WHY PROGRAM?
CHAPTER 1
Computers Want to be
Helpful...
• Computers are built for one purpose - to
What
Next?
do things for us
• But we need to speak their language to
describe what we want done
• Users have it easy - someone already put What What What
many different programs (instructions) into Next? Next? Next?
the computer and users just pick the ones
they want to use What What What
Next? Next? Next?
Programmers Anticipate
Needs
• iPhone applications are a market
• iPhone applications have over 3 billion
downloads
• Programmers have left their jobs to be
full-time iPhone developers Pick Pick Pick
Me! Me! Me!
• Programmers know the ways of the
program Pick Pick Pay
Me! Me! Me!
Users vs. Programmers
• Users see computers as a set of tools - word processor, spreadsheet,
map, to-do list, etc.
• Programmers learn the computer “ways” and the computer language
• Programmers have some tools that allow them to build new tools
• Programmers sometimes write tools for lots of users and sometimes
programmers write little “helpers” for themselves to automate a task
Why be a Programmer?
• To get some task done - we are the user and programmer
- Clean up survey data
• To produce something for others to use - a programming job
- Fix a performance problem in the Sakai software
- Add a guestbook to a web site
User
Computer
Programmer
Hardware + Software
Data Information .... Networks
From a software creator’s point of view, we build the software. The end
users (stakeholders/actors) are our masters - who we want to please -
often they pay us money when they are pleased. But the data,
information, and networks are our problem to solve on their behalf.
The hardware and software are our friends and allies in this quest.
What is Code? Software? A Program?
• A sequence of stored instructions
- It is a little piece of our intelligence in the computer
- We figure something out and then we encode it and then give it to
someone else to save them the time and energy of figuring it out
• A piece of creative art - particularly when we do a good job on user
experience
name = input('Enter file:')
handle = open(name)
counts = dict()
python [Link]
for line in handle: Enter file: [Link]
words = [Link]() to 16
for word in words:
counts[word] = [Link](word,0) + 1
bigcount = None
bigword = None
for word,count in [Link](): python [Link]
if bigcount is None or count > bigcount: Enter file: [Link]
bigword = word the 7
bigcount = count
print(bigword, bigcount)
Hardware Architecture
[Link]
Generic
Software What
Next? Computer
Input Central
and Output Processing
Devices Unit
Secondary
Memory
Main
Memory
Definitions
• Central Processing Unit: Runs the Program - The CPU is What
always wondering “what to do next”. Not the brains Next?
exactly - very dumb but very very fast
• Input Devices: Keyboard, Mouse, Touch Screen
• Output Devices: Screen, Speakers, Printer, DVD Burner
• Main Memory: Fast small temporary storage - lost on reboot - aka RAM
• Secondary Memory: Slower large permanent storage - lasts until deleted -
disk drive / memory stick
Generic
Software What
Next? Computer
Input Central
and Output Processing
Devices Unit
Secondary
if x< 3: print Memory
Main
Memory
Generic
Software What
Next? Computer
Input Central
and Output Processing
Devices Unit
01001001 Secondary
00111001 Memory
Main
Memory
Machine
Language
Totally Hot CPU
What
Next?
[Link]
Hard Disk in Action
[Link]
Python as a Language
Parseltongue is the language of serpents
and those who can converse with them. An
individual who can speak Parseltongue is
known as a Parselmouth. It is a very
uncommon skill, and may be hereditary.
Nearly all known Parselmouths are
descended from Salazar Slytherin.
[Link]
Python is the language of the Python
Interpreter and those who can converse with
it. An individual who can speak Python is
known as a Pythonista. It is a very uncommon
skill, and may be hereditary. Nearly all known
Pythonistas use software initially developed
by Guido van Rossum.
Early Learner: Syntax Errors
• We need to learn the Python language so we can communicate our
instructions to Python. In the beginning we will make lots of mistakes and
speak gibberish like small children.
• When you make a mistake, the computer does not think you are “cute”. It
says “syntax error” - given that it knows the language and you are just
learning it. It seems like Python is cruel and unfeeling.
• You must remember that you are intelligent and can learn. The computer is
simple and very fast, but cannot learn. So it is easier for you to learn
Python than for the computer to learn English...
Talking to Python
csev$ python3
Python 3.5.1 (v3.5.1:37a07cee5969, Dec 5 2015, 21:12:44)
[GCC 4.2.1 (Apple Inc. build 5666) (dot 3)] on darwinType
"help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>>
What
next?
csev$ python3
Python 3.5.1 (v3.5.1:37a07cee5969, Dec 5 2015, 21:12:44)
[GCC 4.2.1 (Apple Inc. build 5666) (dot 3)] on darwinType
"help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> x = 1
>>> print(x)
1
>>> x = x + 1 This is a good test to make sure that you have
>>> print(x) Python correctly installed. Note that quit() also
2 works to end the interactive session.
>>> exit()
What Do We Say?
Elements of Python
• Vocabulary / Words - Variables and Reserved words (Chapter 2)
• Sentence structure - valid syntax patterns (Chapters 3-5)
• Story structure - constructing a program for a purpose
name = input('Enter file:')
handle = open(name)
A short “story”
counts = dict()
for line in handle:
about how to count
words = [Link]() words in a file in
for word in words:
counts[word] = [Link](word,0) + 1
Python
bigcount = None python [Link]
bigword = None
for word,count in [Link]():
Enter file: [Link]
if bigcount is None or count > bigcount: to 16
bigword = word
bigcount = count
print(bigword, bigcount)
Reserved Words
You cannot use reserved words as variable names / identifiers
False class return is finally
None if for lambda continue
True def from while nonlocal
and del global not with
as elif try or yield
assert else import pass
break except in raise
Sentences or Lines
x = 2 Assignment statement
x = x + 2 Assignment with expression
print(x) Print statement
Variable Operator Constant Function
Programming Paragraphs
Python Scripts
• Interactive Python is good for experiments and programs of 3-4
lines long.
• Most programs are much longer, so we type them into a file and
tell Python to run the commands in the file.
• In a sense, we are “giving Python a script”.
• As a convention, we add “.py” as the suffix on the end of these
files to indicate they contain Python.
Interactive versus Script
• Interactive
- You type directly to Python one line at a time and it responds
• Script
- You enter a sequence of statements (lines) into a file using a text
editor and tell Python to execute the statements in the file
Program Steps or Program
Flow
• Like a recipe or installation instructions, a program is a
sequence of steps to be done in order.
• Some steps are conditional - they may be skipped.
• Sometimes a step or group of steps is to be repeated.
• Sometimes we store a set of steps to be used over and over
as needed several places throughout the program (Chapter 4).
Sequential Steps
x=2 Program:
Output:
print(x) x = 2
print(x) 2
x=x+2 x = x + 2 4
print(x)
print(x)
When a program is running, it flows from one step to the next. As
programmers, we set up “paths” for the program to follow.
x=5
Conditional Steps
Yes
x < 10 ?
print('Smaller') Program:
No Output:
x = 5
Yes if x < 10: Smaller
x > 20 ? print('Smaller') Finis
if x > 20:
print('Bigger') print('Bigger')
No
print('Finis')
print('Finis')
n=5 Repeated Steps
No Yes Output:
n>0? Program:
5
print(n) n = 5 4
while n > 0 :
print(n)
3
n = n -1 n = n – 1 2
print('Blastoff!') 1
Blastoff!
Loops (repeated steps) have iteration variables that
print('Blastoff')
change each time through a loop.
name = input('Enter file:')
handle = open(name, 'r') Sequential
Repeated
counts = dict()
for line in handle: Conditional
words = [Link]()
for word in words:
counts[word] = [Link](word,0) + 1
bigcount = None
bigword = None
for word,count in [Link]():
if bigcount is None or count > bigcount:
bigword = word
bigcount = count
print(bigword, bigcount)
name = input('Enter file:') A short Python “Story”
handle = open(name, 'r') about how to count
counts = dict()
words in a file
for line in handle:
words = [Link]() A word used to read
for word in words: data from a user
counts[word] = [Link](word,0) + 1
bigcount = None A sentence about
bigword = None updating one of the
for word,count in [Link](): many counts
if bigcount is None or count > bigcount:
bigword = word
bigcount = count A paragraph about how
to find the largest item
print(bigword, bigcount) in a list
Summary
• This is a quick overview of Chapter 1
• We will revisit these concepts throughout the course
• Focus on the big picture