Is anyone paying attention to me?

This page contains details of any updates to the course page, and information about new postings - do be sure to check it frequently for new updates and announcements. All new updates will be in RED, and old news changed to BLACK.

1. The course web-page has just been uploaded. I hope it will educate and entertain.
   
2. IMPORTANT:
• Homework 1 is due by midnight (eastern time) on September 1, 2003.
• A tutorial on CORE has been posted in the Extra Handouts section.
• Look out for Homework 2 to be posted sometime later this week.
  
3. Homework 2 has been posted. It is due at start-of-class on September 8, 2003.
   
4. Here are some instructions on how to play the Space Commanders game. (required for Homework 2)
   
   • The game will begin in a DEMO mode, wherein it plays by itself, and every once in a while, it will pause and go in slow motion - just press ENTER or the SPACE-BAR, and you will see the DEMO continuing.
   • To play the game yourself, press the ESC (escape) key, and keep pressing it. You will see the game freeze to a screen with instructions on key controls, and also a set of levels of difficulty from 1 to 5. You will have to keep pressing the ESC key continually - while the ESC key is still depressed, press one of the number keys 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 to select your level of mastery.
   • Once you do this, the  game will take you to a screen where the player (aircraft) will be ready, waiting for your command at the top, and the monsters will be prowling beneath you. You will have to move the aircraft either to the right (use the RIGHT ARROW KEY) or left (use LEFT ARROW KEY) edge, and come down to the bottom (use the DOWN ARROW KEY) edge of the screen and then start shooting (use the SPACE BAR KEY). Observe that you can take refuge under the HYDRANTS to protect yourself from the hailstorm of fire that the monsters rain down upon thee. Observe also that the hydrants can absorb only a certain amount of fire, beyond which they vanish - you can also destroy a hydrant by shooting at it. Notice how the monsters increase their speed once you have destroyed a substantial number of them.
   • Take some time to enjoy the game - it was designed sometime in the mid 1980s - it is hard to find a game as beautiful and as compactly designed as this one.
5. Homework 3 has been posted. It has two parts, one due on Sept 15, and one due on Sept. 22, 2003. Also several new handouts have been made availabe for download in the Extra Handouts section.
   
6. A revised version of Homework 3 has been posted - the team presentation is due on Sept. 22, and the final deliverables due on September 29, 2003. Also, several new handouts have been added to the Extra Handouts section.
   
7. Note: The first exam is on September 29, 2003. Coverage will include Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 6 of the Buede text, and basic OO concepts related to class diagrams, use-cases, interaction diagrams, and activity diagrams (i.e., control flow models).
   
8. An extra section called The Lighter Side has been added for your edutainment.
   
9. A report outlining the object-oriented design of the Space Commanders game has been added to the Extra Handouts section.
10. An excellent solution for HW #2, prepared by Ms. Deidre McLendon has been posted to the Homework Section.
    
11. Some IDEF0 models illustrating good modeling practices and function decomposition techniques have been posted to the Extra Handouts section.