Course Preparation

There is a little work required before you are ready to start the course and participate in the lectures/chat sessions. Please accomplish the following steps as soon as possible.

Get the textbook by Dennis Kafura, Object-Oriented Software Design & Construction with Java, Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458, 2000 (ISBN 0-13-011264-x, Library of Congress Number QA76.64.K35 2000). The book includes a sealed envelope containing information how to access the supplementary material.
Bookmark Pipeline for accessing all of your course related needs and course web addresses. Pipeline is password protected, so you'll need to know your Virginia Tech PID and password to access it. This is the MIT portal for CS 4984.
If you have not enrolled in the "CourseInfo" environment, perform a self-enroll. When you have enrolled, you can access the CourseInfo environment.
Read the CourseInfo student manual to understand how to use the CourseInfo environment.
If you have not done so already, install the on-line chat software, Symposium Centra, so you can participate in on-line chat sessions (optional). Go to IDDL Symposium home site to download the software, install it, create an account on the Symposium server, and enroll yourself in CS 4984. Read the installation instructions. Once you are enrolled, you are automatically enrolled in each chat event. When you log on to the server you will see all the chat events in CS 4984. Then, to attend a chat event listed, just click "attend". Contact Mr. Gary Whitt if you run into problem installing the chat software. Note that participating in chat sessions is encouraged but not required as all chat sessions will be recorded for later viewing. For the chat schedule, click on "Enter Class" on the sidebar.
All electronic mail communication will be done using your vt.edu address. You should make a habit of checking your email account at least once per day, particularly on the day of the chat session and the one or two days prior to each homework due date. If you prefer using another e-mail address, see https://www.ucs.vt.edu/pidtool/Default.asp to enable electronic mail forwarding.
Both mid-term and final exams will be proctored. For more information about proctoring, see http://www.iddl.vt.edu/handbook/proctor.php . It is your responsibility to obtain a proctor, so plan to get this accomplished early.
Visit Sun Microsystem's Java™ site and take a look at the Java™ Tutorial. If you are at all unsure about your preparation for this course, go through the New to Java™ Programming Center, and review Programming & Debugging.