INF1003S
:: Commercial Programming (IS1B)
Welcome
This course is designed to teach you how to apply the Visual Basic
language to the solution of commercial problems. Not only will you learn
to program in Visual Basic, but you will learn how to apply your skills in
a commercial IS environment. This web site will act as a focal point for
your course - displaying lecture notes, schedules, test results, and other
important information. Browse it regularly and become an active
participant in this course. You will gain knowledge that will stand you in
good stead throughout your professional career.
A Message From Your Course Convenor
Dear Student
Welcome to INF1003S.
This document is a summary of what this course is all
about and what we hope to achieve, working together. This is NOT a Mickey
Mouse course. It is a very time-demanding, practical course. You are only
going to get out what you put in, but we will be available to help you along
the way. If you have any problems, dont be shy to raise them in class, and
if we cant sort them out there, then feel free to contact us and arrange an
appointment. The objective of the course is NOT just to teach you Visual
Basic. You will learn the language by being exposed to A LOT of practical
exercises, and tuts. Lectures are alternated with tuts to give you constant
hands-on experience that you are learning in the lectures. You will be
following the course directly in the format of the text book, and should
make it a habit of following the notes on the Course Schedule so that you
know exactly whats expected of you. Our job is to teach you how to THINK
and how to solve problems in a commercial environment using Visual Basic as
a tool. So you will learn the language, under the guidance of myself,
Wallace Chigona and Michael Pollock, by working through the textbook and
associated handouts, and we will fill in the gaps on important or difficult
issues. Note that we have booked the Alumni labs for the pracs on Tuesdays
and Thursdays, and Comlab for the Thursday tuts.
THE IMPORTANCE OF LECTURES: We have found in the past
that lecture attendance dwindles through the course, mainly because students
THINK that there is no value in lectures. We want to use the lectures most
effectively, and will use lectures ONLY to present the key concepts that are
vital to practical work, and it is therefore vital that you don't miss
lectures. I cannot stress sufficiently that if you miss lectures you will
come short.
There is a course web page within the UCT web site, which
will allow you to access lectures and other information from the World Wide
Web, from your computers at home (or in the lab). Hopefully this will assist
you in getting useful information fast, and be able to share information,
post comments and questions, and do all sorts of clever things. You are
urged to make use of the Discussion Page, where you can post questions or
comments. This is a very powerful tool to exchange information and sort out
problems. In addition, there is a course folder from where you can download
files and things from time to time. You will learn about these things in
your first tut, so please dont miss it. Finally PLEASE read this document
carefully, and if you don't understand anything, then ask.
We look forward to getting to know you and to work with
you towards our common goal of your success.
Please read the detail section carefully, which follows,
and you should find most of the answers to your questions and doubts there.
All the best!
Irwin Brown
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