Com Sci 221/321
Programming Languages
Autumn 1999

A course in the

Department of Computer Science

The University of Chicago

Online discussion using HyperNews

[27 Sept] Homework assignment #1 is due Monday, 4 October before class. Please read the general instructions for homework carefully. (O'D)

[26 Sept] The HyperNews system is producing an ``internal server error'' message for every attempt to post. In spite of the error message, posting succeeds. I am pressing the computer staff to fix the problem. The system is still usable. Please resist the temptation to repost when you see the error message. (O'D)

[22 Sept] Read and follow the instructions for getting started right away. (O'D)

[8 Sept] I last taught this course in 1995. I am in the process of updating these materials for autumn 1999. (O'D)

Logistics

Venue: MWF 1:30, Ryerson 251.
Instructor: Michael J. O'Donnell
- Office: Ryerson 257A.
- Office hours: by appointment. Contact me by email (odonnell@cs.uchicago.edu), phone at the office (312-702-1269), or phone at home (847-835-1837 between 9:30 and 5:30 on days that I work at home). You may drop in to the office any time, but you may find me out or busy if you haven't confirmed an appointment. Check my personal schedule before proposing an appointment.
Teaching Assistant: Xiaohan Peng.
Course evaluations from previous quarters.

Last modified: Mon Sep 27 09:59:49 CDT 1999

Catalog Description

Programming language design aims at the closest possible correspondence between the structures of a program and of the problem that it solves. This course studies some of the structural concepts affecting programming languages --- iterative and recursive control flow, data types and type checking, procedural vs. functional programming, modularity and encapsulation, fundamentals of interpreting and compiling, formal descriptions of syntax and semantics. Students will write short programs in a number of radically different languages to illuminate the variety of possible designs.

Required Text: Programming Languages: Concepts and Constructs, by Ravi Sethi, 2nd edition.

There are at least three different printings of the 2d edition: September 1995, February 1996, and April 1997. It is important to get the 2d edition, rather than the 1st, but I don't know how much difference there is between printings. According to the head matter, there were some corrections. The books in stock at the campus bookstore are the latest (known) printing, but they are also the most expensive.

The text is in stock at the campus bookstore ($75 April 1997 printing). You may also order it online from Amazon ($51.95, February 1996 printing), Barnes & Noble online ($72.75, September 1995 printing), or other book vendors.