signals PS-4up PDF-4up PDF
Slide set 3: Elementary Information Theory PS-4up PDF-4up PDF
Slide set 4: The Internet: Preliminaries PS-4up PDF-4up PDF
Slide set 5: The Internet: Physical and Link Layers PS-4up PDF-4up PDF
Slide set 6: The Internet: The Network Layer PS-4up PDF-4up PDF
Slide set 7: Domain Name System PS-4up PDF-4up PDF
Slide set 8: The Internet: The Transport Layer PS-4up PDF-4up PDF
Slide set 9: HTTP PS-4up PDF-4up PDF
Slide set 13: Search Engines PS-4up PDF-4up PDF
Slide set 14: Elementary Cryptography PS-4up PDF-4up PDF
Assignments:
There may be readings on-line. There will also be assignments over the course of the semester. Each student must work on assignments individually unless the assigment explictly allows collaboration.Important: You must have a web account on the ITS server. Do this even if you have personal webspace somewhere else, but you don't need to repeat this if you already have ITS webspace. To obtain your web account, go to the following link and follow the instructions: ITS Webspace. Also, find out how to put files there. You will be posting the solutions to most assignments on your personal webspace.
Links to the assignments will appear below. Check this page often and be sure to check that any particular assignment or due date has not been changed.
One assignment due during the second half of the semester will involve selecting a topic relevant to the subject matter of the course, preparing a research paper and website on the topic and making a short presentation of your findings to the class. There will be more guidance on this later in the semester, but if you find a topic that interests you, feel free to claim it (in an email to me) as soon as you like. No two students will be allowed to choose the same topic, but you'll probably be working in pairs on this assignment.
Assignment 1: Due Friday, 1/28/12
Assignment 2: Due Monday, 2/6/12
Assignment 3: Due Monday, 2/13/12
Assignment 4: Due Monday, 2/20/12
Assignment 5: Due Monday, 2/27/12
Assignment 6: three parts, due at various times
Information will be provided on how to submit assignments; most will be posted on your webspace. Concerns about your assignment grades should be addressed first with the TA, and only with Dr. Young if you can't obtain satisfaction there.
Assignments will be graded on a 10 point scale with 1 point deducted for each day the assignment is late (up to 2 days). The number of days late is purely a function of the timestamp recorded when you submit the assignment. The TA will turn off the turnin program after the due date, but will accept late assignments by email up to two days late. Please coordinate with the TA regarding late submissions, or if you desire to re-submit an assignment following the due date.
Quizzes:
Short in-class quizzes may be given at any time. These will cover material covered in previous classes. The goal of quizzes is to test your understanding of the material and to give you an idea of the types of questions that will appear on exams. There will be no makeups for quizzes you miss, but any single quiz is only a small proportion of your final grade.Tests:
There will be two major tests during the semester: a midterm and final. The midterm will be given in class on Wednesday, March 7. The final test will be given during the regular class time on Wednesday, May 2. There will be no final exam during the regular exam time. Tests are closed-book, closed-notes tests, except that you may bring a single handwritten sheet (8 1/2 by 11 inches) of notes (both sides). Your best study strategy is to review the class notes and readings to ensure that you understand thoroughly the topics we covered in class.
No laptops:
Students are asked not to have their laptops or other electronic devices open during class. Copies of all slides will be provided. Please just listen and absorb the material.Grading policies:
Class attendance is encouraged and will be checked on a majority of class days. Excessive unexcused absences will result in a reduced grade. If you don't plan to come to class regularly, please don't register for this class. Signing in for another student not present will be considered cheating by both students.Grades are averaged using the weighting below:
Attendance, Quizzes and Participation 15% Paper and Presentation 10% Other assignments 25% Midterm Exam 25% Final Exam 25%
Course grades are assigned on the scale: A = 90-100; B = 80-90; etc., except that I reserve the right to be more generous than this indicates. That is, I may (and usually do) enlarge the range for any grades. I will never shrink them. I do not use the plus/minus grading scale.
Class Newsgroup:
The TA will set up a course newsgroup (utexas.class.cs329e). To access the newsgroup, students can use Pine or a browser in the department machines and can access the newsgroup from off campus. Dr. Young typically does not monitor the newsgroup. Information about UT newsgroups can be found at News Group information
Scholastic Dishonesty:
Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. See www.cs.utexas.edu/users/ear/CodeOfConduct.html for an excellent summary of expectations of a student in a CS class.No deviation from the standards of scholastic honesty or professional integrity will be tolerated. Scholastic dishonesty is a serious violation of UT policy; and will likely result in an automatic F in the course and may result in further penalties imposed by the department or by the university. Don't do it. If you are caught, you will regret it. And if you're not caught, you're still a cheater.