The Elements of Computing Systems (TECS)

The Elements of Computing Systems (TECS) is an introduction (or refresher) on the basics of Computer Science. It's an exciting course that begins with binary logic gates but works up, one layer at a time, to building high-level programming languages and operating systems. That probably sound ambitious, especially for a one-semester course, however I assure you that it will be fun and easy. The book we'll follow breaks down a complicated topic into twelve easily digestible layers of abstraction which are fundamental to understanding how and why computers work the way they do.

This first meeting will serve as an orientation for anyone who is interested in participating in the course. I will explain the course outline and syllabus in greater detail, explain where to find copies of the book, help people get the course software setup, and answer any other questions.

This course is appropriate for all ages and experience levels, however I recommend that participants have some prior programming experience.