Frequently Asked Questions

This page presents a list of questions (with answers) to frequently asked questions by students. Please email the instructor if you have a question you think should be posted.

General

Course Materials

Grades

Technical Questions

Blackboard

Course Specific

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General

How do I get an account in the Computer Technology Center (CTC)?

User names and passwords are provided by the CTC lab (room 1400). They are provided only to those students who are legitimately enrolled in one or more computer-related courses that uses the CTC lab. In order to use a computer in the CTC lab, you need to log onto the computer with your CTC User name and password. For more information, click here.

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Do I really need to learn all these programming terms?

Yes. Learning the vocabulary is part of learning any discipline. If you have trouble learning the terms, make yourself some flash cards and spend 5 minutes a day reviewing the terms. Within a short time you will know them.

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Where can I find a good glossary of computer terms?

The computer and information technology disciplines use thousands of terms. This course uses many of those same terms. Since there are so many terms, it is usually faster to find the term you are looking for using a search function. Any of the following is a good source.

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Which Programming Language Should I Study?

You should learn whatever programming languages you need to accomplish your goals. That said, most students have one of the following goals:

  1. Meet requirements for their major
  2. Improve their chances of getting a job
  3. Determine whether or not programming is a good career choice

Meeting Requirements for a Major

You can get an idea of which programming languages to learn by consulting the course catalog for your intended major and transfer university. To determine which Cabrillo College courses are transferable, you should visit the assist.org web site and meet with a counselor. The following links may be useful for Cabrillo College students in determining which courses to take:

Improving Your Employability

Computer software, engineering and networking jobs are still projected to be the fastest growing job categories in the U.S. For more information,see the US Department of Labor Site: Fastest-Growing Occupations.

So which programming languages do employers want software professionals to know? The October 2003 issue of Dr. Dobb's Journal presented a web-based jobs survey that answers this question. By scanning web-based job offers that specify requirements for different programming languages, the authors found that:

  • 50% of all software jobs specify C++
  • 42% of all software jobs specify Java
  • 19% of all software jobs specify Visual Basic

A more recent indicator is the TIOBE Programming Community Index. This site measures the popularity of programming languages by counting their hits on the most popular search engines. The index is updated monthly using web search engine results. For instance, in August 2010 the most popular programming languages in order were:

  1. Java
  2. C
  3. C++
  4. PHP
  5. Visual Basic

To maximize your employability, you should learn both C/C++ and Java at a minimum.

Exploring Software Engineering as a Profession

Many people remember the dot-com crash of 2001 and think there are no jobs in computer software. However, this is not true! According to the US Department of Labor (1), computer software is one of the fastest-growing occupation in the nation. This makes computer software careers a great choice for students.

Computer software careers are an even better choice if you consider that they are already high-paying jobs. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, starting salary offers for graduates with a bachelor's degree in computer science averaged $61,738 in 2009. (2)

You can learn to program using either C++ or Java. Once you learn one of the languages, the second language is much faster and easier to pick up. However, Java is usually the best choice as a first language for the beginning programmer because:

  1. Java is the language used for the AP test and to teach programming at most all University of California campuses.
  2. Java syntax is more consistent, allowing the student to learn more programming concepts in the first semester.
  3. Java provides an easier path to learn C++ (or C#) than languages such as Visual Basic.

Further Information

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Why can't I use PhotoShop in the CTC?

PhotoShop is a commercial application and Cabrillo strictly follows all laws pertaining to use of commercial software. For students in the Digital Media program, Cabrillo has purchased an extremely limited number of user licenses. The licenses are limited because funding to community colleges is extremely limited.

If we allow you to use PhotoShop when you are not enrolled in an appropriate course, then we must allow all students to use that software. This would prevent students who are enrolled in classes from using the software.

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How long until the semester is over?

See the Cabrillo Counter by Steve Hodges.

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Course Materials

Can students influence which topics are covered during the course?

Yes. The course will cover the objectives listed in the Course information page. Beyond those objectives, we can choose additional topics of interest. Your instructor wants to make this course relevant to you.

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Is it possible to get bugs fixed on the class web pages?

Yes! Just email the instructor and he will be happy to correct any problems you find.

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If I do not buy the textbook, or use another version of the textbook, can I still pass the class?

If you are resourceful, you can get by without using the textbook or with using another version of the textbook. However, you are still responsible for any reading and assignments from the textbook. The instructor will not provide you with alternate reading or copies of any material from the textbook. You are on your own if you do not purchase the correct edition of the textbook.

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Can I have my "tutor" do my homework?

No. You are cheating if you allow anyone to do any part of your homework assignments, unless specifically authorized in the written assignment instructions. Tutors must follow the same rules as any other non-student. See your course information page or syllabus for more information.

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Grades

Will you look over my assignment before I submit it and tell me if it is correct?

No. If I were to "look over" your assignment before it was graded then I would have to look over every student's assignment. This would mean that I grade every student at least twice but only assign grades after everything is correct. Part of learning is to find errors and correct your own work. However, I will answer specific and reasonable questions.

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According to my calculations, I got 89.9% in the course and I received a "B". I was only one-tenth of a percent away from an "A". Can't you give me an "A"?

An "A" means you have done excellent work throughout the course. It does not mean a "marginally excellent" student. If you earn 90.0% or more, you will receive the "A" grade you earned. If you got 89.9% the you earned a "B", which signifies that you did "above average" work, and there is no shame in being above average.

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If I get close to a "C" at the end of a semester, will you give it to me?

I don't give any grade. Everyone receives the grade earned. If it is a C, that is what you get. If it is a D, that is also what you get.

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Technical Questions

How do I change the extension on a file using Mac OS X?

If you use Macintosh OS X:

  1. Use Finder to find the file
  2. Select the file by clicking on it
  3. Open the Get Info dialog (Ctrl-i or File->Menu->Get info)
  4. Untick the Hide Extension checkbox
  5. Change the extension of the file
  6. Say "Yes" when the confirming dialog asks if you want the extension changed

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Blackboard

How do I upload my assignment files to Blackboard?

After logging in to Blackboard, click the Assignments link and then click the link for the assignment. To upload files, click the Browse My Computer button after following the link. After clicking the button, you will see a standard File Upload dialog for uploading files from your computer.

After you upload your files, you need to either click Submit or Save as Draft to save your comments or uploads. For the instructor to see your files, you must click the Submit button before the assignment due date and time. On most assignments, you can make changes and upload more files until the assignment is due.

If you want to verify that you submitted an assignment at a later time, just follow the links back to the assignment. You will see a listing of the assignment you submitted in the Review Submission History area. You may need to click the + sign next to the Attempt to view the file links.

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How do I change an assignment in Blackboard?

You can change and resubmit an assignment up until the due date. If you have already submitted an assignment, follow the assignment link and press the Start New Submission button. Then follow the same steps as you would for your first submission.

With Blackboard 9, you need to submit all your files at once. If you need to resubmit, you must upload all the files for the complete assignment. The instructor will only grade the files in the last submittal.

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How do I tell what I submitted for an assignment in Blackboard?

Verify what you submitted for an assignment by first clicking the My Grades link. Locate the assignment in the list. If the assignment name is hyperlinked then you submitted an assignment. To see what you submitted, click the hyperlink and expand any + signs you see. All you assignment files are listed and you can download them to verify your work. Remember that only the last assignment submitted is graded.

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How do I view my test or quiz results in Blackboard?

To view your test results, click the Assessment link in the Course Tools list on the left-hand side. This will list all the assessments. Follow the link to the test and press the Begin button. This will take you to a page where you can view your test or quiz results.

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Course Specific

Why do I get the warning: "bootstrap class path not set in conjunction with -source 1.5"?

This is a minor error with the Greenfoot environment. The people at Greenfoot are looking into making it go away but you can safely ignore it and it won't affect the functionality of Greenfoot or your scenario.

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Last Updated: February 05 2012 @16:07:23