Tue, 15 Nov 2011, 19:33

Two items of bookkeeping email.  In both cases, we are modifying 
the Programming Assignment accordingly.

Question 1: Can the user type a,b,c or are legitimate turns restricted 
to A,B,C?  Certainly, we can allow either.  To save you a little work: 
a legitimate turn must contain the row, specified as A,B, or C (i.e.,
capital letter) followed by a number that is not larger than the number 
of rocks still remaining in that row.

So, a2 is NOT legitimate, even if there are at least two rocks in row A.

Question 2: When is the program due?  The program stated midnight, Tuesday
night.  In class, in a moment of generosity, I said we would leave the
submission switch on on Wednesday.  Which is it?  I set the deadline as
Tuesday night (rather than Sunday night as we usually do) because I wanted
to give you more time, but at the same time leave Wednesday for traveling
so you can get home (or wherever you are going) for Thanksgiving.  In class,
I thought, what if a student gets home early and wants to work on the program
early on Wednesday.  Ergo, the disconnect.

I do want you to get away from UT and 306 next weekend and enjoy the long
weekend.  That is, I do not want you staying up half the night Wednesday 
night working on the program.  Within the whole scheme of things, I think
that would be counterproductive.  So, in attempt to provide some balance, 
we will do the following:

The deadline for Program 4 is now set at Wednesday, noon.  Rather than have
any vagueness about a grace period at no penalty, we will do the following:
We will leave the submission system open an extra 6 hours, until Wednesday
at 6pm.  If you submit between noon and 6pm, there will be a 20% penalty.
After 6pm, it will not be possible to submit.  This will give you some 
extra time, but also guarantee that you are free from 306 at 6pm on the
day before Thanksgiving at the latest.

By the way, I hope it is clear that the program we will grade is the LAST
program you submit, whether before noon or after noon on Wednesday.

Good luck finishing in time.  I will see you in class tomorrow.

Yale Patt