Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

This course covers "in parallel" three relatively independent bodies of materials (the three “tracks”)£¬together to serve the goal of surveying the "complex computing environments where computers, operating systems, programming languages and network connections integrate". The three tracks are:

• Introductory C programming;
• Elementary Linux operating system; and
• Computer and networking hardware. 

C is chosen over "more modern" high-level languages such as Python because it still dominates the embedded systems ecosystem, and an exposure to C will prepare the student for subsequent courses involving microcontrollers. This year for the first time, we will introduce and make use of AI agentic programming that is quickly becoming the dominant way to write code in professional environment. Using an AI agent will allow the student to write much more sophisticated and real code than otherwise doable in a first language course. Linux is chosen because it dominates today’s computing hardware infrastructure scene. We will cover cloud computing that is taking over the corporate computing environment as part of our computer hardware coverage.

This is an ambitious scope spanning breadth and volume much larger than could be covered in less than 10 lectures. As such, most of the contents must be done through student self-study, in the forms of reading, exercises, coding and other activities. It is important to understand that in a professional environment (“the real world”), there are no full-time teachers to hold your hand and teach you everything you need to know like in elementary or middle school. All learning is done by yourself. It is critical for you, both for the purpose of this course and for your future career, to abandon the expectation that “you need to be taught” to know the things you’re supposed to know.

In order to learn C, students are required to install an Integrated ɳ°ÍÌåÓý¹ÙÍøment Environment (IDE) for C/C++. In order to learn Linux, students are required to install the Linux Operating System either on a “real” or a virtual basis. Both require a desktop or laptop computer to work consistently. A smart phone or pad alone is not sufficient for this course.