随着计算机应用的普及,“计算机科学导论”课程不再是教授学生使用字处理器、数据库、电子表格、演示软件和电子邮件了,也不是只限于诸如Web页面设计和交互式图形的“娱乐”应用,而是还应包含诸如算法、硬件设计、计算机组织结构、系统软件、语言模型、计算理论以及计算机社会与伦理问题等知识。对这些核心知识的介绍,将向学生展示整个计算机领域的丰富和华美。它不仅使得学生可以**地使用计算机和软件,而且还可以鉴赏计算机和软件的创建和实现背后的基本思想。本书就是针对“计算机科学导论”课的这种改革而编写的。本书全面地介绍了该学科的内容,无需读者有计算机科学、程序设计或数学等背景知识。本书不仅适合用作计算机及相关专业学生的课程,也非常适合用作高中计算机科学课程的教材。

Chapter 1 An Introduction to Computer Science
1.1 Introduction
Special Interest Box: In the Beginning...
1.2 The Definition of Computer Science
Speciol Interest Box: Abu Ja' far Muhammad ibn Musa A[-Khowarizmi
(a.d. 780-850?)
1.3 Algorithms
1.3.1 The Formal Definition of an Algorithm
1.3.2 The Importance of ALgorithmic Problem Solving
PRACTICE PROBLEMS
1.4 A Brief History of Computing
1.4.1 The Early Period: Up to 1940
Special Interest Box: The Original "Technophobia"
Special Interest Box: CharLes Babbage (1791-1871) Ada Augusta
Byron, Countess of Love[ace (1815-1852)
1.4.2 The Birth of Computers: 1940-1950
Special Interest Box: John Von Neumann (1903-1957)
Special Interest Box= And the Verdict Is..,
1.4.3 The Modern Era: 1950 to the Present
Special Interest Box: Good Evening, This Is Walter Cronkite
Spedal Interest Box: The WorLd's First Microcomputer
1.5 Organization of the Text
EXERCISES
CHALLENGE WORK
Level1 The Algorithmic Foundations of Computer Science
Chapter 2 ALgorithm Discovery and Design
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Representing Algorithms
2.2.1 Pseudocode
2.2.2 Sequential Operations
PRACTICE PROBLEMS
2.2.3 Conditional and Iterative Operations
Special Interest Box: From LittLe Primitives Mighty ALgorithms
Do Grow
PRACTICE PROBLEMS
2.3 ExampLes of ALgorithmic ProbLem Solving
2.3.1 ExampLe 1: Go Forth and Multiply
PRACTICE PROBLEMS
2.3.2 ExampLe 2: Looking, Looking, Looking
2.3.3 ExampLe 3: Big, Bigger, Biggest
PRACTICE PROBLEMS
2.3.4 Example 4: Meeting Your Match
PRACTICE PROBLEMS
2.4 ConcLusion
EXERCISES
CHALLENGE WORK
Chapter 3 The Efficiency of ALgorithms
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Attributes of ALgorithms
PRACTICE PROBLEMS
3.3 Measuring Efficiency
3.3.1 Sequential Search
3.3.2 Order of Magnitude--Order n
Special Interest Box: FLipping Pancakes
PRACTICE PROBLEM
3.3.3 SeLection Sort
PRACTICE PROBLEM
3.3.4 Order of Magnitude--Order n2
Special Interest Box: The Tortoise and the Hare
PRACTICE PROBLEM
3.4 AnaLysis of ALgorithms
3.4.1 Data CLeanup ALgorithms
PRACTICE PROBLEMS
3.4.2 Binary Search
PRACTICE PROBLEMS
3.4.3 Pattern Hatching
3.4.4 Summary
PRACTICE PROBLEM
3.5 When Things Get Out of Hand
PRACTICE PROBLEMS
3.6 Summary of Level 1
……
Level2 The Hardware World
Level3 The Virtual Machine
Level4 The Software World
Level5 Applications
Level6 Social Issues in Computing

本书系统全面地介绍了计算机科学的内容,向学生展示整个计算机领域的丰富和华美,无需读者有计算机科学、程序设计或数学等背景知识。本书不仅适合用作计算机及相关专业学生的课程,也非常适合用作高中计算机科学课程的教材。