This document provides an overview of programming and computer fundamentals. It discusses that programming involves problem solving, and that computers require instructions to perform tasks. It also describes the main components of a computer, including memory, storage, processing units, and input/output. Additionally, it outlines programming languages, software development, and structured and object-oriented programming approaches.

1. Copyright © 2002 W. A. Tucker 1
Chapter 1 Lecture Notes
Bill Tucker
Austin Community College
COSC 1315

2. Copyright © 2002 W. A. Tucker 2
Programming
• Programming is Problem Solving
• People use programs to “solve problems”
• Designing a program is like “solving a
problem”
• Make a program run properly is also
“solving a problem”

3. Copyright © 2002 W. A. Tucker 3
My Favorite Phrase
• The computer made a mistake!
• Computers don’t make mistakes unless
they are BROKEN
• People make mistakes
• People write programs
• People write programs that make mistakes

4. Copyright © 2002 W. A. Tucker 4
Computer Hardware
• The main parts of a computer are
– Memory
• Main memory
– RAM
– Volatile memory
• Secondary memory (secondary storage)
– Files
– Non-Volatile
– Input / Output
– Central Processing Unit

5. Copyright © 2002 W. A. Tucker 5
Processing Data
• Processing of data occurs within the CPU
– Data must be moved from storage to the CPU for
processing to occur
– The CPU must be told where the data is located
– All data stored in main memory is referenced by a
memory address
– Example: A = B + 12
• Get the contents of memory location 00BE34 (B)
• Add 12 to the value
• Store the value into memory location 00BE38 (A)

6. Copyright © 2002 W. A. Tucker 6
Computer Software
• Operating Systems manage and control
the resources of a computer
– EX: Windows 98, Windows 2000,
Windows XP, UNIX, Lynix, MAC/OS, etc
– Most operating systems provide a graphical
user interface (except UNIX and Lynix)
• Application Software
– Programs written to perform a specific task
– EX: Office 2000, Office XP, Quicken, etc.

7. Copyright © 2002 W. A. Tucker 7
Computer Instructions
• Programmers must “tell the computer what
to do”
• The computer will do exactly what the
programmer tells the computer to do,
nothing more and nothing less.

8. Copyright © 2002 W. A. Tucker 8
Computer Language
• Computers understand only the binary
number system (zeros and ones)
– All data stored in the computer is stored as a
series of zeros and ones
– All instructions telling the computer what to do
are stored as a series of zeros and ones
• People do not naturally think in terms of
zeros and ones (the binary number
system)

9. Copyright © 2002 W. A. Tucker 9
Programming Languages
• Programming languages allow a programmer to
give the computer instructions in a manner that
the programmer can understand
• Assembly Language is a low level language,
where the programmer uses a mnemonic
(abbreviation) to communicate an instruction to
the computer
– EX: “A” or “add” for addition
• This mnemonic is translated into machine
language (binary) by a program called an
assembler

10. Copyright © 2002 W. A. Tucker 10
More on Programming Languages
• Assembly language is a one for one mapping to the
machine language and has to be rewritten for each
machine (not all machine languages are the same)
• An Assembler translates assembler code into
machine language that a computer may execute
• High level languages were created to allow
programmers to write at a level where one
programming instruction is converted into several
machine language instructions and to avoid having
to constantly rewrite the program
• A compiler converts high level language into
machine language that a computer may execute

11. Copyright © 2002 W. A. Tucker 11
Examples of Languages
• High Level Languages
– BASIC, C, COBOL, FORTRAN, PASCAL
• Object Enabled Languages
– C++
• Object Oriented Languages
– Java, C#

12. Copyright © 2002 W. A. Tucker 12
Development Environment
• Developing a program in a high level
language requires certain tools
– Editor – type in a program and save as a file
(called the source program)
– Compiler – converts source program into
machine language (called the object program)
– Linker – Combines object program with other
programs (include files) to produce
executable code (called the load module)
– Loader – Loads executable code into memory

13. Copyright © 2002 W. A. Tucker 13
Integrated Development
Environment (IDE)
Editor
Source
File
Compiler
Object
File
Linker
Object
File
.cpp extension
.exe extension
Loader
Syntax
Errors
Linker
Errors
Loader
Errors

14. Copyright © 2002 W. A. Tucker 14
Software Development Method
1) Specify the problem
2) Analyze the problem
3) Design the algorithm to solve the problem
- Desk Checking
4) Implement the Algorithm
- Coding
5) Test and verify the completed program
- Compiling and Executing
6) Maintain and update the program

15. Copyright © 2002 W. A. Tucker 15
Structured Programming
• Dividing a larger problem into smaller parts
– AKA: tops-down design, stepwise refinement,
modular programming
– Identify what steps need to be done, usually VERBS
– (ie: calculate, process, get, display, etc)
• Each smaller part is then solved using one of
three types of programming structure
– Sequential structure
– Selection structure
– Repetition (looping) structure

16. Copyright © 2002 W. A. Tucker 16
Procedural Solutions
• Using structured programming, most
problems can be solved using the
following general procedural steps
– Get the input
– Process the input
– Display (output) the results

17. Copyright © 2002 W. A. Tucker 17
Object Oriented Programming
• Humans interact with objects every day
– Driving a car
– Purchasing groceries
• OOP involves defining the attributes (data)
and behaviors (operations) of objects
(usually NOUNS)
• Combining these attributes and behaviors
into a class is called encapsulation

18. Copyright © 2002 W. A. Tucker 18
Advantages of Objects
• Once an object is designed, implemented
and tested everyone can use it
– Improves productivity
– Supports portability or reuse of code
– All of which reduce development time