We will use a Google Group for class related communications. The Google Group is basically used as an e-mail reflector. When someone posts a message to the class Google Group, every group member will get a copy of it. You can also reply to the entire class Google Group and everyone will get a copy of your reply.

You are REQUIRED to be a member of the class Google Group because all important announcements are sent throught the class Google Group and I can ask exam questions based on my posts to the class Google Group! So, please read this web page carefully.

As it turns out, it's a bit tricky to use the class Google Group just right. Therefore, please read the explanations below carefully.

There are two ways to use the class Google Group:

Option (1)	:	Use the class Google Group as an e-mail reflector. This would be the default way of using the class Google Group. The down side of this option is that you have to manage your own message archive since I can ask exam questions based on my posts to the class Google Group. Also, technically speaking, you are not really a "member" of the class Google Group, although you have some restricted access to it. There is one caveat for Option (1)... If you read your USC e-mail using Google Apps at USC, then this option will not work for you! Why not? I have no idea! I just know that if you read your USC e-mail using Google Apps at USC, you will not get any messages post to the class Google Group if you choose this option! They have this problem for years and it's still not fixed, as far as I'm aware of. By the way, I actually don't know if it's true that if you are using Google Apps at USC to read your e-mail, you will not a message from the class Google Group! That's what I was told. If you are using Google Apps at USC to read your e-mail and you sign up for the class Google Group using Option (1) here and you are able to receive messages from the class Google Group, please send an e-mail to the instructor to let him know, so that he can fix this web page.
Option (2)	:	Have full-access to the class Google Group. Google Group is a product of Google. In order for you to choose this option, you have to be a member of Google, i.e., you have to use a Google account (i.e., gmail address) to access the class Google Group. The advantage of this option is that you can log into the class Google Group and post messages or perform searches in the message archive using a web interface. Option (2) is PREFERRED because you don't have to manage your own message archive! Please note that Option (2) is available to you at any time! Any time during the semester, if you want full access to the class Google Group, all you have to do is to get a Google account, login to Google, and follow the instructions to make a request to join the class Google group!

This semester, I'm going to try something different from what's mentioned in Lecture 1. I will directly add your USC e-mail address to the class Google Group. (As it turned out, it didn't work out because Google only allows me to add up to 100 e-mails per day to the group! So, I will send invitations to the rest of the students. If you get an invitation to join the class Google Group, please just accept the invitation.) Therefore, by default, you will be using Option (1) above to access the class Google Group. If you would prefer Option (2), all you have to do is to get a Google account, login to Google, and follow the instructions to make a request to join the class Google group. Once you can access the class Google Group content over the web, then you can delete your USC e-mail address from the class Google Group.

At any time, if you decide to go with Option (2), please do the following:

• Login to your Google account or login to gmail. (If you don't have a gmail account, you can just create one. It's free.)
• Point your web browser to our Google Group web site. It should say that you are not a member.
• Click on Ask to join group (and please don't click on "Contact the owner/manager"). Since your gmail address may not tell the instructor who you really are, you MUST provide your USC e-mail address in the "reason for joining" area so that the instructor can verify that you are a registered student for the class. Please note that the only requirement to get on this list is that you have a valid USC e-mail address. If you are not registered for the class yet (either because you are on the waiting list or you are just considering taking the class), you can request to join this group. In this case, in addition to providing your USC e-mail address, you should also tell the instructor why you are requesting to join this group.
• If you do not provide your USC e-mail address (I don't need your USC student ID number) in the "reason for joining" area (even though your Google account name is similar to your real name), your request will be denied (and you will get an e-mail saying that your request was not approved) and you should try again.
• Give the instructor 24 hours approve your request before you can get into the Google Group.

There is a 3rd option (which is kind of an extension to option (1)). If you do not have a Google account to begin with and you want to use your USC e-mail address to access the Google Group, you should first visit our Google Group web site and click on Sign in in the right top corner. On the next screen, click on the big Create an account button then enter your USC e-mail address as your current e-mail address. Then follow the instructions there to finish creating your account.

In this group, you can ask course related and project related questions. Please make sure to use this Google Group to clarify any questions that you may have on the assignments specifications and grading guidelines. Please refrain from posting code or pseudo-code or anything that can lead to any sort of plagiarism. Be mindful about what you post. Posting more than 2 lines of code OR pseudo-code will be considered cheating! Please keep in mind that one line of pseudo-code can easily turn into 10 lines of code! So, if your pseudo-code has any details and can turn into more than 2 lines of code, it's considered cheating! Try not to post pseudo-code. Try to explain things to your fellow students using language that doesn't sound or look like code at all.

If you post more than 2 lines of code OR pseudo-code, first offense (in the entire semester) gets a warning (unless you posted a lot more than 2 lines of code, in which case we will skil this step). Second offense, you will lose 50% of the corresponding assignment points and lose posting privileges in the class Google Group for the rest of the semester.

Since the programming assignment and exam grades will be sent to your USC e-mail address, if you don't use your USC e-mail address to receive e-mails, it's best that you forward your USC e-mails to your other e-mail account, for example, your gmail account. It's easy to setup e-mail forwarding! Just follow the these simple steps.

1. Go to http://my.usc.edu/.
2. Click on Gmail to login to your USC e-mail account.
3. Click on Settings and then See All Settings.
4. Click on Forwarding and POP/IMAP.
5. Click on Enable Forwarding.
6. Enter the e-mail address you would like to use below it.
7. Click on Save Changes.

I get the following question a lot:

I'm receiving all the messages that got posted to the class Google Group. But when I go to the class Google Group on the web, I cannot see the discussions or use the search function. What do I need to do?

You need to remember that if you want to see the discussions, you must have done both of the following:

• logged into Google, and
• be a member of our class Google Group

Please note that there is a difference between just Google and a Google Group.

Go to the class Google Group at:

http://groups.google.com/group/usc-cs402-s21

Which message do you see? Do you see (1): "You cannot view the group's content or participate in the group because you are not currently a member", or (2): "You must be signed in and a member of this group to view its content"?

If you see the first message, it means that you have already signed into Google (with your Google login e-mail address, whatever it may be); you are just not a member of the Google Group. In this case, you should click on the "Ask to join group" link and then enter your USC e-mail address in the "reason for joining" field to apply for membership.

If you see the 2nd message, it means that you are not signed into Google (not our class Google Group, just Google). In this case, you should sign in (i.e., click on the "Sign in" link in the right top corner) first. If you don't have a Google account, you can click on "Create an account" and then enter your USC e-mail address as your account's e-mail address and go from there.