Lab 0: Preliminaries
Please complete ASAP!
This lab consists of some simple tasks that you should complete on your own as soon as possible.
If you encounter any problems while completing these tasks, please post your question to Piazza, our class discussion site. The link to our Piazza course page is available in this site’s navigation bar.
Task 0: Set up your CS account
In order to use the computing resources of the computer science department, you need to set up a CS account, which is different from your regular BU account. Here are the steps:
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Go to the following page: http://www.bu.edu/cs/account
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Click the red link labeled active a user account.
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Enter your last name and BU ID number, and click Continue.
If you encounter problems creating your account, there are suggested solutions available on this page.
Task 1: Review course policies
As your next task, please review the policies of the course, which can be found in the syllabus and using the links in the navigation bar. In particular, please review carefully the policies on collaboration and academic misconduct for this course. Note that under some circumstances collaboration between students is encouraged, but there are important limitations to the extent to which you may do so. Read over these policies and ensure that you understand to what degree you may work with others. Feel free to let us know if you have any questions.
Task 2: Prepare to use Top Hat Pro
We’ll be using Top Hat Pro for pre-lecture quizzes and in-lecture exercises.
Top Hat Pro requires a paid subscription, and a full breakdown of the available subscription options can be found here. When deciding whether to purchase a 4-month or 12-month subscription, it’s worth noting that Top Hat has recently been used in CS 131 and CS 132, but we can’t say for sure whether it will be used in future offerings of those courses.
You just need Top Hat Pro. You do not need any add-ons.
Each lecture section of CS 112 (A1, B1, and C1) has its own Top Hat course, and you must join the correct course for your lecture section. You should receive an email invitation from Top Hat with all of the necessary information. If you don’t receive this email, you can also find your lecture section’s Top Hat URL and join code in the Announcements section of your lecture section’s site on Blackboard.
For more information, consult the Top Hat Quick Start Guide.
Should you require assistance with Top Hat at any time, please contact
their support team directly by email (support@tophat.com),
the in-app support button, or phone (1-888-663-5491).
Task 3: Install the necessary software
In your work for this course, you’ll need to have access to a number of programming tools.
The steps needed to obtain and install these tools depend on the operating system that you’re using. Select the appropriate link below:
Task 4: Test your installation
Once you have successfully downloaded the necessary software, have some fun writing your first Java program.