Location: CSE building, lecture hall A
Time: Monday, February 7, 5:30-7 PM
The test covers static features, non-static features, aggregates (i.e., objects within classes), and arrays.
Section Z lecture (Prof. Eckford, 1030-1130) is canceled on Monday; just go to the test.
how about labtest said to be on monday, section M have lab on wednestday
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what you mean, the labtests will be during your regular lab period.
ReplyDeletefor the Arrays part on the test. Whatever we've covered in class, is it gonna be sufficient enough if we study the notes and the topics about Arrays we covered in class or do you want us to go through the entire chapter?
ReplyDeleteAs an addition to Anonymous@12:53, would it be sufficient to simply study the notes for all topics or should we read the textbook chapters?
ReplyDeleteI think the question was un-necessary. I'm pretty sure whatever we've covered in the class is gonna be on the test. So i'm assuming reading the notes from the class should be sufficient enough.
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous.
ReplyDeleteIt really helps if you read the textbook...
=)
I don't know what Prof. Turpin said in class, but what I said in class is everything you need to know on the test, except for the reading I assigned on Javadoc.
ReplyDeleteTo clarify, that is *what is testable*. Javadoc may or may not be on the test/labtest.
ReplyDeleteWill there be any snippets of code to analyze/write on the written test?
ReplyDeleteIs it possible if someone scan me a copy of the notes taken in class on Friday. From Eckford's lecture.
ReplyDeletePleeease. I was sick on that day.
=(
Anonymous 8:33: Yes.
ReplyDelete@Woody: Contact details?
ReplyDeleteSir,
ReplyDeleteif your notes are sufficient for this course, and you have yet to assign a single problem from the text... why are we encouraged to purchase the text? I have wasted $150 as we have not used it once in this class (the javadoc information was in the online reading you assigned the first week of class, so we can disregard what you assigned in the text)
It would be great if you could assign problems from the text, although I have done the majority of them, so that, at the very least, I don't feel like I wasted all that money. If not, could you possibly post some problems that are conceptually more challenging than the ones in the lab and the text?
@ Anonymous 5:00 PM
ReplyDeleteThe textbook is awesome!
@ Asim
rainboww2008@hotmail.com
@ Andrew
You said the assigned readings won't be on the test and Javadoc might be on the test, but the readings that you've assigned are about Javadoc.
On page 361 in the textbook
It says:
char i;
for(i=0; i<a.length; i++)
should it be:
int i
for(i=0; i<a.length; i++)
?
@Woody
ReplyDeleteIf the loop is expected to run for less than or equal to 256 times a char will do.
Anonymous 5:00: In the first class, I said: to practice you should do *all* the problems in the back of the book. You did what I said, so I'm not clear on why you want me to assign problems I've already assigned (and you've already done), or why you think you wasted your money.
ReplyDeleteWoody: Readings are testable. If I ever said that they are not, I misspoke. Char is technically the same as an unsigned byte, so the code is okay as long as the number of iterations is <= 2^8 (also you're missing a semicolon after int i).
@Andrew
ReplyDeleteIt would seem that in Java a char is actually 2 bytes (unicode)
And why would anyone buy the book considering there are pdf copies found via google.
@ Anonymous 8:05 AM
ReplyDeleteBecause I'm rich.
I wasn't clear about the Pass by Value and Pass by reference.
ReplyDeleteNon-objects are stored by value and objects by reference?
@Anon 9:41
ReplyDeleteIt's easier to think of it in terms of efficiency, would you want to copy a potentially big chunk of data (object) and pass the entire copy or just pass a pointer/reference pointing to that chunk of data where it already exists?
I would pass only arrays and objects by reference, in Java perhaps there is no choice.
I feel I have wasted my money because, even when I do the problems in the back of the book, I don't feel like I have practiced all the concepts in class (e.g. Aggregation and privacy leaks; singleton classes). Furthermore, the text does not take this "implementers" view. We do not implement API's, we do not use javadoc on the problems, and quite simply, it is not reflective of the concepts you have covered in class. I enjoy programming, but this course is rather tedious... All I really want is to be challenged by the course material prior to the examinations. Sorry if I come across as rude.
ReplyDeleteWill section M partake in the same written test as Section Z (at the same location), or will M go to their new room to write a separate test?
ReplyDeleteIn a world dominated by the internet universities are just for bureaucracy's sake. Look at the syllabus, know the required stuff and go beyond. Lectures are useless when you have dozens of sources to draw on on your own time.
ReplyDelete12:02: Everyone writes the same test at the same time in the same place.
ReplyDelete12:41: Useless, eh? Sounds good to me. If you need anything, I'll be drinking Coronas on the beach for the rest of the semester.
"In a world dominated by the internet [Citation needed] universities are just for bureaucracy's sake. [Citation needed] Look at the syllabus, know the required stuff and go beyond. Lectures are useless when you have dozens of sources to draw on on your own time. [Citation needed]"
ReplyDeleteI find the comment interesting. While we are in the Information Age, I think it's common sense that a university degree looks better than "I can use the internet". Only learning off the internet will only get you the latter.
The lectures are "useless" when you've learned nothing from it. You can however, argue that it is in fact the case for you (although I highly doubt it). But I know it is not the case for the other people enrolled in the course.
While technical knowledge is important, and can be found on the internet, it is, however, not the only aspect of undergraduate learning. University tests us on how well we follow instruction, and learn in a certain environment, which will be important for workplace and graduate degrees.
No way are the lectures useless. If anyone finds the lectures useless then they probably don't belong in the course.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I know this blog is supposed to be about the written test so I'll give some feedback. I found the test to be extremely fair, no surprises with regard to content. One issue, or maybe I should call it a pet peeve, that I have is when major tests are marked out of very small totals. So for example, this test was graded out of 20 marks. So then even a single mark off costs us 5% of our test mark. I'm pretty sure I got everything correct, but I prefer tests out of at least 50 so that gives students more opportunity for partial credit on particular questions. So if a student's answer is mostly correct, but they may have missed a semi-colon or a letter for example. If the question is out of 2 then the TA might only credit the student with 1 out of 2. However, if it had been out of 10 then the student may have received 8 or 9 out of 10. This can make a big difference as 20%-30% accumulates over a few questions. I don't know if this can actually be changed for the future, but I just thought I'd mention it anyway.
Thank you
When you have several good ebooks open on the same subject and still need to ask questions you know the subject isn't for you.
ReplyDeleteSeveral ebooks >>>>>>>>> lectures.
This is also a feedback on the test. I found the test to be surprisingly short. I won't be able to make unbiased comments on the difficulty because I had previous experiences in programing... however, I believe I can make a fair comment on the sheer volume of the question.
ReplyDeleteIn my case, I found myself completing the test quite early into the test. I understand this shouldn't and wouldn't be the case for everyone, but after sticking around (to not disturb my neighbors by climbing over them) for the next hour I found that many (possibly close to half of the) people had complete the test.
Now this is in no way a complaint. However, in future tests, if I encounter a problem I don't know the answer to, I would have to sit through the test helplessly instead of working on other problems on the test in case the tests were longer. As the previous post had mentioned, each mark on a short test is costly.
Just pitching in my two cents, and I would understand if people disagree. In my opinion, the perfect length of the test would be twice as long for the test written today. (e.g. many of my math courses has tests around 7-8 questions)
Thank you
I hope you will scan/photograph them before giving them back to us. Otherwise arguing over potential mistakes is futile. There were dozens of ways answering some of the questions.
ReplyDeleteStraight forward test. No surprises, everything you taught in the class was tested. I'm glad I got you as my 1030 professor. People talking crap should stop and concentrate on the course. This forum is not for telling if the lectures are useful or not. Prof Eckford I would recommend you remove the Anonymous profiles so that we know whose speaking what!
ReplyDeleteNot surprised that people found the test straightforward. The material becomes more intense from here on, so expect later tests to be harder.
ReplyDeleteI'll keep the anonymous profiles. I prefer that people speak their mind.
Quote: In a world dominated by the internet universities are just for bureaucracy's sake. Look at the syllabus, know the required stuff and go beyond. Lectures are useless when you have dozens of sources to draw on on your own time.
ReplyDelete---
If you feel that way then you're both wasting your time and money on being enrolled at York University. You CAN get jobs without a degree proving that you have the required knowledge to do the job. At least that's how it is in many countries that I've been in. I personally feel that my experience gets much richer by being enrolled at York University as we learn and get feedback from highly educated professors in our field of study. That is what I signed up for!
While lectures aren't useless they aren't time effective. Not just this course but almost every other course as well. When you pre-read a subject of a lecture and come to a lecture only to realize you know everything the lecturer is talking about because he's essentially reinterpreting the book - you know it's a waste of time.
ReplyDeleteI would like to comment on the test. First, it is too short. Some questions are little tricky. some questions look easy but there are lots of traps. Second, i think the test is a little meaningless. when we have a computer with us, we can get perfect. i think we should be tested on theories and how to solve problems(not just compile and run time errors)
ReplyDeleteLoL.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said, the test is meaningless, the lectures and textbook are useless. Now what's left?
=S
@ Anonymous 9:41 AM
variable stores by value:
the actual value of the variable is stored.
vairable of primitive types store the actual value of the variable. eg boolean, int, double, char.
I'm not sure about the Date class? I'm using this.getDay() and it tells me the method is depreciated? How do I fix it?
ReplyDelete@Anonymous above me:
ReplyDeleteWith the assumption that you're doing Lab 3:
1) Are you using the Date class provided by the Lab?
http://www.cse.yorku.ca/course_archive/2009-10/S/1030/ProgrammingExercises/2/Date.java
2) If you're modifying the Date class, don't. It's meant to be kept the way it is. I'm guessing you're modifying the Date class because I see this.getDay();
3) If you're not modifying the Date class, but only wants to calls the accessors for the object.
Date birthday = new Date();
birthday.getDay();
4) If you're doing something totally unrelated to the course, and using the Date class by Java. http://download.oracle.com/javase/1.5.0/docs/api/java/sql/Date.html
getDay actually is from the Date utility class that returns the day of the week (i.e. 1 for Monday, 6 for Saturday)
It's deprecated (implies not used anymore, but still usable) and is replaced by Calendar.get(Calendar.DAY_OF_WEEK)
More information on the Calendar API http://download.oracle.com/javase/1.5.0/docs/api/java/util/Calendar.html#get(int)
6) To summarize, make sure you have downloaded the Date.java provided, and put it in the same directory as your BankAccount2.
@ Yuen
ReplyDeleteThanks :) Yeah I was doing something else. I wasn't using the Date class provided
comments on the written test. Some people think the test was easy but they did the wrong things. The test looks easy, but worth thinking and not straightforward. Because some people ignored the lecture and tutorial. they keep their own styles. The lecture is really important. it is impossible to perfect course without attending lectures.
ReplyDeleteHow soon will our tests be returned? Sorry, I know we just wrote the tests, but I'm just really enthusiastic about seeing my marks.
ReplyDeleteThanks