Happy First Week Of Coding!!!

[Natasha Murashev]

Hi Everyone, 

Hopefully by this time, you have all had a chance to watch the first 2 lectures and get started on Assignment 1. Here are some next action items / announcements:

Status Check - due this Sunday, 11/6

• Please share where you are in the lectures / assignments and anything else you want to share - if you haven't started, tell us when you plan to get started, and if you're behind, tell us where you are and what you plan to do next. What do you think of the course so far? Do you have any tips to share? Any questions? 

Suggested Assignments Week 2 - due next Sunday, 11/13

• Watch Lecture 3: http://see.stanford.edu/see/lecturelist.aspx?coll=824a47e1-135f-4508-a5aa-866adcae1111
• Complete Problems 3 and 4 of the first assignment: http://see.stanford.edu/see/materials/icspmcs106a/assignments.aspx. If you're really stuck, examples of possible solutions for Assignment 1 are located here: https://github.com/NatashaMurashev/Stanford-CS-106A/blob/master/Assignment1

GitHub

• Github is a great (and popular) tool for storing copies of your code. You're probably going to use it at some point, especially if you ever work with other coders, so I encourage you to get an account now and get familiar with it. GitHub is also where many coders store open-source free code for others to use. That way, when you're applying for jobs, potential employers can take a look at your code's quality. Conversely, if you're trying to hire a developer, it's a good idea to look them up on github and check out their code (and after this class, you'll know what to look for). 
• I encourage you to post your course answers on github publicly, since I'm sure thousands of others who are and will be taking the CS106A are looking for something to compare their answers to. The developer community is very open and helpful, so it's great to start off by giving something back. You can find my answers on github: https://github.com/NatashaMurashev/Stanford-CS-106A. 
• If you have a mac, simply download GitHub for Mac and sync your folder where you keep your assignments with github by creating a "new repository". It will automatically detect any changes you make to the folder (adding new assignments / answers for example), which you'll be able to commit and sync as well. Here is how to set up git for windows: http://help.github.com/win-set-up-git/. You might need to use your terminal to get this fully set up. Just email me if you have any questions or ask your developer friends for help.  

Class Wiki

• I am putting together a Wiki for our course structure, so if anyone new wanted to join this group, they'd be able to easily get started: https://github.com/NatashaMurashev/Stanford-CS-106A/wiki/Stanford-Introduction-To-Computer-Science-Programming-Methodology-CS106A-Class-Guide
• If you'd like to get ahead, take a look at the wiki for the next suggested assignments. Also, let me know if you have any tips or suggestions that I could incorporate into the Wiki. Again, I want anyone to be able to set up a similar Stanford CS106A study group.

San Francisco Brunch - this Sunday, 11/6

• I am hosting a brunch at my apartment / office at 1 Bluxome St in San Francisco this Sunday. I've had a few people RSVP and I'd love to meet more of you! Here are the details: http://holler.to/uzjdSm. 

My Status

• I'll start off the status check by filling you in on my status :) I'm running a bit ahead, since I want to make sure I can answer questions as they come up. I am also eager to go through this course as quickly as possible so I can move on to Android development in a few months, which is what my team really needs right now. I am almost ready to start Assignment 3, which is coding a Breakout game! I'm really excited to get through it and get it working, but it looks pretty intimidating right now. I might have to watch some lectures twice. Some of these assignments are really difficult, so I've been getting some help from my developer friend. I think I'm getting a grasp on this, but it is more difficult than I expected. Regardless, I find myself really enjoying the process. I get excited to work on assignments, and it feels really really good when I figure them out after hours of trying to make them work!

Looking forward to hearing from you all!

Natasha

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natasha murashev | natashamurashev.com | 415-691-5320 | @natashamurashev