ICA-CP: 3/31/2009

Good afternoon!

Your grades for the OOP quiz are posted in Powerschool. We are going to review the concepts today. In particular, few were able to use the SEXI method to explain encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism. Quite a few used gave the format of State, Elborate, eXemplify, and Illustrate to explain SEXI -- and not to explain the three OOP concepts. SEXI is an organizational tool we use to explain other concepts!

If you are not satisfied with your grade, there will be an opportunity to re-take the OOP quiz. The link is: http://www.quia.com/quiz/1774354.html

ICA-CP: 3/27/2009 - OOP Quiz

Good morning!

It's Quiz Friday! Our OOP quiz is at this link" http://www.quia.com/quiz/1774354.html
You may use YOUR notes to take the test.

Question of the Week: Due 3/27/2009

[The Question of the Week is due on Friday, 3/27/2009 by 5:00 PM. It should be at least 250 words in length. Include two research links that lend support to your answer. ]

Q of A by Tiffany Jones

What do you think of when you hear the words “special effects”? Explosions? Death-defying maneuvers? Flying puppies? You see special effects in movies all the time, and in every possible movie. What about animated movies? Do they have special effects, or no?

Here are some definitions of special effects:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/special+effects

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/special+effects?jss=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_effects

Special effects are computer generated, but so are animated films. Would it be silly to say that animated films have special effects

Good morning!

Today we talk about Object Oriented Programming (OOP) concepts. Here's some info (recycled from the CP class of 2006-2007):

ICA is a superclass (or parent) for Class07, Class08, and Class2011 (which are subclasses or child classes). Each of the classes has attributes which describe the class. For example, the parent class of ICA has attributes of Teachers, Uniform, Mascot Sports, Classes, Colors, and Students. The child classes inherit those attributes. However, the child classes may have attributes which override the inherited classes as well as additional attributes. For example, the seniors (Class07) and juniors (Class06) each have attributes of class sweater which override the regular burgundy sweater inherited as part of the uniform from the parent, ICA. They also have class ring attributes which do not exist in the parent, ICA. The relationship between parent and child classes is called an IS-A relationship. For example, Class06 IS-A ICA, and Class07 IS-A ICA. The classes have attributes which describe the class. The relationship between a class and its attributes is a HAS-A relationship. For example, we would say that Class06 HAS-A class sweater, and Class07 HAS-A class ring. To summarize: HAS-A refers to attributes; IS-A refers to the relationship of subclass to superclass. Having an IS-A relationship implies that the subclass inherits attributes from the superclass. In our Java programs, attributes often become variable names. Attributes may also become names of methods.We can talk about next school year's incoming freshman, Class2011. We know they will inherit attributes from the parent class, ICA, such as Teachers, Uniform, Mascot, Sports, Students, Colors, and Cafeteria. We know that they will have additional attributes of Big Sisters, Orientation Day, Frosh Folly, Wel Dinner, Colors, Song, and Welcome Dinner. However, we don't yet have any students in the Class of 2011. We don't have "real" students yet. When we do, we instantiate an object in Class2011. Until that time when we have an actual person in Class2011, the Java class of Class2011 is just a template. Another example is a recipe for Brownies. The recipe is the template, the description of the brownie. Once we make and bake the brownies, we instantiate them. We make them "real." Just like you can't eat a brownie until you actually make the recipe, we cannot instantiate a class until we have a real object in the class created by using the new Java command. An example of using the new command to instantiate an object is the following line we used in our Parrot class:KeyboardReader new rr;The keyword new creates space in the memory of a computer. So, a brief survey of computer components:Memory - is like our memoryCentral Processor Unit or Microprocessor - is like our brainInput/Out Devices - are like our senses. Examples of Input devices are webcam, keyboard, mouse, and microphone. Examples of Output devices are speakers and monitors. Hard drives (which is extra storage in addition to Memory), touch screens, and flash disks are example of Input and Output devices. When Java programs run, space is created for them in memory. When we use the Java command new to instantiate an object, a spot in the space reserved for Java programs is created in the computer's memory.

ICA-CP: 3/17/2009

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Today, we are starting a new adventure in game design for computer programming. Here is your mission: design a game which uses ICA as the focal point and which teaches new ICA students about our customs. It can be a board game, an adventure game, a card game, or any other. It cannot be a video game. You will be designing and creating your game in groups of 3-4. The resulting outcome is a game that a group of four students will be able to play.

But first . . . do this game design as a warm up exercise. In a team of 2-3 people, design a race game. You will present your game design to the class on Thursday. You have just today to design your race game. Your outcome will be a proposal and a set of game rules which includes and describes each of these steps:
1) A narrative for the race game which describes the goal (how does someone win)
2) A description of the game mechanic for moving forward. For example, players may roll dice or draw cards.
3) Element of conflict
4) Instructions for playing your game

On Thursday, other teams will test your game and grade it. If your mechanic is cards, bring cards. If it is dice, bring dice. If it is something else, make it and bring it. On Tursday, your team should be able to give a short 2-3 minute description of your game. Then, another team should be able to play it. For reference, see this web site: http://bbrathwaite.wordpress.com/2008/07/09/the-easiest-game-design-exercise-ever-really/

YOU JUST HAVE THIS PERIOD TO DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT YOUR GAME!!! ALSO, YOU WILL BE PRESENTING IN ROOM 205 ON THURSDAY.

ICA-CP: 3/10/2009 - Quiz Re-take

Good morning!

Quiz goofed up the data types and string arrays quiz you took. So, we are re-taking the quiz today. It has 52 questions. The link is at: http://www.quia.com/quiz/1753306.html

The good news is that I threw out the last quiz on data types and string arrays. Since this is the third time through the material, everyone should do better!!!! Good luck!!!! You have all period to take the quiz.

Question of the Week: Due 3/13/2009

[The Question of the Week is due on Friday, 3/13/2009 by 5:00 PM. It should be at least 250 words in length. Include to research links that lend support to your answer. ]

Background: As I shared in Check-In today, I was "had bad" by a web site. I was looking at practice test questions for high school teacher credentials and took what I thought was a sample test. To get the results of the test, I had to enter my cell phone number to get test results in a text message, and click a Continue button. I did get a text message. But, the web site also charged my cell phone account $9.99 for a horoscope service when I clicked the Continue button -- but hid the fact. I called my provider, ATT, which credited my account the $9.99 and told me the web site set itself up to charge me $9.99 every month. So, ATT put a text message billing block on my account in addition to crediting my account. To exit the web site, a user has to click another Continue button, which also tries to charge more money to your cell phone account.

It happens for all kinds services, like ringtones and horoscopes. Here's more info about the problem:

http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/false-charges-on-cell-phone-bill-for-ring-tones-c29729.html

http://www.wwaytv3.com/troubleshooters_cell_phone_scam/01/2008

Question(s) of the Week: What might be clues to you that a web site is going to charge your or your parents' cell phone account? What should you do if it happens? How might you avoid it? How big is the problem? Though it might not be ethical, is the practice illegal? Be sure to include at least two links to further information that supports your answer.

ICA-CP: 3/2/09

Good morning!

Today, teams should be finishing up their StringTokenizer change to their Eliza program. Once done with that program, start working on the Myers-Briggs program.

Here's how the Myers-Briggs program should work:
1) Create 2 arrays, one for names and one for Myers-Briggs results (example. INTP).
2) If a user enters someone's name, your program should print that person's Myers-Briggs.
3) If a user enters a Myers-Briggs result, your program should return the names of all who have the same four Myers-Briggs letters.

You should be able to modify a copy of your Eliza program to create the Myers-Briggs program. The program is worth 75 points.

Question of the Week: Due 3/6/2009

[The Question of the Week is due on Friday, 3/6/2009 by 5:00 PM. It should be at least 500 words in length and include at least three links to back your viewpoint. This blog is worth 50 points.]

Background: The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech. It states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." [from http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am1] On the Internet it has been interpreted to mean that anonymous posters to blogs, chat rooms, and forums should be able to write whatever they wish even if it hurts someone else and is not necessarily true. Here are some background articles:

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2008/02/appeals-court-first-amendment-protects-forum-trolls-too.ars

http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2008/10/judges-rule-anonymous-commenters-protected-by-state-shield-laws304.html

However, in Maryland, a web site called NewsZap.com was court ordered to turn over names of anonymous posters who posted negative comments about the cleanliness of a local Dunkin' Donuts store. The owner claimed the allegations were not true and that it was a case of defamation. Today, a higher court overturned the ruling stating:

In a defamation case involving anonymous speakers, the ruling said, courts should first require the plaintiff to try to notify the anonymous posters that they are the subject of a subpoena. That notification could come in the form of a message posted to the online forum in question, and the posters must be given sufficient time to respond.
The plaintiff must then hand over the exact statements in question, so the court can decide whether the comments are obviously defamatory. Finally, the ruling says, the court must weigh the anonymous poster's right to free speech against the strength of the defamation case and the necessity of disclosing the poster's identity. [from http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10185063-38.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5]

Question(s) of the week: Do you think anonymous posters should be protected under the first amendment? For example, what if anonymous posters said untrue things about you that ruined your social reputation (or that of your family, or best friend, or boy friend?). Should you have a right to know who is lying about you so you could take steps to correct the lies? Does being someone famous make a difference? What if you are in a foreign country, like China, that does not have freedom of speech? Do you think that web sites in the USA should protect the identity of polictical activitists who post in other countries? Or, like Yahoo did in 2007, should they turn the names of political dissidents to the government? [see http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-31271948_ITM]

This Question of the Week is worth 50 points, must be at least 500 words in length, and must include at least three research links to back your viewpoint.