Week 1: Why we programme? Flashcards
What is a microprocessor wired to do?
“What to do next?”
What is programming about?
To learn how to talk to this…
What is a programmer?
Somebody who tells these computers what to do…
Why learn how to programme (in this course) ?
Because you can do things within excel for instance and programme it yourself. We are going to build stuff primarily for ourselves
What does he now want us to think?
That we are someone from the inside
Why be a programmer?
- To getsome tasks done 2. Clean up survey data 3. Fix a performance problem in the Sakai data 4. Produce something for others to use 5. Add guestbook to a website
What is a code ? What is a software?
What is code? What is software? We use these words pretty much independently, a program. It’s really a sequence of stored instructions. It gives it back, in, out, in, out. So it’s really a sequence of stored instructions.
What is the difference between human proigramms and programs for computers?
The human being can fix these mistakes while a computer cannot do that.
What is this?
Hardware
Where can you normally find hardware?
Inside
What is this?
It is a motherboard
What are these?
Memory chips, they are connected through the motherbaord
What is the central processing unit?
The central processing unit that I’ve spoken of before. Put that back down. Central processing unit is the closest thing a computer has to a brain, but it’s barely a brain. It’s really just a super fast programmable calculator. It, we make it flexible by our creativity when we write programs. We make it seem intelligent. It’s people that make it intelligent by taking our own knowledge and putting it in.
What are the central processing unit and the main memory together?
So, we have the main memory and we have the central processing unit. And this is where our high-speed instructions come from, this is where our high-speed data is stored. And this is the thing that asks “what next?” and it reads its instructions from here.
Name a few examples of input/output devices.
Mouse or keyboard. HDMI, ethernet connector etc.
What is an RAM?
Random access memory. is a form of computer data storage. A random-access memory device allows data items to be accessed (read or written) in almost the same amount of time irrespective of the physical location of data inside the memory.
What happens in an RAM if the power goes off?
The data vanishes. when the power goes off, these things sort of go away. The data in this RAM goes away. It’s just designed to be really fast. But not permanent. So we need a place that’s permanent, that’s what secondary storage is.
What is a CPU?
Runs the programme. The CPU is always wondering what to do next. Not the brains exactly. Very dumb but very very fast
What are input devices?
Keyboard, Mouse Touchscreen
What are output devices?
Screen, Speakers, Printer, DVD burner
What is the main memory?
Fast small, temporary storage - lost on reboot - aka RAM
What is a secondary memoray?
Slower large, permanent storage - lasts until deleted disk drive memory stick.
Where do we write our programmms ?
In the memory. We put our programms in to the memory and the CPU puts the programms out of the memory.
Do computers directly execute Python ?
Not really. What they eyxecute are machine languages like 0s and 1s
What does Python do for us?
It translates into machine language
What is getting hot in your computer?
The CPU
Why was Python invented?
We invented Python as humans as a way to encapsulate our instructions.
Who developed Python ?
Guido van Rossum
What are the characteristics of Python ?
It is easy to use.
Why is Python called Python ?
After a British comedy show.
What is the difference between learning a human language and a programming language?
A human language is designed for talking to humans who will make corrections for us. Computers are very literal.
Who should learn which language?
Yu should really learn the programming language instead of trying to make Python understand you.
What is the answer if you type something in that Python cannot read?
“Syntax error”
Name the elements of Python…
Vocabulary/ Words
Sentence structure - valid syntax patterns
Story Structure - constructing a programme for a purpose
Why can you not use reserved words?
Because they already have a meaning.
What is “x”
a variable
What is =
an operator
What is 2?
a constant
what is “print”?
a reserved word
