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CS 330 Syllabus



Computer Architecture & Operating Systems



Spring 2007



CIS Department



Saint Vincent College



General Information

  • 3 credits
  • Prerequisite: CS 230, Computer Architecture & Assembly Language, or permission of the instructor
  • Instructor: Brother David Carlson
  • Office: Physics 201
  • Office hours:
    • Mon Wed 9:30 - 11:20 am, 1:00 - 2:20 pm
    • Tues 2:00 - 3:00 pm
    • and by appointment
  • Phone: 724-805-2416 or extension 2416 on campus
  • Email: carlsond@stvincent.edu
  • The CIS lab on the ground floor of the Physics building will be available according to a schedule that will be posted outside of the lab and under the CIS Department Website.
  • Texts:
    • A Practical Guide To Red Hat Linux: Fedora Core and Red Hat Enterprise Linux, 3rd. ed., by Mark G. Sobell, Prentice Hall Pearson Education (2007).
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2003: Managing and Maintaining, by Kenneth C. Laudon, Brian Hill, Robin L. Pickering, and Azimuth Interactive, Prentice Hall Pearson Education (2004).

Description


This course is designed to cover the main concepts of computer architecture (organization) and operating systems as well as practical IT tasks with server operating systems. A multilevel machine approach to computer organization is used, with particular emphasis on the microprogramming level, the conventional machine level, and the operating system level. A simulator will be used to allow students to try microprogramming and machine language programming. The operating systems section of the course emphasizes system administration tasks and scripting on both Windows and Linux servers.

Why Take This Course?


This is a required course for CIS majors, although non-majors sometimes take the course. It is intended to provide students with a sufficient background in computer architecture and operating systems to allow them to function competently as computing professionals. Scripts are covered in part because they are heavily used in the real world for system administration. Although there will continue to be a large amount of change in the details of computer organization and the specifics of operating systems, many of the concepts and methods learned in this course will apply for years to come. The course also provides practice with system administration skills for specific operating systems: Fedora Core Linux and Windows 2003 Server. These skills are especially useful for those looking for employment in the IT world.

The Prerequisite


CS 230 is listed here so that students will have some knowledge of computer hardware (the CPU, multiplexers, registers, ports, etc). No knowledge of assembler language itself is actually needed as a prerequisite for this course, though it does make the course easier in places to have a little background in some type of assembler language.

The Required Texts


Two texts are used so as to provide good material on the two specific operating systems. Students will be asked to read key sections on typical system administration tasks in these texts. Other sections will not be covered, though the books should be good references for later work. The instructor will provide the course material for the architecture part of the course as well as for the operating systems concepts. The instructor's own microprogramming simulator will be used for part of the course. Other material will be provided as web pages, files on the course network drive, handouts, etc.

Core Goals


This course contributes especially toward the following core curriculum goals, listed in order of emphasis:
  1. To form habits of ordered inquiry, logical thinking, and critical analysis
  2. To develop mathematical skills and quantitative literacy
  3. To develop effective communication skills

CIS Department Goals


This course contributes to the following departmental goals, listed in order of emphasis.
  1. The CIS graduate should demonstrate the ability to manage the complexity of a technical problem through the use of good problem solving skills and software engineering skills, as well as ethical and decision-making skills.
  2. The CIS graduate should have a broad knowledge of the field of computing.
  3. The CIS graduate should be competent in at least three programming languages.

Course Goals and Means of Assessment

  1. By the end of the course, students will be able to explain the major concepts involved in computer architecture and operating systems.
  2. By the end of the course, students will be able to write small microprograms as well as machine-level programs and to modify the microprogram interpreter to implement a new machine-level instruction (designed and chosen by the student).
  3. By the end of the course, students will be able to explain the implementation of function calls and parameter passing at the machine-language level.
  4. By the end of the course, students will be able to perform typical server system administration tasks (such as account and group creation, changing permissions, setting up a web server, configuring firewall protection, and managing services).
  5. By the end of the course, students will be able to use the most common Linux commands and to write short scripts using VB script and bash.
  6. By the end of the course, students will be able to solve basic theory of operating systems problems (such as CPU scheduling problems).
These goals will be assessed through exams, hands-on projects where students do system administration tasks on virtual servers, quizzes, and homework assignments. The homework assignments will involve problem solving, programming, and (for the second goal) a contest to modify the microprogram interpreter. Informal discussions with students provide additional feedback.

Methods Used to Reach These Goals


Lecture, class activities, and class discusson are used to assist students in mastering the course material. Homework assignments and various hands-on activities are designed to allow students to grow in their understanding of the topic. Exams provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate what they have learned. Finally, the contest mentioned above allows students to demonstrate both their creativity and their mastery of microprogramming.

Grading and Course Policies

  • 25% First Exam
  • 25% Second Exam
  • 25% Final Exam, Revised Date: Mon, May 7, 1:30 - 3:30 pm
  • 25% Homework and quizzes
Some homework assignments will be collected and graded. The microprogramming contest will have the weight of three regular homework asssignments. If there are any other homeworks that have a higher than normal weight, that will be announced in class. Letter grades will be assigned according to the scheme found in the current College Bulletin. Exams will be announced in advance, but quizzes could be given at any time. Exams will be open book/open notes in nature, but quizzes will be closed book/closed notes unless otherwise specified. You must still be well-prepared for exams as it is not possible to look up how to solve every problem in the time given. Cell phones and pagers should be turned off and put away during exams and quizzes. The use of calculators is encouraged, but calculators are not to be shared among students during a quiz or test. On quizzes one can use only pens, pencils, calculators, and erasers. On exams, one can use all of these items, plus one's class notes, handouts, and textbooks.

Both the instructor and students are expected to do their best to produce a good class and to treat each other with respect. This includes many factors, such as listening when someone else is speaking, trying to understand what others are saying, being of assistance to others, etc. It definitely does NOT include making fun of others. On a practical level, do your best to improve your grade: read the course materials, attend class, do the homework, ask questions, and try to answer questions in class! Computer science requires active participation and repeated practice. If you begin to feel lost, consult one of the tutors, see the instructor, or work through the difficulties with the help of another student in the course. Do not let yourself get behind. In fact, one key to academic success is to start early on homework and other tasks. Last-minute miracles seldom work! Note in particular that attendance is expected. Student performance is bound to deteriorate when classes are missed. In order to emphasize the importance of attendance, the policies outlined after this paragraph will be used.

  • The 3 lowest homework/quiz grades (excluding the microprogramming contest) are dropped. Missing more than 3 of these will result in zeros for the additional items missed. The dropping of the lowest 3 homework/quiz grades is used to handle occasional absences that you may need to take from non-exam class sessions.
  • Makeup quizzes are not given.
  • Late work is not accepted unless resulting from an excused absence, but partial credit is given for incomplete homework that is submitted on time.
  • Arriving late for class or leaving early is counted as 1/2 of an absence.
  • Each unexcused class absence after the first 5 results in 1.5 percentage points being deducted from the final course grade.
  • An unexcused absence from an exam results in the failure of the course.
  • Unexcused absence from more than one-third of the semester's classes results in the failure of the course.
  • A passing exam average is required in order to pass the course.
  • Attendance is used to decide borderline grades at the end of the semester.
  • Written documentation (such as a note from a doctor's office or coach of one's sports team) is normally required for an absence to be excused. Bring this documentation to your instructor if you must miss an exam. When in doubt or in the case or extraordinary circumstances, consult your instructor.
Make-up exams are strongly discouraged. If possible, take the regularly scheduled exam. For an excused absence for a significant reason, the instructor may agree to give a make-up exam. Whenever possible, see your instructor ahead of time if you know you must miss an exam (e.g. due to sports). At the start of the semester, students participating in sports teams are required to provide the instructor with a schedule of games that might conflict with class. If the documentation or reason for the absence is weak, you can count on receiving a significantly more difficult exam! Do ask for a makeup if you have a good reason to miss, however, as it is understood that illnesses and other complications do happen.

Intellectual honesty is important at Saint Vincent College. Attempt to pass off the work of another as one's own, to turn in group work as one's individual work, to use another group's work as your group's, or to copy someone else's answers on a quiz or exam will result in action appropriate to the seriousness of the situation. All cases of apparent intellectual dishonesty will be referred to the administration. In this course, students are expected to do entirely their own work on quizzes and tests. Paper homework can be worked on together unless explicitly stated otherwise. However, the system administration tasks and scripting are to be done in groups of two (or by individuals). Each group is to work independently. Note that on written homework, some students learn better when working together; others do better when working mostly alone. Do not simply copy someone else's homework as that does little to help you to learn the material. Remember that you are responsible for knowing how to solve the homework problems and that you will have to face the quiz and test questions on your own.

Be sure to read and follow the CIS Department Policies statement, available under the CIS Department Web Page. (This statement covers especially the proper use of departmental computing facilities, policies concerning web pages, etc.) In addition, read the Regulations section of the College Bulletin (which covers such things as grading, academic honesty, etc.) and the Student Handbook.

Students with disabilities who require academic accomodations and support services should please consult Mrs. Sandy Quinlivan. You may contact her by telephone (724-805-2371), SVC email, or by scheduling an appointment in Academic Affairs (located directly above the Post Office). Reasonable accomodations do not alter the essential elements of any courses, programs, or activities.

If the instructor needs to cancel class, every effort will be made to post a note to this effect on the course web page and on the door to the classroom. If this cannot be done, as a last resort the instructor's phone greeting will be changed to indicate that class is cancelled.



Maintained by: Br. David Carlson
Last updated: August 17, 2007
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