This is an introductory course to computer programming and related mathematical/logic background for students without a Bachelor in Computer Science or in Computer Engineering. The objective is to smoothly introduce the student to the programming concepts and tools needed for typical data processing and data analysis tasks. The course consists of lectures and practice in computer labs.

• Giuseppe Prencipe (labs)
  • Università di Pisa
  • http://pages.di.unipi.it/prencipe/
  • giuseppe [dot] prencipe [at] unipi [dot] it
• Salvatore Ruggieri (lectures)
  • Università di Pisa
  • http://pages.di.unipi.it/ruggieri/
  • ruggieri [at] di [dot] unipi [dot] it
• Jacopo Soldani (lab assistant)
  • Università di Pisa
  • http://pages.di.unipi.it/soldani/
  • soldani [at] di [dot] unipi [dot] it

• Prof. Prencipe: Wednesdays h 15:00 - 19:00 or by appointment, Department of Computer Science, room 327/DO.
• Prof. Ruggieri: Tuesdays h 14:00 - 17:00 or by appointment, Department of Computer Science, room 321/DO.

• [T] Kenneth H. Rosen. Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications. Seventh Edition, MCGraw-Hill, 2012. Supplement material (including Errata-Corrige).
• [P] Pieter Spronck. The Coder’s Apprentice: Learning Programming with Python 3, 2017. Book and supplement material.
• [C] Brian W. Kernighan, Dennis M. Ritchie. C Programming Language. Second Edition, Prentice Hall, 1988.
• [A] David A. Patterson,‎ John L. Hennessy. Computer Organization and Design. Fifth Edition, The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Computer Architecture and Design, 2014. MKComputerOrganizationAndDesign-1stChapter.pdf
• [O] Paolo Ancilotti, Maurelio Boari, Anna Ciampolini, Giuseppe Lipari. Sistemi Operativi. McGraw-Hill, 2008

• Python programming: Anaconda distribution of Python 3. Computers at lab rooms include it both on Linux and Windows OS.
• C programing: either gedit (or equivalent text editor) and gcc. If you do not have gcc on your machine, check next item. Gedit and gcc are available on computers at lab room (Linux only).
• gcc compiler: To be able to compile C programs, you need to have a gcc compiler installed on your machine. If you use Linux….well, why are you still reading? :) If you use macOSX, almost no problems: just install XCode; then from Xcode Preferences > Downloads choose “Command line tool”, and install it as well: you will have gcc on your machine. Finally, for Windows users, you need to install any gcc compiler. You have two options:
  • (1) install minGW minGW. Once the MinGW Installation Manager has been installed, execute it and install the whole MinGW package (from the Package menu). After everything has been downloaded and installed, you first need to set the PATH environment variable (see here: set Windows PATH); now, you will also have gcc compiler on your machine.
  • (2) install DevC++: write and save your program, and then compile and run it by accessing the Execute menu.
• Compile C on lab machines (Windows) Use DevC++.
• Editor for C files Either use the DevC++ editor, or use Notepad++ .
• Python/C online including visualization of memory state PythonTutor.

• Preliminary program.
• Calendar of lessons.

Registration to exams and mid-terms is mandatory: register here

Next exam (reserved session) will be on Wednesday 4th of April, from 2pm to 6pm, Lab H.

IMPORTANT: To be able to solve the C exercises during the exam, you need to use DevC++ installed in the Windows partition of the computers' lab. Please, read carefully the instructions in the Software section above.

Mid-terms text and solutions: PDS_2017_midterm_1.zip and PDS_2017_midterm_2.zip

Sample exam texts and solutions: PDS_2017_1session.zip, PDS_2017_2session.zip

Recordings are password protected. Ask the teachers for credentials.