CSE 2031.03E Software Tools

Fall Term 2007-08

WWW-page: http://www.cse.yorku.ca/course/2031

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General Information

This course introduces software tools that are used for building applications and in the software development process. Students will be exposed to the layers between a programming language, the operating system, and the CPU. The course covers the following topics: All the above topics will be applied in practical programming assignments.
Prerequisite: CSE 1030 3.0 with a grade of C+ or better (general 2nd-year prerequisite)

Textbooks

The following are the official texts for the course. They are available in the bookstore: There is an optional reference book recommended for the second half of the course:

Location

Time, Location TR13:00-14:30, SLH B
Instructor Wolfgang Stuerzlinger
E-mail image of e-mail address
Office Hours by appointment
Office CSEB 3048

Lecture Notes and Additional Material

Teaching Assistants

Evaluation

Assignments are only accessible within York. If you need access to the assignments from machines outside the department log in via ssh and use 'wget <URL>' or 'lynx' (a text browser) to save the file to your directory. Then retrieve the file via ftp red.cse.yorku.ca. For details on these commands please refer to the respective man-pages. Do not re-publish the assignments on the WWW!
  Percent of final grade Due date Revised version due
Assignment A1 6
(4% original, 2% revised)		 Oct 02, 13:00 Oct 04, 13:00
Assignment A2 7
(5% original, 2% revised)		 Oct 23, 13:00 Oct 26, 13:00
Assignment A3 7
(5% original, 2% revised)		 Nov 27, 13:00 Nov 29, 13:00
Midterm 30
(15% written test + 15% lab test)		 Oct 30, written test during class, lab test 14:30-15:45 in Prism N/A
Final 50
(25% written test + 25% lab test)		 Dec 17, written test 2-3pm in CSE C, lab test 3-5pm in Prism. N/A

The drop date is November 9, 2007. Numerical scores (out of 100) are used to calculate grades. Marks can be viewed via the ePost system here. If this does not work use the following command on CSE systems:
    courseInfo 2031 2007-08 F

Course Policies

The course uses a set of rules similar to the course policies used in other Computer Science courses. However, there are slight differences so you are advised to read the following section carefully! Please read also the current guidelines on academic honesty in the Department of Computer Science. Furthermore, please refer to the section on Academic Policies in the Undergraduate Calendar for further details.
How do I enroll or change section?
Enrollment in all CSE courses is controlled exclusively by the Computer Science Undergraduate Office (1003 CSEB). Your professor cannot help in this regard as s/he has no authority to enroll, permit, or even recommend enrollment. And once registered in a section, you may not attend a different one - your professor cannot grant section-change requests.
Do I have to use my PRISM account (cse#####@cse.yorku.ca or cs######@cse.yorku.ca) for email?
Our registration database as well as the mark database is based on the PRISM/cse account, not your York ID (as the latter has no authentication server). Without the PRISM account, we have no way of identifying your registration status in the course. It is therefore required that you send email (to Faculty, TA, etc.) from your PRISM account and to check its in-box often. Messages received from non-cse accounts will usually be ignored or answered with much lower priority. For information on forwarding e-mail to other accounts see the documentation on forward files in 'man vacation', but note that it is your responsibility if there are problems with this mechanism. To login to your CSE e-mail from the outside, please use the York CSE WWW e-mail interface.
What is the policy on Academic Dishonesty?
We take matters related to academic dishonesty very seriously. To that end, measures to detect irregularities are in place and are continually upgraded. For example, tests are photocopied before being returned to the students and advanced software is used to detect copying in assignments. If an instructor suspects that something has been copied or is mis-represented in any form, the case is forwarded to the respective associate dean and a hearing is scheduled. Students cannot drop the course until the matter has been resolved! If a student is found academically dishonest, this may result in an F in the course (first time offense) or even a suspension from the university. More about academic dishonesty can be found here.
How do I submit an assignment?
The assignment itself specifies what has to be submitted and how. In general, you need to submit the source files (for C files with .c extension) via the submit command and potentially also a report. Your source files must be stored in some subdirectory under your home directory on red.cse.yorku.ca, so if you created them on your home machine, you must ftp them to Prism (or bring them on disk/USB stick). The files must then be submitted electronically using the submit command, whose Unix man page explains the syntax and the options. You can confirm the transfer, and view the dates and sizes of submitted files, by using the -l option. If you forgot a file, or if you discovered an error in your program and corrected it, you can submit again (before the deadline): new files will be added to your previous submission and old ones will be overwritten. You may not submit your work in any other way; e.g. email attachments or a diskette are not acceptable.
What if I couldn't submit by the due date?
No late assignments will be accepted; regardless of reason.
What if I did not submit an assignment?
If you are not able to submit an assignment for documentable reasons beyond your control, please make arrangement with your instructor before the assignment is due. If your request is approved, the weight of the assignment will be transferred to the final exam.
I think there is an error in the marking of my assignment!
If you believe there are errors in the marking of your assignment, download the Reappraisal Form, fill it, and send it to the TA responsible for the assignment. It is essential that you explain clearly why you believe the assignment should be re-marked; otherwise, the assignment will not be re-marked. Note that the entire assignment will be re-marked, and your mark may be increased or decreased. Note also that the deadline for re-marking is one week after the mark and feedback on the assignment has been provided to the students. No re-marking request will be considered after that deadline.
Are the assignments and midterm common to all sections?
Yes. All pieces of work, including the final exam, are common to all sections.
How do I find the date / place of the midterm?
The date of the midterm will be posted on this page. The place will be anounced on this page the week before the midterm.
What should I do before the midterm?
The midterm will encompass all material on C as well as basic testing strategies. You should study the corresponding chapters in both textbooks, do some of the exercises listed there, review your notes from class (content, blackboard, discussions), review your assignment(s), look at the man-pages of important commands (e.g. printf), etc. The midterm is closed-book but excerpts from man pages may be provided to help you with details and/or unusual commands. On the day of the midterm, remember to bring a photo ID and optionally a dictionary. An answer booklet will be provided and you will write everything in it. In particular, you may not bring any blank sheets of paper for scratch work.
Can I write the midterm in pencil?
Yes, you can write your answers in in pencil. In the past, answers written in pencil couldn't be re-marked but now that tests are photocopied before being returned to the students, it makes no difference what you write with.
What happens during the midterm?
All exams are closed-book. Dictionaries are permitted for non-native students. There will be enough space on the exam for your answers, so you may not bring any blank sheets of paper for scratch work. Remember to bring a photo ID and leave it on the desk in front of you so that it can be inspected by invigilators. A sign-up sheet will be distributed and by signing it you acknowledge that you are registered in the course and are indeed the owner of the ID. No questions will be permitted during the exam. The use of any type of calculators, pagers, cell-phones or PDA's is not permitted during the exam.
When will the midterm results be announced?
The results of a midterm are typically posted via courseInfo/ePost within a week of the midterm and before the drop deadline (if applicable).
I think there is an error in the marking of my midterm!
If you believe there are errors in the marking of your midterm, print a copy of the Reappraisal Form, fill the form, staple it to your midterm, and hand it to a TA responsible for the midterm. It is essential that you explain clearly why you think the midterm should be re-marked; otherwise, the midterm will not be re-marked. Note that the entire midterm will be re-marked, and your mark may be increased or decreased. Note also that the deadline for re-marking is one week after the marked midterm has been handed back to the students. No re-marking request will be considered after that deadline.
What if I missed the midterm?
No make-up midterm will be given. If you miss the midterm for documentable reasons beyond your control, inform your instructor as soon as possible. If your request is approved, the weight of the missed test will be distributed proportionally to the final exam.
How do I find the date / place of the final exam?
The date/place of the final exam are set centrally by the Registrar Office, and posted on its Web site (accessible from the main York site) about 5 weeks before the last day of classes in the term.
Can I write the exam in pencil?
Yes, you can write your answers in pen or in pencil. (Note that the exam paper is not returned to the students; only a photocopy can be requested.)
When will the final exam results be announced?
The results are typically posted on ePost (see the GRADES page) within 20 days of the exam.
I think there is an error in the marking of my final exam!
Wait until you get your official grade by regular mail from York (nothing can be done before that). Within three weeks of receiving them, go to CSEB 1003 and request a copy of your final. If you spot errors, either in marking, or in addition, or in the overall grade computation, petition by submitting a special form called "Request for Grade Reappraisal" available from CSEB-1003.
What if I missed the final exam?
If you miss the final exam you must contact your instructor as soon as possible. Failure to do so in a prompt fashion may result in you missing the deferred exam. You must obtain the Deferred Standing Agreement Form - taking it and the documentation of the reason for missing the exam to your instructor as soon as possible. Your instructor will consider the documented reason for missing the exam and decide whether or not he/she agrees that you should have deferred standing. If your reason for missing the final exam is medical in nature a simple note from a medical doctor is not sufficient. You must ask the medical doctor to fill in the standard form - Attending Physicians Statement - that is part of the Petitions Package provided by the Registrar's Office.

  1. If the instructor agrees, you will be informed of the date of the deferred exam, which will generally be within a few weeks of the date of the original exam. There will be a common date for all exams resulting from Deferred Standing Agreement in CSE1020, CSE1030, CSE2011 and possibly other CSE courses. This date will be set by the Department of Computer Science.
  2. If the instructor does not agree (or if you contact the instructor after the deferred exam date) you must then file a formal petition for deferred standing using the Petition Package forms available from this link to the Registrar's Office web site. If your formal petition is successful you would normally write an exam with the next regularly scheduled examination for the course.