Late days are "self-granted extensions" that allow you to submit work late without penalty. Unexpected things come up-- you get sick, the network slows down, you accidentally delete a critical file, etc. Usually you then ask the instructor to grant you an extension. To save this step, I have given you the privilege to grant yourself 2 days (24-hour periods) of extension without having to check with me for approval.
It is up to you how you want to use your late days. If you are choosing to use one of your self-granted extension days, you do not need to confirm with us, just submit your work normally and it will be time-stamped accordingly. Once you have used your two late days, late work is discounted approximately 10% per 24-hour day late.
For some projects the deadline may be firm or will only allow a day or two of lateness (we'll announce the details as each assignment goes out.) The reason for this is one of logistics: in order to allow you to start clean and move forward without bringing your past problems along, the solution to project 2 is contained/hinted at in the starter files for project 3 and so on. Thus we must have all assignments submitted before posting the next one.
Under no circumstances will any assignment be accepted more than 2 days past the original due date, whether you are using free or penalty late days. You must turn in what you have by the third day past or will earn a zero for that assignment.
Uusally it is the timestamp on your electronic submission that determines the assignment's lateness. The absolute deadline for on-time submissions is midnight of the due date.
Late days are counted in 24-hour periods, so an assignment submitted any time until midnight of the next day is one day late, and so on.
This late policy is similiar to that used at Stanford and the one I used at Bucknell.