CSE 142: Computer Programming I, Winter 2008

CSE 190 M (Web Programming) course information

General Information:

This spring, I (Marty Stepp) will be teaching a course about techniques used in programming interactive web pages and applications. The course begins by reviewing basic web technologies (HTML, CSS) and then explores the use of event-driven programming in JavaScript to add interactive user interfaces to web pages. Next, students will use Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) to build web pages that connect to data sources, including servers like Google, to dynamically access interesting data such as search results, videos, images, and maps. Finally, the course will show students how to write their own server-side code using PHP, including access to SQL databases.

Here are some screenshots of some of our past homework assignments: HW2, HW7, HW8

Main Education Topics:

• event-driven programming
• client-side web programming with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
• Ajax, XML, and dynamic web applications
• third-party web toolkits (e.g. Google Ajax Search API)
• server-side programming with PHP
• databases and SQL
• a bit about selected other topics such as web design, web security, starting your own web site/business, etc.

Prerequisite:

CSE 142

What is the format of the course and sections? What kind of work will be done? How hard is the course compared to 142?

Three lectures a week, MWF at 3:30 - 4:20pm. Roughly one assignment per week, like in 142/143, based on that week's lecture material. Difficulty is somewhere between CSE 142 and 143. The nature of the material is a bit different than 142's material. Web programming involves more languages, more functions and commands to learn; so in some lectures more material will be covered, and the pace may seem quicker. But the average grade is generally slightly higher than in 142, partly because of the course's experimental nature, and partly because the course is not used as an admissions entry point.

Each student attends one weekly lab session each Thursday morning. The lab sessions are a lot like your CSE 142/143 sections, except that each student sits at a computer in the IPL. Students are given problems to solve in each session on the computer. TAs are present at the sessions to help answer questions and monitor your progress.

What kind of credit does CSE 190 M count for? Will doing well in 190 M help me get into the CSE major? Should I take 190 M or 143?

CSE 190 M counts for 4 credits of general elective credit. Otherwise it does not fulfill any degree requirements whatsoever and does not substitute in any way for any other CSE course. Basically, it's a class you take because you want to know the material and not to satisfy any sort of degree requirement.

If you are currently taking CSE 142, doing well at it, and enjoy it, I strongly encourage you to consider taking CSE 143 instead of (or in addition to) 190 M. 143 is the next step in computer programming and learning more about processing interesting data and algorithms. You could consider taking both 143 and 190 M, though depending on your workload and abilities this might be a difficult load.

Who can take CSE 190 M? What's the difference between the different sections?

Anyone who has completed CSE 142 can take CSE 190 M. Students who are already in the CSE major can also enroll in the course, but they will be put into special sections and given harder assignments. CSE majors will be graded separately from non-majors to ensure that they do not "blow the curve" for the non-majors.

Check the Spring 2008 UW Time Schedule to see the various section times. As of this writing, sections ME and MF were for CSE majors (including direct admits and early admits), and the others are for non-majors.