C++ Course Bootstrap Document

Last changed: September 29

Purpose

The purpose of this document is to provide the minimum information needed to access the GNA "Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming Using C++".
  1. Registration Procedure
    1. Schedule
    2. Procedure
    3. Fees
  2. Compiler and Language Questions
    1. Must I know C to follow this course?
    2. Which Compiler Should I Use?
  3. What is the "World-Wide Web"
    1. How do I get to the class notes?
    2. If that fails...
    3. What can I do until the course begins?
  4. What is the "Virtual Campus"
    1. How do I get to the class notes?
    2. If that fails...
    3. What can I do until the course begins?
  5. I'm still lost.......

  1. Registration Procedure
    1. Schedule
    2. The class is officially scheduled to begin on October 3, 1994. A rough draft of the class notes is available right now, and consultants are also available to answer any of your questions. You are encouraged to use these services even though the class has not officially started.

      The specific requirements for the course will vary with each individual student, and will be defined using learning contracts.

    3. Procedure
    4. The registration for the second course is now close, all new registrations will be put on a waiting list (for a possible future course).

      If your WWW client supports html forms, you may register for this course by filling out this form.

      If you wish to register for this course but your WWW client does not support forms, then please fetch the GNA Personnel Form and send it filled to <gna-personnel@uu-gna.mit.edu>, and also notify the course coordinator via email, with the string "gna-oop-course" in the "Subject:" header of your mail. The text form can also be obtained via anonymous FTP from ftp.desy.de in directory pub/uu-gna as file personnel.txt.

    5. Fees
    6. If you are taking the class, you are requested to make a donation to the Globewide Network Academy. This donation may or may not be monetary and can consist of time or energy help the university. Since lots of patience and enthusiasm is expected from students of this GNA prototype course, fee matters won't be handled very strictly now. Your "donation" could for example in helping to complete courseware or building for the interactive learning environment.

  2. Compiler and Language Questions
  3. In this section, we address problems you may have with your computing environment or the skills required to follow the course. We depend on your comments to add to it.

    1. Must I know C to follow this course?
    2. The emphasis of this course is on learning object-oriented techniques, and another language than C++ could have been chosen. Though the tutorial on which the hypertextbook is based says that C is a precondition, we think it is possible to start with C++, though you should have programmed before in another high-level language: we will not teach you basic techniques how to edit, compile, run or print a program on your system.

      On the other hand, familiarizing yourself with C is never a bad idea and certainly will help you to understand C++ faster. On the Web, a complete C tutorial is available, too.

      Our recommendation is you try to follow the course from the very beginning and find out whether the hurdle is set too high for you.

    3. Which Compiler Should I Use?
    4. Since the course is self-paced, you are assumed to have a C++ compiler up and running on either a PC or a Unix box. The sample programs for this course are known to compile under Borland C++ and will be checked to compile with the free GNU C++ compiler (and other machines when time allows, such as SUN, SGI and HP).

  4. What is the "World-Wide Web?"
  5. The World-Wide Web [WWW, Web, W3] is a distributed HyperText system (a network of documents connected by links which can be activated electronically). The class notes for this and other GNA courses are located on WWW.

    1. How do I get to the class notes?
    2. Documents on WWW each have an address which is known as a universal resource locator (or URL) and can be read on local machines using a program known as a client. In order to get to the class notes ask your local system manager about the commands needed to use WWW and to the address
      http://uu-gna.mit.edu:8001/uu-gna/text/cc/index.html
      
      - this tree is mirrored weekly in Europe at DESY, address
      http:/www.desy.de/gna/html/cc/index.html
      

    3. If that fails.......
    4. If this fails, try to execute the following command to enter WWW:
      telnet info.cern.ch
      
      Once you are connected to the Web, enter the following command
      go http://uu-gna.mit.edu:8001/uu-gna/text/cc/index.html
      
      Some information on Web access methods and clients is available in the file "www.txt" obtainable via anonymous FTP from ftp.desy.de in directory pub/uu-gna.

      Try also to ask your local system administrator about WWW access.

    5. What can I do until the course begins?

  6. What is the "Virtual Campus"?
  7. The GNA Virtual Campus is a networked ensemble of "MOOs" and "MUDs".
    MUD stands for "Multi-User Dimension". A MOO is a MUD with object-oriented programming capabilities). Both are interactive in real-time for a multiple number of users. They are extensible through their own embedded programming language - it was used e.g. to create the classroom and helping objects for the C++ course.

    During scheduled hours, online consultants will be ready to answer your questions on a given section of the class notes, correct your exercise solutions and give you (hopefully) valuable hints.

    In a following course, object-oriented programming may be taught using the MOO language itself.

    1. How do I get to the MOO
    2. To connect to Diversity University MOO, the place chosen for our class, type telnet moo.du.org 8888 Once logged in, type the following commands to be admitted as a "guest character" and go to our virtual classroom: connect guest @go #2000

    3. If that fails.......
    4. If this fails, you may not have telnet. First try asking your local system administrator about TELNET access and the character of your Internet connection.

      For now, the interactive part of this course is not open to you without TELNET. If there are enough students with the same problem, we will seek a solution, e.g. by organizing Email-and-FTP access to consultants and transcripts of MOO consulting hours. Therefore, I need to know from you whether it works for you.

    5. What can I do until the course begins?

  8. I'm still lost.......
  9. If all else fails, please e-mail the class coordinator, Daniel Perron <dperron@mta.ca>, with your problem. No question too small.