Although Unix now comes in forms which include a graphical user interface, as programmers it's important that you get to feel comfortable with using it purely through text commands typed into an x-term command window. This is more like conventional programming, allows you to do a lot more than can be done just with pointing and clicking, and gives you an insight into what's happening underneath. So if Unix commands are mentioned in the course, it will generally be assumed they are entered as text commands in a command window.
As suggested extra work this week, I suggest you concentrate on picking up the basics of Unix. You will get some help in your weekly lab slot, but that shouldn't be your only time on the computer in the whole week. It would help you to get some basic information on Unix and work through it, experimenting with various commands to make sure you understand them.
The printed document you were given at the start of term, Introduction to Unix and X windows, is a good starting point. You should work through it and make sure you understand it. A complete on-line guide to Linux (a popular version of Unix) is available here, stored on the Computer Science Department's system. Apart from that, I have also made links to various sources of information on Linux/Unix here on the general worldwide resources page for the course. I have collected links to large amounts of material here, ranging from simple tutorials to detailed references: look through some of it to see if anything suits what you want.
You have now seen how to write simple Java programs that read and write things. You should write, compile and run your own Java programs to do some simple reading and writing to make sure you understand what has been covered so far. When you write or change programs, you use a text editor. You have been advised to use XEmacs, but possible alternatives would be vi or pico. These are older style editors which operate in the command window rather than in a separate window. You can find information on all these editors within documents telling you about Unix, but I have also collected a few direct links to text editor sites here
By now, you ought to have bought at least one of the recommended textbooks, and you should have read at least the introductory chapter. Different books will place different emphases on different aspects of programming with Java, and will introduce different topics in different orders. That's why it helps to have more than one book and to make comparisons. Sometimes you will find one book is good for explaining one thing, another book good for explaining another.
Useful material introducing computers and programming that can be found on the web and is accessible form the Worldwide notes and resources page of this course includes notes by:
Finally, I would welcome it if we had some general comments or discussions sent to the newsgroup for this course. If you have something you want to say or ask, please make use of this resource.
Matthew Huntbach 3rd October 2000