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         B39HR1
        Information Resource Pages

        Welcome to the Software Engineering module for MSc Information Technology Students. These pages are intended to complement the course and contain details of the course as well as some additional material.

        Aim of Course
        Structure of Course
        C++ Programming Resources - Additional Material
        Teaching Details, Summary of how to access computers and Compilers
        Feedback on Programming Assignments
        Announcements
        Recommended Texts

        Aim of Course

        • Develop programming skills
        • Introduce principles of software development
        • Develop an understanding of good professional practice in software engineering

        Teaching Details

        This module should consist of approximately 100 hours of student effort. This will consist of 1 taught lecture, 2 group tutorials and 2 hours for computing labs (when help will be available) per week. You are expected to read the lectures notes in advance of the lecture. The lecture will be used to clarify and reinforce your learning while the group tutorials will develop your problem solving abilities and put your knowledge into practice.

        Note that you will be given exercises for each aspect of the programming which you are advised to attempt before coming to the help sessions. This will enable you to gain the optimum usage of the help sessions.

        Note that you have been assigned a lab and a tutorial group. To find out where you belong please look here: Groups

        Please also note that online material normally available at http://www.learn.hw.ac.uk is NOT available for the first week.

        One of the aims of this module is to gain experience on the use of UNIX workstations.

        The Linux workstations which will be used for this course will be located in room 2.50.

        There are 2 laboratory slots indicated on the timetable - you can attend both. In this lab a helper will be available to assist with your work.

        You will also need to use the labs at other times. If you cannot gain access to the Linux labs because other classes are using them, you can use other Unix workstations or you can use a PC and use eXceed to make it access a Unix machine.

        Information is given here on using eXceed.
        Information is given here on using Unix Workstations directly.
        Information is given here on installing GCC Compiler on your PC at HOME.
        Information is given here on downloading the Cygwin Application - This combines the GCC compiler with a Unix like window which runs as an application on Windows PCs
        A link to downloading the gcc compiler for Mac is given here

        You will be examined on this work as part of the MSc exam in April and you will have to submit an assignment at the end of the course. This assignment will be a larger programming exercise combining the individual elements of programming you have already been taught into a larger project. This assignment will be issued mid term, at the end of the taught programming part of the course and the beginning of the software engineering principles.

        C++ Programming Resources

        Lots of additional material to support the C++ programming section of the course is given here.

        Full notes will be provided in the class.

        Included in these resources are

        • Additional Worked Examples
        • Quick Check Questions and Answers
        • Additional exercises for you to try
        • Source code from the notes
        • Test data for tutorial problems

        Recommended Text

        There is no specific recommended text. People tend to have different ideas about what they want from a text book, therefore I would recommend that you look in the bookshop and see what you think of the books. Any book on C++ programming, which starts from the very basics, should cover the C++ programming required for the course. Note that some books may aasume that you have programmed in C before.

        If you have NEVER programmed before, I personally would choose books such as:

        Steve Oualline, "Practical C++ Programming", O'Reilly Associates

        John Hubbard, "Programming with C++", Schaums Outline Series

        NOTE: Full detailed notes will be provided at the lectures.

        Announcements

        Any announcements regarding the course will be detailed here.

        Assignments

        The assignment can downloaded from here.

        If you have any queries please send email to Yvan Petillot and Helen Ashton at Y.R.Petillot@hw.ac.uk and H.S.Ashton@hw.ac.uk

        NOTE: Clipart from http://www.signgray.demon.co.uk/clipart/

        Disclaimer: As ever, these pages are still under construction, and bugs in the programs are an added bonus to the learning experience! However, please email reports of any bugs to me.