The main text for CS1110 is Think Python: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist, Second Edition, by Allen B. Downey. Although we like and refer to the text, it does present material in a fundamentally different order than we do. Consider it a good supplementary reference.
We recommend that you get the PDF or eBook, which is available free online. You can download it from Green Tree Press. If you prefer a paper copy, you can buy one from Amazon.
We will use iClickers (or the associated REEF polling app) in many lectures. We strongly recommend that you bring one to class — we and students over the years have found them to have great educational value. You do not need to register your iClicker for this course, though, because we are not recording participation grades.
Python comes in several shapes and sizes. To make sure that everything works properly, we require everyone in the course to use the same version of Python. If you're exclusively using the lab computers, you're good to go. But if you wish to use your own machine, even if you already have Python installed on your computer, we ask that you install our version so you can be consistent with everyone else.
Technically, you can write Python in any text editor (e.g., a Word processor that only produces text and does not have fonts or fancy formatting). We recommend that you install and use Atom, a popular product that works the same across all platforms. That allows you to collaborate with partners who might be working on other operating systems. Some people prefer Sublime Text, but that program is not free.
CS 1110