Course outline
This is a short course given the first two weeks of the autumn semester.
This course gives a general introduction to the KTH computer environment with a special focus on control of a computer from the command line (Bash), remote access to KTH systems (SSH), version control of course work (Git and GitHub) and production of technical reports (LaTeX).
Structure
The course consists of three modules: the terminal and SSH, collaboration and version control, and finally, report writing with LaTeX. Each module contains video material, reading material, an interactive tutorial session, and one or more lab assignments.
Video material
The video material is provided through the FeedbackFruits platform. This allows you to ask questions while watching the video. It also allows your teachers to insert quizzes to see how well you understand the material.
However, for this to work, you need to register an account the first time you use it. Just register with any email address of your choice, however, we suggest that you use your KTH email address. Then you can use that email to log in in the future.
Interactive tutorial sessions
The interactive tutorial sessions are given live on Zoom, you can find the date and time in your schedule. You can join the session by going to the course’s Zoom room or enter 633 069 655 31 as the meeting ID in the Zoom client. There are numerous Zoom clients that you can use.
Lab sessions
There are also lab sessions scheduled. During these sessions you can get help with the lab assignments. The dates and times for the lab sessions can also be found in your schedule.
To get help, go to the queue. To enter the queue:
- Start a new Zoom meeting, copy the invitation link.
- Paste the invitation link in the Location field.
- Enter a short description of your problem (e.g. which lab) in the Comment field.
- Click “Join queue”.
You can find some figures detailing the steps above on the Getting Help page (next page).
Deadlines and passing the course
To pass the course and get credits in LADOK, you must complete the assignments. These assignments are constructed in such a way that we can check if you’ve completed them (e.g. logged into a system). We check the assignments by automation.
Our grading bot runs once per day. So don’t panic if you don’t get feedback immediately.
Once per week, complete results are reported to LADOK. Then you get credits. The date reported to LADOK is when you completed the last assignment.
Due to this automation, you can complete the assignments of the course at any time you like to get credits — even next year. But you should study the material already now, since you’re expected to know how to use the computer systems in other courses that you take now.
Help after the course
After the course (i.e. after the first two weeks of the semester), help within the course is limited to other students replying in the Canvas forum. But you can find help from the tutors of Allmänhandledningen.