ANOUNCEMENTS-1ST DAY

CS 103 - Section 003, Spring 1999

Instructor: Virginia Montecino
Email montecin@gmu.edu

TESTING OUT OF CS 103
- Students who think they already know the material in CS 103 can "test out" by taking the credit by exam test . Professor Marchant will offer the test .You can make an appointment with Dr. Marchant if you can't do it at that time. Information on the credit by exam process is on line: http://www.cs.gmu.edu/~amarchan/testout.html

REMINDERS:

Buy Four (4) HDD disks 31/2 - PC compatible

Establish your mason email accounts. You will need to use it to create your Web page. You will be emailing your lab assignments to your LAB Instructor. Email to the account that corresponds with your lab section. Your lab instructor will give you the account number.

Email as ATTACHED FILES - Be sure the extension (.doc, .xls, .htm or html, .mbd - etc.) is intact. Put no spaces in your file name. Mason email (UNIX-based) does not recognize spaces in file names. (Also do not use / in file name). Binary file convention will send all files in appropriate format as long as you have saved the document correctly in the appropriate program.

How to activate e-mail account (http://mason.gmu.edu/~montecin/newaccount.htm).

OR DO IT ON THE WEB (http://mason.gmu.edu/ISO/SysEng/Mason/account.html).

Syllabus ( no longer on line)

Technology Resources for CS 103 (http://www.cs.gmu.edu/~amarchan/resources.html)

Montecino's Web site and resources (http://mason.gmu.edu/~montecin/)

Learn how to navigate your Computers, Technology and Society text -

Read the chapters before you come to the lecture.

Notice on page vii - numbering system in text - numbering goes by chapters: Chapter 1 - numbers 1-1, 1-2, etc; Chapter 2 - numbers 2-1, 2-2, etc. Some later chapters have a condensed version of the chapter title and numbering that begins with 1.

Read the Preface to your text. Familiarize yourself with the glossary/index - a good resource for definitions and where to find specific information.

Read endnotes/ InfoWeb - enrich your understanding of the subject.

Familiarize yourself with your MICROSOFT OFFICE 97 PROFESSIONAL EDITION text - numbering not conventional. Learn to use the table of contents, index, strategies for learning the programs.

Final project - Create a Web-based Research project on some new application of computer technology. All references must be properly cited.Choose something of interest to you that you will enjoy!

Hints: Think about how technology is impacting your own major field. What changes are happening? How is the Web being used?

     Each project must must incorporate at least one of the following applications:
     Spreadsheet (MS Excel)
     Presentation Software (MS Powerpoint)
     Database (MS Access)

The project must be in your mason account and must be linked from your homepage. The project should include a link to a file that contains references.