1. INF 510 Principles of Programming for Informatics
Dr. Jeremy Abramson
Week 1
August 22nd, 2017

2. Logistical Minutiae Who: Jeremy Abramson What: Informatics!
(INF510 in the subject line!)
(310) (ISI phone)
Office hours: By appointment (probably)
Campus office: GER 207
What: Informatics!
When: Tuesdays, 5-7:20pm
Where: KAP163
Why: We’ll get to this…
How: Good question!
Please do not go find me on facebook or Google Plus or Friendster

3. Further Logistical Minutiae
Course Producer: Olutobi (“Tobi”) Akomolede
Blackboard
Check and make sure you can access
Will post slides, homework assignments, etc. there
Unless someone has a better idea 

4. My Background B.S. in Computer Science from UC Davis
Research on cellular networks/wireless mobility management
M.S. and Ph.D. in Computer Science from USC
Research on high-performance computing (performance prediction and analysis) and computational resiliency for reconfigurable architectures
Currently a scientist at USC/ISI
Research computer security on embedded/mobile devices, biometrics
Taught Sports Analytics previously
You may get a lot of sports data sets 
Deal with data for my research
Not an analyst
Not a statistician
Definitely not a “data scientist” (although, scarily enough, I’m becoming one. Sigh)

5. Why Bother? Most of this stuff is on Coursera, edX, etc.
Value of this course vs. MOOCs?
[Story from lunch yesterday]
Really wish I remembered what this was! 

6. Your Background Class census Why learn Python? Why “informatics”?
Year?
Major?
Technical background?
Career goals?
Why learn Python? Why “informatics”?
Why are you in this class?

7. Free Advice First week of class: Choose your honorifics wisely
“Anything important?”
“Lecture for one”
Choose your honorifics wisely
Instructors can tell time, most of the time
In general, your instructor cares about this a lot more than you do.
Try not to make it too obvious.
1. Used to teaching undergrads, this may happen from time to time

8. Deliverables / Syllabus
I prefer fewer, deliverables, but…
At a minimum, expected to do reading on your own / come prepared
Syllabus is in a [slight] state of flux
First time with a lab
Switching to Python3
Trying to find the right mix of deliverables, lab work, etc.
May partially depend on you!
1. Story about how “novel” shouldn’t be novel / how as technical sophistication increases, “lecture techniques” decrease

9. So…The Internet
Use it
At my job, sometimes I feel like I’m merely an interpreter between StackOverflow and DARPA
Swordfish != realistic
PS: The above is syntactically correct Python!
Congrats, you can program!
1. The scene where the guy has a gun to his head….

10. How to “get” Python Main book/resource website: https://www.py4e.com
Book available at:
Can get hard copy at Amazon if you like
Other resources: slides, vidoes, etc.
Download miniconda:
Hopefully Linux users can follow something similar
Instructions also include Jupyter; install that too

11. Python! You guys have no idea how easy you have it!
“Back in my day…”
Interpreted language
This really doesn’t matter anymore!
Libraries for everything (no really)
Google is your friend!
B+ syntax for beginners
Relatively easy to pick up

12. INF 510 Principles of Programming for Informatics
Dr. Jeremy Abramson
Week 1
August 22nd, 2017